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MG MGA - Longest Rebuild Project

Mark Gannon's anniversary thread got me thinking about the cars that have been off the road for a long time.
I wonder how many other long term projects are out there. I don't mean abandoned cars or my next project cars but projects that were started with good intentions and never reassembled.
I will start with the three I have starting with the "youngest"
In 1993 I gave a running 58 MGA coupe to my 14 year old son as a father son project. We got the body off and the rust repair done. The frame is done with rebuilt engine trans and running gear complete. the body sits stripped and bare waiting for body work. Last time driven was 12y6m. My son is now 26 and I threaten to give it to my youngest a 6 year old, maybe we can have it ready for his 16th birthday.
I also own a basket-case 1960 roadster that I bought in 1990, the PO took apart in 1986. I have done nothing but move it and all the boxes 3 times. A 19y 6m project.
The winner on my list is the 1962 MK11 roadster that the PO bought Sept. 18 1970 never titled the car and took it apart to do a frame off then let it sit in a dome in his backyard until he sold it to me Sept 12 1991. I have this one almost done it is awaiting final paint and assembly. I will drive it this spring. A 25 year 6 month project.
P.S. I am not as big a slacker as this post appears as I have a 58 to drive and have fixed and sold a 58 coupe, a 57 roadster and a 60 roadster in the mean time.
Randy
R J Brown

Hi Randy. I rebuilt my MGA 1500 back in 1980, when I was young and foolish. Now I am old and foolish! Anyway, as a young(er) MG fanatic, I had the entire car stripped to the frame, and "semi properly" rebuilt in just under 14 months. I was REALLY motivated. Enthusiasm for the MGA model, the impatience of youth, an antidepressant project of sorts, and a dying Volvo vehicle, drove me to complete my MG in what might be record time? Perhaps strong motivation makes the difference between short and long completion times, along with factors like money, job, space, time, family, girlfriend, and other potentially "retarding" factors? Cheers! GLenn
Glenn

Randy,
I have a 1960 coupe that I purchased two years ago October. I purchased a lot of parts for it, and am awaiting the completion of a garage to work in. (I also have to start it, but completion is what I am waiting for)
While purchasing parts, I ran across 3 other MGAs, 1957 coupe, 1957 roadster and a 1958 coupe. The PO had started restoration on one the 58 coupe in 1973, both other cars he had purchased in 1972 or 1973. None have been touched since then, and last year I got the engine running on the 58 coupe. Being in the best condition, I believe that I will be getting that one running so that I will have a daily driver, and then I will work on the roadster first. I look at a conservative 10 years from now for the roadster. I hope it is sooner, but you never know.
mike parker

Bought my coupe in 1972. Drove it daily till 1981, when I took it off the road. Last month was the first time I've driven it since then.....24 years. A slacker? Nah....just couldn't find that round tuit.

GTF
G T Foster

You guys are such an encouragement to me. I bought a 57 basket case in 1992 (it was all there... right) and as one of those "hobbyists", only work on this $114,000.00 car when I have time and desire (money helps). My best guess is that it was last on the road in 1977 when the PO broke a lifter. PO took it all apart and I mean all, right down to the gauges which he also took apart. It is now so close to being on the road that I only lack time, organization (have to clean the garage) and money. (Really, honey this is the last $1000.00 needed to finish the car)If I can count from the PO's initial tear down, this is a 28 year project which might be finished for its 30th year of exile off the streets. When I bought the car 13 years ago I promised my wife I'd sell it when completed and renovate the kitchen. She has since given up on that, took out an eqity loan and finished her kitchen. My daughter has turned 14 and is looking at that 57 as her first car. I look at it as satisfying hobby that when finished will leave a void that my wife is afraid I will try to fill. What will it be? Vintage pickup truck? Miata? MGA Coupe? mgtf (I know of one that has been torn apart since 1975 but the owner still won't part with it) What's your vote?
David Holmes

My math is bad the Mk11 will be apart from sept 1970 untill spring 2006 35years 6 months. My 57 roadster frame off was done properly in less than 1 year, at the time I didn't have a MGA to drive. Once that one was done each succsesive one took twice as long.
R J Brown

I can't imagine someone taking apart what was then an 8 year old car to do a frame-off restoration. Then not putting it back together! It doesn't make any sense to me. I guess that's why we often add the 'D' infront of 'PO' <g>.
Andy Bounsall

Andy,
My fist A was a '56 purchased used in '64. It was beat....faded paint, rusty rockers, etc, they just didn't seem to hold up well. In those days a 10 year old car was OLD! And, more time then not, junk. Modern cars have spoiled our prespective!

GTF
G T Foster

I feel like an olympic sprinter in this company. Mine took 3 months from "start of work" to finish. I spent nine months after buyingthe car collecting parts, and then sent it to have all welding and body done (2 months) then 1 month between jobs spent putting it together. Active time was in total 11 weeks.
dominic clancy

my 4 year project is on year 6 and still in primer.
havent touched it hardly any this year.(have 2.5 year old..crazy about trains..)(trains??)c.c.
c callaway

Then you don't win the contest, Dominic. You do get the prize, though.
Tom

I really don't know why the dpo took it apart. But I am thankfull that he did. Kept it stored safely in a dome in his back yard for 20+ years. Has absolutely no rust at all easiest rebuild I've had. He is a customer of mine and when he saw my freshly restored 57 he had to show me his project. While at his house I mentioned ,within earshot of his wife, that if he ever wanted to sell I'd love to finish it. About 5 years later he called and offered it to me. Snapped it up in a heartbeat and then stored it for another 10+ years.
R J Brown

Non - "A"; but I took 17 years to do a frame-up on a '71 midget. Mostly based on money, but of course also time and ambition. It took about 2 years of work time once I started working in earnest . . . not including the 7 times I moved and hauled the car in boxes. Still, the completion was so positive that I want to do it again! (but more quickly).
Phil Jones

I started my MGA experience about 1984. A neighbor across the street who had done two cars advised me that I had to do a frame off restoration. So I did the easy part. I broke the car down to a million pieces.

My son was born, etc etc. I drug the parts to a larger house, then again to a larger house where I got my dream of a three car garage. Then divorce (#2).

Again I drug the parts around. A new relationship, another house. Then one day she announced that the 'parts had to go'. For sure, the parts looked worse than ever and the project more hopeless.

So I said, "fine". I gave the lot away to someone who I thought would rebuild the car. I gave this more thought and realized that if I had kept the car in one piece, it wouldn't have looked or seemed so hopeless.

"Fine", found another project on ebay (about 2001). Bought another frame, then another shell. Put it all togther and it looked like it might happen.

Another divorce, and now I'm free to do as I please. Finally last year I got it running. This year I painted it.

Took a while. But I love my little MGA.

Now I tell people "I don't drink, I don't smoke, and I don't date" . So I'm allowed one extravagance.

Mike
Mike Trainor

Mike,

Sounds like you gave up dating a little too late - LOL!

cheers.
Joe Cook

Do you mean you can actually finish these things?
Really actually finish?

Dan H.
Dan Hanson

Yes Dan I have finished 4 and #5 will run this spring.
R J Brown

Hmm,, i will let ya know when i'm done...


mark
Mark Youden

I bought my MGA in 1986. It was barely drivable. I rebuilt the brakes to make it reasonably safe, but the main engine bearings were so shot I never drove it more than 3 or 4 miles at a time due to the constant clattering. One night I had to drive it home from a local tavern holding a flashlight above my head to illuminate the road because of a loose wire. I'm sure Officer Friendly would have loved to make me a Better Citizen for that stunt on several counts if he had come upon me. Finally, in 1991, the batteries died and it sat under a tarp until 2002, when after numerous personal crises that always backburnered it, I at last had the wherewithall to get it restored. There were several years in there when I would have given it to a good home. I felt like a terrible steward of this great car. But the long long wait and expense were worth it!

http://zippo.homelinux.org/mg/
David Breneman

This thread was discussed between 23/11/2005 and 08/12/2005

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