First U.S. Report On a “New” MGB Using a Body Shell

Deciding to take on a project such as building a “new” MGB out of the combination of a new body and the stationary hulk of my 1969 MGB never can make any real sense (other than emotionally) when one has a family to raise, a business to run, a race car to maintain and campaign (lack of sense applies here too) and a half dozen other commitments and obligations which already seem to consume all available resources of time, money and energy. It must have been this emotional override of conventional logic that put me on the road to last June’s MG marque day at Moss Motors with my rare car’s trailer to pick up a new body shell and the basic inventory of parts which I knew would not survive the transplant from the old to the new car.

Of course all of the old obligations have managed to make progress on the new car slower than I had expected but I am far enough into the project to report on some revelations that may have meaning to others contemplating or in the midst of such an undertaking.

Any worry that the price of the body shell was excessive vanished as soon as I uncrated it in my garage. It had not occurred to me that unibody construction means that a shell is practically an entire car, but it quickly became obvious that the basic simplicity of the chrome bumpered MGBs and the remarkable completeness of the shell would make this a task far less formidable than I had thought.

Believe it or not the next best surprise was the crate. At $220.00 it is an absolute bargain. It has more wood than my house and was so sturdy that the floor of it became the floor of a playhouse for my kids (my wife built it while I was working on the car).

Although I am far behind my original unrealistic schedule, I can report on some important concepts and strategies that have surfaced. First and foremost is that the opportunity exists in these cars to build a better MGB by correcting many of the nagging things in an original, such as lining 20th century suspension parts. Installing electrical components that do not come from you know where, putting a single battery in the trunk, fitting modern hoses and clamps, etc. Because so many of the original parts that habitually cause headaches and breakdowns are worn out by now anyway, there is actually little additional cost penalty for correcting a wide range of problems and inconveniences in the original cars.

The next important item is that a plan of attack is essential to avoid project burnout. The project should be broken down into individual tasks that can be completed in a given time frame (a day, weekend, night or whatever) so that a sense of accomplishment is generated for each task and nothing is left unfinished, thus avoiding the sense that you have to work on the car because a task was left lingering. My sequence is to start with the rear end of the car (because it is the simplest) and then do the front corners, the engine bay, and the interior. The exterior painting and trim will be last so as to minimize the danger of damage from wrenches, errant car parts, etc.

An important extravagance if you can manage it, would be to have a third car available for perusal when reinstalling parts on the new car. As simple as the MGB is, an intact car is an invaluable guide when it comes lo the routing of lines, wires, pipes, etc.. on the new car.

Allow a reasonable contingency in your project budget as you will be amazed how terrible previously acceptable parts look when you put them into a new shell along side new parts. This is especially true of any trim part or any piece made out of rubber. It is both a blessing and a curse that there are hundreds of parts that cost only a few dollars each because you can very quickly run up an impressive unplanned expense if you do not stay selective about which parts can actually be switched from the donor car rather than being replaced.

Lastly, make a draft time schedule for the project and then immediately throw it away. This sort of project always takes much longer than anyone ever initially plans. It would probably be reasonably possible to complete a car in 8 to 10 intense weekends, but few people with the financial resources to drop $3,500.00 on a body shell don’t also have dozens of conflicting obligations which preclude a rapid completion. And besides, one of the prime benefits of this project is the almost therapeutic diversion from day-to-day life that any semi-reasonable car project offers.

I had originally intended to drive my new 1969/1991 MGB to this year’s Marque Day, but I will probably just be about ready to start installing the new wiring harnesses.

Marque day in 1992 would also be a good day to drive down the coast to Goleta. If you see a shiny red MGB with chrome wire wheels and “NEW MGB” on the license plate, that will be me

By Daniel Huntsman