i second Keith.
The MGB is the most fun car to drive for the money of any that I
have seen. Part of the joy is being able to drive the wheels off the
beast. Fair weather or foul the car is enjoyable, top up or down. If I
had packed away my pampered pet, I would never have had the fun that I
have enjoyed. Top down through icy canyons. Sideways through snow
drifts. Listening to the crunch of snow under the snow tires. Sitting
on alternate hands thawing out the fingers. The welcome warmth as the
top is finally put up. The feel of the gerbil panting on one's ankle as
the heater attempts to live up to it's name.
I respect my MGs'. I respect them enough to drive them long
distances, on poor roads, in poor weather. They were built strong, and
they were built to be used. When my MGs' get damaged they get repaired,
or replaced by one whose owner no longer cared. I miss my first MGB, I
miss my second MGB. But I would miss more the time not spent driving
them.
Kelvin.
-----Original Message-----
From: Keith Wheeler [mailto:keithw@sand.net]
Sent: Thursday, December 03, 1998 1:56 PM
To: mgs@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: MG's and Bad weather Was: SUV's & Crash Worthyness
Andrew B. Lundgren wrote:
>My best solution for the B in the winter is too keep it in the garage;
>IMHO that is where a 30 year old sports car (hoping to make 60 before
it
>becomes my son's car) belongs in bad weather. If you want to get yours
>wrapped around a pole or under an SUV with blood all over it then drive
it
>in bad weather. Who cares how well it goes. If you like your car have
>some respect for it.
Andrew, how about if I call you to help me save all the rust free
MG tubs I find in the southern California junkyards? Would that
be respect enough?
Honestly people, unless you own Mable or one of the many PMO's or some
such, you've got a mass produced car with a blue book value under $3k.
Drive the hell out of it, and when it breaks, fix it right. If you
want to drive on dirt roads, do it! There are plenty of factory testing
and adverting pics with 'em on dirt. If you want to drive in the snow,
go buy some good snow tires and more power to you! If you want to build
a PRO Rally car out of an MGB GT, well then, you can come over and help
me with my project, and then I'll drive it!
While I don't at all like to think or such dreadful things are car
accidents,
I'd rather see a 'B slide into a ditch and need work than watch
*another*
MG go to the crusher. I'm dead serious, all of you who think these
things
should be "respected" and preserved, I can set you up with all sorts of
MGs that need some TLC.
In the year and half that I've been going to the 'yards out here, I've
seen the following be destroyed:
'64 MG Midget (was a sidecurtain car)
'72 MG Midget
'65 MGB
'70 MGB GT
'68 MGB GT
4 or 5 rubber bumpered 'Bs
5 or 6 rubber bumpered Midgets
plus Spitfires, TR-7s, and even some neat non-Brit stuff
I wish I could've saved (red FIAT 850)
I try to pull the most important bits off of 'em (I've got all sorts
of MG gauges), but there's only so much one person can do.
So, I challange all of the "preservationists" on the list: go save an
MG that's off the road and unwanted, instead of telling other people
what to do with their cars.
-Keith Wheeler
Team Sanctuary http://www.teamsanctuary.com/
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