Had the Old Dirty Nine out last night and this gentleman struck up a conversation with me. His name is Cliff MaCoy and he told me in detail about how he conned his dad into letting him buy a 1937 "61" when he was just 14 years old! It was in 1948 and cost $250. He lived in Philly and a guy named George Miller would drive past his house on his Harley which in turn, gave Cliff the bug to buy one at that young age...I wondered if it was the same George Miller that I know who is in his early 80's now...hhhhmmmmm...I'll find out!
In the short time that we sat at the bar BSing, Cliff told me some fantastic stories. His passion was Midget Racing and he actually got his left arm severed from crashing his Midget race car into a barbed wire fence...the doctors sewed it back on! He also told me about times that he and his brother and other racers would hit small towns on the circuit and all the action they would run into (off the track). He's a motorcyclist, race car driver and a pilot...he's also a personal friend with Chuck Yeager! He has some great stories about Chuck in the 40's and 50's as well!
Cliff is going to stop by my place to reminisce awhile and show me some pictures (I'll have the scanner warmed up!). I told him about my 3/4 Midget and stuff so he'll have plenty to keep him busy while he's here.
Man that "Dirty Nine" has acted as a conduit to a great and diverse group of people over the decades I've had it on the road...She' got a magnetic personality!
More to come regarding Cliff...I'll have to get permission to share some of those stories...
Wonderful, the Dirty Nine is a worthy conduit as well.
ReplyDeleteGreat story... with more to come by the sound of it. I remember watching from across the street at the Brooklyn Invitiational as people ignored the choppers and crowded round the 'Dirty Nine'... magnetic for sure.
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