What books should I buy?

Looks like Bently, Haynes, and a couple of others are offered. I am going to need a lot of pictures of trim and wireing as well as motor advice. Which ones are the best?

65 MGB

[ 05-24-2002: Message edited by: euclid ]</p>

For the $12 or so it costs, the Haynes manual is hard to beat. Also must haves are Moss Motors & Victoria British' free catalogs. They have exploded assemblies that are sometimes helpful.

For dead-on accuracy and lots of specs and drawings, go with the Bentley manual. I think that amazon.com will have the best price on this one. I got mine (rubber bumper version) for $28 there.

Another good one is Bentley's "MGB Guide to Purchase and DIY Restoration." If you are going to be doing major bodywork it's great to have. Its interior section is also pretty good.

For pictures of perfect cars and all the production history, pick up a copy of Clausager's "Original MGB." You can get that at Barnes & Noble (on County Line)...they have it sometimes.

However, buying all these will cost about $100 so I wouldn't jump right into them all at once. Just get one of the workshop manuals (or both) to get you started and that will be a good reference to atleast get the car in running/ safe driving condition.

That book list is precisely what I had to suggest too. Also add "MGB Restoration Manual" by Haynes, it's a hardback book, pretty thick, and follows an MGB restoration from start to finish, plus a lot of customized features. It's written in the UK so some of the materials and specs they quote are in reference to UK-available materials so you have some "translating" to do sometimes

Also, Greg, don't forget to ask us here! Lots of MG enthusiasts have digital cameras, and are happy to go shoot photos of their cars if you need a picture to see what sonmething is supposed to look like.

I'm not claiming the stuff on my 66 is all "as it should be," especially under the hood, but I'd be happy to send you pictures of any detail you'd like a look at. There's nothing like a photo to really explain where stuff goes. (It can be almost impossible to describe wiring, etc. sometimes.)

Also, absolutely get the Moss and VB catalogues. They are very useful to help identify parts in your car . . . and, of course, will constantly entice you with "ooh, I should get a new one of those!"

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Kim de B:
Also, Greg, don't forget to ask us here! Lots of MG enthusiasts have digital cameras, and are happy to go shoot photos of their cars if you need a picture to see what sonmething is supposed to look like.

I'm not claiming the stuff on my 66 is all "as it should be," especially under the hood, but I'd be happy to send you pictures of any detail you'd like a look at. There's nothing like a photo to really explain where stuff goes. (It can be almost impossible to describe wiring, etc. sometimes.)

Also, absolutely get the Moss and VB catalogues. They are very useful to help identify parts in your car . . . and, of course, will constantly entice you with "ooh, I should get a new one of those!"<hr></blockquote>

And don't forget, if you can put your pics on a server (e.g., home page), you can post them here as well - so that others who follow might benefit as well

Bas

Bentley manuals are my preferred choice-had one for the Midget (still do-it's on my bookshelf!) as well as one for the B. I have a Haynes manual for my '96 Miata, which isn't nearly as nice as the Bentley ones for MGs-the instructions arent as good, IMHO (and I;ve looked at MG ones too, not impressed). Haynes does include photos instead of line drawings, which is nice. Also, "Original MGB" by Anders Clausager is invaluable (but be forewarned-the pictures and stuff in the "Original" series are soooooo cool, you'll buy others for cars you don't even own, just for the pics. I have something like 25 of them now.)
-William