The eye catching VA was based on the contemporary Wolseley Twelve, with a 1548cc four-cylinder engine, and was offered with similar four-seater body styles to this of the SA, in open tourer, saloon or drophead coupe forms by Tickford and Salmons & Sons, that were much more expensive and elaborate.

All three cars offered a similar performance with leisurely acceleration, but a maximum speed of circa 80 mph, which could be held in relative comfort. When viewed as luxurious tourers, rather than nimble, hell-for-leather sports cars, they were excellent motor cars and helped MG's sales to nearly 3000 units in 1938, which was substantially more than the boom years of 1932.

Our car here a VA Drophead Tickford Coupe offers the panache of an open tourer with the comfort of a closed car and the ability to change from one to the other with ease.

Found as a wreck in a garage in Shirley, Southampton in 1972 by the previous but one keeper, this car was to remain with him for a further 47 years. Some 35 years after its purchase, this Tickford bodied VA was subject to a comprehensive and complete restoration by marque expert, Peter Ratcliffe of SVW Restorations, which remarkably is believed to have cost in excess of £100,000.

Looking at this fabulous car now together with its near perfect paint and interior, excellent panel fit and chrome, the detail is phenomenal and thus, this huge sum seems completely plausible.

The chosen paint finish for the main body was warwick grey with slate grey wings, which certainly suits the car and contrasts perfectly with the stunning red hide interior. The beautiful dash and dials are in their own right a work of art and typically period. The hood materials are evidently of the highest quality and the roof mechanisms inturn work very easily.

With less than 100 VA Tickfords known to exist, this car must present as one of the very best examples anywhere in the world today and certainly was the current owners 'piéce de résistance' in his enviable collection and is now after just one brief year of ownership, only available due to him sadly being unable to drive any of his collection.

This VA is well known within the MG Octagon Club world and is certainly deemed to be by those in the know, as an exceptional example. There's a large amount of information to impart and the good history only goes someway to helping with this, so do please call me as would be a pleasure to answer any further questions you might have. This stunning and rare MG VA can be inspected at my Guildford showroom - please call on 07788 865700.