Page 30 - Nov 2022
P. 30
The St eele Family is Bug-eyed Over
t his 1960 Aust in Healey Sprit e
In a family of car enthusiasts, Angela Steele, the
owner of the group winner in her category, says
she's always had a love for sports cars. She
remembers as a kid, along with her cousin, sitting
in derelict cars at a lot near her home, and
dreaming about adventures that they'd take when
they had wheels of their own.
Dreams do come true, because Angela's cousin in
Missouri now owns a classic Sunbeam and Angela
has a fine example of a car purchased after the
death of the previous owner, Bill Milsaps, who
purchased the car for $700 and then lovingly
restored it over the years. This is a car that makes
everyone smile-- the classic Bug-eye Sprite.
Gary Steele admits that the male side of the family
is more inclined toward muscle cars while eldest
son Hank says he really isn't into the British car
thing, at all. His brother Max says he would
definitely take the blue Sprite out of the family's
Above: The Steele Family, Gary Steele and sons collection, which includes another white Sprite
Hank and Max, joined by Alice the family dog, with a red interior, because "Mom's has the
turned out to support mom and Sprite ( below) cassette player".
owner Angela at the show.
The family dog, Alice, has no opinion on which car
wins because she's already won the jackpot.
According to Angela, who feels pretty lucky herself
to have scored a fully restored Sprite, the frisky
Alice is a pound pup, the last one of 7 in her litter.
She was rescued by the Steeles from a shelter .
The Steeles concede that they may have a few too
many cars of various types at their home resulting
in lack of garage space, but they were likely the
only people on the showgrounds that store an
LBC in their house. Conveniently, the French
doors to their finished basement allow Angela's
dream car to be pulled inside for safekeeping.
When you're the caretaker of something precious
and the keeper of not only your dream but the
dream of someone who came before you, no less
would be expected.
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