At 08:19 AM 6/13/98 EDT, Wildbil923@aol.com wrote:
>Bert:
>
>You are quite right. Back in the 1980's at a british car show, a gent was
>approaching everyone at the show asking if they wanted to sell their LBC. He
>would offer cash to any willing taker. He told people he was shipping them
>overseas where the demand was very high. In my local paper I often see an
add
>offering to buy just about any British sports car. The gent from whom I
>bought my Austin Healey 3000 said he sold his MGB to a guy who put it in a
>crate and sent it to Holland. He said he was able to make more for the car
>doing it that way. Personally, I don't like to see this, as it diminishes
the
>supply over here. But, when you think about it, most of these cars came here
>in the first place and we, therefore, have the greatest supply. It's natural
>that, as they become more popular worldwide, buyers will look to our
shores as
>one source.
>
>Enjoy your MGB!
>
>Bill Wilkman
>1960 MGA
>1960 AH Sprite
>1961 Austin Healey 3000 BT7
>
In 1990 we shipped 89 T type cars out of Port Newark for the three week
Circuit of Britain. 89 pre 56 cars all lined up on the docks among the
export jeeps and other cars going overseas really stand out. Anyway, the
NEMGTR had a crew of 10 to start the cars and drive them on the ship. We
had special permission to do this. Soon all the cars were started and on
board , except one. A red TD would not run. The loading crew spent an hour
working on the car (fuel was not getting through,) and finally got it
going, and on board. After getting it on board we started to go through the
records to see who in our group was shipping such a poorly prepared car.
Suddenly we realized that the car was not one of ours. It turns out the car
belonged to some guy from Georgia exporting the car for sale in England.
Were we mad, since on Roll on Roll off, the car must be loaded under its
own power or its left on the dock. The owner was in Atlanta, and we
provided a service by mistake he couldn't have gotten any other way.
Mike
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