The first drive of the year

OK so we can be really technical. It wasn't the first drive of the year. I'd driven it around town, out to a restaurant and to the petrol station. But Sunday May 15 th was the first proper drive of the car. We got into the car and drove from Princeton down to Eden Prairie and back to visit the out-laws. The sun was out it was in the 70's, it was a wonderful afternoon for a drive. After two minutes on the road we realized what a wonderful experience driving in a car with the roof down is. Sun on your face, wind in your hair, all those cliches. Unless you've done it you can't know how much fun it is. We drove around with silly grins on our faces all the way there and back.
Let's not forget the reactions of people who saw the car. Many people took a second look at it as we passed. One fellow, a passenger in a large SUV had his face pressed up against the passenger window glass as they overtook us. I won't forget his wide eyed stare in a hurry. It would almost pay to have a camera mounted on the car somewhere to capture their expressions.
The only bad spot of the trip was the loss of first and second gear a few miles form home. Yes it felt pretty bad at the time but the car pulled away in third and once you're on the move on many roads in the states you don't need any other gears. So we got home with no problems. We have since discovered that the loss of gears was caused by the loss off a bushing in the gear shifter linkage. A five dollar part probably. The car is 35 years old so these things are going to happen. There's no point in getting too upset about them. Perhaps I should have to learn how to fix them myself rather than send the car down to my local repair shop, as much as they love to work on the car. I have the help of the MGexperience.net forum to help diagnose and advise. At some point I will have a go.
One thing, I need to find some proper roads to drive on. Not interstates or multiple lane highways. Driving these are ptretty boring. I need roads with sweeping curves to feel the car turn. That's what driving a sports car is about.

Playing catch up

I'm a bit behind here lately so here's what's been going on.
The last week of April the car came off the dollies and was readied for the road. Notable aspects of that day were lying on my back underneath the car topping up the oil in the gearbox. This is not an easy task at all. I suppose it will get easier with time and practice. Getting the filler plug out was also a struggle but with a long handled wrench and a hearty cry of "You bastaaaad" it came loose. Filling was quite easy once I got a small hand pump to do the job.
Then it was over to Jim's Auto repair here in Princeton to have the car given the once over as I hadn't had the chance to do so in November before the snows set in.
To say the guys there love the car is an understatement. They love the change of pace that it provides.
Th e car was checked over and my new radiator was fitted. Great! I thought time to get on the road. First trip out and the car was leaking anti-freeze. Panic set in initially but it was nothing more than the top hose perishing after 35 years.
So we now have another chance to get back on the road. A 100 mile trip to test things out and 19 miles from home I lost 1st, 2nd and reverse at a set of traffic lights. Luckily the car has enough power in it to start off in third.
Another trip to jones reveals nothing more complicated than a worn off bushing in the gear shifter linkage. A simple job to replace but the part will take a few days to get here.
So there we are . Less than a month into MGB motoring and we've been back to the garage twice. But nothing serious, nothing terminal to the summers motoring. Which is a good job because that drive last Sunday in the sun was nothing short of wonderful.

iPhone 4

I now have an iPhone 4.

Not anything remotely connected to owning an MG.

Except.

The wife thought that it would be a good idea for me to have a phone just in case I was out in the car and it broke down...

...

...

Says a lot about her opinion of the mechanical qualities of the car.

Don't you think?

Time to spend some cash

I'm excited.
I spent the back end of last year piling up the overtime to build up a bank of cash so I'll be able to afford to run FG this year.
I've yet to insure it or get the personlised registration plate but today I ordered a replacement dash cover, new sun visors, some interior mats and a hood (bonnet) liner.
Then just to treat myself I got an MG key ring (key fob) and a 2 pint vintage looking Castrol oil can from Moss motors.
The oil can is a pure indulgence if there is one thing I remember from waiting around in Seacroft Garage, Mablethorpe for Dad was the Castrol Oil cans. So there are lots of memories attached to one of them. If I could get a yellow "Shell" one too that would be pretty neat as well.
So order in the mail, time off work booked. I'm raring to go to get the car ready.

The Ugliest car in the world...

Good readers;

Having shown you the most beautiful car in the world at the Minneapolis Motor show I now feel compelled to show you the Ugliest car in the world at the Minneapolis Motor show. I show you this as a dire warning as to what could happen to you if you pursue a career in automotive design without a decent design education.

Here then I present you the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray concept...

Isn't it just atrocious? Some will say that I should cut Chevvy some slack as it's a concept car. But a concept car should inspire you and fill you with awe not make you want to fill up a sick bag...

I can see where they are trying to go with the design. They are trying to echo the style of the 70's stingray. But oh my god from the front it looks like a skull grinning spookily at you the way a skull does. Don't even get me started on the rear. It looks like a guy who's filled his mouth with food, and his cheeks are about to burst. Then there is those rear light clusters, what are they about?

I hope this car never sees the light of day in this form...

The most Beautiful car in the world...

The Jaguar XK coupe as seen at the Minneapolis motor show

Gotta Go to the Auto Show!

Every March, here in Minneapolis the TV ads scream that message. It really gets quite annoying after a while.
So this year was my wife, Lorrie and I's semi annual trip to the Minneapolis convention centre to see the Minneapolis Auto Show. We both love looking a shiny clean cars. Some years we go with a purchase in mind but this year we were unencumbered with that thought. So we were able to just look at cars for the fun of it.
We looked at many cars, sat in loads of them. Enjoyed many of them. I took some pictures too. I'll share those with some more detailed observations in some coming posts.
But overall we enjoyed the show. Lorrie thought the show was smaller than in previous years. Indeed the classic car collection appeared to be missing and there seemed to be less representation from the local racetracks. They being tucked away in a "dream garage" display.
What did we like the best?
We both seemed to gravitate towards the German cars. Liking the Porsche 911 Boxster and the Mercedes SLK350 Roadster equally. Lorrie also liked the Porsche Panamera as she is quite tall any sporty car that she can comfortably get in to always scores highly.
My favourite was the Jaguar XK Coupe. I have never seen such a beautiful car and so comfortable too.
Getting away from the sports cars we both also thought very highly of the Range Rovers. Quite incredible soundproofing in the cabin.
We didn't just look at the expensive cars though. A top of the range Kia Soul was also very nice and comfortable.
Biggest disappointment? Cadillac.
I sat in the cabin of a CTS4. For a company that bills itself as "the new standard of luxury" there was an awful lot of cheap looking plastic in the cabin.
All in all though it was a pleasant way to spend a Sunday.
More opinions to come with pictures later....

Shopping list

March.
The clocks go forward tonight.
The first day of spring is just over a week away. Yet there is still at least a foot of snow in my garden. Snow will be around for a while yet. I'm predicting that FG will be on the road at the start of May. To that extent I'm booking a week off work at the end of April so that I can get him ready for the road.
What will it take to get him ready?
Not too much I'm hoping. He was running perfectly when I winterized him in November. I'm hoping that after an oil change and hooking the battery up I'll turn the key and vroom vroom we'll be off.
I have a list of cosmetic things I want to do to him and to that end I've made a shopping list of things to get and do.
First thing I want is some sound/heat insulation for the inside of the bonnet. None of the cars I looked at when I was buying had any insulation inside the bonnet. I wonder why. Perhaps it's more macho to be shouting to your passenger over the sound of the engine when you're out driving on the road.
Next I want a replacement dashboard cover. FG's dash has a couple of bad cracks in it. So I really do want to cover that over.
New sun visors are a must too. The current ones are worn out and don't stay in position all that well.
A new locking petrol tank cap looks to be a good idea. The rubber gasket on the current cap has perished. It would be nice to have one of these fancy looking ones with the MG logo on them but I don't think I need to pay $120 for one when a regular common or garden one only costs about $30.
So not all that much. Of course I won't be at all surprised if things go wrong and I have to fork out for some other important mechanical bits and bobs.
But right now all I can think about is getting out on the open road with that top down and my wife by my side. It's going to be a great summer. (I hope)

Rough Roads

Last night we drove up to Duluth, MN. Taking advantage of one of the many out of season deals that the hotels in town give out in the winter months. Twenty percent off rooms and a $20 gas card seemed a too good a deal to pass up. Especially as our little Scion goes to Duluth and back on less than $20 of petrol!
The route to Duluth takes us up I-35. Ah the American interstate system, the counterpart of the UK's motorway system or the German Autobahn. Named for one of the countries great presidents - The Dwight Eisenhower interstate system. With America being a country that worships the automobile you'd expect the roads to be immaculate, a shining example of road construction.
You'd be wrong. I-35 up to Duluth is wretched. Utter rubbish. There are stages of the R.A.C. Rally in the Welsh forests where the surface is smoother. Rutted with cracks and pot-holes the road noise is ridiculous. Ker-thunk, ker-thunk, ker-thunk for mile after mile. In our litte Scion the noise was dreadful, not to mention the shaking. I am actually quite nervous about driving FG up to Duluth on these roads. The only positive is the fact at several points there were signs up telling us of road repairs starting in April.
I can't wait

NASCAn't

Well, another year has passed and I've tried and failed.

I tried to sit thought the Daytona 500 in an attempt to get into NASCAR and failed quite miserably.

How miserably did I fail? I walked out of the room with 8 laps to go when my wife called me for some advice on the taxes and I didn't give the TV a second glance. Mind you, having said that, when I returned some 15 minutes later, as is the case with most any American sport on TV, the race was still going...

I find NASCAR boring. Phenomenally boring. It's more exciting watching the countdown to a closing auction on ebay (an auction I lost by the way).

Here are my observations on NASCAR racing ...

The cars race around in circles for a while.

Cars crash (sometimes lots of cars) and everyone comes in to refuel and take new tyres.

The cars race around in circles again until one crashes, when they come in for tyres and fuel again (repeat this cycle ad nauseum).

The cars are nothing more than mobile advertising hoardings, where every square inch of car surface that can be seen by the TV cameras carries a sponsors name. Parading around displaying these names and messages for the assembled masses to see. Then when they take a commercial break the same drivers appear in the ads shilling their sponsors products.

Lets just say the "acting" in these spots leaves something to be desired, even when the driver keeps his mouth shut.

Then it's back to the "racing". Crank it up, Digger cam, "Boogitty boogitty boogitty" are just a few of the annoying items in the broadcast. Trying to build some excitement into an event that doesn't have any.

Some of you will now say that being a Brit I like that "Formula 1 Grand Prix racing". Not necessarily true. Though I will admit that having the cars make something other than a left hand turn whilst racing is an improvement. I'd rather watch Le Mans or Saloon car racing like the German Touring cars, British touring cars or the Aussies V8 supercars.

So perhaps you think I'm dead set against oval racing.

You'd be wrong.

Here in town we have a 1/4 mile dirt track oval. "Fastest in the Midwest" they used to say. I love to go there on a Friday night and watch them.

Guys that race for the love of the sport. Not big fat sponsorship deals or TV coverage. They do it because they love it.

I once spoke with a racer who ran a Wissota Super stock. That was when he could afford to. He could only race when he had the money to run the car. Think on that Dale Jnr. and Jimmy Johnson. Have you had those days lately? Did you ever have those days? Of course, this years winner Trevor Bayne drove for a team so short of money they were almost part timers thus showing that racers still have money problems even at the highest level. Though I'll wager that after this victory Wood Brothers Racing won't have any problems the rest of the year.

When it comes down to it, for me 500 miles is just too long to watch cars go around and around in circles.

Now if Nascar were to put a race on the calendar just like Friday night racing at my local oval. Ten lap heats followed by C,B and A finals then I might just watch that...

Social Circle

One thing I'm looking forward to with regards to the ownership of the MG is meeting up with like minded souls who own classic cars.

I've already joined up with the Minnesota MG Owners group who have a whole string of events running from March until October and I hope to be able to attend some of them. Their flagship event would be Britfest being held in Hudson, Wisconsin on August 13th. This used to be held in Rogers, MN. A new location so new excitement for everyone. I've seen pictures of the previous gatherings in Rogers and there is quite the impressive line up of MG's, Triumphs, Jags, Mini's, Sprites and who knows what else. Classic British sports cars at their best.

The Intermarque group also have a series of events running through the summer including a monthly picnic at Cherokee Park in Saint Paul (I have seen that gathering several times in previous years though not as a participant) as well the Kick off picnic in Como Park in Saint Paul in May. This sounds to be quite the event. I'll be looking forward to that one.

Plenty to look forward to then especially on a cold blustery February Sunday afternoon with snow falling.

Things are heating up

With a weekend just past that had temperatures into the 50's and a week of temperatures that have sat comfortably in the upper 30's and 40's the snow is melting. The roads are too slushy to think about getting FG out yet. But it's just a reminder that spring (and MG motoring) is on the way!

Princeton, MN Hotbed of classic sports cars?

We have already established that in addition to my MGB there is also a R/H drive Ford Capri in town, the owner of which also has a Sprite. In addition to this, today I spied a '85-ish Porsche Carrera Targa parked in town. Lovely car in bright Red. It would have been even more lovely had it not been packed with snow and frozen slush at the rocker panel level. Still, it was very nice to look at (Will people feel the same when they see FG parked in the street?) I wonder if the owner lives in town...

Jay Leno-h no...

For a bit of fun I was checking out the website of noted car enthusiast and TV talk show host Jay Leno.
http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/
Jays car collection is amazing and it doesn't just include cars. He has a fair few motorbikes and even a couple of aircraft.
Alas he doesn't appear to own an MGB...

What a wonderful drive!

Zipping along the country roads around Princeton, clipping the apexes of the curves like a pro. The engine sounding magnificent growling like it should. The roof down, the wind in our hair...
Then I awoke from my daydream. I was still stuck in the traffic on the way to work this morning. Complacency from MnDot last night had caused chaos during rush hour.
Oh how I wanted it to be summer..
FG sits there, sheeted down in the corner of the garage on dollies, perhaps he's dreaming of the summer like me.