This is my first attempt at writing a message on my home computer and
transferring the file to the list via pnet. Hopefully this will allow me to
post from home without subjecting you all to the usual errors in typing. I
don't have a convenient spellchecker here, but I do know how to edit in this
word processor!For all you high-tech types who like a good laugh about
primative equipment: This computer is an Atari 800. The word processor is
Bank Street Writer.My regular account for the list is at
phile@pwcs.stpaul.govPlease send any responses there, rather than
autoreplying to this account. So, without further delay, here is the event
report:British Car Spring Tour and PicnicTerry Pitts of the Lotus Owners of
the North (LOON) showed up Saturday morning. Terry was not driving the MR2 he
autocrosses in Met Council events. He had his Lotus 65 Europa Series 2. That
is a Renault-powered Europa when it's at home. Terry had been concerned about
overheating and a bi!
t of pinging, but figured we could
run it around a bit and see what happened. The car is a beautiful metallic
candy blue. The entire interior has been redone to resemble stock, but in
black leather rather than vinyl. As we drove along, the temp needle went
right up to 130 degrees centigrade and stayed there. Terry was running the
heater as an auxiliary radiator (I don't have to tell Britcar owners about that
trick, eh?) but the eyeball vents in the dash kept us cool. First stop was
Bloomington Tire for some 95-octane leaded. So much for the pinging. As soon
as the fuel mixed up, Terry could not even make it ping lugging in fourth.We
then went to Perkins. The lot was full of Britcars. Morgans, TRs, MG T-series
cars. Glenn and Rise Ciegler's Esprit Turbo and Tim Engel's Eclat represented
Lotus.Richard Welty will be be glad to hear that ALFAs were welcome at this
event, despite the title. Manos Protonatarios brought his Brava with the wild
paint job. Ed Solstad arrived in his beautiful 2500. !
It was the first car done by "the
Ital Design guy" (YOU spell his name!) whilst he was working for Bertone. It
looks like they cut the greenhouse right off of one to do the GTV, although the
rest of a 2600 is larger than the GTV that followed.We had breakfast, then
went back outside to schmooze and start the Tour. We got route sheets like
those for a rally and hit the road for a 35-mile tour. Early on the route, we
passed West Bush Lake Park so the folks who did not want to take
the whole tour could go right to the picnic site.The route was great. Once
we broke out of the suburban stop sign forest and got out the country a bit, we
had lots of winding little up hill and down dale paved roads. Weather was
cloudy with an occasional shot of sun. I had been watching the temp gauge as
well as the route directions. The needle seemed to be quite tightly controlled
around 130 C. It dropped very slightly once in a while and creeped back up.
The whole range was about a needle's width. Looked to me like the thermostat
was in control, so I asked Terry to close the water valve to the heater. Sure
enough, no change. Since the thermostat is in control, and the car does not
seem to be overheating, I think the problem is in the gauge. Does anyone know
what voltages should appear where at various temperatures? This is a Smith's
electric type, not a capillary-tube type.We came to the end of the tour and
parked. Terry upheld the reputation of the marque!
by having trouble selecting rever
se whilst parking. The linkage does need some more attention, as it also had
been popping out of third on trailing throttle.More cars started to arrive.
Roger Garnett probably would have drooled on the black J2 Midget (Did the owner
say '32 or '34? Educate me, Roger.) We went up to the picnic shelter and
availed ourselves of the fine buffet sponsored by the Jaguar, Triumph and MG
clubs. Lots of car talk ensued. People were bettng Terry that he could not
point to and name all the Loti on the yellow "Staff Only" T-shirt he was
awarded for helping out at LOG XI (Hi, Bob Tufts!). Larry Colen will be irked
to hear that the only one he missed was the Lotus Cortina. Terry won a Quality
Coaches T-shirt in the door prize drawing.Back down to the car park to drool
on cars. Terry and I estimated 70 cars. MGBs and TR-6s from drivers to
concours. Half a dozen Morgans. Scads of TDs and TFs. A couple of TCs and
the J2. Jaguars of every description from XK-120 on. A handf!
ull of MGAs and TR-3s. Tommy Toyo
ta brought his Mini Van (no, not a minivan) but left it at Perkins to ride in a
Mini Pickup with its owner and her dalmation. The sharp emerald-green RHD mini
I had seen at last year's Coulee Classic rally was there, too. The Lotus
contingent swelled to four with the arrival of LOON president Frank Howard in
his yellow (rear drive) Elan.Last to arrive were Mark Knepper in his Spitfire
and Steve Carter in an original Bugeye he picked up in Kansas
City. Steve is entertaining offers circa $10k for the Bugeye.Terry and I
took off for home. On the freeway, we ran in to some rain. The wiper on the
left was smearing a bit and I chided Terry for taking the car completely apart
and redoing everything, only to put the same winshield-wiper blades back on.
He responded by showing me something of Europa aerodynamics. He turned the
wipers off, and we could see just fine. Without Rain-X even!All in all, a
most enjoyable day. I don't get to see Britcars often, and this was about the
most I had seen in the Twin Cities. Also, I thank Terry for the chance to see
what kind of car I am building. Although mine is not destined to be as
beautiful as his, being more of a race-car ethic, the chance to remember what
these cars are is greatly
appreciated.1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111
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