More correctly these are roadster doors but in keeping with the speedster body kit. The mgb gts four cylinder 1800cc engine was never the most powerful, although in a car of this size and scale nor does it ever struggle. Buy this 425 horsepower v8 powered mgb gt and commence hoonage. This occurs at the top of the outer door panel near the back of the vent window, and may be caused by pulling on the vent window to close the door, or by some interference between the vent window frame and the side of the windscreen frame. The fixedroof mgb gt was introduced in october 1965. Curiously, the factory went for the lowpower, range rover state of tune, but 7bhp is still plenty for a relatively light mgb gt. This is a photo of one of my cracks of doom crack of doom. Mg never attempted to export the mgb gt v8 to the united states. And i guess youve done battle with those hooks on the seat bottoms already. To see ads from the march, 2020 issue, you must be a subscriber to hemmings motor news. Ive needed to do this since i bought the gt last summer. She also wanted a little car that sounds really mean, and things got a little out of hand. Mgb buyers guide manufactured from 1962 to 1980 by the british motor corporation and later british leyland, the mgb is considered by many to be the ideal english sports car. Mgb crack of doom door hinge question british car forum.
Full engine rebuild loads of history including original bill of sale. The original flange the crack on mine had started where the flange finished and turned round the front of the 14light upright, arrowed image. Often the interiors of gt models are better preserved so restoring one could. My 77 b has the crack of doom on the passenger door right by the side window frame attachment point. Its the classic mgb, designed in 1962 by pininfarina, reimagined and reengineered for the 21 st century by frontline developments. The other door has a much larger crack, but the repair process is the same.
Another flaw to look out for is the crack of doom a crack in the door that. This really started when i was going to repair the dreaded crack of doom. The first sports car driven by our east coast editor, andy reid, was an mgb, back when he was just 14 years old. Unbelievably, the mgb gt turns 50 this year and, over the half century it has evolved from being middleclass family man transport, to become one of the most likeable classics you could wish for perhaps for the same practical reasons when it was new. Todays nice price or crack pipe mgbgt is ready to invade your. With more than 500,000 produced they were certainly popular in their day and time has shown both the roadsters and the grand touring gt models to have enduring appeal. The cars were well received at the time but poor build quality and the fuel crisis meant just 2,591 were constructed when production ceased in 1976. Im sorry, youre going to do what with this mgb speedhunters. Buy this 425 horsepower v8 powered mgb gt and commence. I can press down on the rear of the door and see the top door gap, between the door and the front fender, open and the top hinge flex. Mg began offering the mgb gt v8 in 1973 powered by the aluminium block 3,528 cc rover v8 engine, first fitted to the rover p5b.
Now it sports nearly 400 hp, custom suspension and an unchanged overall weight. We were doing a few things with the door skin this day, not just installing a new one but also demonstrating dent pulling and repair of the infamous mgb crack of doom. It chose not to develop a lefthanddrive version of the mgb gt v8 although the rover v8 engine was offered in usbound rover models. Mar 08, 2016 when the 1972 mgb gt arrived, the exhaust system was literally hanging on by a few spot welds and questionable hardware. Nov 26, 2017 1977 mgb roadster restoration ep 14 tear down part 9 door glass duration. A very nice car, excellent body with very good red exterior, black interior, wire wheels, excelle. The mgb gt was a hardtop version of the legendary mgb. Join us for a drive in gods back garden this classic mgb gt. Crack of doom door hinge question the door is also a little high, in the rear, so it does not close well. Results include ads from the february, 2020 issue of hemmings motor news. Be aware they can bite if ya have flesh in the wrong place.
In fact even the advent of rubber bumpers in the mid1970s couldnt completely ruin those great looks. Production continued until 1980, although export to the us ceased in 1974. The door is also a little high, in the rear, so it does not close well. Reinforce and strengthen your mgb body chassis forward of leaf spring mounts. The original flange the crack on mine had started where the flange finished and turned round the front of the 14light upright, arrowed image from lyndsay porters mgb restoration manual. It appears the same on both sides but only one side is. Find great deals on ebay for mgb gt v8 and mgb gt v8 car. The gt has a very cool style and looks really good in black. The pininfarina modified mgb was blessed with a beautifully proportioned style that has become timeless.
In addition to the pininfarina styled mgb gt more powerful variants were introduced starting with the much maligned 3 litre, 6 cylinder mgc in october 1967 which also appeared in gt style. Unlike many modern cars which feel diluted by comparison, an mgb gt is great fun to drive at fifty. I first featured jason shalders and his incredible mg project back last september, following a fortuitous meeting at the autosport international show at the beginning of that year. Commonly known as the crack of doom and common on many mgbs, this annoying flaw in the mgb door design develops at the top of the door close to the rear of the vent window, or directly underneath the side mirror. He began to restore the car, hoping to be done in time to drive. Later in august 1973 the mgb gt v8 was launched which sadly never saw the light of day in roadster form and was a low volume production of only 2591 cars. The mgb gt sported a groundbreaking greenhouse designed by pininfarina and launched the sporty hatchback style. Dec 11, 2015 due to safety concerns ive decided its worth replacing the original 1967 mgb gt seats the ones without headrests with some mazda miata seats.
The hagerty classic car valuation tool is designed to help you learn how to value your 1974 mg mgb gt and assess the current state of the classic car market. Mgbgts small exterior dimensions make it easy to place on the road picture. The natural evolution of the sporting grand tourer. Sep 08, 2017 join us for a drive in gods back garden this classic mgb gt. But it wasnt until 2019 that he actually owned such a car, a 1967 mgb gt. North americas oldest and largest club for all mgbs, mgb gts and midgets at a nonprofit organization which was founded in 1975 and offers color magazines, emagazines, technical advice, member recommendations on service, body and parts sources, registration of your mg, a tradition of service and free member classified ads that appear in the club magazines the octagon and. Replacing the stock mgb gt seats with mazda miata seats. Body brakes clutch cooling electrics engine fuel gearbox heater ignition propshaft rear axle steering and suspension wheels and tyres miscellaneous downloadable pdfs the sectioned mgb at the heritage motor centre museum, gaydon.
The mgb gt in rubberbumpered form is still your cheapest way into b ownership. Chris dymock the traits you experience that make the mgb gt such a good starting place for classic car ownership centre on a number of key factors. Apr 27, 2011 v12 mgbgt when youre sick of autocrossing your stock porsche boxster and you have an mgb and a jaguar v12 sitting in the garage, youd do what any sane and rational human being would do and throw the v12 in the mgb, right. About a hundredfifty years ago, when i was 1819 and the 73 mgb i bought brand new, the drivers door developed the cod didnt know the term back then. Mgb gt v8 time warp condition mg introduced the mgb gt v8 in 1973. In addition, the drivers right seat base had cracked at some point, so the seats had been swapped sidetoside and didnt really fit properly. Given how aghast aficionados were at its federalised bumpers at the time of its launch, we can see how thats happened. Een klassieke britse uitstraling met een donkergroene carrosserie en biscuit kleurige lederen interieur, getint glas. Little changed for 1972, although american market cars were distinguished by a rightside door mirror and a modified dashboard with a glove box. None of these are cars are currently able to driven.
It never came back in the next year or so i kept the car. Doorskin strengthening and quarterlight adjustment. I kept asking car owner jason shalders and his build partner chris isaacs the same question just to be sure id heard properly. We are a british classic car specialist since 1999. You can also learn how to use this website in the help center. See 31 results for mg mgb gt for sale uk at the best prices, with the cheapest used car starting from. It traded sunshine for torsional rigidity and a small back seat.
Link your active subscription or subscribe for instant access. Driving an mgb gt around a and b roads reminds us why speed limits were set at the levels they were. Potential buyers should know that the mgb was never intended to go particularly fast. Within three years of the launch of the mgb, the gt made its debut at the. History of the 19701974 mg mgb mechanically, the mgb was little changed for 1970, retaining its 1,798cc pushrod engine, fourspeed allsynchro transmission and all the familiar running gear. Grampian grey over black interior with white piping, black carpet. This method is generally known to be a permanent fix.
The original flange the crack on mine had started where. It appears the same on both sides but only one side is cracked. Jan, 2010 the mgb crack of doom is the crack that commonly develops at the top of the door close to the rear of the vent window. How to patch and weld the vertical crack nicknamed the crack of doom that appears on some mgb doors. The mgb crack of doom is the crack that commonly develops at the top of the door close to the rear of the vent window.
Both chrome and rubberbumpered gt versions of the v8powered mgb were produced by the factory with production ending in 1976. This is when the door skin splits just underneath the. This flared and bumperless example is v8 powered tire shredding machine that and rides on wheels straight from the transam racing catalog and is just about perfect. While i know that not everyone is into this type of conversion the change can be made easily and at any time the original seats can be reinstalled into the car. Its surprising that after racking up nearly 500 miles, the thing didnt. And oh yes, the crack of doom was welded up but the prince of darkness still lurks among the electrons. The seat covers are fine, but the seat bottom foam and diaphragms have had it. The gt version of the mgb was a high priority for abingdon, in fact it is known that john thornley and syd enever would dearly have liked to produce this car prior to the open topped mgb, but mindful of the public demand for the mga replacement the roadster won the day.