Vehicle Description
1958 MG MGA 1500 MK1 Roadster With Only 62,000 Miles 1958 MG A
ROADSTER 4-Speed Manual, Dual Carbs Showing Only 62,000 believed to
be original miles No expense spared complete restoration Old
English White with Red interior 4-speed transmission 4-cylinder
engine Includes Detachable Windows Pictured The MGA design dates
back to 1951, when MG designer Syd Enever created a streamlined
body for George Philips� TD Le Mans car. The problem with this car
was the high seating position of the driver because of the
limitations of using the TD chassis. A new chassis was designed
with the side members further apart and the floor attached to the
bottom rather than the top of the frame sections. A prototype was
built and shown to the BMC chairman Leonard Lord. He turned down
the idea of producing the new car as he had just signed a deal with
Donald Healey to produce Austin-Healey cars two weeks before.
Falling sales of the traditional MG models caused a change of
heart, and the car, initially to be called the UA-series, was
brought back. As it was so different from the older MG models it
was called the MGA, the �first of a new line� to quote the
contemporary advertising. There was also a new engine available,
therefore the car did not have the originally intended XPAG unit
but was fitted with the BMC corporate B-Series type allowing a
lower bonnet line. The MGA convertible had no exterior door
handles, however the coupe has door handles. It was a body-on-frame
design and used the straight-4 �B series� engine from the MG
Magnette saloon driving the rear wheels through a 4-speed gearbox.
Suspension was independent with coil springs and wishbones at the
front and a rigid axle with semi-elliptic springs at the rear.
Steering was by rack and pinion. The car was available with either
wire-spoked or steel-disc road wheels. MG A 1500 �57 MG MGA Coupe
(Hudson).JPG Powertrain Engine 1,489 cc (1.5 L) B-Series I4 The
1489 cc engine fitted with twin H4 type SU Carburettors produced 68
hp (51 kW) at first, but was soon uprated to 72 hp (54 kW).
Lockheed hydraulic drum brakes were used on all wheels. A coup�
version was also produced, bringing the total production of
standard MGAs to 58,750. An early open car tested by British
magazine The Motor in 1955 had a top speed of 97.8 mph (157.4 km/h)
and could accelerate from 0�60 mph (97 km/h) in 16.0 seconds. A
fuel consumption of 26.7 miles per imperial gallon (10.6 L/100 km;
22.2 mpg-US) was recorded. The test car cost �844 including taxes.
