I've got a recent story too.
A few weeks ago I posted a message asking about the possibility
of fitting a pair of SU carbs from a late 50's MGA onto a '78
MIdget 1500. I found these carbs on a car in a lot with about 8
other cars, all in terrible condition. The list is as follows:
1) Late 50's MGA chassis and drive train with an after market
fiberglass coupe body (that looks nothing like the MGA). The
dash has every gauge glass shattered. No back window. No wipers,
a seized engine with garbage (literally) stuck in the oil filler
cap on the valve cover. No Seats, No floor, no door handles, no
door glass. In general, just in terrible condition. THe body
was in pretty good shape being fiberglass. It has a sloped front
end that was very E-type ish. THe body was attractive and if the
rest of the car were in good shape maybe...
2) AN old Jensen with tires piled in the interior to the point
of bursting out the windows. No steering wheel and a gaping hole
where the instruments should have been. No back window and
cracking bondo on the fenders.
3) An old Jag E-type coupe with plenty of rust and a shoddy
interior. Engine OK
4) 2 late 70's jag sedans (one left hand drive)
5) an old fiat something or other (looked like a Porsche)
6) an old maserati with no interior (engine looked OK, though)
7) another old masserati in relatively good shape, but the
beginnings of rust in the sills. Engine crappy.
8) a late 40's english somethingorother. THe brand and model
were covered in weeds, and the interior had someone living in
it. All I saw was a small plaque stating "Made in England" on
the inside drivers door jam. It was very Studerbakerish.
9) and an old Benz..
Pebomor@aol.com wrote:
>
> Two weeks ago I had occaision to visit St. Petersburg. Before I left I
> discovered a Jaguar 420 for sale there for $1900. That's cheap, and I
> suspected the car would be in bad shape, but I wasn't prepared for what I saw.
> It was a disaster! Left outside, rust everywhere, interior destroyed, even
> unable to tell what color it had been. It was like looking at a corpse. I
> wanted first to cry, and second to strangle the owner!
>
> So I will repair (not restore) my beloved '71 B even though the floors are
> rusty, the splines are shot, there's blue smoke. the paint is lousy, and the
> Prince of Darkness reigns. I'm sure it will provide as many years of joy as I
> have left!!
>
> Here's to the ones that will be saved!
>
> Best,
>
> Peter Morris
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