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MG MGA - New, for me, MGA Coupe

I recently started a thread titled "Considering buying an MGA Coupe" and got great response from the members. I tried to reactivate it this morning but it's not showing up so I'm starting this one.

I had found a 1959 1500 in Missouri that I was interested in...had a knowledgeable friend examine it for me and although he found a few bad items, overall he said it appeared to be worth the money being asked. I decided before I made the 650 mile (one way) trip to pick it up and trailer it back I'd better make sure I'd be comfortable in one so I made a few calls and found a guy 70 miles away that would let me "try it on for size".

I drove over to his house to see the car and it turned out it was on jackstands. He had used silicone brake fluid in it (I love that stuff by the way), had had a leak and put it up so he could replace the rear brake cylinders and change out the slave cylinder...but this was over a year ago! The more we talked, the more I learned. The car had been a frame-off restoration in 1994 and the engine, transmission and rearend had been rebuilt at the same time. The car was taken off the road in 1998 with only 50 miles showing on the odometer after the rebuild. It was showing it's age a little from sitting in a closed barn with no cover but still looked like it would clean up well.

After I tried it on for size (I fit) the owner said his wife was wanting him to get rid of it and named a price that seemed reasonable. We managed to get it started and the engine sounded good so I agreed to the price, brought my wife over the next day to see it and picked it up a few days later.

So far we're pleased with what we have but until we get it on the road we won't know for sure. There is no evidence of balancing done to the tires so its definitely not been driven much or any distance.

We are looking for an A/C system so if anyone knows anyone making brackets or kits please let me know.

Here's a before...



Gene Gillam

And here's an after...

Gene Gillam

Gene,

She looks great. The coupe does too.
M Gannon

My wife never washes the car.
Gordon Harrison

Gordon,

Washes, waxes and spent 5 hours yesterday making the wire wheels look like new. And today continued cleaning and asking what else she can do...
Gene Gillam

Looks great. Re the air conditioning, there are no compete kits available, and it's a wonder that Moss have not taken up the challenge to create a kit, as I've heard it said a hundred times from Coupe owners that they wish they had a/c...the only way to do it is from various pieces available from kit suppliers such as Old Air.
Gary Lock

Gene congratulations the coupe looks great. I've always loved the shape of the Coupe more than the roadster. I spent 4 years and around 1200 hours doing a complete body off restoration on my 1960 1600. I love it and driven it over 8000 miles in the last 2 years.

I did a lot of reasearch on fitting A/C and couldn't come up with any perfect set up. You need a very small condensor to fit in front of the radiator and I could never find one to fit. So I didn't bother.

Instead I coverd the entire inside of the car with Dynamat which is something that you can do fairly easily after you have removed the seats and carpets. I even covered the front firewall and rear bulkhead and as well as the floors and transmission tunnel. And it works, the car stays reasonable cool most all of the time.

BTW I don't think the 1500 engine would be able to drive the A/C and keep the engine cool enough either.

If you have any questions just ask.

Andy

Andy Preston

Can ya send Ann to Missouri for a few days,Gene? TD's clean, but the B needs some attention. Don't remember ever seeing a green coupe. I like it - imagine that.
Wonder if the B compressor brackets are anywhere close? Make her stop and go for a ride. Dan
Dan Craig

Andy,
This car has insulation under the carpets but I'm afraid that's not going to be enough here in Mississippi.

Dan,
She's got the engine compartment to do while I've got the master cylinder out for rebuild and paint. I'll ask her how she feels after that.

I don't think the B-bracket will fit. There's a guy in Florida who is supposedly fitting them into the MGA - I'm trying to get in touch with him now. If I manage to I'll let you know what fits and what doesn't.
Gene Gillam

I love that shade of British Racing Green. Looks identical to mine. Jaguar Hen Green dating to about 1955.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Beautiful car. Make sure that the air hoses are working. The vent windows also help. But they do get hot in the summer. I love the lines of the coupe.

Ira Spector (PA)

Andy,

Forgot to mention...although I was originally looking at a 1500, the one we bought was a 1960 1600 like yours.
Gene Gillam

Here is mine.

Gordon Harrison

Congratulations Gene, Comments you'll hear:

I didn't know they made a coupe.
I never saw one of these before.
Does the top come off?
Where did you buy the top?

Dennis Suski

Gene it gets a lot hotter in Mississippi than where we live in in Ca so A/C is probably a must for you. Try Nostalgic air parts (nostalgicairparts.com) they had the smallest condensor that I found when doing my reasearch, 11" x 19" superflow condensor with dryer attached. There are lots of Sanden compressors that are small enough to fit. You might have to make up your own brackets but there are lots out there on the market that you can probably adapt. I saw a very neat installation in a green coupe at a car show once and took several photos that I can send you directly if interested Keep us coupe guys up to date with your progress. The 1600 has a good chance of driving the compressor as well.

BTW I also fitted an aluminum shield over the exhaust system and that helps as well.

I love your TD very nice job indeed.

Andy Preston

Andy,

If you have photos of an a/c installation I'd love to see them...my email address is shown by my name. I will definitely keep you informed if/when it comes to fruition.

Nice job on the aluminum heat shield. The previous owner has wrapped insulation around the exhaust pipe where it goes under the seat. If that isn't enough I'll try something like you've done.

Still getting the brakes/clutch sorted out. Replaced the clutch slave cylinder today, then tore into the front calipers. After looking at them I decided I'd rather buy new ones than try to rebuild these. Hopefully they'll get here on Thursday and maybe I can get this back on the road for the first time since 1998 by the weekend.

That's a TC, not a TD. Hard to tell when they're stripped dwn like that. I built it to vintage race then decided I couldn't afford to. However!!! We went up to Grattan, MI a few weeks ago to see the MGVR Focus Group and I got the bug again. I've started collecting parts for a new engine and once that's sorted I might give it another try.
Gene Gillam

And Here is Mine

P D Camp

Beautiful PD..is that your house too? If so I'm doubly jealous!
Gene Gillam

Gene

There are some tremendous houses in and around Cuffley in north London. Paul's house certainly has the character that sums up the area. Very envious also! Great transport links to the City and also on the edge of what we call the Green Belt (country side that cannot be built upon). Paul mentioned The Ridgeway in an earlier post. Houses to die for. You need to be on Britain's rich list to live there.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve,
I was in the Navy over in Scotland (Thurso and The Holy Loch - Dunoon). While in The Holy Loch we'd drive down to England for car shows to look at the MG's and see the scenery...and houses. So much character...wanted to retire from the military there but just couldn't afford it.
Gene Gillam

Gene
The House is my Neighbours Picture taken on his drive for entry in "My Cool Classic" a book written last year. I live just down the road WE are fortunate it is a lovely part of Hertfordshire to live in. WE bought here some 40 odd years ago - could not afford the prices now!! WE live just off the Ridgeway and as Steve says very desirable properties quite a few classic cars -vintage Bemtleys and immaculate E types
Paul
P D Camp

That was a long drive to go to Gratten Gene. By the time you got home that race "bug" must have really taken hold!
Here is a pic of my Coupe on Gratten in '99? Somehow John Twist at University Motors got a bunch of us out there.

gary starr

Art Ziesk used to make an AC bracket. He advertises in om this board in the classifieds.
Ira Spector (PA)

I have had my red 1600 coupe for over 35 years. The dealers brought the first coupe (1500-dark blue with grey trim) to come to this State to an MG Car Club meeting one night and I immediately decided that one day I would own one. Great little car, been on holidays in it and it performs well. I also have a 1600 roadster and several other MG's. My first car was a PA (in 1956-yes I am an old b---).
Barry Bahnisch

Gary,

I had been instrumental in setting up a meeting between a couple of east coast T-series racers (Manley Ford and Steve Konsin) and George Edney from England. Manley loaned George his TD for the weekend to race...but Manley did okay himself...he got to race Steve Konsin's Lester MG while Steve drove his own TD. After helping set the meet up I wasn't about to miss the action!

George later said he's never gotten so much racing in a weekend in his life...and he was amazed at how relatively inexpensive it was to racing in England. He also loved the Grattan course and I could see why. I got a couple of laps around it at the end of the weekend in Frank Mount's TC - 100mph at the end of the straight had my hair on end and some of the curves were even worse.

Ira,
Thanks...I'll try to find his ad and contact him. I am in contact now with Jim Hall in Florida who also does the A/C installs.

Barry,
We're only old until we get into our MGs. I've got two TCs and this coupe now...hope to enjoy them until I can no longer drive.
Gene Gillam

Gene,
Here is our '58 coupe, now with 1622 engine, 5-speed gearbox, and 3.9 diff.
Art Zeisk of the Texas MG Register is your man for A/C info - he put one in his maroon coupe. If I recall correctly, it was mostly Mazda parts.
Peter and Anne.

P. Tilbury

You know, I think the Coupe looks even better with the roof painted a contrasting colour to the body.

I have owned 2 coupes over the years but I always really liked the look of the roadster with a hardtop fitted. I realise now that it was the two-tone look that worked really well.

Great looking car Gene.

Colyn

(This is mine, without hard-top)

Colyn Firth

Peter,

Like Colyn, I do like the two-tone look of your car. I sent an email to an address I found for Art but so far no answer. I have gotten in touch with Jim Hall in Florida who has done several installations though...one will eventually find it's way into our coupe.

Colyn,

Love the *boy racer* look of your car. They look great without that front bumper, don't they? And, judging from the number of dented grille shells I've seen the bumpers don't do a lot of good, do they?

Gene Gillam

Let's hear it for coupes!

Here is one I've owned so long (since the 1970s) I've had to re-restore it!

Bill Spohn

I think it was Ron Gammon of Brown & Gammons who had a white top to his red coupe for years. I always thought it looked good then and was going to do for my red coupe but decided that my spraying skills were not up to spraying to a good masked line -whatever you do the paint seems to creep under the tape.
J H Cole

Gene,
I decided right as I started restoration that this was going to be a replica rally car. The white roof has two functions - it makes the car look different, and also keeps the car cooler as it reflects the sun.
I also fitted reflective material all over the inside of the car, including under the roof lining, and all over the underside of the car including under the heater shelf. I also fitted an aluminium "false" floor under the drivers seat from front to back above the exhaust pipe,
No need for A/C yet, but we live on the wet coast.
Peter.
P. Tilbury

Gene, Art in Texas is no longer in the a/c business. Have you a contact for Jim Hall in Florida please?
Gary Lock

Gary,

Here's Jim's contact info:

Jim hall

E-mail jimndeehall@att.net

Home 904-282-1658

Cell 904-613-9591
Gene Gillam

This thread was discussed between 02/11/2012 and 06/11/2012

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