MGB: Driving an MGB

Hi I'm a relatively new MG owner, 71 roadster at present getting new paint.
Lots of info on this excellent site on repairs, problems issues etc but little on actually driving these wonderful little cars.
Anyone have any special hints on getting the best out of them. When to rev when to change gear. how to corner, what gives you the gretest kicks.
And any problems in driving and how to cope with those problems.
........Toff (as in chrisTOFFer)

Drive it like it's stolen! Double-clutching is a useful skill that can make the car feel better when down-shifting. As for RPM's, the car seems to be happy anywhere between 2000-4000RPM's. A bit more is ok, and the engine will take it, but can be kinda loud. I tend to shift gears at about 3200 RPM's. If you have some hilly routes locally, try taking the car into steep curvy roads for fun. The car will corner as well as any modern sports cars in my limited opinion/experience. However, be sure the suspension/steering/brakes are all 100% good original condition. Also, the right modern tires will make a difference. The tires need to be < 5-7 years old as they tend to harden and thus be less safe.

My other two vehicles are big clunky trucks, so I love taking the B out. Maybe there's something wrong with mine, but I find the power band to be between about 3200 and 4500 RPM. In 2nd and 3rd especially mine really really picks up there.

Definitely make sure your tires are in good shape! Other than that, have fun!

For city driving, I don't hot dog it with the gearshifts. Usually 2500 or 3000 is a nice shift point. There's only 4 gears so you don't need to do much shifting.

Out of the city, with longer stretches of roads, I frequently go a little above that. You have to in order to keep up with the traffic.

If I goose it, I think just after 5000 is a nice shift point in first and second gear. After that I just shift to 3rd then 4th, because I don't like to go much faster than 60mph. I can, and have once or twice, but it's just not fun after that. For me I enjoy lower end speeds. Cruising speed is 35-40 for me. The car is very happy and tame at that speed.

Plus, I really do enjoy the initial take off. I enjoy listening to the gear changes and the revs. There's a little sweet spot at 3000 in my car where the exhaust sounds so amazing. It's just a great sound to hear with the top down.

As far as handling, I've found that your same basic RWD guidelines are applicable. I've found that the handling is pretty forgiving for a RWD car (more than an S2000, 325Ci BMW, many other RWD's), but that it still is RWD (remember, RWD rewards expertise but punishes the lack of it). You can jostle them around pretty good and they will, for the most part, stay on dry road like a roller coaster. Just learn to carry the weight of the car through turns properly---don't upset the weight balance of the car. Don't be taking turns at 45 miles per hour and jamming on the brakes half way through. Although these are things you should follow in any RWD car! I know the limits of the late model B fairly well and I caught on well. They are easy cars to drive and you will fall in love with the cornering. One of my favorite things is the rack and pinion steering---I feel EVERYTHING and the car is almost an extension of my own self when I drive it. But above all, I'm never TOO confident of the car.

The one thing about an MG that you might want to know, that I found out, is this. Coming from driving a modern car for a few years with super powerful brakes and ABS, you do have to brake differently with an MGB. I have power brakes on my car, but it does brake differently than my 2001 3 series. You have to brake sooner. So if you are used to a car with ABS and super good brakes, then maybe take a day or so JUST getting used to braking.

Too bad we have things like shock rebound and weight, and our cars aren't go karts :(

Good luck!!! :):)

The MG is not a dragster! However handling and manueverability are its forte. They are meant to be driven and usually prefer not to be
'diddled' with. if a problem should arise, take care of it. otherwise just leave it alone and drive it!

if you drive it like it is stolen (i.e. not caring about the equipment), you will likely be walking sooner than you'd wish.

Drive it like you would have to fix it.

What Ryan meant though, i think, is that these are not delicate machines. The engine is happy at 4500* rpm, if loud, and pulls well at 1500. I usually drive at 2-3000 rpm shifting at 3500-4500, depending on urge. I have sometimes booted it as fast as it will go in 5th gear @ 100mph + (the car is aerodynamically unhappy/unstabile on the road at that speed, As for rth gear, I have a Datsun 5 speed in my car--which does not make it go any faster, just somewhat lower rpm at a given speed)

Buy a copy of "The Complete MGB 1962-1974"--Amazon for about $30 I think. it is the shop manual and drivers handbook all in one. And it will answe most questions.

I haven't found that an MGB needs any special attention to drive. I drive mine like any other sports car, except that the power band is fairly low compared to newer sports cars so you don't have to keep your RPMs at the top of the scale to get performance. I agree with others that they are rugged. I'm still shocked that my '65B has survived as long as it has. It was really hard on it through my teenage years.

Tonight coming home from work, I double shuffled back to second as I turned off the Princes Highway into The Boulevards and put the boot in for the short run down to the next right hand turn. I think Molly enjoyed it as much as I did.

The beauty of these wonderful machines is that each is different and has their own unique personality.
Drive it, enjoy it and find out yourself how she likes to be treated!

But overall just enjoy the experience, you only live once.

[quote="mac townsend"]

Drive it like you would have to fix it.

[/quote]

LOL Mac - how true it is! And listen - a lot!

Driving the fool out of an MG is lots of fun, but I get a better and bigger kick out of concentrating on the "precision" of my driving.

Fortunately all I have around me are those awful smooth two lane asphalt ribbons that run up hill and down hill, around sharp curves and broad sweeers and acoss big mountains. I actually have to go "off the mountain" to find long straight stretched of concrete Interstate, so I am forced ;-) to keep learning. So sad !

Getting a feeling for where your torque peak sits and using that to your advantage in gear selection, up or down is entertaining.

Anyone can put the pedal to the metal and high revs can get your adrenaline flowing, your wallet empty and sometimes your body dead, but sheer speed and screaming engines do not always make for a thrilling afternoon.

If you are new to the older, or even newer, sporty cars, go to the library or Amazon and get a few tomes on precision driving. The information will probably be most found in tomes addressing racing, but much of the technique/style stuff is interchangeable.

Fast driving and thrashing a car about is much more satisfying AFTER you learn how to use the weapon with elan and taste.

Jack

[quote="mac townsend"]
Drive it like you would have to fix it.
.[/quote]
I agree with Mac. Temper the enthusiasm with a bit of conservation and attention to details.
Pay attention to the normal operating sounds and characteristics of your car. Get to know its "heartbeat". Get a wiff of smoke or steam? Its always a good idea to check it out as long as you're not following a bus. Fix those nagging electrical gremlins and fluid leaks before they become serious. I think the important part is to stay involved with maintenance and repairs so you know if your car is ready for the road trip.
Then drive and enjoy the ride.

I always say "for best results, do not shift below 4000rpm". But as others have said, when driving round town the car will do just as well shifting at 2500rpm. I have never found double declutching to be necessary unless the synchros are worn.

Heel toe shifting is a good skill to learn if you have the pedal for it.

[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heel-and-Toe][color=#FF0000]Heel-and-toe[/color][/url]

[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-clutching][color=#FF0000]double clutch[/color][/url]

I'm not sure if this is the kind of info you're looking for but the fun of an Mg is nice curvy roads. I tend to drive in the 45 mph or less range and generally in 3rd or 2nd gear. You want the gear that gives you quick acceleration for the situation you're in and also quick slowing by just taking your foot off the gas and using engine compression. I want to be in the gear that gives me instant acceleration as I enter the curve and allows me to continue to accelerate appropriately through the curve . If there are a series of curves de- acceleration is achieved by backing off the gas enough so I have room to accelerate again. This is also achieved in an automatic by shifting from drive to second. This practice of accelerating through a curve seems to be generally unknown to most drivers as most I have observed while following brake going through curves.

Having access to some of the best twisty roads in the world I tend to drive in the 50-80 range, shifting usually in the 6000-7000 range but it costs a few bucks to get my motor to that point ( Dave Headley motor ). The B is very stable and handles very predictably with a little understeer that handles very nuetral if you plant the nose well in the first third and drives out with out much fear of drifting its tail out like my old 240Z. Mine has all urethane bushings and a larger MGBGT front swaybar that gives it great balance. Had originally planned on lowering it but now, eh, I don't think I'll bother. I love driving it quickly because it is so relaxing and easy to do whereas my other cars are faster and will punish you for not concentrating 100% on what your doing.

Recipe for a great handling B

Good tires properly inflated, great tires are even better and i am NOT a fan of going cheap here.
Rebuilt or known good front kingpins, check these very closely because just a little play can ruin your handling
No rubber in bushings, replace with ALL urethane
Service your dampers! If those aren't right none of the rest will matter. Send them to Peter C or,,,,, if yours are not destroyed change the shock oil with Bel-Ray Motorcycle fork oil with a weight you like. mine was 15wt first and was smooth but i like it better with a half and half mix of 20 and 30wt.
Toe,,,,, only thing adjustable, I run with almost none at a little over 1/16th

nice addition,,,, Paddy Hopkirk pedal, never realised how much it helped until i drove the car without it.

For those of you who are skiers, you'll understand what I mean when I say "drive like you were skiing the bumps!". It's all in the turns.
BH

Moguls - yeah

[quote=rlich8]


If I goose it, I think just after 5000 is a nice shift point in first and second gear. After that I just shift to 3rd then 4th, because [/quote]

Remind me next time I see you, and I'll let you drive my GT. ;)

[quote="mac townsend"]
if you drive it like it is stolen (i.e. not caring about the equipment), you will likely be walking sooner than you'd wish.

Drive it like you would have to fix it.

What Ryan meant though, i think, is that these are not delicate machines. The engine is happy at 4500* rpm, if loud, and pulls well at 1500. I usually drive at 2-3000 rpm shifting at 3500-4500, depending on urge. I have sometimes booted it as fast as it will go in 5th gear @ 100mph + (the car is aerodynamically unhappy/unstabile on the road at that speed, As for rth gear, I have a Datsun 5 speed in my car--which does not make it go any faster, just somewhat lower rpm at a given speed)

[/quote]

Perhaps it would be better to say "drive it like it is stolen, but maintain it like any small private aircraft like a Piper Cub or a Transavia PL-12 Airtruk". All systems 100%. The car is designed for spirited driving, and most of us don't put enough miles on a B to use-up the systems before natural age, rather than wear, requires their refurbishment. Don't let the car sit, it is not a museum piece. Be safe, but if you wreck it just get another.

Also, if you have the superior factory overdrive transmission, with the switch on the stalk, you can try shifting in and out of 3rd gear and 3rd gear OD on fast curvy roads WITHOUT taking your hands off of the steering wheel. The engine can be mostly kept in the power band and the car between speeds of 30-60+ MPH with both hands on the wheel. If you are in San Diego, California try this on the roads up and around Palomar Mountain leading down into the desert.

so ?? when do you apply power ..when in a tightening radius descending curve

before or after the apex of the curve , should i choose an early or late apex .

i have never mastered the method of heel and toe downshift while in tight curve

my big toe on the brake pedal always *trails * off the pressure as i shift


sometimes i drive like a hypermiler ,, take flat street right angles at about 45 mph never touch brake .. how fast can i expect to take a flat surace 90 degree corner in a RB MGB and not fall over. ?
thanks
m

Tightening radius descending curve?

Well you must be talking about one of my favorites like "the bear" at Putnam Park or that damn "Corkscrew" at Laguna. Keeping in mind the goal is to preserve as much momentum as possible and the problem being that there is less and less outfield/remainder beyond the traditional real apex with which to accelerate, these corners are best either double apexed or apexed deeper and wide in the first third to bring your actual transition apex closer to the end of the second third in order to leave somewhat tight. make sense?

Trouble with heel and toe is often just your pedal set-up. The gas pedal on the MGB is pretty easy to adjust up and down (in and out) just make sure you have full opening and there is that stop re-adjusted to keep the cable from pulling through it's ferrel. And and a wider pedal like one of the extension sets often helps alot, like the Paddy Hopkirk piece that was designed just for that purpose.

that is very thoughtful


actually i was thinking about a corner on US 71 north of I-40 , south bound ,crossing the Bostom Mts, as i recall a very steep descent [4% ?]into a hairpin abt 160 degrees right and transition to a very steep up grade , conservation of momentum essential , i first ran it in a low powered VW .. which was good fun then in a 2 liter datsun roadster "FairLady"..it was well banked and i did not feel side force but one could make ones cheeks sag pretty good, , good visibility around the bend so one could swing wide and clip it good , braking strongly in 1/3 , get a lower gear- 1/3 , power out.. had to drop 2 gears to really climb the next segment

i can not really say that corner tightened up i just know that those that did were the ones i feared the most ,, the pucker principle in full effect..
some how i seem to recall a machine that one did not want to open the throttle suddenly while being subjected to strong side force , to much power and the shock load on the drive line was shuddering not to mention loss of traction on the drive wheels and ensuing control problems ..

i drive a little different now -a -days and try add power such that i maintain minimum 10 INHG vacuum on the manifold

michael