Originally Posted by dlq04

Thanks. It's true these cars require attention to sort out, and are nothing like the reliability of the S2000. Here's a rather lengthy comparison I wrote for a magazine some time back:

How have sports cars changed over five decades?

Both MG and Honda have interesting corporate histories with larger than life figures, engineering accomplishments, racing achievements, and both built an affordable sports car. I have owned MGAs for nearly 40 years and a Honda S2000 for the past seven. I was asked to compare the two cars.

How does a modern 2001 Honda S2000 compare to a 1959 MGA?

There definitely are similarities between the two cars. They are rear-wheel drive front engined 4-cylinder sports cars and more important, both were designed from the ground up for pure driving enjoyment. The MGA (1955-1962) was the first sports car ever to reach sales of 100,000. Worldwide sales for the S2000 are approaching that benchmark with its US sales accounting for two-thirds. The S2000 in its present form has had an exceptionally long run for a niche vehicle and every year brings speculation it’s the last. In most parts of the country both cars are rare. Prices are comparable with late 1950s British roadsters finally getting their due. A potential buyer with $30,000 to $35,000 has a choice between a new S2000 or a super-clean restored MGA.

Honda’s clean styling was based on a 1995 concept car to celebrate Honda’s 50th anniversary and still looks fresh in 2008. One can only hope it will age as well as the MGA with its classic British lines which get better looking each year. The wheel bases of these cars are within half an inch of each other. The MGA is a whopping 900 pounds lighter but the S2000's weight/power ratio is 50% better (12 lb/hp vs. 24 lb/hp). The average gas mileage on the two cars is about the same, except the S2000s varies greatly depending on one’s style of driving. Steady cruising in 6th gear can bring 30 mpg while aggressive driving can cut that in half.

At the heart of my S2000 is a 240-hp VETC engine that has an intoxicating 9000-rpm redline. They don’t call it Honda Motor Company for nothing. The high revving engine combined with its wonderful short-throw 6-speed makes for a stirring driving experience. It has 0-60 mph times which matched my ‘63 Corvette, a car I considered a straight-line rocket at the time. MGAs pushrod engine was never about speed and power. Thus, breaking 100 mph was asking a lot. The modern car will better that by another 50 mph. The S2000's modern technology-driven engine limits activities under the ‘bonnet’ to checking fluids but its outstanding reliability suggests that is enough. Tools and parts are standard carrying apparel with the MG and oil leaks are common. Leaks are of no concern in the S2000 but consumption can be, therefore checking the oil levels is standard maintenance with both.

There’s no real comparison between a car with power steering, ABS, air-bags, and built-in roll bars compared to a classic car when it comes to safety. British cars of 50s and 60s had many new engineering ideas but auto safety was not one. Seat belts were not considered by the factory until mounting points were installed on the final MGA - the MkII; even then, the lap belts were a dealer installed accessory. Driving vintage cars involves greater risks and MGA owners should seriously consider installing 3-point seat belts.

One of the reasons many MG owners have tales of adventure when traveling can be traced to shunning the little protection provided. The awkward and noisy side curtains are often left at home to save room. Owners are never in a hurry to encounter the struggle associated with the erection the soft top, often putting it off until they run into a storm that has a name. With the S2000 weather is just a passing thought. A push of the button and it is top and windows up in six seconds. A very welcome feature indeed.

Did I mention there is a lot more cockpit space in the MG? True. The cockpit of the S2000 was intentionally designed to give the effect of being in a race car with a result that leaves you wondering where to put something as small as the garage door opener. However, the neat in-the-door shelves of the MGA come as a result of foregoing side impact protection. A thin sheet of aluminum does not withstand much.

Many ‘over-forty’ Honda owners drove British roadsters in their younger days. Could they be having a mid-life crisis? Yes, and that would include me. With my waistline expanding and my hairline in retreat I wanted to play racer before I met Cecil Kimber, the founder of MG, and Soichiro Honda, the founder of Honda. When my dreams of vintage racing an MGA went bye-bye due to arthritis the S2000 was an easy choice. A change of brake fluid and brake pads and it’s track ready. This avoids the need to pound down Motrin from hours of wrenching on 50-year-old nuts and bolts. I added an additional roll bar and enjoy ‘test and tune’ sessions at the local tracks.

When it comes to travel, you may be surprised to hear me say the MGA is better. It wins on several counts. I give it the edge for fun and attention. It wins in ride comfort too. Ride? Yes. Seats in S2000 are very firm with side bolsters that allow little movement. It’s modern suspension is much firmer than the MG. Combine these factors with rough roads, such as Michigan’s, and the MG wins. In the S2000 defense, it may have more to do with my aging bones but personally, I find it a sports car better suited for the track than long travels. It’s not surprising many long term S2000 owners are track junkies.

Handling is a fun factor with both cars but in the S2000 that includes speed. The S2000 is an easy winner when it comes to handling. Where the rubber meets the road the S2000 has over 7" in the front and 8-1/2" in the rear compared to the MG’s 6". With performance tire compounds Honda’s grip is impressive.

The MGA is more about exposure to elements. Honda body-tuning was done using numerous wind-tunnel tests to minimize wind noise and wind whip-around. In the MG you feel the wind from all sides. The MG’s windshield sets six inches lower and when seated you have six inches less side door protection. In the MG I’m sitting low to the ground and exposed vs. being protected in a modern car. For me this difference is the most striking. The cocoon feeling of the S2000 is enhanced by a rear plastic wind deflector between the seats which cuts rear buffeting by half. The S2000 also includes air conditioning, something every MGA owner has wished for at midday in a scorching sun. Thank goodness the MG in-door-shelves hold lots of water. Just like its wooden floorboards in a good rain storm!

Being in S2000 and MG clubs I can assure you that sports car people of all ages are the same. They enjoy life and the bonding that go with top-down cruising through twisties.
In a strange twist of fate both clubs are holding events at Seven Springs in PA in 2008. I know both drives will put a smile on my face.

I feel fortunate having a classic and modern sports car in the same garage. It is the car’s similarities that attracted me to them and it is their unique differences that make me love them.

Originally Posted by Vanishing Point

Saw this on Bring A Trailer and thought of this post, might be a golden opportunity for someone needing a project(s).

http://bringatrailer.com/2016/04/15/...oject-friends/