DON’T WORRY, B HAPPY

An MG B roadster or GT could be the ideal project car to keep you happy as autumn descends. Or buy a tidy one for everyday use. John Evans tells you what to look for

Classic cars don’t come much less classic than the plentiful, ugly (at least with rubber bumpers) and slow MG B roadster and GT hatchback. At least that’s the view of those whose key cabinets resemble jewellery boxes. To the rest of us, the little B is a great first base; an affordable plug-and-points route to club drives and weekend tinkering.

Actually, it’s not so affordable if you’re contemplating a nice, rustfree, wire-wheeled and chromebumpered roadster. You’ll need at least £10,000 for one of these, and the best tip £20,000. However, swallow your pride and you can get into a later rubber-bumper example in good nick for around £7000.

Heavier and higher, these cars – roadsters and GTS – are considered to be the low point in MG B history. Still, as you scour the classifieds, appalled at some of the asking prices for chromed Bs, you may find that, in the right colour, a cheaper 1976 or 1977 rubber-bumper model with revised dashboard or even a last 1979 limited edition makes a deal of sense.

The MG B two-seat roadster arrived first in 1962. Initially, its 1.8-litre engine had a three-bearing crank but this was uprated to a fivebearing in 1964. A good thing, too, since it’s much stronger. The hood was a ‘pack-away’ type that could be lifted off but later versions gained a more conventional folding roof.

The GT hatch arrived in 1965, incidentally with the five-bearing crank. On both cars, the standard gearbox was a four-speed manual with no synchro on first. It’s a fragile unit that, in 1967, was replaced by a stronger ’box with synchros on all gears. A Laycock overdrive on third and fourth was an option and is sought after today. On versions built from 1977, it acted on fourth only. Depending on the vehicle’s age, the activation switch is either on the dash or on the top of the gearstick.

Suspension was by coil and wishbones at the front, and a live axle with leaf springs and lever arm dampers at the rear. Similarly, braking was by more advanced discs fore and old-school drums aft. From 1973, the system became servo-assisted.

In 1970, the original wheels gave way to harder-wearing but still attractive pressed steel Rostyle affairs and the interior gained reclining seats. However, these changes paled into insignificance when, in 1974, the roadster and GT acquired the motoring equivalent of a boxer’s gumshield: heavy black rubber bumpers, front and rear. The car’s ride height was increased, too, with the result that the handling fell to pieces. This was partially fixed the following year with the fitment of a thicker anti-roll bar.

All but the very last MG Bs require no road tax or MOT. On that last point, you’re still obliged to keep the car in a roadworthy condition and declare that it is exempt. So it’s official: an MG B is a classic – and with prices starting at £750 for a project car, an affordable one at that.