MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGA - Restoration issues

I've recently completed a Triumph restoration and am now looking for a new project. There's a '59 MGA coupe for sale not far from here. The fellow is asking $6KUS. Seems a bit high give the surface rust on the frame, battery box is shot, tatty interior and a none running engine. The brakes are gone and the tranny seems seized. Having said that, it is still a great looking car. The door skins are aluminum?!?

What are prtoject cars such as this worth and what are they fetching once restored?

Any thought/comments would be appreciated.

BC
Bryn

Bryn, you didn't say if there was much rust on the body, particularly the lower fenders and rocker panels, but given your general description of the car there probably is. Go over the body with a magnet to detect bondo or other filler. Yes, the door skins are aluminum, as are the hood and truck. Are all the instruments there? Since you've done a Triumph restoration you probably know generally what to look for. I'd say a better price is around $2K.
G Goeppner

Given the conditions you described, I think that is far too much. Three years ago, I paid $8,000 for my coupe, but it was running and in decent shape. Despite their relative rarity, restored coupes bring a lower price than roadsters because of lower demand, which is probably why few coupes get restored to concourse condition. Also, some (but not many) coupe-specific parts are hard to find, adding some expense to a restoration. However, coupes are great cars - the hard top adds rigidity to the body for a stiffer ride, they are a bit more aerodynamic than the roadster, you don't get wet in the rain, and you can drive them all winter long.

Regards,
M.D.
'57 Coupe
M. D.

Price sounds high to me also. One of my fellow club members here in KC brought home a Coupe from Canada last year in about the same condition for about what George estimated. Around $2K sounds more realistic.
By the way, MGAs are expensive to restore, more parts than I care to think about compared to most MGs or Triumphs. Lots of rust prone areas which are hidden unless you look hard or remove fenders. They bring good prices when complete, but don't get in too deep at the start for a rough car.
Bill Young

Bryn,
6K should get you a decent driver. Surface rust on the frame is not a major problem if it's only on the surface. The battery boxes often rust out on otherwise nice cars (after all they spend their lives carrying containers of sulfuric acid). A tatty interior could just be normal wear or gross neglect. A non-running engine, seized tranny and lack of brakes are scary and could be expensive. Check the body carefully for rust and repairs, especially up under the rockers and in the fenderwells behind the front wheels and in front of the rear wheels. Yes the door skins are aluminum but the doors can hold water and the steel internal parts will rust.
Bill
Bill Boorse

Bryan,

I also think this is quite high. I bought my '60 A for $6k Canadian and while it needed a paint job and interior... okay also suspension... windscreen.. and a few other things it was essentially a good driver! The engine had been rebuilt, the gear box is sound and the frame and all body panels in good condition.

The cost of restoration can get quite high so I would say you are looking at a car worth about $3K tops.

I have spent over twice what I paid for the car in parts and labour (before I built my garage). If I ever do the big frame off rebuild I will stop counting!

Roy.
R. Maher

BRYN;; That is way too much for a car in that condition. Another area to check is the inner side of the frame where the Floor boards are bolted on. The lip is very prone to rust of the worst type. All the panels are available but depend on the thickness of your wallet. They will make it loose weioght in a hurry.
Sandy Sanders
conrad sanders

Bryn,
I paid $3k for my 1960 coupe which was a California car, complete, needed restoration, not running, no rust, very little body work required and I got it from the origional owner. Good luck on your project!

John
John Progess

Of course, if that "59 coupe" is a twin cam $6K might actually be very reasonable !!

Steven
Steven Hill

Hello everybody,

The price is rather cheap over here in the Netherlands. I bought my MGA Coupé ’57 as a restoration project for approximately 10.000,-- Usd.

If wanted I can send some pictures.

Regards,
Paul
Paul Mol

Many thanks to all. The more I think about it, the more I realize what a great project car this could be, albeit expensive. I had a look at a thorough MGA restoration site. It was quite helpful:

http://home.wxs.nl/~colour/restaura.htm

I now have an idea of what the frame must look like. It is my major concern. I will also determine if it is a twin OHC engine. Perhaps I'll make a lowball offer and see what happens.

I'll keep you posted! Thanks again.

BC
Bryn

As the old saying goes, the car "is worth what someone is willing to pay for it." Last fall I saw an ad in the classified section of the NAMGAR newsletter for a 1960 coupe, with extra "restored frame" complete with new floor boards, and about $500.00 worth of parts. The seller was asking $1,000.00 for the package. Of course I jumped at the deal, enough to drive from Virginia to Alabama to haul it all back. The body had the typical rust in the inner seals and rocker areas on both sides but the fenders were perfectly dent and rust free and although everyrthing, less the additional frame, had surface rust. So, I guess it just depends on how quickly you want to get your hands on a coupe. the asking price seems way too high in my opinion. Folks can get really involved in a restoration and sink far more into a car then it will every be worth. So unless you plan on holding on to a car until death do you part, I'd try to wait a while for something more reasonable to become available. Like most others in this thread, I thing you can most likely find a decent coupe needing much the same work as the one you're looking for for thousands less. Just think of all the parts you can buy with the $$$$ you save! Good luck!
robert maupin

Bryn,

I was checking out the EBay site and saw a '57 Coupe for sale. A very solid car currently priced around $2,500.00. Reserve not yet met but very much worth keeping an eye on. Thought you'd like to know.
robert maupin

This thread was discussed between 18/08/2005 and 24/08/2005

MG MGA index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGA BBS is active now.