1979 MGB Restoration
My wife bought a 1979 MGB for me as a 20th wedding anniversary present. It was a thoughtful gift as I had always wanted another LBC (Little British Car) since the TR4A I had as a college student. The $700 dollar purchase price was indicative of the level of work that needed to be done. For about ten years, we addressed the problems evident to me and thought we had a slightly shabby but road-worthy vehicle. Eventually, I brought our MGB to Al and John at AUTO-TECH for their Integrity Inspection which was VERY thorough. I found that the car was barely safe to drive as they detailed the problems that they uncovered. Together, we developed a sensible plan that addressed the safety issues first, then the mechanical items and finally the cosmetics. As things progressed, the car became safe, reliable, and pleasurable as it was restored to it’s original driving characteristics. Our goal was to have a nice ‘driver’, not a show car. The results, however, were spectacular, and our LBC turned out to be a show winner even though we continued to drive it year ’round even in the NJ winters as long as there was no snow on the roads. When we relocated to South Carolina, I fretted about how to get the car down here. Al and John both said they would not be concerned about the car making the 700 mile trip, so one early January morning I headed down the GSP to the NJ Turnpike to 95 south through Baltimore/Washington/Richmond to our home in Murrells Inlet, SC. Anyone who has traveled that route knows that it can be a harrowing journey in any type of vehicle. At first, I babied the car a bit but eventually got into the left lane and traveled with the fast traffic. They were right; it performed flawlessly, and I really enjoyed the 11 hour trip. Our LBC loves the weather down here and has won first place in both shows that we entered in 2011. There are pictures on the website that chronicle the restoration process, which was really a joy for me! Through it all, I developed a friendship with John and Al. I was very impressed with their expertise, of course, but more importantly with their honesty and integrity. With the project completed well beyond our expectations, my wife and I extend our sincere thanks to John and Al Fraser of AUTO-TECH and invite any questions about our experience.