Although I mostly lurk, but would consider joining a club devoted to Triumph
Spitfires, I agree with Bill. I personally would shy away from the emphasis
on the military aspect, not to lessen the impact that the pilots played,
even to the point of giving their lives. When I think of my spitfire it is
usually in a more lighthearted venue.
>From: SJagGo@aol.com
>Reply-To: SJagGo@aol.com
>To: spitfires@autox.team.net
>Subject: Re: Club name and image
>Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2000 13:44:31 EST
>
>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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