MGB Newbie 1978 MGB questions

[Sean_NH]

Hey Folks!

Venturing out to find a first project - either MG or Triumph. I've been looking at cars from say the 75-80 time range, and am slated to go take a look at a 78 MGB this week sometime. I'm curious what in particular I should be looking for on these cars. Specifically:

Body/Frame: Where are these vehicles most likely to show signs of rust (or have rust that won't be easily seen)?
Engine/Transmission: Are there engines/transmissions that are more problematic than others?
Electrical: Anything that I should watch for as warning flags for electrical problems?

Finally, what would one consider a "fair" price for a car in need of restoration? From the photos I have (see below), I can see that it will need paint and some dents and dings repaired. I've attached some photos, but the things that jump out to me are the relatively clean carb (good or bad, depending on what was done and how well), and some wiring that doesn't appear to be original (suggesting it may be time for a harness in the near future?). Asking price is $3,000, which seemed like it may be high for a "newer" car in this condition...

 

[Mickey Richaud]

Hi, Sean -

So much to look at - here's about as good a resource as you'll find: https://www.sportscarwarehouse.com/mgb-buyers-guide.html

Take a magnet along with you and check bodywork all over, especially the lower section. These cars are really quite simple and make for an easy, enjoyable experience for a restorer.

Good luck and keep us posted!
Mickey

 

[PAUL161]

MGB transmissions are as near bullet proof as you could get! They are very tough! If it has overdrive, that's a plus. PJ

 

[drooartz]

I love MGBs, they're easy to work on, great parts availability, and fun to drive. I've owned 2 in the past, and will likely have another some day.

As for rust, pretty much everywhere! Common spots are sills, doglegs behind the doors, floors, castle rails (looks like a frame under the car), rear wheel arches... Definitely bring a magnet and check for bondo, and poke around underneath with a screwdriver and see how solid things are. Mechanicals are cheap to work on. Bodywork is not cheap, even if you can do it yourself. If you have to pay others it quickly outstrips the value of the car.

MGBs are not expensive cars, and the later cars like this one even less so. Parts are fairly cheap, but any work you have to farm out is expensive. It's really easy to get upside down on value with these cars if you tackle a restoration or even just major engine or bodywork.

The best advice is to buy the best one you can. Take a look on sites like eBay at completed auctions to get a general sense of the prices of good condition cars, and then subtract from that the cost to fix this one up.

Or just wait for me to buy another MGB at too high a price, fix it up at even more cost, and then sell it on for much less than I have in it. Worked well (for the buyers) of the last two I sold. Not so much for me :grin:

 

[Brinkerhoff]

I sold an original paint 79 MGB w/ 42,000 mi. last summer for $5,000. BRG / tan & no rust. The underside still had the factory green overspray on the undercoating. In the top 5% condition wise ( I've owned a dozen MGBs over 40 years) yet it received NO interest when advertised nationally . $3,000 for the one in the picture above ? Did not know medical marijuana was legal in NH.

 

[Joe Reed]

I agree....just based on those pictures, that's no $3000 car. Does it run? I'm guessing not.....

 

[Sean_NH]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. Looking at EBay, it looks like the $3000 he's asking is probably double what it is worth. I'm planning on stopping tomorrow to look at it but am told it does indeed run. Depending on the interior, I may offer up $1000 or so and see what happens...

 

[Rut]

Every time I'm in NH I see lots of older sports cars, primarily LBCs on the road. Check out your local clubs for advice and possibly one for sale...also check craigslist and the other usual suspects. Good luck and let us know how the search goes!
Rut
https://nh.craigslist.org/search/sss?query=mgb&sort=rel

 

[PAUL161]

Prices vary quite a bit. Last one I bought, a 79, I paid 800 bucks for and it had a perfect rust free body. It ran, but the head needed rebuilding and the interior wasn't the best, but I bought it for a parts car. Here's a pic after dumping it off the trailer. Wound up restoring and selling it, too good to cut up. PJ
View attachment 42338

 

[Joe Reed]

The advice to buy the best car you can is always good advice - but first you need to pin down what you really want to end up with - and how much you are willing to do...and spend. Do you want a car capable of winning shows....or a decent driver that looks nice from 20 feet? Do you want a good running car that needs cosmetic work that you can treat as a rolling restoration...or a great looking, non running car that you can do the mechanical work on? Is originality of primary importance to you...or are you just fine with modifications? Whatever your end goal might be, there are hundreds of MGB owners with similar goals.

Once you decide on your desired end result, find a car that fits in with that plan. As you look at potential purchases, factor in the purchase price PLUS the additional money (and TIME) it'll take you to get the car to the level of finish you want. That's where the "buy the best one you can" comes into play.

Lets say you're considering two cars.....one is $1500 and needs a lot of work, the other is $5000 but is much closer to being the finished product you envision. If you crunch the numbers (parts, labor, paint, etc.) you'll probably see that it's incredibly easy to take a $1500 car, spend $6000 and months of work on it - and end up with a $5000 car. It's kinda like a house. You can put in a $25000 swimming pool...and only add $10000 or less to the value when you're ready to sell. Someone selling a car that they've had painted for $5000, redone the interior for $2000 and spent $4000 on an engine refresh is only going to get a fraction of that back if he sells....and that's especially true of a stalled, unfinished project.

Good luck with your search!

 

[Sean_NH]

The advice to buy the best car you can is always good advice - but first you need to pin down what you really want to end up with - and how much you are willing to do...and spend. Do you want a car capable of winning shows....or a decent driver that looks nice from 20 feet? Do you want a good running car that needs cosmetic work that you can treat as a rolling restoration...or a great looking, non running car that you can do the mechanical work on? Is originality of primary importance to you...or are you just fine with modifications? Whatever your end goal might be, there are hundreds of MGB owners with similar goals.

Once you decide on your desired end result, find a car that fits in with that plan. As you look at potential purchases, factor in the purchase price PLUS the additional money (and TIME) it'll take you to get the car to the level of finish you want. That's where the "buy the best one you can" comes into play.

Lets say you're considering two cars.....one is $1500 and needs a lot of work, the other is $5000 but is much closer to being the finished product you envision. If you crunch the numbers (parts, labor, paint, etc.) you'll probably see that it's incredibly easy to take a $1500 car, spend $6000 and months of work on it - and end up with a $5000 car. It's kinda like a house. You can put in a $25000 swimming pool...and only add $10000 or less to the value when you're ready to sell. Someone selling a car that they've had painted for $5000, redone the interior for $2000 and spent $4000 on an engine refresh is only going to get a fraction of that back if he sells....and that's especially true of a stalled, unfinished project.

Good luck with your search!

I think I'm looking for something that's fairly solid overall - mechanically sound, and no major body work. I'd like to end up with something that I can drive around and that will look decent, but I have no desire to take it to shows (at least not right now). I would be most comfortable finishing out the interior and working on the electrical system (I have plenty of low voltage electrical experience to draw from). I don't mind doing some minor engine work, but I don't want to do a full tear down and rebuild.

 

[Joe Reed]

Sounds like a good plan. Find a decent looking car without rust issues....one that is running so you can access the condition of the drivetrain and running gear. You'll often see cars that the owner has put a lot of time, money and sweat into - but didn't finish everything due to loss of interest, financial issues, health issues, etc. I think you'll find what you want in the $3000 - $5000 price range...