The Steering Column
Left Hand Drive from our President

So, as I reported last month work on my 79 Yellow “B” is progressing. I’ve decided to do a Sebring-style front and back which will eliminate both rubber bumpers. This will also reduce around 150 pounds of weight from the car. It involves some wrenching, a bit of cutting and wielding and of course a lot of visualizing. I was able to source the front and rear fiberglass valance parts form Moss Europe. Again, I was amazed by how fast the delivery was. Three days! Can you believe it. All the way from the UK to my front door in no less than Three Days. Upon its arrival I took time to sit down in front of my MG with the bumper removed and began to try and see just how in the world this front valance was going to fit. Well the next thing I know I have a grinder in my hand with the cutoff wheel attached chopping away at the front frame rail extinctions. After several hours of cutting and fitting and cutting some more things started coming together. Next it was off to the store for some 3/16” rivets and backing washers to attach the valance to the car along with some 3M panel adhesive I had left over from a previous project. So, with a lot of patience and a little innovation the valance was secured in its proper position.

In the meantime, both doors got stripped down a to my surprise -- no Bondo filler -- which was great after finding so much on the boot lid. Hopefully the door will be in primer soon and I can finish the fiberglass work on the front. Then it to the back of the car for more pondering, visualizing and more pondering just how the rear or the “B” should look.

That’s all for now! SAFTY FAST

~~ Dean Hickenlooper your humble servant

	The Steering Column
	Right Hand Drive   from our Vice-President

Time to get my feet wet.

As I go from depositing checks to supporting the club’s president, I was reminded that I now must provide material for the Right Hand Drive column. Should I provide words of wisdom? Unfortunately, all of my wisdom could be dispensed in the first month, leaving me with eleven months of empty space. So, instead I will tell you how I became the proud the owner of an MGB.

When I came home from active duty in the early 70’s, I would spend hours drooling over the beautiful British cars on display at Continental Motors in Countryside IL.

First, I fell in love with the MG Midget. Next, it was a green MGB. But wait, as I turned around, there was the love of my life, a sexy Triumph GT6. Not to be overlooked, was this gorgeous red Triumph TR6. But the TR6 was a little too rich for my meager budget. However, due to good parenting at home, I was talked out of buying a “British piece of @%&#”.

I bought a red Ford Mustang convertible in its place. It was my baby until rust consumed it from the bottom on up. Instead of wiping up oil drips, I was sweeping up rust dust. Life goes on.

Forty years later, at my wife’s suggestion, we considered getting a collectable car just for the fun of it. What a great gal. So, you can see where this is going.

After an exhausting search, we found our baby in Milwaukee. We looked at a few cars there during a long weekend stay. We had one last car to check out. The owner said he would bring it to our hotel the next morning. As we were checking out, my new good friend pulled up in this real beauty of an MGB. It was red with red piping interior. The boss fell in love with it.

So, when you see us on one of the club’s rallies or tours, congratulate Sandy on the wonderful find.

Safety Fast,

Phil

~~ Phil Wydra