An ignorant comment a "car guy" made....

[jackfaire]

But would you have to get it all at once and pay with plastic, or would you have the Cash to get it One Piece At A Time?

Probably have to borrow the money from my friend Johnny and if he said no I could be a Desperado and steal it.

[protege]

Probably have to borrow the money from my friend Johnny and if he said no I could be a Desperado and steal it.

As long as "life in the fast lane" doesn't have you checking into the Hotel California...

Back on topic, when I restored my MG, I chose to use as many original parts as I could. Some of the new stuff, mainly the electrical components, aren't built to the same standards. Sure, they may do the job...but some of the switches have been known to either fail...or fall apart! Never mind that the stuff is expensive! The only wholesale replacement I did...was to rip out the entire wiring loom, and have a new one made from scratch. As for the switchgear, I took things apart, cleaned up the contacts, and put them back in place. So much for Lucas unreliability

About the only thing I would have done differently--electrical-wise--would have been to use a different supplier for the wiring harness. There's another company (not Moss Motors, who is *famous* for MG stuff) which makes wiring harnesses that are done to modern standards. These include multiple fuse boxes, beefed-up circuits, and newer-style connectors. Didn't know that at the time though

But, it's not just MGs and YO that can supply new body shells--there are a few available for Jaguar E-Types, 1955-57 Chevy, 1960s Mustangs, and others.

BTW, some of the replicas are so well done, that they don't look too bad. I'm not referring to the VW-powered MG TD kits, but the Porsche 356 models by Chesil, the Jag C and D-Types by Proteus, etc. These cars not only look awesome...but use a fair amount of parts from the 'real' cars. Sure, they're not "original," but from what I understand, they go nearly as well, and turn just as many heads...for a fraction of the price

[HYHYBT]

Some of the new stuff, mainly the electrical components, aren't built to the same standards.

Don't take this the wrong way (though you're probably used to it) but from all I've ever heard about MG's, *not* being made to original standards would be a plus.

[protege]

A lot of the "MGs (and British cars in general) are unreliable" came about because some owners and garages either refused to learn how things work, or tried to "improve" on things by cutting corners. It's not unheard of to find things like wires crudely cut into the harness...usually with the old ones left in place, and occasionally...bare wires against the bodywork Left alone or done properly, you usually don't get problems.

For example, the license plate lights on my car quit working. The wiring connections are exposed, and usually get all sorts of crap on them, tossed up by the wheels.. But, after I took them apart, cleaned the connections, I was back in business. The cars will look after you...provided you're willing to look after them

[Hyena Dandy]

A lot of the "MGs (and British cars in general) are unreliable" came about because some owners and garages either refused to learn how things work, or tried to "improve" on things by cutting corners. It's not unheard of to find things like wires crudely cut into the harness...usually with the old ones left in place, and occasionally...bare wires against the bodywork Left alone or done properly, you usually don't get problems.

I suspect it may be a cultural thing. The way I see it, the car is a much larger part of American culture and symbolism than it is in Britain. There are obviously exceptions, but I think culturally cars are less important, so culturally less attention is payed to the car's maintenance. Hence the bad reputation.

[Rapscallion]

Considering how much next week's service is going to cost me, I think we pay quite a bit for servicing and the like. Actually, there is a more technical reason, or part of, since I keep reading about how americans need to add oil or change it every few thousand miles. Over here, if your car's right then it only needs doing at a yearly service.

What gives?

Rapscallion

[Greenday]

Considering how much next week's service is going to cost me, I think we pay quite a bit for servicing and the like. Actually, there is a more technical reason, or part of, since I keep reading about how americans need to add oil or change it every few thousand miles. Over here, if your car's right then it only needs doing at a yearly service.

What gives?

Rapscallion

We drive more? Just a guess. Putting a few thousand miles on a car isn't hard.

With a newer car, it's once every three thousand miles (They also say OR two months, but I go by miles and oil levels). With an older car like mine that runs on synthetic oil, it's every five thousand miles.

[Rapscallion]

Er, yes. The average over here for oil replacement is every twelve months, and that's just a change of oil with a check over and replacing necessary filters etc. We don't need to replace or top up the oil that often.

Rapscallion

[HYHYBT]

3,000 miles is too often. But it *is* a lot easier to put a lot of use into a car in a short time in a larger country without a real passenger train system.

[protege]

But it *is* a lot easier to put a lot of use into a car in a short time in a larger country without a real passenger train system.

Sadly, we once had a real passenger system. But, when people started driving, and flying...lack of ridership soon sent most of those trains into the red. Hell, Pittsburgh once had commuter trains. Nearly every major line had some service--the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie, Baltimore & Ohio (later Chessie System), the PATrain, and the various Pennsylvania RR (Penn Central/Conrail) lines too. By the 1970s though, increased highway construction meant that the trains were in trouble. Now we have none, and people bitch about how public transit is underfunded

Back on topic, it's pretty easy to put mileage on a car, especially when you live across town from where you work. 35-40 miles a day is pretty common. 5 days a week, plus errands on the weekend, etc. and it adds up. Throw in the trip to Indy back in September, Cape May 2 years ago, Springfield (MA) last year...and many 100-plus mile round trips to Grandma's, and it's no wonder I racked up 61,000 miles in less than 5 years

I usually get the oil changed about 3 times a year, with the tires rotated on the same interval. Yeah, I know...but once you figure in the disposal costs, an oil change at the dealer is actually cheaper than if I do it

[mikoyan29]

I'm still on my quest for a 44 Mustang...

[HEMI6point1]

I'm still on my quest for a 44 Mustang...

You're about 20 years too early LOL, Mustang didn't come out until '64.

[mikoyan29]

You're about 20 years too early LOL, Mustang didn't come out until '64.

Not the Mustang I'm looking for. It was built by a company called North American. Had a Packard V-12 Engine....

[Tanasi]

If I remember correctly I think it was California last week was trying to talking about folks that change their oil too often. It's been advertized to death to change oil and filter every 3K miles. Many cars made within the last 10 years recomend 5, 7.5 or even 10K miles between changes and especially so if using synthetic oil. My 2011 Escape manual says 5K and I had it changed at 6K.
On OT: Resto snobs have been around forever, I'd dare say they existed during the chariot days. I look at it this way if someone is restoring an auto there basically two ways to do it. Restore as a driver or a show car. If it's a driver then what difference does it make??? Show car??? Experience tells me you can piss a whole lot of money away on that from making it hot-rod to making it OE. I've heard of some guys getting chemists to mix or make paint to past standards using OE components and in some cases this is illegal.
I say do what makes you happy and the heck with the snobs, I build the car for me, not to put in a show or resale. My dealer sent me an email last year about Ford remaking either 66 or 67 Mustangs. You could buy them in various levels of completion. It should also be remembered that such cars can't be sold as "new" but as kits otherwise they'd have to meet modern standards in all respects.
On a side note: I was browsing the AZ Barrett-Jackson line up for 2012 and there was a Mustang with a Hemi. Now I'm very much a Mustang fan (Ford in general) and a Hemi fan but that combination is just wrong. Especially when the Boss is a much better engine.)

[SkullKing]

Not the Mustang I'm looking for. It was built by a company called North American. Had a Packard V-12 Engine....

Well played sir. Well played.