Metal Memory

Alfa. He was just driving straight across the chicanes, through the puddles, and the rest of us were sort of like floating through the puddles.
“I honestly don't remember. I don't keep records of all the races and victories, and that sort of stuff, though I probably ought to. I don't. We had ten or twelve wins in that car," Gary said.
"So you didn't go to China did you?"
"No, Brandon did that, we just prepped the car. And he went and did that."
"What kind of condition did it come back in?"
"It was…there were a few bits that sort of rattled loose," Gary said, chuckling under his breath. "It had just obviously had a real hard time. It had knocked all the bronze bushings in the rear radius rods, in the rear suspension…all these bronze bushings were all absolutely worn out and hammered. And wheel bearings, and steering joints, and things, but it was in generally decent condition, he'd obviously been running around on hard, rough roads. Other than that, engine, gearbox, brakes, that sort of stuff, was fine."
"How is it that Phil Hill managed to drive the car at some events?" I inquired.
"Brandon was just quite pally with Phil, he still is; Phil, and his son, Derek. One year, while we were on the Tour Auto, Brandon and I were doing it in his LM, and Phil and Derek were doing it in Brandon's 275 GTB speciale. Brandon, you know, liked the guy, and invited him to drive the car occationally."

As we were finishing, Gary summed up the period.

"The biggest thing is, when you're doing these things, I'm lucky to drive quite a few cars for people, but that particular period, that three or four year period of driving cars with Brandon, quite a busy time, you appreciate that you're having a good time, at the time. Looking back a few years later, it was an absolutely great time."