Posted by Lola Jackson (lolaltd@…>)
I loved reading this…Lola— On Thu, 9/18/08, sgaber@… <sgaber@…> wrote:From: sgaber@… <sgaber@…>Subject: RE: [FreedomOwnersGroup] Re: Fuel GaugeTo: FreedomOwnersGroup@yahoogroups.comCc: “Scott Forgey” <jsforgey@…>Date: Thursday, September 18, 2008, 2:25 AM
I believe the original Miata was an attempt at replicating the MG Midget and the bug-eyed Austin Healy Sprite, not the MGB, which was bigger, faster and more expensive. The newer Miatas are more MBG-like.
Having owned a number of British cars (MGB, Austin America, Jaguar XK-140 Fixed-Head Coupe) and drove and maintained others (MGAs. TR-3s, TR4s, a Morris Minor), I can say you got a better-engineered and more driveable car in the Miata, but without nearly as much excitement or snob appeal.
All the British cars I owned were transparent to rain and cold air, leaked oil, were hard to start in the cold, and were, in a word, maintenance nightmares. Ever try to adjust or add oil to the dash pots of a vintage British carburetor? Or add water to a battery of a Jaguar XK-140? (There were two 6-volt batteries hidden inside the fender wells, dimly visible but not reachable through access panels.) While my 1959, 1961 Alfas and 1958 Mercedes had synchromesh in all forward gears, the 1957 XK 140 had none at all. The MGB didn’t get synchro until decades later. I went through three MGB exhaust systems and two radiators in less than 2 years.
The brakes on the XK140 were skinny little drum brakes that were inadequate at anything over 60 mph. If I wanted to stop or even slow down at speed, I had to plan well in advance in order to avoid disaster. To stop from 80 mph, required breaking and downshifting, double-clutching all at the same time. Driving in the rain was especially challenging because the car had lots of power, a solid rear axle and the tires were 600x16" truck tires.
That car was treacherous and required a degree of skill and concentration from its driver that no modern car requires. It refused to start if it had rained in the past few days or if the temperature was below 40 degrees. The radiator was a tiny little thing while the engine was huge. The result was it overheated when the outside temperature was over 80 degrees.
But I loved it. Well, let’s say I had a love-hate relationship with it. There was a plaque on the walnut dashboard that read, “This car is an exact replica of the XK-140 that broke the speed record of 159.56 mph at Le Mans.”"
The exhaust note was like a choir organ. I would drive under bridges and downshift just to hear it. I loved coming around a corner past some smart-assed kid in his Fiat, I’d brake, heel-toe downshift, and roar past, leaving him in awe. Despite the shaky truck tires, I drove it 140 mph on the Atlantic City Expressway until it got so hot it melted the bottoms of my Top-Siders.
This car had an air of impending danger about that women (in 1967-68) found irresistible. Girls would stop me in the streets of downtown Philadelphia to ask for rides. Really. My sex life took a dramatic turn for the better while I had it.
Wish I had that car now. But I was a starving Penn student at the time. It needed a few thousand dollars worth of work. Plus, unbeknownst to me, the friend I bought it from had used it as collateral on a loan that he defaulted on. If I’d had $200 in cash, I could have prevented the finance company from towing it away (they couldn’t get it started).
Today, that XK-140 is worth about $160,000.
Also wish I had any of my three Alfa Romeo 2000 Spyders, my all-time favorites, which were not as fast, but more fun to drive and usually started. Marelli electrics were marginally better than Lucas ones.
Winter must be coming around in some areas. On the Columbia list, we know when winter sets in because the conversation drifts from sailing and boats into old cars, airplanes and home-brewed beer.
Steve Gaber
Sanderling, 1967 C-31 #77
Oldsmar, FL
---- Scott Forgey <jsforgey@aol. com> wrote:
Lucky you!
Mine was a 1967 with knock-off wire wheels. My first car.
The old joke was “Why do the Brits drink warm beer?”
Lucas refrigerators!
I bought my son a Japanese MGB…nearly perfect copy.
A Mazda Miata.
Scott Forgey
21362 Summertrace Circle
Boca Raton, FL 33428
561.445.5179
skype: sforgey1
“Nothing is ever wrong in the universe, there is only what’s missing!”
W. Erhard
From: FreedomOwnersGroup@ yahoogroups. com
[mailto:FreedomOwnersGroup@ yahoogroups. com] On Behalf Of Lola Jackson
Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2008 10:48 AM
To: FreedomOwnersGroup@ yahoogroups. com
Subject: RE: [FreedomOwnersGroup ] Re: Fuel GaugeOh my 1979 MGB is perfect…the secret is to have a battery turn off switch
installed… mine purrs…even the clock works…mine is white and I bought
the white hard top for it for mild winters…I get notes posted on my
windsheild all the time. It does get my legs a little sprinkle when in
Rain…bout the only little flaw.Lola M79.
— On Wed, 9/17/08, Scott Forgey <jsforgey@aol. com> wrote:
From: Scott Forgey <jsforgey@aol. com>
Subject: RE: [FreedomOwnersGroup ] Re: Fuel Gauge
To: FreedomOwnersGroup@ yahoogroups. com
Date: Wednesday, September 17, 2008, 10:21 AMI had an MGB as well.
The gas gauge, like all things Lucas, never worked.
We used to call Lucas “The Prince of Darkness”
Scott Forgey
s/v Girlfriend F-32
21362 Summertrace Circle
Boca Raton, FL 33428
561.445.5179
skype: sforgey1
“Nothing is ever wrong in the universe, there is only what’s missing!”
W. Erhard
From: FreedomOwnersGroup@ yahoogroups. com [mailto:FreedomOwne
rsGroup@yahoogro ups.com] On Behalf Of Lola Jackson
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2008 5:42 PM
To: FreedomOwnersGroup@ yahoogroups. com
Subject: Re: [FreedomOwnersGroup ] Re: Fuel GaugeThanks Fargo…my fuel gauge on my MGB registers the same…best I always
top it off before leaving the marina and carry extra…How many 5 gal
yellow cans should I carry, and how long can it be stored in or out of the
sun?By the way…love your name, Ive been meaning on telling you that.
Lola
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