My first MG was a 1972 Burnt Orange Midget at the tender
age of 18. I fell in love with the Marque from that day on. It could have been
so different. I test drove a Spitfire first!
A variety of saloon cars followed until a red, white and
blue 1977 Midget 1500 was acquired in the late 70s. It was a white car with red
and blue flashes across the bonnet, down each side and joining across the boot lid,
painted for the 1977 Motor Show at the SEC in Glasgow. That one was also
replaced with a variety of saloons due to children and then a restored white
1969 H reg MGB GT was a gift from Moira in the early 1980s. That car was written
off by a lorry hitting the rear and buckling the floor pan - Before the days of
Heritage panels. It was replaced with another 'BGT purchased from a female RAF
officer. It was pink when I bought it on the Friday and BRG when I took it to
work on the following Monday! It was replaced by a very pale yellow 1977 R reg B
Roadster that I used as a daily drive from the late '80s until was replaced by
my first Platinum silver S reg F. In fact, all my MGs until then have been my
daily drive. We also completed the 1997 Regency London to Brighton run in that
B. Four years in Ireland until December 2005 meant MG - less driving. Apart from
my current F, I also have a 1976 B roadster that is to be converted to chrome
bumpers.
I got the previous MGF through
eBay from a vendor in Sheffield. It was a 1.8i Steptronic (or Stepspeed)
automatic with a sports mode that means using 'flappy paddles' on the steering
wheel (or the gear stick). It suited the driving I did. The original black
interior had been replaced with a red grenadine interior from a 53 reg TF
including seats, dash, door cards, T bar and leather cubby hole. Its original
wheels had been replaced by those off Lee's TF. A Trophy splitter and spoiler
were added. The car had been named 'Scotian WolF' and adorned with discreet vinyls
including St Andrew's Cross and also St Andrew's cross on the metal side badges.
The Darkside had been embraced - 'Strong, the Darkside is...' - only in respect
of appearance. The tie up between the gearbox and the engine meant that
performance mods were not effective.
