Needless to say, there have been some changes. I started a new job in September, which took me away from things for a while. I sold off all the Matchless gear along with the '66 Triumph TR6 project. As of this writing, I have Katie, the 1970 Norton Commando (which I have lugged from home to home for the better part of 17 years) and the BSA. Oh and an MG. Did I mention the MG?
Before I jump to that, I had (as most of us did) a considerable amount of time to think and reflect on the world and myself in 2020. That time in seclusion was tantamount to a meditative state at times; I had vacation that I couldn't use for anything of value, short of playing about in the garage. I had some small victories, for instance getting the free Mini Bike running. Each day, I meandered about, inventing jobs to achieve each day.
One of the ventures I had considered was launching a YouTube channel. I did film some content and realized very quickly how much work was involved. I will release content later this year once edited, but it will not become a part time job. Much like this blog, I will contribute when the spirit guides me to do so.
You may remember a while back when a friend and I bought a pair of Matchless singles; Said friend and I made a game of going on Facebook marketplace or Kijiji and sending each other ads for projects. Anything from cars to boats to motorcycles. One such ad bore fruit for him in the form of a rather solid Porsche 924. Hopefully he will be able to dig into it later this year.
One afternoon, I spotted a fresh ad for an 'MG TD/TF and parts'. Intrigued, I contacted the seller and my friend and I went out to look. As it turns out, it was a TF with some TD parts. In a million parts. I wanted to run, however my confident friend felt it was a deal and a straightforward project. The price was right and we agreed to split costs down the middle and decide the car's fate after 90 days.
When I sold the Beetle, I said I would never get into another car restoration; I still stand by that. If my friend wasn't involved, I wouldn't be either. It is a great joy in life to have friends that compliment one's abilities and make up for the gaps where one may fall short.
This deep dive into the unknown (T Series MG's) required me to downsize my projects. You may be asking why the BSA was spared. I can best sum it up like this; It takes up the least amount of real estate in the garage and also has the lowest value. I also like the little single, a great deal. It may actually be the most charming bike (aside from Katie) that I have ever owned. I love the utter simplicity and parts are still plentiful and inexpensive, even NOS items. That being said, I am still waiting on an exhaust pipe (7 months and counting) but I did acquire a new Indian-made gas tank since my last writing. I plan to have the B31 running by Christmas. The Norton will remain on the backburner for a while, with new parts being occasionally added to the pile.
Back to the MG. I have previously spoken of my history with the marque, yet the T Series cars were never on my radar. Whenever I saw them for sale (which was not often) they were prohibitively expensive to buy. I always suspected that parts would be dear as well. What I hadn't considered, was that much like the B31, these cars are extremely simple, being of pre-war design. I greatly admire the TF and TD, both aesthetically and mechanically. Unlike a monocoque car, these beasts don't have horrors hiding under every steel panel. To boot, there is something wonderful about a car with wooden floors and suicide doors!
Stay tuned for more photos and details.
Until next time!
