1957 MG MGA Coupe 5-Speed
The MGA is a sports car that was produced by MG from 1955 until 1962.
The MGA replaced the MG TF 1500 Midget and represented a complete styling break from MG’s earlier sports cars. Announced on 26 September 1955 the car was officially launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show. A total of 101,081 units were marketed through the end of production in July 1962, the vast majority of which were exported. 5869 cars were sold on the home market, and the MGA was replaced by the MGB.
Now the MGA has been out of production for many decades, it’s well served by clubs and specialists that make the owning process that much easier. With a lively social scene and ready parts availability, whether you’re buying your first classic car or adding to a collection, the MGA makes a huge amount of sense.
This 1957 MG MGA coupe have undergone a cosmetic refurbishment, after which the factory drivetrain was replaced by an overhauled 1,800cc B-series inline-four and Ford T9 five-speed manual transmission. The car is finished in Island Green over a gray and green interior, and additional equipment includes dual SU carburetors, chrome knock-off wire wheels, fog lights, a heater, and a wood-rimmed steering wheel.
Replacement chrome knock-off wire wheels wear 165HR15 Vredestein Sprint Classic tires. Braking power is provided by front discs and rear drums.
The cabin features bucket seats trimmed in gray leather upholstery with green piping along with a matching dash and door panels. Amenities include a wood shift knob, a dash-mounted rear-view mirror, a heater, and lap belts. A wood-rimmed Moss Tourist Trophy steering wheel frames Jaeger instrumentation including an electrically operated tachometer, a 120-mph speedometer, a combination gauge for water temperature and oil pressure, and a fuel gauge.
It’s amazing just how good the parts availability is, with many companies out there specialising in reproducing many of the interior trim items and mechanical parts that wear out over the years, making restoration generally very easy.
Because roadsters are worth more than coupes, they tend to be the subject of the best restorations – which is why finding a truly superb coupe can be a thankless task. It doesn’t help that restoring a closed car also costs significantly more than reviving an open one.
Finding an original unmolested car might be a bit more of a problem though, as the vast majority of MGAs have undergone some modifications, replacement mechanical components such non-matching engines or upgrades. This isn’t a problem if you’re looking for a car to enjoy, but as a collectors’ item, finding a completely original and matching numbers MGA is often a difficult task.
