Classics dwarfed by moderns

[anonymous-user]

I would rejoice to be overtaken by an MGB, but I am not holding my breath waiting for that to happen. It's mostly in jest, as people can do what they like with their cash, but I do really think that MGBs are the most overrated classic cars going, that they are rubbish to drive unless modified, even applying the standards of the time, and that the conformist and tribal culture that surrounds them is highly entertaining to the outsider.

It really doesn't matter, as all of these old heaps of all marques are just old heaps, but it's a slight shame that some people may think that an MGB is a fair representative of what 60s and 70s cars were like. I know people who have been put off classic cars for life because they followed the herd and bought an MGB.

Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 29th April 10:08

[mph]

Breadvan72 said:

I would rejoice to be overtaken by an MGB, but I am not holding my breath waiting for that to happen. It's mostly in jest, as people can do what they like with their cash, but I do really think that MGBs are the most overrated classic cars going, that they are rubbish to drive unless modified, even applying the standards of the time, and that the conformist and tribal culture that surrounds them is highly entertaining to the outsider.

It really doesn't matter, as all of these old heaps of all marques are just old heaps, but it's a slight shame that some people may think that an MGB is a fair representative of what 60s and 70s cars were like. I know people who have been put off classic cars for life because they followed the herd and bought an MGB.

Edited by Breadvan72 on Tuesday 29th April 10:08

Yawn...

[nta16]

Breadvan72 said:

It really doesn't matter, as all of these old heaps of all marques are just old heaps,

true but most owners won't admit to this and get very upset if you suggest it - I mean glass houses, Italian car

Breadvan72 said:

but it's a slight shame that some people may think that an MGB is a fair representative of what 60s and 70s cars were like. I know people who have been put off classic cars for life because they followed the herd and bought an MGB.

they must have bought examples not at their best as the previous owner(s) not maintained them correctly to be as good as they should be (including not ever driving them in a spirited manner or at all)

I can't remember Bs being bad and I've had and driven other 60s and 70s classics including a proper Italian classic

worst and most unpleasant to drive B I've driven was one that had been modified and 'improved'

Edited by nta16 on Tuesday 29th April 15:56

[72twink]

Breadvan has probably affected his tolerance by owning a couple of breadvans - after that anything of the period in standard form (Elans aside) feels a bit ponderous!

[CDP]

nta16 said:

Breadvan72 said:

It really doesn't matter, as all of these old heaps of all marques are just old heaps,

true but most owners won't admit to this and get very upset if you suggest it - I mean glass houses, Italian car

Breadvan72 said:

but it's a slight shame that some people may think that an MGB is a fair representative of what 60s and 70s cars were like. I know people who have been put off classic cars for life because they followed the herd and bought an MGB.

they must have bought examples not at their best as the previous owner(s) not maintained them correctly to be as good as they should be (including not ever driving them in a spirited manner or at all)

I can't remember Bs being bad and I've had and driven other 60s and 70s classics including a proper Italian classic

worst and most unpleasant to drive B I've driven was one that had been modified and 'improved'

Edited by nta16 on Tuesday 29th April 15:56

Having thrashed a rubber bumper BGT around Hethel until a tyre let go a few years back I reckon they're good fun and go sideways pretty easily at relatively low speeds...

[anonymous-user]

nta16 said:

hey must have bought examples not at their best as the previous owner(s) not maintained them correctly to be as good as they should be (including not ever driving them in a spirited manner or at all)

I can't remember Bs being bad and I've had and driven other 60s and 70s classics including a proper Italian classic

worst and most unpleasant to drive B I've driven was one that had been modified and 'improved'

Lob away. I freely admit that old all bangers are old bangers one way or another.

I have driven a few MGBs, and even supposedly well set up ones seemed to me dire compared to other sporty cars from the same era, and I don't mean super posh cars either. Still it's all just a hobby, so whatever people like is fab.

[srob]

What happened to the MV you bought breadvan? Or did you feel it was a bit too involved, fast and nimble, riding a classic motorbike so you went back to that big old barge of a Jenson?

I'd imagine even a Europa would feel pretty lardy compared to a decent classic bike. Did you get all scared? Maybe an MGB would suit you better

[anonymous-user]

I liked the bike a lot and had some fun with it, it but I am too old and too slow on the uptake to carry on biking, so it's gone. Hey, old I am, but at least I can still spell Jensen.

[anonymous-user]

PS: I have not altogether ruled out getting some daft old big single British bike to convert fuel into noise, smoke, and not very fastness at some indeterminate point in the future.

[nta16]

Breadvan72 said:

Lob away. I freely admit that old all bangers are old bangers one way or another.

I can't I don't know anything about your posh Italian car or obviously I'd have been (trying to?) wind you up about it well before now

Breadvan72 said:

I have driven a few MGBs, and even supposedly well set up ones

but were they, most classic owners think their poor running examples are well set up! - especially B owners

Breadvan72 said:

seemed to me dire compared to other sporty cars from the same era, and I don't mean super posh cars either.

I am seriously interested to know what these sporty cars, that are not super posh, are as it could be your definition of not super posh may vary to mine and many others

c'mon name these cars

[anonymous-user]

Triumph sporty saloons and sports cars, Rover P6s, assorted Alfas, hotted up small Fords, that sort of thing. Lotuses of the era leave all of those for dead, driving wise, but might or might not be regarded as a bit exotical.

These are all matters of personal taste, not objective verities. I just think that boggo MGBs are a bit meh. If people want to lerrrrve them, that's fine by me.

[RichB]

72twink said:

Breadvan has probably affected his tolerance by owning a couple of breadvans - after that anything of the period in standard form (Elans aside) feels a bit ponderous!

I doubt that very much, the owning of a "Breadvan" (assuming you mean the Ferrari variety) not the performance of an Elan.

[anonymous-user]

No 'Raris here, but I had a couple of Lotus Europas a while back.

[RichB]

Breadvan72 said:

No 'Raris here, but I had a couple of Lotus Europas a while back.

Ah ha, an acquired taste. I have always rather liked them (the list of Lotus championships on the side impressed when I was a teenager) but my wife thinks they look crap.

[nta16]

Breadvan72 said:

Triumph sporty saloons

some maybe

Breadvan72 said:

and sports cars,

how can you rate Spridgets and then include Triumph sports with their separate chassis - but of course you'd probably be thinking of the more expensive TR4/5/6

Breadvan72 said:

Rover P6s,

now I'm not going to argue with this am I

Breadvan72 said:

assorted Alfas,

yes probably if you can get them going and more importantly keep them going

Breadvan72 said:

hotted up small Fords, that sort of thing.

possibly you need to drive them again

Breadvan72 said:

Lotuses of the era leave all of those for dead, driving wise, but might or might not be regarded as a bit exotical.

welllll, they were a lot more expensive back in the day and now - you live a richer life than you know

you remind me of Nigel Ferage when he said he only paid his German wife (certainly not taking a job from a British worker) "a modest" wage of £25k, for a millionaire this may seem so but for those on the minimum wage it could be close to double their wages so not modest from their perspective

you need to compare similar cars and bear in mind the ease of running and getting parts for a B compared to other similar classics - not that many B owners actually use their cars to need parts and certainly don't drive them in a spirited way

you're too used to things like Jensons

Edited by nta16 on Tuesday 29th April 21:14

[MarshPhantom]

srob said:

What happened to the MV you bought breadvan? Or did you feel it was a bit too involved, fast and nimble, riding a classic motorbike so you went back to that big old barge of a Jenson?

I certainly know which one I'd rather have.

Slight clue - it's not the motorbike.

[srob]

MarshPhantom said:

I certainly know which one I'd rather have.

Slight clue - it's not the motorbike.

I was just poking fun that he seems to take great pleasure in mocking MG owners for driving slowly yet given the chance to stretch the legs of a sports classic bike he returned to the lazy GT car and sold the bike. Seems a bit like the cat calling the monkey hairy arse to me and if you're gonna take the piss you have to be ready to get a little flack back!

Personally I'd always take an MV over a Jensen, luckily we're all different!

[anonymous-user]

There is no such car as a "Jenson" so it can't be compared to any other car. Some of you are taking this too seriously. I regularly poke fun at the cult of the MGB, but do so mainly in jest, and if you think that I can't put up with having the piss taken then you haven't read my stuff, as I regularly take the piss out of myself.

As for costs, MGBs are arguably over priced for what they are. I have sold my Jensen to help pay a tax bill, and currently drive an old Lancia which only cost me 2K and is in reasonable but not perfect nick overall, but needs a few quid spent on it next week when it's having a new clutch put in. Also an old Landy which is like most old Landies (ie quite clunky and scabby in places, and slow, bouncy and noisy when driven) but costs not much to keep chugging slowly along. I am not interested in cars as investments and only drive old heaps because they are fun, breakdowns, rust, and all.

The usual pub comments about Alfas and such are little to the point, as I am comparing driving experiences, not amount of down time etc. I would not compare a Jensen to an MGB because they were not in the same or a similar bracket when new. I suggest that if you take a standard MGB and compare it with a reasonably light weight sports car, coupe or saloon of the MGB era the MGB drives poorly. Perhaps the most obvious comparison is with a Triumph Vitesse Mark II, which was marketed at the time as "the two seater beater", which arguably it was (we have had the pub Alfa stuff so with luck will now get the pub Vitesse rear suspension stuff, preferably from people who have never driven one). A GT6 Mark II or III might be another fair comparator

None of this matters, as these are all just cranky old cars that people drive because they want to. It's not an issue worth getting grumpy about.

[nta16]

Breadvan72 said:

There is no such car as a "Jenson" - I'm taking this too seriously.

Breadvan72 said:

A GT6 Mark II or III might be another fair comparator

I've had a GT6 mk3 and two Bs the Bs, in my opinion, were a better drive

Breadvan72 said:

None of this matters, as these are all just cranky old cars that people drive because they want to.

Breadvan72 said:

It's not an issue worth getting grumpy about.

who's getting grumpy, you're upset by the letter 'o'

[anonymous-user]

Not upset at all. Merely amused by the illiteracy and ignorance of the posts a few above. Bloke posts in a classic car forum and can't spell Jensen. Here's a clue to finding out what cars are called. They usually have their names written on them. HTH!

By the way, it is childish to invent quotes and falsely attribute them to other posters. Be a good little boy and don't do it again. It just makes you look stupid.

Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 30th April 20:52