Hi Scotty and everyone else
Just got back from the New England MGT Register GOF in Alexandria Bay, New
York (Alexandria Bay is on the St. Lawrence River (US - Canada border) and
in the heart of the Thousand Islands)
The feature of the GOF was a recreation of the "round the houses " vintage
races of the late thirties. The turn out was amazing. And most were in
costume.There were some spectacular vintage cars there.The town was closed
to traffic for the race, and a lap was escorted for all the other cars at
the GOF.
To name a few of the vintage cars there:
The M type Double T car (the only one of four survivors not in a museum)
that was in the 1930 Double T race that MG won and put MG on the map. (For
those out there who have not read "Maintaining the Breed" the Double T was
a Brooklins race in two 12 hour segments)
The Lester P type just recently restored
Dave Raymond's single seat N Type ( a winner in races held in Ulster)
several other J and P type racers
Several T series vintage racers.
None were allowed to have front fenders, and the smell of castrol filled
this little town with an aroma that was heaven ( I often felt mens cologne
should not smell like flowers but like burning castrol)
There was a rally into Ontario Canada which included two car ferries, the
last of which was like a WWII LST. The owner of the ferry (it is a private
ferry) squeezed in 16 T types and a van pulling a boat) This is an
international ferry, and US customs consisted of a little shack where the
elderly official processes a few cars every two hours in season. He loved
our cars.
Car shows are important to the hobby. The trophy provides the incentive to
restore the cars. How else do you get someone to spend $45,000 to do a car
that is then worth $20,000? It doesn't bother me how the cars arrive, a
great show car can't really be driven hundreds or thousands of miles to a
meet like this. At the GOF we have enough categories to satisfy each man's
likes. There is Premier, but there is also the great unwashed category,
Barbara and I drove the almost 400 miles from the Jersey Shore to the GOF
on Thursday. It took 8 hours in the open TF, all on interstate highways. We
had no other choice due to time restraints. We travel at about 55 mph, with
periods of 60 mph.(standard TF rear , I like the acceleration when I am not
on highways) At this speed you are passed by 18 wheelers doing 80 mph
about every 90 seconds. We arrived at 6pm totally exhausted.This morning on
the return it was 35 degrees F when we left. We had four layers of clothing
on and still froze.
The point of it all, is you do what you want and don't condemn others for
arriving without suffering. I swear to trailer to the next GOF each year,
but don't. Someday I will, and not because the TF is a trailer queen, (the
paint is chipped from road stones) and it never wins at the show. I have a
good time anyway talking to other MG owners.
Last a word about Frank Churchill. Saturday in the late afternoon , after
the race, about 75 members gathered in a large banquet room. All the chairs
were put in one huge circle. Dick Knudsen read a few passages from the
bible, then anyone who wanted ,spoke. About twenty did, simply recalling a
brief moment or story about Frank. We laughed and we cried. It was really
beautiful.
I am sorry to have rambled as I am dead tired from the trip back. I am sure
those who are not interested in T types have long ago hit the delete button
Mike
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