1/24 MGA model kit

[chaves pah]

Hi, is it possible to ignore one of the most beautiful sports cars of the fifties, the MGA, Roadster or Fixed Head? Why such a model kit never appeared? Did anyone make one MGA model from scratch?

[Gramps46]

MGAs were made by Strombecker and by Southeastern Finecast.  This is my Le Mans MGA built from a Strombecker kit with Herb Deeks wire wheels and tires.  It is very simple and was meant to be motorized.  It is a bit big like most of the Strombeckers back then, more like 1/23rd.

The Finecast kit is a multi-media kit with a metal body.  Finecast also does the coupe version.

 

[peteski]

Sorry, but this bugged me. MGA is I think a movie studio.

The automobile discussed here is MG A (space between MG and A, just like it is shown on the kit box above).  'MG" stands for "Morris Garage" and "A" is the model designation.

[hack-n-whack]

Didn't Lindberg make one back in the day?

 

[OldNYJim]

I think, technically, the model is an “MGA”, made by “MG”:

Like how a Miata is called a Mazda MX-5 not a Mazda X-5, even though part of the name is redundant.  Or like a PIN Number ?

[peteski]

OK, I sit corrected.

Let me get some money from the nearby ATM machine.

[OldNYJim]

Haha!  

Wasn’t trying to rag on you - I only knew that because I had a family member who imported MG parts to North America for a number of years...and I always thought it weird that even the official parts were labelled, say, an MG MGA fender or whatever.  Seemed like, as you say, “MG A” would have made more sense.

I’ve driven or worked on all MG’s “Greatest Hits” EXCEPT the MGA, but I suspected it would have the same naming convention as the MGB and the MGB GT which were a lot more common I think.

I owned one of their Midgets for a number of years...fun little car when it ran properly, but it was plagued with electrical issues (go figure) and was determined to rust itself into the ground.  Same as this one, but with a black interior:

 

Thread hijack over ?

[peteski]

No offense taken.

I have one of the South Eastern Finecast MG TF kits.  While it looks to be well cast, it will be quite a bit more difficult to put together than a typical plastic kit.  The multi-piece body will require some "massaging".

[Dave G.]

17 hours ago, hack-n-whack said:

Didn't Lindberg make one back in the day?

 

I remember an MGA kit back in the day but I'm thinking it was maybe 1/32. I know there was a Jaguar kit of that vintage ( I built one that I barely remember the details of probably around 1960 or 61 that was smaller than 1/25 or 1/24). I think there was a Triumph kit kit too. I was into hot rods though or totally stock sedans and such, so barring time they also weren't sharp on my mind anyway and I surely could be wrong.... Also they may have been Lindberg but Aurora sticks out in my mind really.

Edited March 30, 2020 by Dave G.

[jokar124]

Both Lindberg and Monogram made 1/32 scale models of the MGA. Monogram's version was also available as a slot car.

 

[Dave G.]

31 minutes ago, jokar124 said:

Both Lindberg and Monogram made 1/32 scale models of the MGA. Monogram's version was also available as a slot car.

 

Ah hah ! I knew/thought I had seen it in 1/32 long ago.

[chaves pah]

On 3/29/2020 at 7:17 PM, Gramps46 said:

MGAs were made by Strombecker and by Southeastern Finecast.  This is my Le Mans MGA built from a Strombecker kit with Herb Deeks wire wheels and tires.  It is very simple and was meant to be motorized.  It is a bit big like most of the Strombeckers back then, more like 1/23rd.

The Finecast kit is a multi-media kit with a metal body.  Finecast also does the coupe version.

 

Thank you very much for your answer; but I learned for extensive search that they are all three looong out of production... couldn't find one everywhere/anywhere...

I think the only option is scratch building one, did somebody try to do it?

[Gramps46]

I know nothing about this vendor but they do list both of the MGAs from Finecast.

https://www.scalelink.co.uk/acatalog/Car_Kits___Scale_1_24-p1.html

[stitchdup]

If you watch ebay.co.uk the finecast versions pop up fairly often

[Anglia105E]

Gary is correct..... the Scalelink people in UK took over the South Eastern Finecast kits, and the MGA or MG A is still available to purchase, in both hard top and soft top versions....... I have built the MG K3 Magnette original Finescale Auto Kits white metal model, which was a very old kit, and although it was a bit challenging it did build up into a very nice model car.

The Finescale kits that come up on Ebay tend to be a bit expensive, and I was very lucky to pick one up that was cheaper.

David

[Gramps46]

Thank you David and Leslie for confirmation on the availability of the MGs.  The one I pictured above is actually my kit and I hope to build it one day.

I hope soon to post a build report  by Scott Kercher (Cobra, Cunningham, Stars and Stripes Corvette) who is a doing  a build of a Sebring entry. 

[chaves pah]

On 4/1/2020 at 1:27 AM, Gramps46 said:

I know nothing about this vendor but they do list both of the MGAs from Finecast.

https://www.scalelink.co.uk/acatalog/Car_Kits___Scale_1_24-p1.html

Yes, I already contacted them and they told me that all MGs As and Bs are long out of production...

[Yahshu]

On 3/30/2020 at 4:41 AM, peteski said:

Sorry, but this bugged me. MGA is I think a movie studio. 

The movie studio is - MGM - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. 

Sorry to digress. 

Edited April 3, 2020 by Yahshu

[chaves pah]

Well, I´m afraid I have no good news about we all that expect to have a 1/24 MGA model in our shelves... this is the answer from Squirestools, the new owners of SEFCast I got two days ago:

"The A211 MGA 1500 is currently marked as N/A on the price list, meaning that it is currently not in production, I believe that it requires new moulds. We are working on getting our existing stocks back up to level. Once this is complete we will start working on getting obsolete kits back into production. However due to the fact that this will require a full set of new moulds (assuming that we have all suitable masters to do this) this may still take years to complete.

I realise that this is not what you are wanting to hear, however the kit that you are enquiring about unfortunately has not been in production for several years do to the previous owner of South Eastern Finecast having limited interest in the model Car kits.

We will be aiming to get these kits back on sale, however please appreciate that this may not be as simple as it appears."

CASE CLOSED...

[Dave G.]

The case isn't closed, look for old stock. Ebay is your semi friend, in that you may find one, maybe even un opened but not like the price.

[Bugatti Fan]

A company named Squires in Bognor Regis, Sussex in the UK has acquired all the South Eastern (ex Wills) Finecast and Auto Kits moulds.

Not sure if Scale Link ever owned South Eastern Finecast / Auto Kits, although listing the kits along with loads of other items they sell.

Wills as was, made a range of nicely detailed 1/24th scale white metal car kits. They acquired the Auto Kits range of car kits, again in white metal that were generally less detailed than the Wills kits.

I have a Wills Bugatti T59 that is well detailed and an Auto kits MG TD that is a kerb side model with no engine detail. Both nice kits in their own right.

If anyone wants an MGA kit, the only one I am aware of is by a company named Wespe in Romania. The kit is in resin but is a very big 1/8th scale kit. The have a range of classics in this large scale that do not look to be highly detailed but would make the basis for some super retailers to get to work on.

Edited March 4, 2023 by Bugatti Fan

[NOBLNG]

It IS a beautiful car. Come on all you 3D printers….get on it!?

[Hoser Hobbies]

anyone know where i could get some detailed wheels for the Lindberg 1/24 MGA. the raised wire on the kit wheels, it SO slightly raised, it is impossible to paint them chrome without it bleeding into the solid(empty space) painted black between them.  building this kit now and at a loss for ideas how to paint these.

[chaves pah]

Hi, Eric, I'm afraid  that your Lindberg MGA is in 1/32 scale... to my knowledge, Lindberg never did this MGA in 1/24 scale, and, as far as I know, MGA appeared in 1/24 only twice: by STROMBECKER  in 1959/60 as a slotcar, and, in recent years, as a diecast kit, by Wills Finecast/ later Southeastern Finecast, but both has desapeared a few years ago... another company bought Southeastern, but they told me that a new mould is needed so...