I’ve seen many customized MGAs before; most of the time folks try to make them look like AC Cobras. According to the third owner/seller who purchased the car in 1960, it had already been customized by then with a nicely fabricated nose! It’s listed for sale here on Facebook Marketplace for a reasonable $13,500 and is located in Peyton, Colorado.
The seller says the only rust present is in the driver’s inner rocker panel and that despite having been parked since 2016, the car “runs and drives good.” Honestly, the nose changed the whole character of the car for me and would make it difficult to identify at first for the casual sports car fan. I’m sure any current owner wouldn’t be driving it with the side curtains and top in place, which would give the car an even cleaner profile.
I’m torn about the whitewalls; what say you, Barn Finds readers? I’m also not sure what the added upper front bumper bar came from; does anyone recognize it? If those are the original 15″ Dunlop wires and splines, I’d be checking them out carefully for loose or broken spokes. I’m lucky enough to live less than 100 miles from the leading wire wheel specialist on the East Coast; it’s really an experience to watch Allen true a wire wheel!
I think I’d ditch the rear overriders, given the lack of originality of the rest of the car, just to clean up the rear appearance a bit. The top and side curtains, while showing some wear, are certainly serviceable so you can unsuccessfully use them to keep dry. Been there, done that!
One can either look at the interior as being super-nicely patinaed or as an opportunity in the making. As I would take the latter view, thankfully all components are readily available. The steering wheel, while not original, fits the front styling of the car well and I’m sure was exchanged while the car was young. Did anyone notice how unimportant MG felt the radio was, positioned completely out of the driver’s reach? Real sports car drivers of the period didn’t listen to the radio anyway, right? Thank you to Barn Finds reader John for sending in this neat find! Would you prefer this custom to a regular MGA? Honestly, I think I would–it’s pretty cool!
Yep, loose the overriders and the trunk rack also. Move the number plate to below the bumper. Keep the white walls and find black seat covers with white piping, tie it all together with white 3 part racing stripes down the drivers side.
Whitewalls were rare but available in the late ’50s and when we bought our ’62 MG Midget the MGB and the 289 Cobra on the floor all had whitewall tires. Not sure why you would change the front end of an A because the factory design was as good looking as it gets. Could be the result of accident damage and an attitude of “why not?”.
Why not buy a Daimler SP250 and be done with it?
Looks like a Daimler, or a catfish with its whiskers shaved off.
Not sure which.
A face only a mother would love…sorry
….on payday.
The same color I used to paint my model cars when I was into AMT and Johan. Same kinda kustom look too. The white walls and white top set it off. Loose the over riders in the rear, French in some 53 Ford tail lights, add a set of blue dots, and call it done.
Looks better than the original design. One must admit Cobra/MGA wannabes generally look silly – like the MGA that was alleged to have been modified to look like a Ferrari . . . assuming Ferrari made riding lawn mowers that is!
Ugh, I want my ’55 back. This looks like kissing your sister.
Whitewalls got to go. It needs lower profile Blackwell tires and possibly a little lowering. Over riders got to go too. Sooner or later it’s got to be red or black.
While I am not crazy about the nose job, I could live with it. Why? Because even though it doesn’t really add beauty to the car, in my opinion, it has been done professionally. To someone not familiar with an MGA, It actually looks like it could have been designed that way. Unlike many amateur nose jobs on MGAs, this one with its custom grille, is well-integrated and symetrical enough to to not look like an afterthought, but rather as having been the work of an established coachbuilder.
The upper bumper bar appears to be the center section only, for a 1963 Chevrolet full size accessory grill guard.
Thanks, Bill!
Drop in a Ford 260 and have some fun. The car is not original anyway so just have some guns.
The white walls and wire wheels look cool.
As a “Brit” & having worked on A’s for a short while, i find it a vast improvement on the original. I wouldn’t cnange much except probably ditch the wires & whitewalls. Steel rims & original profile tyres for me!! or at least nothing lower than 70 profile.
Looks like a Daimler, I think it was tastefully done, not hacked. They got the slope right but I think the nose could be trimmed back a bit. Loose the overriders, rack, 39 Zephyr taillights, black wall tires, black paint with red/lt green/ lt blue interior, black top.
Very well executed, looks quite Italian. I bet there’s no bondo in it.
I like the unusual colour.
Narrow-band whites are great with dark colours, but the white is a pita to keep clean and so are chrome wires.
Overall a special car and sensibly priced.