Getting Started

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip... to buy a 1975 MGB that's been waiting for a long time to see the road again.

My hobby is restoring cars.  I've already completed a major project (see my other blog, The Midget Restoration Chronicles).  I have an Alfa that I dabble with, but I've had The Itch for a new project ever since I finished the Midget.

The MG club I belong to (and am currently president of) was at an event a few weeks ago.  After we all lined up our beautiful British machines, this woman came up to me and mentioned she had an MGB that she was not sure what she should do to restore it.  It had been her first car, and it hadn't been on the road for a very long time.  I said I'd come over and take a look.

Here's what I saw.

 

 

The car had definitely been sitting for a while.  The last registration sticker was from 2007 and the mileage was the same as the title from 2001 (43569).  It was complete and surprisingly clean and rust-free after having been in Virginia for so long, but all the mechanicals were going to need restoration and the interior was sun-rotted aside from the seats.

As I took pictures of the car, I began to feel The Itch.  I hadn’t planned on buying this car, but I felt like it was calling me...

After some lengthy discussions and soul searching, the owner made the very difficult decision to sell the car, and my wife made the very difficult decision to let me buy it.

Now, it's at my house waiting to be gone over with a fine toothed, greasy comb.

This will be fun.