[Spridgets] Where were you when the LBC bug got you?

[Philip Jones]

Well before I was born, in the early 50's, my Dad raced an MG TD in southern
California (along with my future uncle, who had a MG TC).  My dad traded up
to a Kurtis (with, I think, a Buick V8), but then got married to a lovely
young lady and no longer had the time or money to go racing. (Ever heard of
that before?).

 

By the time I came along, this history was just that - history - although
that same uncle evidently gave us rides around the La Jolla area in his gold
bugeye when I was very small (I swear I don't remember that!).  When I was
attending college in Bellingham, WA, I'd walk to school taking different
routes.  One day I was walking down an alley and saw a red MG Midget in an
open detached garage, covered in a thick layer of dust.  Examining it a
little more closely, I saw that all four tires and the top had been slashed
(vandalized).  I thought "what the heck!" and put a note on the windshield,
asking if they'd like to get rid of it, along with my phone #.  Well, I got
a call a couple days later; I was able to talk my dad into co-signing for
the loan.  The previous owner put new tires and a top on it; washed it up,
and we toasted with Aquavit when I went to pick it up with a young lady of
my own acquaintance.

 

It was so much fun!  Even when we had heavy snow in Bellingham, I'd just
accelerate into the drifts, and the car would slide on it's belly through to
the other side (and no, I never got stuck!).  I drove it for four years,
until it broke a clutch spring, rendering me clutchless.  I pulled the
engine and the transmission, detected the problem, and thought I'd pop the
head off, as long as the engine was out.  Well, the head needed to be done,
and so, as long as it was out . . . . and so I became acquainted with
shipwright's disease.  17 years later, after moving 5 times with the car in
boxes, and the body stored on it's side in a succession of basements and
garages, I finally got it back together.

 

It's beautiful now; but I still need to complete that last 5% to make it fun
and comfortable. It's only got about 500 miles in the past 6 years.   I want
to get there, but I have a wife and kid, and it's taking forever.  Right now
I'm just trying to keep it from deteriorating further; but I am looking
forward to making it a reliable (and hopefully frequent) driver.  I'm
inspired by all my local Spridget friends!

 

Here's a picture of it, along with a couple friends:
http://tinyurl.com/3rg4x27