Rusty But Trusty

As much as the more complex, more unusual cars are cool, there’s something about a basic sports car that is hard to resist. And the MGB got the basics right – exhaust note, tidy styling, some trunk room for a weekend away, simple drivetrain, and some chrome-ringed gauges. Sometimes, though, it seems like even the basics are slipping out of reach, so we’re here to keep it real – check out this 1973 MGB for sale for $2000 near Hayward, CA.

Black is actually pretty striking on the chrome bumper cars, both for making the chrome/aluminum trim stand out more, and because it’s a fairly unusual color on a classic sports car. This one seems to have originally been blue – the color shows up in the door jambs – but the black paint seems to have been done nicely enough that you might just finish the job by doing the jambs, trunk, and even maybe the engine compartment if you’re feeling ambitious. Or you’re a rockstar with a rattle can.

The interior looks pretty decent, though god only knows what’s hiding under those seat covers – looks like a severe case of saggy seat. The Rostyle wheels seem to be in good shape, and the only thing to immediately trash is that hideous modern shifter knob that looks like it was stolen from the kid next door’s slammed Civic. The seller calls it a project car that has not run in two years, and is in need of a battery and distributor, as well as a flush of “the system” – better count on fuel, brakes, and coolant. It’s also said to have a salvage title, though as with most old cars, a light fender bender could have resulted in a write-off. Best to do your own inspection and see if you can find any traces of repair. With simple mechanicals, this car should not be hard to revive – would you try your hand at it?

Tags: british, convertible, Feature, mg, mgb

This entry was posted on September 12, 2014 at 1:38 pm and is filed under Feature. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.