Chris Eaton wrote:
>
> Yes lets get this thread back to where it was.I was quite enjoying
> reading about when you old farts(i mean that once again in the most
> respectful way)got involved with your first LBC.And Kai please if you
> must flame,flame privatly(never know who might be reading their E-Mail
> next to a gas can).
> Chris Eaton
> '70 MGB Roadster
Amen Chris!
Guess I'm one of the oldest farts in this group. I fell in love with the
first TD that I ever saw. It was a brand spankin' new '50 and I wasn't
quite old enough to drive. Said I'd have one some day. Managed to buy a
'53 in '56. Sold it when it threw a rod for the second time within a
mile of the same spot. Bought a '52 in '57. Rebuilt the engine, drove it
to San Diego as honeymooners (thanks to the USMC). Quickly outgrew it,
no room for the bassinet. Said I'd have another one some day.
In '88, while visiting my grandson, I happened to spot the right ad in
the D.C. Sunday paper. The car was virtually rust-free - the interior
was shot - and -- It had been converted to a Volvo B16B at some time.
The conversion was never completed so the car probably hadn't been run
under its own power in 20+ years. It went from one "gonna restore it" to
another. Trailered it to Massachusetts. Pulled it totally apart to
replace some rotted wood. Eventually found, and rebuilt, an XPAG engine.
Found a decent transmission. Went down to bare metal and brought it back
up. Only replaced that which couldn't be refurbished. Not finished yet,
but what's the rush? It's driveable!
I recently located a person who owned the car in 1958. Speaking of
old times -- Back in the '50's, at least, drivers of sports cars used to
wave to each other. It was sort of a caste system. The lower
performance machine would usually wave first. MG's would wave to
everybody. Ferarri's always waved last. BUT THEY WAVED. It's very
frustrating to me to watch a B, or a TR coming up in my mirror and get
that strange look when I wave and toot the horn as they go by. I suspect
that something's been lost in the generation gap. I find that the
teen-age group is among the most admiring bunch out there when I'm
driving along. Many's the time that Lazarus had been called "awesome".
As they say, just my $.02 worth.
P.S. Kai, it's been said that profanity is the crutch of the ignorant.
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