Few initials have such worldwide recognition as “MG.” Initially standing for Morris Garages, the place where Cecil Kimber transformed ordinary Morris cars into sporting machinery, they have become virtually synonymous with “sports car.”

Light two-seater bodies and modified suspension made the cars nimble, and a racing program in the 1930s spread their fame. MGs won 37 major events in five years and set multiple records, among them the first 750-cubic-centimeter car to break 100 mph and the first 1,100-cubic-centimeter vehicle to top 120 mph.

The first of the T-type MGs arrived in 1936, the 1,292-cubic-centimeter, pushrod-engine TA. It set the style for the next 20 years, with deep-cutout doors and a slab-shaped petrol tank at the rear. The shorter-stroke but more powerful 1,250-cubic-centimeter XPAG engine debuted with the TB in 1939.

MG’s postwar return came at the 1945 London Motor Show with the new TC, wider and heavier than the TB, but in the same idiom. Though a few prewar models had been imported by followers of the nascent motor sports movement, regular imports of the new TC truly cemented MG’s reputation in the United States as the sports car of choice.

Finished in green with a tan top, this TC features dual mirrors and power windshield wipers. It rides on Dunlop tires mounted on painted wire wheels with chrome MG-branded “dog ear” knock-off spinners; a full spare is mounted at the rear. Drum brakes, as well as front shock absorbers by Girling, have been enthusiastically retained to provide the quintessential TC experience. The exterior is further adorned with a Boyce MotoMeter, a lower driving lamp, a rear luggage rack, and a horn.

The interior is trimmed in tan leather and features a three-spoke MG steering wheel and a dash housing Jaeger instrumentation. The TC is powered by its numbers-matching XPAG engine with a dual-SU carburetor setup and paired with a four-speed manual gearbox.

The quintessential sports car, the MG TC has gathered an international following thanks to its style and notably enjoyable driving experience. A fine example such as this will certainly provide its next owner with many miles of happy motoring.