ROAD TEST MGB GT
I have had three MGBs over the years, all of them GTs. I did many thousands of miles behind their wheels, and thoroughly enjoyed every one. However, it came as something of a surprise to realise that the last of those was several years ago. A lot has happened over the intervening period, both to me and to the road network, so I was very keen to see whether the model still ticked all my boxes.
The car I tested will be familiar to many of you as the project car we featured last year. This is currently owned by my workshop buddy, Alan Denne, and in keeping with some other former project cars recently, we thought it made perfect sense to add a bookend to the technical reports by trying to convey just what the finished article is like to drive.
So, visually the car presents no surprises. Even if it had been a totally fresh example to us, the lines of the BGT are so well known and unmistakable that it would be all but impossible to approach it with fresh eyes and an open mind – it is a bit like a Mini in that regard. The BGT has the classic sports car stance of a long bonnet with the driver positioned well back, in this case right in the middle of the car. The bonnet is not excessively long like an E-Type, but certainly lays down a marker to its sporting nature.
I have gone on record many times as saying how much I love the lines of the hardtop BGT; the Roadster is wonderful with its top down, but I don't thinkchrome than the earlier ones did, but I don't mind the black recessed grille, especially as it is set off nicely by the chrome surround and the big red MG badge in the middle. The B still had chrome bumpers in 1973, which most (but by no means all) enthusiasts prefer to the later black rubber ones. These ones come with over-riders set at a rather odd angle to provide a little extra protection from attacks coming in from about 30 degrees off centre.
