One of the points that decided me in favor of buying the primrose in
replacement of the maroon was the fact that the PO was a stickler for
originality. I was looking for a daily driver, chrome bumpered B and was
having a hard time finding a chrome one, period. Then I saw the primrose. I
saw what craig had done to the MGA he was rebuilding and when I looked in
the engine compartment of the B he was selling to make room for the A, I was
sold then and there. I NEEDED a car that I could depend on and that included
being able to fix it easily. I wanted to be able to go to the books and
trust that what I read is what's in the car. The prim does exactly that.
Once I figured out what Craig had done I called him back and thanked him again.
Yes, there are a few things that I passed on during the buy; I knew the
front end needed work and the diff was loose. I knew I'd have to put a
little into the suspension. But I'd done this to the maroon and most of
those parts were in my backyard for the taking. But the body was in
extremely good shape and the interior was impeccable. And the engine
compartment looked as if the car had only been driven a year, tops. Every
time Craig painted an item, he even replaced the labels. In fact the only
things I've found on the car that weren't original for '69 were the fuel
pump (he handed me the rebuilt original) and the NAMGB registry plaques
inside. I found out a while ago, through the list, that the wooden steering
wheel that I thought was a bastard Moto-Lita was in fact a factory option.
The only time the car was about to let me down, I looked in the Bentley &
Haynes for where the bad connection might be and when all roads finally led
to Rome I, went there. Sure enough, thanks to Craig's mania for originality,
when I cleaned the contacts on the starter, she fired right up and has been
starting every morning since. Including those sub-zero mornings last week. A
little Elvis poster over the radiator and tin foil over the oil cooler and I
was TOASTY on the way to work...
Here's to those odd units out there who will take a car from rust to the
showroom floor. Recycling at it's best.
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The universe is inherently funny.
Glenn Schnittke Recovering Musician
Nashville TN 615-385-2800
glenns@edge.ercnet.com 72147.3635@compuserve.com
'74 MGB - fatally wounded
'69 MGB - prim little touring car
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