Butch Smith’s Project Car
1962 MGA 1622 MKII Roadster
GHN2/108734
 

I purchased this car sometime in the mid 1980's for $2,500 in Arlington, VA. It was a Conn. car and rusty. Poor guy's wife was pregnant and she made him sell it. Drove it to Bill Ludtke's and stored her there for about a year. Bill and I towed it to my house and I began the dismemberment of it. That took about 1 year working on and off. Sometime in the early 90's my friend Richard Carr and I flat bedded her to Louisa, VA for a body-off restoration that took over a year to do. Original color was OEW with red interior and a gray top, solid wheels. I changed out the rear with a wire wheel set up and standard MKII rear end. Front hubs too. Carr painted it Mercedes Navy blue and I did the seats in natural leather. Trim to match in vinyl.

Carr replaced a lot rusted metal including the boot floor, rocker panels and door posts. He did a fine job. We brought her home and I installed the plumbing and new floor boards (hand made by me). Bill L. rebuilt the engine and tranny. Believe he had the cylinders bored out to 30 or 40 over.

I haven't worked on the car for many years. My '60 and my '67 BGT have taken up a lot of my garage time. Retirement is coming and I WILL finish this MKII when I don't have to commute to a job some day. All the parts have been sand blasted and primed or painted and most have been powder coated. I have 2 brand new, never been on an MGA, left and right front wings! Yeah, NOS baby. Don't ask I won't tell ya.