Happy Father's Day

[Rick Young]

Hagerty had a nice father and son car story in their last issue. I'd like to share mine. When I was 15 I was given a non running Triumph Spitfire. When I was trying to fix something I would go look at the Chilton's in the local library. I got pretty far on my own but I was intimidated when it was time to rebuild the SU carbs. My Dad got me a kit from Beck Arnley. We covered the kitchen table with newspaper and started on one carb keeping the other intact for reference if needed. I don't have to tell you how the Kitchen smelled from these old carbs.
That's when Mom came home. I thought we were dead . But Dad smiled at Mom and Mom smiled at Dad and she said, "Lets eat on the picinic table tonight." I drove that car thru high school and college. It remains at the top of my list of Cars I Should Have Never Sold. Thanks Dad for "fueling" my car hobby and all those other things you taught me in the process.
Rick Young

 

[nsbluenose]

Nice!

 

[Warren]

Awesome I miss my dad especially his looking in my toolbox and say there's my wrench

 

[puff4]

Great story, Rick. I’ll share one as well then.

When I turned 16 my Tennessee-born dad gave me the old family car - a black 1964 Chevy Belair wagon with a 283 V8, 3-on-the-tree with overdrive, and power NOTHING. His southern-drawled admonishment upon my starting to drive it was “Boy, if you can drive that car, you can drive anythang.” I did indeed drive that battleship, took my test in it and passed first on the first go. However, after a few months, on a cold and rainy January day, I managed to spin the wagon on a frozen bridge and promptly wrote it off between some stout trees. I and my mate were OK, so when dad got home I was there and anxiously awaiting his wrath, but all he calmly said was “Son, gimme your license... we’re fresh outta cars, boy. If ya want another one, yaw gonna have to build it.” In need of wheels, I searched about and eventually bought a pretty little red 1965 Chevelle Malibu convertible with a stovebolt 6 that sounded like it had little men inside with large hammers. My dad suggested we take the V8 motor and gearbox out of the bashed wagon and do a transplant... and so it began. He and I rebuilt that bellybutton motor together and I learned how to measure and blueprint a motor to within a gnat’s eyelash. We then installed it and totally transformed the car. That little red hot rod was my introduction to working on cars, and indeed engineering in general, and it remains as one of my most endearing memories of my father.

I still have a few of his tools, and every time I use them I think of him.

 

[tony perrett]

Kevin, it would be interesting to hear how you first became enthusiastic about British cars.

 

[puff4]

Actually, I had some school mates who had Triumphs and I found and purchased a little black 1964-1/2 Austin Healey Sprite MkII that was an absolute joy to drive.

13 Sprites and 34+ other LBCs later, it’s been a fun ride.

BTW, the old Chevelle was the subject of my high school yearbook page, along with my friends’ cars (with them inside) and my girlfriend with her dad’s Rolls and her own Ford Falcon. I had to colorize the photo it as it was in B&W in the yearbook. I didn't have the energy to colorize those trousers... they were... ah... vivid.

Oh, and the motto remains apt.

 

[puff4]

...and the Austin Healey Sprite that started my LBC affliction. I wish I'd kept it - that particular model series is quite rare (only lasted 1/2 a year), and I've never seen another factory black Sprite.

The red car on the left belonged to one of those high school friends. I wonder who here can identify it, and the car upon which it was based?

 

[65sunbeam]

Had a chance to buy one a long time ago on Folly Beach, SC. A Bond Equipe GT which was based on the Triumph Herald. Like the Harrington, Bond connected a fiberglass hardtop to it and as it turns out, that was about the only part not rusted by the ocean's salt air!
Happy Father's Day. Eric

 

[puff4]

Got it, Eric. It was a Bond Equipe GT4S to be exact. Not my favorite look, but he loved it.