Well Folks, I've been back and finally caught up with work. I took a
trip to the end of the earth (that's what they call it in Usuia (sp?)
Argentina, on Terra del Fuago. I had a few days in Buenos Aires and got
to sit in an MGF. As usual, there is a story to that.
I had found out that Fs are sold in Argentina when looking at the Rover
website. I carefully wrote down the phone number and address, but
naturally I left them at home. The tour had some local guides and I
asked one of them to help me find the agency. Turns out that there are a
number, but only one is listed. She called and found out that they
didn't have one on display and referred us to the distributor. The
distributor didn't have one, but offered a list of dealers for her to
call. That didn't sit well, and she found an employee who would do the
calling for us. She found one in an agency behind the Argentinean
Automobile Club, easy to find with a taxi (HAH). It was interesting to
note that she was more interested in finding me an MG to look at then in
finding out when to tour the Theatro Cologne (sp?), Buenos Aries famous
opera house. We had to do that on our own
We set off and the driver stooped behind the club, but I didn't see an
agency. My patient wife spotted a store with a sign which was a lavender
octagon with the word "fast" inside the octagon. I was proud that my non
enthusiast wife recognized the octagon. I got out of the car wondering
why the universal MG symbol was lavender. It was because the "fast"
refereed to the fact that it was a fast food restaurant! NOW WHAT? As I
started to get back in the cab I spotted the familiar green oval with
the word Rover in it. The driver hadn't stopped at the correct address.
The agency had three cars on display. The obligatory Land Rover, a
Rover sedan, and THE MGF! It was a white one with the top down. In
spite of the fact that I was looking, I hadn't seen a single MG on the
streets of Buenos Aires. The F was listed at 43,000 Pesos. The currency
is held at 1 Peso = 1 US Dollar, so the car was $43,000. Be aware that
Argentina is a large car producing country with Renault, Peugeot, Ford,
Chevy, Daewoo, and Fiat all having manufacturing facilities there.
Argentina exports half of its 400,000+ car production each year (correct
me if I don't remember the yearly production figures). I'm sure that has
something to do with what must be a high duty on the importation of the
car. The sedan was about $10,000 cheaper. I didn't even bother to look
at the Land Rover.
I examined it thoroughly. It is considered mid engined, but that is
barely true. The engine is just forward of the rear wheels. I wonder
what that does to the handling. The car had it's battery disconnected so
a ride was out of the question, and the car was obviously just for show.
I looked to see how it was made, and found it was international. The
places that did show a country of origin were the Bosch ignition, the
French horns, and the made in England American brand tires. The gauges
all had a logo on them, but nothing to indicate who made them. The car
was white so my impression of it being larger than my C might have been
an illusion. Interestingly the battery was a small one since Argentina
doesn't get that cold in the winter. The battery tray had two sets of
holes to accommodate different sized batteries, a thoughtful touch.
Here's where the flames come in. I wasn't impressed at all. In my book
it might just as well been a Miata. Too civilized for my taste. Too many
nice accessories. This leads to the second issue. What is a sports car?
For years I have laughed at the American advertisements for US "sports
cars". What is it that intrigues me about my three diverse LBCs?
For one, they are simple. No complicated junk to go bad. Not that there
isn't enough uncomplicated junk that goes wrong on our cars. To me a
sports car is a basic automobile which can be modified for a number of
purposes, but at bottom handle well and has enough power to make it fun
to drive. Its what you can do with it that makes it a sports car. Too
many accessories ruin the whole concept. Too much to strip out for
racing, not enough room left for creative modification. Will we be
restoring Fs in twenty years? I don't think so. I know some of us will
restore anything with wheels, but that is an exception. I am not so sure
my roll up window cars are really, at bottom, true sports cars. My first
car was a bugeye, the second an XK140. What a difference. Even though
the 140 had the roll up windows and convertible top (it was a drophead
coupe), it till had enough raw guts to make it a sports car. It drove as
if it was glued to the road. 90 MPH felt like 30!
I can't really do a good job of being able to define it. How about some
discussion about what a sports car really is. I know we won't agree, but
it might help clarify the issue.
Jack (now known as El Goucho Loco, but I didn't fall off)
60 Healey 3000
69 MGC
72 MGBGT
(and I love them all)
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