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1977 MGB roadster on the workbench


Peter Lombardo

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This is the latest kit to hit my real life workbench. This is a 1977 MGB Roadster that is coming back home for the finishing work on its restoration. My wife and I purchased this in 1992. It ran pretty well, needed some body work and had those horrible ugly black rubber bumpers that our wonderful law makers forced on the world in 1974 ½ . The car was Damask Red (burgundy) with a black vinyl interior. About 7 years ago I placed it in storage in a barn where she sat providing a winter home to some field mice. About 5 years ago we purchased an older sibling for it, a 1960 MGA Roadster ( the green roadster next to the red MGB) which is complete, except for a few items that I will add later as time and available cash allow.

Two years ago, we pulled the MGB engine and tranny out and started to strip the body and interior for a full restoration. The engine received a “hot†street / rally cam, heavy duty springs and valves, up rated oil pump, the crankshaft has been re-balanced, new timing gears and chains, intake valve work and larger pistons with a .030 overbore and a new exhaust header. I have a new 4 speed transmission with a completely rebuilt electric overdrive 5th speed. A new clutch and new universals round out the drive line.

Because this had the black rubber bumpers, I purchased a retro fit chrome bumper set from England to clean up the look. This conversion required a little body work to accommodate the new bumpers and completely worth the time and trouble.

Three years ago we purchased a complete new interior kit for this car. I have redone the seats with all new foam and tan leather seat covers. There is matching tan leather doors and all new carpeting going in later. I plan on re-facing the gauges with off white faces instead of the black ones. A new black leather steering wheel and a cd/radio combo with the speakers in bods behing the seats.

The body is all metal with no bondo or plastic anywhere. The body work was preformed by my friends at Ayers Chevrolet body shop in Dover New Jersey. Jim, the body technician did a spectacular job on the body doing a lot of hand fitting to get the grill , doors and hood right. Kudos to a great job. He painted the car (sorry I don’t even know the colors name, but it is a brand new GM color. It is a deep pearl red that is on fire in the sun when it is clean. MG never even dreamed of a color this exciting. The wheels are going out for a media blast and powder coating in chrome silver in the next few weeks.

The car is lowered (can’t tell now because it is missing the weight of the engine) with new lower springs in the front, new lower springs going in the rear and new tube shocks going in to replace the old lever style shocks.

My son and I are doing the work on this beauty to finish this car in time for the fall driving season. I am looking forward to the next British car show here in September…we must have it done by than. Thanks for looking…I have an MGB model that I have opened the doors on and hood, will build the engine for it and paint it the same color as the 1 to 1 car. ( I have a can of this paint for the model).

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Thanks for the resto pics Peter! That is a BEAUTIFUL paint job!

Seeing that engine bay brings back some memories as I once had a '71, albeit a Midget. I owned this one back in the mid '80's and it was...........well let's just say "cantankerous"! :P

I was a naive 25 year old at the time and had this car as my only transportation and I remember being under the hood more than a few times.

It was a fun little car though.............and I'd love to have one today although I'd have a bit more trouble getting into it now! :P:o

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