Price rise sparks MGB shortage
Specialists are reporting a serious shortage of good-quality early MGBs and MG Midgets coming onto the market as values continue to rise.
The situation particularly applies to chrome-bumper MGBs, which it appears owners are now keeping and paying to have restored. Later rubber bumper car values are still relatively static.
David Abram at Norfolk-based MG Mecca said there was a real problem in sourcing excellent earlier MGBs in particular, with Midgets also hard to find.
“Obviously we have many contacts but even still we are finding it difficult to source cars at the right price,” he said. “Most cars are needing work to prepare them to the standards we would require to offer them for sale. We are not really sure why this is happening, apart from the fact people are hanging on to cars.”
David added that only the best MG Midgets and MGBs were commanding higher prices. While rising values have encouraged more owners to restore the early cars, there is now a gap in the market between highly-priced restored cars and examples needing expensive repair work. As a result, a widening gap for good-condition cars in the middle of the price spectrum has emerged.
Steph Gammons at MG specialist firm Brown & Gammons in Hertfordshire said the current economy meant people were tending to keep their MGs.
He said: “With interest rates still low, people are still saying that they may as well enjoy a classic sports car than just having money sitting in the bank. We are still getting cars in, and continuing to source them from the USA.”
Peter Snowden, manager at MG specialist Snowdens of Harrogate, said: “I think it’s because people are realising what good value these cars are. Most of their main rivals are twice the price.
“I think people are wanting to keep them, and they are prepared to spend money on restoration. You can now expect to pay the mid-teen thousands of pounds for an excellent roadster.”
• Brown & Gammons, 01462 490049, www.ukmgparts.com
• MG Mecca, 01953 717618, www.mgmecca.co.uk
• Snowdens of Harrogate, 01423 502406, www.snowdensmgs.com