1972 MG B

Eric purchased the 1972 MG MGB Roadster from its previous owner, who had left it resting in a garage for over 16 years. They had emigrated to France and left the car behind here in the UK, where it remained forgotten about until a loss of storage prompted its sale in 2019. Eric jumped on the opportunity to buy it and he embarked on a ground up restoration of the convertible. The aim was to bring the MGB back to its former glory, with some upgrades to bring it into the 21st century.

When Eric found the car it was painted in a British Racing Green, a colour he felt didn’t suit the MGB. He obtained the Heritage Certificate for the car and found that it had left the factory painted a bright and vivid Bronze Yellow. With such strong 1970s style colours coming back into fashion, Eric decided to return it to its original colour scheme.

The restoration began with a full strip down of the MGB, which found the body to be remarkably rust free, with the exception of the drivers sill, which needed replacing. Eric made the decision to retain as much of the cars original features as possible, with the chrome bumpers, trim and Rostyle wheels keeping the MGB looking smart. The restoration wasn’t aimed at bringing the MGB up to a concours standard, but to one that could be used and enjoyed.

The bright Bronze Yellow really suits the lines of the MGB and makes a nice change over the more common red. It is complimented by a new black mohair hood, with the car also benefitting from the addition of a hardtop, which Eric acquired and had painted to match the car.

The MGB Roadster presents very nicely in the photos, with one small area of note on the edge of the passenger side front wing, which needs attention.

One of Eric’s main goals was to keep the MGB’a interior as original as possible, whilst including some upgrades to make it more useable for todays needs. He found the leather seats to be in good condition and treated them to a recolouring which brought them back. He also added a new wood rim steering wheel which cost over £200, which adds a nice bit of period looking bling to the interior.

Other upgrades include a period look stereo with bluetooth functionality, with a USB charger port installed just below it in the centre console. Eric also installed 2 speakers underneath the dash and he favoured this over cutting holes in the new doorcards. The speakers are easily removed should the new owner decide to change them.

The rest of the interior presents well in the photos and has a nice used but not over restored feel.

As part of the ground up restoration, Eric had the four cylinder engine stripped and rebuilt. The engine itself was found to be in good shape and was treated to a rebore. The head was also treated to an unleaded head conversion, which was done for peace of mind. The twin SU carbs were also stripped and rebuilt. Eric states that the MGB’s engine has good oil pressure and pulls well on the road. A stainless steel exhaust was also installed during the rebuild. The engine bay is clean and tidy and presents very well.

He adds that the gearbox works well and has the desirable overdrive on 3rd and 4th gear.

A new wiring loom was installed and a security cut off key was added to the loom in the engine bay. Eric also added an electric motor in the engine bay to boost the windscreen washers. He was never happy with the old fashioned push button method favoured by the factory, and the new motor, which works off a button on the dash, is said to work well.

Other mechanical changes include a rebuilt differential, which Eric carried out himself. The brakes on all four corners were stripped and rebuilt and a new brake servo was also installed. And as the car had sat for such a long time in storage, the old fuel tank was not in a good state, so a new tank and fuel pump were installed.

The MGB retains its standard suspension upfront, which was refreshed during the restoration and it now sports upgraded shocks in the rear. Eric claims that it drives down the road nice and straight, with no drift or pull on the steering.

And to ensure the rebuild of the mechanicals and suspension was to a good standard, Eric submitted the MGB Roadster for an MOT, which it passed on 25th August 2021.

When he purchased the car in 2019, Eric was promised its history file by the pervious owner but this unfortunately never materialised. So the cars 58,553 miles cannot be guaranteed. The MGB has had 9 owners from new, which averages about 5 years per owner over the past 50 years.

To make up for the lack of history prior to his ownership, Eric is supplying a very comprehensive expenses list with the car, which totals £13,171.32 (which includes the purchase of the car). The detail provided in the list shows how many new parts were acquired over the 2 year restoration period that the car. Also included with the expenditure list are a number of invoices from MGB spares suppliers.

Another nice touch is a photo book of the cars restoration, which shows the car when it was first acquired by Eric and the numerous stages of its strip down and rebuild. It is a nice to see the before and after photos and it is a welcome addition to the cars paperwork.

As mentioned earlier the car comes with a valid MOT, which is until 24th August 2022 and it also comes with one set of keys.

The MGB Roadster is one of the UK’s most popular classic convertibles. We’ve driven one before so know first hand why they have such a loyal following. They are comfortable to drive, with crisp handling, lively engines and a surprising amount of interior space and leg room for a classic car. There’s also a decent sized boot in the back making the roadster a practical classic and ideal for those weekend trips away. And when the sun comes out, the hood can come down for that wind in the hair driving experience.

This 1972 MG MGB Roadster presents very well indeed and all the hard work has been done by the seller, making this car ready to jump in and use over the summer months ahead. The restoration has kept all of the charm that makes the classic MGB so appealing. And the upgrades

added by Eric have been done in a tasteful way and are the little extras that drivers look for in an everyday classic today. With an estimate of £12,000 - £16,000 this MG MGB Roadster will certainly brighten anyones driveway.

Viewing is always encouraged. This particular car is located with the vendor in Kirkcaldy, Scotland. To arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.