Original MGB with MGC and MGB GT V8: The Restorer's Guide to All Roadster and GT Models 1962-80 [Hardcover]

Anders Ditlev Clausager (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 9, 1995

The immensely popular MGB sports cars are described here in full detail, accompanied by carefully selected color photographs. Fully documents all four-cylinder MGB models made from 1962 to 1980, six-cylinder MGCs from 1967-69, and MGB GTV8 models 1973-76. Provides owners, enthusiasts, and potential buyers with valuable information on exactly what is 100% authentic for every model and year. Includes detailed production figures.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 152 pages
• Publisher: Motorbooks; 1st edition (January 9, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1870979486
• ISBN-13: 978-1870979481
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,445,382 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must - have for MGB owners., August 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Original MGB with MGC and MGB GT V8: The Restorer's Guide to All Roadster and GT Models 1962-80 (Hardcover)

This is THE definitive work on MGB.

Mr. Clausager has thoroughly examined the complete production history of Britain's premiere sports car and has written a conscise, clearly presented book covering it.

Those attempting a 100 point concours restoration, will find themselves consulting "Original MGB..." regularly. The sharp color photographs and well written text are the perfect guide to returning a vehicle to complete originality.

More casual owners should include this volume in their reference library as a guide to what their vehicle was at one time.

For American readers, the book reads as if American specification vehicles were slightly odd. From the writer's perspective, they were. Once the reader gets accustomed this minor point, the rest is smooth sailing... er, driving.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, but very Eurocentric:, February 21, 2002

By 

Caveman "superhoser" (Ottawa, canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Original MGB with MGC and MGB GT V8: The Restorer's Guide to All Roadster and GT Models 1962-80 (Hardcover)

This is an excellent book, and I recommend it to everyone who owns and/or loves MGBs.

I agree with "Pennsylvania" though, that Clausager's perspective is very rooted in England and Europe. I feel there needs to be a full section for the differences in every major market, with North America, especially the US, being the largest. In fact, on page 126 Clausager says: "North American cars have not been split into US Federal, US Californian, and Canadian cars -- there is a limit to what even I will do!" (notice Mexico isn't mentioned), but on page 127 he states: "There is little doubt, however, that apart from the USA and the UK, some of the biggest markets were Australia, Canada, and Germany..." With the US and Canada being two of the biggest markets, more North American centricity is appropriate.

I do understand the enthusiest's disdain for the US market though; it 'mandated' all British cars into floaty, bloated, tall, weak mushballs, which is why Mark I cars are so valued.

Also, I have only found one discrepency, and that's one example of the piping of interior trim for Mark I cars. The second-from-top-left picture on page 40 shows a white 'B which has red interior with white piping (but Clausager does not note it as incorrect, which he does often about other details throughout the book). But, the Colour Schemes chart on page 131 shows Old English White or Snowberry White to have an optional red interior with black piping, which does not match with the picture on page 40 (should say white piping, or the picture should be noted as incorrect). Is this nit-picky? Yes, but that's what this book is all about.

Buy it, enjoy it, and write the publisher to make a future edition with more US information.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Message to previous poster --deal with it!, February 18, 2002

By 

"phil_mcdavis" (Abingdon, England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Original MGB with MGC and MGB GT V8: The Restorer's Guide to All Roadster and GT Models 1962-80 (Hardcover)

Well it seems that some of us don't like the way Mr. Clausager, who, in BMHIT circles is regarded as an authority, writes. My advice would be to get over it. Mr. Clausager has spent countless hours researching and writing about some of the world's most loved automobiles. The compromises that these automakers had to make just to satisfy the U.S.' federal regulations could be seen to bastardise the "original" designs of these cars. Unfortunately, the previous poster can't get over that fact.
This book is the rosetta stone to those who seek to find out what an "original MGB..." is after discovering that all of the unknowing previous owners chose to augment their cars with their ideas of improvements. Maybe you just want inspiration for your restoration from the excellent photography. Or, to those seeking a concours restoration, this is a valuable resource. Yes, I'm mad because there is only --one-- "Original MGB..."