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Period Reports

The Arnolt Car

© Motorsport, April 1953

Arnolt Car





















ARNOLT MAKES MG
A FAMILY SPORTS CAR
  The Arnolt convertible offers great-
ter seating capacity than standard
MGTD to fill the family needs
.
A lot of boys have broken their picks in an effort to build a sports car out of the family sedan. After endless planning and alteration they usually wind up with a hybrid that outwardly resembles a sports car but lacks many of the characteristics that are inherent in true members of the breed.
In the same way other groups have attempted to modify the engines, suspensions, brakes, running gear etc. of the family sedan to give it sports car performance factors. They, too, have wound up with rough jobs that idle badly, steer erratically, stop indifferently and have the bulbous lines of a Grecian urn which the poet Keats described as a thing of beauty-but Keats never saw a motor car.
When S. H. Arnolt of Arnolt Corporation, Warsaw, Indiana, decided to build
and market a family sports car he started at the bottom and worked up. First he chose as the basis for his car the MG-TD chassis. None could question the inclusion, of this chassis in the sports car category. This sturdy little performer from England has been the backbone of the road racing revival in America. Its smooth little 1-1/4 litre 4 cylinder engine with its exciting bark has stirred the imagination of speed enthusiasts everywhere.
Arnolt's next move was to develop a body with true sports car lines which would comfortably accommodate a family of four. For this he turned to the famous Bertone of Italy with amazingly good results (see cover). Two models by Bertone made their first public appearance during the Elkhart Lake Road Race at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, last
The saloon coupe has a combina-
tion steel and aluminum body
by Bertone. Weight: 1890 pounds.Arnolt
September. One is a convertible model the other a saloon coupe.
Both bodies are of steel and aluminum construction of such light weight that the saloon coupe weighs only 40 pounds more than the standard MG-TD roadster while the convertible adds only 20 pounds to the TD weight. This slight margin makes little or no difference in the high performance which owners have come to expect from the MG-TD engine. In all other respect than the new body, the MG chassis, clutch, transmission, rear end and brakes are strictly stock.
The Bertone bodies have been styled to incorporate the latest engineering developments in aerodynamics and therefore probably offer less drag than the standard roadster models. Great attention has been given to the interior appointments. Upholstery is of genuine leather and will be available in a wide choice of color combinations.
A feature of the Convertible model is the extreme ease with which the top can he raised or lowered providing a real "one-hand-top" rather than the, hard to raise and stow "one-man-tops" of the past. Door windows when raised fit snugly against the top assuring a tight weather and water proof seal.
Since the first public showing of the new cars last September, Mr. Arnolt has made several changes aimed at passenger comfort. A new ventilating systems has been added which draws fresh air from outside the car and forces it around the interior. Specially designed heaters and radios also are available.
(Continued on Page 34)

Arnolt Car
(Continued from Page 10)
Rudge type wheels, with knock-off type hubs are optional.
Bodies are distinctive in style and while definitely European in flavor cannot be said to be similar to some previous design. For those who like sports car performance and individuality in design, coupled with closed car comfort and he ability to share their fun with members of their family and friends Mr. Arnolt has the answer.
Price of the new models f.o.b. New York has been set at $3,585. Distribution will be centered through S. H. Arnolt, 415 East Erie Street Chicago 11, Ill., which also distributes, M.G., Morris Minor, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Daimler, Aston-Martin and other foreign cars. Deliveries are already being made.
   

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