Eureka!

[mark.weir@domain.elided]

Fellow Staggers:

As I wrote earlier in the week,  I have been afforded the opportunity to
buy a stag shell-a 71 minus engine  and driveline.  This lost soul was a
conversion (car was originally an automatic) that was subsequently hit
in the right rear.  Judging from the damage the teenage driver was
either  driving extremely fast in reverse (do you remember the James
Garner "Rockford Files" maneuver) or got the *&^*^&^% knocked out of him
from behind.  That being said, what is left of the car is in pretty good
shape.  We have had torrential rain in the Carolinas over the last 24
hrs-Hurricane Edgar's Excrement.  There I was, standing along some
bottomland after 3 inches of rain had fallen in my new black tassel
loafers and my bankers gray suit, feeling like a sixteen year old who
just realized that his blind date was, well quite attractive.  Not to
wax too poetic, but I assured the car that its "organs" were going to
make many other Stag's and Stagger's very happy and that it could live
on through them.  When I first saw the car from the front my first
thought was to try to rebuild it rather than parting it out.  The damage
to the rear, however directs me otherwise.  The owner of the car had
just sold a 73 conversion to Doug Gullet, who works for the same company
as me.  I saw Doug's e-mail address on the list, recognized the
extension and contacted him.  The fellow he had bought the car from had
gotten the spare when he acquired Doug's car, but had never gone to pick
it up.  He only two weeks ago retrieved it from its previous owner.  The
car has been outside, but I will garage it immediately and begin the
process of parting it out.  

In a nutshell

Usable hardtop, missing some chrome pieces, headliner needs to be
replaced, looks to have only surface rust.
Several usable body panels, all have some degree of surface rust, but
the rear left quarter was the only one that had rust holes.
Lots of usable chrome
Restorable rear seat (both pieces) (tan)
Some gauges, 
Grille
Front bumper
Steering rack
Suspenstion
5 mag wheels in very good shape
the dash is not in good shape but could be reskinned (I had to do this
on my car several years ago)
not sure if gas tank was damaged in accident

This is a very partial list, as It was pouring buckets, and I knew
immediately that I would buy the car.  My 71 has wire wheels, but I may
keep the mags and put them on my car, not sure what is entailed here,
but I am assuming that it can be done.

Feel free to contact me directly, I hope to take delivery of the car
next week and begin inventory process soon thereafter.  I am located in
Davidson, NC, just north of Charlotte.  There is an MG event in the
fall, maybe you parts hounds could come see me.  I will gladly ship the
smaller stuff that I do not need/want.  Recognize that I have three kids
and most of this work will be done in the middle of the night.

Mark Weir
71 Stag
71 Stag, who left its shell.....:-(



Mark Weir
Corporate Bank Debt Research
Loan Syndications
First Union Capital Markets

"My Doctor told me to stop having intimate  dinners for four. Unless
there are three other people." 
                                     -- Orson Welles

"The wise man doesn't give the right answers, he poses the right
questions."
                                        -- Claude Levi-Strauss