1978 MG B Roadster

The lovely MGB Roadster that we are offering here rolled down the production line in June 1978, just in time for its lucky owner to enjoy a summer of top-down motoring.

The observant amongst you will have noticed that the car no longer sports those much-maligned rubber bumpers. A popular change, new chrome bumpers were fitted by a previous owner, much improving the car’s looks. Feel free to disagree, but you are wrong!

At the same time the suspension was lowered to complete the more traditional look.

The car was subject to a comprehensive restoration some years ago and appears to have been lovingly cherished ever since. That will be readily apparent from the myriad of photographs we include in all our listings.

Other upgrades include improvements to the car’s cooling system and a recent full set of new tyres.

We are great fans of blue cars and without doubt our ‘B’ looks positively stunning. There is little to fault with the paint finish.

A little tidying up beneath the rear bumper perhaps, and there is some bubbling to the paintwork on the passenger door, above the handle. Shut lines look good too for a car of this era.

Completing the period look are a lovely set of wire wheels, which look to be in decent nick. New tyres have just been fitted too, which we like. Older classics that cover few miles often wear old boots, which can be dangerous as rubber deteriorates with age.

Chrome, and there is plenty of it, looks quite sparkly, those bumpers in particular the standout feature.

Glass is all fine and we like the old MG Owners Club sticker in the front windscreen. The car has clearly been owned by the right sort of enthusiast!

The roof appears to function as it was intended, though with age it has got a little grubby. A little elbow grease and some proprietary products should improve it no end. Or perhaps a new mohair hood would be in order?

MGBs of this era came with rather lurid cloth seats, so we are delighted to see that a previous loving owner has replaced them with rather smart black leather offerings. They are in good condition too, with just some gentle creasing here and there.

There are some rather snazzy blue seat belts too, which match rather nicely the car’s exterior hue.

Also an addition is the delightful wood steering wheel, again a much needed improvement over the standard Abingdon offering.

Door cards and dashboard look to be in decent order too without too much weathering from the sun.

MG monogrammed floor mats look quite new and will help keep the decent carpets in good condition.

Pop the boot lid and there is a matching wire wheel, also fitted with a new tyre.

During this car’s restoration, many new parts were fitted. Amongst the most notable are the new front springs and lowered rear suspension, as well as upgraded ARB bushes.

A new petrol tank was fitted, and the cooling system upgraded with the addition of a Kenlowe fan. No more overheating in traffic we would hope.

Looking at the car’s underside, it looks very much as though the floor may well have been replaced. It all appears very presentable with copious amounts of underseal there to protect and preserve. We like that. New parts are plentiful and can be seen in all their glory.

Under the bonnet sits the familiar 1800cc lump. It’s a willing motor that endows the ‘B’ with a decent turn of speed. It all looks clean and tidy.

We do note some rust bubbling on the underside of the bonnet close to the release catch and there are a few areas of paintwork which could clearly do with a little smartening up.

The car comes with a wad of MoT certificates, always nice to see and an easy way of confirming the mileage. Of course, the car is now 43 years old and is registered as an historic vehicle – no road tax or MoT now required.

The last MoT was however carried out in 2018 with the car showing 92,855 on the odometer and there were no issues of concern.

We also note that the car was serviced at 88,293 and 92,601 miles.

The earliest MoT certificate from 1995 shows the mileage then recorded at 85,099. We can therefore deduce that the MG has led a gentle life over these past 25 years or so.

There are also some invoices for parts fitted over the years, always nice to see.

This classic British sports car is presented in great condition and is ready for summer adventures.

We know the car will undoubtedly attract a lot of interest as good MGBs always easily find new homes. We estimate that the car will sell for between £9,000 and £14,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located at our Abingdon headquarters; we are open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm and to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.