MGB GT

A year or so ago I had never even heard of an MG B GT - No, actually that's not quite right, I had heard of it - vaguely - when my husband would whitter on about some 'classic' car that his uncle had and that he wouldn't mind having some day.

Now - well, now I could almost tell you how to build one.

Yes - I finally gave in and let him have one - which quickly turned into two - but, I'm getting slightly ahead of myself. ...
...my husband was having serious back problems, stress with his job and we'd also recently lost a close member of the family. The cars were due for changing and I suddenly thought - what the heck! - life is too short to obsess over practicalities. So, despite having 3 children (impossible in an MG) I finally said that my husband could buy an MG for his 'work' car (I got a new Renault Scenic out of the deal for the family car (see my review on this car)).
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A year or so ago I had never even heard of an MG B GT - No, actually that's not quite right, I had heard of it - vaguely - when my husband would whitter on about some 'classic' car that his uncle had and that he wouldn't mind having some day.

Now - well, now I could almost tell you how to build one.

Yes - I finally gave in and let him have one - which quickly turned into two - but, I'm getting slightly ahead of myself. Let me go back...

Summer 2003 - my husband was having serious back problems, stress with his job and we'd also recently lost a close member of the family. The cars were due for changing and I suddenly thought - what the heck! - life is too short to obsess over practicalities. So, despite having 3 children (impossible in an MG) I finally said that my husband could buy an MG for his 'work' car (I got a new Renault Scenic out of the deal for the family car (see my review on this car)).

As soon as I'd said the words, he was on the phone immediately. Joining the MG club and scouring the magazines and internet for an affordable buy. In August he found it. A 1967 MG B GT in grampian grey. He drove down to Kent, transported it home, deposited it on our drive and set to work. Some welding was required on the castlerail sections, sills and floorpan to get it through its MOT. But in early Septemember she was up and running. And I have to tell you, I have never (well, almost never) seen such a huge smile as the one on my husband's face. He even enjoyed going to work again - well the journeys there and back anyway.

He was happy! Be it actually driving the car on the road, tinkering with her on the driveway, or simply standing admiring her (I caught him doing that a number of times!!)

The only problem was, there were times on a weekend (For instance when I took one of our daughters to gymnastics) when I needed to drive the MG - leaving the scenic for my husband and the other two children. Never mind, I thought I could manage that once a week. Though I never expected to enjoy it. My husband didn't expect it either - infact he was downright worried sick the first time I climbed in the drivers seat (though I think that was more for the car than me!)

Guess what - I DIDN'T enjoy it! After driving my lovely, high, spacious Scenic, this thing felt totally weird! Getting into the seat in the first place felt like climbing onto a... skateboard. The pedals were hard, the gears were stiff and really close together and the steering - god! I felt as though I'd done a half hour work out in the gym after only 5 minutes of hauling it around corners! I felt every bump in the road jolt through my... well, lets just say my more 'personal' parts. And the noise - well, it even managed to put my 3 children in the shade (an amazing feat!).

At least, that was what I thought and felt the first time I drove her (ie. the 15 minute drive TO my daughter's gym class). The second time (ie. the journey BACK HOME) things were slightly different. I got more accustomed to the stiffer pedals and gears. Though the seat still felt abnormally close to the ground - I relaxed into it more. I allowed the vibration and the noise of the car to surround me. And - guess what - I started to enjoy it. I started to smile a smile very similar to the one I had teased my husband about.

I really can't tell you exactly what it is about driving an MG - my husband says it's the feeling of driving a REAL car for a change - I'm not so much of a car nut to say that - but there is definintely... SOMETHING. Something that makes you feel good, feel younger, free-er, makes you smile!

So, when I got home, my husband didn't need to ask how I'd found it - he could tell by my smile. The one thing he certainly didn't expect though, was for me to tell him that I wanted one. For me! A 1969 this time (a very fine year of birth!) and preferably a Roadster (the soft top version of a GT).

Hence the second MG to arrive on our drive in November 2003. A 1969 snowberry white MG B GT - we couldn't quite afford the Roadster (yet!), but this one has a sunroof (halfway there!) and overdrive (like 5th gear).

This one came as a 'rolling shell' and lots and lots and LOTS of loose bits. It took quite a long time (nights and weekends when family allowed), a lot of hard work - not to mention some swearing - but eventually she was ready. And I can't tell you the immense satisfaction my husband (and I!) got from driving it that first time. It was even better than the first car. This one was a car that we'd built (well, almost!)

You don't need to be a mechanic to take on a project like this. You just need to know some of the basics and be able to follow written instructions (a Haynes manual is invaluable and there's also plenty of information available on the internet or through the MG club, etc). If you know someone who's already got one then you're half way there. An MG owner will always help another MG owner.

Most parts are easily obtainable - many from ordinary car part dealers, though some need to be bought from a specialist MG dealer (these are more common than you'd think though). EBAY's always worth a look too. The parts aren't that expensive either. Running costs are on par with a 'normal' car. Cheaper on some things - no road tax requires on pre 1973 models. Classic car insurance can be obtained through the MG club or we got ours from Footman James (see my review).

And the best thing of all, unlike most other cars, an MG's value (as long as you look after her) will actually INCREASE! We have just in the last week or so sold the 1967 GT for a sum that covered the original purchase price, the cost of the work we did to her and the running costs for the last 10 months. Not bad, eh?!

Now I am aware that there are some people that cannot see the attraction and think that we're nuts driving a car that's as old, and sometimes as temperamental as we are - but there are also just as many (if not more) that wish they were in the driving seat (you can tell by the admiring glances!). To the former I'd say - you've obviously never tried it. Give it a go - you might just be surprised - I was! And to the latter I'd say - what's stopping you?! Life's too short. Come and join the club. I guarantee you'll never look back! 

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