If you want to spend $9000 on the restoration sounds like a good
choice. If not walk away better yet run away. There are enough good cars
out there that are complete and running. You may have to travel to get one
but in the long run at least you'll have something to show for it. Forget
any basket case you are just buying someone elses problem. Also forget
anything with major rust, you can spend thousands on a body and only have
what should have started out with. Spend you money on mechanical and
interior
parts. These are ment to wear out the body isn't.
...Art
On Tue, 5 Aug 1997, Ain Vale wrote:
>
> Last night I had the opportunity to examine an MGA 1500 that had been
> fitted with a Ford 302. Needless to say, it was a pretty sad little
> machine. The installation isn't complete; that is, the car is a rough
> project and utterly non-functional. I am wondering if it is a viable
> restoration candidate, and would love more opinions on the subject.
>
> The body is actually not bad-- it's been taken back to bare metal, so
> there aren't really any secrets waiting to be discovered. The nose has
> been damaged, not too terribly but enough to need some patching in the
> grille area. The bulkhead/firewall/heater shelf (y'know, that part) has
> been chopped up to clear the V8, and the inner wheel wells and trans
> tunnel cover are non-existent. On the plus side, the frame has not been
> cut or bent, the stock front suspension and rear axle are in place and
> rebuildable, and all of the instruments are there. Two seats are
> included, but they are in pretty bad shape.
>
> My goal with this car would be to end up with a usable and decent-looking
> car, but not necessarily a strictly original one. I do want to take it
> all back to MG configuration, however I would probably choose MGB
> mechanical components (engine and ancillaries, and trans) in preference to
> the somewhat harder-to-find original items.
>
> My budget is limited, and I will be doing all the work myself (I have a
> reasonably complete and spacious workshop, and a few years' tinkering
> experience). So my questions are: should I go for this car, and what
> price should I shoot for? Information on the interchangeability of A and
> B parts would also be welcome.
>
> Thanks, and sorry about the length of the post! (Can you tell I was up
> all night thinking about this? :) )
>
> Ain Vale
> 1964 BSA 500cc twin
>
>
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