400 mile trip in a car that hasn t moved for two decades
Poll: 400 mile trip in a car that hasn t moved for two decades
Total Members Polled: 37
Discussion
So I am the "lucky" owner of this -
For those that don’t know, it’s a 1958 MG Magnette ZB Varitone. My Great Uncle bought it new, it was passed on to my Dad in 1979 and it has been mine for about 14 years. Since then it hasn’t been used at all, just kept dry stored. Since 1979 it has done roughly 400 miles I think.
Dad had a big renovation done on it in the early 90s, it was a rust bucket by then so the body was fully stripped, rebuilt and painted and the interior was completely reupholstered but the mechanical/engine side was mostly ok and left untouched. The last trip I remember it doing was in the mid-90s which was a hundred miles or so I think.
I’m fortunate to have the space to keep it so it’s just sat there as a family heirloom, no particular plans for it but a vague thought that it would be something to tinker with in retirement.
Until…………
My youngest nephew is getting married in June and he messaged to ask if I would use the car to take the bride to the wedding. It’s a lovely thought that it would get used and I’m really pleased to be asked, but I am in Stafford, the wedding is in Devon
.
So the questions are, can I get it going?
Should I attempt to drive it all the way to Devon and back?
Should I just trailer it and do the 3 miles of local stuff there just for the photos?
Of course it is MoT exempt and free tax, and I’ve kept it insured so in theory it is fully legal to use (if roadworthy).
Any top tips for making the 70 year old s
tbox reliable enough to do more miles than it has seen since Thatcher became PM would be very welcome 
For those that don’t know, it’s a 1958 MG Magnette ZB Varitone. My Great Uncle bought it new, it was passed on to my Dad in 1979 and it has been mine for about 14 years. Since then it hasn’t been used at all, just kept dry stored. Since 1979 it has done roughly 400 miles I think.
Dad had a big renovation done on it in the early 90s, it was a rust bucket by then so the body was fully stripped, rebuilt and painted and the interior was completely reupholstered but the mechanical/engine side was mostly ok and left untouched. The last trip I remember it doing was in the mid-90s which was a hundred miles or so I think.
I’m fortunate to have the space to keep it so it’s just sat there as a family heirloom, no particular plans for it but a vague thought that it would be something to tinker with in retirement.
Until…………
My youngest nephew is getting married in June and he messaged to ask if I would use the car to take the bride to the wedding. It’s a lovely thought that it would get used and I’m really pleased to be asked, but I am in Stafford, the wedding is in Devon
.So the questions are, can I get it going?
Should I attempt to drive it all the way to Devon and back?
Should I just trailer it and do the 3 miles of local stuff there just for the photos?
Of course it is MoT exempt and free tax, and I’ve kept it insured so in theory it is fully legal to use (if roadworthy).
Any top tips for making the 70 year old s
tbox reliable enough to do more miles than it has seen since Thatcher became PM would be very welcome No reason why it can't be reliable but after such a long period of inactivity they'll likely be loads of niggly issues related to seals which have hardened over time.
If you start using it regularly now you have a chance to find and deal with the issues before June, but I wouldn't leave it until then and expect it to be OK on a long trip
If you start using it regularly now you have a chance to find and deal with the issues before June, but I wouldn't leave it until then and expect it to be OK on a long trip
First question is to decide if it's truly worth the effort for 3 miles of photo opportunity, and the risk of it failing.
If you decide it is, the way to do it is not to get it ready for the wedding, but to get it ready and into use right now. That way you'll have time to fix the inevitable breakages.
Apart from that,
Service it.
New tyres.
New fuel.
Consider slapping some rustproofing about, and also getting it through an MOT, which is a very cheap safety check.
If you decide it is, the way to do it is not to get it ready for the wedding, but to get it ready and into use right now. That way you'll have time to fix the inevitable breakages.
Apart from that,
Service it.
New tyres.
New fuel.
Consider slapping some rustproofing about, and also getting it through an MOT, which is a very cheap safety check.
AB said:
I went with "you're insane" - I would be getting it running where it is and trailering it.
Noted, and possibly correct on all counts 
.Red9zero said:
Drive it ! I would leave a couple of days early though to make a long weekend out of it, just in case of any issues. Also, get it serviced and a good check over before you go. A few trips out in it after the service to make sure all is well wouldn't be a bad idea either.
We are due to arrive a couple of days before the wedding so that works, and I have a decent workshop and some spannering experience so definitely will be doing some work on it and test driving first 
.At the moment I know it has a knackered battery and absolutely no clutch pedal so getting it running then making it capable of movement are the first priorities.
Would be an amazing experience but...
smn159 said:
No reason why it can't be reliable but after such a long period of inactivity they'll likely be loads of niggly issues related to seals which have hardened over time.
If you start using it regularly now you have a chance to find and deal with the issues before June, but I wouldn't leave it until then and expect it to be OK on a long trip
My thoughts exactly.If you start using it regularly now you have a chance to find and deal with the issues before June, but I wouldn't leave it until then and expect it to be OK on a long trip
Do it, but do it now, not in June.
If it's been stored indoors, mechanically it'll probably be fine but you might have a leaky slave cylinder (clutch or brake), sticky points or a clogged up carb.
Take it for a spin round the block to see if it stops/turns/goes, then come back and service anything that was dodgy, then take it out for an hour one nice evening to a pub, if it behaves then just crack on with it.
I wouldn't bother with a full recommission, but I also wouldn't jump into it on the day of the wedding and hope it gets to Devon.
If it's been stored indoors, mechanically it'll probably be fine but you might have a leaky slave cylinder (clutch or brake), sticky points or a clogged up carb.
Take it for a spin round the block to see if it stops/turns/goes, then come back and service anything that was dodgy, then take it out for an hour one nice evening to a pub, if it behaves then just crack on with it.
I wouldn't bother with a full recommission, but I also wouldn't jump into it on the day of the wedding and hope it gets to Devon.
Having occasionally driven classic and vintage cars for a local wedding car business I know how important it is that the car is on time and reliable and I also know how difficult this is to achieve with old cars.
If it was just a case of making the journey then I would say go for it, but having a bride and groom depending on your car being there and able to drive them then my experience says that is too risky in a car with little use.
If it was just a case of making the journey then I would say go for it, but having a bride and groom depending on your car being there and able to drive them then my experience says that is too risky in a car with little use.
What connection does your nephew have with the car? Given how little its moved in the last 30 years, Im guessing there arent many childhood memories associated with it. And how does his bride even know it exists at all?
It'd be far less hassle to just hire a classic car in Devon for the day. Id be very wary of driving a classic car that hasn't moved in 20 years 4 miles, let alone 400. Something unforeseen will definitely happen.
If you absolutely must use this car, then trailer it to round the corner. And keep the trailer handy.
It'd be far less hassle to just hire a classic car in Devon for the day. Id be very wary of driving a classic car that hasn't moved in 20 years 4 miles, let alone 400. Something unforeseen will definitely happen.
If you absolutely must use this car, then trailer it to round the corner. And keep the trailer handy.
I'd service now and then use as much as possible, then do it! I'd want to drive it down as part of the experience. I think I would change the fuel, oil, filters, points, condenser, go round the grease points, etc, fix the clutch then try to put a couple of hundred miles on it quickly (it's only a few runs out into the country). Then when everything has loosened up a bit I'd MOT, fix that stuff and then just try to use regularly until the big day. It would be a bit of fun and drama.
Might be worth making sure there's a decent car for the bridesmaids/family that could deputise if needed though.....
Might be worth making sure there's a decent car for the bridesmaids/family that could deputise if needed though.....
The main thing would be to assess whether if it is roadworthy in the first place. If you were going to do it, then use it for a little while beforehand and let the little issues come out of it. Service it, new tyres, etc. Make sure it is content to run and be driven and starts reliably over a few weeks.
It is a chance to make some memories.
It is a chance to make some memories.
I'd advise a trailer.
A few years back I bought an old Moto Guzzi (motorbike) from Italy.
I went over, test-rode it and all seemed good, I did think of riding it back but decided a 1,000 mile journey on an old bike that hadn't been ridden for many years or serviced for even longer was maybe not wise.
Also, the total cost would have likely been around the same as getting a pro bike transporter to bring it for me, there was also the issue of insurance/tax/legality?
It's a good job I did because, even after getting it here, doing a full service etc. I had a piston-to-valve incident 500 miles into my ownership - would have been half way through France by then, had I ridden it.
A few years back I bought an old Moto Guzzi (motorbike) from Italy.
I went over, test-rode it and all seemed good, I did think of riding it back but decided a 1,000 mile journey on an old bike that hadn't been ridden for many years or serviced for even longer was maybe not wise.
Also, the total cost would have likely been around the same as getting a pro bike transporter to bring it for me, there was also the issue of insurance/tax/legality?
It's a good job I did because, even after getting it here, doing a full service etc. I had a piston-to-valve incident 500 miles into my ownership - would have been half way through France by then, had I ridden it.
Drive it all the way - but start getting ready for it now.
1. You'll need to do/get someone to do a full recommissioning. The engine will need a full service at a minimum (does it even turn over on the starter handle with the plugs out?). Cooling system will need to be drained/flushed/refilled. Brake fluid will need a change but you might also need to replace pipes/pads/cylinders or seals. And anything that can be greased will need to be greased.
2. That done and back on the road get it MOTed. Yes, age wise it's MOT exempt but get the confirmation it's not a death trap waiting to happen.
3. Drive it whenever you can (and don't mind breaking down). Drive it to the supermarket. Drive it to a country pub for Sunday lunch. Drive it just to get miles under the tyres and so the gremlins all come out when it doesn't really matter and you can have them fixed before the big drive when it does matter.
4. After that just remember it's a '58 car so drive it using a '58 road map (or just set your satnav to avoid motorways). Accept this car won't be happy trying to nail it down the M5 but will be more at home pottering down the A38.
1. You'll need to do/get someone to do a full recommissioning. The engine will need a full service at a minimum (does it even turn over on the starter handle with the plugs out?). Cooling system will need to be drained/flushed/refilled. Brake fluid will need a change but you might also need to replace pipes/pads/cylinders or seals. And anything that can be greased will need to be greased.
2. That done and back on the road get it MOTed. Yes, age wise it's MOT exempt but get the confirmation it's not a death trap waiting to happen.
3. Drive it whenever you can (and don't mind breaking down). Drive it to the supermarket. Drive it to a country pub for Sunday lunch. Drive it just to get miles under the tyres and so the gremlins all come out when it doesn't really matter and you can have them fixed before the big drive when it does matter.
4. After that just remember it's a '58 car so drive it using a '58 road map (or just set your satnav to avoid motorways). Accept this car won't be happy trying to nail it down the M5 but will be more at home pottering down the A38.
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