1964 MG B Roadster - Last Owner 40+ years

With the vendor for the past forty years, this is a very well sorted MGB indeed. Only ever used in dry weather and kept garaged, it has very clean bodywork and is running beautifully. Very straight and in need of only a little TLC to bring it back to its former glory, it has one of the most carefully documented service histories we’ve ever seen.

With just two former keepers, it is a credit to its owner and is only being sold because he feels he is now too old to enjoy it as he used to. Available to view in the Aylesbury area, this is one for the enthusiast with an eye to adding value as they enjoy a slice of classic British motoring history. 

The MGB has straight panels and shut lines that are as good as any we’ve seen from this period. We are told that the floorpans are good, and that there are no signs of rot, structural issues, or any of the other nasties that can plague poorly maintained examples that have been bought and cheaply ‘restored’ in order to flip a quick profit. This MGB also retains its aluminium bonnet.

The red paintwork looks like it is in good shape, being free of rust and significant blemishes. It’s clearly had a respray in the not-too-distant past, and it looks to have been done to a good standard having stood up to the intervening years with impressive aplomb.  

The chromework is good too, being shiny and largely free of pitting. The soft-top appears to be in a good condition, being free of rips, tears and other damage, and the lights and glass are in a similarly impressive condition; it really is a very presentable and charming little thing.

The painted wire wheels are straight and true. They are very presentable but we can see that the new owner might want to refurbish them after the winter has passed to bring them up to the same high standard as the bodywork. You might want to budget for a set of tyres too, as they look like they’re getting on a bit. 

As you can see from the photographs, there are a few light scratches and swirl marks in the paintwork but these look to be superficial and should buff out fairly easily.

Viewing is highly recommended in order to fully appreciate just how straight and clean this example is. Please use the contact form to make an appointment with the vendor. 

The black leather seats are in reasonable shape, but they are tired and could really do with being re-stuffed and recovered. Or, because this is an MGB, we would suggest that it will be cheaper, easier, and faster to just buy a new pair; fitting them would then be the work of a moment and you could then restore the originals at your leisure if having the originals in the car is important to you.

A clear wind deflector has been fitted, as has a modern headunit. Other than that, the interior is original, and charmingly patinated. We are told that everything works, but we haven’t been able to confirm that as the vehicle isn’t with us. 

The door cards have some damage and rips to the vinyl covering; still, new ones would be a cheap and easy way to sort that problem. As would sanding down and re-varnishing the wooden door cappings and veneer trim; you’ll probably want to repaint the black metal dashboard while you are at it, too. It’s all there, it’s just in need of a little TLC.  
The carpets and steering wheel could both do with being replaced while you’ve got your cheque book out, but this would be another easy, cheap, and hugely satisfying way to spend a Sunday morning. Really, if we were wiser men than we are we would pick project cars just like this: cars that are solid, recently resprayed, and running beautifully; refitting interiors is possible our favourite job, and that of the MGB is so widely available and cheap that a worn one like this is almost a point in its favour… 

The inside of the boot is fairly good, and home to the wire spare wheel, mallet, and jack. There is some surface rust, so we’d be tempted to add its refurbishment to the list of interior work that is needed. A new carpet would be a cheap and easy way of finishing the job off.

Recent mechanical work includes a new three-piece clutch, a carburettor service, fitting a new battery and new front brake calipers, pads, hoses and a servo. The eight-page printout from the vendor’s garage of choice goes back to 1997 and tallies up more than £9,000 of work in that time. This is a car that has been properly serviced and looked after by folk who know what they are doing.

We have been told that the car starts and runs well. 

The engine bay is grimy and has some surface rust, which means that it’ll provide its new owner with many happy hours of light fettling; few jobs offer the gratification that cleaning and detailing an engine bay does, and we would rather buy a car with a straight but dirty engine bay than one that has been superficially sorted only to mask the real issues; this one might not be pretty, but it wears it faults openly and honestly and leaves nowhere for problems to hide.

The underside of the MGB looks to be straight and solid. There is some red overspray, so a meticulous owner might like to go over it with a good quality black underseal, which would do double-duty as both a preservative and a cosmetic improvement.

The online MOT history shows nothing of concern whatsoever and confirms the car’s low mileage.

However, the MOT certificate has expired and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have the car re-MOT’d at the earliest. The cost of an MOT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic car, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies…  

The car comes with a printout of the work that has been done to it by M.D. Spring Autos from the early nineties onwards.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been restored and maintained to the very highest standard.

Honestly presented and in need of only a little tender loving care this is a beautifully original MGB Roadster that has been with its owner for the past forty years. Offered in good condition, it has an impressively detailed service history that goes to the heart of this car’s charms; this has been a well-loved member of the family that is only being sold because the owner feels he is now too old to continue using it as much as he would like.

He has been honest enough to admit that it does need some work doing to it, primarily to the interior. But, as we’ve already pointed out, this is the very best case scenario when you are considering buying an MGB because the bits are so cheap and easily fitted that a baboon with a credit card could restore one.

Having said that, the owner acknowledges that the need for this work must be reflected in the asking price and with this in mind we think it will sell for between £8,000 and £11,000, at which price point it offers outstanding value for a car of this quality.

Of course, the reserve is set at an even lower point, so why not pop a cheeky bid in and see if you can walk away with a bargain? Remember; with interest rates as low as they are, a decent MGB is as good as money in the bank and cars like this one might even show you a bit of a profit in the long-term…

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen in Aylesbury; 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’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings of any auction, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles we have for sale. While we use our trade experience to assess every car that comes through our hands (and between us we have bought hundreds of classic cars over the years for our personal use…) we are fallible, and our assessment of a car may contrast with that you might form yourself.

This is why we offer a far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange a professional inspection on their behalf of, each vehicle prior to bidding than any traditional car auction, and we will never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this by coming to see it in person.

That said, we do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or those formed as a result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.