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MG MGB Technical - ClassicCars Mag votes B #2

Yesterday at my wife's beauty shop, she was given a copy of the Nov. 2003 issue of Classiccars magazine. In this issue they have the 30 best classic cars and the 30 worst. MGB was voted #2 beaten only by the Jaguar XKE. British sport cars dominated the list only giving way to the Porsche 911 #8 and Ferrari 365 #10.

As a PS, San Francisco area beauty shops not only have class in women but in cars as well.
Lee Sheldon

So, we as insiders who have known all along of the MGB Mystic, have to relent, in some manner or form must now deal with our little secret being out of the bag.

It's a genee-sa-qua -(sp - someone from Quebec hep me) that if we have to explain, they wouldn't get it any way.

But beauty parlors aside, how could such a hip town be home for the likes of a mikey savage -- (with weiner being his REAL last name) who hosts that awe-some radio show about a savage nation?
glg

that's it! i can't be seen driving only the number 2 car....it's history, i'm sellin it!

;>

rn
RN Lipow

Bon jour, glg, I can help.

"Je ne sais quoi?"

Au revoir.
Derek Nicholson

Derek,

Enorme merci.

humilite,

glg
glg

Knock it off, guys. You'll be driving around in Citroens and wearing berets next. Probably already pinching ladies bottoms.
David
David

Bon Jovi
Derek Nicholson

In the September issue of Classic Motorsports,formerly British Car there was a six roadster comparison and the MGB didn't fare so well. In fact the rankings were; 1. Fiat 124, 2. Sunbeam Alpine, 3. Alfa Romeo Duetto, 4. MGB, 5. Triumph TR4A, 6. Datsun 1600.

The article is on page 30 of the September issue. The rankings are from tha magazine and are not my opinion.

That said I have owned the following; 64 Sunbeam Alpine GT, 73 Fiat 124 GT coupe, 74 Alfa Romeo Spider, 67 Triumph TR4A and currently a 68 MGB GT and a 74 Roadster. Each has some good and some bad features.

FWIW, Clifton



Clifton Gordon

Professional magazine people look at details. This was a survey of their readers. When you look up and down the street, how many of those other cars the professionals chose are still out their running. There is more to a car than details. Rating the Fiat and Sunbeam over a B the magazine editors must have been in a cave during the production years of the B. Not only did MG sell more cars than the others it dominated its class in racing. The Fiat, Datsun 1600 and Sunbeam had to be dropped back in class and still were "creamed" by MG midgets, Sprites and Spitfires.
Lee Sheldon

Of those cars I have never owned either the Datsun or the Sunbeam, nor the Duetto, although I have had a Alfa 2000GTV and several Giulia sedans,plus several TRs and even a Fiat 124 at one time or another.
How anyone would have failed to pick the Duetto as the most stylish is beyond me, but tastes vary I guess.
The top choice of the heavily modifed, just rebuilt Fiat wasnt exactly fair. Next time they should try an equally modified B, or one with a supercharger!
To put the Alpine at No.2 is also baffling.
My personal, highly subjective choices would have been 1. Alfa 2. MGB-TR4 tie for second 3. Alpine 4. Fiat 5. Datsun.
I now own a 69 MGB which is a great all rounder for affordibility, handling, style, and durability. As Lee says, how mny of those cars are still around today? Bloody few.
In the current issue of classic Motorsports they compare the Corvette, a 63 E-Type Coupe, and an original Cobra. They ranked them in that order. For my money ( and I may have some after I see my daughters through college) I'd take the Jaguar. As its owner said, it is the most beautiful car ever. Especially the coupe. Someday....
Andrew Blackley

Regarding the Classic Motorsports rankings, all the cars were in varying conditions of restoration, modification, etc. and the article said so. A more fair reading of that would be that particular Fiat was better than the other particular cars, etc., if you were to give it much seriousness at all - something else CM warned against as I remember.
Wade Keene

I am assuming Classic Motorcars is a British magazine --just what would they know about British cars anyway !
Bonjour Derek --berets are derigeur at the next meeting !
Gil Price

Anyone here sent their critique to "Classic Motorsorts?" In fairness, looking at these six cars, and their condition is what Classic Motorsports stated in their conclusions. If I were not an MGB owner I might have ranked them close to the same given the samples. In the real world, how many cars in this group do you see active?

The real suprises here for me was the arrogance of the Triumph owner, "Triumph owner thought all other cars, except the Datsun, were better than the MGB." Goes to show you some things don't change from when the cars were new!

Regards,

L.C. '74 B/GT

Larry C.

I know a few people with MGB's for them to try. Want modified? We'll give 'em modified.

Jim
Jim Blackwood

I remember in that article that the TR owner appeared to deliberately skew the votes by voting the B last or almost last in most every catagory. PUTZ.
Carl W French

That Sunbeam was also in the last issue of British Car and was fairly heavily modified. The Fiat was a fresh restoration that was somewhat modified.
Greg Bowman

This thread was discussed between 25/10/2003 and 27/10/2003

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