All Good Things...but onward and upwards

Thanks Fran! And reading this from someone who lives in such a beautiful part of the US - the Finger Lakes NY - brought another tear to me eye; the Lotus Esprit has to finally go. It hasn't seen the spark of life in about a decade, but my absolute best times behind the wheel were driving this down to Watkins Glen or more local, up into the Haliburton Highlands.

It doesn't get much better for me than getting that series of turns just right with the right combination of wheeling & revs, and this old high-revving normally aspirated Lotus does it better than anything I've driven.

Sadly neglected for way too long (house, kids, no garage, other hobbies...), it's time for it to be re-born by someone who has the time for it and to get that series of turns just right in the future.

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What a treasure. Oh my is all I can say. I'm about your size... :chin
 
I’d be heartbroken to be leaving that gorgeous room too.

But I’m eager to see what you come up with this next round! I imagine it will be amazing.

As for the car, I always loved these- especially when you checked off the “underwater diving” option…View attachment 38376
I remember a previous time we were discussing Bill's Lotus on this board, and I had posted how any rare Esprit sightings in my area always took me back to the chase scene in The Spy Who Loved Me:

 
A friend was looking for a Lotus and he's got the chops to fix whatever ails that car. Shoot me a DM with details if you're serious about selling.
 
A sad day last month; the Lotus left, off to someone who I know will get it onto the road again.

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And new beginnings; the Altecs have landed in their new home - Airdrie Alberta.

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A bit to do (!!!) before these make music again, but the family and stuff has made the 2500 mile trek west to Calgary, and so far, so very good; we love it out here. I'm trying to come up with something and I'm sure I will (maybe live music?), but aside from friends & family, I'm not missing much about Toronto.

Now, to get that basement finished...
 
A sad day last month; the Lotus left, off to someone who I know will get it onto the road again.

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And new beginnings; the Altecs have landed in their new home - Airdrie Alberta.

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A bit to do (!!!) before these make music again, but the family and stuff has made the 2500 mile trek west to Calgary, and so far, so very good; we love it out here. I'm trying to come up with something and I'm sure I will (maybe live music?), but aside from friends & family, I'm not missing much about Toronto.

Now, to get that basement finished...
Congrats, Bill. It's amazing, after living most of my life in Toronto, how easy it was to move away. The Toronto of today just isn't what it once was. And that isn't just old Fartism speaking. Decades of mismanagement by various governments destroyed what was once a very unique and vibrant city.
Sad to see the Lotus up there. I looked at it in envy every time I came for a visit. Where did it end up going to?
 
Went to a local car guy who's family owns a dealership, parts supplier, etc. The guy who bought it showed me pics of his Esprit V8 that he just got back on the road, and an old pic of his father's Esprit S2, says they've been looking for an S2 to restore for years. A real family Lotus obsession for them, apparently have 5 already including an Evora. I'd be a lot happier about it if he hadn't essentially stolen mine, but down to the short strokes on clearing out of the house, and he knew it (with flat-bed waiting...).

Yeah, we are going to miss friends and family but Toronto? No, think I'll be just fine without it. Will be travelling back for business regularly (there's a switch!) so I'll still get a taste of the stuff I liked there if I miss something, but it sure seemed hard of late finding something I will miss.
 
I can't wait to see the new setup once you are settled. Glad to see the Altecs arrived safely.
 
Went to a local car guy who's family owns a dealership, parts supplier, etc. The guy who bought it showed me pics of his Esprit V8 that he just got back on the road, and an old pic of his father's Esprit S2, says they've been looking for an S2 to restore for years. A real family Lotus obsession for them, apparently have 5 already including an Evora. I'd be a lot happier about it if he hadn't essentially stolen mine, but down to the short strokes on clearing out of the house, and he knew it (with flat-bed waiting...).

Yeah, we are going to miss friends and family but Toronto? No, think I'll be just fine without it. Will be travelling back for business regularly (there's a switch!) so I'll still get a taste of the stuff I liked there if I miss something, but it sure seemed hard of late finding something I will miss.
I had actually thought of reaching out to you on it. There are some mods that can help a tall guy fit. But, I looked around the area, amd couldn’t find a Lotus mechanic I could trust. One of the few things I miss about Toronto.
 
Congrats, Bill. It's amazing, after living most of my life in Toronto, how easy it was to move away. The Toronto of today just isn't what it once was. And that isn't just old Fartism speaking. Decades of mismanagement by various governments destroyed what was once a very unique and vibrant city.
Sad to see the Lotus up there. I looked at it in envy every time I came for a visit. Where did it end up going to?
The hippie Toronto I grew up in is long gone, replaced by that "World Class" attitude and money before all. I fled in '84 and it sure hasn't become more appealing since.
 
The hippie Toronto I grew up in is long gone, replaced by that "World Class" attitude and money before all. I fled in '84 and it sure hasn't become more appealing since.
I don’t need the hippy Toronto. Too young to be a hippy. I just wanted the town to be affordable and livable. It isn’t either. Traffic is a nightmare, as they stopped building roads, and then didn’t build public transit either. The city, and the province , have mis managed their finances so horribly, that they are now addicted to development funds from condo builders. So we are now getting endless, incredibly poor quality, new condos, destroying the history and feel of the city.
 
I don’t need the hippy Toronto. Too young to be a hippy. I just wanted the town to be affordable and livable. It isn’t either. Traffic is a nightmare, as they stopped building roads, and then didn’t build public transit either. The city, and the province , have mis managed their finances so horribly, that they are now addicted to development funds from condo builders. So we are now getting endless, incredibly poor quality, new condos, destroying the history and feel of the city.
Those condos worry given an architect friend keeps telling me that they have a structural life expectancy of fifty years, tops. I'm afraid that what has gone up will come back down one day. We've lost so many wonderful buildings and even entire blocks.

If you'd experienced the Toronto I grew up in you'd really have enjoyed it. Easily affordable, funky, interesting, always great things to do, laid back people, a really creative place. Traffic was never a problem, nor was parking. The germ of the change really started just before I left.
 
@billfort-I have always felt that your listening room was one of the nicest I have seen. I am sure your next will probably be even better.
 
Well thank you! It was a nice room which a few here have even 'heard', and I miss it.

But, onwards and upwards. I woke up this morning and was treated to this, which has me more in mind of new beginnings.

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Possibilities and compromises, getting the good to outweigh the not-so-good; this part can be a real challenge but can yield big rewards, like that old listening room.

I wanted small city life close to work and a decent airport, but close enough to the good stuff (the mountains!), and this spot seems just right. A population of 70k surrounded by rolling hills, big farms and big skies might not have the live music I was used to, but we're 1/2hr away from downtown Calgary and 1-1/2hrs away from Banff, I'll be good.

This time around I have new needs for a home with 2 kids in school and wanted something 'newer', to avoid the endless list of home projects and major renovation needs I had with the 70yr old home I left. So those compromises kick in; new homes in-city carry the hurt of big houses on tiny lots – the polar opposite of my old tiny house on a giant lot. We looked (a lot!) till we found a good fit where the back yard had some space behind it making that tiny space more comfortable. Yeah, there's a street and more houses back there, but they are behind a simple open fence, walking/biking trails (many miles of them in Airdrie) and a pond – this is a smaller, lower maintenance back yard we can get comfortable with.

The un-finished basement made the house a little less desirable on the market but, this compromise I love! More affordable up front, with insulated & boarded walls, open 8 to 9' ceilings, rough-in for another bath and a big open space with a wall of windows and a walk-out to that nice back-yard. Compromises ahead for sure, but this might be my best listening room yet and hey, it might even have a view. :)
 
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