LRO: I drove a series II

From: Ivan Van Laningham (ivanlan@pauahtun.org)
Date: Sun Apr 08 2001 - 21:35:01 EDT

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    Hi All--
    I was driving to the grocery store and spotted a 1961 Series II for
    sale. I took notes; 70K original miles, series III Weber carb, lots of
    other little improvements I didn't understand. I peered into it and
    looked it over very thoroughly and wrote down the telephone numbers,
    meaning to call later.

    I drove back from the grocery the same way, and I spotted a new green
    Disco pulling into the driveway of the home in front of which the Series
    II was parked. A young woman got out; I rolled down my window and asked
    if she were the one selling the Landy. She nodded, so I stopped and
    explained that I wasn't interested in buying. I would, however, like to
    sit in it and smell it and stuff like that; it was research for a story.

    "Want a ride?" she asked, jingling her keys and grinning.

    Oh, indeed, I did. She tooke me around several blocks and then made me
    drive the last half-block back to her house. I actually managed it
    without ruining any gears; not bad for someone who hasn't driven a stick
    for over twenty years.

    No one told me there was no insulation on the doors and that you could
    see all the parts for the latches. When people said Series vehicles
    don't have very good heaters, I didn't realize that meant that there was
    a small black box next to the steering wheel that was supposed to heat
    up the entire interior, and that if you weren't careful you could bang
    something on it. Shifting and using the clutch, though, those were as
    described. Now I know what the yellow and red knobs do.

    But most of all I got to smell it. It smelled like the jeep I drove in
    the Army thirty-one years ago.

    I was scared to ask her how much she wanted for it. Good thing, too. I
    got home and said to my wife, "I spotted a Land Rover for sale. ..."
    and she interrupted me to say, "I hope you didn't buy it!"

    <g>

    <but-now-i-know-what-the-attraction-is>-ly y'rs,
    Ivan;-)
    ----------------------------------------------
    Ivan Van Laningham
    Symantec
    http://www.pauahtun.org/
    http://www.foretec.com/python/workshops/1998-11/proceedings.html
    Army Signal Corps: Cu Chi, Class of '70
    Author: Teach Yourself Python in 24 Hours



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