Speaking of cool cars, my long-time friend P. and I walked from the 79th Street Boat Basin to Madison Square Garden last week, and on the way downtown we spotted this little MG Midget parked off of 12th Avenue near 54th Street:
MG Midget
My father, I gushingly explained, had a car like this. It was not an MG Midget, but a Sunbeam Alpine, circa 1978 or 1979, parked in the garage. I always thought it was an MG but I was wrong. I do not know how long dad had that little car (or why) but I have always associated the MG Midget with him, even if if it was not an MG that he drove, but a Sunbeam Alpine. I remember dad driving me around Tampa in that car, the roof down, my 10- or 11-year-old kneecaps in my face whilst assuming the cannonball position typical of riding in the Lilliputian vehicle.
Dad liked that thing. I suddenly love this picture of him sitting in it.
Sunbeam Alpine
The green car with the white racing stripe on the hood is a Sunbeam Alpine. They were an awesome little powerhouse of a car with a Ford 289 motor. My dad had a few and Sunbeam Tigers as well which were the muscle car of the Sunbeam. They were only made for a few years in the mid 60’s:)