Yo chaps,
As GT-23 is winding down the Michigan Rowdies are out on the patio by the
pool raising hell, as usual. I'm just three doors down, so I might as
well write while I can't sleep.
As the car show was this morning, I got up fairly early and did something
I haven't done in years, washed the car before the show. I wouldn't
normally bother, but it is new paint just a week on the road, and the
trailer really needed a bath. The MGA with an attitude never expects to
win anything in a car show, not even with new paint, and especially not
with 12 year old top and interior. But it was a nice show none the less.
Final count for the event was 160 registrations representing 300 people,
with 127 MGAs in the car show. The quality of the cars on display keeps
getting better every year, with the best of them appearing substantially
nicer than they ever were when new. With exhibitor's choice judging, the
occasional 1800 engine usually slips by unnoticed,or even with the
blessing of the viewers. There were even a couple of MGAs sporting
license plates proudly proclaiming "MGA 1800".
One of the sportier looking cars was a 1500 roadster with a 1800 engine
and a Judson supercharger. It had the deck mounted octgon and the
overriders removed for that clean look, and the windscreen had been
replaced with a cut down racing screen. There seemed to be a
disproportionate number of Twin Cam's on display (four), and a pair of
MK-II Deluxes, but for some reason no variants (quite unusual). I knew I
should have bought that ZB Magnette, would have been an easy win. For
the curious there was also a rare MGA 1600 Deluxe (not MK-II) with fresh
paint but no fenders, in the process of resoration.
After the show was the programmed Fun Mountain Run up Signal Mountain.
And since I ran it yesterday and already knew where the route instruction
errors were, I was drafted to lead the second of three short convoys
around the route. I was being followed by six other MGAs, and the trip
was pleasant and blessedly uneventful. Everyone enjoyed the run, in
spite of the traffic on the way up via the easy side, and with the
pleasure of heating the brakes considrably on the steeper downhill side
with all the switchbacks. John and Jackie Murdock (AKA, Brit Run to the
Sun Florida team) passed us by on the expressway coming back and took
some pictures of the convoy en route.
Next item up was a NAMGAR internet tech session with several people
discussing possibilities for enhancements to the NAMGAR web site. Some
likely features to come would be links to and from other MG related web
sites, like my site for instance, and others, and probably a link to the
MG Cars Web Ring. They are also working on an international registery
data base for MGAs, which already has a good start by tapping into
preexisting registry bases of several countries in western Europe and
other places as well as the NAMGAR base.
Another John Twist rolling tech session kept up for half the afternoon,
including a typical frown from John when presented with a mildly hot cam
with a rough idle. Taking into account his point of view, he really
likes to keep things near stock in the interest of simplifying
serviceability. He does seem to be mellowing out a bit recently. Upon
seeing an engine with a bit less than an inch of shakeing back and forth
at idle, he said, "This one seems to be running pretty good. Normally I
wouldn't bother fiddling with it, so what's your problem?". I think it
was his way of recommending to it drive while it runs and fix it when it
doesn't, or spend more time driving and less time worrying. I like that
approach.
The evening awards banquet was fairly typical, here are the awards and
thanks to everyone who helped out. I had the privelige of sitting next
to Lou Spradlin, you remember, New York, around the country last year
fellow? To his considerable surprise, he won first place in the 1600
class for the same car that he has been putting all these miles on. He
also got the distance award for the entrant from the farthest
geographical point of origin, about 860 miles, and this in spite of some
entries from across the Canadian border. Also several people picked up
dash plaques for traveling more than 1000 wandering miles to the event,
and I for a change was not one of them.
Well, it's now after midnight, and the comotion down the way has mostly
subsided. Must be time to turn in so I can get up early for the juice
and donuts before departure.
Cheers from the Chattanooga Choo Choo,
Barney Gaylord
1958 MGA with an attitude
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