1957 MG MGA

4 Cylinder

Clear

For Sale: 1957 MGA 1500. Mileage unknown; odometer broken. I am not certain if the engine is a 1500cc as fitted from the factory or if it is the original engine. I will attempt to describe the car as faithfully as possible. Please understand that this car is almost 60 years old...We inherited this car about a decade ago and it has been an occasional driver the time we have owned it. Very few repairs have been performed on the car since we have had it. In 2005, I replaced/rebuilt the entire brake system including the brake lines (stainless steel braided). At that time, I also replaced the welting between all the body parts as they were not in good condition. In about 2008 I replaced the lever shocks on the front end and the door seal rubber. The car sits on painted wires that are still in good condition. Air only needs to be added to the tires every 6 months or so. I have recently replaced the battery with a red top Optima battery. Preventative maintenance has been performed including valve adjustments, oil changes, spark plug replacement, distributor cap replacement, etc. Being that the car is only driven about 50 miles per year fresh gas and oil changes is the only maintenance that is done on a regular basis. The car’s overall condition is driver quality. On a scale of 1-5 (1+ being the best), I would give it a solid 3- or a possible 3. There are condition issues that, once started, can snowball into a restoration pretty quick so we have left the condition as is, repaired as necessary, and enjoyed it. There is a long paint crack running parallel to the bottom of the truck lid. There is a noticeable ding on the passenger side door, and there is a little bit of damage to the front grill and the paintwork next to it, the result of someone backing into the car and not seeing it in the rearview mirror. Originally the car was painted baby blue, I assume from the factory as I know that was an original color. The interior is in decent condition: there are no cracks in the vinyl seats, there are rubber floor mats over the black carpet interior which is in good condition, the door cards are not warped. The wood flooring and "firewall" are in good solid condition. The map pockets on both doors need to be addressed as they are unattached to the insides of the doors. The prospective buyer of this car should be the one who wishes to get about 5 more years out of the car as is and then begin a restoration. There are a few repairs that can be done now (door cables could be replaced with stock looking ones, fuel gauge inoperable, windshield screen rebuild, etc) to continue enjoying the vehicle until a restoration is commissioned. These are pretty easy cars to restore as parts are still readily available through suppliers such as Moss Motors. The car drives incredibly well considering it is almost 60 years old. I have never had an issue starting it, a testament to the simplicity and reliability of SU carbs. The car has an aftermarket glasspack-type exhaust that sound pretty good on idle and screams a little bit when throttled. Personally I like the sound, as it alerts drivers around you that this is a tiny car in their blindspot, and it turns heads. The transmission is in great order, albeit no syncro in 1st as it came from the factory. When stopped, the best course of action it to put it in 2nd and then 1st. Hydraulic clutch take up is good, but high. Brakes are strong and alarming effective. Ride is firm, steering is easy when moving and a pain when stopped like all non-power assisted cars of that era. Although the convertible top comes with the car, it is not functional nor installed. Side windows are missing too. We have kept it in the garage the entire time with a tuneau cover when not used. Being that I have never driven it in the rain, the lack of windows and functional top is not an issue for me. Again, the prospective buyer is looking for a driver, not a trailer queen. The car is located in Plano, Texas. Should you have any questions, or would like to schedule a time to view the car please let me know. (214)763-8481. I would prefer anyone who buys the car to see it firsthand, as there may have been some things I forgot to mention or describe properly. Personalized plates are not a part of the sale of this vehicle. Texas has a “keep your plates” policy and unless you would like to purchase them separately, are not a part of the sale. FYI the Texas Classic Auto plate is “57 MGA.”