Good plan!
There is an "MG Buyers Guide" publication, but the edition I have seen is
full of misinformation, so I can't recommend it. I have a "Road & Track Used
Car Classics" which has a nice summary, but is probably out of print. You
could try Amazon or one of the used book websites. All of the marque books
have useful information, too. Try the British Car Bookshop for relevant
titles.
As far as the 69 B being the best model, who told you that? Doubtless a 69
owner! Seriously, I don't think you will find many significant differences
between 68-69, or even up to 72. The 69 actually has a few odd one-year-only
parts that can be hard to find.
The big distinction is between chrome bumper cars (62-73) and rubber bumper
cars (74-80). There is also a less significant juncture between the "Mark I"
cars of 62-67, and the later chrome bumper cars which featured "safety"
dashes and 4-synchro transmissions. To be really picky, you could call out
the "pull handle" cars of 62-65, or the 3-main-bearing engines of 62-64, or
the "74 1/2" cars which had the rubber bumpers but retained the twin carb
engines.
Really, from the standpoint of 30 years on, none of these are very important
differences. In general, the rubber bumper cars are newer (obviously) and
have more modern interior appointments, but suffer both visually and
dynamically from a raised ride height, and have detuned engines. Many prefer
the pre-smog, Mark I cars, but good unrestored examples have become
extremely scarce, and restored cars are starting to demand good money. If
your state does not require inspections of older cars, then any chrome
bumper car can be easily modified to duplicate the Mark I setup.
Good luck in your search.
on 9/11/01 11:03 AM, ryan at ryan@dev.danger.com wrote:
> I am seriously considering buying an MGB (or MGA if I can find a good one).
> I've been looking off and on for the last 7 years or so, but haven't
> really found anything.
>
> Can anyone direct me to a publication or a site that would give me a list of
> things to be aware of in a used MG?
> I'ved been told that as far as the MGB is concerned, the 1969 was the best
> model. Does anyone have an opinion on that?
>
> Cheers,
> Ryan
>
--
Max Heim
'66 MGB GHN3L76149
If you're near Mountain View, CA,
it's the red one with the silver bootlid.
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