MGb restoration car

[MelZ]

In preparation for retirement I have started to restore a MGb sports car for use at TV.

Here are the before pictures I will get some more as the restoration progresses. Hopefully the final result with be a concourse quality vehicle.

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/album.php?albumid=74

[The Great Fumar]

Mel
Looks like a great project . I had a 1963 MGB (last year with chrome bumpers) and had a lot of fun with it ......Did have some problems keeping it running ,
You might want to keep in mind that they have a Luca's electrical system in them which is the reason that the English drink warm beer...

unrefrigerated fumar ..... :laugh::laugh:

[gnu]

I was hoping to see an MGA, but a B is a nice car also. I've owned an A and a Midget in my time, not too much better than just drivers but fun non the less. Have fun with your project and hope to see you driving it some day.:coolsmiley:

[larrydube]

I see you brought your car to Leyland's in Kennebunk. We have taken my wife's 1968 Healy Sprite there for repairs. I will have to put a pic in for you to see. Ours is not be concourse level, I did most of the repairs on my own. At one time it had a furry interior..... I made the mistake of going to a local pizza place that was having an old cars night. That winter I replaced the fur (shades of the 70-80's) with the original interior and restored the engine bay. She is the second owner of the Sprite having bought it in 1970. The mileage is 75-76k and is only driven on sunny days. We drive it about 150-200 miles a year. Have to put lead into the gas....

The license plate reads "IMNOMGT" Unless you have seen a sprite and a midget of the late 60's you might not get the meaning.
:pepper2:

[The Great Fumar]

I must admit that I too had a MIDGET at one time but was having trouble getting into it so I had to make a decision , Do I diet and keep it or just find a bigger car , thus the MGB ..........


well rounded fumar ....:evil6:

[cologal]

Mel
Looks like a great project . I had a 1963 MGB (last year with chrome bumpers) and had a lot of fun with it ......Did have some problems keeping it running ,
You might want to keep in mind that they have a Luca's electrical system in them which is the reason that the English drink warm beer...

unrefrigerated fumar ..... :laugh::laugh:


You know what they used to call the CEO of British Leland Motors?


The Prince of Darkness

And I will vouch for that!! Had a love/hate relationship with a TR-7 in my youth.

[tony]

What does concourse quality mean?

[larrydube]

It basically means that it will be in the same condition as when it came off the showroom floor. All numbers will match and it will be a 30+ year old car that looks brand new.....

[MelZ]

This is going to be a frame off restoration, I have a buddy who restores english sportscars who is advising me. He has about a dozen cars (MG's,Jag's and Triumphs) in various states of restoration. I fell in love with a fully restored red MGTD he is selling but the MGB is a better car for show and leisure driving.

I for one have never been able to collect toys and not play with them.

[gnu]

This is going to be a frame off restoration, I have a buddy who restores english sportscars who is advising me. He has about a dozen cars (MG's,Jag's and Triumphs) in various states of restoration. I fell in love with a fully restored red MGTD he is selling but the MGB is a better car for show and leisure driving.

I for one have never been able to collect toys and not play with them.


I agree with you about "play" with them. Collecting is for those who want to say "see what I've got" and playing is for those of us that want to personally enjoy driving them. The MGA I bought in 1967 cost me a whole $300 and would be worth $30k plus if restored, but I had so much fun with it that I wouldn't trade driving the h*ll out of it, for just looking at, it for anything.

[MelZ]

I was torn between a MGA and the MGB, I love the lines on the A. My friend who has a couple of MGA's convinced me that the Later MGB is just as much fun and a easier car to keep operational.

[larrydube]

Mel Z how did you find Leylands in Arundel? We live about 10 miles away... If you want me to go look at it sometime let me know. :coolsmiley:

[MelZ]

Larry:

A old fried of my has been using Eric to restore cars for years. He currently has a beatiful red MGTD at Eric's. He has had Eric restore a couple of TD's a Jag, and who knows what else. Thanks for the offer, I'm down at TV till after the holidays. I get up to Boston once a month for a few days and my buddy and I (who is also a client of mine) visit Eric and the car in the afternoon and have a lobster dinner before driving back to Boston.

Mel

[larrydube]

Not a problem Mel. Like I said our Sprite is not showroom quality, but it is fun to drive. Kind of creepy when you go by semi's (thats if you can) on the highway and can you look right under the bottom of the trailer....

We also have a 98 BMW Z3 that we take out a lot more. Maybe we can start an old english sports car club when we get to the villages.

The offer still stands, if you ever need someone to go see Eric in an emergency I am here.

Larry

[MelZ]

Larry:

I apprecaite the offer, English car club sounds like a good idea.

Cheers

Mel

Happy New Year

[blaZen]

Have fun with your project. Had a college friend around Daytona that is a MG expert. Last name Watkins. If you run into him during your restoration, ask him to contact me. Have not seen him in 40 years!

Wife and I had a MGA way, way back. Current ride an 06' BMW M roadster.

[MelZ]

I appectiate the offer, hopefully I will not need to contact him. The guy who is doing my restoration is a English car/MG expert.

Current ride is a MB C300 so I need the a roadster to get mt heart pumping

[Don H]

Wow...nice job. When I was a kid (college) I had a "B" in BRG like yours but mine was an earlier model...1967. The front grill was different and it had knock off hubs on wire wheels. GAD...did I have fun with that car! As mentioned in other replys the electrical system was iffy and the '67 model had positive ground, something I found out about when I tried to hook up a small two-way radio in the car. YIKES! Wonderful car though and with Pirelli tires on it the car tracked the road like glue.

[MelZ]

Don:

The reason I went for a '78 was because the mechanics and elctrical system is more modern. I will lower it to chrome bumper height and I am adding a supercharger to a little more giddy yap.

Currently the interior is out and boot and hood are off. Paint in late spring BRG with a new biscuit interior.

[Don H]

Mel, I notice from your profile that you were involved in cowboy action shooting. I worked with someone from Mahopac (we both retired at the same time) who was a member of SASS and shot at a club somewhere up there. He lived on the east side of the Hudson so his club was probably over there somewhere. He was a serious target shooter and replacing barrels for him was not uncommon. Anyway, where did you shoot?

[MelZ]

I have been playing the CAS game for a dozen years. My home club is in Monroe in Orange County, but I also play at the Dutchess Club and the Matamoros, PA club.

More than likely I know him

[Don H]

I think my friend, Joe Manganelli shoots at the Dutchess club but not totally sure. I don't know what cowbow name he uses. I'll have to email him to ask. He lives in Westchester I believe (Mahopac?) but they didn't have a club there. He used to bring up photos on the web at work of the various clubs and their shooting "towns" around the country. Really amazing.

[MelZ]

My cowboy handle is "Calico Kid", most of the folks at Dutchess know me. Are you currently living in TV

[Don H]

I'm waiting for him to reply to my email question about his being a member of the club in Duchess and if so, what his "cowboy" name is. My wife and I live on Long Island but have been looking at The Villages for a while now. We expect to make our first "lifestyle" visit in March.

[Don H]

Mel, My friend says he doesn't remember your name but says that he is not surprised since there were a lot of people there. His name was "Wales Outlaw" I guess alluding to Outlaw Joey Wales from the movie. His real first name is Joe.

[MelZ]

don't believe I've ever met him, name doesn't ring a bell.