About The MGB Sports Car

When the MGA was launched in 1955, it had set new standards for MG sports cars in terms of performance and styling. However, by the beginning of the 1960’s, the MGA sports car had become outdated and sales were being lost to other manufacturers.

The year was 1962, and sports car design had now moved up a gear, particularly in terms of refinement. The prospective sports car buyer was now demanding more sophistication than the MGA was able to deliver and a replacement car would need to offer better performance and a greater degree of comfort.

Monocoque Was The Modern Way of Car Construction

Monocoque construction was now the name of the game in car manufacture, whereby the body of the car provided sufficient rigidity to not have a separate chassis. The advantages of this were that monocoque produced a much lighter car, and with it the obvious performance benefits - especially in a sports car.

When the MGB was launched in 1962 the design was big departure from that of the MGA. At the front the inner wing panels, front panel, and engine compartment bulkhead formed one box section and the front floor, sills and rear bulkhead formed another.

At the rear of the car the inner wings, boot floor, and rear panels formed another box section to make up the classic three–box construction layout that became the standard layout of car body design for decades to follow.

Box section strengthening pieces were added to the floor for stiffening and to provide mountings for the rear suspension. Additional box sections ran along the bottoms of the front inner wings for the engine and front suspension mountings.

A Larger Capacity Engine For The MGB

The front suspension and steering of the MGB were much like that of the MGA, with only minor differences. At the rear there were the familiar semi–elliptic springs controlled by lever–arm dampers. The BMC B–Series engine with twin SU carburettors and matching transmission were carried over from the MGA, but with the engine cubic capacity increased from 1622cc to 1789cc. This provided a power output rating of 94bhp.

The MGB was supplied with bolt–on steel wheels as standard, these being of a slightly smaller diameter than those fitted to the MGA. Again, this was a two–seat open roadster with rather more squared–off styling than the MGA.

Refinement in design meant the MGB had a curved windscreen and doors that had wind-up windows with hinged quarter lights on the roadster, an option that was only available with the hard top version of the MGA.

The MGB was a bit shorter in length as compared to the MGA, but the cockpit was roomier, which allowed it to be equipped with larger and more comfortable seats.

In 1963, the following year, the options offered for the MGB were that of an overdrive gearbox, centre–locking wire wheels and a folding soft–top that could be stowed behind the seats. In 1964 the engine was given a much stronger bottom end, as fitted to the BMC Austin, Morris, Wolseley and Riley 1800 saloons, making the unit even more robust.

Introduction of The MGB GT

1965 saw the introduction of the coupe version of the MGB, the MGB GT. This car had an attractive and functional closed version of the standard body and was built alongside the roadster as an addition to the range.

The front and rear wings and doors of the MGB GT were essentially the same as the MGB roadster, but the windscreen was slightly higher to allow for a higher roofline.

In the place of the boot lid of the roadsters the MGB GT had a much larger and hinged tailgate that provided access to the load space inside. The MGB GT, therefore, was one of the earliest examples the now popular hatchback cars.

Inside the MGB GT there was a small rear seat, but this was not much use for anything except carrying very young children. However, the seat could be folded flat to provide a larger load platform for luggage, making the MGB GT a really useful two–seat touring sports car.

The MGB GT was a Heavier Car to The MGB Roadster
But With Better Aerodynamics

Although the coupe bodywork made the MGB GT heavier than the MGB roadster, its shape actually helped the performance of the car by improving aerodynamics. This gave the MGB GT a slightly higher top speed than the MGB roadster.

The MGB GT also had better handling characteristics since the roof put more weight over the rear axle, as well as increased the rigidity of the body shell. The flip–side to this was the extra weight had a detrimental effect upon acceleration times.

The MGB GT was not only a good looking sports car, but offered saloon car comfort levels in a sports car. As a result, the MGB GT became very popular with those who wanted something a little more civilised out of their MG than a roadster could offer.

British Motor Holdings Become British Leyland

In 1966, British Motor Holdings (BMH), owners of MG since 1961, was on the verge of financial collapse, but was rescued by Leyland, a bus and truck manufacturer, a move that was assisted by the British Government. The new company was called British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC), but referred to as British Leyland.

British Leyland had already acquired Rover and Triumph and so these names joined those already been under the BMH umbrella. This also meant that MG’s main market rivals, Triumph, were under the same corporate roof and would be competing for funding from the same source.

However, the takeover by Leyland suggested a more secure financial future for MG and in 1967 the MGB MkII was introduced. Still offered in open–top MGB and coupé MGB GT format, the most significant difference was that of a new transmission. Now, the car had synchromesh on all four gears, together with a more useful set of gear ratios.

The MGB Became Available With Automatic Transmission
and a 6–Cylinder 3–Litre Version of the Car

Fitting the new gearbox demanded the widening of the transmission tunnel and this allowed MG to offer the option of automatic transmission. At the same time the car was also offered with a new engine variant in the form of the Austin 6–cylinder 3–litre overhead valve unit, as fitted up until that time to the Austin Healey 3000.

The 3–litre version of the MGB was very nearly badged as the Austin Healey 3000 Mk IV, but due to an upset in relations between Donald Healey, creator of the original Austin Healey 3000, the Healey name could not be used. Therefore the car was launched as the MGC.

The most obvious external difference in the MGC, as compared to the MGB, was the large bulge in the bonnet panel. However, the engine didn’t suit the car, as it was too heavy, and the motoring press of the day hated it. With poor sales the MGC was axed after only two years of production.

From the day of launch, the standard MGB roadster and MGB GT sold in large numbers and was undoubtedly the best selling MG car of all time. Offering strong levels of comfort, durability and still being easy to service and maintain, both t he MGB and MGB GT gave the opportunity of sports car ownership to the ordinary driver.

Further Change to the MGB was Afoot

At the end of the 1960’s, MG was beginning to suffer the effects of rapidly changing United States exhaust emission and car safety legislation. As the United States was a big importer of MG cars, frequent modifications had to be made to the specification of the MGB and MG Midget if they were to remain acceptable.

Minor detail changes began to occur on the cars, but it was 1970 when the most obvious changes to date were made. A matt black recessed radiator gill appeared on the car, modified rear lights, Rostyle steel wheels, and revised interior fittings. There was also a change to SU HIF carburettors in an effort to improve the exhaust emission performance of the B-Series engine.

In 1973, a new big–engined MGB appeared, and was produced in addition to the standard MGB range, and this time where was no name change. Whereas the MGC had been slated by the motoring press, this car was extremely well received.

The Launch of the MGB V8

The MGB V8 was powered by the same 3,532cc alloy V8 engine as fitted to the Land Rover Range Rover and the larger engined Rover saloons.

Developed from an early Buick engine design, the 3.5–litre V8 was very light and actually weighed less than the original BMC B–series 1800cc MGB engine. In standard tune it offered 137bhp and fitted snugly into the engine bay of the standard MGB body shell, with only a slight a modification being made to the bulkhead to accommodate it.

With the development of a low–rise manifold system the MGB V8 could still use the standard MGB bonnet and so outwardly it was only the badges and special matt black alloy wheels that suggested it was the V8 version of the car. Furthermore, unlike in the MGC, the engine could be fitted without the removal of the front suspension cross member and so the original MGB coil–spring suspension could be retained.

The standard MGB suspension was employed at the rear too, but the ride height was increased by an inch all round. The transmission was from the MGC, from the gearbox right through to the rear axle, although the ratios were slightly modified.

The V8 Engine Made for an Excellent Grand Tourer

The combination of the Rover V8 engine and the MGB body was a good one and produced an excellent touring car with high performance, reasonable economy, and with acceptable handling characteristics.

Sales of the MGB V8 were strong, very much helped along by the positive press reviews on the car. In fact, there came a point early on in the production run where demand for the MGB V8 was outstripping supply. However, it was never actually exported to the United States.

Quite suddenly, and in 1976, the MGB V8 was killed off, supposedly due to a limited supply of engines on account of these being required for the forthcoming Rover SD1 saloon. Another contributory factor to the demise of the MGB V8 was said to be the fuel crisis, which caused the buying public to choose smaller engined and more economical cars.

The end in production of the MGB V8 does appear to have been somewhat premature. It had always been in far greater demand than the V8 Triumph Stag, which itself continued to be built in strong numbers. However, to continue with the Triumph Stag in preference to the MGB V8 turned out to be a poor decision by British Leyland, as it was also to disappear due to the poor quality of the product.

It only took the Americans just two short years to discover that they didn’t want the Triumph Stag anymore and so a car that had been a production success, the MGB V8, was forsaken for one that was a production flop.

British Leyland was not the first to drop a Rover V8 engine into an MGB

Before the MGB V8 appeared on the market, former Mini racer, turned car tuner, Ken Costello up–rated a standard MGB by swapping its heavy cast–iron straight four B–Series engine for the ex–Buick V8 motor.

The V8 MGB conversion became popular and Costello began making a healthy living out of selling his customised MGB’s with the 3.5–litre V8 installed. After all, he didn’t have all the bureaucracy of type approval procedures to go through as demanded from volume manufacturers. Costello’s cars were post market vehicles and so he was less restricted.

It didn’t take long for Costello to come to the attention of the engineers at the MG factory at Abingdon. Lord Stokes, then head man at British Leyland, invited Costello to demonstrate one of his MG V8 conversions to his MG design team. Within a very short space of time, and in August 1971, MG was given instructions to build its own MGB V8 prototype, with the official MGB V8 being launched two–years later.

When the MG division of British Leyland launched its own MGB GT V8, Costello found that a previously steady and easy supply of parts essential to his V8 conversions began to dry up. However, with the squeeze that was upon him that threatened to put him out of business, he managed to source a more ready and cheaper supply of Buick V8’s in Belgium.

Costello took full advantage of his new–found supply of engines and imported lorry–loads of them — all second hand. Having got them to the UK, he set about rebuilding each engine using parts from British Leyland whilst he continued his trade.

Disaster Strikes the MGB and MG Midget – Rubber Bumpers

In 1974 something totally disastrous happened to the MGB, and also affected the MG Midget. This was the year the cars began to be fitted with large ugly black rubber bumpers, which were actually made from plastic. These gave the once attractive looking sports car a hideous appearance.

These ugly attachments to the car were necessary to comply with new United States safety regulations that demanded all cars be manufactured so as to withstand a 5mph collision without sustaining any damage. Not only was the appearance of the cars spoiled by the new rubber bumpers, but the ride height was increased to achieve a regulation bumper height.

The new front bumper of the MGB was shaped to merge into the grille in a valiant effort to make it look as though it belonged on the car. However, the fitting of the rubber bumpers, as well as the increased ride height, not only spoiled the appearance of the car, but also the handling characteristics.

Compliance to US Regulations Didn’t Just Upset the Looks of the MGB

With a higher centre of gravity there was increasing body–roll, making the MGB prone to over steer. In 1976, there was an attempt to rectify this by fitting stabilisers to the front and rear suspension. This actually was quite successful and considerably improved the handling of the cars, but they still looked ugly.

The MGB continued in rubber bumper form, with further detail changes to the specification periodically being made, until production finally came to an end in 1980. With no money being allocated to fund the development of a replacement MG sports model, it looked like the end for the famous octagonal badge.

Investment was Only Being Made in Triumph

British Leyland were reluctant to invest any more money into MG, preferring instead to finance the Triumph name as its sports car manufacturer. The company claimed that by 1980 it was losing money on every MGB it built. This seems hard to believe since there were few substantial changes to the specification of the MGB over the years, meaning that development costs would have been recouped long before the end.

Not only did 1980 signal the end for the MGB and MG Midget, but also that of the Abingdon plant. When its closure was announced that year there was expressed public outrage, and not just within Britain, but all around the world.

British Leyland clearly had not realised the strength of emotions of MG enthusiasts around the world and indeed just how many enthusiasts there were. The company then realised the MG name was a valuable commodity.

When British Leyland management realised the value of the MG name, as well as its popularity, a working party was set up to investigate the worth or re–introducing an MG sports car to the market. The MGB had been the best selling MG sports car of all time and so the decision was taken to design a car with strong links with the company’s past.

Re–Thinking MG Sports Cars – The MG RV8

In October 1992 the MG RV8 was shown at the British motor show, much to the excitement of MG enthusiasts, and went on sale the following year. This was a retro–styled two–seater hand built sports model with the general appearance of the MGB roadster, as planned. This MG was wider than the old MGB and powered by a 3.9–litre Rover V8 engine.

Rather disappointingly for British Leyland, sales of the MG RV8 were poor in the UK, but it was aimed at the wrong market sector. Whereas the old MGB was bought by the average person in the street, the MG RV8 was a very much more up–market product, and with a prestige price tag to match.

It was a different story, however, when the car was exhibited in Japan at the Tokyo Motor Show. The Japanese loved it resulting in over a thousand cars being ordered there as a result. 75% of all MG RV8’s built went to Japan with only a small number going to mainland Europe.

However, the production run of the MG RV8 was comparatively short with only 1,983 cars being built. In November 1995 this car too came to an end and the factory closed for good.

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About The MGB Sports Car