Questions from a New MG Enthusiast

Hi guys,
I am new to the forum and to the MG world. I am currently looking at purchasing an MGB-GT, '74 to be exact. I just had a few questions I wanted to ask the experienced guys on this forum, just to know what to expect.

I am about 6'2, will I fit OK in the GT, or am I gonna have a sore neck by the end of my drive?
Do the parts for a regular MGB interchange with a GT? - such as gas tank, electrical, etc.
What kind of gas mileage to you guys get with a B? - this isn't really important, just for fun.
Do you run Premium on your B, or does regular unleaded seem to do OK?
Are there any common odometer problems with B's? The car I am looking at has an odometer that says 29,321 - but I wasn't sure if they roll over because they might have a 5-digit odometer (the guy told me the mileage, but I do not know how the odometers are set up on these cars).
I know there is a cut-off between 74 and 74.5 model cars, or does this not apply to the GT? If it does apply, how do I know what year I have without checking the VIN?

Thanks a lot for any advice you have to offer.

you will fit fine in the GT

all parts are the same (except for the obvious GT to roadster differences)

25pmg combined is common.....35 mpg on highway with overdrive (I get that)

premium

odos can fail....5 digit odo means mileage could be 100,000 plus

'74 has chrome bumpers....74 1/2 has rubber bumpers

You may get away with regular gasoline and not need premium. Once you've got the car and made sure it's tuned and running properly, try it both ways. If it knocks, you need to go to the next higher octane rating. No knock, you're okay. ('Course, you can also play with the timing to eliminate said knock, but that way lies madness - you'll start having too much fun tweaking stuff. :D )

Welcome, Tyler. Lloyd's succinct answers are right on but you may find that 89 octane fuel works just fine - the 74 models were not high-compression engines. However, after 35 years there is no telling what's been done to your engine unless you get that info from the previous owner.

That said, this Forum is a great source of technical advice and how-to's. If you go ahead with your purchase, you will find it a very useful place to visit frequently.

I also recommend that you join your local MG or British car club - another great source of tech support as well as social opportunities. PA has many excellent MG clubs, both east and west.

Make you share photos when your new baby arrives!

Ditto on welcome and advice above. I'm 6'3' and my first MGB was a GT, and it has plenty of room, In fact MGBs have more leg room than many larger modern cars. GT's have more headroom than the roadsters (whose windscreen / windshield is considerably lower). Most parts are interchangeable between roadsters and GTs, though you do have to watch for the differences. Many parts are interchangable between years as well, though those diffs get more complicated, especially before/after '74 (i.e. chrome to rubber bumper change). As for any car 30+ years old, you should assume the odometer has long since been inaccurate, unless you have really terrific previous owner documentation (rare).

Check out the MG buying guide on in the library on this site. Especially helpful in evaluating rust, which is the biggest (some might say only) major concern when buying a B. If you search around previous posts on this site long enough, you'll see the sorrows and joys of major rust repair, and just about any other issue..

Good luck
Bob

Thanks a lot for the responses. I thought of a few more questions about the car.

Is there any common mechanical problem with the engine - like the water pumps are prone to quitting or something like that?
What kind of life do the trannys have? I was curios if they are pretty robust or not.
I was shopping around and I know that they make CD players you can put in these cars, but for some reason I could not find a site with them. Any ideas?

Thanks a lot guys. I hope the GT turns out to be a good car, looking forward to being part of the MG community.

Welcome to the MG world.
I have a bad knee so getting my foot past the door post is a little hard but when I'm in her she fits like a glove. I'm 5'10"
Milage for an older car doesn't tell you much. It depend and how long she wasn't driven, where she was stored, how she was driven. I'd find a good machanic to check her out.
I'm getting 24 mpg using premium. The only reason I use premium though is because there is so much alcohol in the gas around here and I wanted her to run like she did in the 70's.

Welcome aboard! :)

I'm 6"5" and fit fine in my roadster with the top up, so I'd think I'd fit in a GT too. There's a lot more leg room in MGB's than in modern cars.

Welcome! Other's comments are good.

Drive train is robust.

Engine tappet noise is normal, noisey compared to modern engines, sounds like an old sewing machine.

Listen for a bottom-end death rattle (knock) on startup after the car has been sitting overnight if possible or lugging acceleration in 3rd or 4th gear (a sign of rod-bearing issues. History of engine is important; bearings, rings and other engine wear parts do not last forever. Check oil pressure with a test gauge (hot 25lbs or higher idle, 50-75 at rpm).

Check compression (cold 120lbs or higher and within 10% across cylinders). Inspect plugs, light-tan and same across cylinders.

HIF carbs should be good, tend to have fewer wear issues compared to the HS4s.

If the car clutches and shifts smoothly tranny is OK. A good check of tranny is condition of oil (it does use motor oil). It should be clear, if dark that could be a sign of poor maintenance.

Differentials can be noisey but will run forever. Axle seals can leak but are very easy to fix. Look for this during brake inspection.

Look at where the car has been dripping (some is normal)

What's the condition/history with the fuel-pump? DPOs often butcher the original connections.

Look at wiring for butchery, a common DPO feature :)

Tyler welcome to the best MG Forum on the Internet. I see the guys have already piped in and they have a thousand years of MG Experience so there's nothing else that I can add except "WELCOME" . Looking forward to seeing pictures of your new purchase -- and I do hope you purchase one :) :)

Well, the deal fell through with the GT. The guy I was dealing with decided to play the whole "this guy has money now so he gets the car" bit, even though I was trying to make a deal before this guy even came along. I love how people now seem to hold no value to an agreement or handshake, it all comes down to the money. Am I alone in my confusion? Or is it a sad reality that people seem to show no courtesy when making deals?

This little problem will not deter me from trying to find an MG I want to buy, I just have to search some more. Thanks a lot for the help you guys gave, I will use it for future reference.

I don't see any problem with what the seller did. I sell motorcycles all the time and I have lots of people tell me that they will buy a bike and then I never hear from them again. i think the general rule is that the first one with money in hand gets it. When I go looking for bikes or cars I always carry cash so that good deal does not get away. Better luck on the next one.

You see, that is where we differ. I was making a deal with the guy to go see the car before this guy ever showed up, unfortunately I needed to work out a time to do it since he is about 60 miles away from me. I even tried to see it this weekend, but it snowed so it got cancelled. He knew I was interested in the car and simply needed to see it, yet chose to completely bypass me in order to get money immediately, which seems a little unfair to me. Every time I sell a car I say to the person "I have several people looking at this, but you came to me first, so you get first dibs. If you fall through on your deal, you get scratched off. After that, it goes to the next guy to get in contact with me."

What's the old saying:

Money talks, and without it you generally take a walk. Cash in hand.

I know where your coming from, when I sell something and I tell someone something who is wanting to buy. I do my very best to follow through on my word, but there does come a time where it's now or never. Once you passed that option, it's free game and money talks and all the bullshit walks.