Every few months I get this itch (as in mentally, not the social disease sort of way.) This latest one is courtesy of the Barrett-Jackson Auction in Palm Beach. After seeing hundreds of beautiful machines of all ages, the little voice in the back of my mind tells me I need a new project car.
This time I have a real excuse. Usually when I start one of these projects it’s for completely selfish reasons, but this time I’m doing the country a favor. I’m going to provide aid directly to one individual by offering compensation for an old, useless clunker. Then I will supply aid to retail outlets nationwide by ordering parts from various catalogues as well as multiple midnight runs to the local auto parts stores.
There is no way I can make a profit on something like this, so that either makes me a great humanitarian or just an idiot.
I invite the rest of you to come with me. Grab some pocket change, a few wrenches, and go out to stimulate your local economy with a hopeless basketcase. If you’re not so motivated, at least you can help me choose what will be the source of my joy (or more likely frustration) over the next few months (or years)…
So now that I know I’m on the road to the nuthouse/poorhouse, it’s just a matter of figuring what vehicle will take me there. I’m open to just about any kind of car right now; it just must be cheap and interesting. Just for clarification, “cheap” also includes parts and availability, and rust does not qualify as “interesting”.
Since it’s spring a convertible would be nice. There’s a bunch of MGBs available or possibly a Datsun Fairlady roadster. Then again I do value my life, so what about something a little safer and more exotic like a first or second generation Toyota MR2 with a T-Top?
This is intended to be an American economic stimulus project, so maybe I should go for some Detroit iron. A black Trans-Am done Smokey and the Bandit style (but I may not have the moustache to pull it off.) Or maybe I should go for the rugged convertible with a 70s Ford Bronco?
There’s a world full of new classics just waiting to be resurrected. I just have to watch my budget, or else I’ll be asking for a raise by the end of the summer (more likely donating blood three times a week). But that shouldn’t matter because I’m doing my part to cure this recession, and so should you. Instead of going out on the weekends, you can save money by shearing bolts and skinning knuckles. And if you have a family, this is the perfect bonding experience (it should only take four or five kids to hoist up a Chevy small block.)
Plus when the economy recovers, and we can all go back to our Wall Street jobs, there will be a shiny fun toy in the garage (or many large parts littering the lawn.)
I’m in…who’s coming with me?
Posted on
04.13.2009 @ 17:48
I know you probably want a car but the jeeps like the TJ and the other almost identicle jeeps like wrangler are quite fun to drive.
There american and Convertible too