Suggestion Needed

I have been an avid reader of this BBS as well as MGB Experience for 2+ years now. I am ready to go out and buy my first MGB to completely restore over the next 10 - 15 years. So I am not in a hurry. I have little experience in car repair but am very much looking forward to the challenge of this project as I have wanted an MGB since I was 15 (now 41). Both my wife and doctor tell me that I need a diversion from work and although I anticipate this will be the most frustrating project ever, I can't wait to begin. Does anyone have any suggestions for a particular year I should seek out? Rust shouldn't be a problem in Az and I want to do this right. Any other suggestions are also welcome.
Thx,
Marc

72-74 chrome bumper. They had the center console and glove box. 72 was a great year. 73 seems, judging from the number of 73 owners on this BBS, to be the single most common year.
But, any year that grabs you will do. Some would say to avoid the first of the rubber bumpers (75?) since the increased ride height didn't handle as well.

They are a great diversion from work. And, with advice from these guys and ladies, it won't be frustrating, it will be rewarding.

Man, rust free cars! A dream come true.....

And I thought I was a patient man! I just finished my first restoration project, and actually enjoyed it, but if I didn't already have an LBC to drive during the process, there is no doubt I would have been tempted to not "do things right" just to get it on the road. If there was any way to finance it, I would buy a mediocre but solid driver to have and tinker with first. One, you would learn a lot about how it's put together, and two, you'd have an outlet when you get antsy about an almost finished car that you've been working on for ten years. And Third, actually, if you really "do it right" you could buy a car that somebody else has "done right" for a lot less than you'll spend to do it yourself, and you could just get in it and enjoy it. I waited 20 years to get an MG myself, and when I finally did, I could have kicked myself for not doing it back when I first wanted one. (BTW, if you put any kind of effort into it, it won't take near that long!)

I would suggest going to see every MGB I could, go toy shows, club events etc. Talk to the owner's sit in the cars. You need to see what kind of things you want and do not want. My personal fav is the Mk1's 62-67 for the real vintage feel of the low seats, the metal dash, the pure engine. But, I have owned others and Liked the 74 I had for it still had the Chrome bumpers but was more civilized for longer cruises. Find one with Overdrive.

Which year to buy is a very subjective choice. Each model year has its own advantages and disadvantages. It depends almost exclusively on what you want out of the car and what you are willing to put into it. None are truly bad. None are incapable of being made into reliable daily drivers or show queens.

As Carl suggests, go to nearby British car shows or visit a club meeting and talk to owners. In general MGB owners are friendly and like nothing better than to talk about and show off their cars.

Even though you seem to be prepared for a long-term restoration project, pick your car with care. As with all cars, rust is the enemy. The MGB is a unibody construction, so things like rusty sills (rocker panels) that are merely cosmetic problems on other cars are critical structural problems. Sills can be replaced, but it is not cheap to have done professionally. If you do it yourself, it involves some tricky welding and the car must be supported very well in order to prevent body misalignment.

So, buy a car with as little rust as you can find. Check the sills carefully. Pull up the floor mats or carpet. Rusty floors are not as critical, but often indicate that the sills are bad, as well. If I were faced with the choice of a car with a straight, rust-free body, but no engine and another car with a just-rebuilt engine but a basket-case body, I would choose the former. Mechanical stuff is usually cheaper and easier for a do-it-yourselfer to handle.

A check with a local MG or British car club may give you a lead on cars that are for sale in your area.

The beauty of doing this as a hobby, is that, unlike your job, you can walk away, have a beer or a cup of coffee, and cool down when you become frustrated. You also don't have to hurry. The only deadlines will be the ones you set for yourself.

Are good ones. My total restoration took a lot longer than I had planned (18 months) and wouldn't have been as frustrating if I'd had another car to drive. The frustration mainly came from seeing the car sit for weeks with nothing getting done to it.

Plus, it didn't take me long to realize that I should have bought a restored car. Cheaper and quicker to let someone else put the sweat equity into it unless that is the object of your endeavor.

So, now I have two more restorations to do, a lot more experience, and a spare car or two to drive.

I got the coolest of the cars, a chrome bumper, a rubber bumper GT, and the creme of the crop, a Magnette ZB Varitone.

Don't get much better than that.

Bs will rust in AZ, I had one do it. Rust is rare there, but it happens, so watch out for it. I don't know where in AZ you are, but Phoenix has (or at least had, I haven't been there in a long time) a lot of good MGs to pick from, and a good club scene.

As mentioned above, there's no one year that's best.
IF I had to pick one year, I'd go with a 67, but it's little details.
Here's a quick rundown, and some dates may be a bit off.

62-65 -- Very early, very pure in their design. 3-bearing engine
66-67 -- 5-bearing engine, still with chrome dash.
68-71 -- padded dashes, safety lights, first emissions. No glovebox. Some years had fishmouth grille.
72-74 -- got the glovebox back, and proper grille
75-76 -- first rubber bumpers and single carb. Much poorer handling and much less power than earlier models, at least in stock form
77-80 -- new ergonomic dash and handling better than 75-76 due to addition of sway bar.

Thanks...I live in Phoenix but haven't found any active MG clubs yet....I guess I need to start looking....

There's always an MG for sale on ebay in Pheonix it seems. Always. At least one in Arizona at all times.

People seem to dig the chrome bumper for fixing up. I think the more classic look is what makes them more desirable for restoration projects. But that's a cosmetic priority. Some of the chrome bumpers had more power, but in the end they're all little four cylinder toy cars.

I've driven the rubber bumper and chrome bumpers. The later rubber bumpers are so smooth and quiter than the chrome bumper models. Drive them both you'll see what I mean. The late 70s models where very comfortable to ride in. Don't get sucked in to any model because people here say one is better than the other. Maybe you prefer the growl and stiffer ride, maybe you want the smoother ride and quiter engine.

My only advice is get a driver to fix up. One that has all the right things in all the right places that you can drive and enjoy. That's a big deal. I'd start out doing brakes, cosmetic stuff, little engine work, electrics, guages, interior. You may have a different personality than I do, but that's what I enjoy. Getting a runner with some minor issues that I can make into a good looking and enjoyable ride. Every so often you can always do a big job on your driver like installing Overdrive from a donor car. Speaking of overdrive, if you find one with it good, but don't buy a car you don't like because it has OD. You can always swap transmission.

I wouldn't jump in just yet and invest 10yrs. without knowing as much as I could about all the models. Can you imagine being 9 yrs. into it and discovering you really like say 72 over 67? Chills.... Sounds very interesting, I'm not sure I have it in me money wise and patience wise to take a car apart completely then make sure every single part was perfect as it went back together. I would drive myself crazy hearing non-existent rattles and getting cold sweats when it was time to park in a parking lot after all that work.

Go to club meetings and rallies.

Good Luck,
Dave

Dave's right. Late rubber bumpers just may be the best for daily drivers. Quieter, more ergonomic, you don't worry about the delicate front and rear end in traffic. And they CAN be every bit as quick, and handle just as well as the CB models, with just a little work.

I'm sure youi're aware that restoring a motorvehicle has to be something you enjoy doing because in all likelihood, you'd do better or just as well--and save a lot of time, money, and headaches--buying a car that has already been restored.

That noted, I have a 72 MGB that I work on from time to time, but I spend more time working on motorcycles. In any case, I marvel at the dodgy workmanship of some of the previous owners and the shops who did work for them, and I enjoy (mostly) making things right again. I probably spend 10-20 hrs/wk on these projects and when is all said and done, I'll be lucky if I can recover anything close to what I put into it.

But it's a wonderful feeling to put a classic vehicle back into roadworthy shape.

Also, I've begun to think of the "hobby" like this: "Would you mind if I completely disassemble your bike/car, and mess with anything I choose to? I'll pay you $500 to do that!"

(Not that I am a purist! I have publicly admited on this bbs that I expect to be considered a DPO in the future. For example, I painted the engine compartment of the MGB black. Long story--I had a good reason for doing this, but I'm sure this would be considered tacky by some folks). I also put a Delco alternator on the B, but it sure does work well.

Have fun! That's the main thing.

Rich

Actually I think it would be fun to document the entire restoration process the way Skye did but do it as a forum where everyone could give their opinions.....I'd break things down into subgroups and follow the manual with hopefully feedback from this community....That could be fun but also controversial....I don't care, I just want something fun to do over the coming years and have something I can be proud of to show for it.

compared to me you ARE a purist

All of the above are good points.
The r/b cars are more comfortable (easier to get into) for people who have bad backs.
The earlier ones are simpler to work on. I won't buy anything past 67 again for many reasons.
Definitely buy two cars. And,
I have some for sale not far from you (Oregon). :)
It's interesting that a Dr. and a wife would both encourage an addictive behavior!

It's one thing for me to talk about it.......it's another to do it. I'm still a wannabe....nowhere near a purest yet.
Thanks,

chris definetly has some nice cars

Amen Bro, Bea is a '78 I modified and ended up with the best of both worlds, rubber and chrome.

<http://adcache.collectorcartraderonline.com/10/7/0/48759670.htm>

<http://adcache.collectorcartraderonline.com/10/2/2/49414022.htm>

<http://adcache.collectorcartraderonline.com/10/7/8/50468678.htm>

<http://adcache.collectorcartraderonline.com/10/4/8/50238948.htm>

<http://adcache.collectorcartraderonline.com/10/4/0/47574240.htm>

<http://adcache.collectorcartraderonline.com/10/7/4/50240274.htm>

<http://www.classic-british-cars.com/cgi-bin/classifieds/classifieds.cgi?db=a10_carforsale&website=cbc&language=&session_key=&search_and_display_db_button=on&results_format=long&db_id=103&query=retrieval>

Marc, it really depends on what you mean by restore. If you are willing to be a perfectionist, just buy the most rust free B you can find. Be sure the frame is GREAT. Look at the clearance around the doors, if uneven, the frame could be sagging. If it runs at all, good. But I wouldn’t worry a lot about that (if you can be satisfied the block and head are good). You most likely will end up replacing everything else. If restore means just spending just a few thousand dollars on the project, the same goes above with the exception of finding something running fairly well. That’s my input….Good Luck

Larry R.

My favorite year is 1973, just my preference. You get the chrome bumpers, decent carbs, and a couple of "creature comforts"...a couple. I could live with a 74 as well. I currently have a detoxed 77 so as you can tell, you fall in love easily! Anyway, the only big mistakes I've made in B buying in 30 years has been rust related. The rest is pretty much out in the open and if you miss it, not the end of the world. Rust could be the end of the world. Make sure you don't get the ever so common bondo bandit, usually found on the right side rockers and floors. If there's metal through and through, check for wobbly front wheels, low oil pressure, high temp engines, difficult steering and excessive leaks. Clutches involve engine removal, do-able but a job, nevertheless. If you get a non rusty car, which may be harder than you think, and pay under 4,000, you really can't go too far wrong, no matter how it runs. My first B for $800 was swiss cheese and 6 B's later, I learned to buy solid cars, because I never learned how to weld, but I can read the Haynes Manual! Have fun and good luck!!!

Man, I like that '65. That's not fair, too many choices in AZ, TX and So Cal! I paid $2200 for mine and it wasn't road worthy!

Out of this group this is the one I'd go for if it has solid rust free sills and floorboards. Other than this one the yellow 1980 below, I just noticed the last one in this bunch has chrome along the botom, that's usually hiding rusty sills and when not hiding it are creating it.

Arizona MG Club, based in Phoenix:

<http://www.azmgclub.org/>

Join now and get to know people. You won't regret it! I believe this is a very active club, with a good newsletter.

Wow...I can't believe the responses I got. I have a lot of homework to do, that's for sure. Any tricks to spotting rust besides lifting the carpet, getting under the car etc?

My search begins shortly....

Take a small magnet along and check the sills and doglegs to make sure thay aren't made of Bondo. If the magnet won't stick somewhere run like hell away from there.

Well I called about this 1980 referenced above. http://adcache.collectorcartraderonline.com/10/7/4/50240274.htm The owner claims he bought this car as a package with 2 trucks and has no idea about the mileage. For an $850 asking price, what can I expect. Owner says it has a "win wing split" which he claims is pretty common. Also may have broken bracket on thermostat housing, other broken brackets etc.....NO RUST However......think I'll keep looking but who knows?

Take a look, it may have overdrive!! Anyway, the 'crack of doom' is not abnormal!! Thermostat housing?? No sweat!! If it was me, I would look!! You may get it for $400 and it may have O/D!! If you are searching, never 'don't look' if it is close!! THE SEARCH BEGINS!!! :o)

well the owner claims it's a 5 speed.....I should look because it's only 5 miles from home...Has bad tires but probably would make it.....

If the owner says it has a five speed that probably means it has overdrive.

Learn what an overdrive tranny looks like, so you can tell whether the 5-speed is an o/d or a conversion.
A good thing also would be to get thhe book by Clausager "The Original MGB" and Linsay Porter's book on "restoring" MGBs. Both have sections on buying used MGBs.

Thanks,
I am printing this entire thread for study. I have always been amazed at the granularity of detail that comes out of this BBS.

No Rust??? Then it may be worth every bit of $850. Plus having a 5 speed (or overdrive, whatever it turns out to be) is just icing on the cake.

Gary's right about the "crack of doom" (or what was it? win wing split?) I took one in recently to a welding shop to get it fixed and the total cost, including primer paint afterwards, was a whopping $10 (maybe $20, can't really remember, but cheap nonetheless)! Easy, easy fix. Just make sure they weld in a plate behind the crack or it'll just happen again in the future.

Steve
On the weld repair of the crack of doom, did you take the door off of the car and take it to the shop? I assume you have to remove the window and mechanism to get to the back of the "skin" so as to weld it.
What all is involved?

I have this crack and some oversize holes where rust has invaded the mount point for the mirror on the passenger side of my 79 and I need to deal with it prior to painting

Thanks

Ed

Ed,
Yes, the door was off the car, and everything was stripped out of it. Not extremely difficult, but the vent window can be a little tricky (you have to twist it one way, pull, then twist another).

About as bad as a chinese finger trap!

Taking out the glass can be done without removing the window crank mechanism. You'll have to remove the four bolts in the center of the door which allows everything to become loose, but at that point you can remove the glass and it's metal tray. Again, you have to twist, and lift in certain places.

It's a bit hard to describe. Just be sure to take out the vent window first. There are two bolts at the bottom that are often forgotten (but remembered once you realize the vent isn't coming out!)

Good luck!