MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGA - Mickey Mouse body job

Hi Folks. Winter boredom has set in with a vengence, hence my latest creation:

Mickey Mouse Body Job

Beware the MGA with fresh and shiny paint
What’s underneath, might make a buyer faint

Seemingly nice vehicle being sold “as is”
The devious seller actually a master scam whiz

Seems the owner did a fast paint and body job
Quick and dirty work shows he was out to rob

A newbie buyer with poor pre purchase skills
Doesn’t know a headlight from rusted out sills

Willing to pay big bucks for a really nice ride
After my post purchase report, he probably cried

Bubbling paint covers crude bodywork
The person that did this was really a jerk

Runs and fisheye cover much of the car
These “minor” defects can’t be seen from afar

Especially when the car can be viewed only at night
And the only light source is from a distant street light

Large holes are covered with sheet metal patches
Pop rivets, the method rusty sheet steel attaches

Correction, pop rivets and sheet metal screws
Proper MIG welding “the artist” did not use

Patch panels made of furnace duct and old licence plate
The “restored” little MGA deserved a much better fate

Pop riveted sheet metal with rivet heads showing
I can tell where this “after buy” inspection is going

My gullible friend, for you I honestly feel sorry
Perhaps you should tell your sad tale on Maury

Many rust holes plugged with duct tape and shop towel
Then boat repair resin was slopped on with a trowel

Fiberglass slathered on, over acres of rust
The DPO should be thoroughly cussed

Same with thick layers of bondo, filling deep dents
Clearly, this “bodyman” had precious little sense

Holes drilled in dents to help the body filler anchor
The seller to kill, the new owner, now seems to hanker

80 grit paper was used to “smooth” the filler
Visible sand scratch is this coachwork’s “killer”

A total lack of careful body panel sanding
Now has peeling paint, on the floor landing

Paint adhesion was absolutely rotten
Cause surface prep was totally forgotten

Fender welt and body trim were poorly masking taped
Overspray on everything, the new owner feels raped

A proper body job is frankly needed
I hope this sad story is carefully heeded


Written by Glenn Hedrich

Glenn

Every poem has one brilliant line. This one was:

"Perhaps you should tell your sad tale on Maury"

LOL!
Steve Simmons

Hi Steve. Whaddaya mean ONE brilliant line? I was also kinda partial to: A newbie buyer with poor pre purchase skills
Doesn’t know a headlight from rusted out sills

lol
different strokes for different folks, I guess. Incidentally, this sad story is based on the real life experience of a friend who purchased a British Sports car, and then had me assess the vehicle after having purchased it. In a word, he was extremely unhappy with his purchase, so buyer beware. Cheers! Glenn
Glenn

Well Glen that was quite a story
But who the b****** h*** is Maury?

Over in Britain we have BBC Top Gear
But that's about new cars we all love to steer

We also have a TV show called Watchdog
It's consumer related and a useful prog

But your Maury leaves me all at sea
Can you please explain it clearly to me?
Steve Gyles

It's a talk show here in the states. The guy typically has sob stories on the show. It used to be one of the more respected and responsible shows but the past few years has seen it turn into more of a Jerry Springer. If you don't know Jerry, his show is the worst piece of garbage on daytime television.

Glenn I didn't mean there is only one good line in each poem, just that there's always one line that makes me laugh more than any other. "The cockles of my gizzard" comes to mind. LOL!
Steve Simmons

Glen and Steve, Every poem has one brilliant line? I hardly rated this one in the same class as "I wandered lonely as a cloud" Wordsworth's subject and execution seem more fitting to poetry than a bondo filled sieve. Keep the lines coming Glen but I'll stick to prose.

Dan
Dan Barton

Hi Dan. Well I certainly ain't no Longfellow or Wordsworth! lol I suspect it's practically impossible to write earth shattering calibre poems when your subject matter is an old automobile! That was definitely NOT my intention anyway! lol If my poems entertain MG owners and they can identify with the subject material presented, then I am happy. Cheers! Glenn
Glenn

Another humourous poem Glenn, when the h*** will winter be done up there?
Bill Young

I think Glenn needs to hop in that car of his and migrate south for a few weeks. :p
Steve Simmons

Hi Bill. Winter ends in Ontario Canada about the beginning of May! April is cold and rainy, and sometimes snowy also. Meanwhile, I will continue to go shackwhacky! Cheers! Glenn
Glenn

Steve Gyles: Nice informative/interrogative poem! lol
Cheers! Glenn
Glenn

Glen

I have copied your style with little success
And now Dan Barton quotes Wordsworth no less
The challenge is set I must have a go
To emulate Wordsworth is a task I know
But I live by the Lakes where he did write
So what follows now I do in his sight

With apologies to the great man:

I WANDERED proudly in my car
That races fast by vales and cays,
When all at once I saw afar,
A host, of golden MGAs;
In the road, beside the shore,
Lined in precision door to door.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay
A hundred more saw I at a glance,
Flashing their lights in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure stays,
The thoughts of driving those MGAs.

Steve 2005
Steve Gyles

Hi Steve. Very nice work! Wordsworth himself would be impressed at how you captured the essence of his writings. Well done! Take that Dan! lol Cheers! Glenn
Glenn

OK, way off topic, but since Steve brought up Jerry Springer, and since our BBS mates in the UK have been too polite to mention it, let me advise the Americans on this board that the Jerry Springer Show IS aired in the UK. When you stop cringing from that news, let me add that it gets worse. There is even a musical on stage in the London theater district called "Jerry Springer, the Opera".
Frank Nocera

You are absolutely right Frank. We have all heard about Jerry Springer and he has had a show over here. You have the choice of viewing him with the channel change or Off button. The Opera was screened on one of our national channels a couple of weeks ago. 2 weeks before, our national broadcasting complaints department received a record number of complaints about the bad language! If I remember right the complainants said there were some 40,000 obscene words in the production. They counted one word sung by 40 people as 40 obscenities!!

Glen: Just been up to Wordsworth country today. Walked round round Grasmere Water and by his home - Dove Cottage. I think he smiled at me! I told him about you and he said keep going, you will be appreciated in 200 years time.

Steve
Steve Gyles

OK you all win but my sincere apologies to William Blake

MGA Driver! Shining bright
There in Ebay every night,
What mortal hand or eye
Did restore thy pretty symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine owner’s eyes?
On what whim dare he aspire?
To pull your wreck from the fire?

And with what shoulder, & what art.
Did he twist the sinews of thy parts?
And when thy motor began to beat,
What dread knock? & what overheat?

What the hammer? what the wrench?
In his aching hand did clench?
What the smoking? what dread rust?
Fail to dampen his driving lust?

When the stars threw down their spears,
And watered heaven with their tears,
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who spent it all make thee?

MGA Driver! shining bright
To him you look absolutely right,
He’s broke but happy now that he
Has framed thy pretty symmetry?


Dan Barton

Egads, I think the entire bunch of us poets best not give up our day jobs! lol. Nice work guys, keep the poetry and humour coming. Hopefully spring isnt too far off. Good Stuff Dan! Cheers! Glenn
Glenn

Glenn:

Don't sell yourself short, you are every bit the equal of Longfellow, (Marvin Longfellow, the plumber).

By the way, if you are from Canada, how come your name isn't Gordon? (Every Canadian on the T Series BBS is named Gordon)
Peter Whelan

Hi Peter. Thanks for the (kind?) compliment! lol Glenn
btw, Gordon is my middle name.....
Glenn

This thread was discussed between 14/02/2005 and 22/02/2005

MG MGA index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGA BBS is active now.