More than 18 years ago, I got into a great deal of trouble entirely
rooted in youth at the wheel of a "hot" car. I ended up having to park
the darned thing ('74 SV1) and soon had great cause to appreciate the
door/battery problems when the attempt to steal it ended in a rescue of
the thieves. Gas got to be outrageously prohibitive while the drop in
Octane levels to 89 gave her indigestion -- we'd been supplementing
every so often with AvGas which retrospectively made quite a difference;
speeding tickets were unavoidable by stopping or not -- they just mailed
the citation with a remittance envelope enclosed; our insurance agent
was reduced to calculating coverage by the cost of replacement of each
of its body panels; and I could no longer smile kindly on our once
beloved "PIG."
Being on this listserver has brought back so many memories and agonies
seemingly universal to Bricklins' ownership of its drivers. My 16 year
old daughter has often mooned over our PIG -- no doubt imagining herself
flying along looking so cool -- and has often asked us to put her back
on the road so she can go to her HS Graduation in style! (NOT if it is
raining that day! Leaked like a sieve into both laps!) I'd
intermittently told her why it was parked, and she didn't buy it. I now
can show her each and every message I tap into here and your unknowing
contribution to end these recurrent pleadings is greatly appreciated!
PIG is parked awaiting money-fat diets again, and my daughter now brags
that we own a car that is a royal pain in the arse in spite of looking
so cool! She has asked if we can get a vintage VW Bug instead, and
she'll learn how to deal with that car's problems since they can't be as
bad as the PIG who was often mistaken as a kit car atop a VW engine and
chassis!
THANKS FOR THE REMINDINGS!! I'd thought I'd had it bad until I realized
I had so much company in other Bricklin owners working around the doors,
windows, etc. that were indeed the price of ownership for this beastly
burden.
BTW, my husband also sends thanks you one and all for helping get our
daughter's greedy eye off his future hobby car/dependent! Smiles and
chortles abound in the SF Bay Area all around a PIG of a car that still
holds some little measure of charm from youth...
K. Bennett
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