Ask anyone who owns an open-top sports car and they’ll wax lyrical about the wind in your hair, sky above, the road unspooling ahead and how they turn every drive into something you remember.
And while the car world is a moving feast of fashion and fads, great convertibles somehow outlast the trends – keeping that same sense of style, generation after generation.
Take Mazda’s MX-5, a very common sight on our roads and largely unchanged 37 years on.
Before that, the MGB earned the same kind of loyalty with an 18-year production run and 9000 sales in Australia.
Built from the early 1960s through to 1980, the MGB remains a popular choice for collectors and those wanting a weekend toy, thanks to its affordability, inexpensive and readily available parts supply, simple mechanicals, and a mountain of workshops and marque experts to call on.
Launched in September 1962 as a soft-top roadster, the MGB stepped in as the modern successor to the mid ’50s MGA. It was shorter and wider than the car it replaced and its squat stance aided its road manners and ride.
Codenamed MG EX205 when development began in 1958 at the MG Abingdon facility in England, the MGB utilised a unitary body for extra strength, rather than the body-on-frame design found on the MGA and MG T types.
To minimise costs, the brakes and suspension were developments of those found on the MGA, and the B-Series engine of the ‘B’ can trace its roots way back to 1947.
The MGB had a far more comfortable cabin, offering vastly superior legroom to its predecessor and to carry small items, a parcel shelf was fitted behind the seats.
Powering the MGB was a B-Series engine that was essentially a bored-out version of the MGA donk, with displacement increasing from 1622 to 1798cc. Putting out a respectable 95 horses, the twin 38mm SU carby fed engine started life with a three-bearing crankshaft, and in late October 1964 went to a five-bearing crankshaft. The same engine was fitted to the Austin 1800 ‘Landcrab.’
From 1962 to 1967 drivers had to know what they were doing changing gears as there was no synchro on first, the ’box was another carried over and upgraded MGA part. A full-synchro box was added in 1968. An optional electronic overdrive was offered.
Hauling up an MGB was the job of 280mm solid front discs and rear drum brakes. Lockheed made the twin-piston front calipers and prior to 1968, a single-circuit hydraulic system was used. After that a dual-circuit system was fitted. The ‘B’ rode on beautiful 14-inch wire-spoke wheels.
Although it was a sports car by definition, the MGB was never about outright performance. Sixty-miles-per-hour took a leisurely 11 seconds to reach from standstill, with top speed of a tad over 100mph, providing you could find a sufficiently long and flat road.
Big changes came in 1968 with the arrival of the MkII MGB, sporting a new gearbox, an optional (and unpopular) auto transmission, a new rear axle, and an alternator replacing the dynamo due
to a change to a negative-
earth system. The new gearboxes required significant alterations to the floorpan, resulting in a flat-topped transmission tunnel.
The MGB was assembled in Australia for nine years from 1963 with approximately 9000 sold. The cars were assembled from complete knock-down kits shipped from England. Initial assembly was performed by the Pressed Metal Corporation, at its Enfield facility, but was moved to BMC Australia’s Zetland plant in 1968. Australian assembly ended in 1972 due to draconian government tariffs and local content mandates.
The decision to discontinue the MGB came about due to poor sales of the Triumph TR7, also in the British Leyland portfolio. The reasoning was the MGB was stealing TR7 sales, so stopped MGB production. That did nothing for TR7 sales, and it was also axed not long after.
The owner of this delightful 1972 model is Wayne Cully. It was previously owned by his father-in-law who acquired it in 1992 from MG Workshops of Melbourne, after a comprehensive restoration prior to purchase. Wayne has owned the red ‘B’ since 2007 and in that time has only driven it 3000 miles.
Wayne says it’s a great little motor car and his wife loves it as well. As they knew the car, its history and the work that had been done to it and that it was basically problem free, they decided to keep it.
“I’ve only done 3000 miles in it since I purchased it in 2007,” says Wayne, “and the reason for that has been a lack of time to do so.
“I don’t drive it in the rain. It only comes out on nice sunny days (laughs) when we can enjoy driving it with the roof off.
“On a day like today (warm and sunny mid 20s) and given the condition of the car, there’s nothing better. It drives way better than a modern car as you, as the driver are part of it and it scoots through roundabouts like it’s on rails.
“Everybody that sees the car gives you a wave which is always nice. It’s a good fun little car to drive. It has the 1800 motor with the twin SU carburettor on it and the electric overdrive in the manual transmission, so it is a lot of fun to drive and gets along pretty well as there’s a decent level of performance.
One of Wayne’s favourite destinations is Mount Macedon, where he and his wife drive to every now and then.
“When we had the house at Sorrento, we’d always enjoy a drive across the Mornington Peninsula to Redhill and Flinders, and take in tours of the wineries and restaurants in the region.
“Even at Sorrento with all the supercars parked in the main street the MGB got more than its fair share of admiring looks. The rego plates, OLD MG, also help it stand out.”
Wayne says the car is largely original, but his father-in-law wanted a more original look, so the chrome wire wheels replaced the standard 1972 rims.
Although Wayne has travelled a mere 3000 miles in it over the past 19 years the MGB was recently back at MG Workshops where it had a new clutch fitted and a gearbox seal replaced. The radiator was also reconditioned, the carbies removed and rebuilt with new needles and seats and gaskets and seals.
“Because it doesn’t get used that often, it does require a bit of upkeep,” Wayne says.
“I haven’t had any trouble at all with it. It’s been very reliable.
“I have a trickle charger on it because it’s still running two 6V batteries and it isn’t used that often. Maintenance wise it hasn’t been problematic at all. It’s not an old Jag, thank god!
“My father-in-law drove far more than I did. He was a member of the MG Car Club, and he would go on events in Tasmania and to Adelaide with his mates who also owned MGs. The odometer shows 10,500 miles since it’s total rebuild in 1992.
“It’s terrific to drive. I’m used to driving manual as my other car is a SS Commodore Redline Ute,” Wayne said.
“The MG is fun to drive. It steers where you point it and pulls up okay, but you’ve gotta be aware that the brakes are from 1972 not 2026 and braking distances must be fairly long.
“It’s very comfortable, and actually the only thing is it’s a bit short on interior space and once you put the roof with the frame and the tonneau in the boot, there’s no space, so you’ve got to put your bags on the shelf behind the seats if you are going for an overnight stay.
“People think it must be frightening on freeways, but I always make sure if I have a truck alongside me I don’t stay there for too long, in case he doesn’t look down.
“Other than that, it’s very pleasant on the freeway and cruises along very happily with no issues at all. When my father-in-law bought the car back in 1992 MG Workshops fitted an electric fan, so we can still drive it on a warm day.”
After many years of ownership Wayne has made the hard decision, the time has come for the MGB to have a new custodian, as he is eyeing a new project.
See tradeuniquecars.com.au for the listing.
CHECKLIST
Body / Chassis
Rust can attack the floors, sills, wheel arches, boot, battery box and behind the headlights. If it gets to the firewall and suspension mounting points, a new shell may be the only remedy. Decent original bumpers can be difficult to find but new reproduction steel bars can be found locally for approximately $600 each. New rear light assemblies for either series cost about $550 per pair. The vinyl soft-top needs to be inspected in place and then lowered so a potential buyer can see how it needs to be folded to avoid damage.
Engine & Transmission
Five-bearing versions of the B-Series engine are extremely durable. Clattering at start-up is likely to be nothing more serious than tappets needing adjustment, but be wary of exhaust smoke from engines that haven’t run for a while and may have cracked or sticking piston rings. Overheating can be cured in most instances by chemically cleaning the radiator and spending $130 on a new water pump. Everything needed for a complete engine rebuild is still available from local suppliers and relatively cheap. The gearshift can be sloppy due to worn linkages, so make sure gears engage easily. Clutch shudder is usually a symptom of component wear, but look also for tired gearbox or engine mounts.
Suspension & Brakes
Underneath, an MGB can look pretty tatty yet the car will still handle and stop okay – until there’s a major failure. Check that wire wheels, where fitted, are not slipping their splined hubs and that there aren’t too many broken spokes. Neglected maintenance can cause king-pin and axle bush wear at the front. Note any ‘chatter’ from the front over rougher surfaces and look for edge-worn tyres. Cracked rear spring leaves are common, as are soggy shock absorbers, but neither is difficult or expensive to replace. Check the brakes by resting your foot on the pedal for 30 to 60 seconds; having it sink to the floor will indicate a leak somewhere.
Interior / Electrical
As mentioned earlier, the factory soft-top does a fairly slack job of keeping moisture out of MGB interiors. Dampness is responsible for all manner of costly repairs, causing trim damage and hampering an already struggling electrical system. A musty smell once some heat starts radiating from the gearbox is the first clue, but also check for surface rust or moisture under the seats and dash. Early steering wheels crack around the spoke attachment points, and instruments frequently give false readings or do not work at all. Test-driving a B at night isn’t a bad idea so you can see which warning lights pulse or flicker.
VITAL STATS
- Number made: 512,880
- Body: All-steel combined body/chassis two-door sedan and coupe
- ENGINE: 1.8-litre inline four-cylinder w/ overhead valves, twin or single sidedraft carburettors
- Power & Torque: 72kW at 5400rpm, 148Nm at 3000rpm
- Performance: 0-96km/h 11.2sec; 0-400 metres: 18.1sec (Mark 2 manual)
- Suspension: Front: Independent w/ coil springs, control arms and telescopic shock absorbers. Rear: Live axle w/ semi-elliptic springs and telescopic shock absorbers
- Brakes: Disc/drum, some w/ power assistance
- Tyres: 165SR13 radials
- Contact: MG clubs in every state. www.mgb-register.org
