20 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR MGB
The MGB is a car that needs no introduction to readers of this magazine – an MG stalwart and the most popular classic car in the UK, as well as hugely adored among our overseas readership, the B has been a lot of things to a lot of people over the past six decades.
It’s also very much a blank canvas – a car that gives you myriad opportunities to stamp your own particular mark on a car where parts to improve it are readily and inexpensively available.
Here are 20 different ways you can make your MGB better or more suited to modern use, from bolton accessories to complete powertrain transplants, with something for every budget and individual taste. Contact details for all of the specialists mentioned are on page 59. Also, discussing your restoration and performance modification plans with an experienced MG specialist can be especially worthwhile, saving you time and money by avoiding part mismatches and fitting issues along the way. Most of them are extremely helpful and will be keen to help you achieve your improvement goals.
We’d love to see what you’ve done to your Bs, too, so drop us an email at mg.ed@kelsey.co.uk and we may well be on touch to use your improved MGB as a future feature car.
1. Engines
One of the most obvious and most common improvements to any MGB is to improve the engine. We’ll be covering some of the component improvements further on, but in terms of the entire engine there are a couple of very popular conversions.
The most substantial is to fit a V8 and there are a couple of approaches. A completely remanufactured 4.0 V8 from MGOC Spares, for example, will cost you £3,425 +VAT, which may sound like quite a lot of money but for a guaranteed, known-good and properly set-up engine that has been fully rebuilt (not reconditioned) it’s a fair price for peace of mind. Installation isn’t as straightforward as you’d imagine if you’re taking out a four-cylinder – you’ll need a new gearbox and you’ll need to modify the engine mounts for starters, but it can be done
