Registry: 1965 MG MGB

Had been outdoors without top (hood) for 11 years when purchased. Badly rusted, engine siezed. Long range (!) restoration begun in 1995. ' Learned to weld on this car - took me five years to repair the rust. New paint turned out beautifully. Some assembly required.

April 2009. A few problems have turned up on that "beautiful" new paint (lifting behind the doors). That's an advantage in allowing the car to sit for several years; this problem can easily be corrected before it gets too late, or too inconvenient. Restoration was halted in favor of my Magnette, but once that is done, I'll be back to work on her. I think she's going to be a spectacular pull-handle B - with three-sync overdrive to boot!

September 2013. ' Finally spending some time on this car. ' Just got front cross-member cleaned and refinished and I'm now completely dismantling front suspension components. I've bought new A-arms, spring-pans, springs, kingpins, etc. About the only original components that will be reused are the swivel-axles and steering levers. Current goal is to get the body shell back up on new suspension and rolling on it's own wheels.

November 2021. No, i’m still not done. Brake system for this car is now fully plumbed, and with the help of Good Friend Mike Jacobsen, we totally dismantled an engine we are rebuilding for it. Rebuilt transmission awaits on the shelf. Wiring harness is in place, but some connections await at the ends. ‘ Starting to make some connections under the dash. After the engine, the final BIG STEP will be the interior. I was 49 years old when I bought this car; ‘ hope to finish it in.the next year before I turn 83.

January 2022. Engine block and head are out to Vic’s Auto and Performance in Commerce Township MI (recommended by Bruce Mann) for machine work. Parts and advice coming from Hap Waldrop at Acme Speed Shop. Light-weight MaxPeeding rods, lightweight flywheel, decked .013”, bored +.030 and a mild cam that comes on at 2500 rpm. I will do the assembly. This is not the original engine, although it is a correct 18GB. The original had been replaced long before I bought the car - and the replacement was seized.

Currently working on converting car back from incorrect strap-on gas tank to correct bolt-on. Removing struts for the strap-on turned out to be a bigger problem than anticipated. Some damage to boot floor incurred. Currently fixing that.

August 2025. Still working on this car! After 35 years! No it does not take that long to restore a car - except when it goes on the back shelf at various times while you restore four others. ‘Got several productive months on it earlier this year - finishing assembly of the engine and installing it in the car - along with a transmission I rebuilt in 2008! I have a new exhaust system for the car. I need to assemble one of the two carbs, and install new starter and alternator. ‘Hopes are for an initial engine start this fall.

At one time I hoped to have this car ready for the 2023 100th anniversary of MG. Next, it would have been nice to have it ready for it’s own 60th anniversary this year. The next major project will be the interior. Maybe 2026?