Robert, you found the way to say what I've been trying to come up with all
week. Frank's "get it done," "make it work" spirit has been a huge
inspiration to me and probably the main reason I still have my Midget after 25
years. I never met him, but always admired him. I've told many non-car
friends Frank stories, but I doubt people believed them. I learned that when
there was tough problem I was trying to solve, including "Clarici" as a term
in my archive search greatly improved my chances of getting a correct and
useful answer. I've been on the list pretty much since the get go, mostly
lurking in deference to you folks who really know what you're doing. There
aren't many people on this list who talk about the work they've paid a
mechanic to do, won't do anything unless it's what the manual says, or moan
"originality" about putting in a Festiva alt or Geo rad or Izzy dizzy. "I set
mine where it runs the best." Frank's good sense, wisdom and humor about our
Spridgets (and Chinese parts, among many other things) are a part of all of us
on this list and beyond and were taken from us far too soon. As it says on
Christopher Wren's tomb in St. Paul's, "If you seek his monument, look around
you." RIP Frank. We shall miss you.
Dave Groundwater
'70 Midget
> Date: Sat, 16 Apr 2011 09:23:39 -0400
> From: lists at woozy.com
> To: spridgets at autox.team.net
> Subject: [Spridgets] Frank
>
> I came across this email from back in the early days of this list that
> really captures for me how Frank thought about these cars and encouraged
> us to think about them. Whether it was his tech tips way back when in
> PDLJMPR ( http://pdljmpr.tripod.com/techin.htm ), his Budget Midget, the
> Holy Sprite or any of his other projects, he always encouraged us to do
> it ourselves and to not get so hung up in the details that we miss out
> on how simple these cars are and how much fun this all can be.
>
> From spridgets-owner Fri Nov 14 20:43:50 1997
> Date: Fri, 14 Nov 1997 22:42:17 -0500
> From: Frank Clarici <spritenut at Exit109.com>
> Organization: Positive Earth Drivers Club
>
> robert weeks wrote:
> Just what are
> > Midget owners with stock 1275s setting their stroboscopic timing to?
> >
> > Robert Weeks
> > Durham NC
> > 1969 Midget
> > http://www.woozy.com/midget/
>
> I set mine where it runs the best. I don;t think I ever seen the timing
> mark under the car (I can't get under it and use the light while messing
> with the dizzy all at the same time)
> If it kicks back when starting...it is too far advanced.
> If it has slow pick up...it is to far retarded.
> Set the vacuum advance to point to about 1 O'clock, this should be a
> good starting point provided the distributor drive gear is in the
> correct slot.
>
> Good luck
>
> I've been thinking all week about the time I went to his house to buy my
> Midget from him. He gave me a tour of that amazing garage of his and
> then took me out for a ride in his 58 Bugeye. He was tearing up and down
> the little side streets of Toms River with this huge grin on his face,
> while I was holding on for dear life but not wanting to show it. I'll
> always remember him with that smile.
>
> "I set mine where it runs best" - That pretty much sums it up.
>
> May God bless and watch over his family.
>
> Robert Weeks
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