Plymouth Cricket/Hillman Avenger

Can you find a more orphaned car than the Plymouth Cricket?

Born of the Chrysler Corporation's need for a small car in its US lineup, the Pentastar brand imported the British built Hillman Avenger. Hillman, one of the marques of the Chrysler-owned Rootes Group, was no stranger to American roads. The Husky and Minx models were sold here when they were current models.

Today, both Plymouth and Hillman are defunct marques and I can't tell you the last time I saw a Plymouth Cricket on the road. Enjoy the snappy jingle in the 1971 Chrysler ad below. 

 

Mugs & Motors

OK, SABCC'ers it's time for another edition of Mugs & Motors Coffee and Conversation for Motoring Enthusiasts. We'll meet at the popular Serda's Coffee and Tea on Royal Street in downtown Mobile at 8:00AM sharp to be some of the first through the door for coffee and sweet treats and to snag the tables near the coffee roaster in the back of the shop. As always we'll enjoy the company of our friends and fellow British car enthusiasts for relaxed hour or so.

Next up on the agenda, SABCC's own Technical Advisor Jean-Pierre Fontana has graciously arranged a behind-the-scenes tour of one of his favorite automotive machine shops. Auto-Fleet Parts and Machine is located at the wye between Navco and Halls Mill Roads. Old-time Mobilians will remember this building as the former home of Datsun of Mobile. We'll travel there together in a British car convoy from downtown Mobile.

Pierre tells me that these folks have some very impressive engine credentials including knowing their way (competently) around such exotica as Offenhauser heads. We'll see some specialized machinery and techniques that can help bring a tired and worn engine back to rude health. Pierre is even packing his famous kit bag in case some of us might need a quick auto diagnosis while we are together! 

Afterwards, we'll decide as a group where we'd like to have lunch. 

I hope to see you and your British car Saturday, June 16th for Mugs & Motors!  

British Car Week 2012

Since 1997 British Car Week has been the way to for enthusiasts to bring the public's attention to our hobby and to let them know that the cars they loved many years ago are alive and well and in good hands. The genesis of British Car Week came from an article written in Road and Track by Peter Egan in which he laments the fact that he saw few classic British cars on the road. 

The first BCW was organized by word of mouth and something called an "internet bulletin board" and an "email list". Today, the organization has a top notch web site and literally dozens of clubs that participate to varying degrees. The folks that run BCW encourage all British car owners to drive their UK-built machines at least one day during the week. Even better is an organized drive where a group of cars can be seen together that will bring attention to the hobby. 

This year's British Car Week is May 26th through June 3rd. I hope you will be able to show off your British pride and joy. I know I'm looking forward to it. 

Not a Good Day to be a Shrimp

The 2012 edition of the annual SABCC picnic is in the books and it was a one of the best attended picnics in recent memory. The mild spring temperatures, glorious sunshine and near constant breezes made for a perfect day. This year's picnic was scheduled a month earlier than is normal on the club calendar as the traditional May event, the St. John's Catholic Church Lawn Party was canceled.

The impromptu car show

MG-TC owners and club members John and Barbara Shaw graciously offered to organize a shrimp boil in place of the traditional hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill. You may remember that last year John and Barbara cooked a huge pot of jambalaya for the event. That memorable meal was all the membership needed to jump at the generous offer. 

The boiled bounty

The lovely Oscar Johnson Memorial Park in Silverhill, Alabama was reserved for the event and we were delighted to see several major improvements in the facility upon our arrival. A new grilling shed was constructed just this week. Attached to the main pavilion, the shed has a sink with running water and a food preparation area. Unfortunately the new grill was delayed in shipment and was not installed prompting an emergency call to the always helpful Ron Wolverton and Becky Kramer to see if they could fit a grill in their car at the last minute.

Moving through the serving line

The shrimp and cooking gear arrived at the appointed hour and John set to work getting the huge pot boiling. In went corn on the cob, potatoes and sliced sausage to cook prior to the dunking of the fresh Gulf shrimp. 

SABCC'ers - many in their classic British cars - came early to help set up the serving tables and enjoy the company of their fellow club members ahead of lunch. Ron and Becky saved the day with the grill and soon it was sizzling with a few hamburgers and hot dogs for those who preferred a more traditional picnic lunch.

The impromptu British car show brought several drivers in the park from busy Highway 104 for a closer look at the mostly MG group. Of course, the recently-acquired (and massive) 1962 Pontiac Bonneville Vista driven to the picnic by club president Richard Cunningham drew its own admiring crowds, too.

The wreckage

Soon the meal was ready and SABCC vice president for membership Jack Ross asked the blessing. "Amen," brought a line to the groaning table of freshly-boiled shrimp. The portions were generous and delicious. A hush settled over the pavilion as the hungry club members dispatched the shrimp and the side dishes that were brought to share. 

After a brief business meeting the attendees sat back and visited with each other or wandered through the assembled cars. Soon enough, it was time to leave the park cleaner than we found it and head our own way. 

The club owes a great deal of thanks to John and Barbara Shaw for the lovely shrimp dinner and to Ron Wolverton and Becky Kramer for wrangling the barbeque grill and cooking the 'burgers and dogs and to everyone that brought a dish to share.

We are already looking forward to the next picnic.    

 

Getting All Zoomy

In the late 1950s and early 1960s jet aircraft were about as advanced a form of travel as could be imagined. Rocket ships were still in their infancy and the world was probably still trying to wrap their heads around the concept of manned spaceflight. It's no small wonder that the builders of our favorite cars wanted to associate themselves with jet aircraft and I've found a couple of vintage ads that did just that.

First up is an advert from Austin Healey touting the new "100" and its record-setting speed on the Bonneville salt flats. This 1954 magazine ad shows a well dressed couple in their new Big Healey with its windshield folded chatting with the pilot of an F-84 jet fighter.

I doubt that the couple traveled very far in the open top two-seater; the lady's hair is perfect and the gentleman's hat is still on his head cocked just so. The photo just cries out to be part of a caption contest.

Early in the following decade, the MGB was introduced and MG also wanted in on the jet plane image as well. This time, however, the subject is Lute Eldridge - Lockheed F-104 Test Pilot. As you can see from the images, ol' Lute enjoys quality time with his spanking new MGB roadster on his way to another day of testing the razor-winged wonder from Lockheed.

MG apparently specified action in their ad and they got it in spades. Our test pilot friend starts his day by folding down the MG's convertible top so he can soak up that southern California sun. Around lunchtime the top is finally stowed and he's off, kicking up clouds of dust as he motors through the desert short cut to the airfield.

Have you seen other advertising images of British sports cars and aircraft? Drop me line in the comments section.

Scaring Away the Next Generation

Are we, as owners of classic cars, alienating the next generation of automotive enthusiasts? It may just be possible that we are.

Classic car shows and informal cruise-ins are perfect family outings. They are usually free of charge, conducted in a pleasant setting and give young people an opportunity to see the cars that their parents and grandparents owned or perhaps lusted for. Teens may find that an older car suits their image of being unique among their peers and younger children enjoy a "making memories" outing.

Like the wide variety of cars to see in a show, classic car owners also come in a similar range of tastes and ideas as to what they want from the old car hobby. Many owners have lavished impressive sums in restoration and maintenance and show stunningly perfect cars. Other owners invest just as much pride, but maybe fewer greenbacks on their driver quality rides. And in between lies the vast majority of automotive enthusiasts.

My cars are in the driver quality end of the spectrum. While I haven't invested tons of money in them, they have some real value (they are insured against loss) and I do the best I can to maintain them in a safe and presentable condition. They are special to me but they aren't precious.

That's why I find it easy to engage young people  - especially pre-teens - and let them know it's OK to look closer and invite them to take the driver's seat (with the parent's permission) so they can get an idea of what lies within. The classic Mini is an absolute magnet for kids that are five or six years old. I can't begin to count how many young people have had their photo made behind the wheel of the little car. Their smiles are more than fair compensation for a couple of fingerprints or wrinkled floor mat. Of course, I understand that this isn't for every classic owner and I will let kids know that they won't be able to do the same with all the cars at the event.

All children need to be taught respect for the property of others and I've found that families who attend these shows normally keep their kids in control. Parents usually caution little ones to not touch and keep some distance from the cars. It is a rare circumstance when I have to intervene. But some kids are exposed to some not-so-patient owners who, in the name of protecting their car, could make the show event a bitter memory for a child.

One incident at a British car show I attended some years ago had an owner of an MGB GT literally screaming at a four year old that had the audacity to rest his elbows on the windowsill while he admired the inside of the car. The boy's father was a half step away from the lad, reaching out to remove him when the harpy screech was loosed upon the crowd. Not surprisingly, the family left immediately and a few other visitors followed looking over their shoulders at the woman who was furiously rubbing away two elbow prints from her maroon paint. That was probably the last car show that family ever attended.

"Good riddance," some may say and maybe they are correct. But when they are through carrying their perfect car in a velvet-lined trailer, they or their heirs may wish to sell it on. Will those targets of car show venom want to take up the hobby? Probably not. 

What can we do to engage these future classic car owners? If you are concerned about fingerprints on your paint you can always bring stands and rope to secure your area. If that is a bit much, then stay near your car and try to scope out the ones that may not quite understand the whole distance thing. Be open and engaging and chat with those who took the time to come to the event and bring a family. The positive impact of calm conversation and a gentle "Look but don't touch,"  reminder just might win your special car some new - and younger - fans.             

Forbidden Fruit

An MGF with Minnesota Plates

SABCC club president and road race fan Richard Cunningham and I recently attended The Mitty at Road Atlanta. Originally known as the Walter Mitty Challenge, this event is the annual party thrown by Historic Sportscar Racing Ltd for the enjoyment of its members. This is the place to be to check out loads of racing machinery from the pedestrian to the exotic. I'll write up an entry about the weekend soon, but I wanted to share some photos of a car I spotted in the special interest car corral.

This is an MGF. This MGF is in the US of A. According to the rules, should not be here but here it is all in its mid-engine glory. It's a 75th Anniversary edition with special badging and other unique trim. I understand that these cars were available in the silver shown here or a in color called mulberry.

Left hand drive & MPH speedo

The laws say that cars not complying with American safety and emissions standards are not eligible for importation in to the US. The MGF (and the later MG TF) were supposedly engineered to meet American standards but they were never certified. No certification - no importation. However, the law is written so that a non-complying vehicle that is 25 years old or older may be imported. That's how I got my hands on my 1973 Mini. Our Canadian neighbors are permitted to import non-complying vehicles that only 15 years old or older. 

I didn't get a chance to chat with the owner but a Facebook acquaintance did and he reports that the state of Minnesota allowed him to register the MGF but gave him a hard time because the VIN didn't check out with their database of numbers. 

What the owner may not know, is that the Federal government has been known to send US Marshals with seizure orders to collect  -and eventually crush- non-complying cars. I certainly hope that won't be the case here, but it seems mighty risky to to me.

I wish you the best of luck, Mr. MGF owner.