1964 MG B

This MGB is one of the most desirable among the fanbase. Being an early model, it is regarded as the purest expression of what an MGB is, easily identifiable by their ‘pull handle’ door handles. With the debut of the car in 1963, the 1964 cars was unaffected by the later model revisions; these early years were when the enthusiasts fell head over heels in love with the then-revolutionary design concept. The MGB gained a mass following during its production run, but the early examples retain a special place in the hearts of enthusiasts.

This car was purchased by the current owner from an elderly lady, who had been left the car from her late husband. The car was his pride and joy, and the service record should show the extensive time, effort and finance spent on the car during his ownership. The MGB remains in great condition having been well looked after by the current owner since acquiring the car in 1998.

The MGB was treated to a restoration back in 1999 with the work being carried out by MGs Unlimited in Plymouth, where it had bodywork completed, mechanicals and interior sorted along with a colour change to the 2K red paint it now wears.

The re-spray and body work has lasted very well to this day. The paint still shines brightly, helped by the chrome trim, and the body panels all look straight with the panel gaps all being tight and uniform. The doors do look as though they might need some fettling, especially around the bottom rear edge, but this can be achieved with some gentle persuasion.

There is the odd mark here and there on the paintwork but it’s very minor and doesn’t detract from the overall good condition of the car. Again, if we’re being very picky, the chrome work shows some signs of minor pitting and there is a tiny dent on the front grille, but we really are grasping at straws there.

The steel wheels with their chrome hub caps look to be in good condition, shod in tyres that have plenty of tread left. The hood looks to be in good nick too, with the windows not being faded or hazy and looking to be taut and well fitting. There is a small crack in the leather on the driver’s side rear quarter section, but it hasn’t gone through all the way and could possibly be glued shut again.

The MG also comes with a cabin cover which again is in good condition and looks to be taut and well fitting. All in all, this is a very good-looking car with plenty going for it in the looks department and we’re sure it’ll get heads turning.

The interior was also sorted during the restoration back in ’99 and has again lasted very well during that time. During the work, new leather seats were fitted, the car got new carpets, trim and the hood replaced. Since then, the interior has held up exceptionally well and remains a nice place to enjoy a drive.

The black leather seats are showing very little sign of wear, with some creasing in the leather but totally within what should be expected. There is some wear to the piping on the rear of the seat backs where the seat belt buckle has rubbed against it, but it is localised to that area. Door cards are in good condition too, with no scuffs, rips or tears we could see. The top door pad on the driver’s side has started to come away but we’d imagine some application of upholstery glue might solve that issue. The carpets have been protected with rubber matting and as a result they are in very good condition all round.

In summary, the interior of the MG is in great condition bar some very minor things, most of which we’d imagine could be sorted on a sunny summer Saturday should you be worried. The metalwork underneath the trim is shown to be solid and without many paint chips, dents or scratches. Clearly the restoration was done properly.

As the photo gallery shows the boot first, that seems to be a good place for us to start too. Inside you’ll find a full-size spare, in a carpet cover, along with a multi tool and a jack should you need to be replacing wheels roadside. The tonneau cover also lives in here and underneath the good condition carpet, the metal work shines being in fine condition as you can see for yourself.

Moving to the engine bay then, the inline 4 unit is synonymous with the MGs and this one seems to be in good health visually, and indeed the owner reports it drives wonderfully. The owner also reports it handles beautifully and cruises effortlessly with its 4-speed gearbox with optional overdrive. The owner also reports that the temperature gauge suggests that the car get very hot, very quickly but they are not sure if this is true or whether the gauge is incorrect.

Underneath the car everything looks very reassuring, the rear leaf springs and fuel tank look almost brand new. Clearly the car was undersealed during the restoration, and it has done the little sports car a huge favour by seemingly keeping the tin worm at bay. There is the smallest amount of superficial surface bloom on bits like the exhaust, but it’s so minor it’s almost not worth mentioning. We’d highly recommend you check out the underside photos so you can see for yourself just how protected and sealed it looks.

The MG has a stack of paperwork highlighting the work done on the car, it comes with a V5C and a clear HPI check along with photographic documentation of a previous restoration. It also has one set of keys.

The MG has been regularly serviced and MoT’d and holds a current certificate until 11.04.2024. We have summarised important and recent invoices below.

MoTs:

• 1998 – Mileage – 2,616
• 1999 – Mileage – Recorded as 008,77, possibly a mistake
• 2000 – Mileage – 2,822
• 2001 – Mileage – 5,724
• 2002 – Mileage – 6,828
• 2005 – Mileage – 9,474
• 2007 – Mileage – 10,471
• 2008 – Mileage – 11,277
• 2009 – Mileage – 11,984
• 2010 – Mileage – 12,761
• 2011 – Mileage – 13,858
• 2012 – Mileage – 14,378
• 2013 – Mileage – 14,830
• 2015 – Mileage – 15,155
• 2016 – Mileage – 15,212
• 2017 – Mileage – 15,586
• 2019 – Mileage – 18,192
• 2021 – Mileage – 19,444
• 2023 – Mileage – 23,934

Invoices:

• 1999 – Car underwent restoration work including bodywork, mechanicals and interior including a colour change to the red it now wears
• 1999 – The MG was fitted with a stage 2 unleaded head and camshaft and fitted with a new timing chain
• 2001 – New shock absorber and front wishbone
• 2013 – Minor issues fixed including misc gaskets, exhaust hanging bracket, wheel bearing, fuel lines and gearbox mounting
• 2013 – New rear springs, wiring loom reinsulated, driver’s door adjusted and exhausts remounted
• 2015 – Non start issues rectified, electric ignition fitted, spark plugs, leads, distributor cap, rotor arm and coil replaced. Ignition timing checked, carbs and choke balanced

The MG B was a beloved British sports car since its debut, and it continues to be to this day. The earlier models are most sought after, for good reason as they represent the purest form of what the designers Syd Enever and Don Hayter envisioned. The pull handle example presented here has been loved and well cared for during its years and it remains a fine example capable of providing many more years of driving pleasure. We think this fine early B will sell for somewhere between £15,000-£20,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, 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’.