MGB GT - Mission finally complete! Phew.

[sierraman]

Personally i would avoid it unless your happy to sink another £1000-1500+ into it getting it back to a condition which you'll be happy with.

I think you'd be looking at a lot more if you were having the sills put right professionally. Once you start prodding at holes it's very likely to be much more than tidying up a few bits.

[Felly Magic]

Even when the vet bloke built his cabrio, he mentioned roughly £1500 back then to get it done right, I bet you are looking close to twice that these days in labour once they start digging away to find decent metal to work to. I bet there are hundreds out there with bodged sills, and a quick blowover for sale at stupid money. I suspect this orange one is just a year at best away from needing major surgery with the hot, sparky metal glue stick

[Mally]

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C886741

 

Just do it.

[MikeKnight]

[Felly Magic]

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C886741

 

Just do it.

That is royally fucked, look at the door on the nearside, sticking out badly at it's leading edge by the A post, and all the photos are at a high up angle, needs TLC means with these 'I hope you are bloody good with a welder'

[Mally]

Ah but you have a grand to play with.

[SiC]

And they're all pretty much fucked to begin with.

[Steve79]

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112452473682

 

Looks like a more honest one. Had loads spent on it and has had the welding done.

 

Still has mot

[They_all_do_that_sir]

That is very nice....

 

Sent from my SM-A510F using Tapatalk

[SiC]

http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/mg/mgb/225821

 

A fair bit more but possibly more promising?

[SiC]

They're lovely! Unfortunately way out of my budget nowadays.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Where abouts is the hole on this picture (pic 51), I genuinely can't see it! The bit on the orange paint was a rust blister that the paint looks to have chipped off.

2017-06-28 20.24.12.jpg

 

My biggest concern is in the front of the front wings, there is a hole behind there. I tried to take a picture.

 

Nearside is the worst:

2017-06-28 19.58.16.jpg

 

Offside:

2017-06-28 20.05.52.jpg

2017-06-28 20.06.14.jpg

 

Poking my finger in there found that it was a bit flaky on the edges, but pretty solid on the rest.

 

If anything, I'm finding this a great learning exercise when looking at classic cars!

 

 

That car is rubbish, end of story.

[Mally]

One thing we all agree on. There's plenty of choice.

[captain_70s]

Why are we even discussing "having the sills done correctly" a year down the line? It's an MGB GT, buy one with a year's ticket, fuck about for a year and if it's starting to worry you flog it on. Rust on the next MOT? Get some back street garage to patch it over for £300, apply underseal liberally and sell the thing, if you bought it some other idiot (probably me) will. Or if you really like the motor get it patched up and save up for a year to get the thing sorted in the future (repeat indefinitely, probably by spending the sill money on another shit car).

 

That orange one seems to be hiding a lot under shiny paint and dodgy MOTs are easier to acquire when one is in the trade... So I'd still advise going the private sale route as the cars tend to be more "honest" and there is no benefit from buying a car that old from a dealer aside from convenience, there is no money to be made fixing up most old motors the right way so assume they won't have been, they have to turn a profit somehow and a bit of polish and tyre dressing is cheap.  Iif the car is going to be used on the regular and live outside even a good example is going to start going scabby anyway, I was at the Triumph with sandpaper and touch up paint on a regular basis and it never lasted long before the blistering returned.

 

As long as you properly look at the car before you buy it and can tell it's not a complete bucket with previous MOTs suggesting it's made of newspaper and hope I don't think you'll go far wrong. I bought both my Dolomites on a cursory look around them, one of them was the first car I bothered to view and the other was £850, even with that I managed 20,000 miles between them and a few years of use despite dismal funds and Scottish winters eating the bodywork. You might get a a £2500 car and walk away a year later with a £1500 car but a 2000 miles of stupidly coloured 1970s motoring behind you and joyful hours spent trying to balance carbs or work out why the high beam stalk now sounds the horn.

 

Buying a classic car is a lot like taking a large sum of money and setting it on fire*, so you may as well say "fuck it" and buy something half decent to rattle about in for a year 'cause happiness/classic cars don't come cheap regardless of the start price a £5k MGB is probably going to break down just as much as a cheaper one because it's a 40 year old BL heap. Unless the arse completely falls out of the classic market you're not going to make a big loss on the thing anyway, even my pile of shit Dolomite has held it's value fairly well and that's fucked.

 

*Although with Lucas electrics you might find that buying a classic car is exactly like that.

 

 

[BorniteIdentity]

Why isn't this a collection thread already? I am disappoint.

 

The only other thing I would say (and this is advice I was given and ignored when I bought my 190e)

 

"Sometimes, you can't afford to buy the cheapest."

 

However. On the flipside... They're all going to be much of a muchness at this price.

 

GiB

[cort16]

[Junkman]

For reference, this is the car again that is local that has massively reinvigorated and bought to the forefront this love again...

20170626_201821.jpg

 

For God's sake, buy the Blazer.

[cort16]

Your could easily buy a 10 grand one, which was just as full of wob and the tears of previous owners.

[MikeKnight]

They're lovely! Unfortunately way out of my budget nowadays.

 

My post was mostly a joke but I do prefer GT6's over MGB GT's, I think they're prettier, faster, and easier to work on. But the price of them has shot right up.

 

I sold my 1967 Mk1 GT6 for a little over £10k about a year and a half ago, and that was pretty ropey and not perfect. Mk3's are a third of that price though and while not as pretty as a Mk1 they are much more reliable.

 

In comparison I sold a 1969 (I think) white MGB GT a few months ago that was mechanically sound but required extensive welding and a new paint job and that sold for £1500. Guy was more than happy to pay it, didn't even haggle.

[SiC]

I've pretty much re-read this entire thread 3 times now and it had loads of great and different advice. However I'm still a bit at a loss on what to do or what to go for!

 

This one appears pretty fucked and one to avoid. But it appears that they nearly all seem that way for this price. If I pay more, I could be getting something much better or equally as fucked - dependant on how good my eye is and/or luck. If I get something fucked, then need to spend a couple of £k to get it sorted or loose a couple of £k selling it cheap.

 

Hence some say keep looking while others say just go for it (maybe to shut me up )!

 

One thing I'm not sure on and a bit confused. If I get the welding patched up at next MOT, why is that worse than having it all cut back and rewelded all along? Is a patch up job inherently weaker (especially in an accident) or can you only patch over so many times before it's necessary to re-weld?

 

Not necessarily on the orange one per-say, but more if I buy something with a reasonably long ticket and then find out it needs work later.

 

If I'm likely to buy one that's fucked, given so many out there and my inexperience with older cars, would I not be better going for something cheaper or paying more with potential history that things have been fixed recently? Also won't I just fuck what ever up by using regularly, especially if I do over winter too?

 

My mind seems a bit like that jiggling celery above, except without the just "do it" phrase! Half of me wants the pain over by just wandering 8 minutes down the road and palming over cash. Even though I know it'll probably end up being a lot of pain next year. In some regards I don't mind loosing a thousand quid in a year if I get plenty of fun out of it this year (don't tell the missus that!). Especially if I know that spending a couple of £k more will still end up with a rotten underside by the end of winter.

[TripleRich]

I restore cars for a living and have seen many horrors on what looked to be a great car.  In my experience a car that is tatty in appearance is in better nick underneath than one with a fresh coat of paint and shiny wheels.  MOT patch up plates are the worst.  When I'm replacing panels the most rotten and hardest bits to do are the previously repaired areas.

 

Look for honesty when viewing an old car.  I'm far too fussy and I know we're talking about a cheap MGB but the below may help you find a better one.  It will always need something doing but there is some real crap out there that the below will help you to avoid.

 

Is the paint work recent and if so why?

Its the trim free of orbital sander scratches? 

Are the panel gaps good and are they consistent in width around the car?

Does the trim fit properly and line up down the car?

Have the doors scratched the paint when they've been shut?

Do you have to slam the doors to get them shut properly?

Does the bonnet fit properly?

Are any items fitted to the bodywork missing fixings or held on with the wrong stuff?

Is the bodywork rippled or appear puffy down the sides of the car?

Can you see signs of welding under the car or under the carpet?

Its there overspray on the rubber seals?

Are the rubbers good or are they all hard & cracked?

Is the interior complete or has it been hacked about?

Do all the switches, knobs & dials work?

 

Don't walk away if you only see some of the about but do take it into consideration.  If you see lots the car is telling you need to walk away. 

[danthecapriman]

Patched repairs are just that. You find a rust hole, grind the paint and crap away from around the hole, slap on a roughly cut piece of steel sheet and weld it on. It's an mot bodge job really.

It will be a bit stronger than a rust hole, but it's not a proper repair.

The problem is that the old rusty hole is still there behind the new patch, over time it will keep rusting and eventually it'll spread out beyond the new patch or rust through that too. It's not uncommon to find on really old cars patches on top of patches where it's been bodged up many times in the same place!

It's also done quick and cheap for mot, so the welding is often very poor (looks like bird shit!) and the prep is equally poor. I've ripped one off a car before now with nothing but bare hands!

It also looks bad! It's often very obvious it's been done and does ruin the look sometimes if you care about that.

 

This is what this sort of 'repair' looks like under the paint and underseal.

 

IMG_0192 by Dan Clark, on Flickr

 

Notice all the pin holes and grot all over the place under where the car had been bodged up. What gets left behind will just spread and spread.

The welded section at the bottom of the A post is a patch repair. Beneath that horrible looking patch was nothing but flakes of rust and air!

 

Tbh, looking at your pics of this MG I'd look elsewhere. This one looks to me like most of that underseal is over the rust. In a few pics the black underseal is painted on top of the rust flakes so someone's painted it on after the rust started. I can also see a patch type repair or two in those pics...

 

There's nothing wrong with fixing even hideously rusty cars but it's got to be done right or you'll be wasting time and money.

On the other hand, there's nowt wrong with buying a rough classic and using it, then fixing it as you go. I just fear with this particular one there's much much more under the shiny paint and panels that's going to cause you a right load of grief and expense.

It's not like your looking for a rare car here either, you can afford to be picky with these MG's as there's so many around. Finding a more honest example shouldn't be too hard.

 

 

As far as using a classic daily or all year round goes, it's perfectly doable but you must keep the car well maintained and get the underside and arches etc waxed or undersealed, and keep it clean. They can do the job (I've done it myself with old classics all year as dailys) but they do need a bit more care and attention.

 

Edit; pic working again.

[SiC]

Is the paint work recent and if so why? Looks reasonably fresh but apparently not. However was garaged so maybe before it went into storage

Its the trim free of orbital sander scratches? Appears so, apart from the rear

Are the panel gaps good and are they consistent in width around the car? Seemed to be. Not great but then it's BL. Doors weren't flush, but apparently a common BL thing? (Or I'm kidding myself)

Does the trim fit properly and line up down the car? yes

Have the doors scratched the paint when they've been shut? Not from I could see on the drivers side. Didn't look on the passenger side.

Do you have to slam the doors to get them shut properly? I didn't close them, but the dealer didn't slam them.

Does the bonnet fit properly? Appeared to be. Didn't have any problems opening or closing.

Are any items fitted to the bodywork missing fixings or held on with the wrong stuff? I noticed a few bolts under the bonnet missing on the front wings. I know these were replaced by someone else in its history. Didn't notice any other things

Is the bodywork rippled or appear puffy down the sides of the car? Apart from the bubbles shown on the pictures above, it all seems pretty straight along it.

Can you see signs of welding under the car or under the carpet? I did look but couldn't see anything.

Its there overspray on the rubber seals? Yes. Lots! They claimed it wasn't them who did paintwork.

Are the rubbers good or are they all hard & cracked? Sealing rubbers worn and hard. Under bonnet rubber looks to have been replaced recently.

Is the interior complete or has it been hacked about? Its scruffy. Bolts not fully screwed down on gaiter, extra screws (I think) on door cards which are also not that straight anymore.

Do all the switches, knobs & dials work? I didn't get that far to play with stuff when the ignition was on.

 

I think I've pretty much mentally talked myself out of this one. It's local, very convenient, the right price and I know roughly what is wrong with it. However it seems to be a potential deathtrap and money pit going by all the advice so far.

 

Excellent list though and something I'm noteing down - along with all other points on this thread to remind me of what to check on other stuff I look at.

[Guest Hooli]

One thing I'm not sure on and a bit confused. If I get the welding patched up at next MOT, why is that worse than having it all cut back and rewelded all along? Is a patch up job inherently weaker (especially in an accident) or can you only patch over so many times before it's necessary to re-weld?

 

With MGs & their three piece sills they tend to rot the centre section first & that never gets fixed if a patch job is done. So the car will be weaker.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

It's like this:

 

 

A rotten MGB is utter shit.

The arse will drop out of it at the first sign of winter, and it'll be worth fuck all.

 

Rather than looking at rubbish like this, see if you can borrow 3 grand, and buy a really good example for 5/6k. Long ownership, photographic resto work, bearded MGOC owner  - the sort of MGB you want to buy, not the shit your budget dictates. I'd rather pay Lloyds back 100 quid a month or whatever and have a really good car than spunk £2500 on a shitbox that will fold up in the event of a mild shunt.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Voila;

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MG-BGT-1800cc-/382133107127?hash=item58f8e879b7:g:XAsAAOSwFqNZRqYX

[Felly Magic]

Think about this red 'un's value, it's on the forecourt at £2.5k, that means they have paid maybe a grand for it, possibly less, given it a cheap blowover by a mate in the trade, and got Stevie Wonder MOT services to slap a year's ticket on at mates rates after some bodge welding

[sierraman]

My mechanic has one in his unit at work, a customer bought it for fairly strong money and brought it in for him to have a look at, underneath it's full of bird shit welds to the spring hangers, sills etc, effectively it all needs ripping out and starting again. It's been there about 8-9 years that I can recall. I dread to think what the labour cost will be on it.

 

I'd look for one that's been restored by someone who knows what they are doing, will cost you more but I can see the orange one being a load of hassle. If you don't mind chucking £1000 at it I'd just put that towards a better one to start with.

[Mally]

Voila;

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MG-BGT-1800cc-/382133107127?hash=item58f8e879b7:g:XAsAAOSwFqNZRqYX

 

I'd go with that if I had the cash and inclination.

[richardthestag]

look at the flippin filla skims on this beaut, I reckon the leading edge of that sill is mainly plastic, little left of the castle section and a healthy layer of spray stone guard underneath over the top of old bitumen underseal, mud and rust to "stop her rustin"

 

lob some paint on it and flog it for near 3bags!! sound familiar

 

retro 1980s restorations style lives on

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/mgb-gt-zetec-conversion/112456470424

 

Maybe just maybe seek advise from the club, best cars always go cheapest in the soc, maybe the same is for mgoc