1970 MGB GT Barn Find Restoration - Ep.1

Finally got a new project and i couldn't be happier with this 1970 MGB GT. I am starting to strip down the car and find where all the major rust is at. This video is mostly just to introduce the car to you guys and to hopefully get some help on what I should do next.
Thank you so much for watching this video, I hope you enjoyed it. It would mean a lot to me if you could like and subscribe as it would help me grow my channel. 😁

[@poppydogz]

I've just found your channel young man and looking forward to the resto, good luck 🍻cheers..

[@forestghost7]

welcome to BGT land Blair! I've had my 72 for 11 yrs and 120.000 km, most fun car ever. I hope yours can be a keeper mate, cheers from Miami Florida!

[@blairsworkshop]

Cheers, I’m hoping to keep mine for a very long time indeed and put many many miles on it haha

[@TravelingMaritimers]

Looking forward to following your progress on this!

[@tedecker3792]

Hope you have as much fun with your MG as I have had with the 4 I have owned. (3 midgets and a B)

[@MTLNKing]

I'm going to follow your progress. Good luck from the Netherlands

[@americanpatriot2422]

Great barn find!

[@reagan3037]

Well Done on the video! I'm about to finish my first one, a 1967 GT (Im 20 and got it when I was 14) Something I quickly learned with this car is that when assembling some parts do need to be installed before others,it's truly like a jigsaw puzzle in my opinion, eg you can only install the front wings once the dashboard is installed and the starter motor before engine mounts can be finally installed. It's a tough project but looks good! 👌 Goodluck with your build :) A nice thing about an MG is there is an abundance of parts avaliable (Moss Europe, MG Hive etc) where almost everything is avaliable and I'm sure you can reach out to the MG owners club for any help, parts or advice 😀

[@blairsworkshop]

Hopefully I’ll learn more about the jigsaw puzzle as I go on hahah. I’m a bit worried as the car is already taken apart so I won’t know how it goes back together but I’ve got a couple of books which should hopefully help. One of the reasons I picked the MG over another classic is the abundance of spares online. I’m going to go along to my local MG clubs day next month and hopefully speak to some people for help and advice. Thanks for watching and good luck finishing your GT 👍🏻

[@reagan3037]

@@blairsworkshop On mine previous owner took it apart 30 years ago to literally the body, front and rear suspension and all the other parts were sitting in crates in his workshop with multiple important components missing which I managed to luckily source locally (South Africa) but not much less rust 😂 It's definitely doable! But yeah Books, KZbin videos and advice from the club is basically how I managed to do mine 😂 You seem to work well with your hands and will probably manage really well! Thank you! I appreciate it! Definetly a labour of love haha 😂 Also my first car restoration project.

[@martijnbaarn]

Good to see you back with a new project 👍

[@MetamorphicWonders]

Looks good.

[@steviecuz2396]

Will watch your progress with interest, have you had it running or driven it yet, you don’t want to find in the middle of the rebuild that there is a serious fault with the engine or gear box, thats where I started with my 1969 roadster, a bottle of petrol strapped under the bonnet and a 12v battery, there are lots of helpful videos out there, an MG is born videos are a good start, and all of mine, of course! That sorted, I started mine from the rear and worked my way forward, good luck and ask away, oh and practise mig welding with thin sheet, Steve.

[@blairsworkshop]

It was already stripped to pieces before collection so no possibility to get it running. I have the engine out now and am going to strip it down and rebuild it then get it running. I’m definitely going to get a mig welder soon and start practicing as I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me. Cheers for the help

[@gregorypeterson9]

Angle grider and a dozen flap disks 😂.

[@peterclarke1535]

I would seal the engine up maybe put the manifold back, disi and fill it full of oil, including the cylinders, wire brush the body and anti rust paint, By then you can really judge the welding needs always be wary of cutting to much away at once, weld the box section under the wings first then the worst sill first, mgb mechanicals are all pretty straight forward, working under the dash is the main bugbear. I have owned a 1969 roadster since 1984

[@blairsworkshop]

Cheers for the advice. Hopefully I will be able to get the engine out and on a engine stand soon so I can get it cleaned up and rebuilt. When cutting out the rust should the car be on its wheels or Jack stands or does it not matter. Thanks again

[@peterclarke1535]

@@blairsworkshop Best on wheels welding wise, best to weld a bar over the door gap, good door gaps are everything in the end, Sometimes you can keep the inner sill which helps, its all one panel at a time. The rear springs mounts are critical and can only be welded on stands, If the body is up to it the engine can be removed any time.

[@ClassicMan3]

I just bought a 1968 MGB GT

[@jamesmacdonald3090]

It looks very rotten, hope you didn't pay much for it? Problem is until you start removing the paint you really won't know how rotten it is, especially as it has been resprayed.... might be full of filler and poor patching? Just about to start a 72, starting with the mechanicals first, nothing worse than hundreds of hours on the bodywork to find the engine/gearbox are beyond economic repair? Get it running and you will forgive it being a rot box!

[@blairsworkshop]

I’m starting to think I did pay a little over what I should have but too late to go back now. I’ve got the engine out now and am thinking of getting it rebuilt and running before starting on the bodywork side of things. Thanks for the advice.

[@jamesmacdonald3090]

@@blairsworkshop Restoring classics is a labour of love unless you are being paid, they rarely make financial sense. I have had dozens over the years and find the only time they make money is when I squirrel them away unrestored until the prices rise and then flog to a dreamer. I have finished a restoration and then realised I had no need for the vehicle or it has sat around getting cruddy, they need to be used or passed on. It is a good time to buy as peeps feel the financial pinch, might be a few years until the values come back? Sort the mechanics and you will feel a sense of achievement, welding etc.. achievement comes when you lay the first coat of paint and that could be some time off! Seen some MGB restos take 10+ years which seems a tad long for a simple car with off the shelf cheap parts? What is the plan once finished?

[@blairsworkshop]

@@jamesmacdonald3090 I have a couple of years to complete the car before I am off to Uni and am just crossing my fingers I get it done in time. I'm quite happy doing the engine and mechanical side of things it's really the welding which I am needing support with. It's actually my parents car so once i'm done restoring it then they will be keeping it as a weekend car hopefully and I will be able to drive it whenever I'm home. Thanks for the support

[@jamesmacdonald3090]

@@blairsworkshop Excellent, that's what you need, someone to take over the car. I did a welding course in the evenings whilst at University, old skool... lead loading, mig, tig etc.. It's like most things, the more you do it the better you get, most on here seem to tack then join the tacks up more like spot welding than mig? I'm picking my wreck up next week after a few days of clearing the barn, shoe string project for the next few years... just seen next years Uni costs for my Daughter, gulp! Defo a budget resto, beg borrow or steal! I have a café which is frequented by trades so I can call in favours for blasting, exhaust fabrication and paint if needed, have a sneaky suspicion that neighbour to the café used to rebuild engines? Good luck, we might be swapping tips?

[@blairsworkshop]

Sadly there’s hardly any welding courses near me and none which I am able to attend to it’s really up to me to find a tutor. Good luck with your new project next week. I’m sure we’ll be sharing tips over the next couple years 👍🏻

[@TheDjalb]

junk that thing unless you have $40k standing by for rust repair.

[@reagan3037]

Looking forward to seeing your progress!