Have enjoyed reading yours, here's mine:
First introduced to LBC's by a cousin 2years older than I who had a new
AH Sprite when we were in high school. Later my college roomy had a new
Spifire.
This in the late sixties, which makes me the big 50 this year.
My hope for a first car in 1967 was a '56 Crown Victoria but got a '48
Plymouth sedan with suicide doors and covered running boards!
The urge for a triumph kindled by the Spitfire became a 74 1/2 TR6,
white with blue interior, bought new in 75 after a BS in Mechanical
Engineering at the Univ of Washington. This car probably helped in claiming
my wife of twenty years who confessed to looking for a "knight on a white
charger".
We honeymooned in the TR6 along hiway 101 to San Francisco and back to
the Seattle area. The car also assisted in the birth of our son, now 18.
(No, not in THAT way)... I took her for a bouncy ride near term and was told:
"It's time." Quite a ride home.
Sold that car for something with room for 3. The wife cried as we drove
off the car lot and I knew I'd have to get another. Fast forward to '89 and
her birthday arrives with a red 74 TR6 with a ribbon on the antenna. Big
smiles. We've been restoring it ever since as funds allow.
Pulled every thing out of the car except the dash and wiring harness for
a paint job when a rod began knocking and had more fun putting it all back
together than I could have imagined.
Installed a used engine at the time, all I could afford, and was
pleased when my dad helped me get it running. He was an old style knuckle
busting mechanic, owned his own shop and didn't want his boys hanging around
getting into that business. Did the work as much to show him I could do it as
to have fun myself.
I've had to turn much of the major mechanical work over to a "pro"
recently, with varied results, but we now have a very dependable car that
catches alot of compliments.
I've worked for 3 companies in one location for the last 25 years in the
local saw mill and papermill, the last 15 years as a shift foreman. I like to
hike, golf, learning to program these durn computers in my spare time and on
a sunny day when the wife is driving "her" TR6 I ride an 1100 V-Twin Shadow.
The wife and I attended the last national convention in our area when it
was held north of Seattle and hope to see as many of you as possible at the
2000 meet.
Jim Bosley
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