1974 1/2 MGB

It is early January.  Theoretically the middle of winter, but it has been exceptionally warm the last few days.  Winter here is often more mud and ice than snow, but I'm sure the snow will be here in its own time.
In my list of cars from a few weeks back is (or was?) my 1974 1/2 MGB.  In 1974, the British company made three body styles.  Early cars had the older lower ride height, chrome bumpers and small chrome overriders.  Mid-year, they had the same chrome bumpers but huge "Dolly Parton" back rubber overriders.  At the end of 1974 the cars had rubber bumpers and the raised, newer body height.  The later cars were the only rubber bumper MGBs imported into the US with the dual HIF carbs.  In 1975, the body was essentially the same, but they had the single Stromberg carb and a more detuned engine.  The bumpers and ride height were changed to address new safety requirements, while the Stromberg carb was an answer to emissions requirements - something that hadn't yet invaded England as it had the US.  As an aside, while the chrome bumpers have always won the popularity contest, I've always like the rubber bumpers and their functional aesthetics.
Since I drove mostly MGs, I drove beater cars in the winter.  After selling my Dodge Dart, I needed something else and found a good deal on a 1974 rubber bumper car.  It was a tragedy of a car with poor body work, scary electrics but it had an electric overdrive transmission which I wanted for my fun summer car (my 1977 MGB which I still own).  I bought the car for $400 (I think) and put the transmission into my 1977 'B after a mostly-rebuild.  I had access to a donor transmission for the '74.  After putting the car back together, I spent significant time, but very little money getting it on the road.  I spliced two wiring looms together, put in a battery cut-out switch and set it up to be my winter beater including a fiberglass hard top which I siliconed on in semi-permanent fashion.  For several years, until I discovered 4-wheel drive trucks, this was my winter car.
Considering the low price and the fact that the transmission was the most valuable part of the car, this was a remarkable winter car.  The MGB actually does quite well in snow.  The engine sits very far back behind the wheels, adding weight and stability to the center of the car.  Snow left piled high on the rear deck allowed for more rear wheel traction.  The short wheel base with rear wheel drive did allow for some fantastic donuts.  The largest winter-weather negative is the low ride height.  Since I was in Michigan at the time in a area known for lake effect snow, this often proved challenging.  Often, through heavy snow, the car left three tracks.  One for the left tires, one for the right and a third for the exhaust system.  The engine in the car had a weak bottom end.  In order to keep the oil pressure up, I used heavy oil and often added STP for further support.  In the very cold winter days, it made for difficult starts.  The car started with a button since the ignition switch was worn out.  So after turning the key on and hitting the button, very often the engine would barely turn over before leaping to a loud awakening - the carbs were set very rich which was the only reason that cold weather starts were even possible.  Often, while taking off in full choke, the exhaust note would change as the car trudged through snow that was often "plowing" the undercarriage.
After several years of using it as my winter car, I put a donor engine in it and sold it to a kid I worked with.  By this time it had aluminum wheels and many other scrounged farkles.  Shortly after the kid bought it, he crashed it while avoiding deer - or so he claimed.  I was able to reclaim my wheels, but the car was all but destroyed.  I saw the kid a few years back - he stated he was just happy to not be in jail anymore.  I wonder if we are all caricatures of ourselves.
I sold it and bought the Nissan truck and shortly thereafter my first 4wd F-150.  Four-wheel drive makes a huge difference in inclimate weather, which often means it is just easier to get in trouble (that truck will have to be a future story).  In a lot of ways, I miss having a car that is an almost-joke.  Although having something like that for every-day transportation probably wouldn't be as fun as it was when I was 18.
For today, I'll enjoy near-50 degree temperatures in January and wait for the changes that will be coming.  Happy winter driving!