Keith:
Your mental price guide is probably right. California, however, seems to be
a different world than the rest of the country in more than economics! Did
you try to haggle the price down? A smashed GT would be worth about
$500-$700, I'd say...
I honestly don't know why there are so many folks living in the "Democratic
Republic of California"! It's a great place to visit, I just wouldn't want
to put up with all that crap!
Dan
-----Original Message-----
From: Keith Wheeler <keithw@sand.net>
To: mgs@autox.team.net <mgs@autox.team.net>
Date: Monday, March 23, 1998 12:32 AM
Subject: Paint Fumes or What?
>Hey all,
>
>I've been absolutely stunned by my quest for a decent
>runner 'B GT in SoCal.
>
>Background: the Team and I are working on project
>involving a couple of 'B GTs. The guys back home
>(in the south) have secured a couple of GTs, however
>beasts that need some attention. Wanting to a) find
>a faster way to get the project rolling, and b) find
>one for me to play with, I set out looking to various
>MGB GT ads, wanted and for sale.
>
>Now I know I've been exposed to all sorts of organic solvents
>in my day, and I may not think like all the other MG people
>out there...but since when do MGB GTs fetch $5000, particularly
>ones that "run ok and need paint"? I guess if you hang out
>a "wanted" sign, you get all sorts of responses.
>
>I looked one car over, a nice '71, decent interior, solid tub
>good "20 foot" paint job, that some kid slid under a truck.
>The grille, bonnet, oil cooler, and both front fenders ate
>it. Fortunately the impact was all above the oil cooler shelf,
>or the chassis could've been majorly tweaked. The slam panel
>was smashed of course, but the damage didn't make it to the
>radiator (even though the fan hit it, as MGBs tend to do when
>decelerated rapidly---that stay rod on the later cars is
>there for a reason!). The car was %80 of what the Team wants,
>even had disk wheels....but $1500 for a 'B GT that needs $800
>worth of parts and untold hours of cutting and welding? I don't
>think so. (Plus I've got no place to do any welding here.
>$500 and back home this'd be the ideal car.)
>
>I just wanted to rant and see if the MGB price guide in my mind
>is totally out of shape or what.
>
>On a different note, my 'B V-8 conversion is coming along, bit by
>bit. I found a bellhousing for a decent price, picked up a pair
>of MG radiator fans and motors (with all brackets), and I'm talking
>to machine shops...it's still going to be a few months, but it's
>nice to have things happen, and "new" parts are fun to go over.
>
>-Keith Wheeler
>Team Sanctuary http://www.teamsanctuary.com/
>
|