Todd cued:
> The Warped Goat writes:
> > I was wondering if anyone on this list owned an MG 1100...
>
> Cue, Denise!
Gasp! Someone asked about MG 1100's and I was off skiing in Utah. I
promise never to leave my post again (yeah, right).
I own three; two '63's and a '65 which is still hoping to get a lift to PA.
None of them are for sale and even if one were, I wouldn't sell it to
someone who would use it as a beater. You're right that these cars are
rare and they're getting rarer all the time. The very few that are left
should at least be stored until someone who cares comes along and rescues
them. Making a point of using old eccentric cars as beaters is an odd
concept. As Glen Wilson said, if you want a beater, buy a B (as an example
of something more common).
Not only would it be a crying shame to ruin another 1100 by using it as a
beater, it's not a good idea. The reason they're so rare is that they rust
badly. An expatriate Brit once told me that MG dealers in the UK frequently
had to replace the subframes under warranty.
And yes, MG 1100's were used for racing. The '63 that lives in front of my
house (was holding the control battery for the battery on concrete experiment,
has two speedo cables, and burns and pukes oil) used to be a hill climb race
car. It was originally purchased by a salesman at an MG dealership (I can
never remember his name) and immediately race prepped. It still has in it
the engine that was raced, complete with Schneider cam, oversized valves, and
Formula Junior carbs that I replaced with stock carbs so that I'd have a
choke. I'm told that the car held the San Diego hill climb record for years.
There are Britcar events I've gone to where people who don't know me know the
car.
For people who missed it the first time around, here's the Society for the
Protection and Appreciation of the MG 1100 (SPAM) oath:
I [state your name] do solemnly swear not to ridicule or cause to be
ridiculed any MG 1100, its owner, or driver even in front of a romantic
interest that I'm trying to impress. Secondly, I promise to rescue any
repairable MG 1100 from the wrecker (breaker) if said car can be purchased
for no more than $200US. Thirdly, I promise to do everything in my power
to maintain in a drivable condition any MG 1100 I may own.
All persons taking the oath may now sing the SPAM song.
SPAM, spam, spam, spam
SPAM, spam, spam, spam...
(Sung to the tune of the Monty Python Spam song)
Please let me know if you've joined so I can keep track of us.
Denise Thorpe, proud owner of three MG 1100's that run
thorpe@kegs.saic.com
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