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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGA - Interesting and Expensive

See this: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270457185650&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Hmm! A solid cast brass grille for just under $1500--seems like a steal to me--what do you folks think?

BTW--Does anyone believe the claim that this was supplied by the factory?
James Johanski

I guess I must be "AN AVERAGE MG PERSON" (as the ad says), because a $1500 grille is definitely not for me!
Andy Bounsall

Gosh, what a pity I am not in California to take up the opportunity.... Or perhaps the spare in my garage is also a $1500 special 'supplied by the factory'? I do hope so. Shane
Shanerj

looks just like a standard grill to me. Brass and chrome plated.
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

Wow!!! Can you believe this? "I KNOW THIS SOUNDS LIKE ALOT OF MALARKY BUT I AM IN MY 50'S AND HAVE NO REASON TO SPIN YARNS"

Oh Yeah!! Put it all in upper case and make it look important - and more expensive!

Caveat emptor!

Barry
BM Gannon

P T Barnum strikes again.
R J Brown

Were grills cast or pressed? I thought the latter.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Aaah, yes. This is the factories rare option for curing oversteer on MGA's. But where is the rest of the set? I would have expected to see the cast brass headlight rims and the solid cast iron front bumper and overiders.

Cheers,
Matthew.
Matthew Magilton

A unique original cast in pure baloney!

Not even cleaned for $1500. Makes me suspect chrome quality is poor. Would go nicely with those cast aluminium bumpers!

What is all the stuff about twin cams and deluxe about?

Look out for the guy who buys this at your next local show: "yes I know it looks like an average standard grille, but..."
Neil McGurk

The advertiser says it weighs 10 lbs which is more than 5 times the weight of a standard reproduction steel shell (20 gauge). I used to own an original pressed brass Mk II shell which I don't recall being significantly heavier than the current examples. So his claim for it to be cast is probably true - it would have to be substantially thicker because of the brittle nature of the cast metal.
It is unlikely the factory would have had these produced - there would be no point if they already had a supplier of pressed brass ones. My guess is that after MGA production stopped the stock of shells would have fallen quite quickly (front end damage must have been very common) so that by the end of the 1960s,or even earlier, there may have been no replacements. The outlay to produce a cast part is considerably cheaper than pressing where horrendously expensive moulds and presses have to be bought so there may have been some enterprising soul in the early 1970s who started manufacturing the cast examples on a shoestring budget. I used to be in the Riley RM club in the 1970s and they had organized the manufacture of cast bronze bumpers because of the high cost of pressing.
I think I would be worried with a cast shell for fear of it cracking with the slightest knock even though, at 10 lbs, it would be close to a 1/4" thick!
Mike
m.j. moore

Is that $1500 US or $1500 Zimbabwe?

Grant ;-)
G Hudson

I have a cast grill in the shop, not on the car. I picked it up years ago and I have been told that JC Whitney made them for awhile as replacements. In some respects it is well done but the overall thickness detracts. Another odd aftermarket part, like aluminum bumpers. I would be willing to let it go for less than $1500 . . .
Bill Haglan

Looks like the mystery is solved. Along with M.J. Moore's explanation of the method of manufacturing, it would seem most likely that this is an aftermarket unit. Bill Haglan provides the source as J.C.Whitney seems most logical. CSI MGA has solved the mystery! We should have a TV show!
James Johanski

WOW!!!
I've got one! It indeed weighs about ten pounds. P.O.S#$T
D Sjostrom

Ah yes.... JC Whitney. The same company that brought us that other "Rare Factory Option" of the cast aluminum front bumper! Those things must be worth several thousand dollars by now.
Chuck Schaefer

So who's gonna give the ebay seller the bad news that his super rare Twin Cam / Deluxe original factory grille is actually an after market replacement part from JC Witney?
Andy Bounsall

This thread was discussed between 16/09/2009 and 18/09/2009

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