"Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. From out of
the past comes the thundering rumble of the Great A-Series Engine. The
Austin-Healey Sprite roars again!"
In re-living that mystical, magical point in time that was the
BusterCluster, in reading the memories being shared by others, and in
chats with friends such as Ron and Frank, I am reminded once again that
those of us who inhabit that wonderful world of Spridgets are truly
different from others in who enjoy cars, and even among those who love
sports cars. Is it a genetic difference? Perhaps, because you
certainly have to be a different breed apart. Is it environmental?
Possibly, for we are somewhat akin to the scruffy little kid, dusty and
dirty, with a runny nose, bruises and band-aids to show for the scraps
defending himself against the big kids who want to push him around.
Perhaps it goes back to the innocent birth of our feisty little cars.
The Sprite was somewhat of a cheap little bastard, looked down upon and
rebuked by its older brothers and its "betters" in the world.
Throughout its life, the Sprite and then the Midget had to fight to gain
the respect of others. How ironic that it's low, low price and cocky
little grin captured the American heart and made sports cars popular and
affordable in America. Not the Elder Healeys, not the Porsches, not the
Ferraris. No, it was the cheeky little Sprites and then Midgets that
paved the way for sport car loving America, and the ability of "the
common man" to own one.
In that period I call the Interregnum, the period between the cessation
of production and the eventual availability of parts, the
resourcefulness and determination of owners was tested in keeping their
cars running. Again, it served to toughen the breed of owners and make
them the generous and open-hearted people they remain today. I think
that there is a lot of the Lone Ranger's words in all of us: "...a man
should make the most of what equipment he has," and "I believe that to
have a friend a man must be one." Friendship has always been a
characteristic of most owners.
Yes, the very car itself made its first owners qjuite different, and as
the years passed, they passed on those unique Spridget genes to others.
Those who do not own one cannot understand us.
How else would any of you describe the unique character of the Spridget
owner?
Buster
|