Here’s a worthwhile project – the question is, at what price? This 1960 MGA 1600 coupe is as close to rust-free as you’ll find, thanks to its Colorado Springs existence since new. The chrome is good, the glass is good, all the coupe-specific items – door handles and trim, dash, seats, etc – are still present. After long-term storage, it doesn’t run but the motor turns. It’s advertised on craigslist for $11,000 by a seller who reveals that he owns six MGAs (I thought I was bad!) and must downsize the collection. Thanks to T.J. for spotting this fine project!
The MGA 1500 roadster arrived in 1955, replacing the MG TF. Substantial demand for better weather protection inspired the coupe body style, which appeared a year later. Rather than continuing to use the XPAG/XPEG type engine, the factory fitted the MGA with its new four-cylinder B-series, decked with twin SU carburetors and displacing 1489 ccs. In 1959, the engine was bored to 1588 ccs providing a boost to 80 hp and a top speed of just over 100 mph. The engine is paired with a four-speed gearbox, synchro’d on the top three gears. These engines are simple and reliable, though notoriously and usually benignly leaky. Parts are easy to find, and if you’ve a mind to goose the output, no problem – any number of suppliers will help you. This engine bay is remarkably unmolested: even the fragile air intake hose has survived.
Despite this car’s long storage, the instrument panel is in fine condition. The seats and carpets are worn out, but I would rather cope with those issues than a dash that needs repair. While the MGA roadster came with side curtains and a convertible top, the coupe had a set of three windscreens in the rear and roll up windows. With engine heat radiating off the gearbox tunnel from inside, and the greenhouse effect acting on all that lovely panoramic glass from outside, occupants can roast in no time flat. A battery-powered miniature fan clipped below the dash can alleviate the situation.
The bonnet, trunk lid, and door skins of the MGA are aluminum – a few less places to rust! Panel fit is imperfect here – both the bonnet and the trunk lid sit proud of their openings. The trunk still retains its spare tire clamp. These stacked tail lights help identify this as a 1600; earlier 1500 cars had single lamp in a smaller plinth and on later cars, the lamps were located on the body below the trunk lid rather than the fender. Despite their rarity and beautiful styling, MGA coupes do not command any more money than roadsters, and in fact often sell for less. This driver-quality car with a few modifications sold for $11k; here’s a Mk II coupe that found a new home for just $15,000. I would want to pay about half the asking price of our subject car before I’d tackle its resurrection; what do you think?
Don’t see more than half the asking price for this one either. Also, nowhere does it say the engine runs. Good previous examples Michelle.
It doesn’t run. You can turn the engine by hand, so it’s not stuck.
One of the reasons the engines are “leaky” is due to the fact that they don’t actually have a rear main seal, more like a slinger-ring that re-directs (more like encourages) the oil back into the crankcase.
Called a scroll on the back of crankshaft. My machine shop called me recently asking where the rear oil seal was,since I was furnishing parts, for my 1500 mag engine. I told them there is none. For about $600 a conventional seal can be fabricated to fit the crank.
Don’t have to fabricate a rear seal as they are available from several aftermarket vendors.
Had the “privilege” of riding in an MGA coupe during a rain shower, with all the windows rolled up. Not only was it hot in the car, it was humid. I was soaking wet by the time the ride ended.
I see the curse of British sports cars……RUST. Cars like this are iffy to get the asking price. However, rust free cars from areas like California, Arizona, New Mexico, etc command big bux. Good luck finding one!
Great car if you stood 5.5″ I got a 72 MG that I have to fall into, and pull my legs out by hand practically…
Always a pleasure to read Michelle’s articles about these cars. Very informed, very informative – and just fun reading. I’m reminded of Peter Egan. I want an MGA. No – I lust for one. Regrettably, with four MGs at hand, I’m maxed out as per the fine print in my nuptial contract. Put in the vernacular: “to buy one, ya gotta sell one.”
OK so I have a ’73 B/GT, “BriGiT” that’s been my rust-belt-therefore-three-season daily driver for 39 (yup – thirty-nine) years. Aided by a bit of welding back in 2004, she’s rust-free. She is more than a possession, she is a growth. Incidentally, she is very easy to get in to (and once in, who the heck wants to get out?), and she was back in the roaring days of my “youth” (46 – I’m now 85) when I was 6’2”. These cars have endless foot-room – one of these days I’m going to pack a flashlight and a lunch and hike all the way from the driver’s seat to the bulkhead behind the clutch pedal.
I’ve had my other three MGs – all for over 25 years: a ’57 Magnette saloon, a ’65 pull-handle B convertible and a ’69 C/GT. I adore them all; my point being, just which one of the four I’d EVER be willing to jettison. Even for an MGA – and the same seller has two MGA roadsters I covet almost equally. I wouldn’t sweat the non-running engine here. It would be replaced by a five-main 1800 (with a rear mainseal!) coupled to an three-sync overdrive gearbox and a 3.9 rear end (stuff I already have on hand).
Put me down third in line for that half-price idea. I have figured out a way to keep all four of my MGs and buy this too. But it would be a shame. She’s been such a good wife too…
Be careful, Allen. I am a little younger than you. If you don’t know how to cook. I like that 1800 idea and the higher diff, perhaps overdrive as well?
I have an early 5 bearing 1800, 3 synchromesh overdrive gearbox and a higher ratio differential (from an MGB automatic)? in my 1960 MGA, not hard to do, still looks stock and cruises at more than the UK legal motorway speed limit, a lot more!
I have an early 5 bearing 1800, 3 synchromesh overdrive gearbox and a higher ratio differential (from an MGB automatic)? in my 1960 MGA, not hard to do, still looks stock and cruises at more than the UK legal motorway speed limit, a lot more!
You gotta luv em or don’t even bother. The main problem is the factory design. They’re neat to look at but not to work on. Two seaters in my coral are limited to AC Cobras. If I’m gonna get caught dead in a car I want half a chance at escape, and a real reason to go TOO FAST! Good luck seller
Al – You’re welcome to your own good reasons but there are a bunch of us out there, for whom it MUST be an MG. Call us crazy, call us anything – we might even admit to any reservations regarding our sanity and/or our rationality. Some of us have worked only on MGs all our lives – so we don’t know if they’re harder or easier to work on than anything else. Whatever it takes is what it takes. I’ve done just about everything there is to do on an MG and if it was particularly difficult I didn’t know it; therefore it wasn’t. (Except for the transmission mount on an overdrive MGB.) I think all cars probably have their nemeses somewhere. ‘Changed any Volvo heater fan motors recently?