LRC once told me "When you want to go racing, it's time to sell the
Porsche." He meant it figuratively, and I understood that, but I
also understood the sentiments of what he was saying.
Well, this past Satyrday, I took the first step toward getting rid of
the Porsche as my primary transport.
I bought an MG-BGT as a replacement. I had a BGT as primary
transportation several years ago, and it did quite well. I decided
to go for something slightly more disposable when my commute shot up
to ~180 miles a day. Now that my commute is a reasonable distance
again, I miss having a streetable BGT.
Jeffie, a Porsche weenie of astronomic proportions, forwarded me an
ad with the Subject line of "67 MGB GT Asking $1500 (neg)". The ad
was well put together, mentioning the engine had 10K on a rebuild,
that it was an MGBGT Special, and that it had a wood steering wheel
and new carpet. It also mentioned, in the truth in advertising
vein, that the paint was faded, the seats were torn up, and the
headliner was missing.
I went to check it out Saturday morning with Linda and Scott Fisher.
Linda an I drove up in her 64 B, Scott in his 71.
We looked over the car. The color was Olde English White. It had
wire wheels in good shape, in spite of one wheel being chrome and the
others painted. There was, indeed, new carpet. White carpet.
Already stained white carpet. The seats had red seat covers on them
that I haven't had the courage to take off yet. The ok condition
interior and the shot almost-a-rear-seat were red with black piping.
The dash board has minor signs of disassembly.
A look under the hood showed an engine. There's no real indication
that the engine was rebuilt 10K ago. Oil is obviously leaking around
the valve cover. The oil, combined with road grime, is caked on the
head nuts and upper edge of the head. The oil cooler sits,
disconencted, right in front of the radiator. A single hose, wrapped
in oil-soaked duct tape runs from the oil cooler outlet to the oil
filter. "Couldn't find new hoses for it" said the owner. A wiggle
of the throttle shaft showed about 1/8" of play.
A look under the car showed the late rear axle (damn, wanted the
early one), but the suspension components look in good shape. The
lower A-arms are ok, and none of the corners sag. One of the front
shocks needs replacement.
After trying several of the keys the seller had, I found the one that
actually turned the engine over. It started with little difficulty.
Oil pressure showed 75 psi. Hmmm, maybe it was rebuilt recently.
The tachometer shows no life, though. Let me listen again. Yeah,
the engine is running, but nothing on the tach.
Put it in reverse and a light touch of the accelerator send the
engine roaring, even though I'm letting the clutch out. In about the
last inch of travel, something finally grabs. I'm backing out of the
parking space.
I drive a loop of the parking lot, Scott being an observant
passenger. The car is extremely sluggish, the clutch feels strange,
and shifting is difficult. I pull it back into its parking space,
and pop the hood again to check for new oil around or under the
engine. Looks fine. Scott and I go back inside the car an discuss
the possibilities. It's a this point that I notice a little switch
on the dashboard in the "overdrive" position. I flip it back to
"normal" and take Linda for a spin around the parking lot. The
clutch still seems funky, and shifting is still difficult, but the
car is anything but sluggish this time out.
Even though the tach isn't working, the engine sounds like it's
idling high. That 1/8" of play will do that for you.
After several minutes of contemplating my actions, I decide $1300
sounds like a good first offer on the car. The seller tells me that
the car actually belongs to his bride-to-be. He's autorized to take
$1500 or turn negotiations over to her. Sounds fine. We exchange
phone numbers, I give him some cash as a deposit to hold the car so
he doesn't sell it before I get a chance to talk. Scott and I
make a trip into the office building, discussing the car the entire
time. We pass the seller on our way out. He stops me and says
"Instead of going back and forth on this, how about if we settle on
$1400. I don't think my girlfriend will be that upset over $100." I
thought about this for about 15 clock cycles and agreed. So Linda
grabs a checkbook, the seller grabs the title, and they trade.
So, my driveway now has a $1400 straight-bodied, wire-wheeled MG BGT
parked in it. With overdrive, and several MG/BGT Special plaques on
it. I figure repairing the clutch and rebuilding or replacing the
carbs will give me a very fine everyday driver.
I realize this is the wrong place to ask, but if anyone is interested
in a 77 Porsche 924 for $2750, drop me a line.
andy
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