Considering an MGB GT

[jardinio]

I'm considering a GT for my next car but I'm just wondering about a couple of things that I'm hoping someone will be able to help out with.

Could I use one for a daily commute? a bit of motorway work involved, bit of stop start traffic thrown in and about 20 miles each way in total. I know that some old cars don't hold up to this sort of treatment regularly, but have heard different about the MGB.

Could a standard engine keep up with motorway traffic regularly? or would this be straining it a bit too much? If not, how much effort is needed to make one comfortable with motorways?

What sort of consumption can I expect from a standard engine? And what can be done to improve it?

thanks in advance for any help you can give with this.

[Huntsman]

jardinio said:

I'm considering a GT for my next car but I'm just wondering about a couple of things that I'm hoping someone will be able to help out with.

Could I use one for a daily commute? a bit of motorway work involved, bit of stop start traffic thrown in and about 20 miles each way in total. I know that some old cars don't hold up to this sort of treatment regularly, but have heard different about the MGB.

Could a standard engine keep up with motorway traffic regularly? or would this be straining it a bit too much? If not, how much effort is needed to make one comfortable with motorways?

What sort of consumption can I expect from a standard engine? And what can be done to improve it?

thanks in advance for any help you can give with this.

Well up to the job, pop the over drive on and away you go, I used to do 20 miles on M27 everyday in a B roadster no problem at all.

Fuel economy not great but dont know.

[thewave]

i'd say you'd be okay, as long as it's looked after.

If you're after a bit more pace, you could try an MGC, it will eat motorways all day, but expect fuel economy to be less than satisfactory.

[SB - Nigel]

Just lost all I typed so to keep it short

Yes a standard MG BGT will easily keep up with motorway traffic but get an overdrive model and keep to the legal limit or less and you'll more MPG

Get a decent example and keep it well maintained - I've had classic cars as everday work cars and at the same time also used them at the weekend and for touring holidays - infact at the moment my everyday car is a Midget

Usually you get what you pay for, buy and maintain cheap and you'll regret it (however like I did with my last car you can spend a lot of money and still end up with a sh*theap so be carefull)

MGB must be the most written about car so do your research - you could start here
http://www.mgownersclub.co.uk/

[wildoliver]

Yep agree whole heartedly, smashing daily driver tbh. I bought one about 6 months ago when I needed a daily driver, used it for about 2 months, shoved about 6k miles on it! Smashing motor. Up for sale soon actually

[wadgebeast]

I used my MG B as a daily driver for 10 years. In its latter years it was doing 70 miles a day on a combination of town, motorway and A/B roads without any major issues. I used to drive at normal motorway speeds i.e. 75-80 mph with no dramas at all. With overdrive, 70 mph is 3300 rpm. I think 4000 rpm was about 80 mph so it's similarly geared to most standard 5 speed cars.

My car had a stage 2 engine and a few other bits and pieces and I got 31mpg on the commute and 38mpg trundling around France in summer. To put this in context, my missus' 6 year old Skoda Fabia got 30 mpg on the same commute because I had to work the car harder on the hills. The main modifications you should look at are:

Electronic ignition - at least it will start in the morning!
K+N air filters - improve breathing therefore mpg and power
Freeflow head - as above
LCB manifold and freeflow exhaust - as above
Tune the carbs with needles to work on new airflow.

That should give you about 5 mpg and 5-8 Bhp without costing a fortune.

Best things thereafter - green stuff brake pads, fast road camshaft, improved shock absorbers (I had konis back and spax front, but others will say that uprated hydraulic ones are fine), better rear springs (parabolic or fibreglass) or start looking at dropping in another unit entirely - O series or similar.

[jardinio]

Thanks for the help everyone, with this info to hand it should be a doddle convincing my girlfriend that we should get one.....

Quick question though. Wadgebeast, you said you had a stage 2 engine, is this just the normal overdrive engine with the modifications that you detailed? or does it involve further work as well?

Also, do people still run the older cars on additives/LRP or do they generally get the unleaded head conversion?

[wadgebeast]

Bog standard MG B engine, gearbox and overdrive modified from there. Unless you get a V8 you'll find that there's no need to replace the propshaft / gearbox / overdrive unit at all - it'll handle the torque comfortably and you'll have the fun of flicking it in and out as you need.

Head was an unleaded head, but taken to a machine shop to have it ported properly and improve gas flow. - Lyndsey Porter wrote a book called 'Tuning your MG B' or something similar, which is a bible on bringing your MG B up to date in terms of performance, but suitably classic in every other way.

Have fun! I miss the noise and appreciation of others now I've got the alfa instead. Except in this weather, where I appreciate a well fitting hood!

[wildoliver]

Don't stress about unleaded either they handle it fine.

[SB - Nigel]

It depends on your budget and use as to the improvements you want but I would only worry about those sort of things after you've owned the car at least a year unless the existing components need replacing then an upgrade could be more cost effective

I remember mine enjoyed higher octane petrol but that could be adjusted on yours

I would recommend full and regular maintenance using standard servicing items (including brake/clutch fluid, coolant, plugs, leads, rotor arm, dissy cap, fan belt, air, petrol filters, g/box, diff oil, grease points)

Then as funds allow you could replace or upgrade the following but remember it’s not just the cost of the items but their installation and tuning

battery, electronic ignition

suspension bushes before (same time/instead of) dampers

improved heater matrix and fan

K&N filters are nice but may also need stub stacks and maybe rich needles but I found you don’t have to use rich needles

exhaust replace/upgrade as required – manifold can get expensive tho’

If you’re going to keep a number of years then there are loads of improvements you could make but some are very expensive and IMO spoil the type of car it is

[Huntsman]

wadgebeast said:

Bog standard MG B engine, gearbox and overdrive modified from there. Unless you get a V8 you'll find that there's no need to replace the propshaft / gearbox / overdrive unit at all - it'll handle the torque comfortably and you'll have the fun of flicking it in and out as you need.

Head was an unleaded head, but taken to a machine shop to have it ported properly and improve gas flow. - Lyndsey Porter wrote a book called 'Tuning your MG B' or something similar, which is a bible on bringing your MG B up to date in terms of performance, but suitably classic in every other way.

Have fun! I miss the noise and appreciation of others now I've got the alfa instead. Except in this weather, where I appreciate a well fitting hood!

I think the book you refer to was written by Peter Burgess. Its the MGB performance bible, a definitive work.

[Heebeegeetee]

Get one with overdrive. It makes the car perfectly useable on a daily basis and makes selling the car much easier too.

[Adam_BGT]

i drive my B on a 50 mile daily commute no probs at all..... on the standard engine, it would always 'keep up' with traffic and happily sit at 85 going over saddleworth moor. Ive got a stage 2 fast road engine in it now, bored out to 1950cc and running a weber 45 carb. She doesn't so much as 'keep up' with traffic now as overtake a fair proportion of it!

Start standard, see if you like the car.... theres nothing wrong with then as daily drivers! If you're enjoying it, then get some mods done!

[SB - Nigel]

Adam_BGT said:

Start standard, see if you like the car.... theres nothing wrong with then as daily drivers! If you're enjoying it, then get some mods done!

Yeap I'd agree with this but before you do any mods get the CAR (not just engine) FULLY serviced then you may decide you don't need the mods

It's very easy to get carried away and over modify the car (even at very basic levels) and take away or spoil the essence of the car - drive the car regularly for at least 6 months thro' winter and summer to see if you really want or need the mods

Enjoy what a FULLY SERVICED and MAINTAINED standard car can do - theses very basics get missed so often it's sad, frustrating and some times excellent for piss-taking of Sunday car owners - the more you drive it the more you learn

[wildoliver]

Take a look on the classifieds there is my bgt for sale.

[heebeegeetee]

SB - Nigel said:

Adam_BGT said:

Start standard, see if you like the car.... theres nothing wrong with then as daily drivers! If you're enjoying it, then get some mods done!

Yeap I'd agree with this but before you do any mods get the CAR (not just engine) FULLY serviced then you may decide you don't need the mods

It's very easy to get carried away and over modify the car (even at very basic levels) and take away or spoil the essence of the car - drive the car regularly for at least 6 months thro' winter and summer to see if you really want or need the mods

Enjoy what a FULLY SERVICED and MAINTAINED standard car can do - theses very basics get missed so often it's sad, frustrating and some times excellent for piss-taking of Sunday car owners - the more you drive it the more you learn

I totally agree. The best MGB imo is the standard one that is well maintained and is as it should be. The B is far easier to spoil with modifications than it is to improve.

[syksi]

I really want one too
However, im only 18 and am on my 2nd car and i want a change
im not the usual 18 year old though (in a saxo with a baseball cap!)
i want a gorgeous old car that i will really look after and appreciate
Just wondering the same really, i need it to be quite reliable to drive to uni and to work, about 30 miles a day every day... can it handle it?
if i were to get one, it would obviously have to be a fully restored one for around 3 - 4k
i reckon thats reasonable
just wanted some proffesional opinions from those that own one =]
cheers

[alfa pint]

MG Bs go better the more they are driven. If you're keeping it outside, consider electronic ignition and a car cover. And restored or not, it will rust which can lead to some very expensive MOTs. Roadsters are more fun in the summer.

[neilr]

With the exception of a small gear change issue im having at the moment, mines been a great daily driver for almost the last 4 years. Had to change the fuel pump, the coil, the alternator and the oil seals on the diff. With the expection of the diff oil seals, the others were really a result of the fact my car had had next to no use for 6 years before i bought it.


Ive said this before and I stick to this opinion that they weren't that well engineered so don't expect modern levels of rust free motoring, and they certianly weren't well built by the factory so if you want it as a daily driver buy a really good one (or rebuild one yourself0 or you'll be very dissapointed and put off for life. I know a few people in this catergory and they refuse to belive mine is a reliable daily driver. Don't get me wrong, they're great cars, I love mine but they have their faults, just be aware of those and you'll be ok. Nigels comments about the basic servicing are spot on, ignore at your peril!

[mgbglasgow]

Hi all,

my first post, reply.

I have a ford focus, and an MGBGT, i use the ford focus everday, but it breaks down.

It flashes lights, logs fault codes, and spits smoke out, ala diesel.

Im restoring my MG and will drive it 90 miles a day.

Modern cars cost more, depreciate more, consume more in the real world, and are very dull.

Go for it, and you will love the ownership of a classic.

Any one want to be a very reliable Focus

Steve, www.mgb-glasgow.blogspot.com