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There are just two pictures and no real information provided on the MGB listed on craigslist here in Sacramento, California. With an asking price of $1500, could this be a bargain? There’s no rust visible and hopefully, it’s not sitting too close to the dirt.
There’s some damage showing here, but it looks pretty straight. It has those awful side marker lights, first required in 1968, cut into the quarter and wing. There is some of the interior piled up there. If you look closely, that’s the car cover on the ground and not dirt piled up around the wheels. So, here’s the question. Does this have enough potential that I should go have a look and update this write-up with more pictures and details?
No one will complain if you do.
I’ll second that!
I hope those post bases dont tumble over on the car…
If the post bases tumble, then we’d have a prime example of ‘ex-post defacto.’ Sorry, couldn’t help it.
What a B. I’m going to start a fund benefit so that people who feel sorry for me will donate funds for my lack of a British car project.
Peter Egan wrote years ago about ‘the cylinder quotient… those who die having owned engines with the most cylinders in life, wins.’
A Wright R-4360 radial engine would help that deficit. Or, a Centarus, or a Merlin, or…
Or a V12 anything. Better yet, a couple of them. And they don’t have to be expensive—-think non-E Type V12 Jag.
Of course you would then own one or more non-E Type V12 Jags.
Good luck with that….I mean them.
Sam Sharp, and if you had the whole contingent of R-4360s that were on a B-36 (6 turning and 4 burning) you would have 168 cylinders plus 4 GE J47 jet engines! My father flew B-36s during the 1950s Cold War.
not too often we run across an automatic from abington.
…or an increment of 4 more cylinders.
You’ve gotta start somewhere. The journey of a thousand cylinders starts with a 4-pack.
Ohhhhh yeahhhhh. Eight four -packs, a bunch of ones, twos, and threes, a lot of eights, but no rotarys. A friend of mine has a Le Rhone rotary radial. Getting to fly something with 72 cylinders doesn’t count since I didn’t own her.
A head count is important as well. HEMIS are a deffinate boost to cylinder quotient esteem.
Still, the four-banger has a special place for me. Offys anyone?
Then there’s our 1940 John Deere A model. We dug her out of a bog 34 years ago. A 300 cubic inch twin really thumps.
Our 1600 roadster was our impractical daily driver for the first years of our marriage. Still our favorite. But the MGB GT would out run it. Wanted one ever since.
I would be all over this if I hadn’t jammed my schedule full for the next month. It looks like a bargain, rare, a nice color and a very fun car when done. Another reason I love BarnFinds. If it is still there in a month, I’m going for a look.
Also, radials count as double cylinder count for the coolness factor.
I think someone’s spouse said “get rid of it” so a minimum ad was put together. Then they can say “I listed it and no one responded” and can eventually keep it without complaints.
Just a guess.
Just like every used Corvette ad I ever read. Mine included…
Yeah. Been there, done that, wrote the book!
Jay E. If you get the chance, there are a number of warbird orgs that would welcome any mechanical help in keeping ’round motors’ operating. The R-1830-84 on a B-24 will really get the blood flowing since the engines sit almost in line with the pilot’s seat. Sorta’ like putting your head inside the exhaust stacks on takeoff. Any twin or quad row radial will get the heart going. If it doesn’t, no AED will revive you.
I’ve got 56 Cylinders plus one 12A
An absolute steal at $1500. If I wasn’t in Pa., I’d go grab it fast. Yes, go get it. Let us know more.
Looks promising. More info and pictures are warranted.
I’m astounded that Eagan has so many cylinder-philes out there besides me. I forgot to add the sixes. There’s an MGB GT up here with a Rover (nee Buick ) V8 and a 5 speed. The owner says that it’s easier to change the plugs than on his Tiger.
Ride with him if you want to get your eyeballs flattened. It’s that fast.
You guys are killin me. Need mo’ cylinders. Lockheed 12A?
Billy T, thanks for the memories. Had an uncle at Chanute working on them. Several aircraft at Reno stuff the 4360 into the nose ie, Super Corsair.
Why is it so much easier to get a big radial running than to get a one lung lawn mower engine to run right? Maybe it’s because I can’t throw an R-2800 across the shop.
Sam, be grateful one doesn’t have to turn the blade on that old mower to start it!
Correction, those are not side-marker lights – not on a ’69. They are simply reflectors – mounted flat to the surfaces of the wings. Very easy to remove. Even the real marker lights – which didn’t come until ’70 or 71 were not “cut into” the wings. There were holes for the attachment and the wiring – that’s all. In fact, when I bought new front wings for my ’73 B/GT back around 2000, they came without these holes, I decided not to drill and the car has no front marker lights.
I also have a ’69 C/GT originally from Sacramento (unrestored) and if that car is at all typical, this will no doubt be a rust-free car – certainly worth the $1500 regardless of mechanical condition IMHO.
Tugdoc, speaking of which, I had a B&S vertical shaft hydraulic lock on me. When the grandkids stored it after mowing they parked it much less than level. A lot of oil went past the rings. Woof.
When I started it after clearing the cylinder, the smoke/fuel fragrance was not like the Connie’s 115/145 octane/Aeroshell 100 fuel oil mix. Something got lost in the translation.
The fragrance of open breather engines like the early MGs, Triumphs (cars and bikes) and aircraft after shut-down along with the ‘tinking’ of the exhaust collectors as they cooled, is such an intimate event with your machine after a long drive/ride/ flight.
Today’s cars evoke no emotion as the driver makes three attempts to exit the cockpit after forgetting their I-pad, cell phone, and finally remembering to collect their respective charging devices before taking their frappo-latte-grande out of the one of 18 cup holders.
Oh, wait. I better go check the Mazda 6. I think that I left the phone charger plugged into the hot batt bus recepticle..
Never happen in the MGB.
Wow, a nice car at a great price. I now live in Sacramento, a recent LA transplant. One would not believe how many rust free old cars here are still on the road.