I'll comment on a couple of threads with this one response.
I took an interest in sports cars at a very young age. I saw my first
TR6 when I was ten years old. I was completely smitten. I told my mom that
I was going to own one of those cars. Nine years later I bought my 1972
TR6. I am one year older than my car.
I am currently recovering from some reconstructive shoulder surgery. I
can't safely drive my TR6 or Ford Cortina with one arm. So I have been
driving My moms Mercedes 450SL and my Step dads Porsche 928S. Both have
automatic transmissions and power steering (power assist in the Porsche).
My TR6 is faithfully awaiting my recovery. To tell you the truth, I would
rather be driving my TR6 than either of the German cars. The Mercedes and
the Porsche are nice, but my TR6 is still my preferred mode of transport.
In high school, I hung out with some of the grease monkey crowd. They
couldn't understand my fascination with going around corners fast. They
were only interested in straight-line acceleration. When they found out my
240Z could keep up with some of them in the straights and disappear from
them in corners, they gained some respect. Shortly after high school I
bought my TR6 and the love of sports cars continues.
At a open track event last fall at Stapelton raceway in Denver (before
it closed). There were quite a few of the current younger generations hot
rods. Front wheel drive Japanese econoboxes with superchargers, turbos,
nitrous and the like. Once I showed an interest in their cars, they were
friendly and receptive. They didn't know what my car was, but after seeing
it corner they were interested and respectful. In a few parades that I've
been in with other LBC's from my club. We always generate interest and
comments from the crowd. My favorite was a father holding his daughter and
telling her, "that is the car that daddy wants" as I slowly rolled past in
my TR6.
We as LBC lovers are part of a much larger culture than just LBC's. We
are part of the "car culture". We have a lot in common with Hot Rodders,
Kit Car people and the Import scene, just to name a few. We all enjoy our
cars and enjoy the activities and socialization that accompanies them. If
we show respect and interest of the other car lovers, we get some in
return. My club (British Motoring Club of Northern Colorado) is planning
on joining a few car shows in the area that are not British only car shows.
The main reason we are doing this is to increase our exposure to our
communities and other car lovers. We look at it as a win/ win situation.
Off of the soap box for now.
Shawn Loseke
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