1959 MG MGA Twin Cam
- Engine
- 1.6L DOHC inline-four with twin Weber 45DCOE carburettors, 120 bhp
- Colour
- Green
Chassis YD1/1626 is a 1959 MGA Twin Cam, one of only 2,111 produced, built on 9 March 1959 and dispatched directly to the BMC Competition Department before being shipped to South Africa for a factory promotion and publicity programme overseen by BMC's Syd Enever. Prepared for competition by BMC mechanic Alan Stewart, the car participated in hillclimbs, circuit races, and performance tests in South Africa. Its original Twin Cam engine was subsequently replaced by a pushrod unit, and the car later passed through multiple owners in Canada before eventually returning to the United Kingdom.
Ownership
- —Auction saleEstimate £120,000 – £160,000
- 1959-04-07 → 1959-05-01Factory deliveryBMC Competition Departmentfull documentation
Car dispatched from the factory with no engine number recorded; shipped to South Africa shortly after arrival at the competition department.
- 1959-05-01 →Factory deliveryGeorge Tuck (BMC South Africa)full documentation
Received the car for promotional and publicity purposes in South Africa; oversaw its competition preparation and later decided to swap the twin-cam engine for a pushrod unit.
- 1980 →AuctionMr Prophetpartial documentation
Acquired the car at auction in 1980 following passage through several unidentified owners in Canada.
- 1988 →Acquisition unknownJoel Delongpartial documentation
Based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Date unknownPrivate salePeter Whitepartial documentation
Acquired the car after the engine swap; used it in minor local events in the Eastern Cape region.
- Date unknownPrivate saleD. Garnerpartial documentation
Local BMC publicity manager based in Cape Town who exchanged a Mini Cooper S for the MGA.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownCharles Bathampartial documentation
Relocated the car from South Africa to Canada when he emigrated.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownMr Hardingpartial documentation
Acquired the car from Delong; further details not recorded in the prose.
- Date unknownPrivate saleMr Philippe Douchetpartial documentation
UK-based owner; the car had returned to Britain by this point in its history.
- Date unknownPrivate saleCurrent vendorpartial documentation
Purchased the car from Douchet; retains accompanying period photographs, owner history list, and FIA documentation.
Competition
- —Hillclimb (South Africa, local club)Driver: Peter White
One of several local club events in South Africa; car prepared by competition mechanic Alan Stewart. John Philips and Roddy Turner also drove the car in related events.
- —Short circuit race (South Africa, local club)Driver: Peter White
Part of a limited competitive programme run from the BMC South Africa base in Blackheath, Johannesburg.
- —Acceleration and speed tests (South Africa, local club)Driver: Peter White
Conducted alongside the hillclimb and circuit race as part of the car's brief South African competition career.
- —Local club events, Eastern CapeDriver: Peter White
Minor events entered by Peter White after he acquired the car following the engine change; held near his home in the Eastern Cape.
Maintenance & restoration
- —Modification
The original Twin Cam engine was removed and replaced with a 1,600 cc pushrod unit on the instruction of George Tuck, following consultation with UK BMC Competition manager Marcus Chambers. The original Twin Cam unit was transferred to competitor Noel Horsfield.
Decision taken in the early 1960s. The original engine did not remain with the car.
Are you the owner of this car?
This car's public record is built from its auction and competition history. Register your ownership and privately add your own records to make it a verified Legacy Metrics passport — provenance that backs your car's value at sale and gives your insurer evidence to price against. Roy reviews and verifies every registration personally.