THE NORTH AMERICAN MGB REGISTER the MGB Driver is the official publication of the North American MGB Reqister, a non-profit 'he Editor's Vieb nrganizatlon dedicated tu maintaining and expanding interest in Britain's must popular spo,-ts cur-the MGB. The opinions expressed within are those of the individual authors and readers are wamej that ell it just goes to show ...for they oncrnpt any mechanical or other modificarions d~ribedhewin, entirely at iheir own risk. the last issue, we read the Membership in the North American MG6 Register is Open to all, with no restrictions. Ownership of an MG is not a condition of membership. NAMGBR Regional Chapters will be tea leaves, consulted the ora- pleased to welcome you to their events. Membership dues are $25.00 per year. cles, threw the r Ching, dealt the For rnember~hipdetails or further information write to: Tarot deck, climbed out on a limb NORTH AMERICAN MGB REGISTER and-tried to put out a realistic best P.O. Box MGB guess as to MGs in our future. Well, Akin, 1L 62805 everything pertaining to the MGs Or call the toll-free hotline: 800-NAMGBR-1 we already have here still stands. Or visit our website at: hrtp://www.namgbr.org/namgbr/ But the future of the manufacture of new MGs is up in the air again. lust OFFICERS OF THE NAMGBR CONVENTION1 Joke6 Ann Snyder as the last issue was appearing in I AGM 505 E. Norlh Avenuc But beyond all that, it's Spring CHAIRMAN: Robin Wealheroll COORDINATORS: Lokr Bluff, IL 60044 your mailboxes, a maelstrom erupt- again. So despite the economics of 1326 Waldron Avenue ed in Germany. Rumors of the St. Louis, MO 63130 manufacturing in the Nineties, we TECHNICAL Bob Muson imminent closure of Rover's (31 4) 725-2892 MGF can look forward to another season of e-rnail: ~obmg~8@stlnet.~om ADVISORS: 5 Leslie Court Longbridge plant where the is MGs Fairhop, Al, 36532 great motoring in the we know (When writing built did not prove out-yet!, but and love. And don't forget, "MG '99" VICE-CHAIRMAN: Ron Tugwell to o rechr~kal (334) 928-5366 instead, there was turmoil as BMW's P.O.Box 2406 odvlsor, please in Vancouver beckons for a great MG Ire cerrab~to Bob Daniels (engines, etc.) Chairman Bernd Pischetsrieder and 3 De Arnaral Road include o (5 18) 372-4566 adventure out west. Camel Valley, CA 93924 srarnped, self. then his presumed successor, oddresred Glen Towcry So check the oil, gap the points, (831) 659-2449 envelope for Wolfgang Reitzle, both resigned e-mail: [email protected] (302) 734- 1243 charge the battery, fill the tank, turn their reply.) under fire over Rover's performance. rhe key and get out on the road! Q SECRETARY: D Zimmermon Norrnon Nock AS we go to press, the dust is set- (209) 948-8767 811 S. DePeyster Street tling. David Knowles will be jn Kent, OH 44240 SERVICE Jeromc Huscnberycr attendance at the Geneva Auto (330) 678-9394 RECObIMENDATION 306 E. Plum Street Show and will report in the next e-mail: enmg~~nel.com COORDINATOR: Benton, IL 62812-2315 (618) 439-6464 fph>nellix) issue on the new realities both in TREASURER: Eric Kent P~QUWfw 9 arn to 9 pm only Germany within BMW and in 2552 YZ Avenue Schoolcroft. MI 49087 MEMBERSHIP David Deutsch England for Rover and MG. (6 16) 679-5997 COORDWATOR: 81 Mcrrick Avenue East Mrodow, KY 11554 . ~-, COORDINATORS OF THE NAMGBR REGALIA Bill Hayes COORDINATOR: Quartrrs 0-2. Antrim Drive EDITOR Kim Tonry Page 1 0 If It Ain't Broke klechoni(.sl~urg.PA 1 7055 ... tLlti3 Driver: 4904 Puffer Road (7 17) 69 1.9894 Bob Ekstrond, San Diego MG Club Downers Grove, 11 60515 (630) 968-4347 ELECTRONIC Tom Biehl e-mail: NAMGBR ED@c~~l.com BILLBOARD: P.O. Box 681 Page 12 MGs and a College Man Blue Bell, I'A 19422 Tyson Sherman ADVERTISING: Ion Pender NAMGBR BBC:@kol.com 1 77 Paxson Avenue Wayne Kube Hamilton Square, NI 08690 . Page 20 MG Open Day (609) 890-2959 COORDINATOR: 3105 Glory Lane Plano, TX 75025 Marcham Rhoade Fnx (609) 890-9261 e-mail: [email protected][ (972) 618-1984 &mail: wkuMliudfw.nel Page 24 Bonneville MGA Sets Record PUBLICITY Richard Liddirk Rick Ingrarn Mark Barnhart, Waddill Race Team COORDINATOR: 5237 Glen Arm Road CONCO UR5 COORD~\~ATOR: P.O. k)s 588 Glen Arm, MD 21057 St. Imeph, IL 61873 (410) 817-6862 Page 28 An MGB Goes Home (217) 469-2037 Roger Glover, MG Owner's Club of England FOR REGISTRAR INFORMATION, PLEASE SEE PAGE 49 Plus: Letters, Technical Talk, Where fo 'B and much more! The North American MGB Register is affiliated to the MG Car Club of England. The klG Car Clul3 was founded h 1930 and is the original, faaor). supported, and approved oyaniultion for $1 h,[G5. with the Club Headquarters situated in Abingdan-on-Thurnes close by the t~irrhplaceofall hfb. MGB DRIVER-March/April '99 .AG's Future Revisited The Future of Pischetsrieder had been making omy for the Rover division and had The other fatlout after the BMW/Rover/MG Revisited... an issue for some time of the British previously stated that it would be in changes was considerable jnterest on and Found to be Revised govemtWnt's support of new facili- the black by 2000. Reirzle had wanted the part of other car manufacturers, by Events ties built by other car manufacturers to streamline the company and more including Ford. GM, DaimlerlChrysler on greenfield sites and BMW and closely integrate Rover jnto BMW. and VW in BMW as takeover target. n our last issue, David Knowles Rover's being at disadvantage by Friday February 5 arrived and There was a noticeable run-up in !wrote an update on the situation at having older factories that the gov- the meeting commenced. BMW's stock price belying the Rover and BMW regarding MG. Just ernment is not offering the same sub- Pischetsrieder resigned as did Reitzle. market's opinion that BMW is the as the issue was being delivered. sidies. The uneven playing field Reitzle had gained no friends on the next major target after the winds of change swept over Munich became a steady theme. shop floors and union representa- Chrysler/Mercedes and FordIVolvo leading to new uncertainties over BMW alleges the Longbridge tives on the board met prior to the mergers of the past year. Speculation what direction BMW, Rover and MG plant, which employs 14,000, lags its board meeting and solidified their in the business press cites BMW as the will proceed. other plants by 30% in productivity. opposition to him becoming chair- next most likely target of further con- For two intense weeks in late The company's growing dissatisfac- man. loachim Milberg, 56, was the solidation in the auto industry, con- January, rumors floated in the tion was lo be the primary topic at the surprise compromise candidate. siderably ahead of debt-saddled German press that 8MW Chairman Friday Februury 5 superviso~yboard Milberg was the companies Nissan. The Quandt family has Bernd Pischetsrieder's job was in meeting. An additional factor in Management Board Member over- repeatedly stated their intent to see ieopardy over ongoing performance Rover's cost structure is that Rover has seeing Engineering and Production. BMW remain independent. problems at Rover. These rumors continued to rely heavily on British Despite its being the original agenda The New Rover 75 model intro- were forcefully denied by the Quandt suppliers for a large percentage of the item,. no immediate action was duced last fall at the Birmingham family, holders of the largest black of parts that go into their cars. In light of taken on Longbridge. Milberg has Auto Show has been well received BMW stock. A supervisory board the continuing strength of the Pound, since stated thot the company thus far and even named 'Car of the meeting was scheduled to be held in that has added to the relative cost of expects to see results at Longbridge Year' by the English magazine What early February. The center of the their cars as well. Many of these sup- by the end of Spring. The implica- Car? It is being produced at the newly storm was Rover's principal plant at pliers are concentrated in the tion remains that if the situation at refurbished Morris plant at Cowley Longbridge whose performance con- Birmingham area triggering govern- Longbridge does not show improve- which has been redesignated Rover tinues to lag the rest of the BMW ment concerns thot a shurdown ment soon, the plant is still in dan- Oxford. Oddly enough, a rumor came empire. The plant was rumored to be would leave devastating unemploy- ger of being closed. out of England in February thot con- on the chopping block despite the rnene in the area. Continued integration of Rover sideration is being given to marketing new labor agreement reached last Company spokesmen and those into BMW operations after the last the 75 as an MG Magnette in North November which promised to give speaking for the Quandt family five years of operating autonomy America. Odd because a statement new flexibility in operating the doggedly denied the persistent rumors seems to be probable. It is rumored was made in jest in these pages in our plant. That agreement was negotiat- that Pischetsrieder would be asked to that the marketing and sales of the Iast issue in a news item about the ed by Rover Chairman Walter step down saying that personnel mat- new generation Mini will be handled announcement of the new car thot Hasselkus just prior to his stepping ters were not on the agenda- through the BMW side and not by that might be better marketing than down in early December.