Hard to put a fine point on it, but the following influences are
pretty visceral:
(1) I was in fifth grade. Guy across the street (Tim Storey, in case
you wondered) rebuilt a TC _in front of my very eyes_ that summer. It
even looked good, and ran, too. To further flaunt his apparent skills
and infinite resources, the next summer he got a bugeye. Only one
ride in each, but permanent scars were inflicted.
(2) About this same time, I read The Red Car by Henry Gregor Felsen.
All about Frenchy and the TD and winning the race while hanging onto
the fender to keep it from falling off. I still have the book, though
it is a cheap paperback and is rotting by now. I'd recommend it to
any 12-year old regardless of gender for the sense of accomplishment
it might instill, but it doesn't compete with Mighty Morphin Power
Rangers or the X-Men.
(3) My old man always wanted a Land Rover. We picked up a brand new
109 umpty-window from the Rover depot on Fulham Rd in 1966 and
proceeded to drive all over Europe in it before bringing it back. In
retrospect it was a terrible car (don't flame, this has been discussed
before), but it led to my own 1964 Rover 2000, an even worse car. It
drove superbly, but just fell apart and wouldn't start below 20
degrees F.
(4) Despite the discouragement (came to my senses and drive Japanese
econoboxes on a daily basis) I got _my own_ Red Car in 1976 and
haven't looked back.
(5) There is the obvious linkage with my rich cousin, James.
A. B. Bonds
1930 RR PII, '52 MGTD, '58 MGA, '73 MGB, '57 Aston Martin Mk III DHC
(and a 1938 Walther PPK 7.62, of course).
Ephemeral Note: Cousin James' Aston is described by Ian Fleming (we
ain't talking the movies, folks) as a DB3. This is something of a
puzzle, since the DB3 is a GP race-prepared vehicle and essentially
unsuited for chasing villains down British country lanes. Couple of
years ago this issue was pursued doggedly in the AMOC Newsletter, and
the following result came to light. In the original manuscript,
Fleming had described the car as a "DB III", which the publishers
perverted to DB3. See sig above, I rest my case. Agent 042, From
Nashville, with Love.
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