It doesn’t happen often, but if you shop for collector cars long enough, a deal that seems almost too good to be true pops up, and Barn Finder Curvette might have found one in this 1968 MGB Roadster (or Tourer, if you prefer). Let’s get the price out of the way first: $5,995. That seems like a steal for a chrome bumper “B” with pretty Pale Primrose (or something similar) paint and a nice interior. Clearly, it deserves a closer look, so if you live in the Portland, Oregon, area and are looking for a Little British Sports Car, this MG can be found here on craigslist.
So, what’s wrong with it? It’s being sold by an outfit named “Velocity German Autos,” and their craigslist ad points out that while the paint shines up nicely, it has “many imperfections,” and the interior is “really nice but not perfect.” Therefore, it might simply be a nice ten- (or twenty-) footer, nothing wrong with that. Federal MGBs had the 1798cc “B-Series” four that produced 92 horsepower and 110 lb.-ft. of torque, good enough for a zero-to-sixty time of 11.8 seconds and a top speed of around 105 miles per hour. The 1968 models had a few worthwhile improvements, including a fully-synchronized gearbox and an alternator in place of the generator used previously. Of course, you got twin SU carburetors, and having bought my first SU-equipped car last year, I can tell you that rebushing the throttle shafts (if they’re loose) is a game changer. Just something to check in case you decide to buy this pretty MG.
As the selling dealer says, the interior looks very nice, and we’ll have to assume that the pictures are hiding some of the flaws. As a bonus, this B has the optional Laycock overdrive, which added a .082:1 “top” gear to the new all-synchro four-speed. With a 3.91:1 gear out back, that equates to a 3.13:1 overall ratio for relaxed highway cruising.
The trunk has a spare tire and wire wheel, and you get the tools to remove the wheels nuts (including hammer). It looks like there’s a folder full of paperwork, which is always interesting (or horrifying) when you’re buying a new-old car.
Sure, the rear window is discolored, and I’m certain the paint looks a lot worse up close, but what do you expect for $5,995 these days? If you decide to go take a closer look, or even better yet, if you decide to buy this MG, let us know in the comments if it’s as good a deal as it seems. It shouldn’t be up for sale long if it is.
2 grand would be the deal of the day! Had a similar car in just as good condition in the mid 90s that I only paid 400 bucks for, now that was the deal of the day 👍
Daniel, That isn’t a realistic price…$2k…Not happening. This car is much better than what ever you bought for $400.00…
Actually mine was nicer and about 35 years newer!
This is the mid-2020s and this is a screaming bargain. So glad to see there are some choice MGBs still available at reasonable prices. MGBs are iconic and I feel privileged to have owned two of them. Everyone should have the opportunity to have one at least once in their lives.
I’d say that as long as the body underneath is not rusting badly where you can’t see it – that is an absolute bargain for a late 60s chrome bumper MGB roadster with the over-drive option?
Tho I’m more of a Triumph fan, if this was actually local to me I’d be very tempted to go see it. as above, with these being unibody construction they are tricky to sort out if rust has gotten deep into the structure, so I’d want to be confident of that. Everything else like the drive-train and all other mechanicals on these are dead simple – and parts supply for these cars via a number of specialist companies is still excellent.
I’m 50/50 on the color. On one hand it’s probably not a color I’d choose if I had free choice, but on the other hand it is a factory color and one that I think is really fitting for the era when this car was new.
Owned the same year, same colour. If it is as good as it looks, it is a steal
best,
bt
If there is no rust hiding under the paint…..
I worked at a garage (for 5 weeks before I parted company from that crook) and the owner had this identical painted chrome bumper car. He had the engine balanced and blueprinted. Hard to believe an MGB engine revving to 6000 without complaint, but it did.
Here in Australia where they apparently have far less anti pollution measures, 6000 rpm wasn’t much of a drama. I should point out however that some early Mk2 B’s had a problem with their tachos – they read a lot higher than they should have leading to owners thinking their engines were able to rev harder than they should have.
If this were anywhere close to me, it would already be in my garage and I’d be taking the wife out to a nice dinner to distract her.
….AND overdrive!!!
still such a pretty car. the looks have endured the scrutiny of father time.
Looks like a repaint to me. Check the under-hood pic and see the fender bolt heads painted over and the color mismatch ‘tween the outer and inner fenders. Yes, some fresh paint over a bunch of Bondo can cover a multitude of sins.
That rear window is tinted not discolored.
Reasonable price if in fact it is a reasonable car. The overdrive is a huge plus on these cars. (Take it from someone who cooked their MGB’s engine at 80 mph for 1.5 hours. ) Oil in the air cleaner is not a good thing! Using additives and reduced driver enthusiasm. I was able to nurse it along for 3 more years before I couldn’t nurse it anymore.
For years, the “pillow dash” B’s were the red-headed-step-child of the MGB line up. As reactions to the federally mandated rules go, the 68-71 dash was a knee jerk that was not received well. This car, while photographing well, may well be hiding some nasty secrets. Yes, it is a repaint, we can tell not only by the minor color difference, but the paint in the boot (trunk). These cars came with the original color everywhere, underside, boot, engine compartment, under dash, etc etc. The seller conveniently does NOT show the bottom of the car, where the secrets lie. Rust, that’s it, I said it, is the most expensive thing to fix on these cars, and what keeps many of the “survivors” from bringing a good price. The engine is either a recent rebuild, or a “Craigslist Rebuild” (thanks ViceGrip Garage) and without receipts and records, we must assume the worst. Yes, the HS4 SU’s are a delight, and when the throttle shaft bushings are renewed (BTW, I offer that service along with complete rebuilds) they are analog simple to tune. The overdrive gearbox is a must to have in today’s 80+mph world. In the interest of brevity, I’ll not pick at the things I can’t see, but remind you all that there is usually a reason that a car is offered at 25-50% less than the current value. This could very well be a great deal, but some of us need to remember that we are a quarter of the way into the 21st century, and stories of $400 MGB’s are just that, stories, and the reality is a good condition rust free Mk1 or Mk2 MGB is more and more difficult to find, and finding one at this price is probably a fluke. Let’s not forget the second half of PT Barnum’s famous statement: “And two to take him” To the seller, show us under the carpets, the floor of the boot, the castle rails/inner rockers, and the rear spring perches. If it’s as clean as the out side of the car, it is definitely worth a trip to the Great Northwest.
Hmmmm… the pics and the ask are not lining up (at least in today’s market)… Over the years I’ve gone to look at many a ‘B that looked good in pics, but turned out not to be… so red flags are up. But if this were close to me I’d definitely go take a gander… One never knows…
Don’t be fooled – what I mean its a cute little car nothing mentioned about how it runs?These cars are big problems to keep running on a regular basis and the price makes me suspicious when this car should be bringing more.I would recommend that the new buyer thoroughly check this car out and pay the money to have it checked out better to pay now than later- trust me I have been guilty of doing this very thing and paid a big price of expense, disappointment and sadness and don’t forget its a 58 year old car?
What’s so hard about making these run? Mine have all been pretty reliable. The problems were all caused by previous owners who thought they knew better (Weber carbs, added fuses, etc).