Dan Wood's MGB GT

We all dream of owning vintage iron, of rumbling along in a piece of automotive history, of being the envy of car nuts everywhere we go. Well, we can. There are truly affordable classics out there. And I’m going to find them. Welcome to Classic Review.

Don’t fear the MGB GT. It is not a finicky piece of questionable British engineering possessed by the Prince of Darkness, Joseph Lucas. It is a beautiful little beast, a punchy and snarling sports car with the refined manners of a grand tourer.

I’ve always loved the MGB GT. The little hatchback lured me in at an early age with its low-slung body and toy proportions—it’s just the right size for a 10 year old. It had a permanent spot in my fantasy garage next to 240Zs, Opel GTs and anything else on my scale.

As I grew, I recognized the brilliance of the GT. It’s simply stunning, the perfect union of British sports car purity and Italian aesthetics. MG had Pininfarina pen the top half of the GT and it is, arguably, the best-looking shooting brake ever made.

Mechanicals

The MGB was released in ’62. It’s a mishmash of modern automotive engineering and stodgy British mechanicals. It was one of the first cars to feature a lightweight monocoque body with crumple zones. It had disk brakes up front and precise rack-and-pinion steering. But it stubbornly held onto leaf springs in the rear, quirky lever shocks and an iron OHV engine.

The engine is a torquey little pushrod mill with two valves per cylinder. The only thing that makes it sporty is a pair of SU carbs. It’s rated at 95 hp at 5,500 rpm and 105 torques at 2500 rpm.  The engine is backed by a four-speed manual transmission with an optional overdrive unit.

An Armstrong lever shock. They were actually engineered to leak oil. Still, they're compact and effective.

Variations

In 1973, MG decided that they’d had enough of the Jag guys’ snickering and stuffed a honking-great aluminum 3.5-liter Rover V8 under the GT’s bonnet. At the time it was the lightest mass-produced V8 in the world, weighing just 318 pounds. It produces 137 hp and 193 torques. The combo makes a vengeful little monster that can easily dice it up with Jags and Astons. Unfortunately, the MGB GT V8 was only sold in the UK.

The MGC was sold in the sates, however. It has a 2.9-liter straight six that puts out 145 hp. But the engine is heavy—200 pounds heavier than the stock four and the MGC isn’t much quicker than the MGB. Some say the added weight throws the MGC’s handling off.  Others say the six delivers silky smooth power across a wide power band, making the MGC a fantastic tourer.

MGCs are around, but they’re rare. MGB GT V8 conversions are also available, featuring everything from aluminum Buick 215s to SBCs. For this review, I stuck with the base four-cylinder MGB. It’s the most common, and thus the most affordable, variation.

Test Drive

When I decided to write these classic car reviews, the GT topped my list. To find one, I hopped on the MG Experience, a site for chaps and dames committed to keeping old British sports cars in tip-top shape. Within a few days I had a Central Oregon MG expert on the horn.

Dan Wood is a retired engineering and construction genius with his very own private auto shop. And he knows MGs—every lever shock, leaf spring, carb, cam and conrod ever used in the little cars. His current obsession is a slinky little 1970 MGB-GT in arrest-me red. It’s not stock, but it’s not far off. Upgrades include better shocks and brakes, some engine tuning, a rumbly exhaust, new wiring (of course) and a nice set of wheels and tires. It’s the kind of car that begs to be tossed through turns, to be driven with a combination of anger and glee.

Once you’re behind the wheel of the MGB GT you realize that the engineers at British Leyland knew what they were doing. The engine growls and pulls like an English bulldog. The steering is light and precise. The ride is smooth and body lean is minimal. The thing drives like an angry NA Miata. It’s a blast.

Bringing the little car to a halt, however, can be harrowing. Earlier GTs lacked power brakes, requiring Herculean effort to stop 220o-pound car in a hurry. It’s not that the brakes are bad. We’ve just grown weak on a diet of power brakes. Thankfully, power brakes can be added, giving weak-legged guys like me a much-needed boost.

Overall, the MGB GT is a pleasure to drive. It’s quick, nimble and smooth. It easily matches the NA Miata in the fun category and is more practical to boot. The little hatch hides quite a bit of storage space and the rear shelf/seat can accommodate a small child (just install proper seat belts and drive safely). In fact, I would say the MGB GT would make a fine daily driver.

What’s that? Reliability? Oh, yes. Reliability may be an issue.

Maintenance

MG maintenance is not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. You just need to be involved, invested, maybe a little obsessed. These cars were made to be tinkered with, to be maintained by loving owners. Jeremy Clarkson once joked that MG owners enjoy getting oil under their fingernails more than driving. If you buy an MG, you better like wrenching. Fine-tuning carburetors and replacing worn wiring is part of the ownership experience and it creates a bond between car and owner.

Plus, MGs are easy to work on. We’re talking basic tech here and parts abound. An MG is fantastic car for someone who wants to learn about wrenching. And there are plenty of great teachers out there to help you learn.

I spent a weekend with Dan and a crew of other MG owners who drove their machines in from all over Oregon. The crew rallied around the hydraulic lift to scrutinize suspension bits and brake parts. The density of mechanical and automotive knowledge in that shop was at white dwarf levels. These guys know their stuff—and more. After the repairs and upgrades were complete, we talked cars, airplanes, boats, steam trains, tanks, WWII, computers and more late into the night. I mention this because these are the type of guys who own MGs and if you ever buy one, you’ll be invited to join the club. The community is a huge part of owning an MG and, in a word, it’s awesome.

Pricing

So let’s talk price. Based on Craigslist, eBay and MG Experience browsing, nice MGB-GT drivers can be found for between $3,000 and $5,000. Restored MGB-GTs go for around $8,000.

The elephant in the room is, of course, the Miata. Nice NA Miatas can be had for the same price and they won’t require even a fraction of the wrenching. They’re faster, handle better and stop better. They’re incredibly fun cars. With such a plentiful supply of awesome Miatas out there, why would anyone buy an MGB GT?

If you’re asking that question, an MG is not for you. Yes, it makes more sense to buy a Miata. But Miatas do not have the same affect on the respiratory and nervous systems. They do not take your breath away. They do not make your ventricles ache. They do not create a happy chemical imbalance in your brain. Purchasing a classic car like the MGB GT does not make logical sense. But it does make emotional sense. And when it comes to cars, what matters more?

My Grandmother used to have this green carpet in her house that was perfect for rolling my Matchbox and Hotwheels cars around on. It was low cut and green and for some reason it left imprints of the wheel marks in it when I would run them through it. That was over 35 years ago and believe it or not but that carpet helped cement me as a die-hard car enthusiast. It’s funny what gets us into cars. Perhaps a particular event in time sparks our interest. Or maybe it was a person or situation. Other times though it could simply be the sound of a well tuned engine. The following video is the story of Roger Gisseman and his love of British cars. Gisseman is the type of enthusiast who not only keeps the hobby going strong, but thanks to his eclectic taste, makes it a bit more enjoyable for everyone by throwing in a little variety.

Source: RalfBecker.com

Recently, I attended the Carlisle Import and Kit Nationals show at the Carlisle Fairgrounds in Pennsylvania. Held every May, this show features a vast array of meticulously maintained classic British, European and Japanese cars, exemplary examples of their more modern kin, as well as a beautiful collection of kit cars.  As far as sheer variety in makes, models and years, hands down, this show can’t be beat.

This has become something of an annual treat for me as I can think of few better ways to spend a weekend than by gazing at a gleaming sea of jaw-droppingly stunning automobiles, many of which I guarantee you won’t find at other shows. Plus, participation is open to anyone with an import or a kit car – all you have to do is register, make your car pretty and show up. It’s a great opportunity to display your cherished ride and meet other aficionados of your favorite marques.

I used to come down to show my Saab and hang out with the Saab contingent that makes it out every year. But even though I have a Subaru now, it’s just so much fun that I continue to make the trip to Carlisle (my WRX was parked over by the lone DeLorean, if you happened to be there). Volvo, BMW and Audi clubs also traditionally have a large showing so the weekend is packed with the cars you love, cars you haven’t seen before, your friends from the forums, barbeques – it’s a good time for everyone.  So, if you’re not too far out from Pennsylvania, I definitely recommend heading out there next May to check out the Carlisle Import and Kit Nationals. To tide you over, provided for your viewing pleasure are some of my favorite cars of the weekend. Enjoy!

Lancia Scorpion

Matte black Volvo V70R

Opel GT and Opel Kadett Coupe

Volvo P1800S

Saab 9-3 Viggens

Ferrari 360 Modena and 328GTS

Citroën 2CV and Smart Roadster Coupe

Gorgeous Audi Quattro

Fiat 124 Spider Abarth

Twin-charged Audi A1

Volvo S60Rs

Saab 99 Turbo

Badass Volvos: PV544 and 142

DKW Junior de Luxe - DKW/Dampf-Kraft-Wagen became one of the four companies that comprised the "Audi NSU Auto Union AG" (now known as Audi AG).

Triumph TR8 and TR6s

Saab 96 V4 convertible - must have been a custom job.

Bimmer Beauties

Datsun 280ZX 10th Anniversary Edition

Citroën H Van and DS

Audi A7

Honda Z600 / 600 Coupe

Saab Sonetts

Datsun SPL311 Roadster

Opel GT

Hey, those exhausts aren't stock! Photo: Hemmings Motor News

At first glance, this looks like just another recently restored MG BGT, wearing mid-70s U.S. spec rubber bumpers and a set of Minilite wheels. The car seems to be lowered a bit, and it’s not until you take in the rear 3/4 view that your mind starts screaming, “Danger, Will Robinson. Danger!” Are those dual exhausts poking out from under the GT’s rear bumper? Why would anyone in their right mind do a dual exhaust conversion on a car that left the factory with a smog-equipment-choked, 1.8 liter inline four that made about 94 horsepower in U.S trim? And that’s when it hits you: there’s more to this car than meets the eye.

A V8 in an MGB GT? Yes, please. Photo: Hemmings Motor News

Pop the hood, and you realize that the 1.8 liter four cylinder has been chucked to the curb, in favor of a 266 cubic inch V8. The seller doesn’t make any horsepower claims, since the car is offered as part of an estate sale and intimate details are lacking. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that horsepower is “more than enough to provide hours of entertainment turning tires into smoke”. The V8 conversion, and indeed the restoration of the car itself, appears to be reasonably fresh, top shelf work. That makes the asking price of $21,995 seem rather reasonable for this Hemmings listing, assuming the car drives as good as it looks.

Looks innocent from this angle. Photo: Hemmings Motor News

Interior looks relatively unmolested. Photo: Hemmings Motor News

The previous owner probably got the conversion idea from MG, who built a UK-only MG BGT with a 3.5 liter Rover V8 from 1973 to 1976. The aluminum block V8 motor actually weighed some 40 pounds less than the GT’s cast iron four, making the car less nose heavy with the bigger motor than with the original inline four. I suspect that’s the case with this GT as well, and I sure would like to take it for an extended test drive.

Come live vicariously through us as we, the most prestigious automotive blog in the world, grace the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance with our stately presences. We’re sure to be the star attractions – forget the live unveiling of several never-before-seen new cars, and the endless rows of priceless works of automotive art sprawled out on the golf course greens like so many unobtanium sandtraps. Surely Jay Leno and the other celebrities will probably manage to jostle themselves into the photos of our expert appraisals of the class frontrunners, but we won’t be too upset. We’ll take a break from being the life of the Concours every so often to update you, our faithful readers. So check back often, and follow us at http://twitter.com/ridelust and in our Pebble Beach live coverage to catch all of the latest updates.

Remember that old email about the New York man who bought land in Portugal and found a mysterious barn full of old cars on it? Well that story is bunk, although with a delicious nugget of truth in the center, as usual. Instead of being a magical mystery barn that some lucky fool found on his newly purchased land, it actually just belongs to an old man who owned a car dealership in the 70s and 80s. He decided to save the more interesting cars that he came across during his life.

The pictures came about on the internet because the owner hadn’t seen his collection for a while and asked a man to go take pictures of the barn and the cars for him, and he did. According to that guy, there are 180 cars in the barn.

Check out the actual pictures:

Here’s what the old completely false email used to look like:

A New York man retired. He wanted to use his retirement money wisely, so it would last, and decided to buy a home and a few acres in Portugal. The modest farmhouse had been vacant for 15 years; the owner and wife both had died, and there were no heirs.

The house was sold to pay taxes.

There had been several lookers, but the large barn had steel doors, and they had been welded shut. Nobody wanted to go to the extra expense to see what was in the barn, and it wasn’t complimentary to the property anyway… so, nobody made an offer on the place.

The NY guy bought it at just over half of the property’s worth; moved in, and set about to tear in to the barn – curiosity was killing him. So, he and his wife bought a generator and a couple of grinders… and cut thru the welds.

What was in the barn? Don’t miss it!

And, of course, the pictures:

You can see the entire collection of pictures here

MG TF Roadster

After China’s Nanjing Automobile Corporation bought the ailing MG Rover back in 2005, all traces of new production had virtually disappeared. Three years later, MG’s ghost town of a plant in Longbridge, England has begun to churn out cars again, though in a very small capacity. According to NAC MG’s Sales & Marketing Director, Gary Hagen, the small number of TF Roadsters currently being assembled are meant to serve as the comeback kids for the MG line. Originally, a slightly over-ambitious NAC MG had plans to introduce the MG TF Roadster to the United States, but Sales & Marketing Director Gary Hagen reportedly told UK’s Austin Rover that the U.S. “just isn’t on the short-term radar as an anticipated market for us.”

According to Hagen, MG is planning 4 new models, the first of which is slated for launch in 2010 and will share the Roewe 550 platform. “After that,” Hagen continued, “There will be a C-Segment compact and a B-Segment supermini.” Although an eventual North American launch is still very much in the cards, MG is wisely opting to regain their footing on their home turf before throwing themselves into the cutthroat U.S. market.

[Source: Austin-Rover UK]

Cameron: “The 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California, less than 100 were made. My father spent 3 years restoring this car. It is his love, it is his passion…”
Ferris: “It is his fault he didn’t lock the garage.”

Cameron was right, less than 100 of the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyders were made. In fact, a car like Cameron’s dad’s is so rare, it’d sell for somewhere in the $2.5 million range, if it were real. Unfortunately, since the car was/is so insanely expensive, the makers of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off couldn’t even afford to rent one. So they hired an outside design company called Modena Design and Research to fabricate the Ferrari body out of fiberglass.


The MG MGB. This is the model that Modena Design used as the frame for the replica Ferrari 250 GT California in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”

Modena did it up perfectly, put the fiberglass body on the frame of an MG MGB, and gave it a Mustang 5.0 engine; so the replica was actually a badass car in its own right. Sadly, Ferrari actually sued Modena Design for using all the real logos and apparently Modena had to shut down to avoid paying Ferrari damages.

Abe Froman, The Sausage King of Chicago

If it were a California Spyder though, the crash scene would have made Ferris Bueller’s Day Off a intestine-bothering horror film. The 250 GT California was essentially the same car as the competition Ferrari’s out on the racetrack; it shared it’s drive train with the 250 GT that won the Tour de France, it had the same chassis, same 140 mph performance, same aluminum bodywork, and same simple racing style interior with no luxuries. It was a beautiful, amazing, rare Ferrari, and if you have the money, it’s worth every penny of the 2.5 million it’d cost to buy one today.

Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte

Life goes by pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

This stunning blue 1939 MG TB was the recipient of numerous honors at this years Hilton Head Island (HHI) Concours d’Elegance on Honey Horn Plantation. Already with in possession of a Best of Class award from the 2006 Amelia Island Concours and a Best of Show award out of a field of 380 MG’s in Gatlinburg, the HHI judges bestowed just a few more on this exquisite exhibitor. For 2007 this Historic survivor from a pre-war era was awarded a Palmetto ribbon for excellence, a Driving Tour award and at the end of the day it received Best of Class honors yet again.

The 1939 MG TB on display at Honey Horn Plantation has had quite a journey before reaching the hands of Leonard and Suzie Star of Hudson, Ohio. It was only 1 of 60 Tickford bodied cars built in 1939 before the UK entered the war and all automotive plants made the switch to building munitions. Of those 60 MG TB’s there are only 25 remaining in existence today. There had been 5 owners over the last 38 years of this particular car, including some time over in Australia, before the Star’s acquired the car and had it shipped tot he states in 2002.

There are more honors to come for this Historic 1939 MG TB but for now just enjoy some photos of this old charmer.

[myginpage=11042007-hhic]