OT: Whats your best MGB memory of the Summer?

Now Autumn is officially here I'm just wondering what peoples fondest memory of the past summer is\are? I will get the ball rolling.

This summer I finally quit a job that I was not enjoying at all. Even with no new job to go to I quit with the understanding to myself that I would take 2 weeks to fix the slipping clutch on my 78 roadster before looking for work. I had never tackled anything so big and was a little concerned. I spent over a week in a hot garage elbow deep in old oil and running back and forwards to the PC asking questions to this forum as I went. The day came to finally try the clutch out. With great trepidation I turned the key and my '78 ran as new. The clutch work was solid.

That feeling sat on the driveway with a new, fully functioning clutch is one of my best. :) It sounds silly but the feeling of self-accomplishment was huge. And for awhile my non-employment worries faded away as I buzzed up and down hills that were up until then off limits to my ailing ride.

Im happy to say I am now gainfully employed in a better environment. Im so glad that I took the time to 'smell the MGB roses' and DIY. I really enjoyed the summer of '07 :)

Best memory was taking a 1400 mile trip to Grand Rapids and back without any major issues (one minor 5 minute issue) with the '71 after all my hard work preparing it for the trip. Meeting so many wonderful people while down there and driving back to Ontario via Niagara Falls with Chuck and Janel. This summer, my Wife Mary really got into the MG mindset. But... now she is talking of me getting an MGA project next. (we will see how the GT goes first)

Oh.. and... Refinishing my Cosmic Rims and having them on for GR. :)

MG2008.. Look out Valley Forge.

Paul

Well, it's not really an MG moment, but I would have it say it was aquiring my Bugeye!

Hopefully, now that my job situation has worked itself out and I'm staying put, I'll get to do some more MG trips and shows! Isn't MG2008 in PA? If so, see you guys then!

Getting my front end rebuilt and driving it with no shaking! I got to put in a third tank of gas for the summer. A first for me.

mine would have to be... buying mine

No wrenching.

Just a few thousand miles of trouble free driving and general maintenance.

Driving down the Oregon coast and on to Reno and then down highway 395 into SOCAL's "Inland Empire". Great roads and great sights and a great running B. This was the shakedown cruise on a rebuilt engine. Didn't burn oil and ain't drippin'.

Going back through Nevada in mid-October.

Mike

I'd have to say that mine was buying the car and doing the required work to get it running. Then finding this place for all the help I needed during the work. Thnaks Guys

MG2008's in PA right? If so I'll have to attend and meet some of the people that help a novice like me out.

Finding no oil in the drip tray and the dipstick still showing full after three days.. Didnt get to drive Red much this summer - bad clutch, too many other things to do.. The couple of trips I did use it to go to work were great..

More road time next year I hope..

Restart after 10 years. The clutch went out on my B 10 years ago. Pulled the motor/trans and then went through a divorce. Got the car back in pieces 2 years later.

The car then sat in my backyard for another 8 years while I rebuilt my life. Worked two jobs, set the example for my kids, bought a house...it takes time. And the MG sat, patiently waiting.

And this summer, I decided to go for it. In some ways it was the final piece of a long personel rebuild of my life. So when I turned that key and she started up, it was more then just the feeling of putting her back on the road. It was the feeling of the end of a long, challenging part of my life.

And probably the second best feeling was driving up to the ex-wife's house in the MG to show the kids. (and her..hee! hee!)

Have to say the best moment of the summer MGB season was my daughter and I winning 3rd place in the rubber bumper class at the Buffalo MG club's Labor Day weekend show. A big part of that is knowing that my youngest daughter helps me with all the prep work, and my oldest daughter comes to the shows with me and hangs out with her old man all day!

This should hardly be labelled an 'off-topic' thread - it IS what an MGE is about.

Memories: Working two years to rebuild the car then driving 10K km to shows this summer and enjoying having my MG enthusiast peers consider it a show winner. THAT was rewarding.

One week in Ireland and I am going through MGB withdrawl.

Going on the 2K trip to GR and back.

Meeting funky accented MGBers from the Frozen Land up North.

Driving a Spitfire. :)

The Classics on the James Show in downtown Richmond, Virginia would have to be mine.

That must have felt really good.

Making the evidence of three hurricanes disappear with a new paint job I did myself , partially done new interior and some much needed servicing all done in a real garage. A real joy working when it is raining outside.

Well my summer began with a move from our acrage up in NE Washington.. over to the Seattle area last April. After leaving my Rovers, Sprite and the big trucks behind... I decided to see what I could find to play with here...So alas the search began....

After poking my nose around some of my old haunts and such.... I went looking to see what might be on craigslist...... well after watching craigslist awhile I spotted a '68 AH Sprite... it was listed for $1200 or best offer.... So of course I grabbed the phone and punched in the number.. Little did I know that this was the first of two "barn/garage" finds that I was to happen on to....
Well seems the car was located up in North Seattle.... The car was last licensed/registered in 1976 and had been sitting in a garage since.. (see pix) Seems the seller was selling it for a woman in his church. She and her husband had purchased the car new in Southern Calif. and later moved up to Seattle. In the mid '70's there was some issue with the car (she couldn't remember what) and the Sprite was shoved into the garage and became the project that was never quite started.. Yuppers.. one of those "I'm gonna restore that car someday" projects....... and so for 31 years the car sat.... got leaked on...and had stuff banged against it....lol After negotiating a price substantially less than the $1200 asked..... I became the owner of my second Sprite... (although the Primrose Yellow HAS got to go..lol)
The top was in rags..but it came with an excellent tonneau and boot cover... as well as an original set of tonneau support rods.. As to the interior??? All I can say is it was in GREAT cond... only a couple of seam splits in the seats... (easy repair).. and the pillow dash?? in excellent cond. nary a crak.. and still plyable as well..woohoo.
When I popped the hood? I was treated to an absolutely un-touched engine compartment.... That's right guys... never screwed with at all.... EVERYTHING as it is/was supposed to be........ take a look at the pix and tell me what you think...

My wife found the "other" barn/garage find..... She was looking at the ads in the Boeing news... and came across a one line ad for a '71 MGB GT.... $900 obo..... Well she called me and I called the number..... Talked with the seller and off I went to look at the "B"...
What I found (see pix) was a red 1971 MGB GT in rather nice cond.... The owner had purchased the car from the original seller several years ago (last licensed/registered in 1991) and never did anything with the car... just put it under cover...
The car had originally been purchased and used in Southern Nevada... before being brought up to the Seattle area (henceforth the Dlr installed A/C). This has to be one of the nicest "original" B's I've seen in a long time... rock solid rockers.. and ZERO rust in the sills as well as ZERO rust in the battery boxs...YEA!!!
I figured since the eng turned over and everything "looked" good I offered $800 for it as is....(figuring if the eng turns it should run)... Thus I now had another Sprite and a "B" as well..... Not too bad for a little nosing around...lol

Well I figured I'd work on the Sprite over the winter..and see about getting the "B" on the road now... At this time I've had the "B" up and running..and am sorting out a few minor issues before taking it out for a ride...lol
I'll let everyone know about the first road-trip..

Michael

some pix of the "B"

and the "B"'s interior....

Very nice finds....:)

Driving the B for the first time with the new carb and exhaust. Pulling out, hitting the gas and feeling the true joy of driving a classic British sports car.

I guess this is the equivelant to what i did on my summer vacation!! For me it was purchasing my first B on the internet. Flying one way to Buffalo NY, and finding that yes i had made a great deal. Taking the keys and the extra goodiies, and driving 1400 miles down to west palm beach. Alittle white knuckle driving at times with no OD and the top down at 60 mph with big rigs flying by me for 30 hours. Wondering as i drove through the blue ridge mountains of west virginia, and observing the beauty.but wondering if i broke down, would anyone of these mountain folk know how to fix a 27 year old english car. Or would i become another "deliverance" story. you know how that turned out....squeel!!
In the end you can't believe, or maybe you can of course know how proud i am to have such a fine classic auto in my possesion to enjoy. And other drivers to envy. As a side note i am amazed at the support and fun you guys and gals have on this forum. I look to forward to many more enjoyable summers to come with my B. God willing.
thanks, robert

It would have to be the trek down to MG2007 from Oregon. We left from Bend and drove down to Medford and saw some old friends for a night. The next day we drove down to Eureka, CA and met up with the Seattle club. I had never met any of them before but they're MG people and it didn't take long to fit right in. The trip hit a snag a few miles later when one of the guys B was overheating. We stuck with him until it was obvious that a new radiator was needed and found a radiator shop that would work on it the next morning (Monday) While he was getting it unhooked from the tow truck a guy in a TR drives up to investigate. Turns out he was the president of the local British car club and knew where there was a radiator. Tom was on his way before Monday was over and joined the group at MG2007. You meet the most interesting people when your plans are interrupted. Oh, the guy didn't want anything for the radiator except to send it back after he got home. That's trust.
MG2007 was great, especially the drive from Bodega Bay to Mendocino. Klaus (from Germany) and I did some spirited driving on that road. I lead for awhile and then after a stop at a viewpoint he lead. He obviously could drive better than me and once in Mendocino I asked him what he drove in Germany. He has a TD, his wife drives an MGB-GTV8 and then there's the MGA race car. Well that explained a few things.
The car drove very well the whole trip and I look forward to my next CA expedition.

Installing AC on GT. Then there was the Kidney stone removal.

I am going to vote with Dan about the great time my wife and I had at MG 2007 in Northern California

-bcw
http://www.mg2008.com

My only MGB moment this summer was discovering the '69 I was about to have hauled off had an overdrive, which I am having rebuilt. Haven't done any work -zero - on my car for a full year. The new fixer-upper house, though, looks great.

Lonnie

........and how about for summer of 2008? My car never wins anything, but this year I was first place among chrome bumper MGB Roadsters in a driving monsoon in the Williamsburg Winery European Car Festival and third place among early MGBs (see photo) in 97 degree heat in Richmond at Classics on the James European car Show. I do really well when the weather is terrible.

2008? Where do I start. A complete engine rebuild and installation of an overdrive trans.

Parade laps in the spring at the historic MG meet at Laguna Seca.

Driving the California Melee. 3 days and 800 miles of back roads with 60 pre 1975 sport cars. Probably day 2 trying to get to Ft Bragg before dark, letting it all hang out on HWY1.

It's been a hell of a year!

Started by Judy and I driving 1938 miles to and from Roanoke in late May. Driving the Skyline Drive, seeing the cool little town of Jim Thorpe, PA. Meeting a few very nice members here on the way down and back.

Ended by a great weekend in Stowe staying in a condo with My brother and the wives. Watching my brother finally get a second place in the increasingly hard GT catagory.

The 67 performed flawlessly on the trips.

Lee Miller in PA


Robert Schau


Gregory Clower (and wife)


Somewhere on the Skyline.

Getting the radiator, that caused me to put it in, that caused me to do a road test, that caused me to get a ticket for speeding, no insurance and no registration, that caused me to register the car, insure the car and then drive it up to current time, and got me a new friend to fix the ticket;)

Taking my once very dead 73 up to winnipeg canada in back little over 300 miles without having any breakdowns. Of course now its dead again but it will rise again from the dead here shortly. Just not in 3 days.

The first drive in the 67B in July. I owned the car 25 years and never drove it until July 2008 after the 4 year restoration.

The April trip through Arches NP and Canyon Lands NP in Utah, E Oregons "Gary's Run" in May. The chance to vist with all the GREAT LBC Lovers from the US and Canada. The other 2k miles just around the NE of WA. WE live on the shores of Lake F D Roosevelt with over 600 miles of shore line, 150+ miles from Grand Coulee to Canada. Now to S TX for the winter. Pikes Peak on the way.

Firing up the fresh rebuild ,and putting the first 500 miles on it already.