MOSS MOTORS' MGB TEST MULE SHOWS HOW USEABLE THESE ROADSTERS CAN BE

Classic British roadsters used to be everywhere. You couldn’t drive through a parking lot without seeing at least one throughout the 80s and 90s. Today, the breezy MG roadsters are more often found at “cars and coffee” events, or car shows, or hidden away in a garage or shed... which is a real shame. Moss Motors would like to fix that, and their 1973 MGB Roadster is the proof that you can in fact, still daily a British sports car.

This sweet little MGB roadster is super clean and ready for the road, a mix of new and original parts, this is a survivor turned test mule for Moss Motors.Photo: Jefferson Bryant

We caught up with Brandin Aguayo of Moss Motors at the 2023 SEMA Show in Las Vegas to chat about their MGB on display at the Retro Sounds booth. “This is our little test mule, we test a lot of the parts we sell and manufacture on this MGB” Aguayo said, “It has a lot of high-performance goodies on it, as well as a killer five-speaker Retro Sounds audio system.” As unassuming as it looks at first glance, it is a really clean example of what an MGB can be.

You may not show the taillights to most cars, but those that do get this view are lucky. Photo: Jefferson Bryant

The body of the MGB is about as perfect as it gets. You would expect a company-owned test mule to be clean, but these types of cars get beat on and wrenched on constantly, which leads to dents, dings, and scratches, but Moss Motors tries to keep it presentable for shows like SEMA, and it is readily apparent. The classic monochrome blue paint is set off by the new Minilite 14” wheels and the fresh chrome on the bumpers and grill. Those tiny wheels hide the Wilwood 4-piston disc brakes. Behind the brakes are a set of Bilstein tube shocks that Moss carries to get away from the original lever-arm shocks. Completing the suspension mods is a Cobalt Panhard bar to keep the MGB squared up on the road.

It is only original once, so not every emblem, nut, and bolt need replaced. This isn’t a show car either, so the road-worn MG badge is right at home. Photo: Jefferson Bryant

Under the hood is where things get really fun. In 1973, the MGB B-series 4-cylinder produced 79 hp and 94 lb-ft of torque. To boost the output, Moss installed their supercharger system which uses an Eaton roots-style blower setup for 6 psi of boost and a single SU carb. The result is nearly 120 horsepower of top-down fun. Sure, 120 horsepower doesn’t sound like much compared to the hundreds of ponies modern sports cars put out, but consider that the MGB only weighs 1925 lbs, there is a lot of fun to be had. That extra power is kept in line with the Moss 5-speed conversion, which is a bespoke 5-speed manual transmission based on a Miata, redesigned for the MGB. Spent fuel and air is routed to the rear via a stainless steel Tourist Trophy series exhaust, which gives the MGB one of the best sounding exhaust tones in the world. It just sounds fun to drive.

Inside the roadster is a full complement of new upholstery and Retro Sounds audio. The seats are super comfortable, the MGB was a driver’s car. It is all business, no fluff. Photo: Jefferson Bryant

Inside the cockpit is a fresh slathering of hand-crafted upholstery, direct from a Moss Motor’s Custom Deluxe kit. The seats are comfortable, the carpet is crisply done in the original cut and sewn style. A custom steering wheel gives the driver a firm grip for carving corners in the twisties or just to wheel through a parking lot. Of course Moss replaced all of the Lucas wiring issues with a new cloth-covered wiring harness so that the MGB will actually start every time. Rounding out the interior is the Retro Sounds stereo system that has Bluetooth connectivity and sounds great, even with the top down.

Under the hood lies an Eaton supercharger, good for 50% more horsepower. When you are sitting at 79, 120 is a huge difference!Photo: Jefferson Bryant

Classic British roadsters like this MGB are still a viable form of low-buck transportation that looks cool and is fun to drive. Everyone you meet while driving one has a story of how they had one, their friend in high school or college had one, or maybe it was their grandmother... that is what makes these so great to own. They are universally loved by those who have experienced them. Moss Motors has certainly helped keep many an MG on the road, and their test mule is pretty dang impressive to boot.

2024-04-20T17:04:54Z dg43tfdfdgfd