1961 MG MGA

Convertible

4 - Cyl.

Manual

89115

Gasoline

1961 MGA ROADSTER Feel free to ask any questions, but please read through this listing carefully. Odds are that your question is already answered! If you want the short version: Almost everything that could be renewed, replaced, replated, repainted, rebushed, restored, reset, redone, recalibrated and repaired....was! And sorry, there is no Buy It Now, and no, the reserve will not be revealed until it's reached. I would recommend you acquaint yourself with the concept of proxy bidding and/or sniping to protect yourself and avoid disappointments. On this or any other eBay auction! This car was completely disssambled and restored in 2005, and driven 5800 miles since. Unless otherwise noted "new" in this listing means new in 2005. No expense was spared, this car was restored to appear as an original MGA, yet benefit from some added options to enhance it's driveability and reliability. Most notably the completely rebuilt 3-main MGB 1800engine, with rebuilt head and valves for unleaded gasoline, and the 5 speed transmission. This car will not sastisfy the purist. It is definitely NOT a matching numbers all original example, or a trailer queen concours show car. If total orginality is what you're after, this car is not for you. If however, you appreciate the style and attitude of a vintage British roadster, and prefer a more usable, reliable and driveable example, read on! Probably the most dramatic improvement to any MG's driveability is the addition of a fully synchronized 5 speed transmission, in this case a fully reconditioned Ford Sierra unit from Quantum Mechanics. Totally undetectable in appearance, the stick shift sits exactly where the original was, and even utilizes the 52 year old original knob. But oh, what a difference it makes! An original MGA transmission is fine for toodling around two lane country roads, but if you ever intend to drive above 55 MPH, you want that extra gear! The engine was completely dissasembled, with new main and rod bearings, and rings installed. It starts easily, has good oil pressure, idles happily at 650 RPM and sounds like a classic British sports car should. And the extra 15% displacement over the standard 1600 engine means it can more easily keep up with modern traffic. The original starter and generator were professionally rebuilt by AutoStart in Lewisville TX. New voltage regulator. Wiper motor rebuilt by E. Lawrie Rhoads All new wiring harness. Converted to single 12V battery, NEGATIVE ground. If you want to install modern electronics, you can! Carburators rebuilt with all new floats, seals and gaskets. Points and condensor have been eliminated with the installation of a modern Pertronix electronic igintion system. The oil-change nightmare of the original paper element filter has been replaced with an adaptor that allows for modern spin on oil filters. Some non-original additions under the bonnet: The clips on the heater, and the original air filter screens have been chrome plated for some extra bling. The Heater box, the fan, and most of the suspension bits have been powdercoated for extra durability. New radiator, new water pump and of course hoses installed and an aftermarket fan shroud added. After being used through 6 Texas summers, I can safely say that the cooling system has been throughly tested and is more than adequate for any driving conditions. Brake/clutch master restored by Apple Hydraulics. All new brake shoes/pads, rebuilt and/or new slave cylinders and calipers/pistons. MGB sway bar modified to fit and added. A much welcomed enhancement to the suspension/steering system that MG overlooked. New front springs, all new suspension bushings. Modern tube shock conversion for the rear axle, new rear leaf springs. All gauges restored by APT Instruments. They all work as new, as do all the lights. Tachometer maintains the cable drive as per the original. New windshield glass, original frame rechromed. The steering wheel is an original MGA banjo wheel that has been cut down and rebuilt approximately 3" smaller in diameter, with a thicker, padded rim, and a custom glove-soft leather cover. It retains much of the esthetic charm of the original, but has a distinctly modern, comfortable feel. With the MG rack and pinion steering and light weight, there's no need for that huge original spindly rimmed wheel, plus this creates more leg room for the driver. The radio blanking plate has been sanded and painted body color, just as the factory did. And as most restorers fail to bother with. Yes, a minor pet peeve of mine. The screen for the dash speaker has been chrome plated, just as the factory didn't do! :) All new interior panels and carpeting. New genuine leather faced seat upholstery. Another definitely non-standard addition are the three point seatbelts. They just may save your teeth in the event of a fender-bender. If you really want to check the quality of workmanship of a restored car, look at the hidden places where some might be tempted to take shortcuts. This car has never been driven in the rain since being restored. As a matter of fact, it didn't even have a top until 2009, when it was installed in preparation for the drive to the NAMGAR meet in Hot Springs Arkansas. It wasn't needed then, and hasn't been raised since then until I took these pictures this week. My bad. As you can see, sitting unused for 3 years is not in the best interest of an MGA top! I'm confident however, that after a good soaking in a nice hot summer's sun, the creases will relax. But it is, for all intents and purposes, an unused, brand new top! Yes, the boot does shut all the way, in this picture it's unlatched. Speaking of the boot, eagle eyed afficianadoes might notice the abscence of "1600" badging. This was a deliberate omission on my part, I simply prefer the cleaner look of the 1500 cars. The chrome "1600" scripting is readily available from the usual sources and could be easily added if the new owner desires. Top frame was sandblasted and powdercoated in the proper color. Mohair tonneau cover, (and latched boot :) Tail/Brakelights are modern LED replacements from ClassicAutoLEDS, much brighter, much more reliable than the truly crappy original Lucas units. This car had all the rusty panels cut out and replaced properly, with new metal replacements. Then the body was treated at Metal Rehab, a much more thorough (and espensive) method of rust removal than bead blasting or sanding. This car is much more prepared against rust than when it left the factory in Abingdon. I seriously doubt you could find an MGA with less rust.  Body was primed with epoxy primer, surfacer primer, and sealer, then painted with single stage, two part modern urethane paint. Chrysler "Stone White" to be exact. It looks brighter white in these pictures than in real life, but it's not as yellow as most people think Old English White is. Until we develop a time machine, we'll never really know which is closer to how OEW looked in 1961, but an original piece of lacquer paint from the era is hardly an accurate comparison. Using that logic one would have to assume that 50 years ago all newspapers were yellow too! Is it a concours $15,000 paint job? No. Would it take VERY close scrutiny to determine that fact? Yes.  In the interest of full disclosure, I will say that while the surface of the paint is as smooth and glossy as can be, under certain lighting conditions, it is just possible to see that the surfacer primer underneath  was block sanded with 400 grit when it should have been 600. Again, under almost every normal light it's not visible, and  impossible to photograph, but if you're looking for imperfections, it's there. I've been to many events with this car where the main entertainment amongst the MG afficianodoes is picking apart every flaw on everybody elses's car and it's never been mentioned. But occasionally I see it.   That and a tiny blemish (less than an eight of an inch) on the bonnet are the only flaws I could find. (I hit "list" on this ad before I was ready, but I'll try and take a picture of the bonnet when I get home and see if I can get it to show in a photograph and add it later.) There are more pictures, including some of the restoration available at   Photos You can probably surmise I didn't restore this car to make a quick buck. If I didn't already have another  MGA, or one less project car, or simply more storage space I wouldn't be selling this one.  So unfortunately for bargain hunters I'm not going to entertain any lowball fire sale offers, but the market being what it is I'm sure the buyer will get a very nice automobile for less than the sum of its parts. Prospective buyers are welcome and encouraged to come see and drive the car. If unable, a quick Google search will reveal classic auto appraisers who will, for a fee, come out and inspect the car. The buyer of the only other Britsh 'toy' car  I ever sold did just that, and made the transaction much more comfortable for himself. I will accept any form of currency known to man, but until Bank of America say the funds are free and clear US funds, the vehicle will not be released for shipment. Scammer, shysters, and Nigerian "businessmen" please don't waste either of our time. I will do what I can to assist with shipping logistics from this end, but arranging for, and payment for shipping is entirely the buyers responsibility. Again, questions that haven't already been answered are encouraged and can be asked at Ewelty@grandecom.net. Good luck, and happy bidding. On Feb-18-12 at 14:00:37 PST, seller added the following information: I added pictures to the Photobucket link, and some comments to a few other existing pictures also. In response to a question, there are no sidecurtains included with the car. A few people have asked about the steering wheel, it was made by yours truly, I wrote an article describing the process for the local MG club newsletter, if anyone is interested I'd be happy to fwd it along, email me at Ewelty@grandecom.net and I'll send a copy.