"functionoverfashion" (functionoverfashion)
08/27/2020 at 06:24 • Filed to: car swapping
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"functionoverfashion" (functionoverfashion)
08/27/2020 at 06:24 • Filed to: car swapping | 8
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I swapped my truck for this little guy for 24 hours last week:
It’s a 1974 M GB belonging to a friend who’s now a colleague. All the stereotypes about little British cars are true with this one. It’s cute, endearing, fun, underpowered yet engaging, and also somewhat unreliable, leaky, finicky, and delicate.
I will say, during the several years the owner has had it, he’s been “forced” to drive the MG quite a few times while his mid-00's Tundra was in the shop for one thing after another. I think he got the worst example of a Tundra; he managed to get one with every problem all back to back (like my neighbor with a Tacoma that has had ALL the common Taco issues and hates it). I don’t even know what all the issues were because when I’d ask him, he would grunt, then say “uhh, well ... hmm - hey want to go mountain biking later?” So between a Toyota pickup and a 1974 British roadster, the MG has been more reliable over 5 years. Go figure. ( He recently ditched the Tundra for a ~2010 Suburban.)
In the short time I had it, I found it to be alarmingly low on coolant (to be fair, the owner told me it ran hot last time he drove it but didn’t have time to look into it) and also fluid in the clutch master cylinder. I dropped my daughter off at preschool in it - which was amazing - and I had to take it out of gear to stop, then pop it into first with the engine off, basically driving it without a clutch, to get home and top off the reservoir.
I reported these issues to the owner who basically responded with “T hanks! What do I owe you for the fluids?” My response was “You don’t owe me anything, but your car owes you an explanation. Where did those fluids GO?” There’s no way I’m allowing someone to pay ME for $3 in fluids I put into his car while I was borrowing it, but he seemed thankful for someone who knew enough to address these issues and hand it back to him running, rather than on a flatbed. I still want to know where those fluids went, but I didn’t see anything more than “normal” slow leaks anywhere, so... He said I could borrow it any time.
I’m not sure if I want to drive it more, because it’s so fun, or if I’m afraid of more issues coming up while it’s in my hands. I guess that’s the nature of an old British roadster. Damn, it was fun though.
It helped that we were staying at a family house on the lake, I was feeling pretty stylin’ rolling in and out of the lake house in this car.
Just look at that face. Maybe I’ll borrow it tonight......
Just Jeepin'
> functionoverfashion
08/27/2020 at 06:36 |
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I miss my dad’s MG; I’m pretty sure that knowing someone who’ll lend you an MG is much better than actually owning it and having to try to keep it running.
I borrowed it for a few days and while I was waiting at a curb for my date, a guy walked up to look at it.
“I used to own one like that,” says he.
“My dad’s interested in selling it, if you’d like another,” says me.
“You didn’t hear me right,” says he. “I used to own one of those.”
RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
> functionoverfashion
08/27/2020 at 07:31 |
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Oh, that’s an awesome little thing! And it’s one of the pre-rubber bumper ones too, so it looks even prettier! Borrow it again! :D
Ready for an adventure!
> Just Jeepin'
08/27/2020 at 07:41 |
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bahahahahahahaaa! kinda like SOME jeeps... I wish yours wasn’t. I’ve had four of ‘em and all good reliables.. CJ. YJ, TJ, JK, and now doing a CJ2A with my son. I read about yours and just wish you didn’t have those issues.
Svend
> functionoverfashion
08/27/2020 at 08:26 |
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Sounds like a good excuse to grab few beers, go round to his, spend a few hours working on the car, getting to know it and fixing anything that may arise.
jminer
> functionoverfashion
08/27/2020 at 08:32 |
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Those are so beautiful and I’ve lusted after one for years. I’m jealous you got to spend the day with one.
MiniGTI - now with XJ6
> functionoverfashion
08/27/2020 at 08:36 |
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I have a near ideal arrangement with the TR6 — it actually belongs to my boss who has had it since about 1987. There’s just enough room to store it in one corner of my garage so he owns it and pays the insurance but I get to drive it (and work on it) any time I want. Plenty of leaks but it starts every time . All the Lucas parts work fine too. I’ve done about 5000 miles in it in the 6 years it’s lived at my house.
Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney
> Just Jeepin'
08/27/2020 at 09:21 |
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I’ve got an MGB that’s been in my mom’s side of the family since new. My uncle spent a fortune restoring it for my aunt (who learned to drive in the MGB, as did my mom) as an anniversary gift 15 years ago but now they’re ready to move on and want me to buy it from them and....I love the car when I visit them and drive it and they still own it? I’ll buy it from them eventually, I just have my own problem children already and don’t need to invite a known felon into my home.
facw
> functionoverfashion
08/27/2020 at 09:29 |
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My mom owned a ‘73 when she lived in the UK. Really she probably should have brought it back with her when she came back, it was a fun little car.
Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
> functionoverfashion
08/27/2020 at 10:11 |
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Now that sounds like a fun little outing even if the fluids mysteriously disappeared. Perhaps borrow it again when not in danger of catastrophic failure?
Tripper
> functionoverfashion
08/27/2020 at 11:38 |
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My best pal had one just like this. He had it for exactly one summer and I met him wherever he was at least 6 times to help him get it started. It was neat to drive when it ran.
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functionoverfashion
> Just Jeepin'
08/27/2020 at 13:23 |
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lol brutal accuracy
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functionoverfashion
> MiniGTI - now with XJ6
08/27/2020 at 13:23 |
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that’s ideal
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functionoverfashion
> Svend
08/27/2020 at 13:24 |
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He doesn’t really have a place to work on it, so it might be more like him bringing the car to me. That’s part of the reason he’s happy to loan it to me!
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functionoverfashion
> RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
08/27/2020 at 13:28 |
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for sure I will borrow it again, it’s great.
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functionoverfashion
> MiniGTI - now with XJ6
08/27/2020 at 21:41 |
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Now I’m trying to figure out how I can make a similar arrangement with the MG - he does need a place to store it for the winter... hmm. I just need, well, a a garage, and not to have 3 cars already, maybe soon to be 4 lol
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MiniGTI - now with XJ6
> functionoverfashion
08/28/2020 at 00:52 |
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Ha, yes with 5 cars at my house I have a British car problem, made worse by experimenting with Swedes
THE BRITS:
76 TR6
85 Jaguar XJ6
2013 MINI
THE SWEDES:
2016 V60CC
1998 SAAB 900 convertible ( Technically a Finn)