[Mgs] Ran When Parked

Councill, David dcouncill at msubillings.edu
Sat Nov 20 18:46:42 MST 2010


I think I'll have to check this book out. It depends - what are "nice
unmolested cars"? I have bought several "ran when parked" cars that sat
for years. And every one of them might have "ran when parked" but there
was always a reason why they were parked and left - either a serious
mechanical problem or a series of lesser accumulated problems. The MGBs
I bought that "ran when parked" were always on their death bed usually
with enough problems to make them not worth the trouble of repairing by
the DPOs. My 64B is one - I fixed a number of problems, some
pre-existing and some age related (rotting rubber). But the engine
itself is also worn - probably still good for a few thousand miles or
more but an overhaul is definitely in its future. Still, a nice car. I
brought it back to life and have put maybe 50 miles on it while I
continue to restore it - not to beauty but to a nice driver.

David Councill
64 B
67 BGT
72 B

-----Original Message-----
From: mgs-bounces at autox.team.net [mailto:mgs-bounces at autox.team.net] On
Behalf Of Don
Sent: Saturday, November 20, 2010 3:50 PM
To: mgs at autox.team.net
Subject: [Mgs] Ran When Parked

Ran When Parked: Advice and Adventures from the Affordable Underbelly of
Car Collecting - by Rob Sass [Paperback]

The title of the book made me laugh, and piqued my interest enough to
take a look inside the book.  Too many times I've seen that term used to
describe a car for sale.

I just finished reading the book, and I must say that it is is a great
book on buying and owning old cars that are are not, and probably never
will be considered exotics.  The author writes for Sports Car Market
magazine, and his journalism skills are fantastic.  A lot of the book is
about cars he has found and purchased, and what he encountered in the
process.  He has a knack for finding nice unmolested original cars at
reasonable prices, then fixing them up a bit, enjoying them for a period
of time, then selling for a profit.  He doesn't get rich off this, but
it is apparent he loves the chase as much as the conquest.

Cars that are discussed in the book include everything from Alfa Romeos
to Volvos.  However, British cars get proportionally more pages than
cars from other places.  He has sections of the book devoted to MG
Midget, MGB, Spitfire, Jensen Healy, TVR, Daimler SP-250, TR4, MGB,
Sunbeam Alpine, TR6, Jaguar XJ6, and Jag XKE.


http://www.amazon.com/Ran-When-Parked-Adventures-Affordable/dp/098172704
2




Don Scott
Calistoga CA USA
1966 TR4A
1962 MGA Mk 2
1973 MGB GT (selling)
1963-7 MGB (seeking)
Misc. Japanese cars


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