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Re: "Go ahead, make my day"

To: "John Soderling" <jsoderling@astound.net>,
Subject: Re: "Go ahead, make my day"
From: "Terry Blubaugh" <tblubaugh@verizon.net>
Date: Sat, 30 Apr 2005 08:07:07 -0700
What a wonderful thing to do,  John.  In a world hungry for news about war, 
disasters and pork-barrel spending, your story brought a warm feeling into 
my mind.  I dare say that all of us have a virtual Rolodex full of  "I used 
to own one of these" stories, but it's rare to hear of someone who has done 
more than talk to a former owner.  Kudos!

Terry Blubaugh
Diamond Bar, CA '60 BT7


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Soderling" <jsoderling@astound.net>
To: "Cully Tajikistan Anderson" <cullyjul@securenym.net>; "Healey List" 
<healeys@autox.team.net>
Sent: Friday, April 29, 2005 10:11 PM
Subject: "Go ahead, make my day"


> Hi all,
> You never know when your Healey will make someone's day.
>
> Yesterday I got a cold call from a man in San Diego, CA who said his dad, 
> who
> lives in nearby Lafayette, CA, was turning 75 tomorrow, Friday.  He said 
> that
> his dad continually talks about the great 1956 Austin Healey he owned from
> 1956 to the mid 1970's, and was wondering if I might be kind enough to 
> give
> his dad a nostalgic ride in my Healey as a special birthday treat.  Of 
> course
> I said sure.
>
> Seems he was thinking several weeks ago about possibly buying his dad an
> Austin Healey for his birthday, thinking he might have to spend around 
> $5,000
> to $7,000.  When he checked the internet an discovered that it would be
> $20,000 to $35,000, he abandoned the thought.  Several days ago he came 
> across
> the San Diego Austin Healey Club website which had a link to the Golden 
> Gate
> AH Club and club president, David Nock.  Knowing I live next door to 
> Lafayette
> in Walnut Creek, David put him in touch with me.
>
> So today Erika the Red & I made a 75 year old former Healey owner's day 
> with a
> 75 mile Healey ride in warm 75 degree weather around San Ramon Valley's 
> back
> roads, with a stop at the British Crown Pub for some warm beer & Healey
> reminiscing.  He couldn't get over the how great it was to again hear that
> raucous, blatting Healey tailpipe symphonics.
>
> As I dropped him off at his home, he sat there for a few minutes 
> reminiscing
> as he ran his fingers over the Derrington wood wheel, the odd trafficator
> lever, overdrive switch and escutcheon, and chrome grab handle, all the 
> while
> admiring the simplicity of the Healey cockpit with its symmetrically 
> arranged
> Smiths gauges.  There's something about sitting in our primitive roadsters
> that seems capable of transporting one back to a more civilized time, like 
> the
> 1950's, before monster traffic jams, road rage and cup holders.
>
> Aren't these cars great!!!!
>
> Vrooom vrooom,
> John




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