LOT 162 - 1964 MGB Roadster Project

ABOUT THIS CAR

“M.G.B. Safety Faster - and More Comfortably.” Road test of the MGB, Motor magazine, 24th October 1962

For MG, the B took up the cudgels (logically) from the A, which with its separate chassis it is fair to say had its roots in the pre-war design period. Charming though the MGA was, the B’s unitary construction moved the medium sized, reasonably priced spots car game on by some margin as far as the driving experience went and it remained the quintessential machine for the sporty driver throughout the 1960s and well into the ‘70s. Economies of scale as well as a plentiful supply of suitable mechanical components repurposed from more mainstream vehicles meant the MGB was relatively affordable, especially when compared to offerings from mainland Europe whose equivalent machines tended to be priced on a par with more exotic fare such as Jaguar’s E-Type.  

This early, ‘Series 1’, MGB Roadster was first registered on May 1^st 1964, a quite frightening fifty-eight plus years ago now and according to the V5 registration document on file it has had just three owners since then. The first kept the MG for thirty years before it passed on to a Mr Corbett of Atherstone in Warwickshire. He eventually sold the car in August 2002 to a Mr Alan Davis of Gravesend in Kent.

Clearly defined by its ‘GHN3’ chassis (or ‘Car’) number as a narrow tunnel, three synchromesh gearbox equipped example, it seems likely it was also originally fitted with the earlier ‘pull’ door handles though today it features the push button variants. It sports coveted ‘wires and overdrive’ options as well as early tell-tales such as an aluminium bonnet and twin six-volt batteries, still positively earthed.

Definitely in the project or at least refurbishment category, as far as we were able to ascertain the MGB is complete with obvious items such as the nearside front wing chrome trim strip, metal radiator cooling fan and oil cooler present but not fitted to the car.

As can be seen in the photo gallery, the body displays excellent panel fit and the whole car aligns well. There is a shallow, broad dent in the nearside door though we suspect this could be pulled back into shape reasonably easily. There is minimal rust in the notoriously susceptible wing seams; good news as we know from experience how hard it is to permanently eradicate this once it has taken a hold. Underneath the MG there is evidence of past repair work which while solid is not particularly pretty. Overspray and a tear in front radiator support are present and many of the suspension components have a coating of surface rust; again, please see the photo gallery.

Both paint and chrome-work are average to poor as is, for the most part, the interior though the seats seem to have been correctly retrimmed relatively recently. The dashboard has been partly removed while the carpets and door trims are in poor condition. A period aftermarket steering wheel, thought to be by Springall, is complimented by a similarly appropriate MW/LW radio and factory speaker grill.

The engine bay is very honest and original aside from a pair of chrome air filters. According to its ‘48G’ engine number prefix, the five bearing B Series unit fitted in the MG is a ‘Gold Seal’ replacement – a desirable factory item reconditioned to virtually ‘blueprinted’ tolerances. After a little ignition system fettling plus some fresh ‘juice’ in the carburettors’ float chambers, the engine fired and ran sweetly, if briefly; as there was a worrying lack of indicated oil pressure showing on the dashboard gauge, a swift shut down was in order. Happily, this turned out to be an issue with the instrument itself or possibly the capillary feed to it; a separate mechanical gauge revealed 60 to 70 PSI was present depending on engine speed, as shown in the photo gallery.

Unfortunately, a tyre unable to hold pressure for more than a few minutes at a time and the desire not to lock on brakes that have been unused for some time precluded even the shortest of test drives.

Aside from the aforementioned door handle anomaly and replacement factory engine, this early MGB is a very original example down to the Pressed Steel body plate, aluminium bonnet and banjo-type rear axle. It even carries a sticker celebrating 25 years of the MG Owners’ Club dating from 1998, making that nearly 25 years old itself!

This very tempting project offers a new owner a variety of options from simple recommissioning and use in full shabby-chic condition to a nut and bolt rebuild either to road or, given its pre-1965 ‘narrow tunnel’ status, full on FIA race car specification. The froth on top of this tasty beverage – a number plate made for a Ferrari owning master brewer.

• Registration number: ALE 458B
• Chassis Number: GHN3 34940
• Engine Number: 48G528HD