need to get a base line

Long time no post. Got the MGB at the end of July... then life intervened... It's been sitting quietly until I finally got to drive it in the last couple of weeks.
The result is that I have some decisions to make. Either undertake a few winter projects to upgrade HP and handling (dumb questions alert), or to leave what appears to be an excellent (almost) original car original, but try to get the most out of it.

What I don't know is how the car currently compares to others that are known to be well sorted out. I don't remember MGBs being this anemic, or sloppy in their road manners. I plan to go out this wknd and drive some cars for sale, but I can't expect that I will get reliable results.
So the question is, are there any members in the western GTA willing to let me try their car and/or drive mine, so I can get a base line of where I am with this one?
I know this is asking a lot, but figured if I don't ask....

What year?

please edit your profile to include that info. <G>

also, are you subject to smog inspection>

Back when, Bs were not "fast" cars. By the end of the run they couldn't chase a VW because of smog laws. I don't recall seeing a test where a B broke 10 seconds to 60 mph.Maybe 9.6 or something, but they devolved to 15 or so towards the end of the run.

Racing Toyopets for Pinks! (I think a Corona would blow by a B...or be close)

If you are subject to smog inspection, possibly the most effective mod is the Moss EFi kit--which I think is accepted by the California authorities. Which means zero-point shit in Canada, i know. But in the US can be useful.

Sorry, forgot to hit the little button before posting.
Anything older than '88 is exempt from smog tests here, but smog eqpt is illegal to remove. Everyone ignores that.

late late MGB Wrote:

You say it doesn't handle well. Is there a lot of body roll? Does the car seem to move around a lot when pushed in the corners? Rubber bumper cars are higher off the ground than chrome bumper cars so, naturally, they don't handle as well. There's a lot of things you can do to improve the handling like installing lowered springs, polyurethane suspension bushings, larger anti-roll bar(s), uprated shock valves, higher performance wheels and tires, etc., etc. All of these mods can be reversed easily if and when you want to go back stock. Take a look in the Moss, BritTek, and VB catalogs for starters and get a good ide about what performance parts are out there and what works with your car and budget. Most of these mods can be done step by step if need be so you don't have to lay out a big chunk of cash all at once. Good luck!

Shawn

I have a '79 that has had HIF's put on, the exhaust straight piped, Z-car wheels and lower profile wider tires and Jeff's recurved distributor and have to say that it's as or more fun to drive than my '69 GT. Changing tires probably had as large an impact as changing the induction and exhaust but the combination is like driving a new car. You should consider, in order 1) stickier tires 2) Twin SU conversion 3)recurved distributor 4)lowering.

Understand that just the 4 items will run about $1500 if you do the work yourself but each one will provide noticeable differences. Also, keep in mind that there will be a diminishing return on refinements but tires and carbs will make a huge difference.

Kevin Mott
'79 B
'69 B GT
OKC OK

Thanks for all the responses.

Whatever I do, it will have to be reversible as it is a bit of an unusual example. Built in the last week of production, I can find only a half dozen or so non-original parts on the car (a couple of which are mine), none of which subtract from its MGness. So, I ain't gonna drop a Toyota in it, or an IRS, or convert to chrome bumpers. I am prepared to lower, re-camber, and I might just buy a motor to modify so I don't have to hack into this one. I may follow some of the semi-Sebring looks that don't require hacking the RB mounts.
However, my main reason for posting is that I don't know where I am... Is the car performing as well as it was designed to do, or is there in fact something wrong? If it's worse than it's supposed to be, then I want to bring it back to original performance, and make improvements from that point.
Anyhow, have lined up a couple to look at over the wknd. Hopefully, I'll learn something.

I understand you desire to keep the thing as stock as possible, especially knowing that the car is REALLY a 'last one".

The rubber bumper cars were all extra heavy, tried to pick up a complete rubber bumper lately? ;-), and the engines were indeed VERY anemic. In fact I would consider a dead stock 80 to be a hazard on a modern freeway and a bore on a twisty road. Sorry non-modified RB guys! LOL

Unfortunately, if you are going to get any sort of performance out of the thing you are going to have to do the dual SU/better distributor thing. Both are completely reversible.

I also suppose that sticking bigger sway bar on the front, a set of shortened axle limiter straps on the back and better tires all around will bring the handling thing into an acceptable range.

Jack

Martin,
Have you run a compression and leakdown test? I would be good to know the condition so you can reduce suprises.

Clay,
Good question. I'll do a compression test tomorrow. Don't have a leakdown tester, but its on my list of 'gotta-gets", along with a decent timing light. I'm also going to run some SeaFoam into it. I've seen that stuff work miracles drawn into the manifold. I suspect the car has seen a lot of lo-speed work as every time I take it out it seems to run a little better. Might have a pile of carbon in it.

don't mean to hijack the thread but where do you get SeaFoam in Canada?

I got to drive a couple of cars, and came to the conclusion there was something wrong. So, I put in some poly A-Arm bushings, played around with the carb (don't know if I accomplished much there) and timing. Net result? It is much improved. Still no track burner, but that sickening "Oh No !" feeling every time I go into a corner is largely gone.
I'm gonna drive it while the weather holds (gorgeous today) and then dump a bunch of questions about lowering & powering over the course of the winter.

jonclair Wrote:

If you email the SeaFoam people they will send a list of stores carrying it in your area.

BTW, I forgot to add that I ran a can of SF into the B's intake manifold today. For the first time in my many uses of it, the car made almost no smoke. Just like it was burning a bit of oil. Most of the time FeaFoam creates so much smoke that I'd taken to doing it at night.

jonclair Wrote:

late late MGB Wrote:

Lower the car first. You will immediately get better handling in corners. Make sure your shocks have oil in them and that they hold it. If you bushings are shot, consider replacement. Next, a pair of SU's will provide very noticeable power and torque. A re-curved distributor to match will also help. But remember, these car have relatively small engines, they are not street racing machine. Its the illusion of speed on twisty roads that most MG drivers crave.

Jay,
I'm only mildly disillusioned :-)) ) )
I like the fact that the B is a 50 yr old design, and I'm not looking for it to compete against the latest ricer, or the latest anything. But I did buy it to drive, and before today I was just dealing constantly with the car's incompetence. Not fun.
Today's improvements are heartening, with many more to come.