MG MGB Roadster (1963-1972)

HISTORY
It's spring and heaven is an affordable sports car that won't use too much fuel and is easy to fix. Joe Kenwright looks at two alternatives, old and new -- the MGB Roadster and Mazda MX-5.

Simply this is a choice between period authenticity or modern convenience in a purpose-built rear drive sports car. The MGB is classic British-style and feel with 1950s mechanicals that require 1950s maintenance but it should be as painless as a classic sports car can ever be with a huge network of parts and service specialists. The original Mazda MX-5 draws on everyday Mazda 323 Astina mechanicals for modern driveability and reliability with outstanding sports car balance but without the MG's traditional character and style.

1963-72 MGB ROADSTER:

What do I need to know about the MGB?
MG, which stands for Morris Garages, was originally part of the Nuffield Group and drew on mass-produced Morris parts until the Nuffield Group merged with Austin in 1952 to form the British Motor Corporation. BMC then merged with Leyland in 1968 to form BLMC or British Leyland.

The MGB was heavily influenced by the BMC and Leyland mergers at different points in its life. In its original 1962 specification, it featured an Austin drivetrain that Australians already knew in cars like the Morris Major and Austin Cambridge. Suspension was 1940s technology with lever-arm shock absorbers (not today's telescopic type), and myriad steering and suspension joints that require regular greasing. Although brakes were modern, the spokes and splines of the wire wheels generate ongoing maintenance.

The reality check: Australians gave up keeping 40-year-old British bangers on the road decades ago. Over its model life, MGBs are virtually identical under the skin. After 40 years of thrashing, most will have needed a second or even third restoration. As a buyer, you will need to make a choice between rescuing a cheap banger or enjoying the period between a major rebuild and pay accordingly. Identifying the cars that are worn out underneath their shiny presentation is critical. These are real money traps as they cost as much to restore as an untidy car. If you are not 100 per cent committed to a preventative maintenance schedule, don't waste any more time reading this as a neglected MGB is a nightmare.

The MGB was Britain's first clean sheet sports car built on a steel monocoque. It doesn't have a separate chassis which means if it contains serious rust or has been patched-up after a major crash, it can have structural problems and the body may have to be scrapped. Because there is no steel roof to hold it together, the lower structure is far more critical than a conventional sedan. The good news is that Leyland forgot to scrap the original tools and you can still buy a brand new monocoque body shell. That said, a re-shell is not cheap.

The MGB's international look was heavily influenced by the Renault Floride and BMC's close links with PininFarina. If you squint your eyes when the light is failing, you can imagine that you have a classic Ferrari convertible in the driveway. And it still looks and sounds better than any budget sports car since which is why most people can forgive it for everything.

The MGB was raced into local production for an April 1963 launch, a year after its 1962 UK arrival, initially with local paint, vinyl trim and standard wire wheels. Local MGBs were generally better-equipped than the British ones as later examples had radial tyres, wire wheels, heater, oil cooler and overdrive as standard, while retaining flock carpet on non-wear areas, rubber mats in the footwells and hard wearing vinyl seats -- never leather.

There were three hood designs over the MGB's model life -- fingernail breaking, finger breaking and arm breaking. None were easy to erect and all leak at some point. If you intend to leave an MGB outside, get used to that musty smell of rotting trim and prepare to dangle your feet through the floor Fred Flintstone-style. One Australian company still builds replacement floors such is the demand.

The last MGB was built in Australia on November 6, 1972 but global production ceased in October 1980. Because so many MGBs from the Leyland era went to the US, many later cars have since reached here as cheap LHD imports. Leyland cost-cutting meant they were never as good as the Australian examples even when new.

After 1974, the MGB's suspension was raised and ugly plastic/rubber bumpers were added front and rear, destroying handling and appearance. Along with the detuned US-spec unleaded engine, it was no longer the MGB Aussies knew and loved.

Some specialists have used these ugly US imports to build a replica of a pre-1974 chrome bumper model by fitting the earlier grille, bumpers, lower suspension, RHD dash and steering, engine, trim and other details. This is easy to do when all parts are so readily available. The end result is a more desirable MGB than its flawed starting point but it will have no pedigree and won't line up with anything that came out of the factory. Depending on the conversion quality, they can provide better value as a fun car (and look better!) but resale value will always be lower than a genuine pre-1972 Australian RHD example.

There were also many British-built chrome bumper MGB examples imported from the UK when new and used. Depending on how old they were when they came here, they can be as good as any Australian-made example or, alas, full of terminal rust. Regardless of how good it looks, determining the original source and the correct specification before you buy are vital for future resale.

If you are being asked to pay extra for major body or mechanical work, then demand evidence that it has been completed by an MG specialist. Many younger tradespeople no longer have the special knowledge and skills beyond the superficial to keep these cars running and looking as new.

IMPORTANT MODEL INFORMATION: