MGB vs MX-5

[McReis]

From an old Classic Car magazine issue I found back home.

Thankfuly, my MX-5 doesn't look like that inside or out.

[McReis]

last pages

[PerfAdv]

Not too technical an article but a fun comparison with an old guard sports car.

I'll take the MX, thanks...;)

[McReis]

I'll take the MX, thanks...;)

It's always good to have an unbiased opinion! :D:D:D
Guess what? Me too! :D
I love classic cars, but for some reason, the MGB doesn't appeal much to my senses.

[PerfAdv]

I love classic cars, but for some reason, the MGB doesn't appeal much to my senses.
IMO, If you're gonna go classic, go far back enough that having leaf-springs and a rigid axle doesn't seem like a joke. :D

Or at least one better sorted/suspended than the MGB. I think the Elan was independently sprung...

[johnnynumfiv]

I'd take an MGB anyday over a miata. The MGB is on a whole different level of character and style than the miata.

[McReis]

I'd take an MGB anyday over a miata. The MGB is on a whole different level of character and style than the miata.

Now it's better! One biased opinion vs an opposite biased opinion equals to a nice unbiased thread. ;)

I agree with you. But when it comes to pure driving pleasure, things get a little more tied again.

[johnnynumfiv]

I haven't driven either yet, :( . I've ridden in a B, so much fun. Regardless, the B is british, it has to be good ;)

[McReis]

Regardless, the B is british, it has to be good ;)

When it's not falling to pieces. :D

[johnnynumfiv]

When it's not falling to pieces. :D
MINOR detail. :D

[Ferg]

I'd take an MGB anyday over a miata. The MGB is on a whole different level of character and style than the miata.

The MX-5 has NO detectable character and little style. Any car who's owners feel the need to invest hundreds of pounds in sticking bits of aftermarket chrome, aluminium or, god forbit, comedy carbonfibre to cannot be seen to have style.

:D

Now that's what I call unbiased.

[McReis]

The MX-5 has NO detectable character and little style. Any car who's owners feel the need to invest hundreds of pounds in sticking bits of aftermarket chrome, aluminium or, god forbit, comedy carbonfibre to cannot be seen to have style.

:D

Now that's what I call unbiased.

Absolutely! :)
Still, as a perfectly unbiased owner, I have to debate all arguments. So:

1st: There's no need to invest a cent to be perfectly satisfied with the incredible amount of fun that can be had behind the wheel.

2nd: The only chrome that looks good on it are the gorgeous door handles, and those are standard.

3rd: The same kind of style was used on the Elan, but since it's old it's stylish and characterful. The MX-5 is recent, and therefore just a hairdressers car?

THIS is being unbiased. :D

[PerfAdv]

The MX-5 has NO detectable character and little style. Any car who's owners feel the need to invest hundreds of pounds in sticking bits of aftermarket chrome, aluminium or, god forbit, comedy carbonfibre to cannot be seen to have style.

:D

Now that's what I call unbiased.
If you judge character by dropping bits on backroads and losing syncros as often as the Miata owner renews registration, then you are correct in saying the MX-5 has no detectable character.

It is tacky to change the character of any car too far from what the manufacturer intended. To that end ladening a Miata with chrome bits and fake plasti-wood is only a sign of an unsatisfiable owner and not a short-coming of the car.

There is a certain bond that forms between car and owner when the car requires a little more attention than Japanese cars require. That need to form a bond is sometimes misdirected into adorning cars with tacky bits of personality that aren't really needed but are just a sign of affection; a sort of gift giving to the car.

[aNOBLEman]

If you judge character by dropping bits on backroads and losing syncros as often as the Miata owner renews registration, then you are correct in saying the MX-5 has no detectable character.

It is tacky to change the character of any car too far from what the manufacturer intended. To that end ladening a Miata with chrome bits and fake plasti-wood is only a sign of an unsatisfiable owner and not a short-coming of the car.

There is a certain bond that forms between car and owner when the car requires a little more attention than Japanese cars require. That need to form a bond is sometimes misdirected into adorning cars with tacky bits of personality that aren't really needed but are just a sign of affection; a sort of gift giving to the car.

Except that gift giving is often like a White Elephant present exchange: You often get things that you don't want. :)

[Ferg]

If you judge character by dropping bits on backroads and losing syncros as often as the Miata owner renews registration...........
I don't. Therefore?

[jimeegee]

Loved my short stint behind the wheel of an MX5, go Mazda!

http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/8238/25jan2051cu.th.jpg (http://img112.imageshack.us/my.php?image=25jan2051cu.jpg)

Fun day! (No my car isn't the MX5)!

[charged]

Give me the MX5 any day especially the SP version from Australia:) . Every hairdressers car needs a blow dryer.:cool:

http://autospeed.drive.com.au/cms/A_1409/article.html

http://us1.webpublications.com.au/static/images/articles/featurepics/1409.jpg

[h00t_h00t]

The Mazdaspeed MX-5 looks nicer though.

[Matra et Alpine]

The brain HAS to say the MX-5.

The heart may like an MGB and a well sorted one CAN handle very well, but the 1800 engine is too heavy and not enough power to compete with an MX-5 -- and even worse daily drive if highly tuned to try to get close to it :D The B V8 was just too much engine in a 50s-derived chassis/suspension :)

[nota]

For a laugh some old 1980s pics of my '62 MGB

Powered by a warm 4.3 litre Chrysler I-6 Hemi of approx 250hp mated to a heavy-duty (ex-E49 Charger) Borg Warner 4speed, also Holden Torana front-end eg suspension + R&P steering with Datsun 180B column plus Torana XU-1 LSD rear end including trailing arms and lots of other mods

Kerb weight was only 1032kg :eek:

[McReis]

:eek: Crazy stuff!

[Matra et Alpine]

For a laugh some old 1980s pics of my '62 MGB

Powered by a warm 4.3 litre Chrysler I-6 Hemi of approx 250hp mated to a heavy-duty (ex-E49 Charger) Borg Warner 4speed, also Holden Torana front-end eg suspension + R&P steering with Datsun 180B column plus Torana XU-1 LSD rear end including trailing arms and lots of other mods

Kerb weight was only 1032kg :eek:
Classic :D

So in reality the wings and the interior mirror were MGB and the rest was summat else !!!!

Sounds nice tho' :cool:

[nota]

Classic :D

So in reality the wings and the interior mirror were MGB and the rest was summat else !!!!

Sounds nice tho' :cool:
Glad you saw the humour in it :)

Only the doors, rear bumper and dashboard were left unmodified, but firewall recessed and huge trans tunnel that mandated tiny Honda S800 seats, with gearlever next to your elbow. Motor was set back enough so that # 12 pushrod was only extractable through the little chrome OE plenum vent just ahead of the windscreen! :D

Purchased for only $2500 with full street rego (a bargain I thought) from original constructor, it then had a tired 245cid Hemi (185bhp) with chronic overheating via the ex-Morris Marina 6cyl radiator set on 45 degree angle. I tidied it up a bit including custom 3-core cooler to go with a new almost Sixpack-spec Hemi (265cid with 245 head, bored/270) & big clutch, but no room for the Sixpack's triple Webers or extractors so merely a Holley 500 and cast headers. It basically ran out of breathing at 7000rpm but was otherwise a very fast car

Just the thing to bait unsuspecting Celicas and RX7s around town, who obviously though "how fast can an ugly MGB go?" ;) Outperformed any car I met and quite easily outdragged my mate's Moto Guzzi 1000, but was prone to cracking windscreens (twice, what an pain to change!) on a high-rpm start, and otherwise a bit of a 'flexy flyer' if you know what I mean

But you're right, a lot of fun and can you imagine the reaction when I entered it in those toffy 'MG Concours' shows? The h/d towbar only added to its ahem 'mystique'. One time after accepting the car sight-unseen, when the mustashe-wearing MG club officials did see it they insisted I reposition it to a spot discretely hidden behind an icecream van! :D

Looking pragmatically at the conversion, the Hemi was too big physically for such a little car, but the smaller/even lighter Holden I-6 would've been fine - potentially a great swap!

Another neat machine of mine did have the Holden donk - a Model T Roadster with glass turtledeck body on a custom chassis. The only Ford bits were the Model A front axle/spring, and 'Ford' oval on the original 'T' radiator shell. Driveline was a '68 Toyo Crown 3speed with traditional straight-line shifter :cool: (no overdrive though) into a very low-ratio Fiat 2300 diff. Steering was Subaru with nice horizontal column due to steering-box room via inline 6cyl not V8. Braking was ace with '68 Holden front & the Fiat rear discs. I took it on a few 2500 km trips, a reliable machine despite no roof, no doors, no bonnet etc - and no spare of course. When seated a great view along the chromed motor, also lean out over the tub with seatbelt on and touch the roadway with your knuckes. And so much more fun imo to drive and own than a yuppie 'brand-name' sportscar like Ferrari/Porsche .. and dare I say MX5. Everywhere you drove it people were always smiling at you :)

Bought for a mere $4250 in the early '90s - wish I'd never sold it. The motor was very hot spec 179cid, steel crank & rods & timing gear, forged pistons & full-race solid cam, Yella Terra head etc etc. Minimum idle was a lumpy 1500rpm (I guess about 160+hp) and gee it was fast from standstill up until about 70mph. Eg faster than a 1990-ish Porsche 911S - dump the clutch @ 7000rpm and the front wheels would lift off the deck, no worries! :eek: And no exaguration either. I once did it at lunchtime right outside a Catholic Girls High School - THAT my friend is motoring fun! :D

Like the accelerator pedal position? IIRC it weighed about 680kg

(apologies once again for lousy pics - no scanner)

[Matra et Alpine]

I'm not usually a "hot rod" guy -- much to my friend/neighbours disgust as he builds them :D

But I like that, nota, I think it's because you didnt' go crazy on the rear wheels ( Friend had a Ford Pop he built and tehre was only 18 inches gap between the rear tyres, custom Volvo rear axle -- he worked in Volvo trucks so fabricating BIG things weren't a problem for him :) )

[nota]

For a budget rod it was a cutie, I thought. Black & chrome always a good combo. In Oz these things never depreciate, just keep climbing in value. Gear speeds of about 25, 55 and possibly 85-90mph though it started to get light at the back above 70, so I never maxxed it out. Btw wheels were chrome smoothies, on front 6" with 205/14s, rear had 9" deep-dish with 265/60 and at low speeds it gripped & handled surprisingly well despite non-IFS

18" betwen the treads! :eek: Yep absurdly shortened diffs are a turnoff imo, that must give a super-tippy feel to the already narrow Ford Popular. My auntie once plugged around for years in her similar-looking Prefect, affectionately known as the Ford Defect :D

[Matra et Alpine]

18" betwen the treads! :eek: Yep absurdly shortened diffs are a turnoff imo, that must give a super-tippy feel to the already narrow Ford Popular. My auntie once plugged around for years in her similar-looking Prefect, affectionately known as the Ford Defect :D
Yeah he always builds his rods within the original body work. So no way to go OUT to get the large rubber in so he has to go in.
He's bloody good at fabricating his own suspension to fit in the (small) space available but generally there is buggar-all compliance or movement -- any "comfort" comes from the tyre walls :D
His current one is a 37 coupe -- been featured in a US Hot Rod mag too. His pride and joy.