Driving a Classic Mini

Why is it that it seems everytime I drive Tink any long distance something goes sproing and I realize just how much I don’t know about cars?  Sunday morning I started out thinking what a beautiful day! Everything was wonderful then I started driving on some roads that were less than exemplary…  Thank you State of Illinois.  Why is it that when driving in England I couldn’t find a single pothole yet here every road seems filled with them?  One thing you might not understand as you drive your car with the cushy suspension- the roads are falling apart in this country.  Just drive a little in a classic car of any vintage and you’ll discover that.  Enough, I obviously took a bump too fast and something has started to rattle. I don’t think it is much but it makes me wonder about what could happen and now every little bump makes me flinch should I have just driven home? Is it nothing?  Remember I have a wild imagination- I have a stuffed monkey bent on world domination.  How many times do you drive past a car that rattles and wonder if the person will ever get it fixed?

So I started with the negatives- since that is what is on my mind right now. The positives are wonderful.  Yes, the issues with driving a classic re: old car. The up side is that you really do get the feeling you are special. When the new mini first came out everyone wanted to talk to you about your car. Asking questions wanting to sit in it at stoplights you couldn’t pull away with some comment or at least a stare. Now the bloom is off the rose. Rarely do you get a glance smile or wave even from other MINI owners!  In a classic car that changes.  On this trip I can’t count the number of double takes or smiles multiple thumbs up and still I get questions.  I think I might have even caused a fender bender between two SUVs in Munster!  It doesn’t matter, young or old everyone seems to smile when they see Tink.  It is neat to just be a part of that since it is the car not me (or the monkey) drawing attention.

Mini Meet will officially start tonight and tomorrow will be the show and shine. Tink is all shined up and ready to be admired.  Yes, I did get the bug guts off…

Tink & Cecil get ready for Mini Meet 2009