Sports car enthusiast Keith Raphael, who lives in sunny California, is the proud owner of an MGA-based hot rod that he built and perfected in his own back yard over a 30 year period. He tells Mike Taylor his intriguing story of finding, building and cruising in his MGA V8.
Keith begins his tale by saying: ‘I was born in the southern coastal town of Long Beach, California and have never moved very far from the Pacific coast. My first car was the family’s 1961 Ford Falcon. Of course, I instantly threw on some magnesium wheels and tinted the windows, installed a new stereo and attached surfboard racks to the roof. At that time The Beach Boys were my all time favourite music group.’
Later, Keith moved on to owning a Ford Mustang, and then he purchased and modified a Ford Econoline ‘surfer’ van. ‘I fitted it with a V8 motor and painted the bodywork in a pearlescent white with blue flames,’ he continues. ‘Naturally the surf racks were attached to the roof, but, I longed for a sports car. At that time my dream was to own a Ford Cobra, but as a teenager that was financially quite out of my reach.’
In the event, Keith’s sports car ownership came via a slightly novel route. ‘In 1975 I fulfilled my passion for owning something sporting when I was just 20 years old,’ he continues. ‘Back then a friend of mine who knew I had a fancy for sport cars told me he had to vacate his home. In his back garden was, he told me, what he thought to be an Austin-Healey and would I be interested in buying it? Naturally I was intrigued, and arranged to meet him at his home. He led me round the back – with weeds and dead grass knee high, it was not an enticing prospect. ‘
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة February 2018 من MG Enthusiast.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة February 2018 من MG Enthusiast.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Love and devotion
Bob Nason waited eight years to get the car of his dreams and, 19 years later, he’s still smitten with it...
Tidy-up time
Craig continues his quest to save the modified ZS 120 he told us about in December’s issue of MGE and takes advantage of a break in the weather to focus on its bodywork.
XPress power
MGs on Track regular, Dave Pearce, has a range of MGs at his disposal including this rather special XPower SV-R.
Sparking memories
MGE reader Peter Morrey recalls his very first MG, his family’s experiences of the then-new MGA and advice from a chap with a bit of MG insider knowledge.
Gerry McGovern
When the MGF appeared, in 1995, it marked a return to the market for MG sports cars. MG Enthusiast caught up with the man responsible for the car’s styling.
MG's Twin-Cam engine
The Twin-Cam engine arrived in 1958 but was it a success?
Eyes peeled
This month Roger looks at other drivers’ habits and ponders whether autonomous vehicle lighting helps or hinders road users?
Dear Sir...
Paul Moran’s beautifully restored 1933 Midget J2 comes with some interesting documentation which illustrates just how the privileged new car owners of the 1930s dealt with the absence of a warranty.
CHEQUERED FLAG
THE ROADS LESS TRAVELLED... AND WHY THEY ARE WORTH SEEKING OUT
2019 HSRCA SPRING FESTIVAL
The 2019 Historic Sports and Racing Car Association Spring Festival was run during a brilliant spring weekend, between 28-29 September, in Goulburn (regional New South Wales).
