Slan, friends:
Mike makes a good point about the one that got away. As it so happens,
I've got a similar story.
I was driving up US1 to the Quantico area in a 1948 CJ 2A Jeep I'd sold
to a noncom up there; a friend was following me to take me back to town
in his Spitfire. I was making a real good 35mph on a cool clear sunny
day with both the top and the windscreen down. Nice way to say goodbye
to the old trooper. On the side of the road, in the yard of an apartment
complex, I saw a beautiful jet-black shiny Opel GT with a 'For Sale'
sign on the dash. I had recently sold the old Nissan pickup and the
gutless Subaru (that's U R A Bus, backwards, by the way) station wagon,
and finally, reluctantly, parted with my old 260Z (okay, okay ... I was
into riceburners in the 80's, forgive me) and was down to just the
family car for transport.
We were moving, and I was down to one garage space in the new digs. But,
I needed a new car for myself, and I was 'on the lookout' for something
to drive. And here was this gorgeous GT just begging to be bought! I
passed it by with a sigh, however ... cherry Opel GT's were likely out
of the price range I was to be looking in.
On getting back to town, I started flipping through the want ads to see
what could be had (and secretly wishing to see the GT listed there) and
Lo! There was the Opel, for sale, $400. I almost choked on my tea. The
phone number had a Quantico area exchange ... I knew it had to be the
same car. Either it didn't have a motor, or the seller was out of his
mind. I settled my tea, picked up the phone, and called. Of course, the
car had sold to the first caller. It WAS cherry, it was in really nice
driveable shape ... the seller was a Marine who was being transferred
and had to get rid of it in a hurry. I almost cried. I kicked myself
for days, and read the want ads religiously for a week the second they
came off the presses.
As it turns out, it was just as well ... ten days later, on St.
Patrick's Day, I saw a forlorn white British roadster sitting on the
corner of Princess Anne and Jeff Davis. The top was in rags and tatters,
the battery was wired backwards, and the rubber on the car had seen
better days, but the price was right. I bought it that afternoon, and
here I am now. :)
Corey
75 MGB 'Rags'
RD#373750
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