MG or Wolseley?

Sir,

I don’t think you were quite right in your obituary on H. N. Charles, the MG Designer, which appeared in the March issue, when you said the A40 engine was used in the MGTF. This was not the case. The TF, in common with all the T-Types from the TB onwards used the Cowley designed engine built before the War for Morris and Wolseley cars as the XPJM and XPJW units. In MG form they were bored out of 1,250 c.c. and re-coded XPAG. When the TF was produced it again used this engine and additionally the same block re-bored to 1,466 c.c. and coded XPEG.

I believe that I am right in saying that the A40 engine formed the basis of the BMC “B” series engine which as far as MG’s are concerned, were used in the ZA and ZB Magnettes, the MGA and MGB in 1,498, 1,588, 1,622 and 1,798 c.c. guises. Rather strangely the Wolesley 4 / 44 which looks so like the Z type Magnettes used the 1250 engine from the T-Series, re-coded XPAW. What a tangled web they wove!
Huntingdon, Cambs.
A. P. Willmer