By Brenda Fenech-Soler

When our 1973 MGB “Purdey” first took up occupancy in our garage, we noticed a slight smell of petrol (gasoline), which was more than a little concerning.  After some research, Ian learned it is a common problem in MGB’s, often caused by rust pin-holes that form on top of the gas tank.  We drained and removed the gas tank, and it was rusty on top, so we ordered a new tank and all the hoses and seals needed for re-installation.  After waiting three weeks (!) for the last seal to be delivered, Ian installed the new tank, and because he’s a “belt and braces” kind of guy, also replaced the gaskets on the fuel pump.  I know the smell of gasoline is an integral part of the sports car experience, but really . . . we are both glad this issue has been sorted!

The boot (aka trunk) was a bit scruffy, so we sanded the floor and treated it for surface rust.  It got a few coats of durable truck-bed liner and the remainder of the trunk interior got a lick of British Racing Green paint.  To finish up, we made a black vinyl covered panel for the back wall of the trunk (mostly to hide some holes left when the giant ‘80’s stereo equipment was removed) and additionally, Ian designed and printed some mounting brackets on his 3D printer, to secure a mallet, and the wooden knock-off wheel wrench.

MGBs have two battery compartments behind the seats, each of which originally housed a 6-volt battery.  One of Purdey’s previous owners modified this configuration to include a single 12-volt battery in the left compartment and a disconnect switch, which provides a means to shut down electrical power during maintenance and protect the battery from excessive drain when the car is used infrequently. 

Ian removed the plastic battery compartments, treated the support frames for rust, and replaced the perished sound dampening rubber inserts. We also made new gaskets to ensure a snug, watertight seal.  Originally equipped with a metal cover that sits on top of the battery compartments, a previous owner had crudely cut that cover in half, added a hinge down the middle and wrapped it with vinyl stuck on with spray foam insulation.  It was pretty ugly, and we were certain we could improve on that!  A little mulling later, Ian came up with a solution that involved a fair amount of my elbow grease to clean the cover, a few coats of black gloss paint, a piano hinge, some Dzus Fasteners and some vinyl trim for finishing.

Finishing Touches:

• The seats and interior vinyl panels and door cards were cleaned, conditioned and re-installed.

• A new radio was fitted into the radio cowl, completing the dash installation.

• We had a few door dings/dents removed by Dent Out PDR (Paintless Dent Repair).  Awesome job!

And so wraps up our restoration saga!  All that remains is some paint touch-up at a body shop which has been booked for early June, and then Purdey will be better than brand new.  (Although, Ian somehow manages to find something else to tinker with every week!)

We would like to take this opportunity thank Brian Nelson for his ongoing work on the Spoonbill Courier.  It’s a valued communications venue that provides a great means of sharing information in our community!  Thank you for letting us share our restoration story. 

If you see us out and about in Purdey, do give us a wave!  Cheers!