Officially this is an MGB from Down-Under, but I think it looks so much like an MGA that it deserves a place in this gallery of specials.

Roger Ainsworth was inspired to build his own version of an "MGA special" after seeing a very impressive display of specials at Silverstone. He had some ideas about what he liked about 1950's sport cars and began to put them into a body shell design which would go onto an MGA chassis. The running gear and engine are MGB. There is a special petrol tank, LeMans replica seats, aluminium interior, Twin Cam replica wheels, special Perspex windscreen and side exit exhaust. Roger's other car is a replica of MGA EX182, the LeMans works entry for 1955. That one has been featured in “Enjoying MG” in 1993. Roger hasn’t raced his "MGA specials", but his next project will be a Six Speed Twin Cam for the track.

Built in 1990, this MGA was intended to be the first of a series of lightweight carbon fibre composite bodied cars using modern twin-cam drive train and mechanical upgrades throughout. While it received a lot of attention, no more were made. The body moulds were taken from a coupe body. Moulds and body were made by Composite Engineering in Concord MA, using glass, Kevlar, and carbon fibre pre-pregs. The chassis comes from a 1960 MGA. The rear axle and brakes are from an MGB. The engine is a 1600cc Toyota MR2 Twin-Cam; transmission a Corolla five-speed.

Dragracing is the favorite hobby from Bob English. His other hobby is the MGA, so what better way than to combine those two. He built this car during the winter of 2005 and installed a 406cid Small Block Chevy V8 in a chassis that, although heavily modified, still basically looks stock. The MGA was raced during the 2006 season and is currently being painted. More info about this MGA can be found here.

photos: BritishV8.org

Steve Bowen’s 1959 MGA is beautiful to look at, and drives nicely thanks to the Mazda MX5 1600cc Twin Cam engine. It was built in 1993 with the idea that it could be used every day of the year. More info about this MGA can be found here.

photo: BritishV8.org

If your reply is "Reliability and speed" it’s obvious that a restoration to original is not what you want. At least that was what Jeb Blanchard from Collierville Tennessee thought when he brought his 1961 MGA to Custom Magic to have some work done. The project started with a Chevy 4.3L Vortec V-6 engine but In the end, the only components on the car not modified are the heater and the front brakes. More info about this MGA can be found here.
 

photos: BritishV8.org

This MGA 1960 Roadster was found on a farm without engine or transmission. It needed a complete restoration so why not give it some real British Power. The donor engine came from a 1994 Jaguar XJS V12. I never thought an engine like that would fit.




















The finished product

Recently I was given this picture of an Magnette with front damage. It looks like it is a very early ZA, as I can't see the vent windows. According to the sign with number 85, it had its accident on the Rally Monte Carlo. Was the picture then taken in 1955? But who were the drivers? Do you know? Please Dit e-mailadres is beschermd tegen spambots. U heeft Javascript nodig om het te kunnen zien. me.

The answer came in very soon from Günter Graskamp, webmaster of www.Magnette.org: He wrote: "It's Gregor Grant who persisted with a Magnette in the Monte carlo rally but had little luck. In 1955 he crashed his early car, 141 BMB (note no quarterlights), with the result shown. In 1956 he had to retire with major electrical problems and in 1958 he crashed again. Gregor Grant was a private entry and a journalist also (founding editor of Autosport and a longstanding Y-type enthusiast)" The car is also mentioned in the book "MG Saloon Cars" by Clausager. On page 137 he writes: "The Magnette that did not finish was Gregor Grant's very early car, 141 BMB. He and Co-driver Cliff Davis retired after the car went out of control on an icy road near Grenoble and hit a tree."

Many years ago Vince from Melbourne, Australia started building a V8 Magnette. Then he abandoned the project and left it at his mother’s garage for the past fifteen years. But recently the interest in his project returned and now the Magnette sits in his driveway, almost finished and driveable. Its main specifications are a SD1 Rover V8 with twin SD Stromberg carburettors; a Triumph Dolomite gearbox with Leycock overdrive on 3rd and 4th and a narrowed Ford Capri V6 3.32:1 differential. For braking the Magnette uses MGB solid discs at the front and Ford V6 Capri drums at the rear. The body is lowered two inches and there are some more modifications but I especially like the two small Austin A55 turn indicators on the front wings (click). Very nice project!