r/littlebritishcars

Looking for parts for my MINI I found this 72 wire wheeled M.G. Midget in the Boneyard. I was sad.

Bit of body work today!

What started out as a lark to help a cancer-stricken friend transformed into a movement and, with John himself ill with cancer, he set off from Huntington Beach, California, to the East Coast (Charleston, SC) and back again, all in hopes of raising money and awareness for those fighting cancer.

Grace, the 1953 Austin-Healey 100, was no trailer queen. It had received little maintenance over the years, was rusting, bedraggled, and riding on shot springs. It suffered from low oil pressure and constant overheating.

To say the car was battered would be polite.

No matter: rough and rusted, faded paint or no, Grace made friends everywhere.

Undertaking a trip of this magnitude would be no small order. It would take much planning and forethought. John put it all together in less than a week.

Of course there were some hiccups.

When he was finished cajoling sponsors and supporters for their backing, John realized that the vinyl graphics he ordered omitted more than a few, and so he quickly added them back in on the trunk lid. With a Sharpie.

In time, others asked if they could add their names, too, or those of their friends, parents, or other lost loved ones. Soon, Grace became a rolling memorial to those whose lives have been touched by cancer, and what was once planned to be a one-year, 6,500 mile road trip took a bit of detour. Instead, it became a three-year odyssey deep into the hardened core of America's soul, driving the same car through all 50 states.

By the time he switched the key off on Grace, countless people had touched (or been touched by) the cancer-stricken John and his beat-up, battered car. In a way, the two were metaphors for one another.

At one stop, a man walked up to the car, surveyed the graphics and opened his wallet. He removed a photo of his late wife, explaining that he had always promised to take her to California but had not done so before she succumbed to breast cancer. As his voice broke, he handed John her picture and asked if he would take her to the Pacific Ocean for him. With tears in his eyes, John wedged it carefully into a corner of the dashboard where it stayed for the next 4,000 miles.

With national media like The Today Show, The Tonight Show, and MSNBC eager to share this unlikely success story, word spread about his trip and soon he was being intercepted by cancer patients...young and old alike...who were eager for a ride in ‘Grace.’

So many rides. So many stories, faces, and names.

Driving up to 14 hours a day, it's little wonder that the car began to fall apart. Piston rings were disintegrating, leaving shards in the oil and crankcase. At one point Grace was consuming up to 26 quarts of oil per day.

As the miles piled on, it was clear that Grace was giving in. Somewhere West of Laramie, the oil pressure at speed was down to less than 10 PSI and falling fast. The little car that could had suddenly become the little car that just couldn't anymore. Grace had had enough.

He pulled to a stop and posted "finis" on Facebook.

Online followers rushed to his aid, bringing parts, a helpful trailer, and emotional relief from hundreds of miles away. The car was towed to New Mexico for a much needed bottom-end rebuild.

On the final leg, after 13 days, 7,241 miles, an astounding 262 quarts of oil used (!), two engine fires and seven roadside repairs, John’s crazy but awe-inspiring quest was realized. The little car that shouldn’t have made it did. A three-year 300,000-plus mile journey that put smiles on the faces of 20,000 cancer patients was in the books. John and Grace's road-trip had become more than mere adventure: It was a cause.

In the end, Grace bore more than 6,500 names on her flanks.

"We didn’t understand at the time that Grace would become an instrument of healing," John said in a 2013 interview. "It’s amazing to hear from people who are sick who think if this car can stay on the road, so can they. It’s a good metaphor."

Not sure why someone would leave the remains of a sandwich on the bonnet.

1960 Alvis TD 21 Drophead Coupe. At a Glance**:**

Only ~200 Dropheads Produced | Historic Restoration | 4 Previous Keepers | Excellent Presentation | Cherished "7 AXK" Registration Plate

You can see hundreds more photos and videos of this car, and bid, here: 1960 Alvis TD 21 Drophead Coupe

Handbuilt British excellence offering refined luxury and effortless open touring.

Constructed alongside Bentleys at the prestigious Park Ward coachworks, a subsidiary of Rolls-Royce, the Alvis TD 21 was widely regarded as one of the best-built vehicles of its time. Renowned for their independent engineering talent and history in aviation engine manufacturing, Alvis applied that technical expertise to create some of the smoothest powerplants ever produced. When it debuted in 1958, the TD 21 featured a refined 2993 cc engine mated to an Austin Healey four-speed gearbox, along with modern advancements such as a hydraulic clutch, piston shock absorbers, and front disc brakes.

Offered with two body shells, fewer than 200 TD 21 drop-head coupes were manufactured during their production run. This rarity makes it one of the most exclusive British open-top four-seater roadsters currently available for auction. Reflecting the superior build quality and the elite clientele associated with the Alvis brand, it is a testament to their longevity that two-thirds of all TD 21 models produced are still in existence today.

With sufficient power to reach speeds of 100 mph while maintaining lavish comfort amongst high-quality furnishings, the Alvis TD 21 provides a genuine experience of British reserve, exclusivity, and panache. It represents an exceptional opportunity to own a vehicle of this calibre for a mere fraction of the cost of a comparable Bentley or Rolls-Royce.

This beautifully restored 1960 Series 1 Drophead is finished in elegant 'Alice Blue' with a matching blue leather interior, further complemented by rich walnut burr trim. With only four recorded owners, the car is accompanied by comprehensive documentation of its restoration. Currently held within a collection of sports cars, it is offered with its V5 and its original cherished number plate. A rare opportunity to acquire one of the finest hand-built cars ever produced in the UK.

This listing was written from information supplied by Darren after meeting Roger the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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I'm frustrated by something as simple as a pedal throttle retaining clip.

I have two maxis, one has a clip and no nipple and seems fine but I can't see what is actually keeping it secure since if the cable passes through the clip hole then surely it can just pull back out.

The other car has a nipple but no clip and just falls out of the top of the pedal.

Since the nipple won't fit through the clip hole, I'd need to cut it but then what secures it and why didn't the previous owner cut it.

I can't get in there well enough to see what's going on, so I'd really appreciate somebody pointing out how stupid I'm being...

Looking at a cheap ish Triumph Spitfire, according to the seller, the rust on most parts is surface only. I just wanted people's thoughts on this

I had a cracked windscreen. Should I replace with glass? I am leaning more towards polycarbonate. The car is track racing only. Also wondering if I should keep the silver trim and rain rails?