George Furst's Journal

I purchased this car in January 1990. The car spent all of its life in the Texas and Oklahoma area. I was able to trace ownership back to 1978 when it drove to the top of Pikes Peak with Dan Bell as the driver and owner. turns out that I am the sixth owner of the car.

The car was originally Teal Blue and I have returned it to that color (it was painted refrigerator white over the teal blue when purchased) and restored the mechanicals. The car had no rust as it lived in the pan handle area of Texas, but plenty of red Texas dirt everywhere. The date of manufacture was 13-14 December 1972. It was dispached on 27 December to St. Louis, MO but did not sell until sometime after Oct 15, 1974, at least that is when the radio was installed for Continental Cars, the British car Distributer for central U.S. located in St. Louis, MO.

The car has rare Ochre interior with new Moss purchased leather seats and a new Moss ochre interior kit recently installed to replace the thick tan rug installed in 1989. Mileage was 47606 on purchase and now is 61585 (2015). The car number is GHN5UD306457G. The body number is MGBU 507122 with engine number 18V-672-Z-l/8609. Commission number is G23N070177. It had wire wheels and a tonneau cover as options according to the BMIHT certificate.

I have compiled a history of the car but have been unable to trace the original owners. I have talked with all the owners after 1978, the date the original owners traded it. The car is the only MGB in South Korea and attracts a lot of attention. Some admire the car but many cannot understand why someone would drive such an old car. Unfortunately it was registered as a 2003 MGF when we moved here in 2003 and therefor has to meet the 2003 emissions requirements. The registry also put a new serial number into the front right hand frame rail.

I think the car sold after the 1974 MGBs came out. It was sold at the dealer Royal Imports, 2705 South Georgia St. Amarillo, Texas, the name of the dealer on the front page of the owners manual that came with it when originally sold. The reason I believe it was sold that late is the handbook given the original owner was published 9/73 for the 1974 MGB. So I think the car was sold sometime in 1974 in spite of the car having been made in December 1972. Therefor the original owner owned the car for four years and sold it or traded it in 1978 when Dan Bell purchased the car from a used car dealer. Another reason that I believe the car was sold in late 1973 is that the original radio was put in in late 1973 for Continental Cars, the Leland Distributer for the Central states of the US. Because it was in the pan handle of the US, there was no rust on the car, only lots of dirt caked to the bottom of the car.

My car is the only MGB in South Korea. It has been doing fine except that the rear seal on the left axel is leaking oil slowly and I need to pull the axel and while at it replace the spacers in the differential. I am tired of cleaning off oil on my brake drum and all the associated things one must do. So a few years ago I pulled the rear axel and put in a new seal on the axel at the brake area. I also at the same time opened the differential and put in new spacers and fiver washers on the differential gears and where the axel comes into the differential.

To keep it on the road I must pass the biannual safety and emissions test. This means that it must meet the current standards of emissions. After placing a newer engine, I desmogged the engine but failed the tests. I took the car home and put on the air pump, aid injection rail and all the other stuff and it passed. The testers were shocked as they were sure it would not pass. This taught me that all that emissions stuff really makes a difference in pollution control.

The car has been running very well and starts up immediately even in the winter. Now it has a another 4000 miles on the odometer. Also I must put the hard top on as it has been below 0 Degrees temp here and people look at me as though I am really crazy. This guy born in May 1942 is running around on the highways. When asked I always tell them that I have the heater on.

I continue to drive the car and keep up on the maintenance. Last week October 2022 I replaced the master cylinder and calipers. The great thing about these cars is that the majority of the parts are still available and reasonably priced. Also having this MGB website available to ask questions in is a real plus.

I must look to the future as I turned 80 this year so I have decided that I will pass the car onto a family member here in Korea. He is very interested and has followed me and the car over the over 18 years I have lived in this great country. I will be training him by having him help me do the major projects and important maintenance. Eventually I will not be allowed to drive the car and every three years I must go through multiple tests of mental ability. If I fail, I will loose my driver’s license. Meanwhile I will continue to enjoy driving the only B in South Korea.