1971 MG MGB

Roadster Convertible

4 - Cyl.

Manual

GHN5UB219956G

Gasoline

Up for auction is a rare California-kept Vintage 1971 MG MGB gem whose grace, style and subtle, yet effortless seduction transcends the ordinary and the mundane. ( If you're uncomfortable with compliments, you better move on. ) To be certain, this his lady purrs - you can almost hear her British accent, all proper and chatty and full of fetish as she snakes around the hairpin turns of her beloved Ortega Canyon roads here in Southern California.Her current hideaway? The lovely seaside hamlet of San Clemente, California where she has taken up a leisurely residency for the past the three and half years. Previous to this she hugged the San Francisco coastline darting, no doubt, her way through the many scenic peninsula crevices - one can almost hear her glory revving softly against this fabled misty landscape - bringing many years of pleasure to a very attentive, Harry Callahan-like police detective. (It was divulged to me that he loved her dearly, if not fetishly. It shows.) She is however, sadly, regrettably, ready for new digs; new roads; a new driver. As her third owner - this never verified, only passed down to me from the gentleman who restored much of her in San Luis Obispo - I am loathe to see her go. Though having a project recently pulled from funding leaves me with little recourse but to part ways with this most stunning and gracious classic. (Whoever picks her up might want to consider hiring a therapist as well because she has way of getting to you that will make you a little obsessed, if not flat out lovesick.) The DossierHer Body Let us begin with what can only be justifiably described as a beautiful body. The MGB body is truly a classic example of British finesse, style, charm and sophisticated coolness, and Yours Truly perfectly, and near-flawlessly, exemplifies just such a standard. Her youthful, spry 40 years have been exceedingly kind to her as she has been well cared for and properly maintained. Her fine, soft curves suggest a bygone era of elegance and culture befit for both men and women of discriminating taste and vintage sensibilities. Tangibly dashing, yet free of contemporary ostentation, her chrome wire wheels, bumpers, and slight headlight-banding offer her new driver the authentic British Sports car experience. Minor nicks, dings and slight rust under the battery box render her less than show grade. So barely discernable though are these flaws that in no way do they detract from her overall integrity and beauty. Address them if you wish, but know that they pose no visual injustice to perhaps but the prickliest of collectors and/or judges. Though not of show grade, she is a real head-turner who is bound to elicit comments, whistles, horns, peace signs and thumbs up from even the most indiscriminate passerby. However if one did feel so inclined to make her a show car, she wouldn't require much make up to take her to the dance. The black vinyl top, stretched over the 71-80 black folding frame, is in great condition save for the rear plastic windows being caked in a sort of marine smudge that has recently appeared that I cannot remove? Additionally there is a small hole about the size of quarter in the rear right corner panel plastic. I’ve priced out tops at Moss Motors and new Crush Grain Vinyl Robbins go for $369 for the zip outs, which is what I would opt for if I were to keep her. Though for the upcoming spring, and certainly into summer, the current one should pose as no inconvenience. Her classic chrome bumpers are in average condition with some pitting, even so they shine up like new pennies. ( Also worth a mention is that the 71 model is one of the last years to feature the much sought after chrome bumpers instead of the ugly "Zorro mask" rubber bumpers adapted in the mid 70's for safety regulations. Many collectors and MG aficionados agree that the chrome bumper models were the last of the "true" MGBs.) The British Racing Green (BRG) paint job - so perfectly British, and perhaps the most desired and sought out of all MG hues - is thick and shiny while maintaining a suffused luster. BODY GRADE: B + Her Interior While comfortably worn, no major flaws are visible. In fact, her interior is in very good condition. The cockpit is tight with all gauges working fine except for the speedometer. (It slips, sometimes running high, other times low.) The dashboard is authentic to the 71 and is clean with no cracking, however one of the signal lenses is missing - a very minor cosmetic flaw that I never got around to addressing. ( A new one can be ordered for under 10 bucks from any of the online MG catalogs.) Dash facial offers full instrumentation and has a nice vintage feel. Authentic chrome gauges add a classic touch. All carpet is in good condition. There are minor tears on the driver’s seat and headrest. (A narrow 2 inch rip on the seat and two half dollar size ones on top of the head rest.) Other than these small tears, both vinyl seats are very nice condition. The passenger door is missing the handle and the vinyl bumper just beneath the window trim needs to be fastened properly. There is currently no stereo, so the console is empty and the speakers in the door need to be re-trimmed if they’re to be used again. There is a slight crack of no consequence on the wood steering wheel and a horn assembly, of which I have, needs to be installed. The rubber in her window sills need to be replaced. INTERIOR GRADE: B –Her Mechanics Her battery has flat-lined - a new one can be picked up for about $120 bucks. So, at the moment she is not running. Once a new battery is installed she'll need a valve adjustment and a tune up to get her purring and happy again. Relatively minor things, but I want everyone to be clear on her current condition. She has a rebuilt engine with new crank bearing pistons and gaskets replaced about 1500 miles ago. Clutch replaced about 7K miles ago along with new ignition system and an upgrade to a single Weber carburetor. However she runs sluggishly at the moment. As I mentioned above she is need of a valve adjustment and tune up to get her purring and running smoothly again. ( When running, she runs strong and healthy with oil pressure high – anywhere between 40-60 PSI and temperature low, usually under than 190 degrees.) Her electrical circuitry is a little screwy and I've been unsuccessful at trying to take care of it myself. (There must be a short somewhere for the tickers works sometimes, while sometimes they do not. I’ve come to understand that British cars, and MG’s in particular, are known for there persnickety electrical character. Fortunately they’re not overly complex and therefore not too expensive to fix.) There is a leak off the fuel line chase mid way under the chassis. From what I can tell she needs a new hose, which price out at $20 at Moss Motors. Could be the nipple, in which case it’ll only set you back $5. Exhaust is optimal, and has a nice raspy roar as she drives. The steering is tight, with no shakes or shimmies. Transmission and clutch are great: gears engage smoothly and without fault. Clutch operates easily with no slipping or chatter. Brakes are good with new rotors & pads installed approximately 5k miles ago. Tires are relatively new with roughly 7,000 miles on them. The spare needs to be replaced - just the rubber, not ot the rim - and the knockoff hammer is missing. The biggest issues that will need to be addressed in order to have her running like the champ that she is, are of course the battery along with the fuel line, valve adjustment & tune-up.( The electrical shorting and spare tire, although not necessary, are on the punch list.)Mileage: Odometer reads 22,903. Weather this is accurate or not is unknown? Due to the age of the car, and knowing a little bit about her previous owners and their driving habits, I suspect she's turned at least once and therefore a more accurate read would be 122K+. But I don't know for certain and therefor can make no warranty as to the accuracy of the mileage. Any attempt on part is pure conjecture. MECHANICAL GRADE: C+/B- Her Overall Outlook The demand for vintage British Sports car has been growing over the past five years - no doubt due in part to the relatively low cost of entrance into an otherwise fairly expensive market - and the MGB in particular has been an appreciating, in-demand roadster. Any vintage MG convertible is a wonderful investment for obvious reasons. History though, and increasing prices have proven that MGB's, as a whole, are highly sought after the world-over because of their good value and nostalgic charm - even more essential with chrome bumper models like this sublime beauty. One could therefore then comfortably view her as both an investment, as well a practical pleasure to be enjoyed in real time rather than merely garaged and stared upon. This roadster, while no show car, is sure to stir emotion and rev up the spirit in most anyone with a pulse. She is the perfect daily driver for the person who possesses a desire to stand apart in style from the cow-herded masses; the perfect, if not by now clichéd, weekend wine touring ride; the perfect getaway car to see the ponies; to slip into Vegas for a weekend of baccarat & Gimlets; the perfect leisurely companion for those classic east coast weekend escapes to Nantucket, Montauk or Rehoboth. Pick your destination, saunter into her cockpit and Godspeed. This particular MGB has the make-up to be either further restored to perfection - for not a lot money – and/or with a little mechanical TLC to have as a daily driver for but a fraction of what it would cost to buy something new and charmless and pedestrian - mired in disobedient aesthetics and dull, characterless form. With this classic British roadster you'll enjoy the nostalgic aesthetics of an era long since departed, a time when life was slower and leisurely convertible drives were afternoon aphrodisiacs. And while she does not posses the speed that Steve McQueen so craved, she did, and does, his style. For me personally she possessed a majestic alluring sort of seduction as I cruised moonlit nights topless into the Hollywood Hills and surrounding canyons; lazy afternoons along the coastal crags of Orange and San Diego Counties; sun drenched drives into Fallbrook ranch country and then deeper still into the emerging vineyards of Temecula: no doubt about it, I am sad to see her go. I am certain though she will bewitch her new driver in similar spirit irrespective the landscape(s). And this brings me consoling comfort. She’s a charmer. A looker. A sophisticate. And I imagine with proper attention, care and maintenance, faithful for years to come. OVERALL GRADE: B - The SkinnyIn summary, this little Roadster is a great car. I've tried to be as accurate and as comprehensive with her appraisal, condition and biography as my brain allows. She has been loads of fun to drive and has had a bevy of not-so-secret admirers for as long as I've had her in my stable. I love her nearly as much as if she were an actual member of the family and so the idea, and the process of parting ways with her has been difficult and were times not so tough for me at the moment, selling her would be the last thing on my mind. I've set a fair reserve and her Buy it Now Price of $7500 is a cut-to-the-chase, priced-to-sell price. Whoever grabs her can put a new battery in her, give her a tune-up and valve adjustment and begin a love affair as I have and no doubt, as her pervious two owners did. Or one could put a couple 2-4K into her and have a mint conditioned, growing-in-demand classic British Sportster that will only appreciate in value with time. In fact, with a couple of G's into her at her B.I.N. price one has a vintage ride, in show condition, for under 12K! Invest now and get in early before the prices begin to skyrocket and these cars become out of reach.Please email me any Q's and I will be sure to respond in a prompt manner. If you care to talk, please leave your number and I'll buzz you right away. I listed my number once before and my phone blew up with a barrage of irrelevant Q's and low ballers. So I apologize for not listing it, but email me and I'll have no problem giving it to you. I am also available for anyone who wishes to come to San Clemente for an inspection. Additionally, I will be listing her locally and reserve the right to cancel the auction at any time.Thanks a lot for your time. I definitely appreciate it.Best to all,Patrick On Feb-14-11 at 18:28:26 PST, seller added the following information: C'mon gang, I just knocked a Grand off of the Buy It Now Price! She was at a reasonable 7500, now she's at 6500. Now whoever hops on her is getting a great deal!