Aron Travis wrote:
>
>I don't accept fender flairs, huge wheels, non origional type motors,
>etc.
Well, I agree on some points, not on others. Fender flairs, huge
wheels, and oddball motors are all things done to these cars
when they where new, and when they were being raced, even by the
factory. Sebring Sprites. MGC-GTS. The Le Mans nosed 'B's. All
of these cars had been modified to a point that would terrify
restorers. It's always bemused me that those with Bugeyes detest
fibreglass bonnets, and want a real steel one, where as the bloke that
bought his new *wanted* a fibreglass bonnet, either to be like the racers
or to race.
Admittedly, I don't like the idea of taking a decent LBC and hacking it
fit a chevy engine or whatever, but I am performing a Rover V-8 conversion
on my 'B. I'd support fender flairs, if properly done, and done for the
proper reason.
and:
>a access road to service it. I drove the Midget up and down this canal
>road, which is as much 'off roading' as a car with this ground clearance
>can take. This car has the interior stripped out, so I invited my wife
>...
>That Midget did more offroading in a few hours that most 'Sport Utes'
>will ever see.
Check out Sprinzel's "The Spritely Years" and you'll see how much
dirt a Spridget can actually take. I've have my '75 'B screaming down
logging roads in the national forest in Arkansas. I felt it did a
better job on the dirt than the off-road prepped Baja bug I drove.
on restorations:
It's true, Americans who restore old cars tend to view them as
trohpies. Automobiles are not trophies, and sports cars should
never be relegated to living the lives of shares of stock. It
disgusts me how hard it can be to get the MG, TR, Healy, FIAT, etc
types here in the states to do some serious rallying, they're all
happy to polish and putt-putt around, when in Brit publications I
see pictures of Stirling Moss panel beating the fender on a works
replica MGB in some rally so they can keep the car going.
I also am jealous of the automotive insanity of the Targa Tasmania.
If there were such things in the "free-est country on earth"
safety fast,
-Keith
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