• Seller: David B rill (Contact)
• Location: Fairfield, Connecticut
• Mileage: 65,000 Shown
• Chassis #: GHN5UE336883G
• Title Status: Clean
• Engine: 1.8-Liter Inline-4
• Transmission: 4-Speed Manual w/Overdrive

The only constant is change, yet I can take comfort (?) in my consistency of behavior: cars have always been absurdly high on my list of priorities (which is why “car storage” is a not insignificant part of my yearly budget). This is why when I was 19, although I was living at home, going to college, working part time, and already driving my family heirloom ’65 Mustang almost daily, I was making calls on MGB projects. Having no shame, I recall pestering my parents about letting me park a particular ’74 on their lawn, despite the fact that I had no money to buy, insure, or repair it. Such is the optimism of youth. Luckily for you, this ’74 MGB needs no such repairs, so you can do what I was unable to at the time and enjoy the summer breeze and rorty exhaust right now. It’s being offered as a Barn Finds Classified in Fairfield, Connecticut, with an asking price of $12,800.

If you know anything about MGs, you know that the ’74 was the last of the chrome-bumper MGBs. Nothing against a good rubber-bumper car, but the classic look was diluted a bit when the change was made. For a couple years, MG used a recessed grille, but they reverted to something resembling the original in ’73 and ’74, and you have to admit, the casual fan will have a tough time seeing the difference between an early MGB and this one. The current owner bought the MGB about a decade ago, and it had already been refurbished by a previous owner who had brought it up north from a southern state. The paint is older but still in good shape (it’s Dark Jade Metallic).

The engine was apparently rebuilt when the car was being painted, and it now has a Mikuni two-barrel sidedraft carburetor and a Peco header for a little extra oomph. The engine’s in great shape, holding 30 psi oil pressure at a hot idle and 50 psi on a cold start. Originally, the ’74 had right around 80 horsepower, so the MGB was not a fast car, but you don’t need to be going fast to have fun in something this small and light.

The car has been used regularly in the 15 to 20 years it’s been completed, so it’s not perfect, but it’s still very nice. The interior is handsome, with a nice aftermarket steering wheel and wood trim, and everything works except the windshield wipers (and the heater fan works only on one speed). This MGB has the optional overdrive, which reduces the final drive ratio from 3.91:1 in fourth gear to a calm 3.20:1 for cruising (and a useful split ratio in third: 4.43:1). There’s no power steering or power brakes, but MGBs have discs up front, so this one will stop well with a little leg muscle.

The seller says that a previous owner performed some rust repair when the car was being painted, but it was done well and is hard to spot. It’s been a garaged three-season driver for about two decades, and it’s clearly been well-maintained. Sometimes, you can tell in one picture that you’ll want to run as fast as you can in the opposite direction. This is not one of those times.

The top is even in good shape, not that you’ll need it. There’s no such thing as a perfect car because we all have different tastes, but if you like British sports cars, this one has to come close. It has Minator aluminum wheels (reproduction Minilites), neat chrome exhaust tips, and a color that looks a bit like British Racing Green (which is a notoriously difficult color to pin down). It’s still only June, Barn Finds readers, so top-down season is still in its prime. Make an offer now and worry about where to park it later!