SteveZBMagnette
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My name is Steve Hanegan, I am a long-time British car owner residing in the Seattle metropolitan area. I am currently running a 1958 MG ZB Magnette, black with a red interior. This is a rather special car having been sold new in Seattle (on my 3rd birthday no less!) and having only a few careful owners from new. Pamela Davy was the first, buying the car as a young single woman from Rowland Motors. During her ownership, she took the car to Denver for a couple of years in the mid '60s and had a blast rallying it, otherwise, it has resided in Seattle since new. On her passing in the late 1980s, her husband had a chap by the name of Tom Eller take on the mechanical repairs and maintenance, and eventually, Tom bought the car for himself. After about a year, Tom sold the car on to Tom Mohle, who, in addition to living about half a mile up the road from me, is both a good friend and a die-hard Morris Minor aficionado. Tom drove the car as his commuter car for about ten years before trading the car to Mark Jones, a noted Jaguar/Healey/Triumph restorer here in Seattle. Mark Jones and Tom Eller were, for many years, partners in the firm of Britsport Seattle. I bought the car from Mark as well as having him tidy some minor rust issues and give the old girl a bare metal re-spray in her original colors. During the painting process, 4 out of the 5 owners of the car were present - Tom, Tom and I pouring a toast of red wine while Mark was applying paint... During my ownership, I was also even fortunate enough to meet the chap who sold the car new!
Over the years since the first MGB entered my life in 1971, I have owned about three dozen LBCs in varying states of operability, from Sunbeam Alpines to Minis, a Jag Mk II that nearly bankrupted me and a Sunbeam Tiger that nearly got me incarcerated and a fair assortment of MGBs, Midgets and MGB-GTs. I do nearly all of my own work, only limited by the tolerance of my urban neighbors to the smell of paint and the sight of large metal fabricating/machining tools...
My last GT (a much modified 1969) I sold to a friend as a gift for his 22 year old son. After 22 years of ownership and 440K miles, and that old beast is still going strong, giving both Josh and Dad the grinnies (when Dad lets Josh drive it, that is...)
Over the years since the first MGB entered my life in 1971, I have owned about three dozen LBCs in varying states of operability, from Sunbeam Alpines to Minis, a Jag Mk II that nearly bankrupted me and a Sunbeam Tiger that nearly got me incarcerated and a fair assortment of MGBs, Midgets and MGB-GTs. I do nearly all of my own work, only limited by the tolerance of my urban neighbors to the smell of paint and the sight of large metal fabricating/machining tools...
My last GT (a much modified 1969) I sold to a friend as a gift for his 22 year old son. After 22 years of ownership and 440K miles, and that old beast is still going strong, giving both Josh and Dad the grinnies (when Dad lets Josh drive it, that is...)