Blake:
The Fed. DOT was the most influential in the importance of model
years for the US cars. From 68- each model year had to meet specific safety
requirements, no ifs, ands or buts.
A really informative brochure for US owners is the DOT guide for model year
requirements. It lists all the joyous rulings that gave us padded
dashboards, illuminated rocker switches, door intrusion beams, hexagonal
knockoffs, etc.
I'd love to get another copy, so if anyone has suggestions for a url, I'm
interested.
The EPA also had a hand in the changes, but these were more often
Vin or Engine number specific, rather than model year.
Earlier US cars were often titled with the year they were sold, as
there were no regulations regarding title year. Unregulated manufacturing
changes tend to be VIN, not year specific, as they were made as production
line supply changed. Example, the MGB pull door handle change and 3 to 5
main engine change. These were not model year changes, and were not made at
the same time.
As to the argument of which year of MGB is best. This really
depends on the use the car will be put to.
Here are some sweeping personal generalizations.
The rubber bumper chassis makes a wonderful daily driver for general
use. The pullout door handle 63-65 model has weak door latches that will
fail in daily use. The 72- dash has nice face level vents. The 73- doors
have intrusion beams which make the car safer. The 68- transmissions are
bulletproof. The 67 1/2 transmission is stronger than the 63-67 one.
Overdrive is a nice thing to have. Wire wheels are a beautyful liability.
The middle muffler hangs down too far. Zenith Stromberg equipped cars are
not the pinacle of MGdom. Airpumps seize up, and were never a good idea.
Leather feels better than vinyl, but does not hold up as well. People with
fat thighs will not like the stock 63-69 steering wheel. Roadsters are
noisy and leak. GTs are noisy, but don't leak as much. Four days after a
rainstorm both roadsters and GTs smell muzzy. No one makes the correct door
seal that allows the doors to close the way they did with original worn out
stuff.
Any drivable MG is better than no drivable MG.
And here, after years of dinking with fancy bits.
Some combination of stock parts is bound to work better for daily
use than the next person's idea of a modified car using bolt on aftermarket
stuff.
Presently under construction, as my idea of a 100 mile per day daily driver.
73 MGB GT.
HS4 carbs. K&N air filters. 41427 Dist. w/ Pertronix. 68-76 rad. 16 row
oil cooler w/SS hoses and Thermostat. 270 degree cam. Ansa header. Paeco
exhaust. Overdrive. Zebrawood dash cover. Motolita wheel. Leather shift
knob. Nylon Cord seats w/lumbar support bag. 3/4" front sway bar. Fr/R
Spax shocks, w/custom upper a-arms. Minilite wheels. 185/70 tires. Msc.
Poly bushings. No airpump, side markers or monthly payments.
You can tell how much attention I pay to my own advice.
Averaging 1/2 hour per week, the building is taking a long time.
Kelvin.
> Years ago, I thought MG's went more by the model: K, J2, etc. The
> year of production was not that important. Changes made were
> noted by chasis not date of production. If one did talk about a
> year, it was the actual year the car was made not the 'model
> year.'
>
> When did this model year hype get going? Was it something we
> Americans tacked on because of our domestic producers or when MG
> had to comply with federal standards? Just curious.
>
> Blake
>
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