Can any MGB on Earth go above 55 mph?

[s m]

v8bloke said:

Mine is certainly not to everyones taste but all modifications have a purpose.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VREATjDytXw&lis...

It does however go over 55mph by about 100mph

never had so much fun in a car (well nearly)

That does go well

I've followed you round Combe I think

[nta16]

heebeegeetee said:

Thing is, when you look at a race MGB it really doesn't look much different from the road car, all the basic ingredients are there.

there's no point comparing any track car with the road going version

a point about a track MGB and road going MGBs might be that the track car does more actual annual mileage

[heebeegeetee]

nta16 said:

here's no point comparing any track car with the road going version

Absolutely not true at all in, in this case.

Every weekend, on every continent, there will be MGBs racing somewhere. The club racers are not at all exotic. Obviously, if you want to win or finish in the top 15 in the Spa six hours every year, you'll have to spend, but if you just want to have some sport at not a huge cost, there is club racing everywhere for MGBs.

They were successful in their day and they're successful today. They're a great car, imo, one of the best made.

[nta16]

heebeegeetee said:

Every weekend, on every continent, there will be MGBs racing somewhere. The club racers are not at all exotic. Obviously, if you want to win or finish in the top 15 in the Spa six hours every year, you'll have to spend, but if you just want to have some sport at not a huge cost, there is club racing everywhere for MGBs.

not quite the case that I know of, my neighbour's friend has been racing MGAs for many years and had a go at a share in a MGB GTV8

I remember years ago when 3 bearing engine were getting a bit more scarce (probably because racers were breaking them all) he bought I think 5, five bearing, engines three to use for racing and the others to sell on - he's a wealthy person that had and still has the time and money to put into his hobby but now he and his cars aren't competitive because of his age and previous accident(s)

[RichB]

nta16 said:

...my neighbour's friend has been racing MGAs for many years...

out of interest who's that? I know many of the old-time MGA Racing guys from the 70s. Chaps like Vic Ellis, Roy McCarthy, Ken Tugwell, Jack Edney etc.

[nta16]

I'm not sure he was racing in the 70s or even 80's perhaps, MGs were only first mentioned in the early 90s when I bought an expensive old car called a 'classic' which happened to be a MG BGT

sorry but I'm sure he's not the type to want his name on the internet or forums

my mate got shown some of his cars when he tripped over a RV8 engine on the floor of his workshop, I was never invited to see the cars and only saw a few when they rested on my neighbour's drive the night before going off to a race weekend

once there was a 1907 (or 1904 can't remember) De Dion, youngest car that could enter its class in the London to Brighton, it had wood wheels with solid tyres, oil and wick lamps and IIRC instead of a horn a valve on the exhaust that whistled, quite a sight

[beko1987]

A very nice (looked rebuilt a few years ago sort of condition) white MGB slipped past me in the outside lane at 77mph yesterday on my way home on the M40.

I immediatly thought of you!

[Oldred_V8S]

rolymo said:

Then If I need to go much faster my other car comes into the picture because I prefer a tin-top over my head when really pushing on . the convertable is not kind to my hair at high speeds,need to preserve the hair it has too last a lifetime

That is automotive porn!

[deltashad]

Saw a red MGB chrome bumper the other day in Glasgow on the bypass. It was towards the end of the bypass where it changes from 50mph to 70mph (3 lanes) It was a steady 40mph on the 70mph stretch. I slowed for it to overtake so I could get a photo of my speedo and the car but it slowed too and wouldnt overtake me.
I think he must have been somewhere around 30-35mph. I felt completely dangerous at this point and accumulated my leptons again.

[Mikebentley]

Me and the Vitesse have been covering a lot of miles lately and on occasion at very respectable speed. We could never be accused of holding anyone up but I too have noticed the MGB crowd crawling along roof down and flying jacket and owners club baseball cap on. What's it all about? Most the Triumph lot seem to get a proper move on.

[sunbeam alpine]

Mikebentley said:

Most the Triumph lot seem to get a proper move on.

Of course they do - they want to get home before they break down!





(Says the man whose Sunbeam has done 10 miles in the last 5 years, 6 of which were on a trailer!)

[elephantstone]

I am doing my best to change the opinions of MGB owners and speed they are driven.

I have noticed people pulling out on me since i have got mine, probably not expecting me to be going the speed i am! Maybe i have still got rose tinted specs on but its quite nice to hustle down the lanes.

[Riley Blue]

I've often found that when driving my Riley 1.5; drivers of modern cars (small Japanese hatchbacks in particular) imagine your car has servo assisted discs all round - though I doubt they 'imagine' at all, they probably pull out on all vehicles and potter off at 45.

[a8hex]

Riley Blue said:

I've often found that when driving my Riley 1.5; drivers of modern cars (small Japanese hatchbacks in particular) imagine your car has servo assisted discs all round - though I doubt they 'imagine' at all, they probably pull out on all vehicles and potter off at 45.

I get this with my XK150 too, clearly no thought is involved with some driers, but I think some think "I'll just pop out in front of that old car, I don't want to be stuck behind them" so I do the decent thing and try not to leave solid black lines on the road while I overtake them.

[Dbest92]

a8hex said:

I get this with my XK150 too, clearly no thought is involved with some driers, but I think some think "I'll just pop out in front of that old car, I don't want to be stuck behind them" :

So true! Yet after you end end stuck behind then as they're slower than you are, or so I've found anyway! Cue their surprise when later on my 'slow old' mgb shoots past

Interesting what someone about said about triumph drivers!, weird as MG and triumph drivers are stereotypically similar, yet these people drive their MG's like miss Daisy, yet triumph owners are the opposite. On the motorway once doing possibly a little more than her majesty would like, a groups of stags fly past in the outside lane at a considerable speed, easily doing 90+

[elephantstone]

I suppose thats it. To people who know nothing about cars my MGB is just a slow old car, i have found people driving up my arse on straights (i feel a little guilty revving her too hard) then they disappear when we hit some twisties and im carrying the speed.

[Hooli]

elephantstone said:

I am doing my best to change the opinions of MGB owners and speed they are driven.

I have noticed people pulling out on me since i have got mine, probably not expecting me to be going the speed i am! Maybe i have still got rose tinted specs on but its quite nice to hustle down the lanes.

I had much the same when I had a Midget. It went most places slightly sideways if there was any curve in the road. Very sideways if wet Much fun was had with that car.

[HumbleJim]

Hooli said:

elephantstone said:

I am doing my best to change the opinions of MGB owners and speed they are driven.

I have noticed people pulling out on me since i have got mine, probably not expecting me to be going the speed i am! Maybe i have still got rose tinted specs on but its quite nice to hustle down the lanes.

I had much the same when I had a Midget. It went most places slightly sideways if there was any curve in the road. Very sideways if wet Much fun was had with that car.

I had a Midget like that too...................then I replaced the tyres. ;rofl:

[LordBretSinclair]

elephantstone said:

I suppose thats it. To people who know nothing about cars my MGB is just a slow old car, i have found people driving up my arse on straights (i feel a little guilty revving her too hard) then they disappear when we hit some twisties and im carrying the speed.

I love revving mine and having fun with other tw*ts on the road.

Keep at a strict 30mph through towns, drop it a gear just before the national speed limit, wait until the tw*t who has been sat right on my tail all through town signals and pulls out to overtake I then give it the full beans and leave them out there on the wrong side of the road.

Childish I know but stuff 'em !!

[nta16]

LordBretSinclair said:

Keep at a strict 30mph through towns, drop it a gear just before the national speed limit, ... then give it the full beans

fine if safe to do so

but waiting for the car behind to indicate and pull out to the other side of the road and then pulling away from them is plain stupid and probably illegal

I'm amazed a person of your age would do such stuff and admit to it on a public forum

there's enough stupidity on the roads already try to add the least to it you can

Edited by nta16 on Thursday 15th May 17:51