Chris Goffey reviews the MGB V8 in this exclusive episode featuring guest interview with David Sculthorpe. Then he tests out the MGA in comparison, testing the modified cars and giving you the highlights of these fun, high-speed cars.
Owned a '62 TR3. Horrible engine. In California, it overheated all year. Handling was crude and unsure. Owned a '67 Spitfire and loved that car. Good engine and handling was sure for it's day. Now I ride a '01 Triumph Speed Triple motorcycle. Power, reliability, handling. I love it!
1:49 *_There's no replacement for displacement_* is the way we say it. Remember that the saying originates from the 1960's and you'll arrive at the party with the proper perspective.
I had always heard that saying was attributed to W. O. Bentley in regards to supercharging (which he didn't trust) versus a larger engine (6 cylinders instead of 4). That's why he wanted the Speed Six (which won races) over the Blower 4.5 (which went fast until the tires of the day gave up the ghost and never won). So maybe it all depends on who you listen to.
I'm wondering about the claimed 2.2L from the B engine in the A. The wall between 2 and 3 is already a bit thin at 1800cc(or 1978 more correctly). Some engine builders I respect say that things get really, really iffy if you bore to 2000cc, and the highest figure I can find is 2.1L from boring out to 1950cc in the block and then stroking to get the rest of the way there. It's hard to imagine getting 2.2L out of one.
5 speed gear box from a Sierra?, try finding one of those now, you'd be lucky to come across any even at scrap yards. I'm surprised sierra gearboxes were that commonplace as late as 2001; I've tried scouring the internet for them and barely any come up for auction or sale, and the ones I've been lucky to find have been really ridiculous asking prices.
The re-manufacture M G B roadsters with the V8 engine is the way MG should have gone rather that sticking with the coupe hatchback instead they stuck with the same body for 20 years with little to no modernization As for old men driving them you are right any modern hatchback would blow a n y MG into the weeds try a Suburb WRX for Instance Mgs are museum pieces
Mgoc still making money out of making you unhappy with your MGB. In the 1980s they were saying the MGB wouldnt corner, but spend a few hundred on shock absorbers and instant gratification. buy the standard mgb look after it, these outfits just hate that.
It sounds like nothing has changed and that history is repeating itself, because this then upgraded MGB trend has been revived once again with a company that has began manufacturing a limited run of MGB's, the difference is this time is they're selling them for £80,000. Why do people want to put a big V8 engine in something like an MGB?, it's a sportscar not an exotic supercar. I doubt many MGB owners will have one of the specially made MGB's shown in this clip, and no doubt many will utter the occasional "I only paid 1500 quid for mine" remark. MGB's are still the cheapest to buy and cheapest to restore classic car you can get, and let's hope it stays that way. Although, lately, MGB roadsters are steadily rising well above the 10 grand mark depending on model and quality. As for the MGA, great looking car just ashame it has that sowing machine engine in it, unless you're lucky enough to have a spare 30 grand for the modified version, and that was 2001, imagine the prices now.
I had a 16MK II and it was the best car I ever had, the most fun. Years later I bought an MGB. What a piece of garbage. The welds on a jack hoist broke when I was jacking it up. Almost killed me. A steering tie rod broke next, on a mountain rode in the Sierra foothills. I gave up at that point. Tony in California
Too bad MG didn’t evolve with the rest of the world. In the 60’s, 70’s and even early 80’s British roadsters sold very well in the U.S. After college I worked at a British Leyland dealership. They sold every single MG, Triumph and Jaguar, even a few Rover 3500’s they could get from the factory. Unfortunately, by the time the car was paid off the original owner was ready for a car with more room, practically and reliability than any British car could ever offer. So the Japanese and Germans actually won that war.
The MG B was the worst car built by MG 😔 to generic and boring like a 1.2 hatchback, the MG A is 100 times better in my opinion its what MG was good at!
I agree. The only thing worse than an MGB is a 70's MGB with a rubber bumper. They look like orange bathtubs. But to be fair, it was mostly government regulation that slowly ruined these cars. IMHO the MGA and TR3 are the best examples of a classic British sporting car... And of course the Austin Healey...
A beautiful car. Needs mgb power though. I owned a 1960 mga iris blue. I blew the orig engine and replaced it with a 40 over mgb eng. Transformed the car. Plenty of power.
