Ukubuyekezwa kwe-Austin Healy Sprite 1958
Wayeneminyaka engu-17 kuphela ubudala futhi wajabula kakhulu lapho ethola ukuthi inqolobane eyayiseduze komsebenzi wakhe yayingeyensizwa eyayishisekela izimoto, umqoqi wezimoto kanye nothile owayengenankinga yokunikeza osemusha izikhiye.
“Le ndoda yayinenqwaba yezimoto endaweni yokugcina izimpahla, futhi ngolunye usuku yangibuza ukuthi ngiyafuna ukuyishayela yini,” uyakhumbula. "Kwakujabulisa futhi kumnandi, imoto encane nje enhle yezemidlalo."
Futhi kusukela ngalolo suku kuqhubeke, wayesexhumekile futhi efuna ukuzithenga. Eminyakeni eyisishiyagalombili edlule, lokhu ekugcineni kwaba ngokoqobo ku-Holden.
“Ngangifuna ukuyithenga isikhathi eside, futhi lena yatholakala endaweni yokupaka izimoto ngemva kwemizuzu emibili,” usho kanje.
Ekubona lokhu, uHolden wamelana naleso sifiso, kodwa kamuva wadlula ukuze akhombe umkakhe.
"Ngangihamba ngemoto futhi umkami wathi, 'Kungani ungabheki?' Ngathi, “Uma ngibhekisisa, angikwazi ukuhamba,” kodwa...umkami wathi, “Buka futhi ubone ukuthi kwenzekani.
Futhi lapho emncenga ukuba angene emotweni, u-Holden wamxwayisa, "Akukho ukubuyela emuva uma ngifake imbongolo yami kuyo."
“Kusukela ngisemusha, bengilokhu ngingena ezimotweni, izithuthuthu, ogandaganda nanoma yini ewumshini,” usho kanje.
Nakuba ayengakwazi ukuthenga “lawo mathoyizi” ngesikhathi eqala umndeni, uHolden uthi lapho izimali zivuma, wavele wasebenzisa lelo thuba futhi angathanda ukuthenga enye iBugeye, kulokhu yomjaho.
“Empeleni bayenze njengemoto esezingeni eliphezulu, kodwa bayibheka bathi, ‘Cha, ngeke sikwazi ukuyithenga,’ ngoba babefuna imoto yezemidlalo esezingeni lokungena. Ngakho-ke bakhipha izingxenye kwezinye izimoto ukuze zishibhile futhi zonge kakhulu kuphethiloli,” usho kanje.
IBugeye ibuye ibizwe ngemoto yokuqala ewuhlobo lwe-unisex eyethulwa. Ngokungafani nabangaphambi kwayo, yakhiwe njengemoto yezemidlalo elula kodwa esesitayeleni futhi ethengekayo engeke ikhange abesilisa kuphela, kodwa nokungena kwenye imakethe ekhula kancane yangaleso sikhathi: abesifazane.
Ukugcina izindleko ziphansi, kubandakanyeke izingxenye eziningi ze-BMC ngangokunokwenzeka. Ihambisana nesiteringi namabhuleki kaMorris Minor, injini ye-Austin A35, kanye nogesi onamagiya amane. Ekuqaleni bekufanele ibe nezibani zangaphambili ezihlehliswayo, kodwa ukuze kugcinwe izindleko ziphansi, banamathisele izibani zangaphambili ngqo ku-hood esikhundleni salokho. Lesi sinyathelo ngokushesha samtholela i-moniker ye-Bugeye.
Futhi ngokuqhubeka nalo mlingiswa oyingqayizivele, i-Sprite futhi ayinazo izibambo zeminyango noma isivalo se-trunk. AbakwaBugeye bafika e-Australia njenge-Completely Knock Down Kit (CKD) futhi bahlanganiswa lapha. UHolden uthi nakuba kubalulekile ukuyinakekela ngaso sonke isikhathi imoto eneminyaka engu-50 kodwa ukuyinakekela ishibhile ngoba izenzela umsebenzi omningi. Umsolwa oneminyaka engu-45 uzama ukuyigibela okungenani kanye njalo emasontweni amabili kuya kwamathathu.
"Uma ungayithola emgwaqeni osontekile noma umgwaqo wasemaphandleni, kuhle ukushayela kumnandi," usho kanje.
“Ama-angles mahle impela. Iphonse ekhoneni ngegiya lesithathu, imnandi kakhulu."
Amandla ayo okubamba kanye nenjini ayafana naweMini engu-1.0 litre.
UHolden useze wagijima neSprite yakhe kanti uthi nakuba ijubane eliphezulu elingu-82 miles ngehora (131 km/h) lingase lingazwakali kangako, lizwakala emotweni eseduze kakhulu nephansi futhi enesisindo esingu-600 kg kuphela. Futhi phakathi neminyaka i-Bugeye ihlangabezane nothando oluningi oluthambile nokunakekelwa, umnikazi wangaphambili utshale u-$15,000 kuyo.
“Ngikholwa ukuthi lena iBugeye Sprite yokuqala eyenziwe e-Australia,” kusho uHolden.
Futhi ngenkathi esezoyidayisa ngonyaka odlule, u-Holden uthi wakhuluma nongase angaba umnikazi wayo ngokuyithenga ngokubhala zonke “izinto ezimbi” zokuba nemoto yekhulunyaka ubudala.
Kodwa nakuba ayenehaba ngezinkinga zezimoto ezindala, njengamabhuleki ezigubhu, ukuntuleka komsakazo, isidingo sokuhlale eshuna ama-carburetor, ngesikhathi esifanayo wazikhulumela ekuwugcineni.
"Empeleni, imoto ihamba kahle, amabhuleki mahle, angikwazi ... ukukutshela noma yini engingayithandi ngayo," usho njalo.
U-Holden waqaphela ukuthi kwakungakabi isikhathi sokuvalelisa esweni lakhe elibilayo.
"Ngimtshelile mkami ukuthi ngicabanga ukuthi sizoyishiya."
Namuhla, ama-Sprites asesimweni esifanayo nese-Holden athengisa phakathi kuka-$22,000 no-$30,000.
Kodwa akayi ndawo maduze nje.
ISIFANEKO
1958 Austin Healey Sprite
Intengo yesimo esisha: mayelana nephawundi stg. 900 (“Bugey”)
Izindleko manje: cishe ama-$25,000 kuya ku-$30,000
Isinqumo: IBugeye Sprite enomlingisi ofana nesinambuzane iyimoto yezemidlalo encane epholile.
