Abingdon Rough Rider Review

Abingdon Rough Rider Review July 2011 Vol. LIII(53) no. 7 President Syd Saperstein Vice President - Activities Director Secty/Treas/Newsletter Editor- Eminence Gris Jeff Glenn Linda Chalmers Allan Chalmers Bill Traill Sunday, July 17 A visit to Tom Price s Car Collection in Marin Rick Storms and Steve Plath have worked out a special trip to Tom s collection in Marin. He is the owner of a number of high end car agencies and has a nice collection of vintage cars. See http://www.marinmagazine.com/marin-magazine/october-2008/if-cars-could-talk/ He also sponsors the Marin Sonoma Concours. This will a Rough Riders only event, with a few other folks invited. We will retire afterward to the Mayflower Pub for lunch http://www.themayflowerpub.com/ We will meet at the Storms place, 25 Scenic Way in San Anselmo at 9 AM and proceed to the collection. Wives and significant others are invited by Judy to walk down to San Anselmo Ave to check out antiques shops and view the booths at the San Anselmo Arts & Wine Fair. Lunch will be at Insalata s Please contact Rick or Judy if you are coming, (415) 454 8937 or cel 519 8937 or Rick s email address at the web site under web master (no email addresses in the web version of the newsletter) There s a joint MGOC and SSTS tour of Marin on Saturday, July 9 Details at MGOC s web site www.mgoc.org Sunday, August 14 The Sausage Run A BBQ at Jack & Cathy Bradley s in Aptos. More info next month Our web site: www.abingdonroughriders.org

Sunday, July 17 Coming Events A West Marin tour and a tour of Tom Price s car collection in Marin, thanks to Rick Storms and Steve Plath setting it up. Tom is one of the sponsors of the Marin Sonoma Concours and is a dealer in mouth watering cars in Marin. Sunday August 14 A South Bay Run, otherwise known as The Sausage Run. Jack Bradley has offered up his place for a BBQ again September 23-25 The 55 th ARR TCMG Conclave. Late breaking news in from the southland has us staying at the Vagabond Inn in San Luis Obispo with dinner at the Madonna Inn on Saturday nite. Room prices - $106 one queen and $115 two queens. Get your reservations in at http://www.vagabondinnsanluisobispo.com/ (I called and got a room for two nights for $175 total) the Madonna Inn web site is http://www.madonnainn.com/banquets.php October? Our Phamous Phrank Bolinas BBQ might need a new location, Depending on the schedule of hostess Susan Frank. Sunday, November 6 Dinner in San Francisco, a new tradition started by our beloved president, Syd Saperstein, who planned our North Beach foofarah a year or so ago. Sunday December 4 A Holiday Brunch, at the Swackhamer s in San Jose. This time we will do it potluck. ******* The Sausalito Concours is October 2. As I have said before, things will undoubtedly change, so keep tuned. The badges are coming, the badges are coming! New ones are being produced stay tuned

The Volcano Tour A terrific weekend was had by all, even the guy who lost a cylinder. different directions. Kern and Betsy Matlock showed up a bit later to our surprise, as they had opted out, but Kern woke in the morning and said I m a new man, let s go! Our Friday night pheasant BBQ was terrific, with lots of tasty wee game birds expertly cooked by their great white hunter, Brian Sonner. Other comestibles were supplied by the others. Saturday s dinner was put on by the St. George Hotel A great view We line up in front of the St. George Our line-up took place in front of the hotel, as has been done in the past. I hung the club banner from the second floor balcony and we all oohed and ahhed and Bill even was seen perusing the January 1949 issue of Life magazine with the article on the first TC run to Volcano. That s the Shemmp s TC Bill s car had issues and didn t get there. Chef Brian Both Friday and Saturday we met in the Chalmers palace a really nice large cabin for munchies and of course much wine. Some folks stayed at the Union Hotel, which was said to be very nicely redone. Linda, Sue and I went for a nice hike with a local we met, whose daughter and sonin-law bought the latter place after selling the St. George Hotel, and turned it around. Bill with Life & Howard Shemmp s fine car Swacks, Chalmers, Marcottes, Traill and Sanders with NA and TF, met at the usual Santa Rita spot and took off over hwy 4 and 88 to meet the Sonners, Shemmps, Pohles, Taylors, Stobbes arriving from

Oh oh, looks to be a failed cylinder. But they got home on three. In the Chalmers Capacious living room Saturday s tour took us over some great roads, visiting wineries, picking up Lawrie and Jane Alexander in Plymouth, along with brand new member Ed Dail more about later. Several folks took off for the big GoF West in Reno Terry towing the NA, Cindy driving the TF, Joe and Pat Marcotte, Sue and Barry Swackhamer, Jeff & Colleen Stobbe in their TCs. Other folks wended their way home, with Linda and me with our personal Chrysler sag wagon driven by Bill Traill retracing our steps back past the Santa Rita McDonald s to home. The Sonners went home to Placerville first before heading to Reno and I to SF, to head back up to the big deal in Nevada on Tuesday with my British/Bavarian special. The drivers A butterfly contemplates the GPS in an ancient vehicle Ed Dail, newly minted member with the ex George Miller, ex Mark Rodriguez TC We had a banquet dinner in the St George Hotel on Saturday night. Next day found several erstwhile mechanics checking John Taylor s wee beastie, which had suffered power diminishment on the tour. More pictures of both Volcano and MG2011 are on the web site

How about 500 some MGs all together in a park? Reno MG2011 There were 612 cars signed up for the event, which saw gymkhanas, a rally, car show GoF auction, and a grand finale dinner. There was an impressive collection of MMM and other pre-war cars, including two SA saloons, three N types, Pas, M types, and L1 Police car complete with bobby, etc. Bob Alley s NB was there Tom Metcalf from Ohio had his NB there also. He took the MMM trophy. Martin Hveem brought Doug Spindler s TA Tickford and a J2. Doug s TA is for sale. Not cheap. One of the M types was one of the first two MGs imported into the US. The other was brought in by Edsel Ford and is in the museum in Dearborn

And Cindy got a second for her TF and let me tell you, there were some gorgeous TFs there another Well Done! (That s Lorraine Hveem next to her Our own Barry and Sue managed to win the perpetual trophy for high points in the combined Rally, which they won, the car show and the gymkhana. Well Done! Gary Kennedy was one of the organizers, as was Bill Tantau. Well done chaps! The scenery was splendid, with much snow and perhaps a tad cool. Our Washington member. Jim Sullivan, got a first in the car show for his gorgeous black TC I passed a contingent of the MG Owner s club, with Felix Lee driving his TF sans hat in 40 degree weather coming home on Friday way to go Felix!

Welcome to Our New Members Ian Levitt bought Carol Borgardt s TC. Ian joined the TC Motoring Guild and the Rough Riders. Here is what he wrote to TCMG: This is my first TC. I have a couple of British sports cars, a 1966 TR4A and a 1967 MGB GT, both great fun. However I wanted one with the look and engineering of pre-war sports cars, but with good parts availability and relatively easy to work on. A TC still has the pre- WWII look and feel so that was what I decided on. While I bought Borgardt s TC sight unseen I did have it inspected and with comments from folks like Allan Chalmers, it seemed right. It was delivered on June 4. Fired right up on the first pull, and has been driven every day since. At Cars and Coffee last Saturday, it drew quite a crowd and lots of questions. Ian & Karen Levitt 8016 Cloverland Drive Nashville, TN 37211 phone: 615-294-0519 mailto:memyself_940@hotmail.com 1948 TC 7079 XPAG 7988 Red / Tan And we have another new member Ed Dail has been a TD owner for some time, but Lawrie Alexander has been after him to get into A Rough Riding MG and when Mark Rodriguez decided to sell the car he had gotten from member George Mitchell, we sent him to Auburn to check it out and he is now the new owner. As I mentioned, Ed showed up with Lawrie and Jane Alexander on our Volcano weekend. The car looks terrific, with new brakes and black upholstery. Ed & Linda Dail 1811 Enterprise Blvd West Sacramento, CA 95691 mailto:coyotetoe@aol.com FOR SALE - XPAG/XPEG PERFORMANCE ENGINE PARTS Laystall-Lucas Alloy head (1952 edition) - Fully reconditioned and crack tested, fitted with hard seats, new valves and new Brown & Gammons special valve spring set. $950 incl. 49-state shipping 4-branch exhaust header with collector - $150 incl. 49- state shipping Alloy flywheel for 8" clutch, good ring gear - $175 incl. 49-state shipping Lawrie Alexander, 530-676-7226 or Lawrie@Britcars.com Phil Frank s son s new business Renowned Designer Phil Frank introduces PFD Carbonworks Celebrates 20 years of design work You can check the story at his web site www.phil-frank.com Rocker Rocket Our own Doug Pelton documents his attempt at the Rocker racing championship at MG2011 This a hoot! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebpoyxi0oxw Sports Car Digest A weekly newsletter on sports & vintage cars. Worth subscribing to it s free http://www.sportscardigest.com/about-sports-cardigest/site-map/thank-you/

Abingdon Rough-Riders Regalia By Brian Sonner During the Volcano run, several members expressed an interest in acquiring shirts with the ARR logo embroidered on them. I have a source of supply which has the computer program for the logo already programmed. The shirts that my other club has ordered are primarily the Port Authority brand. The cost per shirt with the logo is: Port Authority S600 Long Sleeve Denim Shirt - 41.00 S500 - Short Sleeve Denim Shirt 41.00 L600 D - Ladies Denim Shirt 41.00 K 497 Bamboo Pique Sport Shirt 41.00 L 497 Ladies Bamboo Pique Sport Shirt 41.00 K 420 100% Cotton Pique Knit Sport Shirt 32.00 L420 - Ladies 100% Cotton Pique Knit Sport Shirt 32.00 K500 - Silk Touch (65/35% Poly/Cotton Blend) Pique Sport Shirt 27.00 Port & Company SP10 - Long Sleeve Value Denim Shirt 34.00 SP11 - Short Sleeve Value Denim Shirt - 34.00 LSP10 Ladies Long Sleeve Value Denim Shirt 34.00 LSP11 Short Sleeve Value Denim Shirt 34.00 These prices include the 8.25% local sales tax. (I rounded the cost up to the nearest dollar to reduce the odd cents issue.) These are only a very small sample of the shirts/jackets/sweaters available. You can go to www.clicksundance.com to see exactly what the above look like and the range of colors and sizes available. For example: Home>Embroidery &Screen Printing> Search: K420. The above prices are based on a minimum order of 6 shirts. There is a price break at 12 and 24. Anyone interested in shirts let me know by phone (530-295-9406) or email (sonnerb@comcast.net) by 5 July and I might be able to have them in time to bring them to the West Marin Tour. Or I can mail them to you via Priority Mail. If I mail them I will add the actual cost to mail them to the basic cost. I can place orders anytime there are enough to meet the minimum. here is Brian s marinade as requested by folks at the Volcano BBQ: along with Vulcan Candy Barbeque Marinade - pheasant, chicken, lamb etc 1 tsp garlic powder 1 T instant minced onion 1 T seasoned Salt 1 tsp basil leaves 1 T parsley leaves ¼ tsp ground black pepper ¼ tsp thyme ¼ cup olive oil, ½ cup lemon juice marinade for several hours before cooking

The Abingdon Rough Rider Dipsticks meet north slope of Alaska. Now look what they are up to from the Yorkshire Post, June 25: WHEN Robert Douglas bought his 150 MG sports car as a teenager more than four decades ago, he intended it to be nothing more than a cheap runaround. Terry Sanders better half, Cindy, spotted Terry, Norman Tuck me perusing the tell-tale signs of a dipstick from a beloved TC and immortalized us. This meeting included, from left myself, Joe Chrisafulli, Norman, Jack Nadeau, Terry, Joe Marcotte and Bill Traill. Several south bay folks meet at Sara s restaurant in San Jose on a weekly basis. We discussed various MG related issues, such as, why Jack no longer has a TC, how Terry s VW steering box might be made more workable, the Reno event and drive. Joe C. was there to press the rest for nuggets of information related to resurrecting a TC that s been sitting for many years. So we went to look. A formidable project. Metal good, wood, not so. Engine and trans done, frame and running gear not. It was the assembled folks opinion that Joe needed to work on the body off the chassis, and, by golly, Terry happened to have a spare body buck. Joe had a spare rear end pumpkin that turned out to be 5.25 to 1 and not very useful, but Terry could use the spider gears, so another problem solved. And the cheese steak was very good. Bob & Lynne Douglas Some of you have met the Douglas s GoF in Monterey others know of their amazing TC exploits. They live in Yorkshire half the year, on New Zealand s North Island the other half. They shipped their car to the southerly most airport in South America, drove to the very tip, then drove the length, up to Panama, shipped the car over, drove thru Mexico to Mesa, refurbished at Doug Pelton s then to GoF AND to the

But 45 years later, Mr Douglas and his wife Lynne are set to embark on an epic 30,000-mile journey in their classic 1948 MG TC, travelling from Barnsley to New Zealand via Europe, Russia, China and south-east Asia. Mr and Mrs Douglas, who met two weeks after the car was purchased in 1966, are set to depart their home in Dodworth, Barnsley, on Wednesday and admit that people say they are totally, completely and utterly mad. Mrs Douglas, 60, said: We ve done long-distance touring in the past. We went around Australia in 2002 and in 2008 we drove from the southernmost tip of South America, through central America, up the west coast of America and to Alaska, to the furthest point you can get to in the north in a car. We left the car in Colorado and then went back the next year, picked it up and spent three months driving around the USA, ending up in Virginia. On their latest trip, the couple will be joined by friends Mark and Sheila Masters, who own an MG that Mrs Douglas describes as exactly like ours a virtually identical car. She said: We ll be going through Europe, heading down through Venice and then through the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and entering Russia between June 14 and 17. We re then driving up through St Petersburg, down to Moscow, through Siberia and crossing into Mongolia. We ll then drive west to east, ending up in Ulan Bator and then south east to the border with China. We ll spend 31 days driving in China, following the road down south into Laos and then north Thailand, We ll pop into Cambodia, where we want to see [the temple complex of] Angkor Wat, then south into Malaysia and into Singapore, from where we ll ship the cars to New Zealand. The Douglases accept their MG is bound to break down en route but say they re prepared for any emergency. Extra storage compartments have been fitted to carry not only the luggage and camping equipment for their four-month-long journey, but spare parts for repairs. They made 10,000 TCs after the war and most of those were exported to the States. Not many stayed in Britain, Mrs Douglas said. It isn t exactly a rare car, but it was in limited production. Back in 1966 it was a young man s cheap run-about, it cost 150 then. That s what men did in those days, they bought these cheap old cars and got hooked. It s a simple engine, a simple system to fix. They have also made arrangements with the MG car club in China, where modern MGs are made, to get any necessary repairs carried out. Mrs Douglas said: We ve had it restored twice and they re really easy to fix. If we did a trip like this in a modern car we wouldn t stand a chance if we broke down, whereas with this type of car we can carry basic spares and fix it on the road. Mechanics in places like Laos and Cambodia will also know what to do with it whereas if we turned up with an S-class Mercedes and the central computer had broken, we d be stuffed. Mr Douglas, 64, said he was really looking forward to hitting the road. He said: It s taken a lot of organising, getting visas and working out how to get money, but now we ve got that all sorted and our friends are here we re raring to go. Bob Lutz in the news again Our former member has written another book, a tell-all about the car industry. Check it out at: http://money.cnn.com/2011/06/08/autos/bob_l utz_book_review.fortune/index.htm I intend to get a copy. I have a copy of his last book. Apparently he writes in long hand. Bob s motto is Often wrong, but seldom in doubt