The 2002 Palo Alto British Car Meet Report
After a year off due to road and park repairs, the Palo Alto meet came back
on track on a new lawn and few glitches. Anticipation was high and people
were really happy to come back El Camino Park again this year.
Saturday, Sept. 7 was the "Tour To The Sea" with over 80 cars leaving the
car park in Palo Alto in groups of six, arranged by size and horsepower to
rendezvous at Cameron's Pub in Half Moon Bay. A number of club people from
the Santa Cruz area drove north on the coast highway and the Jensen Club
set up their own rally amongst the same roads in the same hills as the
official tour. There were so many British cars on the road that it could
have been England! By noon almost 120 cars filled Cameron's car park, and
the side street, and the highway shoulder. Participants came from as far as
Los Angeles and Carson City Nevada.
Sunday, Sept. 8 The Big Show. Over 550 cars came from all over California
as well as some from Oregon, Nevada and Arizona. More than ever came on
trailers. There was a recently restored, red Healey Silverstone that
really caught my eye, as did Del Boscacci's little faded blue A.C. Ace, as
original as it left the factory . Somebody brought an early 1950s Rolls
that had been stretched between the doors like they do today but looked to
be a very long standard car in black with huge white sidewall tyres.
Someone whispered that it didn't have a proper engine. The Jags were
amazing and more Morris Minors than we'd seen in a long time. Participant
gifts were large 15oz coffee mugs and dash plaques with this year's Union
Jack-behind-the Postal-van logo.
There seemed to be one of about everything there from a minute Peel
mini-car made on the Isle Of Man to a blue painted, restored London Bus
used as a promotional vehicle for a San Jose bicycle shop. One jolly fellow
brought a 472 cube Cobra both days terrorizing the tourers on Saturday and
aweing the audience on Sunday. A number of British bikes were parked at
the corners of the car park.
Held in tandem with this all-marque British Meet was the West Coast
American MGB Association Convention which brought out over 100 Bs and
Midgets and the first time inclusion of the Arcane Auto Society. The
Arcane folks brought some amazing iron (or in some cases fiberglass). The
above mentioned Peel won the people's choice award but it was a tough
choice with contenders like Citroen 2CVs (one a German-made roadster
conversion), Isetta front-loaders, a DKW, and an Austin or two. Along with
the good showing, they signed up a number of orphan British saloons that
have no local clubs.
A great day was had by all. The AMGBA gave their additional MG and Midget
awards earlier in the afternoon,followed by the Palo Alto, People's Choice
Awards. Winners included: Best Prewar; Peter Lundquist's '27 Austin Chummy
- Best Saloon; Burt Pershol's 1956 Rover 60 - Best Sports Car; 8-year-old
Brandon O'connor's MG-TD bodied go-kart - Best Commercial; Chein Lieu's
just restored 1954 Land Rover- Best Daily Driver; Keith & Pam Shuckart's
1964 Land Rover, Club Participation, The Bay Area Lotus Club.
WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS YEAR'S EVENT -
WE PLAN TO BE BACK NEXT YEAR BETTER THAN EVER - WE THANK YOU FOR THE
SUPPORT AND FOR ALL OF THE KIND WORDS ON THE DAY OF THE MEET - I ALSO WOULD
LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THE ENTHUSIASTS THAT HELPED PARK THE CARS AND SCORE
THE BALLOTS - SEE YOU ALL NEXT YEAR!
----------------------------------------------------
Max Heim <mvheim@attbi.com> writes:
I posted a few snaps from the Palo Alto British Car Meet at the above URL.
I am afraid I didn't make any effort to document the whole scene. I just
shot a few of the more unusual things that caught my eye. Enjoy:
<http://home.attbi.com/~mvheim/pa-bcm/>
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