Bobsprit wrote:

We plan to drive the car, ....

Not too far or fast I hope. The flexable cranks in the pre-MGA motors
fatigued rapidly at freeway speeds/rpm. Enjoy it on the kinds of roads
it was designed for and it'll give you a lot of fun.

Now I'm looking for a deal on a MGA twincan or Austin Healy 3000 down the road.

Gawd you are a glutton for punishment!

If you get a 'cammer' be sure the tappet holes in the head are sleeved
and the matching late model tappets installed, else the tappets hang in
the aluminum, the pistons hit the valves and BANG. Similarly do NOT rev
it over 7000 despite it's eagerness to do so unless you use Castrol *R*
40 or a modern synthetic equivalent (Dinosaur blood can't get rid of
bearing heat fast enough). Stock MGA handling was called "Safety Fast" -
the chassis heeled over on the outside front and lifted the inside rear
wheel preventing speed increases or, unfortunately, "drifting". Install
a posi rear if you can still find one, lower the rear by re-arching the
springs and add the optional HD front roll bar so she'll lean on the
outside rear and pick up the inside front in true Brit fashion. The posi
alone was worth 6 sec/lap on the old Riverside (CA) course.

The 100-4 Healy was a far better car than the later models which stuffed
a 6 into the chassis and the 3000 was a poor performing Brit T-Bird.
BTW there were a few 'real' Le Mans models built - look for RHD with
integral headrest, a gas tank that fills the whole ass end, 4W disks,
etc.

Good luck!