How Myrtle Came Into My Life

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    Mike McAllister
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    @mmcallister

    It all started in 1970, when I lived in Omaha and traveled to our branch office in the Twin Cities. It was there that I first say an airport display of the MGTD. I knew that I wanted to build one but as everyone who bought them new knows they were pricey. To pricey for a growing family man. Then when they came out with the Ford version I knew that was exactly what I wanted but the price just kept going up.

    Over the years I had occasionally looked around for a car, not knowing the company was gone. I almost bought one in Dallas but was 30 minutes late in getting over to see it.

    33 years later (2002) I was between projects and had an opportunity to go to a car show called Cruisin The Coast in Gulfport MS. I got the bug all over again. I decided it was time. Doing research I found no one makes the kit anymore. I would have to find one. Somehow I ran accross Mark (Pink MG) and he said he would post it on a couple of sites for me. In early 2003 I got an email from Dennis asking if I was still interested in purchasing a car. It seems that his wife had bought the kit for him in 1985. While assembling it he cracked the windshield and apparently that was the LAST straw. In 1986 he stopped working on the car. It stayed in the garage for the next 17 years. Some of the parts were still in the plastic bags. He had overhauling the engine and never put oil in it.

    We agreed on a price range and I hitched up the trailer and drove from Fort Worth to Colorado in about 11 hours, looked it over, finished the deal and loaded up and was back home the next evening.

    After studing the car and instructions, I knew that was a lot of missed steps. So I took the car down as far as I could, corrected a lot of the steps, painted the frame, engine and car. Slowly she went back together. By the way the engine does not appear to have suffered, when I pulled the pan the Lub-Plate was still present in all the bearings so just had the head checked and put it back together.

    To make a long story longer, it took about 14 months working part time and replacing the brake system, wiring etc as time and money became available. After 19 years the engine came alive this summer.

    It not done yet but winter is coming so she went to her first show two weeks ago. You guested it — 9th Crusin The Coast. Out of over 6000 cars I saw two other MGTDs both VWs.

    By the way Mytle was my wifes idea, cause Mytle’s no turtle. Handles like a dream and my wife really loves driving it. As we cruised  the coast people would point and wave, my wife waved back with a big smile on her face. It was a great first outing.

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