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MGB Help establishing MGB value...

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Scott_Hower

Scott_Hower

Luke Skywalker
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Esteemed MG colleagues,

A friend has asked me to help sell her MGB. I went and looked at it last night and here's what I found:

The basics:
73 chrome bumper B (early 73 production)
speedo says 68k miles
black tulip paint (original color?)
ochre interior/carpet (light yellowish)
original engine/carbs/air cleaners (18V672Lnnnn)
(I did not try to turn the engine, forgot my socket)

The good:
aluminum hood (straight, no dents/creases)
extra steel hood included
new honeycomb grille in the box (complete assy)
reupholstered seats and panels (new, by a trim shop)
reupholstered arm rests (same trim shop)
roll of extra vinyl (matches panels)
major bodywork complete
minor dings glazed and spot primed (looks like a leopard)
outer sills/doglegs repaired
lower front fenders repaired
solid floors, no holes, pass side is patched
no rot in the trunk or battery boxes (no battery)
clear windshield, installed
good tonneau and boot cover, no rips
all gauges and switchgear intact
all smog equip intact (airpump in box)
all bumpers and overriders (w/ all brackets)
clean PA title


The bad:
no overdrive
very dusty engine bay (and everything else)
cracked dash top (face is good)
some interesting DIY wiring
decent top, cloudy windows
carpet is Ok, not great. Not installed.
rusty Monza exhaust, on the floor, may be trash
wire wheels, dirty/scaly and need paint (spare too)
aftermarket steering wheel/shift knob
inner sills were not patched, dunno why.
doors need to be properly hung
will need paint and finish bodywork
personally, I would patch the inner sills

Car seems to be complete/all there, less one horn and some minor brightwork (I could not find the door handles and rear deck claws). The interior parts are all in boxes. Looks like it was striped, body work completed, then parked and subsequently forgotten. Has been sitting at least 10 years in home garage on jackstands, uncovered. To my mind, it is too nice to be a parts car, will need some minor bodywork to repair a few overlooked bits and a ding or two from garage accidents over time. I would certainly weld patches to the inner sills.

I'm thinking $2000-2500 might be a fair price. I can post a couple of photos if thats Ok. Thoughts or comments?
 
Scott - hate to pop the bubble but around here its hard to get $1000 for a non-running MG....that one sounds like a serious project car...here are my observations based on your description:

* the upholstery, though new 10 years ago, is a plus only if the material & pattern match the original; otherwise its a negative.

* the "DIY" wiring calls out for a new harness so also lowers the value.

* top, though not torn, has cloudy windows & has probably shrank/is hard so isn't a plus; same with tonneau/boot - they've been folded in one place for 10 years means they've shrunk & are probably dry rotted.

* old carpet is also probably dry rotted.

* the fact that the inner sills still have rust would cause me to question the quality of the other repairs & also reduce the price.

* 10 years parked means every system has to be gone through to verify they are in working condition & all will probably need overhauling.

* Black Tulip/Ochre is the correct color.

* speedo mileage is irrevalent.

I know she doesn't want to hear it; however, were it me, I'd total up the value of the new parts that are still in boxes & combine that with about $750 for the car to come up with a value.

Photos would be helpful though.
 
I think Tony is right. That kind of money for a non runner, plus being disassembled might be kind of hard to take. But I have watched some truly scary cars go for decent money at auctions. Might also consider ebaying the parts and the car in separate auctions.
 
Thanks, Tony. I don't think she's really worried about the value per-se, just that she's getting a fair price for what she's got.

Forgot to mention... I also found a NOS dashboard HZA-1953, I think. Not a pad, this is a complete NOS dashboard that has never been installed, still has vinyl shrunk over the switchgear and airvent holes. I've seen the repro pads that glue onto the steel frame, this is the whole enchilada (pad, frame) with the B/L part number still on it.

I figure that's worth a couple hundred on eBay to a concours/originality nut?
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]Might also consider ebaying the parts and the car in separate auctions. [/QUOTE]

If you don't find an enthusiast who wants the whole sheebang, that's the way to go...understand though, when you sell the parts separate from the car, the car becomes a $500-$750 project.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]I figure that's worth a couple hundred on eBay to a concours/originality nut?[/QUOTE]

Yep, that may be the most valuable item there especially if its a BL OE part - I'd love to see a photo of that item!
 
Good advice on eBay parting. She's not eBay savy so this will likely fall to me to do. No biggie.

I figure she may have almost as much in parts than in the car.

I'll post a photo of the dash later tonight. I nearly wet my pants when I saw the vinyl across the airvent opening and the HZAnnnn part number on it. It is clearly not a repro. In fact, it fits my car, so I may just buy it.

Also found a set of NOS top/tonneau covers, but for a Midget. Still in the bags, never unfolded. Plus a nice pair of original fibreboard underdash liners. Those are headed for eBay for sure.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]Plus a nice pair of original fibreboard underdash liners.[/QUOTE]

Those I could use!
 
Wonder'd just what that rig was.


...shoulda known it weren't under-sink plumbing like I first thought. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/devilgrin.gif
 
lol

now excuse me while I go clean up... that dash pad... ~drool~
 
I loike the underdash covers....but I'm not certain that the dash is NOS - it coud be a cover that's been applied to an old dash.....I almost think that's what it is...what does the box look like?
 
Tony - send me a PM on the liners.

Dash has been in the basement for at least 15 years, long before the repro glue-on pads have been available from Moss, et al. I know my MGB bits, this is the real McCoy.
 
A good topic,but a bit discouraging. Makes me wonder what my car is worth.I was thinking of bailing out but now not sure.What it is, is a 71 B just a rolling tub with all sheet metal attached.New fenders,front/backs.Inner/outer sills/floors/front valence.Hood,one dent,excellent trunk.Some surface rust on floors,minor storage dents from sitting unfinished for years in storage.All welding done and straight.The car was painted,but needs it again. I was going to include a very rusty parts car.If it has little value as it sits, I will either finish it ,..or let it sit. WAY to much labor and parts and money to sell for the above suggested prices. I realize this is the way of the world works some times, but I can wait until the right persons wants it. If you guys think its only worth under a grand or less thats OK. No feelings hurt. I have appx 7 other projects in about the same condition,unfinished in my barn. Are they all just"parts" cars. Say it aint so.
 
Its so hard to determine value because the general public has such a varying opinion of them. I got a solid BGT daily driver for 1500 dollars, whereas someone else wanted to sell me a bondo'd roadster that had "minor issues keeping it from running" for 2500.

The kelley blue book throws it even more out of wack when they say low retail on roadsters is like 4800 bucks, but very few people I know spend that kind of money on them.

I guess the answer is that there is no answer? LOL
 
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