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Re: Valuing an MGB

To: Simon Matthews <simon_atwork@hotmail.com>, mgs@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Valuing an MGB
From: Dan DiBiase <d_dibiase@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2004 09:06:55 -0700 (PDT)
I don't know, that seems like a lot of money for a car that is in the condition 
you describe, Simon.... It sounds like it has had several cheap paint jobs, so 
you can also assume that the proper preparation wasn't done. Who knows what it 
is hiding?? I would do what Carl said - get your magnet all over the body.
 
Seems to me that for $3000 - $3500, you can buy an awfully nice B.....
 
This one seems more like a $1000 - $1500 car.....


Simon Matthews <simon_atwork@hotmail.com> wrote:
Can anyone help me value an MGB?

I am looking at an MGB being sold by the father of one of my daughter's 
friends.

The car is a '74 -- chrome bumpers with the oversized rubber-coated 
overriders. It is California and seems to have the standard smog equipment 
for that year:
Dual HIF Carbs plus smog pump and gulp valve.

I am told that the engine and gearbox are in good condition -- the engine 
and gearbox are strong -- although I have not personally verified this. 
Everything looks to be present under the bonnet. No O/D. I did not check to 
see if the numbers match.

The wiring has had some non-standard additions. As the owner says: some 
"creative engineering".

Bodywork: looks sound, but paint job is pretty poor. It was re-painted some 
years ago and now this new paint is flaking off in a couple of places and 
had oxidised on the boot lid. There are 3 colors visible: white (original), 
orange (first re-spray), blue (later respray). No "crack of doom" visible 
in either door.

The underside of the bonnet is pretty rusty though.

Seats are basically shot.

Brakes: felt very odd: the pedal had a springy feel to it -- maybe a lot of 
air in the system?

Interior is not very good -- but not disasterous (apart from the seats). 
Steering wheel has a rough finish (plastic disintegrating?). Door panels 
were OK, window winder handles broken, armrest split.

Seat belts need replacement -- it has lap/diagonal belts, but the shoulder 
belt is not attached using the correct backet and mounting point. The only 
answer is, I think a new set of belts.

Top is not new, but not too bad. I think there is a broken weld in the 
frame, since one of the bows seems to be free to swivel in a way that it 
should not. The top does not seem to fit snugly around the windows.

The car has not been used for 6-12 months. The car has been listed in at 
least one club magazine for $2500, yet no takers so far.

Simon

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