When I graduated from medical school in 1969, I wanted a
sports car. My first choice was an XKE, but alas I could not afford it so I
bought an MGB instead. I picked the GT because I needed the cargo space. The car
was black with wire wheels. I drove that car as a daily driver for next five
years until it was damaged beyond repair in a wreck. After losing the MG, I had
a series of Z cars, vintage Mustangs and Corvettes over the years. In February
2014 while looking at classic cars online, I found a MGB-GT exactly like the one
I bought in 1969 with only 34,500 miles on the odometer. The photos of the car
were fantastic.
The car was located only 150 miles away so I hopped in my
Corvette for a trip. When I first saw the car, I thought it looked as if it had
just rolled off the assembly line in Abingdon. I had not driven an MGB since I
lost my first one but it did not take me long to get back in the groove. A few
hours later, I had my new old MGB.
In addition to the excellent condition of the car, one of the
things that attracted me to the car was the extensive historical record that
came with it. The car was manufactured in Abingdon between April 17th and April
22nd in 1969 and exported to San Francisco, California on May 7, 1969. The first
owner bought the car on June11, 1969 in San Francisco for $3731.00. He kept the
car for the next 36 years, He kept all sales documents, titles, registrations
for 36 years. He even kept the business card of the salesman. The second owner
acquired the car in 2006 in California. The third owner bought the car in 2011
and transported it to Virginia where I purchased it in March of 2015.
The car is in amazing condition. Every owner has
taken extraordinary good care of it. It has been protected from both rain and
sun its entire life. Over its life span of 47 years, the past three owners have
put only on an average of 750 miles per year on the car. The car numbers and
equipment all match the BMIHT factory records. I am exceedingly happy to have an
MG back in the garage. It is great fun to cruise around town in my new old
MGB-GT. I plan to attend many MG events. My first was be the American MGB
Association Meet 2015 in Myrtle Beach which is 90 miles from home, but I was
unable to make it.