Member Cars :: British Car Club of Greater Cincinnati

MG TD named Rosie

Posted by Jeff on January 2, 2012 with 0 Comments

So this is our 1952 MG TD. Her name is Rosie. She came to me many years ago now. I got her from a woman here in Cincinnati

MG TD 1952

who had been the car’s second owner. She had gotten the car when she was in nursing school in California. A young man she knew really wanted to surf in Hawai, so he sold her the car for plane tickets. She drove this car the whole time she was in school and brought it with her to Cincinnati after she was married. She decided to sell Rosie when the kids just got too old. (I think she just wasn’t ready to see them driving her first love.)

So Rosie was named for her rosy red grill and rims. I guess at some point that was a standard color scheme (although I have yet to see it). Today however she sports the almost required standard British Racing Green vestment through out including her once rosy grill. We may have to giving her namesake back one day. The standard steal rims are gray with the chrome moons sporting her MG moniker. She has the tan duck cloth top and side curtains.

You can find us most days zipping around the west side of Cincinnati. Although it isn’t uncommon to see us in it every where else if the weather is clear. Oh don’t get me wrong, I will drive her in the rain as sure as I am standing here. We are not a trailer queen family. As a matter of fact, this was our carriage for our trip to Gattlinburg Tennessee after our nuptuals in 2009. Never let it be said you can’t drive an old Brit car. You just have to get rid of Mr. Lucas’s contributions.

MG TD 1952

And some of that has been done. Mr. Lucas’s full pump was off the car when I got it. And at a price of over $300 to put old unreliable back in, I have chosen to pass on Rosie’s downgrade. She does have a spin on oil filter added some years back when I though it best for drivablity (it is hard to find filter media in an Autozone these days). Other than that, she is outfitted with the same Abingdon adornments she came with some 60 years ago.

Rosie will always have a place in our garage and our hearts as the spunky English beauty she is.

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Morris Mini

Posted by Jeff on January 2, 2012 with 0 Comments

Morris Mini 1974

Eloise is her name. She is a proper mini car according Leonard Lord. He was the head of BMC and spearheaded the design of the Mini. We purchased her for my wife in 2010 after meeting her at the British Car Club’s Car Show. It was almost magic I tell ya. We saw her across a crowded field of beautiful British cars, glistening in the sun.

We had taken our 1952 MG TD on our honeymoon and my wife was amazed how simple cars used to be. We had a pully come loose and after a quick pull off to the side of the road, it was fixed. After that, she was in love with the simplicity of the old cars.

Eloise was the perfect car for my wife. Bright Yellow is her favorite color. Small and quick like her. a better match could not have been made. And she drove the wheels off of it that first fall. Now I probably drive it more, but only because the questions about her don’t bother me. I love to talk about our cute little runabout, and don’t mind the occasional impromptu photo shoot. To me it comes with the territory.

Yes, she really does get 40 something miles to the gallon.
Yes this is what the new ones are based on.
No you don’t pull a string or pull it backwards first to get it to go…

And really we have not had to do much with her. We have had to work the brakes out a bit. We are probably going to put the extra lights on the front that many of the Mini’s have. I have some new locks and door handles to put in too. And I took the stupid radio out. I can’t see having a radio in a car that is already that loud. But really for my wife and I, motoring to an from some where in her is a time when we get to talk and enjoy. Those life moments don’t need an artificial sound track.

Morris Mini 1974

This year it looks like she will be joining us down at the Cavalcade of Customs. We really don’t show her. She is pretty as a picture to us, but we actually drive her almost daily. So we have some cleaning up on her for the judges I guess. My friend is getting me some old school ’70′s shag carpet to put under her when she is on display. She may be a proper lady, but she still can get funky!

We wouldn’t trade her for the world. As a matter of fact, when the time comes and we can, the station wagon is in our future. Well, atleast that’s what I keep telling myself and asking my wife about.

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