[BOUNCE mgs@Autox.Team.Net: Non-member submission from [code5
<code5@ibm.net>]]
Date: Wed, 14 Jan 1998 23:27:53 -0500
From: code5 <code5@ibm.net>
Subject: Are you out of your mind? she asked me
Greetings, Fellow MG-owners--
That sleek black feline you may have noticed crouching silently in my
driveway is my brand new 1959 MGA 1500cc roadster.
I spotted this one for sale last October. Our eyes locked. It whispered
something I couldn't quite make out. I turned around and went back to
look. I'd loved those things since I was in my teens.
It had been silent, I'm afraid, since 1980, and crouching under a tarp.
It was in tough shape--the frame has some holes and the engine is
frozen. But, it's complete & entire, the sheet metal is quite decent and
it was cheap (I finally got it for $950.00. That's cheap, right? C'mon
guys--right?).
I knew next to nothing about MGA's. So, I went home and typed "MGA" into
Alta Vista and ended up lurking in this group (and re-reading a Moss
catalog) ever since.
I just up and bought the car last Saturday on the way home from an
errand. My wife got home from grocery shopping after I'd had it
flatbedded over. (See Subject).
I've rebuilt engines before, used to be able to arc-weld, and I have
lots of workspace and tools. Besides, I would never have shelled out
all at once, the cost of a car that didn't need lots of work. So much
for the rationalization. Hope I don't go nuts from rust toxicity.
I'm going to pull the engine soon and move on to the body when the
weather warms up.
I should to say 'thanks' to this group, whose postings make restoring
MGA's appear to be a realistic pursuit undertaken by fairly sensible and
helpful folks. Thanks again to Ben Russet, Lynn Feuling and Joe Ratigan
for your answers to my earlier questions.
Plan B: I stand it vertically in a hole, bury the rear end up to the
tonneau fasteners and put a religious statue in the cockpit. I'll let
you know which way it goes.
P.S.: Does anybody know about those little 100-lb. capacity sand
blasters at Sears? (requires a 1hp compressor) or have any suggestions
about choosing an economical but adequate make/model?
Regards (and thanks in advance for any sandblaster advice),
John Vallely
'59 MGA (yeah!)
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