<<<<Keith Wheeler wrote:
Well, one of my 'Bs has no windows at all. And I'll admit the 'A has some
nice flowing lines...but, how does that make it a better *sports* car? ;)
Care to compare some autocross times?>>>>
I am afraid that my poor autocross times are more a function of my own
limitations than those of my trusty steed. Suspension wise, the A and B
are so close under today's regulations (any front anti roll bar you want)
that any difference would be car to car or driver to driver, not A to B.
The A that I drive is bone stock (no front AR bar) and has snow tires on
it. I am not fast but I have a lot of fun with trailing throttle oversteer
;-)
Since I kind of started this thread I feel that I have to clarify my
thoughts to those who have written the "why can't we all just get along"
messages. First, I look at this list as a virtual car club where you can
get tech information, swap stories, and occasionally razz your fellow
enthusiast for their obviously inferior choice in automotive companionship
compared to your own. I would never just walk up to someone that I had
never met at a car show who had just finished a three year restoration on
a TR-7 and say, "What a piece of crap. Ugly, too. You should have done an
MGA." On the other hand, I have no trouble pointing out Bob Allen's
obvious lack of character for driving that pickup truck he and Triumph
called a sports car. The first case would be rude beyond belief. The
second is gently pulling the chain of someone that, although you have never
met him, you consider a friend.
If some of you have taken me seriously and assume that I am an automotive
bigot because I place the MGA at the pinnacle of automotive development,
then you are missing the point. We just had an entertaining thread that
lasted several days where no-one told us to take it off the list and no
small animals were hurt (darn ;-). That has to be some kind of modern
record. I would love to have more sports cars in my garage but, given my
present circumstance, I limit myself to one and, for me, the MGA best fits
what I want out of my "fun car." The B may be a better car but it doesn't
push my buttons as hard as the A.
Winter is here in Minnesota. I don't drive the A in the winter for a
variety of reasons. First and foremost is the salt on the roads. Second
is the fact that it is cold and dark out whenever I am not at work and that
discourages fun drives. Driving the A to work in the winter is not worth
the risk of salt and crazy drivers. I would just follow some "bivouac BMW"
(SUV) or "Cul De Sac Conestoga" (minivan) along some clogged freeway where
everyone slows down for fear that their might be a square centimeter of ice
within ten miles of their front tires. This isn't driving. I look at it
as the penance that I must do in order to enjoy Summer.
And finally, I think that limiting this list to technical information only
would greatly diminish its worth. Through this list, I have been able to
correspond with many and meet a few people who are wonderful beyond their
ability to find a bad ground with their eyes closed or tune SU's by smell.
The people on this list have experiences and stories that are every bit as
valuable as the cars we drive and I for one, am glad that I have had the
opportunity to hear a few of them.
Regards,
Bill Eastman
61 MGA
Yes, I am careful about spelling but that has nothing to do with my
preference for MGA's ;-)
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