The MGA boot was finished with a Hardura covering and an integral spare wheel cover, with the layout differing between body styles and across the production run. Roadsters and 1500 coupés mounted the spare wheel on the boot floor with the wheel protruding through an aperture in the rear bulkhead into the tonneau area; from the 1600 coupé onwards, the spare was relocated fully into the boot with a solid bulkhead behind it. Reproduction boot carpets and spare wheel covers reflect these layout differences, so identifying the variant before ordering is essential.
Original Boot Trim Specification
The MGA boot was lined with a Hardura covering, felt on the inside, grey plastic on the outside, applied to the fibreboard surround of the spare wheel aperture and across the boot floor and adjacent panels. On roadsters and 1500 coupés, the spare wheel cover was permanently attached to the fibreboard surround of the bulkhead aperture, lifting clear when the spare wheel was removed. On 1600 and Mark II coupés (and the later Twin Cam coupés), with the spare wheel relocated fully into the boot, the cover became a loose item that lifted off the wheel rather than being fixed to the bulkhead. Reproduction sets follow these original layouts.
MGA Spare Wheel Covers
Reproduction MGA spare wheel covers are produced for both the early permanently attached pattern (roadster and 1500 coupé) and the later loose pattern (1600 coupé, 1600 Mk II coupé and later Twin Cam coupé). The construction follows the original Hardura specification, a felt-faced inner with a grey or black weather-resistant outer face, cut to the correct profile to lift clear of the wheel when access is required.
When ordering, the body style and (on coupés) the production date or chassis range determines which pattern is correct. Roadsters take the early permanently attached cover throughout production; coupés follow the bulkhead-attached pattern up to the introduction of the 1600 and the loose pattern thereafter.
MGA Boot Carpets
Reproduction boot carpets cover the boot floor and adjacent panels in a single fitted set, replicating the original Hardura layout. As with the spare wheel cover, the layout differs between roadster, 1500 coupé and 1600 onwards coupé, the 1500 coupé set incorporates the perforated bulkhead area through which the spare wheel originally protruded, whereas the 1600 onwards coupé set fits over a solid bulkhead with the spare wheel sitting fully in the boot beside it. Sets are cut to the correct profile and supplied in the original-pattern Hardura material so that the boot finish matches the rest of the period interior.
Boot Layout, Identifying the Correct Variant
The straightforward indicator is whether the spare wheel sits fully in the boot or partly protrudes through the rear bulkhead into the tonneau. A coupé with a solid rear bulkhead and the spare fully in the boot is a 1600 or later car (including Twin Cam coupés built alongside or after the 1600). A coupé with the spare protruding through a perforated bulkhead is a 1500 coupé. All roadsters carry the spare wheel on the boot floor protruding through the bulkhead, regardless of variant.
There is also a small but telling clue in the spare wheel clamp itself, the slightly longer clamp is correct for roadsters and early coupés, while the shorter type is for the 1600 and later coupés.
Fitting Considerations
The boot is best trimmed with the spare wheel removed and the boot floor accessible. The fibreboard surround of the spare wheel aperture should be checked for damp damage before the new Hardura is fitted, water can enter the boot via worn boot lid seals or the rear lights, and once the fibreboard begins to delaminate it cannot be cleanly re-covered. Spare wheel covers (early permanently attached pattern) are fixed to the fibreboard surround using the same fixings as original; the later loose pattern simply lifts on and off. Adhesive is required for the boot carpet itself, applied at the edges to prevent the material from lifting in service.
Ordering Considerations
Two points should be confirmed before ordering. First, the body style, roadster or coupé. Second, on coupés, whether the car is a 1500 (spare wheel through perforated bulkhead, permanently attached cover) or a 1600 onwards (spare wheel fully in boot, loose cover). Roadsters are straightforward.
Where the spare wheel clamp is also being renewed, ordering the correct pattern (longer for roadsters and early coupés, shorter for 1600 and later coupés) at the same time keeps the period detail consistent. where soundproofing material is most effective.