1964 MG B Roadster

Fully restored from 1994-1998, this solid and well-sorted MGB benefits from an uprated engine and suspension, making it the ideal dual-purpose car for use on both the track and the road.

Previously curated by the legendary MGB racing driver Barry ‘Sideways’ Sidery-Smith, the MGB is as well-sorted as you’d expect any car of his to be; the current owner, who has owned the car for the past seven and a half years, has both pampered it and used it well.

As an example of his approach to the car, he tells us that he has never been afraid to use it in the rain but has always taken the time to dry it off properly afterwards. Would that more classic car owners adopted his approach…

The MGB still features its original front wings and alloy bonnet. The former is, as aficionados will know, quite rare now and we’re delighted that the car’s owners have chosen to retain them rather than replace them with wings from a later model.

The alloy bonnet is the original but it does have a few small dents in it, but we think these could be rolled out without too much trouble. It is held firmly in place with a black leather bonnet strap, which might be overkill but it doesn’t half provide some reassurance while hoofing along a fast road at motorway speeds.

The Connaught Green bodywork is in very, very good condition with only two flaws that we can find: a small crack on the join between the scuttle and offside front wing and a paint chip on the door. There is no visible rust at all.

The rest of the bodywork is in fabulous condition, especially when you consider that the paintwork is now 20 years old. That it still looks so good speaks volumes not only of the quality of the initial work but also of the care it has received in the hands of its owners ever since.

The car features Sebring-style valance and faired-in headlight cowls. It has also been debumpered and given a stick-on front number plate, a look that suits it perfectly in our opinion.

Perhaps the weakest area of the car is the Ivory hardtop, which is more purposeful than attractive. We are, perhaps, being a little harsh here because we can’t help thinking that we are only mentioning it because the rest of the bodywork is so good; why not pop along and take a look for yourself and let us know what you think?

UPDATE: we have a had a couple of comments wondering about the state of the front of the drivers sill, as a result we have pressure washed the area and taken some further photos - it is possible that the dirt there was giving a false rusty impression. Hopefully from the new photos you can see that whilst some rubbing down and new underseal may be in order, the metalwork is all solid with just some paint chipping/surface rust on the edges from general use.

The owner fitted period-style Corbeau bucket seats. These give much better lateral support than the standard items, as well as more headroom for taller drivers. The standard seats, which are black with red piping, have been retained and will be supplied with the car, giving the new owner the option of refitting them if they so desire.

The door cards are in good condition, as are the carpets. The steering wheel is a lightly patinated modern Mountney three-spoke leather ‘n’ alloy item, and Mota Lita supplied the alloy gear knob. On our brief test drive the speedo was very flickery, but the odo' worked well.

A touring-style roll bar is fitted behind the front seats. While this is not FIA-certified, the owner tells us that it stiffens the car up nicely and noticeably sharpens the handling. The softtop looks in good condition, and a recent tonneau is included.

A new wiring loom has been fitted underneath the dashboard and a battery isolator switch has been fitted to the rear parcel shelf. The car is wired for a headunit and rear speakers. An electric aerial has been fitted. All good usable stuff… 

(the pictures show a non-fitting, non-matching rear seat squab below the fixed folding hood - please note that this squab is not included with the car)

The engine has been tuned with the aim of extracting as much power as possible while still keeping it tractable enough to be used on the road without concern.

To this end it features a Kent 715 fast road camshaft, a big valve cylinder head, a three-branch sports exhaust manifold, and a single-silencer exhaust. A huge Weber 45 DCOE carburettor and K&N air filter feed the engine, and sparks come courtesy of a Powerspark 25D performance electronic distributor and high-performance HT leads. The owner states that he uses Unleaded fuel without concern.

The result is a “very quick car” that sounds, he tells us “like an MGB turned up to 11”, we have the car with us and confirm that it sounds rorty with a good pair of lungs, not just boringly loud! Wait for the engine noise at the end of the video...

The rear suspension is by way of leaf springs and adjustable Spax dampers. The car also sits on 72-spoke painted competition wire wheels; the extra spokes stiffen the wheel up massively, and the combination of these and period-correct Michelin XAS tyres give “beautiful handling”. (We should point out that the Michelin tyres are now seven years old, and while they have plenty of tread left on them, a prudent owner would replace them soonish on the basis of their age.)

The three-synchromesh manual gearbox has a working overdrive and a reconditioned starter motor has been fitted recently. The front brakes are EBC Green Stuff pads with braided flexible hoses. The owner tells us that these small modifications have helped enormously and went on to say that the car now stops really well.

The electrical system has been converted to negative earth and a single 12-volt battery has been fitted. These are sensible, cost-effective modifications that free up space for tools where the second 6-volt battery used to sit. Wiring for a battery conditioner is fitted.

The car is fitted with a stainless steel fuel tank.

The MGB comes with an enormous history file, only some of which has been photographed and displayed here. Charmingly, there are a number of typed summary sheets detailing the work that has been carried out on the vehicle over the years.

The online MOT history check shows absolutely nothing of concern. The MOT itself runs out in May 2019, and the car comes with a number of expired MOT certificates, along with some old road tax discs..

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 one of the most comprehensive histories we have ever seen and has been restored and maintained to the very highest standard.

Sometimes a car comes through our hands that wows us on first acquaintance. Others worm their way into your affections because the closer you look, the more you are impressed. This MGB is one of the latter.

It has been very well thought out and impeccably executed. It’s been used properly on the road - but cared for and looked after just as well. The owner is a discerning driver, who treats his car well and expects it to perform just as well for him in return. We’re willing to bet that his tool box is immaculate and his garage spotless. Which is how things should be, obviously.

So, if you’re after a fast road MGB that is at home on the track as it is on a French autoroute then you can stop looking right now. And, best of all, the owner is as sensible and pragmatic as he is discerning: we think the car will sell for between £11,500 and £14,000 and he’s agreed to set the reserve even lower. This is a pitifully small sum to pay for such a well-sorted MGB.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen here at The Market HQ in 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: Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.