On 27 Mar 2001, David Malcolm-Smith (on the MGA Twin Cam Enthusiasts Group) wrote:
"Amongst the options listed for my car YM1/722, it has "special body". I believe my car is the only car with this option. Someone asked Anders Clausager at an MG meet last year, on my behalf, if he knew the significance of "special body". He could provide no answer.
The car is a home market [UK] coupe, dispatched on 16 Oct 1958, in Mineral Blue. The only differences I can see from other cars are minor trim details.
1. A carpet insert on the bottom of the door panels.
2. The centre arm rest is not sewn to the tunnel carpet, but attached to a metal saddle which is trimmed in the same vinyl type material as the rest of the interior. It is located by dome fasteners. It is thus removable and I used it in my MGC for a few years while the "A" was off the road.
3. There is an aluminium scuff plate fixed to the top of each sill.
4. The seat backs [deluxe] have leather straps with buckles to stop them hinging forwards under hard braking or similar.
5. the dip switch was panel mounted.
These things are minor and no doubt have appeared elsewhere, but I have seen no mention in any of the restoration books or parts books or catalogues etc.
The first owner of the car was someone of note [Sir Sydney Camm, Hawker Aircraft Company chief designer] so maybe the car was spec'd a little higher.
The car also has an anti-roll bar. This is not mentioned in the listed options, it had about the same amount of corrosion as the rest of the car underside so must have been fitted very early in the cars life. The second owner was named D.Leese. [I got this name via the Holland twin cam register] I believe he was a strong MG car club member. It would be nice to contact him if he is still around. Still someone may have recollections of a mineral blue coupe club car on the scene near forty years ago in the UK., there can't have been many of them around".
David Malcolm-Smith