Big Lobsters and MGb GT

Cheers, from Sunny Australia

And you thought you had big lobsters in America!!

This is the story of the 1973 (built in April, May and June of 1973) Harvest Gold with black ribbed cloth trim MGb GT fitted with the factory options of tinted glass all round, wire wheels and wing rear view mirrors that was born and created in Abingdon, England; went overseas to live in Hollywood, USA, and then spent its rejuvenation and retirement in Adelaide, South Australia, then went “overseas” to Tasmania, Australia for more fun!

After of number of MGb tourers, I liked, found, and restored an MGb GT coupe; a rough car with very good bones!

The car was purchased on a very rainy and stormy December, 2011 day and placed on a car trailer to take to my large boat shed in Goolwa, South Australia for my restoration.

The car was built originally as a LHD model for the USA market and was the last of the chrome bumper cars.  It was imported into Australia by the then owner who did LHD to RHD conversions for a group called Sports Car Connection in Adelaide.

Engine 18v672zl14747.  Body GHD5UD322468g.  Commission 065894.

Colin began the conversion and rebuild of the car in 1990 for his own use and improved the car with the RHD conversion and dashboard; new rings and bearings and new clutch and gearbox repairs.  Also, he purchased a complete new correct black ribbed cloth interior which was never fitted, this was the only model year to feature the ribbed material and was very practical for comfort and coolness and warmth.  Colin had previously mechanically restored units such as a Triumph Stag V-8 and several British motorcycles and was very competent.

He became seriously ill in 2007 and stopped work on the car in 2008; his little notebook with his recorded progress showing his weaker handwriting as his end became near.

After this, the car was placed in an old shed and was untouched until my purchase as a non-runner from his elderly wife and sons in December, 2011.  It spent 10 years total in the shed.

My work was then to complete a full interior refresh, including new carpets with the new seats, and straightening and re-gluing the door cards; a full engine compartment refresh and detail, complete with a new under-bonnet (hood) heat and sound insulation pad (which really improved the NVH levels); refurbishing the five wire wheels and installing new tyres; all the gauges, lights, and switches were refreshed and cleaned inside and out, and additional Smiths period gauges located, cleaned, refurbed, and added.  The factory option wing mirrors were beautiful things, so they were restored by me too.  The interior was now a very comfortable and pleasant place to be!

They always said at release that they were a poor man’s Aston Martin…

Then, the twin SUs and linkages were disassembled, acid bathed, polished within an inch of their life, and treated to a complete rebuild and retune.  New twin sports air cleaners were fitted and the under-bonnet area, which was given a paint remedy here and there, was now a showplace and the carbs performed and idled beautifully!  With some extensive painting and correction to the totally rust-free body, it too started to look good!

The car on completion was just lovely to drive with its superb all-round glass views and always drew many comments.  In 2019, it was sold to a gentleman and his wife from Tasmania, who flew over (see a map) and drove back with no problems at all.  The car used no oil or water on the trip; when I asked him after his trip if all was okay, he said the only problem was the giant lobster who chased him on the way home! (See picture)

When the seats were taken out to refurb the rails, I could not believe what I found beneath the seat in crumpled and very bad condition – the original LA number plate and number plate surround from Hollywood Sport Cars.  These were both restored and came up really well as a memory and showpiece of the times when it perhaps driven through LA on various adventures.

In all, I loved the car and enjoyed giving it a new life too.  It’s very rewarding.

Interesting facts

• Hollywood Sport Cars were a very successful Ferrari and MG dealership and sold and raced many cars.  Steve McQueen bought some cars from them  and had them service them also.
• No MG b GT had triple wipers. (Neither UK or USA). They had a different windscreen too from the Tourer.
• The closed MG b GT was meant to be the first MGb model , to follow on directly from the MGa.
• MG thought they may cause confusion and released the MGb tourer first.
• The MGb GT was designed with PininFarina aerodynamics and was slightly faster (with the same mechanicals ) than the tourer because of it.
• The MG b GT was one of the worlds first hatchbacks and was also a well designed one.
• The MGb GT was the only model to have a single carpeted scuttle map pocket. Some tourer owners added them later.