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MGA MGA Thoughts

NutmegCT

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Clayton - I'm partial to MGAs, so that would be at the top of my list. How close are you to Liberty Lake?

One way to solve the "buying at a distance" issue, is to have someone who knows British cars, who lives in the Liberty Lake area, actually go see and drive the car for you. Get his/her take on the car.

I'd *never* buy a car sight unseen. I used the "friend take a look" method when I was shopping for my MG TD.

As in all things, see it, feel it, see how it drives. Check the undercarriage, potential rust spots, handling, engine, exhaust, drivetrain, brakes, etc.

Here's a start:

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/1955-1961-mga-roadster

http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/

http://www.mgccnwc.com/

http://clubs.hemmings.com/nwbritishclassics/

https://www.mg-cars.org.uk/mga.html

Keep us posted as you do your investigations.
Tom M.
 

NutmegCT

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PS - have you ever sat in one of the models you're considering? Some "big guys" find Little British Cars very cramped, especially for their legs.

Just another suggestion.
Tom M.
 
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cwdubya

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Tom,

How big is big? I'm 5'10". I've not sat in an MG since high school (I'm in my 30s now)- it was I think a 70s Midget. When the club was up in Moscow, I should've asked to sit in one, but I didn't think about it at the time since I didn't know if they'd be amenable. Liberty Lake is about 90 miles away, so it's not too bad. I guess the issue is, broadly, since I've never owned one, I don't know what a good one drives, feels, and looks like. I've been around cars, have a wide array of tools from my granddad who was a Ford/Lincoln mechanic, and I know how to evaluate issues on my F-150 and a Subaru, but those are a ways away from the subject here. Vintage to me, is new, so I'm in over my head, but I'm enthusiastic and I want to learn, I just don't want to make expensive mistakes (more than usual anyways) when starting out for lack of experience. I appreciate your links, those are going to be very helpful.
 

NutmegCT

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Hi Clayton - I'm 5'10 myself, and have no problem with my MG TD. But sometimes I wish I could stick my left foot out the door, as there's very little space between the clutch pedal and the side of the foot well. Some guys find the steering wheel pushes right into their beer belly.

Go see as many of these little cars as possible, whether interested in buying or not. See if the car "fits" you well.

And of course, when you drive, feel the suspension, steering, acceleration, gearbox, etc. Does the car pull to the side when brakes are applied? (or even ... does the car pull to the side without the brakes being applied!)

Will the car pass a safety inspection by your DMV?

Keep asking those questions!
Tom M.
 
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cwdubya

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That's good to know with regard to height. I don't remember feeling cramped in the Midget, but I'm also not at high school weight anymore, in the interest of fair disclosure. I'll definitely take your advice on going and taking a look. I've been through a lot with the Subaru when it comes to transmission, hubs, wheel bearings, head gaskets, and more unfortunately, but I suppose that might be just good experience for general mechanics later. What did you start on for vintage? Is it valuable to cut your teeth on something less expensive and with less electrical gremlin possibility (reputation wise) just to familiarize and see if you're into it or not? In my area it feels like everything fun, unique, or vintage just goes for way too much. I'm finding it really hard to even consider throwing out $16k for a '62 Oldsmobile Cutlass, for example. My uncle owned a B, an MGB/GT, and a TD, but he sold them before I had the money and years to get into the game. He's the last remaining car guy of the family, my dad thinks of them mostly just as transport from A to B these days. Nothing wrong with that, but the only thing that lights his eyes up is a new Porsche or a Tesla. I think he spent too much time wrenching on the Twin-Cam to remember it with fondness!
 

NutmegCT

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Clayton - if you're interested in "learning the trade" before committing to a more expensive machine, that Spokane Valley MGB is a really good way to start. Seller seems honest about the problems, especially the burning oil situation.

I'd sure go see it, drive it, and probably go for it. At $2600 you've got a good place to start negotiating. If you want an adventure, offer $2000 and see how he reacts.

By the way, a chrome bumper B is almost always more desirable than a rubber bumper B.

Some tips and advice:

http://web.archive.org/web/20080509125850/http://www.theautoist.com/shadetreetech.htm
(particularly the two under Prologue)

Tom M.
 

DrEntropy

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Welcome to the forum, Clay.

The B looks to be a fairly good example for the amount being asked, but no mention or pix of the frame. If you're looking for a hobby/project example, that could be it. Lots of spares, a rebuild of one engine would make it a driver at least. Rust is the issue, frame at the front where it curves up to the engine, floorboards are hidden in the photos so may be corroded. Worth a look though. The hard top is aftermarket but a nice-to-have as well. The alternator swap and change to negative ground is a good feature, new master cylinders as well. Not fond of brass sleeved cylinders as new ones are relatively cheap. If Curto went through the SU's, it would not have been cheap, but it will have been done correctly. The B has a lot going for it but you're going to need a lot of space to store the spares and work on the car!

Just about every part for the MGB is available new, some are of questionable quality, but overall availability is good.

IMHO, 1967 was the last good year for the MGB. The only change from prior years was subtle; the headlight switch was replaced with a push-pull and relocated.

An MGA is spartan compared to the B model. And once sorted the B is a stout, reliable machine. I've personally put hundreds of thousands of miles on 'em, owning at least one continuously since 1969. Worked on dozens, if not hundreds as a shop tech, too.

That's my 'stream of consciousness'. Hope it's of some small value.
 

JPSmit

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Welcome and, great questions and great answers. let me add a few cents worth.

1. I drive a Midget and am 6', 250 lb - yes I wear the car a bit but, size is not a problem. However, the car size kind of is - Midget is a 50 mile car. I love it but it is not a car to go for a long drive in, it is a car to go for ice cream in.

2. Start with what you want. Not sure how old you are but, assuming you are of a similar vintage to then rest of us time ain't exactly on our side and restoring a car never ever takes less time than we budgeted. Again, I love my Midget and it followed me home but, I might not have chosen it had I had all the classifieds open in front of me.

3. An expensive car (mostly) doesn't cost a lot more to restore than an inexpensive one. Somewhere on the interweb Jay Leno discusses this - body work is body work, paint is paint, and with LBCs even many of the internals are common.

4. 25k is a very good budget for most British cars. Decide if you want to wrench or if you want to drive and buy accordingly. The garages of the world are full of cars people bought to restore only to discover they really just wanted to drive. - your budget will get you a very good TR6/ MGA/ TR4/ not likely a big Healey but, even there, if you wait. Also, depending on your tastes (I note that you like a 60's look) there is Jag XK8s for peanuts, and the XJS is looking prettier and prettier by the day. Not strictly 60's but the price is great, it has cruise control/ AC and you could drive anywhere in the country. (I have a guy in my club who drives a Stag - but swears by his XK8 - 30 mpg and very comfortable.)

5. If you are committed to an older car, you might also consider some slightly more obscure cars, Triumph Stag/ Jensen Healey/ MGBGT/ even a Jensen - I think they are mostly undervalued and parts are still rather available.

6. LBC's are like buses - there is always another one coming. You might want to join a club as I think club members are typically far more realistic about the value of their cars than the general population. (Note - just took a look at the Idaho club classifieds and you can get a Singer for half a similar MG - https://www.idahobritishcars.org/links/?listing_order=year&listing_orderby=ASC

7. Good luck and this is a great place to hang out both for advice and for fun - keep us posted!

cheers
JP
 
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cwdubya

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I really appreciate all of the advice, thank you so much- it's all great. I've got an email out, so we'll see if I'm able to link up. The price is right, but I'll be sure to take a look at rust issues. I do like the chrome bumper over the later models, so it checks that box. When I've done some googling, I've found various stripes and patterns, but I've not seen blue on white like that. Is that just an aftermarket customer choice?

I'm in my mid 30s, and I feel like I can finally put a decent budget toward a little project like this. I guess I'm undecided if I want a driver or a project. You know, have your cake and eat it to and so forth? I really want to chase after something realistic with some support and parts availability, but part of me says that it would be fun to get something unique. A while ago I almost went with a late 50s Fiat 1100 Millecento for that reason. Not because I love Italian cars (British sports cars really check most of the boxes), but just because it was cute and weird (at least for my area), and I saw the Leno video on it. A Morris Minor is cute and weird in a similar way, but it's also like the Fiat, veering off into non-sports car territory.

An Idaho club member at their summer meeting in Moscow had a very reasonable price on his MGB/GT in BRG, and that was a handsome car... with the rain that we get here, it might be a good call to look for a coupe rather than a convertible. There's no lack of choices, especially if you expand to a more regional search rather than a local one, but I also don't want to lose my shirt by buying one that's not a great fit and then trying to flip it for something else without putting in the time and research first to get it semi-right on the first try.
 

DrEntropy

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The hard top on that B is the best of both words. We live in Tampa Florida, rain every afternoon in summer is a given.

Our current '64 MGB with a factory hard top:

SWMBO_MGB.jpg
 

Bob Claffie

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Keep your eyes open for a Sunbeam Alpine. A little off from the routine LBC, but SIMPLE like a MGB to work on . Parts situation not quite as good as MGB and Triumph but if you want DIFFERENT this is the car. Won't see another one coming down the road toward you.
 

NutmegCT

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JPSmit: "25k is a very good budget for most British cars. "

Yikes! I'd never have got into the hobby if that had been the case! More like $5K to get started.

Clayton - what is your budget for buying, transport, and possible repair parts?

Keep in mind that you *rarely* get back all the dollars you've invested, when you eventually sell.

Tom M.
 
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cwdubya

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Budget for buying, transport, and possible repair is all in at $25k, which is why I'd like to ideally locate something south of that top end number to enable transport and especially repair.

I found a 1961 DKW Junior for $550, sans 2 stroke engine. That's kind of a funny looking car. Very much like a miniature 1956 Ford. But you know, Ken Miles balked at ze Germans in the Ford v. Ferrari movie, so... haha. Fun story that involves Ken Miles, actually. When my dad raced at CDR in Castle Rock, CO, and once Ken Miles and the Shelby team was there. His brother spoke to him and them. Dad was fiddling with the brakes and his brother got advice for him from the Cobra team on how to do that properly.

No response on the B (yet). I think just with the attractive price and the extra stuff, he probably sold it already. So the hunt continues.
 

DrEntropy

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I'm seeing a number of issues with that A, particularly with panel fit. To go to the trouble of making it shiny without paying attention to the fit of the lids seems amateurish at best.

Why the rock under the left front tire? E-brake inop? Tranny empty of cogs?

Rear bar for snugging the top is missing or the top was installed sloppily so it can't be raised?

Accelerator cable goes to "nowhere" in the engine bay. Wonder if the engine has run since the apparent rebuild.

NO photos of the chassis.

Appears to be someone's unfinished project, likely the family sold it to the car lot for cheap just to get rid of it. Poorly presented in the pix, as well.

I'm callin' "$18K bag-o-worms" on it.
 
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cwdubya

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Good catch with the rock under the tire. I didn't see that. I appreciate the comments. I found an Austin up in Spokane. But it's in pretty rough shape. I feel like I'm learning more all the time :smile:
 

Madflyer

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Clayton You would fit in most all LBC. MGA non sync first gear and can seem noisy ( they are straight cut gears )The ride can seem hard so long trips are long 100 miles, steering wheel is large so cuts into leg room. On my TR 6 I replaced the 14 inch with a 12 wheel so I can move my knee up between wheel and door ( left foot ) ask if Pos or Neg ground and one 12 volt or two 6 volt battery's and check battery boxes they are behind the seats. Is there a good spare tire and check spines on spare wheel they should be clean and sharp groves. Ask if brake and clutch fluid are standard DOT fluid. Under the dash on the RH side of the tunnel is a hard to get to dip stick under the carpet flap for trans gear oil check a drip on white paper. The emergency brake lever should have min three click and not much over four. ( if more than that out of adjustment of worn shoes. You have seasons in ID so a top and side curtains are a must ask about them. The car is easy to work on with standard tools, add a few tools for the carbs. and parts from Oregon come quickly. Request parts books and join the MGA Register see on line. I hope you find a LBC of any Mark and drive it. So many of the post here say their car has been sitting for years. I guess I could go on but this BLOG will give you other questions that would apply to other LBC. I like I said before look before you leap. Madflyer
 
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