Mgb/ Mgb Gt

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Slicks

Slicks

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Hi, all.
I've learned of an MGB GT for sale in my area, and wanted to find some reliable information on the MGB and MGB GT while I track it down and see if I can swing the cash to buy it.
Are there any websites or publications you, the members of GTP, would reccomend for research on these cars, from parts and pricing to automotive reviews and restoration stuff?
I've done a search and come up with nothing along these lines. I'll be doing lots of my own research too, but I thought that someone from GTP might know of a hidden wealth of information on these cars.

Thanks in advance for any help,
Slicks.
 
Well, it surprises the hell out of me that you found no information on the MGB and its GT brother, because the cars are some of the most well documented out there.

I can start by listing some of the best parts and info places out there on the web. These are the ones who keep my Layla running.

www.mossmotors.com
www.mgbexperience.com
www.thebhive.com
www.propermg.com

Between these four sites, I keep one 1970 MGB GT running, and will be able to do a full rotisserie rebuild of her once the capital is raised. Plus all of these sites are still very much active. In fact, just two years ago Moss Motors developed a Roots-blown supercharger for the MG 1800cc four that uses a higher flowing version of the stock SU carburetor.

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Well it's not that I couldn't find information, but that I couldn't find current, well kept sites like the ones that you listed.
The SC MGB would be a really quick car. Must be pricey, though.
Do you know where Moss Motors is based out of?

What is it like to drive an MGB? I have neither sat or ridden in one before.


Still haven't been able to track it down.
 
Well, the Moss (Moss, by the way, is based out of Santa Barbara, California) kit costs over $3,000 BUT when bolted to an otherwise stock MGB it produces a 44hp gain at the rear wheels.

Considering that MGB roadsters have a curb weight of around 2040lbs (the GT coupes about 2100) that's a huge gain.

Driving an MGB is a very thrilling experience, which some folks think is an odd thing to say about a car that starts out with less than 120hp. The low weight, combined with the thumpy torque of the 1800cc OHV four makes the MGB at its happiest exiting corners. The lever action friction shocks and leaf-sprung solid rear axle make for loose handling at the limit, but the front end's unequal length a-arms keep the nose pointed where you want it.

It also makes for great traditional tail-out handling. You literally toss the MGB through corners, using the brakes gingerly and instead grabbing through the straight cut 4 speed gearbox to slow the car, letting its momentum carry it through the corner. The steering feedback, though, is fabulous especially on the manual steering models (like my Layla). It's also, thankfully, rack & pinion.

MGB's, are happiest in continuous corners where you can swing the tail around and let the car slide out from the apex in sweet four wheel drifts. They were top notch rally cars because of this, and greats like Paddy Hopkirk drove the infamous MGC GTS's (MGB GT's with widened fenders and the Austin Healey 3000's straight six) to many a rally win.

Also keep an eye out for the MGB GTV8. It was a factory item in the mid 70's to drop the Rover 3.5L OHV aluminum V8 into the MGB GT (the V8 actually weighed 70lbs LESS than the 1800cc four) and make for a real barn burner. Thankfully, because there were plenty of Triumph TR8's, Morgan Plus 8's, Range Rovers, and other Rover recipients, it's still possible to do this swap on an MGB with factory engine mounts.

Lanocha Racing (TR8 specialists, but producers of Rover crate engines) are king of the Rover V8, by the way. Their 5.0L version is a guaranteed 300+ horsepower unit. Stick that in your MGB and prepare for the most fun you can have with your pants on.

lanocha2.jpg


www.lanocharacing.com
 
MMMMMMM.... Sounds like fun. Makes me really want to go track it down and buy it. I sure hope I can afford it (I'm 17 and working part time... Cash is coming in but it may not be coming in fast enough to catch this one).

I believe the Rover 3.5 V8 was very similar (if not based off of) the Buick/Olds/Pontiac 215 cu. V8. I found this site a couple years back, and it's got some information on stuffing a small-block into small british cars.
 
It's good to see non Brits liking British sports cars!

A word of caution however, depending on the climate where you are, owning a car built by British Leyland could be a money pit. If you're only going to drive it when it's warm and sunny, you should be okay as long as you keep it in a garage. If it's a "british" type climate without regular and heavy rust proofing it will rot. A lot. And it will happen quickly.

My friend Tom has had to fit new wings, sills, a door and repair the windscreen surround as it was bubbling badly in the last 3 ish years, and he's slap happy with the waxoyl.

Also prepare for electrical gremlins, I drove one for a bit and when the window wipers were turned on the (optional) radio turned off. The problems came from the fact that British Leyland would struggle to build a sandwich properly in the 70's let alone a car.

And prepare to have the mickey taken, apparently the MGB was based on the Austin Cambridge, and the same platform went on to make a van, the Leyland Sherpa. I find the need to constantly remind Tom of this.

But otherwise it's a good laugh to drive, and yes it slides all over the shop.

Not as bad as a Triumph Spitfire however, although it appears in GT4, the game cannot adequately express the total inability of the chassis to handle the mighty power of the engine. Ridiculous fun. My mate matt has one and I once looked underneath to find that B.L. thought it would be a perfectly good idea to use a single transverse leaf spring on the rear axle. This makes it handle like a wheelbarrow. It's actually his second one, he crashed his first one into a lamp post.

You should buy the "B", whatever happens it's an experience!


Kurtis.
 

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