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MG MGA - Drive these cars?

There sure is a lot of discussion on this BBS on the correct screw for some do-dad or other. I have a question for you: Who among you have actually driven your car out of state this year?
David Werblow

I've been in France, Germany, Austria and Italy in mine so far this year - does that count as out of state?

Otherwise its been in all the Kantons you have to transit to get to these countries, plus a few more to do the odd mountain pass.
dominic clancy

Well "out of state" doesn't really apply to us up here in Canada, as the province I live in is bigger than any of your little states (except for Alaska), but I do drive my cars all over the place and have driven them this year for a significant distance.

They are actually great touring cars - especially the coupes like mine, and so unsophisticated that you can fix them at the side of the road with a rock and some chewing gum - compared to modern cars, that is.
Bill Spohn

This year been busy only IL, and MN, last year IL, IN, KT, TN, and the large state of Canada (Bill will give me hell for the last one). It leaves the state every year although it;s getting a break this years as I got the C on the road.
John H

Left my house in Illinois at 6:00 am last Saturday for the University Motors picnic in Michigan. (225 miles).Stayed parked on the field 4 hours drove home and was back at 6:15 pm.

Mark
M Gannon

Andrea and I did. Marv
Marvin Stuart

I drive the %#@! out of my cars.

I usually drive in at least one 24-hour endurance rally a year with my Coupe. This year I have been working on our Magnette so sadly the Couple has only left the garage for short runs around town, but I assure you it is no garage queen! The rustoleum red patches will attest to that.
Mark

Drive them out of state???
Heck, they haven't even been out of my backyard in the last 2 years.
But-
With the garage almost finished(started last July 13) I will soon be placing them in the garage and hopefully by next year one of them will be driven.
Mike
Mike Parker

Didn't quite make it out of state this year - farthest I got was Key West a mere 926 miles. I really wanted to drive out to Calif and British Colombia this summer but didnt make it.

But I have, in the past, driven it from New Jersey to Minnesota, New Jersey to Oregon, NJ to Florida etc etc etc. Next long trip will be next summer to the Pittsburg area for the MGA GT and Philadelphia (Valley Forge) for the B convention.

Rick
Rick Brown

David,
Didn't see you and your car at GT32. Jose Tapia from New Jersey drove a mere 6826 miles to get to Whistler, and this was just a stopping off point as he was on his way to Alaska.
My 56 MGA has been from Vancouver, BC, to Tahoe twice, Indianapolis for MG96, and Minneapolis for MG2001. This year it just drove to Whisler (2 hours), to Lillooet (another 2 hours), and back again during GT32. It did, however, go over 4000 feet in altitude, and that must count for at least another 1000 miles.
When you have the correct screw for the do-dad, you can go a long way.
Peter.
P. Tilbury

Hell, I'm happy to just to be able to drive around the block, let alone out of the state. But considering where my car was when I got it in late December '06, I'm pretty happy with where I am.

Here's a link if anyone's curious.

http://www.alamomg.org/darian.html
Darian Henderson

I am doing a restoration--but have put well over 100,000 miles on various MGs over the years. When it is finished, I will drive it--or maybe just shine it. Or maybe I will sell it. Or maybe I will trailer it to shows. Or maybe I will give it to a Museum or my Grandson.
Oh and David, would you know the colors of the wire loom cover for a late 57 A?
James Johanski

Have you been to California? I can drive 600 miles and cross no state lines. That said, yes I have driven "an" MG through four states this year, but it took a 2,300 mile loop to achieve that!

BTW, that was in a 1949 MG TC. I have not yet taken the MGA out of California, but it has driven several hundred miles at a time within the state.
Steve Simmons

Chuckle. In the last week I just did 6 US states (2 of them twice) and one Canadian province, 2015 miles in 6 days, just to pick up an award in eastern Pennsylvania. I also did 13,000 miles in 6 weeks in 1989 covering 38 states and parts of Canada and Mexico en-route from Naperville IL to Indianapolis IN. Oh, and that little trip to Alaska in 1997 was 19,000 miles in 8 weeks. You know you're on a long road trip when you stop to repack the wheel bearings, get a haircut, and do four oil changes at 4000 mile intervals. By now my MGA has 362,000 miles on the clock, and the little trailer it tows has 100,000 miles to boot.



Barney Gaylord

My dad drove it for 30 years, and for about 2/3 of that time it was primary transportation. I have also put my share of miles on it. When the restoration is finished, I will drive it some more. It may take me a while to get around to driving it to another state, since I would have to drive through a foreign country to get there.
Del Rawlins

Ralph tells me that Bill's car would be faster if it wasn't full of rocks and chewing gum.

Cheers,
Rich ;-)
Rich McKIe

Well, David, out where you live on the Eastern Coastboard, your states are about the size of our counties here in the Great Northwest, so some sense of scale is in order. I drove my MGA to the Vancouver BC All British Field Meet a couple years back, and that was an all day drive in pouring down rain both ways (although the weather miraculously cleared for the event itself). BC borders Washington.
David Breneman

David,

Sadly, I haven't driven my '62 1600 MkII roadster out of state this year. But I have driven it every year since 1969 (the year before I got my driver's license), and from 1969 to 1980 I drove it nearly every day. During the first four years of being married it was our only car, and so we needed to remove the rag top and fit a hardtop to have enough room for grocery shopping. (Not a big loss, as the rag top had accumulated many large holes caused by snow removal over the years.) While in college, my future wife became an expert at keeping the fuel pump working by recognizing the absence of the electromagnet's tick and wacking the pump body with the handle of a screw driver while we were driving down the Merritt and Garden State Parkways to visit our parents. My wife and all of my children have driven the "A" around, and the only thing that will keep my grandkids from driving it is if there is no more gasoline to be had.

This summer I tore down and rebuilt the front end on the MGA for its over due 40 year maintenence, sold my '99 Miata, which I had put 50,000 miles on, and completed the 2000 mile rev-restrained breakin period of my '07 Boxster S - top down of course. The summer before last my son and I rebuilt an mga twin cam gearbox as a learning experience (I rebuilt my first one of necessity in 1970, and again with my wife's help, in 1977), and got his MGB to the point were he can drive it around (albeit in state ;-).

Over the years I've put 120,000 miles on a 1980 Honda Accord, 185,000 miles on an '89 Accord, and 120,000 miles on a 2000 Accord, personally maintained a family fleet of seven cars at a time, traveled around the world, and enjoyed time with my family at historic and contemporary sports car races at Daytona, Elkhart Lake, Laguna Seca, Lime Rock, Sebring, and Watkins Glen. All of the very many miles have been, and continue to be, funded by working a regular job and otherwise leading a normal life. So, if I don't choose to drive my MGA coast to coast on a regular basis, I feel neither deprived, unfulfilled,negligent, or apoligetic.

Well, David, I guess that begs the question of what you've done with your summer vacation, or in your retirement? However, unless it's more than risking life and limb driving many tens of thousands of miles in an aging, crumble-zone and airbag free, two-seat sports car for the shear fun of it, it seems you're goading, mocking, or bragging to the wrong crowd.

Steve
Steve K

Hi longest trip this year 56 miles (each way) but then it's all relative to the size of the bit of rock you live on 56 miles in the UK is probably the equivilent of 560 miles in the USA that's my excuse anyway


gordon
g c pugh

' Just drove our B through 17 states and one province, 7319 miles, for NAMGBR MG2007 and NAMGAR GT32. Last year, we only drove Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina. Back in 2003, we drove our Magnette coast-to-coast and then I drove my B from Virginia to Texas and return.

The more you drive 'em, the better you know 'em, and the more reliable and predictable they become. You start by using them daily. The only caveat is FIRST you make sure that the car is in top shape in all regards. That's not difficult, but it does take some persistance and common sense. For example, you don't head off on a multi-state trip with cracked heater, radiator, brake, and fuel hoses!

If these cars weren't great drivers we wouldn't be collecting 'em 30-60 years after they were built. So drive 'em!

FWIW,
Allen
Allen Bachelder

April 17 2006 was the first time I took my car out of my garage under it's own power. This was after spending THIRTY FOUR YEARS (34) rebuilding it. Well let me tell you, there is not a minute in the day of free time that I am not going somewhere in my MGA. Heck I even look for excuses to run errands. Like Bill says it's a litle hard here in Canada to cross a province but I am only 40 minutes from the USA border and was in New York and Vermont just last month.

Drive Drive Drive let me Drive.

Gordon
Gordon Harrison

Well done, Dave, you sure got the horn tooters tootin'. Marvin
Marvin Stuart

We drove to Gt-32 in Whistler, across the province to Grand Forks BC, Up through the Okanagen to Jasper, Down to Lake Loise and Banff, to Drumheller, Alberta and home. We just got back this past Saturday after 6,087 miles over a 4 week span. It was a trip of a lifetime and thankfully worked out with only a few minor problems that we were able to deal with with no outside help. Funny thing on Monday when I drove one of the regular cars to work I was MGA conditioned. I kept reaching for a starter knob, reached up to the left dashboard for the turn signals, and knocked my hand against the drivers window as I went to reach to open the door from the inside!

Ralph
Ralph

I think the best thing about this forum is that there is a good mix of advice on fixing the cars so that they can be kept running. Equally, there is depth of knowledge on originality, so important to many people who want to keep their cars as they were 50 years ago. The great thing is that we care for these cars and maintain the breed.

Does it really matter how many State boundaries or English Counties are crossed? I wonder what Dave was driving at with his question? Perhaps he would like to explain.

Steve
Steve Gyles

With 2 MGAs I struggle with which one to drive. Currently here in Santa Barbara it is actually unhealthy to drive right now. There is a huge forest fire that is dropping a fine ash all over town. Yesterday I took the 57 out and was in a cloud of ash most of the way. Not very good on the eyes and lungs. I know, complain complain.
David Holmes

Steve, I agree with you one hundred percent. Well said. And having known and traveled with Dave for many years, Im sure his question was not meant to be challenging in any way. Marvin
Marvin Stuart

I have been out of the country 3 times this year, although when 100 miles in any direction means you are in another country that is not difficult!!
On the other hand I have had the car out of the garage on most days as it is my daily driver unless it is icy.

Neil
Neil Purves

My apologies for being so provincial in my initial post; I guess I should have used 500 miles / 800 kilometers (the service interval on the front suspension) rather that “out of state.”
If someone wishes to restore a car to museum quality, that’s fine. You own the car and you surely can do anything with it you choose. I may be preaching to the choir here, but please drive it. I just love seeing another MG on the road, but it’s a very rare sighting. These cars are a blast to drive, the more you drive it, the more secure you’ll feel in it, and the more fun we’ll both have.
David Werblow

David

I agree with your sentiments in your last paragraph. You see plenty of MGs, particularly Bs and midgets, on the road over here, but I guess that's not all that surprising since they were made here. MGAs are fairly regularly seen also, but the majority of course were exported. However, we have grabbed quite a few of then back in recent years!

For my part, I love the history and detail of the car and am getting up to speed now with the mechanical issues; that is why I am a regular contributor to this forum. Through discussions on this forum my car has been considerably modified in recent years. Yes, I spend quite a bit of time glancing at this forum when on the PC but it does not stop me driving the car also. Like some others above my MGA is a daily driver, covering about 4000 miles a year.

The one time I was glad I had left it in the garage was last Sunday. I had contemplated taking it down to Birmingham on business for the weekend (120 miles) but took the Beemer instead. What happened on the journey is attached - 30-40mph impact from the rear when just about stationary. Still got a splitting headache 5 days later. Had I been in the MGA I hate to think what my injuries may have been. Looking at the photo, it's amasing how the modern car is designed to absorb the impact. The entire car boot (trunk) floor has just disappeared. It's a straight through view to the ground.

All the best

Steve


Steve Gyles

I love to drive my 1960 Coupe. I've driven it to every show I can and plan to drive it and show it in the concours Sept. 16 in Stowe(240 non-highway miles away). I've put about 4000 miles in about a 2 1/2 summers since restoring it. You may have seen my questions about concours details, well, I built the car to DRIVE, however, I enjoy working on it as much as drive it and find it very relaxing. My preference is to keep it as original as I can, the results, a well kept original concours driver, the best of both worlds.
I would also love to see more on the road. Anyone planing to take the non-highway route to Stowe from or coming thru Conn.?

Ken
Ken Caya

Steve:

"I agree with your sentiments in your last paragraph. You see plenty of MGs, particularly Bs and Midgets, on the road over here, but I guess that's not all that surprising since they were made here. MGAs are fairly regularly seen also, but the majority of course were exported. However, we have grabbed quite a few of then back in recent years!"

Interesting that you say that. Almost no one I know that's my age (I'm 34) has even heard of these cars...
Darian Henderson

This thread was discussed between 15/08/2007 and 22/08/2007

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