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A funny thing happened on the way to Grand Auto!

To: bricklin@autox.team.net
Subject: A funny thing happened on the way to Grand Auto!
From: "K M" <symbiotic@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 24 Jan 1998 09:18:25 PST
Alternative subject: Don't judge a book...

I am the owner of two cars, orange 618 and white 2755 (which is for 
sale).  Needing an air filter for 618, off I went to Grand Auto with the 
part number from the cross reference guide.  While I was looking at the 
vast dis-array of Fram filters stretching across the entire side wall, a 
non-descript 65 year old Asian man (of which there are thousands here in 
San Francisco) asked me if I needed help.  I think these guys are 
trained to next ask "what kind of car do you have?"  I found out quickly 
that it is easier to just ask for the part number than to go through the 
whole story, but this time I figured, why not.  So I said, "the car I 
have won't be in the book, it's a Bricklin."  "Hmmm", the man said in 
his heavy Asian accent, "I know Bricklin, in fact I had two, an orange 
one and a white one!"

For one of the first times that I can remember, I was kind of 
dumbstruck.  He went on to tell a tale of making the decision between 
buying a Bricklin or a Dino Ferrari in 1974.  He told me that he sort of 
regretted the decision because of the problems he had with the doors.  
But then related a funny story of being stopped by a highway patrol guy 
in New Jersey for speeding and talking himself out of a ticket.  He also 
told me about breaking the traction bars (torque links?) on the cars.  
The scene was incredible.  Here is an old Asian guy with a heavy accent 
(the last person who I would think would have stories about racing 
around in the 70's) explaining the joy of owning this car.  His first 
was #22, his second was 159 (I may have this number wrong).  He said one 
of them is still for sale at a Lincoln-Mercury dealer somewhere on the 
East coast.  Now, there has to be more to this story, and I will get it 
as I pick up more parts. Meanwhile, didn't I read in an old Brickline 
about some car that has stayed for sale at a dealership for years?  Let 
me know and remember all the old idioms about books and covers.  


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