MG Q-type | |
Manufacturer: | MG |
Production: | 1934 |
Class: | Racing car |
Body Style: | open single or two seat |
Wheelbase: | 940NaN0 [1] |
Length: | 1430NaN0 [2] |
Width: | 530NaN0 |
Engine: | 746 cc four-cylinder, overhead cam, supercharged. |
Transmission: | four-speed preselector |
Predecessor: | none |
Successor: | MG R-type |
The MG Q-type (sometimes referred to as the MG QA) is a racing car that was produced by MG in 1934. The chassis was based on the one used on the MG K3 but was narrower and used N-type axles. The engine used the cylinder block from the P-type but with a special crankshaft to bring the capacity down to 746 cc by reducing the stroke from 831NaN1 to 711NaN1. A high-pressure Zoller supercharger was fitted giving a boost to 2.5 atmospheres (1.8 kg/cc) and allowing the engine to produce 113bhp at 7200 rpm. A sprint version was also made with output increased to 146bhp which at nearly 200bhp per litre was the highest specific output of any engine in the world at the time [3]
Probably only eight were made[4] (Michael Sedgwick states nine[1]) as the car was expensive at £550–£650,[5] and the rigid-axle chassis had difficulty in dealing with the power of the engine. The single-seat version achieved a lap speed of 122mi/h at Brooklands race track driven by George Harvey-Noble, and the two-seater was capable of 120mi/h.
Many "specials" have been built on T-type chassis to mimic the style of the Q-type body.
. G.N. Georgano . Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile . 2000 . HMSO . 978-1-57958-293-7.