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Re: Our Cars Being Shipped Off? What?

To: "Jay Quinn" <jpquinn@cyberramp.net>, <mgs@Autox.Team.Net>,
Subject: Re: Our Cars Being Shipped Off? What?
From: "Kai Radicke" <mowogmg@pil.net>
Date: Wed, 2 Jul 1997 14:23:12 -0400
> I picked up on a thread yesterday, that reminded me of other threads in
the
> recent past.  It was something to the effect of our cars are being bought
> and shipped back oversees?

Not Oversees, but to outer space...the space probe that will land on Mars
on July 4th has a Lucas electrical system, it is sure to fail.
 
> Less and less of them for sale and being seen on the mean streets.

Quite untrue...but compared to 30 years ago when all of the LBCs were new
this is true.  Yes there are less, and less DRIVEN than 30 years ago, but
MOST still remain.

> Where is the demand?  Why is there a demand for these LH car's?  How much
> are they paying for these cars?  What kind of condition are they
aquireing
> these cars?  What are the most popular ones?  Who is he buyer and
exporter?

The Demand...because our British friends are car hogs, (mommy he won't give
me the LBC).  2/3-3/4 of all LBCs were shipped to the uS.  So the UK didn't
get that many, now they want to steal them all.  And the demand for LH cars
is simple, in the UK they can't drive LH so they only have RH cars, thus
they buy LH and convert them to RH (stupid morons).

They pay about $500+ (depending on model, make) more for the car but then
pay another 1500-2000 for shipping over to the UK.  As far as condition,
they usually buy either decent fix-er-upers, or total restoration jobs
(cheaper to convert than an already concours car).

The most popular cars (as I see) would be the TR6, TR250 (TR5 in the UK),
MGAs, all Healeys, T series MG, and not to many MGB, Midget, but I have
started to see lots of parts go to the UK for MGC cars.  Apparently the
Brits will pay anything for the aluminum hood of an MGC...like $700 for a
great used original (they cost $500 for repro aluminum).
 
> I remember the same thing happened to the VW Van known as the Micro-Bus.
> It was unique in the way that it had windows like an airliner on the top
> edge of the roof on both sides.  I've only seen one in my life, and it's
> parked down off lower Greenville Ave. Very rare and most went right back
to
> Germany.

MicroBuses are very cool, there are a ton in lower PA; and you only have
seen 1?
Well of course we have a VW restoration, parts house located about 2 miles
away, and he does one hell of a business (there are only 25.6 million Bugs
in the world).

KMR

Kai M. Radicke -- mowogmg@pil.net
1966 MGB -- http://www.pil.net/~mowogmg

Dialogue Internet -- dialog@pil.net
Intelligent Internet Solutions                 


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