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MG MGA - What to look for?
| Hi, I would like to buy an MGA. Can anyone advise what I should look out for and if there are any tips. Very grateful for any help. |
| GrahamMV |
| Graham, To me, the top three things are rust, rust, and rust. Plus, it depends how much you are looking at spending and how much work you can do or reasonably get done. My experience is that everything takes three times longer and cost three times more than initially anticipated. If I were buying another, I would buy one completely or nearly finished or, at least one with the sheet metal properly repaired. Dennis |
| Dennis Suski |
| Every MGA made rusts out in the door sills/rocker panels. If you can find one that has been repaired, you'll be further ahead. However, unlike the MGB, rust in the rocker panel won't cause the car to fold in two. The rockers can be repair reasonably, it just depends on how ambitious you feel. Rust-through on the frame and in the trunk is another thing to look for. Again, not necessarily a deal-breaker, but you'll need to factor in the cost of repairs. Also, some people go for an original car, others for a good driver. Many of these have been upgraded to the MGB 1800cc engine which greatly improves driveability at the expense of originality. Only you can decide which you want to go for. Read a lot on this forum and also check out Barney Gaylord's MGA Guru site (www.mgaguru.com). I would also HIGHLY recommend taking someone who is familiar with MGAs with you to look at prospective purchases. Best of luck, let us know if you end up with one. Larry |
| MGA Larry |
| It depends what you are looking for. Complete cars needing total restoration are still available, something that never ceases to amaze me after all these years. A lot of these are re-imports and will be LHD and if you look in the archives you will see a lot of recent discussion on the problems of obtaining RHD steering racks. Original UK cars sell for a premium. On the other hand there are quite a few extremely good restored cars for sale that can be driven away today. I get the impression that is spite of the credit crunch, MGA prices are still rising. Conventional advice always used to be not to buy a car that was a runner but "tired" as you would have to eventually redo everything anyway. I am not sure this still holds as you will at least get all the parts and, with a bit of luck, the previous owner will be straight with you and tell you what has been done and what needs to be done. In general, coupés are cheaper than open cars, 1500s cheaper than 1600s and twin cams much more expensive. I also get the impression that 1600 MkIIs are less sought after than the conventional grilled MkIs but have no proof of that assertion. We need Gordon's opinion on this. Malcolm |
| Malcolm Asquith |
| Hi Graham, Everything the others have already posted is good guidance. It is wise to buy the best you can afford - so the first thing is what is your budget? As a rough guide - the following may help you £5k to £6k will get you a car in need of total restoration. £10k will get you a presentable driveable car. £15k+ will get you a good show car £20k+ for a concours £25k+ for a decent twin cam Coupes fetch 10% less. LHD 10% less If you have the garage space and the skills you may be able to go for a project car - but it will cost you more than buying one already done - but then you don't know how well it has all been done. Always take an MGA owner with you to look at a car - it will stop you buying a bad one by mistake . It took several weeks after buying mine to find all the faults with it - despite taking an MGA owning friend with me. But I think I paid a fair price for a basically sound driveable car. If you are buying "up North" then I would be happy to accompany you. Good luck in your search - Cam |
| Cam Cunningham |
| Blasphemy Cam! Blasphemy I say! "Coupes fetch 10% less" |
| Dennis Suski |
| Sorry Dennis - not my decision only what they fetch over here. You would think that with our weather that they should fetch more! It is the same situation with the MGB and the MGBGT. cheers Cam |
| Cam Cunningham |
| Hi, Graham - Get someone who knows MGAs to look at your potential car. Judging from some of the posts here over the years, there are many people who think they can {OK... here I go... call me a loathesone purist if you wish... (Some readers may find the following language offensive...) ] take an MGA and make it into their idea of a "better" car. "Better" being, for lack of a more subtle phrase, "More like a Miata." Look out for cars with aftermarket transmissions, suspensions, brakes, electricals, engines (and their components), etc. My own car has an MGB engine, a MK-II grill, and a 3.9 differential. But I would disclose these changes to a prospective buyer and expect to get less for the car as a result. Some folks consider themselves to be "Syd Evener's Smarter Brother" and may not disclose to you the "improvements" they've made. The MGA is becoming a genuine classic car, and these "enhancements", by and large, only increase the value of the car in the mind of the person who has made the changes. I am not criticising anyone here personally. Comments like mine frequently result in heated debates. My only intention is to give you a heads-up that many still consider the MGA less of a classic than a workshop project. In the final analysis, the car is your personal property and you can do with it as you wish. But it is incumbent on every seller, especially in these tough econimic times, to let the buyer know exactly what he or she is getting. |
| David Breneman |
| Of course, those with better typing skills would consider themselves Syd ENEVER's smarter brother, but it's tough to envoke spell-check in the middle of a good rant. :-) |
| David Breneman |
| Graham, Sometimes we just get lucky. My wife had long known of my lament of selling my second MGA shortly after we got married. So about five years, ok six years ago, her old boyfriend called her to see if she was still looking for a MGA. He is a car guy, but by no means an authority on MGA’s. Anyway she ends up buying a non-running ’59 roadster for $3,000. She then proceeds to stash it in another friends garage for almost two years. In the meantime she is making monthly payments by skimming off the grocery budget! When she finally is ready to pay it off she had overlooked the need to budget for the $300 sales tax, but no worry. The gentleman selling the car, took pity and reduced the sales price by $300. So for my 50th b-day, not only did she manage to pull off a surprise party but there was a MGA sitting the driveway. Even with the tarp over it I knew exactly what it was. She was quite worried that she had not gotten a good deal. Thankfully eBay has provided plenty of basket cases that have sold at or above what she paid. It was actually a fairly solid car with a good engine and tranny, just needs a lot of TLC (and monthly parts orders). I only wish the car could speak – there are stories to be told of how some of the cross members got so smashed, or what was the PO thinking when he buggered the steering wheel nut? So if you are ever offered a birthday present that is almost as old as you are, does not work, and cannot be returned…., don’t turn it down. John  |
| jjb Backman |
| Great Story John - David I like your phrase "more like a Miata" - my sentiments too - have fun with your search Graham - cheers Cam |
| Cam Cunningham |
| Graham, All good stuff above. But ... Be very careful who you get to go with you or who you get to do a pre purchase inspection.There are dozens of garages listed in the MGOC handbook of Recommended Suppliers who claim to offer a pre purchase inspection. My first attempt at buying an MGA was a disaster even with an inspection by a Recommended Supplier. Thankfully my household insurance covered me for this and after nearly a year of solicitors letters the car was taken off my hands and I was able to buy a decent one. My suggestion would be to talk to someone like Bob West - expensive but the best out there, but as always "Qualty costs money" David |
| D C GRAHAME |
| I love that story John! |
| Andy Bounsall |
| David is right - Bob West will give you good advice - but you will add £5k to the prices I have given above - so deep pockets will be required - but you will get a very good car. At least if you start there then you will know what to look for when you look at private sellers' cars. Don't buy the first car you see!! |
| Cam Cunningham |
| Thanks for all the good advise. It makes good sense. I am not the greatest mechanic but can do the basics and prepared to have a go at more advanced jobs. But I have not got a clue when it comes to body work. So my plan is to buy something with a decent body that doesn't need much work. I realise that means paying £12k+. I want the car to be as original as possible so was interested to read some of the very helpful comments. I have looked at the UK internet sites for classic cars and there does seem to be a big variation in prices. I am guessing that some people who are not serious sellers put their cars on at a high price just in case they get lucky? Can anyone tell me if there are any particular rust areas that are most important to look out for? Thanks for all the helpful response - much appreciated |
| GrahamMV |
| If you don't mind trying your luck at an auction H&H in Buxton have this 1600 MkII coming up on 16th April that has apparently been in a museum for many years (Quoting them). http://www.classic-auctions.co.uk/lotdetail.php?lotid=26681&aucid=27226 |
| Malcolm Asquith |
| Malcolm - that's an interesting auction. Should be a good restoration project and a bargain for the estimated price. Graham - usual areas in the body work prone to rust that are hidden from view include - the sills and bottoms of the wings - behind the head lamps - floorboard mounting rails - boot floor - fuel tank - door frames etc. Engine is not usually a problem but could cost around £1k to rebuild. gearbox often has synchro gone on 2nd gear ( as mine has but I'll live with it for now)so many now have the 5 speed conversion ( not original but easier to drive). A trip to Buxton might be called for! good luck Cam |
| Cam Cunningham |
| For what it's worth, there is a coupe for sale on the MGOC website, I think the 'phone code is Worcester. |
| Nigel Munford |
| I have been looking on the web but I can only seem to find garages tat stock MGA's in the North. I am just north of London. Does anyone know of any decent garages in my area? Thanks |
| GrahamMV |
| Graham, Try Brown and Gammons at Baldock. Again expensive but supposed to be v good. David |
| D C GRAHAME |
| Thanks - they're not too far away. Nothing in stock at present tho, but I will keep an I on their list |
| GrahamMV |
| What about Motobuild -do they still sell MGA's? Beaulieu Garage in the New Forest have one or two but you would need a very deep pocket. |
| J H Cole |
| Thanks. Nothing in stock there at present, but I'm not in a rush. |
| GrahamMV |
| Graham, Robinson's of Darlington have 4 advertised in this month's Safety Fast mag. Cheapest is at £17k - might be worth haggling over!! cheers Cam |
| Cam Cunningham |
| Hi , both places very expensive for cars that aren't that special, Bob West is your best bet |
| g c pugh |
| this one is in Devon, don't know the car but it is a bit cheaper http://www.modernmotoring.com/ Gordon |
| g c pugh |
| sry you need to open the link |
| g c pugh |
| this one looks good at about the right price http://www.sussexsportscars.co.uk/detail.php?stock_id=836 |
| g c pugh |
| Gordon, Thanks that looks a very nice car. It has already been reserved! I will keep looking, its part of the fun! Graham |
| GrahamMV |
| Only one piece of advice; buy a long wooden pole and then make sure you don't touch a certain person (named by Cam above) with it. Based on my own bitter experience! OTOH, that really is a nice car Gordon! Would prefer it a little more original spec at that price, but easy to do. |
| Neil McGurk |
| Neil, Your bitter experience sounds interesting - care to tell us - without naming names of course? |
| Cam Cunningham |
| by the way the red one for sale in devon was for sale in one of the mg club mags a wee while ago for £8500, gordon |
| g c pugh |
| He has that on sale for £13,500 Nice profit! |
| Graham V |
| Hi Graham, quite an honest , if slightly tired, loking car though, if it was at either of those other two dealers I think it would be £17K , although how anyone can charge £24K for a pushrod A I will never know, yet they seem to sell them and most of them are not that good, poor door gaps etc |
| g c pugh |
| Hi Graham this might be one to look at, shame about how they have secured the seat belt http://www.sussexsportscars.co.uk/detail.php?stock_id=838 Gordon |
| g c pugh |
| I agree with Gordon about the seat belt anchoring on the above car. It looks like a nice one, needing only minor changes. Note the seat cushions. In a previous thread about new seat foam it was noted that the original ones let you set lower "into" the seat, not like the new ones where you sit "on" the seat. This car obviously still has the original type foam in the seat cushion. How long will it take for the new foam to conform to this shape? Maybe I should leave a hundred pound sack of beans on the seat all winter? The only other problem I see with this car is that the passinger has to do the driving! No fun there! |
| Ed Bell |
| Gordon That is not an unusual selt belt fixing. I have seen it a number of times, particularly on rally cars. There is a longeron immediately underneath. To attach it to the underside in that position would require an access hole in the sidescreen bag. Easier to remove in the external position when raising the hood, although I notice no quick release on this car. It must be the one outboard of the seats that releases. Personal choice I suppose. Steve |
| Steve Gyles |
| Steve - yes my '61 midget had belts attached the same way when I bought it in 1967. Graham - the only way to avoid the nice little profit is to find a private sale. It took me 3 months to find mine - advertised in Enjoying MG. Ed Bell _ I guess we are all passengers over here then !! |
| Cam Cunningham |
| Thanks. By chance I phoned Sussex sports cars today and he told me about the blue car. I have decided I want to find a 1600 particularly for the disc brakes on front. Do they all have seat belts? I have a frogeye without seatbelts. Mind you it struggles to get over 50mph! |
| GrahamMV |
| Hi Graham, not all A's have seat belts, I think only the later ones actualy had built in mounting points for them but someone who knows will probably correct me there, having had 1500's and 1600's the 1600 is probably the best one to have, a bit more power, better brakes and a slightly safer rear light arrangement Gordon ps how much are they asking for the blue one ? |
| g c pugh |
| 1600 MkII has the seat belt mounting points. No earlier cars and practically no MkII cars were delivered with seatbelts. Quickfit SBS can provide period style seats but with an inertial reel sytem in the boot with fitting kit for all MGAs. The MkII has the stronger engine and slightly higher gearing, but you will find that many cars have an 1800 MGB engine and differential, that is even better. The five speed (Sierra) gearbox is another upgrade that is quite common and improves driveability. All these changes can be made "invisible" from almost any inspection. Disc brakes can also be fitted easily to the 1500. So if you want your car to be totally standard (except tyres) the 1600 MkII is the best driving car, however, the rear (Mini) lights, vynide covered dash/scuttle and recessed grill do not meet with everyones taste. But, you will see when you check out Barneys site, that for a modest cost even the 1500 engine can be lightly modified to match that performance. So, as you will see from the cars advertised there are virtually no "standard" cars left. Everyone has there own idea of what "improvements" they want. At the end of the day the MGA is a superb looking, fantastic driving experience, from standard to full blown. If not, there is something not working as it should and time to post on this forum! |
| Neil McGurk |
| Neil (et all), Your not the first person to tell me its a superb driving experience. But I test drove one (first time)today and found the steering incredibly heavy. It's not that I normally drive power assisted, as I also often drive a frogeye. Maybe the car was a bit dodgy? Or is heavy steer normal? |
| GrahamMV |
| No definitely not normal, much lighter than MGB for example. Obviously a problem there (with kingpins,rack,column alignment/bearings or combination). At anything over 5mph the steering is light with lots of feedback, should feel quite similar to the sprite. I had an early mk3 midget many years ago and loved the way it drove. I find the MGA quite similar but, with more power and torque, an easier yet more exciting car to drive. |
| Neil McGurk |
| Graham What size steering wheel did your test car have? Some of us have installed small (13"/14") steering wheels. Yes, these make the car very heavy at parking speeds, but give a wonderful feel at normal and higher driving speeds. The standard wheel is 16.5" diameter. Steve |
| Steve Gyles |
No I think it was the original steering wheel(pic attached). I really didn't like the heavy steer so relieved to hear what Neil has said. I am eager to become a bone fide member of this forum by buying an MGA, but if that one was typical (I hope not), I don't think it would be for me!
 |
| GrahamMV |
| Hi Graham, as everyone else says lovely and light normaly, and it is the correct steering wheel, maybe it was something simple like wrong tyre pressures Gordon |
| g c pugh |
| Start by greasing the swivel links. It can be incredibly stiff if those things are allowed to dry out. |
| Barney Gaylord |
| Hi Graham, email me off site for some info gordon |
| g c pugh |
| hi graham this one might be worth a look , looks like a twin cam thats lost its engine but the body and interior look good http://www.pistonheads.com/SALES/920557.htm |
| g c pugh |
| Well spotted Gordon - it looks like a bargain. |
| Cam Cunningham |
| Hi Cam, I remember it being for sale quite a long time ago and thinking then it looked like a nice car, good gaps etc, if you didn't mind non standard colours, good start to twin cam ownership if you could find an engine, rad, carbs etc etc Gordon |
| g c pugh |
| I want to thank everyone for their very helpful advice. I bought a Mk2 today and am absolutely delighted with her. There are a few things to sort out (though I guess that will always be the case). The speedo is crazy (showing 75 when I am doing about 40mph (and it even once showed 25mph when I was waiting at traffic lights!), it stalls on idling (especially when warm), etc. One extra I need quickly is a wing mirror on driver's side. Does anyone know if you can get one that screws into existing holes on side of windscreem - I seem to remember seeing one somewhere. But mainly I wanted to say thanks for the help and encouragement. |
| GrahamMV |
| Graham Welcome to the fold. The resident experts will for take you through the car's idiosyncrasies and solve all your problems in the fullness of time. In the next posts you will for sure be pointed towards fixing your speedo and a lot more. How about a picture of the purchase for starters! Cheers Steve |
| Steve Gyles |
| Graham Re the mirror. Scroll down the attached link on my website. If this is the sort of thing you have in mind give Bob West a ring on 01977 703 828. In case you have not heard of him, he is one of a number of well respected MGA specialists in the UK. I use him a lot. http://www.mgaroadster.co.uk/odds_and_sods.htm Steve |
| Steve Gyles |
| Steve, Thanks. Thats the sort of thing I am after. I also quite fancy this one on the mga guru site www.mgaguru.com/mgtech/accessories/at103c.htm Difficult to tell from the pictures though. |
| GrahamMV |
| Holden stock similar: http://www.holden.co.uk/displayproduct.asp?sg=2&pgCode=092&sgName=Hardware&pgName=Mirrors&agCode=0258&agName=Vintage+Mirrors&pCode=090.149 Steve |
| Steve Gyles |
| Graham I Have a MK2 Coupe which I purchased last year absolute delight and I find a much better driving car than the MGB I Had. I purchased an Oval overtaking Mirror from The MGOC around £30 if I Recall Paul |
| P D Camp |
| Just come back from the H&H auction I mentioned on the 2 April. The MKII MGA sold for an unbelievable £7500 plus commissions so about £8400 in total, well over twice what I thought it was worth. It looked quite good in the photos but was in real life a wreck. The floor in the hall had large piles of rust that had fallen off the underside. The car looked to be all there but needed a very serious restoration. The prices for a lot of the other cars also seemed high to me and were frequently very much over estimate. Its a very strange market out there at present. Malcolm |
| Malcolm Asquith |
| That's interesting. So £10k for the restoration? I bought my MGA yesterday and think the investment could do much better than in the bank at 2%. And even if it just holds its value, it will be much more fun! I imagine that is increasing the demand for classic cars at present? |
| GrahamMV |
| Malcolm, I saw it on Wednesday and although I arrived half an hour after opening people had obviously been poking around the rear of both sills leaving rust piles beneath. I overheard several potential foreign bidders (Dutch or Belgian) which is perhaps understandable with the strong Euro. Unfortunately several years spent in a Lake District climate hadn't been very kind to the poor thing. Mike |
| m.j. moore |
| Graham Pleased you have your MK2 I bought mine last year - a fully restored MK2 coupe as I am a Driver rather than restorer!!! The resoration costs according to the paperwork that came with the car showed some £25000 spent on the restoration -I paid half that for the car and have been delighted and have travelled over 5000 miles this last 12 months I am not far from you in South Herts if you wish to compare notes we could meet up ? Good luck and welcome to the fold Paul |
| P D Camp |
| Paul, I will email you Graham |
| GrahamMV |
This thread was discussed between 30/03/2009 and 19/04/2009
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