Chairman's Transmission
From MGA!, JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012, VOLUME 37 / NO 3
The Guy Next Door
For a lucky few who purchased an MGA or Magnette when they were new, and are still the original owners, you’ve had the pleasure of knowing every mile logged. And for a few other owners, you may also know your car’s history back to day one. But for the majority of us, we are left wondering what stories our cars could tell. We can order up Heritage Certificates, which are fascinating documents, and similar to birth certificates, in that they describe the particulars of when our cars were born. But we are still left speculating where our cars traveled afterwards, and what lives they led before finding us. Just how did they get those scars, and at what age did they start smoking? Did they ever go to college, and why were they subsequently abandoned for a younger model?
About all I knew of my Mk II was that it had broken down at a gas station in Richmond, Virginia, and the owner had left it there. NAMGAR member, Hugh Burruss, purchased it to use as a parts car for his twin cam MGA racer. But instead, Hugh ended up selling the car to me in 1980. From then on, I always wondered about its history. There was a name on the original title, but the person had since moved from his address in Florida, and the other clue, a University of Tennessee bumper sticker, was of no help.
So when Carol drove home in that same MGA the other day, she came in to say, “I just met our new neighbor. He’s a nice guy and really likes MGAs. In fact, he and his brother bought a brand new Mk II roadster when they were teenagers; a red one.”
I mumbled, “Ours was originally red.”
She went on to say, “One day, the older brother got in an accident and the left side was damaged. So the younger brother took sole possession, had it repaired and repainted fire engine red.”
I thought, “Ours was hit on the left side, and it had been repainted once…a kind of fire engine red.”
Carol then said, “The guy had lived in Orlando, but moved to Richmond after graduating from University of Tennessee. That’s when the car let him down and he sold it.”
I jumped up and asked, “So, how is Tom Magner, the original owner of our MGA doing these days?”
Carol kind of stared at me in disbelief…as she often does.
Somehow I remembered Tom’s name from the old title, and by coincidence, he just happened to be our new neighbor! What are the chances? So, it’s been great to fill in the gaps of the history of one old MG, and reunite Tom with his first car….Although he knows we won’t be selling it anytime soon. Still, Tom is fired up about MGAs again, and who knows, maybe he’ll join NAMGAR and find a new MGA to enjoy.
In a way, you can help others who are interested in where their car has traveled, or where it is today. By definition, NAMGAR is a Register, and as such, part of our mission is to register and maintain a database of as many Magnettes and MGAs as possible. Just log onto the member area of the NAMGAR website using your password, and you can update your car information as well as your contact information. You can also post a photo of your car on the website, along with a write-up telling us about some of the MG adventures you’ve experienced.
Of course, there’s always a new adventure to plan for as well. For the spring, there’s the Sebring MGA Reunion, a return to Key West, plus numerous Chapter events, and in July you will definitely want to be in the Wright Place for GT-37. Details are available on the GT-37 website for what promises to be a top flight GT.
Meanwhile, NAMGAR’s 2012 Board of Directors meeting is taking place as this issue arrives in your mailbox. After a budget is adopted, we’ve got a lot of great topics to discuss, thanks to your continued input. The Board will be discussing potential locations for future GTs and Regional events, and revisiting the parameters of the Altered A Class.
We have a great list of candidates for the Mac Spears Award to review. We’ll also be discussing ways to further improve our website and magazine. New Regalia items, lifetime memberships, and many more relevant topics are on the agenda, too.
And then there’s our new Editor….He keeps asking for a “company car.” I don’t remember seeing anything about this in his contract, but I think we can find a nice, rusty project car that might keep him “company” for a few years!
I sincerely hope you have a safe and comfortable winter as you’re dreaming of springtime activities. And when you do head outdoors, be sure to introduce yourself to the guy next door. You just never know!
Safety fast!
Commenting is not available for this article.
Bruce Woodson
Reader Comments (0)
There are no comments for this article.