Erik,
Good luck on the GT. I would first offer to get the car off his farm and
out of his way at no charge to him. Then you can go up from there. You have
an idea what the parts (used and in need of restoration) are worth, and,
remember, there was a reason it was parked there in the first place.
Don't forget that it will cost you $$ just to move the thing, not to mention
salvaging the pieces you might need. This car sounds much worse than the
'77B roadster I found surrounded with garbage last week. I wouldn't offer
more than $50, unless you really need the parts.
David Lynes, Woodstock, Georgia
73 Midget
78 MGB
Erik Brzoska wrote:
> I looked at a 73 MG BGT this weekend out in a field at a farm.
> The owner parked it out in the field over fifteen years ago and since
> then a cedar with a dia. of about 4 inches has grown up right next to
> it. The cedar grew so close to the car that you can't open the driver's
> side door!!
>
> I opened the passenger's side door after I matted down all the pricker
> bushes in front of the door. I found the interior to be intact, but it
> was such a collection of garbage, dust, cobwebs, and pricker bush
> branches, that I could hardly get into it.
>
> All the gauges were intact and all Smiths. The T-handle choke was
> original as was the "B" for bonnet pullhandle that didn't work to pop
> the hood.
>
> One of the tires dry rotted completely off the rim. Every body panel on
> it had rust and as far as I could see from the semi-hole the car was in,
> there are no sills to speak of anymore.
>
> I opened the hatchback to get the jack and see if I could jack it up and
> I discovered a couple things:
> 1. the trunk in and around the spare is home to a dozen or more mice.
> They greeted me!
> 2. The jack was completely stripped and useless!
> 3. Actually the hatch may not have had any rust!
>
> I pushed the plastic grill section on the front grill in towards the
> engine until it gave, then I tugged on the hood latch wire and opened
> the hood.
>
> I found an intact and complete, sans some hoses, engine.
> The car was all original and so it had two HIFs on the 18V6**** engine
> that still retained the vacuum advance from the intake manifold and the
> air pump, rail, and injectors!!
> I was amazed to find the vacuum advance off the intake and that the
> other vacuum port (the twin of the vac adv port) was used for the gulp
> valve!
>
> Everything that is there as far as the engine is in restorable to good
> condition. The valve cover is fairly clean and retains the factory
> stickers. The original Lucas coil is there as well as the original
> dizzy, fuse box, brake master and clutch master cylinders, radiator, oil
> cooler, fans, starter, etc.
>
> Keep in mind, this car is in a hole that was created by dirt collecting
> around it and the car sinking year after year. It has no hope for a body
> restoration other than a heritage body shell and the interior is only
> worth the gauges, seats, and maybe the dash.
>
> So in the lists humble opinion, what would be the value of this car?
>
> I was thinking $100.
> I saw a guy in Denver two months ago on the net, trying to sell a (68?)
> BGT. He was asking $900 and it was in good condition, no visible rust,
> and it ran.
>
> TIA,
> Erik.
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