Believe it or not, we have a second MG MGA race car to discuss here on Barn Finds.  This one is a rare twin-cam 1959 MG MGA that was outfitted long ago to do battle at Laguna Seca, Watkins, Glen, and numerous other legendary tracks.  Now it is looking for a new home with someone who can not only afford the upfront costs of such a rare car but also can tame the temperamental twin-cam engine.  Would that deep-pocketed mechanical genius be you?  If this beautiful red MGA were yours, would you even risk damaging it on a track, or would you park it in your living room and just stare at its beautiful lines every night?  Or is there another option?

If you are looking for a vintage race car that will have no trouble qualifying based on its competitive history for these prestigious events, then you may have found the perfect vehicle.  The seller describes this twin-cam MGA as the real deal and even offers up the serial number of the car and documentation as proof.  This car has raced at Laguna Seca, Sebring, Elkhart Lake, Watkins Glen, Road America, and more of the legendary tracks in road racing history according to the seller.  To prove its provenance, the original SCCA logbook is included in the sale along with a bevy of badges from the events it has participated in on a panel behind the seats.

While the seller believes that it would be better for this car to be retired from the racetrack and returned to the road, there may be a middle-of-the-road option.  In the ad, The Colorado Grand is mentioned.  This event is an invitation-only road rally for sports and racing cars built before 1960.  There are other events like this out there for those with the means and the cars, and there are now countless antique automobiles, sports cars, and other rally events that would be perfect for this car.  One can have a lot of fun transiting some of the most beautiful and challenging roads in North America without risking a vintage racing wreck like this one at Road America in 2005.

What separates this car from your average MGA is pictured above.  In an attempt to get more horsepower out of the inline four-cylinder engine that powered the car, a twin-cam head was developed.  The new head developed 108 horsepower, which was a gain of 28 over the standard engine.  Unfortunately, the higher compression head caused no end of headaches for the warranty department at MG.  Detonation, excessive oil consumption, and various other related maladies gave the cars a bad reputation with buyers despite also offering such niceties as four-wheel disc brakes.  By the time MG dropped the compression to better match the fuel that customers were buying at the pumps, it was too late.  The production run that started in 1958 quietly went away by 1960.

If you decide that taking this Twin Cam back to the track is your jam, then the seller is willing to throw in the removed roll bar and share all of the technical information associated with the buildup into a race car.  As you can see from the pictures above, a lot of the racing modifications are probably better left alone even if you make this a car for the street.  The fire suppression and fuel cell modifications make the car safer and provide that race character that makes the car interesting.

So, whichever way the buyer of this MGA goes, they will be behind the wheel of a very distinctive race car with a fascinating engine and a documented history.  A car like this can be a lot of fun to own and drive.  It is good that such vehicles are still being driven and enjoyed decades after they were built no matter where they travel.

Are you interested in vintage racing and are looking for a sorted racer with a history?  If so, then this 1959 MG MGA Twin Cam race car for sale on Craigslist in Fort Lupton, Colorado may be just the ticket to high-speed fun.  This bright red racer is currently being offered for $50,000.  Thanks to T.J. for another awesome find!