MGB GT - driven or own one?

Silvera

I've recently started seriously thinking about what classic I might buy when I finally have my own garage in the coming year, and an MGB GT is catching my attention.

It has a lot going for it -

- Good looking car
- Many cars on the market
- Easy to work on
- Cheap insurance
- Parts easily available
...and I've read that its a nice little car to drive, with good handling and reasonable 'poke' for it's size.

On the downside I know rust can be a problem. Buts thats the case with most classics anyway. As always, it's vital to buy a solid car to start with. (I should know btw, I served my time as a panel beater...and restored a few Morris Minors and Beetles in my time!)

Anybody here driven - or better still - own one?

I reckon I'd fancy a nice GT in 'blaze' or 'flame' red ...or perhaps in white
But it will have to have chrome bumper (and I reckon - Rostyle wheels;)

Here are a few pics of UK-based GT's.
The one with the wire wheels is in everyday use by it's owner (as are many in the UK)...and he says he 'can't help looking back and admiring it every time he parks it up and walks away'!

Dades

I saw a really nice racing green one yesterday. Was admiring it at the lights.

Have only driven the roadster but that was great fun, and without the power steering you get a biceps workout when parking!

Black, green or red would be real nice - but not white.

carchaeologist

It would be a good start,once you buy a rust free one. Rusty ones are a total disaster,and they rust like hell.
My uncle is almost finished the resto of a '78 GT in this colour,which i like alot.

I dont mind the rubber bumpers either,though they really are just nailed on with no neat design to them. Im not sure what the indicators on the wings are about on that one though? US spec?
Also they do look good with Minilites on them.
On the downside they can be a bit awkward to get into,so if you are a bit on the stiff side you might be better off getting something a bit taller.

Grimreaper666

It's really only a Morris Minor in a fancy suit, don't be under any other illusions. Good parts supply though and easy to work on.

carchaeologist

Grimreaper666 wrote: »

It's really only a Morris Minor in a fancy suit

Not as similar as the Wolseley 1500,Riley 1.5 and Morris Marina are to a Minor. An MGB doesnt have torsion bar front suspension.

johnos1984

Grimreaper666 wrote: »

It's really only a Morris Minor in a fancy suit

It shares more with the Sherpa van underneath

carchaeologist

johnos1984 wrote: »

It shares more with the Sherpa van underneath

One of the writers in 'Classics' magazine put a sherpa diesel in one...

Justjens

Had one thirty years ago, and at the time it was a fun car to drive, seems tame to me now .

Don't recall too much poke tho.....


If you do invest get one with an overdrive.

mgbgt1978

I drove one for most of last year. It was a '78 so rubber bumper.
Bought it in the UK (Torquay) and drove it home to limerick...took a chance but it got me home without any problems.
The biggest issue is rust, unless it's a very recent restoration there will be rust. This is not a problem if you don't mind doing bodywork but there are a lot of niggly unseen panels and costs and time can soon build up.
They're not quite as quick as they look but still fine in modern traffic.
Don't buy one if you need the rear seats, they are just about Ok for a couple of legless yorkshire terriers (seriously my 9 year old could just about fit in but his head was hitting the roof).
All parts are available (Moss are the biggest suppliers) but not as cheap as some people say.
There seems to be great value out there at the moment, prices are around half what they were 2 years ago.
Anyway I sold mine and went back to Minis again...parts prices way cheaper and a lot less bodywork to weld.

COB MGV8

I have an MGB GT and I'm obviously going to say how great they are !

I've had mine for four years and while I had a lot of engine issues to start off with (down to me not knowing my a*se from my e*bow), I have to say that I really like them.

All the points you made earlier about the number of them around, the availability of parts etc etc are completely correct. The earlier comments about the parts not being as cheap as you might think is also correct, mainly because of the fact that some of the re-manufacturers are making the parts out of the contents of skips and have to be replaced on a regular basis - having said that, I've rarely had an issue getting hold of anything.

I'd go for the V8 if you can - while the 1.8 is fine (and if set up correctly they can be more than that) , the V8 is a real laugh to drive. It makes it more of a challenge to work on, mainly down to the fact that the engine has been showhorned into the engine bay, but it goes really well and makes it a real option for long runs - it will move along at motorway speeds and barely be ticking over. It will also do around 30MPG - same as the 1.8 ! When making my decision, it was the same tax, same insurance and same fuel economy , so why not !

In terms of rust - they have the same problems as most classics and if you look hard enough you'll find one that someone has done all the work on for reasonable money.

Final point I'd make is that there is a great following for the MGs in Ireland - we had an 80th anniversary event in the Glenview yesterday with 40 or so cars there - I'd say that 50% of the cars there were MGB's

spooky donkey

We got my dad one for his 60th bday. when we striped it to re spray it turned out to be a complete rust bucket and we had to scrap it. it was a 75 model in the same blue as the car above. we even VRTed it and it was all for nothing. But we made most of the money back on the parts and baught him a 79 capri in the end.

Joe 90

Grimreaper666 wrote: »

It's really only a Morris Minor in a fancy suit, don't be under any other illusions. Good parts supply though and easy to work on.

More a 2 seat A60/Morris Oxford. The early ones were in fact better than the later Americanised ones with the raised up rubber bumpers and the raised suspension. Both the bumper and the suspension were raised to comply with some US regulation on bumper height. The MG midget was in fact much more of a sports car.

galwaytt

....much as I like the idea of them, and a friend of mine has one, what you really need, and what BL would dearly love to have been able to make....is an MX-5.

Like you say, an MX-5 is.....

- a good looking car
- Many cars on the market
- Easy to work on
- Cheap insurance
- Parts easily available
...and I've read that its a nice little car to drive, with good handling and reasonable 'poke' for it's size.

With two caveat's: you'll probably never need any parts, and you'll only work on it for the sake of doing so.........:D

E39MSport

... I'm worried now with all these rusty remarks. Mine looks ok though. I had a weld done recently on the A pillar to to cill area and the guy I brought it to (sterling auto in newbury) said it was common and nothing to worry about . He fixed it up quite nicely.

When I say worried, I'm not exactly planking it but I don't want to find a disaster in the waiting. Having said that the garage I brought it to said it was OK. Has MOT etc. Should be ok.

I'll get pics up soon.

spooky donkey

my dads one looked fairly ok just a few spots till we striped it and sent it to the painter and he said it was a death trap so get yer car checked out if you think its a bit rusty.