1963 MG B MK1 'Pull Handle' Roadster

Launched at the 1962 London Motor Show, the MGB went on to become one of the most successful sports cars ever made, both from a commercial standpoint (with over half a million made) and for the driving pleasure a good ‘B’ is still capable of delivering. Under development since the late 1950s, Abingdon’s long-awaited replacement for the MGA saw a shift away from the traditional construction technique of a separate chassis/body, to an all-new pressed steel monocoque structure, with the chief advantages of strength, lightness and more cockpit space. The MGB’s attractive lines cleverly reinterpreted the traditional British roadster for the 1960s, with refinements like door handles and wind-up windows added for the first time, although a heater was still optional and the soft-top somewhat rudimentary. The MGB employed BMC’s three-bearing B-series four-cylinder engine, running twin SUs and developing 95 horsepower at 5400 rpm, combined with a rugged four-speed gearbox and the option of Laycock overdrive on third and top gears. The rest of the running gear, including the steering, suspension and back axle, was sourced from BMC’s parts bin, albeit to good effect. The evergreen MGB is, quite simply, the most popular sports car ever made in Britain and as an affordable, practical and fun two-seater, still has tremendous appeal today.