MG MGA buyer's guide

Every Twin Cam is a ticking time bomb.

Early high-compression engines did suffer burnt pistons, helped by poor fuel and ignition settings. A properly rebuilt engine, correctly set up and run on suitable fuel, is far more dependable. The history of the rebuild matters more than the reputation.

An American car will be rust free.

Cars from dry states such as California can be very sound, but cars from wetter regions rust like any other, and some imports have had poor repairs. Check every re-import as thoroughly as a British car.

The aluminium panels cannot rust, so you only need to check the steel.

Aluminium does not rust like steel, but it corrodes where it touches steel. Door skins on steel frames, bonnet and boot lid edges and hinge areas all need a close look for blistering and white powder.

Chassis

The chassis carries everything, and no amount of good paint on the body makes up for a weak or bent frame. Look underneath with a good torch.

• Inspect the main side rails along their length, especially under the bulkhead and where they run inboard of the sills; probe for softness rather than relying on how they look.
• Check the battery cradles behind the seats, the most rust-prone part of the frame, and the surrounding mounting points.
• Examine the rear spring hangers and the rear crossmember, plus the frame below the boot floor.
• Check the front of the frame under the engine bay and the front chassis extension, which takes most impact damage; look between the grille and radiator for creased or rippled metal.
• Look for patch plates, fresh welds and heavy underseal over the rails, and ask who did the work and whether the chassis was held on a jig.
• Judge straightness from panel gaps: the front bumper should sit evenly in its valance recess and door gaps should be consistent. Doors that bind or spring open can point to a sagging or twisted frame.

Body, sills and aluminium panels

The steel body rusts in predictable places, and the aluminium panels have their own problems where they meet steel. Use a magnet on the steel panels only, as it will not stick to the aluminium ones.

• Check the sills and the door hinge posts (door pillars); this F-shaped section is structural, and rot here lets the doors drop. Rock each open door on its hinges for movement.
• Look along the bottom edges of the aluminium door skins for blistering, bubbling paint and white powdery corrosion where they wrap around the steel frames.
• Check the aluminium bonnet and boot lid edges, hinge points and fixings for the same corrosion, and for dents or cracks from careless handling.
• Inspect the lower front wings, the seams where wings meet the grille panel, around the headlamps and the inner wings behind them, which are often filled.
• Check the rear wings behind the rear wheels, the wheelarches, the boot corners and the boot floor.
• Lift the carpets and check the wooden floorboards for rot, especially under the driver's seat.

B-Series pushrod engine

The pushrod B-Series is tough and simple, but many cars have had different engines fitted, so check what is under the bonnet as well as how it runs.

• Check the engine number against the paperwork; MGB 1798cc engines are a common swap and change the car's originality.
• Watch the oil pressure gauge hot and at idle; low readings when warm suggest bearing wear.
• Listen for a rumbling bottom end, a rattling timing chain and excessive tappet noise.
• Look for blue smoke on the overrun and when revved after idling.
• Expect some oil leakage from the rear of the engine, but heavy oil over the bellhousing and chassis rails is a sign of a tired unit.

Twin Cam and De Luxe identity

Genuine Twin Cams and De Luxe cars are the most sought after MGAs, which makes them the most likely to be misrepresented. Check identity before anything else.

• A genuine Twin Cam's chassis number starts with a Y prefix rather than GHN, followed by a market code digit, for example YD1 for a home market right-hand drive roadster.
• Twin Cam chassis numbers are low and run in their own short series; check the number against the MG Car Club Twin Cam Group records, which hold details of many surviving cars.
• Look for the correct centre-lock Dunlop steel wheels, Dunlop four-wheel disc brakes and Twin Cam badges, but remember all of these can be added to an ordinary car.
• A De Luxe has a GHN or GHN2 type chassis number like any 1600 or Mk II, so its identity rests on factory build records and the MGA Register; ask for a British Motor Industry Heritage Trust certificate.
• Be wary of a pushrod car described as a De Luxe simply because it has disc brakes all round and knock-off steel wheels; such conversions exist.
• On a Twin Cam engine, ask for evidence of a recent professional rebuild, and look for oil burning, high crankcase pressure, timing chain noise or a cracked or repaired cylinder head.

Gearbox and rear axle

The four-speed gearbox is robust if treated with care. Many cars now have later or non-MG gearboxes.

• First gear has no synchromesh, so it should only be selected when stationary or nearly so; grinding on the move is normal for first but not for other gears.
• Check for crunching on down-changes into second and third, which points to worn synchromesh.
• Ask whether a five-speed conversion (often Ford Sierra or Mazda MX-5 based) or an MGB gearbox has been fitted, and whether the original box comes with the car.
• Listen for rear axle bearing noise and feel for clonks on taking up drive, which suggest worn propshaft joints or pinion wear.

Suspension, steering and brakes

Front suspension wear is common when greasing has been neglected. The brake set-up tells you a lot about which version the car is, or what has been changed.

• Jack the front, if allowed, and check for play at the kingpins and trunnions; the front suspension needs regular greasing and many cars have missed it.
• Steering should feel precise; knocking or looseness usually means worn ball joints or other suspension parts.
• Check the lever-arm dampers at each corner for leaks; the body should settle quickly after being pushed down.
• Identify the brakes: drums all round on a 1500, Lockheed front discs with rear drums on the 1600 and Mk II, Dunlop discs on all four wheels on the Twin Cam and De Luxe.
• On drum-brake cars, ask whether a disc conversion has been fitted; it improves stopping but reduces originality.
• On four-wheel disc cars, check the separate rear handbrake calipers, which seize if not maintained, and ask about the availability of any replacement parts used.

Electrics, interior and weather gear

The electrics are simple, but positive earth and twin batteries catch out buyers new to the car.

• Check whether the car is still positive earth and has two 6-volt batteries behind the seats, or has been converted to a single 12-volt battery; either is common, but conversions should be done tidily.
• Test every light, the indicators, wipers, horn and gauges; most faults come from corroded earths and connections.
• Check whether the interior colour and seat type match what the car was built with; a correct, matching original interior is rare.
• Erect the roadster hood and fit the sidescreens; look for torn hoods, worn frames, scratched Perspex and missing fittings.

Paperwork and originality

Paperwork is especially important on an MGA because of re-imports, conversions and the gap between ordinary and rare versions.

• Check the chassis number plate in the engine bay against the V5C, and note the body number and engine number.
• Read the chassis prefix: on cars with GHN numbers an L in the fourth position (for example GHNL) means the car was built as left-hand drive; earlier HD and Twin Cam numbers show the market in a code digit.
• On a left-hand drive conversion, ask who did the work and look for a tidy steering rack, pedal box, dashboard and wiring job.
• For a re-import, ask for the import papers, the date it was first registered in the UK and any earlier history from its home country.
• Ask for a British Motor Industry Heritage Trust certificate, which records how the car left the factory.

What are the main problems with the MGA?

Rust in the chassis rails, battery cradles, sills, door hinge posts and lower wings is the biggest concern, along with corrosion where the aluminium doors, bonnet and boot lid meet steel. Mechanically, look for worn front suspension from poor greasing, worn gearbox synchromesh and tired engines.

How do I tell if an MGA Twin Cam is genuine?

Start with the chassis number, which should carry the Twin Cam Y prefix, such as YD1 or YD3, not a GHN number. Check it with the MG Car Club Twin Cam Group, which holds records of many surviving cars, and ask for a Heritage certificate. Wheels, badges and four-wheel discs alone prove nothing, as they can be fitted to any MGA.

What is an MGA De Luxe?

A pushrod 1600 or 1600 Mk II built on a leftover Twin Cam chassis, so it has four-wheel Dunlop disc brakes and centre-lock steel wheels. Only a few hundred were made, usually quoted as 395, and identity should be confirmed through factory records and the MGA Register.

Should I buy a disc or drum brake MGA?

Drum brake 1500s are easy to maintain but only adequate and can fade with hard use. The 1600 and Mk II front discs are better suited to modern traffic. Four-wheel disc Twin Cams and De Luxe cars stop well but are more complex to maintain.

Is a left-hand drive conversion a problem?

Not necessarily, as many MGAs in Britain are re-imports that have been converted. Check the quality of the work and the paperwork, and remember that some buyers prefer cars built as right-hand drive. The chassis prefix shows how the car was built.

Roadster or coupe?

The roadster is more sought after and lighter. The coupe has wind-up windows and better weather protection, so it suits all-weather use, but it can be harder and more expensive to restore.