MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

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 - John Twist Article

John Twist wrote an article for MGA! a while back about the early 1500's unique features. Does anyone out there have a copy they could send? NAMGAR says not available. Mine is #10242. Thanks

Garland
GD Glenn

If you have not tried already, send an e-mail to John or look on his web pages. He can probably send it right off to you.

http://www.universitymotorsltd.com/
M Gannon

John wasn't cetain where to locate it. He indicated he would look if I couldn't find it easily. I was hoping someone might have it readily to hand.

Garland
GD Glenn

Garland, For your car number the obvious differences are:
Single window hood, no forward rear wheel splash panels, no lower fender/sill molding, flat bonnette, instruments with large segments and numerals, banjo on clutch slave, left inner wing has only small dimple for rear carb air cleaner, wire wheel knock ons have MG logo and say offside/nearside, rear brake banjos are different (can not remember straight or right angle). There might be more that are visible that I have missed and there are others that are hidden, like the front springs. Hope this helps.
James Johanski

James
Thanks.
I started taking the car apart yesterday and noticed there were no forward rear wing splash gaurds. My car came with incorrect speedo and tach but I located some. Any thing you or any one else can recall is appreciated. Hopefully getting the DVD from Maynards Garage will help as well.
GD Glenn

Garland,
There was a set of NOS speedo and tach gauges on E-Bay that sold for over $660. Did you get those? Seemed pricey but then again they are now made from unobtanium. I have just acquired an early car that is missing the ID plate but the frame number is 15360, making it a May '56 build and having all of the unique features I listed previously. BTW the rear brake banjos on early cars and on 15360 are straight as yours should be. I would be interested in your opinion of the Maynard Garage video, ie is it worth the price.
James Johanski

Garland,
Clausager's Original MGA has a pretty good list of running changes by chassis numers. The info is general in nature, such as: "10501 (Nov55) Hood frame, canopy and sidescreens modified". There are other unlisted changes such as the sheet metal shaping of the boot floor. These can be found in some of the text throughout the book.

Just what was changed or what the design was prior to that change is not listed. But the info is there such as the new instruments mentioned were implemented in car # 14090. Pictures of the two instrument styles are elsewhere in the book along with the Smiths (Jaeger) identification numers. There are some 46 running changes listed for the 1500. This does not include the engine changes. Engine changes are listed separately.



Chuck
C Schaefer

Chuck, I think it is interesting in Clausager that body changes are not listed. I guess that is because the bodies were not built in Abingdon. Comments?
James Johanski

James

I did win the bid on ebay for the speedo and tach. I too felt they were pricey. But.. I figured them against rebuilts plus core charge and they're NOS. When I first looked at the car I wasn't too concerned but now I feel that the car is early enought to justify keeping it correct.

Garland
GD Glenn

Garland, I totally agree with you on keeping the car correct as it is an early model. I also thing that the price you paid for the gauges is not too much considering they are made of "unobtanium". That together as you mention the cost of a rebuilt set, more than justifies it.
I am trying to find documentation on the early build MGA's and would be interested in keeping in touch with you. I would not know how define the early built cars but would hazard a guess that anything built in 1956 or earlier would qualify. Some, of course may limit the early cars to those which have only the large numeral gauges and those are as you know quite rare.
I you wish to e-mail me directly, you have my address. Best of luck on your restoration.
James Johanski

Garland,

If the instruments you got were in fact NOS, then before you test them, I suggest that you have them serviced. The grease used during manufacturing turns to cement after, oh say, 30-40 years. The gears on the odometer and trip meter have been known to strip teeth because they are cemented in place from the grease.

Chuck
C Schaefer

Good point about servicing the gauges.
Thanks
GD Glenn

This thread was discussed between 27/12/2007 and 31/12/2007

MG MGA index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGA BBS is active now.