Best of British Classic Cars

MG

First of a New Line – the MGA

FOR THE ABINGDON WORKFORCE the prospect of working on an all-new modern sports car was a cause of great excitement. At last here was a chance to give the world the MG car they had deserved for so long. There was only one place the designers needed to look for inspiration – the record breaking EX175. The intention was to take the car from the drawing board to full scale production within a 12-month window.

Roy Brocklehurst’s original prototype chassis needed little modification to become suitable for the road and the TF developed independent front suspension and rack and pinion steering were more than capable for the new car. The Midget’s adapted XPEG motor was, owever, deemed inappropriate having already been pushed to its physical and performance limits. Instead, the durable 1489cc BMC B-series four-cylinder OHV already fitted to the ZA Magnette was to be used, as was the saloon’s four-speed gearbox. Although hardly the most inspiring of engines in standard form the MG technicians were able to weave their magic and add some sparkle with the addition of a second carburettor and an increase in compression. The result was a hike in power from 50bhp to a more impressive 68bhp – an increase of 36%!

Pierre Levegh driving his Mercedes at Le Mans just before his fatal crash, which resulted not only in his death, but also that of more than 80 spectators

A plan was hatched to launch the TF replacement to the public early in June 1955 and then to immediately take three of the machines to the Le Mans 24 Hour – a brave test of any car let alone an untested one fresh off the production line – and Abingdon may well have achieved the near impossible in turning the car around within a year had it not been for production problems beyond their control. The new sleek, streamlined Enever bodywork was being manufactured by Swindon based Pressed Steel who were, at the time, experimenting with new production techniques including the use of plastic dies to shape the metal body panels. For all of their efforts this technology proved infeasible and only served to hinder manufactur.

Rather than show an unfinished production car the three Le Mans racers were quickly finished and revealed as the new EX182 racing prototypes. This decision may, in the long run, have acted in MG’s favour; softening the blow for the MG traditionalists for whom the marque stood for squared-off bonnets, long running boards and that upright radiator grille. Under the guise of being the Le Mans MG racer it was easy to introduce the sleek radical shape with the minimum fuss and maximum exposure.

The wreckage at the Le Mans racecourse the day after Levegh’s Mercedes crashed through the barrier into the crowds

Whilst never in serious overall contention, the three MGs performed admirably on the Le Mans tarmac, causing quite a stir on their arrival at the paddock, resplendent in British Racing Green with polished wire wheels, low screen and additional radiator-mounted spot lamp. However, the race itself had a far less glorious outcome when, after two hours of racing, a works Mercedes-Benz 300SLR driven by Frenchman Pierre Levegh crashed after clipping the Austin-Healey of Lance Macklin which in turn was braking heavily to avoid the Jaguar of Mike Hawthorn. Levegh’s car was launched into the air before ricocheting off a bank and into the densely packed spectators. At about the same time one of the EX182s also crashed at White House before catching fire and seriously injuring its driver Dick Jacobs. Despite the accident, officials decided to allow the race to continue ostensibly to prevent any further panic and to keep the access roads clear for emergency vehicles. Only when reports confirmed the death toll to be in excess of 80 people did the leading Mercedes-Benz team withdraw as a mark of respect. The two remaining MGs were among the 21 cars that finished from 60 starters, achieving 86.17mph and 81.97mph averages.

At last the production MG was finally launched to the public in September 1955 before being taken to the premiere motor shows in Paris, Frankfurt and London. The name Midget had been dropped in favour of a new designation and so the MGA was born. In a perfectly staged test, five production cars were pitted against a Le Mans racer in a one hour test on the Montlhéry track: the EX182 recording an average speed of 112.36mph with its road-going cousin covering a remarkable 102.54mph. Even the usually sceptical motoring press were full of praise; Autocar and Autosport both making top speeds approaching 100mph with acceleration to 60mph of around 15 seconds, some 20% quicker than the TF. Autosport commented that if you want one, hurry up and get in the queue and even their more conservative rival, Motor, agreed that the MGA must be summed up as enthusiastically as it was everywhere received. This was more than enough to convince the public that MG were back on track and once again making true sports cars.

A 1960 MGA 1600

The MGA was a resounding and immediate success. At just £595 it comfortably undercut the opposition for price (its BMC stablemate, the Austin-Healey 100 cost £155 more before tax) whilst offering equal, if not superior, performance and driveability. Over its first year of production 13,410 cars were produced, over 3,000 more than were constructed during the entire four-year lifespan of the much lauded TC Midget. Of these, nearly 10,600 machines were exported to the up-and-coming United States market. Combined with sales of the Magnette, Abingdon was now producing well over 20,000 cars per year.

The MGA with its beautiful streamlined body

By this time, the ZA Magnette had been modified and renamed the ZB. Externally the reworked saloon was instantly identifiable by a tapered chrome side strip on the front wing and doors. More significant changes were hidden away under the curved bonnet. Larger carburettors fed an enhanced B-series engine with an improved cylinder head and raised compression to generate 68bhp – a 13% increase in power – which, when allied to a higher final drive ratio improved top speed and acceleration. Also available to ZB owners as an option was the ill-fated Manumatic transmission – a primitive version of the modern Tiptronic gear-change found on many luxury cars. Using a complex system of vacuums, servos and hydraulics it offered the driver the ability to change gear without the need for a clutch. However, its fragile and over-complicated construction led to many reliability problems for the few motorists brave enough to specify its inclusion, and it was soon abating.

1957 and there was no sign of interest in the MGA dropping off; in fact, quite the opposite was happening. Production increased to an amazing 20,571 cars with an unbelievable 17,195 of the sportster finding their way across the Atlantic. The nation so used to the heavyweight Detroit steel had taken the little MG to its heart.

With increasing speeds becoming available to everyday motorists it became apparent that the rag-topped roof convertible cars were starting to reveal their shortcomings with drafts, leaks and wind-noise being all too common. In addition to working on a new hood design, MG decided to first offer a detachable hard top roof before launching a fully closed in coupé. An altogether quieter and more civilised car, the new slippery shape gave an instant increase in performance with speeds in excess of 100mph being easily attainable.

The MGA represented very good value for money in the mid Fifties

If records were being broken in sales and export, it was nothing compared to what was being achieved by the competitions department. EX179 had made another successful appearance stateside taking 16 international records during August 1956 including a flying 10 miles at 170.15 and a marathon 12-hour