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MG MGA Looking for info about Shipping an MGA to England BBS discussion at MG-Cars.info
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MG MGA - Looking for info about Shipping an MGA to England
| Melon and I are celebrating our 50th Wedding Anniversary this year and are seriously thinking of take our A across the pond and doing some touring. I checked the Archives and didn't find any useful info. Has anyone done this? Also, are there any MGA events happening this year? - Ken |
| KR Doris |
| Ken For events in UK put MGA register into Google and scroll down. If you would like events covering a range of MG models the MGOC has many regional events organised by local branches of the club. Hope you make it to the UK. Do you have any particular target areas? Cheers Dave |
| Bolney Coupe |
| Ken, Here's the link to a posting on MG Experience about shipping a car to Europe. May give you some general idea about what to expect. https://www.mgexp.com/phorum/read.php?2,3817890,3818875#msg-3818875 Jim |
| JL Cheatham |
| Dave - thanks for the tip! Nice list of events. As for target areas,Abingdon is a definite, but beyond that things are still completely open. |
| KR Doris |
| Jim - thanks for the link. Still haven't found anyone who has actually done it, at least not in the last 10 years or so. |
| KR Doris |
| Ken, it's as easy as driving onto a ferry and off the other end!..almost. We have done it from Australia a few times. I use West Coast Shipping in the USA.. a great Company that does this all the time. They ship from the eastern or western seaboard. Great that you are thinking of doing it, as it opens up another World in your MGA, believe me. We have plenty of contacts in UK and Europe, so let me know if you need help. |
| Gary Lock |
| Gary - since you say is as easy as driving on and off a ferry, does that mean you do "roll-on/roll-off" aka RoRo? We really think this will be a great adventure! Melon bought the car in '68, the year before we married, and we drove all over New England as newlyweds. Now we hope to get the chance to do it in "Old" England :) - Ken |
| KR Doris |
| Ken, have done both types. RoRo is cheaper, but from down here in OZ the timetables for RoRo are spread out, whereas container is far quicker (6 weeks).
We have also "done" NZ, but would you believe it's far easier to ship a car to Europe/UK than NZ! Australia and NZ have all these crazy bio security rules, and also retain Carnets, which most modern Countries did away with 30 years ago....the paperwork adds almost A$2000 to the shipping costs, which are about the same! We are still very backward Downunder. |
| Gary Lock |
| Confirm Gary’s comment. We were part of the 18 Aussies who took our MGAs to Europe and UK for 60th anniversary LEJOG tour. Only done the shipping once unlike a few Aussies who have been regulars over the years both to the UK and US.
UK MGA Register will make you very welcome is our experience. Chase them up before you leave. Another option is to come downunder rather than go across the pond! Or you could do what we are doing this year, rather than ship your MGA is to buy an MGF/TF in the UK and sell on departing. For us Aussies this is less complicated and cheaper than shipping our MGAs and you still have an MG and wind in your hair (if you have any). Mike |
| Mike Ellsmore |
| Hi Ken,
I have really enjoyed reading your posts and seeing your pictures on both the UK and the North American Forums over the years and so it would be great if we could meet up with you when you come over (if it proves possible). We also took part in the Lands End John-o-Groats trip in 2015 and we had some great times with the Locks, the Godwins and the Ellsmores and in fact,all of the Australian group, on that fantastic Tour. If you do decide to come over, let us know where you plan to be and we will see if we can get together. Cheers Colyn |
| Colyn Firth |
| There is a fellow who will be visiting us today who has shipped cars back and forth to UK & US. I will ask him and get his email address for you Cheers Gary 79 MGB |
| gary hansen |
| Colyn - Would love to meet you as well! Still working out the possibilities so no schedule as yet. Also note that the offer goes both ways - South Carolina is a wonderful place to visit anytime of the year :) - Ken |
| KR Doris |
| Ken,
England has lots of lovely areas and countryside with fabulous roads particularly suited to a MGA. If you come over do ask for local advice to each area or county of the country as to which roads will really be best to enjoy our country and for full enjoyment of the MGA on them as our roads can be very congested unless you know which ones to go on. SatNavs, Google and phone Apps will not take you on the best roads. England may appear a tiny place but traveling even short distances on the wrong roads at the wrong times could take a lot longer than you'd imagine or planned. You may obviously want to go to the usual tourist places but if you want to avoid the crowds and potential overpricing then again ask for local advice to the areas. If you look on a (small scale) map Northamptonshire roads look like just about only M1 and A14 but we have plenty of fabulous MGA roads including if you want tarmac'd field roads with grass growing down the middle on the way to villages of stone built properties, some with thatch roofs. It's free to just park up and walk round a village and on to the countryside if you want, no special footwear or clothing required, plenty of public footpaths, bridleways and disused rail lines. There are lots of historic places you can visit in the county, without crowding too - and it will be the same for most other areas and counties, possibly not on tourist tick-lists but possibly better for that fact. Ask on here for suggestions. The times when petrol stations are open can be a restriction in some of the more sparsely populated areas of the country particularly on Sunday so keep plenty in the tank and plan to fill up in those areas. If you drink beer then a visit to a proper and real English pub (not plastic copies) in a town, countryside or village is a must. Obviously drink sensibly, don't drink over the limit. You should try a real ale, out of the barrel (not keg) or on handpump rather than any beer names you might have heard of. Generally the pubs that sell good quality ale are the better pubs and many are in lovely locations you can get to via lovely roads and some offer accommodation too. There are other guides than this but this, unlike others, is compiled by the members as a consumer organisation and those establishments listed are for beer quality and and they can not buy an entry (updated every February and printed in September so if you're over after August you want the 2020 print or download App). I think over here we often forget and don't appreciate what's on our doorstep but I'm sure you would. |
| Nigel Atkins |
| Sorry Ken I've just remembered I forgot the link to the CAMRA Good Beer Guide - http://www.camra.org.uk/gbg And an App for it that you can use on phone and mobile devices - https://gbgapp.camra.org.uk/ |
| Nigel Atkins |
| Nigel - God help me, I now have an app on my phone that will guide me, in a 57 year old car with absolutely no safety devices, driving on the "wrong" side of the road, to find places to drink beer! Cheers! 
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| KR Doris |
| Nigel -- You are a true ambassador and know your country well. I well remember driving a small hired motorhome through the Lakes District, along narrow country roads in the Peak District, the New Forest etc. Wow! What an experience and all the time wishing I had the MGA! Ken -- Just love the photo! Enjoy your sojourn through the UK. I expect you still have that spirit! Barry. |
| Barry Gannon |
| Ken
wherever in the UK you decide to base your tour, as well as Nigel, you should maybe contact Stuart Mumby of the MGCC to ask him about it. Stuart is the Registrar of the MGA Register but when he was the Secretary he organised some absolutely fabulous MGA tours, including the fantastic LE-JoG in 2015 for the 60 Years celebration. His knowledge of MGA suitable roads is amazing plus he is involved in the UKs CAMRA club (Camapaign for Real Ale) and so (like Nigel)he really knows where the pest British Pubs are. Also, assuming your car is LHD, don't worry about driving it over here, I have taken my MGA into Europe quite a few times and I have found that the car is so narrow that you just have to lean over a little to be able to see if you can overtake. (No offence intended to Melon who I am certain is a very capable co-driver) Lastly, when we did the Lands End-John-o-Groats tour in 2015, I was asked by the Register to put together a list of MGA friendly garages, motor engineers and recovery companies along the route in case anyone broke down. It mostly covers the West side of the UK ut if you travel North it covers much more of the country and on up through Scotland. If you would like a copy let me know, (however, it is 3 years old now and so may not be absolutely up to date.) Cheers Colyn |
| Colyn Firth |
| Ken,
I thought you were bringing your navigator. :) I'd never suggest using any devices whilst driving, our SatNav is a 2.3 miles to 1 inch paper road atlas and of course the CAMRA Good Beer Guide which my navigator operates ... and gives me verbal warnings about fuel level and indicated speeds, width of road and premonitions of a wide variety of possible road hazards that no mobile device would be so cautious with. If you don't take it in turns to drive then are plenty of different styles of ales that your wife might like, I often drive my wife to drink.! After which we often find unscheduled new and interesting roads, routes and interesting places. To be serious and not to give the wrong impression we often overnight in pubs or "hotels" or B&bs within walking distance of selected ale establishments, nearly 40 years of practice. And just to put your mind at ease I echo Colyn's comments often you can't be on the wrong side of the road and if you're on the right roads at the right times often you're rarely overtaking or sharing the roads with anything, other than wildlife. MGA, so I've just found, is only 3" wider than a Spridget, you could breathe in if you have to share on a narrow road. :) |
| Nigel Atkins |
| Ken, I meant to add this picture to my last post but I left it too late (as usual). This is us at John-o Groats in 2015, the car never missed a beat all of the way. I wish I could say the same for my wife Chris, she broke her leg in the Lands End Hotel the day before the start of LE-JoG and had to do the entire tour in a plaster cast. I have to give her credit for continuing with it, I would probably just gone home and sulked! :^) Her crutches are hidden behind the signpost. Cheers Colyn 
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| Colyn Firth |
| ETA: well done to Chris.
Barry, thank you, but I don't know the country that well but do know some areas with great classic sports car driving roads. With respect to you and others, I'd be looking for roads where most motorhomes would avoid. If possible all areas are best avoided at peak visitor times to get to and between the minor less used roads. The very few videos I've seen of classic MGs being driven in USA the roads to me seem too open and too wide, fine for fast flowing progress but not enough use of the the steering wheel, gears and perhaps brakes, I prefer to see the rev counter up a bit rather than the speedo, more fun at lower speeds. For the last 20 years or so our local CAMRA branch uses a 1961 Bristol single-decker (Gardner 5cyl, diesel, (80-odd hp IIRC)) for occasional local pub visits and the annual (now 3 day) weekend away and to get to some of the more historic or village pubs it can sometimes go down single track roads and once got its fresh paint scratched on the bushes and trees of a tight S-bend that took at least two attempts to maneuver. Photo, about 10 years ago(?), Lord Nelson, Burnham Thorpe, it had been extended and nothing like my wife and I's only previous visit in 1979 and our first experience of a pub with only one room with no bar but jug service. Now closed. 
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| Nigel Atkins |
In all her glory.
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| Nigel Atkins |
| Hi Ken If you do finish up over here in July I am the organiser for the Scottish MGA Day. You would be very welcome to join our annual run on Saturday 27 July. Full details are at: - https://www.mgcaledonian.com/event/2019-scottish-mga-day/ This is an MG Car Club event being jointly 'owned' by the MGA Register and the Caledonian(i.e. Scottish) Centre. Paul |
| Paul Dean |
| Ken,
I should explain in case you think I'm obsessed with getting you to beer and pubs. All pubs provide some or many non-alcoholic drinks, including often tea and/or coffee (but I've no idea of the quality of those). Even on the beer-bus some drink tea or coffee especially if that pub doesn't offer the type of drink, usually, the partners, drink, or just for a break. All on the bus are about beer quality rather than quantity, it can put a strain on the supply of some pubs' stock of half-pint glasses sometimes. (Some pubs also offer third pint measures). Most, but not all, pubs offer food or meals, from very basic to very high quality and the very high quality at sometimes low or reasonable cost. All offer "bathroom" facilities, of varying facilities and quality. One pub we recently visited in the North Yorks dales had an outside-now-inside "gents" toilet but "the ladies" was actually the landlady's (English meaning of) bathroom, with the toilet and her bath in the room. Historic and village pubs are often reached on great driving roads and in lovely countryside. The building itself, or a room or rooms within it, can be very interesting or even historical and they are often in villages of interest and beauty. Some may even offer accommodation or it might be nearby. A good pub will also usually have locals that are happy to chat or have a crack or banter. For smaller and bigger towns and cities many micro-pubs are opening, most are as the name suggests very small and are for people to meet and socialized - rather than having electronic music, intrusive games or gambling machines. You will see and learn about the country now and its past rather than the various media and tourist trade presentations, nothing wrong with them but there are better alternatives IMO. Just one example Windsor and the Castle, jets flying overhead, crowded with people, costs and congestion - there are plenty of other castles that you can visit all over the country, less cost and people or even free or low charge entry to very interesting ruins in lovely countryside. And probably a good pub not far away. :) |
| Nigel Atkins |
| Ken
Me again. A photo will hopefully inspire you to make a long trip as it is taken at John'o Groats in the very north of Scotland, but we were going even further north to the Orkney Islands. The red MGA is mine BUT more interesting the MGB, known as Goldie, is one of THE most traveled MGs. It belongs to Australians John and Ros Bastian and the car has driven the lengths of both Africa and South America, and to get to Scotland it had been driven from Bangkok via China and the Silk Road. Paul 
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| Paul Dean |
| Ken
I live 90 mins up the road from the UK's major international port of Southampton. Correction, perhaps a good deal longer if your car is used to 55 mph! You are most welcome to stopover if that ties in with your itinerary when you get to that stage of planning. Seems I am one year your junior in the marital stakes. My part of Southern England is a good communications link. 50 mins from Heathrow and Gatwick airports; 40 mins from the centre of London by our very good train service; 30 minutes from the London orbital motorway (M25) from which all significant motorways radiate out to the rest of the UK, including our Yorkshire brethren who drive MGAs in hobnail boots. Steve |
| Steve Gyles |
| Colyn - great photo of you and Chris and many kudos to her for her fortitude! Just looked up John-o Groats, and see it is farthest north point in Scotland. Must be beautiful countryside getting up there!
Nigel - love the pictures of the bus and pub! As for US roads, there are many that are twisty two-lanes. Melon and I both drove the "Tail of the Dragon" in the A in 2006. 11 miles, 318 turns, up and down 1000', 2nd and 3rd gear only! I drove it one way, Melon the other. Not sure who did it faster! Here's a picture taken along the route - us chasing a Twin-Cam and a MGB-GT. Also a link to an article Melon wrote about the drive for the NAMGAR magazine, MGA!: http://www.mga-mk2.com/Essays/TailEssay.pdf 
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| KR Doris |
| Ken If time permits retracing the 60th anniversary LEJOG tour would be a great way to see the UK (12 days) then return using the 50th anniversary tour. Stuart Mumby or others will be able to provide route maps/directions Mike |
| Mike Ellsmore |
| Two lanes, and both so wide, you have so much space out there. :)
That road sounds and looks fantastic - but unless it's a special lens on the camera that took the photo don't always expect to be able to see that far ahead, three cars before the next bend that's enough time to decide which pub to go to later. - Just pulling your leg, playing one-up-manship. :) Nice and green there too. We don't take too many photos and certainly none whilst we're moving, the navigator is too busy giving instruction (whether it's needed or not, although often it is needed). I've got a few photos from Scotland, Wales and mainland Europe but none, readily to hand at least, of MGing in England. |
| Nigel Atkins |
| Paul - the Scottish MGA link didn't work - took me to Google UK home page. Colyn tells me that my link to Melon's article did the same for him.
In any case I loved the pic from John-o Groats and stand in awe of Goldie! Steve - I'm currently looking at arriving in Liverpool as I thought Southampton would be too "crowded" and busy, but will check into it more. In any case I'd love to stop by and meet you as I've followed many of your posts on this forum. Also we live near a Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS Beaufort) that often trains against an Aggressor Squadron that includes Hawker Hunters. When I see them i think of you! Mike - Thanks - I'll look into the LEJOG tour! For those who tried and failed to link to Melon's article, I've attached a jpeg of it. It may be too small to read, but I can't figure out how to attach a PDF - Ken 
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| KR Doris |
| Paul - the Scottish MGA link didn't work - took me to Google UK home page. Colyn tells me that my link to Melon's article did the same for him.
In any case I loved the pic from John-o Groats and stand in awe of Goldie! Steve - I'm currently looking at arriving in Liverpool as I thought Southampton would be too "crowded" and busy, but will check into it more. In any case I'd love to stop by and meet you as I've followed many of your posts on this forum. Also we live near a Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS Beaufort) that often trains against an Aggressor Squadron that includes Hawker Hunters. When I see them i think of you! Mike - Thanks - I'll look into the LEJOG tour! For those who tried and failed to link to Melon's article, I've attached a jpeg of it. - Ken
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| KR Doris |
| Both links work fine for me try - http://www.mga-mk2.com/Essays/TailEssay.pdf http://www.mgcaledonian.com/event/2019-scottish-mga-day/ |
| Nigel Atkins |
| Ken,
coming in at Liverpool I know North Yorkshire and the Lake District will be recommended and so would I subject to, if possible, it being outside of main tourist times as those areas can get busy at those times. I would at those times, or any other time, recommend County Durham and Northumberland. Perhaps fit in a visit to the excellent living museum of Beamish - http://www.beamish.org.uk/ Personally if I was coming in at Liverpool I'd go to north and mid-Wales (as we do every year) for the scenery, roads, villages and towns. Also I know this will be disagreed with but I've never been to John o'Groats instead we went up the lovely A9 and A99 coast runs to the other to side of Wick to the spectacular Castle Birnigoe & Sinclair, none of the photos due it anywhere near justice. - http://www.castlesinclairgirnigoe.org/ Whilst up there first time I ignored advice given to me and went the very north and back down the middle (the A897 road IIRC) and the advice was correct, there was nothing there but factory-forestry, dead straight boring road with nothing but dense military lines of tall trees. We have been to the Highland wild animal park and over Applecross (a must, not dangerous) a couple of times - https://www.dangerousroads.org/europe/scotland/60-bealach-na-ba-scotland.html http://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/ Which bring me on to weather, be prepared with your clothing - Britain is a very small island the weather can be warm and sunny where you are but a mile or two away, or less, it could be cold and wet or visa-versa. North of England and Scotland especially can be very changeable and bracing at times, going up and over some very high points can give you all four seasons in one journey. When you know more about where you will be going and what you'd like to see and experience let us know and we can suggest roads and places you might want to include. Scotland and Wales particularly have fighter jets, that train, and for other countries forces, go over some areas and valleys. |
| Nigel Atkins |
| Nigel, glad there has been a good response from the "UK Tourist Bureau"! Just a thought, re the shipping, try and get another couple of cars (via say NAMGAR)..it is usually a little cheaper in a group of three or so shipping wise. If you decide on container shipping, a 40' is definitely the way to go...you can fit 3 MGA's end to end. |
| Gary Lock |
| Yes a bit of thread drift - but we've got to get these cars on some proper driving roads. :)
Another Tourist Board bulletin - If any classic car owner (particularly sportscar) wants to tour Cumbria /N. Yorks/ Duram/ Northumberland then Paul Bonsall who has The Fat Lamb Hotel (and nature reserve), Ravenstonedale, offers accommodation and knows the roads well as he not only regularly drives his Healey 300 and Jag Mk2 on them in a spirited manner but organises tours. Mention my name for a negative discount. :) http://www.fatlamb.co.uk/ Declaration, we're up there with the Sporting Bears in May - http://sportingbears.co.uk/index.php/view/cat/50/gambol-2019 |
| Nigel Atkins |
| Nigel. When you come to the Lakes in May are you going to call round and take me for a pint, then perhaps a bit of a run out over some of the passes, or perhaps a run out then a pint might be the best way round, |
| Andy Tilney |
| Ken As my link didn’t work for you can I suggest you Google “MG Caledonian Centre’ and then go to ‘Events List’. Clearly as a one day run our run doesn’t get as far as John’o Groats. The thing about JG is it is regarded as the northern end of mainland Britain although it is actually a couple of miles short! There are no bad runs to north of Scotland but west coast is most outstanding, and slowest. Paul |
| Paul Dean |
| Andy,
thank you, I've got to wait for one thing to fall in place then I intended to ring or email you to make arrangements for a run out in both cars - I will of course remove a plug lead on the Spridget to act as a limiter for the sake of the B :) - we could even go to an establishment that trades with tea (not coffee for me). Wouldn't the motorcycles hold us up on the passes (especially the noisy slow Harley types). :) You missed out on hundreds of pounds of labour again as my clutch went (again) just at the start of the hot weather last year. New concentric now, that soils its fluid, does anything ever work right. Plus previous mechanical incompetence(s) (not even mine) might be rearing its ugly head too but if I can get the car passed the NEC we should be alright (famous last words). |
| Nigel Atkins |
| Still looking at shipping options but have started looking at alternatives.
There are several firms in the UK that hire out classics. Thus far I haven't found an MGA for hire but a couple of MGB's, Morgans and Healys. Prices for a 3 - 4 week rental work out cheaper than the to/fro shipping costs for the A. While not the same thrill of having our own car, that would relieve much of the anxiety of the shipping and customs "adventures". I think I watched too many YouTube videos of cars getting smashed in transit! - Ken |
| KR Doris |
| Ken,
do allow for collection and return of a hire vehicle and transit for yourselves to collection and return, time, costs, logistics - and do take out insurance on the hired classic. Depending on what you are used to with your own classic the ones that are hired out may be reasonable in appearance and running quality but not to the same standard as a conscientious owner as many people hiring them don't own a classic or that particular model so don't know how the could or should fully be. Having said that, I've never hired myself but have thought about it before as it'd work out far cheaper per mile than my own ownership but I'd want to sort the hire car to get it running the way I want which wouldn't be allowed. Last year's tour some local Bears hired out a Jag XJS, smelt of under bonnet fuel but we didn't have a big enough spanner to hand at the time, they were lucky as the owners of the other XJS on the tour had a cow kick the rear wing as we waited for the herd to pass, it was all sorted quickly with the farmer. Many of the smartest looking cars are hired for TV/film/commercials as it's good money and they hardly turn a wheel. MGAs are too expensive to buy compared to a B in the hire sector. There seem to be a very MGAs about for hire, not necessarily where you want them to be, but have you seen the prices, just as an example this is from London, so London prices and London distance. - https://www.webbsofweybridge.co.uk/mg-a-roadster-for-self-drive-hire |
| Nigel Atkins |
| Reading the above link would you trust any company that says an MGA roof is straightforward to put up and down? By the way last summer I was shown how to put an A hood part down hence it is quick to put up. A useful trick for driving in mixed showery weather. The driver who showed me this has won the annual MGA Register award for adventurous drives so he has a lot of experience of this trick. Paul |
| Paul Dean |
| Ken, just noticed your comment from a few days ago about shipping damage etc. You sure have been watching too many video clips! Most of the well known shipping companies ship thousands of cars a year, and any damage to cars would be -%. As stated earlier, us Aussies have shipped cars dozens of times many times around the World, and NEVER a problem. I must state this, but your concern is the money...forget this, and do it! |
| Gary Lock |
| Well the rate for an MGA hire ("1959 1500"(??) is over twice that of a recent vintage (2014) Morgan +4:
MGA: Self Drive 3 weeks = £4185 + VAT Morgan = £1680 + VAT Both include insurance and 100 miles per day. On the shipping front, West Coast Shipping gave me a quote of $1800 each way, with total of 88 days in their hands, including ground transport from SC to their New Jersey storage lot. Approximately half of that time the car would be sitting outdoors (yikes!). The Morgan is beginning to look like the best option... - Ken 
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| KR Doris |
| Ken, When you get back from your adventure, take a drive to the upstate and join us for one of our drives through the SC/NC mountains. We visit local micro-breweries, Sierra Nevada's big one, the Blue Ridge Parkway and many obscure mountain places. Maybe you could present your travelogue at one of the second Tuesday meetings of the Foothills British Car Club (see fbccsc.org). Jud ps: That me with my hand on the hood of the TR-6 and that's the tail end of my red MGA in the background. 
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| J. K. Chapin |
| Jud - sounds like a plan. I checked out the club website and see that you're only about 225 miles from Beaufort. We have MGA friends in Aiken (Don ad Vicki Carlberg) and will try to arrange a joint trip with them. - Ken |
| KR Doris |
| Mike Ellsmore...it's a losing battle to convince these guys LOL |
| Gary Lock |
| Gary,
I stand in awe of the travels you, Mike and other Oz fold have done and I'm sorry that it appears to be a 'losing battle". Here are some reasons from my point of view that shaped my decision: 1. The car is, to us, totally irreplaceable. It's Melon's car; she bought it in 1968 and it is an inseparable part of out lives. During the restoration in 2004 Ii put in over 800 hrs and Melon did the entire interior. We've documented much of the car's history here: http://www.mga-mk2.com 2. 44 days each way in someone else's care is extremely worrisome. 3. I'm doing this on my own, not with a group. I'm not concerned particularly of the cost savings, but rather the ability to work out problems with those experienced in the logistics. 4. I'm very uncomfortable without tools and spares, yet the shippers strongly advise against keeping them in the car for containers and ban them for RoRo. Shipping them separately adds another logistic difficulty. Sorry if I've offended anyone by appearing timid, but the paramount goal here is to have a great 50th Anniversary trip. Adding in the MGA was to be icing on the cake but began to look like it was adding unnecessary worries to that experience. Best, - Ken |
| KR Doris |
| We will be at the Scottish MGA Day on July 27! We are finalizing our plans and, cough, cough... ... will be driving a Morgan +4 to the event. - Ken |
| KR Doris |
| Just to be complete, Melon and I completed the trip, but not in a Morgan, but in an Audi.
The Morgan we hired got in an accident days before we arrived, so the agency supplied a 2001 Morgan +8 in its place. The car was newly acquired and had only 19,000 original miles on it. We picked it up in London on the hottest day in history! Them first day we visited Abingdon and met with the MGCC folks there. The issues with the Morgan began - it would't start due to an Immobilizer failure After obtaining a workaround for the Immobilizer we pressed on. We joined Chris and Colyn Firth to drive north to attended Scottish MGA day on July 27th, had a great time despite the rain, and was so nice to finally meet Colyn and spend time with him and Chris. We continued our journey in the Morgan for a total of 1450 miles, through the Lochs of Scotland, the Lakes District, and the Peaks district, although with some additional issues. The front bumper fell off in the Lake District and the cooling fan circuit fried in the Peaks District. We were then supplied with a Red 1968 2+2 E-Jag with 23,000 miles on it (they didn't mention it had rolled over). Great car, Melon called it a "Lipstick Tube on Wheels". We set off for Wales, but again, we had issues: the driver's windshield wiper fell off in the first rainstorm, and the next day the battery died (possible the original?) We left the Jag on the dock at Hollyhead to board the ferry to Ireland at the 19 day point in our 28 day trip. Hired an Audi in Dublin and continued without incident the rest of the way. Pictures can be found on an iCloud share I set up - scroll down to the the start and follow from there: https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0C5VaUrzvPeuX That site is open to all, but has a limited view that doesn't include most comments and descriptions. If you have an Apple product (iPhone, iPad or Mac) and would like to see ALL, the comments including Colyn's, send me an email and I'll invite you for a fuller look. - Ken 
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| KR Doris |
| Hi Ken
hope you and Melon got through the hurricane in South Carolina without any damage. I was fantastic to finally meet you and Melon on your MGA substitute, Morgan-E-type and Audi Tour of the UK. (sounds like a "motoring journey through time" experience :^) I did get a few pictures of you both and the Morgan, plus a video clip of you following us over the Forth Bridge and I will gladly send you copies. However, they are in jpg and MOV Video formats and I don't think my Samsung phone will be compatible with the i-cloud format. If you think of a way of me getting them to you, let me know. I do have a Messenger account if that is any use. Cheers Colyn |
| Colyn Firth |
This thread was discussed between 01/02/2019 and 13/10/2019
MG MGA index
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