This debate has the essence of farce written all over it. Discourage LBC
ownership by the young? What tommyrot! I bought my fist LBC at 20, a 67 4-A.
I was about as irresponsible a youth as anyone could imagine. But man, I
loved that car. Drove it too fast and too hard, deferred maintenance for
lack of $$$, drove it year round in Chicago weather, and generally abused
it. BUT...when I did have $$$ in my pocket they went into the car. When
finally I nearly totaled the beast, the only reason that it wasn't repaired
(I had found all the parts needed) was the fact that it was stolen out of
the barn near Southern Illinois University that I had it stored in until I
could locate all the parts. It took dome doing to steal the thing too. I
had, as a precaution, removed the American 8 spokes so it had to be flat
bedded out. And that was that for the 4-A. I had not ever planned on giving
it up.
I was not done with LBCs though. Two years later the 73 TR-6 was purchased.
The saved mags went on it. Most of you know that it still resides with me.
It has been through hell and high water. It has rusted out from salt on the
roads, been crashed and repaired, been through periods when only enough
maintenance was done to keep it marginally running, gone a couple of years
without a top in the CA sun, burned a couple of quarts of oil every 500
miles at least, gotten me dirty looks and sneers from drivers behind me
breathing in the smog it produced. BUT...again when the $$$ came in it was
the first on the list for what it needed. Today, it is in better shape than
when I bought it lo these many years ago. The little beast has given me more
pleasure than any single possession I have ever had. 329,000 miles worth at
present count. This feat on a car that wasn't supposed to last more than
100,000 at the most! And on a car about which most of the authority figures
I knew when I bought it said. It's a piece of shit, you're making a big
mistake buying it!" It has provided continuity in my life from callow youth
to, wild man 20s and 30s, to working man 40's and now as a 50+ aficionado. I
really think that the irrefutable fact that I'm still a big kid today is due
in no small part to the ownership of this car. I still get the same thrill
when I head out on the road with a fresh wax job, oil and filter changes,
top down and radio on as I did when I was a much younger man. I'm convinced
the car is a prime factor in keeping me young. And I still enjoy the
satisfaction of getting down and dirty and doing the vast majority of the
required repairs and maintenance myself. Especially so when I am approached
by at least one admirer almost every day when I drive the gleaming red
roadster and treated to stories of how "I used to have one of these! How in
the hell do you keep it looking as good as it does?" You would not believe
the stunned looks I get when I inform folks about how long I've had it and
how many miles down the road it's been.
Passion is developed in youth first and the lucky few of us hold those
youthful passions close to our breasts and nurture them throughout our
lives. They sustain us in times of trial and add to the elation of the good
times. I am passionate about the TR and I encourage ownership of these
examples of auto history by youth, remembering that it was as a lad myself
that my passion developed and bore fruit. I have no children of my own, but
when I do shuffle of this mortal coil (not soon I hope) or when the old body
finally can no longer flex its way into the cockpit, the car will go to one
of my young nieces. And maybe, just maybe, a little red roadster that was
expected to last a few years will make it another 30 and provide for another
generation the thrills, upsets, skinned knuckles, grease under the
fingernails, wind in the hair driving experience unique to the marquee.
SHIT...no wonder we used to say "Never trust anyone over 30!" given the
attitude that has been demonstrated by some of our prematurely crotchety,
curmudgeon like contributors.
Deano (50+ going on 35...or is that 20). Damn...can't remember!
-----Original Message-----
From: Lumia, John [mailto:jlumia@ball.com]
Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2001 7:29 AM
To: 'triumphs@autox.team.net'
Subject: Young owners
I saw an interesting sight yesterday, a fellow with a 1979 Spit jump
starting his wife's 1995 Saturn. The Spit owner is relatively young (wife
was holding a baby) rescued the car from a older guy who had let it sit for
10 years. The young owner had it repainted and it looks very nice - maybe
not a primo paint job but very decent. It seems to run very nice. I was
impressed that he would buy such a thing, and to see a young fellow do good.
He loves the car, and the fact that it doesnt have transistors (perhaps not
entirely correct). I hope he's not reading some of these posts, he probably
would be very embarassed and probably insulted.
John Lumia
Louisville, CO
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