[Spridgets] Frank's Midget

Mon Sep 24 09:59:48 MDT 2018



    Allen,Parts from the "gift spridget" you received are in Frank's race car!   When I stripped the remains of a car you gave me When you moved I simply stored it all.   The coolant tank and a few other bits like the cores for the calipers with the mounting hardware and other bits are going full circle back to Frank's Midget project.   The convertible boot rubber & trim are also from your parts car.   Why do I part out cars ?  On a counts cuz!    There are other bits from that car which are now part of the Midget too!Your spare starter is going in the car too!Also from the story I'm told by Kevin...the parts car here on my trailer was bought by Kevin & Frank jointly. .......more Frank involvement.All the parts I thought were "spare" or "extra" from where the car was stored are slowly getting absorbed by the Midget project.   I got 3 rear axle housings in varied states of disassembly.  Every assembly yielded everything from emergency brake pieces to hubs and hub bearings to a pair of brake drums.  Even the other 1500 style steering rack I thought was a spare...needed to be put in the car.   I even needed one of the rack mount brackets because someone snapped off one of the 2 clamp bolts in it!   The whole car is coming together from other cars....and people who Frank somehow helped somewhere somehow.   It's an odd complicated world we live in. Little can be depended upon with few exceptions.  The COMRADERY of any community is what binds that group.   It's so good to be back to what I missed quite a bit of.   The spridget community is very similar to the vintage saab community in the closeness and support given freely to fellow enthusiasts....Try explaining all this to someone from other walks of life....they shake their heads in disbelief...and sadly will probably never know what it is like to be alone in your shop, have a question...post it and have a globe of responses in a period of time that could shock most who simply just sit scratching their head wondering how to tie their shoes...Chuck
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------ Original message------From: Allen Hefner via SpridgetsDate: Mon, Sep 24, 2018 11:24 AMTo: Spridgets list;Subject:Re: [Spridgets] Frank's Midget
"On the "we tight" budget , it is recycling more stuff from Frank's collection of parts that came with the car and list members across the country graciously sharing pieces from their collections." 
Even the Gift Midget I gave you when I moved, came from Frank to me. He was a pistol! It still amazes me how many lives Frank Clarici touched, and changed for the better. 
Allen HefnerNorristown, PA Current:2016 Subaru outback somewhere2006 ChebbieFormer:1963 Sunbeam Alpine Series III1967 Triumph TR4A IRS1964 VW Type I1967 VW Type II1967 Rover 2000TC1977 MG Midget (Sniff!)

On Sun, Sep 23, 2018 at 12:15 PM crusaderchuck55 at aol.com via Spridgets <spridgets at autox.team.net> wrote:
    There have been a few requests for pictures.  I have not sent many because outward the car looks pretty much like it did the day Frankie rolled it out and we loaded it on my trailer in Toms River New Jersey.  Dirt, faded and worn thin red oxide primer and some of Frank or frankie's graffiti are still very visible.  Literally the car looks like nothing has been done upon a first glance.   Closer inspection reveals that every nut and bolt ( except for the doors and hood!) and all the suspension ( front & rear!) and steering have been removed and I do mean ALL!    All New bushings, hub bearings and seals , rebuilt control arms, new pads and shoes, rebuilt calipers, new wheel cylinders, All New hoses & brake tubing, a rebuilt master cyl, NOS clutch master & slave cyl with New hose And New tubing, NOS rear shocks, urethane bushings in the rear spring & shackles, completely refurbished emergency brake from lever to the backing plates, a good stock rib case trans, new pinion seal in a really nice 4.22 gear set, cut rear drums, New rear brake springs , reconstructed and properly adjusted panhard rod, and a stock ( for now) front sway bar have All been installed along with an oil cooler with lines and the radiator expansion tank and a very nice cross flow radiator.   The brakes are spot on and the chassis is set up as I would for a competition car , utilising everything that has been donated to the cause and my stash of goodies .   I'm about to start figuring dash layout for the bugeye dash I intend to use.  I believe I have the gauges and switches I will need....I think.  I have not resolved a headlight switch as of right now..I do have headlight , park/turn ( front) lamps And tail light assemblies for the car.   But as originally stated the car looks like nothing has been done to it externally.   I wanted a the dirty work behind me before I start repairing the cut off tops of both quarter panels and complete to molding in of the quarter panel flares plus finish the damage repair ( minimal since Frank started the repair years ago) to the right front fender from it's wild ride on the interstate unhitched at speed during its delivery to Frank.   If this car could talk....if only it could talk...Its coming back to life..   On the "we tight" budget , it is recycling more stuff from Frank's collection of parts that came with the car and list members across the country graciously sharing pieces from their collections.      Frank's Midget is going to live.   I have to admit I've thought the car hates me at times for how it's teased and taunted me with SUPRISE after SUPRISE with broken and severely worn out parts and salt water in the rear axle when I drained it.  Of all the parts the were on the car up in arrival, the only pieces that have stayed with the car are the rear springs and bare axle housing and the front spindles and one king pin!   That's it!  Everything else is from other cars.ChuckThat's the up to date state
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