First ride in LBC

What was the first time you rode in a British sports car?
Mine was 1954 when I was a student in Philadelphia. I had attended the 1953 Bridgehampton road race with a fraternity brother who lived in Elmira, NY and had seen the Watkins Glen races the year before. Next Spring, I was driving my 1952 Ford on the road to Conshohocken, PA when an MG TC passed me. I gave chase but was unable to keep up. A couple of nights later, I was reading the auto section of the Inquirer or the Bulletin and saw an ad for a 1951 MG TD at Pletcher Motor Co., a downtown Ford dealer. Saturday found me down at the dealer and turned on by the gleaming black TD on the showroom floor. I took it out for a test ride and that did it - I HAD to have that car. I asked the salesman how much and after thinking he said "I'll give you an even swap". I almost fell over but I played it cool and that night, I became an LBC owner for the first time. Then followed a white Mark II TD, a new BRG TR3 that I raced, a blue 1957 Porsche coupe, a white Twin Cam MG (now in Australia), and after a number of years, another rusty TD that I restored and painted green, a maroon 1979 Datsun 280 ZX, and in 1995, I towed home a red '71 TR6 that I restored and still have and last year, I added a green 1992 Alfa Spider Veloce. In 70 years of driving, I have driven Jaguars (XK 120 and XK140MC), big Healeys, various Porsches, including 356, 914, 911, 944 and 928, a Singer, Morgans, Miatas, MGB's, MGA's, Arnolt Bristols (2), Siata 1400 (through Central Park in New York City), TR 4's, a TR2, MG Midget, Mazda RX7 (across country from Vegas to Chicago with my son), Mercedes 190 SL and 300 SL, Fiat Spider, Alfa Giuliettas (Normale and Veloce), Honda S2000, MG TC, MG TF, BMW Z3, and one or two more I might have forgotten. Never drove a Ferrari, Maserati, or any other exotica.

My first time was when Dad brought home, rather dealer drove to house because it wouldn't shut off, a 1957 XK140MC Coupe. Got me hooked at 15 and drove around the yard for practice. 1973 bought an XK120 rdstr, went on from there.

Got rides in MG T series and Jags as a child just outta diapers, my dad had friends who ran Cumberland and other racing events. Can't remember for certain the first ride. But as posted in Elliot's thread, I vividly recall my first ride in a Lotus. Got my first MGB as a college freshman, a two-year-old '67 roadster. That car went for well over a quarter-million miles. The list of cars I've owned is relatively short, but the list I've repaired or restored would likely fill a book. Ran across this photo a week ago, one of the more obscure things I've laid hands on:


In the first two pix my MGB can be seen in the background. I'd forgotten this beast, it came to us limping on six cylinders.

I was in 5th or 6th grade and my best friend, Kenny, was a year older. His father was general manager of the only used sports car dealership in town. He usually drove a different one home every day. Anyway, he would let Kenny drive most of them around the neighborhood as long as he didn't get out on the main street. When we were away from the house, Kenny would usually let me drive it a bit. So several years before I could legally drive, I was able to drive a MGTD, XK120, a Nash Healey and a Thames delivery truck that I can remember. One time I suppose I was feeling a bit aggressive and slid the MG off the street at a corner. Kenny almost banned my driving that time. Oh I remember Kenny's dad thought the Jag was too powerful for a kid and he was not allowed to use 1st gear.

Never really been in an LBC... they are more american than british by the time I get done and do the first ride

My first ride was in high school in the back seat of a friend's Austin Healey 3000. Had to sit sideways. My first purchase was a '67 TR-4A in Hawaii in '71 when I reported for duty at the Submarine Base.

What is the Red beast?

David

DrEntropy said:

Got rides in MG T series and Jags as a child just outta diapers, my dad had friends who ran Cumberland and other racing events. Can't remember for certain the first ride. But as posted in Elliot's thread, I vividly recall my first ride in a Lotus. Got my first MGB as a college freshman, a two-year-old '67 roadster. That car went for well over a quarter-million miles. The list of cars I've owned is relatively short, but the list I've repaired or restored would likely fill a book. Ran across this photo a week ago, one of the more obscure things I've laid hands on:

View attachment 64456

In the first two pix my MGB can be seen in the background. I'd forgotten this beast, it came to us limping on six cylinders.

Click to expand...

The “Beast” is an Iso Grifo. Doc had this wonderful video linked in his post.
Here it is:

My first view of a British sportscar that I remember was a TR2 or 3, parked around the corner from where I lived. I was roaming the streets by myself in the wee hours of dawn (different time) and the TR really popped out as something cool and different. I was car crazy from pre-adolescence on, but my first ride in a British car didn't occur until I was 12 or so in my brother's 66 Sprite. I was hooked. My first car was a '66 Sprite as well, bought when I was 17. Have driven many Sprites including a Bugeye, MGBs, BGT, TR3, TR4A, TR250, TR6, TR7, Spitfire (early and late) E-type, F-type, XK150, Lotus Elise, Mini, MGA, Jensen Healey. Non British of interest, Porsche 911, 924, 944, Saab Sonett, BMW Z3, Miata, RX8, RX7s (all generations) BMW 2002, funny I almost forgot, a Ferrari, modern one with paddle shift, it was neat, and I have driven a few other modern cars that by the numbers put our old cars to shame, BMW Ms, etc. They are fast, but don't do that much for me.

Wish I had had the chance to own a few more, especially an E type, but the price kept going up faster than my disposable cash. Not to get too heavy, but would have been easy had I been single, no kids, but would not make that trade if I had it to do over (I would have bought an E when they were cheap though).

Anyway, good run, plenty more left, but I have a pretty good idea of the time and resources now, a few more cars, maybe one restoration after I retire.

My first was riding in the back window of a Jag E type coupe. I was about 5 and fit at that time. My uncle liked to invite us over to clean his spokes on the wheels. He had the car for a few years, got remarried and his new wire wrecked it. Bright RED car.

I was 12 years old, and our neighbor was having some car trouble, so a friend of his loaned him an MGB-GT. I went with him to pick it up, and while it wasn't a convertible, there was just something about it that was fascinating. Knew I had to get a LBC someday. I believe it was a '74.

Was talking to a buddy of mine in a community theater, and got to talking about cars, and he mentioned he always wanted a woodie. Then he asked if there was a car I'd been wanting, and when I told him about the MGB-GT I'd ridden in, his eyes lit up and said he has a Midget that hadn't run in a while, but he wasn't a mechanic and had no idea what it would take to get it running. I went over to his house, and sure enough, it was looking kind of dusty and forlorn in his garage. He thought it had been about 10 years, but when I saw the expired tags it was more like 18 years. Took a few months and many new parts to make it roadworthy again, but I drove it to one of our theater productions and gave him a ride in it. He was thrilled to see it running again, but he made me promise that he had first dibs if I ever decided to sell it.

While still at school I worked at weekends at what would be called an industrial park these days. Several different business there and I worked for most of them over a period of years. The last few years were during my apprenticeship.
One guy did car rebuilding and repair. He would buy 2 wrecked cars and make one good one. He had several sports cars over the years go through his shop, E Type, Aston Martin DB4 and several MGs. I rode in most of them when they were done so I was spoiled to sports cars.
Wanted to get a XK120 but they were out of my price range so he said take a look at this TR2 which was in my budget and that started mt long association with Triumphs. That TR2 was rotten and had fiberglass wings and a TR3 front apron but it went well for the most part. Even in 1968 the 1957 TR2 needed a total rebuild.

David

In collage 1964 My mother got me a GMC pick-up 1958 when a graduated High school and on to college really Aircraft school at Sacramento City College for my A & P. one of the other students had a AH 3000 and needed to move so we traded for the weekend. Later when I was home on leave from Nam for 30 days for extending 6 months. a school friend said I could use Sunbeam Tiger while I was home. Just one thing had to happen his dad had pulled the trans and rebuilt it. All I I had to do was put it back in first. What a car to drive!! Home and out of the Army as my mother had long sold the truck. My still long time and best friend from my Boy Scouts days was also home from Nam and out of the Army. He had a 1962 TR 4 in Sacramento but was living in Catalina Island Sol-Cal. He sold it to me for $ 600.00. I latter traded it for a TR 250 1968 in in 1970. Still my best car ever to own then living in San Francisco 1970's Married first child two dogs. Sold it for a four door German 100LS Audie. Back to Sacramento I bought my wife a MG TD 1953. The best of that car was when my others didn't run a simple crank to start every time. Sold a few years latter then in 1986 we went to the Worlds Fair in Vancouver Canada Saw some TR 6's and had to have one!! It was not until 1992 that I found a driver for $ 3,500.00. Drove it for one year and then did a frame up restoration while working part time and weekends at a British garage in Reno NV. I still have that car today and just returned from a road trip to Idaho and back. While working at the garage drove Jag's E types to racing XK 120 AH TR 3's and the like. Life is a ride so do it in a LBC.

Madflyer