John:
There is a lot of truth to what you say. however, I have come to the hard
realization after twenty years of roadster ownership that our poor little
rides are not cultural icons. No '57 Chevy, no GTO, not even bug-eyed
Sprite. Bug-eyed, yes, but more frog than sprite. Many people that see my
car since it's restoration say "I used to have one of those" or "My brother
had one back in the '70s". I sometimes get a feeling that the unspoken
ending to these comments is "But then I/he dumped it and got a REAL car".
OK, so maybe I'm being a little cynical there. But the fact remains that the
roadster will likely never be as sought after as Healys, or Aston Martins or
Ferraris. To me, it's a fun little sports car that's still affordable to
drive and maintain. Stock roadsters are as fun to be around as customs to
me, cause it's not the cars, it's the people I have met restoring and
showing mine that makes it all worthwhile.
Oh yeah, that and the wistful looks we get from couples in minivans full of
kids when Pam and I go blasting by them top down on a sunny afternoon :)
Keep em stock, keep em custom, but keep em on the road!
Paul Bauman
Westminster, CA
67 1600
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net
[mailto:owner-datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of John Peak
Sent: Saturday, December 15, 2001 8:34 PM
To: datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net
Subject: Originality (kind of long)
Roadster list,
Does anybody here care about originality? As a long time roadster owner, I
joined this list in the hopes of connecting with likeminded enthusiasts.
What I have found is people who see the roadster as primarily a platform for
customization. Engine swaps, body mods, wheel and suspension changes seem
to dominate what few technical threads I have seen. Please do not view this
as being critical of what you are doing. I know that many of these cars
have been spared from the crusher by your work. I just feel that something
valuable may have been lost in the process.
I bought my roadster when it was a relatively new car. I wanted a car that
was built from the factory to perform well. I also needed a reliable car
that was economical to drive on a daily basis. The roadster filled the bill
perfectly. Over the years many cars have come and gone but the roadster
remains (Actually I did sell it once and bought it back, but that is a
different story). I love the car for what it is, not for what I can turn it
into.
When I was in high school back in the early 1970's, I owned a '56 Bel Air.
I replaced the original engine and transmission with a built 327 and 4
speed. I eliminated the side chrome and painted the car a solid color. I
put on mag wheels and installed a custom interior. If the car is still
around, I am sure that someone went to considerable expense to undo all my
hard work and return the car to its original configuration. Sometime in the
future someone may want to do the same with one of your cars. Will there be
any reference that will guide them back to originality?
I am currently restoring an Austin-Healey. Despite a considerable amount of
documentation, there is still an amazing amount of dispute about what was
original on any specific car. Given that the roadster has existed all these
years in relative obscurity, I am afraid that any notion of what was
original in these cars may be gone forever.
I would like to preserve the originality of my car if for no other reason
than because it is such an important part of my life. It has been the only
constant for nearly a quarter of a century. If anyone out there shares my
desire, please let me know.
Thank you for your patience,
John Peak
'70 2000
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