1957 MG MGA Roadster Will It Run?

Trying to start and get running a 1957 MG MGA roadster that was sitting for a very long time. This will be the first start in many years.

This Week With Cars - Episode 0285
#willitrun #mg #classiccars

[billbeyer]

Never seen plugs cleaned with a torch before. Learn something new every day.

[colinvos]

Thanks for sharing Steve. I recall as a boy(1950's) we had a split window Morris Oxford. I remember my Dad taking out the sparkplugs on a cold winter day, bringing them in the house, heating them on the stove and then re-installing them to get the car to start. I recalled this when I saw you heat the plugs. Great video.

[SierraOne]

Older cars = Basic "old school" diagnostics
Great work!

[kenem]

Thanks, Steve. I gratefully appreciate your videos, particularly being aware of the effort you put in to present them. May 2023 be kind to you and yours.

[leeklemetti]

When I was 17-18 years old my Dad acquired a 1958 MGA 1600. Now that car was a BLAST! I drove it everywhere. Oh, I forgot, I am 80 years old now. How does time fly.

[daveshongkongchinachannel]

Yet another brilliant diagnosis. You make it look so easy and while these cars are indeed very simple in terms of both mechanicals and electrics I am sure I would be there until my dying day trying to fix something like this. Happy 2023 Steve.

[ronaldjohnson]

I'm being flooded with memories! Had a 1960 MGA (affectionately named Maggie). Went overseas and couldn't bear the problems of storage, so she was sold.

[sebastianmicozzi]

I have a 1958 MGA, also with B engine, and a few other "upgrades". What a great, modern-feeling car to drive!! The process you went through is perfect and something that everyone should know! thank you!

[bodieb.]

I so enjoy following the trail step by step. Great job. I did not know that about the coil. So such a weak spark wouldn't get the old girl running very impressed.
Thanks. I own a 69 TR6 and maybe now know more than I'd like to.

[gdsandkes]

I used to own a '57 MGA.in the '70s. The 3 bearing crankshaft was rather weak (I had to overhaul it twice) and the batteries were an issue, but you could purchase new ones back then. When I bought the car the plywood floor boards needed replacing, as did the body work below the doors. It was amazing how parts were available for this car back then. Dad was a body repair mechanic and so we repainted it British racing green. I had many of the chrome parts renewed, but as I was buffing out the front grille, I ended up taking all the old chrome off down to the brass, and like it so much I left it that way (I had to polish it now and then). I also added a jaunty chrome luggage rack onto the rear boot. The hood, boot, and doors were all made of aluminum.

[goboy]

Yes Steve, I would like to see the steps you would take from here and any improvements you would make along the way to assure this MGA is a safe and reasonably reliable weekend driver. I really appreciate the straightforward approach you take in your video production. Thanks for taking the time and making the effort to produce these gems.Hope yours is a happy & healthy 2023.

[michaelstair]

Great to see someone making a calm general approach to getting the car started, and not tearing into the machine. Nice idea with cleaning the spark plugs. I'll have to try it.

[colindubord]

What a Beauty! I have a 1974 MGB GT! They are great Cars! Everything is so easy to work and they make every part for these cars still.

[alancrossley]

I have just finished bringing my 85 year old mothers'1965 MG Midget back to life after standing for 10 years and it now runs beautifully. Busy with my fathers 1958 MG Magnette ZB 1500 which has also been standing for the same amount of time. They had an MGA as well but sadly they sold it a good few years back. Thanks for the vids. Subscribed.

[rongendron]

In 1965, at 19, I bought my very first car, a 1957 MGA, (black w/red leather), for $500! The 8 year old car was
in beautiful shape, but I later found that it had an expensive 'rod' problem that needed fixing! It was a great six
months, owning it, but since I had no more money, to fix it, I sold it to a "Foreign Car Junkyard", for $100. who
immediately started disassembling it for parts, right before my eyes! I still 'pine' for that MGA, 57 years later!

[tomcatcamp]

Great video . I am in the process of restoring a 1958 MGA which still h s the 1500 engine . I was fortunate that although the car needs a lot of work, it did run when I purchased it .

[MikeyMack]

Well, that seemed to be a few easy fixes! Nice work. Thanks for sharing with us!

[mundanestuff]

An MGA is likely our next car. My wife adores the stying and I adore the everything else. It'll be a weird upgrade? side step? From the Midget for sure. Our local car club has a list of them for sale, and we're starting to comb through the local cars.

[awalk]

I had the same issue with my MGA when it was in storage, turns out the steering gaiter was split and the oil from the rack was leaked. New steering gaiter and a fill up with 200mls of oil before putting on the gaiter clip and it was fine again. These are simple cars and very reliable.

[paulhall]

Another old jewel succumbs to Steve's logic and methodology. Nice one, Steve,