Description
1958 MGA Twin Cam with 1900cc 5 bearing Twin Cam Engine – chassis number YD3 585
This is a rather special Twin Cam MGA with a 5 bearing 1900cc TWIN CAM engine - the result being a Twin Cam with amazing performance and a much stronger engine…
Probably one of the best available:- Ex-Mark Hester, chairman of the MGA Twin Cam group
Like most of the 2111 Twin Cams built, this car was shipped to the US from new.
There is a full record of ownership, including photos from 1968, including correspondence with early owners in the USA, import documentation and British Motor Heritage Certificate.
This car was imported back into the UK in 1990 by Bob West - renowned for his work with MGAs - and issued with the registration number 474 UYM.
It remained stored in a sorry state until it was acquired by Mark Hester, the chairman of the MGA Twin Cam group in 2012. Mark undertook a comprehensive rebuild of the car with assistance from Bob West, resulting in the outstanding example we have today.
The chassis was sent back to Bob West for re-jigging. The body was rebuilt in RHD form, saving as much of the old panels as possible. The rebuild was undertaken by Mark himself and the car was finally painted using Bob West’s preferred paint shop, and finally ready in June 2015.
Somewhere along the way the car had lost its original engine. Mark Hester had spare twin cam heads but the MGA bottom ends, modified by the factory to work with the twin cam heads, were unavailable.
Mark and two colleagues set out to produce 3 new engines incorporating 1800cc MGB bottom ends instead of the 1600cc MGA block. There is a comprehensive bible showing how this was done in the file.
The bores were enlarged to produce a 1900cc engine which is much stronger as it has 5 bearings rather than the usual MGA 3 bearings.
As you can imagine the result is a Twin Cam with amazing performance and a much stronger engine, although visually it remains the same (both outside and under the bonnet).
This car is also a Concours d'Elegance winner in Cheshire
Purchased in October 2016 by the current enthusiast owner, it has been enjoyed on various road rallies and now offered for sale – simply because our vendor likes a change from time to time
Ready for road or track.
Asking £44, 950
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Will it fit in my garage?
Length: 13’0″
Width: 4’9. 25″
Height: 4’2″
Wheelbase: 7’10”
Other statistics
Performance: 0-60 mph; 9. 1 seconds
Maximum speed: 113 mph
Number built: 2, 111 between 1958 and 1960
Price when new: Roadster; £843. Coupe; £904
The MGA Twin Cam time line of history
The Twin Cam version of the MGA was produced between 1958 and early 1960 with just 2111 models built, of which 1801 were roadsters, MG engineers having submitted first Twin Cam drawings as early as 1954, with the smaller 1489cc engine from the Z series Magnette saloons fitted to the first MGAs introduced a year later in 1955. From the outset MG engineers had sought to achieve more than the 60bhp achieved in the standard MGA.
The overhead cam unit was developed for the new 1588cc engine, with 108bhp at 6700rpm with 104 lbs feet of torque at 4500rpm, and so a cars that had impressive performance and a top speed of 113mph.
Two lines of valves were symmetrically opposed using as many of the B series engine components as possible to keep costs down. Once the 1588cc engine was established, it was also used in the MGA 1600 78bhp MkI from 1959-61, with the MGA 1600 MkII using the further increased capacity 1622cc 93bhp engine from 1961-2 when the MGB was then announced.
The Twin cam featured better brakes – indeed Dunlop 10 ¾” disc brakes all round with Dunlop centre lock disc road wheels fitted with Dunlop Road Speed 5. 90 x 15” tyres. In fact the brakes were so large and efficient that they did not require servo assistance.
The instrument layout was almost the same as the MGA 1500 but with a tachometer that read 7500 rpm and a speedometer that took account of the top speed of 113 mph. The instrument fascia panel was given a face lift, being tastefully covered in leather, whilst leather was also employed on redesigned, better padded seats of the bucket type.
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Although we attempt to ensure accuracy of any statement or detail, the customer must make his or her own judgement in purchasing this car. The purchaser of the above car understands that he or she is purchasing a historic motor car with components that are up to 67 years old and sold as a collector item. There is no warranty given or implied due to the age of the car
