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Peter Caldwell rebuilding Armstrong shocks

parts for vintage British cars. In the back of his shop he has TR7 serial number 1, and a TR3 which I think is also serial number 1.

Next day Friday we stopped to visit M G Automotive in Kettering, OH, providing parts and service for vintage British cars. Vintage Imports, Inc in Carlisle, OH has very recently gone defunct. Strictly British in Lebanon, OH is longer gone, now being an empty lot. We stopped at Sam Smyth Imported Car Service, Inc in Cincinnati, OH. They were out to lunch, so we called the specified number to get a cold shoulder and moved on. Prestige Imports in Cincinnati, OH, has morphed into European Auto Specialists, Ltd, with the owner and his son still servicing vintage British cars.

450,000 miles since restoration in 1986

I paused momentarily to take a picture of our speedometer showing 50000, which would be 450,000 miles since restoration in 1986. No flies on this MG.

Isetta on the road

Tom Metcalf, owner of Safety Fast Restoration LLC

1936 MG TA Airline Coupe at Safety Fast

After killing the weekend, the next few days were a whirlwind of shop hopping. Pat's Foreign Car Repair in Cincinnati, OH appears to be recently closed, empty building and no return of a phone call after leaving a message twice. Motor Good Automotive (specializes in T series repairs) on the south side

Lots of T-Types at Safety Fast

of Cincinnati has the owner recently deceased, and someone else seems to be liquidating the inventory. We stopped for a short visit with Michael Hirsch in Beavercreek, OH, working on an MGA project, chassis near completion, engine and gearbox good, and body nearly ready to go to the painter. Overseas Motors in Columbus, OH, gone since 2010 (bummer) is now a Napa AutoCare. Mr. P's in Columbus, OH has been gone since about 2001, rented to some other shops for a few years before becoming Cosmetic Auto Restoration (nothing to do with vintage British cars). Near day's end we got to visit Marc Chapman in Westerville, OH for a look at his project MGA 1600-MK-II, halfway through restoration with some ongoing problems.

Tuesday morning (7/23) we were directed to a new shop Driven Classics LLC in Mansfield, OH, in business for just a few months. Mark Wagers was previously working for an MG shop for several years before he decided to open his own place to branch out into other cars. Already going strong, the younger fellow looks like he will be here for the long term, and yes, he does like vintage British cars. A few blocks away we stopped at

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