Reid,
That was beautiful and really quite moving! Thanks!
Laura G.
>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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