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| MGB L Roadster, 1971 |
Related Posts ==> Other MG Reviews
I was casually looking at buying a convertible sports car again, something I'd done a lot off and on over the years. In my youth I owned a Datsun 2000S Fairlady for 10 years, which in a moment many times regretted it got sold.
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| The Datsun 2000S I had looked just like this when I finished though mine had chrome steel rims. |
My search was starting to get a bit more serious. Mazda MX5's were high on the list and really there isn't much else in the market unless older classic cars are added to the search criteria which I wasn't 100% sure I wanted to go down the path of fixing and working on old cars again. Rear wheel drive, convertible and interior space to accommodate me, I'm 6' tall, were must haves, performance was not overly important but would be a bonus.
I made a few casual enquiries of the MX5. The Alfa Romeo 2000 Spider began to stand out as an option while reviews spoke of the Alfa's as being more refined than their counterparts of the day like the MGB, with their twin cam alloy engine, disk brakes all round, 5 speed gearbox etc.
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| This MGB proved a more refined driving experience compared to the Alfa Romeo Spider I test drove. |
Meanwhile a very tidy, fully and properly restored and somewhat modified MGB Roadster popped up for sale locally. I didn't think I'd be that interested as I had a few years before looked at a couple and found them a bit rough and tight to get in and out of. With the idea of being a good comparison to the Alfa I was due to look at the next day I went to kick the tyres and take it for a spin. Wow, what an impression that car made on me. It looked fantastic, was comfortable and went like the clappers.
The time came around to check out the Alfa which at this stage I thought I'd be more interested in. The car apparently had a resto a long time ago but presented pretty rough. Sitting in it my knees felt like they were around my ears, driving it only got worse, it was agricultural, sluggish, the gears crunched and protested incessantly, I literally just went around the block, the fastest route back to end the experience was chosen, thanks but no thanks, good luck with your sale, se ya later.
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| Prices for both cars were about the same, it was a no brainer to buy the MGB |
The contrast was chalk and cheese, buying the MGB Roadster was a no brainer. Prices for both cars were about the same. Contact with the seller of the MGB was promptly made to arrange purchase. Now I'm the owner of this fantastic car that although its specification when new was less refined than the Alfa, the driving experience proved to be quite the opposite.
Cool Factor: Beautifully prepared and presented it looks fantastic and is a very well sorted car to drive in every way, in fact it rides better than my modern Hyundai. I'm always getting thumbs up from other motorists, shouts and whoops, and "nice car" at traffic lights and car parks. People readily approach me for a nostalgic chinwag. My son who is reserved and introverted doesn't get it, "How can you talk with someone like that when you don't even know them'?
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| Bare metal body on a rotisserie restoration. |
Cosmetics: This car is more of an exception than the rule. It's been properly restored, and is a multiple trophy winner in MGCC of NSW concours events in 1998 and 2000. It's been cared for and maintained meticulously and only bought out for club and show events by its owner of 17 years who sold it in 2016.
The duco presents beautifully in Pearl Red, of course there's no rust and the bright work is immaculate. Pics prior to the restoration show the car in its original MG Bermuda Blue, a colour listed for the 1970 model year which suggest this car was made in 1970 but sold in 1971. The owner after 2016, Richard, my new best friend, made some mods. He replaced the immaculate spoke rims with Minator mini-light style 15 inch rims with centre lock wing nuts and low profile tyres, they look fantastic.
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| Bermuda Blue is listed for the 1970 model year. |
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| Centre lock Minator 15" rim and low profile tyres. |
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| The English are masters at sports car interior layout. |
Driving: Well, as I mentioned above, it drives and rides better than my modern Hyundai. In Spite of the 70's style vibe this is a very well sorted classic car, it drives, stops and handles like a dream. I must say thanks are due to the owner who restored and kept it in fantastic condition, and also to Richard who owned it from 2016 to 2020 who sorted out a few bugs at considerable expense and sold me a beautifully presented and extremely well sorted classic car.
That aside, driving experience is all MG joy. I don't know if there are any more verbs, nouns or whatever to better describe it, it's just a good experience. I had a 2001 model Alfa Romeo GTV V6 before this which is a fantastic driving experience but this MGB tops it hands down.
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| Mark 11 lever and ball knob. Full gaiter introduced 1971. |
Interior Space: For what essentially is a small car it's very comfortable. It easily accommodates two adults, and what is very rare for me I actually bring the seat forward on its rails to reach the pedals. The 1st thing I do when sitting in any car is to put the seat back as far as it will go, the MGB is one of a handful of cars that I don't need to do that.
I like the layout of the dashboard and I must say if the Japanese are masters at designing an intuitive dash layout, the English are masters of an aesthetically pleasing sports car layout.
The deck behind the seat has room for throwing loose items, bags, jumpers, stuff from a shopping expedition. The boot after the spare wheel and tools has limited space.
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| The Moto Lita wood rim look great on any MGB and MGA. |
The steering wheel was replaced by the last owner, a 14" Moto-Lita wood rim type and the look perfect on MGB's and MGA's. Being just that little bit smaller than the standard 15" wheel makes getting in and out just a bit easier.
Performance: Well this is where things get interesting with this car. The last owner had the Moss Supercharger kit fitted along with extractors and a full stainless steel exhaust system of 1 3/4 inch pipe. Thanks Richard, thumbs up my friend. The addition of a supercharger transforms these cars. Around town driving on the freeway is a very pleasurable experience, keeping abreast of the traffic is a breeze. Overdrive engaged at freeway speed the tacho hovers around the 2800 RPM mark, right in the sweet spot where this car just purrs and is ready to leap up the rev range with ease on demand, urging to gallop on. The exhaust note echoing off the concrete barriers hint at willing performance. Four words drift into and reverberate through my mind, "This is #*^@# Superb".
Exiting the freeway into the flow of suburban traffic and the pace changes but the driving experience doesn't. Courtesy of the torque generated by the supercharger, the added grunt makes the lower speed negotiating of traffic lights, roundabouts and the like effortless. The car transforms from the ready and willing urge to 'go' on the freeway, to a docile but at the same time
comfortable but willing runabout. The same four words drift and reverberate through my mind, "this is #*^@# Superb". I really can't decide which experience is more rewarding, hurtling along the freeway, I'm loving it, pottering around the suburbs, I'm also loving it.
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| Moss Supercharger |
A dyno chart accompanied my purchase but I don't know how to properly read it. I think HP peaks on a steep curve in 3rd gear at 4000 RPM to 108 HP, drops slightly in 4th then peaking again to 112HP at 5500 RPM in overdrive. Researching the system, Moss recommends a modest boost in a standard engine, which my car has, the aim is to strike a balance between performance and reliability. The dyno chart showed 90 HP before the supercharger was fitted.
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| Supercharger combined with overdrive or 5 speed box is a match made in heaven. |
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| A very well sorted MGB |
The brakes too perform flawlessly. Added to the standard front discs and drum brake rear end is an aftermarket booster, courtesy again of the last owner, thanks Richard. Looking back on the receipts a lot of time and money had been poured into the brakes for reasons unknown to me. There's receipts from the owner who restored it and from Richard that add up to a lot of money. Whatever the problem was it is not present now as the braking performance is fantastic.
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| The ride is not too hard and not too soft, like baby bear in the children's book, it's just right. |
The engine performs beautifully in this car, what looks like the standard cooling system works properly which is a necessity with a supercharger fitted, oil leaks seem to be minimal. Underneath the car is immaculate, the gaiters and all the rubbers are in great condition, the steering is direct and sweet.
Richard claims to have had it at quite high speed, somewhere in the 120mph range and reports the car is stable and superb. I don't think I'll be testing it to confirm or bust his claims.
So that is a wrap on this lovely example of the 1971 MGB L Roadster. The driving experience of this car is such that it is an easy stretch of the imagination to think that you may be behind the wheel of a meticulously prepared and expensive exotic classic, all amplified when the top is down. In a word, "Superb".
Happy trails all.
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