NOW SOLD TO Jeff in San Diego! Congratulations!!!
If you are looking for an exceptional vintage car you can start to enjoy right now, this is for you. This is an extremely clean and well-restored MGA, that has the added advantage of a fully synchronized five-speed gearbox upgrade and a newly rebuilt engine. It was meticulously restored and looks great. Anyone wanting a solid and stunning classic will enjoy this vehicle.
I have always loved MGAs. They have an exceptional sculptural form and they are great fun to drive. The problem is that many of them have led a hard life and are pretty played-out.
Not this one!
This car ticks all the boxes and was built by a very skilled restorer.
I am partial to five-speed transmissions, and a good MGA is a great highway car when fit with overdrive. These five-speed gearboxes are bulletproof… they were built for a much heavier Ford Sierra, so it’s tough to tax them with an old English car. Shifting is crisp and effortless. You can’t tell from looking at the shift lever that the upgrade has been performed, so the cockpit retains the original look.
This particular MGA is from the first series (from 1955-1960) and was originally built with a 1500 engine and drum brakes. The engine was removed for rebuild, but a completely rebuilt 1600 engine from a later car was used instead. That engine has an upgraded rear main seal kit added, as well as hardened valve seats for unleaded gas. There are about 2000 miles on the rebuilt engine.
Everything has been done to a high standard. This is a very clean car. You can see it in the engine bay, and the amazing work done to the underside (looks new). This builder was committed to great work, and, for example, went so far as to upgrade the original six volt batteries to modern (and expensive) AGM optima batteries, which basically obliterated any battery issues going forward.
I have had lots of cars with original six volt systems… they require more maintenance. The modern AGM batteries fit here, however, are maintenance-free, hold their charge longer, and crank with more power. The builder made handsome brackets to support them in their original locations (they are more compact than the original batteries). You could always revert back to the original lead acid batteries, but I am not sure why anyone would bother. You can see them in the underside pictures… if you are unfamiliar, the batteries are behind the seats.
This is not a car for originality (although it looks and feels like an original car). This is a car to use and enjoy, a car you can drive to shows on the highway, win a trophy, then drive back home (that is, once car shows open up once again).
I was very impressed to see the clean floors when I first put the car on the lift. She has new VTO wheels and great tires, normally we would have to go through the entire car before we would think about sending it on its way, but this one is ready now. All she seems to need at the moment is a new slave cylinder, which is easy to fix (and a common need on these cars).
One nifty detail is the two engine oil traps built-in by the last owner. I originally thought these were red flags indicating excessive oil leaks. But the truth is that every MGA leaks from the draft tube and rear main seal. Come look at our driveway if you need more evidence, we have stains everywhere! So why not collect these drips a few months at a time, and then drain the traps into the proper vessel instead of onto your friend’s immaculate driveway? I love the concept! And if you forget to drain the trap, it will leak out anyway, just like nature intended. There is one for the draft tube (photo above) and another on the back of the engine. They are harmless and easily removed if you don’t want them. Brilliant!
Someone is going to get a very tight and well-restored car, with smart upgrades. Call or email if you would like to take this one home!
