I am a 40 year old automotive engineer specializing in topstacks (convertible
top mechanisms) and SUV soft tops; unfortunately there is less and less
engineering left in automotive engineering. Drive my LBC yearly from May till
they salt the roads in winter. Married 5 years (wife will ride in my LBC once
or twice a season), no kids, living in the Detroit area. I was born in
Vancouver, BC; raised (23 years) in Houston, TX, have spent the last 14 years in
MI. I have a car problem and it is my parent's fault. My parents grew up as
the children of peasant farmers in prewar / postwar Germany. They did not have
any car(s) in either of their families. Parents married and emigrated to North
America. Then they finally learned to drive at 30 and 26 years old. Cars are
transportation devices for them. My parents did not let me get my license till
I turned 18. Woe was me. Growing up during my parents lean years has made me a
frugal person. I have yet to spend over $2k to acquire a car - consequently I
have never owned, much less leased, a new car. My wife's 93 Saturn was
purchased with her money prior to marriage. In addition to toying with cars,
I'm into: repairing whatever is broken (sometimes even if its cheaper time wise
to replace), woodworking, home remodeling, landscape photography, long distance
self contained bicycle touring (completed one cross country with my wife, 4025
mi., Seattle area to Wilmington, NC; along with several 1,500 to 2,500 mi trips)
Cars owned in chronological order:
61 Ford Falcon, permanent car, fordoor, first car, was the family car as I was
growing up, still have it, currently undergoing a 6+ year, 250,000 mile
renovation
49 Chevy P/U
73 Mercedes Benz 220D, bought as a fix up and resell
(2) 78 Ford LTD II (city of Houston patrol cars, $275 ea) minor fix and resell
81 Pontiac Grand Prix, repo special, fix and resell
72 Plymouth Valiant, first winter car
78 Spit w/OD and factory HT, first LBC, 56,000 mi., 6 years old, suffering from
a total lack of maintenance, paid: $15 + 1 Dominoes large pizza
71 TR-6, garage queen, fuel jelled in carbs and fuel supply line. Purchased in
Houston, spent 2 days on tune up and maintenance and drove to MI and used as my
winter car, I expected a roomier, faster version of my Spit - I was slightly
disappointed
83 Plymouth Horizon w/ VW 1.7L winter car
Sold Spit in 87 to finance my replacement garage (tried to sell the TR-6 but no
offers). Tore down a 20x20 with 7' high ceilings and built an 880 ft sq garage,
heated, 10 ft ceilings with overhead trolley crane. Took a picture of my old
garage with the Falcon and Chevy P/U inside with the two signal red Triumphs:
Spit and TR-6 in front I was 26 at the time, keep the photo in my briefcase for
inspiration when work gets frustrating
Sold TR-6 and Chevy P/U in 88 to finance my first retirement (was about to turn
30), travel to: Australia, New Zealand along with Texas
71 GT-6 bought in Feb 89 with first paycheck after unretiring. Drove it to work
today.
83 Plymouth Horizon, 2.2L, beater kept at parents in Houston, future tow vehicle
72 Ford Bronco bought in Houston, resold in MI, owned 3 weeks, $1000 profit
73 MBG, bought sight unseen, flew down to Houston with a Webber DGV and rebuilt
master cylinders, car had been stored in a field for 6 years, cows ate top off
of the car, used as a one summer convertible while I was reboding the GT-6 with
a Spit body
67 Volvo P1800, serious project car, bought in Houston, was to be modified to a
folding hard top or convertible. Using the Horizon as a tow vehicle, towed to
MI. While on the Natches Trace Parkway, put a Volvo wheel into a rut next to
the roadway and the tail wagged the dog - result was a jackknife slide down an
embankment. $120 Omni no damage, $700 Volvo stopped by a very large tree, Volvo
sold as a parts car
78 Fiat Spyder, abandoned at my parents rental in Houston, upper engine in
trunk, reassembled motor and drove to MI, straight trade for 83 Volvo 240 wagon
83 Volvo 240, current winter car, 196,400 miles, running strong but getting
unsightly
92 Isuzu Amigo, first rice burner, my other current project car, currently being
rebodied with an English made, German badged 4wd body that is not available on
this side of the Atlantic (body never made it to the car crusher), future winter
car
Future project wish list:
33 / 34 Ford coupe, roadster or roadster P/U all I need is cash & time
GT-40 replica (have a Pantera ZF transaxle sitting under a work bench in my
garage) all I need is much more money and time and a slightly more
understanding wife
|