Terry;
I remember that day fairly well (it amazes me how much "litter" is still in
my brain considering some of the stuff I have done to it!).
It was Wednesday, June 20, 1979. The dealer was Alpine Motors, 1600 Sunrise
Blvd, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. They sold Triumphs, MGs, Jaguars, Lotus' and
a couple of really exotic marques that were way out of my price range. Yup,
there definitely was a lot of very expensive hardware in that showroom. The
salesman's name was Rick Cardenas. Despite the numerous automotive
temptations my focus remained on a Spitfire since I had wanted one for many
years and, in my opinion, was one of the best looking cars on the road back
then (and I think it still is!!!).
The showroom display Spitfire was Orange with turbine style wheels and a
whole bunch of other stuff the dealer added on to really jack the price up
out of reason (including leather seats!). The demo that I got to drive
(like I really needed a test drive!) was Russet Brown but with no OD.
I positively had to have OD, Carmine or BRG paint, beige interiors, luggage
rack, standard wheels, tonneau cover, etc., no radio, and a thorough rust
proofing job. I already knew the dealer did not have a car with all these
colors/options in stock and would have to order one. (I never buy cars "off
the rack" and always configure one so that the dealer has to order it.)
They took my order and deposit but said it could be many weeks before they
got the car in. Well Rick called two days later to say that one fitting my
order had just arrived "off the boat" (port of entry - Miami), and all they
had to do was clean off the shipping wax, check it out, tune it up, and
rustproof it.
I arrived to take delivery and low and behold there was an AM/FM RADIO in
it! I told Rick I did not want the radio because I already had one that I
would be installing. "No problem" he said, "just remove it and the speaker
and we'll buy them back from you". Well, they kept their word and bought
the radio back for $108. What was really great about this was they hadn't
charged me for it in the first place (wasn't even on the invoice)!!
Driving the car home on I-95 that night made me feel like I was on top of
the world. New car, top down, new car smell, people pointing, waving, and
smiling, it was GREAT!
Oh yeah, I almost forgot, at the time I bought it there was a gas shortage
going on (oil companies needed to boost their profits again) so the dealer
could only put in a couple of gallons of gas. So, during much of the first
week or so of ownership I could only sit in it and pretend to be driving
because I couldn't get any gas for it!!! I think I must have read the
owner's manuals 40 or 50 times each that first week.
That Spitfire was and remains my "good luck" charm. A week after I bought
it I met the girl that became my wife (even taught her to drive a stick
shift in it!). It had been my daily driver until we moved out here to
Oregon (emissions testing and emissions equipment "mysteriously" missing
from car!), and it has given me far less trouble per mile of use than any
other car I have ever owned including American, European, or Japanese.
My Spitfire will be celebrating its 21st birthday in about a month, and
since the legal drinking age in the U.S. is 21, maybe I'll take her out for
some drinks - gasohol of course. :-)
Reid
'79 Spitfire (original owner)
-----Original Message-----
From: Banbury, Terrence [mailto:Terrence.Banbury@dnr.state.oh.us]
Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2000 9:58 AM
To: spitfires@autox.team.net; 'Simmons, Reid W'
Subject: RE: ODs off topic
Reid, after reading your post, I wondered what it would be like walking into
a Triumph showroom and ordering a new Spitfire with the options I wanted.
Then there is that day when I take that first drive in a brand new Triumph.
Maybe sometime you could recount a few of your memories for the many who
have only known their LBCs after a PO.
Terry Banbury
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