The first MG skittered out of Morris Garages Limited in 1925, with a bull nose and bicycle wheels. A procession of gradually more evolved cars followed, flowing like a river, until 1980. Most of these sold very well indeed. The stories behind why this or that model was built are intricate and not always rational. For instance, by the time the MGA grew long in the tooth, Nuffield was aware that its customers wanted a coupe. The MGA coupe, while beautiful and possessed of the requisite wind-up windows and locking doors, was cramped, hot, and noisy. Still, when the MGB arrived on the scene in 1962, it was a roadster. Roadsters did sell far more copies than coupes, but that decision still left a portion of the market bereft. Meanwhile, in Belgium, at least one guy was listening to the market, namely coachbuilder Jacques Coune. Apparently at the behest of a member of the Nuffield organization, he constructed the MG 1800 Berlinette, a graceful coupe based on the MGB roadster. While the design was thoroughly exposed around BMC headquarters, it was never sanctioned. Instead, the MGB GT arrived – designed by Pininfarina – in 1965. The spacious cabin, fixed roof, occasional rear seat and room for luggage ameliorated its 250 extra lbs over the roadster and the consequent nick off its performance statistics. Here on craigslist is a 1973 MGB GT project car, with an asking price of $2500. Take your trailer to Minneapolis, Minnesota to pick this one up. Thanks for the tip, NW Iowa!

The GT is identical to the roadster mechanically, with a 1798 cc four-cylinder BMC B-series motor breathing through twin SU carburetors (until ’75 when US buyers had to put up with a single Stromberg), making about 90 hp. Of course, this motor needs work though it does turn. The gearbox is a four-speed all-synchro affair, with overdrive as an option. This car does not have wire wheels, but you should stow a knock-off hammer or such behind your seat – you’ll need it when the SU fuel pump stops ticking. A solid rap will usually fix the problem.

The interior upholstery and carpets want TLC – Moss Motors or a similar vendor will happily sell you materials. Items that often present poorly on project cars – the dash, the console, door panels – look fairly good! The steering wheel boss still has its red paint – a minor miracle – but the metal finish is peeling and rusty. I like this glove box – my ’71 doesn’t have any glovebox and I miss it. Add seals for the rear hatch and new rear trim panels; your carpet kit will take care of the cargo area.

Here’s the catch: somehow the “body is solid” but it “needs floor pans and inner rockers.” That means partially dismantling the car. And rust is like cockroaches – where there’s one, there’s more – so don’t hit the bid on this one until you or someone you trust inspects it closely.