West Coast Classics are proud to present a great daily driving and beautiful older restored example of this 1959 MGA 1600 4 cylinder Mark I Coupe in 'Old English White' with a striking red interior!
Chassis # GHDL-78430
Engine # 16GA-H-15957
This is obviously one very rare and highly desirable classic British sports car - a rust free example of the legendary chrome bumper and grille 1959 MGA 1600 Mark I coupe - a far rarer car than the widely produced and available roadster with reportedly only some 2,771 1600cc Mark I coupes built worldwide between 1959-61 compared to 28,730 roadsters and with only 59 of these coupes being LHD North American export models in 1959 with only 179 LHD North American Coupes being built in total for all the 1959-61 production years, making any MGA coupe, especially a LHD California model, is a very collectible and desirable investment for any British sports car enthusiast!
Setting the coupe apart from the open top version was also numerous civilized touches. While roadster owners had to assemble their own tops and install side curtains, the coupe boasted easy roll up framed glass windows and external door releases and most indulgently of all, a key lock to protect your valuables! The coupes leather interiors offered an obviously much more upscale appearance with additional carpeting and a color keyed Vynide cowl covering.
These early 1600cc's were retroactively referred to as Mark I's with upgrades from the earlier 1959 MGA 1500cc with a larger 1600cc engine and front disc brakes. The later Mark II's with a 1,622 cc engine arriving in 1961. It will come as no surprise that the more complex coupes were more expensive to purchase new than the MGA roadsters and their production numbers were a mere fraction of the roadster as a result.
Either way the Coupes enjoys a very collectible status due to their relatively very low production figures and more luxurious appointments!
This car was obviously restored a few years ago and the 'Old English White' color paint is in very good and striking shape and the interior has absolutely beautiful 'Red' seats and matching door panels and dashboard and carpets, a lovely original banjo style steering wheel, a manual stick shift transmission and original 'Jaeger' gauges with classic modern aluminum alloy wheels designed with retro styling to mimic vintage racing and performance wheels from the 1950's and '60's and a popular choice as replacements by MGA owners of the original wire or steel wheels with a lighter tubeless alternative that maintains a period correct aesthetic, and with a fifth spare wire wheel in the trunk.
The engine purrs quietly under the hood and the 4 speed manual transmission shifts smoothly through the gears - an absolute pleasure to drive! The temperature always remains cool and there are no noticeable oil leaks. The trunk, floor boards, rocker panels and all the typically rust prone areas are all completely solid and rust free - an obviously always garaged example!
The MGA is probably the most important car in the post-war MG story and was a quantum leap from its predecessor and proved more than a match for its contemporary Triumph and Austin Healey rivals. It arrived just in time to save MG and revive the brand for another 25 years! With sales falling in the U.S. of the 'T' series cars, the MGA was a lifesaver, once announced it was hard for the British Motor Corporations's MG division to keep up with demand, especially from North America. The new MG made its first public appearance at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1955 and it was a refreshingly modern looking car for its day, with its most notable feature being its remarkably striking aerodynamic body. Performance was impressive too with a top speed of 99mph being recorded by a very impressed 'Autocar', the World's oldest car magazine, a publication in print since 1895 and still published today! Staggeringly, by 1957, twice as many MGA's left the company's small Abingdon factory that year than the total TC build during its four year production span. Built between the years 1955-62 a total of over 101K cars were sold with the vast majority being exported making it the highest export percentage of any British car, an amazing achievement and testament to the brand.
The MGA also earned an enviable reputation in competition and was raced extensively in the United States since its introduction in 1955 with considerable success continuing to even very recent years, an accomplishment unequaled by its contemporaries! It was also used in NASCAR from 1960-63. It was joined by a handsome coupe in 1956 and in 1958 by the exciting twin overhead camshaft 1588cc engine designed by Harry Weslake. With 108bhp its top speed was increased to 110mph. It was a highly desirable property and still is today! The final Mk II 1600cc of 1961 had a slightly bored 1622cc engine. Production ended in 1962 with the new generation of MG's, the MGB arriving in its wake, certainly an even more modern car than its predecessor, but perhaps not as pretty!
MGA buyers could choose to have the car painted black with red or green trim; red with red or black trim; white with red or black trim or blue with gray or black trim. Hoods could be in light blue or black. Bolt on perforated steel wheels were standard with center lock wire wheels being an option. The uncluttered design means no door handles with the doors being opened by pulling a cable reached from inside the cars door. The dashboard has no glove compartment and the center grille is for a radio and speaker. Passengers have a map light but little else. Although the MGA's steel panels were hand pressed, the bodies were finished by hand and therefore no two were quite the same and over the years the gaps and finishes are typically off somewhat!
Without a doubt this is one rare piece of British motoring history and a perfect daily driver and older restored example for the MG enthusiast or simply any classic British sports car lover of the very rare original 1959 1600 MGA Mark I Coupe!
