Like others, I wouldn't qualify this as magic, so delete now so I won't
disappoint...
MG ownership for me, inmy family's eyes, was always against the odds. My
cousin had bought new from the showroom a red RB MGB. She knew nothing about
cars, much less what it meant to own an LBC, so the car proved very
problematic. Given her experience, no one could understand how I could
possibly want to subject myself to such an experience. I was a very young boy
when the car was finally sold, and I have few recollections of it.
Growing up as the neighborhood paper boy, I soon became trusted with folks as
someone who could take in the mail, feed the pets, etc, while they were away.
One family traveled a lot, and the wife was a co-worker of my mother's. On a
trip to Sweden to pick up their new Volvo, they asked me to look after
things. In their garage was their son's '73 Pageant Blue MGB GT. Every day
when I went to bring in the mail, I made it a point to sit in that MG, and
imagine what it must be like to drive it.
I was so mesmerized by the beauty of this car, I checked the want ads one day
to see if there were any for sale locally. I found a white '71 right in town,
and drove out to see it. Turns out it was owned by a widowed old man, and it
hadn't run for a few years. In other words, it needed work that I, as a
teenager at the time, could never have provided it. Still, the man, who
discovered that he had been doing business with my family since 1950, knew I
loved cars, and said he had something to show me. He had a three car garage,
and proceeded to open the doors on one of the stalls. There sat a low slung
car under a cover. He asked that I take it off, and lo and behold sat a
perfectly original silver Mercedes 190SL. It clearly had not seen the light
of day for years, but wow, what a find for a 190SL fan.
I admit, I wonder if he's still around, and whatever became of his cars. As
for the aforementioned '73 MGB GT, it still sits in that garage. My mother
told them I finally bought an MG for myself, and they said it was likely
their son would never part with his.
So, after all this, I own a Midget (if you ask nicely, I'll show you a link
to see it). My wife fell in love with it first, then me. I've no regrets, but
I must say, the MGB GT was my first love, and I do hope I own one some day.
Anyhow, there is no arguing that an MG buy is an emotional purchase, and the
things that lead us to that purchase are just as interesting as the cars
themselves.
Cheers,
Tom
78 Midget
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