C R A S H E D   M G F s :   Scarlet Fever

UPDATE (February 17th): New pictures Online at http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/scarlet/

It was a really huge schock when this terrible news was written on the BBS by Andrew P.: 'Is this the end of Scarlet?'.

For those who don't know Scarlet Fever (SF): It's a very famous MGF MkI with loads of modifications (most of the Mike Satur-ish), owned by a good fellow, called Andrew.

Andrew's story:
                                                                                                                   Posted 10 February 2003 at 13:54:00 UK time
Scarlet Fever, Essex (UK)
… Saturday 8th February 2003, 11:55pm…

… New A130 bypass, near the Rettenden roundabout…

Upon entering the dual carriageway I spotted some hazard lights on the hard shoulder, I hadn’t had a chance to reach the limit yet but I pulled into the overtaking lane to give myself some distance from the cars on the hard shoulder. I glanced over to them and when I looked back ahead there was a Vauxhall Nova, nose into the central Armco barrier, side on to me in the over taking lane.

I swerved to avoid the car, and thankfully missed it, but in the process started a rear wheel skid – possibly loosing traction on debris thrown off of the central verge by the Nova. I started to correct, but it was too little, too late and the skid turned into a spin, heading back towards the central Armco. I remember thinking as I saw the barrier approaching “this is going to hurt” and braced myself for the inevitable impact. I hit the central Armco on the front nearside, spinning the car and causing a second impact with the Armco at the rear nearside and pitching the car across the carriageway to the middle white lines.

The car was still running but it was a struggle to steer it off onto the hard shoulder, so I knew there was serious damage to the front nearside wheel.

I opened the car door and got out, absolutely fine, the car however is a mess.

I estimate the initial impact at around 40 mph, the front bumper, wing, and headlamp on the nearside are gone, the bonnet is buckled, as it the battery tray and the battery was free (but otherwise intact). The front nearside wheel is buckled and the hub is shattered, the wheel is hanging off of the car. There is a large dent in the passenger side sill and the passenger door mirror is hanging off, the rear wing is crumpled just below the light cluster on the nearside (amazingly the rear light clusters are fine), the rear bumper is smashed and I have lost one of my MS Daytona exhaust finishers which probably means the exhaust is shot too. :-(

Basically, the car has serious damage to the front and rear quarters; I reckon it is in the region of £4000.00 to repair. Glass’ guide for a 7 year old, 100,000 mile F is £4300.00-ish so I think Scarlet is a write off (although it is yet to be assessed). :-(

...

In no time above posting was followed with more than hundred replies, three thoughts/ideas seem to be the most important for the BBS-visitors:
- Thank God you're not hurt or anything more serious
- Get Scarlet Fever, an icon in MGF land, back on the road
- After all, a car is just a piece of metal and life goes on.

As MG is the mark of Friendship and Andrew did know this as no other, some people on the Bulletin Board started a kind of fund, to try to get the Scarlet Fever back on the European roads again.

to be continued ...

and continued here