Friday 6th November 2009

SOTW: MGB GT

When there's a classic Brit sports car going for £700, who needs tax or an MOT?

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Shed of the Week is not, by its nature, a feature given to strict rules, but we do try to stick to a few. And one of those rules is that the car must be road-legal, however shed-like it seems. Still, what's the point of rules if you don't break them occasionally? Hence we bring you this week's Shed: a tax-less, ticket-less MGB.

This orange 1971 MGB GT isn't exactly a gleaming example of the breed, either; it needs a little fettling after 18 years of dry storage. Work that apparently needs doing includes a replacement rear wing and new door skins, while the vendor also admits that the engine "looks ok but not been run". The eagle-eyed among you will also notice the tow hook - we can't imagine this would have made the ideal tow car.

What gives this long-neglected MG such shed-cred is its price; the seller wants £700, but is prepared to accept offers on that. Assuming the car is basically solid (a reasonably large assumption, we know), that's a bargain price for a car that would be worth at least £2.5k with tax, MOT and the bodywork issues sorted out.

The car itself should also be a somewhat less controversial choice than the MGF we spotted a few weeks back. Back in the 1960s, the MGB was often touted as an Aston Martin for the chap on a budget - scaled-down GT looks, an elegant interior, and oodles of British charm made sure of that.

This particular example manages to carry off the pint-sized GT thing pretty well, despite the handicap of that oh-so-seventies colour. It misses out on the full chrome-grille treatment of some MGBs, too, but has at least been spared the god-awful rubber bumpers that came in a couple of years later as a sop to US safety regulations.

With 95bhp on tap from the 1.8-litre twin SU carb-fed motor, the MGB GT never got tarmac-ripping performance, but a top speed of 104mph and 0-60mph in 12.9 seconds was respectable enough. Mind you, you wouldn't want to put too much more power through that leaf-sprung rear axle.

As Sheds go we'll freely admit that this MGB GT is more of a punt than most, but if you want a slice of British sports car history, it's got to be pretty tempting. If nothing else, that numberplate has got to be worth a bit of cash...

Advert is reproduced below:

1971 mgb gt, £700

nice little barn find, 1971 MGB GT in orange, been dry stored for 18 years. Solid all round apart from needs door skins and nearside rear lower wing. Engine looks ok but not been run and engine bay tidy. All floors good, boot good, interior worn but dry. I am away at sea for three weeks but contact on [e-mail]
plate is nice and car will make a cracker. Open to offers etc. When Im back im on 07866115827

See SOTW on Facebook

 

[soad]

Nice find, although looks a bit sorry in places.

£700, open to offers. Sounds good to me.

[someoneelse]

Looks like a good 'un if it's not too knackered. At least the B-series is cheap to fix/replace and all of the bodywork is available.

[CaptainSlow]

You could get one with T&T for a few hundred more...even then no reason why to buy one when the is better Jap metal for no much more. Not for me sorry.

[Cassius81]

A shed that has spent 18 years in a shed. Fits the bill...

[bob1179]

I quite fancy a chrome bumper MGB GT in white. I'd love to have a punt on something like this, but as far as I know, when it comes to these cars, if you can see rust on the outside, the inner panels tend to be far worse.

It would make a good project though, especially as there is a huge spares supply available (including full shells).

5.0 RV8 version anybody?

[moskvich427]

Yeh I'm not keen on this one sorry. Think I'd spend a bit more and get a better one. Cool reg though!

[Mini1275]

Not my kind of thing. Good buy though.

[shalmaneser]

I really like this for some reason, the whole 'mini gt' thing really appeals...

God, i must be getting old...

[aarondrs]

Must admit I always thought the obe SOTW rule was tax and ticket present. This Shed will take a lot more than the £250 pounds available (purchase £ to £1000) to get tested

On that basis I say fail. I'm not a particular fan either unless it was the GTV8 version which would go for silly money, having said that if the engine in this is buggered.......

[varsas]

I nearly bought a Stag that had been sitting for 15 years, a lot of the reason I didn't in the end was the worry of all the parts that might have suffered...tyres/brake cylinders/hoses/suspension bushes...not to mention what state the engine might be in. The chrome will be pitted, the wood will have warped and the carpets will be mouldy (unless it's very dry in that shed/barn/wherever it was) and the paint looks horribly flat to me.

Really nice project for someone though, and £700 seems reasonable on the face of it if the car is complete and the paint is decent.

ETA: I can see rust, not a good sign.

Edited by varsas on Friday 6th November 12:29

[Woodstar]

Poor mans Aston Martin

[edo]

lol @ the fact it should be £2,500 with the bodywork sorted out.

Yup, about, what £2k to get that into a nice condition?

[Moikey Fortune]

Seems good value for a Pininfarina designed classic

[vrdhir]

I once knew a chap at work wh brought one of these for £900. Spent £2000 tarting it up and sold it for £1200 - hahahaha.

Stupid

[Chris71]

Woodstar said:

Poor mans Aston Martin

Yep. But I am poor... and a huge Aston fan, so I wouldn't say no.

[shouldbworking]

edo said:

lol @ the fact it should be £2,500 with the bodywork sorted out.

Yup, about, what £2k to get that into a nice condition?

Yeah, I was thinking Garlick must be behind this one

[varsas]

aarondrs said:

Must admit I always thought the obe SOTW rule was tax and ticket present.

To be fair tax is free on this one...

[vetteheadracer]

My first car was a 1968 MGB (not the GT version), absolutely loved it.

If I wasn't a bit busy rebuilding a Corvette I would be tempted to buy this as a winter project.

[DPX]

Inner wings , castle sections , jacking points , seams ..... bad memories of these cars .

[6potdave]

erm..... nice. Lol. Never liked these, is it true they had to raise the suspension to compensate for the low lights?