1955 - 1959 MGA 1500
Provided by Hemmings

The products of Morris Garages should truthfully be described as being the first British invasion of the United States, displacing that fab foursome from Liverpool as deserving of the title. Long before the Beatles brought their style of music to these shores, Britain's Morris Garages (MG) had been importing its lightweight sports and saloon cars to droves of eager sports car enthusiasts. After the Second World War, returning servicemen made up a good portion of those seeking the adrenaline rush that accompanies tossing a nimble, lightweight roadster around a racecourse. The most popular British makes with which to enjoy this growing pastime were Jaguar and MG. When it came to the MG, GIs found a variety of ways to "self-import" the cars that many of them had become familiar with when stationed overseas, whether as complete cars or as bits and pieces to be assembled back home. At the time, the MG TC and its successor the TD of the late 40s and early 50s were the sports cars of the day at the increasingly popular club and road races cropping up across the country.

By the time the MGA debuted in 1955, Chevrolet and Ford had recognized the growing sports car market, but the Corvette and Thunderbird went well beyond what purists wanted in a traditionally styled sports car. For those seeking the most elemental level of driving thrills, a wire-wheeled roadster seating two with a definite lack of creature comforts combined with a taut, balanced chassis that offered forgiveness to even the most blatant, overly-enthusiastic cornering move was the only way a sports car should be built. The MGA filled that role to a T with its simple interior, sliding screen side windows and marked lack of exterior embellishments. Wire wheels, luggage rack, tonneau cover, heater, radio, windshield washers, driving mirrors, adjustable steering wheel and other features, many of which were usually standard on American cars, were among the optional equipment available. What it lacked in interior refinement was more than made up for with crisp, light handling, responsive steering, and lightweight, revvy little 1500cc engine. A coupe version with wind-up windows and exterior door handles debuted in 1956 with 4,768 making it to American drivers between 56 and 59.

An entirely new car, the streamlined MGA tipped the scales at just under one ton. Assembled in body-on-frame fashion, its box-section frame with tubular cross-members and firewall bracing was stiff enough to make full use of the 68bhp (1955 rating – by 1959, power was up to 72bhp) the overhead-valve inline four-cylinder offered. Shifts were accomplished via a wide-ratio four-speed manual gearbox with non-synchromesh first gear. Rack and pinion steering provided a far better level of control and road feel than most of its contemporaries, while coil springs up front and semi-elliptic leaf springs at the rear soaked up the bumps with damping handled by Armstrong hydraulic lever-action shocks. Designed with safety as the number one consideration, the MGA wasn't the quickest sports car of its era. Despite this constraint, MGAs were driven to numerous wins and set records in open road events, speed trials, hill-climbs, endurance contests and rallies. During the four years that the 1500 series was in production, nearly 59,000 were built, with more than 48,000 of that total being sold in the U.S. The high point of MGA 1500 imports came in 1957 with just over 17,000 being shipped to the U.S.

In the U.K. the MGA is a rare auto to come across because of its export rate, while here in the U.S. there are plenty to be had, in all levels of condition. Because these cars were so popular with the amateur racing crowd, you'll find a good percentage of those available have been modified for on-track use with roll bars, safety harnesses and braking and performance upgrades, as our depicted example displays. For those seeking a stock driver though, ignore the racers and you'll still find plenty to choose from. A concours-quality restored roadster strongly holds a $15,000 to $17,500 value; and coupes come in a notch higher at $20,000. Dropping down the scale to an MGA in solid running condition without rust and with decent paint and interior, $10,000 to $12,000 is a fair price. At the bottom, in project car territory, MGAs waiting for a second shot at the streets abound, with asking prices of anywhere from $1,500 to $5,000. That there are still plenty to choose from is evidenced by the more than a dozen examples offered just about every month in Hemmings Motor News.

1955-59 MGA 1500

Base price:	N/A
Base weight:	1,988 lbs.
Body:	Steel body-on-frame, two-place roadster and coupe
Frame:	Box section steel, cross-braced integral suspension pick-ups
Wheelbase:	94 inches
Length:	156 inches
Width:	58 inches
Height:	50 inches
Track (f/r):	47.5/48.75
Suspension:	Coil-sprung lower wishbone with Armstrong hydraulic lever-type shock uppers
Suspension (rear):	Live axle with semi-elliptic leaf spring with Armstrong hydraulic shocks.
Brakes:	four-wheel hydraulic drum
Engine:	1,489cc overhead valve inline four-cylinder
Output:	68-72bhp
Transmission:	Four-speed manual, non-synchromesh first gear