1961 MGA Roadster

MGA: MYA320, by MG ‘Nut’ Volunteer Doug Bush

The below is an excerpt from the February 2026 Edition of the Museum Musings

My 1960 MGA on display in the Museum is one I purchased in South Africa in October 2003 while I was working at Johannesburg Airport as an Air Traffic Consultant.

One of my many MG friends in Johannesburg tipped me off about the MGA which a fellow Englishman, living in Henley-on-Klip, [55km South of Joburg] wished to sell. Having been looking for at least 4 years for a good MGA to buy, once I saw this one, I had to buy it. It was a 1600cc Mk 1 model in very good condition, with no rust anywhere. The purchase price was agreed with a handshake to confirm it. I did not take possession of the A until 3 weeks later, after I had undertaken a 15-day tour of South Africa in another MG friend’s 1954 TF, doing a total of 3600 miles over some wonderful traffic free roads, with 19 other early MG’s and their owners.

The MGA was exported from Abingdon UK, in January 1960, to its new owner in Rhodesia, where it was registered on 1 January and there it lived until the country became Zimbabwe, thereafter it was soon moved to South Africa to its new owner. On the 19th October 2003, Christine and I were driven to the MGA owner’s house by yet another MG friend. I paid cash for the car, being the full agreed amount [as we had shaken hands on the deal no deposit was asked for, after all we were both Englishmen!].

Thus, hood down, we set off back to Joburg, as we got closer to the southern ring road, the skies turned black and we were soon in heavy rain and a thunderstorm. Not knowing how to put the hood up we pressed on to our temporary home near the airport. By then we and the A were very wet but warm, we parked the A under our allocated car port, in the gated complex and within 2 hours the car had dried out. I then had to get the A rego transferred to my name, not an easy process, requiring a police inspection and check, then over the ‘Pits’ for a mechanical and condition check, before queuing for 6 hours at the local vehicle licensing station to license it.

We used the A regularly in SA including two rallies to Mozambique one tour to Capetown and numerous local MG Car Club events. All too soon my contract at Joburg came to an end and in November of 2005, the car was shipped to the UK arriving in mid-December at our home in England. I completed an on-line registration of the car, with the rego of 320MYA. As the car was over 30 years old, there was no annual, licence fee to pay but fully comprehensive vehicle insurance is compulsory in the UK.

During its time in England, I fitted a 1622cc engine and gearbox, an alternator plus new shockers front and rear, and a new hood which has never been used. We took the car over to the ‘Continent’ several times for very enjoyable MG tours of France and Germany.

Then in October 2012 we emigrated to Australia, The MGA was again shipped to its new home in Henley Brook, where we got it concessionally registered for use on WA roads, with its new Rego of MYA320 [at a cost of $100]. Thus far the MGA has covered over 26,000 Nautical miles in a shipping container on the high seas and 108,000 miles on the road, including a trip across the Nullarbor in 2014.

I bought my first MG, a 1098cc Mk 2 Midget, in 1966 and since then have never been without at least 1 MG in the family. MYA320 is one of 5 MG’s now in the Bush family and the one that I like driving the most. I also joined the MG Car Club UK in 1966 and remain a member, with many friends around the world because of the ownership of an MG; ‘The Marque of Friendship’ as it is known and certainly is in my case.