Incredible photos detail painstaking restoration of pre-war MG that was bought as a dismantled shell for a few hundred pounds but now is set to fetch up to £12,000 at auction
- The now-gleaming cream MG VA rolled off the production line in 1939
- Production of the model began in 1937 but had to stop when WWII began
A pre-war MG that was bought as a basket case wreck is set to fetch up to £12,000 at auction after being lovely restored by its owner.
The now-gleaming cream MG VA rolled off the production line in 1939 and boasts a 1.5litre engine, twin carburetors and Art Deco interior.
The model was made for just two years from 1937 before the outbreak of the Second World War stopped production.
The car ended up in its sorry state after failing its MOT in 1969, when it was then rolled into a garage.
A pre-war MG that was bought as a basket case wreck is set to fetch up to £12,000 at auction after being lovely restored by its owner
Its then owner partially dismantled the car with a view to restoring it, but the overhaul never took place and it steadily gathered dust.
The MG remained in its dismantled state for 45 years until it was rescued by its current Devon-based owner, who bought it from a family friend for a few hundred pounds and then lovingly restored it to its original condition.
The car enthusiast, who wishes to remain anonymous, carried out all the work himself bar an overhaul of the engine and a professional respray.
The owner now wants someone to be able to enjoy driving the car in its current pristine state.
The MG VA was built along with larger SA and WA models and was distinguished by its 108-inch wheelbase, the smallest in the range.
The car sold for up to £350, the equivalent of nearly £19,000 in today’s money. Just over 2,400 were produced.
The MG VA ended up in its sorry state after failing its MOT in 1969, when it was then rolled into a garage
Its then owner partially dismantled the car with a view to restoring it, but the overhaul never took place and it steadily gathered dust
The MG remained in its dismantled state for 45 years until it was rescued by its current Devon-based owner, who bought it from a family friend for a few hundred pounds and then lovingly restored it to its original condition
The MG VA was built along with larger SA and WA models and was distinguished by its 108-inch wheelbase, the smallest in the range. Above: The car’s 1.5litre engine
The car boasts a cream leather interior, although any new owner will have to make do with wind down windows
The car’s interior has been faithfully put together and restored after being allowed to rot
MG itself was founded in the 1920s by Cecil Kimber and was best known for its range of two-seater sports cars.
It underwent several ownership changes before becoming part of the much-derided British Leyland group, which was famously partly nationalised in the 1970s.
In the early 2000s, the firm, then MG Rover, fell into financial difficulty and ultimately went into receivership in 2005.
The MG marque was then bought by its current owner, Chinese firm Nanjing Automobile Group, who began producing cars again in 2007.
The MG VA is set to go under the hammer at the prestigious Haynes International Motor Museum in Sparkford, Somerset, on June 8
In 2011, the first UK model in 16 years, the MG 6, rolled off the production line.
The MG VA is set to go under the hammer at the prestigious Haynes International Motor Museum in Sparkford, Somerset, on June 8.
Richard Bromell, of Charterhouse Auctions, who are managing the sale, said: ‘To say the MG was bought as a project makes it sound much better than it was as it was in a very sorry state indeed
‘Thankfully the owner was more than handy with a spanner and undertook a complete restoration of the MG.’