[Spridgets] Old guys

Tue Mar 20 12:03:34 MDT 2018

 Hey Guys & Gals,David Booker here. Have to admit I don't wander through the list posts all that much any more. Occasionally do, but rarely do I have anything to add, so I just read and move on. Sold my '71 Midget (that I bought from Frank) a bit over four years ago. Was at the time thinking that I was done with four-cylindered, skinny-tired LBCs. (ha-ha...) Then I came across my '74 1/2 BGT right after moving back home to Tennessee. Never been a fan of B roadsters, but have had a soft spot in my heart (or was it in my head?) for the GTs since a friend of mine's dad used to foolishly let his son and I head out on Friday nights in his BGT - while we were still teens in high school, no less(!).
Was planning to build and drop in a 302 / T5, add a shortened 9" rear, do the subframe update to add Wilwood brakes, rack & pinion steering, modern uppers and lowers, coil-overs, etc. Started buying the bits - even though I had multiple MG friends swearing they'd come beat sense into me before I "ruined" such a rare and nice car. Then one day it occurred to me that no matter how fun and nastly the BGT would be with 400+ HP, I would one day pull up to a light, see a 5-Window '33 or '34 Ford hiboy coupe, and say to myself "Wow, I've gotta build one of those some day..." (that car has been in my mind for decades) I was at the time 57 (will be 60 in a couple weeks, now). Yeah, I know myself pretty well. That's exactly what I would say upon seeing one.
About that time, another old dear friend of mine died suddenly. We had been like brothers since we were in Junior High. It hit me pretty hard. Also about that time, another old friend and I were talking about things and made a comment that really resonated with me. He said: "This ain't no dress rehearsal, you know. Get off your ass and do those things you want to do while you still can."
So now there's a black chopped-top '33 5-Window Hiboy coupe sitting in the garage next to the still-stock BGT... I intended to keep them both, but I really need space so I can build the monster Ford engine (and replace the bellybutton-esque SBC / TH350 drivetrain I bought it with) Another old friend once said that "Too much horsepower is almost enough." So I'm shooting for somewhere around 500 at the crank. Might not quite make that number, but it should be sufficiently rude to put stupid grins on my face for the foreseeable future. 
Anyway - That's why I've been pretty much absent from the list lately. I've moved on to other (though related) things. By the way, my son is also 22 now. He was raised working on LBCs, motorcycles, ATVs, etc. He doesn't have the spare money for a toy car just yet, but he really wants to build a Super7 clone (something else that's been on my bucket list for years). So he's not fallen too very far from the old tree that is me. 
Hope you're all doing well. I've finally met the love of my life (she's a car-girl that drives an AWD turbocharged six speed manual MINI Cooper S) and am having a wonderful time, just spending it in a different direction from Spridgets. If anybody needs me or wants to catch up some, you can get me via email, or thru my cell phone. If anybody is ever in Middle Tennessee, please do look me up.
...and does anybody want to buy a gorgeous, all-but-perfect '74 1/2 BGT? One of only 1,248 built. Probably the nicest unrestored example you'll ever see. It is definitely the best one I've ever come across. I need the space to build the new SBF. (plus, I'd like to upgrade the Sporty to a Road King. :-)
Later folks,David Booker(516) 662-9766

    On Tuesday, March 20, 2018, 9:05:41 AM EDT, Michael MacLean via Spridgets <spridgets at autox.team.net> wrote:  

 I second what Kent said.  I just turned 67 and find the dame thing at gun shows and i also build model airplanes.  Now that I am retired i am in a indoor free flight club.  I think I am the youngest guy in the club.  My son helps me with the Bugeye with maintenance and he loves to drive it.  How many of us are involved with our father's hobbies.  I still go upland bird hunting like I did with my Dad.  I think you will be lucky if your kids find interest in just one of your hobbies.       Kent, ready to fly model airplanes are still RC.  Better than the hobby dying out.  In all the years I have been involved with model airplanes it has been constantly evolving.       Your kids are not you.  They have their own interests developed by their own experiences.  Hopefully, some of those experiences and interests intersect with ours.Mike MacLean

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android 

  On Tue, Mar 20, 2018 at 1:07 AM, CosmicMag1380 via Spridgets<spridgets at autox.team.net> wrote:   I turned 65 last December... I have been noticing for quite a while that MANY things are going to the wayside. When us old guys are gone, so are a lot of things that we take for granted. I did an R/C aircraft show last year and could count the number of young guys walking around the show on one hand! Nobody wants to actually build a plane anymore... If you can't buy it, charge it and fly it, it won't sell. It was at a county fairgrounds field house with over 200 tables. Almost all old white guys - I did see 2 older black guys there.
Same with both of my gun clubs, my car club, etc. Hopefully I'll live long enough to get my grandkids interested in real hobbies instead of video games. My kids don't care about my Bugeye, tools, R/C stuff or fishing gear. My guns are worth money so they will probably take them and sell 'em when I'm gone. At least my granddaughters like to reload ammo with me!
Anybody wanna by a boat? Trying to downsize even though I built a bigger shed...
Kent
On Mon, Mar 19, 2018 at 3:09 PM, JohnD via Spridgets <spridgets at autox.team.net> wrote:

Reading through all of the sad recollections of interactions with Just Ed Kaler and then seeing The World's Largest Spridget Driver's comments, showed me how many "old guys" are still hanging around team-dot-net. Way before web-based forums and FakeBook groupies, this was the place I would pilfer government time on the email server and develop my earliest spridget friendships. Just seeing all your names was a trip down memory lane. And Chuck, you don't actually SIT on an Aeromacchi, do you?!
John Deikis
Chelsea, MI

Driving in the past lane!JohnsfollyVintageRacing 

> On Mar 6, 2018, at 10:14 PM, crusaderchuck55 at aol.com via Spridgets <spridgets at autox.team.net> wrote:
>
> I had the pleasure of being in New Jersey on Sunday spending some time rummaging through his fathers parts collection.   We spent some time discussing the lack of spirited list conversations compared to 20 years ago.  A number of noteable names were discussed.  I'm now realising why the list seems so quiet.  Quite a few of the people we discussed have passed away. Frankie reads things posted here .  I told him I miss rants like "donkey dung fired Chinese forges making moss repros".  Or "crap harbor freight knock off tools that fail in a day at a job site" !   That and i remembered Montana Bob...who could forget those blistering exchanges?  The Valentine's LBC rallies.  And the moving of people's cars they bought across the country from one trailer to another until the car got to it's New owner.  Following these events and participating brought us together tighter than some families.  Even sprite sprees were well attended. That was then.
> Hey Robert? Still have the midget that almost would not cross the border?  My son lost his first tooth sitting unavoidably detained by Canadian border authorities on that trip...my son turned 22 last December.
> Well we have all grown older.  Some of us have "left the building".
> Others just moved on.
> I do not do any social media stuff.  I'm on the vintage Saab yahoo list and spridgets list and the aermacchi ( Italian Harley Davidson) list.  Those are my media.
> So if ya wanna find me....I'm still here.   And I'm still ferrying around cars , fiddling with saab's and spridgets, locating missing bits I need and slowly working my way back onto a race track near you!
> ( some stuff just does not change....)
> Chuck
> Sent from my LG Mobile

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Kent1960 Bugeye1983 Garage full of spridget parts!2010 Arrow shed full of excess spridget parts!!! ------------------------

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