So, in addition to purchasing the new Red Rat II tub, you'll remember I also
bought the "Red Arse" Speedwell Sprite from Tom Colby (Red Arse, as in red
as a monkey's ass). Colby agreed to get the car as far east as Albuquerque>
Turns out our beloved Peter the Parts Pimp (PPP) Peter Caldwell of Worldwide
in Madison (the world's premiere Armstrong shock rebuilder) had sold his MGC
to a guy that works for Moss Motors in CA (cool.. he can get a discount on
all those incorrect parts that won't fit...). He also had a need to go shock
shopping... picking up shock cores, so a deal was struck. Colby was to get
my car to New Mexico (anywhere but Tucumcarie, thank you), and Peter would
take my truck, and trailer the MGC out there. They'd all meet at Dave's at
the Taos Garage Annex. Perfect.
The first plan was to use the little Sprite sized open wheel trailer that
came from Jacques with the Red Rat II... but Peter discovered that the
nearly 3000 lb weight of the MGC GT was looking like too much for the little
Sprite trailer. So, plan B was an old trailer that I'd traded to PPP last
year. It isn't pretty, but at one time or another, that thing had had some
of the most expensive Healey's in the world on it... 100S's, the original
Special test car NOJ 391/SPL223, John Chatham's DD300. I think I even hauled
the Works Sebring prepared 57 FAC which Phil Coombs sold at auction for
something like $350,000 back in the early 90's when the auto feeding frenzy
was at its peak. So, despite its ugliness, I assured PPP that the old
trailer would make the trip.
Peter set out with a buddy of his on his shock quest last Sat. Red Arse
shoed up at Dave's place in NM. The guy that delivered it for Colby in some
conversion/camper van that Colby owned, then went up to Taos to ski.
Apparently there was some drama involving a possible engine fire, and who
knows what else. Dave help the guy, and got him on his way back to CA.
Perioidic checking with PPP indicated he was making good time, and that
Duallyville proved quite comfortable for the long drive. My only concern was
that while my old Dodge diesel was 3/4 ton 4x4... the new truck is a 1 ton
dually 2 wheel drive. On my trip the week earlier, we were very lucky to
skirt the lousy weather that had nailed the majority of the country. Peter
siad he had a nice visit with Dave, and, after securing Red Arse to the
trailer, they made their way back home.
Friday, the lovely Veronica and I drove up to Madison, picked up Duallyville
and Red Arsem 9now attached to the little Sprite trailer) and made our way
back home to IL. I stopped on the way and power washed off the salt coating,
and tucked the little bugger into the driveway. This AM, brother Don, nephew
Nate, and I shovelled snow, moved cars, and took my red enclosed trailer to
his house. It will become the new Thicko vintage kart trailer (you guys
think I'm nuts with 10 Spridgets, and a host of other cars.... he's got, at
last count, 40 vintage racing go karts.
Tomorrow AM, Dr. Dreadful Rick Gurolnick and I will make a homo club trek to
Logantucky to Elmos. Elmo has Berinie's (now mine) trailer in the shop
today, warming up... and tomorrow we're going to remove all the (hideous...
did I say that?) Bullfrog Racing graphics, and buff the pain out. I'm hoping
I can manuever this behemoth into my driveway, where it will become the home
for Redrum and Red Arse. I've got plans for an additional driveway further
down my property that will be far more suitable.
Stay tuned...Part 6 will be written soon enough.(I hope you're enjoying
this...)
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