A question for all MG owners

I was just reading some of the pages on MG Experience and found one that really caught my attention. It was research into why people bought MG's now.
So I wanted to ask you all why and how did you all buy your MG's?

Mine is I remember seeing them as a small kid (I am 29 now) and fell in love. I only remember feeling this about the roadster although GT's seem more popular in the UK (I dont know if they are just the majority as I started to really differentiate between cars as I got older were GT's). This memory of the roadster was rekindled when I saw my father in laws new girlfriends TR3 and then it nagged at me. The price had to be low as flying to the US several times a year, moving to the US and getting married and unable to work due to green-card issues had left me more broke than I had been. My '76 showed up in the want-ad and there it was. I bought the first I saw (realizing shortly afterwards I maybe should have waited a little longer and bought a better example, eg. one that didn't seem to need every component on it replacing) But I love it, its fun, its infuriating most of all my MG is MINE after years of lusting

I first saw my '79B in January 1984. I was a senior in high school, and I immediately fell in love with it. Of course I was in high school, and the car was only four years old. I couldn't afford it, so I did what any self respecting high school kid would do. I convinced my dad to have a midlife crisis - he bought the car. I still remember shouting and jumping around the house when he brought it home. I drove it the next three years, until I moved out of the house for good.

The B was driven until '90, when it was in a minor accident. (My brother tried to park it under a pick-up) About 3 months ago, I talked my dad into selling it to me. Six weekends, and more money than I thought, later, and its back on the road. Oh, by the way, when it finally fired up again, I ran shouting and jumping around the house. What is it about these cars?!

Craig Kubiak
'79B

First car I ever had was a Triumph GT6. It was down the street and I thought it looked cool, and it was cheap. Well, a GT6 and a 15-year-old driver is a bad combination, and it was only about 4 months until I wrecked it. Amazingly, it wasn't my fault. Anyway, down the street there also happened to be a Spitfire, so I bought it... about the same, I thought. Man, 15-year-olds are dumb. Kept that a few years until I just couldn't take it anymore, and I switched to German cars for awhile.
Years later a girlfriend (later to be first wife) wanted a little convertible, and I told her to get a Triumph. Luckily for me, she found a B first. Now THIS was a real car. That led to a B GT, lost both when I got divorced, and now I've got another GT. Life is good, if you give it time.

Craig, like you, the first time I even saw a B was in high school.

The UK BBS had a thread on this very subject several months ago and had almost a hundred responces.

My older sister had a really, really good-looking blond friend. The age difference of 3 years was a lot back then, but, she thought I was "cute". Her job required her to be out of town for weeks at a time and she'd say," here's the keys honey, you drive my car while I'm gone."
It was a brand new 67 B. I drove it all over the western parts of SC and NC up in the mountains. It was a different driving experience than the popular muscle cars of that era. I loved it.
Needless to say, I've long passed the "cute" stage but I still love my MGs.

I grew up on Brit bikes in the 60's and grew to love anything British but their humor. When I became old enough to buy my own car, it was a aqua 72 BGT. Before that it was nothing but Brit motorcycles for me, Triumphs mostly, with a couple of Ducati's thrown is as well. From there, I went ot a 59 MGA Coupe. It just stayed in my blood, so after I paid my dues to the family, I started all over again. To be honest, I do not intend to be without a Brit car at any time in the forseeable future. May not always be MGs, though, because I have always hankered for a Lotus or TVR, but am afraid I am to old and too stiff to be rolling in and out of those. At the present time, I own a 71BGT, a 72B and a 76B

Like most boys of my generation, I was into cars as a kid. I read all I could, kept a scrapbook, etc. In my early teens, I can remember lusting after a TR-6. When in High School, my girlfriend at the time really liked MGBs. I guess it stuck with me. When I graduated college in 1985 and got a "real" job, the first car I bought as a reward to myself was a 1979 B. Still have the car today...

I lived vicariously through my brother when in grade school around '70 he had a Sunbeam Alpine in BRG. I still remember the sound of the car as he came home from HS. I do not know what kind of exhaust the little engine had but it was a beutiful sound to a ten year old. The smell is what I rememebr the most, My brother called it a combination of oil, rubber and must. I think that fit well. One of the last things left on my car is the stow-away hood, it still has that glorious combination of smells in the old canvas. I had to wait 28 years before I could get one and I am making up for time. My brotehr got back also with a 67 GT.

A friend had a GT when I was in college (late 60’s) and I thought it was really cool. As the years passed I usually had some kind of British ‘toy’ (Norton and BSA bikes, a ’67 Jaguar, etc.) but got rid of them all during the ‘90s when family and work duties required it. In 2001 I saw a ’73 GT for sale which I eventually bought. My reasons: they are great looking cars, it was cheap, it was fun to drive, it needed some work (I love to tinker), and my wife would ride in it (she won’t ride on motorcycles).

I’ve never been sorry for buying it and look forward to having it for a long time.

I had a friend that had a 1953 MGTD, he had louvers stamped in the hood, he also had a disassembled light airplane in his bedroom, he planned to build it and fly across the Atlantic like Lucky Lindy. Needless to say, he was a flake. He did turn me on to LBC's however. I bought a 1954 MGTF in 1956 and had many pleasurable hours driving around with my buddies in their LBC's. After that the only new cars I ever had were British, and Japanese. A 1964 Triumph TR4 and a 1967 Datsun 1600 Roadster. Ah, the good old days!!!

it was about 1968 i was over a friends house,he wanted to show me his older brothers new car,we went into the garage and there it was a mgb green with wire wheels absolutly beautiful i never got one ihad a lot of cars including a 65 corvette 69 gto a64 tri power convertable gto(wish i had that)55/57 chevys ect ect ,so now34 years later i got my "b"it may be a rubber bumper car but its still a mgb and maybe someday i'll get another chrome bumper car like the one i saw in 68 have a good week steve

great story marty i think kids today missed out on a lot of fun we had with cars they all want fancy suv's and those fast imports the only good thing is i feel the cars today they drive are safer and yes they were the good old days steve

And just what is wrong with Brit humor (nudge, nudge, wink, wink)?

I have been a car "nut" for as long as I can remember - my first homework assignment was "how does a car engine work"! I distinctly remember thinking I would never be old enough to drive a car! Eventually I was and after a 1962 Vespa Sportique and a 1959 Triumph 500 Speed Twin, I finally was able to buy a 1957 Austin A35. Yep, 948cc of pure power! I rebuilt the engine, my Dad helped me repaint the body and I loved it. The need for more "style" led me to a 1962 Mini (yes, 850cc of even less power). This got major treatment - 1100 engine, Cooper S final drive, wide wheels, rally seats, full harness belts, lowered steering wheel, wood dash (Woolsley I think), and custom door panel with all switches connected to relays behind the dash! It went like crazy and would corner like it was on rails! Finally I saw the light and bought my first B - 1964, three bearing, British Racing Green - I loved it but it cost me an arm and a leg to insure and run (gas was expensive in England even then!). I would polish it almost every weekend and then sit on the lawn and look at it - my Mother used to laugh and say "you have to look at it, you can't afford to drive it" - she was almost right!

Then work took me to South Africa and on return I bought a 1970 roadster - it was a great car but within a year I moved to the US and sold it. Family, work, lack of space and time all contributed to me forgetting my love of MGs until the small inheritance I received when my Dad died was enough to buy a 1971 B roadster that needed SERIOUS work. I thought it was a fitting memory to him after all the help he gave me working on my early cars. After three years, I finally gave up. Kept the good parts (engine, O/D gearbox etc.) and gave the body away. My new wife had just sold her house and said "lets look for another one" - she was serious! About a year later we found our gorgeous red 1974 chrome bumper car on E-Bay, but close enough to drive to see. He wanted $8000 for it - we got it for $5000! It leaked oil like a sieve, but the body was very solid. A year later it has a new exhaust, rebuilt motor, recovered seats and a new main wiring harness. It runs great and we love it! Next is to replace the front springs (it has been lowered), and put new suspension bushings in front and rear. We are moving to a new house with a 3-1/2 car garage - should be enough room for two B's - I want to find a GT!

Had car nut friend that owned a Mini in high school....we're talking the Dark Ages here...early 60's. Then a year later he got a used "A" 1600 Mk II and I got a year old AH Sprite Mk II with the side curtains as my first car.....cream white with red interior. Had a job bagging groceries and my payment were $60 a month for 2 years and my folks put down $500 for me...total cost about $1,500. Been hooked ever since. Bought an A in grad school and blew it up twice then put 3 main bearing B engine in it but when I started work traded it in on Toyota as Miami is miserable without air and I needed new car.

Wanted a convertible a few years ago and the same car nut buddy from high school said to restore a B as parts were available and the car is solid and fun and I still had great memories of the Sprite. He was correctomundo !!

He has a great picture in his office painted as if you are behind the wheel of an "A" going south on U.S. Highway A1A which is the beach road in Florida. One look and seriously fun memories come back.

JTB

<http://www.theautoist.com/my_addiction.htm>

My oldest brother was 12 years older than me. I spent many days riding in his Fiat 124 with him when I was around 8 or 9. He always lusted after tr6's and would take me with him when he would go and test drive them. I received the curse when we went for a test drive in a 'B one friday as the triumph dealers were tired of seeing us. I thought the cockpit of the car looked, smelled and sounded like that of an airplane so i was pretty much hooked.
My middle brother, who is 9 years older than me, had a '75 b when he was in the marines. He left that car home the summer I turned 16 and I drove it everywhere. It was one of the happiest periods I can remember.
I found my '70GT about 4 years ago and bought it from a guy who restored it for his daughter. Problem was she didn't want it. I just bought a '77 roadster which I am still sorting out. No serious rust but the little guy still has an attitude problem. My wife calls the '77 the little blue headache. I'll figure him out though.

I saw an orange '76 MGB roadster for sale when I was in high school and planning on getting rid of my first car (a '68 Thunderbird - power everything and power to spare), and I thought it would be kind of neat. I hadn't really lusted after it though, and college pretty much nixed the need/time/money for a car at all.
Fast forward to a couple years ago. I was trying to get rid of an old, broken down track loader that I had and this guy offered me his '68 MGB. He e-mailed a picture, and I thought 'That would be neat!'
So the deal was done and since then I have had quite a time fiddling with the car and discovering/correcting all his DFPO bodges (this BBS gave me top honors in that area).
The little car is usually easy to work on and a blast to drive, and I get teased about it - people calling it a 'babe magnet' because I am a bachelor in my 30's.
Eventually I will be caught up on my home remodel and I will have time to get another one and do it RIGHT. I have learned from this board you should have TWO MGB's, one to drive and one to work on, so that you are not 'suffering from withdrawals of MGB driving'.

I've always liked unique and different cars. My first car was an orange 72 beetle convertable. During high school and college I had a '78 midget and a '62 beetle, I drove what I could keep running. Having a family, brought on SUV's, and few years ago I found out about Land Rovers. I had a 88 Range Rover for several years, which I sold for a 99 D2. I noticed on several Land Rover BBS, that those guys owned MGs. I started looking again at MG's and they brought back great memories. A two seat covertable, so here I am!

I bought my first MGB while still in college. Several years later I sold my last MG in order to buy a car more suited for the business world. Got married had 2 kids. My son, the second child was 14 when I told him if he would pick a car we could buy for under $1000 and fix up, he would have a nice ride by the time he was old enough for it. He came to me a couple of weeks later and said, "Dad I want to get a MGB." I was pleasantly surprised and glad he had chosen a car I had some experience with.

Needless to say times and the cars had changed since I was in college. I didn't realize just how bad the tin worm could be for LBCs. The car we bought practically had no sills left. It ran good but was a body nightmare. It did have an overdrive so I more than got my money's worth. It looking for a new body for the car I found one the DPO was converting to a GM 4 cyl (Quad 4) engine. He had 2 MG engines, two std trans, and a spare rear axel. (I already had a good engine and trans). I decided maybe I would fix one up for myself.

The rest is history, I now own 7 MGB's and loads of spare parts. A good idea has turned into an obsession.

By the way, my son lost interest in the car and at 18 still does not have a drivers license.

Dwain, sometimes kids are a real dissapointment, but they usually come around in the end!! Pretty soon you son will get motivated!!
I bought my first 'B in 1970. It was a '64 and in good shape!! It was my daily driver until about 1973 (Alida and I got married in '72), then I traded it in on a '69! The '64 was waaaaay better!! I put about 150,000 miles on it, took it from Mexico, to Regina and Prince George and MacKenzie!! I drove it everywhere at all times of year!! She never llet me down!!