1959 MG A Twin Cam

Replacing the outgoing MG T-Series and representing a whole new styling era for MG Sports cars the MG A was THE car that brought a new generation of enthusiasts to the marque.

It was a thoroughly modern sports car featuring an all new beautifully streamlined body and fitted with a 1,500cc robust B-series engine.

It wasn’t until 1958, a design engineer at the Cowley plant named Gerald Palmer set the wheels in motion for a twin-cam conversion.

The B-series engine block was bored out to a capacity of 1,588cc and fitted on top was a special lightweight aluminium cross-flow cylinder head carrying twin-overhead camshafts. Two aluminium cam covers adorned the top of the cylinder head and carburation was by twin-SU’s.

With these components combined, the all new Twin-Cam unit provided the MGA with a 108 horsepower and a top speed of 110 miles per hour which was considerably faster than the standard model.

To cope with the increased performance, Dunlop disc brakes were fitted all round as well as Dunlop centre-lock wheels, similar to the Jaguar D-Type.

One of the shortest production runs MG had seen, these Twin-Cam’s are extremely rare being built for just two years.

2,111 units were produced and only a handful of cars made it to Australian shores. This was due to the expense of importation as they were never built in CKD form and only exported in Complete Built Up form meaning import taxes were significantly more expensive.

We are very excited to bring to market this Australian delivered 1959 MG A Twin-Cam, built in May of 1959 and presented today in its original Old English White over Red trim with a Black roof.

We can trace the car’s history back to 1961 where it was first registered in Victoria. Soon after the car was painted Carmine Red in the 1970’s and then sold to a new owner in Queensland.

Its most recent owner purchased the car in 2016 where it was taken to a well-known specialist and meticulously restored to its original combination.

Whilst the body was removed, this car received a number of tasteful upgrades, namely:

The engine was bored to 1,800cc and upgraded with a forged steel crankshaft and connecting rods, Weber 40DCOE Carburettors, custom stainless-steel exhaust system and electronic Ignition.

A Limited Slip Differential was installed and the Gearbox was replaced with a purpose built and non-invasive “Hi-Gear Engineering” 5-Speed Manual.

Accompanying the sale of this car, should its new owner wish to bring it back to factory specification, is the original gearbox, tail shaft, carburettors, air cleaners and manifolds as a well as a BMC Heritage Trust Certificate, original MGA workshop manuals, paperwork documenting works, a series of historic photograph’s taken when the car was Carmine Red and an extremely rare Factory Aluminium Hardtop hand-made by Vanden Plas.

An incredibly rare find, this MG A Twin Cam is a highly prized collectable classic today, especially in the Roadster layout and one in this sort of condition with excellent provenance offers an opportunity not to be missed.