Now What!

The team got the car running for short periods of time by priming the carburetor. After several repetitions we all decided to stop to keep the raw gasoline from washing any remaining oil from the pistons and cylinders. Seeing that the car will eventually run, I handed over the nonnegotiable payment to the seller, which was a very fair price for us all, considering the amount of work it will require to make roadworthy.

The team had to disband and I again was left alone with the car. I opened the driver's door and sat in our car...our Clenet! It took 28 years to find it and now it was ours. I was now able to phone my brother Mario who had been anxiously awaiting a call from me. I told him that he'd be hearing from me by ten o'clock that morning and as I looked at my watch it was half past one in the afternoon! I quickly phoned Mario in New Buffalo, MI at his office to let him know it started and that we just bought a car! I could hear the excitement in his voice, however he had to maintain his professional composure. Looking down that long hood at the crystal ornament, I had begun to imagine myself driving this wonderful creation between Chicago and Harbor Country!

Now what! How do we get her home to Harbor Country! I had made pre-arrangements with the same transport company that came six months earlier to snap up the seller's other cars, however they were told the car was in full running order. How do we move a non-running four-thousand pound neo-classic? I called the transport service thinking the deal was off, and to my surprise, the shipping representative told me that she already had a truck in Dallas and the vehicle not running wasn't a concern...just a higher fee to winch it onto the truck. I told her to send the driver as early as possible. No less than 40 hours later, the car was being hoisted onto the carrier while I was back in Michigan having breakfast!

As of this morning (Wednesday 6/3/08) the car should have arrived by now. Mario just learned that the hauler experienced a malfunction/breakdown just outside of Des Moines, Iowa and the anticipated delivery will be two days late. I found the car, hopped a jet to see the car and then crawled in, under and over...afterwards arranging the shipment; I have now passed the helm to Mario. Once the car is in Three Oaks, MI on Friday, it is he who will be working directly with the servicing dealer to bring it back to life. New tires are already on overnight order and other "tune-up" parts are ready and waiting the arrival. I see a great deal of magic wadding being consumed on all that bright-work!

We are hoping that we can use the car Saturday afternoon to attend the LCC/LMR's get-together about an hour from Harbor Country! Let's all keep our fingers crossed!

Next...she now has a new home, but still needs to be named!
rz