Re: MGB - the greatest sportscar of all time?

["Peter Westafer" <pwestafer@domain.elided>]

Greg Stewart of Ottawa writes: >My local newspaper is running an article
next Friday in their "Wheels">section titled "MGB - The Greatest
Sportscar of All Time".  I've already>started composing a letter to the
editor to rebut this absurd claim, but>would appreciate any additional
ammunition my fellow digesters might be able>to provide. >So, let me have
it - I need reasons why the Alfa Romeo Spider is a more>appropriate
choice than the MGB for "The Greatest Sportscar of All Time"  Certainly
not "best."  Maybe highest volume British sports car?   I can't speak for
a 1960s Alfa Spider, but I did have a 1966 Guilia Sprint GT and a 79
Spider.  My opinion: - The Alfa was much smoother, but with excellent
handling characteristics - more "civilized" than the MGB.- Both my Sprint
GT with 40 DCOE Webers and my Spider with Spica injection were extremely
reliable and drivable in daily use.- Certainly the Alfa's drive train
technology is superior - aluminum used throughout for weight saving and
cooling efficiency, wet cylinder sleeves for optimum engine wear
characteristics, temperature/dimensional consistency and ease of
rebuilding, five-speed transmission with synchros for all forward gears
(the MGB didn't get this until 1967, If I'm not mistaken).-
Easy-to-operate soft top (my 79 spider was a one handed operation, up or
down, except for the latches).- Four wheel disc brakes- Twin cam engine
(I don't know the horsepower vs displacement of the MG, but the Alfa was
about one HP per cubic inch, as I recall.  And certaily the Alfa engine
was (still is) much prettier. In any event, the Alfa wins hands down,
unless volume or country of origin enters the picture. --- Peter Westafer---
pwestafer@domain.elided--- Berkeley Lake, GA USA 
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