I love my Mongrel i.e. my '72B. I have been a member of many MG clubs as I relocated with my company a number of times and most of all have attended many, many social events with the "B". Very big on the list of club events have been the shows. British car shows that I have attended now for many decades. I can't say just how many but the number of 100 comes to mind.

During all those years I never won anything. Mongrel is a very sound and road-worthy MG and although it looks pretty good it certainly isn't a show car by any stretch of the imagination (concours). Its engine is tight and dry but not shiny and beautiful...a mechanics clean I guess. It doesn't arrive on a trailer or get all of its annual mileage going to shows. Of course, the issue was not to win a prize at these shows but to participate socially in them. The social aspect is the draw for me and the Mongrel as it is for the vast majority of our club members.

When we relocated to the Knoxville Tenn. area Susan and I (of course) joined the Blount British Car Club (BBC - a great club by the way). The Jaguar went into a garage in the Knoxville area owned by a friend but the B stayed in Naperville with another friend as I had no place to put it. This also gave us the opportunity to attend Chicago club events using the Mongrel.

Then came the first event we attended. The "Return of the British to Rugby Tennessee" show. An all British car and motorcycle show. The "B" was still in Naperville so it wasn't going to make it. Well, Susan and I were going to the show with the club and I figured, "oh what the H-E-double-bamboo-shoots... I'll take the Jag"! The Jaguar is NOT a car I put together myself. It is store bought. The "BUT" here is that it is pretty and so maybe, just maybe I will win a prize! We arrive at the show and find the Jaguar is one of only 4 entries. 2 of which are OK looking XK8s and the other a nice 1966 E-Type Coupe. Hey, maybe I'll get a second place! The votes came in and well.....no, non, nada, nay, nein - what a LOSER I am! Couldn't believe it. 4 cars and I can't even place third. LOSER, LOSER!!!

OK, fast forward. The "B" is now in Tennessee and there is the Southern Tennessee MG show in Chattanooga. Susan and I caravan down with the club but even though I have the Mongrel I also have a secret weapon to win a prize.

You see, the folks here love their University of Tennessee football team aka the "Volunteers". They are SO in love with their team they will follow and cheer for it even if it doesn't win a single game. They are the best fans I have ever witnessed. They sport flags and logos and I swear 50% of the population wear UT apparel. For those of you who know my B you also know its orange. It's not just any orange but "VOLUNTEER ORANGE". Hey, I bet if I deck the B out in UT Volunteer regalia maybe I will win a prize! I go to my local UT Volunteer regalia store and buy magnets, flags, pennants, etc... This just might work!

The day comes. The B is ready in its best Tennessee Volunteer wardrobe and I am feeling pretty good. I even added a windshield sign that read "VOLUNTEER B-U-T-FUL"!

The votes come, I listen for the big one! Winners are announced. LOSER, LOSER, LOSER.

Oh well, I still love my B and every time I drive it I do feel like a winner!