Rubber Bumper B's

[vping]

In your opinion, which is the best year for a rubber bumpered B roadster?

 

[Joe Reed]

'78, but I may be biased /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

74.5s still have the SUs, but that's their only advantage.

77 & later have front & rear sway bars - so that's a BIG advantage.

80s have the 80MPH speedo

Other than that, about the only real change of significance is the dash layout (76?...can't remember) and a few exterior & interior color choices - such as Autumn Leaf being replaced with Beige after 77....

 

[kennypinkerton]

77 and up. For the swaybars, the updated dash, etc.

 

[Stewart]

75 only rubber bumper thats smog exempt in ca. And as another plus its also the best example of the bestest work of all time of british leyland /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif

 

[Bret]

While I would agree with Stewart about the emissions exempt status being a major selling point of the 74.5 & 75 Rubber Bumper Bs. Especially for those of us in Kalifornia.

But if I had to rate them “point by point” then I would have to agree with Kenny & say the 77 onward. Mainly because of the suspension but also because of the engine bay layout (same as the MGB V8 should you so desire) and of course it’s interior is the most ergonomically comfortable of “all” the Bs (chrome or rubber).

My $0.02,

 

[Nunyas]

I gotta agree on that point. The heater/defroster knobs in the center console look much easier to manipulate than the dials on the dash of the earlier RB Bs. Plus, as already mentioned, the 77 and up Bs also have the better suspension setup in stock form.

But the stock suspension is kind of moot if you plan to modify it at all. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[Bret]

Well if you intend to modify the car anyway it is kind of a moot point. At that point it’s more of a how much car you can get for what you are willing to pay.

That said I know it sounds as if I'm cutting hairs - but if it came down to a 74.5-76 or a 77 onward and all things being equal for the same price $$$, I’d take the later rubber bumper because of the rear sway-bar. It’d cost too much time & money to adapt a rear swaybar to an earlier B.

 

[rick_ingram]

Don't forget that the '77 and '78 used two throttle return springs while the '79 and '80s only used one!

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[tony barnhill]

If you're going to put a
V8 or V6 in it - any car built after Sep 77.

 

[kennypinkerton]

I have the v-8 style front crossmember, and my car was built Dec 1976.

 

[tony barnhill]

Its not the crossmember that makes them easy to modify, Kenny - its the change in the firewall...those after Sep '77 have already had the firewalls modified so the V8 drops right in.

 

[Bret]

Beat me to it Tony,

Also don't forget the relocation of the radiator forward in the engine bay.

 

[kennypinkerton]

My radiator is forward too - is there a picture of the firewall mods?

 

[tony barnhill]

I don't have a photo...however, the firewall above the steering is cut at an angle opening room for the rear of the head.

 

[kennypinkerton]

Crap, I thought I had a potential v-8 car in the future - how much you wanna give me for it Tony?

 

[tony barnhill]

The modification to the firewall is pretty simple - I can show you how to do it...just requires a little cutting & welding.

 

[R6MGS]

Definatly 77+ I actaully prefer those cars over all B's(and my collection reflects that) I feel their a nice 'middle ground' between the true sportscar feel of the CB B's and the modern necessities of later sportscars(Miata).
A beautiful late MGB with a factory hardtop is a wonderful car to drive, I don't care how big the bumpers are.

 

[Tom Bedenbaugh]

I can't imagine why a person would think the 77 up is the better MGB. The 75 has a much higher HP motor, twin SU's with a much better exhause header, the early engine mounts, the early style steering wheel, and a rear sway bar is offered as an aftermarket part. It also has the early pedal box without the brake booster. Which in my oppion the only thing the booster offers is something to fail that is NLA.Not to mention the absents of a lot of pluming.

 

[kennypinkerton]

I'm partial to the 77 because I own one... Sorry, I'm only 33 years old, and I do enjoy the bit more modern feel to the car and the engine. That said.... I'd own and drive a 62 in a heartbeat, or even a 67 GT (BGT is high on my list of cars to own too). Comparing my 77 MGB to my 84 Alfa... the Alfa is way more modern and refined feeling (without even looking in the engine compartment). It goes faster, and still feels like a much larger car - which it is not - they are very close in dimensions. The MGB is still very raw feeling compared to even slightly more modern or refined cars, but it's the rawness of it that is appealing... So for those that collect all ages of MGB's, I'll bet that they enjoy the rawness of the early models as compared to the somewhat more refined versions that came out in both 75 and later more refined in 77.

 

[jlaird]

I'll be darned, I always thought the Bugeye was refined because it was so well done. Gesh.