Mk. 1 MX5 Swap for MG BGT

[Porscha!]

I've been offered a straight swap for my Mazda MX5.

Car is a 1971 MG BGT, in BRG with Wire Wheels.

It is MOT'd until next year, the man is ringing me up about it tomorrow with reagrds to condition etc.

He has said it is in fair condition, though he lives in South Wales he has no trouble driving it over to Derbyshire which I think is a good sign.

I would like a classic does this sound a good swap?

[KerryStagmer]

Not to piss anyone off but...

Honestly? I've owned over 50 sports cars(mostly british) over the years and will continue to keep and drive those I love. The miata however is everything I ever wanted a small bore british car to be.

Swap it for something interesting? like a 7 or a tvr? sure... for an MGB? not on your life. That B better be in great shape so your swapping for better financial value, not better driving.

[heebeegeetee]

I've owned a BGT and an MX5. If the BGT is in standard form and not mucked about with, it'll be nice to drive. It won't be as fast as the Mazda obviously, but it will offer an interesting and pleasant alternative. And although it is a smaller car, it has masses more space inside.

What the B will require from you though, is for you (or someone) to be more hands on re maintenance. Even when in good nick, the the carbs and distributor still need to be looked after, as fuel is poor quality now compared to how it was in the B's day.

Don't listen to the horror stories re driving them though Porscha, for whatever reason the MGB is probably the one single car that has more nonsense written about it than any other.

[heebeegeetee]

PS there's another thread going on here with some good advice.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Combover]

heebeegeetee said:

I've owned a BGT and an MX5. If the BGT is in standard form and not mucked about with, it'll be nice to drive. It won't be as fast as the Mazda obviously, but it will offer an interesting and pleasant alternative. And although it is a smaller car, it has masses more space inside.

MASSES more space. For such a small car it's remarkably well designed.

heebeegeetee said:

What the B will require from you though, is for you (or someone) to be more hands on re maintenance. Even when in good nick, the the carbs and distributor still need to be looked after, as fuel is poor quality now compared to how it was in the B's day.

Ideed, any classic car will.

Having recently been involved in fettling an original B for it's owner, I would say that some things were beyond me, so in the early stages, it would be well worth having someone around who's willing to work on the bits you can't do. If you don't have access to such a person, be prepared for frustration!

heebeegeetee said:

Don't listen to the horror stories re driving them though Porscha, for whatever reason the MGB is probably the one single car that has more nonsense written about it than any other.

If you read Octane, Heebee, they are putting in a recommendation pretty much in every issue, so it seems people are beginning to wise-up.

Indeed, they claim a wells orted B will keep pace with a Mustang GT around the likes of Spa, purely due to better balance and relative low weight. How much of this is true, i'm not sure, but they are finally being recognised as a decent car.

[Porscha!]

Thanks for all the sensible advice, from people who have actually owned these cars / know these cars.

I posted this up on another forum and all I got was "don't do it, the MGB is crap and handles terribly, broken when new etc. etc." I like the B.

With regards to maintenance, I don't have any great knowledge but am more than willing to learn Theres a few local PH'ers who have classic cars and know bits and bobs, also just down the road from me theres an old skool workshop, with an old man who specialises in MGs, he's great, looked after my '44.

HeeBeeGeeTee - I read about your MGB GT on your profiles about your cars, looks like you had great fun How old does a car have to be to do Historic road rallies? How do you get into this? Sounds like fun!!

Edited by Porscha! on Sunday 13th July 09:39

[Combover]

Porscha! said:

Thanks for all the sensible advice, from people who have actually owned these cars / know these cars.

I posted this up on another forum and all I got was "don't do it, the MGB is crap and handles terribly, broken when new etc. etc." I like the B.

Given that Sir Stirling Moss uses one for international rallies and Rowan Atkinson has one for racing at the likes of Goodwood, I reckon that what those people on that forum know about a good 'B', you could write on the back of a postage stamp.

[Will1602]

I am not an MGB fan but i wont slate them as i dont know much about them.

What i do know is they are cheap, i am always shocked at how much you can get one for. Is it a fair swap?

A decent MGB may well be good but a 'decent' one must be hard to get hold of. Or cost alot (time and money) to make it a decent one.

In my opinion if i were going to go through the agony of having a classic car (which i do) i wouldn't chose to do it with an MG. An Lotus Elan +2 i think would be a good alternative and much quicker and i think we can safely say that no matter how good an MG can be it will never be better to drive than a Lotus.

What i would say it; get a BMW 2002, although i am having a little trouble at the moment with mine (i need someone who know Dellorto Carbs like the back of his hand and has a large stock of jets) it is worth it. And not too expensive, i am student and am not in any huge debt... yet.

[h4muf]

So Nic,how did you get on?

To b or not to b?

[Porscha!]

LOL! Not to B.....

Sold the MX5 looks like it's going to be a Midget at the mo ..... sooooo can't wait to view it

[Fiscracer]

Combover said:

Indeed, they claim a well sorted B will keep pace with a Mustang GT around the likes of Spa, purely due to better balance and relative low weight. How much of this is true, i'm not sure, but they are finally being recognised as a decent car.

I am a fan of MGBs but there is a hugh difference between your average roadgoing MGB and a race prepared FIA or class B car. There has been years of development in MG Car Club racing and Bs frequently outperform bigger cars, usually down to their handling and all steel engines now putting out 175bhp or more.

IIRC the fastest FIA MGB at last years Spa 6hrs was the Cottingham car which did a 3.05. This is faster than an awful lot of bigger machinery including GT350s - except the Hugenholtz car which won. How legal or not these cars are, has led to the FIA tightening up the rules on what is and is not allowed and starting to enforce it. However you will find MGBs doing well in historic racing all over - see the Sidery Smith/Rogers car in plateau 4 at Classic Le Mans - ahead of both Granturas, TR4 and numerous Porsches, Ferraris and E types.

An MGB is much more practical than a Midget and will cruise more easily at modern motorway speeds. Maintenance much the same although a B is easier to work on as there is more room. Midgets have always been the poor relation and are cheaper. Whatever you do buy a pre 75 chrome bumpered car as this will hold its value much better.