MG SA Works Hack: Ex-Monte Carlo or surplus car?

It may not be immediately obvious today, but this photograph is believed to be entirely genuine. What we are looking at is an MG SA — the luxurious pre-war sports saloon originally developed as a rival to the cars built by William Lyons — converted into a pick-up.

Surely an unofficial conversion, then? In fact, no. As the lettering on the door suggests, the car was actually converted by — and used as a service vehicle for — the MG Car Company Ltd itself. Just look at the filler neck protruding from that elongated rear end. It is also said not to have been unique, with two examples believed to have been built and used. The wartime paint scheme and blacked-out headlamp make it fairly safe to assume this photograph was taken during the war.

The picture was recently published by Classic MG Magazine, and one of its readers suggested that this may have been the very SA crashed by the Wisdom family on the Monte Carlo Rally in an earlier life. We could find no evidence to support that claim, however. Another suggestion was that “the cars were modified as service vehicles because they were surplus (unsold), and the general feeling was: ‘we might as well get a bit of useful life out of ’em!’”

Whatever the truth may be, we rather like it.

Words: Jeroen Booij
Picture: Classic MG Magazine

Published:

Monday June 8th, 2026

Harry Hickling

09 June, 05:58

Yes, this was the genuine factory MGSA used as a service vehicle, and as Frank noted it was also an SA pre the louvre bonnet sides.

MG continued development of the SA, including trialing independent front suspension. Perhaps the support van was used for this purpose. The van pictured also performed service vehicle duties during the land speed trials in the U.K. before the war.

The car is very much a part of the MG heritage.

Tony Press

09 June, 01:02

The MG utility would have been very useful during this period!

Frank Graham

08 June, 16:59

The bonnet side panels have ventilation doors which were used on '36-37 models, later cars had louvered side panels. So this feature along with the registration would point to a '36 production date. SA's normally had a rear mounted spare wheel which was relocated to the near side wing on this example to accommodate the pick-up bodywork. The contemporary VA four cylinder models came with a standard off side wing mount spare, though dual side mount spares were an option, so this pick-up may have used VA fixtures for the spare.

David Groom

08 June, 16:47

I think the registration number is BRX 70 and if so it is Berkshire CC issued from March 1939. As to it's provenance I have no clue ...

Michael Costigan

08 June, 08:07

The registration number was issued in 1936 by Cumberland County Council, which would suggest this was neither the Monte Carlo car nor an unsold car.

MG SA Works Hack: Ex-Monte Carlo or surplus car?

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