MGA Pulled the trigger. Bought a MGA Twin Cam

[Marvin Gruber]

After looking at the car three times, I gave in and bought a 59 Twin Cam MGA. Owner knew what he had, so it was no steal but figured when was I going to have another chance to buy one plus it was less than a 100 miles from home. Engine is out but together. Rockers have rust but rest of the car is solid and straight. Guess what I'll be doing this Winter.

Marv

 

[JodyFKerr]

Pictures!

I've had a serious jones to get my hands on a MGA for a while now.

Jody

 

[dperry]

Got it in your shop yet?
Dan

 

[NutmegCT]

MGA Twin Cam?

I sat in one once ...

Tom

 

[rick_ingram]

Didn't happen without pictures!

 

[drooartz]

Very nice. Definitely need pictures.

 

[pdplot]

Good luck, Marvin. I bought one new in 1959. White with black interior. What color is yours? (Maybe it was mine...)It was a much tighter car than an Austin healey with better steering and ride. A bit heavy in the front end compared to my brother's regular MGA, but no rattles. The handbrake didn't work too well because of the disc brakes - first car to offer them on all four wheels as I recall.I had to run 3 different heat ranges of Champion plugs to prevent fouling in city driving. N-3, N-5 & N-8. If you have that trouble, try my fix. It worked. I got calls from all over the East from as far as Washington, DC. I had the car for 6 months, then traded it for a new VW sunroof because I was commuting to NYC to law school. Got over a grand back with the Beetle as I recall over 50 years later. Where did the years go?

 

[Basil]

Didn't happen without pictures!

 

[Marvin Gruber]

I'm not that computer savvy, never posted a picture here. Basil, I might send you a picture and let you post it. Got to do a medical thing this week. then I'll take a couple of pictures.

BTW, this one was Ardent red with black Interior (YD3/1309) 1959
Marv

 

[Basil]

I'm not that computer savvy, never posted a picture here. Basil, I might send you a picture and let you post it. Got to do a medical thing this week. then I'll take a couple of pictures.

BTW, this one was Ardent red with black Interior (YD3/1309) 1959
Marv

Ain't rocket science, Marvin. Watch this:

 

[billspohn]

Good luck, Marvin. I bought one new in 1959. White with black interior. What color is yours? (Maybe it was mine...)It was a much tighter car than an Austin healey with better steering and ride. A bit heavy in the front end compared to my brother's regular MGA, but no rattles. The handbrake didn't work too well because of the disc brakes - first car to offer them on all four wheels as I recall.I had to run 3 different heat ranges of Champion plugs to prevent fouling in city driving. N-3, N-5 & N-8. If you have that trouble, try my fix. It worked.

Early engines had some plug oiling issues, solved later in the run with dirrefent rings. You only need one plug for a Twin Cam, as long as it is NGK, not Champion, which seem to have narrower hear ranges.

The first car to come with 4 wheel discs wasn't the MGA, it was the Jensen 541 (unless you want to include the Healey 100S which was a special race model they built only 50 of).

Good luck with the Twin Cam - great cars, and get in touch if you want to know any mechanical trivia on them (like how to prevent piston burning).

 

[Marvin Gruber]

Here we go, my first attempt to post a picture. I got the twin cam motor assembled today. IT was like putting a puzzle together without the pieces. Thankfully I had an old B motor to use bolts from.

Whew, looks like it worked. I'll post one of the body later.

Marv

 

[tlthorne]

Congratulations Marvin!!!