Buying a parts car

okay...stupid question...but just wondering...if it is smart to buy a parts car? (believe it to be..pre 74 1/2 CB) if looking for a 78/80 RB - the reason I think it is pre 74 1/2 is the wheels? The add does say it seems to be "all" there...but no real description...it does have a hardtop. (would it fit a 78-80?)..of course the body is in Rough shape but was wondering for parts...mechanically wise...and possibly selling the Knock-off wheels...etc...?? Am I just asking for something to take up space??? and would better off to purchase replacement parts as required...Sorry first pic attached was not too good...tried again...what can I say I am new at this...lol

Interesting hardtop! The rear end will be different from your 77-80 car. The trans also. The engine can be made to fit. But.... you would be better off with a parts car of your vintge.

What kind of door handles does the car have (hard to see in the photo)...do they pull open like a refrigerator door, or do they have a push button?

Looks to have early taillights and front marker lights.

Most (but not all) parts will be interchangable with your rubber bumper car....

Yes, the hardtop, if it is designed for an MGB, will fit your 78-80 MGB.

The bonnet, the bootlid, etc would be of value....it's hard to sell used wire wheels, but the hubs may be good.

If it was me, and the price was right, I would grab it. You can learn a LOT about your MGB by disassembling one.

Tkx Chris...appreciate the info...just trying to cover all the bases..I know the hardtop makes me think of a Thunderbird...for some reason....

I agree with Rick, if the price is right grab it. It's a great education

Rick...looks like...push button?? they want $700...for it???
Saw it and was thinking...hmm...parts...and in Northern Ontario what better place to go than your back yard...lol...and dismantling...the parts cars would def be an education...if it goes wrong no loss?? sorta speak

That one looks restorable?

I bought a parts car and I have saved a ton of money using it. The hard part is tricking the wife that the parts car that I dismantled is the same car as the one I am restoring. She still has no idea!

Hello Kim,

From the Photo, the car appears to be an early Mark 1 model and if the colour is factory original (Black Tulip) it would be a collectable.

The car appears to be in decent "nick" and I'd be thinking Restoration Project rather than Parts Car.

Best Regards B)

parts car! That just doesn't happen over here. I want to rescue it!
The curved rear window hard top is nice.

x2 on what Gavin said. Car has adventure written all over it. That car sits lower than your sought after 78B so the driving will be a little different, should you bring it to roadworthyness. It is turning heads just sitting there.

over here that car would be called a rot-free restoration!:D

if its cheap ,buy it

and this is the other side?? looking at it it seems that thr sills are def gone? and looks like a Major reno job way out of my league!!!

As someone using a '69 (which I already had) as a parts car for a '77 project, I'd say it's a mixed blessing having that big of a gap between the years. My parts car has been great for getting the earlier SU dual carbs, intake and exhaust manifolds, and distributor. I've also transferred the earlier brake system over, though in the end, the only thing I really salvaged was the pedal box and a couple of the brake lines (mostly needed new...). You cannot use (at least not without significant mods) the interior panels, seats, dash and gauges, wiring harnesses, radiator, steering rack and column, steering wheel, stalk switches, fuel pump, and perhaps even the starter. So you need to think what you need for the 'final' car, and what the part's car has to offer, and how much overlap there is.

As for me, I had a '69 that rusted out from under me, so it became the parts car. I found a '77 with excellent body and interior, but gas-fire-ruined engine bay. Seemed a good match, but even so, I've had to buy more than I expected.

FWIW - you can get a lot of parts pretty reasonably from other MGE members with parts cars. Of course, you're then obligated to offer good deals on unneeded parts from your parts car (if you have one) :)

Still -that little beastie might be worth $700....

Did you check if it had a OD tran???? If it does then you money ahead
Bob

Kim,

All I can say is that I would caution you against buying this car as a restoration project if this is your first MG, unless your primary goal is bragging rights for the before-and-after. This car will need untold amounts of money and time. The best advice I keep hearing is to buy the best car you can for the money and enjoy it. Even then things will come up requiring work and time off the road. How many times do we see stalled projects resulting from the owner getting frustrated, other things in life getting in the way. etc.

As a parts car you have other options. If it has an OD you can easily sell that and the hard top to finance the purchase of parts for your other car. Those two items are often in demand for decent $$.

You can always get a second car later to bring back from the dead while you enjoy having one already on the road.

I do hope you or someone can rescue the car. Its always sad to see one return to the earth.

But I'm a hypocrite. I'm trying to bring back a GT that I probably should have parted out, so what do I know? (other than the pain and frustration of such a project!)

Tim

I'd offer $400. Does not look easily restorable and I doubt its an early B....if so well worth the asking and perhaps saving...lift handles is a key...but I'd look further to verify. Engine number for instance...

And I for one am very glad you are bringing it back Tim! :0

I think you would have to be completely crazy not to buy this given you live in Northern Ontario. There has to be what - maybe one or 2 parts car within an 800 kilometers radius of you?

I live in BC where there are likely dozens of parts cars within a 4 hour drive and would be all over this today (and not just because I have a MK 1 car). Even if you're just wanting to part it out I see tons and tons of value here just in these 2 pictures. What is the interior like - anything left that is salvageable?

As for the other posters that say offer cheap money it doesn't work this way in Canada as early cars are very thin on the ground. First of all you're lucky to see much in the way of MGBs period except in BC where our climate is a bit more forgiving. Probably 80% of the MGB's in Canada around within 3 or 4 hours of Vancouver so if you have this one in Northern Ontario available to you would buy it and not even dicker on the price.

Hell, I would buy this car if it was in Kelowna at $700 today and consider myself as getting a steal. For parts cars alone I see very few RB under $1k let alone a chrome bumper car. If you've got a place to store it until you decide to fix it or break it up would be a no brainer decision from what I can see.

If it wasn't a 40 hour drive and 4000 km from my house would go and buy this myself.

Thanks guys...as I had said was wondering what you thought of as a buy for parts...When I saw it, it was more for the hard top than anything else really....that I was interested in...it does look nice even in its run down condition, as far as restoring it, not something I dont think I would have the patience for??? I can however, imagine what it would look like in a restored condition? That thought does intrigue me but I think I know my limits in regards to that kind of labour. It is not however in Northern Ontario for shame but in an area where I am going to look at a couple and who knows...if it is still there might drop by and see it as well if only for the hard top for if it will fit a 78/79 or whichever I end up purchasing it will be hopefully a cheap investment for the long run....and if I do purchase it in whole I am sure there will be postings as to items for sale or in exchange for parts that I require. Tks again guys....

I would buy it and sell my RB to spend on the CB !

My photo expanding program says that it is a pull handle B, that is pre-65. It is never good news when a door is hanging open-it may be very rotten in the middle and sagged badly-or it may not.

The hardtop will fit, the carbs and intake will work if you want to do a conversion, the trunk lid and maybe the hood will work. Otherwise mechanically there isn't much there for a RBB, particularly if it is a 3 main engine.

Might make an interesting restoration project, if there is anything left to work with underneath.

If you pass on it, I need an early B parts car and have tons of 70s stuff available that I would trade for it.

I am not convinced doors can't be swapped. However, if there are other indications it's truly an early car it would number among the rarest of the MGBs. It certainly looks like the mid section is well gone but this would make an ideal "clone" candidate given a similar or slightly later more together vehicle IMHO.
Some vintage racers prefer the heftier 3 main engines. They will not rev as high but with only three surfaces they tend to accelerate a bit better. Regardless of the condition if it truly is an early pull handle car its well worth the price....IMHO

So gents, in your Humbled Opinion's, how is it determined that it is a true pull handle car vs others or what are the other indications of it being an early MK 1? as Anthony noted as did I after zooming the pics that it does indeed look pull handle (mind you other handle looks to be missing/broken?) and of course the interior of the car, the sagging, etc...the grill also is interesting as well as the chrome bumpers...look to be in not bad shape...only seeing it in person will tell the true tale of the condition...of hood, doors, wheels and over all engine, body etc...hopefully I will get to check it out and take pics...?

A true pull handle should have the serial tag on the passenger side inner fender in front of the rad and have a serial # below roughly GHN3L/60000. The passenger door is open so the latch should be visible and be a very simple hole with a pin in the end of the door, with a hook on the B post/door shut panel area. It is MAJOR work to modify a later car's B posts, and although a very few have converted later cars to the pull handle outer handle the later inner latch and B post remain unchanged.
By the looks of the car very little has been done to it in a very long time. The whitewall tires look to be late 70s/80s spec and the rest of it looks rather discouraged. If it is sagged enough in the middle that the passenger door won't shut, the door, if you try to close it will hit the rear fender. Eyeballing the angle of the door, it looks like that to me and unfortunately I've seen many Ontario Bs with that problem. Typically the budget restorations done on rusted out MGBs through the 70s and 80s involved camouflage rather than proper panel repair and replacement, so even though that car doesn't look to have huge holes in the panels, there may be little left to work with underneath. If it has the sags, it can certainly be repaired, but unless you are prepared to commit about 3000 to underbody and sill replacement purchases and are comfortable to tackle about a 100 hours of prep and welding, it is probably not economically feasible. Pull handle cars are scarce, but not yet that scarce. If it is typically rotten, you are talking about replacing basically everything from the chrome line down, and everything underneath. Keep us posted.

Buy it and sell me those clear lenses!!!!!!!!!!!!

I won't comment on the relative merits of restoring this car versus parting it out; others have done that better than I could.

I did once by a parts car knowing that very few of the parts would fit mine. I was able to sell or trade many of the bits I couldn't use to people on this forum who needed them (for a reasonable price) and used any money I made to buy what I needed. Very rarely would a parts car provide exactly the parts you need, but it is for sure that it will provide at least some, and the rest are likely parts that SOMEBODY needs...

and it is an education.

A few other questions as I am just trying to fill my head? with things to take pics of and/or look for ? Sorry if I have asked some of this before just trying to be more detailed, and I understand about the body...and the damage to sills and see the sagging that is there?
Tks Anthony for the location of the VIN # if it should be there?

in regards to OD in reading other posts there is a switch on the stick? is it fairly visible?
The SU Carbs are they interchangeable on a later model B or what do you mean by converting
The Engine and tranny would they not be transplantable as a whole?
How do I recognize a 3 main engine vs a 5 main engine.
I am assuming (scary word) that all the outer things like headlamp rims chrome trim etc would more than likely be interchangeable? if not in too bad shape.
Interior things like gauges, bezels, dash, gear shifter, emergency brake? etc,
What about water/critter damage to seats/interior?
Your patience and input is appreciated
Tks

Hi Morgan:

OD in early car, switch on left end of dash, relay on firewall behind carbs/best to physically inspect the trans from underneath to be sure as it could have been replac ed w/ a non-OD at some stage. Look for a semi-cylindrical lump on the back of the trans with a black plate that says Laycock Overdrive.

SU carbs/intake and exhaust manifolds can move to any year and make sense if the late model has a single carb. Chances are the early carbs will need a thorough overhaul before installation= $2-300 minimum if done professionally. Depending how long the car has sat in damp or outside storage, the carbs may be questionable for rebuilding. Even though they are alloy they can "fur" up and seize quite nastily.

Engine and trans COULD be transplanted as a whole but not a great idea. The front plate assembly from a late model engine would have to be installed on the early engine, and I think that there is a lump on the side of the early block that has to be carefully ground off for the late mount to fit. I'm not sure the really early blocks have all the casting bosses the late model mounts need either. Transmission tunnel would have to be butchered as the shifter is in a different spot which means you lose the late model console. Starter and wiring is different too. Early transmissions were not noted for their longevity or robustness. If that car has sat as long as it looks chances that the engine is usable as it sits is minimal. Most old Bs were parked when they became undrivable for some reason or another....In other words it can be done but probably not a good idea. Many people retrofit the later trans into the earlier cars as they were a much better constructed affair.



A 3 main engine will have a cable from the tach going down in behind the carbs to a mechanical tach drive, and its tag on the passenger side middle if there will have number starting with either 18G or 18GA. If by chance it is a very late pull handle and has a 5 main bearing engine (very few) it would start with 18GB.

Nothing dash, gauges, door fittings, etc will work or fit in a late B. The seats would bolt in to a later car. Even the emergency brake handle is different.

Water/critter damage is probably a fact of life on much of the interior stuff. Usually most of it is only fit to throw away.

Hope this helps

Anthony

Anthony x2....great assesment!