MGB GT - Transformed by Tune Up!
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 ส.ค. 2024
- My MGB GT is back after a month away having various bits and pieces done to it. The result is a transformed car which goes, steers and stops more precisely and more quietly! I had the car on the rolling road to see how it was performing and I was pleased with the results showing a smooth power and torque curve and numbers consistent with a lightly modified B-series! Many thanks to CCK Historic, I will be back in the future!
- ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
In many ways, the MGB is a paradox: its virtues are matched by its wickedness. Production numbers allow prices to be affordable yet, relative to that affordability, the cost of maintenance is not. This video illustrates that the costs of a few normal and expected rebuilds, such as the gearbox mentioned, can match 50% of the resale value of the car. Sure, we're not talking classic Ferrari or McLaren prices, but it's all about relative affordability. The good news is that an MGB won't bankrupt an otherwise modestly funded classic car enthusiast.
I agree but I think comparing cost of ownership vs market value of cars like this will always make it seem like it’s throwing money away. However (in my opinion) the value comes from the enjoyment of the hobby whether that is driving/restoring/showing so the market value becomes less relevant. That being said, mechanics hourly rates will be consistent irrespective of the car they work on so not just an MGB problem and even though cars depreciate the cost of parts don’t generally so will be the same for a lot of cars and just something that comes as part of owning an older vehicle. But you’re right, running an MGB is thankfully mostly affordable! 🤣
Sounds great, my BGT has the same whizzing noise as yours had which goes away when resting my hand on the gear lever, but can be irritating and some times can crunch the gears sometimes going down to 2nd if not careful and try rushing the change, so I really need to get it sorted, wear probably.
I've recently moved down to East Sussex and have the choice of being in between 2 classic restoration workshop/service centres, am spoilt for choice... Have not long got an oil leak sorted out from the diff pinion flange seal and leak from front engine plate which was rectified by stripping the front of the engine down, so am well pleased now, NO OIL LEAKS! as for the last 7 years was having to park the car in the garage over a drip tray filled with cat litter.. 😂 enjoy the GT..
Excellent! A drip-free MG is a rare beast 🤣 to be fair mine is dry most of the time, usually me being careless with topping things up that causes drips from poor pouring haha! Thanks for the comment 👍
The car looks and sounds fantastic. I think I saw this in the flesh today and it really is a head turner. Happy motoring!
Thanks!
While I was listening to to talking I was mesmerised by your wheels. They are fabulous and really suit the MGB. I thing that was money well spent and every time you drive it now you will be more and more impressed by they way she’s handling now.
Thanks! I quite like the wheels too and they weren’t expensive or anything but keep thinking about going for wires again, budget means that’s quite far down the list of priorities though! 🤣
You have a beautiful car and have invested wisely in it. I have had a 1973 MGB roadster for over 30 years and not once have I ever regretted money spent keeping it ship shape, I have a constant smile on my face whenever I drive it… one project you could do yourself which really enhances the ride is suspension rebuild.
Thanks Gavin! Yes worth investing in to continue enjoyment of probably my favourite car 😆👍
Glad to see that you have the car back, it sounds great. That's a lot of money but it sounds as though you got a good service from them and it was a reasonable cost for all the work needed. Thanks as always for the videos, Paul
Thanks! Yes quite a bit cash to part with but probably what I should have been spending all these years I haven’t put any money into it 🤣
As always, many thanks for the insights Mark. It was your enthusiasm and detail that was the icing on the cake in me getting one. Absolutely loving it and with summer nearly here in NZ, looking forward to longer trips. Cheers, Geoff
Cheers for the comment! Longer trip hopefully happening this weekend 🤞exciting!
The GT (and roadsters) will go the distance. Back in the day, I drove my MGBGT (non overdrive) from Boston to San Francisco, about 3000 miles in 6 days, without a hitch. I also drove it from Boston to Florida and back without a hitch. You have a nice GT.
Thanks! Great to hear you’ve had some longer trips without trouble, taking mine out this weekend which will be further than usual 🤞
Good to hear you have it sorted out. That's the thing about mechanics, you can't see the difference but you can feel the difference. We always say that in the motor trade, give it to a bodyshop, and you'll go wow does it look great, give it to a mechanic, and you think yeah it runs well, but most take it for granted 👍
Very true! Thanks for the comment Steve! 👍
That sounds really sorted now. The MGB sound is unique isn't it - I regretted selling mine the moment I listened to the new owner drive it away up the road... It's always good to hear of good and personal service, there is seemingly so much negative feedback about classic car workshops but there are still some excellent firms out there, glad you found one such firm.
I drove through the Ashdown Forest at sundown a couple of weeks ago, such a beautiful area- I was fortunate to work in the forest for near seven years and it was always a pleasant commute - just watch out for the wildlife!
If you fancy a pleasant run over the forest for lunch, take a visit to the Dorset Arms at Withyham. If it's a nice day, you might just spy a few classic Ferrari's at the garage opposite the pub...
Yes they do have a distinct sound! I can definitely recommend CCK, they aren’t exactly local but worth the visit plus I get to drive via the Ashdown Forest which as you say is nice 👌 ha funny you mention wildlife, cows everywhere like in the video but also many many sheep! I’ll add the Dorset Arms to my list of places I need to go, thanks for the comment!
Another fine video Mark, thanks. The GT is looking great, and I'm sure the financial investment will be returned with years of fun driving. As we move to winter I'm buying parts for a number of projects, running maintenance and some minor upgrades. I'll pay a local classic car garage to do the more involved stuff, and then once that's done do the rest myself. Having a car that's very reliable, through preventative maintenance, means I am now quite relaxed to undertake long-distance trips - I look forward to seeing what your trip plans are, especially as 2022 is the 60th anniversary of the 'B'. 👍
Thanks Neil! Yes that’s essentially where I’d like to get to once I get a garage/workshop, take on the smaller stuff myself but get experts to do bigger things! I hadn’t appreciated the 60th anniversary coming up, hopefully get out to some events! Longer trip in the MGB happening this weekend with any luck!
A very nice looking and sounding car
Thanks! 😎
Seeing the Webber brings back memories, thanks for posting. If you ever need to work on the engine defo go for a 2 litre conversion, it makes it feel much more modern and gives loads more grunt. With a few mods mine did 92bhp to the rear wheels that's a 40% increase in power over standard!
Good to know!! I am keen on doing something power-wise down the road but it’s a toss-up between a well sorted and tuned NA engine or going for a more or less standard rebuilt lump with supercharger 🤔 won’t be for a while though and I’m happy with my standard power for now…. especially as I’d like to do more handling/braking upgrades before doing any engine stuff 👍
Glad you’ve got the B back Mark! Looks and sounds truly fantastic! Hope your trips go well for you, looking forward to seeing your content. Molly’s going in for some bodywork at the end of the year so hope we can get the B’s together soon!
Thanks! Yes I’ll be due some bodywork next year (again) I don’t think the jobs ever stop on an old car but wouldn’t have it any other way 🤣 Yes would defo love to meet up with yourself and also Steve D too at some point!
The car looks great. I thought you'd had a respray when you mentioned it had been off road for about a month. I had my oil changed in my XK8 gearbox at 78k, could tell the difference in smoothness of changes immediately. Looking forward to more videos.
Thanks Matt! Yes gearbox oil in XK8 is a good one, I might have been too late to change mine at 90-odd thousand miles but like you found that changes were significantly improved after 👍
congratulations on having all that stuff sorted on the BGT... that gearbox sure needed some work! I sure wish I had a suitable classic car specialist here at hand, but no such luck. but still a good workshop, specialised in Mercedes and not afraid to touch the Jaguar, so I shouldn't complain. I'm writing some german language "workshop manual" pages every time the XK8 goes in for some service ;)
Thanks Wolf! Sounds like you’ve found someone you can trust even if you have to translate! Good to hear from you 👍
Nice one Mark, been looking foward to this vid. Very interested in your future plans and what trips lie ahead. These classics are never cheap, but hey, we wouldn't be without them, even if our wallets do suffer from time to time😆. It is hard to put a price on our classics and the joy and experiences they give us. Hopefully it will stay away from the garage for a while eh!🙂😉. Take care mate. Andrew
Cheers Andrew! Yes ‘value’ can be perceived differently I think with this hobby, doesn’t make sense against value of the car but certainly does given the enjoyment I’ll continue to get from it 🤣👍 Looking forward to using it a bit more now!
Thats right about this "value" thing and how you look at it. Since watching your vids, ive become less obsessed with the value of my cars in relation to what i spend on them and are actually just going with it, as and when they need bits doing etc. Living with classic petrol cars could in a few short decades, sadly be a thing of the past, with all this eco stuff! Enjoy these treasures while we still can, and to kind of...hell with the cost...its only money😆😉. Just never tell the wife the whole story with whats being spent🙂😉
Haha yep! 😆
Great video Mark and you have a lovely car. I’m at a similar stage as you with my 70 B roadster; it runs reliably but I’m sure it could run better with a little tuning by an expert. So I’m going down the same path: rolling road and tuning. I considered CCK but they’re a little far away from me in Epsom. I noted you have tyre clearance issues since the suspension mods. I have that too, only on the driver side oddly enough. I have 195s x 15 all round. You? I considered rolling the inner lip on the wheel arch but probably a smaller set of boots would make more sense. Love the videos: keep ’em coming!
Hi Peter! I can recommend having an expert have a look, I’m in Redhill and CCK a bit of a trek for me as well! Tyre size on my wheels are 185/65 x 15 so don’t rub on 1’’ drop but both do on 2’’ Hopefully an MG update video coming this week or next!
Nice piece of film........sounds like you were lucky to catch the gearbox ., as the result of not catching it could have been a real pain. 4k rather than pulling it out of a ditch..may not feel cheap..but..ps...cows in the UK are generally not wildlife..but if you come across highland cattle they mostly come armed..i have friends who kept them and would only go in the field with them on a tractor and would not get off.. Did you shop for a reconned box.?
Yes lucky a piece of gear didn’t jam up the whole thing on the move! The actual rebuild was about £900 so not too different to a refurbished unit, the main cost was getting it all out and putting it back in again which would have been the same either way! Good point about cows 🤣 same with sheep! Yeah I wouldn’t fancy coming across one with big horns!!
Does your car have overdrive? I hope so as it would have been an ideal time to put one in otherwise. The performance difference is so much better with overdrive. Much more quiet.
Yep has overdrive, I agree that cruising at higher speeds is much quieter and refined but I don’t think it makes a performance difference.
Yes I agree. I was thinking more about reduced noise, engine revs, gas mileage etc. I drove my car for 35 years before the upgrade and couldn’t believe the transformation.
Absolutely! Well worth the upgrade 👍
That's not cheap if I'm right in assuming you mean £4k? My whole MGB sebring build will be less than that!
Nope not cheap but expected based on garage labour rates unfortunately! I couldn’t DIY what they did due to the space I had at the time
.
Bring things into the modern world of driving, least upgrading new engine and transmission .. as ls1 or anything modern to enjoy the driving qnd not the breakdown parts of a rust old mental carburetors and such hard work stuff to keep on maintaining ..
But then it wouldn’t be a classic car….