By Alicia St. John Photos by Christian Maurer The best years of my life have been spent driving my MGA. Nothing could compare to navigating the curves of Mulholland Drive, on a starry night, with Sinatra playing on the stereo. The beautiful instrument panel, lit up against the darkness. My right hand cradling the…
How do you determine what gear ratio you have? Sages will tell you to look for numbers on the case, which is great if: a. you can find them, and b. the gear set hasn’t been changed by a nefarious past owner. The easiest way to determine the gear ratio is to jack up the…
The Triumph TR7 and TR8 have long provoked extreme reactions on both ends of the spectrum. Initially TR7 was brutally criticized, while the TR8 was named 1980 Motor Trend Car of the Year. Time magazine listed the TR7 among the 50 worst cars of all time, while Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car said the TR8…
Classic sports car design, endless driving enjoyment and enduring value…the iconic MGB has all of that. You can’t ask for anything more out of a sports car. And yet the MGB does deliver more: it’s affordable, uncomplicated to restore and easy to repair. Throw in the avid network of clubs and crowded calendar of events…
For many people, when someone says vintage sports car, the MGA is the iconic image that comes to mind. The flowing, curved body design with oval hood is one of the great automotive designs of all time, and it was a radical departure from the staid, upright MG TC, TD, and TF. Plus designers paid…
To gush enthusiasm and express affection for MGBs, which held the record as the world’s top-selling sports car for decades, we should really go back to the original model that debuted to the public in 1963. That’s when car enthusiasts first fell in love with them. MG designers Syd Enever and Don Hayter must have…
Car owners have always loved vehicles that seem to smile. That’s one reason why the Mini was one of the most successful automobiles of all time, but there are plenty more reasons too. It’s easy to upgrade performance and customize appearance, it has cachet and it’s a blast to drive. No wonder 5.3 million Minis…
The GIs stationed in Europe after the Second World War first fell in love with them. And when they shipped them home, America captured the fever. Arguably the MG TC began this country’s love affair with the sports car. MG TCs were fun, nimble, compact and bathed its occupants in sunshine. From those first imports,…
When the rubber-bumper MGB was introduced in September 1974, many considered it to be an unworthy addition to the British sports car stable. The classic chrome accents were gone, the handling was affected by the elevated ride height and the performance was diminished. But take notice: These cars make excellent daily drivers. Plus, they can…
The Triumph TR6 is the final evolution of a much-loved design that dates back to 1953. By the time the TR6 made its 1969 debut, however, the design had evolved to include a beautiful German-influenced body design and smooth-sailing, inline-six powerplant. The TR6 was arguably one of the most successful sports cars to leave England,…
