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Sold

1960 MG MGA 1600

This vehicle has now been sold - click ‘Register Similar’ below to get notified when we consign a similar vehicle.

Sold Price

£13,250

  • Mileage~46,710
  • TransmissionManual
  • Engine1.6L
  • LocationLondon

SOLD

1960 MG MGA 1600

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Video #2

Introduction

Glyn Parry
Professional Consigner and Photographer

Making its debut at the 1955 Frankfurt Motor Show - the MGA was an immediate hit and went on to be one of the most popular sports cars of that time over its 7 year production.

The MGA design dates back to the 1950’s when car designer Syd Enever created a streamlined body for the MG Le Mans car. Trading traditional looks for more straight-through "Pontoon" styling, the MGA was bought in to boost falling sales of the more mainstream MG models. Taking a step away from the older style, the MGA was first in a new line for MG. The MGA 1600 featured an updated BMC B-Series engine for the times and included front disc brakes and rear drum brakes, the model was a hit in the USA with most models being exported.

This particular car comes to market from ~25 years ownership. It was built in 1959 and exported to the USA as a LHD. In 1990, it returned to the UK having been converted to RHD. It's had restoration work completed in prior ownership, and more recently has been dry stored for some ~20 years. Importantly, with a bit of light prepping, we were able to get the car to run under its own steam, and so it should just be a case of a recommission to get this car back on the road and in use again.

This auction listing was written from information supplied by Glyn after meeting Jonathon the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Video #2

Meet the owner

With a 1600 engine and low design it feels like you are driving a racing car.

Jonathon has owned this MGA for ~25 years, he tells us "Growing up with a love of motor sport and classic cars it was always a dream to own one at some point in the future". When he first purchased the car, he went for the best that he could find and afford, this car having been converted to RHD and had a restoration in the past was perfect match. He used the car initially with some other friends who shared a passion for classics, but then work and family got in the way somewhat, and the car was put in to long terms storage.

He goes on to tell us "It saddens me greatly to sell but the MGA has been in store now for ~20 years without being used to her full potential, family and situations have changed and my original tinkering plan is far from reality. This car deserves to be bought by someone with passion and the love of cars to be driven and enjoyed as she deserves. On that note you will not be disappointed". Jonathon will be happy to answer any questions about the car in the comments section below.

Jonathon
Vehicle Owner

Jonathon saved £2,340* when they
sold their MG with us.

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EXTERIOR VIDEO
Video #2

Exterior

Sleek with a beautifully streamlined appearance, the MGA was a real turning point in MG's production and design history.

Wheels and Tyres

Given that the MG has been garaged for most of its past years, the wheels still present really nicely. The centre-locking wire wheels were available as an added extra at time of purchase, this car likely upgraded to them as part of the restoration.

One thing we would raise is that the car has been stored for some ~19 years, the date coding shows as being 20+ years old, so as a recommendation, stay on the side of safety and seek to change these. Take a look through the exterior gallery where we show in closer detail the wheels and tyres across the car.

Bodywork

The MGA overall remains in a lovely condition, given the age of the car there is some slight markings and beginnings of wear around the bonnet section and section at the base of the front grill.

The vehicle hood shows in a great condition and we didn't observe any rips or tears with the soft top option during our visit. We were pleased to note the hood door tops are included with the car also and sit comfortably in the door frame. The only notable point for the hood is slight evidence of marking on the nearside corner where the hood meets the windscreen above the passenger door.

We've highlighted in more detail our observations through our hi-resolution images and videos, so please take time to look through all the images and videos for a detailed view at what’s on offer, and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Paint

We had no major cause for concern in regards to the finish when we visited the MG as the paint coverage showed consistently across the body. Having not seen much use outside of a secure garage over the past few years, a thorough polish would be well received to bring the paintwork back to its former glory. We did note some blistering of the paint on the door panels and a few markings which we've highlighted through the gallery sections.

The gallery images are taken from a few different angles to show off the vehicle, please take the time to fully assess these hi-resolution images of the car, this is for you to make up your own minds about the condition of the paint.

Glass and Trim

The glass showed nicely across the car with the optional soft top hood door tops also displaying well. The soft top itself also looks in good condition, as does the tonneau cover as pictured.

On our visit we did note evidence of pitting across the chromed bumper areas of the vehicle and also on the top of the trim around the windscreen. However, given the cars history, this was really in keeping with the MG and what we'd come to expect from a vehicle of this age and older restoration date.

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INTERIOR VIDEO
Video #2

Interior

A beautifully presented and simple interior to this classic British roadster, it's all about the open top experience.

Seats and Carpets

With no rips or tears to note during our visit, the interior presented in good condition. If we were being really picky there was some evidence of very minor surface corrosion on the rear of the front seats at the base join, but nothing that caused us any major concern. The carpets could benefit from a good deep clean to bring back that original charm.

Having been dry stored through most of the current ownership, the interior remains dry and well preserved. The MG has been covered with a breathable car cover whilst in the garage, which has also contributed to the quality of the interior. More details of the interior can be found in our image gallery, please head over to take a look through for yourself.

Dashboard

Looking over the car on our interior review we noted the dash presented really well; obviously cared for there were no real issues with splitting or cracking. As we mentioned in line with being garaged and covered, the dash remains in a great condition and reflected the quality of the rest of the car.

We've covered some more detailed shots of the interior in our hi-resolution gallery, take a look over the images where our aim is to take you through the MG's interior as if you were actually in the car.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

The MG steering wheel is well presented and in keeping with the quality across the rest of the car.

A wooden mounted gear knob sat well in the cockpit area with a leather insert adorning the stick top. The gearstick gaiter was reflective of the age of the car but nothing that was a real concern overall here, all in all a smart interior considering that it comes to market from long terms storage.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO
Video #2

Mechanics

Breaking new ground with its appearance didn't just stop with the exterior; a revised chassis, lowered seating and centre of gravity were amongst the notable refinements for the MGA.

Engine and Gearbox

The engine bonnet base looked good on our visit and there were no signs of oil leaks that we observed. It's apparent looking over the engine bay that the dry storage in current ownership has really benefitted the car and its preservation. After checkin the engine wasn't seized, we were able to get the engine running with a bit of prep work which included fuel pump disconnected, fresh fuel in carbs, new HT leads and points. Watch the video to see the car running. We were also able to engage the clutch and put the car in gear.

There were a few spots of surface corrosion that had formed around the engine bay edging, but nothing that stood out to be a real concern given the age of the car. With this car having been sat for some ~20 years, it is in need of a recommission to ensure safety etc as the car had been restored in prior ownership and was put in to long term storage with no issues.

Suspension and Brakes

The brakes looked to be in a good condition and showed only slight surface corrosion on the brake surface. Looking around the underside of the car the reverse of the disc also looked to be in good condition on our visit, and for safety they should be checked before being used on the road.

Taking a closer look underneath; suspension brackets, crossmember and mount work all looked to be in a good condition showing us that the dry garage storage has benefitted the car over the past ~19 years.

We've showcased images of the underside of the MG in our Mechanical review section, take a look through to assess the condition for yourself and for a closer look at what's on offer.

The Drive

Back in the day, the MGA was the essence of a street-legal race car. Designed to be driven daily and raced on the weekends, these stunning roadsters offer a highly versatile driving experience. Most of the emphasis was based on performance, perhaps less on comfort back then, but nowadays comfort is the last reason you'd be in the market for one of these.

Electrics and Other

The dials on the MGA were in a nice condition with the mileage showing at ~46,710 on the clock. You'll see in the video that the oil pressure gauge is still working, we didn't run the car long enough to check the temperature gauge.

An MG stereo blanking plate is in place over the area where the radio would usually sit along with a speaker grill in place in the centre dash. As with the other electrics this was not able to be tried out during our test visit, with this car needing a light recommission.

Inside the great condition boot is a spare wheel, jack and nylon hammer. The car also includes the cover to protect the interior.

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Video #2

History and Paperwork

Coming to market from ~25 years ownership, this car had a restoration in the early 90s, and just requires recommissioning to grace the roads once again.

We've listed the paperwork and the MOT certificate that comes with the MG. Overall there isn't a huge amount of paperwork that accompanies the car which is typical for imported cars, and given that in the current ownership in the UK it has been in dry storage for ~20 years. There is a sales receipt, original V5 (showing the date of the import) and registration document, along with a heritage certificate. We were happy to note that the MGA 1600 does have 2 sets of keys which is a nice touch considering the age of the car and moving across countries.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a HPi check on the vehicle.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, and as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment on the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bid/s, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Service History
Date Type Mileage
12.09.1997 MOT 45,928
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Key Details
  • ModelMGA 1600
  • TransmissionManual
  • Reg. DateRegistered overseas - Declared manufactured 1960.
  • CC1,588
  • Mileage~46,710
  • ColourWhite
  • Interior ColourBlack
  • Interior TrimLeather
  • Chassis #GHNL80907
  • MOT ExemptYes
  • Road Tax ExemptYes
  • HPi ClearYes
  • Former Keepers2 since July 1990
  • # of Keys2
  • LHD or RHDRHD (conversion)
  • VisitedYes
  • Sale TypePrivate
  • Owned~25 years
  • Key FeatureCondition, runs, ownership
  • Auction ID491956
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VIEW ALL
Video #2

All Images

Exterior

Interior

Mechanics

History and Paperwork

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Vehicle Location

London

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