Differences between Chrome and Rubber bumper MGB's
Discussion
Hi everyone,
Remember a while ago there was an episode of a generic classic car show where an antiques "expert" bought a late 80's early 90's Mini with the identity ringed to it from a mk1 Cooper?
This happens far too often with MG's as well.
A friend recently asked me to take a look at a "Genuine 1971 MGB GT" he was interested in buying from eBay. From the photos it was obviously a rubber bumper car with a chrome bumper ringing kit and bits.
This happens when a chrome bumper car meets a lazy restorer who can't be bothered to weld and uses a later model shell instead of a Heritage one, someone has scrapped a chrome bumper car and sells the V5C and VIN plate or a sadly when stolen car is ringed.
With this in mind I'm looking for your collective help and permission to use your photos and images to compile a guide of all the differences between the pre-1974 Chrome bumper MGB and post-1974 Rubber bumper MGB.
So somebody doesn't make the mistake of buying a Rubber Bumper Ringer.
I'm looking for at least ten differences...
1/ Radiator location in the engine bay.
2/ Overdrive switch location.
3/ Dashboards.
4/ Twin/Single battery location/s
5/ Rear pillar seam.
6/ Rear pillar seam trim.
7/ Suspension.
8/ Boat tail panel (under the tail lights).
9/ Door cards and other interior trim.
10/ Anything I have missed.
...there are more that would be difficult to photograph in a way someone walking up to a car can see. What I would like to do is make it possible for someone to see a photo of a car and know if it's a genuine chrome bumper car or Rubber Bumper Ringer.
I appreciate that some would consider this "normal practice" reshelling with the wrong shell to save time, money or whatever but what is the usual for someone is unacceptable for someone else. Ringing to make a car tax/MOT exempt, ringing to make a car more valuable or ringing for any reason is not only unacceptable; it is also criminal.
Even if you strip the rubber bumper shell to bare metal, and fit the original chrome bumper parts it's still not a "like for like" swap so would need an (s)IVA and retain the rubber bumper identity or be re-registered as a radically altered vehicle.
If this works I would also like to do a guide for the Midget as well later.
Thank you in advance for your help with this.
All the best LK
Remember a while ago there was an episode of a generic classic car show where an antiques "expert" bought a late 80's early 90's Mini with the identity ringed to it from a mk1 Cooper?
This happens far too often with MG's as well.
A friend recently asked me to take a look at a "Genuine 1971 MGB GT" he was interested in buying from eBay. From the photos it was obviously a rubber bumper car with a chrome bumper ringing kit and bits.
This happens when a chrome bumper car meets a lazy restorer who can't be bothered to weld and uses a later model shell instead of a Heritage one, someone has scrapped a chrome bumper car and sells the V5C and VIN plate or a sadly when stolen car is ringed.
With this in mind I'm looking for your collective help and permission to use your photos and images to compile a guide of all the differences between the pre-1974 Chrome bumper MGB and post-1974 Rubber bumper MGB.
So somebody doesn't make the mistake of buying a Rubber Bumper Ringer.
I'm looking for at least ten differences...
1/ Radiator location in the engine bay.
2/ Overdrive switch location.
3/ Dashboards.
4/ Twin/Single battery location/s
5/ Rear pillar seam.
6/ Rear pillar seam trim.
7/ Suspension.
8/ Boat tail panel (under the tail lights).
9/ Door cards and other interior trim.
10/ Anything I have missed.
...there are more that would be difficult to photograph in a way someone walking up to a car can see. What I would like to do is make it possible for someone to see a photo of a car and know if it's a genuine chrome bumper car or Rubber Bumper Ringer.
I appreciate that some would consider this "normal practice" reshelling with the wrong shell to save time, money or whatever but what is the usual for someone is unacceptable for someone else. Ringing to make a car tax/MOT exempt, ringing to make a car more valuable or ringing for any reason is not only unacceptable; it is also criminal.
Even if you strip the rubber bumper shell to bare metal, and fit the original chrome bumper parts it's still not a "like for like" swap so would need an (s)IVA and retain the rubber bumper identity or be re-registered as a radically altered vehicle.
If this works I would also like to do a guide for the Midget as well later.
Thank you in advance for your help with this.
All the best LK
P.S I know I could use stock images but thought it would be nice to get you guys and potentially the MG owners club involved.
Liquid Knight said:
Hi everyone,
Remember a while ago there was an episode of a generic classic car show where an antiques "expert" bought a late 80's early 90's Mini with the identity ringed to it from a mk1 Cooper?
This happens far too often with MG's as well.
A friend recently asked me to take a look at a "Genuine 1971 MGB GT" he was interested in buying from eBay. From the photos it was obviously a rubber bumper car with a chrome bumper ringing kit and bits.
This happens when a chrome bumper car meets a lazy restorer who can't be bothered to weld and uses a later model shell instead of a Heritage one, someone has scrapped a chrome bumper car and sells the V5C and VIN plate or a sadly when stolen car is ringed.
With this in mind I'm looking for your collective help and permission to use your photos and images to compile a guide of all the differences between the pre-1974 Chrome bumper MGB and post-1974 Rubber bumper MGB.
So somebody doesn't make the mistake of buying a Rubber Bumper Ringer.
I'm looking for at least ten differences...
1/ Radiator location in the engine bay.
2/ Overdrive switch location.
3/ Dashboards.
4/ Twin/Single battery location/s
5/ Rear pillar seam.
6/ Rear pillar seam trim.
7/ Suspension.
8/ Boat tail panel (under the tail lights).
9/ Door cards and other interior trim.
10/ Anything I have missed.
...there are more that would be difficult to photograph in a way someone walking up to a car can see. What I would like to do is make it possible for someone to see a photo of a car and know if it's a genuine chrome bumper car or Rubber Bumper Ringer.
I appreciate that some would consider this "normal practice" reshelling with the wrong shell to save time, money or whatever but what is the usual for someone is unacceptable for someone else. Ringing to make a car tax/MOT exempt, ringing to make a car more valuable or ringing for any reason is not only unacceptable; it is also criminal.
Even if you strip the rubber bumper shell to bare metal, and fit the original chrome bumper parts it's still not a "like for like" swap so would need an (s)IVA and retain the rubber bumper identity or be re-registered as a radically altered vehicle.
If this works I would also like to do a guide for the Midget as well later.
Thank you in advance for your help with this.
All the best LK
Cannot imagine why you would think a rubber bumper conversion would need an SVA. Provided the chassis and reg is not altered no one will be fooled at the slightest glance. A ringer is one that has had all identities changed to fool someone, I doubt there are many people who would go to these lengths on an MGB.Remember a while ago there was an episode of a generic classic car show where an antiques "expert" bought a late 80's early 90's Mini with the identity ringed to it from a mk1 Cooper?
This happens far too often with MG's as well.
A friend recently asked me to take a look at a "Genuine 1971 MGB GT" he was interested in buying from eBay. From the photos it was obviously a rubber bumper car with a chrome bumper ringing kit and bits.
This happens when a chrome bumper car meets a lazy restorer who can't be bothered to weld and uses a later model shell instead of a Heritage one, someone has scrapped a chrome bumper car and sells the V5C and VIN plate or a sadly when stolen car is ringed.
With this in mind I'm looking for your collective help and permission to use your photos and images to compile a guide of all the differences between the pre-1974 Chrome bumper MGB and post-1974 Rubber bumper MGB.
So somebody doesn't make the mistake of buying a Rubber Bumper Ringer.
I'm looking for at least ten differences...
1/ Radiator location in the engine bay.
2/ Overdrive switch location.
3/ Dashboards.
4/ Twin/Single battery location/s
5/ Rear pillar seam.
6/ Rear pillar seam trim.
7/ Suspension.
8/ Boat tail panel (under the tail lights).
9/ Door cards and other interior trim.
10/ Anything I have missed.
...there are more that would be difficult to photograph in a way someone walking up to a car can see. What I would like to do is make it possible for someone to see a photo of a car and know if it's a genuine chrome bumper car or Rubber Bumper Ringer.
I appreciate that some would consider this "normal practice" reshelling with the wrong shell to save time, money or whatever but what is the usual for someone is unacceptable for someone else. Ringing to make a car tax/MOT exempt, ringing to make a car more valuable or ringing for any reason is not only unacceptable; it is also criminal.
Even if you strip the rubber bumper shell to bare metal, and fit the original chrome bumper parts it's still not a "like for like" swap so would need an (s)IVA and retain the rubber bumper identity or be re-registered as a radically altered vehicle.
If this works I would also like to do a guide for the Midget as well later.
Thank you in advance for your help with this.
All the best LK
P.S I know I could use stock images but thought it would be nice to get you guys and potentially the MG owners club involved.
cjb44 said:
Cannot imagine why you would think a rubber bumper conversion would need an SVA. Provided the chassis and reg is not altered no one will be fooled at the slightest glance. A ringer is one that has had all identities changed to fool someone, I doubt there are many people who would go to these lengths on an MGB.
Some are...
...Rubber Bumper Ringers.
Using a rubber bumper shell instead of a Heritage one would require an SVA due to the number of non-original parts fitted to the shell it would be radially altered based on the DVLA point scheme.
mgtony said:
Never mind an SVA, the body is the chassis so using a rubber bumper car is a straight forward ID swap and not legal anyway. Using a brand new RB shell when reshelling an earlier car is usually done when doing a V8 conversion.
With a V8 conversion, rubber bumper shell, engine, gearbox, axle, suspension and brakes would need to be changed so not enough of the original car to retain the chrome bumper identity and would need an SVA due to the point scheme as well. If new parts it would have to be registered as a new car like a Costello. Here's an interesting one. Chrome bumper car...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mgb-GT-LOOOOOOOK/163853...
...with a 1976 identity.
It says "Incredible chrome bumper conversion" but the shell looks original, dash, door cards, no rear pillar seam, badges, factory boat tails, overdrive switch, engine, radiator location, ride height and who in their right mind does a twin battery conversion?
It could be an import, sat in a dealership for at least two years or someone really went to town on the chrome bumper conversion. Sadly this might be someones stolen chrome bumper car with a rubber bumper identity.
Liquid Knight said:
With a V8 conversion, rubber bumper shell, engine, gearbox, axle, suspension and brakes would need to be changed so not enough of the original car to retain the chrome bumper identity and would need an SVA due to the point scheme as well. If new parts it would have to be registered as a new car like a Costello.
Here's an interesting one. Chrome bumper car...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mgb-GT-LOOOOOOOK/163853...
...with a 1976 identity.
It says "Incredible chrome bumper conversion" but the shell looks original, dash, door cards, no rear pillar seam, badges, factory boat tails, overdrive switch, engine, radiator location, ride height and who in their right mind does a twin battery conversion?
It could be an import, sat in a dealership for at least two years or someone really went to town on the chrome bumper conversion. Sadly this might be someones stolen chrome bumper car with a rubber bumper identity.
The first year or so of the rubber bumper cars retained the chrome bumper engine layout and dashboard style. Here's an interesting one. Chrome bumper car...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mgb-GT-LOOOOOOOK/163853...
...with a 1976 identity.
It says "Incredible chrome bumper conversion" but the shell looks original, dash, door cards, no rear pillar seam, badges, factory boat tails, overdrive switch, engine, radiator location, ride height and who in their right mind does a twin battery conversion?
It could be an import, sat in a dealership for at least two years or someone really went to town on the chrome bumper conversion. Sadly this might be someones stolen chrome bumper car with a rubber bumper identity.
Given how informed buyers are these days and the fact all these "rung" cars you seem to constantly be getting your knickers in a twist over are nothing more than people getting free road tax (in the past as now all but the very last b and midgets are entitled to free tax anyway) I really don't understand why you are on a one man crusade about this subject.
I've raised the point before but your posts are so walty it hurts.
I've raised the point before but your posts are so walty it hurts.
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