JD’s archives: 1975 MGB

[Dobes]

[ATL_Av8r]

I really hate the regulatory agency responsible for making them put rubber bumpers on those

[vwlarry]

It only got worse before the end of MGBs in '80. They ended up looking like they were four-wheel-drive vehicles, with about 6" of ground clearance, and the engine choked down to about 17 horsepower or so. Pitiful, pathetic end to a basically pretty wonderful little car.

A friend actually bought one like this new. He dumped it after a year. It was a pile of sh*t. The '65 B that another friend had could run rings around it, and was a terrific automobile.

[2Cor]

It only got worse before the end of MGBs in '80. They ended up looking like they were four-wheel-drive vehicles, with about 6" of ground clearance, and the engine choked down to about 17 horsepower or so. Pitiful, pathetic end to a basically pretty wonderful little car.

A friend actually bought one like this new. He dumped it after a year. It was a pile of sh*t. The '65 B that another friend had could run rings around it, and was a terrific automobile.

It's not hard to up the performance on the emissions Bs. They aren't significantly different from there predecessor. FWIW my 80 has been extremely reliable (I have driven it 800 miles over the past month). I don't care for the ground clearance but it isn't hard to lower; it has proved beneficial over dirt roads however.

[alleghenyman]

Thanks for posting. I've got a 1975 in my garage. Its the low point in MGB history. I can't figure out whether to restore it to its original condition as a curious relic or lower it, paint it matte British Racing Green, and swap in a V8.

[vwlarry]

I'm not meaning to put down anyone's collector car today. But from the perspective of having been there in their own time period, these cars truly sucked majorly. All I had to do back then was look at my new VWs...Sciroccos, a Dasher wagon, and the contrast was stark and undeniable. MG was a floundering underfunded red-headed stepchild of an incompetent automotive conglomeration (British Leyland) and VW was a future-oriented automaker (at that time, anyway) that made most other carmakers and not just MG look like silly anachronisms. Again, that was THEN, and not now.

[bustedbucket]

Lolz at the chirping 2nd by being "ungentlemanly" with the clutch bit. And what's with the vette comparo? Besides the power choking, weren't these z-s carbs prone to fire for some reason as well?

I still like the late bumper cars though :shrug:.

[MCTB]

I'm not meaning to put down anyone's collector car today. But from the perspective of having been there in their own time period, these cars truly sucked majorly. All I had to do back then was look at my new VWs...Sciroccos, a Dasher wagon, and the contrast was stark and undeniable. MG was a floundering underfunded red-headed stepchild of an incompetent automotive conglomeration (British Leyland) and VW was a future-oriented automaker (at that time, anyway) that made most other carmakers and not just MG look like silly anachronisms. Again, that was THEN, and not now.

The late model Bs were down a little bit on power (not much actually). What made the early Bs better is that carburation. The ZS is a good carb in reality but when teamed with air injection, EGR and a huge catalytic converter directly underneath it, it doesnt stand a chance. Ive worked on these things for over 15 years and owned numerous Bs. The 6" of ride height is a bit of an exaggeration. Really its a small spacer where the crossmember bolts to the body. The springs are a little taller but not by much.

A late model B is leaps and bounds more comfortable than a pre '74 B. I had a '79 and a '72 at the same time. For driving on a daily basis, the '79 was my first choice. The safety standards meant a raised and collapsible steering column that made the interior more comfortable. Put a chrome bumper crossmember and swap out the rear springs and youll have a comfortable B that handles well.

Youre right though. MG was severly under funded. They had an update for the MGB that wouldve been much like a small Aston Martin in design. They had been trying to update the MGB since the late 80s. The MGC was an attempt at trying to move forward. After killing it off in 1980, BL has publicly regretted letting the MG marque die.

[Iroczgirl]

Not only under funded. Lets not forget the poor build quality and lack of supply because of strikes. Late 70ies Great Britain was a grim place to be.
Sadly, the US was generally always the biggest market for MG and Triumph. Pulling out must have been a tough choice and helped kill the brands.

[IDdubber]

my dad had a '73 Midget. Wire wheels and metal bumpers - thing was a blast. Had 48xxx on the clock when he bought it in '94 or '95, paid $2500 for it.