1952 MG T-Series

383" Chevy roller-cam V8

Manual

TD/24538

"The Shrode Special" is a one-of-a-kind California street-rod vintage drag racer with provenance. A 1952 MGTD 383” roller-cam Chevy, C/R 4 speed Muncie, narrowed Ford 9” (3.25:1 from a '72 Torino), front/mid-engine. THIS CAR HAS HAD A CHEVY POWER PLANT FOR 47 YEARS! Created by by longtime builder/racer Bob Shrode in 1965, always with SBC power. Bob raced, developed, and restored this car continuously for 32 years. Bob grew up in Burbank building race cars with his father. He drove his first quarter mile drag race at San Fernando Raceway at the tender age of 12. I am the car's 3rd owner. In its first configuration the car sported a 283" Chevy improved to 301" with "a giant cam" and a Mercury rear-end. Bob campaigned the car actively (mostly at Long Beach) during the 1967 and 1968 seasons. The Shrode Special raced in the Modified Sports class and ran 11:20 @ 125 mph in 1967 at Long Beach. There are many subtle changes to this car, and unless you are an MGTD specialist, they are best understood by having an original next to it for reference. To the uninformed/unobservant, this thing looks fairly stock. IT IS NOT. The body has been massaged, the chassis has been carefully upgraded and the work is absolute top drawer. Details like the radiator cap are emblematic of the thought (and expense) that went into building this car. The radiator is sized for the power output of the motor and runs cool whether in traffic or with your foot in it. The brakes are more than adequate and sure, discs might be better at stopping, but that is not the reason for this car. Stomp them and you'll find that drums lock up pretty well too.0 The car is incredibly well engineered and built. Bracketry and locating links are artful as well as functional. Body is all metal and finished in black acrylic lacquer, door handles have been shaved, taillights sourced from a '39 Packard have been Frenched. Bob told me that he puts '39 Packard tail lights in every car he builds. (Sure enough, the '40 Ford Coupe sitting in his garage today sports the same. It went 9.20 @ over 150 mph). The MG's dash is bejeweled with a full complement of matching VDO gauges. The front of the block sits 14” behind the front axle. We weighed and corner weighted the car (notes included in picture section). It weighs approx. 2268 pounds with a weight distribution of 45% front and 55% rear. This car handles and does not under-steer. With very controllable over-steer, the car can be pointed anywhere you want with the throttle. I’ve never dyno’d the car (but I have a fair amount of vintage racing seat time) my educated guess is that it makes approx. 420bph (on pump gas). Melling cam with 214 degrees at .050, Carter 625 cfm competition carburetor on top of a Z28 manifold, a Chevy "882" head with a 3 angle valve job by Mark Hyla Racing Engines.Mothers hide your daughters ... I can tell you that it launches consistently hard and goes straight. Injudicious throttle input invites wheel spin in 1, 2, & 3. There are a number of drivers of late model Ferraris around the West-side still in therapy. I spent yesterday afternoon at Bob's house with his son Blake and a couple of Bob's buddies (who've known the car for most of its 47 years of Chevy power) talking about the car and his/it's history. I've included a picture of Bob overlooking the car he created 47 years ago in the same driveway (talk about a time machine) Bob was also good enough to loan me a couple of pictures of the car running in 1967 as well as giving me a bunch of pictures taken documenting the original 1965 construction. Provenance does not get any better than this. The buyer will get all pictures and documentation as well an an introduction to Mr. Shrode.I need more space in my garage to work on my vintage race car, so please no inquiries about possible trades. Also, while I'll be delighted to answer any questions about the car in order to improve your understanding of what is for sale, I am becoming increasingly impatient with "trolls" who have nothing better to do than to criticize the car because it is no longer stock. If that is your concern, then you have missed the point entirely and Bob and I don't want you to be the custodian of this piece of SoCal car culture history.