" B " converted
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Sir,
Your recent correspondence about the most popular real sports car in the world, i.e. the MG-B (I don’t consider a car is a sports car unless it is a convertible), has prompted me to write to back up your previous supporters of the car.
The following may be of particular interest to your readers who hanker after the “B” in particular and convertibles in general, but feel that family life has precluded such an exciting venture. I am now nearly 39 and on my third “B” since I970 (having had 2 Midgets between 1965 and 1970). My present “B” is a 1975 model (last of the chrome bumpers type) and if asked “why an MG-B?”, I reply, What other car at the price gives you:
(a) Convertibility (fresh air, sun tan and hay fever).
(b) a maximum speed of 106 m.p.h.
(c) 0-60 m.p.h. of 11.5 secs.
(d) good and safe handling.
(e) six forward gears (with overdrive) gives 70 m.p.h. at 3,125 r.p.m.
(f) average m.p.g. since new 31.48 (30,000 miles).
(g) holiday m.p.g. of 36.1 for 1,000 miles last summer (Suffolk).
(h) Well proven design (16 years of production has helped to iron out most of the bugs).
(i) Low depreciation compared to saloons.
(j) British.
(k) Room for the family (wife and 2 children aged 6 and 3).
The last of these points often causes some surprise if not hilarity to people seeing us drive off on holiday. The front passenger seat is slid fully forward (which still gives as much room in the front as many saloons give with their seats fully back), and this gives a fair amount of room for the kids who sit strapped in on the rear ledge. The elder lad is 4 ft. i in. tall and the younger one is 3 ft. 6 in. and they both love going in the “B” especially with the hood down.
I have a boot rack which will take two full-sized suit cases and the boot takes a large holdall and sundry other items. When the younger lad was to months old, we took the above luggage plus a Buggy push chair, a large carry-cot (sides concertina) and transporter (wheels removed for journey) and a nappy Pail (empty) and buckets and spades etc. Also, I’m 6 ft. and my wife is 5 ft. 8 in. so we are not midgets.
I have constructed perspcx side windows which slot into the tonneau rail holes and these bridge the gaps between the door windows and the folded down hood. I’ve also made supports for the hood frame which I can use to prop the hood up about ft. 6 in. to reduce backdraught depending on the weather. Taking all the above into account, I often wonder why everyone doesn’t drive a “B” mind you, we’ve also got a Maxi which we use when we haven’t got too much luggage!
Wirral R. P. McBRIDE