Before you think all is well in paradise, let me say that the car had issues. It wasn’t at all obvious at the time but there were clues. What evidence? A paper parts tag on the right front bumper bracket. Spark plugs that would begin to foul after just a few thousand miles. A subtle wheel balance problem that couldn’t be cured. Long after the car was gone I put 2 + 2 together and, like a who-dunnit movie, it became crystal clear. It was a difficult repair as the body/frame was a unitized design. (one seamless welded piece) There were no bolts. The work was flawless the paint perfect. But just the same, the rest of the hidden story would reveal that the other ignored problems, which I had believed to be independent were actually the result of a single event: the car had been hit! A crushing blow to the right front quarter panel would mangle the metal (and puncture the radiator) but the previous owner, in his state of shock and stress, likely attempted to limp home. The engine was over-heated, but not ruined, and I later learned from the 3rd owner that the pistons had suffered ‘stuck rings’. This explains the spark plugs. The high speed vibration? Now, after many wasted visits to the tire shop in search of the ultimate spin balance, it occurred to me that it was a driveline problem. The drive shaft had been knocked ever so slightly out of line and that this was the true culprit. The stray parts tag? Innocent and innocuous looking but this was the red flag and it should have been the deal breaker.