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Jonathan Lamson's 1960 MGA Twin Cam w/ Mazda 12A Rotary Engine

Jonathan Lamson · 1960 MG MGA Twin Cam

MG MGA

BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports carsBritish V8 Newsletter, Volume XV Issue 2, September 2007

Read the full write-up at BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars ↗

Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars

A 1960 MGA Twin Cam rebuilt with a Mazda 12A rotary engine

Jonathan Lamson's MGA Twin Cam had already been converted to a Mazda 12A Wankel rotary by previous owners, and the write-up documents the car as finished in 1986. It covers the rotary drivetrain, brakes, wheels, bodywork and interior changes that turned the car into a stripped-down retro racer look, with the owner noting its power delivery and his plans for further work.

Specs

As stated in the original write-up.

Engine
Mazda 12A Wankel rotary (late 1970s), street ported, with Racing Beat intake manifold and four barrel carb, Racing Beat headers, stock electricals
Gearbox
Stock Mazda 4-speed (late 1970s)
Driveshaft
Custom driveshaft from Driveline Service of Alexandria
Brakes
Dunlop/Ferrari brakes
Wheels
Stock MGA Twin Cam wheels with 7 inch Chevy rims welded on for wider tyres
Electrical
All new wiring, converted to 12V negative ground system
Body
Louvered bonnet with leather hold-down straps, badges removed, hood pins on trunk lid, stainless steel floorboards, driver's side roll hoop, headlight stone guards
Interior
Reupholstered in red leather with black carpeting, aluminum scuff plates on rocker panels, lower door panels and floor frame, leather wrapped steering wheel
Completed
1986

Parts used

Parts named as used in the original write-up, grouped the way the Parts page groups them. Where one of the shops we index lists the same thing for this car, it is shown underneath with a link to the shop.

Engine 1

Fuel & Ignition 2

Gearbox & Drivetrain 2

Brakes 1

  • Dunlop/Ferrari brakesDunlop/Ferrari

    Braking system fitted to the car

    In the shops
    Wire Wheels (MWS Dunlop Style) ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $347.25 USD

Wheels & Tyres 1

Body & Trim 5

Interior 4

Electrical 1

  • Full rewiring harness

    Replaced all wiring and converted the car to 12V negative ground

Photos

12 pictures collected from the write-up, in the order they were posted, shown from BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars. A picture opens larger here, with the way through to the page it is on.

Jonathan Lamson's 1960 MGA Twin Cam with Mazda 12A Rotary EnginePhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Mazda 12A Wankel rotary engine in an MGAPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Mazda twin distributorsPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Mazda twin coil ignition systemPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
leather steering wheelPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Talbot mirrorPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
louvered MGA hoodPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
boot lid pinsPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
widened MGA twin-cam wheelsPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
MGA retro racerPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
MGA leather bonnet strapsPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Donate Now!Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars

How it was done

A rotary-powered Twin Cam

This MGA Twin Cam arrived already converted to a Mazda 12A rotary engine by unknown previous owners. The late 1970s engine was fitted with street porting, a Racing Beat manifold and four barrel carburetor, and Racing Beat headers, paired with the stock Mazda 4-speed gearbox and a custom driveshaft.

Stopping and rolling

The car was equipped with Dunlop/Ferrari brakes. To fit wider tyres, the owner had 7 inch Chevy rims welded onto the stock MGA Twin Cam wheels.

Bodywork changes

The bonnet was louvered and secured with leather hold-down straps, all badges were removed, and the trunk lid was pinned with hood pins. The original plywood floorboards were swapped for stainless steel, which stiffened the chassis, and a driver's side roll hoop and headlight stone guards were added.

Electrical and interior rework

All the wiring was replaced and converted into a 12V negative ground system. Inside, the car was reupholstered in red leather with black carpeting, aluminum scuff plates were installed on the rocker panels, lower door panels and floor frame, and the steering wheel was leather wrapped.

Driving impressions and what's next

The owner describes the car as not the quickest off the line but strong once it's into its power curve. Future plans include a racing style front apron with air intake and lamp cut-outs, a possible engine-turned stainless dashboard with extra gauges, and a push-button start.

A summary in our own words. The full account, with all its detail, is in the original write-up: read it at BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars ↗

Worth knowing

  • Replacing plywood floorboards with stainless steel noticeably stiffened the chassis.
  • A custom driveshaft was needed to mate the Mazda drivetrain to the MGA.
  • Welding wider rims onto the original wheels allowed fitting wider tyres without full replacement.
  • The rotary engine is not strong off the line but performs better once it reaches its power curve.

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