Why so many MGs and so few Triumphs? One word, economics. I am sure that BMIHT
would build as many TR6 bodyshells as it could sell. It would be interesting to
see how many of those bodyshells have been sold. The MGB shell was their first
project because the majority of the original tooling had survived.
Significantly less tooling survived for the Spridget and TR6 requiring BMIHT to
make the missing pieces, not cheap. Also, the MGB bodyshell was very little
changed throughout its life from, what, '62 to '80, even less than the
Spitfire. There are a LOT of MGBs out there, I see on average 1 or 2 a day. Why
do you think Roadster Factory took up selling MGB parts. As for the other cars,
would you layout $6000 for a new TR7/8 shell when good rust free cars are to be
had for less than $2000 every day. As for Herald/Vitesse, parts availability,
new and used seems to be pretty good. Also, the Herald/Vitesse was never
popular in the US so the market here would be small. Big Healeys, I think there
are some companies in the UK that make good body panels for the Healeys
already.
I believe BMIHT is what we call a non-profit corporation, there is probably a
different term for it over there but needless to say they probably don't have
stockholders. However, I believe they are expected to be reasonably self
sufficient. For any project they do, and they reproduce many parts, not just
bodyshells, they have to look at the costs involved, the expected market, and
whether or not the part can be produced at a price people will pay. Moss is now
offering reproduction TR7/8 tail lamp lenses for $90 ea, a bit steep IMHO, but
if the supply of good used lenses dries up in a few years, then it may be a
deal.
How many companies have gone out of business by misreading the market and
producing the wrong thing for the wrong price. Look at the flip side, what if
BMIHT blew it and went under?
Cheers,
Kurt Oblinger
Redondo Beach, Ca.
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