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BOOKS, TAPES and DVDs You May Need For Your MGA

If you are going to own an MGA, you had better be prepared to do at least some of the routine maintenance yourself, because shops that will service older cars are few and far between. You should also be minimally prepared for some basic emergency repairs, which can make life much easier if your car should happen to have some problem on the road. Additionally, the more you know about your car the more likely you will head off potential problems before they happen, and the easier it is to deal with the professional shops.

To this end, you will want some books, some of which I have listed here roughly in order of priority. Only the first few are absolutely essential. The first of each category are personally recommended but not absolutely required. The rest of the list is purely optional, the importance of which depends on your intended use of the car. You can find a brief review of each by clicking the links below, or you can see all of them in series by following the green arrows at the bottom of the pages.

THE SHORT LIST (mandatory reading): (Page 2)

  • "The MG Series MGA Driver's Handbook" a BMC Service Publication
  • "Getting The Best from your MGA Twin Cam" a BMC Service Publication
  • "Maintenance Service - M.G. (Series "MGA") and Magnette" (booklet)
  • "The MG Series MGA Workshop Manual" by The M.G. Car Company Ltd
  • "MG MGA Twin Cam Workshop Manual" (if you own a Twin Cam)
  • "MGA Parts Catalog" by Moss Motors
  • "MG TECH" by MGAguru.com

    OTHER SERVICE & TECH MANUALS: (Page 3)
  • "A-Antics Tech Tips" by Michigan Chapter of NAMGAR
  • "B.M.C. Parts Numbering System" by British Motors Corporation
  • "Collision Estimator Guide for MGA" by Glenn Mitchell Collision Estimator Inc
  • "The English Wheel Book" by David L. Anderson
  • "Engineering Technical Data, MGA Twin Cam" by M.G. Car Co. Ltd.
  • "Fastiner Decode Booklet for BMC Vehicles" by British Motors Corporation
  • "Glenn's MG-Morris-Magnette repair and tune-up guide" by Harold T. Glenn
  • "Handbook for the MGA" by Piet Olyslager
  • "Lucas Bulb Specifications" by Lucas Electrical Ltd
  • "Lucas Electric Windtone Horns" by Lucas Electrical Ltd
  • "Lucas Fault Diagnosis Service Manual" by Lucas Aftermarket Operations
  • "Lucas Generator and Control Box Tests" by Lucas Aftermarket Operations
  • "Lucas Generator and Control Box Tests Supplement" 1-page by Lucas A/O
  • "Lucas "Overseas Technical Correspondence Course" by Lucas Tech Service
  • "Lucas Starting Motors (Section N)" by Lucas Electrical Ltd
  • "Owners Workshop Manual, MGA & MGB 1955-1968" Brooklands Books Ltd
  • "MG Autobook Two -- MG, MGA, MGA2CAM and MGB" by Autopress
  • "MGA 1955 - 1962 Repair Manual" by Haynes
  • "MGA MGB 1956-1980 Shop Manual - Clymer" by Autopress
  • "MGA/MGB Owners Handbook of Maintenance and Repair" by Clymer
  • "MGA Owners Information & Technical Guide" by Todd Clarke
  • "Pozi Screws - Factory Part No's"
  • "Schedule of Repair and Adjustment Charges" by M.G. Car Co. Ltd
  • "Schedule of Repair Times, MGA Twin Cam" by M.G. Car Co. Ltd
  • "Service Data No. 339 - MGA Twin-Cam" by Motor Trader
  • "SU Carburetors Automotive Repair Manual" by A. K. Leg - Haynes
  • "SU Carburetors Tuning Tips & Techniques" by Brooklands
  • "Tech Sessions from MGA!" by Mike Ash
  • "Tuning SU Carburetors, Including Full Needle Charts" by Speed and Sports
  • "Warrantee Certificate" by BMC
  • "Weber Carburetor Manual with Z-S and SU carburetors" by Haynes

    MORE CATALOGS & PARTS LISTS: (Page 4)
  • "Carburetter Service Parts List" by MGB Service, Ltd.
  • "Everything Automotive" catalog from J. C. Whitney
  • "Lucas Equipment For 1948-1962 Cars" by Joseph Lucas North America, Inc.
  • "Lucas Master Parts Catalogue" by Lucas Aftermarket Operations
  • "MGA Parts Catalog" by Clarke Spares & Restorations
  • "MGA Parts Catalog" by Limora (Europe)
  • "MGA Parts Catalog" by Scarborough Faire
  • "MGA Parts Catalog" by Victoria British Ltd
  • "The MG Series MGA Service Parts List (1500)" First Edition, June 1956
  • "The MG Series MGA SPL (supplement showing heater controls)" March 1958
  • "The MG Series MGA SPL (2nd printing showing Twin Cam parts)" June 1958
  • "The MG Series MGA SPL (2nd Editon)" February 1960
  • "The MG Series MGA Service Parts List (1500)" December 1960
  • "The MG Series MGA Supplement To SPL, rationalized engine" 1965
  • "The MG Series MGA Service Parts List" - Twin Cam Supplement - Dec 1958
  • "The MG Series MGA Twin Cam Service Parts List, v2" Feb.1960
  • "The MG Series MGA Twin Cam Service Parts List, v3" 240p. (23 PDF files)
  • "The MG Series MGA 1600 Service Parts List" Fifth Edition
  • "MGA Part Numbers and Descriptions" By Barney Gaylord, new in 2020

    TECH-REF & COFFEE TABLE BOOKS: (Page 5)
  • "Original MGA The Restorer's Guide" by Anders Ditlev Clausager
  • "Call It MGA" by Roger Martin and Piers Hubbard, 2004
  • "D.O.H.C., Test Run at Lime Rock" by David Ash - 1958 - CD 14:48 Minutes
  • "Earning the American Dream" by Gordon Whitby
  • "Essential MG" by Graham Robson. (All MG)
  • "Gold Portfolio MGA and Twin Cam 1955-62" by R.M. Clarke
  • "Me and My MG: Stories from MG Owners Around the World" by Gordon Thorburn
  • "MG MGA 1955-1962" by R. M. Clarke
  • "MG Past & Present" by A.F. Rivers Fletcher
  • "MG Twin Cam - The First 50 Years" from MG Car Club, UK
  • "MGA 1500, 1600, Twin Cam" by F.Wilson McComb
  • "MGA a History and Restoration Guide" by Robert P Vitrikas
  • "MGA Photo Restoration Book" by Adam Booth
  • "MGA Restoration Guide" by Malcolm Green
  • "MGA Roadsters" by Brooklands
  • "MGA: The Complete Story" by David Styles
  • "MGA: The Revolutionary MG" by David Knowles
  • "MGAs at Le Mans 1955" by Brian Moylan
  • "M.G.s on Patrol" by Andrea Green
  • "No. 52: Restoring A Sebring Icon" - by Hugh Burruss III
  • "Papa's Little Blue Car" - by Steve Mitchell
  • "Pay It Yourself" - by George Dutton
  • "Resurrection " by Maynard's Garage - DVD of restoration of MGA 10106
  • "Standard Guide to British Sports Cars" by John Gunnell
  • "The Essential Buyers Guide MG MGA " by Roy Crosier & David Sear
  • "The MG Companion" by Kenneth Ullyett
  • "The MGA 'First of the new line'" by John Price Williams
  • "The Works MGs" by Mike Allison & Peter Browning

    PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT: (Page 6)
  • "Competition Preparation Manual for MGB" by J.W.Huffaker
  • "How To Make Your Car Handle" by Fred Puhn
  • "How To Power Tune MGB 4 Cylinder Engines" by Peter Burgess
  • "MGA 1500 and 1600 Special Tuning" from MG factory
  • "MGB Tourer and GT Special Tuning" from MG factory
  • "Tuning BMC Sports Cars" by Mike Garton
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