I bought an mg today

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I think what folks are saying is that Miatas have no soul ...no personality..they are reliable and have the personality of a refrigerator. They do eveything well but yawn..it would be like if we at FABO sold our MOPARS and bought new Civics..

I have noticed that "cars guys" don't seem to own them...we own the older stuff..that have personalities..
 
Haters gonna hate.

I have a soft spot for the British stuff. I came home from the hospital in my mothers arms in the right seat of the TR-3 that my father still drives daily over 40 years later. I've had a few Triumphs and MGs myself.

They are, or can be reliable cars. They don't suffer neglect well, but just as many problems are caused by people monkeying with them constantly because the "need" it.

Good places to widen your background knowledge: www.mgexp.com and, if more power is in your future: www.britishv8.com

Truth told, I have a 79 MGB v-8 project waiting in the wings, but I'm too broke to do much even on my Dart right now so it just sits.
 
Sweat ! Costello did the first swap, i think.

used to drive mine everywhere..in fct, it was my only car for a couple of years..even drove it to Ottawa..roughly 200 kms..

I think my only complaint was getting enough air to you my legs...a common complaint with early muscle car owners :)

If I hadn't had my accident, I was going retrofit a set of jag side vents on it. The 'bgt was and is a rare car because so many have been stripped for roster parts.

If you re using the old buick or later rover aluminum block vs, it should be an easy swap.

Ian.
 
BrianT said:
My buddy is putting a LS motor into a Miata. Will that be considered a sports car?!? He's not going to Autocross it or anything, just for fun and surprising people.

Back to the original topic. My boss back in the eighties started his own shop after local MG dealership closed down. That means we worked on every MG and Morris in town. He was a knowledgeable guy and I was a wise *** kid, but I learned a lot working on those cars. Cut my teeth so to speak. I was driving a 340 four speed Duster at the time, but those cars taught me patience!!!
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About the ONLY way I'd have a miata.....

Back on topic now
 
My buddy is putting a LS motor into a Miata. Will that be considered a sports car?!?

It would be dumped in the same category as a toyota powered mg td or such like it..kit car status..mind you, I always liked the spitfire with the large ford Cortina engine in it..we called them Spittinas..

memory lane is always great..

Yes, pics of your Midget please.

Grassy
 
I would love to have one myself but I am too dang tall.
 
the only reason miata's are still around is because of their record at the track

i'm sure one would out-corner an mg.

but enough about that. good luck with your mg, my understanding is that it's difficult to find parts for them. hopefully some people here can point you in the right direction.
 
magnumdust said:
I think you're being a bit delusional in this case. You insist its not a sports car, but only back it up with feelings. Clearly you have a bias against these cars that is not rooted in evidence,

If the miata race class to you was instant credibility and not an indication of it as a sports car than it should not be able to compete with other "real" sports cars.(as a yugo would not compete), but look at autocross events and open track events, the miata is competitive.

styling is moot. Plenty of fugly cars are sports cars. By that logic i'd have to contend that the C6 and C7 corvette are not sports cars
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Its my opinion. Nothing more.

"sports car" is a definition. Its not really scientifically based performance classification, there's nothing that says a sports car has to pull so many lateral g's, accelerate at a certain rate, etc. If there was, many of the old sports cars wouldn't qualify, while new economy cars would. Technology changes. None of the sports cars of the 50's or 60's could pull a lateral G, now a civic with good tires can.

But there's absolutely no reason for me to alter my definition of a sports car to allow a Miata into it. You don't need to "challenge" me to take a ride in a Miata. I can see why people think they're fun, I just wholeheartedly disagree with that opinion.

People have a lot of different tastes. Just because a Miata might be fun for some folks, doesn't make it a sports car. Lots of cars that are fun aren't sports cars. So yeah, maybe I'm being an elitist prick. That's fine, I'm allowed to be. You like Miata's, great. I want to crush every Miata on the planet and destroy any evidence of their existence, well, I'm entitled to that opinion too. :D

Where are the pictures of this MG?
:worthles:
 
Congrats on the buy!

I'm in the process of setting up a daily driver Datsun 240z. :)

Palmetto said:
They were notorious for electrical problems...
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So was your Duster.

Mopar Collectors Guide just did an article recently on a few cars that burnt to the ground. One of them was from the infamous self inflicted ammeter wire becoming a toaster oven coil that every old mopar on planet earth suffered from.

All old cars suck on one level or another.

All of them.

That's not why we love them.

We work on them and have fun fixing them up.
 
grassy said:
I think what folks are saying is that Miatas have no soul ...no personality..they are reliable and have the personality of a refrigerator. They do eveything well but yawn..it would be like if we at FABO sold our MOPARS and bought new Civics..

I have noticed that "cars guys" don't seem to own them...we own the older stuff..that have personalities..
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Thats a pretty ignorant statement. "Car guys" gravitate to virtually every type of car.

There's an entire forum of people(easily as big as fabo), presumably mostly guys tuning miatas. By definition: Car guys.

Personality is a matter of opinion and styling. A 100% stock 1970 valiant is a pretty bland looking car. Add a few parts and it becomes a great looking muscle car. The miata is basically the same way.
 
magnumdust said:
Thats a pretty ignorant statement. "Car guys" gravitate to virtually every type of car.

There's an entire forum of people(easily as big as fabo), presumably mostly guys tuning miatas. By definition: Car guys.
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True. It is technically a car. And if there's a group of people that enjoy them, I guess that technically makes them car guys, by definition. Car guys with horrific taste and absolutely no style, but sure.

magnumdust said:
A 100% stock 1970 valiant is a pretty bland looking car. Add a few parts and it becomes a great looking muscle car. The miata is basically the same way.
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Really? Show me a great looking Miata. Seriously, I mean it. Post 'em up. No limits, can have ANYTHING done to it as long as its a "great looking Miata".
 
I don't get the posting pics thing. I have a galaxy S3 and when I "go advanced" in won't let me "choose file" so until I can figure it out no pics. As far as the car. The motor runs and has good compression, clutch and trans seem to be ok, the brakes work and it is pretty straight. Needs a fair amount of tlc and undoing of previous "repairs" I fitted a 15" wire wheel on it yesterday to check clearance. Looks like I can use them with 155-60-15 tires instead of the 155-80-13 it has on it now. They are almost the exact same diameter. I really like the simplicity of these cars. Yes you need to figure your way around them but that is what makes them cool. I like a car I can tinker with and adjust. Most newer engines have no adjustments at all.
 
mischiefdart said:
I found a 1974 midget with factory hardtop on Craigslist for cheap! Needs a fair amount if work but should be a fun commuter that gets good milage. Has 1275cc motor with a weber dgv on it. Awful setup! I am going to make a twin 34mm mikuni set up for it.
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I say don't listen to all the negative comments. You can make this car reliable and economical for a DD. You may never get it to NOT leak oil though. How can a 1275cc motor NOT be economical? LOL I had a '67 Triumph TR4a and drove it back from Seattle to L.A. and had no problems! It just sucked a bit of oil. I think you'll do fine, that is, if you're an accomplished mechanic who can solve (potential) electrical problems too. Why the heck would a Weber DGV be an awful setup? Sounds perfect to me, for that size of motor.
 
72bluNblu said:
True. It is technically a car. And if there's a group of people that enjoy them, I guess that technically makes them car guys, by definition. Car guys with horrific taste and absolutely no style, but sure.



Really? Show me a great looking Miata. Seriously, I mean it. Post 'em up. No limits, can have ANYTHING done to it as long as its a "great looking Miata".
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I'm so glad you said no limits. :D NB track miata, fastback hard top:
tumblr_mc2gehqyDq1qag47bo1_500.jpg
 
the only reason miata's are still around is because of their record at the track

Nah, it is all the old folks who seem to buy it. No local tracks. At lease around here. I have 2 in my neighborhood. One owner (female) is close to 60...the other is over 70. They want to remember the old days of wind blowing in their hair but have no desire or ability to work on them. Maybe they used to own a bike..whatever. Each to their own. And No, I do not call those folks "car guys" or you might as well call the folks that buy a prepped up dodge caravan car guys..

A 240z daily driver ? Sweet,,,have fond memories of them...I learned early on never to dice with them with the 'bgt...just too darn fast and could handle like they were on rails.
 
magnumdust said:
I'm so glad you said no limits. :D NB track miata, fastback hard top:
tumblr_mc2gehqyDq1qag47bo1_500.jpg
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Wow. That's, um...riceriffic. Talk about a waste of good carbon fiber and a grip of cash. I mean, I have to respect that a TON of work had to go into that thing, but I still think its hideous.

I did find one I like though. Pretty extensive modifications, but I have to say this is my ideal Miata.

detroit-crushed-engine-large.jpg
 
72bluNblu said:
Wow. That's, um...riceriffic. Talk about a waste of good carbon fiber and a grip of cash. I mean, I have to respect that a TON of work had to go into that thing, but I still think its hideous.

I did find one I like though. Pretty extensive modifications, but I have to say this is my ideal Miata.

detroit-crushed-engine-large.jpg
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Functional aero is riceriffic? Using that logic, i guess the dodge daytona is a ricer too as are F1 cars.

Edit: and lets not forget the nascrap cars. They use aero as well.
 
BrianT said:
My buddy is putting a LS motor into a Miata.
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just remind her to keep her purse secured by the passenger side seatbelt so it doesn't bounce around too much at (relatively) high speed*


*sorry, had to do it.


edit- funny how someone posts an example of a supposedly great-looking Miata to prove their point, and posts one that has been modified not to look like a Miata at all.
 
95teetee said:
just remind her to keep her purse secured by the passenger side seatbelt so it doesn't bounce around too much at (relatively) high speed*


*sorry, had to do it.


edit- funny how someone posts an example of a supposedly great-looking Miata to prove their point, and posts one that has been modified not to look like a Miata at all.
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A top is not really "modified to not look like a miata". Even without the fastback top, everyone knows the best way to make the miata look great is to put on a hard top.

and again pointing to the 1969 valiant that someone tubs out and turns into a race car. By the time its done, it doesnt look like the factory version. I guess valiants are crap to you too?
1969-signet.jpg

to
ccrp_1007_14_o+1969_plymouth_valiant+suspension_package_installed.jpg
 
I've never heard that about old Mopars, but I do remember many people in the 70s complaining about their MGs always being in the shop. The problem with older cars is that they need more maintenance and tweeking than newer appliance-type cars.

I would never own an MG because of instant death when you collide with any car bigger than a Prius on the road. I remember seeing a man killed when he got rear-ended in the 80s and the larger car that hit him wasn't even going that fast.
 
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