Looking for Ginny

[Subdeacon Joe]

http://www.stripes.com/news/world-war-ii-veteran-searches-for-his-ginny-1.267737

 

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Bill Burton knows what it feels like to have a bullet whiz by your head.

“It makes a little whispering sound. A little wind will come from it, too. I know about that,” said the 89-year-old veteran.

A corporal in the U.S. Army during World War II, Burton was visiting the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, in Birmingham, Ala., recently, when he saw a 1942 Harley Davidson WLA, identical to the one he rode in North Africa and Sicily.

“I was sure I saw this motorcycle in a storage building on this property on TV,” Burton said. “I just had to see it again. There’s about four of these motorcycles on the other floor. I just figured that maybe one of them has been painted over.”

It’s possible that it could be the one, according to the museum’s technical adviser, Brian Slark.

“When we bought them, they were already painted; they were already finished,” he said. “Who knows? They’re 60-70 years old, you never know.”

Standing next to the military Harley — the same vintage as his “Ginny” — Burton looked on with a mix of nostalgia and pride. “I feel like I could get up on it, crank it up and take off,” he said. Burton rode three motorcycles during his service, but “Ginny” was his favorite. When he was issued the bike, it already wore the name, which happened to be his mother’s name.

[Blackwater 53393]

The Barber's Museum is a marvel!! The building covers an acre of ground and is five stories tall!! There are all sorts of motorcycles on display, even hanging on the walls and stacked in racks as you enter the building.

 

I was there for opening day and was interviewed by Speed Chanel during the opening day events.

 

The "Porsche Experience"is also headquartered there. You can rent a Porsche and drive it on the race course during the week when the track isn't hosting a race.

 

On the basement floor you can watch them restore vintage race cars and all kinds of motorcycles!

 

It'll take you two days to see everything!!!

[Branchwater Jack SASS #88854]

 

It'll take you two days to see everything!!!

 

It will take you a day to see everyting they have on display.

 

Mr Barber is working on an addition so they can put more of the collection on display. A lot of it is still in warehouses.

 

The other neat thing about the collection...Each piece can be taken off the museum floor, have fluids done, and be put on the track.

 

And the track has been described as the Augusta National of race tracks. Sculpture and artwork everywhere.