After moving to the Chicago suburban area back in around 1978, I needed something not too expensive to drive to the train everyday. My room mate at the time had recently purchased a Triumph TR6 and I immediately fell in love with LBC's. I got ahold of a copy of the local paper and scoured the car ads for a vehicle. After several weeks, I came upon a '69 MGB for $900. The car was drivable but was by no means a 'decent' car. (I knew zero about these at that time) I was thrilled, it was BRG and featured a factory removable hard top. After having the car for about four monthes it started burning oil at a prolific rate and began to over heat on a four hour trip home. When I reached my destination, I got the tools out and pulled the head off in my Father's shop and found the head gasket had blown and two of the pistons had rings that were cracked. My Father let me borrow his truck for the trip back and over the course of the next three monthes on the weekends I learned a great deal about these marvelous cars. I pulled the engine and had it bored out and replaced all of the bearings and at same time had the transmission gearbox looked at by a reputable local garage. Finally, I was able to drive the car again and did so for three more years everyday. The carbs were extremely tired and I resleeved those one weekend, which was a major PIA. But, I learned and had a great deal of fun doing so. The body had rusted quarter panels and the valences both front and rear were banged up but it was mine. The SIU parking permit decal an the trunk lid always had me curious. Anyway, after getting married the car went into storage for almost a decade and when it came time to part I removed the engine, seats and a few other parts and sent it on its way. After several years, I never really forgot about that car and decided to get another, now I was armed with what to look for, I set out on a search for a BGT this time. The weather here in Chicagoland is unpredictable. I bought a Hemming Motor News and spent the next few weeks calling and going to see cars and they all pretty much were running pieces of junk. FINALLY I found a car in Ann Arbor Michigan and the fellow sent me a video of it and I was impressd that it had little if any rust and the interior was nice and you know the rest of the drill. I was nervous when I called the guy to talk about $$$ and I knew that my offer was a lowball, but what the heck, the worst he could do was say no. I made my offer and he hesitated about fifteen seconds and said yes, but I would have to come and take delivery promptly as there was supposedly another person interested. I said I would be there that Saturday with a cashiers check. I was elated to say the least! I took Amtrak to Ann Arbor early that Saturday and took a cab over to the sellers address. In the video, there had been a security gate setup that flashed by when the car was being shown driven and I didn't think too much about it. I figured the guy lived in a complex or private community. Well I was wrong. Those gates belonged to him! WITH his initials on them, As the cab crept up this long driveway ther were tennis courts (more than one) and a huge swimming pool on the other. I got to the door and this young professional looking man came out (he turned out to be a doctor at the hospital) and we chatted for a few minutes and then went inside to talk. an hour or so later, we walked out the back of his house and there was a six stall garage that resembled those at a NASCAR race! I was amazed, here in the middle of this gigantic space sat this tiny car. I inspected the car and was satisfied and we went back inside to take care of business. I just really wanted to get on the road as time was going by quickly and I wanted as much daylight as possible to drive in. As we were talking in the 'barn' as he called it, he inquired if I wanted to see his other toys and I enthusiastically sid yes, think he would show me the usual '55 Chevy or Ford, or possibly a Triumph or Jag'. To my absolute astonishment he waltzed over and turned back a tarp covering one of the vehicles in the corner and it was a Dino Ferarri! I almost fell over when he asked me if I would like to take it for a test drive with him! I had never even sat in one let alone drive one. After a bit I said that perhaps he had better drive for insurance reasons and so we went for a spirited ride out in the country. In the mean time, he told me he owned several of these cars including the winning car of the 1939 Grand Prix, complete with all of the paperwork and race flags and trophies! We went over to a warehouse where he had it in storage and I got to sit in that vehicle too. Man, what a thrill and imagination starter that was. It finally dawned on me why this man accepted my low offer, he needed the space and the money was unimportant to him. Finally I got the opportunity to pay him his money and get on the road. The next six and a half hours were spent bolt upright, watching the temperature and oil pressure gauges almost constantly. A couple of short stops for gas and a quick bite to eat and FINALLY I arrived home and was very happy to get home without incident. The following day, I slept in late and then gave my friend a call to come over and bring his timing light and tools with, We replaced the plugs and points and tinkered with the carbs for a bit and it seemed that the car was reasonably strong, although after a bit I noticed it was blowing an oil cloud on acceleration. I drove the car anyway for about a year and a half and then decided to take the plunge. I removed the engine and took it to a really good speed/engine shop and had the works done to it. I trailered the body over to a body shop that stripped it to bare metal and replaced the left rear dogleg and a dent/crease I had put in the drivers side front rocker. It was then sprayed with a metallic platinum and all of the rubber seals and the wiindshield was replaced. This process alone took almost two years as my friend was doing it as a side job for cash. In that period of time, the engine came back and I painted it and it then sat wrapped in plastic on the engine stand along with the rolling tub, in the garage, for almost nine years until this past spring ('07). It was then I got the ambition and interest back and started putting it all back together. As of this writting, I still have the wiring to hook up and it needs a set of tires and a battery and an interior and I will have completed the restoration of this vehicle. I've learned a lot and am still learning and it is taking like forever to finish this car but I have other more important things to consider when money is involved than this car so I am stuck 'nickle and diming' it to death. Oh well, after al of this time, whats another year going to hurt.