Ive just put a deposit down on a 1978 MGB GT..
Discussion
Well i suppose i better get used to the classic car section of PH!
1978
10,000miles (backed up by MOT's and DVLA)
Runs like a dream
Paintwork abit tatty but the dealer is sorting it out for me, along with the overdrive!
Love the interior (abit tatty but i like it)
Pick it up in 3weeks! Im sure ill be a frequent poster in this section panicking when something goes wrong, im going to be learning how to use spanners finally.
Hope you like it!
1978
10,000miles (backed up by MOT's and DVLA)
Runs like a dream
Paintwork abit tatty but the dealer is sorting it out for me, along with the overdrive!
Love the interior (abit tatty but i like it)
Pick it up in 3weeks! Im sure ill be a frequent poster in this section panicking when something goes wrong, im going to be learning how to use spanners finally.
Hope you like it!
Edited by elephantstone on Wednesday 11th September 16:43
Looking good. Get a front spoiler fitted, they make the front look finished and lower. Also holds the front of the car to the road when you hit 100mph. 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MGB-LE-Style-Front-Valan...
If you are thinking of putting one on, get it now and painted at the same time the garage are doing the other bits.
As for spares, there is the Owners Club, MGB Hive, Brown and Gammons along with a few others. Also plenty of new and used stuff on Ebay all relatively cheap compared to other cars.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MGB-LE-Style-Front-Valan...
If you are thinking of putting one on, get it now and painted at the same time the garage are doing the other bits.
As for spares, there is the Owners Club, MGB Hive, Brown and Gammons along with a few others. Also plenty of new and used stuff on Ebay all relatively cheap compared to other cars.
mgtony said:
Looking good. Get a front spoiler fitted, they make the front look finished and lower. Also holds the front of the car to the road when you hit 100mph.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MGB-LE-Style-Front-Valan...
If you are thinking of putting one on, get it now and painted at the same time the garage are doing the other bits.
As for spares, there is the Owners Club, MGB Hive, Brown and Gammons along with a few others. Also plenty of new and used stuff on Ebay all relatively cheap compared to other cars.
Dont like the front spoiler! But then again, im weird and prefer the RB model!http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MGB-LE-Style-Front-Valan...
If you are thinking of putting one on, get it now and painted at the same time the garage are doing the other bits.
As for spares, there is the Owners Club, MGB Hive, Brown and Gammons along with a few others. Also plenty of new and used stuff on Ebay all relatively cheap compared to other cars.
there's a (quiet) MG forum on PH, past threads or a PH search on there will give you lots of info
my usual advice:
get the relevant Driver's Handbook and read it and refer to it then you'll learn a lot about your car and know more than most long term owners - (Ref: 0053) - http://www.mgocshop.co.uk/catalog/Online_Catalogue...
from that book carry out a staged 36k-mile service/check up (the dealer wont have) in between driving the car frequently to iron out wrinkles and get used to the car so you know how to drive it as it was intended
drive it regularly for 12 months all year round before considering adding any bits to it (other than for full and proper regular servicing, maintenance and repairs) as you may need your money for more pressing distress purchases on the car
be aware that some new components and parts are abysmally made now
have a look at the excellent John Twist videos - http://www.youtube.com/user/Universitymotorsltd
and Paul Hunt's site - http://www.mgb-stuff.org.uk/hammertext.htm
and advice on MG BBS - http://www2.mg-cars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mg...
lastly check the age of the tyres regardless of tread depth on them, see DoT codes on this page - http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible.html
good luck
my usual advice:
get the relevant Driver's Handbook and read it and refer to it then you'll learn a lot about your car and know more than most long term owners - (Ref: 0053) - http://www.mgocshop.co.uk/catalog/Online_Catalogue...
from that book carry out a staged 36k-mile service/check up (the dealer wont have) in between driving the car frequently to iron out wrinkles and get used to the car so you know how to drive it as it was intended
drive it regularly for 12 months all year round before considering adding any bits to it (other than for full and proper regular servicing, maintenance and repairs) as you may need your money for more pressing distress purchases on the car
be aware that some new components and parts are abysmally made now
have a look at the excellent John Twist videos - http://www.youtube.com/user/Universitymotorsltd
and Paul Hunt's site - http://www.mgb-stuff.org.uk/hammertext.htm
and advice on MG BBS - http://www2.mg-cars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mg...
lastly check the age of the tyres regardless of tread depth on them, see DoT codes on this page - http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible.html
good luck
Edited by nta16 on Friday 16th August 02:32
Riley Blue said:
Rubber bumper is just 
Get it converted to chrome and you'll have a car worthy of a second glance.
Really? FFS, OP is rightly proud of his new purchase. And, for what it's worth, I agree with OP about rubber bumpers. To me chrome bumpers unfortunately carry an image of an overly-fastidious, knitwear-adorning owner who speaks in a nasal voice. That may just be me, though. Get it converted to chrome and you'll have a car worthy of a second glance.nta16 said:
there's a (quiet) MG forum on PH, past threads or a PH search on there will give you lots of info
my usual advice:
get the relevant Driver's Handbook and read it and refer to it then you'll learn a lot about your car and know more than most long term owners - (Ref: 0053) - http://www.mgocshop.co.uk/catalog/Online_Catalogue...
from that book carry out a staged 36k-mile service/check up (the dealer wont have) in between driving the car frequently to iron out wrinkles and get used to the car so you know how to drive it as it was intended
drive it regularly for 12 months all year round before considering adding any bits to it (other than for full and proper regular servicing, maintenance and repairs) as you may need your money for more pressing distress purchases on the car
be aware that some new components and parts are abysmally made now
have a look at the excellent John Twist videos - http://www.youtube.com/user/Universitymotorsltd
and Paul Hunt's site - http://www.mgb-stuff.org.uk/hammertext.htm
and advice on MG BBS - http://www2.mg-cars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mg...
lastly check the age of the tyres regardless of tread depth on them, see DoT codes on this page - http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible.html
good luck
Thanks, i was wondering how to check the age of the tyres, ive now found out!my usual advice:
get the relevant Driver's Handbook and read it and refer to it then you'll learn a lot about your car and know more than most long term owners - (Ref: 0053) - http://www.mgocshop.co.uk/catalog/Online_Catalogue...
from that book carry out a staged 36k-mile service/check up (the dealer wont have) in between driving the car frequently to iron out wrinkles and get used to the car so you know how to drive it as it was intended
drive it regularly for 12 months all year round before considering adding any bits to it (other than for full and proper regular servicing, maintenance and repairs) as you may need your money for more pressing distress purchases on the car
be aware that some new components and parts are abysmally made now
have a look at the excellent John Twist videos - http://www.youtube.com/user/Universitymotorsltd
and Paul Hunt's site - http://www.mgb-stuff.org.uk/hammertext.htm
and advice on MG BBS - http://www2.mg-cars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mg...
lastly check the age of the tyres regardless of tread depth on them, see DoT codes on this page - http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible.html
good luck
Edited by nta16 on Friday 16th August 02:32
WIll be buying that handbook as its flash up on the mgb threads ive read, ive read ALL of them!
SrMoreno said:
Riley Blue said:
Rubber bumper is just Get it converted to chrome and you'll have a car worthy of a second glance.
Really? FFS, OP is rightly proud of his new purchase. And, for what it's worth, I agree with OP about rubber bumpers. To me chrome bumpers unfortunately carry an image of an overly-fastidious, knitwear-adorning owner who speaks in a nasal voice. That may just be me, though. Get it converted to chrome and you'll have a car worthy of a second glance.DocArbathnot said:
Well done exciting stuff. 3 weeks though 
I'm picking up my "nouveau" classic on Saturday, been waiting a week.
(I'm not known for my patience)
Haha i know I'm VERY impatient but i know it will be worth the wait.. I could've got it yesterday for 500cheaper but i would've had bad spots on the paintwork, the seat wouldn't go far enough back and the OD isn't working.I'm picking up my "nouveau" classic on Saturday, been waiting a week.
(I'm not known for my patience)
Time to say a long goodbye to my MX5 which i leave with them in 3weeks time.. Been a great car and without buying that, i would never of got the balls to buy an MG!
Rubber bumpers don't have the stigma they used to have, even within the MG circles and are rising in value too. A R/B GT is still a cheap way into classic car ownership but also a very usable one too, I'v had 2 as daily cars over the years. When I bought my S3 Landy it was the 'cheap way in' to off roading, now you see them restored and its rotten disco 1's that are the cheap way into owning a Landy.
When I left the MG scene 6 years ago it was due to the needing a free bus pass to qualify for MG ownership old fuddy views and owners that got on my wick, things have noticeably changed, maybe only a little but PH's who hated my daily MGF at the time and questioned why I didn't have an MX5 have changed their views, it's seen as a good cheap little modern classic, the R/B B's have found favour too so please take those antiquated bumper opinions away, go buy one and enjoy it!
I had a converted 1980 recently and it was nice, shiny in pageant blue but you could just tell it was a converted late one, being 1980 it was built amongst teh LE's so had the spoiler and red badges so I wish the PO had left it alone as it was a nice car in its own right history wise.
The rubber bumper era was in a way the start of all modern car design, the way the lines are blended in and now colour coded too, a crude start but it's there.
Nice purchase OP!
When I left the MG scene 6 years ago it was due to the needing a free bus pass to qualify for MG ownership old fuddy views and owners that got on my wick, things have noticeably changed, maybe only a little but PH's who hated my daily MGF at the time and questioned why I didn't have an MX5 have changed their views, it's seen as a good cheap little modern classic, the R/B B's have found favour too so please take those antiquated bumper opinions away, go buy one and enjoy it!
I had a converted 1980 recently and it was nice, shiny in pageant blue but you could just tell it was a converted late one, being 1980 it was built amongst teh LE's so had the spoiler and red badges so I wish the PO had left it alone as it was a nice car in its own right history wise.
The rubber bumper era was in a way the start of all modern car design, the way the lines are blended in and now colour coded too, a crude start but it's there.
Nice purchase OP!
Edited by midgeman on Friday 16th August 11:42
elephantstone said:
WIll be buying that handbook as its flash up on the mgb threads ive read, ive read ALL of them!
really, all of them, in that case you'll know about all about the Td/dd/cd and to PM me if you want my notes on Bselephantstone said:
10,000! Not sure wether that will turn out to be a good thing or bad thing! Once ive got it properly sorted it should be a good thing.
that’s quite right, lack of use will give it loads of problems to be sorted, frequent driving will find and sort them quickeras you’ve probably also seen most classic and particularly MGB owners either rarely use their cars and/or drive them slowly mainly because some keep them in a condition that makes them unreliable, slow and poor handling and have no idea how well a B should go in good condition – please don’t join that group
Time for an octagon on your bicep?
Glad you got one in the end, best of luck with it. Agree with NTA's comments generally, far too many old cars are ill maintained and/or misunderstood and generate the sort of comments that go, "MGB, had one and it was a horrible, unreliable pile". The more you use it, the better you get to know it, the better you can sort it out. Just don't be drawn into the upgrading game unnecessarily - a standard car in good condition is often better to drive than one that has been upgraded piecemeal (says the bloke who never runs a standard vehicle).
Glad you got one in the end, best of luck with it. Agree with NTA's comments generally, far too many old cars are ill maintained and/or misunderstood and generate the sort of comments that go, "MGB, had one and it was a horrible, unreliable pile". The more you use it, the better you get to know it, the better you can sort it out. Just don't be drawn into the upgrading game unnecessarily - a standard car in good condition is often better to drive than one that has been upgraded piecemeal (says the bloke who never runs a standard vehicle).
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