The MGB was introduced in 1962, and did not get major changes until 1965, so this 1964 model is an example of the earliest pure form of the MGB. This was the first unibody construction sports car produced by the MG company, only nine years after they first made a unibody sedan (the Z type). A half million MGBs were produced up to 1980, making it one of the largest selling sports cars of all time, and the designation is synonymous with the company in the minds of many.

This 1964 model has a BMC B series 1800cc 4 cylinder overhead valve 3 main bearing engine, a 4 speed gearbox with overdrive (no synchromesh on 1st gear), disc brakes in front and drums in the rear, a live rear axle, rack and pinion steering, and independent front suspension riding on substantial A-arms and king pins. In the photo it sports a factory original hard top, an attractive item which has become more rare in recent years.

These early MGBs are somewhat uncommon now, and so it's worth pointing out some of the differences that make them interesting in comparision to later models. Externally the most obvious difference is the "pull-out" or "refridgerator" type of door handles. There are other subtle body differences too. The most obvious mechanical difference is the 3 main bearing engine. This is a more free revving engine with a decidedly different feel to the later B series 1800cc 5 main bearing engines used from 1965-1980. Some say the 3 main engine has problems due to crankshaft flex, but my experience of this engine is very positive. The interior sports a metal dashboard, two leather bucket seats and a carpeted tunnel and rear deck, with vinyl mats on the floors and sills. This is much the same on the MGB up through 1967, but on these early cars there is a padded bumper running along the tops of the doors, forming a continuation of the one across the dash. The early cars also have a small door locking lever at the rear edge of the door- this is said to be only on the passenger door, but on this car it is found on both doors.

When not using the hardtop, or in the absence of one, the top is fairly simple, and consists of a set of tubular metal "hood sticks" that stow in the boot and have to be put together and erected, and then the hood (convertible top) is snapped over the framework created by these sticks.

When I got this example it was in fairly bad condition, basically in a junkyard. It had no seats, no floors to speak of, no steering wheel, no brakes, and it didn't run. But it was a straight unmolested early car. It's important to find cars that have not been repaired badly already-- it's much easier to do the repairs properly the first time than to try to undo what someone else has done badly. With some effort I drove it out of there!

After that little illegal jaunt, a lot of work was needed. I removed the engine/ gearbox unit and attended to the rusty floors with snips, grinder, and welding torch. One lesson learned during this operation was to cover up glass areas that are not removed; now my windscreen and gauges have little tiny balls of metal stuck in them-- these were sparks and I never realized that sparks had any material substance to them! The gearbox was in poor condition and I had to rebuild it. Rebuilding an early box is difficult because many of the parts are hard to find. The brakes required a complete overhaul, except for the front calipers, which seem to never need attention on these cars! I bought a new hood (convertible top) made of StayFast canvas, a really nice material. I built a nice set of leather seats for this car.