Hey Bill: Sounds like you were describing a Land Rover Series IIA to me! :>) .
Granted MGA floor boards dont rust, but they do warp, rot and BURN. Years ago
I was driving a newly acquired 59 MGA rdstr. from Columbus, Ohio to
Blacksburg, VA via the WV Turnpike, then only two lanes wide. Just south of
Charleston WVA I smelt wood smoke (hm...no problem, this is Wild and
Wonderful), then soon after I saw little tounges of fire betweem my legs as
both the floor and the seat cushion were burning merrily. Apparently, the PO
had the exhaust system "fixed" so that the exhaust pipe was jammed against the
sagging floor board. After 3-4 hours of driving it finally caught fire. Now I
know how Hurricane pilots felt after being shot up by an Me 109.
Luckily my wife was following behind me in our P1800 with a fire
extinguisher. But back then there was no shoulder and no exits for many miles,
plus usual truck drivers hell bent for leather on my back. I had to beat down
the fires until I reached a truck stop about 5 miles further on. I put the
fire out, rearranged the exhaust and put the top up as it looked like rain.
Sure enough on the long down hill from Beckley the heavens opened and with the
22 year old rubber seals, floppy sidecurtains, and the then top bow that
flexed like a damp noodle I was soon soaking wet. Hot on one end, wet on the
other. All part of the experience, of course. Then I learned that replacing
old floorboards on MGAs from Ohio also means repairing the gapping holes in
the chassis where the mounting brackets used to be. Start Your Engines
(remember them anyone?) in Maryland had a decent kit to repair this mess and
before long, after grinding, chiseling and welding, I was back on the road.
That car is still one of favorites. Not my wifes, though, as she never got
used to double declutching to compensate for the bad second gear synco.
Cheers, Andy ("give me an all metal airframe") Blackley
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