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Australian Delivered CKD MGA Historical Research
Compiled by Steven Hill, Perth Western AustraliaEmail: [email protected]
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’sIntroductionIntroduction
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.
Australian Delivered CKD MGA’sIntroductionIntroduction
¹Source: The MGA First of a New Line, John Price Williams, p. 72
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’sWhy Research Australian MGA’s ?Why Research Australian MGA’s ?
Australian Delivered CKD MGA’sSolving the ‘Puzzle’Solving the ‘Puzzle’
ProductionRecords
FactoryEmployees
OriginalMGA’s
Owners/Enthusiasts
PeriodLiterature
Production RecordsMinimal records exist. The bulk of
production data appears to have been discarded/lost
Period LiteratureMost MGA literature focuses on Abingdon Built MGA’s
Factory EmployeesHands on experience
Owners/EnthusiastsOwners and enthusiasts knowledgeable of cars when new etc
‘Original’ MGA’s
Information SourcesInformation Sources
‘Australian’ MGA’sExplained
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 InformationGeneral Production Information
Australian Delivered CKD MGA’sGeneral Production InformationGeneral 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
Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s
¹Source: Original MGA, Anders Ditlev Clausager, p. 85
General Production InformationGeneral 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
Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s
¹Source: Original MGA, Anders Ditlev Clausager, p. 85² Source: Modern Motor, October 1964, p.84
General Production InformationGeneral 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
Australian Delivered CKD MGA’sProduction Variations - ID PlatesProduction 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)
Australian Delivered CKD MGA’sProduction Variations - ID PlatesProduction 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
Australian Delivered CKD MGA’sProduction Variations - ID PlatesProduction Variations - ID Plates
The engine bay of a very original unrestored 1600 MKI roadster. Note the positioning of the ID and patent plates.
ID Plate - Car TypeID Plate - Car TypeAustralian Delivered CKD MGA’s
Car Type
MGA 1500Car type is represented by ‘MGA/51’(51 indicates Australia)
MGA 1600 MKICar type is represented by ‘YGHN2’Y - AustraliaG - MGH - 1400 to 1999ccN - 2 Seat tourer2 - 1600
MGA 1600 MKIICar type is represented by ‘YGHN3’
ID Plate - Car NumberID Plate - Car NumberAustralian 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.
ID Plate - Car NumberID Plate - Car NumberAustralian 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.
ID Plate - Car NumberID Plate - Car NumberAustralian 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
Australian Delivered CKD MGA’sID Plate - Car NumberID Plate - Car Number
The stamped firewall shelf of MGA 8 / 87440 / 782, “MGA 782”
Chassis Number Cross TabulationChassis Number Cross TabulationAustralian Delivered CKD MGA’s
May 1955 19621957 1958 1959 1960 1961
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
1010
1
1510
1
2010
1
2510
1
3010
1
3510
1
4010
1
4510
1
5010
1
5510
1
6010
1
6510
1
7010
1
7510
1
8010
1
8510
1
9010
1
9510
1
1001
01
1051
01
UK Chassis Number
Au
st. A
ssem
bly
Nu
mb
er
1500 1600 1600MKII
* Source: Western Australian MGA Register records
1500 Assembly Statistics1500 Assembly StatisticsAustralian 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
Aust. Assembly
? Assembly
70553%
61947%
1600 MKI Assembly Statistics1600 MKI Assembly StatisticsAustralian 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, 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
Aust. Assembly
? Assembly
1000 ?83%
212?17%
1600 MKII Assembly Statistics1600 MKII Assembly StatisticsAustralian 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, 100352 100440 / 537, Oldest Aust. MKII so far on recordDid Aust. assembly commence at: UK chassis 100404 ?
176 RHD CKD 1600 MKII MGA’s were produced worldwide ¹
Australian MKII production = > 106 and < 176
Aust. Assembly
? Assembly
10660%
7040%
ID Plate - Engine NumberID Plate - Engine NumberAustralian Delivered CKD MGA’s
Engine Number
MGA 1500Engine 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
Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s
Engine Number
MGA 1600 MKIEngine 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 NumberID Plate - Engine Number
Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s
Engine Number
MGA 1600 MKIIEngine 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 NumberID Plate - Engine Number
ID Plate - ColourID Plate - ColourAustralian Delivered CKD MGA’s
Colour
Car colour codes were separated into 3 distinct groupings. For example:
1 / BR GREEN / 1 Paint Used1 = BALM2 = Luteroid3 = Berger4 = Brolite5 = Pinchin Johnson6 = Spartan
Colour Code
Paint Type1 = Enamel2 = Lacquer
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.
UK MANUFACTURE AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURE DULUX CODE
1500 Black 1955 Bardiman Grey 02238Orient Red 1958 Nurburg White 02191Tyrolite green Alpine Green 02197Ash Green Guan Green 02236Glacier Blue Billeroy Blue 02214Old English White Carnation Red 09864Island Green (Coupe only) (Engine Red)Mineral Blue (Coupe only) Carnation Red 00014
(Prior to 1959)Connaught Green 07590
ID Plate - ColourID Plate - Colour
Australian Delivered CKD MGA’s
UK MANUFACTURE AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURE DULUX CODE
1600 Black 1959 -1962Chariot RedIris Blue 1600 Araluen Blue 09599Alamo Beige British Racing Green 00036Dove Grey Camden Cream 09724Old English White Cherry Red 09679
Cheviot Fawn 09677Crocus Yellow 00322Cumulus Grey 05777Empire Green 06286English Grey 07947Gampian Grey 00213Inca Yellow 00346Karrim (Royal) Blue 00041Monza (Carnation) Red 09864Nurburg White 02191Orchia 00212Orient Red 00345Silverpine Green 08232Sky (Monaco) Blue 09921Spruce Green 07618Stradbroke Grey 06292
ID Plate - ColourID Plate - Colour
Colour
Areas such as the bonnet prop rod and heater blanking plate (?) were painted body colour (black on UK cars).
Additional VariationsAdditional VariationsAustralian Delivered CKD MGA’s
Upholstery
Manufactured locally in vinyl. Colours varied from UK cars, eg. tan colour.
Additional VariationsAdditional VariationsAustralian Delivered CKD MGA’s
Carpet
Westminster carpet. Corded type with very little binding.
Additional VariationsAdditional VariationsAustralian Delivered CKD MGA’s
Additional VariationsAdditional VariationsAustralian Delivered CKD MGA’s
Engine NumbersEngine number was stamped into the block. The UK aluminium plate was deemed unacceptable by Australian authorities.
Exhaust SystemLocally produced.
Body NumbersThere 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.
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 VariationsAdditional VariationsAustralian Delivered CKD MGA’s
Spare Wheel CoverThe cover was held in place with bolts and nuts as opposed to UK built cars which were rivetted.
Rear SpringsMarked “Made in Australia”
SillsOuter 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 VariationsAdditional VariationsAustralian Delivered CKD MGA’s
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 VariationsAdditional VariationsAustralian Delivered CKD MGA’s
¹Source: The MGA First of a New Line, John Price Williams, p. 74