St. Patty™s Day Parade

The St. Patrick's day parade will be held Saturday, March 16, 2002. The Parade route will be the same as last year, beginning at 6th East and 3rd South in Salt Lake City and proceeding westward on 3rd South to State Street, where it will disband.
The parade starts at 10:00 AM and they like us in place by 9:00. I suggest an 8:00 to 8:30 arrival. You will need to find out at the site where the BMCU will form up. The parade organizers normally don't tell us our number and location until the day before the parade, which is too late to try to get into the newsletter.
There is a Burger King (or something similar) about a block away, so you can get something to eat or drink while you are waiting.
The BMCU plans are traditional: bring the kids or grandkids, green crepe paper, Irish flags (no British flags!), green hats, green shirts, shamrocks, etc. This is not a parade for show cars, but a chance to have some fun, so stick a paper shamrock over the rust hole and take part. Green beards and mustaches are required—I'll bring the spray. We will likely go to brunch afterwards. For more information contact Bill or Julie Van Moorhem, 582-9223.

Oops!

Seems the Lucas Calendar really lived up to its name last month. Two items have been corrected:
•The Field Day, originally listed as June 15, is actually set for June 8
•The Utah Lotus Museum, originally set for March 9, is now planned for January 2003
Don’t forget that things can, and do, change—especially things like this month’s St. Patty’ Day parade, when we just don’t get the final information about the parade from the parade organizers until just a couple of days before the event, which is much too late to get into the newsletter. So, if in doubt, call the event organizer listed for the event, check out the BMCU web page, or, if you have supplied your address to our Membership Director, check your email for any late-breaking event news.

Can you help?

The Alpine Loop run doesn’t happen until August. However, in early April we send letters to various businesses, asking for raffle donations. Trouble is, we seem to keep asking the same businesses for raffle goodies, and we’d like to spread the opportunity around a bit.
Do you know any businesses that could help us with raffle items? Certainly, car-related items are best, and Brit-car items even more desirable, but most anything, from services (such as car washes or oil changes) to fun things (like car-themed t-shirts, or bumper stickers, or Brit-car models) to the practical items (like tools or car-care products) are welcome.
We also encourage donations from individuals, too—so think about that MG t-shirt you won at GoF but never took out of the package because it’s two sizes too small. Someone else would love to put it to good use, and you can help the club at the same time. Remember, the Alpine Loop raffle earns money to keep the club running.
Please call me if you have ideas for businesses to contact. My home phone is 364-3251, or you can send the info via email to kbradakis@dfpm.utah.edu.

Vintage racing

By Mark Bradakis
Intermountain Vintage Racing will be hosting another season of sports car racing, with seven events currently planned for the Wendover airport site. The season opener will be a Test & Tune weekend on March 23rd and 24th. The remaining race weekends scheduled are:
April 20/21
May 18/19
June 22/23
August 17/18
September 21/22
October 27/28
A one hour enduro is on the slate for the May event, which gives the race cars a bit more of a workout than the usual 20 minute sessions. In addition to wheel to wheel racing for qualified drivers and cars, IVR also offers a Touring class. In the Touring class, drivers whose car [vintage or not] passes a basic safety inspection are allowed 10 minute sessions on the 0.8 mile race course, with one or two other drivers on the course at safe distances. All the thrill of going full chat without worrying about collecting someone's fender! For more information, call Mark Bradakis at 801-558- 8817 or check out http:// intermountainvintage.com. See you in Wendover!

The Joey Awards

The Oscar season is upon us, and we have all heard of the Tony's and the Emmy's—which means that it is once again time for the Joey awards, dedicated to greatest movie performances by affordable British cars (Rollses, Bentleys, Aston Martins, and especially Jaguars need not apply). These prestigious awards are named for that shining light(?) of the British motor industry, Joseph Lucas, Birmingham. The envelopes, please
Award for Best Performance in a Tear Jerker: "Two For the Road" (1967). Albert Finney and Audrey Hepburn (hep)burn a British Racing Green MG TD. Quoth Audrey: "You never should have bought an MG, you should have bought a tractor!"
Best Tragic Performance in a Comedy: "Funny Farm" (1988). Chevy Chase drives his green MG TF both into a lake and off a cliff.
Best Saloon Owner in a Saloon: "To Catch a King" (1983). Robert Wagner plays a nightclub owner in Lisbon in 1940. He and Teri Garr race an MG SA through the Portuguese countryside.
Merit for Low Octane: "The (New) Shaggy Dog" (1996). Ed Begley, Jr. plays the father of a teenage son Wilbur who has special abilities - like turning into a shaggy dog. Wilbur also has a red MG TD which he powers with grass clippings.
Lucas Merit Award: "I.Q." (1995). Tim Robbins plays a very bright but uneducated auto mechanic who is attracted to Einstein's (Walter Matthau) niece (Meg Ryan). Her stuffy British boy friend is the owner of a red MG TF which has some (believe it or not) electrical problems.
Olympic Award: "Cool Runnings" (1993). Based on the true story of four Jamaicans running a bobsleigh (I learned the correct word this month) in the Winter Olympics. The team finances this quest by a team member selling his red MG A.
Second Hand Recommendation Award: "A Guide for the Married Man" (1967). I have not seen this film (had no need), but I understand it deals with stresses induced by a mistress (MG TF).
Pumping (British) Iron Award: "Where the Boys Are" (1960). Yvette Mimieux and Connie Francis drive their Austin Healey Sprite to a bridge being worked on by four hunks. The hunks carry the Sprite over the gap where the bridge was.
Pugs Award: "The Paper Tiger" (1974). David Niven stylishly drives a Triumph Herald 1200 convertible. (Ed.: now that's affordable.)
All's Well in the End: "Police Academy" (1985). A drill sergeant on a motorcycle hits the side of a Triumph Spitfire, launching him head-first into the behind of a horse.
Stephen Ambrose Award (2002). Gary Lindstrom, for plagiarizing this whole epic from http://www.mg-midget.com/midget/ spotter.html

How to pass your emissions test

OK, not you, but your car’s emission test.
I’m always a bit apprehensive when I get that big envelope in the mail: registration time. Besides all the money the state wants just to allow you to drive you car another year, that envelope means a combined emissions/safety inspection. I worry that the car won’t pass the emissions test.
The British Auto Club of Las Vegas newsletter offers some tips for getting your car to pass the emissions test. Their suggestions are specifically for TR250/ TR6, but could apply to most of our cars. Of course, use these suggestions at your own risk. And thanks to BAC for the info.

1. Change your oil, and refill with 20W-50W
2. Use new spark plugs, and gap them to 0.032” (standard is 0.025”)
3. Use new solid-core ignition wire, not the carbon core wire
4. Loosen the valve clearances .005” from the standard
5. Ensure all smog-related equipment is present and working properly
6. Retard ignition timing about 3 degrees
7. Adjust the carbs lean—the engine should die when the carb piston is raised 1/32” - 1/16”
8. Ensure the engine is at full operating temp for the test
9. Use low-restriction air filters— wire mesh types are great for this use
10. Run your fuel level down and refill with a fresh tank of gas just before the test

Left over parts

Don’t forget the St. Patty’s day parade this month—it’s great fun! Like most parades, there’s a certain amount of “hurry up and wait” while the organizers get the club checked in, but that’s the perfect opportunity to chat with folks and enjoy the parade.
Everyone loves to see the cars, and if you have kids (or grandkids!) they love to sit in the car and wave at the spectators. Just be sure to bring lots of green decorations to wear or put on the car.

Mark Bradakis would like to extend an invitation to all BMCU’ers to the annual Fat Chance Garage Beach Party, Saturday, March 16th, 7 pm, 739 South Park Street [540 East] in Salt Lake City. This is a fun time and you’re sure to see other BMCU folks there.

I get a lot of newsletters from clubs in neighboring states, and one item that has been in many of them is an article concerning recent proposed federal legislation for older cars. Seems that federal bill S. 1766, Section 803, introduced late last year, contains a provision that would fund state scrapping programs for cars 15 years old and older. The idea is to “upgrade” the nation’s cars to more fuel efficient ones, to reduce our national fuel consumption. Owners who turn in vehicles for scrapping would get a “minimal” payment and a future credit toward purchasing a newer vehicle.
What does this mean? Like most scrapping programs, it is estimated that it will do little to reduce fuel consumption because:
•Many autos turned in under such programs are rarely-driven second or third vehicles that don’t spend enough time on the road to affect the overall fuel economy
•The minimal payment and credit towards a newer vehicle does not guarantee that lower-income individuals will be able to justify turning in their older car
•The program does not require states to show that the cars being scrapped are replaced by more fuel-efficient ones
•The program could entice some states to institute a program simply to collect the generous federal funding, thus competing with private business that already recycle older cars
•Perhaps most importantly, it would reduce the number of vehicles available for replacement parts to the collector/restorer
If you’re concerned about this bill, contact your legislators and voice your opinion that the provisions in Section 803 represent a serious problem for car hobbyists, collectors, and restorers.

Autojumble

For Sale: Two Jaguar S-types, both mid sixties, one is a shell with good doors, glass, front fenders and some parts. Second is from WA state but has some rusty panels (may be replaced from other car), has major components, 3.8 engine, auto trans, IRS, all exterior trim (except grill), bumpers, wire wheels, all glass. Could probably make one good car out of the two. $2500 OBO or willing to trade for a runner. Contact Phil Davis 565-7445.
For sale: 1971 TR6. Red, black interior, looks sharp, $6,000. Call Harold Jones, 801-521-3046.
For Sale, 1972 MGB roadster for restoration. Rough, but runs. Dual carbs. Price of $1495 OBO includes wire wheeled parts car. Bob Wager, 455-4400.
Also for sale, assorted MGB trannys, engines, wheels, body parts, etc. Too much to list here. One-half Moss price or best offer. Bob Wager, 455-4400.

Exchequer report