By your definition, I guess I am guilty of being a List Lurker. Because
I
travel almost every week on business, I've gotten into the habit of
downloading all my list messages to my laptop on Sunday and reading them
during the week in my lonely hotel room. It does keep me off the streets
and out of the bars but sometimes prevents me from timely responses to
questions on the list. This is a tremendous facility for learning new
things and confirming my knowledge by agreeing with other Listers'
responses. I sincerely thank all those responsible for the List and all the
active participants.
I currently have a '67 Midget that I vintage race with HSR, mostly at my
home track, Road Atlanta, and at Roebling Road near Savannah. I crewed for
a friend who is the original owner of a '65 for four years and he and I
built my car over the winter of '90-'91. It has evolved from basically
stock for the first four years of racing to decently fast now. I still need
to learn to drive it better but that's half the fun. The other half is
working on it.
I also own a '72 Midget I bought in '89 and did an exterior and interior
restoration on. Three years ago I had to give the motor to my racing
partner because he needed one in a hurry (don't ask, complicated chain of
events!) so, while it was awaiting another, I decided to finish the
restoration by doing an engine compartment and trunk repaint. That led to a
complete but as yet unfinished hydraulic system rebuild, and various other
"little" things that I felt I might as well tackle while the car was torn
apart. You all know how one thing leads to another! While it is apart, I
might as well do this. And that, too. Then the other ought to be done as well.
I also have accumulated three parts cars to support both the race car and
the street car. I recently acquired a '68 Midget that had a battery
explosion and fire. What a mess! The sheetmetal from the battery tray to
the top, sides, and floor of the passenger footbox is all gone. But the car
has a complete (and I hope eventually rebuildable) engine, trans, diff,
axles, near perfect vertical slat grille, and the unobtainable chrome hood
strip. I have a '76 RB Midget for running gear and sheetmetal spares, and a
'72 tub. I have been given a '64 1098 Sprite with hardtop by the original
owner. All I have to do is pick it up. I'm in GA and the car is in NH. It
sits in a barn with a '49 TC he also has to get rid of. You can probably
see where my fantasy is going with this!
In the past I've had a '68 Sprite, a '65 Sunbeam Alpine, and two $50
Bugeyes that I made into one halfway decent autocross car. That was back in
'70 and was my introduction to the world of Spridgets.
Another aspect of my LBC and vintage racing involvement is I write articles
about vintage race cars and racing, British cars, etc. for The Peachtree MG
Registry Newsletter, the MG Vintage Racers Newsletter, British Car
Magazine, Victory Lane Magazine, Grassroots Motorsports Magazine, and the
old Sports Car News when I lived on Long Island. I have been involved with
Spridgets just about all my life and never had as much fun as I'm having
now. The Clubs and the List have helped tremendously. I promise to try to
be more active and shake the guilt of a List Lurker.
Thanks for all the imparted knowledge, concern, patience, and
cooperativeness shown by all.
Bob Spruck
Sharpsburg,GA
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