You can thank Allie for the title of this entry. “Coleman” is the moniker that my friend Jeff has bestowed on this machine, but around here, it’s the Dreaded Jeff Car, after the debacle with the MGB-GT.
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The subtitle to this entry would be “How to restore a car, Age 22.” I had no money, no workshop, few tools, and had no business “restoring” any car. This poor old machine was unfortunately the victim of my misplaced enthusiasm.
I took Reg up to Oak Harbor today to view a used–very used, it’s almost 60 years old–Ford 8N tractor for use around Pony Hollow. The drive was nice, if a bit chilly…isn’t this almost July? It felt like it was early April.
At one point, I owned three MGBs concurrently: My trusty but rusty ’67, a 1968 MGB-GT which was literally a parts car, and this 1969 MGB, which had a knocking rod in the engine. The idea was to pull the engine from the GT and put it in this car, making one decent machine. Why I never got around to that still puzzles me. I sold all three for $2000 to a guy from Shelton.
Ever do something that seems logical at the time but later, from a more distant perspective, seems downright idiotic? Ever get sucked into another friend’s enthusiasms, without really knowing what you’re doing? Enter into my life this execrable Mercedes. The photo is of a similar car, I took no photos of mine–even then I sensed it would be a source of future shame.
I loved this bike! It was the first sport bike I ever sat on that seemed to fit…most are designed for 5’6″ guys who weigh 125 lbs. The Triumph was definitely not for them, shorter friends had a hard time even getting their feet to the ground. Moreover, it was top-heavy, especially with a full tank of gas, and it was very hefty for a sport bike, 500 lbs all-up.
I picked up Reggie the 1963 MGB today. I haven’t driven the car in a year, but now we’re in “MG country” (and with the sale of a couple of cars) I have a place for it. Aside from flat batteries and stuck points in the fuel pump, the car started right up. It really is a great old car–definitely a pleasure driving it home. It’s funny how familiarity does breed contempt; when we use something frequently, we can often only see the flaws. Take a breather and the good qualities overwhelm all of those nit-picky details. Before putting the MG in storage for a year, all I could see were flaws. How long will the new honeymoon last?
I’ll be helping my friend Jeff put together another MGB. It’s a ’73 roadster in tough but usable condition–blown-up engine excepted. It comes with a spare rebuildable engine and I’ve located a decent used motor as well. So we’ll have a kit of parts and will see what we can get out the other side.
This was possibly the nicest classic car I’ve owned, as far as appearance and condition go. The fixed-head coupe E-Type is perhaps the lovliest car ever made, and this was a very nice example by the time I was done with it. What else to do, then, than sell it?
Well, a nice guy named Bryan took the XJR off my hands tonight for $7200. I think he got a good deal, and while I’m sad to see the car go, I’m now going to be able to bring Reggie, the ’63 MGB roadster up here.
