And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
When I was a kid in the early '70s a friend had two Speedsters, a '55 and a '57. They were nothing fancy but were very mechanically sound. He always said his biggest regret was getting rid of them when he was still young and dumb. About 12 years ago I pulled up next to a beautiful red one that had been restored. A very distinguished grey haired couple was in it and as we were waiting for the light to change the man driving looked over at me admiring his ride, smiled and nodded. I asked if he would mind telling me what his Speedster was worth and he replied "About $125,000". My jaw hit the floor just as the light changed and he and his wife drove off smiling and waving. I wouldn't be surprised if they're worth a couple hundred grand today.
I see a major project that would never recoup the investment. I had the opportunity to buy a buy mid 50's 356 when I was a senior in high school in 79 but even with the highly discounted price it was more than I could afford. It belonged to a doctor who bought hay from our farm for his wife's horses and he had just upgraded to a 925. He had restored/modified the coupe over the years where it had disk brakes, a highly modified 2L engine, suspension upgrades, and a 5 speed transmission. The doctor was known to push the car on a curvy road that followed the river out in the country on occasion.
Sorry. Alfa owners could fix and maintain their own cars (and they often needed fixing) but Porsche owners only knew how to wash and wax theirs. Oil changes were up to the dealer.
When I was a kid in the early '70s a friend had two Speedsters, a '55 and a '57. They were nothing fancy but were very mechanically sound. He always said his biggest regret was getting rid of them when he was still young and dumb.
ReplyDeleteAbout 12 years ago I pulled up next to a beautiful red one that had been restored. A very distinguished grey haired couple was in it and as we were waiting for the light to change the man driving looked over at me admiring his ride, smiled and nodded. I asked if he would mind telling me what his Speedster was worth and he replied "About $125,000". My jaw hit the floor just as the light changed and he and his wife drove off smiling and waving.
I wouldn't be surprised if they're worth a couple hundred grand today.
Nice fork lift in background. Clark Lift Truc? from the 40's?
ReplyDeleteI see a major project that would never recoup the investment. I had the opportunity to buy a buy mid 50's 356 when I was a senior in high school in 79 but even with the highly discounted price it was more than I could afford. It belonged to a doctor who bought hay from our farm for his wife's horses and he had just upgraded to a 925. He had restored/modified the coupe over the years where it had disk brakes, a highly modified 2L engine, suspension upgrades, and a 5 speed transmission. The doctor was known to push the car on a curvy road that followed the river out in the country on occasion.
ReplyDeleteSorry. Alfa owners could fix and maintain their own cars (and they often needed fixing) but Porsche owners only knew how to wash and wax theirs. Oil changes were up to the dealer.
ReplyDelete