Garage find!
 

An old client has offered me a mid seventies MGB. Been in his garage under a tarp for 17 years in the garage. Not sure if I’m crazy or not. Had one in my twenties when I meet my wife. Going to take a look this week. Anyone have any suggestions as what to look at? Thanks Glenn

Your bank balance.


Best
Les

Sorry. There are a lot of parts available, including complete body shells. They are easy to wrench on.
If it hasn't already been converted from the smog era carbs there is some performance on the table there.
Best
Les

Thanks for the comments Les. I’m trying to have wide open eyes and not about the nostalgia of having one when I was dating my wife. I’m going to look at it. Just not sure of rust areas on them. Will keep you posted.

There are lots of MGBs out there in good running condition for less than $10k.

Unless the project aspect is what you are interested in, it migh pay to look around at what other Bs are available.

I know of one that is nicely restored, running well and looking good that the owner would be happy to get 10k for.

Check on BAT.

Cheers Richard

You have to go see it. The last car like this I saw I wound up recommissioning for very little money, even though I had to go through every major system.

Rubber bumper or chrome bumper? Big difference in collectability. Early 1974 are chrome, late 1974 are rubber bumper.

Post pics!

I believe chrome bumper. Will post pictures.

I know quite a lot about MGB's. Let's see pics. Rubber bumpers really aren't worth having.

Great, simple cars from 63 - 72ish. I had a 65. Really a joy.

Will post pictures of car after I see it this week, seems the owner won the car in some sort of draw back in the seventies. Drove it and parked it 17 years ago.

I’ve had several too. Fun, easy cars. Moss Motors in Goleta, CA has just about everything for these cars.

A later rubber bumper car can be back-dated to a chrome bumper car fairly easily. Then you just lower it about 6 inches.

Take a screw driver & a flashlight look everywhere for rust. As said before, all the parts are available, in fact I think you could build a new car from the parts bin. It would just be hideously expensive.

They aren’t quick, they aren’t valuable and they rust like crazy.
Lucas electrics - insert warm beer joke here - are installed as standard...
What’s not to love.

Full disclosure - I’ve only had one. Had a lot more Rumfs, which are the flip side of the same coin.

OP - here’s a primer

Buying an MGB

To clarify....what does “offered me a....” mean? Offered to sell or give you a mid-70’s MGB? Obviously that would alter the equation.

Would that be a back-dated later rubber bumper car, or a later-dated chrome plated back baby rubber bumper car? ;)

If you get it... A friend of mine put a Honda distributor in his '68. Not sure how common that mod is.

Also, rising tide lifts all boats, so rubber bumper cars will eventually catch on.

No, they won't. :)

^^^Agreed. When I was younger, I owned two Midgets with the chrome bumpers (1970, 1973) and they were fun cars to toss around on country roads. Too bad the rubber bumpers buggered up the looks of the latter cars.