I Guess Barn Find

"CaptDale - is secretly British" (captdale) 10/25/2016 at 19:53 • Filed to: Austin Healey, Sprite

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Personal stuff below, so have an Austin Healey in the rain as it should be as a buffer

Life sucks you know. All these stresses and BS that force you to do things. Between getting paid shit at work and having lots of bills, I don’t have much money left at the end of the month. That isn’t so bothersome until you need to buy things that cost actual money. Like going back to school and fixing cars. Well since my stupid 928 hasn’t sold yet and I need the money more than a project, I placed my Austin Healey Sprite up for sale on Craigslist. I am actually really broken by this. She was the first car I ever bought and is still an unfinished restoration. I want nothing more than to cruise the CA coast in my silly little British roadster, but I will never have the chance. I never even got to drive the car. I bough Wanda in 2010 as my high school senior project. I found her for sale a few miles away from me for sale for more than I could afford. So I talked to the guy’s son who was selling it for him because CL was something the old man couldn’t do. Well I talked my parents into letting me buy her. I borrowed money from my Mom and got my Dad with his truck and trailer. We arrived at their house and there she was. Dusty, dirty, and perfect. I met the family and talked to the original owner. He had bought in new in 1970 and daily drove her. He told me he was a manager at his work back in the day and the workers went on strike. Well he was driving into work and one of those picketers jabbed a picket sign post through the convertible top and almost got him in the head. That is why Wanda didn’t have an original top

Fun fact: The throwout bearing on these were a piece of carbon, not a bearing, and would wear till they cracked. He ended up having to replace this once every 9000 miles or so. Well after it breaking one day, he put her in the garage and hoped one day his kids would want to drive her and fix her up. They didn’t. Come up on almost 30 years sitting there and I pop her on a trailer and take her home. Grand total of $500. He had $1000 on the add, but he placed that up to keep metal collectors from coming and crushing her. Once he heard what I was doing, bam half off.

Original Plates

Even the Dealer plate surround

Original interior

Not too bad honestly

Some paint discoloration from years of being half covered

Top up and the paint thinner spill

These are pictures of the day I brought her home. She was 99% original except the top. Years of being a shelf in the garage had ruined the paint, but the interior wasn’t awful. I was so happy, I named her almost immediately Wanda. She got her name from Jamie Lee Curtis’ role in a Fish Called Wanda . I have always had a thing for Jamie and it was perfect cause she was an American in Britain and this is a British car in America. Besides Jamie, I have a strange fascination with the 50's-70's and Great Britain. My Mom always told me that I was born in the time period on the wrong continent. Which is fairly true compared to how I operate as a human being. Any way, Wanda leaving me will probably break my heart as much or probably more than my ex leaving me. I can only hope for the best and that I can keep her, but the future is grim and I need the money more. So this is my farewell to the first car i ever bough and embarked on trying to fix. I always went too far with her. If I had done it right I would have had the engine fixed, painted her, and cleaned up the interior. Instead I ripped off every nut and bolt to restore her to perfect, at least in my eyes. I always spent too much money on parts and too much time. Probably cause she was my first true automotive love.

Goodbye is such sweet sorrow Wanda.

C62030 > CaptDale - is secretly British 10/25/2016 at 19:57

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Someday after you become rich and buy Wanda back, she would make an incredible Derelict, Icon-style.

Die-Trying > CaptDale - is secretly British 10/25/2016 at 20:04

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theres other fish in the sea. get your life situated, and when money is right, you can get another project. it might not be wanda, but thats not the important part........

CaptDale - is secretly British > Die-Trying 10/25/2016 at 20:10

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I suppose

arl > CaptDale - is secretly British 10/25/2016 at 20:10

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Well, she didn’t end up in the crusher - so you did good there. No chance Mum and Dad would let you keep her at their place for an extended period while you get your financial life together?

CaptDale - is secretly British > arl 10/25/2016 at 20:18

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No, that was where she was when I was at school the first time. I don’t think they care about their cars at all. Then to ask them to care about mine, ha.

Die-Trying > CaptDale - is secretly British 10/25/2016 at 20:25

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but hey, if the car isnt GONE yet, you still got time to push it around the block making car sounds. i have more than a FEW projects laying around in semi finished conditions. they just aren’t for sale. mostly because ill never get my money back, and partly because i have a personal NEED to see them through. if the car means that much to you, like some of my projects do for me, hold out. make sacrifices elsewhere......... i also understand, you cant eat the car. decide what you need to do....

CaptDale - is secretly British > Die-Trying 10/25/2016 at 20:27

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Yeah, she is in my storage unit, so I can’t push her. Honestly If I could rent out someones garage as a space for my car and live in it for months, I would have her done lol.

Spridget > CaptDale - is secretly British 10/25/2016 at 20:32

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A piece of advice: sell it on the forums or BaT, that way it goes to an enthusiast. Or try selling that POS 928 on BaT just to get rid of it; you’ve convinced me to never buy one of those things. I’m tempted buy for all of the same reasons you were (I’m also looking for a classic as my first car), but it’s on the wrong coast and I can’t pay you nearly what it’s worth.

RallyWrench > CaptDale - is secretly British 10/25/2016 at 20:37

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I’m sorry man, and I know them feels. Being broke sucks, especially when you work your ass off only to watch it all disappear just to keep your head above water. I’m thinking about selling my beloved 2002, a thing I never thought I’d consider, but right now I don’t see that car ever happening like I want it to.

Since this car obviously matters more than the 928 vampire, maybe cut your losses on that car to keep this one? In any case, it’ll get better. Always look forward.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > CaptDale - is secretly British 10/25/2016 at 21:00

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Very sorry to head friend - you’ll find another one day when you’re back on your feet. It never feels good to lose your love though :(

jasmits > CaptDale - is secretly British 10/25/2016 at 21:09

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Give it a try, never know. My dad’s never really been a car guy(can’t go so far as to say he doesn’t care about his cars, he’s always fastidiously maintained them) but over the teenage years of my car magazines around the house, Top Gear on the TV and me never shutting up about cars, he slowly got more interested. This past summer he took almost no convincing to park outside for the summer so I could work on this $600 non-running Alfa Romeo I found on Craigslist (I had an internship near home that was paying well enough I could finally afford more than just the up-keep on my E36 Compact). Couldn’t keep himself away from the garage to lend a hand and ended up having just as much fun with the project as I did. I’ll make a petrolhead out of him yet.

wafflesnfalafel > CaptDale - is secretly British 10/25/2016 at 22:05

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The strongest memories are from the ones that got away... and you treated her well while you had her. Can’t ask for much more.

CaptDale - is secretly British > RallyWrench 10/26/2016 at 11:01

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I am trying so hard to get rid of that 928, but no 0ne is biting.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Spridget 10/26/2016 at 11:03

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I would totally buy a 928 in good condition, but at the moment I don’t have the money or heart to make it a good car. I bought it for my ex, but never gave it to him becasue we broke up. Don’t give up on fun classic cars. The Healey is so easy to get parts for thanks to Moss Motors (hint buy British).

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > jasmits 10/26/2016 at 23:45

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I’ve had nearly the same effect on my parents. They never used to care but I’ve started to make them appreciate little things and hopefully could get them to let me have a project car soon