Background
Like bangers ‘n’ mash, pulled IPA, mowing the lawn or washing the car on a sunny Sunday, the MGB was a staple of everyday life in Britain in the second half of the 20th Century.
As Ray Charles bellowed out ‘I Can’t Stop Loving You’ from the top of the charts in June, 1962, the MGB rolled into showrooms up and down the UK. The British classic went on to become one of the UK’s best-selling and most loved sports cars, bringing stylish design, an exciting drive and everyday usability to hundreds of thousands of drivers who were glad to switch from their socially-sensible Zodiac’s, Cortina’s and Zephyr’s to something that put a skip in their step and delivered considerably more smiles-per-gallon – and not just on Sundays.
Because of its popularity – more than half a million were built and sold globally – many MGBs remain on the road today, which makes it one of the more affordable classics and an ideal introduction to the lifestyle.
The MGB began life as a roadster, with a simple manual soft-top that could be lowered just as fast as you could sing ‘Summer Holiday’, before a hardtop coupe version was added in 1965, called the MGB GT.
The last MGB convertible rolled off the production line at the Abingdon factory on the 22nd of October 1980 and it ended an era of sports car motoring, not only of the MGB but also of MG sports cars in general.
While of course there were mechanical and cosmetic improvements made to the MGB during its life, throughout its 18 years of continuous production, the basic body shape remained the same. Due largely to US safety standards, later models sported black impact-resistant bumpers front and rear from 1975 onwards – as offered on this fine ’77 example here.
