Raising money for pediatric cancer research by driving a 59 year-old English sports car, reflecting 79 year-old cottage engineering, across the U.S.A. on the 2011 Rallye to Reno. Follow along as a 1953 MG TD (fondly known as "Morris") and I confront the inevitable challenges of legendary British reliability, Skinners Union, and Lucas the Prince of Darkness on U.S. Route 50, known as "the loneliest road in America."
I've been told my first spoken word was "auto" but I don't remember that. I do remember being home sick in the 3rd grade and having the mother of an older kid give me a couple of copies of Sports Car Graphic magazine to cheer me up. I was familiar with the upright-radiator MG's and XK 120 Jags on used car lots at that time, was enthralled with bathtub Porsches, and had even seen a couple of "Blue Flame" 6-cylinder Corvettes, although they didn't make the the right sound for a performance car. Now I got to stare at these shapes of foreign intrigue: Austin-Healey, Allard, Aston-Martin, gullwing Mercedes 300, Ferrari. I was mesmerized! My older cousin's '49 Ford coupe with the glaspaks and fender skirts would never seem the same.
I've been told my first spoken word was "auto" but I don't remember that. I do remember being home sick in the 3rd grade and having the mother of an older kid give me a couple of copies of Sports Car Graphic magazine to cheer me up. I was familiar with the upright-radiator MG's and XK 120 Jags on used car lots at that time, was enthralled with bathtub Porsches, and had even seen a couple of "Blue Flame" 6-cylinder Corvettes, although they didn't make the the right sound for a performance car. Now I got to stare at these shapes of foreign intrigue: Austin-Healey, Allard, Aston-Martin, gullwing Mercedes 300, Ferrari. I was mesmerized! My older cousin's '49 Ford coupe with the glaspaks and fender skirts would never seem the same.