Just how much pain could a cheap MGB GT Be?

[Guest Breadvan72]

I saw a chrome bumper MGB this morning, driven by the usual giffer at some ludicrously low speed.   Feck me, I was in an knackered out old Landy and I was going quicker than Mr Twatface.   Seeing an MGB made me want to kill it with fire, as usual.  

 

Also a hot chick in a Triumph Vitesse.  Now that is a proper classic car.   You can sort out the rear suspension issue by murdering the nearest available MGB driver and using the corpse to add weight over the rear wheels of the Triumph.

[Shep Shepherd]

  On 15/03/2014 at 01:23, Junkman said:

Unique opportunity to double your misery!

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MGB-GT-X2-/271424779375

 

I'd drive that yellow one as-is (although I'd fit the Nostyles from the spares car), just to wind up traditional MG people

[Junkman]

  On 15/03/2014 at 16:30, Breadvan72 said:

Also a hot chick in a Triumph Vitesse.  Now that is a proper classic car.

 

Yeah, what's the shite in that?

[purplebargeken]

  Quote

 

 

But if you're reaching retirement age and are looking for a way to relive your youth, things can't get much better than putting on your bomber jacket on a drizzly Sunday morning and driving your MGB at 20MPH to your local car show, to meet like-minded enthusiasts*.

 

Stuff that. Buy an MGF for less than £600 and have some fun, plus you can go topless oooer! Even if there is OMGHGF it can be sorted for less than £400, or just buy one with a documented HG fix. Tons out there for feck all money. I know 'cos I've got two of 'em for less than £251. My first one was a pricey £390.

[Junkman]

The trouble is, if I bought an OMGMGBGTBYMG, then I would be the target of ridicule from both ends - the Autoshiters and the MGers.

If there ever was a no-win situation, an MGB is it. That actually adds to its appeal.

[Junkman]

Not winning with this makes losing an attractive proposition, though.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/mgbgt-/191099995170

 

  Quote

 

i have the logbook and over £4000 in recietes

 

WCPGW?

[RichardMoss]

  On 15/03/2014 at 17:28, Junkman said:

 

WCPGW?

Apart from his spell checker?

[Guest Breadvan72]

Check it out....


http://www.angliacarauctions.co.uk/classic-auctions/saturday-5th-april-2014.aspx

[anonymous user]

  On 31/03/2014 at 17:00, Breadvan72 said:

Check it out....

 

 

http://www.angliacarauctions.co.uk/classic-auctions/saturday-5th-april-2014.aspx

Sod the MGBs, my money would be on the no reserve Bentley 8 or the Peugeot 404 pick-up

[Guest Breadvan72]

I would buy the Triumph that has a tank on its roof so that I could use the tank to crush all the MGBs.

[anonymous user]

I hadn't noticed that, I suppose it's a change from suitcases/petrol-cans/pineapples/etc.

[Guest Breadvan72]

On Saturday I had the great pleasure of watching two Central Casting BBC lesbians in a Morris Minor convertible overtaking a standard issue MGB bloke who was doing the regulation 55 mph within panicking range of the hard shoulder on the M40.  NB:  April, MGBs back on the road until early September.  Arse.

[Pete-M]

The worst car I have ever owned was a yellow MGB GT. MLV597R. Hateful thing.

 

For years if you typed "MGBs are shit" into Google I'd written the first few results.

 

I'd love a tidy MX5. The MGB is the car I most regret buying out of the hundreds I've owned.

[Skizzer]

  On 07/04/2014 at 10:12, Pete-M said:

 The MGB is the car I most regret buying out of the hundreds I've owned.

 

+1.  Mine (KAM898F) looked like that one Rab spotted in Edinburgh that's been parked since 2006, only green.  Except in places where the paint was flaking off, where it was blue.  The steering wheel boss was held on with Blutak and the carbs needed balancing every week.

 

Eventually Hammersmith & Fulham council crushed it because they decided to use the street it was (legally) parked in as a temporary coach park for a Chelsea game, without telling me.  I was angry and relieved in equal measure.

[Pete-M]

The killer thing with the B is that they look lovely but they're really horrible to drive. You just don't realise how horrible they are until it's too late. The whole "British sports car" thing got me and I swapped a lovely low mileage Mk2 Granada Ghia for my B GT. As I drove away I was happy, listening to the blaaarp of the exhaust, playing with the over drive, looking at the nicely shapely view over the bonnet. Only twice did I thrap my knuckles between the steering wheel and dash top. Didn't care. Thought the chunky heater switch was ace. I had an MGB!

 

Next morning I went to the MGB thinking it would be a nice run up to work in Wigan. 20 miles each way and quite a few nicely leafy lanes on the way. Perfect MGB roads.

 

Shame it wouldn't start. So I ended up removing the back seat to attach the jump leads and stopping one of my neighbours to give it a jump start. 15 minutes later and it still wouldn't go. It had a spark and plenty of fuel just didn't want to start. Neighbour buggered off so I had to find someone else to give it a jump off. Eventually the thing started and I got to work an hour and a half late. Not good.

 

Over the next few weeks I spent hours fiddling with that fucking MGB. Rebuilt the carbs, stripped and rebuilt the dizzy, new coil, new batteries, new battery leads, valve clearances, uprated the alternator, replaced the fuel pump and lines. Did absolutely everything I could to make it better. Thing nearly cost me my job as my previously impeccable attendance record was shot to bits by the MGB.

 

Eventually it would start first time every time. I'd gone as far as to get the thing set up on a rolling road to make sure it was right. Rolling Road operator proclaimed it to be "about as good as these things get" so I figured it should be more fun on my commute to Wigan that evening.

 

On the way home from work I was thrashing the B on a long uphill stretch of the A580 trying to get it to do 70 up the hill. It couldn't. A laden Peugeot 106 diesel went past me up the hill like something from the Red Arrows.

 

The funny thing was that not only could the 106d murder the B up a hill, it would have slaughtered it in corners too.

 

Honestly. Don't. The MX5 is like Concorde to the B. The MX5 is so much better it is off the scale.

[Junkman]

  On 07/04/2014 at 11:37, Pete-M said:

The MX5 is like Concorde to the B. The MX5 is so much better it is off the scale.

 

That alone should be reason enough to opt for the OMG A MGB.

Another one is to buy British etc etc.

 

Wouldn't mind a Concord for misery maximisation, though, thus deviate from the buy British doctrine for this time only.

 

[Pete-M]

The MGB is one of the reasons everyone stopped buying British.

[Junkman]

About 80% of the MGB production was exported, and funnily enough so much enjoyed by a loyal clientele abroad,

that the company was forced to deliver them in droves until 1980.

 

If there was a reason for everyone to stop buying British, I suggest it's the fact, that BL closed their dealerships.

[Sigmund Fraud]

  On 07/04/2014 at 11:37, Pete-M said:

Honestly. Don't. The MX5 is like Concorde to the B. The MX5 is so much better it is off the scale.

 

My MGB ownership experience was not too dissimilar to Pete's. I must have spent three times as much time tinkering with the fucking thing than actually driving it !

 

I eventually cut my losses, got rid and replaced it with an MX5. I rarely keep cars for more than a year, but the little MX5 has been around for two and a half and I won't be selling it anytime soon !

[supermellowman]

Evidently not much love for MGBs shown thus far.

 

As an unworldly 19 year old back in 1987 I bought CAX91V which was a pageant blue GT and over the next 7 years I racked up many miles in it including a return trip to Herford in Germany and, at one point, a daily commute of 120 miles.

 

It generally never missed a beat despite my unsympathetic attitude to servicing. All in all, a great car, but I had youth and naivity on my side. And my motoring experience up to that point was limited to a Chevette.

 

Through the rose tinted haze I sorely miss it, but that's probably more to do with the associated memories.

 

Some years later I had a B roadster. Now, that was hateful. As a daily prospect I'd go with a GT every time. I wonder how much of the hatred for Bs is fuelled by the association with summer days only owners nowadays.

[Inspector Morose]

KLD12N was mine. A Jubilee with gold V8 wheels and V8 rear springs. It was alright and went okay for a car designed in the 60's but I can't say id rush for another one. Swapped it in the end for a Berkley T60, a Trabant ( the ex Jaypol prize car no less!) and a Volvo 66. I did alright out of it I suppose.

[Ratdat]

The biggest failue of the MGB was being built for about a decade too long. It was a 1960's car of 1950's origins and as such had no place in the late 1970's. Had it's life rightfully ended at the end of the 60's, not only would they be less common these days but they would never have suffered the inevitable comparison to contemporary sportscars of the 70's, comparisons in which it would most surely fall short. 

 

I find it an interesting comparison with the Datsun Fairlady Roadster which looked very similar and was launched at exactly the same time. By the end of the the 60's the Fairlady had evolved into the 240Z. It's a real pity that the MGB couldn't have done likewise. Personally I don't really hold any contempt for the 'B' as such as for it's time with was a great product. Sales success overseas confirms that, but by 1980 it was the walking dead. I think a very early one on steels with hub caps is quite attractive.

[Pete-M]

1948 mechanicals were never gonna be much good in 1980...

[Felly Magic]

Buy an LDV Pilot, similar driving experience, but with a more practical body, you can even make it into a campervan for those misery holiday experiences

[RichardMoss]

MGBs are very much under rated and (despite the passage of time) they are still decent vehicles to drive, with decent reliability and totally unmatched support with regards to parts and service. 

 

I wonder how many of the previous derogatory comments come from people who would kill to be able to find specialists who could supply every single component of their cars at competitive prices or to be able to fix any rusty body work due to 100% availability of body panels?  How would you like to be able to upgrade the bakes/engine/suspension with a variety of "off the shelf" solutions - fit a V8 or a 2L Rover EFI engine, independent rear suspension conversion, aircon, power steering etc?  Want your MX5 in GT form?  Sorry - not available, although the BGT is.

 

That's the thing - an MGB can be anything you want it to be from the original of 1962 (which was, quite simply, the only decent mass-market sports car on the market at the time) or a V8, fuel injected, IRS suspended sports car which can hold its own in the 21st century.

[Felly Magic]

The MGB and Morris Minor are for those who lack imagination. There are just way too many on the road now and should both be stripped of classic status

[320touring]

  On 08/04/2014 at 20:49, Felly Magic said:

The MGB and Morris Minor are for those who lack imagination. There are just way too many on the road now and should both be stripped of classic status

 

 

The burd likes it, and it has cart springs- thats a win in my book:)

[Jim Bergerac]

I could quite like an MGB GT. Rubber bumpered of course with one of the more garish interiors. If I ever do get one, I shan't bother taking it to shows though for the obvious reason that there would be too many others there

[Skizzer]

^ Indeed. For the avoidance of doubt, I never, ever, ever, went to a show in mine. Nor did I have, or ever consider having, any hats, bags, stuffed toys, key rings, badges, stickers, Prince Alberts, mugs, tea cosies, umbrellas, Zimmer frames or any other MGOC merchandise bollocks.

 

I did walk home 14 miles from Chessington to Lots Road one night after a top hose fell off on the A3 on the way back from having the top end expensively rebuilt. Took all night but I was too effing pissed off to deal with any other humans or forms of transport.

 

So to answer the question in the thread title - LOTS of pain.

[AnthonyG]

  On 08/04/2014 at 20:38, RichardMoss said:

That's the thing - an MGB can be anything you want it to be from the original of 1962 (which was, quite simply, the only decent mass-market sports car on the market at the time) or a V8, fuel injected, IRS suspended sports car which can hold its own in the 21st century.

Yes, but a Vauxhall Firenza could hold its own in the 21st century if you completely replaced most of it!

 

The MGB built up a following because, for a good 10 years, you couldn't buy anything like it, apart from perhaps the drop top Alfa, which always appealed to a slightly different market anyway. That support, which coincided with the classic car market boom, has created a market of its own.

 

If I were to have one now it would be a nice early one, with hub caps and crackle black dash, to feel what they were like when they were quite new and respected, unfortunately by the late 1970s they had become a bit of a joke.

 

However I'd have any version of a Midget in a heartbeat, much more fun!