Sounded good didn't it?
End of Abingdon weekend, I was just leaving the hotel in Galesburg,
Illinois, about 11 am Sunday, found a card on my car from the circulation
manager of the local newspaper. Wasn't sure what that was about, thought
maybe they wanted a release for a photo or something, so I figured I'd
call. Got to the phone, pulled the card out of my pocket, saw the back of
the card with a hand written note "I have three MGAs for sale, VERY
reasonable". Huh? Well, have to call on that one for sure. The guy's
about 5 miles north of town, 2 miles down a gravel side road, just about on
my way out anyway, so I stopped by to have a look. Yup, 3 MGAs alright, or
at least what's left of them, not a real pleasant sight.
One wire wheel 1500 coupe, very badly rusted, strictly for mechanical
parts, but mostly complete, at least good looking doors and front and rear
glass, supposedly running when it was parked (but God only knows when,
looked like a long time ago), complete with straw nest filling the engine
bay for the local possum.
One wire wheel roadster, moderately rusted (bad sills, no doglegs, fair
frame & floor, lots of surface rust), probably restorable but not worth a
lot. Supposedly the local college auto shop had a go at it, body off
(still off), removed the outer rocker panels and tacked on new ones but
didn't fix the rust on the inner sills, duh? Rusted doglegs & lower front
fenders, rusted inner sills at front & rear where visible, interior shot,
but also mostly complete, i.e. dash, instruments, tatty seats, all body
panels, windscreen.
One steel wheel roadster, fairly badly rusted, expected parts car. This
one had the front clip (nose) from the body cut off with the expectation of
using it on the second car which was being fixed up (a little).
These cars were parked in an open shed, roof over but no front wall, all
looking like they had been out in the rain for about 20 years. The guy got
married recently and his new wife would be happy to be able to park her car
under a roof, so she's urging him to get the MGs out of there (way out, and
fast). He kept saying they would be very reasonable, just wanted to have
them gone. One could probably have all three for $500 (or make an offer)
if someone wanted to haul them away. It isn't going to be me, not even if
they were free. I don't need that large a stock of parts, or that much
work to move the stuff, strip it out and dispose of the remains.
Contact Terry Welty, Circulation manager, The Register-Mail, Galesburg,
Illinois. Phone (309) 343-7181 Ext.210. If anyone decides to haul these
things away, let me know. Just curious, and I might lend a hand.
Barney Gaylord
1958 MGA with an attitude (and no stable mates)
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