MGB GT - I can haz/ I haz apid for...

[dieselassist]

Wont weigh this down with a lotta text (as my previous threads); acquired this round 16th dec 2014 from my uncle; I had previously been tasked with 'fettling' his daily 04 citroen C5 2.0 HDi which needed a stack of work - rear brakes, front drop links, engine aux belt idler, a starter an intercooler n  lots of other bits - I bought all the parts n long story short he offset the labour n parts against his MGB GT, plus a nice few quid I had previously done all the welding work to, since it was a bit of a basket case...

 

...it was his first foray into 'classic cars' 'resto projects' etc n while he saw the whole resto thing out to the end, including, after I had done all the welding, a respray n sourcing an overpriced rotten donor  later rubber bumpered car for its drivetrain, he decided to cut his losses in his foray into the vintage classic car 'scene' here (his experience of a classic car run here - spending a sunday standing in a wet field talking shite to boring auld fellas)...

 

I haven't actually had time or the space yet to have it 'at home' here - tho its all paid for... since my merc is now sold n gone, I have the space n can literally drive it back to mine  - 5/6 miles; my uncle says the brakes are 'very bad'; but I think hes being 'overdramatic' - this was his first classic car; he more used to modern mercs n citroen C5's - the brakes are probably fine' for a car its age... hes back from work abroad on 16th n will hand me over the keys (in the house somewhere).... cant wait; its the first time ive ever bought an old car 'already restored' - bonus with this, is that I did the inner n outer sills, inner arches n inner wings - I know the metalwork is good on this....

[dieselassist]

some of the pics resto work I did on the car - think it was dec/jan 2011 ish... I think theres more pics, but I took them 'for my own records' rather than it being a case of he wanted them; he just wanted the car solid....;

 

 

[oman5]

Rot is the major worry on these, and since you know it's all good, WCPGW? Tidy, like

[garethj]

Cars are all about context.  If MGBs are in the context of being produced in 1980 when the rest of the world had moved on, they look a bit sad.  If it's the context of standing in a field talking to among the most boring people in the world, it's tedious.

 

But if you look at it like an old car that's alright to drive, doesn't have any rust and is a bargain price then you can see it differently.  A bit like when purplebargeken can get a New Beetle for a few hundred quid, that makes it a lot better than when it's 2 grand more than the equivalent Golf.

 

Enjoy it, I think they're quite a pretty car in standard form and the bloke who designed the TVR Cerbera obviously agreed

[londonm]

A hot tip for you, if you're going to flog it create a little photo album showing 'before and after' shots of the restoration as part of the sale. A nice looking car in a good colour, the rot has put me off these though. What's it worth do you reckon?

[Rocket88]

Nice chrome bumper GT......................£3K at least.

[mercrocker]

Nice win.   Having already been INSIDE the sills on a potential MGB purchase is a major plus, I would think.  Red's the colour too.   These have to be enjoyed by yourself really, bit like Morris Minors - keep away from the club types and you will be fine!  

[dieselassist]

This one had been a 'an ongoing project' since about 1985, of a workmate of my uncles; we found receipts for interior retrim work from 86 while taking the carpets back...seems he had the boot floor replaced; fitted n welded in to a very good standard n p[ainted red oxide; presumably professionally, as the outer bits had a lot of glassfibre matt over rust which I peeled off in layers.... It seems like the omgoing resto stalled massively, the chap sold the engine out of it n left it to sit for about 15 years outside - engineless; ...it was never for sale; 'going to finish it off one day'...; I know the guys daughter 'well enough' - I vaguely remember being at a party out at their house (her folks not around) n leaving at dawn I remember seenin the Mg parked there - totally neglected.... I didn't hang around for a good look at it, as we had raided his whickey stash, n helped ourselves to that during the night!!

 

 

...anyhow, as the uncle used to work with him, he eventually talked him into selling it, n when he collected it he dropped it off at mine to have the welding done; I have a pic of it somewhere sat in the corner of our garden; it looked very bad... paint peeling n doors a mere skin; once I rooted at it n took the cutting disc to it, it wasn't that bad - inner n outer sills, a pillar bottoms n inner wings both sides needed doing - even the castle rails were good wil a small patch on one side... i'll try to dig out the 'as found' pic from photobucket....

 

I went up to Antrim with my uncle to pick up a later donor rubber bumpered MGB, from a 'specialist' - which he paid handsomely for, for its engine, box n rear axle (someone had pilfered outer drums etc off the original axle n it was generally thought to be an unknown quantity); it was rotted t'fuk but the mechanicals had all of 67k miles - that got vandalised in my unles yard; all the glass smashed n jumped all over/panels kicked n plates robbed (hence why the plates are off the finished car above).... a 'vintage restorer neighbour' primed n sprayed it after I did the welding etc - its not a 'show winning job' by any stretch of the imagination, but its passable - I like to drive cars, rather than polish them - paint IMO is just what goes on metal to stop it rusting....lol

[dieselassist]

LONGEST COLLECTION UPDATE EVAH!!!

 

...I had strategically elected to put this on the back burner, as I had no space, for the 'B', but weeks turned into months, n with a few abrasive texts, from the uncle about when I was going to collect this ("jaysus, aren't uye into these aul classic cars - theres grass growing underneath the thing")... I had to get it out of his back yard, as hes been doin a lotta landscaping n clearing up of the place,n I had 5 months free storage out of him; so I had to shift it home, so today the planets aligned - my brother had a few hours spare, n was in a reasonably good mood, n him acting as 'scout car' I could A frame the MGB home via my perpetually on loan, A Frame, tugged effortlessly by my Disco... the collection was all about 6miles n went without event....

 

Once home we attempted to 'real life' test its runner status - this took about 2.5 hrs as the wiring is a mess from my uncles 'country mechanic' mate later 1800 engine swop - some really crazy shit goin on with the wiring; as with the cooling system - rad looked 'ok but the pipework was/is a mess with lots of mad bends - bits of copper bridginging in between hoses plus split to hell hoses....

managed to get it started up eventually n a few hoses started leaking.... my brother got totally in the spirit of things n once it was running was up for testing the clutch, brakes or lack there of, n 'performance' ... a few laps of the estate where I live, n later diagnosis revealed a leaky waterpump, high pressure sprinkler rad n the HG deemd to be visibly gone... we couldn't get it to shut off after turning off the ignition, n it ran on with lots of knocking sounds... my brother calls it 'the train' as it goes like one, makes lots of steam n needs lots of levers (the handbrake) to operate n stop - "that was fun... cheer up; at least it didn't explode/go on fire" he commentedindicators, headlamps, hazards - nothing works bar the wipers... still I know the body is well solid, tho same 'country mechanic's respary effort' is nothing to worry a concourse judge - lotta unnecessary filler, paint flows n drips/too much paint/looks like its been dipped in paint .... its never as easy as ye initially think, is it??

[HillmanImp]

Just like it left the factory.

[garethj]

The wiring isn't too complicated, maybe it's worth starting with a brand new fusebox and a bag of connectors, then working your way through it methodically, one circuit at a time.

[michael1703]

One terminal hanging in that pic is for the brake light switch

 

If you're in a hose replacing mood, replace the little flexi to the left of the heater blower motor, as its an oil feed o the pressure gauge and they always split, they're less than a tenner.

[Taff]

new loom isn't going to break the bank, and you will know it's done then.

Done forget to budget for some Lucas loom smoke, too

[scruff]

+1 for a new loom, they are so cheap when you weigh it all up and the BL wiring diagrams are pretty easy to follow.

 

BGTs are a ace looking motor I wouldn't mind one myself. 

[dieselassist]

UPDATE ON THIS- I sold it on to an OAP restorer; id very little love for it, n the wiring was a huge mess - it also overheated quicker than any other car Ive encountered - I pimped it up for sale ; 'good shell'.ideal donor etc - buer just wanted it for its engine box n interior - he was a straight up, old school old lad, who paid upfront - on collection (a week later) he announced hed cut up the shell for 'patches' for his 'black well blistered' own MGB... he employed an incompetent 'in the resto biz' Dublin based 'recovery fellow to collect... Id given the keys to the OAP buyer the week before on him handing over the cash, but a week later, on collection day, n getting outta the chaps van he 'remembered he had forgotten them' that morning before he set off with his resto mate.... his recoverey mate was a particularly ignorant individual who gave lots of ridiculous instructions on how to load a steering locked MGB onto his trailor,while on the phone for the duration.... myself n my brother managed to manoeuvre it via 2 tonne trolley jack under front n rear axles n straps up onto his home made car transporter ...

 

...said 'classic car tranporter/restorer' twat was/is, he says a leading light in the 'classic reliant' world' - he spraffed lots of self effacing shite about having a best in class - best of show reliant (whatever) in the UK show hed restored himself... "showed the UK lads how its done n took the trophy's across the water' - naturally enough he shared all this after we'd got the MGB up on his trailor - what a twat... as we were completely exhausted manhandling the B onto the trailor we largely ignored all this self congratulatory tale - about 2 hours loading it up n blocking up the estate, patience were well tested at that stage!

 

...anyways the B is gone... 3 weeks or so, now - spot it was parked was filled 3 days later - but, that's another story....