Anyone within the range of the Chicago City Colleges PBS station
(WYCC, Channel 20 in the Chicago area- 'don't know whether it is carried by
cable) might tune in Thursday evenings at 7 pm CDT for at least the rest of
this month. They are broadcasting an ITV drama series called "Chancer".
The interesting thing about it is that the setting for most of the scenes is
the "Douglas Motor Car Company", a family-run sports car factory, that is
having a bit of a struggle to survive. I caught only a few minutes of one
episode last week, but it is worth seeing because it looks just as one would
imagine a small British sports car factory. The cars that they are using
might be Morgans, but I'm not positive. Maybe one of the British members of
this list can help me there, but I hope to get a better look tonight, also.
Two episodes are run back-to-back.
On a more MG-relevant topic, I received a very nice little book for
Mothers Day: the MGB Owner's Survival Manual by Jim Tyler of rural
Worcestershire. He has also written MGB- Restoration/ Preparation/
Maintenance, which also is supposed to be good. This was a real DIY
project- he even took the photos himself using a shutter delay timer. "To
anyone who expects to see photographs depicting professional mechanics in
spotlessly clean overalls (and with clean fingernails) pretending to work on
a car, instead of a scruffy middle-aged fool with grease, dirt and (often)
blood on his hands, I can only offer my apologies." But it is quite good,
and interesting to read how someone else has experienced the same problems
we have. It is published by Osprey Automotive. Thanks also to whomever
mentioned the SAE web site. It looks like an excellent source for books for
birthday and other presents- lots of internal combustion theory, etc.
Finally, regarding MGs in the movies: I have not seen any mention
of a film from 1967 in which an MGB was on screen so much that it should
have been given third billing, after the female and male leads. There are
even scenes in an MG dealer's showroom. When it first appears, it can be
heard approaching, and Jake claims that he knew it was a B before he saw it.
I haven't sent this sooner because I probably shouldn't admit to having seen
this film: it was "banned in Boston". Actually, I think US Customs wouldn't
allow it into the country until various literary and arts figures of the day
(I believe Norman Mailer was one of them) staged a protest. It is
definitely not for "more sensitive viewers". But any good video rental,
especially one in a university town, should have it. It is in black and
white and subtitled. The title is "Jag =E4r nyfiken - en film i gult". =
Would
anyone like to guess what the translation is? I'll send it tomorrow.
Ann
'72 B GT
'71 B roadster
'2 many project cars to mention
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