Dry because I'm in a Magnette.
I rarely get to post to this board because my MGs never seem to break down
anymore. Unlike when I had that MGB-GT when I'd post twice a day.
(refresheeverryones memory: Stolen, fell off a truck, caught on fire, lost a
wheel, stolen again, and finally ridden of)
I thought I'd let anyone who cares know that I am restoring my 1959 MG
Pinninfarina Magnette. It is not a Z Magnette, it is a later vehicle that
was imported in very small numbers mostly to special order customers.
It is a remarkable car in many ways. It has the MGA mechanicals, a
Pinninfarina body based on the then current Morris Oxford and Austin
Cambridge, and a bespoke interior. When new it cost half again as much as an
MGA.
I was stripping the rear fender of the car today and saw something
interesting. The fenders are not special pressings. They are Morris Oxford
items, cut down, with another part welded in and lead loaded. Remarkable
amount of hand labor. One side was done very well, the other not so
professionally! The fenders are so hand made they border on crude in the way
they are welded together on the tops. Absolutely remarkable the amount of
hand craftsmanship... Ofcourse none of the "crude" shows when the light is
mounted.
If anyone has ever thought about painting a car themselves, go for it.
Stripping was easy using air tools, Airplane solvent, and a sand blaster.
Painting is easy using a proffessional HVLP gun. This just isn't hard work.
I've almost got the hang of my welder that I might just touch the car with it
tommorrow. Painting is much easier now since paint "flashes" (or dries) so
fast now with catalyst paint. No time for bugs to get on the paint.
I am now going to implore Midget MGB and MGA owners to get the respective
sedan versions. Midget owners should get MG 1100 Sports Sedans, MGB owners
need Farina Magnettes (they match, really) and MGA owners need Z-series cars.
I have an MGB and a Jaguar V-12 XJ-S and had an MGB-GT and I there is just
nothing like an MG saloon. They are just neat as can be and are so much fun.
Before I took it apart to paint and restore, I used to drive my Magnette all
winter in snow rain whatever. It was great, and I cant' wait to do it again.
Once its back on the road (sometime soon I hope) the V-12 Jag... an
exciting car by most peoples measure (and an absolute bargain... look in the
classifieds) will just have to sit! Because I'm gonna be driving my MG
Magnette day after day after day till the paint falls off. These cars are SO
under-respected.
What am I gonna do wwith another MG??? Drive it like mad. If you have
the urge to buy another MG get a sedan. It can live outside, you can drive
it on nasty days. Nothing makes a rainy day cheery like playing with the
floor mount dip switch and turning you wipers on with a little black
unlabeled switch. These cars don't even leak, they are just awesome. The
leather wool carpet and walnut smell when you get in on a damp day is so nice
and inviting. The back seat is very handy! And the trunk, on the Farina
Magnette atleast, is much bigger than anything you'd see on a modern car.
All in all, in effect, there is no better investment than an MG sedan.
The return might not be fiscal, but it is a purchase you will never regret.
Silent MG sedan owners or lusters I encourage to pipe up and concur! It is
time to trumpet the MG sedans! They are just so damn neat.
John
http://www.mgcars.org.uk/farina <--- check out that site and tell me what
you thhink
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