Matthew Taylor's Journal

Pre 10- 25 - 14.
My son, Cole, is nearing the legal driving age, and the time honored question "what will I drive" has left the theoretical, and become a real, practical question. I wont go into the months and months long debate that led to the choice, but - in the end, he decided on a round tail Spitfire. He wanted to "earn" the car with sweat equity, and learn a thing or 2 about cars in the process. I was leaning toward a 2004 Corolla - but my first car was a 1972 Spitfire Mk IV - that I earned with sweat equity and $300. The sweat equity was BECAUSE it was $300. So, I was (all to easily) persuaded. His mother took a bit longer. I will refer to her as "the Saint" throughout this journal. And I am happy to report, as of right now, we ARE still married.

Now that the car type was decided on, the hunt was on! After several promising leads did not pan out, Craigslist brought us together with Larry and his 1970 Spitfire Mk III. After several emails, a ton of pictures, and some phone calls my perception was: A rust free, mechanical sound car that had most of its interior - in boxes - and needed body work. Larry kept causally mentioning things - weeks after I would have - that may have scarred off a mere mortal - but stuff that was big pluses to me. "...it idles a little rough, because of the de-tuned A6 cam..." or "it runs ok, probably run better with the electronic dizzy that comes with it"..."or "I don't know what kind of mileage it gets - not as good as factory because of the twin HS4's that are on it. It flows more with that, the header and Monza exhaust" or it comes with 2 Koni shocks in the box for the rear. I only got around to the 1 inch lowering springs and adjustable Konis on the front". The only sticking point, and the only reason I didn't just snatch it up - I am far more comfortable rebuilding an engine and gear box, than body work. My neighbor, and good friend, Jerry is the other way around. My TR3 has needed body work for some time, and its a project I have been dreading. Jerry volunteered to teach me the basics on a Spit, so I could tackle the TR3. He is almost as good a salesman as he is a painter (I have seen his work, he is a true master!), and he had me talked into it. We could do it during half time of an Alabama game, and it will look so good traffic would part for us wherever we go. All for the price of a six pack, and a few dollars. And it was just a short 7 hour drive away. Road trip!

10-25 / 10-26-14
This was not our first "father/son" road trip, and Cole knows the deal. We stay in the lap of luxury when we travel as a family - the Saint deserves at least that...but its all business, and on a budget when its just me and the boy - so cheap food and cheap hotels it is. Armed with his driving permit, Cole took us most of the way. We spent the night about 1/2 hour from Larry. The great thing about cheap hotels, you typically don't feel the desire to "hang out" longer than necessary. This one was no different. We were out the door with the rising sun. In the same parking lot was food on the same level. Not a norm for us, but, I treated the boy to some "Awful Waffle", just for the experience. Each with a couple of bricks in our stomach, it was off to U-haul for a dolly. Larry was a twisty country road or 3 away. He greeted us with Southern hospitality. And there she was. "She" doesn't have a name yet (Cole says he cant name here until he drives her, needs to "know" her personality" ). Larry had painted a fairly good picture in my mind. She fired right up. A small exhaust leak aside - it was clear there was defiantly a cam involved. Larry figured we would like a road test, so he had bolted in a couple seats ("did I mention - it comes with these original seats - there kinda rough, so, I will throw in these 1500's hounds tooth seats if you have room for them..." ). It had been a few years (just 15 or so) since I had laid a Spit through some tight twisty bits - but it all came back! She was the quickest Spit I had been in. And if we hadn't started running out of gas on the way up the hills, I would probably still be on that test drive. Hooked. Fortunately, Larry's was on the way down, and we coasted in on fumes. Larry looked relieved. Something about 10 year old tag, no insurance, no seat belts, the "SEG" plastered under my nose as I tore off at 6k, going 45 around his 15 mph curve from the house... I don't remember everything he said...he was just glad we were back. So the engine ran, the suspension was tight. The body looked a little worse than I thought. But, we were planning on a down the metal paint job anyway. In an afternoon, for a few bucks, right Jerry? A quick conference with Cole - who was still wearing his SEG under his nose from the test drive - it was agreed, she was a keeper. Good thing too, plan B was a green MKIII an hour from Larry, but, I hadn't been able to get in touch with him to tell him he was plan B that weekend. That left me in a week bargaining position, but I decided to haggle with Larry anyway. He had a number, and I beat it. 10 seconds, start to stop - and that's mostly because of the easy southern drawls involved. Maybe not the best negotiators, but we were both happy, and parted as friends. Larry helped us load the car on the dolly, and then proceeded to fill it and my SUV with all manner of odds and ends that were Spitfire related in his drive-in basement. And then we are off. Took a bit longer getting home - a bit slower towing a car. And we didn't pass too many truck stops without a mandatory "remember the Awful Waffle" tribute.