1967 MGB Roadster £21,950
It drives like a new one – and with limited mileage since it was reshelled, that shouldn’t come as a surprise, says Paul Hardiman
This very late MKI (GHN3) was reshelled around 2010 and, judging from old Mots, has covered barely 5000 miles since. Other than the Heritage bodyshell, it’s pleasingly original, still with lever-arm dampers all round and the standard mechanical fan. The car is rot free and protected by Waxoyl underneath and in box sections, as evidenced by plastic plugs in the door shuts. The floors are perfect and the sill joints still sharp, with clear drain holes. Cosmetically, it’s just settling in nicely, now showing only a few minor blemishes in the otherwise very attractive paint – and you have to look quite hard.
There’s a little paint losing its grip around the right tail-light, a tiny area of bubbling at the top of the driver’s door and one small chip on the nose of the bonnet. Lesser issues include tiny stone marks in the front and a couple of sink spots on the scuttle, which would hardly be worth a mention on a cheaper car. Though British Motor Heritage bodyshells have been criticised for minor details of finish, door fit and closing is very good on this example.
The chrome is all good, as is the hood, with a clear rear window (and one tape repair inside a seam), the wheels are either new or refinished wires, and the tyres are hardly-worn 2009-dated Firestone F-580s (and an unused 2010-dated spare), again pointing to the date of restoration. Bills after that cover replacing the gearbox and overdrive with rebuilt units in 2011, and fitting an alternator (a dynamo was standard until the MKII of 1968). It had new rear dampers, front calipers and a replacement rear crankshaft seal in 2016. The rear half of the exhaust is also newish.
Inside, the carpets are unworn, protected by rubber overmats; door trims are very good and the seat leather is just taking on a few creases, more so on the driver’s side. There’s one small blemish in the dashboard crackle finish between the heater controls and one star-crack in the top roll above the main instruments, and there are speakers cut into the side trims behind the seats, effectively out of sight.
The motor is tidy and leak-free, wearing standard air and oil filters, and still running points ignition. The coolant tank is full, and oil is cleanish. It starts easily with no choke engaged and drives really tautly – this must be what a new MGB felt like in 1967. It goes well, the ride is quiet and well-controlled, the unservoed brakes firm and the gearchange, once warmed up, is excellent.
We weren’t able try the overdrive for ourselves because the wires were disconnected from the switch on the day, but later investigation proved it to work perfectly, as per Runnymede’s advert. Oil pressure is a very healthy 65psi at 2500rpm, rising to 70 with more revs, and still over 40 at warm tickover.
The car is sold with tools including wheel hammer plus a good history file which includes correspondence between previous owners and an album of photographs showing the restoration work (although no corresponding bills).