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 - March 2007 Jamaican update

Pretty much finished up the 1957 Jamaican MGA on the weekend and took my wife out for her first ride - she says it isn't as claustrophobic when you are out driving!

Even sounds rather like a British car, somehow, despite the American power.

Pics at http://www.rhodo.citymax.com/i/non-rhodo/rear.jpg

http://www.rhodo.citymax.com/i/non-rhodo/March07a.jpg

www.rhodo.citymax.com/i/non-rhodo/DIS2.jpg

Whole story at http://www.rhodo.citymax.com/Jamaican.html

I think the change in colour definitely works for this car.
Bill Spohn

I agree about the color change. Thats a sharp looking car you have there Bill, and i really like the valve cover details, you are bound to confuse many people!
Does it drive like a MGA or something completly different?


Mitch Smith

Great looking car Bill!

Say, your collector plate is only 86 away from mine.

Rich
Rich McKIe

It drives like an MGA - with modern wide rubber and wheels, a front sway bar, shorter stiffer front springs, and negative camber A arms. In other words away better than most 1950s cars do, which is one of the great things about MGAs!

It also hauls along VERY well - perhaps 190 - 200 BHP in an under 2000 lb. car makes it right snappy. So far very pleasing. Still have to get the toe in set and then I can do some shake down work.

Aside from handling, it doesn't feel exactly like an MGA because it is so low and the seating position has you seriously reclined.
Bill Spohn

In High School the Jamaican was my dream car. In my dreams, I was going to build one. I sent away to Fiberfab for the brochure, that's as far as I got. I also had a dream girl (who didn't know I was alive). Without a doubt your Jamaican looks better now than she does, where ever she is (sigh...).

Congratulations Bill.
Steve
Steve Meline

Hi Bill,

I'm almost a convert

I would not normally say that I am a fan of either "kit" cars or American cars, BUT, I think that your Jamaican MGA looks absolutely great!

Congratulations, she really is a beautiful car.

The wheels and colour choice definitely add that extra touch, well done!

Let us know how fast it goes!

Neil
Neil McGurk

Neil, fiberglass cars got a bad reputation when they started churning out cheap and flimsy dune buggy kits for VWs, but before that it was considered a respectable material for building bodies. My former TVR Grantura and my Jensen CV-8 are GRP bodied (so is my 1988 Fiero, so I guess it comes around again).
This body is quite sturdy - nothing at all flimsy, and it rather cleverly used glass available at the time (Corvette windshield, 911 rear and Karmann Ghia side) to make it look like a 'real' car.

I ripped out all the glitter trash the previous owner had installed - deep pile carpet, cheesy dash with a ton of switches and lights, and replaced it with normal short pile black carpet, Miata leather seats, and a modified MGA coupe dash with the intention of making it look like a real car rather than a kit car

http://www.rhodo.citymax.com/i/non-rhodo/interiorfinal.jpg

I think it comes across as no more kit carrish (is that a word?) than an Abarth version of a Fiat or Porsche - more like a special bodied limited production car.

I kept nothing of the original car but the frame, body and rear axle housing. There are probably a few other abandoned MGA Jamaican projects out there that could be rescued and done properly if anyone is interested.

Of all the kit cars I drooled over in the 60s car magazines, this was the closest to a real life car that looks good from almost all angles (the headlight cut-outs are a bit on the large side, IMO). I never figured I'd own one, and I could never bring myself to butcher an original complete MGA by doing an engine transplant, but when one landed almost on my doorstep in pre-butchered form (therefor no guilt about transplants) I knew I'd never get another chance to indulge teenage fantasies!

As to speed, it should weigh a bit less than a stock MGA, and it has c. 200 BHP and 200+ ft-lbs of torque. With the old hard radials it would just spin the wheels any time I gave it much gas. With the new 215x60-15 Yokos on the 6" Cobra wires, it just grabs and goes. I'm sure it will be about the right amount of power, and I won't be doing any drag racing starts with a stock MG 3.9 diff. Shouldbe a relaxed cruiser with a .63 5th gear.
Bill Spohn

This thread was discussed between 19/03/2007 and 20/03/2007

MG MGA index

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