- Seller: Vintage Motors LLC
- Location: Oklahoma City, OK
- Mileage: 83,000 Shown
- Chassis #: GHN5UD303858G
- Title Status: Clean
UPDATE – The seller has lowered their asking price!
This 1973 MGB Roadster has been off the road since 2017 and while it’s a project, it should be fairly easy to revive and it comes with some desirable options. As great as the B is, it isn’t the best all-season vehicle, but the included factory hardtop means you can enjoy it most of the year. Add in the overdrive unit and this MG will be a very enjoyable classic to own. It has been stored indoors until just recently, so the seller wants to get it sold before it sits outside any longer. It’s located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and is offered with an asking price of $4,500 $3,450 or best offer. If you’d love to be its next owner, be sure to make them an offer!
The MGB stayed in production from 1962 to 1980. Over those 18 years, the car saw several updates, mostly to meet emission and crash requirements. This example was built just before the worst of the regulations, so it retains chrome bumpers and twin SU carburetors. Even rubber bumper examples can be fun to drive, but these earlier examples offer clean styling and better handling, making for a very enjoyable experience.
This car was parked due to fuel tank and pump issues. The issue is most likely a damaged or worn-out fuel pump and rust in the tank. These are common issues for these cars and aren’t difficult to resolve. New fuel tanks are readily available and typically coated to withstand modern fuels. Genuine SU pumps can be pricey but are available. Original pumps can usually be rebuilt which is a cheaper option. Just avoid installing an aftermarket pump that exceeds 3.5 psi of fuel pressure. Rebuilding the carburetors will also be required to get it running correctly. Rebuild kits are being offered by SU as well as third parties and it’s an easy task as long as the carburetors aren’t worn-out.
MG’s 1.8-liter inline-4 might not be the most powerful or exciting engine for a sports car, but what it lacks in performance it more than makes up for in durability. Many MGB projects have come through the Barn Finds Garage over the years and every one of them has been revived with little more than servicing the fuel system and a new battery. Given that this one was still on the road in 2017, there’s a good chance it will be a very straightforward project to get running. To meet emission requirements, MG had to lower the compression in ’72, bringing power down from 95 to 78.5 horsepower. There are things you can do to restore some of the lost power, but we would just focus on getting it healthy before trying to increase power output.
The seller admits that the car has some rust in the common problem areas. They have provided photos of the worst areas that they are aware of. Repair panels are available to replace any damaged areas.
The interior is dusty and will need work as well. Again, all the parts needed to restore it are being reproduced and are reasonably priced. Given how many MGBs were sold and how loved they are, parts supply is strong as is information. If you are going to embark on a restoration project, an MGB is a good option, as they are simple and easy to work on.
We have a bit of a soft spot for MGBs. They are very fun cars to drive and are surprisingly practical for a roadster. The seller has lots of documentation that’s included with the car, which could come in handy while trying to figure out the car’s full history. If you’d love to rescue this MGB make the seller an offer!
The dash has been partially recovered as has the left door panel. However,
the photo of the seat appears to be a dark blue vinyl. That would be a rare,
one year only, interior option color. It’s very dusty, but if cleaned would go well with the exterior color.
Looking at the rocker pics I’m seeing a fair amount of filler. Could be a little rust under there… could be a lot. Bs love to rust there, and depending on where you live, could keep the car off the road until repaired. Car is presently not running and the health of the engine is an unknown. The B series are typically good for 70 to 80 thousand before a refresh is required and this one has 83k. $4500 is too high… maybe half that… and you’re still looking at a lot of work. Interesting document package…
@luckless pedestrian. Totally agree. Everything looks to be there but this is not a $4500 car. Just by the dust, for me, its a $1500-2000 car and that’s only because it includes the hardtop.
Like that it has the hardtop, chrome bumpers, and overdrive. Don’t like the filler cracks…ominous sign. Parts may be plentiful but can be expensive. As a non-runner, $2200 tops would be a fair price.
It seems that there are two basic types of B owners. Those that search out and find ratty old B’s in barns, fields, out-houses, dog-houses and hen-houses, drag them home and part them out until they have all of the desirable pieces needed to build a top of the line MGB. Then there are the fellows that buy the “best” car they can find and restore it. I’m one of the first group, and I sell to the second group. The fellows in the second group know the value of a car that has overdrive on the Heritage Certificate as opposed to simply being in the car. These fellows have seen the difference between the “factory” hard top as opposed to the aftermarket offerings. With as many of the cars produced, and 90% sent to North America, there have been a large group of them that have been modified, up-rated, customized and hacked to the point that a dead stock 73 has become something of an oddity. The rust areas notwithstanding, this appears to be a fairly honest old B, with two of the most desirable options that were available. An in person examination of the rusty bits tells us if this car is the restoration candidate that it appears to be. As to price,,, Guys, the old days of $200 parts cars and $1,000 running cars is over. I bought a $200 factory hard top 10 years ago, that needed a complete rebuild (looked a lot like this one). A correctly restored factory hard top can fetch well over $3500 in todays market. And a rebuilt Black Label Overdrive from one of the reliable rebuilders is $2000 plus shipping, and that puts it on the floor of your shop, not in the car. Sure, there are still $500 OD’s to be found, but finding one that is ready to be bolted in and used is a different story. I guess what I’m trying to say is that “Close” is good enough for me, but there are MGB guys out there that want it to be “Correct”, and they will pay the money for the “Correct” parts, cars and provenance. This may very well be one of those cars and not just another B that was drug out of a garage.
@Rufus. I agree completely, although installing that $500 overdrive in an existing non-o/d gearbox is no picnic. ‘Believe you have to replace the entire 3rd motion shaft. Back in the ‘80s-90s I used to buy parts cars with o/d for $200-350, salvage the O/D box for myself and sell the remaining parts for enough to cover all my costs. Then I’d take those o/d boxes to John Twist’s transmission rebuild seminars for a weekend of fun and camaraderie. That would cost about $350 and it would be my entire cost. ‘Can’t get by for those kinds of prices anymore! ‘Bought my ’73 B/GT for $1300 in 1986. Over the years I’ve done a lot of work on it but I’m still driving it and I’ll never quit. ‘Passed the quarter-million mile mark and still going strong. VERY strong. An old mechanic once told me “old cars don’t wear out, people just quit spending money on ‘em”.
Fixing rust: you can buy a small MIG welder and all the stuff you need with it, teach yourself to MIG weld, read a lot about how to replace panels on an MGB, have a lot of pleasure, learn a lot, and get great satisfaction – all for MUCH less than the cost of hiring it done. That’s what I did.
This B is a great year. While emission controls robbed some power, it benefits from all of the updates while retaining chrome bumpers and dual SU carbs. The OD is a bonus. The key with these is the sill area which comprises the outer rocker, inner step sill, and “castle rail” which runs just inboard of the rocker on both sides. If those areas are solid, this car is a steal. If they’re rotted or rot has been incorrectly repaired, it’s a big DIY project or a very expensive shop repair.
What’s the story on the Lincoln Mark III in the photos? That’s what I’m talking about!
Where did this come from? Oh, temptation is rich with this one. Should I or shouldn’t I. Think they’d trade for the Jeep even up? Don’t answer that, yet. Since RVs are off the table, I had another half-baked thought, of getting another MGB. You know, relive those glory days( although they weren’t that glorious) of my youth. MGB in the beginning,, MGB in the end. Hmm,,,,stay tuned,,
I suppose the hardtop has to be considered a bonus, but it sure isn’t as pretty as the soft top.
How do I contact owner for questions?
Steven
How do I contact owner for questions? Does it have soft top? Can one be used on it?
Steven