Still pretty as a picture

CLASSICS ENTHUSIAST AND RETIRED MECHANIC REX BENNS DRIVES AN MGA ROADSTER

You’re driving a 1961 MGA roadster?

I am a retired mechanic by trade and I have spent my years buying and selling cars. I have had 55 old cars in my life. This 1961 Mark I

1600 MGA roadster is red, it’s manual and all original. Very few of that year were produced. MG, which stands for Morris Garages, turned out a total between late

1955 to 1962, of 101,081 MGAs. Many were exported to the US and only 31501 were produced

1600 Mark Is. It had a top speed of 96 mph (which is 154.7km/h) I tis one of the most successful and sought-after MGs made. But it was a low production run compared with MGBs.

When did you buy it?

I bought it 17 years ago, it came from England.

Reasons you chose the roadster?

It is a pretty motor car. It is totally authentic, it is nice to drive something that isn’t souped-up etc etc. It still drives beautifully. I love genuine white wall tyres, hence they have been on for 17 years. That was a factory option if you wanted them. It has the factory sun visors, a stainless steel luggage rack on which I carry a picnic basket. It has won many prizes at MG club and vintage car shows.

Is this your first MG?

I have had seven over the years.

Have you done much work on it?

It was refurbished 34 years ago in England and still retains that paint job, it still shines. The colour is authentically right and it still runs on a four-speed manual gearbox. Most MGAs have been upgraded to five speed gearboxes out of other cars and they have also been upgraded to MGB motors. But that does not suit me one bit. So there are only a few around that are still authentic like mine.

How do you think your car fits your personality?

I’m an outgoing sort of a person and I like all sorts of old cars. Hence I have still got my first car, which is a 1929 Austin 7 that I have restored. I have had it 54 years. But that’s another story.

What else do you have in your “garage”?

I have downsized lately. I had a 1990 New Zealand new Mazda MX5 I found in a basement 12 month ago that had been sitting there with all flat tyres for 10 years, unused. I have a 1989 Toyota MR2 in absolutely perfect condition. The other one is a 1955 Austin A50. I am a British enthusiast, I served my time as an apprentice mechanic on Austin cars.

Who else drives your roadster?

Only my son now and again if I can’t, but I am usually driving it.

What do you keep in this car?

A fire extinguisher and tools if I need them. It has let me down only once in 40,000 miles since I restored the engine.

Any vehicles you regretted selling?