Joseph – our 1963 MGB
This car has been with MG Car Club in Auckland since the early 70’s and has been owned by us since 1978. It was given its name by previous owner Den Williams after he gave it his trade mark psychedelic paint job!
This car has been our Jack-of-all-trades for the 27 years we’ve owned it – family car, shopping car, tow car, club car and rally car. Used extensively in club and other events, and always driven to and (usually!) from events, many times with our four boys in it and a weekend’s worth of luggage and competition gear. (Thank heavens for boot racks!)
Great fun to drive, though noisy from the straight cut gears. The engine has heaps of torque right through the range; the suspension set up is firm (but not harsh) and secure feeling through corners.
Our four boys all learnt to drive in this car, starting in paddocks as soon as they were tall enough to see over the dashboard, and progressing to hillclimbs once they’d reached the minimum age of 12. They all now have their own MG’s
Competition highlights include:
MG record holder, MGCC Bald Hill Rd hillclimb
Rolled on two occasions, 1981, 1982, both in rallysprints, both high speed (75mph 1st time, 95 mph 2nd time)
Rallied extensively late 70’s – mid 80’s
We believe it to be last MGB to compete in a full world championship event – we entered it in the 1985 Rally of New Zealand, a round of the WRC, the last year before the MGB’s FIA homologation lapsed. For the event it was driven by another MGCC member Andy Walker due to the very recent arrival of Scott, Paul & Bronwyn’s second child a couple of months before. It finished 31st overall out of 70 starters.
Silver Fern Rally 2006, – 39th out of 70 starters, one of only 25 vehicles to complete the entire 1200km of special stages over very rugged South Island backroads.
Silver Fern Rally 2008 – valve spring failure ended our hopes of another all-stages finish, but other than that the car again did itself credit.
Specifications:
Engine
When rallying in 1970’s-‘80’s, we ran 1972cc, 150BHP other than Rally of NZ (regs required original 1800cc capacity std carburettors valve lift)
Currently 1950cc, 150BHP
Transmission
MGB gearbox with OE close ratio gears, Limited slip differential.
Brakes
Dual master cylinder with adjustable front/rear balance, original front brakes with uprated pads, drums at rear until discs fitted in 2012.
Suspension
Front – Uprated springs, antirollbar, revised geometry, Bilstein shock absorbers.
Rear – standard springs other than extra half leaf to control axle tramp, panhard rod, Bilstein shocks (for Rally of NZ had to use original lever arm units.)
Riverhead Rally, 1979
Rally of New Zealand, 1985
Silver Fern Rally, 2006
Silver Fern Rally, 2008
It was our family car for years ….
And team tow car!