Another newbie with a 25 year tale

Hi all - thanks for letting me join.

My route to ownership is fairly convoluted and starts in 1995 when I joined Rover Group in the March of that year. At the time Longbridge was buzzing with activity... R8 was still in production (just about) with R3, PR3 and HHR in launch (R6 underway) and mini improvements (love a sportspack) as well as Tomcat, Tracer and Tex. Fantastic place to work then.

For anyone with any passion for cars, the most anticipated was PR3, and I do remember the SDV cars, and CAB 2 starting up. As the launch car was the 1.8mpi, this was the car that I wanted.......

Forward a few years, and I leave in 1999 amongst all the reports - later to be true - of BMW "displeasure" with Rover. I never did get my MGF....

In the following years, I have been fortunate enough to own a couple of Lancia Delta Integrales, a Fulvia 1600HF, TVR Griffith 500, as well as a ZS180 and ZT-T190. All fantastic in their own ways, but not the MGF I promised myself.....

Forward to a couple of weeks ago, and I was in the position to start looking for one as a project. Conditions were as follows - 1.8mpi in flame red, and it had to be a 1995 one. Bearing in mind I live in Cardiff, going to see one in Torquay was not the best of ideas, but it was cheap, so sight unseen I bought.

£300 later I am now the owner of a 1995 car, registered on the 21st December with MOT and service history - and to bond with it, I drove it back in biblical rain with minimal issues. Power steering was out, so I have changed the speedo cable to the gearbox to fix it.

Plans are to tidy it up, re-set the windows so that it doesn't leak - and Enjoy ! After all, its only taken me nearly 25 years.

Sad to hear reports of the impending demolition of the remaining parts of Longbridge. Must have been a great place to work . Where did it all go wrong , .......F...ng BMW ! !
Just for you as you say you love em , our Sportspack , owned from new .
John

:welcome: :welcome: :welcome:

Hi I was at Rover 1984 - 2000, Project Control engineer my last project was part of the team for the new No3 paintshop, I was also involved in PR3 (MGf), I wrote the original identity code for the paint machines using a cardboard cutout PR3 as there was only one body and new build would not release it. Happy days, wish I was still there.

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That is lovely. £300 cash ???!!!!

Steve wrote: Hi I was at Rover 1984 - 2000, Project Control engineer my last project was part of the team for the new No3 paintshop, I was also involved in PR3 (MGf), I wrote the original identity code for the paint machines using a cardboard cutout PR3 as there was only one body and new build would not release it. Happy days, wish I was still there.

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I was in number 3 as well. Fond memories....

itsourchris wrote: That is lovely. £300 cash ???!!!!

£300 well spent !

Hi and welcome to the forum

James

:welcome2:

Oh yes I forgot to say :welcome: to the forum from John in Yorkshire.