YOU ALL MUST GO TO THIS SHOW. Thats not a request, it's an order.
While getting 250 British cars together really isn't a big deal anymore,
there is something special about this mostly-MG show.
Half the fun is wearing a heavy sweater and driving through a misty early
morning roof down ride along Route 101 in rural New Hampshire. The curving
roads open up to sweeping vistas of red, orange, and yellow flecked mountains.
Oct 11, the day of the show, is in the height of the fall foliage season.
Weaving through the scenic and historic towns of Peterborough, Dublin (home
of Yankee Magazine), and Chester, the little tree covered two lane road is
half the fun of getting to the show. Try to spot the former MG dealership,
Southern MG Limited, along the road (it's sign still hangs, but unfortunatly,
no MGs) or look at the stone bridges, granite houses and white picket fences.
When you finally cross over the river into Vermont, you are about 5 minutes
from Westminster. Once a year, Jerry Gougen opens the Westminster MG Museum
to the public. Jerry owns Abingdon Spares of Walpole NH. On the freshly
mowed clover lawn of the Westminster MG Museum dozens of cars line up waiting
to be inspected in the popular vote. A Jazz band begins playing and the
Rotary Club starts serving hots dogs, and apple pie. Behind the museum, tons
of old bits and pieces are lined up on tables and under tents. Lots of good
deals on the field behind that too where British car owners put thier own up
for sale!
But you still haven't even gone in the museum yet. Maybe you enter past the
British Guard manequin and suddenly walking along the flanks of a massive MG
VA or WA. Up in the rafters a period MG billboard is preserved and hung. The
main room has T's, Y's, Z's S's W's V's M's J's even K's and P's and an
Airline Coupe and a Salonette and a pretty "Wacky" Arnolt and ofcourse MGC's,
GTs, Midgets... They are literally PACKED into the museum. There are racing
specials, hillclimb specials, and EVEN A FARINA MAGNETTE! Oh, wait, I'll be
the only one ogling over that car but there really is something for everyone.
Out back there are verious prewar MGs in states of decay and dissassembly,
rigth where you can walk up and see the insides, the ash framing, and look and
feel how right these little cars were built.
If you cannot resist seeing these rare and rarely seen MGs in the steel, GO
TO THE SHOW. Anyone want to meet up in southern NH (Manchester NH area) for
an all-MG caravan line? The show is Sunday morning, October 11. Anyone who
is going, write me or the list.
John
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