Before my husband learned that his cancer had come back and got so sick, he decided he wanted a new toy. He bought a 1976 MG Midget, with the idea he would fix it up and use it for special occasions such as parades or shows. He and his friend did a lot of engine work and still had a problem keeping it running smoothly.
It wasn't to long until he realized it was the battery but by then he had received the word about his cancer and even though he pulled the battery out of the car to replace it, he never did. He pushed it back into the garage and covered it up in October 2009.
He had set the battery out and last year I kept saying I needed to go get another one but then something would come up and I didn't do it. But this year, I did. I got the battery and had my neighbor across the street come over to put it in.
We had a few cool days so I waited but this past weekend was nice and warm, a little windy on Sunday but still a nice day. We pushed the car out on Saturday and hooked up the battery but no way could we get it to start. We tried a direct jump with my car and still it wouldn't turn over. So we left the charger on it for several hours to recharge the battery and I covered it up Saturday night.
Sunday morning, I removed the cover, but it still wouldn't start. My neighbor came over and began messing with it, trying different things. Since it had set for so long, we thought maybe the gas was bad too. My daughter had some STP so we added that as well as some new fresh gas and after more priming, it started to turn over. We would try it every little bit and when it did, everyone who had gathered to see what was going on jumped up and down and clapped.
The little engine began to level out and purr just like a kitten and everyone was amazed at how it sounded. Now the trick come, would it stay running smoothly if driven. My daughter volunteered and drove it around the yard, no problems so she parked it near the front fence where it could be seen and we put a For Sale sign on it.
We didn't have any lookers but did have several neighbors stop by to ask about it as they knew my husband had bought it and didn't realize I still had it. It is such a little car so hopefully it will draw the attention of someone like my husband who has to have a "folly".
Late in the afternoon, my daughter and I decided we needed to really drive it so took a little ride around the neighborhood. I'd found the new sticker for the tag and the insurance card so we were set. I had never driven it and it has been 30+ years since I'd driven a standard and I was a little nervous but actually I guess it is like riding a bike, as I didn't have a problem and didn't stutter once with it. I started driving and after a few blocks we came to a stop sign so I stopped so she could drive it. There was no one around and we started getting out. Well, when a car only sits 4" off the ground and not much room when you get the door opened fully, I was having a hard time. Finally got the legs out and then tried to hoist myself up. In the meantime, two young men in a pickup had come up behind us and were watching us. As I finally got out, they came around us laughing and I'm sure we did create quite a comical scene. But we got switched and she drove it another few blocks and back home parking it in the garage since possibly we could have had some thunderstorms.
So Pappa's Folly provided us with some memories as we thought about him as gave us a few minutes of pleasure as we drove it. But now it is time that it finds a new owner who will give it the TLC it needs and become their folly.
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