"...The owner said it ran just a few months ago but we couldn't get it
started..."
Hmmm. I'd take what the owner said with a pinch of salt - it's his word
against the evidence in front of you. Assume nothing. Having said
that, when I bought my BGT a year ago the owner told me he'd last
started it 2 years previous and it had run fine, but we couldn't get it
started; I fitted a new pair of batteries after I bought it (for a song,
partly because of the non-running engine) and it fired up straight away,
good compression on all cylinders, with some new spark plugs and new
jets and needles in the carbs it runs perfectly - but I got lucky!!!
Sounds like a "resuscitation" job to me, just like my BGT. It shouldn't
take a huge amount of time or money to make it roadworthy again, IF you
get lucky with the engine, gearbox, and O/D, and if you are able to weld
the floor yourself. I'm in Scotland, so I don't know so much about
prices in the US, but I certainly wouldn't pay anything like $3000 for
an MG with an engine I hadn't heard running, or that needs immediate
welding.
Even if you can knock this guy down to half what he's asking, if you
don't enjoy fiddling around fixing stuff, or get a kick out of bringing
a car back to life with your own bare hands, I'd still walk away. The
cost of parts and welding (if you have to pay someone else to do it)
alone will likely be more than it is worth once back on the road. For
that sort of money I'd have thought you could buy a reasonable running
car - not immaculate, maybe some surface rust, but not in need of
immediate welding or major mechanical repair. But, like I say, I'm not
an expert on US prices so hopefully someone else will chime in here.
Alternatively, if the seller is prepared to deal with these issues
himself, you could agree to give him that money WHEN the floor is fixed,
the engine running, and the car demonstrably working properly. But this
is not exceptionally likely - people sell cars in this state precisely
because they incapable of fixing themselves, or fed up of doing so or
paying other people to do so. And even if he does agree to this, he'll
do the bare minimum necessary to meet your requirements, so don't expect
the work to be done with too much dedication and love.
Richard & Sammy ('73 Black Tulip BGT)
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