[Fot] In memory of uncle jack

[John Macartney]

Friends

As many of you know, I'm currently intending to do a Charity Drive across the States and Canada next 
year in a Stag - to help three charities (non-profits) raise money for the treatment of so many who 
suffer from PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder.
There's a website at www.triumphtransamerica.org.uk which you're welcome to visit to learn more. 
There's also a button on it you can click to keep up to speed with update emails from me on progress 
in preparing for the event and (hopefully) a daily diary and video download once we get underway 
with the Drive itself.
The prime point of this email is to give FoTers the first public announcement of what I feel is a 
very important landmark in the run-up to getting underway.
As most (all?) of us know, Jack Drews was a perfectionist in the way his car was always prepared and 
turned out whenever he went racing. I feel it is not too soon to say the 1973 Stag that I will be 
driving on the event will entirely reflect Jack's no compromise standards, and for this, I'm 
entirely indebted to Joe Pawlak and his loyal team of dedicated helpers at Illinois Sports Owners 
Association who, even as I write, are completely rebuilding the car from the ground up.
It's by now had its final coat of Sapphire Blue (original colour) though it was white when bought 
earlier this year. We're keeping the hardtop white to hopefully reflect out some of the heat the A/C 
won't be able to cope with!
But now we come to the important bit. After a most courteous email from Tony Drews, I want all of 
you to know the Stag will have a name. I can think of a good few unprintable ones but I want you to 
be aware that as of now the TTACD Stag will be known as uncle jack. Tony was most insistent we keep 
to lower case letters throughout because this is how Jack always signed off his emails to the list 
and certainly to me. I do hope Jack would approve - but I think he will. Joe Pawlak and the team 
have done a stupendous job so far and I see no reason why this standard will not continue. There's 
another more personal issue for me that I hope uncle jack won't object to having on his front 
bumper.
My late Dad, Charles Macartney, after whom The Macartney Charitable Trust was named in his memory, 
was also a perfectionist in anything he undertook - especially if it was anything to do with 
engineering and production issues at the factory in Coventry. With that in view, I do hope no-one 
will object if uncle jack appears on the highways and byways of the USA and Canada with a replica of 
Dad's licence plate that he moved from car to car over the years. That plate was first issued by the 
Coventry Motor Tax office in 1956 and is TRW 777.
Thank you Tony, thank you Frances, uncle jack will live on in more than just your memories and I 
promise I'll do my very best to look after him as we complete our marathon journey.
OK FoTers - uncle jack is back with us and I hope in a form which would ensure his approval.

Jonmac
(John Macartney)