1937 MG VA

This fine looking vehicle is the same age as Jack Nicholson, David Hockney, Shirley Bassey and Anthony Hopkins. With apologies to Ms. Bassey, it’s in far better condition than any of them and almost certainly emits fewer groans and creaks when asked to clip an apex.

The vendor knows a thing or two about classic cars and is currently restoring a Bristol 401. He was contacted by David King, a well-known restorer of pre-1955 MGs, who told him that he’d got a 1937 VA Tourer with the engine, chassis and mechanicals more or less intact but with a body that was beyond redemption.

The vendor accepted the challenge and commissioned Mr. King to set about a full restoration, including the manufacture of a new body to the original factory drawings and specifications.

This was in 2012. Four or five years later, and with considerably emptier trouser pockets, the vendor took possession of what must be one of the finest restorations of a MG VA Tourer anywhere in the world.

Everything that isn’t new has been refurbished, tweaked, overhauled, fettled, upgraded or just thoroughly checked.

Despite the amount of work done, this very high-quality restoration has been done with a commitment to preserving the originality of the vehicle wherever possible. One welcome exception being the addition of indicators, made possible by the inclusion of a modern, replacement wiring loom.

We have driven the car and can say that it is a properly engineered and screwed together vehicle. It shows its pre-war age only in the expected heaviness of the steering. It starts, goes and stops as if it were factory fresh.

Or better.

No corners have been cut. No expense has been spared.

Nothing rattles or clunks. Everything works. All is as it should be.

It has seen little use since the restoration and has been kept warm and dry in a garage.

It is, in every respect, a delight and a joy to behold and to drive.

Fabulous.

Originally a somewhat underwhelming ‘Avon Green’ colour (see the restoration photographs) the bodywork is now a vibrant ‘French Blue’.

It really it a very fetching colour and shows off the alluringly curvaceous flanks of the car to optimum effect. The quality of the finish is a testament to the expertise of the team that worked on it.

The doors slam home with a reassuringly precise thunk.

The panels are smooth, even and free of any dinks, dents, scuffs, ripples, folds, warps or other blemishes of note. The panel fit and door gaps are almost certainly better than anything that could have been achieved in 1937.

We didn’t find any rust or bubbling anywhere. We didn’t expect to.

The chrome work on the lights, badging, trim, handles, bumpers and wire wheels is shiny and bright.

The new wheels are damage-free and look great. They are shod in matching, virtually unused tyres and tubes.

AS Pickering of Bradford have done a splendid job with the hood, sidescreens, tonneau cover and hood cover. Everything fits snugly, attaches correctly, folds away neatly and does its job of keeping the weather out.

The good news carries on unabated on the inside. Dawson Upholstery of Malton have excelled themselves with this interior.

It’s a glorious place to spend some time and is powerfully evocative of the pre-war era from which it hails.

Re-upholstered in leather to a very high standard in the original MG colour of ‘Mid Blue’ the seats - front and back - are in in excellent condition and are supportive and comfortable once you’ve squeezed yourself in.

The carpets, mats and door cards are untroubled by time, wear or defect.

The glorious dashboard features the original Jaeger instruments, expertly repaired, serviced and recalibrated by SVW of Hull, within a varnished wood surround.

The steering wheel, gear lever and hand brake handle wear the gentle patina of their 84 years of service with justifiable pride.

The boot is clean and tidy and features a toolkit and knock-off mallet for the spinners.

Lifting up the carpets anywhere on the inside of this car reveals – no rust at all and nothing to worry about whatsoever.

The undersides of the car look pretty much brand new and unused. Which should come as no surprise because that’s what they are.

The chassis and axles have been totally restored, the floor panels are new, the suspension system has been refurbished and overhauled, the braking and exhaust systems are upgraded and entirely fit for the modern world.

The gearbox has been stripped and rebuilt. So, too, has the engine, which was found to be in very order and rebuilt with an unleaded cylinder head, re-lined cylinders, hardened valve seats, new valves, and a rebalanced crank and flywheel – among many other improvements and refurbishments.

Everything appears to be in its right and proper place inside the gloriously period engine bay.

This car’s history is available for all the world to see in photographs, a detailed inventory of work carried out, a wad of bills and invoices, and vehicle licence stamps going back to the birth of time.

The car doesn’t have a current MoT certificate, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have the car re-MoT’d at the earliest opportunity. The cost of an MoT certificate 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 might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies…

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage, then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

However, if you’d rather not come to see the car in person, please give us a call and we can shoot a personal video of the car honing in on any areas you’d like us to concentrate on.

We think this is an absolutely superb example of a very rare car. It has been restored to the highest standards by people who knew what they were doing on behalf of a vendor who was prepared to spend the right (large) amounts of time and money to do the job properly.

The result is an utterly charming and thoroughly useable example of a pre-war MG that goes as well as it looks and will turn heads wherever it goes.

If you’ve always wanted something to bring out the inner Spitfire pilot in you, this is as good as it gets.

We think it’s wonderful.

Chocks away, Biffy?

We’re confident to offer this vehicle for auction with an estimate in the range of £21,000 - £30,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, within Govt. guidelines of course, and as stated this car is located at our Abingdon headquarters; 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’.