Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Saw my first love the other day...

I was trying to coax the car my better half left me to the gas station before the last fumes were spent when I see what looked like my first car turning in from the other direction. As the gas is pumping I strolled over and became the other side of the "back in the day" conversaion we all seem to be so familiar with.

His was a beautifully restored 1965 Triumph Spitfire Mk I (sorry, I didn't have a camera with me, it looked pretty much exactly like this one)


Mine was a Mk II, more like

though red like the first, and though pretty rough it was a high schooler's pride and joy.

Nostalgia slapped me hard, taking me back 30 years in an instant. So many times I've wished I could have kept her, but she was a money pit - in the shop more often than on the road. Ended up selling her to a neighbor did full strip down restorations; never got to see the results.

Makes ya wanna cry, eh Mark? Those were the days alright! I mean we were buying '55 Chevys for $150... well, okay $200 if it was a 2-door HT. There's one or two cars from my high school days I wish I coulda kept too, that's for sure!

I had a 1957 MG A I loved and wish I still had along with a few muscle cars I had.

I really enjoyed my '58 TR3 until my ex gave it away. It had a big bore kit and wire wheels with knockoffs. After I redid the engine, it would redline in top gear.

Way back when I had a Triumph Spitfire Red Roadster. It was a blast to drive. I however did not watch the oil level and it got too low and I blew the engine.

I had it rebuilt for $850 (big bucks then) and the butchers who committed felonies on this car failed to reassemble the carbs right and every time I started it I had to open the hood and push a button on the rear carb to get them in sync again. I eventually made up a cable push thingie that I could work from the seat after starting.

When I sold it I explained the home made cable as an anti theft device and I expounded on it's virtues and I sold the car for a decent price to a younger fella. It was red.

Next car was a Fiat two door coupe (also red) and I drove the bajabbers out of it for two years until it developed a cracked head. I took that engine apart and reassembled it over and over again until I realized that this was a losing battle and I took it in to the local Plymouth Fiat dealer for a valve adjustment. I had epoxied the crack and as long as I did not get the car into 3rd gear it would hold ok.

They had given me a fair price for the job and when I returned to get the car they had a much different price. I paid the price and I made sure that the mileage on the bill was correct.

I traded in the car for a new '74 Plymouth Duster (Green) with the bulletproof 6 cylinder engine. They examined the trade and I parked it in a gas station across the street for two days whilst the paper work went through.

On the the big day I had the wife drop me off at the gas station and I drove the wounded but still running well Fiat across the street to the dealer. I knew the repair to the engine would give out the first time it was put into 3rd and they gave it the gas but I was annoyed that they screw me over on the valve adjustment.

The deal went through and they gave me a low ball price on the wounded Fiat but a good deal on the new Duster.

Two months later I was back at the dealership for a part and I noticed the Fiat on the used car lot. I walked over to it and opened the hood. Wonder of wonders a brand new engine resided therein. The price they wanted was a grand more than they gave me and they had still not sold that car 6 months later.

That was the only time I ever got over on a car dealer and I have not lost a minutes sleep about it.

I do not buy red cars anymore.

When I first read the title I was thinking first love......that was over pretty quick.
My first car was a DAWG, 1963 Pontiac Tempest, White 4cyl push button auto. This thing would not do 60 off a cliff.
It did however take me to a few drive-in movies which takes me back to my first love. As the old farts say "that was the good ole days"

Hmmmm...interesting. I never knew GM ever made a push button transmission, Mike.

(live and learn, I guess)

Dwight, I looked through my old photos and found this one.
This is where I was pushing it off the cliff to see how fast it would go. " with first love hanging out the window"
Wow, cant beleive I still had that photo
[image][/image]

Well she did like to play dress up, ya know what they say about redheads.
She was always asking if I liked Roman Gladiators, not really sure were she was going with that idea.