Subject: Re: [Spridgets] Ruminations on OSHITs and Frank

From: Linda Grunthaner via Spridgets <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 11 Dec 2021 22:52:59 -0500

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List,
I haven't been on the list for several months now and I apologize but it
sure warms my heart to see a post about our dear friend Frank Clarici.
Frank revived my confidence when my parents passed and I lost all my
sense of self confidence in all the things I loved. Frank reassured my
confidence in  welding, tools and machines of all sorts. He never doubted
that I could complete a repair and enjoy it like I did in the past. I will
always be grateful for Frank's encouragement and fortitude to move forward
with the love of the LBC.
I continue with "Pay it forward" as he is the essence of the term, and as I
grow older I continue to do much more of it.

Lift your glasses up gentleman and have a toast, to our dear friend Frank
Clarici, may we all work toward his kindness toward others and keep our
LBC's running.
Linda
62 Deep Pink California Sprite Pinky

On Sun, Oct 24, 2021 at 8:49 AM Larry Macy via Spridgets <
[email-masked]> wrote:

> Mark,
>
> Thanks you for this email. Frank was AWESOME. I could leave this email at
> that and everyone who ever met Frank would understand. I met Frrank virtu=
al
> in Oct of 1997. I was on the MG Autox list and there was announcement of =
a
> new list for =E2=80=9CSPRIDGETS=E2=80=9D I think I was number 4 in subscr=
ibing, It was
> Franks insistence that made Mark (mjb) create this list.
>
> A while later I was in need of a pumpkin. Frank said he had one so I drov=
e
> from Lansdale PA to Toms River. Frank was gracious and would not take
> anything for it. He just handed it to me. Instant respect and friendship.=
 A
> few years  later, and I am not sure of the date a group of us, Frank, All=
en
> Hefner, Chuck Crist and Kevin Valentine (I hope I didn't forget anyone)
> went to Latrobe, PA (home of Rolling Rock beer) to work on Amy=E2=80=99s =
Sprite. We
> spent the weekend (and boy  was her tub a mess after we had all showered)
> fixing up her car. I  had the honor of first drive. A while later we
> repeated the group going to help fix up another car (it might have been
> Chris King=E2=80=99s, I  don=E2=80=99t recall). Well since we all enjoyed=
 doing this we
> figured we might need a name. There were a few bandied about. One I
> remember was CRAPOS, I don=E2=80=99t recall what that stood for, but I su=
ggested
> Organization of Spridget Hanymen In Transit and OSHIT was born. (I always
> wonder how many folks actually realize what OSHIT stands for). After that
> we did a lot more transiting as handymen and worked on a lot of cars. We
> did a lot at Frank=E2=80=99s and Kevin=E2=80=99s. My Midget was reborn at=
 Kevin=E2=80=99s.
>
> When my first wife left me for my best friend, it was Frank and Ron that
> reached out and took me to see Bruce Springsteen. I drove to Toms River a=
nd
> Frank and I drove to the Meadowlands, in his Sprite, to see the show. At
> that time I only had the Midget, with no top,  as my car and I drove home
> at 1 AM in a drizzle.
>
> My Midget 1500 had gotten a few upgrades over the years. I had a Weber,  =
5
> speed transmission, hi compression pistons and a mild street cam. One day=
,
> in Toms River, Franks asked me to take him for a ride. So we did his
> =E2=80=9Cloop=E2=80=9D. He said he hadn=E2=80=99t realized how fast a 150=
0 could be. Boy did I
> smile.
>
> Eventually, my Midget had gotten to the point of body rot so bad it was
> not worth fixing. So I bought a shell in good shape and had it trailered =
to
> Toms River. The OSHIT crew got together and fixed that shell up like new.
> It was in Frank=E2=80=99s garage, in primer when word came that Frank had=
 suddenly
> passed. What the shock that was.
>
> Well, the  thing that Frank was inspirational for, the OSHIT idea, has
> thankfully remained alive. I no longer have a Midget, I sold in 2019 to a
> relative of Kevin=E2=80=99s so  I could live, full time, in an RV.
>
> Frank  was my  friend, he is missed.
>
> Larry
>
> Here are linkks to my tribute to Frank at the Midget 50th in Elkhart Lake=
.
> First kink is a video, second is my powerpoint with pics and Frankisms.
>
> https://www.dropbox.com/s/svm5fepeowwkq3k/Larry%20Macy%20Tribute%20-%20Fr=
ank%20Clarici.mpg?dl=3D0
>
> https://www.dropbox.com/s/kanf3n84aa1q0i4/Frank_Memorial.pptx?dl=3D0
>
>
>
> On Oct 22, 2021, at 8:44 PM, Mark Haynes via Spridgets <
> [email-masked]> wrote:
>
> This'll be a little long, so bear with me or just delete as you see fit.
> I was having a beer with a friend who got me into AutoX last night and he
> mentioned that he'd told his wife about how I travelled to Dodge City to
> help out Jim Johnson with his Sprite. he inferred that I did it because i=
t
> was pay back, and I told him no, that I did it 'um, I'm not sure why'.
> Today I was stacking wood for the winter, which is a kind of meditative
> process, and realized that the reason why I am willing to travel long
> distances to help  people that I've never met is Frank Clarici, and his
> motto "Pay it Forward".
> This realization that Frank is still affecting my life and correcting my
> attitude was very powerful. That a man who I never met could have such a
> long lasting affect on me and my approach to others simply astonishes me.
> The fact that OSHITs are still occurring is a testament to what he
> believed, that there is always someone out there willing to devote their
> time and skills to help others who are unable to finish a labor of love. =
I
> have found that I enjoy the sharing of the knowledge and skills we all ha=
ve
> acquired, both ways, is one of the best parts of an OSHIT, not to mention
> the prodding and poking and general lack of any respect for one's person =
=F0=9F=98=9C.
> The ability of everyone to come together from great distances and work
> toward a common goal for another is such a gift to all who are involved,
> not the least of whom is the car owner. My local British car buddies are
> great, but having the opportunity to come together with folks from so
> distant is a gift that I cannot express.
> If you're still reading this, I'm sure that you too, knew Frank. If you'v=
e
> never taken part in an OSHIT, I would encourage you to do so, you'll meet
> like-minded folks, enjoy some laughs, make some memories, make some
> friends, drink some beers and most of all, create an enduring memorial to
> The Dean of Spridgets, Frank Clarici.
> As always, PAY IT FORWARD!
> Mark Haynes
> It only goes one way- Pay It Forward
> ------------------------
>
> [email-masked]
>
> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
> Suggested annual donation: $12.75
>
> Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/spridgets
> http://autox.team.net/archive
>
> Unsubscribe/Manage:
> http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/spridgets/[email-masked]
>
>
> --
>
> Larry B. Macy, Ph.D.
> [email-masked]
>
>
> Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and
> the last fish has been caught, will we realize that we can not eat money
>
> ------------------------
>
> [email-masked]
>
> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
> Suggested annual donation: $12.75
>
> Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/spridgets
> http://autox.team.net/archive
>
> Unsubscribe/Manage:
> http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/spridgets/[email-masked]
>

--=20
"Pay if forward" in honor of Frank Clarici III, Spritenut

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div>List,</div>I haven&#39;t been on the list for several=
 months now and I apologize=C2=A0but it sure=C2=A0warms=C2=A0my heart to se=
e a post about our dear friend Frank Clarici. Frank revived my confidence w=
hen my parents passed and I lost all my sense=C2=A0of self confidence in al=
l the things I loved. Frank reassured=C2=A0my confidence=C2=A0in =C2=A0weld=
ing, tools and machines of all sorts. He never doubted that I could complet=
e a repair and enjoy it like I did in the past. I will always be grateful=
=C2=A0for Frank&#39;s encouragement and fortitude=C2=A0to move forward with=
 the love of the LBC.=C2=A0<div>I continue with &quot;Pay it forward&quot; =
as he is the essence=C2=A0of the term, and as I grow older I continue to do=
 much more of it.</div><div><br></div><div>Lift your glasses up gentleman=
=C2=A0and have a toast, to our dear friend Frank Clarici, may we all work t=
oward his kindness toward others and keep our LBC&#39;s running.=C2=A0</div=
><div>Linda</div><div>62 Deep Pink California Sprite Pinky</div></div><br><=
div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Sun, Oct=
 24, 2021 at 8:49 AM Larry Macy via Spridgets &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:spridge=
[email-masked]">[email-masked]</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockq=
uote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-wi=
dth:1px;border-left-style:solid;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);padding-=
left:1ex"><div style=3D"word-wrap:break-word;line-break:after-white-space">=
Mark,<div><br></div><div>Thanks you for this email. Frank was AWESOME. I co=
uld leave this email at that and everyone who ever met Frank would understa=
nd. I met Frrank virtual in Oct of 1997. I was on the MG Autox list and the=
re was announcement of a new list for =E2=80=9CSPRIDGETS=E2=80=9D I think I=
 was number 4 in subscribing, It was Franks insistence that made Mark (mjb)=
 create this list.=C2=A0</div><div><br></div><div>A while later I was in ne=
ed of a pumpkin. Frank said he had one so I drove from Lansdale PA to Toms =
River. Frank was gracious and would not take anything for it. He just hande=
d it to me. Instant respect and friendship. A few years =C2=A0later, and I =
am not sure of the date a group of us, Frank, Allen Hefner, Chuck Crist and=
 Kevin Valentine (I hope I didn&#39;t forget anyone) went to Latrobe, PA (h=
ome of Rolling Rock beer) to work on Amy=E2=80=99s Sprite. We spent the wee=
kend (and boy =C2=A0was her tub a mess after we had all showered) fixing up=
 her car. I =C2=A0had the honor of first drive. A while later we repeated t=
he group going to help fix up another car (it might have been Chris King=E2=
=80=99s, I =C2=A0don=E2=80=99t recall). Well since we all enjoyed doing thi=
s we figured we might need a name. There were a few bandied about. One I re=
member was CRAPOS, I don=E2=80=99t recall what that stood for, but I sugges=
ted Organization of Spridget Hanymen In Transit and OSHIT was born. (I alwa=
ys wonder how many folks actually realize what OSHIT stands for). After tha=
t we did a lot more transiting as handymen and worked on a lot of cars. We =
did a lot at Frank=E2=80=99s and Kevin=E2=80=99s. My Midget was reborn at K=
evin=E2=80=99s.=C2=A0</div><div><br></div><div>When my first wife left me f=
or my best friend, it was Frank and Ron that reached out and took me to see=
 Bruce Springsteen. I drove to Toms River and Frank and I drove to the Mead=
owlands, in his Sprite, to see the show. At that time I only had the Midget=
, with no top, =C2=A0as my car and I drove home at 1 AM in a drizzle.=C2=A0=
</div><div><br></div><div>My Midget 1500 had gotten a few upgrades over the=
 years. I had a Weber, =C2=A05 speed transmission, hi compression pistons a=
nd a mild street cam. One day, in Toms River, Franks asked me to take him f=
or a ride. So we did his =E2=80=9Cloop=E2=80=9D. He said he hadn=E2=80=99t =
realized how fast a 1500 could be. Boy did I smile.=C2=A0</div><div><br></d=
iv><div>Eventually, my Midget had gotten to the point of body rot so bad it=
 was not worth fixing. So I bought a shell in good shape and had it trailer=
ed to Toms River. The OSHIT crew got together and fixed that shell up like =
new. It was in Frank=E2=80=99s garage, in primer when word came that Frank =
had suddenly passed. What the shock that was.=C2=A0<br><div><br></div><div>=
Well, the =C2=A0thing that Frank was inspirational for, the OSHIT idea, has=
 thankfully remained alive. I no longer have a Midget, I sold in 2019 to a =
relative of Kevin=E2=80=99s so =C2=A0I could live, full time, in an RV.=C2=
=A0</div><div><br></div><div>Frank =C2=A0was my =C2=A0friend, he is missed.=
</div><div><br></div><div>Larry</div><div><br></div><div>Here are linkks to=
 my tribute to Frank at the Midget 50th in Elkhart Lake. First kink is a vi=
deo, second is my powerpoint with pics and Frankisms.</div><div><a href=3D"=
https://www.dropbox.com/s/svm5fepeowwkq3k/Larry%20Macy%20Tribute%20-%20Fran=
k%20Clarici.mpg?dl=3D0" target=3D"_blank">https://www.dropbox.com/s/svm5fep=
eowwkq3k/Larry%20Macy%20Tribute%20-%20Frank%20Clarici.mpg?dl=3D0</a></div><=
div><br></div><div><a href=3D"https://www.dropbox.com/s/kanf3n84aa1q0i4/Fra=
nk_Memorial.pptx?dl=3D0" target=3D"_blank">https://www.dropbox.com/s/kanf3n=
84aa1q0i4/Frank_Memorial.pptx?dl=3D0</a></div><div><br></div><div><br></div=
><div><br><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div>On Oct 22, 2021, at 8:44 PM, Mark =
Haynes via Spridgets &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email-masked]" target=
=3D"_blank">[email-masked]</a>&gt; wrote:</div><br><div><div dir=
=3D"ltr"><div>This&#39;ll be a little long, so bear with me or just delete =
as you see fit.</div><div>I was having a beer with a friend who got me into=
 AutoX last night and he mentioned that he&#39;d told his wife about how I =
travelled to Dodge City to help out Jim Johnson with his Sprite. he inferre=
d that I did it because it was pay back, and I told him no, that I did it &=
#39;um, I&#39;m not sure why&#39;.</div><div>Today I was stacking wood for =
the winter, which is a kind of meditative process, and realized that the re=
ason why I am willing to travel long distances to help=C2=A0 people that I&=
#39;ve never met is Frank Clarici, and his motto &quot;Pay it Forward&quot;=
.</div><div>This realization that Frank is still affecting my life and corr=
ecting my attitude was very powerful. That a man who I never met could have=
 such a long lasting affect on me and my approach to others simply astonish=
es me. <br></div><div>The fact that OSHITs are still occurring is a testame=
nt to what he believed, that there is always someone out there willing to d=
evote their time and skills to help others who are unable to finish a labor=
 of love. I have found that I enjoy the sharing of the knowledge and skills=
 we all have acquired, both ways, is one of the best parts of an OSHIT, not=
 to mention the prodding and poking and general lack of any respect for one=
&#39;s person =F0=9F=98=9C.</div><div>The ability of everyone to come toget=
her from great distances and work toward a common goal for another is such =
a gift to all who are involved, not the least of whom is the car owner. My =
local British car buddies are great, but having the opportunity to come tog=
ether with folks from so distant is a gift that I cannot express.</div><div=
>If you&#39;re still reading this, I&#39;m sure that you too, knew Frank. I=
f you&#39;ve never taken part in an OSHIT, I would encourage you to do so, =
you&#39;ll meet like-minded folks, enjoy some laughs, make some memories, m=
ake some friends, drink some beers and most of all, create an enduring memo=
rial to The Dean of Spridgets, Frank Clarici.</div><div>As always, PAY IT F=
ORWARD!<br></div><div><div><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div>Mark Hayn=
es<br></div>It only goes one way- Pay It Forward<br></div></div></div></div=
></div>
------------------------<br><br><a href=3D"mailto:[email-masked]"=
 target=3D"_blank">[email-masked]</a><br><br>Donate: <a href=3D"h=
ttp://www.team.net/donate.html" target=3D"_blank">http://www.team.net/donat=
e.html</a><br>Suggested annual donation: $12.75<br><br>Archive: <a href=3D"=
http://www.team.net/pipermail/spridgets" target=3D"_blank">http://www.team.=
net/pipermail/spridgets</a> =C2=A0<a href=3D"http://autox.team.net/archive"=
 target=3D"_blank">http://autox.team.net/archive</a><br><br>Unsubscribe/Man=
age: <a href=3D"http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/spridgets/[email-masked]=
om" target=3D"_blank">http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/spridgets/lmacy=
@mac.com</a><br></div></blockquote></div><br><div>
<div dir=3D"auto" style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0);letter-spacing:normal;text-alig=
n:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing=
:0px;word-wrap:break-word;line-break:after-white-space"><div style=3D"color=
:rgb(0,0,0);letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-tra=
nsform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;word-wrap:break-word;line-b=
reak:after-white-space"><div>--=C2=A0<br><br>Larry B. Macy, Ph.D.<br><a hre=
f=3D"mailto:[email-masked]" target=3D"_blank">[email-masked]</a><br><br></div=
><div><br></div><div>Only when the last tree has died and the last river ha=
s been poisoned and the last fish has been caught, will we realize that we =
can not eat money</div></div></div>
</div>
<br></div></div>------------------------<br>
<br>
<a href=3D"mailto:[email-masked]" target=3D"_blank">spridgets@aut=
ox.team.net</a><br>
<br>
et=3D"_blank">http://www.team.net/donate.html</a><br>
<br>
Archive: <a href=3D"http://www.team.net/pipermail/spridgets" rel=3D"norefer=
rer" target=3D"_blank">http://www.team.net/pipermail/spridgets</a>=C2=A0 <a=
 href=3D"http://autox.team.net/archive" rel=3D"noreferrer" target=3D"_blank=
">http://autox.team.net/archive</a><br>
<br>
ets/[email-masked]" rel=3D"noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">http://autox=
.team.net/mailman/options/spridgets/[email-masked]</a><br>
</blockquote></div><br clear=3D"all"><div><br></div>-- <br><div dir=3D"ltr"=
 class=3D"gmail_signature"><div dir=3D"ltr"><span style=3D"font-size:small"=
>&quot;Pay if forward&quot; in honor of Frank Clarici III, Spritenut</span>=
<br></div></div>

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