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TEXT="#080000"> <div>  <embed src="HTMLobj-344/California__Fight_For_California.mp3" autostart="true" loop="true" hidden="true">  </div> <div> <B>I have always been fascinated by cars. My first was a 1948 Ford Coupe which I picked up in 1955 in Alameda, CA </B><B>for only $50.00 </B><B>because the engine was frozen. At the time, I was 15, had no license because I was under age and I used paper route money to buy it. I pulled and rebuilt the engine myself which was common for a teenager living in California in the '50's -- American Graffiti -- I lived it! And, the movie is true except that we were in Alameda, Oakland and San Francisco, CA, not Petaluma where the movie was filmed! By the time that I was finished with the engine, I had a license and used to get up extra early to make sure that I could get a parking space in front of Alameda High School so that I could be seen leaving in MY car -- status symbol! (No parking lot -- city streets only -- and I lived two blocks away!) </B><B>Ah! to be in high school in the '50's in California.</B><B>  I drove it for a couple of years until I got my used 1957 Ford - the best Detroit iron I ever owned because of the extremely fond memories of events that occured in the back seat of that car - and we shall leave it at that!  During this time, one of my fraternity brothers at the University of California, Berkeley - (Sigma Phi Epsilon) had a Healey and it was a love affair from then on. </B><FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Comic Sans MS" ><B>(</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Comic Sans MS" ><B>Go</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Comic Sans MS" ><B> </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#CC9922" FACE="Comic Sans MS" ><B>Bears!</B><B> </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#990033" FACE="Comic Sans MS" ><B>beat</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Comic Sans MS" ><B> </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Comic Sans MS" ><B>Stanford</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Comic Sans MS" ><B>!)</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>In 1995, My comp</B><B>any was bought out and the corporate headquarters was transferred from New York City to Colorado. One day my wife and I were traveling north on Broadway from the Highlands Ranch suburb where we lived towards downtown Denver when she said "Look at that!". Having seen it out of the corner of my eye, I was already prepared to make an illegal U-turn to the used car lot. Bear in mind that Broadway at that point is three lanes in each direction and I was in the far right. After returning hand gestures to the people that I had cut off, I parked behind a 1958 Austin Healey BN6 that was on the street in front of the used car lot. It was, indeed, for sale. Year I graduated from High School -- loved it in college -- would you resist? Me neither!</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>At that time, we had our boat up for sale at a brokerage in Philadelphia, PA since it is rather difficult to do ocean cruising, as we did in New York, in the suburbs of Denver. My wife facetiously said that if I sold the boat, we could consider buying the Healey. (At that time the boat had been at the brokerage for three months with no nibbles) She knew about my long time love affair with Healeys from my fraternity brother in the late 50's - early 60's to the time that my neighbor had a Sprite in the mid 60's to my failed attempt to restore a BJ8 in 1980. I immediately called the brokerage in Philadelphia, lowered the price drastically and told them that they had 3 days to sell the boat. They did, I bought the Healey and here we go.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>We retired to Las Vegas shortly thereafter and I loved to drive the Healey up and down the Strip invariably getting comments such as, "I had a (insert uncle, cousin, friend, etc.) who had one". And, comments such as "can I have a ride with you?" - NO. Driving across Hoover Dam into Arizona invariably brought many requests for fotos - given. My next door neighbor refused to ride in it because it has no air conditioning. Sucker! </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>After several years in Las Vegas, we moved to New Jersey to be with our new grandson. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>This site has articles that I write for Austin Healey Magazines, published by the various Austin Healey Clubs under the by-line of "The E-Mail Mechanic</B><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#990033" FACE="Arial" ><B>©</B></FONT><B>" as well as a photo album of any and all repairs, restorations  and other items related to my Healey and to others. Esoteric technical items are in the "Technical" page. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Another page of interest is the "Important Links" page which has links to sites world wide for clubs, technical information, parts, general interest and the like.  If you have a Healey, look at the "Replacement Parts" page for locally available items.  Photos of restorations of all models have links on the Important Links page, Restoration Photos section. </B><B>Technical Bulletins of the period are on the "Bulletins" Page. </B><B>So, sit back on a rainy afternoon and take a peek. </B></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Enjoy!</B></div> <bR> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=40 BGCOLOR="#CC9922" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Page last updated on March 14, 2010 and is the intellectual property of John Sims, The EMail Mechanic© All Rights reserved. Logo Design© by Rudy Streng</B></div> <div> <I><B>Fight for California</B></I><B>. University of California, Berkeley Fight song. Go Bears!</B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>