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I guess I am suprised and a little disappointed folks.
I posted a message this weekend about a friend looking at a 78 B and
looking for advice on what to look for, and only got one response...a
criptic message that only said one, two...and nothing else.
Shall I tell my friend that the MGB folks don't have a clue what to look
for when buying a used one? Or that they just don't care to help a new B
owner?
Answer:
Working on MGs is not an area I am expert in, but I do participate in
discussion lists involving things I do know about. Those are usually
voluntary affairs and the people with answers also have other things to do,
usually doing the billable work that makes everything else possible.
Unfortunately, questions do go unanswered for an hour, or a day, or even
sometimes several days, until someone with the ability and/or inclination
and/or opportunity to answer sees it. It's not that no one cares.
For my own part, I've only had one MG - and that one for just over a year -
and I haven't gotten into repair or restoration in-depth.
Before buying it I wouldn't have known what to ask, but I did do some
research in the discussion lists and the websites to see what people were
talking about, and what was coming up frequently.
Since buying mine I've seen some that were much much worse, and many that
have been restored or well maintained that I wish I had. I don't feel like I
overpaid for what I got, although I think I might pay more now for one that
had already lost the ZS carb, or that had a perfect front-end, or that had a
perfect interior or exterior. As it is, I'm not ashamed to drive it - just a
little nervous sometimes until I get a chance to fix a few things.
If it starts, and will move itself down the road, and will stop when you
need it to, then I think it would be worth buying for the experience of it.
IF he is looking for a daily driver that will get him to work and back, or
to the hospital in time in rain or snow, hot or cold, then it might be
another set of requirements including maybe a newer model of some kind.
I hope this helps some, and that you get other answers as well.
Scott Bonacker
1977RBB
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