1938 MG VA Tourer

The MG VA, or MG 1½ litre as it was originally marketed, was manufactured between February 1937 and September 1939 and was the smallest of the three sports saloons produced in the late 1930s by MG; the others being the SA and WA. The car used a tuned version of the push-rod, overhead valve, four-cylinder Morris TPBG type engine that was also fitted to the Wolseley 12/48 and Morris 12. The MG version had twin SU carburettors and offered an impressive 54bhp via a four-speed manual gearbox with synchromesh on the top three ratios. Nineteen-inch wire wheels were fitted and the ten-inch drum brakes were hydraulically operated using a Lockheed system. Suspension was by half-elliptic springs all round with a live rear axle and beam front axle; Luvax shock absorbers were fitted, the rear ones adjustable from the dashboard. In-built hydraulic jacks were standard. Handsomely styled and more useful than their diminutive TA sports cars, the VA was usually fitted with saloon bodywork although a Tickford drophead body was also offered in addition to a four-seat tourer which was the most rakish body with its cut down doors. The British Motor magazine tested a VA tourer which reached a top speed of just over 76mph; with the windscreen folded down the top speed increased to nearly 82mph.This charming MG VA Tourer was originally registered in the UK and was exported to Norway in the 1980s. The car underwent a ground up restoration between 1995 and 2000, including an engine rebuild, and has been driven a mere 3,800 miles since. The car was recently purchased by the current owner and brought back to the UK and registered. However, a lack of garage space has forced our vendor to scale back his collection. Finished in the most appropriate colour combination of two-tone green with lovely green leather interior, this MG offers shear pre-war elegance for a most reasonable outlay.