My MGB GT still hasn’t been started but I’m slowly making progress. Most days I say “maybe today” but then either the Lotus Europa project gets in the way or something comes up like Covid-19. Boy has this caronavirus situation changed things. Many MG and Lotus parts that might be needed will now have to wait or at the very least be brought into Canada at a huge cost. I don’t think driving to Seattle for a few collector car parts would be considered essential travel at the US/Canada border!
I need a few small parts for my Lotus rear suspension and brakes and just for fun put them in my cart at an Oregon supplier that I often use for the MGB (Europa brake parts are primarily Triumph). An order for less than $10 USD would cost $43.15 USD to ship. At the present exchange rate and with a $9.95 CAD service charge and 12% tax at my local post office that works out to about $87 CAD for a few small pieces of rubber. I think I’ll reuse the old ones for now!
One positive note around here is that the cost of fuel is now $1.12 litre for regular gas, down from $1.49 just a few weeks ago. Ethanol free gas for my Lotus tends to be about 30 cents per litre higher. Last summer I was paying close to $2.00 per litre to keep my Europa happy.
This is what I’m facing today. A few hours and I’ll have the Europa’s suspension and rear inside wheel wells painted. At that point at least I can put wheels back on the car and move it indoors again.
Then it’s back to the MGB. Even though there aren’t many stores open in the area any more I think social distancing in a sports car on a windy road makes sense. I’m also tired of getting groceries in my F150!
