Sad Endings

[HobieMarty]

I was at Pull-a-Part in Montgomery, Alabama today getting a few things and saw this and it just really made me sad. I felt so sorry for this little car.
This is a 1979 MGB and it was obviously for sale at some point for $1900.00, but sadly, it has ended up in the yard at Pull-a-Part only to slowly degrade, and maybe, be of some use as a parts donor so that some of it's brethren may live on to travel down winding country roads. I genuinely felt bad for the car, and looking it over, it had a tonneau cover with the zipper down the middle and it had a spare tire in the trunk with a matching wheel.
Mileage said 39,000, I would think it may have been 139,000, and it had lots of rust on the doors and deck lid.
I'm sure the little MGB made someone happy at one time in its life, just sad to see it in its final resting place. Godspeed little MGB, Godspeed!!!

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[pwd72s]

Every time I'd go to a wrecked 'em yard, I'd spot cars that made me wonder about the stories behind them. Also kind of saddens me that the Brit Roadsters (MG, Austin Healy, Triumph, etc.) have a limited following and are low value. More could be saved if they were as sought after as air cooled Porsches.

As the kids say, It is what it is.

[LWJ]

My sports car lust was first sated by a 65 MGB. Great little car. 79? Not so much. Lost 40% of power and ride height went up 1.5 inches.

[WPOZZZ]

Just say NO!

[pwd72s]

It all began when our GI's brought some funny little Brit cars home. Funny little two seaters with skinny wire wheels...

[unclebilly]

These have gone way up in value as the Brit roadsters have declined or rusted into oblivion or both…

[WPOZZZ]

The Miata was the reincarnation of the Lotus Elan, but it was reliable.

[oldE]

About 35 years ago I picked up an early '70s MGB from a neighbor. It had no engine but I knew where I could get a power train. When I was picking it up, he told me of a fellow who had called right after we made our deal, desperate for the roller, as his B had been rear ended and was in bad shape. I took the guy's number and ended up calling him a few months later and sold him the car for what I had paid. He was there that afternoon, grateful for the car and invited me to drop by sometime to see if.
About 5 years later I did indeed drop by and was almost sick to see the twisted doner car, but pissed off to see the roller he bought from me parked on grass, covered with plastic sheets, rusting away as only a car of that era could.
Apparently he had crawled into the bottle shortly after he bought the car and 'never got around to it '.
In the long run it was better for me because my next toy was the 924S.

Best
Les

[Chocaholic]

Having just returned from the Amelia Island concours where there was not one single Triumph and only much earlier MG’s, the fact is that these 70’s versions were cheaply made cars from the start…never intended to last many decades.

[Norm K]

^^^ Agreed.

These cars weren't good when they were new, and without value-exceeding improvements, haven't gotten better with age.

_

[herr_oberst]

To me a sad ending is some high dollar, low production, technological marvel of science and engineering e.o.l'd because of fatal flaws between design and production (or poor maintenance or both.) This BMW Alpine is an example. Headed to the scrapyard because, reasons. Disposable supercars. THAT's sad.

[pwd72s]

Never had one, but I have a soft spot for the '62 MGA...the last year of the true (no side windows) MG roadster...distinct with it's vertical grille.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Every time I'd go to a wrecked 'em yard, I'd spot cars that made me wonder about the stories behind them. Also kind of saddens me that the Brit Roadsters (MG, Austin Healy, Triumph, etc.) have a limited following and are low value. More could be saved if they were as sought after as air cooled Porsches.

As the kids say, It is what it is.

One word, Lucas. The prince of darkness. I was chatting with a guy that had some British car and trying to figure out the wiring, He said that were many (multiple) blue wires that in one place would be the ground, and in another the 12 volt power supply. Identical wire, different use.

That, and so many had positive ground and it was hard for a mechanic to think OK, positive is ground and many walked away from the vehicle.

[2.7RS]

Even given for free it's not a good financial or mental idea

Now if you like fixing things and enjoy punishment and torture this is probably a good match for someone.

I was in high school when a very wealth family friend encourage me to work and collect cars that have intrinsic value and potential appreciation . He said it takes the same amount of your valuable time to work in this POS than in this XXX nice car.

Best advice. Never looked back

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

To me a sad ending is some high dollar, low production, technological marvel of science and engineering e.o.l'd because of fatal flaws between design and production (or poor maintenance or both.) This BMW Alpine is an example. Headed to the scrapyard because, reasons. Disposable supercars. THAT's sad.

LS Swap?

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Every time I'd go to a wrecked 'em yard, I'd spot cars that made me wonder about the stories behind them. Also kind of saddens me that the Brit Roadsters (MG, Austin Healy, Triumph, etc.) have a limited following and are low value. More could be saved if they were as sought after as air cooled Porsches.

As the kids say, It is what it is.

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

To me a sad ending is some high dollar, low production, technological marvel of science and engineering e.o.l'd because of fatal flaws between design and production (or poor maintenance or both.) This BMW Alpine is an example. Headed to the scrapyard because, reasons. Disposable supercars. THAT's sad.

That just needs a LS swap!

One of my buddies bought a used 740iL I think it was, 12 cylinder really pretty car. When he took it in for any service it was $1,000 or more every time. He finally tried to give it away and ended up selling it to a scrap yard as a parts car. It too was over 100K when new. I just can't imagine why anyone would buy a new one, or a Bentley or Rolls. Just horrible depreciation and maintenance costs.

[herr_oberst]

Leno did a restoration blog today on his YouTube channel.

Good timing. Check out the things he'll take on! (Like that Deusenberg motor!)

[Jolly Amaranto]

After college, an old high school buddy and I shared an apartment for a few years. Working good jobs we could both afford new cars. He bought an MGB. Many fun mile in that car taking road trips across the west.
However there was one very sad moment. We were heading back up from Laredo after a trip south of the boarder when I was driving and was pulled over by a Texas State Trooper. "What did I do wrong?"
Nothing, they were looking for my buddy to inform him that his Dad had passed away. Back in those days they actually would do that if the family requested it. What a bummer.

[unclebilly]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

To me a sad ending is some high dollar, low production, technological marvel of science and engineering e.o.l'd because of fatal flaws between design and production (or poor maintenance or both.) This BMW Alpine is an example. Headed to the scrapyard because, reasons. Disposable supercars. THAT's sad.

Why is the supercharger unfixable?

[McLovin]

It is sad.
When I see that, I always imagine when that car was new on the dealers lot.
Someone was so thrilled when they took the keys for the first time and drove it home.