Hemmings Classic Car – October 2019

Thefour-cylinderengineofthis2,240poundcarisjust

aboutadequateenoughtogetthestatelysaloonuptospeed,

althoughitwilltakeawhile.KnownastheXPAGengine,this

overhead-valveunitoriginallydisplaced1,250-cc,andwithits

fuelfedviaasmallSUcarburetor,withits7.2:1compression

ratio,itgenerated 46 horsepowerat4,800rpm.

MGneversolditsYAsaloonsStateside,butthanksto

theeffortsofrenownedMGhistorianandchampionofthe

marqueRichardKnudson,itwasimportedtohishomeinthe

upstateNewYorktownofOneonta.Yearslater,onNewYear’s

Dayin1977,itwaspurchasedbyitscurrentowner,George

Pardee,aformerConnecticutnativewhonowresidesin

Clearwater,Florida.

“Thecarwaswellworn,butcomplete,”Georgeremem-

bers.“TypicalofBritishcarsofthatperiod,ithadextensivebody

rust,coveredbymultiplelayersoffillerandpaint,butitwasa

finedriverandalltheoriginalpartswerepresent,whichwould

bedifficulttosourcehadtheybeenmissing.”

GeorgecompetesinvintageracingeventswithotherMGs,

soitwasalltooeasyandimportantforhimtoperformsome

upgradestohisYAsalooninhisquestformorepower,which

wouldhelpitperformbetterandsaferontoday’scrowded

roads.AfterhavingtheXPAGblockboredto1,350-cc,hehad

thecylinderheadpolishedforbettergasflow,installedahigh-

liftCranecamshaft,fittedabiggerSUH4carburetorwitha

largerdiameter1½-inchbore,andreplacedthestockexhaust

withalargerdiameter1½-inchstainlesssteelsystem,alongwith

addingafreerflowingK&Nairfilter.Moreimportantwasthe

installationofafive-speedDatsungearbox,whichmadeahuge

differenceindroppingenginerevsathighwayspeeds;George

purchasedthisfromSkyhookEngineering,butthisconversion

kitisnolongeravailable,asthecompanyhascloseddown.

Astothewaythiselegant-lookingMGperforms,George

toldus:“Thiscarisablast.Withitsstate-of-the-art 1947 sus-

pensionandbrakes,askillfuldrivercankeepthisMGonthe

ragged,hairyedgeofadhesionprovidedbythe5.25x 16 Avon

Touristbias-plytires,whicharemountedon3-inchwiderims.

Ithandlesandsteersinapredicablemanner,withcontrollable

oversteer;liftingthethrottleslightlywillcalmeverythingdown.

Therack-and-pinionsteeringisalmosttoosensitiveforthetiny

contactpatchofthetires,butitcreatesconfidencewithexcel-

lentroadfeelandresponse.”

Georgecontinuedhisdrivingimpressionsbysaying:“The

originalMOWOGgearboxwaspreciseandeasytoshift,but

requireddeliberation;impatiencewouldbeatthesynchros

andclashthegears.However,theDatsunfive-speedmanual

transmissionshiftslikebutter,makingsmoothdown/upshifts

throughsweepingbendsajoy.Wealsoupgradedthebrakesto

Alfindrums,astheoriginalsteeldrumsrequiredahigh-friction

lining.Theywereadequate,buttheAlfinbrakes,withtheirradi-

allyfinnedalloydrumswithironliners,aretheequaltomodern

brakes,althoughthepedaleffortishigher.

“WhatwelikemostaboutthisMGsaloonisitsstyle;it’s

alsoverycomfortableandtheperformanceismostenjoyable.

Thiscarhasperformedexactlyasweexpected,anddoneall

thatwehaveaskedofher.SinceweboughtthisYAbackin

1977,wehavedrivenhermorethan95,000miles;infact,we

stillaverage3,000milesperyear.Sheisanimportantpartof

ourfamily,andthefocusofmanyhappymemories.Bestofall,

IloveblowingoffMGTDs.”

Inspired by his better performing MG race cars, George tweaked the YA’s original XPAG OHV four-cylinder engine for added power. He installed

a larger 1½-inch H4 SU carb, higher-lift Crane camshaft, an alternator, K&N air filter, and had the engine block bored out to 1,350-cc.

Trafficators are part of

the YA’s prewar heritage;

sliding metal sunroof

was a standard yet

desirable feature.

What we like most

about this MG saloon

is its style; it’s also

very comfortable...

46 Hemmings classic car october 2019 I Hemmings.com