Steph, Thanks so much for this episode! I had an MGB years back. Mine was a USA version if you recall that I'm American. It was a '77 and referred to as a Tourer here, having the trunk rack and the four speed transmission, and the paint was a fun yellow-lime color with black stripes. Your weather today reminded me of the powerful heater that it had. My fondest memory was the sound of it as my B had the most beautiful exhaust note. God Bless.
A proper classic, indeed! Made in the time when you were proud to own a British car. Who'd of thought a couple of bumpers could make such a difference in appearance, but those rubber bumpers!☹️Such a beautiful car, either hard or soft top.
For the U.S. market, beginning in 1975, IIRC, we got the rubber bumpers, raised suspension, and a single carburetor; power output went from something like 98 BHP (1969 road test number), to 63...
@@volvo480 Yup.. down about 20 HP. Higher off the ground by around 2 ".. picnic tables for bumpers and midget donkeys for horse power. Vinyl seats instead of leather. Rostyle wheels instead of wires.
I love Joanna Lumley too! I have all of "The New Avengers" on DVD and if I'm honest, it's more for the cars than anything, lol. Still, Ab Fab is my favorite series featuring her. Another great video Steph! I love my MGB (78) as well so it's always good to hear/see other people's take on them. Happy Motoring!
Lovely car. Thank you for the review, this brought back some fond memories. I had one myself, this exact model year, and drove it every day, year round (including in the snow!), for about 7 years back in the 1990s. I'd bought it as a "rolling tub" from someone who'd started it as a project. Rebuilt the engine in it and put the interior in it and I had a car. Driving it on a twisty road on a cool fall day with the top down was quite the experience.
I remember back in the day as a young mechanic our local doctor had one of these cars. Maintenance was virtually nil on this car. Talking about heavy steering, he must have had muscles like Popeye as the king pins were almost siezed solid! Happy days. My boss also had a 1971 GT in blaze orange. I believe this car is still on the road today. I like the MGB, lovely noise and a good looking car. Easy to keep going too. Another great video. My Sunday treat! 😃
I had one of those plunger windscreen washers which I fitted to a 1955 Morris Oxford when the then new law came in. My brother worked in a truck repair workshop and got me one intended for a large truck. Its pump was huge and delivered a lot of water. One day I got pulled over for a roadside check, and when the cop could not find anything wrong, he stood by the screen and asked me to operate the washers. I pushed the plunger in with all the force I could muster, and the water hit the screen so hard, it bounced off and went all over the cop's uniform. Luckily he had a sense of humour.
Driving through the snowy moorland roads winding between the hills, looking out over that bonnet and front wings you could easily imagine someone on an alpine Holliday back in the 60s. ♥️
Love a MGB and great to see Kev using it daily, been watching Endfloat working on his MGB so learning lots about MGB's at the moment. Fantastic review as usual Steph.
Another car I wish I'd bought a few years ago when they were still dirt cheep. Even the rubber bumper models seem to have gone up in value. Those early cars with the wire wheels and origional dash look way cooler though. They always did look a little bit like a working man's E type. I bet when you drive one you feel like someone else from a different time. A very cool and once under appreciated classic sports car.
They are still cheap. I have two. One will be for sale. Come to Florida and get it. The other i bought new 40 plus yrs ago for $6470.00 and have it almost restored to new.
great vid as ever Steph, these were a particular favourite of my late father seemed to be something he became a bit of an expert on in his garage business alongside the day to day work
I really love the MGB. Watching the video, I really felt like I was sat in the passenger seat at the side of you Steph. And the sound of the engine, wow! A car that puts the "Great" into Great Britain.
My husband and I were literally just talking about Patsy and AbFab then I watched this. Absolutely Prefect! Lol Love it all. Thanks for another awesome one!
Good insight into the car. Lots of styling features in common with the super expensive Ferrari California from about 1960. Especially the rear and the headlight treatment on base models. Same Pininfarina stylist.
that is probably the most common British car that I saw here in the states back in the day. always liked them, although they looked tiny on US roads! anyway great video hun. Kev is a first class car guy by the way. your videos are always top drawer Steph!
Cor Steph! An MGB Roadster? You'll be in a Triumph Stag next.....or maybe a Rover P5B Coupe! 😉👍 Great video - could hear the engine and box beautifully and also picked up the drop in revs when you went to 3rd/OD. That's a lovely example and Kev should be rightly proud of it. Pity you couldn't have a run with the top down though - it does make up a bit for being so low to the ground when you can also see the sky and be part of the scenery as you drive along. Topless driving (no pun intended) doesn't make for good sound quality when trying to video your progress though (been there, done that in a Stag.)
I rather fancy an MGB GT - sporty, good looking and sensible in equal proportions. Thank you for showing us around this very honest little roadster. :-)
Really enjoyed this, well done I love the random range of cars I love them all , I found an article about the bond three wheeler in which the owner drove to Le Mans in it what a remarkable story I should send it to you.
My father took a picture when he and my mom were dating of her leaning on the hood (bonnet) of his MGB. Same British Racing Green color and chrome grille. That picture is faded now, and I think I'll photoshop some color back into it to bring it back. He sold the car as she couldn't get the seat up enough to reach the pedals to drive it safely. I think he traded it in for his Datsun 510 two door, which I also wish I could have. Neat episode Steph, as seeing snow on the hills is an unusual sight here in Florida USA. How I do love these videos!
Another enjoyable video Steph with wonderful scenery and a great British car. Hope you have positive news about the Marina. Take care of yourself please, and stay safe.
Just to clarify, rubber bumpers were not added to introduce the car into the US market. Tens of thousands of MGBs were sold in the US market from 1962 to 1974 with chrome bumpers before the era of 5-mph “safety bumpers” started in 1975 here in the states. In fact the US was by far MG’s biggest market, so we had long loved the car (and the marque). We Americans were as disappointed as anyone when British Leyland met the challenge of adapting to changing regulations by raising the suspension and tacking on massive (and massively ugly) rubber bumpers. Of course by that time the B was already pretty long in the tooth being a 13 year old design with virtually no updates at all. BL did try to develop a car for the US market with the introduction of the Triumph 7. But the design was a bit polarizing and found few fans.
Just think - a few hours with your spanners and your Marina engine problems would be solved ... ;) I had a very late rubber bumper BGT in white with the orange "deck chair" seat. great fun!
As much as I love my 74 Buick it's horrendously slow compared to the cars of today it's enraging to have people tailgating me not understanding my brakes take longer and my engine isn't as strong I go mad driving the poor thing in traffic but back roads and cruising is near therapeutic
Awesome, and thank you for posting! My first car was a '66 MGB in proper British Racing Green, and I also owned a '67 MGB GT and yet another '69 MGB. Some mods over those years and models included ANSA exhaust, Piranha electronic ignition, and side-draft Weber DCOE carbs. I became a pretty good wrench keeping them on the road (head gaskets, clutches , various hydraulic component rebuilding or replacement, etc.). Thank goodness for that Bentley Complete Official MGB manual which I have since passed along to my nephew to aid in his current restoration project. I still miss those cars and have many fond memories, although I must admit my current Porsche 718 Cayman S is a bit more peppy... What can I say? I'm many decades older!!!
Great review as always Steph 😊 I love these cars .I’ve been looking for an early MGB GT . Random Trivia :Between 1963-1972 some of the roadsters were assembled in Sydney at the BMC plant in Zetland for the Australian market - 9000 in total , all built with 45% Australian content)
Inspirational , I have a 73 GT with the motor rebuilt it has rust issues although rustproofing was done they seem to have missed the rocker panels areas . I've seen new parts available now perhaps I should put it in back on the road ?
Oh Steph, my absolute favourite the MGB Roadster. My wife hired me a 1975 Rubber Bumper MGB for our 25th Wedding Anniversary. I absolutely completely loved every minute of that weekend. This could only be Kev's car because it has electronic ignition, better cooling and overdrive. Tina the Marina is obviously in safe loving hands. Oh this Sunday morning has just become so sunny. The B Series is the best, built to last and well able to keep up with modern traffic. I'm afraid the 1975 one had Minilites and I loved the look with the rubber bumpers. Don't worry Kev, I was madly in love with Purdey's MGB as well. 😉😉
Great review......as usual. My Dad bought a new BGT K reg in white. I loved it as a kid. We could hear Dad coming around the block well before he arrived, but the dog heard first! Very distinctive sound.I had Spitfires when I could drive and still have a GT6 I am restoring. These MGs were better built. Really solid with well built doors that closed with a satisfying clunk. My Dad paid for the optional extra of underseal. They did rot, because they really didn't think of rust problems when mamufactued. Although solidly built there were many areas within the cills where they rotted from the inside out. The engines were good and long lasting if looked after. I didn't like the position of the distributer, awkward to get to...so easy on the GT6. Yes steering is heavy. Some people put small steering wheels in....which makes it even worse.
I bought one new in NJ which I still have. There was a process called Rusty Jones in the 70s which dealers put in your car regularly in little caps they drilled in when it was new so the substance could get down inside the car. Guess what? It did mostly work. I recently pulled my car out of storage since 1988 and did frame off restoration and there was NO rust on the bottom, floor pans, engine compartment or trunk. The only rust found was bottom of doors and rockers which were cut out and new metal welded in. Door you can buy the 3 part bottom with skin. So. I guess I can say for the most part the rust treatment worked. No one who worked on my car ever saw an MG in that condition before.
If I remember rightly my mates mgb original steering wheel was a fair bit bigger than that after market one on this car, which could go some way to explaining the heavy steering. Nice to see you back on cars from the classic era of motoring.
I worked in Zambia in 1976 to 1979 and had a clapped out 1970 B roadster, lots of fun. It had overdrive on 3rd and top gear. When the clutch slave cylinder seals gave up the ghost I managed to get replacements from Toyota. In the 70’s in Zambia there were no spares for a lot of vehicles, so you had to make do with what you could get. I had an exhaust system made by a boilermaker in the nearby copper mine, I reckon that silencer would have lasted longer than the bodywork. Regrettably, I swapped it for a Yamaha 250 twin, that I managed to come off and do serious damage to myself. Cheers, Mike, Johannesburg.
Loved this one! I’m an MG owner myself - ‘78 Midget - and have a real fondness for the marque. I’ve only driven one MGB... a friend’s GT... and I also found the steering to be quite unexpectedly heavy.
The MGB is still the perfect sports car shape. When I was looking for a used one here in America in 1980, a chrome bumpered one was what I was looking for, but the only used ones in my price range were the rubber-bumpered ones (yeech!), a total non-starter. I finally found a very used British Racing Green '74 Triumph TR6, which was a whole other... adventure. Ohhh, myyyy.
Nice one Steph (: Yes those rubber bumpers are bloody heavy , i used to work at a place that restored MG s and VW Beatles and believe me its a 2 person job to lift one off the car!
Always wanted one but I’ve never had the chance to drive one, when my Morris Minor is back on the road ,I’ll look at getting one probably one of the rubber bumper cars as they’re where the bargains are found.
Totally agree - having owned plenty of both and currently having a 1980 MGB LE rubber bumper in m’garage, they are actually much better cars than the cb’s in every way. One of the best period legislation meeting facelifts of the time. Love them and get weary of so called armchair experts deriding them 👍
Try a rubber bumper next time please (Maybe a GT), higher off the ground, lighter steering. Less sporty maybe but cheaper & still a nice place to enjoy an easy going cruise.
My Mom's second car was a 1949 "low-light" Minor; she lived in Washington, D.C., and her Dad ran a service garage and worked on the diplomats' cars...so a "low-light" or two must've made it into the States...Her third car was a 1952 MG-TD which she adored...Her Mom (my Grandmom), as well as my Dad (before they got married) also had "TDs"!
I have a 1979 MGB that my dad bought new! If you ever find yourself in Las Vegas, you’re welcome to review it. Another UK-US spec difference that I noticed is that my rear lights have the brake light on top and indicator on bottom. I’m guessing that the US has a brake light height requirement as well.
Great video ! I have always loved the look of these cars but think they would look better bigger if that makes sense ? Still a nice looking car... apart from what looked like a modern radio ! Love your style Steph you look awesome 🙂
Not the usual Mgb review, I have been hoping Steph would have look the MGB. I have owned a 1969 roadster since 1986, Thats a nice Mgb, I can just imagine a 1970s executive having their cigar lighter fitted. America was always the a huge market for MG.
@@idriveaclassic It was pitch black and in the middle of Thetford Forest hiking from London back to Norwich. The has had no cabin lights on when I got in. It was only when the conversation got strange that I noticed his attire, or should I say lack off. I jumped out when he stopped.
A classic British roadster. I saw many growing up in California, but I saw many "foreign" cars, and still have a passion for XJ sedans. I hated the plastic or rubber bumper era. It ruined the lines of the vehicle. They also changed the carburetion in that era, going to single carburetors in most vehicles, as dual carburetors are harder to control emissions on. I have always felt that our laws ruined the European import market here, but Japanese imports hurt that market, too. The quick adoption of fuel injection could have been the savior, but would have made some cars uncompetitive on price. Still, Volkswagen, which was an entry level vehicle at that time, was one of the early embracers of that technology. There is nothing quite as pleasing as the sound of a British roadster with multiple carburetion. Great video!
A good honest machine. I'm also loving Kev's sideburns. Is it bad that when you said "Speedo to the left" I instantly went "If you're having a good time?"
I worked on the full range of classic MG's in the late 80's as an apprentice and for me it was always the MGA that was the car I wanted. This MGB is a good example of the breed and the sweet spot in MGB production, before, the hood was a pain and after was the black bumpers, I preferred the GT, it was a pretty little car.
@@idriveaclassic They're not a bad car unless you get a black bumper one because the increased ride height and heavy bumpers makes them into a wallowy old barge. The first car I drove alone after passing my test was a chrome bumper GT, at 18yrs old I felt really special lol.
Is it true that the earlier, 3 bearing crankshaft engines are a fair bit revvier than the subsequent 5 bearing ones and how do they compare for durability ? I've only ever driven a rubber bumper MGB GT, in that awful mustard colour, but it did have overdrive, which was good.
Hi, Steph. A great video. However, I’m pretty sure that the ride height was, at least in part, to ensure all US cars’ bumpers would be at a standard height, so that when they collided at low speeds, they’d only hit bumper to bumper and not hook under or over each other.
Will you and all the guys, from hub nut etc. Be doing an e10 video. For what fuel upgrade kits are avaiable etc. I run a 114 gta, mgf trophy and a banham x21 gti. All e10 compatible k series. I was planning on getting an mgb, but not now, with chance of having to spend a few grand. On replacing full fuel systems etc. Love your channel. Metro owners club, Mgoc Mgf register
The steering might have been lighter with the original 15.5" steering wheel and 155 wide tyres, check with Kev. Youngsters may prefer the "Spridgets" (badged MG Midgets or Austin Sprites), less expensive too. I can say this as I'm about Kev's age and have used two MGBs and two 'Spridgets' as dailes in the last 30 years. Good on Kev for using his B daily and through winter, very few B (or 'Spridget') owners do this. Well done again Steph (but you'd like a Spridget even less, I know as I'm on my second for the last 13 years).
It's always a joy to see an MGB on the road. I didn't even know there was an automatic version till this video. Wonder how many of those were made and how many are left?
Well...I helped restore one in 1987/88 and that was a 1969 BGT in Mineral Blue YPE 691G. That puts me off though because the rust was horrendous and most you cannot see....the rust you CAN see is easy but the sill internals are likely to have dissolved years ago. It is a nice car but never again!! 😱😃😃😃
Pure nostalgia, I very nearly bought an MGb GT back in the late 90s when these were virtually being given away... hindsight 🤦♂️ it’d be worth a bit now.
They are such gorgeous looking cars - although I do love a convertible (yes I do sometimes miss my old SLK), I would probably prefer to own the MGB GT Coupe. But they do look lovely to me.
OMG OMG - my very first car. I absolutely loved it. Same colour, BRG. Wow, such nostalgia!
Steph, Thanks so much for this episode! I had an MGB years back. Mine was a USA version if you recall that I'm American.
It was a '77 and referred to as a Tourer here, having the trunk rack and the four speed transmission, and the paint was a fun yellow-lime color with black stripes. Your weather today reminded me of the powerful heater that it had. My fondest memory was the sound of it as my B had the most beautiful exhaust note. God Bless.
My very first car was a 1967 MGB. I now own 7 MGs 4 standard MGBs (68, 71, 79 & 80) 1 MGC GT and 2 Limited Editions (79 & 80)
Had a 75 bgt for 9 years, rebuilt and towed a caravan with it. Great car, loved it. Miss it so much.
Wow, love the old MGs. The classic sports car! Great video as always. Thank you.
Where I grew up in Virginia there was a British Leyland dealer that had among other brands, MG….I lusted after them…..
This is one car I've always wanted, they look ageless.
A proper classic, indeed! Made in the time when you were proud to own a British car. Who'd of thought a couple of bumpers could make such a difference in appearance, but those rubber bumpers!☹️Such a beautiful car, either hard or soft top.
Yeah I’m not keen on the rubber bumper facelift. X
@@idriveaclassic I think it wasn't just the bumpers, didn't they also detune the engine to meet Californian emissions standard?
@@volvo480 Not on UK ones, Cal ones are embarrassing engine power.
For the U.S. market, beginning in 1975, IIRC, we got the rubber bumpers, raised suspension, and a single carburetor; power output went from something like 98 BHP (1969 road test number), to 63...
@@volvo480 Yup.. down about 20 HP. Higher off the ground by around 2 ".. picnic tables for bumpers and midget donkeys for horse power. Vinyl seats instead of leather. Rostyle wheels instead of wires.
I love Joanna Lumley too! I have all of "The New Avengers" on DVD and if I'm honest, it's more for the cars than anything, lol. Still, Ab Fab is my favorite series featuring her. Another great video Steph! I love my MGB (78) as well so it's always good to hear/see other people's take on them. Happy Motoring!
Lovely car. Thank you for the review, this brought back some fond memories. I had one myself, this exact model year, and drove it every day, year round (including in the snow!), for about 7 years back in the 1990s. I'd bought it as a "rolling tub" from someone who'd started it as a project. Rebuilt the engine in it and put the interior in it and I had a car. Driving it on a twisty road on a cool fall day with the top down was quite the experience.
Lovely to see the MGB. My first car was an MG Midget, but then followed by two MGBs. Love them.
I remember back in the day as a young mechanic our local doctor had one of these cars. Maintenance was virtually nil on this car. Talking about heavy steering, he must have had muscles like Popeye as the king pins were almost siezed solid! Happy days. My boss also had a 1971 GT in blaze orange. I believe this car is still on the road today. I like the MGB, lovely noise and a good looking car. Easy to keep going too. Another great video. My Sunday treat! 😃
My friend's wife had one when they met and still speaks fondly of her MGB. Living in the Rust Belt in the USA was hard on it though.
I had one of those plunger windscreen washers which I fitted to a 1955 Morris Oxford when the then new law came in. My brother worked in a truck repair workshop and got me one intended for a large truck. Its pump was huge and delivered a lot of water. One day I got pulled over for a roadside check, and when the cop could not find anything wrong, he stood by the screen and asked me to operate the washers. I pushed the plunger in with all the force I could muster, and the water hit the screen so hard, it bounced off and went all over the cop's uniform. Luckily he had a sense of humour.
Driving through the snowy moorland roads winding between the hills, looking out over that bonnet and front wings you could easily imagine someone on an alpine Holliday back in the 60s. ♥️
Love a MGB and great to see Kev using it daily, been watching Endfloat working on his MGB so learning lots about MGB's at the moment. Fantastic review as usual Steph.
Honestly one of the best MG reviews on YT.
Lovely video as always. Rather wish I’d kept my 78 BGT. It never let me down in 5 years of everyday driving, including around France. Great car.
Another car I wish I'd bought a few years ago when they were still dirt cheep.
Even the rubber bumper models seem to have gone up in value. Those early cars with the wire wheels and origional dash look way cooler though. They always did look a little bit like a working man's E type. I bet when you drive one you feel like someone else from a different time.
A very cool and once under appreciated classic sports car.
They are still cheap. I have two. One will be for sale. Come to Florida and get it. The other i bought new 40 plus yrs ago for $6470.00 and have it almost restored to new.
You can get a bargain on the chrome bumpers. Got one for £5,000 back in March - took some hunting for but they are out there
Best colour British racing green .My girlfriend back in the sixties bought me the exact st Christopher.She is now my wife.
That's exactly what my first thought was.
Agreed 👏
great vid as ever Steph, these were a particular favourite of my late father seemed to be something he became a bit of an expert on in his garage business alongside the day to day work
I really love the MGB. Watching the video, I really felt like I was sat in the passenger seat at the side of you Steph. And the sound of the engine, wow! A car that puts the "Great" into Great Britain.
My husband and I were literally just talking about Patsy and AbFab then I watched this. Absolutely Prefect! Lol Love it all. Thanks for another awesome one!
Good test, I drove mine from New York to Vancouver in 1969. Good memories.
Thank you for reviewing it . Um in love with this car. Wish i could afford one😍
I'm not a massive MG fan but that does sound lovely
Can understand why 👍
Haha me too! Xx
@@idriveaclassic get the purse open steph ..
Hi Steph. Love to see you, and your lovely videos. You always put a big smile on my face. Keep up the excellent work darling!! Love from Florence xxxx
Good insight into the car.
Lots of styling features in common with the super expensive Ferrari California from about 1960. Especially the rear and the headlight treatment on base models.
Same Pininfarina stylist.
that is probably the most common British car that I saw here in the states back in the day. always
liked them, although they looked tiny on US roads! anyway great video hun. Kev is a first class
car guy by the way. your videos are always top drawer Steph!
Aha Joanna Lumley. Is she in the person of Patsy, the inspiration for your marvellous beehive we often see? Another wonderful video Steph!
Yes, she's the absolutely fabulous Patsy Stone...
Cor Steph! An MGB Roadster? You'll be in a Triumph Stag next.....or maybe a Rover P5B Coupe! 😉👍
Great video - could hear the engine and box beautifully and also picked up the drop in revs when you went to 3rd/OD. That's a lovely example and Kev should be rightly proud of it.
Pity you couldn't have a run with the top down though - it does make up a bit for being so low to the ground when you can also see the sky and be part of the scenery as you drive along. Topless driving (no pun intended) doesn't make for good sound quality when trying to video your progress though (been there, done that in a Stag.)
wonderful video as always
This young lady is so dear! I could listen to her speak all day.
Great video of a great car! Awesome as usual Steph! 😊
One of my top 10 fave cars of all time, the classic 60's MGB. Another great review and scenic U.K. drive with Steph!
I rather fancy an MGB GT - sporty, good looking and sensible in equal proportions. Thank you for showing us around this very honest little roadster. :-)
Snow...in Canada that's only a dusting, we'd still have the top down...Lol. another good one Steph, great detail as always.
Amazing video as always Steph, a proper seat of the pants motoring.
Well done Steph, another great video thanks.
Really enjoyed this, well done I love the random range of cars I love them all , I found an article about the bond three wheeler in which the owner drove to Le Mans in it what a remarkable story I should send it to you.
I like those cars. I do like the GT and I hope that one day I will own one. I love British Leyland cars.
I have not seen one of those on the roads of the U.S. for decades !
They have either been exported back to whence they came or many have rusted away……
Hi ! I love this car. A great UK classics. I've got the same in my 1/43 scale collection. British racing green 🤗
My father took a picture when he and my mom were dating of her leaning on the hood (bonnet) of his MGB. Same British Racing Green color and chrome grille. That picture is faded now, and I think I'll photoshop some color back into it to bring it back. He sold the car as she couldn't get the seat up enough to reach the pedals to drive it safely. I think he traded it in for his Datsun 510 two door, which I also wish I could have. Neat episode Steph, as seeing snow on the hills is an unusual sight here in Florida USA. How I do love these videos!
Lovely setting for the drive steph..it was so Heartbeat, kept singing the song in my head
Another enjoyable video Steph with wonderful scenery and a great British car. Hope you have positive news about the Marina. Take care of yourself please, and stay safe.
Love my ‘79 B!!!
Just to clarify, rubber bumpers were not added to introduce the car into the US market. Tens of thousands of MGBs were sold in the US market from 1962 to 1974 with chrome bumpers before the era of 5-mph “safety bumpers” started in 1975 here in the states. In fact the US was by far MG’s biggest market, so we had long loved the car (and the marque). We Americans were as disappointed as anyone when British Leyland met the challenge of adapting to changing regulations by raising the suspension and tacking on massive (and massively ugly) rubber bumpers. Of course by that time the B was already pretty long in the tooth being a 13 year old design with virtually no updates at all. BL did try to develop a car for the US market with the introduction of the Triumph 7. But the design was a bit polarizing and found few fans.
Just think - a few hours with your spanners and your Marina engine problems would be solved ... ;)
I had a very late rubber bumper BGT in white with the orange "deck chair" seat. great fun!
It's easy to forget that when these first came out in 1962 they were a genuinely fast car by the standards of the day.
As much as I love my 74 Buick it's horrendously slow compared to the cars of today it's enraging to have people tailgating me not understanding my brakes take longer and my engine isn't as strong I go mad driving the poor thing in traffic but back roads and cruising is near therapeutic
Glorious patina on that MG
Love your videos!
Thoroughly enjoyed this
Awesome, and thank you for posting! My first car was a '66 MGB in proper British Racing Green, and I also owned a '67 MGB GT and yet another '69 MGB. Some mods over those years and models included ANSA exhaust, Piranha electronic ignition, and side-draft Weber DCOE carbs. I became a pretty good wrench keeping them on the road (head gaskets, clutches , various hydraulic component rebuilding or replacement, etc.). Thank goodness for that Bentley Complete Official MGB manual which I have since passed along to my nephew to aid in his current restoration project. I still miss those cars and have many fond memories, although I must admit my current Porsche 718 Cayman S is a bit more peppy... What can I say? I'm many decades older!!!
Great review as always Steph 😊 I love these cars .I’ve been looking for an early MGB GT . Random Trivia :Between 1963-1972 some of the roadsters were assembled in Sydney at the BMC plant in Zetland for the Australian market - 9000 in total , all built with 45% Australian content)
Well I didn’t know that! Thank you for sharing x
Kev please remove the under bonnet insulation before it causes a disaster !
Beautiful car thanks for sharing .. 👍🏻☮❤
Mine is hanging off , I was going to try and stick it back.
But now you've said that I'm going to pull mine off.
I don't want an under bonnet fire!!
Inspirational , I have a 73 GT with the motor rebuilt it has rust issues although rustproofing was done they seem to have missed the rocker panels areas .
I've seen new parts available now perhaps I should put it in back on the road ?
Oh Steph, my absolute favourite the MGB Roadster. My wife hired me a 1975 Rubber Bumper MGB for our 25th Wedding Anniversary. I absolutely completely loved every minute of that weekend. This could only be Kev's car because it has electronic ignition, better cooling and overdrive. Tina the Marina is obviously in safe loving hands. Oh this Sunday morning has just become so sunny. The B Series is the best, built to last and well able to keep up with modern traffic. I'm afraid the 1975 one had Minilites and I loved the look with the rubber bumpers.
Don't worry Kev, I was madly in love with Purdey's MGB as well. 😉😉
What a lovely car in lovely scenery
Great review......as usual.
My Dad bought a new BGT K reg in white. I loved it as a kid. We could hear Dad coming around the block well before he arrived, but the dog heard first! Very distinctive sound.I had Spitfires when I could drive and still have a GT6 I am restoring. These MGs were better built. Really solid with well built doors that closed with a satisfying clunk. My Dad paid for the optional extra of underseal. They did rot, because they really didn't think of rust problems when mamufactued. Although solidly built there were many areas within the cills where they rotted from the inside out. The engines were good and long lasting if looked after. I didn't like the position of the distributer, awkward to get to...so easy on the GT6.
Yes steering is heavy. Some people put small steering wheels in....which makes it even worse.
I bought one new in NJ which I still have. There was a process called Rusty Jones in the 70s which dealers put in your car regularly in little caps they drilled in when it was new so the substance could get down inside the car. Guess what? It did mostly work. I recently pulled my car out of storage since 1988 and did frame off restoration and there was NO rust on the bottom, floor pans, engine compartment or trunk. The only rust found was bottom of doors and rockers which were cut out and new metal welded in. Door you can buy the 3 part bottom with skin. So. I guess I can say for the most part the rust treatment worked. No one who worked on my car ever saw an MG in that condition before.
Nice car, I have a brg 70 MGB roadster and a 68 MGC roadster
If I remember rightly my mates mgb original steering wheel was a fair bit bigger than that after market one on this car, which could go some way to explaining the heavy steering. Nice to see you back on cars from the classic era of motoring.
I worked in Zambia in 1976 to 1979 and had a clapped out 1970 B roadster, lots of fun. It had overdrive on 3rd and top gear. When the clutch slave cylinder seals gave up the ghost I managed to get replacements from Toyota. In the 70’s in Zambia there were no spares for a lot of vehicles, so you had to make do with what you could get. I had an exhaust system made by a boilermaker in the nearby copper mine, I reckon that silencer would have lasted longer than the bodywork. Regrettably, I swapped it for a Yamaha 250 twin, that I managed to come off and do serious damage to myself. Cheers, Mike, Johannesburg.
"The gear box needs a firm hand to guide it in, no pun intended" Love it!
Went down to Italy in 1973 with my brother in a 66 roadster that performed really well I now own a 72 BGT..
Very nice!
Loved this one! I’m an MG owner myself - ‘78 Midget - and have a real fondness for the marque. I’ve only driven one MGB... a friend’s GT... and I also found the steering to be quite unexpectedly heavy.
I only drove through the Yorkshire Dales once in summer, when covered in snow they look magical.
The MGB is still the perfect sports car shape. When I was looking for a used one here in America in 1980, a chrome bumpered one was what I was looking for, but the only used ones in my price range were the rubber-bumpered ones (yeech!), a total non-starter. I finally found a very used British Racing Green '74 Triumph TR6, which was a whole other... adventure. Ohhh, myyyy.
My Sunday isn't complete without an IDAC video! Hope Tina is on the road to recovery, no pun intended...
Nice one Steph (: Yes those rubber bumpers are bloody heavy , i used to work at a place that restored MG s and VW Beatles and believe me its a 2 person job to lift one off the car!
Whats wrong with minilites? I mean they are done to death, but still an attractive looking wheel.
I enjoyed your video so much that I had to subscribe!
Great video Steph the BGT reminds me of the Eddie Murphy film Norbit 😅 lovely cars though. Joanna Lumley is fantastic.
Kevin is amazing
Great mini skirt car my Dad use to say 😀 thanks Dad I'm still here
Hahah oh dear.
@@idriveaclassic 😂😂😂
Always wanted one but I’ve never had the chance to drive one, when my Morris Minor is back on the road ,I’ll look at getting one probably one of the rubber bumper cars as they’re where the bargains are found.
I've always preferred the later rubber bumper models but my tastes are acquired!
Totally agree - having owned plenty of both and currently having a 1980 MGB LE rubber bumper in m’garage, they are actually much better cars than the cb’s in every way. One of the best period legislation meeting facelifts of the time. Love them and get weary of so called armchair experts deriding them 👍
@@plasticpenguin1 late 74.
Try a rubber bumper next time please (Maybe a GT), higher off the ground, lighter steering. Less sporty maybe but cheaper & still a nice place to enjoy an easy going cruise.
My Mom's second car was a 1949 "low-light" Minor; she lived in Washington, D.C., and her Dad ran a service garage and worked on the diplomats' cars...so a "low-light" or two must've made it into the States...Her third car was a 1952 MG-TD which she adored...Her Mom (my Grandmom), as well as my Dad (before they got married) also had "TDs"!
Always loved the MGA,MGB&Austin Healey 3000.
I have a 1979 MGB that my dad bought new! If you ever find yourself in Las Vegas, you’re welcome to review it. Another UK-US spec difference that I noticed is that my rear lights have the brake light on top and indicator on bottom. I’m guessing that the US has a brake light height requirement as well.
Great video ! I have always loved the look of these cars but think they would look better bigger if that makes sense ? Still a nice looking car... apart from what looked like a modern radio ! Love your style Steph you look awesome 🙂
Not the usual Mgb review, I have been hoping Steph would have look the MGB. I have owned a 1969 roadster since 1986, Thats a nice Mgb, I can just imagine a 1970s executive having their cigar lighter fitted. America was always the a huge market for MG.
I do remember getting a lift in one when I was a lad Hitch-Hiking but it's a long story and its as the MGB GT version with a V8
Oh wow!
@@idriveaclassic It was pitch black and in the middle of Thetford Forest hiking from London back to Norwich. The has had no cabin lights on when I got in. It was only when the conversation got strange that I noticed his attire, or should I say lack off. I jumped out when he stopped.
A classic British roadster. I saw many growing up in California, but I saw many "foreign" cars, and still have a passion for XJ sedans. I hated the plastic or rubber bumper era. It ruined the lines of the vehicle. They also changed the carburetion in that era, going to single carburetors in most vehicles, as dual carburetors are harder to control emissions on. I have always felt that our laws ruined the European import market here, but Japanese imports hurt that market, too. The quick adoption of fuel injection could have been the savior, but would have made some cars uncompetitive on price. Still, Volkswagen, which was an entry level vehicle at that time, was one of the early embracers of that technology. There is nothing quite as pleasing as the sound of a British roadster with multiple carburetion. Great video!
A good honest machine. I'm also loving Kev's sideburns.
Is it bad that when you said "Speedo to the left" I instantly went "If you're having a good time?"
I worked on the full range of classic MG's in the late 80's as an apprentice and for me it was always the MGA that was the car I wanted. This MGB is a good example of the breed and the sweet spot in MGB production, before, the hood was a pain and after was the black bumpers, I preferred the GT, it was a pretty little car.
I wasn’t into them until I took Kev’s for a spin! Xx
@@idriveaclassic They're not a bad car unless you get a black bumper one because the increased ride height and heavy bumpers makes them into a wallowy old barge. The first car I drove alone after passing my test was a chrome bumper GT, at 18yrs old I felt really special lol.
Is it true that the earlier, 3 bearing crankshaft engines are a fair bit revvier than the subsequent 5 bearing ones and how do they compare for durability ? I've only ever driven a rubber bumper MGB GT, in that awful mustard colour, but it did have overdrive, which was good.
Nice driver.. early dash.. 2 thumbs up.
Hi, Steph. A great video. However, I’m pretty sure that the ride height was, at least in part, to ensure all US cars’ bumpers would be at a standard height, so that when they collided at low speeds, they’d only hit bumper to bumper and not hook under or over each other.
Will you and all the guys, from hub nut etc. Be doing an e10 video. For what fuel upgrade kits are avaiable etc. I run a 114 gta, mgf trophy and a banham x21 gti. All e10 compatible k series.
I was planning on getting an mgb, but not now, with chance of having to spend a few grand. On replacing full fuel systems etc.
Love your channel.
Metro owners club,
Mgoc
Mgf register
The MG B sounds lovely for a 4 pot. Nice to see it being used
The steering might have been lighter with the original 15.5" steering wheel and 155 wide tyres, check with Kev. Youngsters may prefer the "Spridgets" (badged MG Midgets or Austin Sprites), less expensive too. I can say this as I'm about Kev's age and have used two MGBs and two 'Spridgets' as dailes in the last 30 years. Good on Kev for using his B daily and through winter, very few B (or 'Spridget') owners do this. Well done again Steph (but you'd like a Spridget even less, I know as I'm on my second for the last 13 years).
It's always a joy to see an MGB on the road. I didn't even know there was an automatic version till this video. Wonder how many of those were made and how many are left?
I have one. They made a few thousand and they do crop up for sale from time to time. Most are GTs
Well...I helped restore one in 1987/88 and that was a 1969 BGT in Mineral Blue YPE 691G. That puts me off though because the rust was horrendous and most you cannot see....the rust you CAN see is easy but the sill internals are likely to have dissolved years ago. It is a nice car but never again!! 😱😃😃😃
Does anyone know about the MGB that Bulman and Willis drove in the tv cop show Strangers?
Pure nostalgia, I very nearly bought an MGb GT back in the late 90s when these were virtually being given away... hindsight 🤦♂️ it’d be worth a bit now.
A nice looking car which was later ruined by the rubber bumpers and the raised ride height which did nothing for the handling.
They are such gorgeous looking cars - although I do love a convertible (yes I do sometimes miss my old SLK), I would probably prefer to own the MGB GT Coupe. But they do look lovely to me.
I have a 1970 B roadster in Mallard Green, but you wouldn’t like it Steph as it has minilites. 🙂. Nice review!
Looks a nice car