1953 MG-TD. Third owner since new has it for sale.

The car is being featured on Cajun Pawn Stars Wed. August 1, 2012  on the History Channel.

Complete body off frame restoration over 20 years ago.

Has been in closed garage storage for about 10 years.

This is a car for a hardcore sports car fan.

Top speed about 90 mph.

The MG-TD  is noted for its low torque and hill climing ability in trials in England.

Current value running. $17,000 to $20,000.

Will appreciate in value as time passes.

I have seen some sell for in excess of $25,000.

Needs tires, brakes, and possibly gas tank.

Engine has less than 2000 miles from a total rebuild.

Was rebuilt under supervision of a Rolls Royce factory certified master mechanic and an aircraft certified mechanic. No expense was spared.

Every option made.  Brookland racing windshields.

Adjustable oil pressure device.

Extra parts.   Lucas fender mirrors, which are extremely rare.  Optional dash holder bar.  Detachable luggage rack..

Even red, spring loaded reflectors to hold the lisence plate on…

.. Much more!

Two sets of SU Carb’s

A set of Amaco black side windows never assembled…

Chrome plated, aluminum valve cover and side plate cover…

It is not currently running…But parts are easy to find. Example:  www.mossmotors.com

Estimated cost to get running again about $2,ooo to $3,000.

Current owner is 72 and getting rid of his toy’s.

Car has had licence maintained and is up to date.

Antique car insurance is costing the owner $100.00 per year.

Also has a 1953 Louisiana plate for shows…

Was a show winner and could still be with a little tender love and care.

The asking price is $14,000….

This car has not been wrecked and all parts are original……

If you do your own work, it would save you even more.

The three owners were a professor at UCLA in California, a Marine  Major who lived in Woodworth and the current owner. In pictures of the TD you will see a red TR4, TR6 and a Corvette. These are cars the current owner has had at one time or the other. He will be glad to offer advise and help if you purchase the MGTD.

E-mail    www.alexcenla@gmail.com     Alex will put you in touch with the owner.

Alex

Lately I have been trying to understand how some one can buy  a rundown car for 6 or 7 thousand dollars..put 20 thousand in it..have a car worth 1o to 15k and be proud of them selves.

You can take this car for 14k..put 2 or 3k in it and end up with a car worth 17 to 20k and have an investment gain…I will never understand folks who do not balance their investments…

Go figure?

As of August 11, 2012. No one has expressed any interest or contacted the owner.

It is still for sale.

Spoiled City Attorney throws temper tantrum, fires city prosecutors?

In the past I have made fun of the City Council members, doubting their sanity  and wondering about their IQ.   A number of them have given us a wondrous dog and pony show in some of the council’s previous proceedings.

They have not improved with the latest change of the guard in any way what-so-ever.

But now the upper echelon has dived into the fray.

Shades of John K. Snyder, the city attorney has to let a number of prosecutors go, according to local news reports. This all because of $400,000 not added to the city budget. (For legal fee’s.)?

The Mayor will not comment and can’t be found.

We have a dysfunctional city government.

What in the hell is really going on???

 

Alex

The Bath Salt Death Wish. Stupidity to the highest degree and then some.

As if most young people in todays world  are not brain dead enough, they have to sap their minus intelligence quotent even more, if that’s possible.

What did someone say?

“The youth of America, our future is in your hands.”

Why are people so damn dumb?

We have the “Bath salt”  problem localy.

Read this link for other areas.

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/01/22/officials-fear-bath-salts-are-growing-drug-problem/

Talk about brain dead.

And it is going to get worse.

Is there a solution?

I don’t think so.

Alex

What is going to happen to the Bentley Hotel. Alex’s outlook.

We have talked about it for a number of years.

We have promoted it. I have looked at it in a positive way.

Others have also. The Louisiana History Museum even created a web site devoted to its history.

www.historicbentley.com

I think it comes down to plain facts now.

The hotel is being held for ransom by its current owner.

It has been looted by its  owner of significant material objects.

The present economic climate will not justify any major investment in such a large venture.

Individuals with major money can not justify investing in what common sence tell’s you is a  sure losing investment.

There is a glut of hotel-motel’s in the Alexandria area.

The citizens of the area  have a negative attitude to progress in almost any form what so ever.

City officials have a grand scheme for the hotel that far outweighs  economic sensibility.

Tourist or convention income would not even factor in to its survival because of the lack of true promotion by the area.

At this point it smacks of desperation and failure.

A fancy civic square in the rear of the hotel will totally screw up traffic flow on Jackson street to Pineville, no matter how you look at it.

Even if the money is raised by the investment group, the deal will be akin to putting a concrete block around their neck and jumping collectively  into the Red River.

Development of down town Alexandria depends on more than several restaurants. It will take speciality stores and some condos and a sincere interest.

I really think that should be done first.

But interest  at this time is non existent.

I can add more to the list, but this late in the game, why should I?

I do want the Bentley to survive and prosper!

 I may be wrong, but I think we are beating a dead horse with a very large column of the Bentley front porch.

Sorry!

Alex

Informal survey: Who is best Alexandria City Councilman or Woman?

This is just another one of my, nothing better to do on a Thursday afternoon fits of boredom.

We have a dysfunctional City Council, that is common knowledge.

I personally know  four of them. One is a good friend, whom I have had many dealings with. Another has been to my home several times. The other two just casual contact.

I am biased about one, because of his kindness , consideration and intelligence.

The other three are seemingly good people.

I do not know anything about the others and have never met them.

 Leave a comment and tell me who you think is the best or even rank them in order.

If it is possible, let’s make this a civil poll with no derogatory comments.

I realise most of you do not think highly of any of them, BUT.

No rant’s on who you think is the worst.

This is just an informal poll to determine who you think is best.

As is normal I probably will get no comments, but it’s worth a try.

I will maybe tell you my pick if I get enough comments

.P.S.  Maybe I should have asked who was the worse.

But I gather no one cares one way or another.

(Interesting.)

Alex

Quick question on Furniture Store across from Alexandria Mall.

This store has been advertising for the last six months that it is going out of business.

They  either have a warehouse the size of a football field or trying to empty all  the factory  manufacturers low end  stock.

At  what  point, will  everyone  realize this is a gimmick? (a dishonest sham?)

Is not fraudulent advertising, perhaps against better business practices?

Even their “We  are stupid, so come take advantage of us “,TV spots are becoming irritating.

Maybe the Chamber of Commerce needs to give them a warning?

Then they could close their doors tomorrow, or even next week.

(Wanna take bets on it?)

Hey, I’m just thinking out loud.

Alex

Before prisoners wore designer jumpsuits. September 1900.

 

This photograph was taken in September of the year 1900.

 If you thought  that striped prisoner uniforms were only in the movies, think again.

Just a random thought. Perhaps we should go back to that style uniform for prisoners.

Would stand out better than the orange jumpsuits.

 I came across this old photograph a while back.

The strangest thing to me in the photograph is, the guards do not appear to be armed and the prisoner’s are not shackled….

They may not have been  considered dangerous.

 It was captioned Mandeville, La. September 1900.

Alex

KALB promoting new “News” set, but no improvement in news.

Local TV station running teasers on a new news set.

I am sure they spent a LOT of money to build it.

We will hear about it for the next few weeks as they build fake excitement.

Why not use that money to improve their news coverage?

Like the Town Talk you can use only just so much canned regional news before your   viewer and reader  base go elsewhere…

Think about it…… using the phrase,  ”LOCAL”  media….They should be ashamed of themselves…..

Week old news is not news..

Well… their  (Clueless) former News Director is now  General Manager, she will save the day…..Yup…yup 

Alex

It is a new year. 2011. What is ahead?

 

Alexandria's political officials at work.

Well, here we are the first week  of a brand new year.

Should I say hip-hip-hooray or sigh in disgust?

I feel like doing the latter although I am at best an optimist, hoping for the best.

Knowing that it will  probably end up the worse.

To tell you the truth, I am not seeing any clouds with silver linings.

The media, politics,personality conflict, greed, stupidity, where do you begin?

We are no different than any other town our size.

Like I have said several times before, if you get into politics locally, it is not for glory and honesty.

There is always a  reason. (something on the back burner.)

What will the new year bring?

How will the saga of the Hotel Bentley turn out?

I suspect disappointment, but one can hope.

Money and lack of local interest plays a big part in this fairy tale.

Downtown Alexandria could flourish, but not with the convoluted stupidity that exist in its surroundings today.

I do not think the economy will help in making the venture succesful.

I do not pretend to know the answer, but I have traveled all over the world and from what I have seen, their current plan for the revitalization of downtown is far too grand for our citizens and the tourist traffic we  accidentally get.

(Tourism is a subject that Central Louisiana refuses to address aggressively, if at all.)

We refuse blindly to take advantage of the rich history we have in just Alexandria, alone, much less Central Louisiana.

I do not think an Italian lawn game will attract any new folks to downtown.

Especially when the average education of the local’s is tenth grade level.

They barely could keep score.

(Not making fun of anyone..just making a proven statement as to average education level.)

I sincerely wish a sane solution could be worked out.

(It is possible to save that area,if done with sensibility.)

Moving on:

The Masonic Home area.

I think it will fall flat on it’s ass. That’s just my personal opinion.

First of all , Prescott and Horse Shoe Drives would have to be completely redone and all the open drainage covered..

Just reworking the corner of Masonic and Horse Shoe will not accomplish zip.

That is big money before you even get to the Apartment project.

Home values will fall in one of the most exclusive areas of Alexandria.

After the project is finished and all the beauty of the area is demolished.

Oak trees, architecture, etc.

Renters will be slow to come in and the final results will be lowering of prices and another “project ” will  evolve, because of HUD involvement…

I do not pretend to be a orical, but most of us know how things end up around here lately.

As far as politics are concerned around here…

After watching things for the past 60+ years.

We ain’t making any headway what-so-ever.

Focus and public relations in the current regime are  pathetic, to put it politely.

Our Mayor is getting the reputation of being an elitist, and that is putting it in prospective with reserve.

I learned one thing, long ago.

When you converse with a group of folks, you communicate on their level.

He has no clue on that subject.

I think he has the ability, but he just can not relate to the common folk.

(That is sad.)

The City Council:

I really think that one or two actually know what they were elected to do.

The rest of them have absolutely , positively, no clue as to what they are doing.

They are like deer caught in the head lights of a  large transport truck.

They let personal interest and a number of other things fog up their thought process.

There again, “It aint gonna get better!”

I sincerely wish I could see a light at the end of the tunnel, but  all I see is a brick wall.

There are many other subjects to cover, but I will not bore you further.

Happy New Year.

I hope you take the main road and not the back streets.

You get to your destination so much faster.

I do not know the anwsers, do you?

Alex