MG buff Ross Kelly takes great pleasure from time to time informing Ford Falcon GT HO Phase 111 owners that there's nothing all that special about having a genuine 150 mp/h car. Remember, the GT HO – the world's fastest four door production car with a souped-up 351 cubic inch V8 ? It remains an Australian legend. Yet, as Ross is quick to point out there was an MG in 1934 that broke 151 mp/h. Where the sting is in the tail for Ford fans is the diminutive MG achieved this record with a 750 cc engine. Given the Ford was 5.75 litres it was larger than the MG's engine by a whopping 5.0 litres.

It's an anecdote that Ross uses to stress MG's proud history on the race track and in setting speed records in its halcyon days of the late 1920s and 1930s. The owner of several pre-war MGs, Ross took this 1931 C-Type Montlhery Midget (chassis: CO261) to the McLean's Bridge meet outside Brisbane earlier this year where we found it overlooking a paddock of replica Ford GT 40s. The MG C-Type is rare, only 44 were built between May 1931 and June 1932. Only 23 or 24 survive. This is the only one currently in Australia. It has a remarkable race record, not just in placings but also where it has raced: Brooklands, Ulster, Millbrook, Montlhery, Laguna Seca and Goodwood. It is a car not just with an incredible pedigree, but also fascinating history.

MG were keen to pursue race results and produced an experimental car called the EX 120. The aim was to set a new World Speed Record at more than 100 mp/h and the EX 120 took out the Class `H' record over 5 kms at Montlhery, France in January 1931 at 103 mp/h. Class `H' refers to under 750 cc. To achieve under 750cc MG reduced the size of the engine to a bore/ stroke of 54mm x 81mm. A new, longer, stiffer, chassis was developed that also lowered the car's centre of gravity. The engine was also modified internally and a supercharger fitted. The record was significant: it was the first time a car under 750cc had beaten 100 mp/h.

This success led directly to the production of the C-Class as featured here, the car that cemented MG's name into the history books. It was a formidable race car – light, well balanced, sometimes supercharged – and in the hands of experienced race drivers scored major wins at the 1931 24-hour race at Brooklands taking the first five places. In time it became known as the Montlhery Midget, acknowledging the relationship between the record and the car that came as a direct spin-off.

Like the M-Type before it the C-Type ran at Brooklands in May 1931 in the JCC Double Twelve race, winning outright and the three car team award. This was its first outing and one of those cars was our featured C-Type. It came third overall. The production C-Types came with, and without, superchargers and this car started life without the extra breathing assistance, but in June 1931 a supercharger was fitted. The car was driven by H.C. Hamilton from University Motors. In July CO 261 returned to Brooklands for the LCC Relay Race and retired on lap 79. The car was lightened and modified soon after.

In 1932 ownership changed to Louis Fontes and a year later to J.H.T.Smith and in 1933 to Neville Lloyd who campaigned the car in the Bugatti O.C. Speed Hillclimb at Joel Park. In the 1960s the car was owned by Brian Lyth and was stolen from a locked garage. It was returned and sold to Brian Sayers and in 1984 when owned by Ken Rees underwent restoration and was used in club events to 1999. However, the car had been changed to a single seater and then back again to a two seater and at times had a 500 cc engine, setting records in that class in Britain.

For a while it resided in the U.S. with Jon Feiber where it raced at Laguna Seca before returning to England under the ownership of Mark Piercy. In 2007 it took part in the Festival at Speed at Goodwood where present owner Ross Kelly saw the car. “It took my attention as I own other pre-war MGs,” he said. “Some later a friend of mine in England called to say the car was up for sale as the owner wanted something faster.” Ross purchased the car and it was delivered to Australia. “When it was taken out of the container it started straight away,” he said. He has since campaigned the car in club events in Australia, adding to its already colourful history. The current body is off another C-Type, but the mechanicals are all original to chassis CO261.