Way back when the Austin Healey Sprite was launched, BMC Canada loaned me one for what became the very first North American media test drive. Being young and foolish and a novice racer I persuaded the engineer of the radio station where we worked to join me on a run to Edenvale, a deserted road racing circuit about 75 miles from Toronto. At six feet plus a couple of inches, he doubted whether he could fit his oversize frame into this tiny sports car but once inside was amazed to discover that it had ample legroom. On the track I drove flat-out on the straights and drifted through the corners with little regard for our safety because, of course, I was convinced I was the next Stirling Moss. Credit for our survival goes not to me but to the Sprite, which had delightful handling. The following year I was reporting from the Sebring, Florida 12-hour race, where a team of three Sprites swept their class. After the race I had the pleasure of being chauffered from the track to our motel in one of the team cars driven by Paddy Hopkirk, a renowned race and rally driver. What a difference there was between the car I'd tested and this hard-riding, loud, and purely functional racing machine!

You can appreciate, then, that I have a special affection for the Sprite and thus was fascinated to learn that a 1961 Sebring Sprite is to be auctioned by RM at Amelia Island on March 13. It features a race-prepared 998 cc A-Series four-cylinder engine, four-speed gearbox, independent front suspension with upper and lower A-arms and coil springs, live rear axle with double trailing links and quarter-elliptic leaf springs and front disc, rear drum brakes. "Sebring Sprite" was a catch-all term for racing Sprites homologated under FIA guidelines in 1960 with mechanical upgrades and other modifications including standard or modified bodywork. The car shown here has a race and rally history, including a podium finish at the 1996 Monterey Historics with Stirling Moss driving. (Obviously he was the next Stirling Moss, not me.) It's been maintained and raced in vintage events by owner Peter McLaughlin, who is donating the net sale proceeds to The Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance Foundation, Inc. RM is expecting a sale price of $50,000 - $60,000. The Sprite I tested could be bought new for less than $3000.

[Note: I've just been made aware that during the weekend Sir Stirling Moss fell three stories into an elevator shaft when the doors opened in advance. He's broken several bones in his feet and one ankle but is otherwise okay. Let's all wish the great one good luck in his recovery. Hey, Stirling... at least you've proven that racing vintage automobiles is less dangerous than riding in elevators!]

Imagine, if you will, acquiring a professionally restored example of the vehicle that first turned America on to sports cars. Then imagine that all you paid to own this 1949 MG TC (shown above) was $100.00. Sounds like a dream, doesn't it? But it could be yours if you participate in a charity draw organised by the New England MG 'T' Register, an international organization dedicated to the maintenance, preservation and enjoyment of T-Series and Vintage M.G.s. Tickets are just $100.00 each and with only a limited number being sold you have a very real chance of winning. This, by the way, is an outstanding TC that features dual spare tires, a luggage rack, seat belts, temperature gauge, all the right lights, Alfin drums, and a walnut dashboard.

It was owned by the late David O. Hakanson, who was a very enthusiastic member with a TC, TD, and a TF in his collection, along with an MGA. According to the Register, Dave took great pride in his cars, and all of them were in great condition. Chuck Troast of New England Classic MG restored the TC about eight years ago and it probably has fewer than 2,000 miles on it since then. Dave's wife Liz has decided to let the Knudson Churchill Scholarship Trust use the 1949 TC as a fund raiser with a share of the proceeds going to the Hakanson Family Trust. The drawing takes place at 5PM, Friday, May 7, 2010. You needn't be there to win but you will have to pick up the car in Oneonta, NY, and drive it home. Not exactly a hardship.

For more information and to purchase a ticket just click on this link.

[A note to regular visitors. As of today, new blogs will be posted on Sundays and Thursdays. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday you're invited to drop in to our other classic cars site, marque1.com, and on Tuesdays join me at carzz.org for updates and opinions on the new car scene.]

Some of us think that combining a station wagon with a sports car is a great idea. Fun to drive yet practical, too. Unfortunately there aren't many true believers, for such a vehicle has never sold well though it's been tried many times. Even Ferraris and Jaguars and Aston Martins have been turned into wagon prototypes by Italian bodymakers. The only successful production sports wagon, however, was the Volvo 1800 ES, unless you include Britain's limited production but lovely Reliant Scimitar.

Back in 1955 Chevrolet unveiled the Nomad, a two-door wagon concept that closely resembled its then-new Corvette, and when motor show audiences raved about it, Chevrolet put a more restrained version into production. Of course, it was no longer a true sports wagon... more like a conventional sedan with a racy appearance from the B-pillar back. A year later Ford reacted with the Parklane Sports Wagon. An attractive car, the Parklane was not as unique as the Nomad but for anyone who wanted wagon versatility in a sporty two-door format the new Ford should have had considerable appeal. It didn't. The Parklane lasted just one model year, while the Nomad survived for three. Lovely cars, no takers. I should add that two-door wagons have never been big sellers, the buyers of such vehicles apparently preferring the convenience of four doors.

I recall the production Nomad well enough but didn't remember Ford's competitor until alerted by the latest OldCarsWeekly newsletter, which featured a 1956 model as its "car of the week." Beautifully restored, the Parklane Sports Wagon wears an authentic two-tone Bermuda Blue/Diamond Blue paint scheme. Owner Tom Riplinger says he originally bought the car for parts but when he realised how few were made (15,186) decided to restore it. That was 20 years ago and since then he and his wife have put more than 20,000 miles on his rare Ford wagon.

Back in my sports car days one of the most desireable accessories was a Nardi woodrim steering wheel. It could make an ordinary car seem special and told the world that its owner was a person of discerning taste. Nardi wheels were not inexpensive, which is why you didn't see them on every MG or Triumph Spitfire, and they were also standard equipment on several high-end automobiles, such as Ferrari. Of course, Nardi wasn't the only company to manufacture such wheels but the design was so elegant, so perfect, that a Nardi wheel remained apart from the others, as a Tiffany lamp or Saarinen Tulip chair would do.

Frankly, I'm not a fan of the thick-rim steering wheels of today, even though they have their origins in race car design. I know some drivers claim to get a better grip but those wheels make me feel like I'm steering with a pair of boxing gloves on my hands. In my humble opinion there's nothing to match a slim woodrim, not only for its appearance but because it seems to provide a closer connection with the road. Unfortunately modern safety regulations requiring an air bag in the hub would seem to prevent swapping a production steering wheel for a hand-made custom job so we're stuck with what we get. The girl you bring to the party is the one you dance with.

That said, owners of sports and vintage cars from model years preceeding the air bag rules should have no problem fitting a woodrim wheel. And in that respect, the handcrafted steering wheels of RichCraftedWheels.com stand apart, even from the Italian Nardi wheels which, by the way, are still in production. Only a limited number are made each year. Average time to make a standard wheel is 70-80 hours with some custom wheels requiring up to 100 hours. The Web site explains that "each piece of wood is hand fitted, hand filed, hand sanded, hand finished. The wood is then sealed in an automotive two-part epoxy that resists acids and UV rays. Because the wood grain has it's own signature and with the multiple wood combinations no two wheels will ever be exactly alike."

Exotic woods like teak, walnut, and even rosewood can be chosen. Company owner Paul Rich adds "I have made steering wheels for almost every kind of automobile you can think of, including boats and a John Deere tractor," so obviously whatever you have sitting in your garage, by your dock, or on your farm, will not intimidate him. As for me, I'm stuck with that big fat rim on my Focus ZX5 but when the day arrives that I finally buy a vintage automobile, you can be sure that very little time will pass before it has a handsome woodrim steering wheel gracing its interior. It just feels right.

For people who plan ahead (alas, I was never that wise) it's not too early to prepare for the wonderful Monterey classic car week, better known as Pebble Beach. August is only six months away, friends. Just in case you need a little encouragement, this year's Concorso Italiano promises to be an event worthy of the trip, as it honors the cars of Alfa Romeo on the company's 100th anniversary. The Concorso is, as far as I'm aware, the largest gathering of Italian cars in the world. So if ever you needed a reminder of the influence Italy's car builders, designers, engineers and racers have had on the automobile, the rolling lawns of Laguna Seca Golf Ranch are the place to be on August 13th.

The Alfa Romeo Association, lead club for the event, has announced its support and intends to be out in force. You can expect a personal journey through history, as the Centerpiece Display will feature a broad range of Alfas from early street and racing cars to contemporary automobiles. The organisers also anticipate a preview of Alfa Romeo concept cars direct from Turin. Having visited Concorso Italiano in the past I can assure you that the sight of hundreds of fabulous Italian automobiles will leave you spellbound and ready for the food, fashions and fun that are also part of this extravaganza. August 13th is the date and by the way, if you have an Italian car you'd like to show just send descriptions of your car along with photos to ci@concorso.com.