In a message dated 10/8/99 7:41:21 PM, millerls@ado13.com writes:
<< I've owned one of my Bugeye's since 65/66 (can't remember that far back). I
know some listers have owned their Bugeye since new (Bob/Ann). >>
OK, we have been caught.
In 1959 I (Bob) was driving a 1954 A-H 100 and was dating Annice who decided
she wanted a sports car rather than the 1949 Dodge she was driving. She had
rejected the MGA and I had rejected any of the more powerful and more
expensive cars. By Feb. 1960 she had become interested in the Sprite, a car
that I had completely ignored. So on the evening of Feb. 12, 1960 I went to
my favorite car salesman at San Diego Imported Cars in La Jolla (a community
of San Diego) to test drive a Sprite and do an evaluation for Annice. We had
already talked about the car and the colors offered. After driving the
Sprite, which was such a kick in the tail and it had such good and forgiving
maners, I went to look at the dealers inventory for colors. In his inventory
of a couple dozen new Sprites there were two Nevada Beige cars. I traded my
A-H 100 for one of them and reserved the other one for Annice. After leaving
the dealer I picked Annice up in the Sprite and said "Your car, just like
this one, is waiting for you at the dealer." Annice bought her identical
Sprite on Feb. 15, 1960 from the same dealer. Within a couple of days the
gas tanks on both cars were painted chinese red, a carry over from my hot
rod days.
In mid June I took my car to Pasadena and had a Judson superchager installed.
A week later, with my 16 year old brother, I drove the car 3,700 miles in
eleven days. This trip took us from sea level to altitudes over 10,000 feet
through six western states with visits at five national parks or monuments.
In Sept. 1960 Uncle Sam decided that he needed my body. The $55 a month that
he paid me did not make the $67 a month car payment so I had to sell the car.
In Dec. 1961 Annice and I got married. Her Sprite was the only car we had.
Our real honeymoon was delayed because I was still in the service overseas.
So in Oct. 1962 we drove the Sprite 3,200 miles on our 16 day honeymoon. The
car was in daily use and by 1968 it had acumulated 100,000 miles. It was due
for it's second engine rebuild plus paint and some other minor items.
Freeway speeds had gone up and so we wanted more power for the car. We were
looking for a 1098 engine and tranny when we found a 1967 Mk IV with 2,000
miles that was totaled. We made a deal for the entire car in March 1968.
That summer we put both cars in the garage and traded all of the mechanicals,
hydraulics, electricals and interior from the Mk IV to the Bugeye.
The car was then returned to daily use until about 1981. At that time the
car had another 55,000 miles of use and the tranny was giving us problems. I
was too busy working to get to the car right away and we had other cars by
then. So it was put into the garage and on body stands for a few weeks
waiting for me to have some time. Fifteen years later I finally had time.
So in 1996 we stripped the car to bare metal and brought it back to its 1968
modified condition. Since then we have driven the car about 10,000 miles on
week end outings, warm night cruises, club activities and just to go get some
ice cream. In 1998 and 1999 we trailered the car to other parts of the
country so we could participate in various British Car events. This gave us
the opportunity to meet quite a number of the great folks on this list in
person.
Bob and Annice
1960 Sprite (Mk IV in disguise) (original owner)
1966 Sprite Mk III (in boxes) (Trevor ?) (2nd owner)
Judson Supercharger (in boxes) (original owner)
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