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Re: MGB tire size comment (fwd)

To: british-cars@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: MGB tire size comment (fwd)
From: mburdick@netserv.unmc.edu (Michael Burdick)
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 1994 12:44:55 -0500 (CDT)
Forwarded message:
>From @UNMCVM.UNMC.EDU:twakeman@apple.com Thu Apr 28 11:30:38 1994
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 94 09:30:02 -0700
From: "TeriAnn Wakeman"  <twakeman@apple.com>
Reply-To: "TeriAnn Wakeman"  <twakeman@apple.com>
To: mburdick@unmc.edu
Subject: Re: MGB tire size comment

In message <9404280116.AA09439@molecular.unmc.edu> Mike Burdick writes:
> > I will have to try
> > nylatron rear bushings to see if the lateral movement can be minimized.
> 
> Wait a minute!  I thought you were going to sell that thing!:-)
> 
> Yeah, yeah,
> Mike
> mburdick@unmc.edu

I've been trying to trade the BGT to someone on the net for a TR4 since '89.  
When I asked how much it was worth I did not get an answer.  I asume that means 
not much.

My frustrations with the BGT are two fold.  

1. When its not freezing outside or raining I NEED a roadster.  (This will be 
fixed when the TR3 gets back on the road)

2. She just won't pass SMOG and driving her has cost me about $1K in fines 
because of this.

On the positive side, once you take all the badge, overrider, and trim off the 
body, I like her lines.  The strange thing is that I think the roadster version 
is an ugly duckling (Sorry Scott).  The Italian designd hard top cleans up he 
lines rather nicely.  She was extreamly dependable and low maintnenece for about
125K miles of commuting even if the dreaded previous owner's cam modifications 
kept her from passing SMOG.


I don't know.  Not having a roadster on the road that i can readilly put up or 
remove the top (The land Rover's top takes 2 to 3 people and about an hour) and 
the frustration of dealing with the LAW and SMOG testing people has given ne a 
negative attitude twords the BGT.  On the other hand her replacement would have 
to be a comfortable winter strom driver that doesn't cost too much to run or 
maintain.

A Jag MKII comes to mind, but it is so easy to purchase something that looks 
good on the outside and needs tons fo cash to make right.  Plus Jag parts are 
expensive.  A MG Manganet ( however it is spelled) might be ideal but I have 
only ever seen a couple of them.  I have seen more SS100s or XK120Cs then the 
postwar MG coupe.  I don't know of anyother English fixed heads that i could 
remotly afford in the pre-1966 era that I find attractive.  My first choice in a
non-English car would be the same Volvo that Scott Fisher#1 has.  But I'm just 
pruist enough to be reluctant to get something other than an aging British car.

I thought a TR4 with a surry top might be weather sealed enough to use as a 
winter commute car, but I think it would be marginal.  Also their lines are a 
little too boxy for me.

A two seater MKII Healey with removable hard top would be my ideal, but a good 
one is more than I could afford and I learned my lesson about project cars with 
the TR3.

So I don't know what to do.  The BGT just sits right now.  I sent the chrome 
molley pushrods that broke in about 200 miles back to the Roadster Factory and 
asked them to be replaced with a stock set.  They are out and do not expect a 
shippment untill around May 5.

If I keep her, the short block will be rebuilt with a stock cam, the suspension 
would beed to get rebushed with nylatron bushings and I would have to ponder the
best size anti sway bar for a BGT.  I would have to paint her so she wouldn't 
look too shabby next to the TR3.  I estimate about US$5-6K to put her into #2 
condition.  I could probably get a nice driver TR4 for that.  

Its a decision I have been trying to make for a few years that is so evenly 
balanced that I cann't decide.  On the other hand if someone had a nice BN7 that
they wuold sell me for US6K the decision would be made very quickly.

sigh



TeriAnn Wakeman        Large format photographers look at the world
twakeman@apple.com     upside down and backwards     
LINK: TWAKEMAN              
408-974-2344          TR3A - TS75519L, MGBGT - GHD4U149572G, 109 - 164000561




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