Moss Motors

Moss Motors Moss Motors is the world's largest supplier of restoration and accessory parts for Classic British Sports Cars, since 1948
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"You turn it on. It turns you on."Let's just sit with that tagline for a second, because 1960s MG copywriters clearly di...
08/20/2026

"You turn it on. It turns you on."

Let's just sit with that tagline for a second, because 1960s MG copywriters clearly did not think twice before running it. A line that reads more like a personal ad than automotive advertising, it's the kind of double entendre that would never survive a modern approvals process, which is exactly what makes it fun to look back on.

Underneath all that innuendo is a genuinely serious pitch. The copy skips horsepower bragging and goes straight for rack-and-pinion steering, predictable suspension, and self-adjusting disc brakes, the stuff that actually made an MGB fun to drive rather than just fast on paper.

"The real kick of an MGB comes not from having power to burn, but from the finesse with which you discipline it" Somewhere between the key fob joke and the spec sheet, the ad forgets to keep flirting and just tells you the car is good.

Then it snaps back into focus for the last shot: MGB mid-corner, top down, no punchlines left, just the car doing the convincing.

Great one for a "vintage ads that would never fly today" post; MGB fans will get a kick out of the retro cheese!

What's the cheesiest vintage car ad line you've ever seen?

The Morris Minor proved that small could still be significant.Introduced in 1948 and designed by Alec Issigonis, the Min...
08/18/2026

The Morris Minor proved that small could still be significant.

Introduced in 1948 and designed by Alec Issigonis, the Minor was built around efficiency long before that became a selling point elsewhere. Independent front suspension and rack and pinion steering gave it handling that outclassed most economy cars of its era.

Later models carried the A-series engine, which was modest on paper, but well-matched to the car's light weight. That simplicity is a big part of why so many have survived. The Minor is easy to work on, and forgiving of decades of amateur mechanics.

It never chased performance headlines. It just did its job reliably for over two decades, becoming the first British car to sell a million units.

An everyday car then. A quiet classic now.

Explore our range of Morris Minor parts here: https://mossmotors.com/morris-minor

A little piece of MGA history, in full color. 🎨Long before the MGA became one of Britain’s most recognizable sports cars...
08/17/2026

A little piece of MGA history, in full color. 🎨

Long before the MGA became one of Britain’s most recognizable sports cars, every car began with a choice of factory finishes that helped give it its own personality. This original MGA factory color chart offers a fascinating look at the colors available during the MGA’s production years.

From the deep, elegant tones of Mineral Blue and Orient Red to the softer shades of Iris Blue, Ash Green, and Alamo Beige, the palette was as distinctive as the car itself. And, of course, classics like Old English White and Black remain timeless choices.

The chart also gives us a glimpse into how colors varied across the MGA lineup, with specific shades designated for the 1500 roadster, 1500 coupe, 1600, and MKII models. These little details are part of what makes researching and restoring an MGA so rewarding.

At Moss Motors, we love uncovering the history behind these cars and helping enthusiasts keep that history on the road.

If you could order a brand-new MGA in one of these original factory colors, which one would you choose? 👇

Plans for today:Find a classic British car.Get comfortable.Cancel everything else.Happy International Relaxation Day 💤 ...
08/15/2026

Plans for today:

Find a classic British car.
Get comfortable.
Cancel everything else.

Happy International Relaxation Day 💤

"Your mother wouldn't like it".The ad doesn't mention what's under the bonnet; it's interested in the version of you tha...
08/13/2026

"Your mother wouldn't like it".

The ad doesn't mention what's under the bonnet; it's interested in the version of you that drives up to a cinema at midnight in a red convertible and doesn't explain yourself to anyone. Leather jacket, marquee lights, an MGB idling at the kerb, this is a picture of independence dressed up as a car advert. The car is almost a prop for the life it implies: nights out, no curfew, nobody's approval required.

That's a harder thing to sell than horsepower, and a harder thing to date. Fifty years on, the appeal isn't nostalgia for the MGB specifically; it's nostalgia for the MGB lifestyle.

If yours is still bringing that nostalgia, Moss stocks what it needs to keep doing it, from trim to mechanicals.

MG TD 🇬🇧Introduced in 1950, the MG TD helped bring British sports cars to a whole new audience, particularly in the Unit...
08/12/2026

MG TD 🇬🇧

Introduced in 1950, the MG TD helped bring British sports cars to a whole new audience, particularly in the United States. It combined the familiar charm of the earlier T-Series cars with meaningful updates, including independent front suspension and rack-and-pinion steering, making it noticeably more comfortable and confidence-inspiring to drive.

It still had the upright stance, flowing fenders, and simple mechanical feel that defined the T-Series, but the TD was the model that many enthusiasts experienced first. In many ways, it laid the groundwork for MG's growing popularity throughout the 1950s.

Do you own an MG TD? We'd love to see it in the comments.

MG103Fest is coming to Gananoque, Ontario this August, right on the Thousand Islands.This is its third year running, and...
08/08/2026

MG103Fest is coming to Gananoque, Ontario this August, right on the Thousand Islands.

This is its third year running, and the lineup gets better every time. MGAs, MGBs, Midgets, TDs and TCs all show up. Whatever's in the garage, this is the weekend people bring it out.

Gananoque sits right in the Thousand Islands, so there's no shortage of good road along the way. Waterfront views most of the drive in, plenty of stops worth making if you're taking the scenic route.

Anyone making the trip this year, and what model will you be bringing?

08/07/2026

Big project on the bench? Good timing.

Watch the savings stack up: orders of $399 or more save 12% at checkout. Cross $899, and the discount climbs to 15%.

Whether it's a full restoration or a parts list you've been chipping away at for months, now's the time to stock up. Combine gaskets with trim, brake parts with interior pieces, or whatever your project calls for.

Remember - the more you order, the more you save!

Shop now → https://mossmotors.com/buy-more-save-more

This 1970s British Leyland ad for the MG Midget made a case that sounds bold now: "the people's Ferrari." At the time, i...
08/05/2026

This 1970s British Leyland ad for the MG Midget made a case that sounds bold now: "the people's Ferrari." At the time, it was less about the comparison and more about positioning the Midget honestly against everything else on the sports car market.

The specification backs it up. Rack and pinion steering and front disc brakes were not standard across the segment at this price point. The 1275cc engine returning over 20 mpg mattered to buyers who wanted genuine sports car handling without the running costs that came with it. Reclining bucket seats, mag-style wheels, and full instrumentation including a tachometer were details most manufacturers reserved for higher trim levels, not base-spec roadsters.

What stands out is how little the ad oversells. "Not exactly a Ferrari. But one heck of a people's sports car" is a fairly restrained claim for automotive advertising of the period, and it reads more like an accurate summary than a sales pitch. The Midget was never trying to be something it wasn't. It was trying to be the most sports car most people could actually afford, and by most accounts it succeeded.

The Triumph TR8 was the car the TR line had been building toward all along.Introduced in 1978, it took the TR7's wedge-s...
08/03/2026

The Triumph TR8 was the car the TR line had been building toward all along.

Introduced in 1978, it took the TR7's wedge-shaped body and dropped in Rover's 3.5-liter V8, finally giving the platform the power its styling had always promised. The result was a genuine grand tourer, quick in a straight line and far more capable than its four-cylinder sibling.

It arrived at a difficult time for British manufacturing, and production numbers stayed low as a result. That scarcity is part of what makes surviving TR8s so valued today, a V8 sports car that never got the run it deserved.

An underdog then. A genuine collector's car now.

Explore our range of Triumph TR8 parts here: https://mossmotors.com/triumph-tr7-8

Address

25651 Simpson Road
Goleta, CA
23803

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 7:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 7:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 7:30pm
Thursday 8am - 7:30pm
Friday 8am - 7:30pm

Telephone

+18006677872

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