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Anyone know anything about MGBs
Not Anumber - 26/3/14 at 11:00 AM

Ive bought an MGB that needs some work. Has anyone on here worked on one or know the best places to buy panels and parts ?


DW100 - 26/3/14 at 11:06 AM

Not done anything for a while but,

British motor heritage will supply anything from a repair panel to a new shell

http://www.bmh-ltd.com/

Or Rimmer Bros

http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/


nobby_the_sheep - 26/3/14 at 11:12 AM

No personal experience but you might find this interesting

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/mgb-gt-restoration.28384/


theconrodkid - 26/3/14 at 11:24 AM

lots !,i used this co,a lot cheaper than moss etc and just as good.
if the sills are shot,they are not for the faint hearted as the rust just keeps on going,the body needs braces in the door holes before cutting anything or they fold up like a soggy chip.


Not Anumber - 26/3/14 at 11:49 AM

Thanks for the links guys, they will all be useful. What was the name of the company that were cheaper than Moss ?

There are a couple of pictures on my photo archive of it's present state.
Unusually rust shouldnt be too much of an issue on this as it had a full body restoration in 2010. It was a company car for the first 3 years of it's life, then bought by it's driver who kept it ever since. The speedometer was replaced at 4 years old so not sure what mileage was covered up until then but it's only done 20,000 miles since then in the last 31 years.

Ive found a guy with a dozer who does a lot of insurance work who will straighten out the bent chassis rail, relocate the front crossmember and make sure the suspension mounts are at the right datum points. Not sure yet whether i'll need to pull the engine and gearbox to provide enough clearance for the dozer but i'm sure there will be plenty of tinkering to keep me busy.


theconrodkid - 26/3/14 at 11:55 AM

http://www.sussexclassiccar.co.uk/

sorry,slip of the pinkie

there is a place in norfolk that breaks them,cant remember the name or find them now,worth joining an MG forum....just like you did this one
B hive,thanks matty.
[Edited on 26/3/14 by theconrodkid]

[Edited on 26/3/14 by theconrodkid]


matty h - 26/3/14 at 12:18 PM

My brother use to use these when he had a mg midget.
http://www.mgbhive.co.uk/

and also know someone that used these when rebuilding a mgb roadster
http://www.mechspec.co.uk/
Matty

[Edited on 26/3/14 by matty h]


ravingfool - 26/3/14 at 01:36 PM

bits are dead cheap wherever you go and there will likely be a number of places close to you specialising in them so if you have any serious problems there is always help available.

The owners club is actually worth joining, it was very cheap when I had my MGB and joined. You get access to a lot of stuff which they do and discount rates with a lot of sellers.

Engines are dead easy to work on, so if your one doesn't need much bodywork you've bought the right 'type' of car.


MikeRJ - 26/3/14 at 03:48 PM

quote:
Originally posted by theconrodkid
lots !,i used this co,a lot cheaper than moss etc and just as good.
if the sills are shot,they are not for the faint hearted as the rust just keeps on going,the body needs braces in the door holes before cutting anything or they fold up like a soggy chip.


Definitely. The way the car is constructed means that sills are not an easy job to do correctly on an MGB and a very common rot point.


David Jenkins - 26/3/14 at 04:33 PM

See if you can find a copy of Mark Evans' DVD "An MGB is born" (or whatever it was called).

It's a bit silly at times, but it does give a clear indication of the sort of problems that you may encounter with the bodywork (hint: the task could be scary).


Not Anumber - 26/3/14 at 06:07 PM

quote:
Originally posted by MikeRJ
quote:
Originally posted by theconrodkid
lots !,i used this co,a lot cheaper than moss etc and just as good.
if the sills are shot,they are not for the faint hearted as the rust just keeps on going,the body needs braces in the door holes before cutting anything or they fold up like a soggy chip.


Definitely. The way the car is constructed means that sills are not an easy job to do correctly on an MGB and a very common rot point.


I wont be going anywhere near the sills fortunately. As mentioned it was fully resored in 2010, has hardly been used since and was always kept in a garage.


britishtrident - 26/3/14 at 06:37 PM

Front wings are in extremely short supply don't be surprised if you have to buy a second hand one and recondition
.

MGB Hive or Brown and Gammons are good parts sources.
Rimmer Bros are also good.
Re chassis it worth just checking the front subframe is not just moved on its mountings.


Not Anumber - 26/3/14 at 07:43 PM

I'll bear that in mind for the wings, I wouldnt mind reconditionning a wing if it comes to it, i did a 1980s Merc SL wing once and got quite into it.

The front cross member has moved but the dozer man is confident it will bolt up square again once the bent chassis side rail has been corrected. Im really looking forward to starting on it now.


r1_pete - 26/3/14 at 07:56 PM

I've had a few down to the last nut an bolt and beyond, replaced chassis members, panels, floors, just about everything.

I've always used MGOC Spares, and Mechspec for bits.

Check my archive for the last one I did, with a zetec engine....

[Edited on 26/3/14 by r1_pete]