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MG MGA - here's a thought

Hi all , had an interesting thought, my wife lets me have one per year, thought that is, my first frogeye was only 12 years old when I bought and it was quite rusty etc, my first A was 14 years old and hanging yet my wife's MX5 is now 16 years old and is like new, no rot or anything only done about 40K miles just shows how cars have improved over the years


gordon
g c pugh

Gordon

They did not want cars to last in the 50s. They just wanted to build and export to repay the war debt to the USA. Even in the 70s, I remember picking up my first new car from Fiat HQ. I commented to the salesman that it should last me a few years, to which he responded: "I hope not, we want you back here this time next year."

I guess competition has forced the change in quality of production methods and materials. You only need to see the cars on this forum to see that MGAs with the right materials can last just the same as your MX5. Mine has quite a tough life at 12 years old but is better than many modern tubs of that age.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Rusting cars were not limited to just the UK. The 50's were only a decade after WWII. During that period it was more important to get things built and shipped rather than to make thinks last. Unfortunately, this attitude continued thru the 60's. 70's and the 80's. Of course during these years, tune-ups and tires lasted about 10-20k miles and engines regularly needed rebuilding in less than 100,00 miles. Tuneups in less than 10k miles were common. I bought a new '73 Ford that rusted out in less than 5 years in spite of an aftermarket rust preventative being added. I had a '71 Chevy that lasted only a couple of years before it rusted out.

Rust prevention has come a long way since then, even when using thinner and thinner steel. So has tire technology and engine reliability. I'm glad, I can't afford a new car every few years. My one DD is 10 years old and the other is 7 years old. I now get PO'd if I have to spend $500 (2-3% of their replacement cost)for repairs. Times have changed.

My MGA was in terrible shape when I got her after only being on the road for about 15 years and off the road for another 7 or so.
C Schaefer

back in the late 80s I ran a black sunbeam lotus for me and a black fiat panda for my wife (a very cheap and fully rustproofed car with a 6 year anti corrosion warranty).
(the mga was in the garage then needing total rebuild)

Having become tired of being pulled by the police in the sunbeam i began to go to work in the panda over the winters. It was quite fun to drive in a way, suprisingly quick and unlike the sunbeam lotus, virtually invisible to "those in authority".
For a couple of summers i rode an old honda motorcycle to work leaving the panda unused for a few months. After the third summer i put the bike away and as usual,decided to check the battery, oil and water in the fiat. When i tried to lift the bonnet it seemed that the hinges had seized up. So i gave the bonnet a hefty two handed heave and it opened with a very loud metallic creak. When i looked over the bonnet i was horrified to find that the front windscreen pillars had snapped in half and the scuttle had folded down and the car was completely open below the windscreen! I have written cars off before but never whilst parked on the drive and never whilst i have standing outside the car!
The fiat was only 4 years old and had rusted completely through in spite of the so called anti perforation warranty.
Yes, cars have got better since then
colyn
.
c firth

You are right Gordon. You may have heard the story (true I think) of the day the Thames burst its banks and flooded the Abingdon MG factory one weekend back in 1971 I believe. The MGB production line was 2ft under water. When the water susbsided a day or so later the line carried on as though nothing had happened. I wonder who bought one of those MGBs and wondered why the floor and sills fell off after a couple of years.
Cam Cunningham

This thread was discussed between 08/04/2009 and 09/04/2009

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