Coast to Coast in a Classic Car

Mr. Larrick, a semiretired vocational rehabilitation director, budgeted at least 30 days for the couple’s trip, with detours to visit attractions, friends and relatives. At home, he regularly drives his classics, which include a 1978 Citroën GS, a 1968 Saab 96 and a 2008 Smart car.

“When I insured the Sprite, I told them I planned to drive it 15,000 to 25,000 miles annually,” he said. “The Saab has been my daily driver.”

The Bugeye Sprite (they’re called “Frogeyes” in their native Britain) had been on Mr. Larrick’s bucket list for 50 years, even though he has owned plenty of other British cars, including MGs, Jaguars and Triumphs.

Ray Kopczynski, a city councilor in Albany, Ore., also owns and regularly drives a Saab 96, a 1965 model with a two-stroke engine that requires oil to be mixed with the gasoline. In fact, he drove that car, towing a small trailer, all the way to Albany, N.Y., in July for the Saab Owners’ Convention. (A sign he carried read, “Albany, OR to Albany, NY or BUST.”) He left July 6 and, despite a few setbacks, completed his round trip on July 26.

In the process, Mr. Kopczynski lost more than 10 pounds (which he attributes to the extreme heat, the humidity and his skipping some meals) and suffered only one big breakdown — the exhaust came loose in Three Forks, Mont., during his return trip. He drove a lot of miles with the car making a tremendous racket before finding a willing welder relatively close to home in Lewiston, Idaho.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/02/business/american-road-trip-bugeye-sprite.html