Vehicle Description
Beautiful 1979 MG MGB Roadster Rare Orange Factory original with
both Hard and Soft Tops Manual Transmission LOW MILES A very Clean
and honest Little Brit This is a Fine Example of what a Desirable
Late Production MG should be. The roadster was the first of the MGB
range to be produced. The body was a pure two-seater; a small rear
seat was a rare option at one point. By making better use of space
the MGB was able to offer more passenger and luggage accommodation
than the earlier MGA while being 3 in (76 mm) shorter overall. The
suspension was also softer, giving a smoother ride, and the larger
engine gave a slightly higher top speed. The four-speed gearbox was
an uprated version of the one used in the MGA with an optional
(electrically activated) overdrive transmission. Wheel diameter
dropped from 15 to 14 inches (360 mm). To meet US safety
regulations for the 1968 model year, the MGB received a plastic and
foam rubber covered "safety" dashboard, dubbed the "Abingdon
pillow", and dual circuit brakes. Other markets continued with the
steel dashboard. Rubery Owen RoStyle wheels were introduced to
replace the previous pressed steel versions in 1969 and reclining
seats were standardised.[citation needed] 1969 also saw three
windscreen wipers instead of two to sweep the required percentage
of the glass (US market only), high seat backs with head restraints
and side marker lamps. The next year saw a new front grille,
recessed, in black aluminium. The more traditional-looking polished
grille returned in 1973 with a black "honeycomb" insert. In North
America, 1970 saw split rear bumpers with the number-plate in
between, 1971-1974 returned to the earlier single-piece full-length
style chrome bumper. Further changes in 1972 were to the interior
with a new fascia. To meet impact regulations, 1974 US models had
the chrome bumper over-riders replaced with oversized rubber ones,
nicknamed "Sabrinas" after the British actress Sabrina. In the
second half of 1974 the chrome bumpers were replaced altogether. A
new, steel-reinforced black rubber bumper at the front incorporated
the grille area as well, giving a major restyling to the B's nose,
and a matching rear bumper completed the change. New US headlight
height regulations also meant that the headlamps were too low.
Rather than redesign the front of the car, British Leyland raised
the car's suspension by 1-inch (25 mm). This, in combination with
the new, far heavier bumpers, resulted in significantly poorer
handling. For the 1975 model year only, the front anti-roll bar was
deleted as a cost-saving measure (though still available as an
option). The damage done by the British Leyland response to US
legislation was partially alleviated by revisions to the suspension
geometry in 1977, when a rear anti-roll bar was made standard
equipment on all models. US emissions regulations also reduced
horsepower. The last MGB roadster produced at Abingdon returned to
Abingdon County Hall Museum on 1 December 2011, with the help of
British Motor Heritage. It was lifted up 30 feet through a first
floor window of the Grade I listed building with inches to spare
and now forms part of the collection on display in the main
gallery. Work on a successor for the MGB had been undertaken as
early as 1964 with the EX234, but due to the excellent sales of the
MGB and Midget, BMC cancelled it in 1966. In 1968 a second proposed
replacement was developed, the ADO76, but British Leyland had
ceased work on that project by the end of 1970; the ADO76 would
ultimately become the rubber-bumper version of the MGB in 1974.
When the Abingdon factory finally closed in late 1980, British
Leyland did not replace it, with the EX234 prototype finally being
sold at auction in 2016. The decision to discontinue the MGB came
about largely due to the poor sales performance of the Triumph TR7,
which had largely taken over as BL's contemporary offering in the
small sports car market. BL management felt that continued
production
