68 Jaguar S-type 3.4. We were still living in New York City and street parking always left creases on your fenders. Mine had a crease on both front fenders. On the plus side, I remember it being very quick and comfortable to drive. It was like driving in your favourite leather easy-chair. It also had an electric overdrive, which I thought was really cool. I was planning to fix the fenders, repaint the car British Racing Green, and I was going to keep it forever.
One day we noticed the smell of gasoline inside the car. I assumed I spilled some gas when filling it up, but the smell lingered like bad fish. It got got worse. I looked everywhere in the engine and couldn’t identify the source.
There was a hardware store near my apartment and one day I parked right in front of the store to buy something, and the owner asked me if I wanted to sell the Jag. I smiled and said no.
A week or two later I was offered a job in Teheran and I decided to take it. Then I remembered the guy that offered to buy my car and went over to talk to him, and warning him of the smell. He took it for a test drive and made me an offer. Thinking that I would have trouble selling the odorous car, I accepted his of
fer right away.
Unfortunately my job offer fell through at the last minute. I was was now without a car. For many of my friends and me, the thought of being locked up in the city all weekend, was daunting. We needed a breath of fresh air. I started looking for a new car.
A month later I walked pass the hardware store, and the owner came out and said, “I found a small leak in a gas line and replaced it. It drives great now. I’m also going to fix the fenders and repaint the car.”
“What color are you doing?” I asked
“British Racing Green” he answered.
I hated him.