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Worthy Project - Yes or No?

Posted by cadfaeltex

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Worthy Project - Yes or No? #1
cadfaeltex Tony W Kansas, USA	Posted: April 05, 2012 06:41PM Registered: 2 years ago Posts: 20

Posted on here a while back as I was looking at a midget parked on a corner near me. My love, however, is MGA's. I grew up with them as my mom loved them - had to have one as her first car. I keep saying to myself that I'll get one 'one day'. I peruse the e bay occasionally, usually looking for good examples, older restorations, etc. I saw this today and wonder if it would be a good first restoration or if it's too far gone:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1956-MG-MGA-ROADSTER-MATCHING-S-EARLY-CAR-BARN-FIND-NDS-EASY-RESTORATION-/280857907817?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item41646f9269#ht_630wt_724

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Re: Worthy Project - Yes or No? #2
jclars John Larsen Lynden, WA, USA 1958 MG MGA 1500 Coupe 1965 MG MGB 1970 MG MGB	Posted: April 05, 2012 06:47PM Registered: 5 years ago Posts: 2,293

Yes, but I would think more in the 5K range.

Look at this coupe for comparison:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140734579808&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2648

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Re: Worthy Project - Yes or No? #3
Gary E Gary Edwards Kernersville, ,N.C., USA 1962 MG MGA MkII 1974 MG MGB GT	Posted: April 05, 2012 06:51PM Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 5,217

You'd be better off buying this one...

I'm just sure you can strike a deal with the miserable old man that owns it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/MGA-ROADSTER-1960-/200739874334?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item2ebd07661e

Gary

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Re: Worthy Project - Yes or No? #4
cadfaeltex Tony W Kansas, USA	Posted: April 05, 2012 06:58PM Registered: 2 years ago Posts: 20

Thanks for the responses. Looking at the coupe, it says rust free, is that possible to find much in a restoration candidate. That would be good because I notice on that second green ragtop that Gary linked that it needed a bit of welding, not sure how keen I am on welding. Going to keep reading and searching for a bit. I'm about to medically retire from the Army and one of my strong desires for where we end up is a proper shop to work on cars.

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Re: Worthy Project - Yes or No? #5
mgageoff Geoff Howard Ashburn, VA, USA 1958 MG MGA 1500	Posted: April 05, 2012 07:06PM Registered: 1 year ago Posts: 661

I would suggest you first search the archives of this forum for feedback on the seller (prospector1010). After following several discussions about purchases from him I would personally avoid him.

An alternative to consider would be auction 200739874334, which I believe is being offered by a regular on this forum and seems to be described honestly by a person knowledgeable about MGA's.

Geoff Howard
http://mgaexperiment.blogspot.com
Now Playing on the Blog (1/6/2013): Sagging With Age

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Re: Worthy Project - Yes or No? #6
cadfaeltex Tony W Kansas, USA	Posted: April 05, 2012 07:09PM Registered: 2 years ago Posts: 20

Hadn't thought about it but I guess if I'm following you guys work on here, you probably know where I could find a car that fits my needs. It will probably be at least a year before I could move on a project, just dreaming now. I'd have to trailer it wherever I move in the next few months.

ETA: Although 200739874334 is very tempting - d'oh.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/05/2012 07:11PM by cadfaeltex.

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Re: Worthy Project - Yes or No? #7
wyatt Wyatt W penguin point, drift ice, Antarctica 1958 Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1958 Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1960 MG MGA 1966 MG MGB	Posted: April 05, 2012 08:48PM Registered: 7 years ago Posts: 23,301

In reply to # 2032423 by Gary E You'd be better off buying this one...

I'm just sure you can strike a deal with the miserable old man that owns it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/MGA-ROADSTER-1960-/200739874334?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item2ebd07661e

..I heard the bastid pulls the wings of flies and steals candy from babies...

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Re: Worthy Project - Yes or No? #8
cadfaeltex Tony W Kansas, USA	Posted: April 05, 2012 08:56PM Registered: 2 years ago Posts: 20

You know, I believe y'all know this "miserable old man" cool smiley

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Re: Worthy Project - Yes or No? #9
Neil MG Neil McGurk Cumbria, United Kingdom 1956 Morris Minor 1958 MG MGA 1960 MG MGA 1961 MG MGA 1966 Jaguar Mark 2 → more	Posted: April 06, 2012 03:12AM Registered: 5 years ago Posts: 1,481

Definitely would recommend buying from the "miserable old man". Whatever you buy will need some welding, the difference is that Wyatt is up front about what needs doing. Save money (in the long run) by buying the best you can afford. As you will be restoring anyway there is no need to pay (extra) for shiny paint or "average" chrome and interior.

With a restoration you really don't know exactly what you have until you tear it down, especially chassis, engine, gearbox and rear axle. Panel gaps are key!

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Re: Worthy Project - Yes or No? #10
michalakmj Mark Michalak Chicago, USA 1958 MG Magnette ZB "Hilda" 1958 MG Magnette ZB "Mr. Belvidere" 1960 MG MGA 1600 Coupe	Posted: April 06, 2012 06:05AM Registered: 4 years ago Posts: 285

When you do buy a project, if there are no pictures of the sills and doglegs available, find someone who will go take pictures for you if you can't see it firsthand. Sheetmetal repair isn't too hard for a beginner but there's no need to punish yourself if you don't have to. You might not want something that needs a complete inner and outer sill replacement, for instance, when there are better cars available. That green car made a point of not having a single picture of the sills and doglegs, and someone went through the trouble to spray paint the frame black when they replaced the floorboards. That would make me leery and I wouldn't consider it without poking at it in person with a screwdriver and magnet.

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Re: Worthy Project - Yes or No? #11
cschaefer Chuck Schaefer West Chicago,IL, USA	Posted: April 06, 2012 07:10AM Registered: 4 years ago Posts: 660

Quote: Save money (in the long run) by buying the best you can afford. As you will be restoring anyway there is no need to pay (extra) for shiny paint or "average" chrome and interior.

Well said. A bright and presentable car is a poor candidate financially for a true restoration. More $$ doesn't mean a better car, especially when the entire car will be taken apart and redone bit by bit. One that has all the mechanical bits and all samll bits of interior, gauges, chrome etc, is more important than the paint polish.

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Re: Worthy Project - Yes or No? #12
wyatt Wyatt W penguin point, drift ice, Antarctica 1958 Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1958 Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1960 MG MGA 1966 MG MGB	Posted: April 06, 2012 07:44AM Registered: 7 years ago Posts: 23,301

...Hmmmm, my butts on the line now.....if I don't cover all my bases Gary will have me incinerated at his front gate, burnt down with his Lucas Flamethrowers....that is assuming the Lucas switch works.... smoking smiley

here are the addition photos that Ebay in their good judgement will not let me link to..I have it out of the shop now ( me boat is in cool smiley

) but hopefully these are enough photos...70+

http://s1107.photobucket.com/albums/h383/wyattc1/

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/06/2012 07:45AM by wyatt.

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Re: Worthy Project - Yes or No? #13
cadfaeltex Tony W Kansas, USA	Posted: April 06, 2012 09:17AM Registered: 2 years ago Posts: 20

Ahhh, I think I missed it. It's your's Wyatt. Location threw me off. It is tempting but I really need two things before I get serious. At least a garage and to see how the Army treats me with my medical retirement.

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Re: Worthy Project - Yes or No? #14
wyatt Wyatt W penguin point, drift ice, Antarctica 1958 Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1958 Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1960 MG MGA 1966 MG MGB	Posted: April 06, 2012 09:28AM Registered: 7 years ago Posts: 23,301

....no problemo...I based it on the other green car, especially when he had it at $7999.95...my thoughts were that if it sells, it would most likely go to Europe or somewhere else abroad...we'll see...it is priced right up there...but the body/frame is the reason...it's the 2nd least rusty one I own with no beat up tube cross member,which is a real bitch to repair,and I'm betting the drivers side rocker is saveable as well as the inners,they aren't even bubbled .... smoking smiley

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Re: Worthy Project - Yes or No? #15
cadfaeltex Tony W Kansas, USA	Posted: April 06, 2012 01:00PM Registered: 2 years ago Posts: 20

Need to stay on here and learn A LOT about what to look for. So is it generally better to get an honest restoration candidate like Wyatt's or someone's 'restoration' that may be covering up half-way work?

<<Been watching a lot of house shows lately as we'll have to buy a house after being in Army housing for quite a while, made me think of the finished versus unfinished basement analogy (and all the horror stories on Holmes Inspection)>>

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Re: Worthy Project - Yes or No? #16
jclars John Larsen Lynden, WA, USA 1958 MG MGA 1500 Coupe 1965 MG MGB 1970 MG MGB	Posted: April 06, 2012 01:45PM Registered: 5 years ago Posts: 2,293

Dont buy a fixer-upper house if you are going to buy a fixer-upper MGA. The MGA will win for sure.

Ask me how I know...

On the other hand, I am now 25 years into our 110 y.o. farmhouse remodel, starting at the foundation. I am remodelling remodels that never quite got done. It only took me 3 years for the complete MGA restoration.

Of course, I took 20 years to rebuild a chicken coop into a shop, so I guess it could balance out! So if you get a fixer upper shop as well, all bets are off...

Of course, retirement may be beneficial, so that works in your favor.

Good luck on your path - it sounds like an exciting lifes adventure to me!

John L.

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Re: Worthy Project - Yes or No? #17
cadfaeltex Tony W Kansas, USA	Posted: April 06, 2012 01:48PM Registered: 2 years ago Posts: 20

Well, right now we're talking about possible going back home (South Plains of Texas) and starting a pastoral retreat center (prayers needed). If we end up going that route then I we will be building new (including the shop smiling smiley

)

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Re: Worthy Project - Yes or No? #18
MGARuss Russ Sharples New Jersey, USA 1960 MG MGA 1600 "Bonnie"	Posted: April 06, 2012 03:48PM Registered: 1 year ago Posts: 603

Wyatt - what's with the exhaust header on your orange engine - it has two flanges? Is this a higher performance twin pipe?

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Re: Worthy Project - Yes or No? #19
RJBrown Randy Brown Highlands Ranch, Colorado, USA 1958 MG MGA 1500 1958 MG MGA 1500 Coupe 1960 MG MGA 1600 "Later" 1962 MG MGA MkII	Posted: April 06, 2012 03:50PM Registered: 1 year ago Posts: 805

The car you ask about is being sold by the same person that sold a car to Europe. The vin # did not match and both the engine and transmission were full of water. A very close personal inspection should accompany anything he sells.
And if you shake hands count your fingers!

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Re: Worthy Project - Yes or No? #20
cadfaeltex Tony W Kansas, USA	Posted: April 06, 2012 03:56PM Registered: 2 years ago Posts: 20

I'll definitely run a prospective purchase through you guys if I don't happen to find one on here.

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