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1978
MGB-GT

'Rodney'
 Right-Hand Drive
Webasto Sunroof
Overdrive
Chrome Bumper Conversion
Engine 18V847 H020743
February 5, 2011 -  I took Rodney out to Isle of Wight (about 45 miles way out in the boonies) yesterday to visit a friend who'd just had her hip replaced.  I spent the day, and came home in steady rain.  Just before a long bridge, I heard a thump and scraping and pulled right over.  The back section of the Ansa exhaust had come loose.  I was able to fit it back on, but the rain and traffic passing by a few feet away discouraged me from trying to lie on the ground and tighten it.  The exhaust came off again, but only as I pulled into the back yard.  This time the insulator of the back mount also tore apart, leaving the exhaust in the grass.  Luckily, there was no damage, and it was a generic Advance Auto muffler mount.  $5, a bit of paint to spruce up the muffler and tailpipe, and a few turns of the wrench and Rodney is ready to roll again!
December 18, 2011 -  Best Bud Chip came over today and helped me get the steering wheel off and repositioned  - I used graphite on the splines in hopes that it won't be so hard to remove next time.  Then I drove him out to Richard's and my parent's.  The car drives wonderfully.  I ordered a new hazard light switch from England yesterday - the bulb cover has melted a bit and even with postage from the UK, the new switch was under $20.  The dashboard is one of the few unique features I have to get parts for straight from England.
November 13 2011 -  I got Rodney out for a long drive today, and found some great country roads.  We're at the tail end of the leaf color season, but there was still plenty gold and red in the trees.  Better yet, there wasn't another car on the road for miles.   I have to admit some relief when the winding detour took me out to the main road I had hoped to find. 
October 17 2011 -  I'd noticed some stumbling at idle and low speed before, but yesterday Rodney was having some real issues.  I could mostly take care of it by pulling out the choke, but the car still ran rough when you first started off.  I figured it had to be a vacuum leak somewhere, and MG Guru Chip confirmed that as a likely source.  He also suggested, among other things, tightening the cab mounting bolts.  After finding no loose hoses, I took a half-inch wrench to the bolts in question - they were not finger loose, but did take a couple of turns.  And sure enough, that cured the problem!  Now I just need to get the $%@#@! steering wheel back off so I can straighten it - it's cocked to the left  enough to be annoying, and I did too good a job of putting it on yesterday. 
October 16, 2011 -  Between going to Hershey last weekend and getting ready for the big local car show this weekend, Rodney has been ignored for a few weeks.  I finally got him out and cleaned up, figured out how to get the %$#@! ignition light in (You can pull the indicator assemblies out from the front), and everything back together.  I did try the Mountney wheel and it fit fine, but I need to replace the column cover with one that has a deeper outer end.  The one on the car is shallow and leaves about a third-inch gap that looks bad.  Until then, I'll stick with the original wheel, which still looks nice.  By the way, if you happen to own an MGB, note the unusual dash setup.  Rodney is a 'home market' GT, and they retained the look of the early MGBs.
September 29, 2011 -  I recently noticed that Rodney's ignition warning light was not coming on when I started the car.  This is the light that goes out when the alternator is charging, and in typical Lucas fashion, the whole charging system can go out because of a dead bulb.  In order to get to the bulb, I had to pull the steering wheel, drop the steering column, remove the cover, and then perform contortions with my hands.  Guess what?  NO bulb!  Could be it was taken out of the system by a previous jury-rig.  Also in the Lucas tradition, the OUTSIDE of the bulb socket was hot, and I accidentally shorted and melted the brown and white wire when I was trying to test it.  Happily my spare MGB wiring harness provided the correct socket and wires in unmelted shape.  I did manage to get the panel dimmer switch (round knob on left) installed, as well as the bulb for the left runs signal indicator.  The ignition warning light is getting no ground, so i need to continue troubleshooting.  But I have a lovely new Mountney wood-rim steering wheel to install when I get the steering column put back together.  A reward for (hopefully) good behavior on Rodney's part.
July 19, 2011 -  K&N provided a nice surprise when I called to ask about replacement parts.  Although the air filters are only sold in the UK, where Rodney emigrated from in 2000, they had a cover in their California warehouse.  Then an even bigger surprise - when I asked the price, the young lady on the phone said she was going to replace it at no charge under warranty.  Which is exactly what she did - the new cover arrived today via UPS.  I made a trip to Ace Hardware for a pair of shiny new acorn nuts and lock washers, and got it installed.  Kudos to K&N - I am duly impressed.
July 9, 2011 -  No, Rodney hasn't been sitting ignored for the past few months.  He's been out for runs once a week, and been completely dependable.  We went out to a local parking lot show today and ended up next to a Monster Truck.  The combination made a good photo op, though more than one observer noted they'd rather have Rodney.  Actually maneuvering that monster pickup would be bad enough - can you imagine filling its gas tanks?  Unfortunately, when I opened Rodney's hood, it turned out that the forward air cleaner retainer nut and cover (shown in the photo below) had come loose and fallen off onto the road somewhere.  So I'll have to get another air filter assembly.
April 23, 2011 -  The GT has been sitting a few weeks while the Studebaker and the TC got some exercise.  Today, I decided to roll Rodney out for some overdue maintenance and a drive.  The valve cover gasket has been leaking, so the first thing was a new gasket with Permatex.  Then the K&N air cleaners got a good cleaning, the first since I have owned the car.  They were black, but attention with a K&N 'recharge' kit I've had for at least a decade got them cleaned up like new again.  Replacing a kinked hose clamp and a new fuel filter completed tinkering, and I finished up giving him a good cleaning.  Then we rolled out to Richard's for a momentous occasion - TC5908 rolled under her own power for the first time!
March 26, 2011 -  I took Rodney out on my antique car club tour today, as the weather was chilly with a chance of rain.  Two other folks also brought their GTs, and we took a minute for a group shot after lunch.  The other two GTs are almost identical twins (one belongs to TC5908's daddy Richard), both earlier series with the original suspensions a wheels.  Rodney is a 1978 with DOT-mandated higher suspension.  When the extra height combined with the 15" panasport wheels, he looks like an off-road vehicle!  We ended up rolling about 120 miles all told, with nary an issue. 
March 23, 2011 -  The new brake pads and rotors arrived yesterday, and i decided to get the job done tonight.  Dire predictions of rain seemed to be incorrect, so I pulled Rodney around in front of the garage and pulled the wheels.  The outer pad on the right side must have broken - all the others were in good shape, but it was pretty much bare metal.  The rotor wasn't really bad once I took a closer look, but I figured I might as well replaced them since I had the new ones.  That is, until I started undoing the rotor mounting nuts.  When you work on cars long enough, certain fasteners give you a sick little twinge when you start to undo them.  Three of the nuts came loose properly, but the fourth?  Given the fact I plan to use the car in a rally this weekend, and the damage to the rotors was pretty superficial, I took the coward's way out and just replaced the pads.  Nature applauded my wisdom, sending a smattering of droplets in warning as I finished up. and put tools away.  The brakes feel great, and I can always work the hubs some other time.  Preferably after I get a spare in case that retainer bolt breaks off!
March 19, 2011 -  Rodney has been doing well for a while, but coming home from my parents' last weekend, I heard some grinding from the front when I hit the brakes.  It's been a busy week, so it wasn't until today that I pulled the car around and checked the front end.  Sure enough, the outer right brake pad had come apart and was just metal backing plate against rotor.  Which didn't do the rotor any good.  I could get the old one turned, but decided to order a full set of OEM replacement rotors and pads.  The car has the fancy cross-drilled rotors, but the scoring was pretty deep and I'd just as soon have the stock setup.  Hopefully they will be in by the end of the week, as they are only coming from Delaware.   Also took a trip up to Moss Motors in Petersburg VA today with the Tidewater MG Classics Club and picked up a new windshield and seal.  Rodney's is starting to delaminate at the edges, so a new one is somewhere in his future.
February 1, 2011 -  I took Rodney to the MG Club meeting about 20 miles away and didn't hear any clutch noise there or back.  Very encouraging, as is the lack of any vibration even at speeds that are not quite legal.  The car is driving great - I am really pleased with the new tires and wheels, and it is nice to have the dash lit up properly.  Next project is probably getting the radio/CD player working.  I suspect trouble with the speaker wires.
January 30, 2011 -  Some minor electrical work today - I replaced the upside-down and loose main US-Market LIGHTS switch with the correct international symbol item form the UK and then took the panel switches apart and got them all lit up again with new bulbs.   I drove the car a lot today, and was pleased to find that the clutch noise is all but gone.  Maybe I won't have to pull the engine after all.
January 19, 2011 -  Work has been crazy this week, but I managed to drop the wheels off at WalMart this morning and picked them up with the new tires tonight just before they closed.  It was unusually warm, so I got Rodney out and swapped out the wheels in less than 30 minutes.  As you can see by the picture below and left, the 15" Minilites with the Goodyear Eagles are only a little taller, but noticeably wider than the original 14" Roistyles.  After I got the tires on I took the car out for spin.  The tires are quiet, hold the road great, and were totally smooth up to 80 MPH (Professional driver, closed course...  riiiight).  Plus I love the look of the wheels and tires.  The standard Roistyles will find a home on either the 80 roadster or 73 GT, depending on which one gets finished first.  (Note - photo at left was added Sunday (Jan 23rd) - first time I'd seen them in daylight.)
January 17, 2011 -  Rodney's new 'shoes' arrived today and they look pretty spiffy!  I plan to drop them off at WalMart tomorrow morning to get the new Goodyear Eagles mounted and balanced.  There probably won't be time to swap them out on the car until this weekend, but I'll be glad to have them in the garage and ready to go.  I also plan to install the new light switches I got in from the UK.  
January 15, 2011 -  I took the GT to our MG Club meeting last week and she was smooth and silent all the way there.  Unfortunately, the clutch noise came back on the way home, so I'll have to put up with it until I get around to pulling the engine for a clutch job.  There is no problem with grabbing or slipping - it's just annoying.  On the plus side, Rodney has some fancy new shoes on the way.  I've long admired the Minilite style wheels, and since the GT has already been modified with the early style bumpers and grille, I decided to splurge.  I got a set of 15x5.5 Minilites off eBay for a good price, and ordered a set of Goodyear Eagle 195/65/15 tires from WalMart.  The combination should look great and have the added advantage of a better footprint.  And I need wheels and tires for the 73 AND the 80 MGBs, so I take care of two cars at once.  The wheels are due Monday, and the tires have already arrived at my local WalMart.  I also just got in two dash switches from England - a correct main lighting switch to replace the upside-down 'lights' US switch, and a new map light switch to replace a damaged original. 
December 31, 2010 -  Record-breaking snow finally cleared up enough to allow tinkering - Chip brought his GT over and I got Rodney out to attack the clutch linkage.  I started off fixing an annoying driver's mirror that rattled and flopped by replacing it with a new one from Moss.  Then I jacked up the car and checked out the linkage  - it was locked solid!  As you can see by the photo below, the clevis pin that connects the pushrod to the throwout arm had rusted in place and was seizing.  We had to use penetrating oil and vice grips to get the clevis pin out.  It looks like the pushrod was pretty worn as well.  I put some grease on the new pushrod end and the clevis pin and put her back together.  The clutch feels smooth and makes no noise.  Because the problem was intermittent I won't know for a while if that was the cure, but it sure looks promising!
November 29, 2010 -  The GT has had an intermittent noise when the clutch is pushed in for a while now - it became much more prevalent during the Black Friday Tour.  I would expect a bad throwout bearing to be consistent, while this noise comes and goes.  Buddy Chip suggested I replace the clutch actuator rod and clevis pin - they can get worn and cause odd noises.  So I have ordered the parts in from Moss.  If that doesn't fix it, I'll be doing a clutch job on the GT this winter!
November 26, 2010 -  Rodney and I had company with us for the Tidewater MG Classics' 180-mile Black Friday Tour to the Eastern Shore, visiting artist's studios and wineries.  MG friend Susan Bond was along for the ride - a long-time MG driver and mechanic herself, it was a little strange for her to be in the driver's seat with no controls and none of the mirrors set right.  Predicted rain ended up limited to a couple of sprinkles early on, and we had a great time.  There were seven cars along, all 'B's, though Rodney was the only GT.  Rodney managed 26 mpg in brisk driving - pretty good!
November 13, 2010 -  It's been almost a month since Rodney got some exercise, so i rolled him out for the Model A Ford Club Meeting on Thursday.  Despite being ignored so long, he fired right up and was happy to get out on the town.  I need to replace one dash switch and some of the switch light bulbs in the center dash area.  With winter approaching, I expect I'll be using Rodney for MG Club meetings while Wildflower winters in her private cottage.
October 21, 2010 -  Hey Hey, it the MONKEES!  I stumbled onto something unexpected tonight - a song by Peter Tork called MGB GT!   And yes, it's about the car we all know and love - complete with overdrive.  CLICK HERE for a listen!
October 2, 2010 -  Part of the vibration issue was Rodney's driveshaft - Chip got underneath and diagnosed a bad front U-joint.  I had a spare driveshaft, and gave it a major cleaning and new U-joints.  Then I just swapped out driveshafts.  Most of the vibration is gone, but I think there is some play in the front end.  It only shows up at higher than legal speeds (in VA, anyway), and it is very slight now. 
September 11, 2010 -  Been busy the past few weeks, but I've managed to get Rodney out for a run every now and then.  He is doing quite well and was ready for a run today.  The TC tends to be favored when weather is really nice, but I have to admit that Webasto roof makes for pleasant summer drives.  Still haven't had time to get the vibration issue completely solved - I did find out that the speedometer is reading somewhat slow, so the vibration is mostly coming into play at 65-70.  It's not enough of an issue to worry about that much, but I want to get it cleared up eventually.
August 21, 2010 -  Rodney got to reunite with an old friend today - Donna, the lady who brought him here from England.  She was also the one who listed the GT on eBay when Darrell outbid me.  I got to meet her then when I drove the car before the auction was over.  She is just a nice now, as are her very cute pups.  We had a quick chat, and then she presented Rodney with a new car cover she'd gotten for him but forgotten to include when he was picked up.  She checks the website every now and then as well, so "Hi, Donna!"
August 18, 2010 -  The CarQuest starter arrived on time, and to my amazement, was not only a rebuilt Lucas unit, but the correct and fairly rare later style that came out of the car!  As you can tell by the photo, it had been raining all afternoon, but stopped long enough for me to install it.  The starter dropped in easily and worked perfectly.  Not only was it substantially cheaper, it comes with a lifetime warranty!  Rodney is ready and rarin' to go again.  Good timing, too.  I just got the contact information for Donna Kelley, the previous owner, and Bernard, the MG specialist who maintained it in England.  I'm hoping to take the car by Donna's for a visit this weekend.
August 16, 2010 -  The starter (on right) came out easily, but when I compared it to the planned replacement (on left), everything came to a halt.   Although the nose (gear) end looks the same, the main body and solenoids were vastly different.    Some research turned up the explanation - Lucas switched to the smaller starter for 78-80 cars.  The larger starter is much more common, and even with the early solenoid can be used if you swap over some of the contacts.  However, rather than try rigging something up, I was able to order a new starter from the local Car Quest Parts store, and will have it in a couple of days. 
August 1, 2010 -  Rodney has a rather curious starter sound - like a turbine winding down before it catches and starts.  I am guessing it is a gear reduction starter, something I have heard of but never had.  The wind-down is apparently a sign of a bad connection or possibly a failing starter.  I mentioned it to friend Richard, who took me out to his garage and led me directly to a rebuilt MGB starter he has had since about 1985!  He handed it to me and told me to get my old starter fixed and put it in inventory.  I am planning to check out the starter one night this week and either get it working better or replaced.  The local MG club is having a tour this weekend that I am planning to take the TC on, but if the weather looks iffy, Rodney gets to go.
July 25, 2010 -  The GT has been sitting for a couple of weeks, so I gave him a good run today out to my parent's in 105 degree heat.  Happily, he doesn't seem bothered, with the temp gauge sitting right in the middle even at 65-70 mph.  The vibration is back - not sure if it's tires or something loose in the front end.  Could be kingpins, though I recall they were redone in England.  Not bad, just annoying.  Oh, in case you noticed the sudden gender change, the GT is now Rodney - I had to come up with a pen name for the article I wrote about our Tour a couple of weeks ago.  So the GT is now a he, and I will try to remember that.
July 10, 2010 -  My first real trip in the GT turned out very well.  She ran cool and steady the whole time, and with the sunroof and side windows opened up, even I stayed pretty cool despite hot and humid weather.  I did get the oil changed last night (Castrol 20/50) and checked everything else.  Brake and clutch master cylinders were all the way to the full mark, as was the radiator reservoir.  She did get pretty dirty - one of the attraction on the tour had a long and very dusty road.  Nothing a good bath won't fix.  I really do love the GTs - all the handling of the roadster and plenty of room for coolers, tools, and other stuff in the back.  Plus, I think they look better.  Anyway, a really nice day and a great first long run for the GT!
July 8, 2010 -  The GT's great-Granny got all the attention the past few weeks, but I am planning on taking the GT on a tour of the Eastern Shore on Saturday with the Tidewater MG Classics Club, and it was time to get busy.  I  finally tried swapping out the front tires with two of the tires that came on the 78.  Sure enough, the vibration was gone.  However, it turned out not to be the balance.  Neither I nor Wal-Mart had checked the pressure in the tires from the 73, and they were all low.  I thought I had checked them when I got the 73 home, but obviously not.  With 34 psi all around, the car rolled at 70...  um...  55, yeah, 55, with no vibration.  The spare was flat, so I swapped it out, and made sure the jack and handle were in place.  I'll try to get the oil changed tomorrow night, only because I haven't done it on this car yet and I don't know how old the oil is.  About the only item not working now is the fancy AM/FM/CD radio - it comes on, but the sound flickers in and out - mostly out.  Might be something as simple as a loose wire.  I'll try pulling it and checking the connections and grounding.
June 13, 2010 -  Some minor tinkering the past couple of days:  the GT's horn button activated one very weak high note that did little to attract attention when and if needed.  A pair of near-exact replacements for the factory horns were hanging from the rack at Advance Auto Parts, bolting in with no modifications and a much healthier 'honk.'   I had to pull the grille out to get to the horns, and noted some serious rust on the center piece.  I have three battered grilles in the garage, and one had a much better center piece.  So I swapped that out before I put the 78's grille back in.  I have some vibration at highway speeds that I think is the tires, despite having them balanced.  Gonna swap out to her old wheels/tires and see if the vibration goes away.
June 9, 2010 -  I adjusted the choke idle speed, carbs, and valves tonight, which greatly improved her start and idle, and also got rid of an annoying 'tick'.  Also installed new spark plugs and wires.  The alloy valve cover that was on the car was corroded, so I polished up a spare that came with the 73 and installed it along with chrome holdown nuts and oil cap, plus new seals from Moss.  I did some work over the weekend as well, getting the exhaust system tightened back up and adding a center brace, and also replacing the wiper blades.  I've put about 200 miles on the current tank of gas - curious to see what the mileage is.
June 1, 2010 -  The GT made her debut tonight at the Tidewater MG Classics monthly meeting.  She got a few double-takes when people saw the right-hand drive, and then again when I mentioned she was a late model.  A few folks remembered the car from the previous owner, and at least a couple had turned wrenches on it at a tech session.  I lost a windshield wiper blade coming home in the rain - I'd painted the wiper arms and put them a bit too close together.  It appears that one is an incorrect size. In any case, I stopped before any damage was done and removed the bladeless arm.   I'll replace both tomorrow.  Also, the Ansa exhaust slipped  a bit and is rattling slightly.  Another tweak for tomorrow night.
May 29, 2010 -  The wheels are all finished up - it was very tedious work repainting the black inserts with an artist's brush.  I outlined each opening first, then filled in the middle.  Even the two I had done before had to be repainted, as neither the plastic paint mask or using masking tape really did a decent job.  Given what I was starting with (lower left image in the wheel pictures), I am very pleased with the results.  Another 'quick' job that turned out to be not so easy was swapping over the Ansa exhaust from the 73.  The 78 has had the rear suspension converted to tube shocks - great for the ride, but the conversion cuts into the area that the exhaust system usually goes.  It took a good bit of refitting and twisting to finally get the Ansa setup in place, but it sounds great and looks good.  Still have some vibration at speeds over 60 - I suspect the tie rod ends may have some play.  Something to check out, anyway. Oh, took her over to my parent's tonight - the car drove great and the new seats were very comfortable.
May 28, 2010 -  Got the last two wheels stripped and painted silver - tomorrow I will take all four over to WalMart and get them rebalanced.  Turns out the best way to do the black inserts in the wheels is to hand paint them - I'll finish up the last two wheels after I get the wheels balanced..  I also pulled the Ansa exhaust system off the 73 and cleaned and painted it. 
May 27, 2010 - Major changes! - The original cloth seats were pretty decent, but the driver's side had holes and the fabric was still a bit dingy.  So tonight I decided to try the new seats that came with the 73.   Swapping seats was pretty simple, and I can get in and out easier with the smooth surface than with the fabric.  I think the new seats have better back support - the test will come with actual driving.  They make a drastic change to the interior appearance.  I also got spare keys made today - the locksmith even had MG key fobs!  Took her into work again - running smooth and cool, even in 90+ degrees and traffic
May 25, 2010 - Re-tired - The GT passed inspection recently, so the tires were safe to drive on.  However, they had uneven wear and were mismatched.  The 73 had nearly-new tires that I put on it when I had it, and since she isn't going anywhere soon I figured I'd pull a swap.  The wheels were a bit rough looking, so I media blasted the front two (with the tires on - I LOVE that big cabinet) and then painted them with Eastwood silver wheel paint I'd planned to use on the TC's wheels.  I put masking tape around the edge and then made a cone using some oversized paper sheets.  The plastic paint mask for the wheel did OK, but I had to paint the black inserts by hand.  I think I'll try masking off the next one instead.  Oh, also used black vinyl paint to cover the inward-facing whitewalls.
May 24, 2010 - Making her mine - I added bumper guards and a badge bar/grille guard to the GT tonight.  It changes the look of the car quite a bit.  The original silver and gray cloth seats are in remarkable shake to be 32 years old, and the engine compartment has both of the original Lucas cooling fans AND the cardboard air deflector between the radiator and the oil pan.  I am very pleased with the car - it has just enough different about it to be a little unique, yet it is no harder to get parts for than any other GT.
May 23, 2010 - The GT had some idle issues and had to have the choke in just the right position to run well.   I took a look at the carbs this weekend and got her adjusted so that she now runs smooth and steady with no choke needed once she starts up.  The adjustment screws had no lock nuts and the back carb was mostly off at idle.  First trip?  To Richard's of course - she rolled out to Chesapeake with nary a hiccup, and received Richard's nod of approval.  I dug up some nice front bumper guards and the over rider bar in the parts from the 73 and plan to add them, along with a transfer of the 73's tires and Ansa exhaust.  The 78 has a stock stainless steel system which I am going to put on the 73 instead - that car will get restored to original while the 78 will get the 'fun' stuff.  I got the seats cleaned up, and the paint is responding well to polishing compound.
May 20, 2010 - I took care of the title and tags today at lunch - the prior owner gave me a letter relinquishing the '78MGBGT' tag number, as well as the tags and registration.  I was able to turn the plates in and get the number re-issued on Antique Tags.  After due consideration, I realized that a license plate that started with 'SHT" would provide too much opportunity for coarse humor.  Hey, it's the first thing that came to MY mind.  Anyway, I got the temp tags on and drove the car to my car club meeting tonight.  She is one of the peppier MGBs I have driven, and the overdrive works great.  I should have time to do some work on the car this weekend, though the majority of effort will be spent trying to sort out and store all the parts that came with the 73 GT.
May 19, 2010 - About four years ago I saw a really neat-looking MGB-GT listed on eBay.  It was a late model Home Market (originally sold in the UK) with the professional chrome-bumper conversion, Webasto full sunroof, and overdrive.  Better yet, the car was located nearby, and I was able to give the car a test drive.  The lady selling it had brought the car back from England (photo at right is the car when she had it in England) - she was very nice, and really hated to have to sell the GT.   It had been repainted red, and had the original fabric seats in good shape, with 70+K original miles.  The overdrive was smooth and the car drove nicely.  It had the beginnings of dogleg rust, a common issue with MGBs, but nothing terrible.  I liked the car a lot, but by the time the auction ended my $4300 top bid didn't come close to winning.  I chalked the car up to the 'loss' column and pretty much forgot about it.
Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago, when some idle Internet browsing turned up a familiar-looking car for sale in Lynchburg VA.  The GT's buyer was relocating to Northern Virginia and had no place to keep the car, so was reluctantly parting with it.  I was rather overwhelmed with work trying to get the TC ready for the Grand National show in New Bern, so there was no way to make the 200+ mile trip to look at the car until this week.  Unfortunately, the owner was running out of time, as he had to get things settled in Lynchburg and then spend the weekend getting settled enough in Northern VA to start his new job Monday.  He basically had Monday, Tuesday and today - so I scrambled at work and took the day off today, made a stop at the Credit Union, snagged the Model A Club's tow dolly, and rolled to Richmond early this morning.  He had the car out front when I pulled up.  The years showed some in the form of faded paint and progression of rust which now was starting to appear in both lower front fenders and doglegs, but again, this is pretty normal for MGBs.  The structural stuff was all good, and he had extra wheels, new rear springs, and other parts to go with it.
I took the car for a drive around the area, not too long, but enough to check out the overdrive, brakes, and drivetrain.  She had 50 psi oil pressure at hot idle, the transmission and clutch were great, and the overdrive worked perfectly.  Event the clock worked.  When I got back (after getting lost for a short time), I did another walk-around and did a very small amount of haggling - we both knew I was going to buy the car, and I ended up getting it for my original $4300 eBay bid from 4 years ago.  We drove her up on the tow dolly and I dropped the driveshaft at the rear axle to avoid damage to the overdrive.  The trusty Mazda pulled her 230 miles with nary a complaint, and I simply rebolted the driveshaft up when we got home.  She is now in the garage - I plan to hit DMV tomorrow.  The owner gave me a letter relinquishing the 78MGBGT plates - but I am also considering the car's UK registration number, which is etched in the glass and lenses: SHT51S. I could put at least one of the UK plates back on her.  We'll see what happens at DMV.  In any case, I am delighted to have the car and am looking forward to playing with her.

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