I'm 6'2" and have had a 1970 MGB GT over 22 years, the longest I've owned any car. Many years earlier I'd had a 1979 MGB roadster. The GT is less common and also less expensive because people want roadsters, but I'm very happy with my car and love driving it. It doesn't look like it but the MGB has just about the roomiest interior of any British sportscar, even compared to the larger Austin-Healey 3000, Triumph TR-series, and Jaguar E-types. British sportscars are the reason American sports cars of the 1950's existed, with the 1953 Corvette and 1955 Thunderbird trying to be a Jaguar XK-120. I've been an automotive engineer for over 35 years and now work on the Ford Mustang. Henry Ford II had 2 MG's, the "first and last" imported to the US. He bought one of the first MG-TD's imported to the US, and later bought his wife a 1980 MGB LE, the last year MG was sold in the US.
In the 70s, I came within 24 hours of owning an MGB GT. A coworker was getting married and was selling his car. I had been lusting for his car for a while and we hsd agreed on a price. The day before I was to take possession, there was an electrical fire and the car burnef. We were both heartbroken. I never found another one. Great video!
I believe that the executives at MG insisted that the MGB-GT had to use the existing windshield of the roadster. The British design team couldn't do it so it was farmed out to the Italians. The first thing they did was to install the taller windshield causing the original team to say, "We told you that was only way!"
I have a couple HS classmates (I went to my 50th HS class reunion just over a year ago!). I recall being jammed into a Trimph Herald one friend had. Another had a nice van (great for keggers!), who later in life began restoring MGBs. Thanks, Rick!
Hi Rick! Nice BGT! Any reason you have the front turn signal lenses on backwards? And, SUs don’t have chokes, and they don’t restrict airflow. But, they DO have jets that can be lowered to enrich the mixture for cold starts. Once set properly, they work great!
Hi Rick, if the remember back when we were in High School, there were a couple of MGs in the parking lot. Herb Roach drove a MGA, and Dave Estes drove a MGB GT. Later on, I bought a 1980 MGB Anniversary Edition. They were rubber bumper cars, but they painted all of them black, which helped to hide the bumpers. I loved that car... When it ran. Haha A guy at an auto parts store called Lucas Electric the "Prince of Darkness". I sure enjoy this series. Keep it up! Mike Barnett
The first MG "T" series was 1929. Appears photo of Brit soldiers is WW I, not WWII. MGB HP was calculated at 95 and some times 98. OverDrive was first available in the 193 MGB. First synchro gearbox B was 68 and made so that it could be fitted into the MGC The MGC was a fantastic car, 5 more pounds of air in the front tires was all it took to make it tractable. It was NOT a sports car, it was a cruising GT. The First GT was Spring of 65. "Good Deal" is an RBB, Never. I am no a fan of the bumpers, but that is not its main problem. 64 HP, 2 " higher ride height. Hideous carburation and smog devices. Cheap Vinyl seats, not leather as was discontinued much earlier. To correct all that is a minimum of $%000 if done properly. The first 240 was Dec 1969. 520,000 Zs were sold. About the same as the MGB. The Z car did not affect the MGB so much as the Jag XKE. Half the price, half the maintenance costs. The front Turn signals/parking lamps are on bas akwards.. need rotating 180 degrees. Dash is in sorry condition. At least you get a dash "cap" from Moss and hide some of it. The wood console, comment withheld.
A sad story of the start of the long decline of the UK automotive industry starting with our inability to develop a replacement for the MGB. To add insult to injury MG are now owned by the Chinese who are making a roaring success of selling vehicles under the MG brand.
I'm 6'2" and have had a 1970 MGB GT over 22 years, the longest I've owned any car. Many years earlier I'd had a 1979 MGB roadster. The GT is less common and also less expensive because people want roadsters, but I'm very happy with my car and love driving it. It doesn't look like it but the MGB has just about the roomiest interior of any British sportscar, even compared to the larger Austin-Healey 3000, Triumph TR-series, and Jaguar E-types. British sportscars are the reason American sports cars of the 1950's existed, with the 1953 Corvette and 1955 Thunderbird trying to be a Jaguar XK-120. I've been an automotive engineer for over 35 years and now work on the Ford Mustang. Henry Ford II had 2 MG's, the "first and last" imported to the US. He bought one of the first MG-TD's imported to the US, and later bought his wife a 1980 MGB LE, the last year MG was sold in the US.
My first car was a Bugeye so I have a soft spot for British sports cars!
In the 70s, I came within 24 hours of owning an MGB GT. A coworker was getting married and was selling his car. I had been lusting for his car for a while and we hsd agreed on a price. The day before I was to take possession, there was an electrical fire and the car burnef. We were both heartbroken. I never found another one. Great video!
I believe that the executives at MG insisted that the MGB-GT had to use the existing windshield of the roadster. The British design team couldn't do it so it was farmed out to the Italians. The first thing they did was to install the taller windshield causing the original team to say, "We told you that was only way!"
I have a couple HS classmates (I went to my 50th HS class reunion just over a year ago!). I recall being jammed into
a Trimph Herald one friend had. Another had a nice van (great for keggers!), who later in life began restoring MGBs. Thanks, Rick!
Not many Americans rode in Triumph Heralds!
Hi Rick! Nice BGT! Any reason you have the front turn signal lenses on backwards? And, SUs don’t have chokes, and they don’t restrict airflow. But, they DO have jets that can be lowered to enrich the mixture for cold starts. Once set properly, they work great!
Hi Rick, if the remember back when we were in High School, there were a couple of MGs in the parking lot. Herb Roach drove a MGA, and Dave Estes drove a MGB GT. Later on, I bought a 1980 MGB Anniversary Edition. They were rubber bumper cars, but they painted all of them black, which helped to hide the bumpers. I loved that car... When it ran. Haha A guy at an auto parts store called Lucas Electric the "Prince of Darkness".
I sure enjoy this series. Keep it up!
Mike Barnett
I didn't get my lucas indoctrination until I bought a Bugeye in college.
The B had rust problems Have you considered doing a video on the Datsun 249,260 or 280?
I'd love to! None in the junkyard, and none in the museum right now. Somewhere down the line.
Had a buddy who had a Triumph GT6 in high school...cool car, rivaled the MG
The first MG "T" series was 1929.
Appears photo of Brit soldiers is WW I, not WWII.
MGB HP was calculated at 95 and some times 98.
OverDrive was first available in the 193 MGB.
First synchro gearbox B was 68 and made so that it could be fitted into the MGC
The MGC was a fantastic car, 5 more pounds of air in the front tires was all it took
to make it tractable. It was NOT a sports car, it was a cruising GT.
The First GT was Spring of 65.
"Good Deal" is an RBB, Never. I am no a fan of the bumpers, but that is not its main problem.
64 HP, 2 " higher ride height. Hideous carburation and smog devices. Cheap Vinyl seats,
not leather as was discontinued much earlier. To correct all that is a minimum of $%000 if done properly.
The first 240 was Dec 1969. 520,000 Zs were sold. About the same as the MGB.
The Z car did not affect the MGB so much as the Jag XKE. Half the price, half the maintenance costs.
The front Turn signals/parking lamps are on bas akwards.. need rotating 180 degrees.
Dash is in sorry condition. At least you get a dash "cap" from Moss and hide some of it.
The wood console, comment withheld.
A sad story of the start of the long decline of the UK automotive industry starting with our inability to develop a replacement for the MGB. To add insult to injury MG are now owned by the Chinese who are making a roaring success of selling vehicles under the MG brand.
Instead of the MG being a springboard, it was a swan song.
I assume this channel is made for teenagers and very young people who don’t know anything about cars. I wish him luck.
I owned a MGC-GT for 3 years. Very unreliable. I rebuilt the engine, transmission, rear differential.
I did learn basic mechanics, so there's that.