The MGB ethic doesn’t need to be the fastest nor the most dynamic experience, the core character of the MGB is its simplicity and it offers an honest back-to-basics fun driving style and is particularly suited to those summer country road blasts. 

When first released in 1962, the pretty pert styling used the new B-Series 1.8-litre engine, which was to become the mainstay of BMC’s vehicles. Mated up with twin SU carburettors, along with the overdrive option, the model soon became the world's favourite sports car. As a result, the MGB has continued to attract loyal devotion from its adoring public. 

The MGB is recognised as the perfect balance for many classic car enthusiasts' demands. This long-established belief is supported by its parts availability, ease of maintenance of the durable B-Series engine, widespread club support and plenty of sensible options to maintain the car's reliability.

This nicely restored 1965 pull handle car has seen sympathetic attention, having been in the hands of a previous owner who kept the car for 21 years. Complete with its ‘Packaway’ hood, well-finished body, very clean engine and retrimmed cabin, this example shows evidence of careful ownership and a positive level of maintenance. It comes with an MOT to April 2023 and has also seen the benefit of years of maintenance by one of the leading UK MG specialists.

Presented for auction by an MG enthusiast who has ears to the ground regarding decent and solid MGBs, this car has seen a recent and sympathetic visual spruce up in the last few months. Prior to this, the car was owned by the same owner for 21 years, with evidence of a cherished lifestyle. It comes with a good body of invoices many of which are from the reputable Kent-based A&C based in Kent, which had the distinct advantage of being named as one of the MG Owners Club recommended garages.

As expected, it has seen regular maintenance with invoices that go back to the early 90s with thousands spent on the car over the years. There is also a batch of MOTs from this era, which help to calculate the car's usage, with around 20,000 miles of use since 1996. This suggests that the car has spent a healthy amount of time being enjoyed rather than left unused. Being a solid early example of a Roadster, it has also received a few common-sense enhancements, which was the primary incentive for the present owner to purchase the car. 

While in his company, the car received new paint and saw its white wall tyres removed, as he felt it upset the visual sensibilities of the car. Looking to reduce his collection, due to the ever-present storage issues, this solid pull handle version with the ‘Packaway’ hood is being presented with an MOT to April 2023 and a BMIHT certificate to confirm the cars factory records. 

The general impression of the nicely finished cabin suggests that it has seen a retrim at some point of its life, but has been carried out with plenty of care and attention, as it retains much of its originality. The seats are well-trimmed in a hard-wearing vinyl, complemented by its near-flawless red beading. There are no rips or signs of wear noted and the cushioning retains its shape. The carpets retain a good level of fibre depth and appear to be the original fitting. The car is finished off by a pair of MG motif rubber mats. The door cards are in very good shape, with no scuffs and have been well mounted to the doors. 

The dashboard appears to be the correct style of the model year, with light signs of age noted but free of any unsightly damage or cracks. It appears to have a full complement of period-correct dials and controls with the exception of the 1970s PYE cassette radio player which was not tested on the day. The switches, dials and buttons are all in decent shape and all said to be functional. 

The car's binnacle houses a decent set of instruments, which are all legible with good bezels. The steering wheel does appear to reflect the age of the car, and is likely to be authentic but is perfectly usable and has to be considered a nice touch of originality. The gearstick and rubber gaiter are in decent condition, with no obvious flaws. The car is also fitted with a fire extinguisher. The boot does show minor signs of use, but nothing that would constitute damage. It is partially carpeted with what appears to be its original fitting and like the cabin shows no sign of past or current water ingress.

Perhaps it’s stating the obvious, but the lack of a metal roof means that the structure of the car, particularly the sills structure and transmission tunnel are vital to the integrity of the car. Luckily both are solid and the car appears to have seen some level of restoration in the past, as demonstrated by the observation of clean metal and rust protection underneath the car. 

The floor pan looks good too, with no issues noted in the inner wings. The other weak spots such as the chassis outriggers and battery tray and fuel tank have also seen attention at some point, with them all looking solid. The current owner has inspected the car up on a ramp and can happily verify the solidity of the core structure of this car.

The panel gaps and fit are generally good, although the bottom edges of the passenger doors sit slightly proud of the body. A quick check at the lower panels of the car reveals that front panel is tidy with no issues, although there are some blemishes noted on the rear valance around the exhaust aperture and the nearside of the lower section of the B pillar section on the rear wing. 

The rest of the wings and arches look sound with no issues around both the front and rear lights, with just a few minor blemishes noted on the off-side scuttle. Being an early car, it is fitted with an aluminium bonnet, which is free from any damage. The car has no dents or scuffs and as a whole presents very well. The Tartan Red paintwork has a positive and even coverage, with a smooth finish and a hue that is evenly matched. The car has seen some new paintwork in recent months which has been applied and matched with great care. Displaying a pleasing lustre, the car is also free from any significant road chips or scuffs. 

A highlight of this 1965 car is the earlier ‘Packaway’ style hood, which uses a folding frame and has a completely detachable hood. The operation to raise and remove the hood is seamless, with every component fitting, including the frame, as good as one can hope for. The car also has a double duck tonneau cover which like the hood is an excellent fit and adds a neat novelty to the car. All of the hood materials are in good shape with no rips or wear. The rear plastic screen sections are free from any form of wear or discolouration. 

The chrome work is in good shape throughout, with no severely distracting issues noted on the chrome work, particularly the bumpers, bullet-style wing mirrors and front grille. The side trim and windscreen frame is in good shape, with the distinctive pull-type door handles fully operational and in good condition. The luggage rack shows light tarnishing. The windscreen is good, with no chips or significant blemishes, the side glass does show a little more sign of age. The glass seals and door rubbers are generally good. 

The headlamps and tail light lens are in good shape, with no issues in terms of their presentation. The 72-spoke wire wheels show some signs of age, but the actual spokes appear to be tightly fitted. The spinners are decent, and the car comes with a knock-off hammer as part of its standard boot kit. The car is fitted with a mix of tyres, with a pair of Dunlops up front.

The engine presents very well, with plenty of evidence that the engine has been well maintained. The recent-looking hoses and tidy ancillaries add further confidence to its upkeep. The car also has an aftermarket oil cooler fitted, with should ensure a good airflow for the oil to pass through. Upon start-up, the engine sounds refined, with no chattering or rumbling from the block. There is a remarkable smoothness to it. As it continued to idle sweetly, there were no issues with the engine temperature gauge or oil warnings. The owner informs us that the car drives very well and did not produce any excessive exhaust smoke on the day, running evenly with no spluttering. 

The exhaust is in excellent shape, appearing to be an aftermarket stainless steel item which certainly makes the most of the engine's natural throaty soundtrack. The car has overdrive in 3rd and 4th gears, with the non-synchromesh, straight-cut first gear. The gearbox is said to operate without any grinding and changes out of gears with ease. The clutch is also said to have a good biting point with no slippage and no unwanted noises are said to come from the differential. The steering is true, with no significant play when the car was stationary. It is said work compliantly in motion. The brakes are true during their operation with no pulling to one side. 

The MG's ride neatly on the move, with no noises said to come from the car, as it corners. The car is electrically sound too, with no issues reported with the 12V conversion. It is also worth noting that the car runs happily on unleaded fuel.

This early incarnation of the pull handle roadster has no doubt seen a high degree of cherished upkeep over its lifetime and has been periodically treated to sympathetic but useful upgrades and renovations that have not diluted the essence of the car. Classic car ownership doesn’t need to be about compromise, and there are very few cars that show an all-round balance like the MGB.