The owner of this 1973 MGB bought it 6 years ago, and in that time he, in his own word, “took it from junk to this.” I hesitate to refer to the work completed as a restoration, as there are a number of areas where the car is no longer standard, but it does represent a nice refurbishment. You will find this MGB listed for sale here on Craigslist. It is located in Southlake, Texas, and is offered for sale with a clean title. The owner is asking $7,000 for the little classic.
From a purely aesthetic perspective, I think that most enthusiasts would prefer an MGB that was built before 1974, as that year marked changes to the bumpers to meet new federal laws. This 1973 car naturally escaped that fate and is a nice looking car. The Daytona Blue paint looks really good, and the exterior trim all seems to be in really good condition. The soft-top is present, and once again, it looks to be in great order.
The interior of the MG is in really nice condition, and there are only a couple of issues to report on. There is some wear on the rim of the steering wheel, but the worst of it is a rather obvious crack in the center of the dash pad. This is unfortunate, as otherwise, the interior looks really nice. Still, replacement pads are relatively easy to obtain. One interesting and quite sensible upgrade is the fact that the car is now fitted with a GPS speedometer, which is an ingenious idea. This ensures the accuracy of the speedometer regardless of the tire size fitted to the car.
Under the hood is the 1,798cc B-Series engine. This one is backed by a 4-speed manual transmission. The owner states that the car drives nicely. There are a couple of notable changes from standard under the hood. The first is that the car now appears to be fitted with tubular exhaust headers rather than the original exhaust manifold. That should give the car a nice little throaty rasp. The other change is more significant and involves a change of carburetor. The car no longer sports the standard pair of 1.5-inch SU carburetors. These have made way for a Weber downdraught carburetor. This is a sensible change, as the Weber would be significantly easier to keep tuned that the SUs.
This is a nice little MGB that can be driven and enjoyed as it is. The only real issue is the cracked dash pad, and if a purist were to buy this car, then the modifications that have been performed would be relatively easy to reverse. This is a car that is just begging for a nice piece of road and a sunny day.
I gotta roll of black Gorilla Tape and I’m NOT afraid to use it..
Neat little car and likely worth the 7K, but it’s increasingly difficult to jackknife myself in and out of small cars.
This B is very good value and hope it goes to a good home. I’m not keen on the
carb conversion to a Weber, but it could be undone, and the car be used in the mean time. Nice color too.
We owned a ‘73 MGB in Tulip Purple that my wife and I got so much enjoyment out of it. Bought it from a couple, both pharmacists who purchased it new. They took great care of it, but even so it could not be spared the typical dash crack.
My wife was on her way to one of her nursing classes and crossing a 4 lane bridge. She was in the inside lane and the hood (aluminum) flew up and blinded her. An Angel was with her that day as somehow she did not swerve left and cross over the line into oncoming traffic nor did she get clobbered from behind which could have moved her over the line as well. An alert municipal untility worker going the other direction saw what was happening and stopped his truck and ran over to her to make sure she was ok and to bend the hood back down along the same crease. She drove the car home after class and told me what happen ened and said “I’m done driving the car”. We sold it a few weeks later.
I did the very same thig too my brothers’ 67 AH3000. Only going about 35 mph but still freaked the livin bejesus out me. The guy who fixed it was a Scientologist nut and paid for my car sins with many hours of Scientology bs!
Had to sigh! I only had happy times with my 66MGB! maybe if i wasn’t 20. and it had a floor? no leaky;top,brakes,headgasket,slave cyl. I may have kept it? NOT wanted a sportster. got a 71 TR6 yrs. later. same situation except pimento red. looking at miatas’ now. 3s a charm? NOT! checking out electric wheel chairs in pimento red.
Nice B, nice color, and it seems like a decent price considering the work that’s been done. Nice find.
And while the SUs probably would be fine (not THAT hard to tune, I’ve got a Healey friend who is like the carb whisperer) the Weber won’t disappoint.
This is just what I mean when I say that you don’t need to over-restore a car to enjoy it. Dean hit the nail on the head when he commented about the Gorilla tape. The owner/restorer is a guy after my own heart – do enough to satisfy yourself, purists be damned.
I had a blue ’69 with considerably more rust, one of my all-time favorites. This one is reasonably priced and extremely tempting. Great find.
OK, I give…what’s the Gorilla tape joke?
The dash has a crack down the center. Slap some black tape over it and forget about it.
Also can be used to secure flapping fenders on MGBs that have rusted away from their inners, splits on dirt bike seats, busted rearview mirror mounts, etc. Anywhere you would normally use duct tape but want a darker color.
Comes with the approval of the Quick & Dirty School of Engineering.
It’s kinda hard to tell, but it appears to be a dash crack in a dash that’s already sporting a dash cover that’s covering a dash crack. Either way, spend $40 for a new dash cover and save the Gorilla Tape for stuff like closing DIY surgical incisions.
It is a brand name, same people that make the Gorilla glue, you have bound to have seen those ads on tv
I had a1967 back in HS. My hood also flee open and folded over the windshield. I wish I could get back that purely joyous feeling of being 17, flying down the road with the top down, huge grin from ear to ear
Yes, the DGV single downdraught style Weber might be easier to keep serviced and tuned, but you’re losing some performance potential. The original SUs are not that difficult to rebuild properly, do a great job if in good condition and correctly set up, and I think they just look right…. .
While I kinda enjoyed fiddling with the SU’s on my ’70 B, and rebuilds were a relative breeze, there does come a point where a DGV gives you that all-important “one less thing” that doesn’t need to be added to all the other “one more things” that tend to pop up on these Brits. Performance? Not that I noticed, but every B has its own individual way of coping with change.
Regarding the “rubber bumper” MGBs from 1974 on, the real reason most folks find them less desirable is the poor handling. They were raised higher off the ground so that the bumpers met Federal bumper height standards. The higher center of gravity hurt the handling significantly. Of course, many of the standards were set by people with no understanding of vehicle dynamics – they even tried to design a “safer” motorcycle with rear wheel steering. 3 time World Champion Kenny Roberts probably couldn’t have ridden it 30 yards without crashing……. Government weenies are always trying to “fix” things that aren’t broken, instead of the things that really need to be addressed.
Are those real wire wheels with a center spline? They sure look like it and they look nice.
And these chrome wires expensive! Another reason this car is a bargain.
Beautiful little B. Paint is not an original color but I really like it – and if the pictures are accurate, this is a very nice paint job. I’ve seen paint jobs like this costing more than the asking price! Regarding “show car” qualities, most British car shows are “peoples’ choice” affairs with registrants voting for their favorite cars in each class. The criteria hardly match those in concours judging. There are lots of regional shows where this car would frequently at least place. Lotsa fun for a new owner!
Stay away from the Gorilla tape. It attracts more attention than the original crack – and it says “there is a crack here” – so what’s the point? The clear solution is a “coverlay” dash top. A carefully installed coverlay is cheap (around $40 last I looked), easy to install, and visibly it is virtually undetectable.
If I didn’t have three others in the garage already, I’d probably buy this one, apply the coverlay, and make just a few other changes, as follows.
Among the uninitiated, there is some folklore about MGBs that does not stand up to the truth. First among these is the nonsense about Lucas electrics. Not relevant here.
Next, an aftermarket tubular header will improve performance. NOT! Knowledgeable MGB owners know that the factory exhaust manifold is one of the most efficient exhaust-extraction devices on the planet. The header is a senseless expense.
Next, dual SU carbs are hard to tune. NOT! If you cannot tune these simplest of all automotive respiration devices, one of three conditions exists:
1. You are a total klutz and should be forbidden to enter areas where a screwdriver is present.
2. You are expecting some magic schmoozing to turn your 1798 cc MG (tractor?) engine into a fire-breathing monster. It’s a pleasant little car, and a well-tuned one will put a smile on your face. That’s it!
3. Your 40+ year-old SU carbs are worn out. Well gee, I wonder why???
Rebuild them! Or have them rebuilt if the shaft bushings are worn and leaking vacuum. Then notice how easy it is to find those “sweet spots” when tuning. Balancing is a cinch. These carbs are very forgiving. Nothing is altogether that critical. You’re not running at Sebring or Le Mans. I tune my SU HIFs about once every 5 or 6 years whether they need it or not. More often than not, I discover I’m not changing anything. And this car gets driven too. Daily, when there’s no salt on the roads. 250,000 miles on my old ’73 B/GT.
So, on this car, I would go back to the SUs (and don’t be surprised at the number of other Weber owners who have done the same!), back to the factory manifold, and I’d add overdrive. OVERDRIVE is a critical feature if you’re going to drive on the interstates, and I hear entirely too little discussion about its value. It’s the one change needed on this car that is expensive. And well worth it for me!
Beyond all this, I don’t like the looks of the GPS speedometer. Maybe the problem would be solved if the other instrument faces were cleaned/refurbished. Or if all the other instruments were upgraded. I can’t argue with the practical values of the GPS unit.
Overall, this looks like a really sweet ride. Where else can you get that much fun for $7,000?
‘ Think I’m done…
Where else can you get that much fun?
Could probably find a mid-90’s Miata for way less than 7K.
My dad sold his Miata a few years ago for maybe 2k. That car was a ball! And it had airbags and an uber-reliability factor. And could cruise more than highway speed with aplomb and a five speed (built-in overdrive, standard).
Please don’t hate me; do enjoy your MGs!!
But I’ve always wondered about the allure of these B models, compared to a Triumph TR6 or an MGA. Or a Miata.
But hey, I drive two minivans….
If I had the space, I would buy it today. Love the look.
So would I
As another B owner (‘68 GT) I agree with all the comments re – SU’s. It seems like for a time Moss and others sold a bunch of Weber’s but now many people are switching back to the much more tuneable SU’s. Personally, the one big buck item I recommend is a 5 sp conversion. Better than an overdrive unless you have one already and they make highway cruising at 80mph a dream and I know. As for this car? 7k is a fair price.
All this talk about gorilla tape made me remember when I was flying a freighter
DC-3 back in the 70’s , We never left without 200 mph duct tape for the fabric covered control surfaces. believe me 200 mph was more than enough, the fasted we ever got was maybe 180 mph at METO power going down the glideslope at O hare trying to stay out of everyone’s way.
So I see the MG purists are out in force today.
I’ve had my MGB for 17 years now. Needs paint badly, but then my wallet needs money as well.
Year 2 or 3 of ownership, I converted the ZS to HIFs, that I rebuilt myself. For many years, it did well, fiddly but stayed in tune. But as the years went by it became harder and harder. The throttle shafts were leaking again.
This year I replaced them with a DGV, couldn’t be happier. Off eBay, I got a carb with manifold for maybe $50 more than a rebuild kit for the SU.
Starting is much easier, idle is steady. Still haven’t completely figured out the plumbing of the evaporative system. Performance is at least the same of the worn out HIFs.
Oh, on this car, the air pump is also removed. Good riddance to that.
Neal – I never dreamed old Miata could be had for so little. That’s another car worth considering. I was vehemently anti-Miata when they first came out, but times have changed and so have I.
Paul – please don’t count me as a purist. My ’73 B/GT is replete with all kinds of stuff the factory never dreamed of! But there are a few places where you just can’t improve on perfection. The factory got it right on manifolds, cam, and carbs. I still love my MSD ignition, Tourist Trophy exhaust, and Advance Distributor modernized recurved dizzies. I also love my A/C and intermittent wipers.
Fifth gear is really a nice answer if you don’t have overdrive already. By far the cheapest route is the Rivergate/Nissan 280Z conversion. I’ve done two of these on MG 1800 Magnette saloons and love ’em. Problem is the old 280Z 5-speed boxes are getting hard to find. Otherwise, there is the Hi Gear conversion sold by Moss and Bruce Woodson, and speaking of Miata, if you want a brand-new gearbox, Vitesse makes a conversion using a Miata box. Any of these, including the original overdrive, will give you 80 mph effortless cruising. Last two times to the West Coast in our ’73, we found 75 mph speed limits from Washington/Utah border all the way to Minnesota. Over 1000 miles of steady 80 mph cruising. MGB didn’t break a sweat, and I cannot stand to listen to these engines running steadily at much over 3500 rpm.
Lotsa guys will run ’em at 80 without overdrive and claim the engines are designed for 4500 all day long. These guys are easy to find. On the major interstates, they’re parked under overpasses with the bonnets open.
Does the ad mention anything about replacing the rear springs or lowering them? Something looks wrong back there. And don’t tell me its “bachelor lean.”