MGB donor car

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Hamy-hoo
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MGB donor car

Post by Hamy-hoo »

Hi everyone,

I’m getting ‘trigger finger’ on eBay looking at potential MGB donor cars however I’m actually not sure exactly what I should be targeting.

Please help stop me from making a costly mistake...

My planned build is a 289 slab side using the MGB rear axle.

Is there a particular year or condition that I should be aiming for or do I simply go for the cheapest I can find given I imagine I’ll have to have all the parts I use reconditioned?

Many thanks one and all in advance.
Hamish
Slowjoe
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Re: MGB donor car

Post by Slowjoe »

Hi I used a 1970 mgb donor it had the wire wheel axle and also the early steering rack,hope that helps
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agnoraan
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Re: MGB donor car

Post by agnoraan »

Ideally go for a car that is not in "historic" class ie '79 onwards. If you do buy one that is historic, you need to ensure that it is virtually complete and could be made roadworthy with very little work. Due to so many people selling log books and cars identities, without actually owning the cars, the DVLA are now closing the loop hole.

When someone buys a historic vehicle, it's not unusual for DVLA to ask the new keeper when trying to get it registered in their name, to supply photographic proof that the car is what it's registered as. There have been difficulties getting some cars registered in the new owners name. Some people have found a new log book won't be given if the car is just a basket case of bits, or unroadworthy. Ie not easily made to be roadworthy. They ask for photos of, front, left right sides and rear. Additionally they ask for photos of the engine, dash, headliner, interior, VIN plate with original rivets holding it in place, inside the boot and with the boot carpet lifted. If a car has a flip fuel cap, they want photos of that open and closed. The reason they ask for these odd photos is that they aren't able to be found on any image searches.

If you can supply those photos, then the DVLA believe it's likely you do actually own the car and not just bought a V5C. If However, DVLA have any reason to doubt the cars identity after this, they will ask for the car to be inspected before issuing a V5C. A company called SGS will send someone to inspect it and to verify its condition and identity to DVLA. They don't do this to all historic cars being registered by a new owner, it appears to be random. I know of quite a few cases now where this has happened. If the donor is not old enough to be historic there are no issues. This only applies to the historic class.

Incidentally, vehicles now being imported, that would be classed as historic, are also liable to the same criteria above when being registered. If that imported vehicle has been modified beyond how it would have been when new, or not roadworthy it won't be registered. This happened to an acquaintance of mine who imported a 1950's American pick up truck.
Nige
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clive
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Re: MGB donor car

Post by clive »

I don't think that the Historic Status would make any difference if it is being used as a donor vehicle. It might be the case if you are restoring and re-registering the vehicle to it's original status. When registering your car after IVA, even if the donor is historic, it will be regarded as a new vehicle by DVLA and you won't get Historic Status. It will have the date of First Registration in the UK as the date you register it and you won't need to MOT it for three years.

(Incidentally, it will be extremely difficult to find a donor MGB that was built after 1979, as production ceased in 1980.)
Cheers, Clive.

(If I'm not here I'm in my workshop or on the golf course!)
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agnoraan
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Re: MGB donor car

Post by agnoraan »

Clive, I fully understand what you're saying, but this isnt about historic status or tax exemption for a kit car. The DVLA arent concerned if its a donor vehicle or not at the point of issuing a V5 to a new owner . As far as they're concerned it's a new owner of a historic vehicle, and that vehicle has to fulfil certain criteria, there are no exceptions.

To use a vehicle as a donor, that vehicle has to be registered to the new owner who intends to use it as a donor. It's at this point the DVLA could ask for the information I posted above. The system has been abused over the years, but now they're clamping down on it. This is to stop unscrupulous people selling historic cars identities without actually owning the vehicle and the fraudulent transfer of incorrect identities onto other cars and this goes way beyond just donors and kit cars.

As an example, the Ford guys have been buying V5C'S that are advertised for sale and subsequently cloning the likes of RS, Mexico Escort identities onto lesser Escorts for years and passing them off as the real deal after cloning the running gear to match. The Land rover guys, hot rodders, and the VW scenes are rife with this also. The classification as to what is eligible for historic status recently changed, hence them clamping down hard now.

I'm sure people will say, "That didn't happen when I applied for a V5C " all I can say is, that if this was within the last few months, then you were one of the lucky ones and you've dodged the "silver bullet" by not being inspected

Please don't shoot the messenger
Nige
Hamy-hoo
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Re: MGB donor car

Post by Hamy-hoo »

Did you all recondition the parts you used?
I believe Gerry modifies the steering column. Does it need to be a particular year etc or can it be any MGB version?
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amulheirn
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Re: MGB donor car

Post by amulheirn »

Gerry modifies only the last bit of the column that sticks out of the steering rack - think it is called the pinion shaft. This is the bit that mates with the rack. You remove the rack from the donor, take out the pinion shaft, post it to Gerry and he modifies it and sends it back. He modifies your one, rather than gives you one he already has because the pinion and the rack from your donor have worn together, so shouldn't be swapped ideally.

Gerry sells you an intermediate column piece and a pair of Universal Joints that are smaller than standard MGB items. The upper column is unmodified, with the exception of relocating the indicator cancelling lug. All that is in Gerry's build manual.

Upper column in your donor car has to be the 'early' type of MGB column, not the later ones with collapsible sections. Looks like this:

https://www.moss-europe.co.uk/media/cat ... _05_01.jpg

I reconditioned the column, axle, rack and so on, yes. Quite enjoyable work if you take your time.

Hope that helps!

Andy
Slowjoe
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Re: MGB donor car

Post by Slowjoe »

Taking the donor car to bits was the best part for me.Turning dirty horrible axle and suspension parts into nearly new gives a real sense of satisfaction.
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StewbieC
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Re: MGB donor car

Post by StewbieC »

Steering rack (from any MGB) needs to be modified as the shaft that connects to the column needs to be shortened and re splined. Talk to Gerry about this. An intermediate shaft is then adopted to put a double offset in the overall column. This is to comply with impact regs for IVA.
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Hawk 289, 66 Mustang Fastback with a 289 maximum smiles per mile..
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