|
Thomas L. Bakos
Bill: I am very sorry to hear about your wife and that that is the reason you need an MGB diversion.
I had a Sunbeam Alpine in my youth and early in our marriage. Wanted the Tiger but couldn't afford it at the time. We, eventually, out grew that. Needed more space for our daughter and son. So, I know that your "new" MGB is going to be a lot of diversion. They certainly don't build them anymore like they used to which is why you amay need to wait until next summer (or, Spring, at least) to put the top down again without cracking it in the cold. I remember the Sunbeam requiring a lot of roof metal support folding to get its top down and do recall some cold weather difficulties. Looking back, I can't believe I drove that thing in the winter in Chicago.
Later, when older, I bought a 1970's era (don't remember exact year) used red Fiat 124 Spider but we lived in Memphis TN at the time so the weather was more conducive to top down driving. Our son used it to drive to high school when we moved to New Jersey in the late 1980's. He became quite popular but that was not our intent. It was easier than us driving him daily. He wore it out and it didn't last long after that. I mentioned somewhere I bought a Dodge Stealth RT Twin Turbo new 25 years ago which I still own. I am giving it to my son in law (and daughter) probably making it official this comiing spring. It is all wheel drive but the summer tires on it make it not good in the snow and he gets a lot of snow in Telluride. Plus, of course, it gets really dirty in the winter on the stone/dirt roads around here.
Then Fiat Chrysler did a wonderful thing, they reintroduced in 2017 the Fiat 124 Spider. I got one to replace the memory of the original I had years ago. It is the same red. The top is much sturier than the older Sunbeams, MGBs, and Fiat 124 but can still be put up or down from the driver's seat at a stop light like the old 124. However, like the earlier version it is rear wheel drive and with summer tires, fairly light, and, so, not good in the winter. It is turbo charged so a little faster than the early version and comes with all the electronic updates that make a car modern - navigation, satelite radio, ... And, it now has a 6 speed manual. It is a somewhat small for this old body, however, compared to the Stealth and my memory of the 1970's version. I fit in it, shall we say, nicely.
One reason my son in law is inheriting the Stealth is I needed to free up space in the garage.
Earlier this year, we bought a 2019 Porsche 911 Targa 4S. Haven't driven it much yet since the onset of winter here in Colorado. Surprisingly, it gets the best mileage of all the cars we own - around 30mpg on the highway. The gas savings will eventually offset its cost  ... at least, that's my theory.
In the winter we usually need the jeep or truck with Blizzack's. It is like driving on dry pavement and fun in its own way. The truck has a plow and I share plowing duties in our subdivision.
Anyway, may need to build another garage - for all my diversions.
|
.JPG)
