I've been quietly following this thread, and now I'll toss in my thoughts.
Living in Southern Ontario, Canada, we experience winter. This includes
weeks, even months of sub-freezing temperatures, and worst of all, salt
spread copiously on the road. This, of course, sets up the worst
combinations of conditions a car could ever be subjected to; a very caustic
solution which rots anything metal.
This means, that if a young person wishes to drive his/her MG to any degree,
they must also be able to afford what is in northern climates known as a
"winter beater". This is a vehicle which will be used in these harsh
conditions, instead of the beloved MG. In other words, the younger
generation, the ones who probably can least afford to own and maintain two
vehicles, are the ones we older folks are encouraging to carry on the
tradition.
Things to make you go "hmmm"!
Having said all that, I'm doing my part to encourage the younger generation
to be enthusiastic about older British cars. My elder son, Geoff , age 19
(note the good old English spelling of the name <g>) and I are gradually
carrying out a restoration on his 1966 MGB roadster. He's the one who pores
over the books, catalogues, etc. and learns about the correct, accurate
details to keep his car pure, both in specification, colours, trim, options
of the period, even the BMC radio! Meanwhile he is currently using the local
transit system instead of buying a car, to keep all extra money earned for
the B.
Meanwhile, the old man (jeez...that's me) is digging into an early 1966
MGB/GT, and my son is looking up all the data to keep me on the straight and
narrow with this car as well.
Dunno where he gets that from!
Rich Chrysler
|