Background
Any car that stays in production for 18 years must be doing something right. And yet, even after this marathon run, such was its popularity that the MGB simply refused to die. British Motor Heritage started selling brand new bodyshells eight years after the car was last built, and the vast array of parts for the model effectively meant it was now possible to build your own, ‘new’ MGB or BGT. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves.
The MGB was effectively a modernised MGA. The handsome looks are built around a monocoque bodyshell, with the MGA’s separate chassis construction replaced by a stronger, lighter more modern design.
However, the rest of the car was remarkably similar – why change a winning formula? The BMC B-Series engine had now grown to 1798cc but retained the twin SU carburettors of the earlier car, and now made, for 1962, a healthy 95bhp.
A four-speed manual gearbox with synchromesh on the top three gears was again carried over from the earlier car, as was the option of an overdrive unit operating on third and fourth, and its output fed a live axle supported on cart springs. That non-synchro first gear was replaced by an all-synchro box in 1967.
In 1965 MG introduced the Pininfarina styled MGB GT coupé with a thoroughly modern hatchback and, after London based tuner Ken Costello fitted Rover V8s into used MGBs, BL finally launched their own MGB GT V8 in 1973, although they never built V8 powered.
From 1980 onwards BL put all its sports car eggs in Triumph’s wedge shaped TR7 basket, but sales were never a patch on the MGB and the Triumph itself became history within a year.
From 1988 onwards enthusiasts began reinterpreting the MGB using the newly available bodyshells, with MGB V8 roadsters becoming a regular at MG meets up and down the country. Petrolheads also built cars using BL’s then still current O-Series engine, which had originally been slated as a unit to power a revamped MGB. But the best was yet to come.
Fast forward a few short years to 2012 and, with the MGB as popular as ever, the leading restorer and re-creation specialists of the car, Frontline Developments of Abingdon, decided to mark the 50th anniversary of the MGB by building their own interpretation of how a modern MGB GT might look, handle and go.
This very special version of the MGB was named the LE50, with just 50 cars being built. Features of the LE50 included a Mazda MX-5 twin cam engine, along with that car’s gearbox and seats, and the builds were based on a brand new MGB GT British Motor Heritage bodyshell. All the cars had Frontline’s bespoke suspension, braking systems, sound insulation and a luxuriously hand-crafted interior.
Gone were the cart springs that MG had persisted with, despite the engineers’ desperate pleas to let them introduce a coil-sprung alternative. Frontline developed and built an entirely new five linked rear suspension system, with the axle now located by four trailing arms and a Panhard Rod. Not only does this provide far better control of the axle’s movements, it also facilitates much improved ride quality.
The 2-litre all alloy Mazda engine more than doubled the power output of the ancient BMC B-Series it replaced, and along with the five-speed manual gearbox allowed the LE50 to reach 160mph and get to 60 in a shade over five seconds – performance figures that are in a totally different league to V8 powered original cars, let alone four cylinder versions.
