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MGB Why 'B' driving? A question for MGB owners...
- Thread starter drooartz
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Steve_S
Yoda
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Well it's a heck of a lot bigger than a bugeye! There is so much to comment on, but I guess the short of it is that the MGB is a solid, reliable and great handling car. The early cars and later ones when desmogged have enough power to get by on but they are no rockets without some performance parts and tuning. It's a great combination of comfortable ride and good performance. Early cars lean more toward performance, later cars toward comfort.
Jay_Nickell
Member
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Why do I drive an MGB? I could buy and drive almost any car available in America. I drive my 1980 MGB because it puts the fun back into driving. I drive it every day, rain or shine. Its an adventure. I drive agresively, but safely. Every jaunt is fun, shifting up and down through the gearbox. Tight cornering, fast "s" curves, ohh's and ahh's from everyone I pass. Driving most cars is more of a chore than a pleasure. Driving an MGB is an adventure, and I don't honestly believe I will ever again drive a boring car.
mattmacklind3
Jedi Hopeful
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Well, I've owned five cars in my life and three were MGB's; one roadster and 2 GT's. Here's my own list of reasons.
1. MGB's are some of the most beautiful cars you can drive for the money, and better looking than many cars costing much more. The GT6 is pretty close, but too small (for me).
2. They are reliable and easy to repair when they need to be.
3. They handle well and are fun to drive, and can be made faster if you want. The weird thing is you feel like you're going faster than you really are. Which is more important? Feelinmg the experience of speed or actually speeding? Some of my friends with V8's seem to think all that matters is how fast you are going objectively, or how fast you can get to 60. I don't get it, like its really a contest out there? Of course, they never autocross their cars, they just like enthusiastic merges I guess.
4. People check out your car, and its not too intimidating or unapproachable to be asked about, which is fun.
5. The history of the marque, you kind of feel tied into it, and not just to MG, to a whole different era of motorsports and so on.
6. They are definitely British as well as European. A different sensability went into the design then all the cars my family had growing up which I hated.
Many of these are true for many other classic sportcars, but the B is easy on its owner generally. Many people think they are a "cliche" classic car, but you know, its not like I see very many day to day. I think I actually see more Ferrari's than I do MG's.
1. MGB's are some of the most beautiful cars you can drive for the money, and better looking than many cars costing much more. The GT6 is pretty close, but too small (for me).
2. They are reliable and easy to repair when they need to be.
3. They handle well and are fun to drive, and can be made faster if you want. The weird thing is you feel like you're going faster than you really are. Which is more important? Feelinmg the experience of speed or actually speeding? Some of my friends with V8's seem to think all that matters is how fast you are going objectively, or how fast you can get to 60. I don't get it, like its really a contest out there? Of course, they never autocross their cars, they just like enthusiastic merges I guess.
4. People check out your car, and its not too intimidating or unapproachable to be asked about, which is fun.
5. The history of the marque, you kind of feel tied into it, and not just to MG, to a whole different era of motorsports and so on.
6. They are definitely British as well as European. A different sensability went into the design then all the cars my family had growing up which I hated.
Many of these are true for many other classic sportcars, but the B is easy on its owner generally. Many people think they are a "cliche" classic car, but you know, its not like I see very many day to day. I think I actually see more Ferrari's than I do MG's.
A
aerog
Guest
Guest
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[ QUOTE ]
Why MGB? If you want reliability and dependability buy a Miata. If you want a car with a soul and a personality get an MGB.
[/ QUOTE ]
Then again I have both.
Why MGB? If you want reliability and dependability buy a Miata. If you want a car with a soul and a personality get an MGB.
[/ QUOTE ]
Then again I have both.
Tim_80B
Member
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I would echo most all of the above, but speed is not important to me. See, I'd love to go the other direction as well and have a bugeye in the stable alongside the MG!! Some day....
Ability to work on the car (I'm learning) and enjoying a nice fall drive along curvy secondary roads - it does not get any closer to heaven than that.
Tim
Ability to work on the car (I'm learning) and enjoying a nice fall drive along curvy secondary roads - it does not get any closer to heaven than that.
Tim
OP
Offline
If I lived where it was flatter, I'd never get rid of my Bugeye. Even in tired stock form, it's plenty fun in the flat areas even taking into account the 55 mph top speed.
I live, however, in the mountains (5550') and the best roads are all mountain passes, going up to 10k'. In that environment, the Bugeye is just too slow (20-30 mph up the hills, overheating all the way). If I could have 2 fun cars, I'd just be considering adding one, but there's only physical and financial room for 1.
The Tunebug is very original, and I'm not really sure I want to get into the engine/transmission/rear end swap with this car to make it more mountain friendly.
I live, however, in the mountains (5550') and the best roads are all mountain passes, going up to 10k'. In that environment, the Bugeye is just too slow (20-30 mph up the hills, overheating all the way). If I could have 2 fun cars, I'd just be considering adding one, but there's only physical and financial room for 1.
The Tunebug is very original, and I'm not really sure I want to get into the engine/transmission/rear end swap with this car to make it more mountain friendly.
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Chicks! It's got to be all the chicks!!
Really, it's a fun car to drive and I can agree with Jaybrid that it is therapy. My car was dormant for so many years and I brought it back to life and am now treating it well and driving it as it should be driven.
I can't wait to get in her and take her for a spin. Not the fastest car on the planet but takes turns on a dime. Great styling in it's design which makes it a unique car to be driving on the roads today.
It turns a lot of heads and I get stopped by people asking me about it and get a ton of "Thumbs up".
It's neat to see the little stains on the garage floor everyday when I take her for a ride. Lets me know she's alive.
Really, it's a fun car to drive and I can agree with Jaybrid that it is therapy. My car was dormant for so many years and I brought it back to life and am now treating it well and driving it as it should be driven.
I can't wait to get in her and take her for a spin. Not the fastest car on the planet but takes turns on a dime. Great styling in it's design which makes it a unique car to be driving on the roads today.
It turns a lot of heads and I get stopped by people asking me about it and get a ton of "Thumbs up".
It's neat to see the little stains on the garage floor everyday when I take her for a ride. Lets me know she's alive.
R6MGS
Yoda
Offline
[ QUOTE ]
Why do I drive an MGB? I could buy and drive almost any car available in America. I drive my 1980 MGB because it puts the fun back into driving. I drive it every day, rain or shine. Its an adventure. I drive agresively, but safely. Every jaunt is fun, shifting up and down through the gearbox. Tight cornering, fast "s" curves, ohh's and ahh's from everyone I pass. Driving most cars is more of a chore than a pleasure. Driving an MGB is an adventure, and I don't honestly believe I will ever again drive a boring car.
[/ QUOTE ]
Don't forget the look on the other motorists faces when you take a corner way faster than most people expect possible.
BTW: If you want something to blast through the mountains with, with enough power to tackle any inclines without any sweat you might want to look at a TR6....Slightly bigger than the MGB and maybe not quite as visually appealing(in my humble opinion at least)...But definatly far superior to the MGB performance wise.......Now I'll hide in my corner before Jaybird sees this /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif
Why do I drive an MGB? I could buy and drive almost any car available in America. I drive my 1980 MGB because it puts the fun back into driving. I drive it every day, rain or shine. Its an adventure. I drive agresively, but safely. Every jaunt is fun, shifting up and down through the gearbox. Tight cornering, fast "s" curves, ohh's and ahh's from everyone I pass. Driving most cars is more of a chore than a pleasure. Driving an MGB is an adventure, and I don't honestly believe I will ever again drive a boring car.
[/ QUOTE ]
Don't forget the look on the other motorists faces when you take a corner way faster than most people expect possible.
BTW: If you want something to blast through the mountains with, with enough power to tackle any inclines without any sweat you might want to look at a TR6....Slightly bigger than the MGB and maybe not quite as visually appealing(in my humble opinion at least)...But definatly far superior to the MGB performance wise.......Now I'll hide in my corner before Jaybird sees this /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif
SilentUnicorn
Yoda
Offline
They drive B's cuz they cant fit in a Midget....../ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif
mark
mark
tony barnhill
Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
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Because I have a few?
OP
Offline
Thanks all for the thoughts. Always interesting to see why folks end up in the cars that they do. I keep learning more about what I do (and don't) like to do with these little cars, so my list of what a car should be keeps changing. I didn't grow up with these cars, so I'm only just learning what each one is good at. Wish I could afford one of each for a summer, so I could sample them all and see which was a better fit for me. As the budget is tight, I have to make do with serial ownership.
It's all good fun. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
It's all good fun. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
tony barnhill
Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
Offline
You know, I've often asked myself what car I'd be interested in if it weren't for my MG's...love my 380SL but its not the same...I've owned several GT6's, a Jag, a couple of TR6's, an Alfa but I always sell them & go back to my MG's (but I still yearn after every GT6 I see)...wonder whether the Daimler I just bought will make the cut!