It is NOT, however, a restorer's guide other than in the iconic sense of showing what the final product looks like. The Haynes Restoration Manual MGB (2nd Edition) by Lindsay Porter, **combined with** the original Haynes MGB 1962 thu 1980 Automotive Repair Manual (“the green book”) is the way to go for actually studying up on the details of specific restoration projects. The black and white photographic essays and related text detail and diagrams are exactly what is needed to guide restoration.
Apart from the truly extraordinary photographs, this book also provides a detailed history of the car, both in a text form detailing changes within each model, year, and territorial type, and in a tabular form with engine and body numbers and a complete listing of all changes to the car over time. I mention this because “coffee table” book is meant to be a complement to the photographs, but I must also emphasize the extremely good detail that accompanies the photographs. It is, I venture to say, not possible to understand the history and development of the MGB, nor the deep affection that one can have for the car, without this particular book.
The three books together are essential. This book, the coffee table book, is both the beginning (inspiration) and the end (how close did I get). The Porter book is the meat, and the green book is the basic mechanics of it all.
