MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGA - The Future of Classic Cars?

Can't help but ponder what the future for our classics will be. Went to a MGCC T type seminar last weekend. I guess the average age was 55-60 for about 90% of the particpants.
On the TV tonight it said that in 20 years time all cars will be powered by electric. Will petrol still be available and at what price.
Soon the standard car electrical systems will be based on 48v. Will 12v batteries and accessories still be available.
Soon EU legislation will outlaw all paints with high VOC's. Air drying paints need a flow of air to dry. Tyres will need to be replaced every 5 years, irrespective of wear. Then we get onto road charging, and all the electrical devices that will need to be fitted to inform everyone of where we are, what speed we are doing etc etc.
Will our cars become worthless historical pieces of scrap metal. I certainly see poorly preserved cars of low interest, of which there are many, forced off the road.
I find all this very sobering.
Henry

They were saying the same thing twenty years ago!
We should all be flying around in glass bubble jets by now, according to even earlier predictions.

The world exists on the rules of supply and demand. Only when there is insufficient demand will there be no supply.

Take a look at the vintage car business. These cars were produced without most modern considerations. The demand for spares varies considerably, hence some parts are readily available, others not. Everything can be manufactured for a price, sometimes that's far more than anyone will pay. So such parts are not available now, but in future as manufacturing technology reduces low volume production costs, maybe.

Another good example is leaded fuel. "Banned" by EU legislastion, but still readily available (albeit through limited outlets).

Our cars are too attractive and too much fun to the general populous to be discarded.

Regarding the age profile of the fans of the older cars, that's pretty natural not really a concern. Consider the fact that these cars need space, funds and patience to maintain and drive, they are not something for young people with families. But once the kids have all moved out...

Well, it doesn't worry me sober ;-)

Neil
Neil McGurk

Look on the bright side, if all the new cars are electric in 20 years the demand for gas could be substantialy reduced causing prices to fall.
John H

I believe there is a future for our cars (donītīhave an MGA, but an MGB and a midget), but we will have to adapt. The need to stop global warming will overrule traditional laws of supply and demand. I think we can - and really should - forget about petrol in a few years time. But it is certainly possible to convert our engines to run on ethanol.

I started a thread about this on the MGB technical site some weeks ago, and it ran for a long time with lots of useful information. You find it in the archives under "Ethanol Conversion".

I am less worried about the technical and parts aspects. As long as there is a decent number of MGs on the road, solutions will be found.

Tore


Tore

There was also a thread about the new MG to be built in Ardmore, Oklahoma. I suggested that the new car be a blend of the classic MG style and modern engine technology. I wouldn't be surprised at some point to see an electric engine conversion that could be adapted to our classic cars letting us still drive them and help the environment at the same time. At least it's better than a "Mad Max" or "Road Warrior" scenario. Well, maybe it's not, I really did enjoy the cars in that film.
Rick Penland

Rick,

I read recently that the company that bought MG is going to start reproducing the mgtf and that they were working with an Oklahoma company that was going to create removeable hardtops for the new TF's.

The new owners of MG are also going to produce a sedan model. With labor so cheap in China, it seems odd that they would build them in Oklahoma. I will be interested in hearing what is happening with the new MG's as time sorts out the rumors from the facts.

Randy Myers
'59 roadster, coupe
Randy

Saudi Arabia produces 25% of the world's crude and it's reserves are said to last another 50 years. It also has the 4th largest gas reserves in the world and has not started to pump it yet.

I guess there will be fuel for our old cars to see most of us through our time on earth.

Steve
Steve Gyles

I figure that in another 15-20 years the boomers will be dropping at a significant enough rate, that there will be some deals to be had on antique cars. I figure, if my generation is going to get shafted on social (in)security, then at least I should be able to get a nice ride from some guy's estate sale.

On the downside, parts might get to be more of a problem with less of a market to fund reproductions.
Del Rawlins

Randy,

Labour cost is not so important, as it takes (should take) less than 20 hours to assemble a car these days.

The new plant in Nanjing will also be utilised, but mainly to satisfy the domestic market. The new owner is well aware that "made in China" does not sell cars abroad, and will not for some time to come.

Neil
Neil McGurk

Tore -
I don't intend to get involved with the global warming debate here or what the best way to deal with it is or isn't. That said, and though I'm not sure that ethanol is the answer, I would think that converting our antiques to run on ethanol wouldn't be too big a deal. The US auto manufacturers have started selling cars here that will run on "E-85" (which I believe is 85% ethanol)even though it isn't now commonly available. As far as I know they haven't been mandated to do so and the engines are essentially the same as they were 5 years ago when nobody gave ethanol any serious thought. But doesn't ethanol still put out CO2 and water vapor and aren't they considered to be principal warming culprits? I dont know where ethanol falls on that score. I have read that it contains only about 2/3 of the energy of gasoline, meaning mileage will suffer, and accordingly consumption will have to increase by the difference. So it follows that ethanol would have to put out only 2/3 of the CO2 and water vapor emissions as gasoline to break even; does it?. I'll acknowledge that it doesn't produce some of the toxins that burning gasoline does so that's a good thing. I'm not necessarily opposed to ethanol as a fuel, I just don't see it as a magic bullit. I do see it raising the cost of my breakfast cereal, however.

MMD

PS - With the warming, have you found your beach season getting longer? No noticable difference here.
Marvin Deupree

I have been told that our old cars put out on average the same amount of pollutants as 400 modern cars, and actually pollute more than a modern car while just sitting due to fuel vapour loss.
If they could be converted to run on ethanol blend fuels that would be a big plus.

Rich

BTW: Apparently a gas lawn mower pollutes as much as 1500 modern cars and there are a lot more of them than vintage cars, never mind the weedeaters, chainsaws etc.!
Rich McKIe

Marvin,

I am not an expert on this, but the big difference between ethanol and petrol/gas is that when we pump up and burn fossil fuel, we introduce new (or rather old) carbon to the atmosphere, causing a net increase in the CO2 content. When we burn etanol, the CO2 emitted is already in circulation on the planet.

That said, there is a lot of problems associated with ethanol. The first generation ethanol that we are using now is made from food like corn, soya and sugar. Obviously not a good concept in a hungry world. Second generation etanol will be made from waste, cellulose etc.

Then we have to use energy to make ethanol from our raw materials. Hopefully, that energy is not produced from burning oil or coal...

In 30 or 40 years we will possibly have the technology to use hydrogen, but that will be really difficult in our old engines. Anyway, being 59 now, I will probably not be around then to enjoy it. :-(

And yes, the beach season is getting longer. But the big difference is that we are now having very warm winters compared to what I grew up with. I believe the effects of global warming is more noticeable the farther north or south you get.

Rich,

You are probably right about how much our cars and lawnmowers pollute, but that pollution is not containing lots of CO2, so it will not hurt our climate much.

Tore
Tore

I find it rather difficult to believe that our LBC cars which we drive probably an average of 7000 miles a year pollute as much as 400 modern cars traveling an average of 15000 miles each. It could be but I doubt it!

John
John Progess

It may be comparitive per mile.
The fellow I heard quote those numbers did not elaborate but he was with the Government so he must be right. :-)

Cheers,
Rich
Rich McKIe

Surely the big problem with ethanol is that it will never take over a significant market share from petrol because of the resources, particularly agricultural land, required to produce it in anything other than nominal amounts in comparison with petrol production?

C Currah

That will be less of a problem with second generation ethanol. It is made from plantfibres in straw, switchgrass, cornhusks or other agricultural byproducts or waste. It is potentially cheaper than conventional fuels, emits less CO2, is not a threat to food supply and is widely available.

The reduction in CO2 emissions from this cellulosic ethanol is about 50% better than first generation. This is both because of the production process and because there are less emissions from feedstock and fertilizer production, from land use and cultivation, and from emissions of greenhouse gasses from vehicles used in the production.

Tore
Tore

And you have to burn more of it for the same power, so your range is decreased, plus it burns with an invisible flame, which is dangerous in the event of a crash. No thanks.
Del Rawlins

Next year you will see the Hydrogen 500...its is already in the works and the manufactures are getting prepeared !!!
Tony G
Tony Giordano

Tony,

When I worked for Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. almost 30 years ago, they had a hydrogen carburettor. We also had a coal-to-methanol-to-gasoline pilot plant (I was the contracts manager on that one). Am still waiting for both to become commercialized.

Ira
Ira Spector (PA)

This thread was discussed between 13/03/2007 and 21/03/2007

MG MGA index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGA BBS is active now.