![[British Car Week]](flag4.gif)
Page Two
With British cars on my mind on the hour long ride home today, a few
thoughts came to mind:
1) LBCs and their owners have no age limit.
The weather was beautiful here in Vermont earlier this month. I did
manage to burn up a tank and a half of gas prior to BCW99. On the 23rd I
got the TR3A all buffed up in prep for the week. Of course lousy weather
then set in. I did however get it out today (top up) and put about 28
miles on. I did see one other LBC, a TR7 or 8 I'm not sure which. He was
pulling out of a service station and I'm not sure he noticed my
thumbs-up. Our local club "British Motorcars of Vermont" will be holding
a fun rallye on Sunday, the long range weather forecast looks fairly
promising.
Regards,
Lou Young '60 TR3A
When I got home from work, Bea wispered to me "I
want to go riding around topless". Who was I to
say no to my 24 year old sweetheart? After all I
hadn't paid any attention to her this week, and it
was her week to go out. Down went her top. A few
minutes for some photos then we headed to town. We
didn't see any other LBC on the road on this short
drive, but we met a man who had in the past
restored a Healey 3000. We went through the
shopping center. Nothing but some American iron
and pleanty of Orientals. On the long way back
home we stopped by a house that has a LBC sitting
under a cover and left a note about BCW 99. Maybe
we will see them out and about tomorrow. I
promised Bea that she could take me to and from
work the rest of the week. She seemed happy and
ran a bit smoother all the way back home to the
garage.
Attached is a photo of us taken just before our
first BCW 99 drive.
Joe Bowers
Louisa, Va
I haven't seen another Brit car this week . We use the Healey quite
regularly anyhow, weather permitting. Last weekend we went up to
Downingtown, PA for an AHSTC outing. Met some great folks. It was great
and the car went great. About a 350 mi. round trip for us from southern DE.
lance
54 bn1
Seaford, DE
Had the Morgan out for a spin last night to see a friend in a
neighboring town. No LBCs were sighted, but got a few thumbs up from
the late commuters still on the road. I've kept my eye out on the way
back and forth to wok so far this week and have seen no LBCs but 3 Alfas
all with tops down! I normally don't see 3 of those in a year. What's
going on? I know central New Jersey has 100s of LBCs. Where are they?
Will try my local cruise night in Flanders this evening and see if I
can't do better.
Art Hart, Chester, NJ
I know there are a lot of lbc's around Southern California, but where
are they?????? I took the 3000 up to Santa Barbara on Sunday....Drove the
100 yesterday and the bugeye today......the only Brit cars I spotted are
late model Jag Saloons, the new sporty car Jag (Miata on steroids) and
one Sterling , if that qualifies. I've probably covered 400 miles in the
last 3 days without seeing a classic lbc.
Tomorrows another day
Hang in there....
Jim
Agoura, CA
Well the Britsh Car Week seems to be terribly effective out here in the
Boston suberbs...
I thought that I would miss out on all of the sightings this year due to a
Dr. prescribed bedrest, but while listening to the Manchester United game I
heard another English voice... a beautiful 3000 was tooling up our driveway!
My first thought was that it was one of the Healey club members but I came
to find that it was due to the owners interest in our old home! What are
the odds? At any rate, BCW seeems to be working, even if you can't
(shouldn't) get out of bed!
Dana
BN2 in Marlborough, MA
Drove into my chiro's parking lot this morning (in our 11 year old Jag -- almost a classic) to find a pretty purple MGB-GT. Asked whose it was and one of the other patients replied that it was his room-mate's who called from out of town and told him to drive it this week, but didn't say why.
Cheers,
Gary
I've been driving my BN6 to work everyday this week.
I normally drive it a few times a week. It had been ill for a bit (a carb
diaphram had ruptured) I fixed it in about twenty minutes in time to take it
out saturday for lot's of trips around town.
Down here there are many LBC's that regularly pop up. 'Haven't noticed much
increase in the count.
Rick Wlkins
So here I am in little old Bozeman MT, out in the middle of the wild west and I am seeing more British cars than most, since Monday I've seen three TR6's, two Jaguars, one MGB and of course Ophelia, my Spitfire (and one Miata, the top was actually DOWN!). Ok, it doesn't hurt that its been in the 80's, the first real week of Spring weather here and everybody has the fever to get out in the sun. Now let's see . . . how many errands can I find for myself to run today ????? Need anything from the store? I'll go!!!!
Have fun, drive in the sun :-)
Kevin
1956 100M BN2L 232855 has been out and about more than usual this week,
but has only seen a couple of LBCs here in the New Orleans area. This
is a special time for her, as on top of it being BCW, this Sunday, May
30, is her 43rd birthday!
What would really make her day would be to locate a repairable original
rear bumper to replace that ill-fitting repro.... .
Rudi Markl, 100M
Took the Morgan out to the local (Flanders, NJ) cruise night in search
of LBCs. Weather here is warm, clear and breezy although it was a cool
breeze last night. An MGB and a TR7 also showed up along with a
fiberglass XK120 replica that had me fooled from 20 yards away. I drove
the car to work this morning (20 miles) leaving at 5:50AM. At that hour
I saw no LBCs and in fact hardly any cars of any kind. Hoping for some
sightings the evening.
Art Hart, Chester, NJ
'64 Morgan +4
Well, I've been driving my TR6 all week and I've only seen 3 other
British cars. One was a big, white Roller but I doubt the driver was
driving it because it's BCW. I saw a woman in a Jaguar XJ6 but I think
she also probably wasn't participating in BCW. Then there was a guy in a
white Rubber Bumper MGB, and that's all. What's up? Where is everybody?
Jim
Here it is Friday and I haven't written anything yet so I best get down to it! I actually started the celebration off a day early as I took MaryMGB and joined 4 other members of Boston Area MGs and we drove up to Bedford New Hampshire to help fill in British Motorcars of New Hampshire's space in that towns Memorial Day parade. That was a great way to start off too as we added 2 MGBs, 2 Midgets (both yellow too) and a TD to BMCNH's 2 E-types, 2 TR-6s, a Spitfire, a Jaguar Mk X, another MGB and a couple of cool non-Brits (66 Pontiac Bonneville ragtop and a Willys Jeepster). The kids loved us - I can still hear some of them yelling MG! MG! MGBMary's decidely non-stock exhaust rumble met with great approval from the younger set! We had a nice dinner at Shortys after the parade and later heard that BMCNH had won the car club prize in the parade!
Monday was pretty much a washout - the only driving done that day was to take the big kitty over to shop to get a leaking left side fuel tank fixed. Work and lots of it restricted LBC use during the week to just a couple of short hops until this afternoon. Summer hours have kicked in producing freedom at 1 pm every friday from now until Labor Day. I hopped in MGBMary, put the top down and headed off to pick up her namesake for the weekend. I passed another 'B on the way and a few Jags - sun and warm temperature made for a great drive on the way to get Mary. Arriving in Franklin, Mary was cheering to one of her little friends - it's the MGB! Soon every kid in the place was checking the car out - Mary proudly telling them that it's British Racing Green and thats one of her favorite colors!
Tomorrow the XJ-6 comes home - housebroken once more and we'll give him a few miles during the day - I think Mary and I will take the MGB and crash the local hot rod party at Nick's Ice Cream stand tomorrow night.
Attached is a shot of Mary and MaryMGB - ready to roll!
Cheers,
A.J. Owens - Jaguar Association of New England / Boston Area MG Club
1985 Jaguar XJ-6 Series III
1978 MGB Roadster (Mary)
I've driven my '77 tahiti blue MGB to work twice this week. Work is 25
miles one way, saw just one LBC today, a rubber bumper B. Where is every
body? Well I'm having a blast by myself chillin` in the car I spent all
weekend waxing.
best wishes, Wynston
Well, this blows. I've been driving my car all week (even when its
been cloudy!!) and haven't seen the first LBC in the Hampton Roads area.
Closest I've come is a 53 Fiat and a vintage Volvo! I tried to explain to
the drivers that they shouldn't be out on the road during this particular
week, but I don't think I made much progress. My car doesn't like this.
She's starting to feel slighted. Please don't make her mad. Her temper
tantrums cause me great heartache....and money.
Only one day left. Don't be shy!!
Quick report on some (ie mine) happenings in Southern Ontario.
Last week (hope it still counts), Scott Morris of the AHCSO organised a
sunday drive for our club together with the Porsche 356 club, The run
began at the British Sportscar Club's "Wheels and Wings" show at
Hamilton airport. (See Cover page of this months Healey Marque for a
picture of last years Wheels & Wings). Scott, who lives in the area arranged a 60 mile drive to Port Dover on Lake Erie, through superb country roads with virtually no traffic or stop signs, The weather was absoluely perfect.
I must say the turn out of Healeys was a let down considering the size
of our club. Just Scott's tri carb, my 58 BN4, an immaculate, just
restored BJ8 and a very nice frogeye. A spitfire and a couple of MGB's
also tagged along. The 356's were well represented with about 8 cars out
of a much smaller ,membership. A nice selection of coupes and
covertibles and a replica speedster. Scott led the way with a couple of Porsches on his tail. Well I guess one thing led to another and it got a bit competitive. The run became very "brisk" as we defended Healey honour. Was that brake fade I detected near the end?
We finished with a great lunch and a pint. This is surely what its all
about. Not fiddling with fuel pumps, or going on treasure hunts, or
concours or whatever, just driving the cars as they were intended to be
driven. It doesnt take any planning either, just a couple of phone
calls a few cars and a great time. We need to do much more of it.
Cheers & thanks again to Scott Morris
Derek Job
I remembered to check the Weebsite on the 25th. Since my 5 British
Fords aren't finished (the '65 Ford Corsair's almost done), I took out the '74 TR6. It seems to get attention,partly because of its color (the aptly British named Mimosa Yellow!). I actually had someone older than me (I'm 43) ask me what kind of car it was.
Anyway, here in Eureka, California we see British cars on a daily basis. I'm also trying to set up a run in July to get people to get their cars out & drive them.
But hey, I'll be ready for next year!
Was happy to see an well restored MGB today during my lunch break
today. This was in Bensalem, PA (about 10mi north of Philadelphia along
the Delaware). I will be driving my Bugeye into work tommorrow for the
first time. Trying to coax my co-worker who owns a Spitfire (with GT6 motor) to join me in the endevor. Took the supercharged Sprite out tonight for about a half hour. Wonderful clear night. She is really running great.
Didn't stop to chat to the onlookers.
We just returned from the dance, my BT7 and me. Our local school had a
graduation dance with the theme " Back in Time ". I put the Healey in the gym and instead of a sign " look but don't touch " , I let 85 kids sit in the car for pictures and just plane old " lookin good" with their friends. They absolutley loved it !!! The car has about a 1000 finger prints and the biggest smile on the grill I have ever seen. I hope some of these kids will grow up to be future Healey owners.
Jim
Yesterday I finally spotted another LBC, a nice looking MG-TD with dad and two kids, on my way to Wilmington, DE. Also saw a nice MGB that was trading owners when I stopped at my bank ATM. The new owner to be, a lovely young lady, was smiling as wide as my BJ7 grill. Only one more day left. I think I may park my BJ7 out by our community pool which is next to US 50. Anyone going to the beach from the Wash-Balt area has to go down that road, and
needless to say there is lots of traffic this weekend.
What a lovely day. Some friends in thier BJ8 came by and we did about a 40 mile drive from Denver south to Palmer Lake. Lined up along the lake were Triumphs, MG's including a TF, About a dozen Healey's, Jaguars, a Beautiful drop head Riley, BSA's, Triumph Bikes and lots of other British transportation. Probably more than fifty. Including a 100-M with it's original owner Chuck Byerly and his wife. Picnic lunches and good conversation was in abundance. Even a 55' T-bird dropped by to say "Hi". Of course we did get an excellent light display provided by Mother Nature along with superb sound effects which brought with it the mandatory gentle natures own car wash. But not enough to put up the hood. A nice end to a Proper British Car Week. Hope yours was just as enjoyable!
Cheers,
Richard Gordon And Mr. Bloom the BT7 waiting for his Bowler.
Report from the Western suburbs of Chicago -
I took Wednesday off and did a good deal of running around in my '79 Midget. We drove the 40 miles to the far southern suburbs to my in-laws where my wife wanted to plant some flowers while her folks are on vacation in Florida. So with the boot full of flower flats and a large bucket of dirt behind the
seats we set out. The bucket behind the seat took up the area the top folds down into so I was embarrassed to be travelling top up as we went by a red and white big Healey that was pulling out of a gas station. It was top down of course. I recognized the driver - it was Jack Feldman who is also on the list and lives 3 or 4 miles from me. Proper waves and thumbs up were
exchanged.
While at my in-laws, I tried to fire up my MGA which is kept in their garage to take it out but it refused to start. I think when I replaced the leaking carb jets last year, I never went back through and re-tuned it. So that will be done on our next trip down there. Didn't have time to go through step by step on Wednesday and hadn't brought all my tools anyway. Our only other LBC sighting was a yellow TR6 sitting outside a repair shop. It was top down as if recently driven.
Tomorrow morning we pack up the Midget and motor south to Urbana for the
Champagne British Car Festival. The plan is to take the backroads and enjoy the open country roads that are a great contrast to the urban congestion in our area. Can't wait to see that scurvy lot of V8ers and old friends down south. Hopefully they convinced the hotel to lay in enough beer this year.
Now where did I put my eye patch and parrot...
Kim Tonry
Downers Grove, Illinois
Wasn't this week supposed to be British Car Week? Hasn't been any mention
of it on the list the last couple of days. And I have yet to see any British cars at all this week besides my own (which isn't unusual here in Montana). To commemorate what I thought was British Car week, I put my 67BGT in
regular service this week for the first time in over 7 years. I should
mention that I bought this car over the Internet a few months ago.
I had one problem that delayed its entry until Tuesday - the spare tire,
some old bias ply tire, was flat and wouldn't maintain pressure. So I took it to the tire shop near work Monday morning and bought a used radial.
Back in the 70s, I remember difficulties getting wire wheels fixed (most
tire shops would freak out about the spokes bending on their machine or
even look at innertubes as some primitive artifact) but these guys at
Staley's Tire took my the tire with no commentary (as if it was just a
normal wheel), replaced the innertube, sold me a used tire, and balanced
it, all for $24. Later, the guy had to tell me about the Austin Healy he
used to own.
So the 67 is running like a well tuned machine. Still needs mostly cosmetic work but it has been surprising how well it has bounced back after all
those years of not being used.
David, 67 BGT, 71 BGT
Same here in Colorado. I may have seen a tr4 fly by, but was busy watching the trafic and it went by fast. Those expeditions are so big next to my
car and I have no horn. I have seen an MGBGT and several jags but no other triumphs. I have to drop one kid off at the high school then drop the
other off at the middle school a half hour later, they are right next to
each other with a neighborhood street setting. I must say I get a lot of
looks and thumbs up. So far,4 days of exposure. I came out of a
restaurant yesterday and found a guy admiring the car yesterday. I must
say, I am having fun, I would like to see more triumphs on the road tho.
Happy driving everyone.
Jane '67 GT6
Wow! did we ever have great weather in Vt. today for the "British
Motorcars of Vermont" annual spring fun rallye. It was warm and
beautifully sunny. At least 15 cars showed up and we had a grand time
touring through the "Champlain Islands". It was about a 50-60 mile tour
with the directions all in verse. Triumph was well represented, a TR2, 2
TR3As, a TR6, and a TR7. Two Jags, an XK120 and an XKE coupe. An AH
Sprite, 1 Mini, 1 Land Rover, a couple MG Midgets, a couple MGBs and one
interloper, an Alpha Romeo (his TR250 is still in restoration). It was a
great way to cap off BCW. In spite of the awful weather early on in the
week I managed to put 198 miles on my TR3A during the week. One of our
prize categories is for number of miles driven during BCW. The XK120 won
that with I believe it was 467 miles driven this BCW.
Regards, Lou Young ('60 TR3-A)
Today I took a drive to the South Shore of Mass from the Metro West side of Boston and saw, along with the minivan horde and lots of Harleys, a Model A Ford roadster and a Model A pickup, one MGA in robin's egg blue and a blue TR-6. It was a perfect day for a Morgan. Low 80's inland and high 60's at the coast.
Regards to all.
Jerry Murphy
'67 +4 6676
After an inauspicous start (rain and an job interview on Monday, sunny
and another job interview after work on Wednesday) i managed to drive
my Healey to work 3 out of the 5 working days this week. Saw no other
British cars here on Long Island, however. Someone
was visiting my neighbor across the street with a red Porsche 356 convertible today.
We had the MG out today for the first time in about a month.
With my son and daughter home from college and one of my son's friends
visiting while looking for a job in NYC I have to move 6 cars in order
to get the MG out of the garage. The Healey is a bit easier, only
4 cars have to be moved.
Peter Schauss, Long Island, NY
1963 BJ7,
1980 MGB
Well, I sort of participated in the spectacle of British Car Week III in
two different Triumphs -- around 80-90 miles each. OK, they were on a
trailer behind my Explorer, but at least they saw light of day. During
retrieval of the first (TR3A), we did see an XK8 Coupe'. And yesterday,
while traveling north on the NYS Thruway (I-87) somewhere North of
Kingston, NY, I (towing home a sadly rusted but great for organ donations
early Herald Coupe') sas a southbound U-Haul truck with a white TR6 on a
trailer in tow (anyone on the list?).
And today, while doing yard work, I watched an early Sunbeam Alpine go
by. Not too much else, though....
- --Andy
Well, the week started out cold and a bit rainy, and I wasn't able to get my 1976 BRG TR6 out for a drive toward the beginning of the week. By Wednesday, Mother Nature provided us with some gorgeous weather here in Northern, Indiana, and I was able to enjoy some truly great early morning drives to work, then enjoyed taking the long way home, by ripping and roaring through the back roads, waking up the cows and horses. One of my coworkers owns a 1980 BRG TR8, and we parked them side by side in the parking lot, which created a lot of conversation about little British cars. Quite a few people commented that they had never seen these cars before (wow, did I ever feel dated!!), and asked a lot of questions. There were others who used to own a British car or two, and commented on their great memories, and how they missed that car today. Scott Helms
Scott, Actually, for an accurate count of interesting car sightings
yesterday, you should add my brother Paul's 9 passenger 1950 Plymouth
woodie in which we cruised all around Scituate, Mass. yesterday delivering
our teen age daughters and their friends to various swimming spots. later
on my older daughter Margaret, who's 19, got to take the Morgan off by
herself to a barbeque at her friend's.
To me, there's nothing as cute as a tiny auburn haired girl putting a
bright yellow Morgan vigorously and competently through its paces. To see
over the wheel, she augments the Morgan's airbladder seat cushion with a
throw pillow underneath! I know some lbc owners wouldn't let their kids
anywhere near their cherished beauties, but I'd much rather encourage them
to enjoy these cars as much as I do.
Regards!
Jerry
I'm still trying to figure the connection, but there must be a way to tie
British Car Week with changing oil and cannister filter on the 67 MGBGT and
mucking up one of the oil seals so I could pump 4+ quarts of oil on the
garage floor last week! Normally it takes months to get that much oil out;
I guess we wanted to do it during British Car Week!
Rich Bogen
On 5-27-99 Jon wise(wiseones@mindspring.com) writes:
2) Lucas is everything it's cracked up to be.
3) The headlights won't work if the dip switch is bad. And it's probably
bad if it's been in water for 7 years.
4) The starter will never turn if you don't connect the confounded earth
lead from the engine to the body/frame or the gearbox to the propeller shaft.
5) That confounded earth strap only exists in the manual as a part number -
no pictures, no diagrams, no nothing.
6) LBC owners are special people - sometimes even unique.
7) Wire wheels are like people. The older they get, the more they wobble.
8) The deck, the bonnet, and the hood are not fads.
9) It's more fun to drive on the parkway than to park on the driveway. (A
plug for BCW.) Roll'em!
10) Rust is invisible to the naked eye. But touch a "fixer-upper" with
sandpaper and voila!
On 5-27-99 Lou Young (lmyoung@together.net) writes:
On 5-27-99 Joe Bowers (jmbiii@mnsinc.com) writes:
![[British Car Week]](joenbea.jpg)
On 5-27-99 Lance Werner (brshwrks@bellatlantic.net) writes:
On 5-27-99 Art Hart (arthart@bell-labs.com) writes:
On 5-27-99 Jim Agoura (bjate@pacbell.net) writes:
On 5-28-99 Dana (doefte@MSN.com) writes:
On 5-28-99 Gary (Editorgary@aol.com) writes:
On 5-28-99 Rick (WilKo@aol.com) writes:
On 5-28-99 Kevin (kevinheimsoth@prodigy.net) writes:
On 5-28-99 Rudi (rmarkl@bellsouth.net) writes:
On 5-28-99 Art (arthart@bell-labs.com) writes:
On 5-29-99 Jim Sudduth (jims@autodesk.com) writes:
On 5-29-99 A.J. Owens (AJOWENS@aol.com) writes:
![[British Car Week]](mary.gif)
On 5-29-99 Temiwumi Edun (wyndebedun@email.msn.com) writes:
On 5-29-99 (Gold1434@aol.com) writes:
On 5-29-99 Derek Job(jdjob@sympatico.ca) writes:
On 5-29-99 Doug Milota (milota@tidepool.com) writes:
On 5-29-99 Dean Hedin (dhedin@vsi.net) writes:
On 5-29-99 Jim Briske (jbriske@jps.net) writes:
On 5-30-99 Don Dietrich (dietrich@dmv.com) writes:
On 5-30-99 Richard Gordon & Mr. Bloom (HealeyAuto@aol.com) wrote:
On 5-30-99 Kim Growler (KGrowler@aol.com) wrote:
On 5-30-99 David Councill (dcouncil@imt.net) wrote:
On 5-30-99 Jane Burdekin (burdekij@bvsd.k12.co.us) wrote:
On 5-30-99 Lou Young (lmyoung@together.net) wrote:
On 5-30-99 Jerry Murphy (Murphys@ziplink.net) wrote:
On 5-30-99 Peter Schauss (schauss@worldnet.att.net) wrote:
On 5-30-99 Andrew Mace (president of VTR) (amace@unix2.nysed.gov) wrote:
On 5-31-99 Scott Helms (Austrheamgafun@arczip.com) wrote:
During the week, our local club held a British invasion at one of the local businesses in Elkhart, Indiana. On Saturday, a group of us got together to end the week with a scenic tour of Amish Country in Southern Elkhart County, then a picnic in Syracuse, at Lake Wawasee.
I noticed a few more British cars on the road in my area this past week than I have the previous weeks. Whether it was a fluke or not is a mystery to me. Toward the end of this week I spotted a Pimento Red TR6 (twice), a little red Austin-Healey square bodied Sprite, a few MGB's, Midget's, and a Spitfire. I have to admit though, in past years I've spotted more British examples on the roads during this last week of May than I have this year.
I did however see a few other older model sports cars, manufactured in other countries, on the roads this past week that I haven't seen in my neighborhood before. It made me wonder if some of the other marque's clubs have adopted this week for their own purposes. If so, that's great! The more the merrier! Several Fiat 124 spyders, a BRG Alfa Romeo, and several older Porsche's and Mercedes to name a few. Miata's were out in full force on Saturday, making me wonder whether there was a Miata convention in the area. I had never seen so many in one day.
Nevertheless, I had a great week just enjoying my little British car, and I feel that the week was a success. I have received a lot of letters (and plucked a few from some of the SOL lists) as you have probably already read on this web site. Most of them were very positive, but I noticed quite a few writings from people who wondered why they hadn't seen many other LBC's on the road during this week. That is precisely why we are doing this; because these cars are in fact becoming less and less frequent on the American roads, and if it weren't for the people who still maintain these cars, they would be even more scarce.
It is a fact that spotting these cars on the roads has become much less frequent, and maybe we're not seeing a large increase in popularity during British Car Week in some areas, because of this year's weather, or maybe there just aren't very many drivable, licensed examples out there, but at least many of us are still enjoying our cars, and giving them "some" exposure. That in itself just might spark the interest in someone who might have the desire to get their car out and drive it next year...... If you think back, isn't that how you got in to this hobby to begin with?
![[Drivers]](lbcdvrs.gif)
On 5-31-99 Jerry (Murphys@ziplink.net) wrote:
On 5-31-99 Rich Bogen (n9amw@execpc.com) wrote:
72 MGB roadster,
67 MGBGT
![[Official Logo]](bcwlogo.gif)
Back to main page