• Hi Guest!
    You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

The future is looking up

Share this page

roscoe

roscoe

Jedi Knight
Silver
Country flag
Offline
Due to lack of real grandparents, my wife and I are surrogates for a close friend who had twins who are a tad older than 2 years. She drove down from the Northwest for a visit. I had the Healey ready for rides if needed but soon realized the car seats were impossible and perhaps not even legal in a 2 seat car. They seemed to be perfectly happy sitting in it. The young man literally ran to the car as soon as he was unbuckled from the soccer mom van and urgently wanted to get in. Within seconds this two year old had the key out of the ignition, had turned on the overdrive switch, discovered the horn button (this was to our dismay as the longer it blasted the more pleased he seemed), and readjusted the mirror. I think if his sister had been in the pilot's seat she would have been just as lively. The photo is in the parking area of a festival in the Capay Valley. I may yet have someone to pass the brute along to when I am unable to find my way home or remember the shift pattern.

The really amusing thing is that they have a plastic play toy that looks a lot like a Healey sprite, that comes apart and even comes with a toy electric drill driver with various bits to take chunks off the toy. None of this was lost on these kids when they saw the somewhat larger version that just seemed like a bigger toy....which in retrospect it sort of is for me.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20210529_121823.jpg
    IMG_20210529_121823.jpg
    854.3 KB · Views: 197
Last edited:
Great story. I took my granddaughter for a ride when she was 2 and she loved it. It was a short spin around the parking circle so no car seat was required. She loved it and can’t wait for a “real” ride next time she’s down. I’m not sure how to convince her Mom and Dad it’s OK with just a lap belt but no car seat. My stories about riding in cars prior to even seat belts doesn’t carry much wait.
 
On one of my long roadtrips in my BJ8 we spent a night in Flagstaff. We went to the local mart to pick up some libations, and an older Native American lady--Navajo, probably, but I can't say for a fact--asked politely if her grandson could take a photo of my car. Of course, I said 'Sure' with a grin but next thing I know the kid has opened the driver's door and hopped in the seat and started playing with the wheel and knobs. Ordinarily, that might provoke a confrontation, but I didn't see the harm and he got out in a few minutes. People on the reservations have a pretty tough life; my old LBC perhaps brightened things just little. I've stopped at various reservation stores over the years, and the kids have always been appreciative of my car.
 
I have always invited youngsters to jump in and try my BT7 on for size. They are always delighted and their parents seem tpy appreciate the offer. I figure that child may become the one in a million that will help continue this hobby sometime down the road.
 
Back
Top