A disassembled sprite takes up a lot of space!

[drooartz]

Wow, great looking Bugeye! It would be hard for me to abandon a project that looks so close to completion, but I understand your thinking. I downsized my British car hobby many years ago. I had a driveway, garage, and part of a friend's airplane hangar full of projects. I think I was 50-years-old when I realized that I was never going to get to them all. There were Sprites, Midgets, MGBs, and an MGC. Too many drivetrains to maintain and store away spares. So I sold or gave away anything that couldn't go on a sidecurtain Spridget and decided to build two Bugeyes.

Speaking of guitars, I've currently got (56) in the collection, but I'd like to downsize to (50). That's sounds pretty reasonable, doesn't it?

56 guitars! That's quite the collection. I'm a "one and a spare" guy myself, currently clearing out a few I never play. While I understand the joy of having a collection, it's just not for me.

When I put the car on its wheels and put the windscreen on, I had much the same thought -- why not just finish it? Then I counted up the man hours left to refurbish all those boxes of components, and that was my answer why not.

It's now the day after and I'm not feeling any regrets or second guessing. I'll replace that slot in the garage with something some day, but not any time soon. Took the Morris Minor out this morning for a little canyon run to get some breakfast, and that was just a lovely time.

@Randyz -- strangely enough it was when I turned 50 (last year) that I started to wonder if I would finish the Sprite. My wife and I are in the middle of a bunch of downsizing in general right now, seems like the time to have less and do more.

 

[Randyz]

Ha Ha. As I'm fond of telling people, (51) guitars is totally insane and (50) guitars is perfectly sane! "One and a spare" just doesn't work for me. When I buy a guitar I like, I immediately buy a duplicate, usually in a different color. I've got 6-string, 9-string, and 12-string guitars. I've got acoustic, archtop, thinline, and solid body guitars. I've also got basses, an electric 12-string mandolin, an electric sitar, a brass-bodied resonator guitar, and a few other oddities like 6-string and 12-string 3/4-scale guitars. Of course, they are all played through Vox amplifiers...

 

[drooartz]

Funny how we all have different ways to go about things. I've gone through more cars/motorcycles than guitars over the last 30odd years. I'm only on my 3rd main guitar in all those years, and that one bought just a few months ago.

I took this picture last winter because I was curious to see them all in one place. Since the pic was taken I've added one acoustic guitar, and am planning on selling off 2 guitars, one bass, and maybe one of the mandolins. If they don't get used, off they go

 

[AngliaGT]

Shipper picked up the car today. Nice fellow, took good care of the car and all the bits. Tonight I'm lifting a glass of fine Scotch to toast Penny Bugeye and her next adventure.

(I'm in the white shirt)

View attachment 90725

Where's it going to?
That picture is a little confusing - are they able to put two cars
side-by- side in that trailer?

 

[drooartz]

The car is off to PA.

The other cars you're seeing in that picture are just painted on the side of the truck -- pretty realistic I guess. We're just loading the Sprite onto the top deck.

 

[NutmegCT]

Drew - who made the melodeon?

 

[drooartz]

Drew - who made the melodeon?

I'll have to look when I get home from work. It's from 1850-ish. My grandfather bought it from the Salvation Army in the 1930's, was a huge expense for him. He was a professional organist. My mom and I had it restored to working condition around 2018. Neat little thing to play.

I'm impressed someone knows what a Melodeon is.

 

[NutmegCT]

There were hundreds of melodeon makers in the US and Canada between 1850 and 1920 or so. Very popular for people who couldn't afford a piano or large reed organ. Here's the harmonium I just spent eight months restoring: 1870s Alexandre Pere et Fils, Paris.

It's a pressure instrument, not a vacuum instrument like the melodeon. Pressure system allows much more expression (dynamic change) than vacuum instruments.

Tom M.

 

[drooartz]

Very cool. There's no maker's mark on my Melodeon that I can see. I'm just happy it's playable again. I remember it as a kid, but the bellows were shot so it was not usable. We were able to find a restorer only a few hours from my parents, and it's back and useable again.

Really no dynamics with this one, but it's a neat sound. The original portable keyboard.

 

[drooartz]

I heard from the buyer yesterday that the Bugeye and all the parts arrived safe and sound in PA. Sitting here 2 weeks after my decision to sell and I still feel good about it. Nice having the extra space in the shop, and also nice to have a few extra dollars in the bank. That little fund will stay hidden away, maybe to do something new in the future, we'll see. For now I'm very happy with my 2 remaining LBCs and glad to be able to get back to driving and enjoying.

 

[NutmegCT]