End of Season Dinner
An enjoyable and active BMCU 2003 driving season was celebrated October 18 at Rib
Alley. Weather permitted True Believers to drive their Britmobiles to the venue,
and gold stars were awarded accordingly. The menu was tasty, albeit a bit messy,
involving good ol' southern ribs, barbeque, and all the fixing's. A great time was
had by all, which included Jon and Susan Hermance, Nick and Stewart Nichols, Pugs
and Diane Pivirotto, Mike and Sharon Bailey, Gregg Smith, Jeff Porter, Mitch and
Diane Johnson and family, Dan and Sharon Forster, Mark and Karen Bradakis, Larry
Bishop and family, Brent Andersen, Bob and Dixie Jahnke, Gary and Sandy Lindstrom
(apologies to those we missed).
Tech Session: Upholstery
Nov. 8
Now that you know how to do a top notch paint job, courtesy of the March tech
session by Merlin Berg, you will need to finish your project with an equally fine
upholstery job. Dale Hancock, known for some of the finest custom upholstery work
in Utah, will enlighten us on the challenges of this at our November 8 tech session.
Topics to be covered include: how to tell a professional auto upholstery job from an amateur one, pros and cons of using upholstery kits, how to estimate whether a job is within your talent and resource constraints, and general do's, don'ts, and tricks of this trade. Depending on audience interest, he may also discuss top, tonneau and side curtain restoration and installation.
The event will start at 10 am at Dale's shop, 8680 S. Monroe St., Shop L, Sandy, UT. The best way to get there is to exit I-15 at the 90th South exit, head east, and turn left (north) immediately past Butterfield Ford. Dale's shop is about three blocks from that intersection, on the west side of the street. If you get lost, call Dale's shop at 801-569-8861
50th Birthday Party For Your British Car
(Give or Take)
November 15
1953 was a memorable year for many reasons, including the discovery of DNA's double
helix, the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, Hillary and Norgay summiting Everest,
the debunking of the Piltdown Man hoax, and (drum roll) ... TR-2's began to roll
off the production lines, 6606 MG-TDs were imported into the US, and a Jaguar C-type won at Le Mans (between tea breaks). And oh yes, Patti Page was bleating
"How much is that doggie in the window?"
In commemoration of all these events, the BMCU under Jon Hermance's able organization will celebrate a 50th Birthday Party at 6 PM, November 15 at the Silver Fork Lodge, not too far from Brighton up Big Cottonwood Canyon. All owners of cars of this vintage (it's OK for this event to lie about ages), plus all admirers and camp followers, are heartily invited to join in by RSVPing to Jon or Susan at 801-583-5846 or Jon at jonathan_hermance@atk.com . Include your dinner choice (salmon, chicken or prime rib). Dinner will also include non-alcoholic drinks and salad, all for $25 plus 17% gratuity. Appetizers (gingered asparagus, trout and brie, or tomato/garlic mozzarella) are optional at $3 extra, as is dessert at $5 (could there even be a birthday cake?). A cash bar will lubricate the works.
This event has been great fun in past years, and all BMCUers are invited to come celebrate that their cars of any vintage are a year older -- even if they themselves are not!
Why Do We Own British Cars?
Even though we may never ponder this question ourselves, unenlightened folks from
time to time ask this of us. We all could of course provide endless heart-felt answers --- nevertheless, it is refreshing to see explanations in print that do the
job for us.
Two such articles recently appeared. The first is on p. D8 of the Oct. 24, 2003 New York Times, entitled "Inheriting Much More Than a Car" and is a touching account of the role an Austin-Healey 3000 Mark III has played in providing a tangible legacy to the daughter of a Navy pilot lost over Viet Nam. The car was restored by the daughter through the guidance of a fellow Healey owner: "Under Don's tutelage Marda rebuilt the engine, painted the body, and repaired the veneer ... Marda had never known her father, but she got to know his car down to the last bolt and screw, as if it were a puzzle that, when completed, would restore a piece of her past."
The second article , "Why Healeys are Worth More Than Ferraris" appears on p. 8 of the November 2003 Sports Car Market magazine. "Owning and maintaining an MGB is likely to be relatively pain free compared to owning a Ferrari 308. While the Ferrari's every-five-years rubber belt change, at $5,000 plus, is a ticking financial time bomb, a well-tuned 1967 MGB may only suck up a couple of hundred dollars a year in general maintenance ... And finally, it always feels good to be part of a club ... When we drove our '63 [Austin-Healey] BJ7 to the 50th Anniversary convention in Lake Tahoe, there were nearly 700 Healeys there. For that weekend, at least, we were all part of one big happy family."
Let's raise a glass to these sentiments at the 50th Birthday party November 15!
The Lucas Calendar
This calendar works about as well as its namesake, so use it with care. All events
are subject to change. Check our web site for the latest information.
www.britishmotorclub.org
November 8
Upholstery Tech Session. Dale Hancock 569-8861
November 15
50th Birthday Party. Jon Hermance 538-5846
January
(date to be determined): Tech session on body leading, J. Jennings.
Feb. 21
Pot Luck Dinner, St. Paul's
Find us on the Web
www.britishmotorclub.org
A MINI Vacation in Vegas
Here is the first official event
February 7th 2004 Time TBA
Location: Bragg-Smith Advanced Driving School @ Spring Mountain Motorsports Park
www.bragg-smith.com
Description:
NorCal MINIs is sponsoring A Track Day in Vegas 2004 as part of A
MINI Vacation in Vegas 2004. The track has been rented exclusively for this event. A
Track Day in Vegas 2004 is just for both classic Minis and new MINIs. You will be
allowed one co-driver out on the track, providing they are over the age of 18, have
signed the liability waiver, and have a suitable helmet. This is an opportunity for
high performance driving, this is NOT a race, anyone found driving in an unsafe manor will be promptly removed from the event.
Track Details: The track is a 2.2 mile road coarse with a 50 foot change in elevation. The minimum width of the track is 37 feet. Turns 5A and 5B are an exact replica of the hairpin at the famous Mosport road coarse in Canada also known as the Moss Corner.
Costs: First driver and car $175 until November 15th, and $200 after November 15th. Additional Drivers in same car: $50 Entrance fees include: track use, t-shirt, and lunch. All fees are refundable until December 15th. Space is limited for this event so sign up EARLY!
Extras:
A helmet is required and must be provided by the participant. Additional
T-Shirts are going to be $15 if pre-ordered and $20 if purchased at the track. If
you wish to sign up for this event, email Phillip Stewart @
pstewart30@sbcglobal.net
Phillip Stewart President NorCal MINIS
Brit Speak
The Brits have an odd way of speaking the English language. The Following are
extracts from letters sent to various Councils and Housing Associations throughout
the UK:
1. I want some repairs done to my cooker as it has backfired and burnt my knob off.
2. I wish to complain that my father hurt his ankle very badly when he put his foot
in the hole in his back passage.
3. And their 18 year old son is continually banging his balls against my fence.
4. I wish to report that the tiles are missing from the outside toilet roof. I think it was
that bad wind the other night that blew them off.
5. I am writing on behalf of my sink, which is coming away from the wall.
6. Will you please send someone to mend the garden path, my wife tripped and fell
on it yesterday and now she is pregnant?
7. I request permission to remove my drawers in the kitchen. 50% of the walls are
damp, 50% have crumbling plaster and the rest are plain filthy.
8. The toilet is blocked and we cannot bath the children until it is cleared.
9. Will you please send a man to look at my water? It is a funny colour and not fit
to drink.
10. Our lavatory seat is broken in half and is now in three pieces.
11. I want to complain about the farmer across the road, every morning at 6:00 am
his cock wakes me up and its now getting too much for me.
12. The man next door has a large erection in the garden, which is unsightly and
dangerous.
13. Our kitchen floor is damp. We have two small children and would like a third so
please send someone round to do something about it.
14. I am a single woman living in a downstairs flat and would you please do something about the noise made by the man I have on top of me every night.
15. Please send a man with the right tool to finish the job and satisfy my wife.
16. I have had the clerk of the works down on the floor six times but I still have
had no satisfaction.
17. My bush is really overgrown round the front and my back passage has fungus in
it.
18. He's got this huge tool that vibrates the whole house and I just can't take it
any more.
Autojumble
WANTED:
XPEG engine. Mike Bailey, 743-2875.
4 wire wheels that are in good condition that fit TR3 &4. Also 4 wire wheels for a Midget. that would work well as a spare. My home number is 571-3179 or cell # 631-2250. I live in Sandy. Steve
TR6 Hardtop needs repair. Need 71 MGB Right Front Fender Erick 801-451-5081
Wanted: Magnetic Gas Cap for Triumph GT-6. Call Roger at W-269-7531 or H-278-4767.
Wanted/for sale: distributor wanted for 1979 MGB. Also, car itself is for sale -- Limited Edition, needs work, nice body, $2500 or best offer. Dick Harrison, 801-782-9160, 801-458-2096 (cell).
1972 MGB , chrome bumper. Ambitious project or parts car. Runs but needs major body work. Unmolested motor compartment. New fuel tank. $750 or best offer. Also, 1977 MGB parts car. Fair body, no interior. 90K on engine, was running when parked. Could be restored. $400 or best offer. Contact Bob Wagner, 455-4400 or wagner@aros.net .
'56 Bentley S1 saloon . Beautiful condition, new paint, wood, carpet. Black with silver roof. $20,000. Records back to original owner. Joseph Feaster, home 801-731-0517, cell 801-390-3039.
2 sets of rostyle wheels that need a new home. These are free just call and come and get one or all. Thanks, Call Roger at 269-7531 or home is 278-4767.
Tech Tip
Jumping Batteries whether the cars have opposite or similar polarities A battery is
a battery. It does not "know" if it is positive ground or negative ground. Be sure
to check electrolyte levels before charging a low battery. Be sure the cars don't
touch while you're jumping cars with "opposite polarity". The charger (or jumper)
is hooked up like any car, positive to positive, negative to negative. As always,
connect the ground last and away from the battery on the car to be charged. Grounding to the engine or chassis will reduce the risk of sparks flashing an
offgassing battery.
Modified off the T Series-List
Jon Hermance
Board of Governors:
Governor General: Gary Lindstrom 801-532-1259
gary@cs.utah.edu
Board Member: Jim Pugs Pivirotto 801-486-0547
jimp@corp.firstindustrial.com
Chancellor of the Exchequer: Marty VanNood 801-467-0525,
vannood@intergate.com
Newsletter Editor: Jeff Porter 801-466-9839
porterjeff@comcast.net
Webmaster: Mark Noeltner 801-352-2743,
mark@buffalochips.org
Membership director: Bruce Schilling, 801-486-0425,
partsmaster4@sisna.com
This Newsletter is published by the British Motor Club of Utah, Ltd., a non-profit
corporation of British automobile owners. The group holds monthly events such as
drives, picnics, technical sessions, and more. We welcome owners (or potential owners) of British cars, in any condition, to the group. Membership is free, but we
ask for a donation at events to support the Newsletter and other activities. If you
would like to join the group, send your name, address, and a list of British cars
owned to:
Bruce Schilling
917 East Mill Creek Way
Salt Lake City, Utah 84106
or to Bruces email address shown above.
Check us out on the web!
www.britishmotorclub.org