1967 MG B Roadster

The subject of an extensive strip-down restoration by the previous owner which was ongoing throughout the 1990s, this August 1967 registered MGB Roadster in attractive Pale Primrose yellow has been in the vendor’s ownership for nearly 20 years. During this time the car has always been garaged when not in use and only taken out on fair-weather days, in fact he’s only covered a few hundred miles a year on average.

The vendor bought the car from the mechanic father and son team who carried out the ‘labour of love’ restoration and has needed to do very little to it since.

He had to change the odometer earlier this year due to being jammed with grease coming up the cable and since then has covered a few hundred miles taking the car on holiday to the Isle of Wight.

Having moved on to an Austin Healey, which understandably is competing strongly for his attention, he has decided to sell the MGB Roadster and let a new owner have some fun in it.

This MGB Roadster is in lovely condition, with straight panels and good shut lines all round although the boot lid sits a little high and would benefit from some fettling to allow for the boot seal rubbers replaced during restoration.

The pretty Pale Primrose bodywork is in good shape; free of rust and significant blemishes. There are a few dimples, the most notable being a ding in the top of the driver side front wing and a hairline crack in the rear deck but the paint is undamaged and it’s clear that the respray done in the ‘90s was prepped and carried out to a good standard, standing up well to the intervening years.

The chromework is good too; shiny and free of pitting. The soft-top also presents in great condition, fitting and operating well and free of damage to either the fabric or the plastic windows.

The car sits on chrome wire wheels with knock-off centre spinners and matching Dunlop radials, all of which are in good order. Matching tyres are an infallible sign of a car that has been owned by a mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the money to keep the car in the very best condition; as such, we use them as something of a ‘shortcut’ when assessing a car’s likely overall mechanical condition – and they’ve never let us down.

The Pale Primrose colour option was introduced for this model year and continues to be a popular choice among enthusiasts; it really is a very presentable and charming thing.

Don’t take our word for the car’s condition - we have the Roadster with us during the auction and highly recommend a viewing in order to fully appreciate just how straight and clean this example is. Please use the ‘Contact Seller’ option to make an appointment.

Inside the car it feels as if the restoration was finished only last year rather than two decades ago - although only a few thousand miles have been covered since the work was done. The vinyl dash, instrument panel and switchgear all appear in great condition and, aside from the rev counter which has intermittent issues, all dials and fittings appear functional and correct. The odometer was replaced earlier this year and now shows only 400 miles so remember to add around 66,300 to this to get the actual mileage.

Although there is a center console speaker in place there is no radio present, instead the space is filled with an MG-badged blanking kit appropriate to the period. The new owner could choose to fit a retro-styled head unit but as you’d be most likely to use this car on a sunny day with the top down, any other form of entertainment isn’t really necessary.

Although a later Moto-Lita competition steering wheel is shown on the car during the restoration, it was then replaced by a “banjo” three-spoke wheel more in keeping with its factory original.

The black leather seats are in good condition and very comfortable - and the white piping sets them off well - almost echoing the chrome instrument surrounds on the black dashboard.

Door trims and carpets are also in good order, with rubber floor mats adding an extra layer of protection. Under the carpet in the rear, the bodywork and battery compartment cover are sound and rust free. The roof frame and lining of the hood complete the all round great look and feel of the cabin.

Under the bonnet, the engine bay presents extremely well with engine block and rocker cover painted in a period-correct maroon colour and whilst not concours standard it would likely stand up well to scrutiny in any provincial car show or club meet with just a few areas of bare metal appearing around the edges of the bonnet landing strips which would benefit from touching in.

As can be seen in the accompanying photos, the undersides of the car are fairly clean and tidy with good underseal where necessary and 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. The wheel arches too, coated in body-colour stone guard, are also clean and intact. What appears to be a stainless steel exhaust system fitted during restoration is in good condition.

Inside the boot, the floor has only light surface rust in places and houses the full size spare wire wheel, with jack and rubber mallet to knock off the spinners. It also has a full length tonneau cover for the cabin with longitudinal centre zip should you wish to chance a drive with the hood removed.

The online MOT history confirms the mileage prior to the new odometer being fitted and shows the April 2018 failure due largely to brake issues which, the vendor reports, have been sorted although not retested.

While it is MOT exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have the car retested at the earliest opportunity. 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 is also invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies.  

Along with a collection of expired MOT certificates, and a small album of photographs documenting the restoration are numerous garage bills and invoices detailing parts purchased and works done.

Much of the ‘90s restoration appears to have been carried out by the then owner and his father (a mechanic) in collaboration with MG-specialist Moto-build of Hounslow. Photos and invoices show that the bodywork was taken back to bare metal and most of the exterior panels were replaced including nearside door, boot lid, all four wings and valances front and rear prior to a respray. Underneath, the engine and rear axle assembly show as having been rebuilt, reconditioned or replaced. Replacement wire wheels, spinners and tyres, new hood, bumpers and overriders and new seat covers and carpets completed the restoration work.

Importantly, it still has the rare, and valuable, aluminium bonnet it left the factory with back in 1967, albeit now repainted.

Later invoices show regular servicing and the fitting of a reconditioned head back in 2016 and the vendor reports that he also had it fitted with electronic ignition and a bigger battery.

Along with the history file comes a selection of MG and classic magazines and a most-useful Haynes Owners Workshop Manual.

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 highest standard.

We are looking after this MGB Roadster during the auction, at our facility not far from its Abingdon birthplace, and have taken it for a short test drive. It runs and handles well - nice and tight - with no play in the steering. Also the brakes perform well with no pull to either side during application.

Along with its rival, the Triumph Spitfire, the ‘B’ might seem something of a ubiquitous classic but their popularity means that they are simple to maintain with parts easy to come by, making ownership fun and usually trouble free. There are MG clubs everywhere running many events and whether you join or not, you will always be eligible to give and receive an ‘MG wave’ when passing others out enjoying the country roads on a sunny day.

While asking prices on earlier chrome-bumpered MGB Roadsters vary hugely depending on the recency and extent of their restoration, we estimate that £10,500 - £14,000 is a good range for this good-looking mid-sixties example with very few miles covered since its earlier restoration.

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’.

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

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. 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 the 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.

Please note that this is sold as seen and that, as is normal for used goods bought at auction, the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply.