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Parts car compatibilty

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allavdj

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I've been searching for a parts car to help bring my little MGB back to life.

Mine is a '75, which other years offer the most in compatible parts? I'm thinking around '73 through about '77 or '78 just by poking through the catalogs.

Thanks,

Derrick
 
the oldest you'll want to go if you want to keep the stock engine bits is '74.5. The stock carburetion on a '75 is a single Zenith-Stromberg carburetor. '76 is the last year that they used your dash in the car, so that's the newest you'll want to go if you want to keep the stock dash.

If you want to change the carburetion and intake/exhaust manifolds on the car, you should be able to go all the way to 1972. I believe all the light lenses are compatible all the way to 1969(?) for a stock appearance. However, I think the interior of the car changed a couple times after 1969 before you car. So, maybe 1973 for interior bits.

hmmmm... Well, looks like 1974.5 to 1976 if you want everything to remain stock. But you can add in 1973 if you want to change out the carburetion system for twin SUs.

HTH
 
I was actually thinking of going with a dual SU setup since the Zenith that is in the car is going to require some major TLC to get it back up to spec.

So '73 to '76 then? At least that opens up my options a bit.
 
if yer dead set on twin SUs '73 and '74 would be yer best bet I would think since they came with the carbs you want.
 
Depends on whether you want to keep it wimpy stock or improve things. Dual carbs, HIF4s stopped at 74.5 and started with 72. Prior to that HS4 were fitted. Either setup will increase your performance.
 
'74.5 - '76....body/interior's pretty much the same, engine is "quicker" because of HIF-4's...only other thing you might look at changing off a different car is sway bar setup.

Gerry - good to see you over here - you need to come more frequently - we need you!
 
"wimpy stock" ?!?!

heheheeee. Tony's right. You NEED to be around here more often.
 
Thanks for the tip(s) and help! I'm not going so much for performance at the moment, this is my first real resto, so I'm just going for "working"

Derrick
 
The problem as I see it is not so much whether it's stock or not, rather that amount of fun someone get from driving a car. Driving a car with 95 horsepower is more fun than driving one with 65 horsepower. In years gone by, I've seen MG's the blunt of many jokes because the later years were so anemic. How many Miatas do you think Mazda would sell if they only had 65 horsepower? If they tried, the Miata would be dropped due to lack of sales in a year. I wonder how many former B owners moved on to other toys because of the lack of performance of the later cars? MGB could not, and did not, survive on looks alone
 
Purchase price, ride height (read: 'roll center') and G.V. Weight went steadily up as engine HP output went steadily down. Along with sales.

Yup, there's a definite relationship.
 
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