Greetings all:
I'm a little concerned about the overall image a club might project if
everything about it conveys the idea of the WW2 Supermarine Spitfire, and not
the true object of our admiration--the Triumph Spitfire. The true Spitfire
pilots of WW2 are heroes beyond the imagination of today's culture. Nothing
we ever do should lessen the respect that is due those designers, maintenance
personnel, and pilots. While we take pride in the fact that the name of our
automobile is the same as that instrument of aviation fame, we must not get
carried away with only that aspect of our admiration.
Our little club in Springfield, IL has the copyrighted name S. P. I. T. F. I.
R. E. -- Special People In Triumphs For Infinite Relaxation and Enjoyment.
I have polled our membership and we would be willing to let you use our name
or a similar one if there is a consensus of listers. It won't bother us if
we are shot down by the pilots out there, but we've always felt that the
emphasis of our association should be the automobile and not the airplane.
And, before you strafe me, I don't mind some reference to the airplane in
regalia, logos, or local chapter designations, but I'd like to see some
perspective as to what we as drivers and collectors are about.
Yes, Ted Striker, I am over "Macho Grande", and if NASS is what the club will
be, I too may enter the 5th Dimension--Up, Up and Away.
BTW, S.P.I.T.F.I.R.E.'s future activities include the following: Rt. 66
tour, Chicago to CA (no date set). 200th Louisiana Purchase Commemorative
Lewis and Clark Trail Tour, St. Louis to Ft. Clatsup (Astoria, OR) scheduled
for summer of 2003. Circle tour of Lake Michigan-Somewhere in Time 20th
Anniversary-Grand Hotel Tour.
As you can imagine, there aren't too many Spits out there that can manage
these distances. Our best has been 6100 miles in the Springfield to
Seattle-Paradise Climb of 1982. Paradise is the summit of Mt. Rainier.
Bill Brockschmidt
President-S.P.I.T.F.I.R.E.
4 Mk1 Spits
3 1500's
1 1973 455 Buick Centurion Convertible
1 1965 S-Type Jaguar Saloon
1 98 Buick Park Avenue (hers)
1 94 Plymouth Grand Voyager
1 91 Digital Extended Cab Chevy S-10
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