Godfrey
somewhat colored
It's lines are reminiscent of the Type 57SC Atalanta Coupe. Once upon a time and far, far away: I spied one of these in a parking lot near my mother's home. I walked over to it and was looking at/admiring it, when the owner arrived from across the street at the Department of Motor Vehicles. We chatted for a few minutes, he told me all about how this car had belonged to his grandfather and he'd just recently gotten it back into roadworthy condition.
"I'm not sure what to do with it, to be honest. I was thinking to sell it and maybe make some money, but it isn't in great condition."
"It needs someone who can manage whatever problems it has, I suppose. It's a cool car and a rarity."
"Would you like to buy it?"
I laughed. "I doubt I can afford it, but tell me what you're thinking and I'll consider it."
"How about $6000? I just spent $1500 getting it running and decent tires put on."
Remember, this was 1973 or 1974. That was a lot of money in that day. I was taken aback.
"I can afford your purchase price, barely. I don't know if I could afford to do whatever else it needs and keep it."
"I understand. But here's my number, if you change your mind," and he handed me his business card. With that he unlocked the door, started it up, and drove away.
I looked him up in the directory. He was real, the business was real, and I knew the address on the card. It was a middling up-market neighborhood about five miles away. I drove past there a couple of days later and saw the car sitting on the street by his home/office. And I really really thought hard whether I could afford to get involved in a Bugatti. I was 20 at the time, still in college, and the notion of having a classic 1930s Bugatti to play with was a romantic fantasy that appealed to me, but what I needed was transportation ... I caved in to practicality that time and never called him back.
I wonder what happened to the car...
G
"I'm not sure what to do with it, to be honest. I was thinking to sell it and maybe make some money, but it isn't in great condition."
"It needs someone who can manage whatever problems it has, I suppose. It's a cool car and a rarity."
"Would you like to buy it?"
I laughed. "I doubt I can afford it, but tell me what you're thinking and I'll consider it."
"How about $6000? I just spent $1500 getting it running and decent tires put on."
Remember, this was 1973 or 1974. That was a lot of money in that day. I was taken aback.
"I can afford your purchase price, barely. I don't know if I could afford to do whatever else it needs and keep it."
"I understand. But here's my number, if you change your mind," and he handed me his business card. With that he unlocked the door, started it up, and drove away.
I looked him up in the directory. He was real, the business was real, and I knew the address on the card. It was a middling up-market neighborhood about five miles away. I drove past there a couple of days later and saw the car sitting on the street by his home/office. And I really really thought hard whether I could afford to get involved in a Bugatti. I was 20 at the time, still in college, and the notion of having a classic 1930s Bugatti to play with was a romantic fantasy that appealed to me, but what I needed was transportation ... I caved in to practicality that time and never called him back.
I wonder what happened to the car...
G
