Create a Mark I MGB?

Would it be possible to make a reasonably close copy of a brand new MGB just using new parts available from our terrific suppliers and vendors? If so, has anyone calculated how much it would cost to produce?

Possible, yes. There are a few parts you'd need to source used, but you can even get a new body shell from British Motor Heritage. I read in the BritishV8 newsletter that just came out that they don't have the original mold for the narrow tranny tunnel so they get that part from a donor when they make the body shell. The rest is new steel & the whole thing is e-primered (submerged & the body/primer get opposite electrical charges to help with adhesion.

Cost to do it... never added it all up, but it'd be a lot.

I've done loose calculations and come up with a little under $30K in parts. So you could
have a brand new MGB for about $35K including mechanics labour to put it all together.
The bodies can be ordered already painted.

Here's a direct link to the article Rob mentioned:
http://www.britishv8.org/Articles/BritishMotorHeritage-Intro.htm

The whole newsletter can be read for FREE from here:
http://www.britishv8.org/British-V8-Current-Issue.htm

sshack Wrote:

I am most of the way through such a project. It is however a bugeye rather than an MGB.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2203663

I really did not set out to do this and would not recommend it to most people. The only piece that was not available was the tranny tunnel. I believe this is also the case with the Mk 1 MGB: if you want a heritage build you need to supply the tunnel and maybe firewall bits.

The first pic shows where rust was starting to weaken the springbox/floor area behind the driver's seat.

The second picture shows the whole tub structure replaced from the back bumper forward. I still have the front inner fenders and frame hors to do at this point.

Pete

You can take a rusted out Mark1 and have most all the rust cut out and media blast all the small parts, rebuild everything and replace all interior panels, carpeting and leather, rebuild instruments, electrical components, gearbox, engine, suspension, blaa, blaa, blaa for about 30K if you do most of the work yourself--and source out the body and paint work. When you're done, you'll have a brand spanking new MGB Mark 1 that will win trophies and travel coast to coast without a burp, if you choose. But you need to replace almost everything to get to "brand new" status. Don't cheap out! Each time you ask yourself if something needs replacing, the answer must be yes! New laygear? Yes! New steel 2nd gear? Yes! New detent balls and springs? Yes!New kingpins? Yes! New armature in the generator? Yes! Yes, you need new leafsprings and shocks aren't tested for condition--they are just rebuild to zero time. That's the goal--not whether its worn to within spec--is it zero time? That's my definition of "brand new".

And yes, most every part you'll need is already on the car or is available from Moss. What Moss doesn't have, (which isn't much) Vicky has or can be chased down from a few specialty suppliers.

Paul

You can get close I suppose, but you will no doubt need several good finds in a parts yard AND about a billion dollars. The Brits are really good at doing this sort of thing. Our "rust bucket going to the crusher" candidates are usually better than their "good resto candidates".

Jack

One note about the Heritage shells. THey are MKII not Mk1. They have the later firewall and larger transmission tunnel.

. . . and three wiper holes, and reverse light holes, and I'm sure many other subtle differences.

Have a pro build you a brand new MKI from scratch with all avalible brand new parts. WHEW, educated guess 75-100K. Sounds like something Jay Leno would do. Then your other option would be to spend the same amount of time looking for a ground up 100 point restored MKI 20- 25K.

John wrote: "One note about the Heritage shells. THey are MKII not Mk1. They have the later firewall and larger transmission tunnel."

Jeff wrote: "... and three wiper holes, and reverse light holes, and I'm sure many other subtle differences."

---

Actually, aside from having to source a used tunnel, getting a Mk1 shell is no problem.

Check out this link to see a Mk1 Heritage bodyshell, complete with early firewall, two wipers, and no reverse lights:

http://www.britishv8.org/MG/BritishMotorHeritage-1.htm

There are a surprising number of unavailable parts for the Mark I. Front cross member, exhaust manifold, many of the pieces of the 3 synchro transmission (housings, input shafts, etc), transmission cross member, rear end bango housing, differential casing, etc.

Basically all the big parts that required special tooling to fabricate, and don't normally wear out. These can only be scavanged from dead cars.

This shell also has the later doors and door posts, so no pull handle.

Mike

BritishV8 Wrote:

I just re-read the first post again... it just said "brand new MGB" but it DIDN'T specify Mark 1. We've been making this too difficult!

With all the time saved sourcing parts, why not build a replica Midget too? Start here: http://www.britishv8.org/Articles/BritishMotorHeritage-Midget.htm

I said Mark I in the subject line. It wouldn't be as much fun to make a Mark IV.

It also said "reasonably close copy" in the message...

I'm actually pretty certain BMH will provide pull-handle doors on a special-order basis. It doesn't say so on their website, so I'll e-mail them and find out. (They're getting better at special orders.)

Like I said, you can cut almost all the rust out of a donor car. For the most complete replacement panels, check out The Roadster Factory. They sell near most every sheet metal piece on the car. Many, many, many more than Moss. That way, your Mark 1 is a Mark 1, not a replicar.

That's essentially what is done in the Lindsey Porter book, except it's a mark II. Did anyone catch last week's Top Gear where they put together a Canterham 7 in about 8 hours? It was hilarious.

Back when a new B was about $2500, we added up dealer prices of major parts. When we got to $50,000, we quit, and that did not include the zillion little bits. This all started when we needed a spindle to replace a damaged one.

FRM

When you're spending that sort of money, you negotiate. I know of an american shop
that charges $40/hr. I'm 100% confident I could build a new MGB for less than $40K CAD and make a profit off it.

$12K for a body, landed here, painted.
$4K for an engine.
$1500 for a new or rebuilt OD gearbox.
$4K for interior (instruments, dash, leather, carpets)
All the rest for brake system, chrome, crosmembers, etc.


lbcnut Wrote:

Paul wrote: "That way, your Mark 1 is a Mark 1, not a replicar."

To each their own, but if I were going to put that much work into it I'd want the superior corrosion protection of a Heritage shell (galvannealed steel plus full-submersion e-coating of the entire shell after assembly) and also the knowledge that most of the sheetmetal (and welds) aren't already suffering from fatique.

Then again... I'd want a V8. The coolest thing about Heritage is they're allowing customers to mix-and-match parts. You can get a V8 engine bay in a chrome-bumper roadster, and even get it seam-welded for extra strength. Have you heard about their competition bodyshell options? http://www.britishv8.org/Articles/BritishMotorHeritage-Competition.htm

May be I miss understood the question, but I read it to mean he was just wondering what it would cost for someone to build a NEW MGB MKI by ordering NEW parts from suppliers and having a professional assemble it. Not bring back a rust bucket.

Steve if you can do that for $40K your better at this than I am. I don't think $40K would buy all the parts. There's probably a several hundred dollars worth of nuts, bolts and washers. The UPS bill would be mine blowing.

Axles, transmissions, window frames, and many other large or cast parts are not available new. Except for the windshield, GT window glass is not available new.