Just got off the phone with CB (formerly of British Sports & Spares) and he does indeed still have my engine and OD transmission. Yay! I'm coordinating with a friend in Seattle to pick them up next week sometime. He's also my engine rebuilder so I can get him started on that, if I can convince him to work on something as asthmatic as a B-series engine (he mostly builds engines for rally and motorsport).

Now to find an early roller tub, probably better and more likely than finding my original bodyshell at this point, and we're really in business.

Even with a different body shell, so many of the parts would be the same that I would still consider it the same car. I guess this is a philosophical point that all major restorations deal with - if you replace all the timbers in a tall ship is it the same ship? Not to mention, all the trim that would be replaced anyway.

Well it would have the same VIN tag at least!

I got the email about Gary's Run and I got inspired to make another "push" in trying to track down the shysters that have bits and pieces of my MGB. So far, not so good.

I just tried calling "British Sports & Spares" in Tacoma, WA and the number has been disconnected. I know "CB" had some health issues but I have no idea what's going on and now of course I'm back in Vancouver. He has my engine and my OD trans.

The body tub, front crossmember, rear axle and a big box of other parts is with Joe Aros, formerly of VIP Auto Restoration and/or Buffalo Restorations in Puyallup. He no longer works for Buffalo and none of my contact information seems to work anymore. Last I heard he had moved somewhere near the 512 in Parkland (near Tacoma).

If anyone has any leads please let me know. I should probably just let it go - the body tub is in terrible shape and I'm sure tons of parts will be missing by now. It's likely a lost cause and I should just start again with a rust-free driver.

However it was the first car I ever bought and sentimentality is never rational!

Skye

Just testing - please ignore.

Spent the last few days tweaking the code to be truly car-site independant, and put it to the test by launching the first new site with the same code-base as The MGB Experience. The AutoShrine Network now has two sites!!

Check it out:

www.nwcorrado.com

I've been backpacking around New Zealand for the last 8 months, and when the weather's been bad or we've been stuck somewhere for a few days, I take out the laptop and bang away on various projects. A few hundred hours of work later and voila, the new MGB Experience website! Hope you like it.

A full description of all the new features is available from the "What's New" page on the front of the site.

If you'd like to see some photos from our trip, have a look at Skye's NZ05 Gallery

Enjoy!!!

Now its Feb 9 and as far as I know, no progress. I say as far as I know, becuase no calls from the bodywork guy and he has his answering machine turned off. Considering he's had the car since June 1, 2002 (20 months) and its still not even close to painted, I think this is getting a bit ridiculous. I've changed the front page picture back to a picture I took on a nice summer drive shortly after I got the car, to lift my spirits! <br><br> Update: Went down to the shop last night and had an amicable chat with the bodyman. He needs to resolve some issues (possibly losing his lease on his shop) this Saturday, so either I get a signed contract listing deliverables and dates by Monday, or I will put the suspension back on the car and tow it away next week. I'm reasonably certain I could finish the work myself in a month or two, if it comes to that. <br><br> Update 2: Have a signed contract now, and the B is back in the rotisserie as of yesterday. Will the bodywork be done by May 1st as promised? Guess we'll see! <br><br> Update 3: Not done yet. What a suprise.