35 MG TD

Given the recent stratospheric rise in classic values, it seems bizarre that for £15k you can still buy one of the post-war greats of British motoring: a T-series MG. The TD continued a long tradition of affordable wind-in-the-hair motoring started by the TA in 1936, and the TB that followed in ’39, becoming a firm favourite among pilots from both sides of the Atlantic during WW2. The TC, launched in ’45, was also a massive hit – particularly in the US – laying the groundwork for the TD, which combined elements of the TC drivetrain with a new fourspeed ’box and Y-type chassis, clothed in a familiar – if slightly less attractive – body.

The vast majority of TDS were sold to the States, with many finding their way back over the years. Unless you can dig up some extra change from behind the sofa, be prepared to test-drive a left-hooker. Most examples in the sub-£15k bracket will need some TLC, but with patience – and a willingness to compromise – you should be able to find a suitable car.