Few cars offer the all round appeal of the MG B and this enduring classic enjoys a huge enthusiast following and the convenience of a vast back up of spare parts thanks to the owners clubs and specialists. You can quite literally get anything for these models which makes them so easy to live with.
The hugely successful follow up to the MGA, the B was penned by MG’s Don Hayter with input from Pininfarina which accounts for its sleek Italianesque lines.
Built under British Leylands ownership, this particular 1970 roadster is powered by the 95bhp 1.8-litre B-series engine mated up to the all synchromesh 4-speed gearbox from the MG C.
Many MG B roadsters boast that they have had a money no object restoration work carried out to them, but this one really has had no expense spared. From an exhaustive restoration in 2005 that included a brand new Heritage bodyshell, the fitment of a Gold Seal engine and overdrive fitted. This car comes with an inch-thick folder of invoices. The current owner has cherished it for 35 years.
The current doctor owner has owned the car for the last 35 years having bought it from a dealer in Walsall and then pressing it into service as a daily driver for commutes to the hospital. The original engine lasted up until 1990 before failing and was then replaced with a Gold Seal engine in around 1990.
Judging by the inch-thick folder of receipts has clearly cherished the car and treated it to whatever it has needed. Prior to his ownership, this MG B had only two previous owners.
The odometer indicates 105,477 miles but the car has had such extensive restoration work that this isn’t very relevant. It has been subject to three major overhauls under the current owner’s car, with the most significant being in 2005 when it was treated to a brand-new Heritage bodyshell and a fresh coat of Old English white paint (when bought the car was red). The paintwork has been resprayed since then and looks factory fresh, while the underside of the car is impressively free from rust.
Period radio linked to high quality modern speakers
Later models of B suffered a rather dull interior with a four-spoke steering wheel and lots of black plastic. Happily, this model sports the earlier crackle-black finished dashboard inset with a complement of clear Smiths instruments, with gauges for revs, speed, fuel level and a neat combination gauge for oil pressure and water temperature. Best of all, the driver gets to grip a delightful Mota-Lita leather wrapped steering wheel and swap the four-synchromesh gears with a stylish MG-branded gearknob.
The front seats appear to have been retrimmed in black leather and are in excellent condition, being free from marks, rips and tears. The driver’s seat looks slightly more lived in than the passenger seat, but is still in near perfect condition.
The carpets were clearly replaced during the restoration work and are in good order, apart from a missing section on the centre tunnel in the driver’s footwell – a five minute fix.
The doorcards have been fitted with uprated Alpine speakers (with rear speaker inset into the front edge of the boot compartment) and link to a period looking Unipart radio. The attractive original centre speaker grille has been retained. The doorcards themselves have a slight sagging look to the vinyl and would benefit from either being upgraded or fettled (parts for this are easily obtained).
Overall, the interior is a comfortable and attractive place to be sat. It begs you to drive it!
Happily this MG roadster escaped the uglier later rubber-bumpers and still sports the elegant chromed bumpers with over-riders. Thanks to all its restoration work and the major plus of Heritage bodyshell, it is free from rust and looks in superb condition from both the underside and upper bodywork. Having been restored using modern materials, it will undoubtedly last longer than the BL-built versions ever did.
It has been treated to a neat and practical stainless steel luggage rack on the boot lid and also comes with a fibreglass hard-top painted in the same shade of Old English white. This has a little paint flaking on the nearside C-pillar. The soft top roof has been replaced previously (probably several time judging by the invoices) and is in good condition apart from a small tear in the clear panel on the nearside rear quarter.
The silver-painted knock-off wire wheels have very slight traces of surface rust and would benefit from a repaint, but this is really nit-picking. All four tyres are Firestone Multihawks in 175/60-R14 size and are dated 2016 and have good tread. As the car is garaged they are free from UV damage and look to be in fine condition.
With excellent brightwork, the smart wire wheels and the gleaming Old English white paintwork, this car looks amazing in the sun and is just begging to be driven.
Many classics hate being moved around for photos, but this MG B didn’t mind a bit. It started easily with a turn of the key and the twin SU carbs sucking through Coopers airboxes gave it a slightly rorty noise. The exhaust has a pleasingly sporty rasp too, making it feel like a real driver’s car.
The current owner services the car regularly and the Gold Seal engine was fitted in around 1990 and looked after carefully ever since.
The restoration work left no stone unturned and the engine bay looks pretty spotless. A polished rocker cover tops off the B-series engine and to keep it cool and reliable an oil cooler has been fitted, together with an electric fan. The coil, spark plugs and HT leads all look recent.
The only minor negatives were a little peeling paint on the radiator and some surface rust on the black painted radiator support and thermostat housing. An hour with a black aerosol would soon sort this and bring the engine bay up to near concours. With everything so accessible, it would be a delight to fettle this engine on a Sunday afternoon.
The current owner reckons it drives perfectly and doesn’t know of any faults with it.
While the logbook might date this car to 1970, thanks to the Heritage bodyshell that was fitted in 2005, it’s actually a much more modern classic and doesn’t have any of the rot and rust issues that afflict many MG Bs. Thanks to a fresh repaint and an immaculate interior it’s in great condition and the owner has clearly lavished attention on it – the history file really is epic. It’s all ready to go and enjoy some fresh motoring adventures.
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1970 MG B roadster
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