MGB buying tips

[Dave Westy]

Hi
I'm going to see a '66 roadster tomorrow with a view to buying my first MG.
I've restored a '67 Midget with a friend and now it's finally my turn to own one.
Any particular points I should look out for?
Obviously rust is the biggest menace, sills, wings floor pans to be checked. All the usual stuff about shut lines etc for poor fitting door skins or sills.
From an engine point of view, bottom end knocks, blue smoke etc and apparently the gearboxes can be a weak point on the early cars so I should look for jumping out of 2nd or 3rd gear.
I'm not scared of fixing up the oily bits but if anyone has any advice on what other nasties an early MGB has to offer, I would appreciate the advice.
Thanks
Dave
(Very excited about tomorrow)

[wildoliver]

Mechanicals solid and cheap. Ignore to a degree.

Interiors and trim dirt cheap. Ignore to a degree.

Rust expensive and hard work. Ignore at your peril.

Check back wings in detail, they rust along to the top seam (get your head in to the boot and look up at the seam) and around the leading edge where it meets the sill (and the sill rots there too) and also the wheel arch (and then the inner arch). Check the sills and floors. Check the windscreen surround on GTs. Front wings need a quick check, muck collects round the headlamp bowls and rots them out, also the rear edge where it meets the sill and the sill itself. Finally stick your hand up the rear of the front wheel arch to the top, you should feel a shelf this is called the top trumpet, muck collects on it and rots it out, its a structural member.

I paint a grim picture, if cared for they don't rot badly at all (unlike a Midget).

My advice model wise unless your desperate for the earlier cars is to either go for a circa 72 car which carries many of the later refinements but with the free tax and chrome bumpers of the early cars or seriously consider a rubber bumper car, I've owned pretty much every type of MGB and to be honest as a car to use my preference would always be a RB.

[alfa pint]

Certainly not going to add anything on top of wild oliver's comments, which as always, are spot on. The gearbox tends to fail on 3rd more commonly than 2nd - try going down a hill in third and then just lift off the throttle. If the box is knackered, it will jump out. However, I got a second hand gearbox for a tenner a few years ago, so it's just the time / labour to replace one (and a new clutch while you're there ~ £35) Obviously reconditioned boxes are a bit more pricey. My first B started to slip out of 3rd at about 300k miles. Current B does it a bit at 240k miles.

PS I find the rubber bumper cars to be far too roly poly on normal suspension to be fun to drive. However, it's not expensive to lower and stiffen them properly.

[Dave Westy]

Thanks alot for your feedback...

I bought it!!
Brakes pull a bit, the steering's a bit vague but the bodywork seems really good. Nearly no rust and pretty straight too.

What topped it off was when the seller showed me the Heritage Certificate. The car was originally sold on the 9th December 1966 - Exactly 65 years ago to the day.

I'm absolutly delighted with it - drove it home last night, 208 miles, roof down and it didn't miss a beat.

Oliver I was able to read your reply on the way to see it and it was invaluable - thanks a lot!!
Alfa Pint thanks for your comments too. I did the 3rd gear test on my test drive and all seems OK

I guess I'll have to change my PH name to Dave MG!!

Edited by Dave Westy on Saturday 10th December 08:58

[na]

I'll just say age of tyres regardless of tread depth and brakes

and of course recommend you buy the invaluable glovebox Driver's Handbook (it's not a workshop manual) - (Ref: 0050) - http://www.mgocshop.co.uk/catalog/Online_Catalogue...

drive the car regularly now and it and you will get better and you can enjoy it more

enjoyr

[wildoliver]

Pulling brakes will usually be solved by properly setting up the rears, it will also make a huge difference to pedal travel and feel. If it doesn't then rebuild the front calipers and chuck new pads and discs on, will cost circa £50 and take a couple of hours.

[Dave Westy]

Thanks Oliver

I'm really enjoying the car now.. It makes a lovely sound and everywhere you go it seems to put a smile on peoples faces...

Any tips on what could cause the rev counter to read double?
I'm assuming it's wired incorrectly

Dave

[alfa pint]

What do you mean by reading double?

(Most faults on Bs tend to be bad earths, if this helps.)

[Dave Westy]

What do I mean by reading double?
Exactly that,
Tick over just under 2000rpm
65MPH in top (no overdrive) 6500 rpm
It is a 4cyl rev counter.

Any ideas??

[na]

you could try asking on the MG BBS - http://www2.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgb...

your average B owner would faint at the thought of the car doing 65 mph

[UKAuto]

Dave Westy said:

The car was originally sold on the 9th December 1966 - Exactly 65 years ago to the day.

65 years, hmmm, the tach may not be the only thing that reads double; I hope your math is wrong on the 65 years or I must have slept longer than I thought!

;-)

Congratulations on the new motor.

[Dave Westy]

Yes sorry - 45 years is what I meant.. it left the factory on 9th December and was first registered on 3rd Jan 1967 (Hence the E plate)

The car is fantastic, I'm really pleased with it - I haven't had much chance to enjoy it since I drove it home.
Here's a picture

Edited by Dave Westy on Wednesday 14th December 12:25

Edited by Dave Westy on Wednesday 14th December 12:25

[UKAuto]

Looks nicer than the ones I have seen in my recent travels - a friend is after one here in Canada and I have looked at a few for sale here.