1960 MG A 1600

This 1960 MG MGA 1600 roadster has been modified and refurbished in the style of the pre-production MGA that competed as the #64 car at the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans. Completed in 2017, the 18-month project included metal repairs, fabricating and installing an aluminum transmission tunnel and floor panels, powder-coating subframe components, and overhauling the wiring system. The car is finished in British Racing Green over biscuit cloth and powered by a 1.6-liter inline four mated to a four-speed manual transmission. Additional equipment includes Lucas Le Mans headlights, painted 15″ wire wheels, a Lexan windscreen, an MG Competition-style steering wheel, and a Heuer Autavia stopwatch as well as dual-coil electronic ignition and a custom-fabricated 20-gallon aluminum fuel tank.

The body was stripped, primed, and refinished in British Racing Green with white #64 roundels during the project after areas of replacement sheet metal were welded in place according to the seller. The transmission tunnel, shifter housing, inner fenders, front and rear floors, and trunk panel were fabricated from aluminum, as were plates on the firewall and the rear tray covering the battery. Lucas Le Mans headlights were installed, the grille was modified to surround a driving light, and the rear taillight assemblies were converted to single-lens 1955-specification housings. A fresh-air intake for the cabin, oil-cooler vents in the front valance, and engine-cooling vents in the hood were also added. Leather straps secure the hood along with with a latch released by a Triumph motorcycle-sourced choke lever.

Painted 15″ wire wheels wear chrome knock-off hubs and Dunlop Road Speed RS5 tires. The brake system features front discs and was reportedly overhauled under prior ownership. The control arms were powder coated and replacement coil springs were installed during the project.

The reproduction MGA Le Mans racing seats were re-trimmed in Biscuit cloth during current ownership. Lap belts with latch-and-link fasteners are fitted along with a fire extinguisher stationed behind the driver’s seat, and the heater components have been removed.

A reproduction MG Competition steering wheel fronts refinished and modified dashboard. An electronic chronometric-style tachometer is positioned in front of the driver with a volt meter and a combination gauge for oil pressure and coolant temperature, while a fuel gauge and speedometer are mounted in front of the passenger seat beside a Heuer Autavia stopwatch. The five-digit odometer shows 21k miles. The odometer does not work, and the total mileage is unknown

The 1.6-liter inline-four is fitted with dual SU carburetors with velocity stacks. An alternator provides charging, and the ignition system has been retrofitted with an electronic distributor and two ignition coils. Four spare spark plugs are mounted on a two-piece wood block behind the engine. Fuel is supplied from a custom-fabricated 20-gallon tank by dual SU pumps. Service in preparation for the sale included changing the fluids and changing the spark plugs.

Power is supplied to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission. A Moss Motors mild steel exhaust system was installed during the build, and the transmission fluid was changed in preparation for the sale.