From: <dstieber@paccar.com> (Drew Stieber)
>
>It is rare to find MG in the less than $2000 range these days...
> If the floor panels are solid... and good [oil] pressure (20
>idle to 80 at speed)...
>
>Drew
------------------------
I whole-heartedly endorse Drew's post with one qualification: this is not
the first time I've read of 80# oil pressure on this list - but after 15
years of daily driving in several B's - three with engines I rebuilt myself
- I have never seen a B run 80# oil pressure. My '76 will run 70# cold,
and perhaps 60# hot and has done so since rebuild 45,000 miles ago. The
'73 Bs both run 55-60# where they too have run since rebuild.
I think 55# is plenty for a $1500 car. And of the B's that will run 55# at
speed, I've never seen one that won't hold at least 35# at idle (ca 900
rpm). 20# at idle is within factory specs but...
And another thing... run the car for a good half-hour before judging oil
pressure. I've seen a few B's that held great oil pressure even after the
temp gauge stabilized at "N" - but the oil pressure would drop to 40-45#
range at speed 10-15 minutes later after the oil temp stabilized.
Not to scare you off, but if the $1500 GT is half-decent, and if you're
interested in making it an attractive, reliable car, after a few years
you'll all-but-forget what you paid for it. ' Confess I can remember that
I paid $750 for my '76 B back in 1991. It had an excellent body and a good
overdrive although the engine came in boxes. I rebuilt the engine and for
a year or so had a great running, quite good looking B for about $2000.
Then came new interior, top, front and rear suspension, new Dayton wires, a
swapped-out rear end; finally, by '98 the paint around rear wheel arches
started bubbling so I fixed that (properly), and now I'm having the brake
servo rebuilt and replacing clutch and brake masters - as preventive
maintenance - while I'm at it. I've also replaced front and rear shocks
and tires in the last year.
Am I complaining? Not on your life! It has cost but a few hundred dollars
per year to maintain a very practical distinctive machine that is a ball to
drive. In my head, the total comes to about $6500 so far. For that I've
gotten 8 years and 45,000 great miles, and a fun, mildly appreciating,
collector car that will continue to take me across town or cross country on
a moment's notice. I've spent the $6500 in easy monthly installments (for
parts) - with no interest! Hey, you can't beat that with a stick! It's
the best transportation bargain on the market.
The fact that you're considering a GT rather than the B I'm talking about
makes little difference - except the GT is more practical and probably
appreciating a little more slowly than an equivalent "tourer". I do have a
GT which I also love - and I'll love it even more when I get some front
fenders, etc, on it (' just couldn't get it underneath that Chevy pickup -
but that's another story...).
Your cost guideline in buying a B (or B/GT) should be the comparison with a
new or late-model car. If you're thinking of an old junker that you can
"fix up" for another $500, you will not be happy with your B. Those days
are gone. You can spend a lot of $$ making a new car out of your B, but
when you compare it with the costs of conventional car ownership (initial
cost, interest, insurance, taxes, depreciation), you will discover what a
real bargain your B is. If you can afford to spend $10-12K for a new
(newer) car, spend it on a B instead! It's still a bargain. What can you
buy for $10-12K any more?
You do have to learn something about the car. Acquiring that
knowledge/experience is the trade-off. But do acquire the knowledge,
spend the money, fix it right (as Drew says), and don't look back.
You can get 8-foot 2X4s in your GT and still close the hatch! This
computer wouldn't be here but for my GT. It's a great little work horse.
It's also one of the prettiest cars ever built. In the video "Inside the
Octagon" a panel of four MG experts (including Jean Kimber Cook and
Stirling Moss) were asked to choose their favorite MG of all time. If I
recall correctly, aside from Jean K-C's "whatever MG I happen to be
driving", they all agreed it would be the B/GT.
Pardon my undying enthusiasm. I'm done now...
Allen
******************************************
Allen H. Bachelder =iii=<
Sinking Creek Home for Wayward MGs
New Castle, VA 24127
USA
540/544-7333
******************************************
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