Here it finally comes....The Belated wedding present
It was a magical day in the month of June in 1967 when two young people
got married. The place was Hildesheim, a small town in Germany. There
was love in their heart and admiration for the, then ever so popular,
Triumph Spitfire in their eyes. One day I will give you a red Spitfire
the young man promised his bride, as they drove away to their two-day
honeymoon in their little Volkswagen.
As, with most marriages, the magic turned to practicality and reality
and, during the next 34 years of their marriage, the purchase of the
Spitty was delayed again and again.
First there was the priority for a car strong enough to pull a boat over
the Alps to the Mediterranean Sea. Then, after the move to Canada, the
family car had to be big enough to house the baby and the camping
equipment. After that is was the need for a truck that could pull horse
trailers and load at least 100 bales of hay. Following this episode, it
was back to boats on trailers again. Now the son wanted to restore
Suzuki off-roaders. And so it went on and on....
Once in a while one would glance at a British sports car drive by and
uhh and ahh... with admiration. One day youll get a Spitfire the
husband would comment on those occasions, This comments became the
standing family joke.
For practicality, and to drive a cheap car the daily 100 km commute to
Ottawa, for many years our family drove Hyundai Ponies. Their condition
sometimes rather rusty due to many drives on heavily salted roads during
cold Canadian Winters.
I was driving one of those rusty rattle boxes a few weeks ago, when I
happened to stop by my husbands place of work. My husband was in the
company of a new employee. He introduced me to the gentleman as I was
getting out of the car. Is this another one of Wilfs rusty ponies?
the nice man chuckled. Hell, yes, it is was my reply, He promised
me a spitfire 34 years ago and look what I am driving I pointed an
accusing finger at the family limousine.
A Spitfire? quipped the new found friend I have one in my garage. It
used to be my dads project, but its been sitting there for six years,
since my father died. I should really sell it, its taken up all the
space in the garage.
To make a long story short. My husband went to see it. The body
restoration was already finished. It had been painted, although, over
the years, the paint has suffered and it will have to be painted again.
Mechanically the car needs a lot of work.
We made an offer right away. These opportunities dont come twice in a
life time. The purchase was a dream come true. It turned out that the
car is a Mk3 1967, or course, that was the year that we got married.
Could it be any other way?????
The car came home one rainy October evening. I was out on the driveway
for the longest time sporting a flashlight, inspecting my belated
wedding present. People comment that mother has totally falling in love
with a car, never been seen so happy in a long time, totally lost her
mind, gone through a second childhood, midlife crisis, is out during the
early morning hours polishing components, has now even converted her son
from off-road vehicles to sports cars, in other words: gone completely
mad.
What can I say? Its true. Thank god I am surrounded by a family of car
nuts, they understand!
We will be spending the long Canadian winter in the garage breathing new
life into The Firefly. Hopefully, by May next year, she should be out
on the road, behaving herself (that is the car, not me).
I cant wait to take the little red Flitzer out for a spin with the top
down, the wind blowing in my face, the mascot, her highness, Ms.
Nugget,long haired Dachshund, with her designer shades on and the long
ears wildly flopping about. Wont it be grand when Im just cruising
around, and some part breaks down, and Im on some lonesome highway
(they are all lonesome around here), and I dont know what to do, and I
have to hitch hike home, beg some stranger for mercy? And wont it be
adventurous when a rainsquall hits, and I cant get the soft top on
quickly enough and get soaked to the skin? Yes, old British sports cars
provide all the diversion and entertaining one needs in his golden years
of life. Not only that, it will also keep your friends and the mechanic
son busy with little favors, like rebuilding an engine. Oh, isnt life
wonderful? Thank you, Wilf, for my belated wedding present.
I think Ill get a cell phone...............
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