Hi,
I don't recall the location of the original poster but I can relate
some recent experiences here in the Northeast - New Hampshire.
I was originally helping a co-worker look for an MGA for himself.
Up to a couple of weeks ago we had found the following "restored" cars.
I hope we can assume that what is asked is not what the
cars would really sell for.
1. '60 MGA 1600 for $10,000
This car was awful. Bad paint job, real plywood dash full of
Radio Shack toggle switches, more bondo than I thought
the engine could pull around. The owner really thought he
had a fine car. I admit that it did actually run but the
steering was so bad we were afraid to drive it.
2. '61 MGA 1600 for $7,000
Also a horrid car. Cheap paint job covering the fender
piping. The flat panel in front of the radiator was bent
up almost into a "V" shape suggesting a pretty good
crash. Interior looked like a war zone - wires hanging
all over. Dead battery in trunk because there were no battery
boxes left. We didn't even try to start this one. Forgot
about the bald tires.
3. '59 MGA 1500 for a "lot more" than above.
Recently professionally restored. This car is very nice,
very correct. Chrome looks great, interior perfect.
Engine compartment so clean you could eat there.
Since my friend has given up I'm seriously looking at
the car for myself. It's expensive but as I recently posted
about chrome; "You get what you pay for".
Maybe in other parts of the country you can get a bargain
on MGAs but unless you are very lucky you won't find it
in New England. Maybe it's just the season that brings out
all these rats that people try to sell as restored cars. You
just don't seem to hear about clean unmolested MGAs around
here anymore. My friend would love to find a nice usable
driver MGA for $3500-5000.
Regards, Dave
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