MGA 1500 & 1600

Keep your Bmc-engined sports car in top mechanical fettle

The MGA ushered in a new dawn for MG in 1955. It was more sleeklystyled that its TF predecessor and it introduced the B-series engine fed by twin SU carburettors that became the marque’s mainstay. Unlike the later MGB, though, the A featured a relatively simple separate chassis construction.

The A’s front engine/rear wheel drive layout was entirely conventional and the 1489cc and later 1622cc overhead valve engines were easy to look after for ownerdrivers of the day. The same is still true 60 years down the line. Under-bonnet access is generally pretty good, although the narrow tapering aperture does make some of the ancillaries a pain to get to. Specifically, the tasks of dealing with the low-mounted distributor and the oil filter assembly require dexterity and patience.

No special tools are required for normal maintenance operations. For almost all servicing work, a basic AF toolkit is all that is needed. Parts required for servicing are readily obtainable from a wide variety of specialists, and prices are competitive.

We’re focusing on the ubiquitous 1.5and 1.6-litre overhead valve models, here. The rare twin-cam engine is rather more needy – but the cars are the same in almost all other respects. In all cases, find a manual or handbook for your specific model, as specifications and setting vary.

This also applies to…

Many of the driveline and running gear components are shared with contemporary BMC saloons (Austin Cambridge and Morris Cowley/oxford). The MGB is similar in many respects, too.