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Photo by My Father
Muffy Aldrich's SALT WATER NEW ENGLAND
Muffy Aldrich
Muffy Aldrich, Editor of Salt Water New England: The Thing Before Preppy, since 2010. And a 12th Generation New Englander.
- Original Photographs.
- Timeless, Preppy Clothing.
Most Items Sent By Vendors
The favorite spot is a tie between an old BRG Triumph Spitfire and my current car, a 2008 Mini S in Oxford green. I had a Mustang in the mid-2000s and never really fell in love with it, but because it was a ragtop the kids liked it. I still wish I had grabbed a 356 speedster when they were more affordable. Although it is probably the most beautiful car ever built, I am not lamenting failing to get an XK-E along the way. Lucas electronics and SU carbs...no fun. Too much trouble for the beauty.
ReplyDeleteI've only had one, a Miata, but I did love it. Really fun to drive. Used to drive it through Virginia horse country enjoying the smell of freshly cut hay and everything else the country has to offer. Also loved feeling the change in temperature as I drove through pockets of cold and warm air. As an aside, my father had Triumph TR3 in BRG, which he traded for a Ford Falcon station wagon when I was born in 1961.
ReplyDeleteI've had several, but when it all comes right down to it, there are three: The 1963 TR3B I had as a school graduation present, the Triumph Spitfire that came along ten years later, and the 1998 Mercedes 230SLK I drive today. In terms of sporting convertible fun along with modern convenience (non-leaky top, Lucas electrics, etc.) I have to go with the SLK.
ReplyDeleteMy convertible was a 1992 Chrysler LeBaron so not nearly as classic or elegant as these, but it was a lot of fun, especially after church and listening to The Sounds of Sinatra with Sid Mark (on then-WWDC if memory serves). Similar to Unknown at 8:01, I'd often pick up a nice coffee and drive out Chain Bridge Road from Arlington, Virginia into the horse country. Those were pleasant times indeed.
ReplyDeleteI just had to uncover our MG, and ready it for a run today after seeing these wonderful photos! Thank you so very much!
ReplyDeleteI have had three. A 1957 Ford, an MGB and a Miata when they were launched. I enjoyed them all but the 1957 Ford is my favorite probably because I was younger.
ReplyDelete1968 Jaguar XKE, Dark Blue, Red Interior, Cream Top. Never had any issues with the beautiful car. First saw XKE in 1962 in Monaco and always wanted one and was never disappointed.
ReplyDeleteToss-up between my AC 428 and my Jensen Interceptor.
ReplyDeleteHad a 2013 mini roadster convertible which I both loved and hated.
ReplyDeleteSaab 9-3, which I still own. Love it.
ReplyDeleteMy MGB-GT. Ahhhhh. Don’t miss it, but I sure enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteI miss mine! Bought new in 1972. MGB/GT, British Racing Green, Tan Interior, Electronic Overdrive in 3rd & 4th gears. Still makes me smile.
DeleteOwned and driven some pretty sporty cars but never a convertible. The pictures are, as usual, really good but I’m torn in the last pic as to whether more of the car should have been shown or more of....
ReplyDeleteMy sentiments exactly. The camera should definitely have been moved more to the left.
DeleteHad an early 60's Pontiac Tempest, blue with a white top and a radio which just would not work. Lots of fun to drop the top and ride home after work.
ReplyDelete2003 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon with about a 3" lift. It experienced an injury while off-roading in the Badlands of North Dakota, so now it just cruises about town with the top down. I want a Volvo convertible, too. A convertible car and a drop-top lifted 4-wheel drive are different flavors of fun.
ReplyDelete1959 MGA
ReplyDeleteA 1986 Ford Mustang GT
ReplyDeleteAs I mentioned in the recent Volvo thread, I had a 2001 Volvo C70 convertible I inherited from my father. Terrible transmission problems, but it was fun to drive when it was working. Still, doubtful I'll have a convertible again in the foreseeable future. We have an Audi e-tron electric SUV now as our only car, and we're giving that up when we move from suburban Boston to NYC next year. Doubtful I'll find myself again living a sufficiently suburban life to need two cars.
ReplyDeleteMy one and only was a Triumph Spitfire. So much fun, with a wooden dashboard and houndstooth check seats! Red with tan interior and top. But those Lucas electronics... a constant headache.
ReplyDeleteAnybody who has ever owned these little Brit sports cars knows full well that the full name is "Lucas, Prince of Darkness."
DeleteHa! So true...
DeleteAs with children, you can't have a favorite. 1970 willow green XKE that became prohibitively expensive to insure as I was a bachelor under the age of 30. 1970 silver 280 SE convertible - had to replace with a Volvo when children began arriving. 1971 silver MB 280SL 4 speed kept for over 20 years. 1967 white Austin-Healey Mark III - bride wouldn't let children ride in the "death trap," so it was kept for only a few years. When I see what these cars would bring on the Bring a Trailer site, I sure do wish I'd hung on to them.
ReplyDeleteI had a 1965 short-wheelbase Land-Rover for which I had a canvas top. I never really thought of it as a convertible, though, and it was hardly a sports car. But I loved that Land-Rover even more than the Rover sedans I also had. It was wonderful off-road but a little on the slow side on the road. The Rover 3500 was a fast car, though.
ReplyDeleteI had a '59 Chevy Impala and a '68 Mercury Cougar after my father replaced them when they became too aged for him.
ReplyDeleteI have two favorites, a 1955 XK140 Roadster and my Aston Martin Vantage.
ReplyDelete1972 Jeep CJ-5...
ReplyDeleteI purchased a Jeep Wrangler in 1995 and had it for 20 years. Fun to drive and believe it or not pretty much maintenance problem free. However, my all time favorite was a 1960 MGA that I bought in 1966. This was really an enjoyable, fun car to drive. Maintenance was tough though, especially the electrical system.
ReplyDelete1978 MG Midget and a 1995 Jaguar XJS. I still have and drive both.
ReplyDeleteNot as exotic as some of the cars in the post but I had a 1969 Lemans. What made it unique was the 8 track on the consul. It was added as an option from the factory. The joys of 8 track players - the music stopped as it changed tracks. I am showing my age.
ReplyDeleteSeeing some of the pictures remined me of a couple from college. Between them they weighed about 600 pounds but they drove around in an MG.
The cars are all very nice, but I like the little Norfolk Terrier.
ReplyDeleteMy red and black 1985 Porsche Carrera Targa which I was incredibly lucky to purchase in 1993. Just a case of being in the right place at the right time!
ReplyDeleteMy husband had a Ford Mustang convertible when we were first married. He had a vanity plate on it which read "EXIT1". Used to make me nuts as cops would pull me over to find out what that meant! Eventually he traded it in for something else (and no more vanity plates!).
ReplyDeleteI had to choose between a 1968 BRG MGB and the new 1970 Triumph TR-6. It was a no-brainer. The sexy lines of the Triumph in canary yellow was the winner. It was a winner for me socially, than a wife and then marriage made a two-seater impractical and sold it. 50 years later, I wish I still had it (sigh).
ReplyDeleteWhat memorries -a 1961 190SL and a 1970 280SL, each was a dream car. Today, I drive a 1995 Wrangler and a 2002 Thunderbird and enjoy both. Every old lady should have a convertible!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pics of some amazing convertibles. Like one of your other members posted, I, too, had a Land Rover. A 1997 Defender 90 with removable top. It was a *lot* of fun. I miss it terribly.
ReplyDeleteI had a '79 Alfa Romeo Spyder as a second car. Never left me stranded. Bought it used in the late '80s and kept it for about ten years. Sold it as the family grew. Enjoyed it but don't miss it. Although many people here in Palm Springs (the one in CA, not the one in FL) drive convertibles, I have have come to prefer sedans. I want to be protected from the summer sun, the frequent high winds, and traffic noise. Then again, I saw a pristine Miata the other day with a "for sale" sign on it. I was tempted, but only briefly. The Coachella Valley is an area of mostly straight, flat roads. "Boulevard cruisers" make more sense here than sports cars. Not everybody agrees.
ReplyDeleteI have a 1995 NAS Defender 90 convertible in green. Love it.
ReplyDeleteLoved the 1991 Mazda Miata in red with a manual soft black top until I got run off the road by a dump truck so got a 2007 Volvo C70 in charcoal with an automatic soft black top which was safer but a nightmare to maintain.
ReplyDeleteI'm in my 40s. My first car was a 1992 Saab 900 convertible. I had a lot of good times in that car. I've been sans convertible since the late 90s, but would occasionally borrow my father's 1970 MB 280SE. Now that my parents (and the car) are in Florida for 12 months a year, I've started looking around. No decision yet, but likely something that a bit more of a touring car than a sports car. I once went away in a borrowed Lotus for a long weekend and luggage space was a real concern.
ReplyDeleteA 1964 Corvair convertible.
ReplyDeleteI bought it when I graduated high school in 1970.
Couldn't keep the girls out of it.
Danger is thrilling...
DeleteLexus SC430 hardtop convertible. V8 with some jump, love how the hard top retracts. Fine for two with overnight bags, not amenable to lots of luggage.
ReplyDeleteIn 1967 I had the opportunity to purchase the last brand new Austin Healy Mk 3000 for sale in New England. I WANTED that car more then anything, but my first year teachers salary just wasn't up to the task. That is 54 years ago and I still think about that missed opportunity. By the way, the price on the window sticker was around $3700.00.
ReplyDeleteLove the comments above. SWB Series Rover - took the top off altogether last spring, not sure its ever going back on - so much fun, decided we needed a true convertible picked up a gently used BMW M240xi in the fall and much looking forward to spring ahead!
ReplyDeleteLove the comments above. SWB Series Rover - took the top off altogether last spring, not sure its ever going back on - so much fun, decided we needed a true convertible picked up a gently used BMW M240xi in the fall and much looking forward to spring ahead!
ReplyDelete1992 VW Cabriolet. Her name was Gabby, she was my first car, and she was the love of my life. She was (was! Ugh, RIP) white, white leather interior, white top with the glass panel in the back - a la Remington Steele (but with the 4 lights version). One had to manually put the top down and she leaked when it rained (not a great feature for living in the PNW). I thought at one point that a reincarnated version would be my mid-life crisis car but am thinking a mid-80's Mercedes convertible would be a better fit. Or since we're a military family and the Army is bringing back the "Pinks and Greens" maybe a WWII era Willy... - hrplo
ReplyDeleteFiat 124 Spider
ReplyDeleteA 1979 MG Midget, red, black interior. Owning it was the equivalent of an auto mechanics 101 course. I would be fixing something for a week, driving it for a week, etc. I concur completely with all those who posted earlier about the electronics. Ugh.
ReplyDeleteBut when the electrical and carb were behaving, it was the most exciting, fun, pleasurable car I have ever owned. Buzzing around the curving roads of rural Concord and Carlisle, Massachusetts, top down, summer sun out, working the four speed transmission, oh, what a joy. I can still see it (and feel it) now. What I would not give to have that car, and those moments, back.
The Concord Diaspora
Had a 1974 TR 6 IN college and still miss it just as my Mother misses the 1957 MGA TC that she had during her undergraduate years.
ReplyDeleteI have a green Mercedes 350SL with a tan interior. Small bumpers, paint-matched hubcaps. Fantastic car. It might get better than my SL, but only for $150K+ more.
ReplyDeleteSunbeam Tiger
ReplyDeleteMaxwell Smart drove this...
Delete...as did Sean Connery in Dr. No... and looked a bit of an ape in it.
DeleteYour intrepid reader from north of the 49th,
Banacek