Positive Earth

More Images from the Last Days of MG-Rover

2012-01-26T14:07:00.000-06:00

MG-TF Bodyshell -Courtesy Clubcela

The former assembly plant of MG-Rover has been mentioned in several posts on this humble blog, but I can't resist adding one more.

The Spanish -language Clubcela website dedicated to urban exploration ran a selection of photos gathered by explorers of the shut down Longbridge plant. A large number of the buildings documented here are now demolished, making way for a redevelopment project. Others are still in use and they are where the UK assembly of the new MG car line will be carried out.

Check out the photos here.

Mugs & Motors Coffee Mug

2012-01-16T23:31:00.000-06:00

Mug & Motors is one of the more popular events on the SABCC activity calendar. We meet early at a local coffee establishment (if they have baked goods it's a plus!) for coffee and conversation for motoring enthusiasts to kick off a day's club activity.

In the last several years we've visited most of the coffee purveyors in Mobile and on the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay. The sight of classic British cars in the parking lot usually results in a number curious browsers and is always good for the coffee shop's business, too.

You can show your support for Mugs & Motors with the official SABCC Mugs & Motors coffee cup. Check out the entire selection of SABCC items at the SABCC Cafe Press shop.

Your coffee never tasted so good!

A New Look for the SABCC Website

2012-01-16T21:31:00.001-06:00

If you haven't looked in on the South Alabama British Car Club's website lately, you may be in for a bit of a surprise. This afternoon, the newly renovated site went live.

A lot of the content will be familiar but the graphics -as well as a number of features- are brand new. Some of the improvements include:

An events calendar with all the latest SABCC events noted. There is even a mapping feature that shows the location of the event on Google Maps.
A photo slide show consisting of photos from the mid 1990s until the present time.
Easier to use navigation buttons and links to help you find your way around the site.
More photos from club events.
An expanded links page.

We owe a debt of gratitude to club president Richard Cunningham for his efforts in mastering some new web site creation software to bring these improvements to fruition. The original SABCC web was launched in the late 1990s on the gone but not forgotten Geocities hosting platform. I worked up a web site mostly as a personal challenge to see if I could do one. As time passed, the club reserved the sabcc.org URL (having just nosed out the South Australian Blind Cricket Club for the address) and then moved to paid hosting servers.

If you would like to see the changes the club web site has undergone over the years, check out these links:

As you can see the site has undergone many changes - some good and some best forgotten. Bear in mind that the Wayback Machine Internet Archive does not do a perfect job of rendering the old sites, but it's close. Sadly, the Geocities site is long defunct.

We will be making a number of further improvements in the site as time permits.

The "Australian" Stop on the Tour of the Empire

2012-01-16T10:25:00.000-06:00

Checking out Menus

The 2012 activity calendar of the South Alabama British Car Club was kicked off last Saturday evening with another stop on the club's Tour of the Empire - the gustatory visit of nations of the former British Empire.

Mobile, Alabama is a middling large city (somewhere in the top 100 in America) so we have a few restaurants representing those former holdings. To date, we've "visited" Hong Kong, India and Jamaica and the members were looking forward to the Australian stop in the form of the Outback Steakhouse.

Before the hate mail rolls in from the island continent let me let me state clearly that I know that there is a decided lack of true Aussie cuisine available on the Outback Steakhouse menu, but play along with us - we enjoyed a good meal and the fine company of our fellow club members. As soon as a brave soul opens an eatery serving items like meat pies and sausage rolls, we'll be some of the first in line to try it. For now, this chain restaurant will have to do.

The gap in the tables was for the fire marshal

The Outback staff was ready for our group of 25 hungry souls and sat us in a long line of tables and benches. With just two servers taking care of our group, the drinks and appetizers were served quickly and mostly error-free. The signature "Bloomin' Onion" was a popular choice, but it is certainly a cardiologist's nightmare. Yeah, our table had one, too.

The SABCC'ers were in deep conversation about everything from current automotive projects and activity ideas to keeping up with family news and welcoming new members. The arrival of the entrees (perfectly timed to hit the tables at almost the same moment) was the only thing that quietened the chatter.

Oi mate - your Union Jack is upside down!

Choices ranged from beef to seafood and combinations of the two. With just a couple of minor exceptions, the meals were delivered as ordered and everyone enjoyed their respective choices. With portions as large as were served the dessert menu was untouched and we took our leave.

Stepping out of the restaurant into the cool night air we were greeted with the unmistakable aroma of cannabis. Someone was somewhere in the parking lot was working on their own illegal smile.

So where will the next stop on the tour be? Right now, the list includes Ireland and the good ol' US of A. Stay tuned for details.

Counterfeit BMIHT Heritage Certificates

2012-01-12T12:23:00.002-06:00

Courtesy Classic & Sports Car Magazine

Classic & Sports Car magazine posted an article detailing how false Heritage Certificates have been discovered recently. While a bit of a novelty here in the USA, the certificates are accepted as legitimate documentation of an automobile's build date and, important for taxation purposes, the registration date in the UK.

A Heritage Certificate will confirm the details of the cars original paint color, options, dispatch date and to which dealer it was shipped to in America. SABCC'er and E-Type restorer Richard Cunningham applied for and received one for his 1964 E-Type coupe. It is an impressive document that will do any owner proud.

See the C&SC article here.

London Reinterprets an Icon

2012-01-03T12:05:00.000-06:00

Is it possible to read an article about London without seeing an image of a red double decker bus? No more likely than not seeing Big Ben, a red phone box or a black cab.

Transport for London (TfL) recently ran a competition to redesign the bus to bring it into the 21st century while maintaining the visual cues that would make it instantly recognizable. The winner of the competition is making a tour of London this month and is pictured here.

From:the TfL web site:

The new bus for London is a bus the Capital can be proud of. Inspired by the old Routemaster, it is modern, fully accessible and uses the latest green technology.

It's the first bus designed specifically for the Capital's streets for more than 50 years. Passengers will be able to hop on and off through three sets of doors. When a conductor is on board, passengers can also use the open rear platform.

It is so iconic that SABCC arranged to have one present at last year's British Car Festival.

Morgan Celebrates the 4/4's Jubliee Year

2011-12-30T11:33:00.000-06:00

Morgan Motor Company has unveiled a commemorative 4/4 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the introduction of the firm's first four wheel, four cylinder vehicle. Until 1937, Morgans were three-wheeled affairs powered by two cylinder air cooled engines.

Official Morgan Photo

From the official Morgan press release:

"Today Morgan Motor Company announced the specification for the latest Morgan Four Four offering. Created to honour the 75th anniversary of the iconic Morgan 4/4, the Anniversary edition will be produced as a limited run special. Morgan Motor Company state that the 75th Anniversary combines “the low size and weight benefits of the entry level 4/4 with the power train from the larger more powerful Morgan Plus 4. A carefully selected set of standard options, with additional unique body graphics, completes arguably the best standard combination of body, engine and aesthetic in the Morgan Classic range.”This new Morgan 4/4 Sports car is being offered in 3 colours: Sport Black, Sport Red and Old English White. All come with black perforated leather interior, carpets, hood and wheels. The dashboard is polished Tawny ash and a Mota Lita wheel is standard. The combination of the Ford sourced 2.0 engine from the Classic Plus 4 and the narrow wings of the standard 4/4 should make for a very spirited drive.

The car is available for £38,750 (Approx US$60,000) + on the road charges from Morgan Motor Company and their associated dealers".

At present it is unclear whether it will be offered in the US.

MGs in the Constabulary

2011-12-28T13:56:00.001-06:00

I found this gem of an old advert at the MG Owners Holland website. I've written about police service MGs before but I've never seen an ad touting the connection. This obviously pre-war ad proudly notes that 33 police departments chose MGs. I'm not sure what models these are, but they may be NAs. Any positive identification would be appreciated.

Merry Christmas from Positive Earth!

2011-12-23T00:00:00.000-06:00

Hubcap Tree by Champion Auto Sales, Arundel, Maine via the Hemmings Blog

To all of you who frequent this humble blog, may I take this opportunity to wish you a most joyous Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Gamers, Geeks and Nerds

2011-12-15T14:29:00.001-06:00

The Internet owes a great deal to the thousands of hobbyists, volunteers and basement dwellers that obsessively gather and catalog the information that many of us have come to rely on. Some of it is very good while some is not so much. One crowd-sourced web site I've written about in these humble scribblings is the Internet Movie Car Database. This monumental consumer of time lists movies from around the world along with screenshots of the cars that appeared in them. It is a snap to enter the name of the film and see a list of cars that can be seen in it, or enter your favorite marque and look at the list of films.

A recent offshoot of the IMCDb is the Internet Game Cars Database, where (you guessed it) the same treatment is given the world of cars in video games. It's still a work in progress, but it offers the same database search capability as the movie database.

Now if I could only figure out how to get the Jaguar E-Type prize car in Gran Turismo 4, I'd be a happy boy.

SABCC Christmas Lunch & Awards Ceremony

2011-12-13T18:21:00.000-06:00

Outgoing Prez Noel Eagleson (left) with Membership VP Jack Ross

South Alabama British Car Club wrapped up their 21st year with the final event on the club calendar; the annual Christmas party and awards presentation. This year, the club returned to The Spot of Tea breakfast/brunch establishment on Cathedral Square in Downtown Mobile.

Club President Noel Eagleson closed out his third year in office with a heartfelt speech of gratitude to the membership for their confidence in keeping him in office for a record three terms. He told the club that his charming wife had returned from a multi-year overseas assignment and would be working in the northeastern US for the foreseeable future. He said looked forward to spending time with her there while maintaining their permanent home in Mobile. Ever the gentleman, Noel immediately turned the leadership gavel over to newly elected president Richard Cunningham to preside over the rest of the morning's activities.

Chatting Prior to Lunch

Don Pritchett, creator of the popular diorama-style British Car Festival awards was called forward to present Noel with a special three-dimensional award that blended symbols of the American South with items from the British car hobby and Noel's Irish roots. Richard Cunningham then presented Noel with a plaque commemorating his three years of service as club president.

Richard then read out the list of SABCC officers elected to serve for 2012. They are:

President - Richard Cunningham
Vice President-Membership - Jack Ross
Vice President-Activities - Rodney McDonald
Secretary-Becky Kramer
Treasurer-Donna Cunningham
Newsletter Editor - Robb Ogletree
Members-at-Large - Mike Darby, Ron Wolverton, John Shaw
Technical Adviser - Pierre Fontana

Since the club is not one to stand on ceremony, there aren't any badges or oaths of office - just "These guys are the officers, now let's eat," or something similar.

New President and Outgoing President

The most anticipated part of the event is the list of awards - some more serious than others, but all of them are presented with the club's gratitude. The 2011 awards recipients were:

Grillmaster - Chris Cronk
Colorful Character - Sandy Walter
Suffering Spouse - Barbara Shaw
Most Creative - Rodney McDonald *blush*
Rookie of the Year - David Turnipseed
Most Helpful - Kent Padgham
Special Appreciation - Mason Blosser, Donna Jarvis, Linda Ross, Donna Cunningham

For the second year in a row, Ron Wolverton and Becky Kramer picked up and returned the tables and chairs that we used during the morning. This is a rather demanding task and SABCC certainly thanks them for their hard work in making sure the day went smoothly. The club would also like to thank Donna Cunningham for making the arrangements with The Spot of Tea and helping the membership get their reservations in on time.

Root for the Home Team at Battleship Rugby

2011-12-09T11:28:00.001-06:00

Get ready to see how a real leather ball game is played when South Alabama British Car Club visits the Battleship Rugby Football Club on Saturday, February 11th at 1 PM. The home team is hosting the Jackson (MS) Rugby Football Club on the pitch at Battleship Park in Mobile

The team has kindly invited us to park our British cars together near the pitch in a display while we enjoy the match. We plan to arrive around 12:30 or so and set up a tailgate event so we can enjoy lunch while the tough guys battle it out. Depending on logistics, we may be bringing the club pop up canopy and our club flag to stake our part of the field. We've even been invited to tag along to the team's watering hole to help them celebrate their victory or drown their sorrows, if you are so inclined. There are details to be worked out, but we will have the word out by email. Heck, we're even inviting the gang from the Mardi Gras MGs and the Panhandle British Car Association as well!

If you are not up to speed on the finer points of this exciting sport, our own Noel Eagleson will be conducting a primer on rugby at the January SABCC meeting.

Stay tuned for details!

An Ad That Pushes All the Right Buttons

2011-12-07T16:43:00.001-06:00

What a shame we don't have more roads like the one in this Triumph TR6 advert from 1973. Purportedly an English back road it shows the TR6 at its best - top down on a sunny day. It really makes you want to call the toll-free phone number at the bottom of the page to get in touch with your Triumph dealer

The only thing that's missing is a lovely young companion in the passenger seat.

This is Where Your Classic Mini was Built

2011-12-06T07:35:00.001-06:00

The Austin Longbridge Site - Google Earth

The screen capture included in this post is of the Austin assembly site in Longbridge, Birmingham. In addition to the original Mini, Austin (and the later successors BMC, BMH, Leyland, etc. ) manufactured various saloon cars, trucks and a number of models exported to the US such as the Nash Metropolitan.

The site was sold off to a real estate developer early in the last decade by MG-Rover who then leased back a portion to continue production of both Rovers and MGs until the under financed firm went into receivership.Prior to BMW's divestiture of Rover and MG, the modern MINI was scheduled to be built there, but instead went to the old Morris Cowley plant in Oxfordshire.

You can see a number of brownfield areas in the photograph; these were once covered by production buildings that were removed by the developers to make way for new buildings, some of which include shopping malls, housing and a college campus.

For an in-depth look at the Austin site and a history of the Austin marque, you cannot do better than to visit the excellent Austin Memories site run by John Baker. It is indeed a labor of love and I promise that you will spend a great deal of time browsing it.

SABCC Tour of the Empire (with Apologies to Australia)

2011-12-02T16:02:00.001-06:00

The first activity on the 2012 SABCC calendar is the next stop on the Tour of the Empire - Australia.

For the last two years, the members of South Alabama British Car Club have "visited" nations of the former British Empire by sampling the cuisine of those places. To date, we've visited Hong Kong, India and Jamaica (twice!). For our visit to the land down under, we'll have to use a stand-in and that will be the Australian themed Outback Steakhouse.

I doubt you'll find items like meat pies, sausage rolls or even Vegemite on the menu, but we'll have a great time having a meal with friends. Mark your calendars now: Saturday, January 14th at 7:00PM at the Outback Steakhouse location at 901 Montlimar Drive just south of Airport Boulevard in Mobile.

SABCC Movie Night - A Small But Enthusiastic Crowd

2011-11-25T15:40:00.001-06:00

Garagemahal Theatre Ready for the Feature

The third in the SABCC Movie Night series was the most over-the-top effort yet from event host and AV expert Richard Cunningham. Using his contacts in the display and video industry, he was able to obtain the largest screen we've ever had along with a high-powered video projector to go with his amped-up sound system. The transformation of the spacious garage into movie theater mode was the result of a full day's work by Richard and his visiting guest, Steve Madosik of Colorado. Thanks, guys!

As always, the popcorn machine was ably attended by our own Jack Ross who made sure that bags of the steaming, buttery delicacy were ready for the crowd. Donna Cunningham had coffee ready as well as an artfully-arranged selection of theater-style candy nearby.

A Few of the British Cars in Attendance

This year, the feature was Tucker - The Man and His Dream and it did not disappoint the audience made up of SABCC'ers and members of the Panhandle British Car Association and the Mardi Gras MGs. The film traced the arc of the flamboyant Preston Tucker's foray into the automobile manufacturing business and the ultimate failure of the venture due to powerful industrial and political interest's behind the scenes efforts. It was a story of unflagging optimism meeting the forces special interests.

The attendees brought along their own comfy chairs for the evening (this is a garage, you know) and arranged them for their own "best seat in the house", some of them almost under Richard's Jaguar E-Type restoration project sitting high on the lift. A brief intermission allowed everyone to refill their snacks and drinks in preparation for the second half of the film.

Mike Darby Chats with Jeannie Schmitz

Everyone who attended expressed their appreciation for the film and efforts of our hosts with round of applause at the end of the feature. People were in no hurry to depart, such was the pleasure of the event.

SABCC owes a debt of thanks to Richard and Donna Cunningham and to their guest Steve Madosik for their hard work and hospitality on the evening.

Another Half-Century Observance

2011-11-17T12:23:00.001-06:00

Mini Cooper

If you want know when the golden age of British automotive industry occurred, check out the several posts I've put up this year observing a number of "50th Anniversaries". Yep, it hit its stride 50 years ago.

The latest addition to the 2011 fifty year anniversary parade is the Mini Cooper. While the original Mini was introduced in 1959, it took only two years for John Cooper (of competition car building fame) to convince BMH Chairman Sir Leonard Lord and Mini designer Alec Issigonis that the little car had performance possibilities and then develop it for sale.

Cooper added a hotted-up engine, front disc brakes and a much improved gearchange along a few cosmetic alterations. The package proved quite popular with weekend racers and rally entrants.

Happy birthday little guy!

British Car Festival 2012

2011-11-17T07:57:00.001-06:00

Click image for larger version

The Executive Board of the South Alabama British Car Club has selected Saturday, October 20 as the date for the 22nd edition of British Car Festival. The festival will once again be on the South Lawn of Faulkner State Community College's Fairhope Campus and it will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the MGB - the most popular British sports car ever made.

MINI of Pensacola is on board as title sponsor for the fourth year running. Thank you for your continued support, MINI of Pensacola.

The 2011 festival was one of the most successful SABCC events ever and I hope you will make plans now to join us next year!

There Will Always Be an England

2011-11-11T16:02:00.001-06:00

While we Yanks tow trailers, the British enjoy "caravanning" wherein the hobby's participants travel to twee camp sites in search of peace and quiet and perhaps a little socializing. Top Gear presenters never miss an opportunity to heap scorn on caravanners, but they likely never saw a caravan rally.

The British Pathé website- that repository of all things properly British - has clip of a caravan rally that took place in 1960. Having never seen a rally, I have to admit I was seriously impressed with the events that the planners put forth and the gusto with which the participants approached them. I am certainly captivated with the tow cars in the film with Jaguars, Rovers, Humbers and even a punching-above-its-weight-class Mini. Hot laps, smoking panic stops and a tight slalom are featured prominently.

Check out the clip and see if you can identify the estate car about three quarters of the way through the film for me.

CARAVAN RALLY

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A Metropolitan Finds a Home in Mobile

2011-11-10T15:48:00.001-06:00

Go Get 'em, Tiger

This photo is from the captivating collections housed at the Museum of Mobile Collection - McCall Library of the University of South Alabama Archives that I wanted to share with you.

I've had the privilege of visiting there in person and found the staff enthusiastic and helpful. From time to time I look in via the Internet as they are always posting new and interesting finds.

The photo is from Thigpen Studios in Mobile and is likely a publicity shot taken for Hardy Motor Company - the Nash dealer for the area. The photo was taken on May 11, 1954 and the accompanying information does not identify the nattily dressed gentlemen in it but it appears it was to kick off the new Nash Metropolitan.

The Former Hardy Motor Company Site

Hardy Motor Company occupied a building at 657 St. Louis Street in downtown Mobile near the intersection of Dearborn Street. I've included a screen shot from Google Earth that shows the former dealership as it is today - a nondescript building without any signage.

St. Louis Street in Mobile was the home most of the new car dealers in the city up until the 1970s when many of the surviving businesses moved west to follow the population shift away from the downtown area.

We see very few of the British-built Metropolitans at our club events, but we would certainly welcome their presence.

Showstoppers in Their Own Right

2011-11-05T19:16:00.000-05:00

As mentioned elsewhere in these scribblings, the 21st edition of British Car Festival was a resounding success in the numbers of cars in attendance as well as the new downtown Fairhope venue. We had a wide variety of truly stunning cars on the field along with some solid drivers and what the editors at Hemmings Motor News would call Drivable Dreams - cars that deserve our admiration because they are loved just as they are - scruffy, scabby or a bit down at the heels, but on the road and enjoyed as they were intended.

When my '76 MGB came into my life, it was a great driving car that didn't look much like it had just been loaded on the transporter at Abingdon. No, it had a number of rust holes in the front fenders and at the "dog legs" behind the doors and it had been afflicted with a velour interior - probably better than duct tape upholstery, I'm sure. Rusty or not, I was proud of the old girl. My MG was a survivor and I was going to do all I could to keep it in driving condition. With the help of many South Alabama British Car Club members, a few good friends and a little pocket money, I was able to renovate it with better body panels, paint and original-style upholstery. While not a concours queen (and never will be) it looks better and is more reliable.

With that said I doubt I will ever forget the snickers and less than kind remarks made by a few enthusiasts who either didn't know of my connection to the mangy little car on the show field or just didn't care. Yes, the remarks hurt, but they didn't diminish my pride in my first MG - pride that allowed me to drive the car to the show instead of locking it up in a trailer to be hauled.

No one appreciates a perfectly restored car more than me. I am in absolute awe of the effort and craftsmanship of the restorer. These cars are truly a view into the past and inspire others to reach the same heights. We probably won't see any of our local cars at Pebble Beach, but they can and do win judged events in the southeast. They are show stoppers in our area and clubs consider themselves fortunate to attract vehicles of this class.

A Well-Loved MGB

I was excited to have two very special cars on the British Car Festival show field this year that -in my opinion - captured the spirit of the automotive hobby. One was a Jaguar E-Type and the other one was an MGB. Both were driven by owners significantly younger than the average age of the rest of the show entrants.

The MGB was owned by a young man from Perdido Key, Florida who acquired it just a couple of months prior to the event. He spent evenings and weekends getting the car running reliably and polishing out the Tahiti Blue paint until it gleamed. Proudly pointing out the dealer installed air conditioning to me he said it was one of the few MGBs in the area that still had the original smog gear and Zenith-Stromberg carburetor. He was right. We chatted about serial numbers, date of manufacture, original equipment and nearly anything that came to his enthusiastic mind. I can't imagine many young drivers in a car 18 years older than they are and being as proud as he was. And his family was obviously proud of him.

The Future Wedding Car

The Jaguar E-Type was the subject of a "reawakening" by a young man who documented his efforts on a blog that has become a favorite of mine. The 1969 E-Type roadster was owned by his father who drove it for many years until it was parked with the intention of renovating it one day -one day many years later, it turned out. The father and son found SABCC and attended one of our meetings where they met other E-Type owners who were able to provide advice and assistance. Getting the E-Type ready for the show was his immediate goal, but he intends to have the car in condition to drive his bride away from their wedding ceremony in the spring. In my opinion, he's good to go.

Maybe my simple view of the world is not as sophisticated as others, but I (and a lot of people in the hobby that I've come to know) tend to take a "big tent" approach to the British car hobby. Shiny or not, if its classic, British and still on the road it's welcome to our events and we try to make sure everyone knows it.

The show attendees were spot on in voting the newly-purchased MGB a second in class and awarding the reawakened E-Type the "Diamond in the Rough" trophy.

Well done, lads - well done.

One More for the Dream Garage

2011-11-04T13:38:00.000-05:00

The Old Car Manual Project

I do love the postwar MG ZA Magnette. While not quite into the prestige realm of Jaguar saloon cars, these smaller, sporting four door cars offered such luxuries as wood and leather to the interior, optional two tone paint and the highly-regarded MG badge. It was just the car for the lower-level British manager on his way to the top.

I've only seen a few of these fine cars and I'd love to have one as a near-daily driver.

The excellent web collection of old car manuals at The Old Car Manual Project include a scan of a sales brochure for the MG Magnette.

I'll take mine in Island Green, please.

In Praise of Parts Cars

2011-10-30T20:37:00.002-05:00

Can you be considered a true automotive enthusiast without owning at least one parts car? Also known as donor cars or spares cars, these saved-from-the-scrapyard vehicles help keep many a classic car on the road and serve as a source of barter goods and make many goodwill gestures possible.

Naturally the best parts cars are the ones that can be had for free. It's not often that you run across a freebie but from time to time "just haul it off" stories surface. Even if the object of your envy is not available for free removal it may get the conversation started that could lead to a fair price agreement. Not surprisingly, many people with obviously unloved older cars think that they are much more valuable than they really are, especially if you've come knocking. It's difficult to negotiate a reasonable price in one visit when the owner thinks it's worth four times what it really is.

A Typical Parts Car - Photo Courtesy William Huggins

It's best to let the owner know that you have no intention of restoring the car (if you truly don't intend to, that is) and that your interest is strictly for the parts that you can harvest for your own project. If you have a photo of your restoration project - or better yet, you're driving it - show it to the owner and let them know what parts you need. If you can't buy the entire car, maybe you can get some choice pieces off it. If you still cannot come to a reasonable price, thank the owner for his courtesy but leave your name and phone number along with a written offer. Then wait a time with patience.

Richard Cunningham and I followed up on a lead for a Triumph Stag that we planned to part out. While it was a solid, complete car, it had an American engine and transmission transplant so we didn't think that it was a candidate for restoration. The seller was emotionally attached to the car and asked exactly three times what Richard and I were willing pay. We explained our intentions for the car, justified our offer and then left her with contact information and a standing offer. About six months later, events in the sellers life changed and she was willing to take the offer. At this point we had lost interest in the Stag, but one of our club members was in the midst of a Stag restoration so we brought the two parties together and a deal was done. Happy buyer, happy seller.

My brother and I renovated our 1976 MGBs during the late 1990s. In that time, we came into ownership of two '75 MGBs in derelict condition. My car needed body panels and trim items and my brother Alan's car needed engine bits. The first car we dismantled provided the engine pieces Alan needed and I picked up a fine bootlid. We kept gauges, driveline parts and other choice pieces for barter or future use and scrapped the remains of the body. The second parts car was much more complete. Alan picked up some useful interior pieces and I got the rest of the body bits I needed - namely front fenders (wings), doors and a better windscreen frame. As with the first car, we stripped out everything that could be sold or traded and scrapped the remains of the bodyshell.

Keeping a parts car is challenging in most locations. It is highly unlikely that your neighbors will see your new parts car acquisition with the same rose-colored view that you have, and in more and more cities code enforcement officers will make their presence known with a citation or cease and desist order. Unlicensed vehicles - even those not visible from the street - are prohibited on your property in many cities. There are tales of properly garaged projects coming under official scrutiny, too. Some self-storage facilities will allow you keep a parts car in a unit while you dismantle it, but keep in mind you have to have space to get a truck in to haul off the major bits you do not want.

Me - The Day the 1969 E-Type was Delivered

Ideally, you could have a friend with property outside the reach of the code Nazis and that friend might not mind having a partially disassembled car on their property for a minimum period of time. You may even ignite some old car hobby interest in your bud as part of the deal. Alan and I swapped a rebuildable engine from parts car No. 2 for a spot to park the rest of the car while we finished the strip-out. Parts car No. 1 occupied the driveway of a friend who had found himself suddenly sans wife and there was no prohibition on old cars in the city of Mobile, Alabama at the time. He thought it was cool to have an exotic Brit in the drive for his buddies to admire. Needless to say, we moved quickly to strip the car and keep the neighborhood irritation to a minimum.

As documented in other entries in this humble blog, the aforementioned Richard Cunningham and I bought a 1969 Jaguar E-Type for our amusement and mercenary intentions. Thankfully, Richard has a spacious garage outside the city limits where we dismantled and sold off bits to E-Type owners looking for original pieces to keep their cars on the road. It even worked out that Richard found a few pieces he needed for his 1964 restoration project. By the way, we still have some nice body bits available.

Tearing into a parts car can be a bittersweet experience. The car you are working on was someone's pride at one time. For me it's difficult to not wonder about the chain of ownership, the conversations (or other activities) that took place inside and when it became obvious that this vehicle was no longer worthy of repair. The personal items that you run across occasionally add their own bit of poignancy to the story. Once in a while actual cash money is found in the seats, carpets and various cubby holes making your cost of acquisition even lower! Richard and I found quite a few interesting items in the E-Type some of which include:

A matchbook from the Sands Casino in Las Vegas
A DIY repair manual (obviously unread...)
A 1971 California road map
An assortment of spare interior bulbs
Pens and pencils from various Vegas casinos
The ugliest hammer we'd even seen (dubbed the BFH on discovery)

As the years pass, usable parts cars are getting ever more thin on the ground making the few left more valuable for restoration spares. Let people know about your hobby. Mention that you are always interested in hearing about opportunities to check out any potential parts car. If it's not exactly what you are looking for chances are someone else you know would be thrilled to know about it.

British Car Festival 2011 is in the Books

2011-10-23T20:07:00.000-05:00

The London Bus

As British Car Festivals go, the 2011 edition was one of the most successful events the club has put forward. The BCF committee chaired by John Shaw and co-chair by Dick Bishop and Richard Cunningham left nothing to chance. Everything ran according to the well-executed plan.

Row of Triumphs

The show site was on the lovely south lawn of Faulkner State Community College in downtown Fairhope, Alabama - the first change of venue for the show since 1999 when we adopted the bayfront site of a Fairhope city park. As written about before, the city decided that the park should be rented by any entity (other than a school in the city limits) for any reason. When the executive committee added up the cost for the use of the facility it came to over $1,000.00 - a sum we could not afford to pay and keep up our charitable contributions from the show's proceeds.The community-oriented leadership of Faulkner State Fairhope graciously invited us to host both the Friday night welcome party and the actual show on the campus.

We could not ask for better weather than we had for the day of the show. A cloudless sky with what seemed to be an endless supply of south Alabama sun dominated the day, giving every car on the field a brilliant glow - and a few sunburns to the participants. While there was more than enough shade at the edge of the field for refuge, most people simply enjoyed the early fall bonus sunshine.

MINI of Pensacola Display

MGAs Aplenty

The field layout team got the class signs out and in order with the new field offering several challenges that were not expected but the layout was logical and easy to follow along with the popular choice ballot forms. As always, bright flowers were placed near the class signs to add beauty to an already gorgeous field of classic British cars.

The class areas were filled soon after the field opened with each car getting a souvenir photograph of the day. The kind folks of the OK Bicycle Shop - an eating and drinking establishment in downtown Mobile - brought their double deck London bus as a backdrop for the photo. And several members of the Dogwood Trail Court of Baldwin County were present in their pastel "antebellum" costumes to add an even more special touch to the photo.

MINI of Pensacola brought two new MINIs to display as part of their sponsorship support. We had a newly-introduced MINI Coupe and MINI Countryman open for the crowds to inspect. It was one of the most popular areas of the show field and we certainly thank MINI of Pensacola for their support again this year.

Jaguar E-Types

A Few of the MGBs on Display

The club was very pleased to see enough Lotus and Sunbeam cars present to create classes just for them. It was a treat to see two Sunbeam Tigers and a Lotus Exige and Elise. Both are not all that common in our area and the other entrants spent a lot of time talking to the owners about them.

We also had a great turnout of Triumph fans, too. TR6s were on the field in large numbers and a tasty selection of TR4s and TR250s were on hand to keep the TR3s and Spitfires company. One lovely TR4 was driven to the event from Wheaton, Illinois earning the owner the Longest Distance Traveled Award with a one-way mileage figure of 1,082. Hope to see you again next year, too.

As always, MGs were well represented with a crowd of T-series and one of the largest turnouts of MGAs in recent memory. MGBs and Midgets were thick on the ground as well.

Restoration Class

But this year's marque feature - the 50th anniversary of the Jaguar E-Type - brought a record number of the show stoppers to the show. The committee separated the coupes from the open E-Types and those filling out the popular choice ballots were glad they did. It was difficult indeed to choose the finest of these beauty queens. We were indeed fortunate to have representatives form the very early days of the E-Type all the way to the end of production with the mighty V12-powered cat.

The crowds strolling the field were just as thick as when we were at the bay front site. The new site also allowed for easier access to the shops of downtown Fairhope. It was obvious from the number of shopping bag-carrying ladies that new venue was OK in their minds.

SABCC Chef-in-Residence, Chris Cronk kept the grill going all morning to make sure that the hungry crowds had plenty of ribs, sausage and hamburgers for their enjoyment. Nearly everything offered was sold out.

MG T-Series Cars

Fairhope Mayor Tim Kant (left) Checks Out BCF

Ballots for the popular choice voting were passed out shortly after noon and the tough choices were made by the voters. The balloting was closed shortly after two and awards were presented at three. Needless to say, the voters chose some great cars for awards. And in keeping with tradition, the awards consisted of a specially-ordered twin photo frame with one side filled with a graphic indicating the winning position and the other side reserved for the souvenir photo taken at the show.

As the sun sank lower in the western sky, the field started up and headed for home or for another night at one of the hotels in Fairhope. The show committee began the process of taking the show materials down for storage.

SABCC owes a great deal to the tireless efforts of the show committee, those members who volunteered for the various tasks, MINI of Pensacola, all the many class sponsors, door prize donors, Faulkner State Community College-Fairhope and most especially, those who brought cars and participated in the event. We thank you all and we hope to see you again next October!

Sometimes a Handbrake...

2011-10-17T16:57:00.000-05:00

... is just a handbrake. However, this 1970 UK advert for the venerable MG Midget pulled out all the stops to convince guys that it is indeed a man's car. So, what more incentive do you need to slide into a an MG Midget than a winsome young thing in a short dress carefully studying the handbrake lever? In the late sixties-early seventies period MG used a number of images designed to grab the attention of a lad in rut.

Just an aside here: the young lady must be all of four feet-six and weigh 80 pounds. Helps the Midget interior look more commodious than it really is, I suppose.

SABCC Movie Night

2011-10-17T08:12:00.000-05:00

The third annual SABCC Movie Night is scheduled for Saturday, November 19th at the Garagemahal Theater and Oil Change Emporium in Daphne. Better known as the spacious garage and workshop that belongs to SABCC'ers Richard and Donna Cunningham, the theater will be set up for your movie viewing pleasure along with an honest-to-goodness theater type popcorn machine, concession style candy and soft drinks.

We traditionally have Movie Night for a hot August event, but this year we're moving to November due to the full activities calendar we've had. As always, the members of the Panhandle British Car Association and the Mardi Gras MGs are invited as well.

We will be showing Tucker: The Man and His Dream on a new, larger screen and kicking sound system. The main feature rolls at 7:30PM but there will be a few short subjects prior to the start of the film. Be sure to bring your own comfy chair.

See you at the movies!

Check Engine Light

2011-10-13T16:59:00.000-05:00

Yes, my classic British cars have a Check Engine light.

Fergus Motors- New York

2011-10-13T12:11:00.002-05:00

Courtesy Morgan History Info

I ran across this gem of a photograph while trolling the net and it is a great example of how a number of European auto manufacturers found customers in the US - through independent small importers.

The photo is featured on Hermen Pol's website Morgan History Info - a site with something for any Morgan enthusiast. Based in the Netherlands, Pol offers a more scholarly approach to marque enthusiasm. Any Morgan aficionado will find enough information here to waste an afternoon or two.

Fergus Motors of New York was the official regional importer of a number of European marques with Morgan, Standard-Triumph and Alvis among them. The photo captures one of the firm's showrooms (there were three) with a rather tasty selection of cars on the street and inside the two story showroom.

See if you can identify them.

"Fonz's" Triumph Up for Auction

2011-10-10T14:48:00.000-05:00

Courtesy Bonhams

The Triumph motorcycle that had its seat warmed by the buns of Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli (played by Henry Winkler) is to be auctioned by Bonhams at the Petersen Museum on November 12th.

The 1949 Triumph Trophy Scrambler Custom was once owned by stuntman Bud Eakins who gained famed by jumping the barbed wire fence as a stand-in for Steve McQueen in the film The Great Escape. The bike is not in a velvet lined box and it shows its scars.

2X Cylinders = 2X Fun

2011-10-10T10:38:00.000-05:00

You may recall an earlier post wherein I found a deal on a factory hardtop for my trusty MGB. The trip that brought that particular bit of good fortune my way came about when a group of us gave ace car restorer and all-round top bloke Mike Darby a hand in getting a couple of cars back to his shop in Silverhill, Alabama from Meridian, Mississippi.

In addition to a pre-war MG, Mike repurchased an MGB GT that he had converted to Rover V8 power for the owner some years back. As usual, the GT was finished to Mike's typically high standard when it was delivered to the owner. Over the ensuing years, the owner had focused on a couple of other projects and felt the need to sell it on as it had sat unused for some time.

Mike has made good progress on the car by getting it running reliably and stopping surely. A flawless respray in bright red is the icing on this particular cake. Still to go is the interior trim, exterior chrome and installing the bonnet.

Richard Cunningham and I paid Mike a visit yesterday while he was working on a lovely MG-TC that he is restoring for an out of town client. Richard needed to press in some new rubber bushes on his E-Type trailing arms and I rode along to enjoy the gorgeous almost-fall weather.

I saw the GT sitting outside Mike's shop, engine ticking quietly while it cooled off from a run. Mike noticed my interest and asked if I've ever been in a V8 'B. I hardly had the negative answer out before he motioned me into the passenger side and he had the 3.5 liter V8 started. We got out to the rural road that fronts Mike's property and he buried the throttle. Since Mike failed to tell me that the passenger seat wasn't fastened to the floor, I found myself looking at the ceiling of the car as the tach needle shot up the scale.

The sound of the aluminum V8... oh, mommy.

Mike ably demonstrated that the car is very docile at low speed and the torque is such that downshifting the Rover 5 speed is an option unless you just wanted to hear that lovely exhaust note. Acceleration is astounding in that the view from the passenger seat is typical MGB, so the unusual amount of "umph" doesn't compute mentally at first but after a few miles it is nothing short of grin inducing.

The car is for sale and my inner hooligan has been throwing temper tantrums almost non-stop since my ride. My inner accountant, however, has been tapping his pencil on my depleted bank book.

I hate my poverty.

21st Annual British Car Festival- Are You Registered?

2011-10-10T08:28:00.000-05:00

British Car Festival 2011 is less than two weeks away and the show committee is planning a spectacular event.

This year marks the first time that we will be in our new venue, the south lawn of Faulkner State Community College in Fairhope, Alabama. The site is just a block away from the heart of downtown Fairhope famous for the many art galleries, restaurants and antique shops. The show field is level, open and compact, alleviating some of the issues of distance at the old bayfront show site.

This year, we will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the Jaguar E-Type, with the shows artwork on T-shirts, dash plaques and trophies. Once again, we are grateful for the continued generous sponsorship of MINI of Pensacola.

As in the past, a portion of the days proceeds will be donated to a worthy cause. This year's donation will be made to the Fairhope campus of Faulkner State Community College for use as they see fit.

I hope to see you at the show!

American Heart - British Soul

2011-10-07T13:24:00.000-05:00

If there is one thing that the world most closely identifies with American cars is the rumble of the V8 engines that powered many of them. At one time, nearly every American car had a V8 power option with some models offering multiple 8 cylinder choices. Even today, European endurance racing commentators remark on the low-revving thunder of competition Corvettes. Auto enthusiasts in England were not immune to the charms of V8 engines, either but they did have the venerable Ford flathead V8 in regular production.

Allard J2X - Courtesy Allard Owners Club

Postwar England was a fertile breeding ground for cottage industry automakers and more than a few chose to power their creations with American V8 engines. Here is a brief sample of some of the more famous ones.

Allard Palm Beach-Courtesy Allard Owners Club

Allard's J2X model was originally powered by a Ford flathead V8 but soon the new overhead valve Cadillac V8 worked its charms on Sydney Allard and the more powerful Caddy engine supplanted the Ford unit. It didn't take long for Allard to figure out that shipping engines from the US to install in cars destined for the US made little sense. The firm later shipped J2's as "rollers" - cars without engines so the selling dealer in America would install the power plant and essentially finish the car for delivery.

Jensen CV8- Courtesy Jensen Owners Club

Another American V8 powered Allard was the Palm Beach which was Chrysler powered and sold through Dodge dealers in an attempt to compete with the Chevy Corvette and Ford Thunderbird. This two seat car did not sell all that well and today remains quite rare.

Jensen Interceptor-Courtesy Jensen Owners Club

Jensen, in the news lately as a possible revival candidate, brought to market a Chrysler V8 powered grand touring car called the CV8 in the early 1960s. This fiberglass bodied four seater was quite attractive in profile, but it could be considered less than beautiful at the front. The CV8 was superseded by the stunning Interceptor. This Italian designed GT car was defined by an expansive rear screen and powerful 440 cubic inch Chrysler V8.

AC (Shelby) Cobras-Courtesy AC Owners Club

Take a six cylinder-powered open two seater sports car, add a Ford V8 and create a legend. That's exactly what happened when Carroll Shelby surgically implanted a Ford 260 cubic inch V8 in an AC Ace. Produced during the Ford Motor Company's "Total Performance" glory days, it was sold at Ford dealers as the Shelby Cobra to compete with the Corvette both on and off the track. Over its life the Cobra was powered by successively larger displacement Ford V8s including the 289 and 427 cubic inch lumps.

Tiger Owners Manual Cover

While we're talking about one C. Shelby, I would be remiss in not mentioning another Shelby-massaged conversion: the Sunbeam Tiger. More than just an Alpine with an engine transplant, the Tiger was the brainchild of the American west coast sales manager that wanted to go upscale in performance. With an Alpine as a reference, several American V8s were measured up and it was found that the Ford 260 V8 would fit with some minor bodyshell modifications. Rootes Group (Sunbeam's parent firm) contracted Shelby to finalize the design. Once approved for production, Tigers were contracted out to Jensen for manufacture.

TVR Tuscan- Courtesy TVR Car Club

TVR, that on-again, off-again builder of awesome cars built the Tuscan, a Ford 289-powered fiberglass bodied closed sports car in the late 1960s. Jack Griffith, a US TVR dealer, installed a 260 cubic inch V8 in a TVR Grantura and sold them in the US as Griffith 200 and 400. In the UK and later in the US, the British built car was sold as the TVR Griffith and later, TVR Tuscan.

MG-ZT260

Finally, MG jumped into American V8 power a little later than the rest of the group noted above. Prior to MG-Rover's implosion in 2005, the firm created a Ford Mustang-powered, rear wheel drive saloon and estate car (that would be a sedan and station wagon, cowboy) from a front wheel drive platform. The MG ZT 260 and ZT-T 260 were well received by the buying public even with fuel prices nearly 2-1/2 times that we pay on this side of the Atlantic. One MG ZT-T even topped 225 MPH at Bonneville. And if you're brave enough there is a ZT-T 260 for sale in Florida, but good luck getting it registered.

You'll notice that I did not include cars powered by the aluminum block Buick V8 as the manufacturing rights were purchased by Rover and as such became a UK-built Rover engine. I know this is not a complete list of American V8 powered British cars, but it covers some of the more well known ones. You can make your voice heard in the comments section where you can add your own to the list.

A Monument to Triumph

2011-10-05T16:54:00.001-05:00

Near a sidewalk in the British city of Canley stands a rather imposing monument to a couple of marques no longer in production. Standard and later Triumph cars were but two of a number car lines built in the heart of Britain's industrial center - Coventry. Sadly, very little remains of this important chapter in the British motor industry.

This lovely stainless steel rendering of the Standard-Triumph wings or "book" logo is sited at the location of the Triumph factory on Herald Avenue, near the Standard-Triumph Club. The inscription on the plaque reads - in part - "dedicated to the manufacturers and employees of Standard and Triumph motor vehicles, whose cars were built on this site from 1919-1980".

Today, the Triumph marque name is owned by BMW which causes rumors of a Triumph revival to crop up frequently.

Evolution of the Dashboard

2011-09-30T08:56:00.000-05:00

The backward-looking folks over at the How to Be a Retronaut blog posted a gem from the UK's DRIVE magazine from1970 dealing with the evolution of dashboards. The post includes full page scans from the magazine so you can read the story as well as take in the images.

This is blog post number 400. Thanks for staying with me!

I Think I've Seen This Before...

2011-09-30T07:43:00.000-05:00

New MINI Coupe

The folks behind the wildly successful MINI revival just can't get it wrong, it would seem. Every variation of the new MINI model has been well received by the public with dealers not able to keep up with the demand for the new wagons, SUVs and now the MINI Coupe.This taut little two seater features a lower roofline and an opening boot. While to some eyes it is groundbreaking design, I can see where the inspiration came from: the Broadspeed GT.

Broadspeed was originally set up to provide hotted-up engines for racing with special expertise in Ford Anglia powerplants as well as BMC A-series engines. The firm also fielded racing teams in the 1960s where they campaigned their own Anglias and Mini-Coopers with some success.

Broadspeed GT

In 1966, firm owner Ralph Broad developed the Broadspeed GT - a Mini-Cooper S with lower roofline and opening boot. The GT retained the four seat layout of the Mini-Cooper on which it was based, but added numerous interior luxuries like an upscale dashboard with improved instrumentation, leather seating and aftermarket steering wheel . Broadspeed was actually the manufacturer of record as the cars were badged Broadspeed and not Austin or Morris.

I've noted in these humble scribblings that MINI is reaching way back in the history cupboard for new model ideas. Now, how about a new MINI Moke?

Jamaican Vibes - Sounds Good to Me

2011-09-29T18:44:00.000-05:00

The most famous Jamaican - Bob Marley

SABCC made a return trip to the popular Jamaican Vibes restaurant in Mobile on Saturday, September 17th. The club was warmly greeted by the proprietors, Noel and Mona.

Regulars of the place quickly ordered their favorites from the extensive menu of authentic Jamaican cuisine with brown stew chicken quickly selling out. Newcomers were a little more cautious and Noel ("Tips" to his friends) offered small tasters to help with the decision process. While I enjoyed my brown stew chicken, my long suffering wife threw caution to the wind and ordered up a plate of jerk shrimp.

Bring on the chow!

Members passed samples of their dishes around the table to share the experience of something exotic - for our part of the world, anyway. It was hard to not tap your feet or nod your head in time with the reggae tunes playing in the background while we scarfed down delicacies like curry goat, jerk chicken and salt fish and ackee. Noel and Mona made sure that everyone was well fed and treated like family while we were there.

We enjoyed the dishes so much that we ordered up a couple of trays of jerk chicken wings for the SABCC British Car Festival Friday night welcome party. Wanna try some? See you at the party!

Quite a Paperweight

2011-09-20T10:58:00.003-05:00

Photo courtesy MG Car Club - Midget Registry

This unfortunate MG Midget gave its all in the name of safety. This is a 1979 model that was used in the Abingdon factory's crash test program. Note that it was subjected to what appears to be rather high-speed impacts both front and rear.

The crash test rig at the MG factory was one of the most advanced in the British Leyland organization. Test cars were pulled along the track by a Jaguar 6 cylinder engine until the vehicle reached the desired speed. At the end of the track was a concrete block covered in plate steel.

The results aren't pretty.

British Car Festival Preview

2011-09-16T21:21:00.002-05:00

Photo courtesy David Turnipseed

This is the "official" photo promoting the 2011 edition of British Car Festival. The young ladies are members of the Baldwin County, Alabama Dogwood Trail Maids and the lovely Jaguar E-Type OTS belongs to SABCC members Jack and Linda Ross.

Mark October 22 on your calendar and join South Alabama British Car Club for the 21st Annual British Car Festival.

A Day with Mini

2011-09-11T20:14:00.000-05:00

I'm ashamed to admit it, but it's been a while since I've had the faithful Mini on the road for an extended run. That drought was snapped when I signed up for a run with the nice folks of Panhandle Minis. The contingent was coming over from Pensacola today to visit the USS Alabama in observance of the 9/11 anniversary and decided to meet at the Spanish Fort Cracker Barrel restaurant, just a few short miles from my house.

A few of the MINIs at Battleship Park

I got the little car started and it was not at all happy, wanting to buck and snort more than usual while it warmed up. I got it out on the road and gave it an "Italian tune-up" and within a few miles, it was its usual docile self. I pulled into the Cracker Barrel parking lot - the first to show up, natch - and waited on the MINI group to arrive. And show up they did. About a dozen MINIs made the journey and soon our little corner was filled with bulldog goodness.

About 25 hungry MINI owners made their way into the breakfast emporium and I was pleased to see SABCC's Richard Cunningham had dropped in to have a bite and hang out with the group before he attended to some business in Mobile. We chatted with Justin Octavi and John Genduso, of British Car Festival sponsor MINI of Penscola during breakfast and heard about all the new stuff that is coming from MINI.

We plowed through breakfast and saddled up for a drive up Alabama Highway 181 to Bromley Road where we were treated to some excellent twisty bits and interesting elevation changes. During the drive, I discovered that I had been more concerned about my personal fuel level than the amount of fuel in the Mini's tank. Yep, she was dead on "E" and we had about 15 miles to go before I could get to a gas station. I think the car ran on willpower as it never hiccuped once and got me back to Spanish Fort where I peeled off from the group and dropped a quick $10.00 in the tank.

Can you fit a classic Mini in a C47?

I zipped back out on the Causeway and caught up to the group as they were paying their parking fee at the Battleship. As I drove to the parking lot they proudly showed me the special reserved spot they had for me at the end of the row. Thanks, guys!

Once on the battle wagon, we broke into small groups to follow the self-guided tour route. I spent about an hour on the vessel and then dropped into the aircraft pavilion for a quick visit before I started for home.

The drive back across the Causeway was pleasant and the little car seemed to enjoy the day as much as I did.

Still Another Golden Anniversary

2011-09-02T15:58:00.000-05:00

Unless you've been living under a rock (and being the height of hurricane season along the US Gulf Coast, it doesn't sound like a bad idea) you'll know that 2011 marks the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the iconic Jaguar E-Type. It is also the 50th anniversary of the revival of the midget name by MG.

Click the image for a larger version

Followers of all things Triumph will point out that this year is also the 50th anniversary of the launch of the venerable TR4 sports car. Like the soon-to-come MGB, the new Triumph TR4 brought such niceties as roll up windows, high sided doors and face level ventilation. And when compared to its TR3 predecessor, the TR4's boot was absolutely cavernous. Essentially, the TR4 was the TR3 chassis with a new body styled by the Italian design house Michelotti.

The TR4 soldiered on with the same basic engine as the TR2 and TR3, however a displacement increase from 1991cc to 2138cc along with some improvements to the intake manifold and cylinder head made for more urge when the loud pedal was pressed. Getting the power to the road was made easier with a new, fully synchronized four speed gearbox. Of course, a Laycock overdrive (operating on second, third and top) could be specified.

In 1965, the TR4A was introduced which brought with it independent rear suspension and some minor trim changes. Curiously, a number of TR4As were not fitted with the new rear suspension, an effort by the factory to offer a less expensive version. TR4As with independent rear suspension carry discreet "IRS" badges on the boot lid.

The TR4 remained in production until 1967 when it was superseded by the TR5 (TR250 in the USA).

Happy birthday, bruiser!

MINI 2 Million

2011-09-01T07:14:00.000-05:00

David Cameron in MINI 2 Million

The two-millionth MINI produced at the BMW Plant Oxford (that would be the Morris Cowley Plant to many of us) rolled off the line yesterday driven by Prime Minister David Cameron for the press.This event occurred near the tenth anniversary of modern MINI production.

Mini 2 Million. Issigonis must have an appointment

Interestingly, the two-millionth classic Mini was produced in 1969, also ten years into its long life. The classic, however, was essentially the same car over this period while the modern is nearing its third redesign.

Just sayin'.

Check Out the Hagerty Insurance YouTube Channel

2011-08-31T07:08:00.000-05:00

Insurance is one of the necessary evils in life; if it has value, you need to buy coverage both from a common sense standpoint and when required by law. Like most of you, I grumble when I get my homeowners bill with its never ending increases in premiums.Health insurance? Well, haven't we heard enough on that topic over the last couple of years?

My classic cars are covered under a policy written by Hagerty Insurance and I really couldn't be happier with it. The premiums are quite reasonable and I look forward to their quarterly magazine and occasional emails. Now, they've crossed into the world of video with their Hagerty TV YouTube channel. As of this writing, there are only a couple of episodes up, but they are amusing.

This is Episode Two. I hope you enjoy it.

The 'King of Cool's' 911 Sells for Big Bucks

2011-08-22T07:51:00.001-05:00

McQueen in a Porsche in LeMans in "LeMans"

It's no secret that I am a fan of the 1971 film "LeMans" starring Steve McQueen as a hot shoe Porsche 917 pilot. While critics almost universally panned the the weak story line, gearheads loved the racing footage, much of which was shot at the 1970 edition of the 24 hour race.

The opening sequence of the movie includes a montage of shots of McQueen driving a grey Porsche 911 through the French countryside and into the village of LeMans. That 911 sold at auction over the weekend for $1.25 million.

The $52,000.00 MINI

2011-08-19T17:16:00.000-05:00

$52,000.00. Let that soak in for minute.

The folks at MINI have introduced something they are calling MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD. This particular MINI is being massaged by the craftspeople of Rolls-Royce with luxuries such as burr walnut accents, lambswool carpets and cashmere headliner. Rolls and MINI are both owned by BMW and the inspiration for the cross-pollination may come from the classic "booted" Minis of the 1960's - the Riley Elf and Wosleley Hornet.

While I've giggled at Aston Martin's tarted up Toyota IQ, this one has me scratching my head. Here is the MINI press release for your perusal:

MINI fans in the US will have their first chance to see two exciting and very different, new MINI vehicles at the world-famous Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California this week. Both vehicles can be found at the MINI Display, located at the intersection of Pedestrian Walkway and 17-Mile Drive.

The MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD is an exclusive special edition of the MINI Hardtop which has been produced in close collaboration with the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars design team, and it will be displayed alongside the new two-seater MINI Coupe which will also be shown publicly in the USA for the first time.

Your butt could be here for just 52 large

MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD adds another layer to the MINI brand experience, bringing a generous measure of automotive luxury and exclusivity in its highest form. It will be priced at $52,000 (including $700 D&H), when advanced orders begin later this month.

Working with the development center of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England, MINI has produced a limited-run special edition MINI, whose exterior and interior design is complemented by fine materials and the British luxury car marque’s commitment to flawless workmanship.

It will be produced in a limited edition of 1,000 units – 140 of which will be available to US customers – and combines typical MINI driving fun with the same discerning craftsmanship, select materials, styling and all-round ‘typical British understatement’ that are hallmarks of the world’s leading producer of luxury automobiles.

Deliveries of the 2012 model year vehicle, which will be launched as part of the exclusive ‘MINI Yours’ range of special edition vehicles and options, are scheduled to start in the second quarter of 2012.

Two of the most striking features of the exterior design are the body finish in the exclusive Rolls-Royce color of Diamond Black metallic and 17-inch light alloy wheels sporting a multi-spoke design. Alternatively, the MINI color Reef Blue metallic can be specified.

A Cooper S engine and no faux bonnet scoop

Inside, the dashboard (including the surrounds of the central instrument and the air vents), the center console, carpet surfaces, the Lounge leather seats, the roof lining as well as the door, side and body pillar cladding boast the exclusive Rolls-Royce color Cornsilk, a warm and natural shade of beige. Only the upper section of the instrument panel is in black.

In terms of Rolls-Royce materials in the MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD, the interior includes seats covered in Lounge leather, Lambswool floor mats, a cashmere headliner, fascia and front door grab handles in burr walnut veneer and a sports steering wheel with Walknappa leather and Piano Black controls.

Each MINI Inspired by Goodwood is powered by the turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that was featured for the first time in the 2011 MINI Cooper S. This engine includes a Twin Scroll turbocharger, direct injection and variable valve control and generates 181 hp, so the sprint from 0 to 60 mph is completed in 6.6 seconds. A choice of either six-speed manual and automatic transmissions will be offered

Now, will MINI return the favor to Rolls? Will we see a Ghost with a white roof, dinner plate-sized speedo and supple vinyl seating? Stay tuned.

Even the Greatest Fail on Occasion

2011-08-19T12:59:00.000-05:00

But wait - There's more...

Raymond Loewy, that famous French born industrial designer with impeccable credentials, is known for a number of iconic designs ranging from various Studebakers to the color motif of Air Force One. However, when he was his own client for automotive design, he created things that could be considered something less than beautiful.

Case in point: Loewy's personal Jaguar E-Type is to be auctioned at Bonham's Monterey Auction in California. Check out this Classic & Sports Car blog entry detailing the story behind this unique 1966 Jaguar.

You've been warned.

Mugs & Motors; Art & Barbeque

2011-08-13T17:35:00.001-05:00

At Cream & Sugar

The August edition of the South Alabama British Car Club's Mugs & Motors was once again well attended with 17 intrepid members braving the summer heat to enjoy coffee and conversation for motoring enthusiasts.

We met at the delightful Cream and Sugar, a neighborhood coffee house in located in the historic Oakleigh Garden District of downtown Mobile. The proprietors reserved the upstairs portion of the shop for our event and it was certainly intimate with its low ceilings and limited seating. The gang got their coffees and sweet treats and did what the group enjoys most - the company of good friends with similar interests.

Small Room - Big Cups

After refills of coffee and an extra something from the baked goods case, we wandered downstairs and mounted up for trip to Langan Park and the Mobile Museum of Art. Cream and Sugar's porch was then populated with the members of cycling club and they had questions and comments aplenty about the classic British cars parked at the curb. It was a pleasure to talk to the group about the cars and British car hobby.

Parked at the Museum

Our original plan called for the group to caravan out to the museum on Old Shell Road. However, water main construction closed a section of the road so Jack Ross volunteered to lead the group on the Springhill Avenue route. Traffic was minimal and the old oak trees lining the avenue provided some much-appreciated shade from the late summer sun. I was in the newly-fettled MGB and it ran flawlessly, even in the stop-and-go traffic encountered along part of the route.

On arrival at the art museum, we did our best to find some shade to park our cars under, but there was none to be seen. We stepped into the spacious reception area of the museum and were greeted by a gorgeous view of the lake through the wall of windows the made up one side of the circular space.

Group Photo at the Museum

We paid our admission fee and got a quick group photo made in the reception hall. These would be the last photos made in the building as there was a very-clearly posted notice that cameras were not allowed in the galleries. Being literate adults, we knew and understood this, however we were told about this policy two more times before we could get our shot and get the cameras locked up in the cars. When we returned to start our tour, I noticed that each gallery entrance, exit and balcony were occupied by none-too-friendly looking individuals openly scowling at us. Speaking for myself, I felt as though I was being sized up as a potential threat to the security and sanctity of the space. Again, speaking for myself, I was deeply disappointed in the treatment the staff subjected us to in the beginning.

The museum's collections are very well rounded, with an extensive glass and sculpture collection as well as two dimensional works. For me, the highlight of my visit was viewing the painting depicting the CSS Alabama arbitration tribunal in Geneva, Switzerland.

Great Barbeque

We spent a leisurely two-plus hours at the lovely facility, but our stomachs told us it was time to find lunch and find it we did at the British Car Festival class sponsor, The Shed Barbeque on Old Shell Road not far from the museum site. The group chowed down on delicious smoked meats while we were serenaded by their extensive blues collection.

It came time to go our separate ways and I took the Springhill Avenue route home. This time, however, I was drenched by a sudden downpour that hit near the Springhill-Moffatt split and continued all the way to the Mobile Infirmary area. Thankfully, both me and the 'B are quick drying and I kept the pace up to outrun the showers to Spanish Fort.

Thanks to everyone who participated!

Not Coming to a Theater Near Me

2011-08-11T07:44:00.000-05:00

The new documentary film Senna is said to be one of the best films ever to cover the subject of Formula 1 racing. Centered on the life and career of the legendary Ayrton Senna, the movie has garnered critical praise and a number of awards. Since it is aimed at a fairly narrow audience, its no surprise that a local theater has not picked it up. We will likely have to wait on a DVD or streaming release. Too bad.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the trailer.

There for a Reason

2011-08-09T12:59:00.000-05:00

A number of publications cite the need for the foam seal that closes up the gap between the radiator and the diaphragm plate on MGBs (up to 1977). Mine has never had one and I thought I was OK without it. The car has always run about a needle width past the "N" mark on the gauge and I have never had a problem with overheating. However, with the staggeringly hot conditions we've experienced along our part of the Gulf Coast, the old girl was running a bit hotter than expected.

A few MGB owners I've known extol the virtues of Moss Motors part number 282-905 "Seal, Radiator to Support" - the foam rubber packing that prevents air flow around the radiator and forces it the flow through it. They tell me that it makes a world of difference in operating temperature.

Having nothing to lose, I decided to give it a whirl and see if it would help my issue. My long suffering spouse told me that one of her favorite sewing supply stores had foam rubber sheets on hand. We bought one 2 inches thick and I cut a strip off of it 2 by 1-1/2 inches. A two foot section fit the gap just fine.

This morning, I took the 'B out for a blast to see how well the foam strip did its' job. Very nicely, it turns out. The temperature gauge was showing the usual slightly-past-the "N" running. The only down side is that the foam is light green (something to do with how wonderful it is for the environment).

I suppose I can live with that.

How Happy is Your Inner Child?

2011-08-05T16:24:00.000-05:00

Deep in all of us lives the child that we once were. Although we are "all grown up" ( at least our toys are) that inner child needs to be taken by the hand and shown a little kindness once in a while. Here's a five minute video about an artist and his work that you should watch.

My inner child is still smiling.

The Cost to Ship is Part of the Price As Well

2011-08-05T08:13:00.000-05:00

In an earlier post about the ongoing saga of the MGB's run of lousy luck, I mentioned that I needed to order a new choke cable. Now MGB owners are really spoiled for choice when it comes time to order parts. There are many good choices of parts suppliers ranging from the small-fry to some truly international operations. For most of us, it comes down to who has it and how much.

Being of a thrifty nature (as opposed to just a cheapskate), I check for selling prices from several suppliers and usually go with the lowest one. This time, however, I checked the prices of a new-to-me vendor to add them to the mix. They did have the lowest selling price, but the shipping charges added to the total were staggering. Here's what I found in my search for an MGB tee handle choke cable:

Supplier A - Selling price: $18.00. Shipping and handling: $14.69. Total: $32.69
Supplier B - Selling price: $19.95. Shipping and handling: $7.75. Total: $27.70

As you can see, the difference is over 15%. And the choke cable will fit in a medium-sized envelope.

The lesson here is the check the complete cost. Don't be too quick to enter your payment information if you're buying on the Internet or when ordering over the phone, get the customer service rep to quote the freight and handling as a separate item and if it sounds high ask for a cut rate. You might get it.

Culture? Yeah We've Got That

2011-08-02T17:03:00.002-05:00

Cream and Sugar

Mark your calendars, SABCC'ers for the August edition of Mugs & Motors - Coffee and Conversation for Motoring Enthusiasts. We'll meet at 8:00 AM on Saturday, August 13 at the quaint Cream and Sugar coffee shop in the beautiful Oakleigh Garden District of Mobile. It's located at the corner of Savannah and George Streets not far from lovely Washington Square. We'll enjoy our favorite morning beverage and something from the baked goods case while we chat about whatever takes our collective fancy.

There's plenty of off-street parking in the shaded gravel parking lot next door and we have a reservation, so they will be expecting us.

Mobile Museum of Art

Afterwards, we'll drive out Old Shell Road to Langan Park and the gorgeous Mobile Museum of Art. This treasure in Mobile's jewelry box is one of the Gulf Coast's finest art museums. The permanent collections are complimented by temporary exhibits that change frequently. The entry fee is $8.00 per person (discounted from the normal $10.00) and it is a bargain for a museum of this quality.

I would encourage all of you to drive your British car if at all possible so we can make a statement to the world at large and create our own temporary art exhibit at the museum.

After the museum visit, we may gather again to have lunch at one of the fine restaurants in the area.

I hope to see you there!

A Blog You'll Want to Follow

2011-08-02T07:22:00.002-05:00

I had the pleasure of meeting a father and son who visited our last South Alabama British Car Club meeting. It turns out that they are the caretakers of '69 Jaguar E-Type roadster that has been laid up for a few years.

Father David and son David are undertaking a light restoration of their dark blue roadster and son David is chronicling the process in a running blog that he recently established. I heartily recommend that you put it on your browser's bookmarks list and check in often.

The MGB is Home Again

2011-08-01T20:28:00.000-05:00

Look out below!

Some posts back, I mentioned that my trusty MGB was temporarily in residence at Richard Cunningham's spacious garage in Daphne. Richard talked me into letting him haul the ailing car the 10 or miles to his place so we could track down a fueling issue - among other things.

The old girl had a habit of sooting up the spark plugs making smooth running a near impossibility. It also had a rather noisy top end so it was determined that a replacement rocker shaft might be in order as well. The cherry on the top of this petrol-doused sundae was the near constant overflow from the twin HS4 carbs. No amount of float bowl tapping seemed to make the float needle seat as it should.

Caged fury

Richard brought his trailer around the McDonald homestead in Spanish Fort where we carefully pushed the yellow peril out of my garage and down the steeply inclined driveway to the waiting trailer below. My garage is about ten feet higher than the street level so I piloted the non-running 'B down the incline and on the trailer. We only had to shove the two front wheels on board and we were ready to roll.

On arrival chez Cunningham we pushed the car off the trailer and into the air conditioned garage where we began to diagnose the issues - after a cup of coffee, of course. First was a compression test (it's never had one and I was a bit concerned about the engine's tightness) and it came up acceptable. No more than 10 psi difference between the cylinders and no less than 130 psi. Whew.

We then decided to install the better-than-mine rocker shaft that I was able to procure from SABCC President Noel Eagleson's stash of MGB parts. The shaft can be installed without removing the head, but you need more withdrawal space than the radiator and thermostat housing will allow so, out they go. We got the new shaft in with a minimum of fuss and re-installed the critical cooling equipment and coolant juice. We then adjusted the valves to spec and got the old girl running temporarily to see if the valvetrain noise was reduced. Wow - its never run this quiet. Still a little noise with the bonnet up, but it made a world of difference.

We rock!

Now, shut the car off before we waste any more expensive gasoline on Richard's epoxy-coated garage floor. We pulled the float bowl lids and and the needles looked fine (Viton tipped and installed by Pierre Fontana in 1998) but we thought it would be prudent to chuck in a new set. A phone call to Mike Darby of Darby Classic Restoration revealed that he had an ample stock and, yes, we could drop by and purchase them.

With a new set of float needles in hand we put them in, set the float height according the book and started the yellow MGB. Nope - still puking out fuel. We repeated the drill several more times with a consistent rate of failure and then decided to call Mike to see what his advice was. It seems that Mike likes to set his floats a little higher than the book so we tried that. It seemed to staunch the flow of fuel to the floor. We buttoned it up and I took it out for a test run. Really nice.

High fives, fist bumps and caveman hooting noises. Yeah, we bad.

I set out for home and stopped at the local big box, members-only kind of store to meet my long suffering spouse. I parked the MG and immediately detected the aroma of neat gasoline. A peek under the front of the car confirmed what my generous nose already indicated. I called Richard and he suggested driving the car back to his place where we would snatch the SUs off the car and show them who's boss.

"Just don't set yourself on fire on the way back," Richard helpfully advised me. Thanks, buddy.

Righty-tighty...

We had the carburetors off the car in a few minutes and we immediately noticed that the float bowls were hanging at an angle that didn't look exactly kosher and the throttle shafts (that I knew were less than tight) were as loose as a six-year-old's front teeth. I called Mike Darby again and asked if I could bring my ailing carbs in for a rebuild and new throttle shaft bushings. "No problem," he said and quoted me one of his usual reasonable prices. I dropped them off and told him that there was no rush to get them back.

Last week, I met up with Mike and the rest of the Friday evening pizza bunch and he announced that he had the carburetors back together as good as they were born. The gang at the table hatched a plan to install the new wool headliner in Richard's 1964 E-Type coupe restoration project and get the carburetors in the yellow peril. We departed with plans to meet up the next afternoon.

Richard got his headliner installed with a minimum of fuss (but a lot of worry) and wrote about it in his excellent blog where he is tracking the restoration process.

Mike and I (OK, mostly Mike) got the carbs installed in the 'B and we started it up. It fired up immediately and ran smoothly, but it was pushing fuel out of the front overflow. I switched off the car and Mike adjusted the level and gave the float and mechanism a thorough looking-over. He replaced the float bowl lid and I started the car once more. Drop tight. The fuel stayed in the fuel system.

Let me show you how its done

I replaced the air filters and buttoned everything up. Mike attached the accelerator cable then tisked-tisked over the state of the choke cable. It had started to fray at the end. He did his best to clip, trim and push the cable over the thimble, but from the look he gave me, I knew it would need replacement. Mike had me start the car again so he could set the mixture and idle. He then pronounced it healed. He suggested I drive it for a while and bring to his shop for final fettling.

The gang celebrated the evening's events with pizza (again) and refreshing adult beverages. We drifted out of the garage with a feeling of accomplishment and we went our separate ways. I took the MG home with Richard following me so I could return and pick up my econobox and get it home as well.

The next day, a Sunday, I slid into the seat of the MG and pulled the choke handle. Nothing. It wouldn't move. Damn, I suppose it must have a stray wire strand gumming up the operation. I'd best get one on order. Might as well clean out the boot and get the tools and antifreeze put away, then.

The boot floor is swimming in antifreeze. One of the jugs (the full one, natch) rubbed against the jack and holed the jug, releasing the expensive green fluid into the boot.

When it rains...

MG Returns to Endurance Racing

2011-07-28T06:56:00.000-05:00

MG announced that they will return to the LeMans racing series next year as a title sponsor of RLR Racing's MG-Lola EX265 prototype. The car is an updated version of the MG-Lola raced in the early 2000's under the MG Sports and Racing banner.

MG released this video as part of the sponsorship announcement:

Could we expect to see an MG-liveried prototype at Sebring next year?

Bird-Bombed but Still Proud

2011-07-21T14:06:00.002-05:00

Courtesy of Hemmings

The Hemmings Blog is a great place to keep abreast of news and other interesting tidbits from the motoring hobby. On one of my recent visits, this photo of a barn find Jaguar Mark IV was front and center. As you can tell from the image, the old Jag was not the only resident of the barn.

Check out the full story and be sure to have a look at the after clean-up photos, too.

Rare in the USA: MG Sports Sedan

2011-07-20T07:03:00.000-05:00

The highly informative AROnline blog is a daily read for me now that they've upped sticks and moved their site to a new host and new blog format. Keith Adams and the crew add new content almost every day.

One recent series of articles running there deal with the highly successful 1100/1300 series of saloon cars. These "bigger on the inside than on the outside" cars were an extension of Alex Issigonis' groundbreaking Mini design. They were larger - some models with four doors - and they had the innovative Moulton hydrolastic liquid suspension.

AROnline is running a series of articles about the various iterations of the 1100/1300 including a profile of the many countries where they were built. Naturally, the one that caught my eye was the one treating the MG (and Austin) version sold in North America. It's certainly worth your time to check it out.

Haynes Manual Saves the Day

2011-07-15T13:56:00.000-05:00

How many of you British car owners have a grease-stained Haynes manual? I suppose Han Solo had one like this nearby.

Really Old Old Speckled Hen

2011-07-13T16:42:00.004-05:00

Photo courtesy of Geoff Ma

I ran across this photo of an original bottle of Old Speckled Hen ale that dates back to 1979 - the year that the brew was put in production to celebrate 50 years of building MGs in Abingdon. In their typically clumsy manner, as the celebrations in Abingdon were winding down, British Leyland callously announced the closure of the factory and the end of MG production.

Old Speckled Hen (or OSH to its fans) was intended to be a limited time offering but the demand for good British ales meant that it stayed in production. I am a fan of Old Speckled Hen, by reason of owning an MG and because it is an enjoyable drink. We can find it along the Gulf Coast in better markets and I heartily recommend that you give it a try.

The Wonder Years

2011-07-11T14:56:00.005-05:00

One of the posts on this humble blog dealing with the fiftieth anniversary of the "modern" MG Midget found its way into the pages of the South Alabama British Car Club's NEWSLETTER. This article prompted an email exchange between me and the always-interesting Fletcher Thompson.The email conversation set me thinking about the earliest memory I have of a Midget or Sprite and it came back to me as the one driven by my sixth grade teacher during my family's time in Fairfield, California.

As a student at Dover Elementary School, I would walk from our home and the route was along the busy main drags of the city. Being in California, a lot of cars were of the foreign persuasion and therefore somewhat foreign to my midwestern upbringing. There were Veedubs aplenty to be sure but there were more than a few strange (at the time) Japanese imports, too. I knew that when I arrived at the school, my teacher's Mineral Blue Sprite would be in its usual spot.

To say that I admired the car would be an understatement. I clearly remember the disc wheels with chrome "AH" hubcaps and light blue convertible top. If memory serves, it was a '66 or '67.

My teacher was in her first year of teaching after graduating from UC Berkley. If there is anything I recall more vividly than her car, it has to be her. She was tall, blond and had hippie tendencies. Her dresses were some of the shortest I had ever seen in my tender years and Lord have mercy, she wore fishnet stockings and boots. If I had a connection to the sea change of the sixties, it was her.

More than once on my way home from school I saw her driving the blue Sprite on her way home too, top down, long blond hair shining in the California sun.

Miss Judith Winters, I hope you found your hippie happiness.

Jaguar Wins NASCAR Race

2011-07-11T13:39:00.000-05:00

AL Keller at the Linden Airport Course - 1954

You read it right folks, Jaguar did indeed take the fight to the Detroit iron and emerge victorious. It was however, in 1954.

Piloted by hotshoe driver Al Keller, the 1948 Jaguar XK-120 coupe was one of 21 imports entered in NASCAR's first road course event staged at the temporary course set up at Linden Airport in Linden, New Jersey. This event was called the International 100 and was also the first event to welcome imported cars to the field - a total of 21 of them.

Keller's Jaguar was one of thirteen entered in the race that day, along with five MGs of various types, an Austin Healey, a Morgan and a lone Porsche. The Union Jack was well represented, indeed.

Previously, Keller drove Fords, Studebakers, Oldsmobiles and Hudsons prior to entering the red and white liveried number 4 XK in the New Jersey event. The car was owned by jazz musician Paul Whiteman and was part of his stable of exotic imported cars. Personally, I'd be a bit concerned if someone wanted to enter my new Jaguar in a NASCAR Grand National bumpin' and bangin' fest.

Keller's NASCAR career spanned 29 races with two victories and twelve top ten finishes. His life was cut short in in an open wheel race crash in Phoenix, Arizona.

Grandsons are Fun - And Useful!

2011-07-03T14:22:00.001-05:00

There's a thermostat in here

Our oldest grandson, nearly-five-year-old-William, is starting kindergarten this fall. The magnet school he will attend required a two week 'bridging' program to help get the little tykes in the frame of mind to learn. Since this was his first 'big school' experience, my better half told him that he could spend the night at our house when the two week session was done. He seems to think that it is a major deal to stay with us, so that's fine by me.

A Mini-qualified mechanic

He spent most of his time on his bicycle, ably demonstrating his new two-wheeled skill and generally staying close by. He was rummaging around the garage and found a stash of old Mini parts, one them being a head. For some reason he was fascinated with it so I set him up with some tools and showed him how to remove the thermostat housing and heater valve.

It kept him busy for a while and he got a sense of accomplishment using the hand tools to take something apart. He even got some souvenir greasy hands in the deal.

I hope his parents are ready to find disassembled appliances in their house.

Living Beyond My Raising

2011-07-02T22:32:00.001-05:00

I had to share this photo I snapped of my MGB hanging out in Richard Cunningham's garage.

We spent the better part of two days trying to run down a fueling problem (too much one minute - nothing the next) before I finally threw in the towel and delivered the pair of SU HS4 carburetors today to Mike Darby for rebuilding and new throttle shaft bushings.

Maybe basking in the glow of Richard's partially-restored Jaguar E-Type will help the 'B realize that it's been a total slacker.

Or is that me?

SABCC Wine Tasting

2011-07-02T21:59:00.005-05:00

The wine tasting activity was one of the most well-attended events on the club calendar this year with nearly 25 SABCC'ers signing up for the June 25th do.

Our host pours a white

Many members dropped in a little early to browse the wine cellar and check the impressive selection of imported and high gravity domestic beers on hand. We found a very tidy shop with a cozy wine bar and comfortable seating - the perfect spot to enjoy a glass of quality wine and conversation with good friends.

One of the tables set up for the tasting

Hosted by the folks at Daphne's Vino e Birra wine shop, the event was a 'blind' tasting (no, we didn't have to close our eyes) in that we were served wines from varieties that were listed on a form at each seat. With up to 10 grape varieties listed, we had to use our senses to determine what each sample was. The Vino e Birra staff took time to explain the characteristics (color, nose, taste) of the varieties on our list and we then had to describe the characteristics of the wine using a list of accepted attributes. A number of us had some idea as to what we enjoyed, but many of the group had not taken the time slow down and actually taste and analyze wine.

We're into the reds, now

We were served two white wines and four reds. My long-suffering spouse enjoyed the white offerings, but was a bit put off by most of the reds. A couple of knowledgeable SABCC'ers commented that the reds were likely very young wines.

The group enjoyed a few laughs and the company of their fellow club members during the tasting. The wines were complemented by a generous cheese and fruit tray brought to the event by Linda Ross.

When the last sample had been poured, it was up to us to determine what, exactly, we sampled. The hosts asked for our selections from the variety list and, as a group, we failed miserably. I think only three our four members of the group nailed even one of the samples. Did that mean we had a bad time? Absolutely not. Everyone departed with smile on their face and many of us found wines, beers or exotic soft drinks that we bought to sample later.

Thanks Vino e Birra and the members of SABCC who attended.

2011 British Car Festival is Just Four Months Away

2011-06-30T17:26:00.001-05:00

Fairhope, Alabama is the place to be on October 22. The 21st Annual British Car Festival is going to debut at its new site - on the South Lawn of Faulkner State Community College in beautiful downtown Fairhope.

In the meantime, here's an image of a poster of the event - come the next SABCC meeting on July 25th to pick up a few.

Built Like a Cannon - Goes Like a Bullet

2011-06-22T13:54:00.000-05:00

That would be the motto of the Royal Enfield motorcycle concern that, sadly, went defunct in the 1970s. Starting out as Enfield Manufacturing Company in 1893 as a manufacturer of bicycles, the firm licensed the "Royal" portion of its name from the crown in 1911. The firm built several models for the both the British and Imperial Russian armies during World War I and even sold models with machine guns mounted.

After the second World War, Royal Enfield motorcycles were imported tot he US badged as Indians from 1955 thorough 1959. Riders at the time thought them to be a pale imitation of the classic American bike.

Royal Enfield found a large market in India in 1949 and by 1955, "Enfields" were being built in India to meet the demand. Originally sold to the police and military markets in India, the cheap-to-run motorcycles became an aspiration of many Indian workers.

The British Royal Enfield concern was wound up in 1971 and the only place on earth that Enfield motorcycles were produced was India. They continued production under the Enfield name until 1995 when the rights to the Royal Enfield name were acquired by the Indian Firm.

Today, Royal Enfield motorcycles are available nearly world wide and all of them come the factory in Chennai, India.

Check this video of a craftsman hand painting the gold pinstriping on a fuel tank at the Royal Enfield factory:

I have a strong desire to own one these 500CC single cylinder "thumpers". Wish me luck.

Classic British... Tools?

2011-06-18T17:50:00.000-05:00

An ABINGDON girder wrench

The annual trek to Magnolia Springs to attend the St. John's Catholic Church lawn party is one that I've come to enjoy. In addition to the fine food, music and antique agricultural equipment on display, there is a fascinating display of antique tools brought by one of the parishioners. While it is only a small part of his collection, the variety of tools on display is truly astounding.

I noticed that he had a number of intriguing wrenches on display bearing names such as "ABINGDON" and "Joseph Lucas". Yep, it turns out that it is the same Abingdon and Joseph Lucas that you've heard of before.

The Abingdon on the wrench is the name of a handtool manufacturer located in Abingdon - the same Abingdon famous for building MGs for 50 years. Abingdon Engineering made a wide range of equipment including motorcycles, chains and gearboxes. At the turn of the twentieth century, the firm concentrated on hand tools exclusively.

A Joseph Lucas girder wrench

Most British car enthusiasts know the products of Abingdon Engineering by their trade name, King Dick, from the screw jacks and other hand tools found in the tool kits of classic British cars.

The Lucas hand tool line on the other hand, is not that well known outside the UK. The firm known to us for their automotive electrical equipment and instruments (through the Smiths brand) was a maker of small metal goods in the nineteenth century. One of their main lines was small handtools such as the Joseph Lucas girder wrench in the photo I shot at Magnolia Springs.

If you haven't been to the St. John's lawn party with the club, I suggest that you add it to your calendar next year. The tools on display make it worth the trip alone.

SABCC Wine Tasting - Saturday, June 25th

2011-06-18T17:09:00.000-05:00

Vino e Birra - Daphne, AL

Join your friends from the South Alabama British Car Club at the club wine tasting on Saturday, June 25th at Vino e Birra at 790 Daphne Avenue in Old Town Daphne.

We’ll meet at the wine shop at 7:00PM for a blind tasting of 6 fine wines. We’ll have a brief educational session that will explain the differences and characteristics of some of the well-known varieties followed by a ‘blind’ tasting where we will use our new found knowledge to identify the wines.

There is a fee of $12.00 per person payable at the event to cover the cost of the wines provided. The club will have some cheeses and crackers on hand to enhance the wine tasting and help cleanse the pallet between tastings.

The wines to be sampled will be available for purchase if you happen to find one you really enjoy. The proprietors are looking forward to our event and have promised us a fine experience.

I hope to see you there!

Annual SABCC Picnic and Al Fresco Club Meeting

2011-06-11T16:22:00.001-05:00

The British car parking area

June has been the traditional month for the annual SABCC family picnic. Why we chose the one of the hotter months of the year is beyond me, but it is a well attended event - sweltering weather or not. Once again, the club membership asked to return to the lovely Oscar Johnson Memorial Park in quaint Silverhill, Alabama. We were very pleased to see that the small town made a few improvements to the park - one of them being a pint-sized covered bridge across the creek that borders the park.

John Shaw gives Sandy Walter a preview

In a slight break from the traditional hamburger and hot dog fare, our own John and Barbara Shaw offered to treat the club to a chicken and sausage jambalaya lunch. The club membership brought along various dessert and salad dishes to share on the serving table.

The line forms here

John and Barbara arrived early at the park to set up their very impressive jambalaya cooking rig and get the south Louisiana treat on to cook. A cast iron coking pot sat in the middle of a gas burner on wheels simmering away and perfuming the east side of town with the mouth watering aroma of lunch. Ron Wolverton and Becky Kramer along with Richard Cunningham dropped by early to help with the dining arrangements in the pavilion. By the time the majority of the membership arrived, the serving table was covered in tasty dishes and the jambalaya was ready to serve.

Grace was said by Philip Kreis and the line formed for lunch. Heaping plates of good things to eat were carried to the picnic tables and the conversation died down to near silence while the hungry crowd ate. Soon, seconds were deemed to be in order and they were found to be as delicious as the first helpings.

Jack Ross models his headgear

Club President, Noel Eagleson, sensed that appetites were sated enough that the business portion of the meeting could begin. First on the agenda was selection of a charity to receive a donation from part of British Car Festival's proceeds. It was determined by the membership that we will make a donation to Faulkner State Community College - Fairhope Campus for use as the school sees fit. It was pointed out in the discussion prior to the vote that we have used the Faulkner facilities for club activities for a number years and the school has never asked for any fee or other remuneration in exchange.

The highlight of the day, however, was the judging of the decorated straw straw hats that President Eagleson requested the membership to wear. There were levels of participation from "over the top" to "this is a straw hat, right?" Noel appointed two impartial judges and they selected a first and second place for both women and men. The winners were:

Linda Ross - first place -with a British pop culture themed hat

The obligatory group photo

Becky Kramer - second place - with a springtime flowers theme

Tom Schmitz - first place - with a Mardi Gras theme

Your Humble Scribe - second place - with a classic Mini theme

Gift cards from Stein Mart and Harbor Freight Tools were handed out to the winners.

Noel closed the meeting, reminding everyone that the next one would be the fourth Tuesday in July at the Lake Forest Yacht Club in Daphne.

Sheared Sheep, A Classic British Marque and Bathroom Faucets

2011-06-10T13:33:00.001-05:00

Are you aware of a connection between a classic (and, sadly, defunct) British marque and a US purveyor of kitchen and bath plumbing supplies? Yeah, I didn't think so.

An Australian concern that manufactured sheep shearing equipment employed a young British engineer named Herbert Austin who caught the bug that many other young, enterprising men did at the turn of the twentieth century - the desire to build his own car. While he was employed in Australia, young Herbert met, wooed and married his wife and when the firm decided to uproot from Melbourne and move the works to the industrial heartland of England, he followed.

Wolseley Tri-Car

Setting up the Wolseley Sheep Shearing Company factory in Birmingham allowed the business to be closer to to their suppliers, but the 'off season' meant that other work had to be performed to prevent losing skilled workers to layoffs (or redundancy, as it is termed in the UK). Herbert saw that bicycle manufacturing would fill the niche nicely and the Wolseley bicycle was born.When motorized bicycles came on the scene, Herbert saw a good fit for his factory, as he was now works manager.

The first Wolseley car of 1895 was more of a powered cart, as many others were at the time, with the driver and passenger sitting back to back on the three-wheeled, tiller-steered contraption. In 1901, the automobile division was spun off as an independent business. From this humble beginning, Wolseley would become the leading producer of automobiles in the pre- WW I period.

In 1905, Herbert Austin left the Wolseley automobile firm and raised enough capital to put an all-new design in production and the Austin automobile marque was born. The sheep shearing equipment stayed with the original Wosleley firm and and Austin was lured back as chairman of that division - post he held from 1911 until 1933.

1909 Austin

By 1927, things weren't looking so good for the Wolseley automobile group and it was purchased by William Morris (of the Morris Automobile concern) as his personal property.

The original Wolsleley group continued to produce its' sheep sharing equipment and worked actively to diversify itself into other fields and it successfully entered the electric fencing, industrial wheels and building supply businesses in the UK. In the US, the modern Wolseley firm purchased a plumbing and industrial supply firm in 1982 called Ferguson Enterprises.

Today, Ferguson is known for its high end kitchen and bath showrooms in North America. But they don't sell sheep shears.

A Henry Manney Treasure Trove

2011-06-10T11:30:00.001-05:00


Photo by Patrick Manney- All Rights Reserved

It's no secret that I am a huge fan of the wit and wisdom of motorsports and automotive writer Henry N. Manney, III. I've lamented in these humble scribblings of how little there was to be found on the Internet about "Our Friend", but I think I've found the mother lode.

Henry and Anne Manney's son, Patrick, has scanned and uploaded a trove of family photos to a Flicker account and I have to admit, I spent about 45 minutes going through them. Now, not all of them are of Henry the Third - most of them are of family and friends with a few letters thrown in - but they are a moving look at the Manney family's life in Southern California.

There are numerous photos of Anne in her days as a ballerina in Paris and a lot of old carte de visites of what I assume are ancestors of the family, but the most endearing ones are of the family looking over their new home in Corona Del Mar, California.

If you were a reader of Road & Track 'back in the day' take a few minutes to check out this delightful photo collection.

If it's Memorial Day Weekend, We Must Be in Magnolia Springs

2011-05-29T16:39:00.000-05:00

The Grotto

One of the longest-running events on the South Alabama British Car Club activities calendar is the Memorial Day weekend annual Lawn Party at St.John's Catholic Church in beautiful Magnolia Springs, Alabama. This fundraiser for the church, now in its 86th year, is a pleasurable outing for the club membership. The organizers invite the club to bring our classic British cars to display in a grotto area near the main church building.

Most of those making the trek to Magnolia Springs met at the Daphne Starbucks Coffee for a quick jolt of caffeine prior to the start of the drive. We had a nice caravan of four cars consisting of Jack & Linda Ross (Jaguar E-Type), Keith and Donna Jarvis (Triumph TR3), Alan McDonald (MGB) and yours truly in the trusty Mini. Club President, Noel Eagleson reported that his MGB was having clutch issues and came in his "grown-up" car. Ron Wolverton and Club Secretary, Becky Kramer came in their small SUV to carry coolers, the popup tent, chairs and other necessities of the day.

British Iron on Display

We took the long way there taking advantage of the scenic drive down county road 98 along the bayfront all the way to Mary Ann Beach Road where we rejoined US highway 98 into Magnolia Springs. The cloudless morning and constant breeze off the bay made for a wonderful drive, the Sunday morning traffic being mostly runners and cyclers. More than a few waved or tossed us a thumbs up as our caravan drove by.

Our arrival at St. John's was welcomed by the volunteer workers and our own SABCC'er Elaine Coll, widow of Jaguar enthusiast and SABCC charter member Vinc Coll. It was certainly good to see her again. We parked under an ancient live oak that shades the grotto and we were treated to the fragrance of the many gardenias in bloom on the property.

Antique Agricultural Engine Display

The sound of antique agricultural machinery running drew us over for a look at the "hit and miss" engines on display. We were also taken with an extensive antique tool collection on display and were pleased to see a number of Abingdon and Joseph Lucas tools in the collection, adding another British angle to the day.

Once the popup tent was popped up, we each claimed our share of the shade and relaxed and chatted with the many folks who dropped by to check out the cars on display. The group was joined shortly by Richard Cunningham in his Jaguar XJ-S who also had his nieces and nephew on board for the morning. Alan's wife, Debbie and their daughter Kelley also dropped by for a visit to the sale tables and take in the scenery.

SABCC Headquarters

It wasn't long before the gang decided that the great smell of the barbeque was too much to ignore so we duly bought our meal tickets and chowed down. I will say that it was quite good and the portions were generous indeed. A few of the members wandered through the plant sale tents for a green souvenir of the day. The hydrangeas were particularly nice.

We were met shortly after lunch by our Club Secretary-Emeritus Sandy Walter and her better half Sam who came by after their church services were over.

Around 2:30, Richard and I saddled up for the trip back to points north. The rest of the gang relaxed in the afternoon breeze in Magnolia Springs a little longer before they made their way back home as well.

As always, the club would like to thank the volunteers at St. John's Catholic for inviting us to be part of their day. We eagerly look forward to visiting again next year.

The Shape of Things to Come

2011-05-23T13:21:00.002-05:00

TR7 Roadster

Quick - What was the best selling of the Triumph TR series cars? Give up? It's the TR7 coupe and convertible. BL's last major effort at designing and building sports cars was such a sales success in the US that the launch in the UK was delayed while Triumph ramped up production to meet the American demand, and then had to move production from factory to factory while militant labor unions did their part to cripple the British auto industry.

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

It's a shame that we don't see more of the wedge at SABCC events and at British car shows in the region. Perhaps it's due to the low values the cars reached as they were worn out. Sports cars - in the US, anyway - were considered to be "disposable" and as such were passed down the food chain of drivers until they were picked up off the streets where they were abandoned and sold on for scrap.

BMW Z4

The TR7 enjoys a fair parts supply so keeping one on the road should be no more of a challenge than any other contemporary British sports car. Drivers find them roomy, comfortable and not unable to keep up with modern traffic.

Hyundai Sonata

One of the most controversial aspects of the TR7 design was the crease or character line that ran from above the rear wheel to a point just behind the front wheel arch. This served to emphasize the "wedginess" of the car, making look like it was moving at 60 MPH while standing still. Many sports car Luddites saw the TR7 as anything but a traditional sports car; the first ones were coupes rolled out in fear that the US would outlaw open topped cars.

But back to that crease; the Triumph tag line "The Shape of Things to Come" was not far off the mark. Take a look at these modern cars that I've illustrated here and what seems to be the theme? Yep, creases. Harris Mann, the TR7 designer could be considered a visionary - a man ahead of his time.

SABCC Tech Session: Fried Wiring and Fried Chicken

2011-05-22T21:54:00.001-05:00

Mugs & Motors at Panera Bread

The club membership descended on the Spanish Fort location of Panera Bread for another Mugs & Motors. This pre-event for the day's main activities is a popular 'do' and the participation is always high. We had around 20 SABCC'ers enjoy coffee, baked goods and conversation.

Those driving their British iron parked together across the street from the coffee shop and the cars formed an impromptu car show. More than a few Panera customers stopped by to have a closer look at the representatives of the golden age of British automobile manufacturing. The cloudless sky and bright sunshine was marketer's dream: the cars absolutely glowed in the late spring sun.

Parked at Panera

We topped off our coffees and a number of us picked up an extra sweet treat to enjoy later before we mounted up for the short drive to Silverhill, Alabama and the shops of Darby Classic Restoration where Mike Darby was waiting for us. Jack Ross led the caravan in his stunning silver Jaguar E-Type roadster and he did an excellent job of timing the traffic lights so that the group stayed within sight of each other. Turning off Baldwin County 64 and onto highway 54, we opened the throttle butterflies a little and gave the cars a bit of a workout. The several 90 degree turns on 54 were taken at speeds not usually seen by less exciting cars.

Inside Darby Classic Restoration

The group pulled onto Mike's property and parked up under the shade trees that front the place. We took our time chatting with a few folks who chose to meet up at the shop and forgo the caffeine and calories of the breakfast stop. Once everyone made their way into the shop, Mike began the tech session on automotive electrical systems.

He had several old wiring harnesses along with some examples of various fuse types, connectors and useful tools. The main event was a harness that Mike laid out and attached several components to in simulation of problematic headlight circuit. Mike demonstrated the correct method of step by step troubleshooting and during his talk, he pointed out several important facts:

A "short" or short circuit usually involves blown fuses, melted wiring and/or smoke.
A dead electrical component is likely due to an open circuit that prevents power from reaching the device.
Poor grounds are common on old cars. Cleaning your ground points will often fix the problem.
Corroded or dirty connectors are another common cause of electrical problems.
Save old wiring harnesses that you may take off parts cars. They are a good source for correctly color coded wiring and various connectors.
Use proper automotive wiring devices. "Vampire" clips, wire nuts and household wiring devices are asking for major trouble.
By good quality wiring tools. They make the job easier and more realiable.
British cars are no more prone to electrical problems than cars from any other country - including the US.
Work methodically to find your problem and have an accurate wiring diagram handy.

The simulated headlight circuit

Mike took a great deal of time answering questions and going into great detail for the benefit of those in attendance. As always, we owe Mike and Nancy Darby a big thank you for hosting the event.

Afterwards, Richard Cunningham discussed two great products for keeping the interior of your car cool: Koolmat interior heat insulation and Zero Clearance reflective insulation for shielding the car from exhaust heat. Richard has installed both products in his E-Type restoration project and several members are currently using the products with excellent results.

Since it had been a matter of hours that we last had anything to eat, the group once again set out for another meal, this time at Champy's Chicken in Daphne. It also gave us an opportunity to experience an honest-to-goodness traffic roundabout that the Daphne street department recently finished. While they are quite common in Europe, they are just now being seen here in the US.

Lunch at Champy's

The helpful staff at Champy's dragged several tables together to accommodate the hungry SABCC crowd. We scanned the menu and placed our orders with a delightful young waitress that really engaged the group. It turns out that she was working at Champy's part time but was actually a dietitian at a local hospital the rest of the week. We razzed her about serving up platefuls of deep fried death on the weekend and helping to choose healthy menus during the work week. She took it all in stride and reminded us that all food is good in moderation.

We enjoyed our heaping plates of fried chicken and more than a few of the group had to take boxes of food home because the portions were so large. Moderation would have to be practiced another day. We rolled out of the restaurant, once again full, and into our cars for the trip to our respective homes. Everyone enjoyed the day and vowed that we would do it again and soon.

MG Reaches into the Past to Introduce the New MG6

2011-05-19T13:36:00.000-05:00

I've written about the new MG6 that is currently in production in China and is now being built int he UK. This saloon (that's a sedan, cowboy) is the first new design to carry the MG badge since the implosion of MG-Rover several years ago. The video that I've posted here is an introduction of the new car and MG has reached way back to try to add some sporting character to the MG6. I have to give them full marks for the classics they chose to include in the film.

The only gaffe I spotted was in the film of the running start at LeMans - the car in the center of the frame is actually a Triumph TR3.

No, we still can't buy new MGs in the US of A.

An Interesting - if Scary - Proposition

2011-05-15T17:15:00.003-05:00

The Eastern Shore Cruisers organize a "Second Saturday" cruise-in the Eastern Shore Center in Spanish Fort and it is just a hop away from my house. Being that close and with me interested in nearly anything automotive, I usually attend. This weekend's event was rather well attended with about 70-80 cars on display along with a lot of folks walking through the roped off area. I met up with Richard Cunningham who drove his Jaguar XJS and Michael King who brought his MG Midget. Since my MGB is ailing a bit, I brought the Mini.

Our corner of the lot was dominated mostly by imports with a large contingent of Porsches in attendance. A couple of 944s and an aircooled 911 shared our space. Later in the evening another 911 drove in but this one had a distinct rumble and a rat rod look. I didn't think too much about it and spent my time conversing with Michael and Richard and checking out a Jaguar V-12 powered T-Bucket rat rod that was running straight pipes. Yowser.

Later, a friendly gentleman engaged me in a deep conversation about the Mini. He asked all sorts of questions - the usual run of the mill type - and then asked if I would be interested in swapping it for a Porsche 911. He pointed to the rumbly black one and said it had an engine swap. A Ford 351 V8 swap. Although I had no intention of a trade I had to go check it out. Sure enough, one of Windsor, Ontario's cast iron V8s was hanging off the rear end of the 911

It didn't take too much imagination to see me hurtling into the roadside greenery stern first. I could almost hear Obi Wan Kenobi whispering in my ear, "The oversteer is strong with this one."

Needless to say, I drove the Mini home.

SABCC Picnic - June 11

2011-05-13T22:14:00.002-05:00

It's time to get into a picnic state of mind because the annual South Alabama British Car Club family picnic is less than a month away.

SABCC's own John and Barbara Shaw have graciously offered to cook up a big (and I mean big) pot of jambalaya for the club's gustatory pleasure. All we are asking the membership to bring is a salad or dessert to share and there will be a sign up sheet at the next club meeting on May 24th. The picnic will be at Oscar Johnson memorial park in Silverhill, Alabama - the site of the last two annual picnics.It is located on Baldwin County 104, just east of the town. Look for the SABCC sign at the entrance. Plan to arrive around 11:30 and we'll eat around noon.

Our esteemed club president, Noel Eagleson, has asked that the membership wear their finest straw hats to the picnic. Be it a boater or bonnet, plain or decorated, there will a prize for the best ladies and gentlemen's hat. Be sure to have your headgear ready for inspection!

Also, this will serve as our June meeting and we traditionally use this event to select the charity to receive a donation from the proceeds of British Car Festival.

I hope to see you there!

Yet Another Jubliee Year

2011-05-02T15:27:00.000-05:00

In addition to the E Type and Midget anniversaries being celebrated this year the folks at Rolls Royce would like you to know that they also have a reason to party. The world renowned Rolls Royce radiator mascot 'Spirit of Ecstasy' is 100 years old this year.

Radiator mascots were all the rage in the early days of motoring with special designs being commissioned with an eye to out-do other posh automobile owners. Mascots could be anything that the car's owner could dream up and that was what lead Rolls Royce to search for one that captured the essence of driving ( or rather, being driven in ) a Rolls Royce automobile. It just wouldn't do to have something vulgar on a Rolls.

Charles R. Sykes was given the task of designing the mascot that would become forever associated with the luxury marque. Sykes chose as his model one Eleanor Velasco Thornton, secretary and life long mistress of Edward Douglas-Scott Montagu. This was not the first time that Sykes sculpted a mascot using Thornton for his inspiration; he created a similar mascot for Lord Montagu earlier for his personal Rolls.

This year, Rolls Royce has created a special edition (aren't all Rollers special?) called the Centenary Collection. Along with special paint colors and a unique dashboard clock, the proud owner will have a replica statuette for the mantel or bookcase. In case the occasion is lost on your front seat passenger, the glovebox lid is inscribed with this quote from Charles Sykes:

"A graceful little goddess, the Spirit of Ecstasy, who has selected road travel as her supreme delight and alighted on the prow of a Rolls-Royce motor car to revel in the freshness of the air and the musical sound of her fluttering draperies." - Charles Sykes, 1911

It almost sounds like Eleanor has a bit of indigestion...

A Mini Guy in a Mini Shirt by a Mini

2011-04-30T15:31:00.002-05:00

Let's go, Papa!

My sharp-eyed wife took me into a local kids clothing store so she could see what sort of bargains she could find for our brood of grandchildren. I normally go along for the ride since she is a good sport about my automotive addictions. Inside the shop she said "there's the Mini!" THE Mini usually means the one in our garage and I knew it was safely at home. Following her, I saw that it was a boy's tee shirt with an appliqued car in the shape of a classic Mini.

What stopped me in my tracks was that it was the same seventies-tastic color scheme that our car carried - Bracken (not "poo brown", you in the back) with a white roof. It was settled - we had to get it for our youngest grandson Grady.

Here he is modeling his latest wardrobe addition.

Did Anyone Hear Anything About a Wedding?

2011-04-29T11:41:00.000-05:00

My wife mentioned to me that she was watching a wedding on television this morning. All I saw was a gorgeous Aston Martin DB6 Volante. OK, I'm just kidding- I don't actually live under a rock.

It turns out that the car belongs to Prince William's father, HRH Prince Charles and it was somewhat famously converted to run on ethanol . Other photos of the car can be found here.

A Rare Breed In The US

2011-04-26T14:29:00.002-05:00

One of the blogs that I visit frequently is the entertaining Rusty Heaps blog run by the very talented Roger Los. Rusty Heaps is his public affirmation of his problem of serial-British car purchasing and the trials and tribulations that it brings.

Photo Courtesy Roger Los

A few months ago, he bought a Rover SD1 - the V8 kind. I've had a soft spot for this particular Rover model and it appeared that Roger bought himself a "good 'un". On one of my comments to a post of his, I casually mentioned that I admired the car and thought that the Gulf Coast would make a great home for it. Today, I got a message it could be mine if I was interested and had the ready cash.

Well, one out of two ain't bad I suppose.

This car is not perfect, but it is rather rare in that it requires deft hand-foot coordination to swag cogs. Yep, it's a manual gearbox car - just right for wringing out that Rover-improved Buick aluminum V8. Roger is quite forthcoming abut the condition of the car, and I think it can be yours for not a lot of greenbacks.

It's in Whidbey Island, Washington - worth the trip just to take in the scenery - so let me know if you need a navigator when you bring it back home.

Update: Sold on Ebay.

Another Golden Jubilee

2011-04-23T09:32:00.000-05:00

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the MG Midget MkI and the Austin Healey Sprite MkII. While overshadowed a bit by the celebrations planned for the iconic Jaguar E-Type, these great little cars deserve their spot in the limelight as well.

MG had been without a sports car carrying the Midget name since 1955 when the MG TF went out of production. With the success of the Austin Healey Sprite, the BMC overlords decided that there should be an MG version, too. Since the development engineering (and eventual manufacture) of the original MkI Frogeye Sprite was done by MG at Abingdon, it was a fairly simple matter to badge engineer an MG edition of the new MkII Sprite. Sporting a modern update of the classic MG grille and a chrome bonnet trim, the new MG Midget was launched in June of 1961.

Like its Sprite brother, the new Midget was powered by a 948cc A-Series engine cranking out 46BHP and was stopped by drum brakes on all four wheels. Sports cars were still considered a bit of primitive motoring so it retained the MkI Sprite's side curtain setup.

For me the earliest cars are the purest ones. My dream garage would include a '61 Midget on disc wheels in Clipper Blue.

Happy birthday, little friend!

Mugs & Motors and Lucas Smoke

2011-04-22T15:00:00.001-05:00

Mark May 21 on your calendars for the next installment of SABCC's Mugs & Motors - Coffee and Conversation for Motoring Enthusiasts.

We will meet at the Spanish Fort location of Panera Bread at 8:00AM to enjoy coffee, baked treats and the company of good friends. Afterwards, we'll caravan to beautiful Silverhill, Alabama and visit Darby Classic Restoration where Mike Darby will give us lessons in basic automotive electrical systems. We all know that it is paramount to keep the original factory Lucas smoke safely inside the wiring and Mike will show us how to do just that.

See you there!

PBCA's Brits on the Bay Event

2011-04-18T15:42:00.006-05:00

One of the most eagerly anticipated events on the South Alabama British Car Club's activity calendar is the annual British car show sponsored by the Panhandle British Car Association in Pensacola, Florida. Being just a short jaunt across the state line, SABCC'ers usually turn out in force and this year was no exception.

Courtesy Robb Ogletree

While the majority of the gang chose to meet at the Daphne Starbucks location to begin a group caravan to the show site, I offered my services as a driver to Mike Darby to help him bring both of his stunning showstoppers to Pensacola. Mike drove his lovely MGA roadster and he entrusted me with his gorgeous Jaguar 240. I met Mike at his shop for an 8:00AM departure which would allow him to grab a quick breakfast on the way and pick up shop supplies from his favorite auto parts store in Robertsdale.

MGBs Aplenty

I loaded my gear in the Jag and slid behind the wheel. A quick cold start refresher (half choke, twist the key and press the starter button) and I had the 2.4 liter straight six idling quietly. Mike got saddled up in the MG and we were off. The big Jaguar did not like to have its gearchanges rushed while the gearbox oil was cold so it was easy does it until everything was up to operating temperature.

Jaguar Saloons

We got into a comfortable pace on the Baldwin County back roads as we drove into the rising sun and the Florida state line. I relaxed enough to take in my surroundings at the helm of the light gray Jaguar. With fine wood on any surface that wasn't covered in blue vinyl, I felt like I was ensconced in Grandma's china cabinet. Flicking in and out of overdrive is accomplished with a lever on the right side of the steering column. Lift off the throttle slightly when engaging OD and give it a little more throttle on coming out of overdrive. Nice, smooth action that prevents excess stress on the driveline - and neck snapping jerks. That just doesn't do in a Jaguar, you know.

Jaguar XJ-S Class

Mike and I arrived at the show site near the Pensacola Civic Center and we were put in line to get our car's portraits made. The famous Maguire's Restaurant double decker bus was the perfect backdrop for the souvenir photos. We were then directed to our respective spots on the expansive show field.

Not long after our arrival the main SABCC caravan pulled in with no reports of trouble during the trip. For a while, the line to get registered and photographed was nothing but SABCC members. I was proud of our club's turnout and thought that we had a chance to do well in the balloting later in the day.

An Ailing Morgan

I spent the next hour getting the road grime off the Jaguar and generally giving it more of a spruce up than it really needed. It is a treat to run a detailing rag over the curves of this beautiful car. Mike tended to his MGA and to the emergency mechanical needs of other cars on the field. His reputation as a top-drawer auto fettler keeps him in demand at events and Mike's generosity at times like this is legendary.

As always the PBCA ran the show like the well oiled machine that it has become. Extra classes were created when enough vehicles arrived to make them. Unusually, there were enough Morgans on the field to have their own class this year. Several PBCA members remarked that last year there were nine Triumph Spitfires in the show while this year there were only two. It is a challenge to anticipate the field layout, so pre-registration at any show is helpful for the organizers.

The day was sunny and breezy and many of us found shelter in the SABCC pop up tent where we enjoyed each others company. When the ballots were handed out, everyone made their choices and when the awards were presented, SABCC did very well. Our club secretary, Becky Kramer was kind enough to provide me with the list of awards won by SABCC'ers:

Mr. Goodspanner Award - MIKE DARBY

(Presented by British motoring Club New Orleans for his beyond-the-call-of-duty efforts to help a fellow motorist)

Moulton Properties Trophy - MIKE DARBY

MGA
1st - MIKE DARBY

SABCC Hdq.

2nd ROBB OGLETREE

MGB 62-68

1st TOM & JEANNIE SCHMITZ
3rd DICK BISHOP

MGB 69-74
1st - KEN MCELHANEY

MGB- C GT
3rd - TOM & JEANNIE SCHMITZ

MGB 74-1/2 - 76
2nd BRUCE DONALDSON

Big Healeys

3rd NOEL EAGLESON

MGB - 77 - 80
1st - STUART WADDINGTON

TRIUMPH TR8
1st BILL MOSELEY

JAGUAR XJS - XK8 UP TO 1999
1st - MICHAEL KING

2nd- RICHARD CUNNINGHAM

JAGUAR XK8 - OPEN
3rd (TIE) JON GOSNELL

JAGUAR - E TYPE
3rd - JACK ROSS

JAGUAR SALOON
1st - MIKE DARBY

MORGAN
1st - MELISSA SILHAN

Showing the SABCC Colors

After the awards ceremony, the main SABCC caravan formed up and made its way back to Lower Alabama. Once again, Mike Darby was called on to help a TR-6 driver who was having a bit of trouble with a new set of SU carburetors that had been installed the night before. Mike got out his tool bag and set the carbs up so that the TR ran well enough to make it back home.

Richard and Donna Cunningham and Michael King waited for Mike and I so we could grab a bite of dinner on the way home. We formed up and set out for a barbeque dinner at Sonny's near our exit to US Highway 90. It was a fine end to the day to share a few laughs and a delicious supper with good friends.

We drove back at a leisurely pace on the two lane highway with the setting sun in our eyes. Yes, it was tough to stay awake, but we returned safely having had one of the best days out ever.

Thanks, PBCA for a great show.

Reflected Rivalry

2011-04-12T20:34:00.001-05:00

I shot this photo during the February Mugs & Motors - Continental Classics tour and I thought it caught the rivalry between Triumph and MG pretty well.

The MGA and Triumph TR3 were contemporaries when they were new and, as it is today, each had its own devoted following. The MGA is owned by Robb Ogletree and the TR3 belongs to Keith Jarvis.

Jowett and Rootes Products Videos

2011-04-11T08:06:00.000-05:00

Start your week off with these three YouTube clips of videos about two car families that we don't hear much about in the States: Jowett and the Rootes family. These three clips are quite entertaining and I hope you can spend some time with them.

Easy Method for Cleaning Light Lenses

2011-04-05T08:36:00.000-05:00

I'm basically lazy and I'm always looking for ways to make my workload a bit lighter - even down to detailing my classic cars. Now, I'll probably be dropped from Griot's Garage mailing list, but I've got a tip for you and here it is:

Darling, are those CAR PARTS in my dishwasher?

To clean light lenses both inside and out with excellent results and minimum effort, put them in your dishwasher.

That's it. The warm water and detergent will get both plastic and glass lenses looking clear and spotless. Don't worry about the potential for etching from the detergent as it takes literally hundreds of cycles for that to appear. This method is also perfect for rehabbing old, used lenses from your parts cars, too. The folks that I've passed this on to have been impressed with their results.

My crack legal team wants me to tell you that you are on your own if you use this tip.

So there.

The Tail Light You've Seen Everywhere

2011-04-02T00:01:00.072-05:00

Frogeye Sprite

MGA

As British car enthusiasts, we know that a lot of the parts that went into our cars came from a few specialized suppliers on the isle. Nearly all classic British cars sported SU carburetors and fuel pumps, Triplex glass and Smiths instruments. Of course, they nearly all had electrical equipment supplied by Lucas. If you've ever changed a tail or parking light bulb, you probably noticed that the lens itself was also a Lucas product.

Most car makers in the post war era really did not have the budget to create specialized lighting equipment for their autos. With the notable exception of Ford, the British auto industry chose "off-the-rack" for things like tail light lenses, parking lights and so forth for their lower-priced offerings. Lucas could provide a standard design for these lights at a low cost since they were used on so many cars.

TR3

Morgan 4-4

Case in point: the Lucas part number L549 tail light. You've seen them on many British cars, but did you know how widely used they were? I've posted a few snaps of the cars that utilized this light at least during part of their production lifetime. This small tail light is designed to be mounted on either a plinth to make the top of the lamp horizontal or directly on the rear sheetmetal of the car in question, provided it was designed with the correct angle.

Can you name any others that used this lamp assembly? Let me know in the comments section.

Revival of the Morris Marque

2011-04-01T01:00:00.013-05:00

See any Saturn SC2 Coupe DNA here?

Certain Chinese automotive websites are reporting that the beloved Morris marque may soon be headed for revival. While the power of Google translations is a bit limited, I've been able to glean these unbelievable tidbits:

The current owners of the Morris name will produce a line of small, moderately priced cars and badge them Morris
The cars will be built on old Saturn platforms that were purchased by the same firm when GM went through bankruptcy
It is planned to sell Morrises in developing countries and in the UK where the marque name still has a fanatic following
It is not known whether Top Gear will drop pianos on any of the new Morris vehicles

From the best I can determine from the translations:

"Spokesman Hiu Jhok Mie said 'We intend to make this fine British car name even more British by using lots of wood on the inside of the car.'"

Look for the introduction of the new Morris marque next year sometime around April 1st followed shortly thereafter by Lord Nuffield rolling over in his grave.

British Car Festival 2011 Theme Artwork

2011-03-24T07:08:00.001-05:00

I am pleased to unveil the the theme artwork for this year's British Car Festival. The event will honor the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the Jaguar E-Type. This artwork will grace the dash plaques, banners and perhaps a few more goodies.

See you at British Car Festival in October!

MINI of Pensacola to Sponsor British Car Festival Again

2011-03-24T07:02:00.000-05:00

The nice folks at MINI of Pensacola have signed on as title sponsors of British Car Festival again this year. MINI of Pensacola, one of the dealerships in the Sandy Sansing organization, has supported our event since they opened the dealership in 2009. Their generosity helps us put on a great show as well as allow us to make a donation to a local charity.

Thank you MINI of Pensacola!

The "Most Beautiful Car Ever Made" Turns 50

2011-03-15T00:01:00.006-05:00

In 1961 it looked like it came from another planet. Today it still stops people in their tracks. Happy 50th birthday, Jaguar E-Type!

When Marketers and Lawyers Clash

2011-03-14T16:29:00.002-05:00

I love Harbor Freight Tools - I really do. I look forward to my infrequent visits because I find dozens of items that I didn't know I needed but somehow wind up in my shopping cart. Since I'm a hobbyist, the tools and other gizmos sold there meet my needs without breaking the bank.

Recently, my '76 MGB exhibited some running issues most likely caused by the fuel in the tank that dates back to October of last year. Since most motor fuel contains up to 10% ethanol, it can go stale pretty quickly. In fact according to a study or two, the fuel will become waterlogged. Now the last time I checked water is not really flammable (unless it was the Cuyahoga River of the 1960's) so it will play havoc with an internal combustion engine.

Anyway, the 'B started up just fine, but ran poorly when I drove it, especially under cornering. It was down on power for a short time and required full choke until it cleared itself of the problem. I decided that I needed to siphon the old fuel out and give it a splash of fresh.

I noticed in my Hagerty's Magazine (a nice perk for Hagerty Insurance customers) a large Harbor Freight Tools ad and one of the promoted items was a siphon pump kit with hoses and accessories. Perfect for my task of removing the old fuel from the tank.

I dropped into my local Harbor Freight Tools store in Mobile (c'mon open one on the Eastern Shore, already!) and bought the kit for the princely sum of $4.00. When I got it home, I read the fine print - the front of the package says its ideal for siphoning gas. The back side says it should not be used with flammable fluids.

Hmm. I suppose that the fuel in the tank is only semi-flammable. I wonder if Harbor Freight considered this possibility?

Ford of Britain Turns 100

2011-03-10T12:58:00.000-06:00

We don't see many of them on the roads these days, but at one time the best selling imported car brand in the USA was Ford. That's right, the quintessential "English Ford" was the nation's leading automotive import in 1950. This week the maker of those cars turns 100.

A bug's rear - geddit?

Ford of Britain traces their roots back to the first batch of American built Model A vehicles imported in 1903. In 1911, Ford opened an assembly plant in Manchester in a former trolley car factory. Employing 60 people, the factory assembled cars from imported American mechanical components with the bodies supplied by UK manufacturers. The enterprise was so successful that a new plant was built in 1914 utilizing the moving assembly line perfected by Ford in the US. The British driver regarded Ford products so highly that, just 5 years later, 41% of all cars registered in the UK were Fords.

By the time the second World War ended, the UK was in dire financial straits and an "export or die" decree went out from the government. The need for foreign currency to pay off war debts was urgent and Ford of Britain realized that their very survival depended on exporting cars. A ready market was found in North America.

Although not the first time British Fords were shipped to Canada, they especially embraced these post-war small cars built by a familiar name. In 1950, Canadians bought almost 15,000 UK Fords. America took in just over 1,800 but our interest in smaller cars was a bit behind that of our neighbors to the north.

Worldwide, by 1955, Ford of Britain exported over one million vehicles, almost one quarter of all British vehicle exports. By 1970, over 250,000 British built Ford cars and trucks had been sold in the US and Canada.

Probably all of us interested in British cars had some experience with an "English Ford" at one time or another. I hope you would share your experiences with me in the comments sections.

Happy Birthday, Ford of Britain.

Experts in the Care and Feeding of Your British Car

2011-03-09T19:36:00.002-06:00

The South Alabama British Car Club is very fortunate to have two experts to help us look after our British cars. I am very pleased to consider both of these gentlemen my friends.

Jean-Pierre Fontana

Jean-Pierre Fontana is a long time resident of Mobile where he is considered one of the most knowledgeable people in local automotive circles. Pierre works with classic cars of all types, European or American, classic, vintage or veteran Pierre has the ability to bring them back to rude health.

I've known Pierre since the mid 1970's when he got my brother out of a couple of mechanical jams with his '71 MGB (like the time he ran the diff dry and it locked up- but I didn't tell you that). In that time Pierre has been an indispensable source of information and advice for my MGB as well. Pierre writes a monthly column for the South Alabama British Car Club's NEWSLETTER. You can check out some his wit and wisdom here.

Mike Darby

The other expert is Mike Darby, the proprietor of Darby Classic Restoration in Silverhill, Alabama. Mike is known nationwide for his meticulous restorations of classic British cars. I am a frequent visitor to Mike's shop and I am constantly amazed at the variety of vehicles there in various stages of renovation. Mike provides comprehensive services for British cars primarily, but he is also expert in other imported marques as well.

Since Mike's shop is close to my home, I almost always bring my cars there for help when I run out of mechanical talent (and it doesn't take me long to do that). He is incredibly patient and takes his time to actually explain the details of the malady as well as how an owner can prevent a re-occurrence of the of the problem. Mike is also a columnist for the SABCC NEWSLETTER and you can read his columns here.

Owning and driving a classic British car would be much more difficult without the help of these two great resources.

Triumph Herald Advert

2011-03-08T17:13:00.002-06:00

Don't you just want to take it home? It's sad that we don't see more of these in the wild, but like most cars of the era, the Herald was biodegradable - especially in convertible form.

Spitfire drivers would probably recognize the mechanicals in the Herald - they were closely related and it's not too much of a leap to consider it a four seat Spitfire. The chrome headlight peaks and "flinlets" at the rear capture the time in which it was designed. The Herald was built from 1959 through 1971.

With its wood dash and sharp Italian styling by Michelotti, the Herald was a small car with a bit of flair.