This really started when i was going to repair the dreaded crack of doom. Nov 26, 2017 1977 mgb roadster restoration ep 14 tear down part 9 door glass duration. The seat covers are fine, but the seat bottom foam and diaphragms have had it. We are a british classic car specialist since 1999. 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. 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. 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. Ive needed to do this since i bought the gt last summer. It never came back in the next year or so i kept the car.
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. Todays nice price or crack pipe mgbgt is ready to invade your. And oh yes, the crack of doom was welded up but the prince of darkness still lurks among the electrons. 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. This method is generally known to be a permanent fix. 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. Potential buyers should know that the mgb was never intended to go particularly fast. Sep 08, 2017 join us for a drive in gods back garden this classic mgb gt. Little changed for 1972, although american market cars were distinguished by a rightside door mirror and a modified dashboard with a glove box. More correctly these are roadster doors but in keeping with the speedster body kit. Often the interiors of gt models are better preserved so restoring one could.
Unlike many modern cars which feel diluted by comparison, an mgb gt is great fun to drive at fifty. 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. Along with the dreaded crack of doom on the doors, the pre68 seat frames cracking was is not a rarity. Both chrome and rubberbumpered gt versions of the v8powered mgb were produced by the factory with production ending in 1976. This engine had been used in the unibody gm 19611963 abody platform buick special skylark and oldsmobile f85 and 19611962 pontiac tempest and was the lightest massproduction v8 in the world. You can also learn how to use this website in the help center. Doorskin strengthening and quarterlight adjustment. The other door has a much larger crack, but the repair process is the same. 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. To see ads from the march, 2020 issue, you must be a subscriber to hemmings motor news. Buy this 425 horsepower v8 powered mgb gt and commence hoonage. Mar 08, 2016 when the 1972 mgb gt arrived, the exhaust system was literally hanging on by a few spot welds and questionable hardware. The mgb gt sported a groundbreaking greenhouse designed by pininfarina and launched the sporty hatchback style.
Mgbgts small exterior dimensions make it easy to place on the road picture. Its the classic mgb, designed in 1962 by pininfarina, reimagined and reengineered for the 21 st century by frontline developments. It traded sunshine for torsional rigidity and a small back seat. This is a photo of one of my cracks of doom crack of doom. Given how aghast aficionados were at its federalised bumpers at the time of its launch, we can see how thats happened. 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. I kept asking car owner jason shalders and his build partner chris isaacs the same question just to be sure id heard properly. 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. My 77 b has the crack of doom on the passenger door right by the side window frame attachment point. Door skin tech day september 18, 2004 glen ellyn, illinois jim evans crimping a new mgb door skin in place. The first sports car driven by our east coast editor, andy reid, was an mgb, back when he was just 14 years old. None of these are cars are currently able to driven. Find great deals on ebay for mgb gt v8 and mgb gt v8 car.
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. 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. Grampian grey over black interior with white piping, black carpet. Its surprising that after racking up nearly 500 miles, the thing didnt. Replacing the stock mgb gt seats with mazda miata seats. Crack of doom door hinge question the door is also a little high, in the rear, so it does not close well. 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.
Driving an mgb gt around a and b roads reminds us why speed limits were set at the levels they were. The fixedroof mgb gt was introduced in october 1965. 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. It appears the same on both sides but only one side is. See 31 results for mg mgb gt for sale uk at the best prices, with the cheapest used car starting from. Results include ads from the february, 2020 issue of hemmings motor news. 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. Curiously, the factory went for the lowpower, range rover state of tune, but 7bhp is still plenty for a relatively light mgb gt. 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. But it wasnt until 2019 that he actually owned such a car, a 1967 mgb gt. It chose not to develop a lefthanddrive version of the mgb gt v8 although the rover v8 engine was offered in usbound rover models. The mgb gt in rubberbumpered form is still your cheapest way into b ownership. Within three years of the launch of the mgb, the gt made its debut at the.
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. Im sorry, youre going to do what with this mgb speedhunters. How to patch and weld the vertical crack nicknamed the crack of doom that appears on some mgb doors. A very nice car, excellent body with very good red exterior, black interior, wire wheels, excelle. In addition, the drivers right seat base had cracked at some point, so the seats had been swapped sidetoside and didnt really fit properly. 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. The original flange the crack on mine had started where the flange finished and turned round the front of the 14light upright, arrowed image. Reinforce and strengthen your mgb body chassis forward of leaf spring mounts. In fact even the advent of rubber bumpers in the mid1970s couldnt completely ruin those great looks. Een klassieke britse uitstraling met een donkergroene carrosserie en biscuit kleurige lederen interieur, getint glas. The door is also a little high, in the rear, so it does not close well. The pininfarina modified mgb was blessed with a beautifully proportioned style that has become timeless. 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.
It appears the same on both sides but only one side is cracked. Mg never attempted to export the mgb gt v8 to the united states. The mgb gt was a hardtop version of the legendary mgb. The original flange the crack on mine had started where. 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. She also wanted a little car that sounds really mean, and things got a little out of hand. Production continued until 1980, although export to the us ceased in 1974. Mgb crack of doom door hinge question british car forum. Now it sports nearly 400 hp, custom suspension and an unchanged overall weight. He began to restore the car, hoping to be done in time to drive. 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. Buy this 425 horsepower v8 powered mgb gt and commence. 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. 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.
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. Mgb gt v8 time warp condition mg introduced the mgb gt v8 in 1973. Be aware they can bite if ya have flesh in the wrong place. 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. 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. Full engine rebuild loads of history including original bill of sale. The natural evolution of the sporting grand tourer. Another flaw to look out for is the crack of doom a crack in the door that. And i guess youve done battle with those hooks on the seat bottoms already.