1964 MG B Roadster "Pull Handle"

This early 1964 MG B Roadster ‘Pull Handle’ with Overdrive, registration number 1964 MG, was originally purchased by the vendor in the early 70's. In 1984 he gave the car to his then girlfriend who had it extensive restorated at Abingdon Classic Cars. Some years later the car was garaged for 26 years.

Although this was some time ago, the MG still looks in great condition which is a testament to the quality of the work carried out by Abingdon. In 2018/19 just before the pandemic the car was returned to the vendor.

Finished in the classic Brooklands Green, the MGB is overall in very nice condition throughout. When the main restoration was completed in 1984, the car had received new floor sections, wings, inner and outer sills and door skins, so you can tell it wasn't a half hearted attempt at a restoration, this was built to last.

Starting at the front of the Roadster, the chromework has a bright finish, but does have some signs of tarnishing in places. The indicators and headlights are free from any chips or splits. The vertical slat grille has some age related signs of tarnishing. The bonnet lines up and shuts as it should, and there is an equal gap running along the wing rails. Further up is the windscreen surround, which again has some patina to the finish which may polish out. The seals around the window and frame have started to perish a little, but these are items which are readily available should you wish to replace them.

Around to the sides of the car, and you can see just how nice the shape of the MGB is. The lines are uninterrupted by any dings. There is the odd chip here and there as you would expect, but considering it was 1984 when it was restored it has done remarkably well. You will notice the door handles are pull types which were only produced on cars from 1962 - 1965, making it quite a rare sight. The chrome work around the windows is in good order, with minimal marks to it. The vinyl roof fits nice and tight, and the rear windows are still nice and clear to look through.

At the rear of the MG the boot aligns as you would expect, and the light clusters are in good order. The bumper does have some surface corrosion to the chrome finish, but is free from any dents.

The wire knock off wheels look to be the originals, which do have some slight corrosion appearing on the spokes. The tyres have a good amount of tread remaining for the new keeper.

Inside the Roadster was given a full retrim in 1984, at the same time as the restoration. The seats are in good order with no signs of excessive wear to them other than some light creasing. The door cards were trimmed to match, and these too are in good condition. Under your feet, the carpets were also replaced along with the felt underlay. There is some scratching to the driver’s heel pad, but nothing too excessive.

The dashboard is free from any splits or cracks to the top. The instruments have some slight tarnishing to the chrome bezels and it is reported that the rev counter and speedometer have recently stopped working, the odometer is currently sitting at 9,854 miles. The switchgear is all as it should be apart from the headlights, which have also recently decided to not light up. This has not been investigated, but is thought it could be something related to the fuse box. The 3 spoke leather steering wheel is nicely worn in and the original is included, but does have some wear.

Inside the boot is nice and clean, with no area for concern. The spare wheel is present and matches the others, and has a good tyre fitted. There is also a car cover, some LED headlamp upgrades and a few consumables.

The engine in the MG is the original 1798cc 3 main bearing unit, which was rebuilt during the 1984 restoration, and since then it has covered very little mileage. When the car was finished, the mileage was 8,109. From then it covered just 1,200 miles over the next 5 years, and it then stood for the next 26 years, until 2017.

The engine has now been given a full service, the carburettors have been rebuilt, new fuel lines and a fuel tank have been fitted. The car now fires up as it should. When really cold you might have to manually pull the choke open on the carburettors, as the cable doesn't quite pull them far enough open, but this could probably be rectified with some minor adjustment to the cable.

The car is reported to drive very well, with positive feedback through the steering. We did notice that the car sits quite high at the front and low at the rear. It has been like this for some time, but the car seems to handle as it should. Fitted with a four-speed gearbox plus overdrive, the MG pulls well through the gears which have a smooth change. At the time of the engine rebuild there was also a new clutch fitted.

Looking to the underside, this all looks to be as good as you would expect. It has been treated with underseal and looks to have protected the necessary areas. The suspension wishbones have also been coated. This has come off in a few places which do have some light surface rust, but nothing which looks like it would cause concern.

With a full restoration in 1984, the MG covered just 1,200 miles up until 1990, where it was then in storage for the next 26 years. Having been brought out of storage, some recommissioning has taken place which has included a new fuel tank and fuel lines, plus the other standard maintenance things like oil change and brake inspection.

There is an extensive history file with the car showing every part fitted during the restoration, which makes for some interesting reading. The V5 is present and shows 3 previous keepers. An added bonus for the lucky person who buys the MG is the registration number, 1964 MG is included with the car.

The MGB Roadster was a hugely popular car when it was made, and is still as popular in the classic car market today. This is an early pull handle door model, which was only produced for 3 years, making it more desirable.

The perfect weekend toy to take off around the countryside, or take to the show field at a classic car rally. Lets not forget about the 1964 MG registration number which is also included with the car, could you really get a more fitting registration?

We estimate this two-seater British classic to reach between £10,000 - £15,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.