Description
Following the success of the SA and VA sedans, the WA, announced in 1938 at the Motor Show, was intended to be the largest saloon ever produced by Abingdon. The car adopted an silhouette similar to the SA with a considerably striking bodyshell, but the interior was far more luxurious and the SA‑based powertrain offered more power.
One can suppose MG pushed the concept of a large saloon far enough with the SA and VA models and that it moved sufficiently away from the sports car image (with the exception of the TA Midget) to satisfy that sector of the market, but by the summer of 1938 the saloon range was completed with the introduction of the WA or 2. 6‑litre saloon. This was an improved SA with a larger engine using a power unit not seen in any other Nuffield product of the era. The WA was undoubtedly the most luxurious MG yet produced by Abingdon and, while superficially similar to the SA, the bodyshell was far roomier and better equipped. The very complete dashboard boasted four elegant octagonal gauges with a 100 mph speedometer, a rev counter, water temperature, oil pressure, a fuel gauge, an ammeter and an electric clock, all set in a neat oxidised silver frame. Just below, grouped around the ignition switch, were rows of switches and warning lights for the other duties (windscreen wipers, lights, choke, etc.). The interior was very well finished with leather seats and leather door panels with fine wood inlays. Ventilation was well provided for thanks to the front windscreen opening and the individual quarterlight openings on the doors.
The chassis was similar to that of the SA, with the same wheelbase and front track, but the rear track was widened by more than three inches to improve the ride quality at the rear. The brakes were enlarged by increasing their diameter from 12 to 14 inches and Kimber suggested the system would benefit from a Lockheed dual master cylinder due to the car’s weight.
The engine was derived from the SA engine and it is noted that this was one of the first engines to use a fully counterbalanced crankshaft. The bore remained 69 mm while the stroke stayed at 102 mm, giving a displacement of 2561 cm³. With a much higher compression ratio, the engine developed around 20 hp more than in the VA form.
Three body styles were available on the WA chassis when announced in the summer of 1938. The saloon sold for £442, a Tickford drophead Coupe was available at £468 and the Charlesworth Tourer could be had for £450 but only nine of them were produced. Road tests carried out by car journals of the era were very rare, but those published indicated the WA delivered performance very similar to the SA and VA. Acceleration was judged less exciting than MG’s sports cars, but the WA is credited with a good top speed and the ability to sustain high cruising speeds at relatively low revs. Among the WA’s other virtues were excellent handling, positive steering and effective braking, all essential assets given the car’s size and weight.
Production of the WA Saloon is thought to have been limited to 265 cars, of which only 34 would survive to this day.
Equipped with a large sunroof, this example was purchased by its current owner in 1990 in Kent, England, where it had spent its entire life, and was subsequently restored over two years:
– Refinish of gauges and instruments
– Refurbishment of all chrome
– New interior
It subsequently won numerous elegance prizes in Belgium. The engine was rebuilt in 2002 (crankshaft, bearings, lead-free cylinder head, …).
The paintwork shows age-related faults, the chassis is sound and the car runs very well.
This MG WA is the unique opportunity to discover the pre‑war world inside a performing and rare car, which, thanks to hydraulic brakes, rare for the era, allows confident driving in today’s traffic.
