Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Ellis]

The British Leyland version of the MGBGTV8 from 1973-1976 was not a numerous car. Only 2591 were built and I can only remember two in this area, both chrome bumpered models. One was a "M" registered in Citron Yellow later resprayed to British Racing Green. The second was a Damask Red "N" registered, owned by somebody on the North Wales coast.

In the spring of 1985, someone I have known for many years fulfilled a long term ambition and bought a 1976 "P" registered example in Tahiti Blue with a Webasto sunroof. It had covered 70+ k miles and was as you would expect a nine year old car to be - in generally good order but needing TLC.
I drove it then and liked it. Very powerful without being intractable with a "loose" rear end due to worn bushes.
I don't know what he paid for it but I guess around £3000.

The new owner was delighted with it but decided to have it "tidied up" at a local bodyshop in 1988 and a fair job was done. By 1990 the MGBGTV8 was looking shabby so a restoration was arranged at another bodyshop with an excellent reputation for fine work.
The work undertaken was extensive - new front wings, castle sections, inner and outer sills, rear wings, rear valance and a respray in the original Tahiti Blue.
With a new interior the car looked superb and was the source of admiration by many. Again, I don't know what the owner paid for the work but I think the cost was substantial and included a new set of the unique MGBGTV8 chromed alloy wheels and new tyres.
The owner wanted chrome wire wheels but was told that the rear splines and wheels would be incapable of handling the V8's torque.

By 1997 the car was looking shabby once more. There must have been more latent rust in the monocoque because the floors, boot floor and chassis rails had advanced rust.
The owner told me that he intended to re-shell the car with a Heritage bodyshell and he had paid his deposit for one and would have to wait for delivery, four months if I recall.

When it arrived he asked me to have a look and to my surprise viewed a rubber bumpered ROADSTER bodyshell. It was not my place to say anything critical but he sensed my disapproval and added that he wanted a V8 roadster.

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You can see from the above photos the "before","during" and "after" sequence.
The owner had the assistance of a very able friend in the "rebuild". Every part of the old MGBGTV8 that was used was examined, refurbished or renewed and the work was done to a superb standard between them.
The new roadster bodyshell was painted in a metallic British Racing Green by a former Rolls Royce/Bentley(Crewe) paint man and the result spoke for itself.

There were difficulties however. MGB windscreen rubbers were on back order for example but the work was completed in less than 10 months start to finish, a record I would say.
There was enough of the old V8 used to retain it's chassis and registration number and the completed car was in effect a brand new MGB V8 roadster admired by all.

Had it have been me [/b]AND IT WAS NOT- I would have rebuilt the MGBGTV8 into a new GT bodyshell and if I had wanted - and again it was not me -I would have re-engined a MGB roadster with an ex SD1 Vitesse or Vanden Plas EFi unit. There were plenty of such engines around in 1997.

It was the owner's car to do with as he wanted.
I cannot but think that what he created was a quasi Phoenix from the ashes of a decayed car and a valuable and rare car was lost. If you believe Howmanyleft.com there are only 612 MGBGTV8's remaining.






Hindsight can be wise but also cruel. In 2000 on many of the 1500 MGBRV8's that were exported to Japan were returned home to the Uk.
Prices in Japan pre "SHAKEN" (the 7 year MOT) were around £5000 or less.
I know which I would have preferred.

[img]

Your opinions please, gentlemen.[/img]
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[ukdave2002]

I have to say I agree with all the points you make!

There are plenty of rubber bumper roadsters beyond economical repair, far better IMHO to source one of those and stick a V8 in a new shell, if that's what you want.

As you point out; shame to loose what is quite a rare care

Dave

[Rick]

If I owned a rusty MGB GT V8 I'd go for a chrome-bumper GT re-shell to maintain an appearance of originality, second choice would be a chrome bumper roadster shell. The rubber bumper roadster shell wouldn't, personally, have been on my radar let alone my shopping list.

The only thing I would say is that a Heritage re-shelled MG - roadster or GT - has so little left of the original car anyway, being a monocoque, that once the original shell has been discarded, what happens with the remains doesn't much matter any more (IMHO), the car - as it was - has gone. Whatever body is chosen, it's a modern re-shell and effectively a modern creation, that happens to use some old bits, much like a kit car.

Where a significant change has taken place during the process, like here switching from GT to Roadster, then even less of the original car will be re-used.

At the end of the day, any owner can do what they like with their car. The MGB GT V8 has gone, its i.d. now resides on a modern-build roadster.

RJ
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[Riley Blue]

I've always thought the rubber bumpered model was an abomination so I would never have done it but it's his car to do whatever he wants with.

[petermeachem]

What I think is interesting is 'excellent reputation for fine work' and it's a big pile of rust 7 years later. That shouldn't happen surely?

[Ellis]

[colwyn500]

It seems like the owner of this car really used it and obviously loved it. There are plenty of old cars that will now never wear out because they are hardly used. If that's what made sense to him to keep it on the road, I'm all for it.

[petermeachem]

If it were mine I'd be a little disappointed to say the least