1974 MG MGB

Roadster Convertible

4 - Cyl.

Manual

GHN5UE345310G

Gasoline

Speedwell is a British car restoration shop in Watkinsville, Georgia on the edge of the Oconee National Forest. From time to time a client will ask our assistance in selling his/her car. This 1974 MGB Roadster is just such a car. Our customer has three children now and his time to enjoy the little MGB has gotten harder and harder to find so he reluctantly offers her here to you on Ebay. The current owner bought this car 8 years ago from an elderly professor at the University of Georgia in Athens. The professor had owned the car for fourteen years and loved it, but had gotten to where he just wasn't able to get the car out and enjoy it like he had in the past, so he sold it.When the current owner purchased the car he drove it as it was for a couple of years, then set about fixing it up just the way he wanted it. He had the bumpers removed, body stripped, Sebring front and rear valances professionally fitted and had the car painted the beautiful Red you see in the pictures. The rust free trunk was thoroughly cleaned and painted with a thin coat rhino liner for looks and durability. The door jams were properly prepped and resprayed and the engine bay was left unpainted so it could be done right later with the engine out.The owner also added new 15" Minilite replica wheels from Moss, Dunlop HR rated tires and a free flow exhaust system with a new down pipe. He also had the gas tube shock conversion done all around, very nice set up.New carpeting was fitted at that time along with reupholstered seats and a new top. The top now has three small tears (see pictures) from not being put down properly but is still quite usable. The current owner has always kept the car garaged and only driven it on nice days so he has not been too concerned about changing the top again. Recent work includes flushing the brakes, cleaning the carburetors, a new fuel filter, a fresh oil change (using Valvoline VR1 20W50 with ZDDP), a tune up, new gearbox mounts and new stabilizer bar mounts. We also checked the compression for the purpose of this sale and found all four cylinders to be between 145-150 psi, very good. Driving experience- The car starts right up and revs eagerly. The sport exhaust emits a raspy healthy sound without being too loud. The car accelerates through all the gears smoothly but third requires being a little more gentle than the rest. Third also does not like a downshift. Other than that, the gearbox is quite smooth. It is unusual to have any problems with the factory 4-speed but we will be glad to provide a good used gearbox to the lucky winner at no extra cost. It might prove to be a good time to install an Overdrive gearbox instead :-)The car cruises at speed very nicely, handles sure and quick, and always seems eager to go as fast as you like. The brakes stop the car smoothly and in a straight line without any fuss. The engine idles smoothly and never attempts to overheat. There is no smoke from the engine at any speed. The oil pressure warmed up at speed is 65psi while it is about 30 at idle (very good). The front suspension is safe, responsive and sure but is ready for lower control arm bushings, outer tie rod ends and rack boots. These are items that any self respecting MG enthusiast could tackle easily in a weekend. With the exception of the third gear issue, the rest of the car is in very good condition. All the gauges and switches work as do all of the ancillaries (except the horn). The heater works well and the fan blows strong. The wiring system is very original and unmolested. Body- The paint is beautiful and only has a few flaws (see pictures). The driver's door has chipped the paint some at it's front because the hinges on the driver's side sag. I would recommend replacing the hinges and touching up the chipped areas. The right front fender has a few small cracks in the paint where one of my client's daughters rode her bicycle into the car while it was parked in their garage. The LR fender lip had to be rolled under to keep the larger wheels from scrubbing on that side and there is a slight wrinkle there. With the sale of this car we can provide a Bill-of-sale and a letter from the State of Georgia explaining that cars of this vintage do not require a title to be bought and sold (The forgetful old professor could not remember where he had put the title). All told, this is a very pretty Georgia car that has no rust, runs great and, though she could use a bit more TLC, would make a great everyday driver or Sunday cruiser. Having looked her over carefully and taken her for a drive, I would not hesitate to drive her anywhere. I have "supersized" all the pictures so you can look closely but if there are any specific pictures you would like to see, simply send me your email address with your request. Please do not hesitate to email with any questions or to set up a test drive (highly recommended as this is a FUN car). Thanks for your interest! Here is a link to a Photobucket account with many more pictures:http://s807.photobucket.com/albums/yy356/Speedwell1/ If you are an overseas buyer, please do not hesitate to bid. We are experienced with providing necessary paperwork for export and can transport the car to Port Charleston, South Carolina: Port Savannah, Georgia or Port Brunswick, Georgia via insured trailer for an additional $500.USD On Feb-11-12 at 08:38:21 PST, seller added the following information: *The "Buy-it now" price represents an excellent bargain for the man who can recognize it. On Feb-12-12 at 09:01:27 PST, seller added the following information: This is a 1974 MGB, the last of the chrome bumper models and MUCH more desirable than the rubber bumper models that came out the following year.