A TALE OF TWO BOLLIES – PETER JONES, CAIRNS
For anyone who read my story on the trials and tribulations experienced during Targa 2000, here’s proof that it’s hard to give up Bollys.
I’ve had the pleasure to own Nagari number B8/76 since 1984 to 2006 when Peter Schmidt took up the caretaking role. Over the years I have removed, replaced, changed, painted, fixed or broken just about every component or piece of fibreglass or steel that came out of the factory, and many that didn’t. With all that ownership and seven visits to Targa Tasmania under the belt I finally decided it was time to let the dear thing entice some other eager petrol head. So my faithful navigator and I queued up for Classic Adelaide 2005 with the intention of making that the swan song.
Classic Adelaide was duly run and completed relatively trouble free and I stored away lots of good memories doing so (another article perhaps?) Anyway, as the Nagari was about to be loaded onto the TNT truck for the trip back to Sunny North Qld, John Low, SA Bolwell President Supremo, found a prospective buyer. It all looked good and there was a fair amount of back and forth discussion happening as I approached 21 years of ownership.
So I was waiting by the phone, expecting the prospective buyer to call from Adelaide, having resigned myself to the fact that I was REALLY going to sell it, and having convinced my partner, Jan, that I was REALLY going to sell it……Jan has heard this before of course. Years ago we were contemplating getting a swimming pool built and I said I’d sell the Bolly to finance it – the first day we dived into the pool Jan asked “How come the Bolwell’s still in the garage?” Well, these things happen, don’t they?? …………..back to the story at hand, waiting by phone.
Phone rings. Caller ID shows 08 SA number. Answer. It’s not “prospective buyer” but a fellow Nagari owner from Hobart!!! Confused? I was. And then the bombshell – “I’ve decided to sell my Nagari – and I want you to buy it!!”
Now over the years I’ve come to believe that Nagari owners are suckers for punishment – who else is going to sit beside a throbbing V8 in 35+ degree summer heat while being gassed by exhaust fumes while still telling all and sundry that he’s enjoying himself. But I won the “sucker stakes” in less than five minutes and suddenly found myself the proud owner of B8/49, and a cold sweat forming as I picked up the phone………
“Hi darling, you know how I said I was selling the Nagari……”
“yes yes yes yes yes yes”
“Well, ………….I’ve bought another one.”
Stunned silence.
More stunned silence.
“You’re gutless aren’t you? Too scared to tell that to me face to face so you’ve chickened out and phoned instead…..etc etc etc”
Actually, I had considered writing a letter, posted from Sydney on my way out of the country. But all is good – rang faithful navigator who proved he was just as big a sucker as we quickly negotiated to go “halves” in the project thereby shedding some of the load.
B8/49 is progressing through a complete rebuild. All stripped down and chassis painted, driveline back in, body back on, wiring and trim done. Only the fiddly bits remain now and it will grace the For Sale columns…….and this time I’m not, definitely NOT, going to buy another Bolly.
Though the Mark10 has a certain appeal……………
Peter Jones – April 2008
For anyone who read my story on the trials and tribulations experienced during Targa 2000, here’s proof that it’s hard to give up Bollys.
I’ve had the pleasure to own Nagari number B8/76 since 1984 to 2006 when Peter Schmidt took up the caretaking role. Over the years I have removed, replaced, changed, painted, fixed or broken just about every component or piece of fibreglass or steel that came out of the factory, and many that didn’t. With all that ownership and seven visits to Targa Tasmania under the belt I finally decided it was time to let the dear thing entice some other eager petrol head. So my faithful navigator and I queued up for Classic Adelaide 2005 with the intention of making that the swan song.
Classic Adelaide was duly run and completed relatively trouble free and I stored away lots of good memories doing so (another article perhaps?) Anyway, as the Nagari was about to be loaded onto the TNT truck for the trip back to Sunny North Qld, John Low, SA Bolwell President Supremo, found a prospective buyer. It all looked good and there was a fair amount of back and forth discussion happening as I approached 21 years of ownership.
So I was waiting by the phone, expecting the prospective buyer to call from Adelaide, having resigned myself to the fact that I was REALLY going to sell it, and having convinced my partner, Jan, that I was REALLY going to sell it……Jan has heard this before of course. Years ago we were contemplating getting a swimming pool built and I said I’d sell the Bolly to finance it – the first day we dived into the pool Jan asked “How come the Bolwell’s still in the garage?” Well, these things happen, don’t they?? …………..back to the story at hand, waiting by phone.
Phone rings. Caller ID shows 08 SA number. Answer. It’s not “prospective buyer” but a fellow Nagari owner from Hobart!!! Confused? I was. And then the bombshell – “I’ve decided to sell my Nagari – and I want you to buy it!!”
Now over the years I’ve come to believe that Nagari owners are suckers for punishment – who else is going to sit beside a throbbing V8 in 35+ degree summer heat while being gassed by exhaust fumes while still telling all and sundry that he’s enjoying himself. But I won the “sucker stakes” in less than five minutes and suddenly found myself the proud owner of B8/49, and a cold sweat forming as I picked up the phone………
“Hi darling, you know how I said I was selling the Nagari……”
“yes yes yes yes yes yes”
“Well, ………….I’ve bought another one.”
Stunned silence.
More stunned silence.
“You’re gutless aren’t you? Too scared to tell that to me face to face so you’ve chickened out and phoned instead…..etc etc etc”
Actually, I had considered writing a letter, posted from Sydney on my way out of the country. But all is good – rang faithful navigator who proved he was just as big a sucker as we quickly negotiated to go “halves” in the project thereby shedding some of the load.
B8/49 is progressing through a complete rebuild. All stripped down and chassis painted, driveline back in, body back on, wiring and trim done. Only the fiddly bits remain now and it will grace the For Sale columns…….and this time I’m not, definitely NOT, going to buy another Bolly.
Though the Mark10 has a certain appeal……………
Peter Jones – April 2008
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