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Australian Delivered CKD MGA Historical Research

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

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Australian Delivered CKD MGA Historical Research

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

  2. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s Introduction 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.

  3. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s Introduction Assembly of CKD MGAs began after a dispatch from the UK of 8 right hand drive cars, chassis 25512 to 255191. The first ‘Australian’ MGA rolled off the assembly line in October 1957. ¹Source: The MGA First of a New Line, John Price Williams, p. 72

  4. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s Why Research Australian MGA’s ? • 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.

  5. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s Production Records Factory Employees Original MGA’s Owners/ Enthusiasts Period Literature ‘Australian’ MGA’s Explained Solving the ‘Puzzle’ Information Sources • 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

  6. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s General Production Information • 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).

  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 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 ¹Source: Original MGA, Anders Ditlev Clausager, p. 85

  9. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s 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 ¹Source: Original MGA, Anders Ditlev Clausager, p. 85 ² Source: Modern Motor, October 1964, p.84

  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. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s ID Plate - Car Type • 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. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s ID Plate - Car Number • 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. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s ID Plate - Car Number • 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. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s ID Plate - Car Number • 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. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s UK Chassis and Australian Assembly Number Cross tabulation* 1500 1450 1389 1400 1383 1371 1319 1300 1274 1200 1119 1100 1107 1000 1500 1600 1600MKII 913 900 805 859 777 800 782 620 Aust. Assembly Number 700 705 521 556 600 607 537 584 455 516 500 507 452 357 438 400 356 300 211 200 100 82 0 85101 90101 95101 10101 15101 20101 25101 30101 35101 40101 45101 50101 55101 60101 65101 70101 75101 80101 100101 105101 UK Chassis Number Chassis Number Cross Tabulation * Source: Western Australian MGA Register records 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 May 1955 1962

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

  20. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s 1600 MKI Assembly Statistics • 1600 MKI Last 1600, 100351 100237 / 1450, Youngest Aust. 1600 so far on Western Australian MGA Register records. Maximum 114 more cars if Aust. had remaining chassis First 1600, 68851 • 7 / 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 ¹Source: Original MGA, Anders Ditlev Clausager, p. 100

  21. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s 1600 MKII Assembly Statistics • 1600 MKII Last MKII, 109070 106917 / 607, Youngest Aust. MKII so far on Western Australian MGA Register records. First MKII, 100352 • 100440 / 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 ¹Source: Original MGA, Anders Ditlev Clausager, p. 100

  22. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s ID Plate - Engine Number • 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 ID Plate - Engine Number • 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

  24. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s ID Plate - Engine Number • 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

  25. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s ID Plate - Colour • 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 ID Plate - Colour • 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.

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

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

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

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

  31. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s Additional Variations • 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. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s Additional Variations • 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).

  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. Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s Additional Variations

  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 ??? Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s Additional Variations ¹Source: The MGA First of a New Line, John Price Williams, p. 74

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