Our retired neighbors to the east are Canadian snowbirds and go back to Vancouver basically from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Miriam always tells me to feel free to use their driveway and trash can if I need it, and we keep an eye on their house, of course. 2 summers ago when the SIMCA was in mid-build, somehow we were in possession of 4 non-op vehicles and one running junker at the same time: 2 MR2 chassis, 1 SIMCA, a Miata tub, and a 91 panther Crown Vic (I think). The Crown Vic was sitting on the street in front of the house and we rolled the Miata tub into Miriam's driveway.
My neighbors are generally great and accepting of the automotive hijinks, despite the occasional earache of the grinder or cutting wheel. We don't have a mandatory HOA (that wasn't by mistake), so there's no private nazis breathing down my neck, and I'm friendly with all of them. And they all know that when they need a tool, some help, or some advice, I'm glad to help. So it all works out, usually.
But the folks across the alley from Miriam must have had enough when that junk Miata tub was across from their driveway. There was, of course, no question about who it belonged to. Now I don't know who called it in, but one day I got a certified letter from code compliance about basically not running a private junkyard in my driveway. My bride is basically a very good girl and the thought of The Man saying that she was Breaking The Rules was a nightmare for her. She's not calloused to the legal oppression on The Man like her husband. In other words, as I lounged in the pool, she flipped out. That was not the reaction she was looking for.
Short version is that Hoonatic John took the Miata tub, the Panther went to a friend's farm for storage until Dave bought it back from me, and the SIMCA and the spare MR2 chassis got the torch and scrapped, all within the 7-day grace period. And I erected the walls on the portable carport to put everything remaining out of the eyes of the Code Compliance Officer. Two phone calls later and that was all worked out.
If we can ever finish a race without needing to overhaul a motor, the plan is to erect a permanent fence and gate around and across the driveway, then a permanent carport roof over the top of the driveway. Out of sight, out of mind.
Pat Mulry, TARP Racing #67
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