While nostalgia and old cars go hand in hand, I
hold the quite biased opinion that there's
"something more" when it comes to old British
sports cars.
It wasn't that long ago that I got to hold my hand
up and say "see, I'm young and I like 'em", but my
"kid" status is fading as creep towards 30...I knew
I had lost that status the day I was working on the
'B and had a "kid" ask me "sir?" (I was looking all
around..."where? where?") "what kind of car is that?"
Sunday found me standing in the middle of a parking
lot, for hours in the sun, reporting numbers over
the radio. A co-worker told me about his spitfire,
a car his grandfather bought new, a car his father
restored...he said he figured one day his son would
have that car. I commented on how you don't see
too many old cars passed down as family treasures,
other than old brit cars. It was a good day, my
times decreased each run (though the 'B needs some
lower springs!), and the father/son team with the
Spit once again posted times up there with the
Super Stock guys. Nothing like beating a $40k
car with an LBC! I however _need_ some autocross
tyres, but oh well... :)
There are plenty of younger people interested in
LBC's. My younger cousins love my cars. I remember
talking to kid of 16 who was incredibly excited
about reaching "manhood": his uncle took him out
in a lil brit roadster and taught him how to drive
a manual 'box. How many of us remember that? Would
it have been the same for us (or for this kid) if
it had been in a DeSoto?
I belive there is a difference between fashion
and fad. My young finacee went to the car museum
here in San Diego with me a couple of weeks ago.
She thought the '50's and '60's American cars,
while "interesting" looked old, dated, and overly
"styled"...hard to say that about an XKE or an
Elan, or Spit, or Healy 3000... these "barchettas"
are something beyond just cars, and if the old
blokes will be just a little more understanding
and helpful to the young ones, these cars will
outlive us all.
"sing blue silver"
-Keith
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