1. Australian Delivered CKD MGA Historical Research Compiled by Steven Hill, Perth Western Australia Email: steven.hill@cbh.com.au

2. The MGA 1500 was first produced in England in May 1955 and fully imported models were sold in Australia early in 1956. They proved very popular in Australia, which influenced BMC to commence assembling them locally. Abingdon supplied most of the component parts in Completely Knocked Down (CKD) form and Australian content was used whenever possible. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s Introduction

3. Assembly of CKD MGAs began after a dispatch from the UK of 8 right hand drive cars, chassis 25512 to 25519 1. The first ‘Australian’ MGA rolled off the assembly line in October 1957. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s Introduction ¹Source: The MGA First of a New Line, John Price Williams, p. 72

4.  A number of differences exist between Australian and Abingdon Built MGA’s.  Document and explain variations to assist owners and enthusiasts in: ‘Maintaining the Breed’ Keeping originality  Help retain history. A part of Australian MG history, and MG history in general remains largely unexplained. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s Why Research Australian MGA’s ?

5. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s Solving the ‘Puzzle’ Production Records Factory Employees Original MGA’s Owners/ Enthusiasts Period Literature  Production Records Minimal records exist. The bulk of production data appears to have been discarded/lost  Period Literature Most MGA literature focuses on Abingdon Built MGA’s  Factory Employees Hands on experience  Owners/Enthusiasts Owners and enthusiasts knowledgeable of cars when new etc  ‘Original’ MGA’s Information Sources ‘Australian’ MGA’s Explained

6.  BMC (Australia) fully manufactured Morris, Austin, and Wolseley vehicles at their production plant in Joynton Avenue, Zetland N.S.W.  MGA’s were assembled at the Pressed Metal Corporation assembly plant in Cosgrove Road, Enfield N.S.W. (owned by Larke Consolidated Industries 60% and the Rover car company UK 40%) alongside 3 tonne trucks and ½ tonne vans.  1500, 1600 and 1600MKII roadsters were assembled. No coupes or Twin Cams were assembled in Australia, they were imported Completely Built Up (CBU). Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s General Production Information

7. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s General Production Information  Other overseas MGA assembly locations included: South Africa: Eire: The Netherlands: Mexico: Motor Assemblies Limited (MAL), Durban, Natal Booth Poole and Co Ltd, Dublin JJ Molenaar’s Automobiledrijf NV, Amersfoort Automoviles Ingleses SA, Mexico City

8. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s ¹Source: Original MGA, Anders Ditlev Clausager, p. 85 General Production Information  Abingdon supplied BMC (Australia) with most of the component parts in CKD form and Australian content was used whenever possible.  ‘Australia CKD kits were shipped less tyres, tubes, batteries, rear springs, ignition coil, spark plugs, hood material, spare wheel cover, all soft trim, all carpets, door pads and linings, all timber, floorboards, seats. The following parts were included: hood frame, hood rear windows and quarterlights, seat frames, seat slides and Dunlopillo cushions’.¹

9. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s ¹Source: Original MGA, Anders Ditlev Clausager, p. 85 ² Source: Modern Motor, October 1964, p.84 General Production Information  The bodies and chassis came as separate pieces and were assembled by electric welding on jigs before being bolted together, to increase local content, so saving duty.  ‘All cars had wire wheels and the standard rear axle ratio (4.3). A heater was not normally fitted’.¹  ‘Australian MGA’s had locally produced bumpers and electrical looms’.²

10. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s Production Variations - ID Plates  Unique Car Identification Plates BMC Australia identification plate used. The ID and patent plates were riveted to the firewall shelf adjacent to each other (they were not separated as on UK cars) near the wiper motor. Plates recorded: * Car Type (unique code) * Car Number (unique number codings) * Engine Number (number shown, not “SEE ENGINE” ) * Colour (unique only to Australia)

11. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s Production Variations - ID Plates  A close up of the identification plate from a 1600 MKI roadster. YGHN2 8 / 87440 / 782 16GA / U / 19236 1 / CARN RED / 1

12. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s Production Variations - ID Plates  The engine bay of a very original unrestored 1600 MKI roadster. Note the positioning of the ID and patent plates.

13. ID Plate - Car Type Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s  Car Type MGA 1500 Car type is represented by ‘MGA/51’ (51 indicates Australia) MGA 1600 MKI Car type is represented by ‘YGHN2’ Y - Australia G - MG H - 1400 to 1999cc N - 2 Seat tourer 2 - 1600 MGA 1600 MKII Car type is represented by ‘YGHN3’

14. ID Plate - Car Number Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s  Car Number Car numbers were generally separated into 3 distinct groupings. For example: 8 / 94432 / 913 1500 and 1600MKI’s were represented with a single digit prefix to refer to the year of assembly. These prefixes were: 5 = 1957, 6 = 1958, 7 = 1959, 8 = 1960, 9 = 1961 This system was discontinued for the 1600 MKII, when it was introduced during 1961.

15. ID Plate - Car Number Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s  Car Number cont. 8 / 87440 / 782 The ‘middle’ number (87440) is the UK chassis number. This number was stamped in the front off-side angle rail of the chassis rather than the chassis cross member on UK cars.

16. ID Plate - Car Number Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s  Car Number cont. 8 / 87440 / 782 The third number is the Australian Assembly Number. This number is stamped on the firewall shelf in front of the heater or heater blanking plate (eg. ‘MGA/782’). Evidence suggests that the Australian Assembly Number began at ‘1’ for the 1500, and ‘501’ for both the 1600MKI and 1600MKII’s

17. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s ID Plate - Car Number  The stamped firewall shelf of MGA 8 / 87440 / 782, “MGA 782”

18. Chassis Number Cross Tabulation Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s May 19551962 19571958195919601961 UK Chassis and Australian Assembly Number Cross tabulation* 82 211 584 705 507 859 913 1119 1274 1371 1450 516 607 356 537 556 1383 1389 1107 777 782 805 620 521 438 452 455 357 1319 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 101011510120101251013010135101401014510150101551016010165101701017510180101 851019010195101 100101105101 UK Chassis Number Aust. Assembly Number 15001600 1600MKII * Source: Western Australian MGA Register records

19. 1500 Assembly Statistics Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s ¹Source: Original MGA, Anders Ditlev Clausager, p. 100 7 / 54629 / 705, Youngest Aust. 1500 so far on Western Australian MGA Register records  1500 Last 1500, 68850 First 1500, 10101 6 / 35465 / 82, Oldest Aust. 1500 so far on Western Australian MGA Register records 5 / 25512 / 1, First Australian Built 1500  1324 RHD CKD 1500 MGA’s were produced worldwide between 1957 and 1959 ¹   Australian 1500 production > 705 and < 1324

20. 1600 MKI Assembly Statistics Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s 100237 / 1450, Youngest Aust. 1600 so far on Western Australian MGA Register records. Maximum 114 more cars if Aust. had remaining chassis ¹Source: Original MGA, Anders Ditlev Clausager, p. 100  1600 MKI Last 1600, 100351 First 1600, 688517 / 68906 / 507, Oldest Aust. 1600 so far on Western Australian MGA Register records. Did Aust. assembly commence at:  UK chassis 68900 ?  Max. Aust. 1600 prod. = 1063 ( (1450 + 114) -501)  Min. Aust. 1600 prod. = 949 (1450 - 501)  1212 RHD CKD 1600 MGA’s were produced worldwide ¹

21. 1600 MKII Assembly Statistics Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s 106917 / 607, Youngest Aust. MKII so far on Western Australian MGA Register records. ¹Source: Original MGA, Anders Ditlev Clausager, p. 100  1600 MKII Last MKII, 109070 First MKII, 100352100440 / 537, Oldest Aust. MKII so far on record Did Aust. assembly commence at:  UK chassis 100404 ?  176 RHD CKD 1600 MKII MGA’s were produced worldwide ¹   Australian MKII production = > 106 and < 176

22. ID Plate - Engine Number Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s  Engine Number MGA 1500 Engine numbers similar to UK standards except the addition of ‘A’ in the coding which represents Australia. eg. 15GBUHA12345 Serial Number A - Australia H - High Compression U - Centre Gearshift B - 1500 Series (D from 1959-) G - MG 15 - 1500cc

23. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s  Engine Number MGA 1600 MKI Engine numbers identical to UK standards. eg. 16GAUH26435 Serial Number H - High Compression (no coding if not high compression) U - Centre Gearshift A - 1600 Series G - MG 16 - 1600cc ID Plate - Engine Number

24. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s  Engine Number MGA 1600 MKII Engine numbers identical to UK standards. eg. 16GCUL12345 Serial Number L - Low Compression (all low compression for Australia?) U - Centre Gearshift C - 1622 Series G - MG 16 - 1600cc ID Plate - Engine Number

25. ID Plate - Colour Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s  Colour Car colour codes were separated into 3 distinct groupings. For example: 1 / BR GREEN / 1 Paint Used 1 = BALM 2 = Luteroid 3 = Berger 4 = Brolite 5 = Pinchin Johnson 6 = Spartan Colour Code Paint Type 1 = Enamel 2 = Lacquer

26. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s  Colour Australian MGA’s were painted locally. As such colours vary significantly from Abingdon examples. If requested, the MGA was available at time of order painted to almost any colour. The following colours have been identified from the archives section of Dulux Australia. ID Plate - Colour

27. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s ID Plate - Colour

28.  Colour Areas such as the bonnet prop rod and heater blanking plate (?) were painted body colour (black on UK cars). Additional Variations Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s

29.  Upholstery Manufactured locally in vinyl. Colours varied from UK cars, eg. tan colour. Additional Variations Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s

30.  Carpet Westminster carpet. Corded type with very little binding. Additional Variations Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s

31. Additional Variations Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s  Engine Numbers Engine number was stamped into the block. The UK aluminium plate was deemed unacceptable by Australian authorities.  Exhaust System Locally produced.  Body Numbers There is some evidence to support the notion that all 1500’s and most 1600’s were issued with UK body numbers. It would appear that late 1600MKI’s and 1600MKII’s did not have body numbers.

32.  Rear Number Plate and Supporting Brackets On some cars the rear number plate supporting brackets were inverted such that the number plate was displayed below the bumper (note the period luggage rack in the picture below). Additional Variations Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s

33.  Spare Wheel Cover The cover was held in place with bolts and nuts as opposed to UK built cars which were rivetted.  Rear Springs Marked “Made in Australia”  Sills Outer sills were welded to the door pillars as opposed to the UK cars which were pop riveted.  Oil Pressure Gauge The coil in the oil pressure gauge line is located under the bonnet rather than under the dash on UK cars. Additional Variations Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s

34.  Lead Loading Australian built MGA’s featured much more lead loading, particularly around the rear rail and front door pillar, at the front of the top door jamb, where the UK cars had a cover plate. 1  Others ??? Additional Variations Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s ¹Source: The MGA First of a New Line, John Price Williams, p. 74