1959 MG MGA

Assembled in Abingdon a few days before Christmas in 1959, this charming MGA 1600 Coupé (1588cc with front disc brakes) was despatched to JJ Balmforth of Ormskirk and first registered on the 21st of April the following year.

Originally Chariot Red on leaving the factory, the car has undergone a number of colour changes during its life - metallic grey in the mid-sixties, yellow with black roof in 1969 and back to red in the mid-eighties. A decade later the paint was redone again and apparently is now closer to Tartan Red. The engine is not its original but it carries a factory replacement.

It spent the sixties, swinging around the Merseyside area before going ‘off the road’ and being shipped west into North Wales for a few years then into Cheshire for most of the seventies and eighties. In the nineties it moved up the road to Manchester for its eventual restoration, marking the Millennium in the hands of a Mancunian clergyman before being sold to its most recent owner in October 2002.

A former electrical engineer, he was very thorough and fastidious with the care and maintenance of his cars, as can be seen in the diligent logging of expenditure and use in the history file. Sadly, he passed away earlier this year and the family is now selling the MGA Coupé along with his red MG TD, which is listed separately on The Market.

The car has been garaged throughout the year, with the additional protection of a Carcoon in winter months. See the History Highlights section for more information on ownership and expenditure.

The Chariot Red (or Tartan Red) paintwork really suits this car, and doesn’t try and disguise or diminish the distinctive fixed roof in a way that perhaps its earlier black top would have done. The paint and bodywork appears very straight with very few discernible blemishes and the panel gaps and shut lines seem very good for a British car of the late fifties.

The car’s chromework presents very well too, with the larger items such as the grille and bumpers showing in great condition and the other trim parts shining brightly too with very little pitting in evidence.

The 15-inch ventilated steel wheels are in a fair to good condition with well-presented chromed hubcaps. All were refitted with matching Firestone tyres in 2008 and have covered around 4,000 miles since. As you will probably know, we think that quality matching tyres are an infallible indicator of a sympathetic and discerning owner. The sort of chap, in other words, that you would want to buy a car like this from.

The interior tells the same story as the outside, with the car’s upholstery and trim still looking great over two decades on from its restoration. The seats and door cards are in black vinyl with red piping. The seats are only gently creased from use on the driver side and the door cards look almost like they were just fitted yesterday. The seats have lap strap safety belts which both look in good order, likely renewed during the resto.

In front, the black vinyl dash looks to be in good condition with no shrinkage cracks or other obvious damage. The black instrument panel is also extremely tidy and sets off the chrome-surround gauges very well.

The steering wheel isn’t the X-braced model that likely came with the car but is a large diameter ‘Twin Cam Special’ style wood-rimmed steering wheel, which was a factory option in period. For those who prefer something smaller, there are a couple of spare Moto-Litas in the boot to consider.

Under your feet the carpets are clean, complete and intact, with the additional protection of rubber floor mats. Up above the headlining too is clean and taut.

Under the bonnet, the narrow engine bay looks in a great, well maintained condition with the rocker cover and BMC B-Series engine block painted in period-correct maroon colour. The ignition leads look recent and are all diligently numbered. All other cabling, hoses and ducting appear in good order and renewed where necessary. It isn’t concours in there but it would hold its own at any provincial show.

Underneath, there’s a little damage to the front valance below the bumper and there are a few scrapes on the under-sills but otherwise it appears in good order. All chassis structures and suspension and steering components seem well maintained, with no signs of anything other than very light surface corrosion on a few parts. The exhaust looks in good condition too.

The gallery has many detailed photographs from underneath the car which can be scrutinised but if you’d still like a closer look, get in touch with us via the ‘Contact Seller’ option and we can arrange a personal inspection or a video call.

The boot space is clean and has an apparently rust-free floor with carpets and linings intact. It houses the jack and spare wheel which is in a fair condition and shod with serviceable rubber.

This car comes with not just a history file, but a box of files and a carrier bag full of magazines to boot. It includes the original registration ‘Log Book’, a BMIHT Heritage Certificate and Technical Data sheet, multiple handbooks and workshop manuals, parts brochures, historic MOT reports and a huge amount of invoices dating from 1995 showing parts bought and work done by the restoring vicar and the most recent owner.

The late owner helpfully created a chronological log of these expenditures and made notes on its usage and any running issues. The car also comes with a handful of spare parts including a gearbox and two Moto-Lita steering wheels.

The online MOT record shows that the car passed the test annually from 2005 to 2018 with no advisories and fewer than 500 miles done each year on average, mostly just going to club meets and car shows.

As it stands the car has had no valid MOT since June 2019 and, although exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have it tested at the earliest opportunity. The cost of an MOT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic car, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner and any subsequent purchasers but is also invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies.

Looking further back in the car’s history, there are no records of the car being licensed for the road between August 1967 and June 1997 (almost 30 years) and it is believed that the MGA changed hands multiple times as a project car in varying states of completion.

Not until the mid nineties, in the hands of a most merciful “Man of God”, was it properly rebuilt and restored over two years and returned to good working order in June 1997. By this point it had returned to red, had a “Gold Seal” 1622cc factory replacement engine and a new speedometer. The speedo was replaced again three years later showing a mileage of 5175.

In July 2010, due to a long-standing noisy camshaft, the engine was rebuilt at 6523 miles. During the camshaft replacement it was found that the cylinder bores were badly scored and so they were re-sleeved back to the original 1588cc. This work was carried out by Midland Classics Restorations at a cost of nearly £3,000 and is fully detailed in a report in the document gallery.

Please take a look at the documents section of the gallery where you will find photos of this and other paperwork which supports our assertions that the previous owner was a truly diligent custodian and that this car has been maintained to the very highest standard.

The MGA’s B-Series engine starts well and runs very sweetly, giving a fruity parp from the tailpipe when revved a little harder. It also drives and handles well, changing up smartly through the four short gears.

As roadsters tend to command higher values than the coupés, and are cheaper to restore, it’s a lot harder to find an MGA Coupé that has been done well. We think this one is a particularly good example, being restored in the late ‘90s by someone who clearly knew what they were doing, and subsequently cherished by both them and the late owner.

In view of its extensive history file, ready-to-drive condition and all round integrity, we think this pretty MGA will fetch between £19,000 and £25,000. That’s strong money for a Coupé but you’ll be searching a long time to find another in such a well-maintained and good-looking condition with what appears to be not a lot needing to be done.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.