I bought my '75 MGB while I was in Portland (I worked on a project there for
about 9 months, but I live in Austin). Portland has a car culture very much
like Southern California. People don't hesitate to drive their older,
un-restored drivers around. I used to see a guy driving an old Bentley
around and lots of muscle cars and british iron.
While I was there I got the bug to buy a convertible, after driving a bunch
of Alfa Spyders, I drove an MGB and decided that it was the car for me. I
was lucky enough to find my '75 which only needed the gas gauge sender
replaced to be a daily driver. Since then (I've owned it for 2.5 years),
I've only replaced the rear wheel cylinders and tightened a bolt or two.
I've done a couple of discrecionary things like, putting mini-lights on it,
lowered springs, a carpet kit, etc. I'll probably keep it until I decide to
order a Caterham or something...
----
John Steczkowski
Director, Server I/O
Crossroads Systems, Inc.
512-794-2742
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Max Heim [mailto:mvheim@studiolimage.com]
> Sent: Monday, December 27, 1999 6:41 PM
> To: MG List
> Subject: Portland, OR MGs
>
>
> I was visiting in Portland, Oregon over Christmas and I
> noticed several
> nice-sounding MGB-GTs in the local Auto Trader magazine, including an
> MGC-GT with OD. My father tells me that Portland has some of
> the lowest
> used car prices in the country; and despite its soggy
> reputation, rust
> isn't that much of a problem since it seldom snows and they don't use
> salt. There has always been a fair amount of British car
> activity in the
> NW -- all my early LBC encounters were in Portland, Eugene,
> and Corvallis.
>
> Anyway, I haven't noticed any listers from Portland, but it
> occurs to me
> it might be a good source of cars for west coasters, particularly
> northern Californios and Seattlites.
>
> If there are any webfoot lurkers, I apologize if I'm giving away any
> secrets. My father also related an anecdote about an unnamed
> foreign car
> dealer of his acquaintance who was stripping and crushing GTs
> "because
> there was no market for them". On returning from a trip to
> England, my
> father told the fellow he should start shipping them across
> the water,
> where Bs are much more highly valued overall, and GTs
> frequently sell for
> more than roadsters. So, you could look at it as a service to
> the marque,
> to save Portland's GTs from exportation or the crusher... : )
>
> --
>
> Max Heim
> '66 MGB GHN3L76149
> If you're near Mountain View, CA,
> it's the red one with the silver bootlid.
>
|