MGB GT as a daily driver?
Discussion
Hello all, first time in the MG section of Pistonheads, but wondered if I could canvass some opinions?
I'm currently considering dumping my Eurobox in a few months for an MGB GT, as a daily driver.
I was looking at a tax exempt, CB model, with OD and Webasto roof. Maybe even a V8 if the budget stretched that far, although I suspect I could get a much better 'B' engined car for similar money.
Now, for what it's worth, I'm reasonably handy with a set of spanners.
Last year I put a SIII Land Rover back on the road, which had been stood for 6 years.
I'm currently restoring a 1985 TVR 350i wedge.
My interest in an BGT is largely:
Efficient though they are, I find modern cars very unrewarding to drive and own.
Coupled with depreciation, and often high maintenance costs, I've had enough!
I've enjoyed the simplicity and superb parts availability with my old Land Rover.
E.G. - two weeks ago I had to change a wheel bearing before a long journey.
I was able to get a complete hub rebuild kit for £15 that morning, and had the job done in an hour!
So, yes, I'm fairly familiar with old cars and the quirks and foibles. I know it'll require more maintenance than a modern car.
However - does anyone here run a 'B' as a daily driver?
Oddly, I've never driven one, but from what I gather, they're quite a sweet car to drive.
Any thoughts, anecdotes or opinions would be very gratefully received.
Cheers - Bob.
I'm currently considering dumping my Eurobox in a few months for an MGB GT, as a daily driver.
I was looking at a tax exempt, CB model, with OD and Webasto roof. Maybe even a V8 if the budget stretched that far, although I suspect I could get a much better 'B' engined car for similar money.
Now, for what it's worth, I'm reasonably handy with a set of spanners.
Last year I put a SIII Land Rover back on the road, which had been stood for 6 years.
I'm currently restoring a 1985 TVR 350i wedge.
My interest in an BGT is largely:
Efficient though they are, I find modern cars very unrewarding to drive and own.
Coupled with depreciation, and often high maintenance costs, I've had enough!
I've enjoyed the simplicity and superb parts availability with my old Land Rover.
E.G. - two weeks ago I had to change a wheel bearing before a long journey.
I was able to get a complete hub rebuild kit for £15 that morning, and had the job done in an hour!
So, yes, I'm fairly familiar with old cars and the quirks and foibles. I know it'll require more maintenance than a modern car.
However - does anyone here run a 'B' as a daily driver?
Oddly, I've never driven one, but from what I gather, they're quite a sweet car to drive.
Any thoughts, anecdotes or opinions would be very gratefully received.
Cheers - Bob.
Bob,
if you have a site Search on this forum and the 'Classic Cars and Yeserday's Heros' forum you'll find lots of threads and post on having a classic and particularly a BGT as a daily driver
of course it's easily possibly to have a classic as a daily driver, many of us do, I've had several including a BGT - a MGB is an obvious and good choice
unless you go to such rough places that you'd be in constant fear of getting your roof slashed then a roadster is often more practical than a BGT
BGTs cost less of course and r/b cars costs less than c/b cars so you get better value and some practical advantages to having a r/b car so don't dismiss them
I bought a classic car once that I'd never driven and before and it turned into a very expensive and bitter mistake you must drive a number of good mechanical condition MGBs to see if they're for you
forget 'internet wisdom' and 'pub wisdom' find the accurate facts
here's a portion of the advice note I give to potential and new classic owners -
'Buy a copy of the Driver's Handbook before even looking for the car and read it thoroughly as it tells you so much you need to know to own, drive, service and maintain your car and it’s very useful to have as a paper copy (even if you get electronic copies later) – http://www.mgocshop.co.uk/catalog/Online_Catalogue...
it’s workshop manuals for repairs but owners Handbooks for prevention
Look at and test drive as many good examples as you can including some well out of your buying budget to see how good the cars should/could be and that you may need to increase your budget – it usually works out less expensive to buy a good but higher priced example than a poor lower priced example'
I suggest you buy and thoroughly read the relevant copy of the Driver's Handbook (it's full of accurate facts) before even looking for the car as you'll then know more about the car than many sellers and long term owners and you'll understand the car more
look in here and 'Classic Cars and Yeserday's Heros' forums and you'll find loads of threads and posts about what to look for when buying and then what new owners experience
if you have a site Search on this forum and the 'Classic Cars and Yeserday's Heros' forum you'll find lots of threads and post on having a classic and particularly a BGT as a daily driver
of course it's easily possibly to have a classic as a daily driver, many of us do, I've had several including a BGT - a MGB is an obvious and good choice
unless you go to such rough places that you'd be in constant fear of getting your roof slashed then a roadster is often more practical than a BGT
BGTs cost less of course and r/b cars costs less than c/b cars so you get better value and some practical advantages to having a r/b car so don't dismiss them
I bought a classic car once that I'd never driven and before and it turned into a very expensive and bitter mistake you must drive a number of good mechanical condition MGBs to see if they're for you
forget 'internet wisdom' and 'pub wisdom' find the accurate facts
here's a portion of the advice note I give to potential and new classic owners -
'Buy a copy of the Driver's Handbook before even looking for the car and read it thoroughly as it tells you so much you need to know to own, drive, service and maintain your car and it’s very useful to have as a paper copy (even if you get electronic copies later) – http://www.mgocshop.co.uk/catalog/Online_Catalogue...
it’s workshop manuals for repairs but owners Handbooks for prevention
Look at and test drive as many good examples as you can including some well out of your buying budget to see how good the cars should/could be and that you may need to increase your budget – it usually works out less expensive to buy a good but higher priced example than a poor lower priced example'
I suggest you buy and thoroughly read the relevant copy of the Driver's Handbook (it's full of accurate facts) before even looking for the car as you'll then know more about the car than many sellers and long term owners and you'll understand the car more
look in here and 'Classic Cars and Yeserday's Heros' forums and you'll find loads of threads and posts about what to look for when buying and then what new owners experience
Edited by nta16 on Friday 19th July 21:17
Don't get too hung up on a pre73 tax exempt model. They're attracting a premium that's frankly not worth £200 a year in tax. The best overall cars in terms of looks, handling and accommodation are probably 73/74 cars anyway, or a lowered and stiffened chrome bumper conversion post 75 version.
A well set up B with normal 1800 engine is more than quick enough to keep up with modern traffic, even more so if you go fast road. My current B has only a pair of K+Ns and a decent exhaust on it, but I can still overtake stuff, drive comfortably at motorway speeds and don't feel massively underpowered. The engine is wheezy though and won't rev well when I've been used to driving an Alfa twin spark. Brakes aren't great by today's standard, but a pair of greenstuff pads works wonders. I've driven a standard V8 and it was pretty damn good, but needed better brakes too. Also driven an RV8, which was excellent but the V8 means that the footwell is noticeably cramped. I'm thinking about swapping the engine in my B, but will probably go for a K series conversion rather than a V8 for this reason. As I said, you don't need extra power, but I'd been keen to have it!
I've had Bs since 1997 and my current one was my dad's, which he bought in 1986. It was always a daily summer car when he had it, covering 70 miles a day. The more you drive them, the more reliable they are, you just need to keep to Nigel's service schedule and remember to grease the front suspension routinely. Sadly, I now longer commute to work and am out of the country for a month or so at a time so my B only gets proper runs when I'm back. Still starts though, after a bit of chuntering. Running it daily when I'm home, it'll start first turn of the key.
A well set up B with normal 1800 engine is more than quick enough to keep up with modern traffic, even more so if you go fast road. My current B has only a pair of K+Ns and a decent exhaust on it, but I can still overtake stuff, drive comfortably at motorway speeds and don't feel massively underpowered. The engine is wheezy though and won't rev well when I've been used to driving an Alfa twin spark. Brakes aren't great by today's standard, but a pair of greenstuff pads works wonders. I've driven a standard V8 and it was pretty damn good, but needed better brakes too. Also driven an RV8, which was excellent but the V8 means that the footwell is noticeably cramped. I'm thinking about swapping the engine in my B, but will probably go for a K series conversion rather than a V8 for this reason. As I said, you don't need extra power, but I'd been keen to have it!
I've had Bs since 1997 and my current one was my dad's, which he bought in 1986. It was always a daily summer car when he had it, covering 70 miles a day. The more you drive them, the more reliable they are, you just need to keep to Nigel's service schedule and remember to grease the front suspension routinely. Sadly, I now longer commute to work and am out of the country for a month or so at a time so my B only gets proper runs when I'm back. Still starts though, after a bit of chuntering. Running it daily when I'm home, it'll start first turn of the key.
I'v run several daily, a '76 GT when I was in college, nice and cheap but most recently a '80 GT with CB conversion, great looking car but practical too being a later car, nice and warm in the winter and fun in the snow..! Sold it a few weeks ago to fund another project but I'd run one again.
I have specifically bought a '78 'B GT to run as a (nearly) daily drive. Through work I have a lot of hire cars so in reality it sometimes only gets used once a week or so. It lives outside and certainly isn't cosseted.
Since it had just been "re-built" when I got it it still had to go through a shake down period during which time a few bits fell off / failed but, once past that, it's actually been pretty reliable and more fun to drive than a Eurobox.
The only down-sides I have encountered (and this may well be just my car rather than the 'breed' before you all shoot me down) are that it struggles to do 30 mpg and the heating / ventilation is a bit pathetic.
Parts are cheap and easily available and they are fairly easy to fix. The important bit is to try and get one that isn't a rust-bucket cos fixing that WILL cost real money!
Phil
Since it had just been "re-built" when I got it it still had to go through a shake down period during which time a few bits fell off / failed but, once past that, it's actually been pretty reliable and more fun to drive than a Eurobox.
The only down-sides I have encountered (and this may well be just my car rather than the 'breed' before you all shoot me down) are that it struggles to do 30 mpg and the heating / ventilation is a bit pathetic.
Parts are cheap and easily available and they are fairly easy to fix. The important bit is to try and get one that isn't a rust-bucket cos fixing that WILL cost real money!
Phil
Dare I add a note of dissent?
I've recently sold my GT which was bought and set up originally to use as a 'daily'. However, much as I like older cars and am more than capable of my fair share of tinkering, it was easy enough to get cheesed off with it. Sure it was comfortable, never broke down, had the Webasto and a Stage II motor so could easily deal with traffic. BUT, when a chunk of your drive each day involves sitting in traffic, for me it wasn't worth the fuss.
A nice day on nice roads, sure, but when the windows mist up in the rain, the wipers are poor and the heater is doing its own thing, I'd plump for the modern option. My daily Jag is worth less than the B was sold for but given the choice of one car, the decision wasn't difficult.
Sorry, I'll get my coat...........
I've recently sold my GT which was bought and set up originally to use as a 'daily'. However, much as I like older cars and am more than capable of my fair share of tinkering, it was easy enough to get cheesed off with it. Sure it was comfortable, never broke down, had the Webasto and a Stage II motor so could easily deal with traffic. BUT, when a chunk of your drive each day involves sitting in traffic, for me it wasn't worth the fuss.
A nice day on nice roads, sure, but when the windows mist up in the rain, the wipers are poor and the heater is doing its own thing, I'd plump for the modern option. My daily Jag is worth less than the B was sold for but given the choice of one car, the decision wasn't difficult.
Sorry, I'll get my coat...........
LFB531 said:
Dare I add a note of dissent?
I've recently sold my GT which was bought and set up originally to use as a 'daily'. However, much as I like older cars and am more than capable of my fair share of tinkering, it was easy enough to get cheesed off with it. Sure it was comfortable, never broke down, had the Webasto and a Stage II motor so could easily deal with traffic. BUT, when a chunk of your drive each day involves sitting in traffic, for me it wasn't worth the fuss.
A nice day on nice roads, sure, but when the windows mist up in the rain, the wipers are poor and the heater is doing its own thing, I'd plump for the modern option. My daily Jag is worth less than the B was sold for but given the choice of one car, the decision wasn't difficult.
Sorry, I'll get my coat...........
You have made a very good point. My commute is along country roads and a bit of motorway, it is 25 miles but is unusual in that there usually are no traffic jams. I had to drive across Tunbridge Wells in the rush hour last week - not so much fun and I'd hate to have to do that daily.I've recently sold my GT which was bought and set up originally to use as a 'daily'. However, much as I like older cars and am more than capable of my fair share of tinkering, it was easy enough to get cheesed off with it. Sure it was comfortable, never broke down, had the Webasto and a Stage II motor so could easily deal with traffic. BUT, when a chunk of your drive each day involves sitting in traffic, for me it wasn't worth the fuss.
A nice day on nice roads, sure, but when the windows mist up in the rain, the wipers are poor and the heater is doing its own thing, I'd plump for the modern option. My daily Jag is worth less than the B was sold for but given the choice of one car, the decision wasn't difficult.
Sorry, I'll get my coat...........
picking up on some of the good points here –
after the Chancellor’s surprise announcement it’s cars manufactured before 1st January 1974 that have a premium because they are “tax free” (after April 2014 for 1973 cars), you can bet as before later cars will suddenly appear as earlier cars
brakes not as good as moderns but then again you adjust your driving to the condition you find yourself in, you naturally find yourself thinking about better driving techniques which you’d be well to keep when back in a modern
braking is, as will all cars, very dependent on good condition tyres, a lot of classics run around on tyres that have loads of tread but have gone hard from age and lack of use, this effects the braking, steering, handling, ride comfort and noise, see –
also very often forgotten, in all cars, is to change the brake fluid regularly, which usually just leaves old tired and possibly breaking down rubber brakes hose – I prefer Mintex 1144 pads to Green Stuff but if your tyres and braking system are in good condition and fully serviced you don’t need anything but the standard brakes
heating and ventilation can be improved by stopping water leaks and draughts – thorough clean of heating/cooling system and replacing seals and replacing or sealing door and window seals
you can also try some anti-fog on the inside glass, not that I’ve found it very effective, or open the quarterlight or even the door window even in winter, get some fresh air in – the heating and ventilation is not up to the standard of a modern so run it as they were back in their day, clear ALL frost and rain off all the windows, and snow off the WHOLE car, before you pull off, wear suitable clothing inside the car – if you have a roadster you can stop some condensation on the inside by dropping the roof and driving with the roof down even in winter
the point of having the classic is that you don’t always drive directly to where you’re going, work, home wherever, if you can’t do detours to better driving roads once in a while then don’t bother with a classic
this isn’t aimed at anyone here (but if the cap fits don’t blame me) – one of the main problems with any car but especially classics is the previous and present owners not doing, or fully doing, what’s required to get the car very reliable, nippy, reasonable handling and great fun to drive
I used my BGT and roadster as everyday cars and at the same time for holiday, tours club runs and even shows but I wish I’d got my own notes then but it took that experience for me to realise what was required
as for mpg it depends on the mechanical condition of the whole car, full service, maintenance and repair and set up correctly (and then left alone without being fiddled with until the next service) – and of course the driver
after the Chancellor’s surprise announcement it’s cars manufactured before 1st January 1974 that have a premium because they are “tax free” (after April 2014 for 1973 cars), you can bet as before later cars will suddenly appear as earlier cars
brakes not as good as moderns but then again you adjust your driving to the condition you find yourself in, you naturally find yourself thinking about better driving techniques which you’d be well to keep when back in a modern
braking is, as will all cars, very dependent on good condition tyres, a lot of classics run around on tyres that have loads of tread but have gone hard from age and lack of use, this effects the braking, steering, handling, ride comfort and noise, see –
also very often forgotten, in all cars, is to change the brake fluid regularly, which usually just leaves old tired and possibly breaking down rubber brakes hose – I prefer Mintex 1144 pads to Green Stuff but if your tyres and braking system are in good condition and fully serviced you don’t need anything but the standard brakes
heating and ventilation can be improved by stopping water leaks and draughts – thorough clean of heating/cooling system and replacing seals and replacing or sealing door and window seals
you can also try some anti-fog on the inside glass, not that I’ve found it very effective, or open the quarterlight or even the door window even in winter, get some fresh air in – the heating and ventilation is not up to the standard of a modern so run it as they were back in their day, clear ALL frost and rain off all the windows, and snow off the WHOLE car, before you pull off, wear suitable clothing inside the car – if you have a roadster you can stop some condensation on the inside by dropping the roof and driving with the roof down even in winter
the point of having the classic is that you don’t always drive directly to where you’re going, work, home wherever, if you can’t do detours to better driving roads once in a while then don’t bother with a classic
this isn’t aimed at anyone here (but if the cap fits don’t blame me) – one of the main problems with any car but especially classics is the previous and present owners not doing, or fully doing, what’s required to get the car very reliable, nippy, reasonable handling and great fun to drive
I used my BGT and roadster as everyday cars and at the same time for holiday, tours club runs and even shows but I wish I’d got my own notes then but it took that experience for me to realise what was required
as for mpg it depends on the mechanical condition of the whole car, full service, maintenance and repair and set up correctly (and then left alone without being fiddled with until the next service) – and of course the driver
I think a BGT is a good call as a daily classic. . .my dad had one for years and loved it, i always found it comfortable, and MPG would have been of interets to my dad for sure ! so this must have been good/bearable. Simple enough mechanics/suspension and the MG owners club will be a useful source of all things MG so the back up is excellent. The argument for going chrome or rubber bumpers i will leave to the others that have one for the pro's and cons and the mechanical differences, but either i think is a good bet.
My '73 GT isn't quite a daily driver but normally gets commuted in once or twice a week when I'm not dropping kids off at school. All year round though.
The heater is crap and it's quite noisy especially at speed. Make sure the tyres aren't 400 years old; mine were about.15 years old and were crap. Replaced them with new Vredesteins and the car handles and stops much better. I've never found the brakes to be lacking. They feel different to modern brakes and are more progressive in use rather than an on/off switch like my wife's car. If you brake hard you will stop in a hurry!
Don't get hung up over finding a tax exempt car. Mine's due at the end of the month and is £225 for the year although this should be the last time I have to pay that thanks to the change in the budget. You'll spend way more than that on petrol and you may find a better car for the money if you're not just looking at pre '73.
The more you drive it the better it will get. A car left sitting will do itself no good.
The heater is crap and it's quite noisy especially at speed. Make sure the tyres aren't 400 years old; mine were about.15 years old and were crap. Replaced them with new Vredesteins and the car handles and stops much better. I've never found the brakes to be lacking. They feel different to modern brakes and are more progressive in use rather than an on/off switch like my wife's car. If you brake hard you will stop in a hurry!
Don't get hung up over finding a tax exempt car. Mine's due at the end of the month and is £225 for the year although this should be the last time I have to pay that thanks to the change in the budget. You'll spend way more than that on petrol and you may find a better car for the money if you're not just looking at pre '73.
The more you drive it the better it will get. A car left sitting will do itself no good.
williredale said:
The heater is crap
not as good as modern but not crap if as I put earlierwilliredale said:
If you brake hard you will stop in a hurry!
williredale said:
Don't get hung up over finding a tax exempt car. ... You'll spend way more than that on petrol and you may find a better car for the money if you're not just looking at pre '73.
williredale said:
The more you drive it the better it will get. A car left sitting will do itself no good.
double - Thanks very much for the input chaps.
Lots of good points here.
With regard to why I was thinking BGT and up to '74:
It has to be a BGT as I often carry friends, need some luggage space and I already have two soft-top cars!
I was thinking pre rubber bumper, as I personally think they look ugly, and loathe the 'deck-chair' interior trim!
'73/'74 seems to be the sweet spot for what I'd be looking for in a car
I guess the next step is to try and get a drive in one, and see how I get on with it.
Thanks again, Bob.
Lots of good points here.
With regard to why I was thinking BGT and up to '74:
It has to be a BGT as I often carry friends, need some luggage space and I already have two soft-top cars!
I was thinking pre rubber bumper, as I personally think they look ugly, and loathe the 'deck-chair' interior trim!
'73/'74 seems to be the sweet spot for what I'd be looking for in a car
I guess the next step is to try and get a drive in one, and see how I get on with it.
Thanks again, Bob.
voltage_maxx said:
It has to be a BGT as I often carry friends
you really do need to see these cars
voltage_maxx said:
need some luggage space and I already have two soft-top cars!
probably more useable luggage space in a roadster plus it's not on display as much, nothing wrong with having three soft tops voltage_maxx said:
I guess the next step is to try and get a drive in one, and see how I get on with it.
especially for a test drive you want to drive a good mechanical example, probably not one that's only used on a sunny Sunday and don't be fooled by shiny paint (very often Tartan red) or wire wheels especially if they're chrome as a less spectacular but frequently used car is much more likely to go well and the owner know how to drive it as it was designed for
if you can also take a passenger friend (you'll only need one) all the better and much more of a laugh
good luck, enjoy
Edited by nta16 on Wednesday 19th June 03:20
voltage_maxx said:
Thanks very much for the input chaps.
It has to be a BGT as I often carry friends, need some luggage space and I already have two soft-top cars!
I guess the next step is to try and get a drive in one, and see how I get on with it.
Thanks again, Bob.
Assume your friends have no legs or work in a circus then?It has to be a BGT as I often carry friends, need some luggage space and I already have two soft-top cars!
I guess the next step is to try and get a drive in one, and see how I get on with it.
Thanks again, Bob.
nta16 said:
williredale said:
The heater is crap
not as good as modern but not crap if as I put earlierI used my 71 BGT as a daily for about a year. I could hardly fault it for the way it performed the task, I really would recommend it. The engine has a very usable amount of torque which makes it easy to drive and it easily keeps up with modern traffic. Many valid points have already been covered so I won't repeat them. However, if I was looking to find fault I would say the heater is a big one when driving in the winter, mine is rebuilt and its still s
t. Mine doesn't have a heated rear screen, I'd suggest you want one! The other thing is the handling, it's not good although it is predictable, upgrading it is expensive but could be worthwhile. I like how standard mine is as all my other cars are modyfied and it doesn't make it a bad drive. I paid £2k for mine with over £10k worth of receipts in the last 1500 miles. It needed some attention to the running gear and the interior but the body is very good, and that's what matters. It costs almost nothing to insure and the parts I have needed have not been that expensive. I'm sure I could sell it for a profit which is a rare thing! I won't be though as I think it's a great car.
t. Mine doesn't have a heated rear screen, I'd suggest you want one! The other thing is the handling, it's not good although it is predictable, upgrading it is expensive but could be worthwhile. I like how standard mine is as all my other cars are modyfied and it doesn't make it a bad drive. I paid £2k for mine with over £10k worth of receipts in the last 1500 miles. It needed some attention to the running gear and the interior but the body is very good, and that's what matters. It costs almost nothing to insure and the parts I have needed have not been that expensive. I'm sure I could sell it for a profit which is a rare thing! I won't be though as I think it's a great car. awooga said:
voltage_maxx said:
Thanks very much for the input chaps.
It has to be a BGT as I often carry friends, need some luggage space and I already have two soft-top cars!
I guess the next step is to try and get a drive in one, and see how I get on with it.
Thanks again, Bob.
Assume your friends have no legs or work in a circus then?It has to be a BGT as I often carry friends, need some luggage space and I already have two soft-top cars!
I guess the next step is to try and get a drive in one, and see how I get on with it.
Thanks again, Bob.
Crosswise, williredale,
your heaters shouldn’t be crap, not very good, nowhere near as good as modern yes but extremely poor or crap no
if your heating is poor it could be the heater and/or too many draughts allowed or making their way in to the car or possibly you’re just expecting too much from the system
if your heater is poor it could also be that your ‘water’ cooling system isn’t working as well as it should too
a lot of times the heating being poor is the fault of previous and present owners not sorting it properly which is fine, it’s their car
(please note the if -) IF you’ve not sorted the heating or not bothered to then that’s fine but don’t say its crap until you’ve at least tried to sort it out – if you want I’ve a simple method to help improve the heating and cooling, just PM me – you can certainly say the heating system is crap on your car if you want to but please add if you’ve not bothered to fully sort it (as williredale did)
ETA: Crosswire I did note you put your car was rebuilt, I've had three rebuilt classic MGs and they all needed many things sorting and improving from the rebuild
to be fair in a B the heating sometimes can be just about adequate even after a little bit of work and effort put in, on the other hand with the Spridgets the heaters can be too hot most times
your heaters shouldn’t be crap, not very good, nowhere near as good as modern yes but extremely poor or crap no
if your heating is poor it could be the heater and/or too many draughts allowed or making their way in to the car or possibly you’re just expecting too much from the system
if your heater is poor it could also be that your ‘water’ cooling system isn’t working as well as it should too
a lot of times the heating being poor is the fault of previous and present owners not sorting it properly which is fine, it’s their car
(please note the if -) IF you’ve not sorted the heating or not bothered to then that’s fine but don’t say its crap until you’ve at least tried to sort it out – if you want I’ve a simple method to help improve the heating and cooling, just PM me – you can certainly say the heating system is crap on your car if you want to but please add if you’ve not bothered to fully sort it (as williredale did)
ETA: Crosswire I did note you put your car was rebuilt, I've had three rebuilt classic MGs and they all needed many things sorting and improving from the rebuild
to be fair in a B the heating sometimes can be just about adequate even after a little bit of work and effort put in, on the other hand with the Spridgets the heaters can be too hot most times
Edited by nta16 on Wednesday 19th June 15:48
I've flushed the whole cooling system, replaced anything that was needed, dismantled the heater, refurbished the case and sealed the unit with new foam and sealant. The fan motor has been replaced with a new up rated unit and everything has been refitted as airtight as possible. I can say with absolute certainty that the heater is st by design, not thought fault. To elaborate a little, it heats the car fine, it's just demisting the screen it's useless at. If you look at the routing of the pipes and the number of places for the air to leak out as well as the tiny screen vents, its obvious why it doesn't work well.
t by design, not thought fault. To elaborate a little, it heats the car fine, it's just demisting the screen it's useless at. If you look at the routing of the pipes and the number of places for the air to leak out as well as the tiny screen vents, its obvious why it doesn't work well. I think the difference here is not in the performance of the heater, but our perception of it. Even though I've driven classics as long as I've been driving, I've also had modern cars. I think the heater is the thing I notice the most when swapping between a modern car and my MG in the winter. That's why I thought I needed to mention it as even a well maintained heater on an MGB falls well short of any modern car I've driven.
Gassing Station | MG | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff