Most of us think of MG as a sports car marque, but in fact for most of the history of the MG Car Company sedans were produced alongside the sports models. The sedan models produced before WW2 were many and varied, while the models following the war are easier to describe. In 1948 the MG Y type was introduced, and eventually this model took two forms, a 4 door closed sedan (the YA and YB) and a 2 door open top touring sedan (the YT). This model was derived from designs of the 1930s and had a separate bonnet and fenders, and a wood framed body mounted on a chassis.

In 1953 the company introduced the Z type, which was in many ways a radical departure from the models that preceded it. It was the first time that the company, or indeed any part of the BMC complex, had produced a car with unibody construction. It was the first use of the BMC B series engine, which was derived from Austin designs. It was sleek and streamlined compared to other models of MG, including the TD sports models of the time. It was the first MG to use a radiator grille that was "fake" and did not house the actual radiator. Its front suspension was not only independent, but coil over shock, and a very modern type of design with control rods rather than A-arms.

The car was named the "Magnette" a moniker derived from the early 1930s period in which there were Midgets, Magnas, and smaller versions of Magnas dubbed Magnettes. The name had been applied to one of the most famous and successful MG racing cars ever built, the K-3 Magnette. Thus the use of the name by BMC angered some die-hard MG enthusiasts who felt that a famous name was being dragged through the mud, but they had apparantly forgotten that the name had also applied to many sedans and that its use for the race car was actually an unusual case.

It is sometimes said that Gerald Palmer, the designer of the MG Z and its sister vehicle the Wolseley 4-44, borrowed a lot from the Lancia Aurelia in his work; he had also previously designed the Jowett Javelin, another even more revolutionary car manufactured by a small Yorkshire company that mostly made commercial vehicles. Early Z types were different in that they had no vent windows, a torque arm between the rear axle and the body, and a metal dash with painted wood effects. They also had less powerful engines.

The ZB Magnette, then, is a 4 door, 4-5 passenger sedan of unibody construction, with 1500cc 4 cylinder B series BMC engine, twin 1.25 inch SU carburettors, 4 speed gearbox with no synchomesh on 1st gear, drum brakes on all 4 wheels, with twin leading shoe brakes in front. It has leaf sprung rear suspension and independent front suspension, the latter of a design that was in many ways more modern than anything produced by MG since. Rack and pinion steering and front bucket seats add to the sporting feel.

This particular model is the ZB Varitone. This was a trim package option of the ZB, which included two-tone paint, a chrome strip dividing the two colors, and a larger, wrap-around rear window. The car has a significant amount of interior wood trim, on the dash and door cappings, as well as a clock above the rear view mirror. This particular example probably has a bit more power because it has the cam from an MGA engine, but is otherwise stock.

This car came to me in a non running condition with many mechanical and some body parts missing. The car appears to have been repainted in a mildly tacky two tone metallic brown, with many minor defects all over. There are minor areas of rust in the lower body, but the unibody is so heavily constructed that these are not serious and can be attended to later. I did do some welded repairs to the jacking point on one side. I have found and installed missing parts, overhauled and/or uprated various systems, such as the brakes, and done significant work to the interior, including refinishing the floors, redoing the upholstery, carpets, headliner and installing seatbelts. Although the original interior was leather, I chose vinyl for cost and durability, but it is in the same exact pattern as the original. The seats have been rebuilt to a high standard: even the insides that no one sees have been carefully de-rusted, repainted and redone. Some of the wood has been refinished. Some parts have been rechromed. I've had the fuel tank cleaned out and coated and done various fuel system repairs. The boot (trunk) area has been carpeted and custom upholstery panels added as I felt that the original boot upholstery was poor. The wheels have been refinished and are running on new tires, but I really want to do them over because I saw a car that had chrome ones and they looked great! I replaced the entire wiring harness and made many repairs, so that now all electrical items work. I was lucky enough to find a NOS clock after a lengthy struggle trying to find a way to repair or upgrade the original one. This clock should last because I use a battery cut-off switch (as on all my vehicles) so the clock will only run when I am using the car. I have not done any engine or driveline work yet. I think the engine may have been rebuilt by a previous owner, but I am suspicious of the quality of the job. It has always felt "tight" and consumed rather too much oil, and yet it seems to perform well and people tell me it sounds great!

Another major project associated with this car involves rubber parts. It turns out that many rubber items on this car are no longer available and I was interested in replacing a number of these items. I ended up making molds and reproducing some of these parts, such as the air cleaner grommet, gearbox dipstick, rear bumper grommets, various bumpers, battery clamp rubbers, the rubber tip on the heater flap handle, etc. I have also offered these parts to other enthusiasts and sold some. There are quite a few items that still need to be reproduced, unfortunately these are the ones that are the most difficult to do, such as the front vent window seals and the gear lever boot.

The car has now been sold to my friend Eric Baker. Eric is taking very good care of the car and as he is a good friend I get to see the car, and even drive it, quite often. He has made further improvements, such as rebuilding the front end, and the cylinder head, and finding some missing items.