Can any MGB on Earth go above 55 mph?
Discussion
Driving up the M5 this morning on the way to Pride of Longbridge. I maintained pace with a Humber Super Snipe. It easily kept up a steady 70 mph indicated. On the two-from Pride of Longbridge (POL) journey, numerous MGBs were seen. None were doing 55mph in the nearside lanes. No end of interesting old stuff seen on the to-from journey. Like events like these meeting folks of similar interests and the number of cars there was surprising. Had a close look at some of the new MG offerings from its Oriental owners. very interesting and appear exceptional value especially the MG3.
I had the carcam running recording the whole journey so later I'll enjoy seeing those in action images. I also saw a pristine British Racing Green MG Midget pass my street as I started my journey. My other son took his 1982 MG Metro to the event. I had one of those from new over thirty years ago and frequently cruised that little A-Series motor close to an indicated three figures. A well maintained MGB can keep up with modern traffic with little effort. They are now mostly appreciating assets and no doubt some owners keep that in mind now when out and about in their old cars.
I had the carcam running recording the whole journey so later I'll enjoy seeing those in action images. I also saw a pristine British Racing Green MG Midget pass my street as I started my journey. My other son took his 1982 MG Metro to the event. I had one of those from new over thirty years ago and frequently cruised that little A-Series motor close to an indicated three figures. A well maintained MGB can keep up with modern traffic with little effort. They are now mostly appreciating assets and no doubt some owners keep that in mind now when out and about in their old cars.
Daimler SP250 on the M40 yesterday morning, going at approx 85 mph, I would say. Kudos, dude!
Also a 1971 three door Rangey that looked still to be a working vehicle. Tatty, battered, towing a trailer of farm stuff. Either a real farm truck or one got up to look like one for show purposes. In that lovely blue colour that they came in. Restored, it would sell for circa 40K.
Also a 1971 three door Rangey that looked still to be a working vehicle. Tatty, battered, towing a trailer of farm stuff. Either a real farm truck or one got up to look like one for show purposes. In that lovely blue colour that they came in. Restored, it would sell for circa 40K.
I once had to give it some welly in my Interceptor to keep up with a pre War Blower Bentley that was up ahead of me on the M4. I am not suggesting a boy racerish willy waving contest about speed (and some of the best fun in an old car is to be had within the speed limit on a twisty road), but it is sometimes fun to see someone giving a very fast old car a bit of hoofage.
MGB bumper conversions,
Your observations of similarity to MGB/Aston bumper is quite interesting as my close association with BMC/MG allowed access to allsorts of behind the scenes activity which may well have influenced my own designs, but I had the advantage of not being restrained by any form of government oversight which allowed far greater flexibility in design. While developing this style to suit the American market
the manufacturers still had to attempt complying with federal regulations regarding [safe at any speed] and bumper height harmonisation resulting in this “half a job design” compromise , which required additional special tooling to produce a limited production chrome grill and alternative mounts, where as
my design accepted any number of existing grills at no extra cost to production or owner.
The consumer in places like Florida, Texas and similar high temperature regions experienced all sorts of degradation, cracking and surface discolouration which to a large extent was unrecoverable to an acceptable standard thus devaluing the vehicle prematurely and this applied to other models such as Triumph TR 7/8 ( but that’s another story)
As a consequence there was a very strong interest in converting to the previous chrome bumper spec, unfortunately replacement bumpers were going through a period of discontent due to poor quality and currency manipulation which kept escalating the price to the point of nonviablity.
At that point I tried designing a series of cheap replacement panels that the average owner could just bolt on with no special facilities and very little skill using the original mountings .This proved quite in demand and continued to progress until I retired
Your observations of similarity to MGB/Aston bumper is quite interesting as my close association with BMC/MG allowed access to allsorts of behind the scenes activity which may well have influenced my own designs, but I had the advantage of not being restrained by any form of government oversight which allowed far greater flexibility in design. While developing this style to suit the American market
the manufacturers still had to attempt complying with federal regulations regarding [safe at any speed] and bumper height harmonisation resulting in this “half a job design” compromise , which required additional special tooling to produce a limited production chrome grill and alternative mounts, where as
my design accepted any number of existing grills at no extra cost to production or owner.
The consumer in places like Florida, Texas and similar high temperature regions experienced all sorts of degradation, cracking and surface discolouration which to a large extent was unrecoverable to an acceptable standard thus devaluing the vehicle prematurely and this applied to other models such as Triumph TR 7/8 ( but that’s another story)
As a consequence there was a very strong interest in converting to the previous chrome bumper spec, unfortunately replacement bumpers were going through a period of discontent due to poor quality and currency manipulation which kept escalating the price to the point of nonviablity.
At that point I tried designing a series of cheap replacement panels that the average owner could just bolt on with no special facilities and very little skill using the original mountings .This proved quite in demand and continued to progress until I retired
Dr Jekyll said:
Going along the M40 one Sunday morning I saw a succession of old, many pre war, cars trundling along at an understandably sedate pace. I was passing them at 70 when a 1929 ish Bentley 3 or 4.5 litre convertible shot past me in the outside lane.
Many years ago I had a similar experience on the M25. In my mirror the traffic was parting better than it does for blue lights, next thing I see is a lorry sized car steaming up lane 3. Must have been into triple figures when it came past. Bloody amazing sight & sound especially as it was raining 
Back in the 1980s I owned a rubber bumper MGB GT V8.
I recall driving to Scotland in it. I was hammering up the M6 when an Elan Plus 2 loomed in the rear view mirror.
Sod you, thought I. So I banged the MG out of overdrive and put my foot down. Time to show that weedy little 1600 what a V8 can do.
Anyway, the Lotus stayed right up my lever arm dampers until the MG finally ran out of puff.
So I pulled into lane two and the Elan came past and howled towards the horizon, a vision of wrinkly fibreglass, trailing the usual aroma of fish glue and cellulose in its wake.
With the benefit of hindsight, the MG wasn't so bad. The lazy detuned V8 suited it. It burbled around quite nicely, though it was hopelessly outclassed even in the 1980s.
Tell you what, though. Watch a four pot MGB in an HSCC race and you will be amazed at how well they can be made to go. Astonishing when you consider how crap the standard offering was.
I recall driving to Scotland in it. I was hammering up the M6 when an Elan Plus 2 loomed in the rear view mirror.
Sod you, thought I. So I banged the MG out of overdrive and put my foot down. Time to show that weedy little 1600 what a V8 can do.
Anyway, the Lotus stayed right up my lever arm dampers until the MG finally ran out of puff.
So I pulled into lane two and the Elan came past and howled towards the horizon, a vision of wrinkly fibreglass, trailing the usual aroma of fish glue and cellulose in its wake.
With the benefit of hindsight, the MG wasn't so bad. The lazy detuned V8 suited it. It burbled around quite nicely, though it was hopelessly outclassed even in the 1980s.
Tell you what, though. Watch a four pot MGB in an HSCC race and you will be amazed at how well they can be made to go. Astonishing when you consider how crap the standard offering was.
rolymo said:
After exposure to the extreme summer temperatures for a couple of years these damn original rubber bumpers went "Banana" shaped ,all wobbley and the surface became pitted, rough and ugly. they ruined even the very best of restorations T Take this one for example. 
I always wondered why people didn't take the damn things off and fit chrome bumpers but apparently it's not that simple.
Made a lightweight FRG replacement bumper for the rear to loose all the overload created by the huge heavy crash beam installed by the factory and took the opportunity to remove the two (ash-trays) below the rear lamps (never could work out what their purpose was)in order to clean up the rear end appearance and prevent the corners curling outwards
The next problem created by removing these very heavy components from both ends of the car was that the ride height increased even more, nullifyihg any benefits derived from changing the polar moment of inertia when the center of gravity was raised.Calling for the installation of lowered ,10% up-rated springs all round to improve/restore the suspension characteristics.
The next problem created by removing these very heavy components from both ends of the car was that the ride height increased even more, nullifyihg any benefits derived from changing the polar moment of inertia when the center of gravity was raised.Calling for the installation of lowered ,10% up-rated springs all round to improve/restore the suspension characteristics.
Do wish,you would get your facts right, that is a Triumph TR 8 V8 not the Travesty TR7 .The bumper modification was in retaliation to BMC drawing office for offering that diabolical monstroscity US spec collider-bar
Were you aware that the factory pop-riveted chunks of cast iron inside the crash beam in order to trim the show-room stance(static ride height) irrespective of what that would do to the polar-moment or produce nose dive on braking.
Were you aware that the factory pop-riveted chunks of cast iron inside the crash beam in order to trim the show-room stance(static ride height) irrespective of what that would do to the polar-moment or produce nose dive on braking.
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