Kinda Kewl... (long story though).

[Ladobe]

The Lead: As some here may remember, I lived in Carmel, CA starting forty something years ago, and bailed out of CA in 1976.

An old friend there still lives there, and sent me a link to an old picture found in the news archives from then as a surprise.

Picture is of the Minnie's Ditch Tunnel completed in 1968 under the Custom House Plaza next to the wharf to make it easier to get from Seaside, Del Rey Oaks and Monterey to New Monterey, Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach along the coast.   I used the tunnel quite often as over the years I lived there I had businesses in Seaside, New Monterey and Pacific Grove.

Check out the Austin Healey 3000 MkIII BJ8 Roadster lower left (behind the Falcon, front of Beetle).   My old friend thinks it's................me.

I had "the" BJ8 when I lived there, the only British Racing Green (dark) BJ8 on the Monterey Peninsula.   Only other two BJ8's there were older than mine and were light colors (white, light silver blue).     

So it's a could be, or is it?   Don't know for sure as I can't enlarge the picture and keep it clear enough to be 100% sure.   Mine's engine, transmission, suspension and firewall were highly modified to give it far more power, 6 speed gears and the ability to make high speed turns that the standard cars couldn't come close to doing (I raced it at Laguna Seca a couple of times - on Hwy one along the coast down to Solvang all the time LOL).   But none of that would show on my car in a picture.   Know for sure what BJ8's were there then because I always did the foreign sports car rallies and Concour's d'Elegance at PB (and the Corvette rallies as I had two '58's and a '59 as well).   Is the one in the pic a tourist?   Maybe, but there were not a lot of BJ8's on the road even then as the later year cars were expensive, the Rolls Royce of Healey's, and 1967 was the last year they were imported into the US.   

Whether it is or isn't, the old picture sure brings back memories of some of the best years of my life.   BTW, I sold it to a serious car collector in San Jose for more than 2X my investment mid 70's.   But I know who has had it for over 25 years.  He lives in the San Francisco Bay area, only drives it occasionally on weekends and it's still as mint as the last time I drove it.   I've had a standing offer to take it anytime I want to make a run back down to Monterey for a week or two to visit my own haunts and any firends still alive.    Haven't made it yet because of the health, but if it would cooperates it's still on my "to do" list.   I'd like to live in Carmel again, and the picture reminds me the loan of it would be a good excuse to look for a place to live there.   

[FinsnFur]

That would be pretty kewl, but like you said...how do ya know.
Looks like there's a lot of people heading for the coast at the time of the picture. Only one lonely ole fart in a pickup heading back in.

[JohnP]

Spent a lot of time in Carmel, Pacific Grove, etc.  Use to visit the Boar's Breath bar on a few occasions.  Believe there was also a little ice cream store right down the street from it.

[Ladobe]

Jim,
Well, heading for NM or PG maybe.    Most traveling the coast stayed on Highway 1.   From the shadows it looks like late afternoon, so probably the work force commute from points east and north to residential in New Monterey or Pacific Grove.   Beautiful coast line along both of them, but still in the bay.   Ocean actually starts at Point Pinos NE end of Pacific Grove going south along it, Pebble Beach and Carmel.   I'll add a picture of the coast along there...

John,
I think you mean the Hog's Breath Inn on San Carlos near 5th (one of Clint Eastwoods businesses in Carmel).   Know it very well, when I was a local coordinator for Universal and Disney there we held cast parties there often, sometimes also at his Mission Ranch.   My ex ran with his wife Maggie for several "causes", and I was on the BOD of his and James Garners private gun club in Carmel Valley.   Can't place the ice cream parlor, but then they came and go there and it has been over 35 years.   Carmel is famous for its salt buttered ice creams though, and many shoppes had their own version.

Quick map of the Monetrey Peninsula... large arrow is where Minnie's Ditch Tunnel is... small arrow about where my home was not far off the 17 Mile Drive, Carmel side.


Coastline along the bay at Pacific Grove...

[FinsnFur]

Pretty dazzling front yard for those folks