MGB GT V8

1973-1976 / Coupe / United Kingdom

All MGB GT V8 problems All workshop issues

Common Suspension and Steering

Front Kingpin Wear (Chrome Bumper Cars)

Symptoms

Clunking from the front end, wandering on straight roads, uneven tyre wear.

Cause

Chrome bumper MGBs use kingpins rather than ball joints for the front upright. The kingpin bushings wear, introducing play. The grease nipples must be serviced regularly -- many owners forget.

Fix

Replace the kingpin bushings and thrust washers.

The kingpins themselves are usually reusable.

Cost: $200--400 per side including parts and labour.

Cost mentioned in fix

Cost: $200

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// More MGB GT V8 problems

Other known issues

Common Suspension and Steering

Leaf Spring Fatigue

Rear of the car sits low. Sagging stance. Poor ride quality and reduced handling.

Minor Body and Structure

Sill Corrosion (Inner and Outer)

The outer sill skin bubbles, softens, and eventually perforates. In advanced cases, the outer sill crumbles when prodded. The inner sill -- the structural member -- rots from inside the box section and loses its load-bearing capacity.

Critical Body and Structure

Floor Pan Corrosion

Soft or perforated floor pans, particularly in the footwells and under the seats. Wet carpet is a telltale sign. In severe cases, you can see the road through the floor.

Minor Body and Structure

A-Post Corrosion

Rust at the base of the windscreen pillars where they meet the scuttle panel. This area can be invisible until advanced.

Minor Body and Structure

Door Skin Corrosion

Rust along the bottom edge of each door, working upward from the inside.

Minor Body and Structure

Rear Spring Hanger Corrosion

The mounting points for the leaf spring rear suspension corrode, crack, or tear away from the body.

View all 18 MGB GT V8 problems