QuestionRecently I took my 1974 MGB convertible to the shop. Now I have learned that the carburetors are bad and the ignition system is also shot. Otherwise the car is in pretty good shape, about 70% restored. What kind of price do you think would be the best for me to sell it? I don't want to sell it, but I don't have the money to do anything else with it right now. I'm paying insurance for something I don't need. I paid $4000 for it in 2006. Do you think it would be best for me to take a loss on it and stash the insurance money? Thank-you for considering this question.
AnswerIf you want to keep it, I would cancel the insurance, hold on to it, and wait until you have a few hundred $ in your pocket (and buy a good car cover if it has to stay outside).
Rebuilding the carburetors and distributor is not really expensive: maybe $300 for each job, once they are off the car. You can have your mechanic take them off. Carb removal and subsequent replacement should be about 1-2 hours, distributor about 1/2 hour. Then send them to rebuilders. For the carbs, I recommend Apple Hydraulics in Calverton, Long Island, NY. And for the distributor, Advanced Distributors, in Shakopee, Minnesota. I have used both of them. They're both on the web. When you put it all back together, you'll need a new gasket set for the intake manifold, but nothing extra for the distributor. While you're at it, you might ask the distributor fella to install Pertronix ignition : about another $120, and then you no longer have any points to adjust.
When you get it all back together, you may need a fairly expert tuning person for final adjustment, or just buy yourself a timing light for the distributor adjustment, and use your ears for the carbs! My main message: rebuilding these particular things is not expensive. Nothing like frame or bodywork...!
To answer your actual question, I think selling something that is not running well would be quite difficult, particularly since this is not really a collectible.
Jo
