Guide

MG parts, specialists and restoration: keeping a classic MG on the road

By British Classic Cars · Last reviewed June 7, 2026 Part of: MG, the marque that put the sports car in the driveway

A classic MG is one of the easiest old cars to keep on the road, because few marques are as well served for parts and knowledge. Decades after Abingdon closed, MG spares and specialist expertise remain among the strongest of any British classic, which is a large part of why these are such practical cars to run and restore. This is a guide to what is available, who supplies it, what restoration involves, and how the cars are insured.

A red MG MGB roadster with Rostyle wheels, front three-quarter view — MG parts supply is the best of almost any classic. For the MGB and Midget you can buy nearly every panel and component new, including complete bodyshells.Photo by Rutger van der Maar / CC BY 2.0

Parts availability by model

The picture is good across the range, with a clear order to it.

The best-supported MGs are the MGB and the Midget. For these you can buy almost an entire car from catalogue parts: body panels, chassis sections, trim, hoods, mechanical and electrical parts are all available new or remanufactured, often from several suppliers. Better still, complete galvanised bodyshells for both are pressed on the original factory tooling, so even a very rough car can, in principle, be saved.

The MGA is well served for the pushrod cars, with most body and mechanical parts remanufactured at sensible prices; the Twin Cam’s specific engine parts are the scarce and expensive exception. The MGC is the least supported of the family, but because it shares its bodyshell and much of its running gear with the MGB, the only genuinely difficult items are its six-cylinder engine, its torsion-bar front suspension and some model-specific trim. The same broad picture applies to the MGB GT, with the rear screen surround the notable hard-to-source panel.

A yellow MG Midget with wire wheels, rear three-quarter view — The MG Midget is the cheapest classic MG to run: light, simple and supported by cheap, plentiful parts, with even complete bodyshells available.Photo by dave_7 / CC BY 2.0

The specialists and club spares

MG is served by an unusually deep network of suppliers. There are large multi-marque remanufacturers and specialists that carry vast MG catalogues, alongside model-focused restorers and tuners. Between them they have remade so much of each car that parts supply is rarely the limiting factor in a restoration; labour and structural repair are.

Just as important are the club spares operations. The owners’ clubs run their own parts schemes, which are often the best route to advice on what actually fits, and the heritage bodyshell programme keeps the monocoque cars alive. For most jobs on an MGB or Midget, the part you need is on a shelf somewhere.

A red MG MGB GT on display at a motoring museum — The owners' clubs run their own spares operations, and the heritage bodyshell programme keeps the monocoque cars alive decades after Abingdon closed.Photo by ell brown / CC BY-SA 2.0

Restoration considerations

What an MG restoration involves depends on how the car is built.

The monocoque cars, the MGB, the Midget and the MGC, carry their strength in the bodyshell, so structural rust is the main challenge. The sills are structural and are the priority: a smart outer sill can hide a rotten inner sill and membrane, and sagging doors and uneven panel gaps are the warning sign. Floors, jacking points, wheel arches, boot floors and battery boxes all need checking. The work is well understood and every panel is available, but it is labour-intensive, which is where the cost lives.

The MGA is different: it has a substantial separate steel chassis with the body bolted on top, so the body and frame can be separated for restoration. Here the inspection points are the chassis rails, the sills and the floors, with the MGA’s wooden floorboards an unusual detail to be aware of. Across all the cars, the mechanical side is approachable for a home restorer, since the BMC engines and simple electrics are easy to work on.

A red MG MGA roadster, front three-quarter view — The MGA differs from the others in having a separate chassis, so body and frame can be parted for restoration; the MGB, Midget and MGC are monocoques where the sills are structural.

The owners’ clubs

The club network is one of the marque’s greatest assets, offering spares, dating, technical registers and events:

The MG Owners’ Club (MGOC), a very large club with its own spares operation and workshop, and a members’ insurance scheme.
The MG Car Club (MGCC), the older, manufacturer-rooted club, organised into model registers (the MGB, MGA, Midget and MGC registers) that hold deep technical and dating knowledge.
The Midget and Sprite Club, covering the whole Spridget family.

Joining the relevant club before you buy is one of the best moves any prospective owner can make: the technical knowledge, dating help and spares access are worth far more than the membership fee.

A chrome-bumper MG MGB GT at a show — The club network is one of the marque's greatest assets. Joining the relevant club before you buy is the single best move any prospective owner can make.Photo by grobertson4 / CC BY 2.0

Insuring a classic MG

Classic MGs are typically insured on an agreed-value classic-car policy rather than a standard market-value motor policy. An agreed-value policy fixes the payout in advance and usually comes with limited annual mileage and the expectation that the car is a cherished second car rather than a daily driver, which suits the way most classics are used. Premiums are generally modest, and club membership often brings a worthwhile discount.

A white MG Midget on wire wheels, three-quarter view — Classic MGs are usually insured on an agreed-value classic-car policy, which suits a cherished car driven sparingly rather than every day.

This page supports the classic MG guide and its model pages. For the broader practical side of classic ownership, see owning and running a classic car.

Quick answers

Frequently asked questions

Are MG parts easy to get?

For the classic models, exceptionally so. The MGB and the MG Midget are among the best-supported classic cars in the world: body panels, chassis sections, trim, hoods and mechanical parts are all available new or remanufactured, and complete galvanised bodyshells are made on the original factory tooling. The MGA is very well served for pushrod mechanical and body parts, though Twin Cam-specific items are scarcer. The MGC is the least supported of the family, but shares so much with the MGB that only its six-cylinder engine, front suspension and some trim are genuinely hard to find.

How much does it cost to restore a classic MG?

It depends entirely on the model and starting condition, so treat any figure with caution. The good news is that parts supply is so strong that you rarely have to fabricate anything. The big cost on the monocoque cars (MGB, Midget, MGC) is structural rust repair, especially the sills and floors, which is labour-intensive, and a complete new bodyshell, while available, costs around the value of a finished car. As a rule, buy the best car you can rather than the cheapest, because a full restoration almost always costs more than the finished car is worth.

Which classic MG is cheapest to run?

The MG Midget. It is light, simple, mechanically tough and supported by cheap, plentiful parts, so it is among the most affordable classics of any kind to keep on the road, and most jobs can be done at home with ordinary tools. The MGB is only slightly more expensive and just as well supported. The six-cylinder MGC costs more to run because its engine and front suspension parts are scarcer, and the MGA, while cheap mechanically, is a more valuable car to maintain to a high standard.

How do you insure a classic MG?

Classic MGs are typically insured on an agreed-value classic-car policy rather than a standard market-value motor policy. An agreed-value policy fixes the payout in advance, usually with limited annual mileage and a requirement that the car is not used for daily commuting, which suits a cherished classic. Most owners insure through specialist classic-car insurers, often at a discount through an owners' club, and premiums are usually modest for a car that is driven sparingly and stored sensibly.