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MGB GT - The Perfect Classic Car Daily Driver?
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- Опубліковано 18 сер 2024
- #mgb #car #classiccar
Could the MGB GT be the perfect classic car to use as a daily driver? In this video I look at how the MGB GT holds up against modern cars for daily use. The car is my own 1969 MGB GT rolling restoration project.
![АЛАУДИНОВ у Скабеевой: эти их ВСУ нас НЕ ДОГОНЯТ 😁 [Пародия]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/an0anqU4WGQ/mqdefault.jpg)
I'm 17 and have been interested in cars for a few years, I've been looking at insurance quotes for all sorts of cars and I was over the moon when I realised that insurance on the MGB GT's is "fairly cheap" (for a new driver) and I have been obsessed ever since... Watching your videos has inspired me to keep saving to hopefully get one as a first car! Thank you
Hi Ben! That’s great, glad to hear you are able to get a reasonable insurance quote for a B! All the best with your hunt for a good one!
@@restosaga Thank you! I will let you know what I end up with
@austinrover2005 Lockdowns in the UK meant that my driving test has been pushed back by about 6 months. It's not far off now tho, still going to be after an MGB GT as soon as I pass my test. I didn't forget about my comment, just didn't expect things to take so long!
@@benmarsden7655 you still looking? or have you got one? I’d love to know!
@@curlycat3959 Still looking, although it will be August/September when I can realistically buy one. My original comment was made when my driving test would have been in March, but now it is in August, so I'm still waiting
Ive had my MGB GT for a year and honestly it is fantastic! Touch wood no problems and it drives brilliantly! Would recommend investing in one!
Great to hear! Watch this week’s video (out Saturday at 5pm) to see what I’ve done to my own MGB GT
Totally agree. My '72 GT was a daily driver for me from 2011 to 2014 here in Chicago, including during the winter. In 2013 we had one of the worst winters ever in Chicago snow wise and it powered right through and never once failed to start. It also holds a surprising amount of stuff
Nice one! I never got to drive mine in the snow but would have love to have done it!
I've had a '75 BGT for over 10 years. I rebuilt it from the ground up with unleaded head, electronic ignition and full s/s exhaust system.. It isn't exactly my daily driver, but I do use it an awful lot. Drove it from my home in the Midlands upto Scotland, and back. It never missed a beat and I got 28.8 mpg.
Nice one Fred! Would love and OD for my own some day. A stainless exhaust wouldn’t go amiss either!
Mine was a daily driver for 33 years.; 213,000 miles. Loved it!
Impressive! Thanks for watching!
Beautiful MGB you got there. I’m jealous.
Thank you! Sadly it’s been sold now but hopefully I can get another one some day!
Nice car and good story , well told as well. Here in USA would get run down by a crossover suv , like my 98 escort almost does every day, but in the corners , you have em !
I would imagine a B would be dwarfed on the open highways! Nice car!
New subscriber here from Belgium!
Passionate about BL and BMC cars. Owning a Triumph ourselves.
Always loved the BGT!
Thanks for getting in touch and subscribing! Hope you enjoy the videos, would love to do some on Triumphs!
Restosaga Classic Car Restoration that’s nice to hear! My ultimate dream still is a MGC GT with the steel dash. Not the US type pillow dash. I love the original dash. The map reading light, key in the middle, so lovely! They were also assembled here in Belgium, in Seneffe! Visited the plant 2 years ago. They had their own railway and it’s all still there.
I always preferred the look of the roadster, but this looks cool too
Thanks! Each to their own I say!
I’m looking at a regular mgb as a potential daily driver. I’m 17 and own a Fiero and 63’ Oldsmobile 98. I drive 20~ miles on the highway to school everyday during the school year. I’d split the mileage between all three cars, but I’ve heard a mix of things about the daily drivability of MGBs. I’m 6’3 too, but if I had to, I know you can swap seats to from a miata.
Nice one! Sounds like a great collection you have there!
@@restosaga thank you! Would you personally buy a MGB for the purpose I mentioned, driving 25~ miles each way on the highway?
@CarsandCollectors I think it’s a good shout, especially with an overdrive if you can
Great cars! I drove my '72 roadster daily for 4 years in the early 2000's clocking up over 90 thousand miles in that time. She was just as reliable and cheaper to maintain than any other car I've owned.
I agree! Properly maintenance allows these cars to be so useful for so long!
I realize Im pretty off topic but do anyone know of a good website to stream newly released series online?
@Nathan Cassius Try flixzone. Just search on google for it =)
@Royal Makai yea, been watching on Flixzone for years myself =)
@Royal Makai Thanks, signed up and it seems like they got a lot of movies there :D Appreciate it!
What a pretty little thing ! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you! And thanks for watching!
The back seat is "largely decorative"...indeed. I had a roadster... never was a big fan of these cars (the GTs) but many people seem to really like them. One thing is for sure.... you will learn to be a good mechanic (I did) or you will stroke a lot of checks. My philosophy was never let more than two things go unfixed because in a month it will be three.
Nice one! I prefer the lines of the GT myself but each to their own taste!
In 1972 I bought a brand new MGB GT, British Racing Green with tan interior and what a fun car to drive. I had about a 20 mile work commute at the time and it made the drive fun instead of a bore. Unfortunately I was rear-ended at a stop light about two years later, got pushed into another car, end of the MG!!!!!
Lovely car, thanks for sharing!
Lovely car. I have always loved these, they’re such great looking coupes. 👍
Thank you! Yes, I agree, they are a great looking car!
I had the same thought back in 1991 when I lived in California. An MGB (or GT) would be the perfect classic daily driver. I searched for many months for just the right car, one with overdrive and preferably also wire wheels. Just could not find one.
Along came a 1969 TR6 with O/D at my price point, so I bought that instead.
I drove it daily for the next 7 years and still own it today. If I didn't now live in the "rust belt", it would still be my daily driver.
But, I still think an MGB would have been better as an everyday car.
Nice one! While I love my MG, a TR6 would be high up the wishlist! I think it’s safe to say that all of the UK is a ‘rust belt’!!!
@@restosaga haha.. yeah I suppose. Is it as bad as here in Wisconsin where the roads are white because of all the salt they lay down?
My first love was MG, but the TR was too good to pass up.
Our roads are so salty all of winter, you can almost hear the cars rust!
Was considering buying one from a work colleague after I passed my test in the 1970's. Quite a nice looking car (with chrome bumpers that is) and fairly practical as a daily driver. However I discovered my Dads' Triumph Dolomite 1850 saloon (not a Dolly sprint) was quite a bit faster. This put me off owning one.
Would think you would have to drive foot to the metal on occasion to keep up with things these days.
Nice one! Always liked the Dolomites! Not too bad on requiring full throttle. ‘Modern traffic’ doesn’t really move that fast other than motorways!
Enjoyed the video. I just sold my 1964 Iris Blue roadster/tourer and now looking for an MGB GT. I owned a 1969 MGC GT bought in 1970 with 12k miles. I would like to have that back but I prefer the handling of the B. Thanks for the inspiration to find a GT.
Go for it!
@@restosaga Mean time I bought a 63 roadster, doesn't cut it.
Still looking for a GT. From So Oregon USA
Nice one, thanks for the update. All the best with your hunt!
Without going into the video yet (really), except for the inherent reliability and performance issues of British autos at that time, I'd agree.
For a single person, a couple or a small family (until the kids feet touch the floor) it could be useful. ;-)
I had a 1972 MGB with a inset grill, fake mag steel wheels a role-bar, tonneau cover (damaged) and had it repainted British Racing Green. So much fun. ;-)
I had intended to install a set of driving and fog lights, tonneau cover repaired (modified) and a center brake light to the roll-bar.
Despite being damaged it solved a problem. With the tonneau cover unzipped down the center, the passenger side would flap (distraction).
Because of the damage I'd keep the center zipped and tuck the drivers side flap between the passenger seat and console (steering wheel pocket gave extra knuckle room) so if I had it repaired I'd ask that I could still fold it down.. ;-)
Thank you! Yes, small children only in the back seats!
Opps, I should have made a seperate comment about my 72 MGB. ;-)
Just reading that now. Very good!
Very nice overview - thanks!
No problem! Thank you for watching!
No problem! Thank you for watching!
Stunning car. You are living the dream my friend!
Thank you Sir, I am very fortunate!
When I used to own one of these GTs, it would overheat in the summer time bumper to bumper traffic and the SU carburettors made starting in the cold difficult. The heater was barely adequate to keep the interior warm. BMC had plenty of time to address these issues but they chose to just ignore them. 4th gear was noisy at highway speeds. Generally speaking, it was a decent car, but I felt like something was always breaking or failing after a few joyful months of driving and then my wallet would be lighter. When I decided to rebuild the engine, my machinist informed me that he couldn't bore the block because it didn't have sufficient material between the cylinders. I ended up reusing the old pistons. As long as you have a back up vehicle, you are generally safe.
Well fair enough but I suspect you had a bad one. My heater would have created so much heat it was unbearable. The car never overheated once and the gearbox was very quiet. It’s a shame you didn’t get a good experience!
That is a beautiful GT! You can always tell an MG engine by the sound. They all sound like a Ford farmall farm tractor.
Thank you very much. Yes, a simple old engine but does the job nicely!
Restosaga Classic Car Restoration, old saying, if it ain’t broke then don’t fix it. British automobiles were always fun and efficient cars that have a universal cult following.
Absolutely!
I use my 74 Roadster every day, in Michigan except of course, not in the snow. Tend to avoid the rain when possible as well. Agree with the comment about an overdrive. Makes the MG much more livable. Other add's I have done, Electronic ignition, larger GM alternator, a larger Aluminum radiator, and an electric control for overdrive so you don't try to run it in reverse.
A bigger alternator does sound like a plan! Nice idea about the overdrive control!
Where in Michigan JC X? I'm in the Lansing area and have a 1971 Midget that I cruise around in all summer long.
@@greekboy5155 Metro Detroit. Rochester.
@I'LL BE BACK ! What I added is a controller switch. So if you are in od 4th and and shift to any other gear, while leaving the od switch on, it will not go into overdrive again until you cycle the od switch, off / on. It my case it works for both 3rd and 4th gear. So it forces you to decide when you want od engaged.
Brilliant video. Thanks you.
Thanks for watching!
The perfect MGB GT would be one with a cosworth twin cam 1.8 or 2.0 liter engine with a close ratio 5-speed, 373 geared, limited slip IRS. The engine should have ITB’s AND Roots-type supercharger attached. With this set-up you’d need Recaro seats up front and a proper MG. Wood rimmed steering wheel! Massive sway bars both front and rear and Bilstein HD coil overs at all 4 corners would be an necessity. As for wheels and tires, some custom 8” wide 15” chrome wire wheels with some 235/40/R15 VR rated Michelin tires. A good 2 1/2” exhaust system would be a necessity! Now THAT”S my kind of daily driver!
Not too much different to standard then? Haha
Restosaga Classic Car Restoration, LOL that’s my idea of standard. Of course I’ve owned Hemi Cuba’s a1967, one of eleven 427 L88 corvettes. An original 1964 GTO convertible that I bought new before I went into the Marine Corps in 65. It had a factory 421 super duty engine with dual quads, 4-speed and a safety trac rear with 4.88:1 gears. That was a low 12 second street beast. That’s not counting the numerous cars I’ve had since I got out of the Corps in 71.
Nice one!!!
Restosaga Classic Car Restoration , Now having said that, you’d have to get Elon Musk to pay for it. LOL
Excellent video! I have recently bought one of these and found the video very helpful. I'm would be interested in what type,brand of electronic ignition have put on it. Cheers Ken,
Hi Ken, thanks for watching! I installed a Powerspark electronic ignition module on this car, would highly recommend it!
Great video! How would you say it would do as daily during winter in the UK? It would be kept outside too as i dont have a garage?
I think so! If you spent some time to ensure it was well rust-proofed then the UK winter and salty roads should be fine. Prevention is better, easier and cheaper than a cure!
Those wonderful SU carbs, like a Swiss watch, on a Harley Davidson they are absolutely without peer, no other carb has the throttle response on a Harley that they do especially on the older Harley's (pre Evo engine, 1984 and earlier) because of the constant velocity principal that they work on, older Harley's had ports that were too big for the engines requirements and the CV effect really helps them out.
Years ago we would scrounge junk yards for SU's with the prize being a 2 inch version from off of an XK Jag, we would have to cut the flange off of the intake and weld it onto an intake from a Harley that had it's flange cut off.
Now you can buy them brand new ready to go with intake manifolds and cable brackets for just about any model Harley new or old (within reason when it comes to old), after 1997 they improved them by removing the bushing from the dash pot and replacing it with a caged ball bearing assembly and modified them to run without oil in the dash ports, that along with the "eliminator" fuel bowl that did away with the external fuel bowl and incorporated it into the bottom of the carb makes them very motorcycle friendly, and the fast idle cam with it's automatic release is the icing on the cake, hats off to the boys in Birmingham for that one.
Very cool!!! Didn’t realise they could be used on Harleys too, nice one!
@@restosaga
Oh yea, Rivera Engineering in California buys them new from SU and provides intakes, throttle brackets and modifies a few little things on them so their ready to bolt on, 5 different needles and 3 spring rates give them infinite tuning capabilities from stock size engines to the biggest stroker monster you can build.
Also a guy in Daytona Beach named Carl Morrow who set a land speed record in 1972 on a Sportster with a 2 inch SU from an XK has a speed shop that offers a carb called a Typhoon, it's basically his version of a large SU.
I'll bet if you Google "Carl Morrow Speed Shop Typhoon" you can check them out.
Greetings from America and if you ever find yourself in Birmingham tell those guys at SU "good job" from me.🇺🇸🇬🇧🇺🇸🇬🇧🇺🇸🇬🇧👍👍👍
Nice one, will do!!!
@@restosaga
Also check out an outfit called Z Therapy in Portland Oregon, it's a guy who races the old Datsun 240Z's, he specializes in SU carbs and setting them up for performance use, he offers instructional videos along with his services, one service he offers is fixing the carb bodies where the throttle shaft passes through them, the holes eventually egg out and cause vacuum leaks, what he does is machine out the holes and press in small sealed ball bearings and makes new shafts and throttle plates, that fixes the leaky throttle shaft problem forever on them, I've sent carbs to him and have nothing but good things to say about his work.
Great video really enjoyed it and your mgbgt looks fantastic.
Thank you Reuben, very kind. And thanks for watching!
Thank you, nice video and a beautiful car !
Thank you very much for watching Keiran, glad you enjoyed it
Being in the US, there are really quite a few B roadsters around... Not really many GTs. But it's really interesting to me how unusual Bs on the whole are in the UK and that they're fairly common here! Also I find your accent fascinating!!
Nice one! I didn’t realise they had been so heavily exported! Haha, it’s a Northern Ireland accent!
Here in England it's pretty much the opposite. Much more GT's around than roadsters as I've observed
Our UK weather may have something to do with that…
2:17 Even has its own special oil drip pan. An essential fitment for any British car from the 70s : )
Nicely presented car BTW. Admired a few when they were much more plentiful in the 70s but never could afford one back then.
Haha, yes, trying to preserve my garage floor! Thank you very much though, very kind!
There's a nice looking 69 for sale near me in California and I want it so bad! Bit if a project to get it daily drivable, but runs. Wife would kill me though
Just do it! Easier to ask for forgiveness than permission
Do you know what the RPM's are around highway speeds (70-80MPH)? Great in depth video!
Thanks for watching! Apologies but I do not, car has been sold otherwise I would check for you
Oh, that’s alright. I’m looking to get one and I was just curious if an overdrive transmission swap would be worth it.
If I had kept mine then I would have definitely gone for an overdrive, just to make cruising a bit easier
Thanks for sharing you do a great job with these vids. I'm down in Dublin looking into these or a midget
My pleasure! MGs are great, I was sad to see mine go. All the best in your search!
Nice review of the the GT, thank you. I am currently looking for a nice example. I have a question about your comment about not using your car for work due to longer trips. What prevents this car being used on those longer trips?
Hi Robert, thanks for watching. My main reason for not using on longer trips is the lack of overdrive, therefore on my motorway commute it would feel like I was being overly hard on the engine for longer periods, that’s all. Try to find an OD car!
So it would be like my former miata with it’s 4.1 rear diff, at 80mph. 😃 I will be looking for overdrive.
Do! Wish I had one myself!
hi only new to this love the video will be buying a Mg R8 in the future have learnt a lot .Do you know any thing about the Mg R8 looking forward to hearing from you Albert
Hi Albert, thanks for watching and glad you found it useful! Unfortunately I have no real experience of the RV8 as it is quite different to the GT but I hope you are able to find someone who can help!
I saw a 1969 that had five gauge clusters in the dash - not the 2 with the big pull knob like yours. It also has the ignition on the stalk and no switches or controls to the left of your ignition. Also the passenger side rear mirror is located on the front quarter panel, not by the A pillar. So, what's the difference?
I’m not too sure of the answer to this, but hopefully someone on here can help us out!
I’m looking at this exact same model car as a first car. What do you think about this car for a first car?
Emmett, thanks for getting in touch. I think this would make an amazing first car. Cheap to run/fix/maintain. Can’t see insurance being too horrible either, my own is very cheap. If you don’t have huge distances to cover then an GT could be a great option. Overdrive if you can get it would be my top advice! Let me know how you get on!
Restosaga Classic Car Restoration thank you very much
No problem! Let me know if there’s anything else I can help with
I bought a '67 roadster as my first car two years ago and it's a lot of fun. Expect to break down a lot if it hasn't been taken good care of (mostly electronics and charging, in my case). But with time you'll become mechanically inclined enough to fix/replace most parts. Just make sure you find one with little rust and an okay engine bay. Feel free to ask me questions!
My friend has a beautiful 1978 yellow model and we’ve just come back from a camping trip in the Peak District. His first car and both he and I absolutely love it. Beautiful vintage feel and smell, fantastic!
How about Winter Tires for particularly harsh winters? Defogging or air conditioning?
I suppose my video was largely aimed at UK drivers, like myself. But yes, winter tyres would be good for snow and ice. Air conditioning was not offered here to the best of my knowlegde!
30mpg is very good! Most new cars here in the us get 25-30
Thanks, I think it’s ok for a 50 year old carb-fed petrol car
Very cool
Thank you very much!!!
WONDERFUL CAR
Thank you very much, very kind!
I would drop the aluminium bonnet on mine so as not to dent it.
Fair point, the aluminium is easily damaged!
30mpg without overdrive is pretty good.
I thought so too!
I'm more than happy to not have to put my fun car away for winter here in Australia.
That would be nice! I do still take it out over winter, but mainly if it’s dry and the roads have not been salted
@@restosaga Haha, I prefer salt on my fish and chips.
I drove MGB GT's for over a decade as a daily driver... Three engines, two paint jobs, one re-upholstery, countless replacement wire wheels / hubs and mysterious gremlins related to lucas wiring and smith gauges... Zero horsepower and worse reliability... Hell, my Morgans were more reliable than my MG's...
Sounds like you’ve had quite the MG experience!!!
Have a 75 mgb gt I didn’t realize that you have to add on to the carb pots ,how often,how much , and what type of oil. Thank you
So the exact oil type is controversial but SU themselves supply dashpot oil so I use this, about 20w50 I believe. Fill to 1/4” below the top of the plunger. Check every 1000miles. Makes quite a difference to throttle response and smoothness of operation. Hope that helps!
Thanks very much useful info
@@restosaga Hi I am getting a 67 mgb Gt. I am not sure about the part where you said to add oil to the carb pots, Do you have a video about this? Thank you
just how tall are you as a matter of interest cause is it a tight fit to get in I'm 6 foot 2 myself and I might be getting one of these
I’m 6ft. I was comfortable in the car and didn’t have the seat all the way back!
Hi! There is one for sale near me for 6 grand, 90 thousand miles, original engine, gearbox and has never been welded, what should I look for exactly if I’m going to buy it?
Hi, thanks for watching! I actually made a MGB Buyer’s Guide video, it’s on the channel. It should tell you more about this!
Restosaga Classic Car Restoration brilliant thank you
Glad to be of help. Let me know if there’s anything else you need to know!
Can you drive this on the motorway?
Absolutely! An overdrive may make it more comfortable but a very useable daily driver overall
ike for British classics without looking! And which rims are spoke, which should be on MG
Transit Passenger Dunlop wheels do look cool on them too
I agree with this! Very cool!
I do love a good set of wires on an MG!
Nice car,. Not sure about that home made top hose :-/
Thanks! The hose worked perfectly!
How do you go about rust proofing a classic car?
Important to assess an make sure there is no major rot to begin with. Then remove old flaky underseal then reapply fresh underseal/waxoil to the chassis and floor. Also try and fill sills and chassis box sections too!
How big is the fuel tank? 30L?
It’s 12 gallons apparently. If that’s UK gallons then it’s just over 50litres. Hope that helps!
Hello I have no kids and am thinking about buying one of these if I kept it serviced and ran it everyday would it be reliaboe
Hi! I think so, yes. Make sure you buy the best one you can from the outset though, to avoid the problems of a previous owner!
@Bercilak de hautdesert Thank you my friend, what TVR do you have
Thanks for your comment, hope you enjoyed the video!
@@restosaga I very much did sir!
Excellent!
Reborn it two litres and fit Weber carburettor to engine port and polish head and you get very old car that’s quite drivable in modern traffic. Remember with MG,s half the fun is just getting there without a major break down. YAH. made it 🚘🚘🚘
Haha, true! I like your thinking. When my engine is due work I do plan to do all of this, maybe even a supercharger as well!!!
Do like the supercharger idea!
Would it be a good first car?
Hi Hugo, thanks for watching. I think it could make a great first car! Fairly cheap to run and insure. Easy to park and place on the road. Not too big or too small for road presence either. I think it wouls be great!
A 1971 mgb gt was my first car, and that was in 2013 or so. I thought it that it was an outstanding first car. Of course, I was working at an MG shop at the time.
Haha, that was handy!
Defenetly not. How it could be? Such a small car with a 1800cc fuel. Maybe in the Usa where fuel is cheap, but in anywhere else.
Moreover, it could be a daily driver just if restored but like almost all cars.
Im a owner of mgb roadster 1973, in my country are like twice more expensive than in uk and 3 times than in Usa. There's a lack of spares parts and mechanics who want to fix an old car.
So for me... It depends where you live. But for the modern standard it is not dailydr
Do not agree that 1800cc is a small engine or that this is too small a car. Circumstances and where you live will determine your needs though, you are right there!
I used to have one of these. Nice to look at but hardly fast. GIve me a Golf GTi Mk2 any day.
Can't argue with your thoughts on the speed but the Mk2 and the GT are for very different purposes!
a daily driver that one has to check all fluids before heading out? doesn't sound like a very good daily driver to me
Everyone’s entitled to an opinion! Tha ks for watching!
@@restosaga Indeed. Thanks for the vid. I actually would love a MGB GT!! and actually considering it but I just would not see it fit as a daily driver, especially in New England but would be a some-days-daily-ish-driver lol
Nice one! All the best on your hunt! I think, given the size of the roads in the US, that unless a local commute was all that was required then something more modern maybe better as a daily!
@@restosaga thanks! Yes, my 2018 Focus RS is my daily! It has airbags! 😂
Always a bonus 👌🏻
Make sure you have a bucket in the boot..to collect the rust..haaa
Haha, fair point!
BMW 2002 ftw
Excellent choice!!!
Of course you can daily drive this beautiful car year round in Britain. Parts availability and knowledge of the car is high, there. What's wrong with Brits? Don't you understand what you produced?
I agree!
@@restosaga This is from commenter on this video, D. Palmer, of Chicago, below. I looked up temperature records from Chicago between 2011 and 2014. On January 6, 2014, it was -15 degrees Fahrenheit in Chicago.
D Palmer, 1 year ago:
"Totally agree. My '72 GT was a daily driver for me from 2011 to 2014 here in Chicago, including during the winter. In 2013 we had one of the worst winters ever in Chicago snow wise and it powered right through and never once failed to start. It also holds a surprising amount of stuff."
I would also reword the entire car first.
Rewire? Fair enough. My wiring is good despite being painted over by the previous owner.
Mine had really old paper insulated wiring and it had created a short.
Ah, fair enough, that would need re-doing!
Anyone with eyes can see that the engine is too small for the body. 😔
Have you ever driven a good one? The engine is more than adequate.
A Capri would be a more practicle classic if it's a 2 door coupe you're after.
A fair point!