MGB Not original to my 70 MGB?

[Nolanshipman]

I just drug my B out of the barn, on to a trailer and got it in my garage. Once out its dusty dwelling and into the sunlight, I was able to see my new project a little clearer. While I like the paint color, it's not original and not the best job.

I was given a couple large boxes of parts - used and new - as well as a 20 year old new vinyl top. I'm not sure what the previous owner(s) did with the car but a stockpile of parts and a cheap paint job is a good indication that the B is not entirely original. The last owner passed away several years ago so the history is unknown.

In this pic, you can see the bumper is not original. It interferes with the filler tube. Any idea what year that bumper is from?

 

[JPSmit]

don't recognize the overriders but size and shape wise they could be 72-74 Midget bumpers

 

[DrEntropy]

The bumper and over-rider are correct for a 1970 MGB. The only year AFAIK with the split bumper. But all MGB's have the same placement for the over-riders.

It would be no exaggeration to say we've found dozens of gas caps "hidden" in MGB over-riders over the years. Caps can lodge themselves in there and seem to disappear!

 

[Mickey Richaud]

Welcome!

Doc beat me to it. Definitely a '70 bumper; the only year of the split bumper. Can't tell from your picture, but if the over rider is too close you can loosen it and rotate it a bit from the cap.

 

[PAUL161]

I had a 70 and yes they had the split bumper only made for one year. The bumpers look to be set in a little more than normal in the picture. Mine wasn't that close to the gas cap. PJ

 

[Nolanshipman]

Thank you all! More newbie questions to come!

 

[DrEntropy]

May also be an aftermarket bumper.

 

[PAUL161]

May also be an aftermarket bumper.

I thought that also Doc.

 

[DrEntropy]

I thought that also Doc.

LMC/VickieBrit were selling some not-so-right parts a few decades back. A lot of third-world "back yard industry" stuff, ALMOST right.

 

[JPSmit]

May also be an aftermarket bumper.

If you look at the pics from the interweb it seems like a common design feature

 

[PAUL161]

The right design, but is set in too far. If they were in the proper position, the filler pieces under the tail lights should be mounted, I see none. Could be the wrong mounting brackets, and possibly need spacers/ distance pieces. Who knows, but they're not correctly mounted.

 

[DrEntropy]

The right design, but is set in too far. If they were in the proper position, the filler pieces under the tail lights should be mounted, I see none. Could be the wrong mounting brackets, and possibly need spacers/ distance pieces. Who knows, but they're not correctly mounted.

On the OP's shot the aluminum "filler" pieces are MIA. And the outrider is a bit too far to the right.

 

[Mickey Richaud]

Not sure, but over/outriders may be handed, so perhaps swapping them...?

 

[DrEntropy]

Not sure, but over/outriders may be handed, so perhaps swapping them...?

The originals were both the same, not sure about what came later. I've tried that, BTW. No difference.

 

[Nolanshipman]

On the OP's shot the aluminum "filler" pieces are MIA. And the outrider is a bit too far to the right.

View attachment 81050

Would these be the filler pieces you speak of?

 

[YakkoWarner]

I have 1970 also - my bumper is mostly the same (including that awkward positioning over the fuel fill) but I'd be taking a good hard at the bracketry that marries the bumper to the car. It may be bent or just flat out wrong (its nothing more than flat steel with some bends in it, someone could have tried to home-brew it also). The actual chrome part of your bumper looks right, but the mounting is definately not.

 

[DrEntropy]

Would these be the filler pieces you speak of?

That's the ones.

 

[PAUL161]

Would these be the filler pieces you speak of?

Yes, they look correct. To mount them I believe the bumper has to move rearward a little. If I remember correctly they are screwed to the fender lip under the tail light, it's been a while so don't write that in stone! The holes might still be in the fender lip. PJ

 

[YakkoWarner]

Just occured to me - there are small steel spacers that go between the flat bracket and the curved chrome bar of the bumper itself that match the inside contour of the chrome parts - if someone bolted the bumper to the bracket without those parts (either lost them or just decided they weren't necessary for some reason), that could be why yours is mounted too far in.