I can't imagine how the collector car market worked before the internet. The hobby must have been much more local; scanning the newspaper for a certain make or relying on word of mouth. For the more serious, Hemmings was most likely the only game in town for finding a dream car acrossthe country.
I have CraigsList (and the multitude of sites that will browse the entirety of CL) to thank for my most recent purchase. After watching this ad being continuously reposted over the course of a year, often with a lower and lower asking price, I decided to contact the owner through e-mail, leaving my name and number. I received a call back a few hours later.
Orphan cars are an anomaly. The majority of people may frown upon, be misinformed, or not even know the orphan in question. At a car show, how much crap does the average Corvair owner get for it being "unsafe?" How many people ask a DeLorean owner when the car will be painted? If a Hillman pulled into the local cruise night, would you know what it was?
The mainstream just isn't my style. And the communities that own and operate orphans are usually tightly knit. Factory support is nonexistant. Often it's the tenacity and know-how of the owners that keep the cars on the road. I decided early on my next "collector" car would be an oddball, and most likely an orphan. I don't want to be the seventh guy at the cruise night with a '57 Chevy.
With that being said, what could be more nonconformist than a 1975 Bricklin SV-1?
After talking with the owner on the phone, I let him know I was serious and would be buying a plane ticket out. The worst case scenario: I fly down, find the car isn't good, and have a little vacation down in California. He let me know he thought the car could make a road trip to Seattle. Shipping prices were cost prohibitive, especially considering the fun and adventurous alternative.
Nothing could be safer than driving a 35 year old car 1200 miles from L.A. to Seattle.
Upon first sight, I already saw some issues which needed addressing, but nothing too serious. Some of the acrylic body panels had minor stress cracks; a common problem. There was a small leak in the pneumatic system (which power the gullwing doors). If left overnight, the air pressure will be low. There is an onboard air pump, but it is unregulated and the on/off switch is located in the rear driver wheel well (the least practical idea ever - to turn off the pump you must exit the car, which in itself wastes precious air pressure). The fuel gauge fluctuates wildly, and only gives you a general idea of how much gas you have until empty. All small annoyances, but most importantly they are all easily addressable.
Before it sounds like I got myself into a money pit, let me say the mechanicals were all in fantastic running order. It couldn’t hurt that the previous owner also owned an engine performance shop. Everything worked as it should. The engine ran like a champ and the transmission shifted without a problem. He warned me the tires were old, but held air fine, but should probably be replaced before the journey.
After the test drive, I gathered my thoughts and offered slightly less than his asking price. Mostly to help cover the expense of new tires and a bit of the travel expenses. He accepted, so off to the bank we went to shock the tellers by withdrawing a couple thousand dollars. However, this was where the fun really began.
The now former owner really helped me out after the sale. I had to return my rental; he picked me up from the airport afterwards. He had replacement radiator hoses and an extra air tank, as well as a few other miscellaneous parts. He had called the tire place in advance so they would be ready to install replacements as soon as I arrived. It was nice to see the previous owner was dedicated to the car, and explained every knob function and idiosyncrasy of the car before I went on my way. It was starting to get dark as the tires were being put on, and we hit the local AutoZone to pick up some new wiper blades and a few other emergency roadside supplies. Before we finished, his wife showed up to take one last look at the car and we said our final goodbyes.
My original plan was to run the PCH through California, cruise the Oregon coast, and hop over to I-5 from Long Beach, WA. Common sense prevailed, and I decided I-5 would be the most practical route home.
Overall (and thankfully), the trip was uneventful. The first night ended at the Comfort Inn in Stockton, CA (just shy of Sacramento), and I awoke to partly cloudy skies. I avoided rain until through Grant’s Pass, but then it really began pouring down. Good thing I had new wiper blades. At this point I found the Bricklin isn’t entirely waterproof, due to a combination of 35 year old weatherstripping and lackluster fit and finish. Fortunately one of my AutoZone purchases was some painter’s tape, which handily covered any area I deemed guilty of interior sogginess. I soldiered on. The rain stopped the moment I drove over into Washington. It was surreal. I arrived in Longview, WA exhausted and frustrated. The seating position is not comfortable for a long drive.
A few days in Longview really helped to clear my mind, and ease my slight buyer‘s remorse. The final drive greeted me with nothing but sunshine. It’s now parked in the garage, and I own a Bricklin.
No comments:
Post a Comment