Is the MGB Britain’s Favourite Classic?

Certain classics enjoy a lofty and revered status. Think of the DB5. The Porsche 911. Any Ferrari you care to peruse on these hallowed pages. These are cars that are looked upon by many as the finest fare the classic car world has to offer – and understandably so. But a little lower down are what I call the ‘Fish and Chips’ classics, cars like the MGB, for example.

Cars like the MGB are a little easier to spot and obtain. If your Testarossa represents a gourmet three-course Blumenthal silver-service dinner, then cars like the Citroen 2CV, VW Beetle and the wonderful MGB are very much the affordable, delicious and immediate fix that is our nation’s favourite seaside dish. And, as we all know, sometimes, on the right day, and the right time, Battered Cod and perfectly cooked chunky chips can hit the taste buds and satisfy in a way that even the finest Michelin-starred dish can’t touch.

Besides, the MGB has a pretty stellar CV when you grind down to the brass tacks. Coming in hot off the back of the mighty export success that was the MGA, it continued the that model’s sleeker design language, but mixed it with a more contemporary aesthetic to let it compete squarely with showroom favourites like the Sunbeam Alpine and Triumph TR4a, and in one of those rare ‘lightning in a bottle moments’, every element of the design, mechanicals and even new-fangled unitary construction would gel perfectly, to create a car that the buying public just simply couldn’t get enough of. Something that hasn’t changed to the present day.

It meant over half a MILLION would end up being made. Each one being blissfully simple in its configuration, making it fun to drive and easy to maintain. And that’s also something that hasn’t changed a jot, so if you’re looking for your first starter classic, this is a ruddy marvellous place to start. And we have hundreds of the little gems just one click away for you!

Purists may prefer the chrome bumper look, as per the launch appearance from 1962, but for those on a tighter budget, don’t discount the rubber bumper models that entered the fray in 1974. They may sit a little higher and weigh a little more, but they can represent stunning value in terms of ‘B bang-for-buck, and besides, if you have to park yours out on the street from time to time, you might even be grateful for its ability to shrug off the odd parking nudge.

None of them are particularly fast by modern standards, although a well-maintained example of the 1800cc four-banger should shovel you along quite nicely. This is very much a car to enjoy within the legal speed limit. That said, if you fancy tweaking it with sexy suspension and a little more power, there are a plethora of specialists and parts house that can elevate your car to go toe-to-toe with modern roadsters like the MX5.

And if that isn’t enough, there’s always the heavy-but-silky charm of the 6-cylinder MGC with its 3-litre Austin motor, or the rare V8 models that offer muscle car burbles in the most shapely of packages.
1965 saw the advent of the fabulously styled MGB GT coupe. With a beautifully resolved glasshouse and hatch by no less than Pininfarina, it gave the MGB true year-round practicality, with boot space that still shames many modern day sportscars. Think of it as the Poundland DB5 it was meant to be, and you won’t go far wrong.

There aren’t many classic car questions that this fabulous little thing isn’t the answer to. So, buy one because it’s pretty. Find one because they’re fun to drive. Get one because they’re so easy and cheap to keep on the road, or simply because the social scene is so buoyant. MGBs may indeed be one of the most blindingly obvious classic cars to buy, but that’s simply because they’re just so bloody brilliant as an ownership proposition. I recently had the chance to drive two utterly peachy examples owned by the good people at MGOC Spares, and as the video shows, I really didn’t want to give them back…