Page 31 - Sep 2022

Are You Ready for a Project ?

Editor's Note: Mike Birk, 68, joined the NBCC two
months ago and was the first to answer our call for
stories about hands-on restoration projects, the sort of
projects beloved by the LBC community. In a future
story he'll take us through the nuts and bolts of his
project. This month, however, we're going to meet and
learn a bit more about a member who loves to get his
hands dirty.
Q. Welcome to the Nashville British Car Club. We're
certainly glad you're here and why did you join us? Do
you have ties to the Nashville area?

A. I'm a Nashville native, and my wife Kelley and I
are currently living in Goodlettsville. I retired in
2008 after a 28 year career with TVA where I spent
most of my career maintaining and managing
power plants in Tennessee and Kentucky. I stay
pretty busy. I just finished building a concrete
bridge into my property. I build and restore
furniture. I have a blacksmith shop where I have Above: Today Mike and Kelley Birk are living the
tried my hand at forging knives. Sailing has been a good life in middle Tennessee and their restoration
hobby of mine for years and I've restored two project, a 1962 TR4, is part of the family.
sailboats. Restoration, in general, is my hobby and I
have worked on everything from tractors to
furniture, motorcycles and cars and trucks. The time A. My hands-on experience started when I was
was right to join the NBCC. I also belong to the three. I was tired of the training wheels on my
Vintage Triumph Registry and the MG Experience. bicycle and could not convince my dad they
weren't needed. So I gathered up some of his
Q. The members of the NBCC are for the most part
tools and removed them. My mother learned of
hands-on people, so you sound like a perfect fit for the
my work when she saw me riding on the drive
group. How did you get your start in cars and what's
without them. From that time until now, I've
your history with British cars?
enjoyed repairing and maintaining my own cars,
A. When I started thinking about this question, I trucks, and equipment.
made a list of the cars and trucks I remember
Q. Clearly you were a person who knew his own
having owned. I was surprised to find there were
mind at an early age. Did you discover that you
almost as many of them as I am years old. In the
had a dream car that motivated you to get even
order of ownership, my Triumph TR250 was #3, lost
further involved with the wrench turning end of
to an accident, and #5 was a Spitfire that was lost
cars?
to the birth of my first child that wouldn't fit.
A. I was fascinated by the adventure TV shows of
Q. How did you get your start in maintaining your own
the time, Route 66, Adventures in Paradise, Then
cars?
Came Bronson. Continues on page 32
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