Go to 365 Days Of A for more old car inspiration. (Photo linked.)
About six weeks ago an important milestone passed and I failed to mark the occasion. Time to rectify the situation.
On Wednesday October 12th 2011 Jonathan Klinger successfully completed his self imposed challenge of “spending one full year driving a 1930 Model A everywhere I go.” His reasoning? “Because not everything a person owns should contain a computer.” That, my friends, is excellent logic.
I wrote about him in February when his experience was roughly halfway complete. I had no doubt he’d do it. Why? Because people in 1930 did it and not all of us have become gutless wimps in the ensuing decades. Also because it’s obvious from his blog that he’s an incurable optimist. The very kind of person who can happily churn an antique down the road while ignoring the siren song of heated seats (and car payments).
Whenever I think I’m surrounded by morons (or even when I know I’m surrounded by morons) I take solace in the knowledge that the world has folks that do things both useless and inspiring just because they want to. I encourage everyone to check out 365 Days of A and give a hearty (if belated) congratulations to a fellow adventurer.
I seriously miss owning a car that is older than I am (pre-1970’s). It’s my dream to get either a proper English Mini-Cooper, or an Austin Bugeye Sprite to be my every day car.
The great thing about a Proper Mini is that to do any engine work, remove the bonnet and the grill, then pull up a chair- everything is in easy reach, you can draw the entire electrical system from memory on a napkin in about 3 minutes, and one can see where they got the idea for the TARDIS, as they are bigger on the inside than they are on the outside. I’ve never owned one, but a friend had one I worked on and drove all the time.
Crude stuff is cool. I want one of these:
http://adaptivecurmudgeon.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/ural_gear_up_sahara_edition.jpg