What is the difference between chrome bumper and rubber bumper MGB?

Chrome bumper MGBs were built from 1962 to 1974 and are regarded as the more desirable cars. They use traditional chrome bumpers front and rear, sit lower on their suspension, and have a more sporting character. Rubber bumper MGBs were produced from late 1974 to 1980 to meet US federal safety regulations. The large polyurethane overriders added height and weight, and the suspension was raised to bring the bumper height up to legal requirements — a change that worsened handling. Many rubber bumper cars are converted back to chrome bumper specification, a popular and straightforward modification. Parts for both specifications are widely available.

Are British Motor Heritage body shells any good?

Yes, with caveats. British Motor Heritage produced Heritage body shells for the MGB roadster, MGB GT, and Midget using the original tooling, giving a level of dimensional accuracy that reproduction panels cannot match. However, the steel used in Heritage shells is mild steel rather than the zinc-coated steel of modern cars, so they will rust if not properly protected. The usual approach is to have the shell media-blasted, treated with a rust converter where needed, thoroughly seam-sealed, and either wax-injected or treated with a cavity wax before painting. A Heritage shell built correctly and properly rustproofed will outlast a poorly-treated original. They are the gold standard for full restorations where the original bodyshell is beyond economic repair.

What are the worst rust areas on an MGB?

The sills are the most critical. The MGB's sills are structural — they are a core part of the unitary body and carry significant load. Sill corrosion is often hidden under trim and carpet until it is severe. The inner sills rust from the inside out via moisture trapped in the box section. The floors are almost always rotten on unrestored cars. The rear arches rust from the inside where water and mud collect behind the wheel. The battery box area and the heelboard rot in the presence of battery acid and moisture. The front valance and lower inner wings collect road debris and corrode steadily. On convertibles, the area under the hood-rail seal is frequently overlooked. Any serious purchase inspection should poke every one of these areas with a screwdriver.

What is the Sprite heritage of the MG Midget?

The MG Midget and Austin-Healey Sprite are the same car under different badges — badge-engineered siblings built on the same floorpan and sharing almost all mechanical and body components. The Midget launched in 1961 as a follow-on to the Austin-Healey Sprite, and the two cars were produced in parallel until the Sprite was discontinued in 1971. Sprite parts are directly interchangeable with Midget parts across all shared components. This means the combined parts pool is large, and many suppliers carry parts listed under either name. When sourcing parts for a Midget, always check Sprite listings as well — particularly for body panels, mechanical components, and trim items.

How do I rebuild SU carburettors on an MG?

SU carburettors are straightforward to rebuild compared to most carburettors. The design has very few moving parts — a piston, a needle, a jet, and a float chamber. The most common failure points are a worn jet (causing a rich mixture and poor idle), a sticky or worn piston (causing flat spots), and dried-out or leaking float chamber gaskets. Moss Motors sells complete SU rebuild kits specific to your engine. The key steps are: drain the dashpot, remove the suction chamber, clean all passages, replace the jet gland, check the needle for wear, and set the mixture correctly using the lifting-pin method. An SU that has been properly rebuilt and correctly set up will outperform most modern carburettor conversions. Do not replace SUs with Webers unless you have a specific performance reason — a rebuilt SU is cheaper, simpler, and often more fuel-efficient.

Is Moss Motors or Rimmer Bros better for MG parts?

Both are strong suppliers, and most serious restorers use both. Moss Motors is the largest MG specialist in North America, with a 30-day affiliate cookie window reflecting their high conversion rate among MG buyers. Their catalogue is comprehensive, their customer service is well-regarded, and their catalogue notes are genuinely helpful for identifying the correct part. Rimmer Bros is the leading UK-based alternative, with competitive pricing on mechanical and electrical components and fast UK/European shipping. For body panels, British Motor Heritage shells and panels are in a separate category entirely — the reference standard for structural work. The practical advice: start with Moss for any part, cross-reference with Rimmer for price on mechanical items, and go Heritage for any body panel that is structural or cosmetically critical.

What engine does the MGA Twin Cam have and are parts available?

The MGA Twin Cam used a 1588cc twin-overhead-camshaft engine derived from the B-series block but with an entirely different cylinder head. It was produced from 1958 to 1960 in relatively small numbers — around 2,111 cars — and developed a reputation for unreliability in period, largely due to owners running the wrong oil grade and causing piston burning. A properly built Twin Cam engine is reliable and highly regarded. Parts are scarce compared to pushrod MGA components. Moss Motors stocks some Twin Cam specific items; the MG Car Club and the MGA Twin Cam Register are the best resources for hard-to-find components. Budget for specialist engine work — Twin Cam head rebuilds require a machinist with specific experience of the design.

MG Parts — MGA, MGB & Midget Restoration

The Marque

“Safety Fast”

MG motto — the oldest in British motoring

MG — Morris Garages — started in 1923 as a coachbuilder modifying Morris cars for Cecil Kimber, the general manager of Morris Garages in Oxford. By the 1930s it was producing proper sports cars in its own right, establishing a lineage that ran through the T-series, MGA, MGB, and Midget before the British Leyland years ground the company down and the last Abingdon-built MG rolled off the line in October 1980.

The MG Owners Club, founded in 1973, is today the largest single-marque car club in the world with over 75,000 members. That scale matters for restorers: it means an active community, organised technical days, dedicated registers for every model, and a parts supply chain that has remained commercially viable across four decades. Almost nothing on an MGA, MGB, or Midget is unobtainable.

The cars covered in this guide — MGA, MGB/GT, and Midget — represent the golden age of Abingdon sports cars. Earlier T-series cars are a separate and specialist pursuit. Later MG badges on Metro, Maestro, and Montego platforms are a different matter entirely and not covered here.

Model Guide

Three models, four decades, and enough variation to trip up the inattentive buyer. Know your car before you order parts.

1955–1962

MGA

The first fully enclosed-body MG sports car. The MGA replaced the T-series in 1955 with a monocoque body of near-perfect proportions. Two engine options: the 1489cc pushrod B-series and the rare 1588cc Twin Cam. Wire wheels were standard on the Twin Cam and optional on pushrod cars; disc brakes were offered later in production. Body panels are available from Moss and Heritage. Twin Cam parts require specialist sourcing.

Pushrod & Twin Cam Wire Wheels Disc Brakes (later)

1962–1980

MGB & MGB GT

The definitive MG. The MGB replaced the MGA in 1962 with a stiffer unitary body, a larger 1798cc B-series engine, and improved weather protection. The MGB GT fastback arrived in 1965. Key split: chrome bumper (1962–74) vs rubber bumper (1974–80). Overdrive gearbox was a popular option. Rostyle wheels replaced wires as standard from 1969. Sills, floors, and rear arches are the universal rust problem.

Chrome vs Rubber Bumper Overdrive Gearbox Rostyle / Wire Wheels Body Rot: Sills & Floors

1961–1979

Midget

The Midget and Austin-Healey Sprite are badge-engineered siblings — mechanically identical. The Midget began with a 948cc A-series engine and progressed through 1098cc, 1275cc, and finally the 1500cc Triumph Spitfire engine in the last series. Rear leaf-spring suspension throughout. The 1500 models are the most powerful but polarise opinion; the 1275 is generally preferred. Parts for all engines are plentiful; check Sprite listings as well — they share everything.

Sprite Heritage 948cc → 1500cc Rear Leaf Springs A-series / Triumph 1500

Parts Landscape by Category

MG parts supply is among the best in the classic British car world. The sheer volume of cars built — over 500,000 MGBs alone — created commercial demand that has sustained specialist suppliers for 40-plus years. Here is what to expect by category.

Body Panels

British Motor Heritage is the gold standard for structural panels, having produced Heritage body shells using original tooling. Panel quality is excellent and fitment accurate. Moss Motors carries a wide range of repair sections alongside Heritage panels. For cosmetic panels where original tooling is not required, reproduction panels from Moss and Rimmer are acceptable for non-structural work. Wire wheel arch repair sections, sill repair panels, floor sections, and rear arch patches are all available. Budget for media blasting any Heritage shell before painting — the steel is untreated mild steel.

Electrical (Lucas Systems)

Lucas electrics earned their “Prince of Darkness” reputation from age and neglect, not fundamental design failure. Most Lucas components were well-engineered for their era. The practical approach: replace the wiring loom (Moss Motors supplies looms to original specification), clean or replace all earth connections, and fit new switches from Moss or LBCarCo. Many Lucas items — fuses, relays, flasher units, switches — are still in production or stocked as NOS by specialist suppliers. Alternator conversions (replacing the original dynamo) are a popular reliability upgrade; Moss sells kits specific to the MGB and Midget.

Engine — B-Series (MGB & late MGA)

The 1798cc B-series in the MGB is one of the longest-lived production engines in history, built from 1954 to 1980 in various forms. Rebuild support is comprehensive: pistons, liners, bearings, camshafts, timing chains, and gaskets are all available from Moss Motors, Rimmer Bros, and Victoria British. The engine is straightforward to rebuild with good machine shop support and the Haynes or factory workshop manual. SU carburettors (HS4 on most MGBs) respond well to a proper rebuild kit — do not replace them with alternatives unless you have a specific reason.

Engine — A-Series (Midget)

The 948cc, 1098cc, and 1275cc A-series engines powering the Midget share the same basic architecture and are extremely well supported. The 1275cc Cooper S specification is the most desirable engine for Midget owners wanting performance. Moss Motors and Rimmer Bros stock full rebuild kits. The 1500cc Triumph engine in the final Midgets is a different unit from the same era — parts come from Triumph Spitfire sources as well as Midget specialists.

Suspension & Brakes

MGB front suspension uses coil springs with wishbones; the Midget uses a coil spring and wishbone arrangement at the front with leaf springs at the rear. All rubber bushes degrade on unrestored cars — budget for a full suspension bush kit as a matter of course. Brake components (pads, shoes, cylinders, master cylinders, calipers) are well supported by Moss, Rimmer, and general classic car brake specialists. The MGB’s servo-assisted brakes from 1974 require careful matching of master cylinder and servo specification.

Supplier Comparison

These are the suppliers that MG owners reference consistently. Moss Motors is the natural first stop for most parts; the others have specific strengths worth knowing.

Supplier	Location	Strengths	Best For
Moss Motors Primary	Goleta, CA (US) & UK	Largest MG/British sports car parts catalogue in North America. Comprehensive stock, excellent catalogue notes, 30-day affiliate tracking window.	First stop for any MGA, MGB, or Midget part. Wiring looms, engine rebuild kits, Heritage panels, trim, and mechanical components all in one place.
Rimmer Bros	Lincoln, UK	Strong on mechanical and electrical components for British classics. Competitive pricing. Fast UK and European shipping.	UK/European buyers. Cross-reference with Moss for pricing on engine, gearbox, and electrical parts. Very strong on B-series engine components.
British Motor Heritage	Witney, UK	Manufactures Heritage body shells and panels from original tooling. The reference standard for structural bodywork.	Full body shells, major structural panels, sill sections, floor panels. Any body panel where accuracy and gauge are critical to the restoration result.
Moss Europe	Bradford, UK	European arm of the Moss group. Strong stock, fast EU shipping, UK-based customer service with MG specialist knowledge.	European buyers seeking Moss-quality parts with shorter shipping times and EU-friendly pricing.
Victoria British	Lenexa, KS (US)	Broad British car catalogue covering MG, Triumph, Austin-Healey. Good alternative source for parts Moss is out of stock on.	US buyers seeking a second source. Useful for Midget A-series and 1500cc parts, and for Sprite/Midget overlap components.
LBCarCo	UK	Specialist in Lucas electrical components and British classic car electrics. Deep stock of switches, relays, and wiring components.	Lucas electrical components. Dashboard switches, flasher units, wiper motors, and lighting components. Rewiring projects where you need original-specification items.

For any MG part you are uncertain about — especially when year and specification matter — ask CarSpanner. Describe the car, the component, and whether you have the chrome or rubber bumper spec, and we will identify the correct part and the best current source.

Common Restoration Challenges

MG restorations follow predictable paths. These are the challenges every MG restorer encounters.

British Leyland Quality Variation

MG was absorbed into British Leyland in 1968, and the quality of materials and production control varied significantly across the BL years. Cars built in the early 1970s can show inconsistent panel gaps, variable paint preparation, and wiring that was less carefully assembled than Abingdon’s pre-BL work. When buying a BL-era MGB or Midget, budget more generously for hidden rectification work. This is not universal — many BL-era cars are excellent — but it is more common than on pre-1968 cars.

Lucas Electrics: The Prince of Darkness

The reputation is overstated but not entirely wrong. Lucas electrical systems on MGBs and Midgets that have not been properly maintained will be unreliable. The root causes are: degraded wiring insulation causing intermittent shorts, corroded earth connections producing strange fault symptoms, and failed components that have never been replaced. The solution is systematic: replace the wiring loom with a Moss Motors loom, clean all earth points back to bare metal, and replace known weak components (flasher units, ignition switches, voltage regulators) preventatively. An MGB with a new loom and clean earths is not an unreliable car.

Body Rust Patterns

MGB and Midget body corrosion follows well-documented patterns. The sills are structural and always the priority — they rot from the inside out via moisture trapped in the box section. The floor panels rust from wet carpets and poor drainage. The rear arches collect mud and debris behind the inner arch, which holds moisture against the metal. The battery tray and surrounding area suffers from acid damage. The heelboard and the area around the hood-rail seal on convertibles are frequently overlooked. On any unrestored car, budget for all of these areas. A Heritage body shell is the correct solution when multiple areas are compromised simultaneously.

SU Carburettor Rebuilding

The HS4 SU carburettors fitted to the MGB and the HS2s fitted to the Midget are simple, reliable, and responsive to a proper rebuild. The common problems are: a worn jet causing a rich mixture and black smoke, a sticky piston causing flat spots and hesitation, worn needle-to-jet clearance causing fuel consumption issues, and hardened float chamber gaskets causing leaks. Moss Motors sells model-specific rebuild kits. The SU is easier to rebuild than most carburettors and tolerant of a careful amateur rebuild. Set the mixture correctly using the lifting-pin method after reassembly. Do not attempt to replace SUs with Webers or other alternatives unless you have a specific performance goal — a rebuilt SU will serve the standard engine better.

MG Parts
MGA, MGB & Midget

The Marque

Model Guide

Parts Landscape by Category

Body Panels

Electrical (Lucas Systems)

Engine — B-Series (MGB & late MGA)

Engine — A-Series (Midget)

Suspension & Brakes

Supplier Comparison

Common Restoration Challenges

British Leyland Quality Variation

Lucas Electrics: The Prince of Darkness

Body Rust Patterns

SU Carburettor Rebuilding

MG — Your Questions Answered