Classic MG owners use their cars, and the established pattern of classic ownership in the UK increasingly includes long-distance touring, rally events on the Continent, weekend trips across the Channel, and the longer UK routes that take a classic well away from its usual haunts. The Touring Equipment section covers the on-board kit that turns a long-distance trip into a managed proposition rather than a hopeful one, the mandatory safety items required on the Continent, the practical recovery and roadside-repair kit that any classic should carry, and the supporting items that make a multi-day touring trip workable in a car the size of a Midget, MGA, or MGB.
Mandatory Items for Continental Touring
European countries require specific safety equipment to be carried in the car, and lacking the required items can result in on-the-spot fines at a roadside check. A warning triangle, a GB or UK plate as currently specified, a first-aid kit, and a spare bulb kit are required almost universally across the Continent. France additionally requires a breathalyser to be carried, a single-use unit that confirms the legal alcohol limit has not been exceeded. Fluorescent jackets, kept in the cabin rather than the boot so they are accessible before the driver leaves the car at the roadside, are required in most countries.
Headlight beam deflectors complete the legal-compliance kit, as classic MG headlights are aimed for left-hand traffic, and right-hand traffic on the Continent requires the beam to be redirected so the dipped beam does not blind oncoming drivers.
Recovery and Roadside Equipment
Beyond the legal minimum, a touring kit should include the items that handle the predictable roadside problems any classic will eventually encounter. Tow ropes, typically the modern flat-strap kind with looped ends rather than the period round rope, cover the recovery side, used to move a broken-down classic the short distance to a hard shoulder or a workshop. Jerry cans are the right answer for running out of petrol on a Continental motorway where the next petrol station may be 30 kilometres away, a compact metal can with a pouring spout fitting in the boot of an MGB without taking up too much space. Fire extinguishers, small dry-powder or AFFF units appropriate for a classic engine bay, are a sensible precaution on any classic, particularly on cars with carburettors and the possibility of fuel-related fires under heavy demand.
Boxed Touring Kits
Boxed touring kits gather the legal essentials into a single package, typically a warning triangle, first-aid kit, fluorescent jacket, spare bulb kit, and the various small items an owner would otherwise need to assemble individually. The kits are sized to fit in the boot of a Midget, an MGA, or an MGB without taking up half the available space, and are particularly valuable as a one-time purchase covering the Continental requirements without piece-by-piece sourcing.
For owners new to Continental touring, a boxed kit plus headlight beam deflectors plus a single-use France breathalyser covers the mandatory items in one transaction. The technical team is available to advise on the right specification for the country being visited and for the specific car, since headlight beam deflector fitments vary across the classic MG range.