Does this MG BGT look any good?
Discussion
Going to look at a prospective purchase later this week. I've been sent some photos of the engine bay and underneath. It's far from a 'minter' but seller is describing it as a solid body, with no prior welding and an excellent runner with good oil pressure and working overdrive. It will have a 12 month MOT but he says the seats are tatty and the paintwork is not perfect.
He's told me there is no evidence of rust bubbling on the panels apart from the bottom of one door. He's said the sills, wings, headlight surrounds and windscreen surround is solid (I know these are problem areas). He's happy to get it up on a ramp for me to have a good look, but I'm not entirely sure I know what I'm looking at.
It's clearly been waxoyled and apparently comes with a large, extensive folder of history.
I'd welcome some opinions based on the photos and some help with items that I should carefully look at when viewing.
He's told me there is no evidence of rust bubbling on the panels apart from the bottom of one door. He's said the sills, wings, headlight surrounds and windscreen surround is solid (I know these are problem areas). He's happy to get it up on a ramp for me to have a good look, but I'm not entirely sure I know what I'm looking at.
It's clearly been waxoyled and apparently comes with a large, extensive folder of history.
I'd welcome some opinions based on the photos and some help with items that I should carefully look at when viewing.
We are probably talking £1500 or thereabouts with a full MOT.
The dash, steering wheel and centre console are ok. The paintwork is a little faded, drivers seat is knackered. Will need new carpet set at some point for cosmetics. If the body work looks solid, I can live with the other bits and service and maintain it for 12 months before we look at a respray and any potential bodywork bits.
As I said, I know its hard from pics but is anything glaring obvious sticking out?
The dash, steering wheel and centre console are ok. The paintwork is a little faded, drivers seat is knackered. Will need new carpet set at some point for cosmetics. If the body work looks solid, I can live with the other bits and service and maintain it for 12 months before we look at a respray and any potential bodywork bits.
As I said, I know its hard from pics but is anything glaring obvious sticking out?
To be honest those pics will never be good enough to tell.
Get your arm up in the front wheelarches feel for rot in the trumpets.
Check the seams between wings and sills are there, smack the sills to make sure they aren't rotten, look at the castle sections, check around the windscreen for filler or bubbles (there will be some) check the rear arches and the top seam of the rear wing.
Open doors and feel underneath for holes and look in lower skin for rot.
If all that's sound it's a cheap enough car. provided the engine starts, doesn't knock it's tits off and doesn't smoke badly and has half decent oil pressure (which remains when the engine gets warm) and check the gearbox through gears on acceleration and deceleration for whining or popping out (at same time this will check diff and clutch) and check overdrive engages and disengages.
Nothing else matters, interiors are easy and cheap, suspension and brakes the same.
If it's a rubber bumper GT (which it is) then to be honest they make fantastic reliable daily drivers, don't get hung up on cosmetics just enjoy it. It's a cheap car.
Get your arm up in the front wheelarches feel for rot in the trumpets.
Check the seams between wings and sills are there, smack the sills to make sure they aren't rotten, look at the castle sections, check around the windscreen for filler or bubbles (there will be some) check the rear arches and the top seam of the rear wing.
Open doors and feel underneath for holes and look in lower skin for rot.
If all that's sound it's a cheap enough car. provided the engine starts, doesn't knock it's tits off and doesn't smoke badly and has half decent oil pressure (which remains when the engine gets warm) and check the gearbox through gears on acceleration and deceleration for whining or popping out (at same time this will check diff and clutch) and check overdrive engages and disengages.
Nothing else matters, interiors are easy and cheap, suspension and brakes the same.
If it's a rubber bumper GT (which it is) then to be honest they make fantastic reliable daily drivers, don't get hung up on cosmetics just enjoy it. It's a cheap car.
I think it's been made to look like a peco. If you are able to zoom in on the last picture you can see some overspray of red paint on the underneath of the car. That and the K&N sticker on the radiator (which may suggest K&N filters, I don't know them well enough to identify them from the photo), are the two main concerns I have. I just hope it isn't running too rich due to someone trying to tinker too much with the engine set up.
I was planning on having a good look around the car, hearing it start from cold and then have a good look through the paperwork before looking underneath. I've found a 90 point inspection guide from a book by Roger Williams which looks like it will be a big help.
The thing I've noticed is-
1) A non-runner 'project' car is ~£500
2) A rust box with a couple of months MOT and no chance of a renewal ~£750
3) An excellent example with minor stuff needing doing ~ £4,000
4) Price range between £750 - £4.000 = a complete lottery.
I've figured I'm best off getting the best body I can find with preferably at least 10 months MOT and worrying about the other stuff later!
I was planning on having a good look around the car, hearing it start from cold and then have a good look through the paperwork before looking underneath. I've found a 90 point inspection guide from a book by Roger Williams which looks like it will be a big help.
The thing I've noticed is-
1) A non-runner 'project' car is ~£500
2) A rust box with a couple of months MOT and no chance of a renewal ~£750
3) An excellent example with minor stuff needing doing ~ £4,000
4) Price range between £750 - £4.000 = a complete lottery.
I've figured I'm best off getting the best body I can find with preferably at least 10 months MOT and worrying about the other stuff later!
^this is exactly what i did. probably went too far, actually, as i bought a car that had been restored then left to sit for ages. the first year was a struggle, 2nd better, but now that i look back (after 3), if i had have bought a good runner with and average body, i'd be shelling out on new sills/paint/welding now. obviously i spent money sorting the rest out, but nowhere neare as much as a respray.
As all have said buy the best body coz it will cost believe me.
The mechanics are cheap as chips.
I can't download pics the net work here is so slow, but it looks as if its been sprayed before. so take magnet and check for filler on the seems esp the wing top where the wing joins scuttle.
The sills tap them see if they ring or have dead sound esp by the bottom of rear wing area, reach under there and squeeze the triangle area at the back of sill .
Better still ask the MGCC or MGOC if anybody in the area can come with you , theres always someone who'll come along.
The mechanics are cheap as chips.
I can't download pics the net work here is so slow, but it looks as if its been sprayed before. so take magnet and check for filler on the seems esp the wing top where the wing joins scuttle.
The sills tap them see if they ring or have dead sound esp by the bottom of rear wing area, reach under there and squeeze the triangle area at the back of sill .
Better still ask the MGCC or MGOC if anybody in the area can come with you , theres always someone who'll come along.
Thanks everyone.
This one wasn't for me. It was chucking out thick white smoke (which may have just been old fuel, but my book suggested possible head gasket issue). The floor was solid enough but the rear axle didn't give me confidence and looked well worn compared to the rest of the car. It would also have needed a full respray at some point in the next couple of years.
Used my head and walked away.
Spent the afternoon talking to a local specialist parts retailer who has given the names of a couple of local specialists who do MG servicing and repairs. As soon as I find the right car I want it to have the 36,000 mile service that the handbook recommends. The search continues....
This one wasn't for me. It was chucking out thick white smoke (which may have just been old fuel, but my book suggested possible head gasket issue). The floor was solid enough but the rear axle didn't give me confidence and looked well worn compared to the rest of the car. It would also have needed a full respray at some point in the next couple of years.
Used my head and walked away.
Spent the afternoon talking to a local specialist parts retailer who has given the names of a couple of local specialists who do MG servicing and repairs. As soon as I find the right car I want it to have the 36,000 mile service that the handbook recommends. The search continues....
As above, bodywork first. I bought one that looked ok but ran very sweet.. Now in the process of respraying. Replaced floor ,jacking points, inner and outer sills, a and b posts, castle rails,inner wheel arches crossmember, bottom wings rear, new front wings etc, etc. Taken years sorting and welding . Ok virtually a new car but what a ball ache!
engine and box £150
engine and box £150
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