MGB Experts - How much work is this?

I'm guessing just with those 2 pics it will need much work
underside looks knackered, so skill with the hot stick would be quite handy
From the first pics mind looks you wouldnt have thought it would be that bad underside
cost - piece of string, depends what else you find with the poky stick !

I used to restore these every day, as I worked for years in an MG restoration business. Probably one of the easiest cars to do.
Everything is available, and replacing sills, floors, etc., is very straight forward if you've had previous experience of similar work.
I'm confused by the gearbox crossmember - it's not original - Is the engine and box the standard 1800 B-Series?

That looks like a lot of work for a car in that price range. As others have said it's likely to be rotten in many more places, something looks odd with the front bumper/wing mount and there's also rust showing up on the wing join.

As it comes with a hard top does that mean there's no hood?

I'd be tempted but they would have to knock off £2000 from the price to get me interested.
Basically it's a restoration project and whilst all the problems are "textbook" it devalues the car significantly.
I expect it to remain unsold for a long time and suspect the price will drop idc.
Personally I'd say buy something standard for a fraction of the asking price and modify if you want to your own requirements. In fact for just under £3000 I'd expect a car with current MOT and although not perfect capable of gaining another MOT without such serious work.

Paul H

Kind of looks like a lot of mk1 escorts i see for sale . Ok paint job etc , some rust but pointless paying the asking price when you know that all that will change when you start digging and more and more rust appears. I think theres better cheaper ones to be had - its not as if there is a shortage of them .

£1000 it's a wire wheeled chrome bumper and has a hard top, that's a grand in parts just there ?
As for a resto
Put it this way I did a mild resto on one of them and it cost a grand in parts and that was without any welding whatsoever AND all the easy to get parts are cr@p chinease toot, nowt will fit quite right, not even the propper parts fit quite right so rubbish copys will need 2/3 times as long to fettle.

In response to your question about buying from Jersey, I don't think there is any requirement for MOT in Jersey, which may explain in part the stark contrast between visible body and underside.

I have to say after doing a mild restoration on a GT this year I was pleasantly surprised how easy these cars are to work on and I thoroughly recommend one as a classic daily driver.

Rob

I would go with the above.

Going from those shots it seems it needs at least:

• Castle sections x2 (you can add inner sill membrane into that list which may well require the outer sill to be removed ; even more ££££)
• Floorpan repairs on both sides (IMO the more you poke 'B floors, a new floorpan does not seem too horrific an idea)
• Chassis Leg repairs (These are relatively easy to do IMO)
• Outrigger replacement (these are quite cheap)
• Whatever else (hopefully, the inner sills are OK)

I was quoted over £1k to do complete sils on a 'B using Heritage panels (which now are not far off £200 a side for full sills)(Steelcraft are OK, but the cheaper stuff seems to be made of horrific steel IME despite lashings of etch primer etc.). Even on my old white 'B with the outer sills done on the cheap (they still needed painting) and a castle section/outrigger change with good floors it cost around £600 (parts and labour (I bought the car with the outer sills done with a receipt (£300 painted in primer), but the castle section was rotten when I bought it (I was charged around £150 for labour, and I sourced a Heritage castle section and Ashley Hinton outrigger/jacking points)).

A Stage 2 engine though is very tempting, and is not a cheap thing to do in a 'B IMO (even secondhand the heads in Stage 2 form sell for good money).

Does a 924 not tickle your fancy or are you after a change from 944s?

If you do fancy a solid working 'B I would look at Matt's grey 'GT. A great handling car with the big jobs done. Whilst it may need a slight amount of love cosmetically, it is a much more viable project, and it's good to go from the off .