Don't miss episode 2 - ua-cam.com/video/iidfGI7Cn4k/v-deo.html and episode 3 - ua-cam.com/video/2NGOHDXTV_w/v-deo.html Please like, subscribe & contribute towards the next episode if you can (links in description). It genuinely does help us bring you the next episode!
It's great to see the 124 spider getting the attention it deserves. 4 wheel disk brakes, DOHC, double-wishbone front suspension and a 5 speed from the factory make it a great drivers car that sells for half of what the Alfa Romeo equivalent does!
Wonder if a german made ford 2.8 v-6 fuel injection with a 5-speed would fit in the fiat? They made it with solid lifters and a gear driven cam. Then also a supercharger....
In the late '60's the 124 was a revelation: a true hemi DOHC head, a two stage 2 bl Weber carb, mechanical advance distributor , slick shifting 5 speed trans, 4 wheel disk brakes, dbl wish bone front suspension with a well located solid axel at the rear. All of this worked wonderfully - exiting a corner at 4,500 rpm - the carb opens in-sink with the spark advance and those lovely cams make that little engine scream like a banshee all the way to 7,500!
@DBD 34 Goldie So you haven't owned an 124, then. All as Gary mentioned above plus a top (ughh..."hood") that didn't leak and could be lowered or RAISED with one hand at a stoplight, aluminum head, electric fan, front and rear anti-roll bars, a decently-sized trunk (hhhh...."boot"), something of a back seat, and sized so humans could actually use them. The British stuff was fun but always antiquated. Also, despite what is said in the video, the wood dash was actual wood up until 1974-75ish.
I learned to drive in a 124 . . . nice handling car, high revs for power . . . MGB's were nice too, and easier to work on. These days, I drive an Expedition with a 5.4L VVT engine . . . another world.
Back in 1972, one of our elementary school teachers drove a MGB (as opposed to the typical sedans teachers drove). It was an amazingly sporty looking car relative to the other cars. That started my love for 2 seater sports cars. I now own a 2017 Fiat 124 Spider Abarth and LOVE the sporty, nimble nature of the car. I would have been happy with either a MX-5 or Fiat, but I like the style of the Fiat better and the mid range torque makes it an easier car in daily driving, as you don't have to really rev it up to get the goodness out of it. Great video guys, I love that MGB, the looks and style are beautiful and sporty, please don't sell it short! It really is a stylish car!
NewVsOld There was a yellow MG (1974ish) just rusting away in a neighbor’s drive way. It really broke my heart to see that car just rotting there. I don’t have the skills (or time) to work in cars, but that was one I wish I could save. Such a waste....
Well done, gents! I’m a big fan of all three cars. Wanted an MGB when I was a kid, ended up with an X1/9, and now I have my fourth MX-5 - an orange one like you guys had. I consider myself lucky to have been able to enjoy ANY car like these three. They make people happy.
I met Edd last November 2019 at SEMA in Las Vegas. Such a nice guy. I was with my 6’4” friend and he looked at Edd and said “wow”. Edd is quite tall. I hope he finds a new vehicle for his expertise. I do enjoy his work.
My 69 MGB ... And the dance between the magic chrome hub spanner and lead knock-off hammer in the trunk Two in front “cozy” Three upfront - way friendly Two in front and one sideways on rear deck - mayhem Two finger close ratio shifts ( transmission that is!) Preferred dash / smith details and passenger no glove box padded pleating detail Positioned down way low - below windshield during brisk fall Maryland nights with top down Allegedly using handicap curb cuts to make u- turns after midnight and avoid detours / traffic lights Parking and fishing out of an mgb while on a bridge’s pedestrian cat walk Chrome bumpers Throaty su carbs Lower stance Good times ~
The Fiat Spider has been an underappreciated road car as far back as I can remember. I'm driving my modified '79 Spider today and every time I get it on the highway I remember why I tell people a car like this is rated in "smiles per mile", and nothing else. because nothing else matters when you're in a top-down cruiser as solid as the Fiat.
Hey Ray…i think, i am having intermittent start issue on my 124 spider fiat…any advice? Fiat start up fine..drive it for about 30-45 minutes…park and come back 15 minute later, turn key , nothing just clicking. Wiggle the stick shift, turn off/on ignition….wait 15 minutes and it starts up. Weird
@@billybutton5814 You have to take a systematic approach to diagnosing the problem. Given the age of these cars you have to look at everything from the ignition switch contacts to the starter wires to the grounds. On that note, you should run a nice fat ground cable from the trunk mounted battery up to the engine block. Any and every electrical connection is suspect when you have a problem like you're describing here. Good luck and keep that Spider running!
Good to see Edd China back on youtube but no need to mention the show he left! Imagine if the MGB had actually been developed, Alloy block and head, then 7 or 8 port alloy head to upgrade it in the range. Then all alloy overhead cam or even twincam.
My sports car progression was a well-used BRG Fiat 850 Spider followed by a rubber-bumper MG Midget and then a new 1990 Miata. 31 years laster I still have that Miata and despite its 315,000 miles it looks and drives very well. You do have to work on it occasionally which is always easy to do so you still get some of that British sports car satisfaction but without the fear of being broken down at the side of the road.
This was great. I've had three MX-5s as well as a '74 and now a '77 MGB and always admired the Fiat. I think the new iteration of the Spyder is more attractive than the MX-5, but the B's have been my all time favorite. Thanks for sharing.
Always nice to see a well kept one on the road, that’s for sure. But I went down the beetle road when I bought my first car 37 years ago and glad I did too. More love less labor.
Great job! Loved the video I have a 1971 MGB and I will never sell it willingly! I will also add a Miata to the fleet one day! My father had a Miata and it stuck to the road like shit to a blanket!! Cheers
I'm subscribed! Great first episode, and looking forward to your next! I didn't realize how tall Edd really is! With this pandemic, we need this type of programming more than ever to help keep us all sane! More please, and keep it coming! Thanks so much for doing this!
Next episode will premiere later this week. We hope you enjoy it! Till then, hope you'll give the description above a read if you can. Thanks very much!
Martin, how good to meet you, as it were, after enjoying the magazine and your column for so many years. An excellent and very enjoyable start to what I really do hope will be a regular and ongoing venture. Many thanks. PS I would want all 3 cars plus a B GT V8
I will watch anything Edd China does! Don't get me wrong, I love MG's. My first three cars were MGA's. But the first 1.5L iteration of the Datsun roadster was introduced in 1961 before the MGB. By 1967 it had an alloy 2.0L OHC motor with up to 150hp and a five speed along with more standard equipment and much better build quality than the MG. It's not really right to say that the MGB created the concept.
I’ve always loved British sports cars, especially the Triumph Spitfire. However, I test drove a Miata when they first came out, and I fell in love. They wanted $20,000 US dollars for the car I drove, despite the $13,900 MSRP, and as a guy in his early 20s, it was out of range. In 2001, I was the widowed father of two sons. I had a family car, but I went out and bought a 2018 Miata GT in black with a rare dark cherry top, a six-speed manual, and custom Remus exhaust. It sounded better than the original, and my friend, who owns a Porsche 911, was even wowed by the performance. When my oldest son got his first car, a 4-door Mazda3, I unloaded the family car, and now daily drive the Miata. I paid $21,500, tax and all, and now was get offered $25,000 from dealers. Not going to sell. This car is everything I loved in the British sports cars, but it’s also dependable. The Japanese did to the British sports car what Lexus did to Mercedes. They took a great idea, and made it better.
Really enjoyed this video and have subscribed. This type of content really appeals and it would be interesting to see your comparison of a TVR with a car of today. Not much comes to mind when thinking of bhp/ ton or interiors! Nice to see Edd too. Looking forward to the next one!
Thanks very much for your kind words. Our next episode will premiere later this week. We hope you enjoy it! Till then, hope you'll give the description section above a read if you can.
No mention that Fiat released a modern remake of the 124 Spider around 2017, that actually used that Mazda MX-5’s chassis, interior and gearbox and the engine out of a modern Abarth 500. Interestingly it was made on the same production line as the new Mazda MX-5. Basically a re-badged MX-5 with Fiat exterior styling and Fiat engine. The “new” 124 Spider was very comfortable (I think it had softer suspension than the MX-5), in Lusso Plus trim the Fiat 124 has a very good spec. More of a GT cruiser than a track day car. The Abarth version added an engine remap, louder exhaust and more aggressive styling (I preferred the look of the standard Fiat 124 over the Abarth, as I wasn’t a fan of the Abarth‘s two tone paint that made it look like you got the hood / bonnet from a breakers yard) www.wsj.com/articles/the-fiat-124-spider-now-thats-not-italian-1466697994
Many thanks for your kind words! Our next episode debuts on Friday. We rely on viewer contributions to fund future episodes so if you enjoy them, links to donate are in the description above.
Two names. Martin. Buckley. I spent many a weak US dollar to English pounds on car magazine subscriptions that this right bloody genius of a man wrote for. I have several of his books. He should have had his own show/UA-cam Channel ages ago. Sláinte!
Not a fan of his taxonomic style (all that "the xyz model was favoured by the mid level sales rep. whose tastes had matured, after he had been promoted and sold his own MK 1" or the "the xyz model was the choice of the Oxfordhshire Publican who had experienced a divorce and was looking to have a second wind, not concerned with how he appeared to his customers..." but share his love of Lancia and P5's. Also, one of his coloumns in Thoroughbreds..mag about working in a dealership as a teen is one of the most enjoyable ever
Now beauty is of course in the eye of the beholder. But the MG is clearly the prettiest no question. Why ? Because it has many style features from the E Type and even Enzo thought the E was pretty acceptable. But a twin cam engine with Webers is a thing of wonder. But Martin you have let the side down. Clearly with an appropriate age handicap. What's the coolest convertible? Well the Austin Atlantic of course. And it had a brilliant engine for Le Mans.! Cheers a fun review.
All these old 2 seater open top cars were plagued by so many quirks, the greatest of which was their lack of reliability. The new Mazda MX5 embodies so much of what was great about these cars, but have nailed the reliability and performance piece. IMO
@Jody Owen You're right, the new MX-5 has all the fun sucked out of it by Mazda. When I grow up, I want to be as smart as you are. Nice to see you survived your abortion though....tell your mom I want my $200 back!
With the 124 you have to mention Pininfarina and the Dutch-American designer of the 124 Tom Tjaarda working under Franco Martinengo (design director) and Battista Pininfarina (look at Tom's Vette).
I owned a brand new MGB. I sold it in a year. Then I bought a 1983 Fiat 2000 (124). Had that car 35 years. Rot got it. I had to rebuild the engine once at 50,000 miles. After that it went 120,000 trouble free miles no matter how hard I thrashed it. Sorry , biased
Ironically the brits started the MGB , the Italians followed with the 124 Spider and added the flare , the Japanese took the best of both and made the MX5 and now the Italians have taken the MX5 and turned it into the current 124 Spider
Nearly bought an MGB and have driven several. Have owned 124 Spiders and there is no comparison. BTW Martin, B's don't have Austin front suspension - it was originally design for the Morris Ten M but frist appeared on the MG Y type.
Great to see Ed China back again, what a waste of talent his absence has been. Martin, I suggest you talk to Cotswold Airport about allowing you to film on the south side of the airfield, at least there’s some corners! Chugging up and down this straight outside C2 is going to get boring pretty quickly.... TonyS
MG's all the way... had 1798cc Bs & GTs then 2 heritiage shell roadsters ..3.5L &3.9L V8.... never unrelaible cars if simple maintenance just followed...
Fiat for me - MGB is basically a Morris Marina in drag. Both have tuneable engines but the Fiat Twin Cam is one of the world's greats in standard tune. I still look at a classic car article from about thirty years ago Martin did on one of his (and my) all time favourite cars - the Lancia Flaminia Pininfarina Coupe.
Welcome back Edd China. Hardly fair to compare the MGB launched in 1962 and built from a parts bin dating back to the 40s while managment were not looking to the current MX5. And those tired cliches, a well maintaned MGB wont let you down .Ours has been driven to Berlin, won its class in a rally (pot around here somewhere to prove it)and driven home over 4 days and needed no attention or oil or coolant adding. Also 130 BHP at the wheels?? My car has never shown better than 125 at the flywheel with its usable fast road cam.Its plenty in an 875 kg car.
The fiat better in mine.....i had a 73' ford motor co mercury capri that had a 2.6 v-6 that had solid lifters and gear to gear crank cams drive. It was a very tight fun fast engine.....but only a 3 speed....thought how id like it in the fiat with a 5 speed....dont know if it would have bolted up to the fiat 5 but eventually ford came up with 5 speed trannys for the motor also fuel injection.....oh and a supercharger would have been nice....
@Howardsend88 your right, far prettier than the Fiat, back in the 60's I had one of the first B's, a 62 with alloy bonnet, pull handles and 3 bearing motor, it eventually got the tin worm. had 3 B's, all great fun.
Horses for courses. Part of the joy of a classic car is knowing you did that, you fixed it, you drove it, and its personal to you. With a modern car, they are just too sanitized, yes they good, well built, don't need much more than a service, but they sum up the modern era of chuck away society rather than enjoy what you can achieve
@@NewVsOld Looking forward to see what else you have in store. Some thing like this is well overdue, although Hubnut does a fantastic job with his reviews of 'ordinary' classic cars. Maybe ADO16, or Landcrab, or Rover P6 or Triumph Stag?
The B is ok but that Fiat is sublime! Btw there is no such thing as 'Ferrari Red' there is only Rosso Corsa (Italian racing red). The original Ferrari colour is Giallo (yellow), the colour of Modena.
Subscribed. Great test, but the MG, like everything built in the UK in that era was built down to a strict budget, removing any chance of adding flair or power to what could have been a world leading sports car. And to try to compare anything to something designed by an italian, it will always come second. The Italians just naturally have style, in everything. Yes it's annoying, but it's a fact.
Next episode will premiere later this week. We hope you enjoy it! Till then, hope you'll give the description above a read if you can. Thanks very much!
I owned a '99 Miata up until a few years ago. I have to say that once a Miata gets 15 years and 150,000 miles on it that things do start to break. I ended up with a fair amount of water on my pants and grease on my hands during my years of ownership. I did end up with more facial hair and a desire to visit local microbreweries by the end of it. To be fair, I doubt that an MGB would have made it half that far. I was crazy enough to try and look into getting one as my daily driver before I settled on the Miata. Every MGB that I looked at had some critical problem that needed solving as soon as I would have bought it. Not to mention that I don't have a garage to keep it in and I live near the coast. Any MGB that I would have owned would probably have returned to the Earth by now.
Fiat spiders are like a dime a dozen over here in the states. I picked one up with a solid body for $3500. Needed a little work, but it’s a great ride.
Well I fell off my chair hearing Martin talk about the MGB in this way. I can recall talking to him about my love affair with these affordable fun cars years back and Martin rolling his eyes... ha ha. Basic as it was it was always hamstrung in some ways by enough cash to develop the car and frankly was to be retired in the late 60s for a new mid engine design sports car. But the usual story, the powers at be said no, so Abingdon had to soldier on with the B well past its use by date. Amazingly it kept selling very well until the final curtain. Just imagine if the bugs had been worked out of the Twin-cam engine (used in the MGA), we'd have seen that in the B I'm sure. Well done and great to see Edd China in this new venture.
Poor Ed not quite fitting in and needing 50s welding goggles on the MGB But, Great to see you Ed !!!!!! Glad you got rid of that loud mouth offensive wheeler dealer side kick
These guys are two of my favourite motor car commentators. What a great pairing. Genius! At last Edd now has a worthy and knowledgeable partner who has an established bank of well written and well informed articles behind him. Really looking forward to seeing what they find to look at👍
I agree with Jody Owen. The British car industry was wondering why sales were down, while they were still making exactly the same fantastic cars for the last 3 decades when cars from other countries outdid them on any aspect. Same happened to the American car industry.
@@truantray Speak for yourself, wtf do you know. Show us all the 40-60 yr old Hondas and Toyotas that have become prize possessions and are still running around ... oh you cant, eh - because there are approx. ZERO of them. Ignorant twit.
I owned 2 MGBs - the first a 1963 model where the engine did not last long as it had the three-bearing crankshaft which could handle being hammered! I replaced that with a new 1965 model with the five-bearing crank, wire wheels etc etc and drove it for several years without any mechanical problems whatever. I even modded the engine and brakes and raced it for a while. I do not think these guys have any idea how well thought of the B was back in the day - the sales record of course proved that. I could challenge any contemporary similar sports car and even raced an E-type one night from Harrogate on twisty roads till we reached the M1 when his top speed left me. As for the Fiat, psah - I diced with one of these through northern France, en route to the Costa Brava, again at night, for a good couple of hours, performance was very similar. The B was a GREAT car and not merely a GOOD car.
Good to see you back Edd. This is brilliant! More please. I always fancied an MGB but they're way too expensive for me, much better looking than the Fiat too IMO. I ended up with my two seater sports car in the end. Guess what? 1995 MX5 1.8iS. £900 had it 3 years now as my daily. Bulletproof and utterly reliable. Subscribed - obviously...
We're a small crowdfunded show, so future episodes are funded by viewer contributions. See description for more details. Our next episode premieres later this evening - hope you enjoy it!
Good video! Had both the MGB and 124. MG broke a lot but was always repairable. Fiat was toast after 9 months spirited driving. Got smart and bought a Porsche. Wish I could afford one now! Never even driven a Miata...but most Japanese stuff seems to lack character...you know the sitting on the side of the road hoping someone will come along with a set of points and pliers!
Great to see Edd back on the telly. The MGB looked worse after the update but... the 124 pininfarina spider europa volumex was just knock out design and engine wise.
My MGB's not terrible (or flawed anymore, w/ 130 HP Stage III motor and 6 sp. overdrive trans.) ... heck I drive it 7-8K mi/ yr no issues. And my "reliable" GMC truck sits, broken, too $$$ to fix.
Good to see Mr Buckley embracing this new video technology. I like his style. He was the only reason I carried on subscribing to the classic comic for so long.
Guys I have Driven both the MGB feels solid the Fiat will give you poor steering wheel angle and poor placement of the pedals you better not have big feet as well the pedals are shoved towards the tunnel.. so you have to sit slightly sideways...not fun
Another proper UK classic car channel, up there with Harry's Garage and Ian Tyrell - hopefully, once you build up subscribers and content the videos will move to 20 & 30 mins - thanks for great entertainment.
😁 I thought the same. But no oil leaks on mine at least. Back in the day most cars leaked oil though. My parents always had oil catch trays under their cars in the garage when I was a sprog in the 70's
That MG at the end is in a very sorry state. I know it's MOT exempt but it's meant to be roadworthy . These sills are shot. I'd hate to see the castle rails.
Why was the MG different at the beginning of the show, to the one on the track? The L reg. had a honey combed grill - which is my favourite B. That said, I would have the 124 spider, and convert it to RHD.
Don't miss episode 2 - ua-cam.com/video/iidfGI7Cn4k/v-deo.html
and episode 3 - ua-cam.com/video/2NGOHDXTV_w/v-deo.html
Please like, subscribe & contribute towards the next episode if you can (links in description). It genuinely does help us bring you the next episode!
It's great to see the 124 spider getting the attention it deserves. 4 wheel disk brakes, DOHC, double-wishbone front suspension and a 5 speed from the factory make it a great drivers car that sells for half of what the Alfa Romeo equivalent does!
Wonder if a german made ford 2.8 v-6 fuel injection with a 5-speed would fit in the fiat? They made it with solid lifters and a gear driven cam. Then also a supercharger....
@@jamesbayly5785 if you could fit that motor you would need to replace the rear end of the fiat also cause they can’t hold that much stock
@@jamesbayly5785 That Lampredi TwinCam is a masterpiece, why ruin a beautiful sportscar's balance with a big fat Ford lump?
In the late '60's the 124 was a revelation: a true hemi DOHC head, a two stage 2 bl Weber carb, mechanical advance distributor , slick shifting 5 speed trans, 4 wheel disk brakes, dbl wish bone front suspension with a well located solid axel at the rear. All of this worked wonderfully - exiting a corner at 4,500 rpm - the carb opens in-sink with the spark advance and those lovely cams make that little engine scream like a banshee all the way to 7,500!
@Nobby Barnes They did, they're almost all gone, like aspirins in the rain haha. Not the case with MGBs ( I have one)
@Nobby Barnes I bought a 1970 124 sport in 1974 and drove till a drunk totaled it in 1982 - no rust issues on mine
@DBD 34 Goldie So you haven't owned an 124, then. All as Gary mentioned above plus a top (ughh..."hood") that didn't leak and could be lowered or RAISED with one hand at a stoplight, aluminum head, electric fan, front and rear anti-roll bars, a decently-sized trunk (hhhh...."boot"), something of a back seat, and sized so humans could actually use them. The British stuff was fun but always antiquated. Also, despite what is said in the video, the wood dash was actual wood up until 1974-75ish.
I learned to drive in a 124 . . . nice handling car, high revs for power . . . MGB's were nice too, and easier to work on. These days, I drive an Expedition with a 5.4L VVT engine . . . another world.
Back in 1972, one of our elementary school teachers drove a MGB (as opposed to the typical sedans teachers drove). It was an amazingly sporty looking car relative to the other cars. That started my love for 2 seater sports cars. I now own a 2017 Fiat 124 Spider Abarth and LOVE the sporty, nimble nature of the car. I would have been happy with either a MX-5 or Fiat, but I like the style of the Fiat better and the mid range torque makes it an easier car in daily driving, as you don't have to really rev it up to get the goodness out of it.
Great video guys, I love that MGB, the looks and style are beautiful and sporty, please don't sell it short! It really is a stylish car!
We couldn’t agree with you more about the MGB and it’s role in inspiring the cars that followed it.
NewVsOld There was a yellow MG (1974ish) just rusting away in a neighbor’s drive way. It really broke my heart to see that car just rotting there. I don’t have the skills (or time) to work in cars, but that was one I wish I could save. Such a waste....
Nice to see Edd back on the road
Completely agree
You mean in a car?
Well done, gents! I’m a big fan of all three cars. Wanted an MGB when I was a kid, ended up with an X1/9, and now I have my fourth MX-5 - an orange one like you guys had. I consider myself lucky to have been able to enjoy ANY car like these three. They make people happy.
They definitely made the NvO team happy!
Ed's a leviathan, he needs goggles because the windscreen only keeps flies off his knees. 😁
I am impressed that at 6'7", Edd can A) fit in any of those three cars, and B) drive them.
I met Edd last November 2019 at SEMA in Las Vegas. Such a nice guy. I was with my 6’4” friend and he looked at Edd and said “wow”. Edd is quite tall. I hope he finds a new vehicle for his expertise. I do enjoy his work.
My 69 MGB ...
And the dance between the magic chrome hub spanner and lead knock-off hammer in the trunk
Two in front “cozy”
Three upfront - way friendly
Two in front and one sideways on rear deck - mayhem
Two finger close ratio shifts ( transmission that is!)
Preferred dash / smith details and passenger no glove box padded pleating detail
Positioned down way low - below windshield during brisk fall Maryland nights with top down
Allegedly using handicap curb cuts to make u- turns after midnight and avoid detours / traffic lights
Parking and fishing out of an mgb while on a bridge’s pedestrian cat walk
Chrome bumpers
Throaty su carbs
Lower stance
Good times ~
The Fiat Spider has been an underappreciated road car as far back as I can remember. I'm driving my modified '79 Spider today and every time I get it on the highway I remember why I tell people a car like this is rated in "smiles per mile", and nothing else. because nothing else matters when you're in a top-down cruiser as solid as the Fiat.
Hey Ray…i think, i am having intermittent start issue on my 124 spider fiat…any advice?
Fiat start up fine..drive it for about 30-45 minutes…park and come back 15 minute later, turn key , nothing just clicking.
Wiggle the stick shift, turn off/on ignition….wait 15 minutes and it starts up. Weird
@@billybutton5814 You have to take a systematic approach to diagnosing the problem. Given the age of these cars you have to look at everything from the ignition switch contacts to the starter wires to the grounds. On that note, you should run a nice fat ground cable from the trunk mounted battery up to the engine block.
Any and every electrical connection is suspect when you have a problem like you're describing here. Good luck and keep that Spider running!
Good to see Edd China back on youtube but no need to mention the show he left!
Imagine if the MGB had actually been developed, Alloy block and head, then 7 or 8 port alloy head to upgrade it in the range. Then all alloy overhead cam or even twincam.
Nice to see Edd again! W.D. never became the same again.
My sports car progression was a well-used BRG Fiat 850 Spider followed by a rubber-bumper MG Midget and then a new 1990 Miata. 31 years laster I still have that Miata and despite its 315,000 miles it looks and drives very well. You do have to work on it occasionally which is always easy to do so you still get some of that British sports car satisfaction but without the fear of being broken down at the side of the road.
This was great. I've had three MX-5s as well as a '74 and now a '77 MGB and always admired the Fiat. I think the new iteration of the Spyder is more attractive than the MX-5, but the B's have been my all time favorite. Thanks for sharing.
Agreed. We do need to see more of Ed behind the wheel and working the spanners. Love how Ed sat IN the Fiat and IN the Mazda but ON the MGB
Always nice to see a well kept one on the road, that’s for sure. But I went down the beetle road when I bought my first car 37 years ago and glad I did too. More love less labor.
Great to see you on UA-cam Martin. Been reading C&SC for 20+ years, you're my favorite writer.
I have tears in my eyes , all the nice 747 in the background !
I owned an MBG and a Fiat Spider. I loved both of them. I currently own a 2023 MX-5. I love it also.
I loved my 65 B - it started a lifelong love of open top motoring!
Great job! Loved the video I have a 1971 MGB and I will never sell it willingly! I will also add a Miata to the fleet one day! My father had a Miata and it stuck to the road like shit to a blanket!! Cheers
Hey great to see ya edd,we need to see more of your shows mate.
I'm subscribed! Great first episode, and looking forward to your next! I didn't realize how tall Edd really is! With this pandemic, we need this type of programming more than ever to help keep us all sane! More please, and keep it coming! Thanks so much for doing this!
Glad you liked it. We’re a crowdfunded show (links in the description above), so we’ll use every last cent/ penny to make as many as we can!
This is such a great episode! Well done guys! Donated to the cause!
It's Edd! We love Edd
great short piece of content! well done!
Enjoyed this. Nice one, look forward to more!
Next episode will premiere later this week. We hope you enjoy it!
Till then, hope you'll give the description above a read if you can. Thanks very much!
Martin, how good to meet you, as it were, after enjoying the magazine and your column for so many years. An excellent and very enjoyable start to what I really do hope will be a regular and ongoing venture. Many thanks. PS I would want all 3 cars plus a B GT V8
I will watch anything Edd China does! Don't get me wrong, I love MG's. My first three cars were MGA's. But the first 1.5L iteration of the Datsun roadster was introduced in 1961 before the MGB. By 1967 it had an alloy 2.0L OHC motor with up to 150hp and a five speed along with more standard equipment and much better build quality than the MG. It's not really right to say that the MGB created the concept.
Awesome vid. I miss the Fiat my dad and I restored. RIP 124 spider
I’ve always loved British sports cars, especially the Triumph Spitfire. However, I test drove a Miata when they first came out, and I fell in love. They wanted $20,000 US dollars for the car I drove, despite the $13,900 MSRP, and as a guy in his early 20s, it was out of range. In 2001, I was the widowed father of two sons. I had a family car, but I went out and bought a 2018 Miata GT in black with a rare dark cherry top, a six-speed manual, and custom Remus exhaust. It sounded better than the original, and my friend, who owns a Porsche 911, was even wowed by the performance. When my oldest son got his first car, a 4-door Mazda3, I unloaded the family car, and now daily drive the Miata.
I paid $21,500, tax and all, and now was get offered $25,000 from dealers. Not going to sell. This car is everything I loved in the British sports cars, but it’s also dependable. The Japanese did to the British sports car what Lexus did to Mercedes. They took a great idea, and made it better.
Love the flying goggles. The MX5 is the natural progression of the sports car and is a coffee drinker (not Latte).
Really enjoyed this video and have subscribed. This type of content really appeals and it would be interesting to see your comparison of a TVR with a car of today. Not much comes to mind when thinking of bhp/ ton or interiors! Nice to see Edd too.
Looking forward to the next one!
Thanks very much for your kind words. Our next episode will premiere later this week. We hope you enjoy it! Till then, hope you'll give the description section above a read if you can.
Ed looked like doc fae back to the future wi they shades on ❤🏴🏴🏴🏴🦄
Nice one guys. Have a Fiat Spider myself, but sadly am thinking of letting it go.........
No mention that Fiat released a modern remake of the 124 Spider around 2017, that actually used that Mazda MX-5’s chassis, interior and gearbox and the engine out of a modern Abarth 500. Interestingly it was made on the same production line as the new Mazda MX-5.
Basically a re-badged MX-5 with Fiat exterior styling and Fiat engine.
The “new” 124 Spider was very comfortable (I think it had softer suspension than the MX-5), in Lusso Plus trim the Fiat 124 has a very good spec. More of a GT cruiser than a track day car.
The Abarth version added an engine remap, louder exhaust and more aggressive styling (I preferred the look of the standard Fiat 124 over the Abarth, as I wasn’t a fan of the Abarth‘s two tone paint that made it look like you got the hood / bonnet from a breakers yard)
www.wsj.com/articles/the-fiat-124-spider-now-thats-not-italian-1466697994
Thank god he’s back
Great video well presented hope there will be many more to come.
Many thanks for your kind words! Our next episode debuts on Friday. We rely on viewer contributions to fund future episodes so if you enjoy them, links to donate are in the description above.
EDD! Yay!
i lived 2 miles from the mg factory which is now a police station and houses
Lovely, thanks guys, I'll donate, keep going...
Use the "Frontline" MGB for comparisons.
The irony is that the recent Fiat/Abarth 124 is a restyled MX5!
Superb job. Martin and Edd. 👍
Thanks for the kind words!
Two names. Martin. Buckley. I spent many a weak US dollar to English pounds on car magazine subscriptions that this right bloody genius of a man wrote for. I have several of his books. He should have had his own show/UA-cam Channel ages ago.
Sláinte!
Not a fan of his taxonomic style (all that "the xyz model was favoured by the mid level sales rep. whose tastes had matured, after he had been promoted and sold his own MK 1" or the "the xyz model was the choice of the Oxfordhshire Publican who had experienced a divorce and was looking to have a second wind, not concerned with how he appeared to his customers..." but share his love of Lancia and P5's. Also, one of his coloumns in Thoroughbreds..mag about working in a dealership as a teen is one of the most enjoyable ever
Now beauty is of course in the eye of the beholder. But the MG is clearly the prettiest no question. Why ? Because it has many style features from the E Type and even Enzo thought the E was pretty acceptable. But a twin cam engine with Webers is a thing of wonder. But Martin you have let the side down. Clearly with an appropriate age handicap. What's the coolest convertible? Well the Austin Atlantic of course. And it had a brilliant engine for Le Mans.! Cheers a fun review.
The reason the MX5 is still being made is, better management!
End of!
All these old 2 seater open top cars were plagued by so many quirks, the greatest of which was their lack of reliability. The new Mazda MX5 embodies so much of what was great about these cars, but have nailed the reliability and performance piece. IMO
@Jody Owen You're right, the new MX-5 has all the fun sucked out of it by Mazda. When I grow up, I want to be as smart as you are.
Nice to see you survived your abortion though....tell your mom I want my $200 back!
With the 124 you have to mention Pininfarina and the Dutch-American designer of the 124 Tom Tjaarda working under Franco Martinengo (design director) and Battista Pininfarina (look at Tom's Vette).
I owned a brand new MGB. I sold it in a year. Then I bought a 1983 Fiat 2000 (124). Had that car 35 years. Rot got it. I had to rebuild the engine once at 50,000 miles. After that it went 120,000 trouble free miles no matter how hard I thrashed it. Sorry , biased
These cars are too small for Ed 😂 🤣 His head is higher than the windscreen... 😅
But, Nice cars
We're glad you see the humour in it too!
Nice goggles!
More so in the mgb than the fiat!
Ironically the brits started the MGB , the Italians followed with the 124 Spider and added the flare , the Japanese took the best of both and made the MX5 and now the Italians have taken the MX5 and turned it into the current 124 Spider
Nearly bought an MGB and have driven several. Have owned 124 Spiders and there is no comparison. BTW Martin, B's don't have Austin front suspension - it was originally design for the Morris Ten M but frist appeared on the MG Y type.
Great to see Ed China back again, what a waste of talent his absence has been.
Martin, I suggest you talk to Cotswold Airport about allowing you to film on the south side of the airfield, at least there’s some corners! Chugging up and down this straight outside C2 is going to get boring pretty quickly....
TonyS
If only our non existent budget would allow this....
I can see middle class British youngsters back in those days would go crazy over MGB, but Fiat is still a competitive rival
MG's all the way... had 1798cc Bs & GTs then 2 heritiage shell roadsters ..3.5L &3.9L V8.... never unrelaible cars if simple maintenance just followed...
Fiat for me - MGB is basically a Morris Marina in drag. Both have tuneable engines but the Fiat Twin Cam is one of the world's greats in standard tune.
I still look at a classic car article from about thirty years ago Martin did on one of his (and my) all time favourite cars - the Lancia Flaminia Pininfarina Coupe.
How about throwing the NEW (2017-2020) Fiat 124 Spider into the mix? (says the owner of one)
We initially planned to but the 124 was just discontinued sadly. So we switched to the Miata!
Please more videos like this
Thanks so much for your kind words! We're doing our best to crowdfund more episodes (link in the description above) for you!
Welcome back Edd China. Hardly fair to compare the MGB launched in 1962 and built from a parts bin dating back to the 40s while managment were not looking to the current MX5. And those tired cliches, a well maintaned MGB wont let you down .Ours has been driven to Berlin, won its class in a rally (pot around here somewhere to prove it)and driven home over 4 days and needed no attention or oil or coolant adding. Also 130 BHP at the wheels?? My car has never shown better than 125 at the flywheel with its usable fast road cam.Its plenty in an 875 kg car.
Why is there 4 MGBs in one frame? 2:05
Glad someone caught it :-)
In a sea of new generation wannabe car reviewers on YT, nice to see two automotive maestros having a good old chat about classics 👍
Martin--you were also rude about the Bmw e30 if I recall back in the day so another apology might be appropriate.
Need for apology noted - Martin
what are your thoughts on an mgb engine in a moggy?
ehhhh....why do I feel like that's a trick question?
Fiat=Fix it again, Tony. :) I'll take the MG over the Fiat any time. :) Putting nostalgia behind, the Miata is the best choice, of course.
Don't you mean 'Fails In All Tests'?
Having driven the MGB in open and GT versions extensively an d having owned a 1969 Spyder, I'd take the Fiat.
Mg outclassed by the fiat.
And let’s not mention the Datsun Fairlady 1600/ 2000. Released just before the MGB.
...and the Honda S cars 😉
Doki Doki
I feel the chain drive, let it down.
The Alfa Romeo Spider is the better one!
The MG look's beter in my mind.!
The fiat better in mine.....i had a 73' ford motor co mercury capri that had a 2.6 v-6 that had solid lifters and gear to gear crank cams drive. It was a very tight fun fast engine.....but only a 3 speed....thought how id like it in the fiat with a 5 speed....dont know if it would have bolted up to the fiat 5 but eventually ford came up with 5 speed trannys for the motor also fuel injection.....oh and a supercharger would have been nice....
That sound's like a nice set up ,cool"
@Howardsend88 your right, far prettier than the Fiat, back in the 60's I had one of the first B's, a 62 with alloy bonnet, pull handles and 3 bearing motor, it eventually got the tin worm. had 3 B's, all great fun.
Tough call on this one both are gorgious looking cars
Horses for courses. Part of the joy of a classic car is knowing you did that, you fixed it, you drove it, and its personal to you. With a modern car, they are just too sanitized, yes they good, well built, don't need much more than a service, but they sum up the modern era of chuck away society rather than enjoy what you can achieve
I mean obviously Ed can't fix anything without his gloves
More of this please. Tired of the "I bought the rarest most expensive ....."
Wait till you see our next one :)
Couldn't agree more. Watching Top Gear and co ride around in 'supercars' is a dull as ditchwater. More real cars for real people please!
@@DavidUKesb You get us David :)
@@NewVsOld Looking forward to see what else you have in store. Some thing like this is well overdue, although Hubnut does a fantastic job with his reviews of 'ordinary' classic cars. Maybe ADO16, or Landcrab, or Rover P6 or Triumph Stag?
If we can raise enough crowdfunding, we have a long list of cars that will face off against their newer equivalents. We're really keen to film them!
The B is ok but that Fiat is sublime!
Btw there is no such thing as 'Ferrari Red' there is only Rosso Corsa (Italian racing red). The original Ferrari colour is Giallo (yellow), the colour of Modena.
Love the Fiat, I mean I own one lol. Definitely 100% the best convertible sports car you can buy, in my opinion.
Subscribed. Great test, but the MG, like everything built in the UK in that era was built down to a strict budget, removing any chance of adding flair or power to what could have been a world leading sports car.
And to try to compare anything to something designed by an italian, it will always come second. The Italians just naturally have style, in everything. Yes it's annoying, but it's a fact.
always nice to see Edd back with any car - this time paying homage to a classic MGB, a car I wanted when much younger, more please
Next episode will premiere later this week. We hope you enjoy it!
Till then, hope you'll give the description above a read if you can. Thanks very much!
I owned a '99 Miata up until a few years ago. I have to say that once a Miata gets 15 years and 150,000 miles on it that things do start to break. I ended up with a fair amount of water on my pants and grease on my hands during my years of ownership. I did end up with more facial hair and a desire to visit local microbreweries by the end of it.
To be fair, I doubt that an MGB would have made it half that far. I was crazy enough to try and look into getting one as my daily driver before I settled on the Miata. Every MGB that I looked at had some critical problem that needed solving as soon as I would have bought it. Not to mention that I don't have a garage to keep it in and I live near the coast. Any MGB that I would have owned would probably have returned to the Earth by now.
Fiat spiders are like a dime a dozen over here in the states. I picked one up with a solid body for $3500. Needed a little work, but it’s a great ride.
That was a good watch, cleverly filmed and edited.
Well I fell off my chair hearing Martin talk about the MGB in this way. I can recall talking to him about my love affair with these affordable fun cars years back and Martin rolling his eyes... ha ha.
Basic as it was it was always hamstrung in some ways by enough cash to develop the car and frankly was to be retired in the late 60s for a new mid engine design sports car. But the usual story, the powers at be said no, so Abingdon had to soldier on with the B well past its use by date. Amazingly it kept selling very well until the final curtain. Just imagine if the bugs had been worked out of the Twin-cam engine (used in the MGA), we'd have seen that in the B I'm sure. Well done and great to see Edd China in this new venture.
great cars totally boring guys
Poor Ed not quite fitting in and needing 50s welding goggles on the MGB
But,
Great to see you Ed !!!!!! Glad you got rid of that loud mouth offensive wheeler dealer side kick
6'5" I fit in a Honda s2000
Haha poor Ed, definitely a full sized human!
The welding goggles are actually flying goggles
George Charles I know but I just thought more appropriate ;-) master fabricator EC is
Howardsend88 Brewer is a used car salesmen with a big mouth who got lucky
Ed is skilled, creative and such nice chap even defending his old partner
The fact that Edd doesn’t have his own show by now is pretty crappy. The man deserves it.
These guys are two of my favourite motor car commentators. What a great pairing. Genius! At last Edd now has a worthy and knowledgeable partner who has an established bank of well written and well informed articles behind him. Really looking forward to seeing what they find to look at👍
They are a dynamic duo, great show.
The Fiat was such a great car it’s has the same following as the MG .......I don’t think.
@ Matt Pedwell Where I live it has no following at all LOL; not like the old Brit sportscars, scads of 'em still running here!
I agree with Jody Owen. The British car industry was wondering why sales were down, while they were still making exactly the same fantastic cars for the last 3 decades when cars from other countries outdid them on any aspect. Same happened to the American car industry.
They were both crap cars.
okleydokley you’re obviously a youngster
@@truantray Speak for yourself, wtf do you know. Show us all the 40-60 yr old Hondas and Toyotas that have become prize possessions and are still running around ... oh you cant, eh - because there are approx. ZERO of them. Ignorant twit.
I owned 2 MGBs - the first a 1963 model where the engine did not last long as it had the three-bearing crankshaft which could handle being hammered! I replaced that with a new 1965 model with the five-bearing crank, wire wheels etc etc and drove it for several years without any mechanical problems whatever. I even modded the engine and brakes and raced it for a while.
I do not think these guys have any idea how well thought of the B was back in the day - the sales record of course proved that. I could challenge any contemporary similar sports car and even raced an E-type one night from Harrogate on twisty roads till we reached the M1 when his top speed left me.
As for the Fiat, psah - I diced with one of these through northern France, en route to the Costa Brava, again at night, for a good couple of hours, performance was very similar.
The B was a GREAT car and not merely a GOOD car.
Good to see you back Edd. This is brilliant! More please.
I always fancied an MGB but they're way too expensive for me, much better looking than the Fiat too IMO. I ended up with my two seater sports car in the end. Guess what?
1995 MX5 1.8iS. £900 had it 3 years now as my daily. Bulletproof and utterly reliable.
Subscribed - obviously...
We're a small crowdfunded show, so future episodes are funded by viewer contributions. See description for more details. Our next episode premieres later this evening - hope you enjoy it!
Good video! Had both the MGB and 124. MG broke a lot but was always repairable. Fiat was toast after 9 months spirited driving. Got smart and bought a Porsche. Wish I could afford one now! Never even driven a Miata...but most Japanese stuff seems to lack character...you know the sitting on the side of the road hoping someone will come along with a set of points and pliers!
Great to see Edd back on the telly. The MGB looked worse after the update but... the 124 pininfarina spider europa volumex was just knock out design and engine wise.
Wonderful ! Watch out J. Leno .
We all like the MG, that does not mean they are terrible, only flawed cars have a soul!
An American smallblock and a 9 inch ford rearend would fix the flaws. LOL
My MGB's not terrible (or flawed anymore, w/ 130 HP Stage III motor and 6 sp. overdrive trans.) ... heck I drive it 7-8K mi/ yr no issues. And my "reliable" GMC truck sits, broken, too $$$ to fix.
@@redneckdiggers.bottlesandr9747 Some folks doing (or done) that - then you have fastest little car on the planet ... with a new set of flaws LOL.
@@forestghost7 Does it read MX5 on the back?
@@carstenweiland7896 Haha. It has no need to - keeps up w/ MX5's just fine thank you
I have one of each: an MGB and an MX-5. This video sums the experience up perfectly.
Good to see Mr Buckley embracing this new video technology. I like his style. He was the only reason I carried on subscribing to the classic comic for so long.
Guys I have Driven both the MGB feels solid the Fiat will give you poor steering wheel angle and poor placement of the pedals you better not have big feet as well the pedals are shoved towards the tunnel.. so you have to sit slightly sideways...not fun
Another proper UK classic car channel, up there with Harry's Garage and Ian Tyrell - hopefully, once you build up subscribers and content the videos will move to 20 & 30 mins - thanks for great entertainment.
Thanks for the high praise! Help us get the word out there!
I've got a very similar looking white 66 MGB and growing more and more in love with it!
Mx5 without rust and oil leaks?😁 Good video but would have been better to use a Mk1 as a comparison.
Fair point. We thought about it but would have had to change the name of the show to Old vs. Old. Didn't quite have the same zing to it ;)
@@NewVsOld or old vs. newer?
😁 I thought the same. But no oil leaks on mine at least. Back in the day most cars leaked oil though. My parents always had oil catch trays under their cars in the garage when I was a sprog in the 70's
That MG at the end is in a very sorry state. I know it's MOT exempt but it's meant to be roadworthy .
These sills are shot. I'd hate to see the castle rails.
Happy to report it’s currently undergoing a restoration. We wanted to highlight the need for attention and irony given it was Edd’s ride
Why was the MG different at the beginning of the show, to the one on the track? The L reg. had a honey combed grill - which is my favourite B. That said, I would have the 124 spider, and convert it to RHD.
Love the third mgb driving by after saying rare... thanks.
Man you he is huge or the car is too small great to see him again!!!