All my life I have been a "car hound", attracted to just about anything with four wheels on it. Having grown up on a university town in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, I had seen sports cars around town regularly. I grew to know all the various marques from seeing them as well as reading every automotive journal I could get my hands on. After I got out of college and had been working for about a year, I spotted a gold 1972 MGB on the local dealer’s lot. It was just two years old and really caught my eye. Once I drove it, I was hooked so I worked it out with the dealership to trade in my one year old Toyota on the MGB. The B was fitted with overdrive, Ansa exhaust, driving lights and was a real joy to drive (when it behaved itself). It was, indeed, my first exposure to ownership of a British sports car.

A couple of years later, I moved to my first of 7 TVRs, a marque which would become a passion of mine for over 35 years. Then, about three years ago, after selling my last TVR, I decided to look for another MGB, or in essence, to come full circle back to where I started my sports car journey.

I first spotted a very nice MGB-GT out in the Midwest that was very attractive but was sold before I could get to it. Then a friend in the local British Car Club here in southwest Virginia told me about one he had just placed an ad for in our newsletter for someone in his town. It was a 1971, teal blue with black interior and top. The car was reasonably priced so I made the hour’s drive down to see the car. The top was in rough shape, and the interior needed a new upholstery kit. The car drove OK but obviously needed servicing and the front end was loose.

However, I was able to negotiate a good price for the car so I went back a week later with my trailer and picked the car up. I got a new Robbins top for the car and a new seat kit with new foam, etc and that began to really enhance the MG. I had it serviced. The car was grossly out of tune and ran enormously better once it had been properly tuned. The front shocks were worn out so they have been replaced with uprated shocks, the tie rod ends, bushings and steering rack boots have been replaced and the car drives like a dream now.

When I purchased the car, I was unaware that it, like my original 1971 B, was also fitted with overdrive. My mechanic made me aware of it, but it had to be reworked so it would function properly. And I just added a new Touring Trophy wooden 14" steering wheel to replace the 15" wheel that was original to the car. And finally, I went by our local British car dealer one day and inquired as to whether he might have a decent used tonneau cover to fit the car. He rummaged through piles of stuff he had in inventory since he had been a new MG dealer back in the day and found a new old stock, factory original, tonneau cover to fit my car for only $150.00!

Now, with winter finally gone, I can begin enjoying my B for many years to come. And, to top it all off, my 2 year old granddaughter’s name is Madison Grace, (initials MG) so perhaps this will be handed down to her when she is old enough to drive it.