1973 MG MGB Roadster |

Closed Auction- Unsold

1973 MG MGB Roadster

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Mileage~109,000
TransmissionManual
Engine1.8L
LocationTibberton

AUCTION CLOSED

1973 MG MGB Roadster

Introduction

Glyn Parry

Professional Consigner

Fun in the sun, the ultimate affordable classic to blast down country lanes in.

The MG MGB first came about in 1962 and was produced until 1980, the soft-top sports car formula of the MGB stayed relatively simple throughout. A B-series engine produced 98BHP at 5400RPM, a big step up from its origins. The good looks, honest charm, and simple mechanics made it hugely successful, shortly becoming Britain's best-selling sports car. Not only are these cars incredibly fun to drive, they look great with their sleek and attractive body lines.

They’re not just about B roads and country pubs either – although they are great for that! MGBs continue to enjoy huge success in historic racing and rallying due to their fantastic handling and the flexibility and tuneability of the ubiquitous B series engine.

This MGB is a 1973 model presented in black coachwork along with its interior and convertible hood. It’s a car that needs a little TLC cosmetically, but with a complete engine rebuild in 2012 it’s ready to go – perfect to enjoy this summer and improve over time. With a great amount of club support this is a classic that is easy to love and immense fun to own.

This auction listing was written from information supplied by Glyn after meeting Richard the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

I've loved using this MGB over the previous 11 years, a great classic for the British summertime.

Richard has owned this MGB for the previous 11 years, and in that time he's taken the classic over to France, and had a full engine rebuild carried out on it. He's loved using it as his classic on the weekend.

Back when Richard was 22, he really fancied a classic to drive daily and the MG MGB ticked all his boxes. He mentions although it's an extremely popular classic, it always gets so much attention and is a great conversation starter. The car has had a complete respray during the '80s from Maroon to Lotus Black.

With a house refurbishment project in Richard's mind, the car is coming to market on auction with us.

Richard will be happy to answer any questions about his MGB in the comments section below.

Richard

Vehicle Owner

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CONTACT OWNER

Exterior
Interior
Mechanics
History
All Images

EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

Classic shape with the elegant and desirable earlier chrome accentuating the curves - a quintessentially British design.

Wheels and Tyres

This MGB is fitted with period-correct wheels. The wheels look generally good all round. The tyres on this car were last replaced in 1994, and appear a little dated with cracking to the side walls, these would benefit from being replaced.

Please take a look at the exterior photos for an extensive view of the wheels and. tyres.

Bodywork

The car appears to stand straight and true for an MG of this era. The black hood looks in fair condition with one large tear on the nearside.

The bodywork does require a bit of attention with some corrosion along the door edges, and the nearside arch which is very typical for these cars. There is also some bubbling on the offside wing and seams. Overall, the bodywork would benefit from some TLC, so do take a look at the photos and images to judge for yourself.

We have taken hi-resolution images and videos of the car for you to assess the condition of the bodywork for yourselves.

Paint

A slightly less common colour choice for the MGB is 'Lotus Black' which looks very attractive, particularly with chrome bumpers.

The paint still retains much of its depth although there are some scratches and lifting where surface corrosion has occurred, the most noticeable scuff is on the nearside rear wing. The finish does need a bit of work in some areas and we’ve done our best to capture this in the videos and high-resolution images.

The images taken are from different angles and reflections to show off the car as you would see it if you were standing there for yourselves. Please take the time to fully assess the condition.

Glass and Trim

The glass on this example looks good and in line with the age of the car. We didn't notice any discolouration during our visit. The window seals look in fair condition in line with the rest of the condition of the car.

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INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

A driver-focused laid out with a comfortable purpose, even after 49 years this cabin is a great place to be.

Seats and Carpets

The vintage black seats and headrests are in good condition with two very minor tears in the drivers seat. There’s plenty of room and, this being a later model ‘B’ means this cabin has a slightly more modern feel to it.

The interior is generally good although there are some patches of wear here and there – exactly what you would expect from an unrestored example. Take a look at the interior videos and photographs.

Dashboard

The Smiths dials, gauges and switches all appear undamaged with some slight signs of wear.

Richard assures us everything works exactly as it should.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

Equipped with a Mountney steering wheel which looks good with a pleasing amount of patina around the leather grip, rather fitting for this unrestored example.

The 4-speed gear stick appears in line with the age and mileage of the car.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

The legend itself - the versatile 1.8-litre British Leyland block which offers responsive and trustworthy motoring for miles and miles.

Engine and Gearbox

The 1,798cc engine delivers a factory specified ~95BHP to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual gearbox. Modest by today's standards, maybe, but this is a small car and the unit is free revving, responsive and pulls really well.

The car had an engine rebuild in 2012 by Cougar engineering (also responsible for building race cars in Bradley Green, Redditch). Richard tells us, that the new engine only covered around 6,000 miles.

We captured a cold start video that shows the car starting without fuss the first time. Please take a look at the detailed media pack to see a closer view of the engine bay and underneath the car.

Suspension and Brakes

Richard reports suspension and brakes work very well, the car featured the classic leaf spring setup. Take a closer look at the brakes and suspension set up in the mechanical photos and videos.

The Drive

Richard mentions this MGB pulls well, gear changes are clean and precise, road-holding is excellent and the car is well behaved.

All the reasons why this is such a fun classic to own – the straight four sounds fantastic too. Check out the “On The Road” video to share the brief test drive we took with Richard with the roof down.

Electrics and Other

The electrics on the MGB are pretty straightforward. All switches and lights appear in good condition and Richard assures us everything works as you would expect.

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History and Paperwork

A very desirable MGB Roadster with Pininfarina styling finished in Lotus Black - a great option as a usable classic for summer or base for renovation.

This car is coming out of ~11 years of ownership with Richard, he purchased the car while looking for a classic two-seater to enjoy on weekends. He's had many happy memories in the car, and enjoyed driving the car over to France. In 2012 he decided to carry out a complete engine rebuild (by Cougar Engineering) and covered only ~6,000 miles since then. The car comes with copious amounts of paperwork, take a peak at some of the highlights in the history media pack.

Richard will be more than happy to answer any questions you have about the car in the comments below.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a HPi check on the vehicle.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, and as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment on the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bid/s, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Service History

Date	Type	Mileage
28.04.2022	MOT	9,022
22.07.2016	MOT	6,539
01.06.2015	MOT	5,913
16.05.2014	MOT	5,129
14.05.2013	MOT	4,921
17.05.2012	MOT	3,929
20.04.2011	MOT	1,431
29.05.2010	MOT	1,130
20.05.2009	MOT	382
20.05.2008	MOT	68
14.05.2007	MOT	99,642
22.03.2006	MOT	99,361