Talk Morgan Forums Community Vehicle Talk (non-Morgan) Wide body MGB

Howard, I suspect there would be many such as I who would disagree with your categorisation of the iconic reasonably affordable British sports car that the MGB is, and the heritage associated with the marque...?

Those of us who could make occasional use of minimal basic tools to maintain our own vehicles, perhaps over many a year, and could perhaps fix an old B, more than we might be able to repair some if not any modern machines in the case of a breakdown, without dependence on a cell phone and perhaps reliance on many other services that today we might take for granted, in the case of a brake-down..?

Triumphs of a similar era seemed to be no better or worse than MG`s... I suspect we Brits were very fortunate to have quite a few to chose from...? (-:

As a former MGB GT owner, I can attest that both of these can be true at the same time

I would say that in many regards modern cars are a lot easier to work on than old stuff, not least because once you've plugged the computer in you've go access to all sorts of diagnostics that were never available to use 40 years ago. It's not even like the kit's expensive, you can get a single-type device for less than the cost of an hour's garage labour in a main dealer.

I just spent a couple of hours working on a friend's 2007 Renault Clio, mainly replacing the windscreen wiper motor and linkages. The only tools I needed were M10 and M16 sockets, a flat blade screwdriver and a TX25 bit. The old components had failed because the drain tubes in the scuttle pocket had blocked and the motor had drowned in water, but they were nicely designed and none of the fastenings had rusted up. £65 in parts, compared to around £225 for the equivalent bits for a trad Morgan.

At least the B had three successful outings at Le Mans, and by that I mean finishing and using a car which was little modified from standard apart from the streamlined nose.

Let's face it, the year they averaged 99.9mph for 24 hours would have been an horrendous experience for so many reasons, but the design was sound in 1962.

They never seemed to capitalise on that achievement though.

I guess my Luddite tendencies are showing somewhat Tim... (-: However your example was not a breakdown perhaps caused by some digital anomaly.
I guess it is possible that a modern=day car enthusiast who repairs and maintains his modern car will no doubt be more likely to carry some means of digital diagnostic ability than a set of feeler gauges...(-:

I have been no stranger to the effect of corrosion on old Brit cars, and perhaps less fortunately have experience of more modern cars digital and other failings, which were considerably more expensive to resolve, on a then six year old Evoque and a nine year old Porsche...both of which had/have corrosion issues relative to likely areas in need of repair..

If stuck at the roadside and without a cell phone signal, I`d better fancy my chances fixing a B than a modern sports car...(-:

I remember back in 1972, with my first Midget, which was four years old and a bit rusty, attending an MG Car Club Event. I was 19.

What I could not understand was why all these old blokes were running obsolete M.G.s like prewar, like T Types, even MGAs. Now I get it, and if the going gets tough, an MGB would be a sound buy.

I had a light blue Midget in 1968 (?) whilst doing my post graduate in London. I turned down a shabby frog eye to buy the newer car but I really enjoyed driving it. If I got one again I might need a wide body version to get in it - The frog eye seemed minuscule even back then
MM
PS It’s very cold in the U.K. at the moment and ir reminds me of the night I drove the Midget from Wandsworth to Richmond in the snow and the radiator grill was frozen sold by the time I got there.

Can't fault my GT - been a daily driver for the last 20mths and doing 250-300 miles a week. Pretty easy to work on, and most parts are dirt cheap.Replaced my Vx Corsa which was a right bugger to do anything with - too much plastic shite covering everything. Changing the £5 fan belt involved removing wheel, inner wing, airbox, airflow meter and engine mounts - that was the last straw.....

I've owned midgets and Bs and slightly preferred the midgets really.
However, if I had to have only one old car and use it daily I'd go for a bgt for sure. Apart from a running battle with corrosion the mgb is a fine, reliable and fun car to drive and own and much more useable in poor weather than my mog.

I was lucky with mine - although there are the inevitable spots of rust, it had a full Ziebart treatment from new which has certainly helped delay the issues.