There is no shortage of enthusiasts who would love nothing better than to spend their leisure time behind the wheel of a classic British sports car. If that sounds like you, this 1978 MGB might be a car that is worth a closer look. It is an original survivor that is in fantastic condition. Its cause has been helped by the fact that not only has it never seen rain but that it has a genuine 16,200 miles showing on its odometer. The seller has listed the MG for sale here on Craigslist on behalf of an elderly relative. Located in Federal Way, Washington, the price of admission on this beauty is $18,000. I have to say a big thank you to Barn Finder Ikey H for spotting the MG for us.
This is a stunning looking British classic. It is finished in the shade called Vermillion, which was available from 1978 until 1980. It has a beautiful shine and appears to be flawless. I’ve taken a long, hard look at the supplied photos, and I battle to find anything to be critical when it comes to the question of the exterior presentation. The paint is free from marks and chips, while the Black convertible top is just as good. The lenses on the lights are bright and clear, and the trim is in excellent order. The bumpers that these later MGBs wear don’t tend to inspire some people, but I’ve seen more than a few where the owner has chosen to retro-fit the earlier chrome items. That is a possibility that a buyer might consider, although, given the vehicle’s overall condition, I would probably leave it as is. The factory alloy wheels show no evidence of physical damage, and the glass has no chips or marks.
Classic British sports cars aren’t usually renowned for the amount of power they have under the hood, and the MGB doesn’t buck that trend. What we find is a 1,799cc 4-cylinder engine that produces a modest 62hp. The power gets to the rear wheels via a 4-speed manual transmission, which is all text-book stuff. Performance is all that you might expect, with the journey down the ¼-mile taking a relatively sedate 20.6 seconds. Give it enough space, and this is a classic that should run out of breath at 91mph. None of that sounds particularly exciting, but it only tells part of the story. Because you sit so close to Planet Earth, cars like the MGB feel far faster than they actually are. This MG has had little use in recent times, and it does have a genuine 16,200 miles on the clock. It comes with a complete service history and other documentation, which would confirm the mileage claim. It should be no great surprise to learn that this little Brit runs and drives perfectly, with no squeaks, rattles, or odd noises.
The seller describes the MG’s interior as perfect, and it is hard to argue with him on that point. It looks like it has just rolled off the showroom floor, with no evidence of wear or tear anywhere. The dash is spotless, and the only aftermarket modification is a radio/cassette that has been slotted in place of the factory radio. However, the original radio is included in the sale if the buyer wants to return the interior to a 100% stock appearance.
With the warmer weather fast approaching, I can think of few things more attractive than cruising down a country road on a Summer’s day in a British sports car with the wind in my hair. This 1978 MGB offers that experience immediately, and it also offers someone the chance to own a car that will gather admiring glances and comments wherever it goes. It is possible to find examples in the market that can be bought for less than this one, but none of those cars offer the blend of spotless condition, originality, and low-mileage that this one does. It comes down to a case of getting what you pay for, and while this one will cost a few dollars more than average, I think that it is worth every cent.
A LOT of people claim to not like these bumpers, and prefer the chrome. I have ALWAYS liked the way the black ‘rubber’ bumpers look over the chrome. I think it makes the car look a lot sportier. I love this one. Would be awesome on a fall day. Until that S2000 blows by…
I think the overall height of the car was raised to meet federal bumper standards.
I used to own an early MGB. Simple engine. Simple car to drive. I really enjoyed it. I put over 120,000 miles on it before the rust got too bad to fix. I liked it for it’s fun simplicity. Small light car with 95hp. It was pretty reliable as far as far as old cars go. The later cars have a bunch of emissions equip that didn’t really do a lot for reliability, and reduced their power by almost a third. They also gained the rubber bumpers for safety – more weight.
If you ever open the trunk keep in mind there is a catch in the trunk hinge. You need to release it before you close the trunk. I forgot and the trunk hood bent like a cheap tuna can.
Rubber bumper cars do not handle as well as the steel bumper models due to increased ride height, how bout dat gulp valve and smog pump. Get a spring set from Moss, lower the puppy throw a set of tube shocks on, put on a side draft Webber along with a better-advanced curve distributor Now you talking. All that said what a clean car..Go Lymees
In the 1977 model the rear sway bar was added back in, mostly solving the handling issues of increased ride height.
I like the height as I can just get under the car enough for an oil change without having to jack up the car.
I’ve looked for a MG RV8 type front bumper, but they have all disappeared.
This one looks pretty nice, but $18k?
1978 is the least desirable MGB out there. (I know, I have one.) No overdrive option, no front sway bar, cat. converter lives under the intake/exhaust manifold and tends to cook everything close by. (When getting my car, it barely ran as the manifolds had gotten so hot that they warped and I could see over the top into the intake port!)
Be careful about changing over to chrome bumpers. The body piece under the tail lamp does not exist for the rubber bumper cars. It is just a flat body section that is ugly once the rear bumper has been removed. (I made both sides from scratch since I had elected to remove the rubber bumpers.) I would never do this again. Also the parking lamp openings are larger than the factory parking lamps for chrome bumper cars. IF, I had another rubber bumper car (not likely) I would remove the bumpers and install the “Sebring” fiberglass bumper/covers. I received many compliments on the appearance of my car. (they even used it in the advertising video of the MG club national meet in Reno, Nevada a few years ago. (It now has a 2.8 Colgne V6 with a T-5 speed transmission and a 1981 200SX rear diff. (virtual bolt in with the same bolt circle and rear disc brakes. (about 2X stronger also)
I thought overdrive was available on all post ’75 MGBs. I have a ’79 with overdrive (90,000 miles to date) and it’s great on the highway. This one seems a bit pricey but if you want a show winner without doing the work….
Yes, OD was available all the way through 1980 models.
The 1974 1/2 through 1976 models had no REAR sway bar but was added back in in 1977. The front sway bar was always on the car.
The Sebring kits were not bumpers, just fiberglass covers and provided no protection. They do look good, if installed well.
The 200SX differential sounds interesting with a swapped engine. I assume those are the 80s verision. A quick search on ebay showed only IRS differentials.
My ’78 has overdrive. Works great for those highway sprints to winding country roads here in the Midwest…