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Re: Why an MG?

To: mgs@Autox.Team.Net
Subject: Re: Why an MG?
From: Keith Wheeler <keithw@sand.net>
Date: Tue, 02 Dec 1997 11:30:20 -0800
Bob Donahue (Still stuck in the '50s) responds to the tons
stuff on this thread (and I'll jump in too now):

>I never thought of the MGB as being slow, at least not
>the early ones. You've got 95 hp and 2000 lbs, or something
>like that. Not fast, but I would think it could keep up with
>your average economy sedan. Does anybody have the 0-60 mph
>figures and how that compares to some typical modern cars.

I have no problems with my MGB.  Except for the boy racers with
their hopped up CRXs, and the real performance cars out there,
I tend to out accelerate most things on the road.  I cruise on
the freeways at 70-75 MPH (without an overdrive).  Like I said
in a previous post, I was slowed down by my buddy in a Porsche
Boxster on a drive up highway 1.  Why?  Because he was afraid
of the car getting away from him!  Not a concern to me.  My
lil 'B takes those corners like nobody's business.  But,
one thing folks:  ya gotta be able to drive it!

My 'B is the only thing I've ever driven in snow.  If you can't
get to where you are going in the snow in a 'B with the right tires,
learn to ****ing drive, thank you very much.  I guess some people
really need anti-lock brakes and all that nonsense.

This is one reason why I push the autocross thing.  Because
to autocross you have to drive!  That's one of the safety
factors of a 'B.  Nimble.  I'd much rather avoid wrecks.
I'm not the greatest autocrosser in the world.  My position
on the team is as Mr. Kick-you-in-the-butt, and I've been
pretty successful at motivating my friends and team-mates.
But, my experience on the track has made me a much better
driver in the real world!  If you don't know how and what a
car will do it's thing, you can't drive it.  That's one
deal I've got with my fiancee on her driving the Spec RX-7
as a daily driver:  autocross school and one event.


>Otherwise: Yes MGs are not practical cars, and the average
>Joe would hate driving one. But we enthusiasts love the
>firm suspension, the smell of oil and the dripping of
>rain in our laps. MGs are fun to drive.

"We choose to do these things not because they are
easy, but because they are hard."  -JFK, the moon speech

Bob, you speak the truth.  They are fun to *drive*.  And
that's why the average Joe T. Schmuck would hate it.  Joe
doesn't want to *drive*, he wants to ride in suspended
animation whilst the suspension, ABS, climate control, etc
seals him off from reality, because reality is hard to
deal with, and Joe doesn't want to do anything hard, he
just wants to live his grid-ite sub-urban life away from
all the nasties of the world and the people who get
their hands dirty, and, oh-my-goodness, actually work
on their own cars.  Go to work.  Get home in time to
watch sit-coms.  Turn of brain.  Might as well be dead.

I've been driving my MGB since I was 16 as a daily driver.
I had to learn a lot of things.  Replace the fuel lines on
an old car.  'B clutches take a bit of work.  Spark plugs
are important things.  Driving requires functioning
brain cells.

Over the thanksgiving holiday I drove our Spec RX-7 to
Park City, Utah (from Diego) and back.  Yeah, the heater
works.  Yeah, it has nice windscreen wipers.  I cruised
at about the same speed I do in the 'B.  I burned about
as much fuel as I would in the 'B.  I went through *more*
20W50 than I would've in the 'B.  The car felt great
in the corners, but I suspect that has to do with all
the Spec bits (springs, shocks, sway bars, urethane)
on the car.  The steering sucks.  That bloody ball-box
with noodles connecting it all together.  The shift
linkage sucks.  Fourth was funky to find from third,
and the spring-out from fifth was horrid.  At least
the RX-7 holds the road.  The other JapGT I've driven
was my mom's 280ZX.  Same yucky shift linkage, poor
visibility, handles like a pregnant whale.

Some people accept the challenge of life.  Some
people don't.  It will always be this way.  Those
who have worked hard, followed the rally cry of
"press on regardless" (my apologies) will always
understand.  The best we can do is support each
other (even if the other guy is driving a TR-7!  :P )

It's easy to spot these folks.  They tend to have
scars on their hands, smiles on their faces, time
to help, and they wave when they pass another MG
with its top down.

-Keith Wheeler

Team Sanctuary

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