Click - Abingdon Rough Riders

An Interview with Yours Truly, Pt 2
Allan Chalmers is the pre-eminent Abingdon Rough Rider, his name is known to everyone
in the USA who has any serious interest in T Series MGs. There are no ARR club
members who he doesn't know and no significant events in the club's long history of
which he is not aware. As a full accounting would require a much larger space than is
accorded here, this piece provides only a summary of his comprehensive involvement in
the T Series world and the Rough Riders. This is his story.
1.
Post World War II USA was a very different place than it had been in 1941. One
of changes of particular interest to all Abingdon Rough Riders and TCMG'ers today was
the introduction of the British sports car into the USA. San Francisco was the second city
west of the Mississippi where European cars were first offered for sale. As an SF native
do you remember seeing any of these exotic vehicles when you were a kid?
In 1949 my neighbor showed up with a really cool modified TC – it was two
toned, louvered bonnet, 16” wheels, running boards removed and with a
rorty exhaust note. We went for a drive and it quit running a block away. I
got out to push it and it ran over my foot! I have mentioned this before, but I
feel strongly that it was the same car I bought from member Jim Miller, the
Blue and grey TC, that I subsequently sold to member Don Sheu, who has
done a fabulous job of refurbing it, complete with running boards now.
2.
In the vanguard of this trend toward affordable sports cars was Kjell Qvale. In the
book Lunches With Mr. Q I read about the circumstance which motivated him to enter the
British car importation business. It seems that he had gone to New Orleans with the
intention of obtaining a British motorcycle franchise, but on the way to the meeting to
discuss this possibility he saw a small, distinctive sports car parked outside of the
building. He immediately forgot about the motorcycle business as he had instantaneously
lost his heart to the MG TC. At that meeting he was able to buy five MG TC Midgets.
Mr. Q proceeded to open the British Motor Cars showroom on Van Ness Avenue,
demand for these distinctive, cool cars wildly outstripped supply and the rest is history.
Do you know anything about any of these five cars or anything about the 50 that arrived
in the second shipment?
When the war was over and dealers were again selling cars, I would go down
to Van Ness Avenue auto row, starting at Market Street, walking both sides,
collecting new car sales brochures. I had a fabulous collection that my father
eventually tossed (thanks, Dad!). One day, can’t remember when – a few
years later, probably 1947 or 48 I was walking on Van Ness and came upon
an open lot with TCs! Wow – these were fabulous exotics. They only had 54
horsepower however, and I was hot for one of the new overhead valve V8s.
Not that I was old enough or had any money! The lot must have been
Qvale’s .
3.
Can you tell us something about Kjell Qvale? When did you first meet him?
My first car was a '36 Chevy business coupe and my second a 1937 Buick
Roadmaster. I spent some bucks on the latter – '41 Buick Century dual
intake and exhaust, new paint, whitewalls, and LOTS of chrome under the
hood. I decided I should enter it in the
Golden Gate Park Road Race Concours
in the Polo Grounds in 1954. I went to
Qvale’s office on Van Ness and applied
for the Concours. He approved and I
was set. Qvale was one of the organizers
of the show.
When I drove the Buick onto the field I was placed between a '34 Pierce
Arrow – original owners, and a '34 Chrysler Imperial, aluminum bodied
dual cowl phaeton. Oh oh, I’m out of my league big time! Both owners were
very gracious and I had a fine time. Of course I didn’t win anything and a
few disparaging remarks were heard.
The next time I met Qvale was years later at some event or other – I think at
the Burlingame Candy Store, an old Packard dealership that became a
storage spot for owners of exotics. Of course, Rick Storms used his red car
for publicity shots for the book Lunches with Mr. Q.
4.
In a previous article you mentioned that Bill Fieldhouse, a salesman at SF British
Motors and ARR member, displayed Mr. Qvale's K3 Magnette at a concours which had
been organized by the Rough Riders. Aside from that did Mr. Qvale have any
association with the ARR?
Nope, afraid not. But Qvale used another member’s car, the late Stan
Altshuler’s, for publicity shots a number of years ago.
5.
One constant among Rough Riders appears to be their first impression on seeing a
TC. Can you remember the circumstances of your first TC sighting?
Check back at the beginning for answers to the first two questions.
Peter Egan, the recently retired columnist for Road & Track mag was asked
to speak to the TC Motoring Guild several years ago and called his talk,
“Sudden Conversions”, about how people were struck dumb when spotting
their first TC. I have run it in the newsletter at least once and will submit it
to Rick to add to the web site.
How did you discover the Abingdon Rough Riders? In what year did you join?
Are you the senior member in the current roster?
I had heard of the ARR at the time I bought the car - in wretched condition in December 1958. Whilst down on Van Ness (my favorite street you might
guess) at the BMC dealer one day at the beginning of 1959 I spotted a nice
TC - except for a really torn up front fender - at the curb. It was ARR
member Pat Sweeny’s and he was buying a new fender (oh the good old days
–I bought a new bonnet side panel for $6). Pat’s stub axle snapped and the
wheel did a number on the fender. He put me in touch with the club and I
made out an application, which was required then.
Mike deSoto is senior to me. That’s it I fear.
6.
Is the TC that you currently drive, TC 7149. your first MG? Tell us about the
situation that precipitated its purchase. And, whatever happened to its predecessor, that
'56 Pontiac?
It was my first. I bought it December 1958 from
Palo Alto British Motors for $500 and towed it
home at the end of a rope. I kept the Pontiac until
I traded it a couple years later for a '55 Magnette.
That was replaced by a '56 TR3 that I drove
everywhere.
7.
Despite the fact that there seems to be no real concours venues left today for TC
competition in our neck of the woods, that wasn't always the case. During the 60s-70s a
couple of Rough Riders' TCs competed very successfully at the Pebble Beach Concours
de l'Elegance, one of which was yours. What's the story behind this? Was it just accepted
practice at that time to attempt to restore one's TC to concours condition?
When I finished restoring my TC I hit the
show circuit in 1964. The first show was
Pebble Beach where I took second to a tricked
out TF. First prize was a crystal piece, second
was a lousy ribbon. I took firsts at Palo Alto
and Hillsborough and a couple more seconds
and thirds. Never placed out of awards and
quit while I was ahead.
Member Ed Pohle and I swapped firsts and seconds during this time. Yes, we
always planned to show after restoring.
Waiting for the judges at Palo Alto – Ed’s car on my right
Wow – I won! Sorry Ed.
8.
It appears that after restoring your TC your personal MG infection went viral.
Tell us something about subsequent MGs that you've owned; why you acquired them,
what you used them for (e.g. touring, racing, concours competition) and what replaced
each of them.
I bought, with Club’s funds, a wrecked TC for $200. It was sold in parts to
club members.
From a friend I inherited a TD that had been destroyed by a runaway
LaSalle. I had used parts from it to repair the next MG my friend bought
and crashed. When he again crashed the TF I inherited that too,
subsequently selling it. My next MG was another TF that I swapped with a
different friend, for my Nash Healey. Both TFs sold for the princely sum of
$750. The Nash Healey recently sold for $89K!
My next MG was a YT that I
bought from our late member
Dave Swackhamer, Barry’s
dad. That was my family
sporty car, transporting boys
and sundry friends in the
windy rear. Sold to a collector
who subsequently sold it to
Elliott Sopkin of Palo Alto.
He still has it.
The next MG was the blue
grey car mentioned (aka the
Café Racer).
The last was the TA that has
been my leisure (!) time
project, calling me from the
garage; “come on Allan, I’ve
been sitting here too long!”.
This one was purchased from
Bill Traill’s business partner,
Ken Boge. It had previously
been brought over by exmember Bob Fabris, around
1970.
Bill Tantau and I
went in together on
a 1934 PB that had
been rebodied with
a TA body and was
sold to us by Mike
O’Connor. I kept
the TA parts and
Bill, the PB chassis
and running gear.
It was a weird car that somebody spent a lot of time fettling. The body and
fenders on my TA were just crap, and these parts were a great find for me.
Bill subsequently sold the PB and Dr. Peter Zernial in Germany has it now. I
hope he gets it bodied and back on the road.
9.
I would hazard a guess that although the TC is the main automotive focus of most
ARR members, that's not true to the exclusion of other car brands. You also have an
affection for Porsches. Are there any other makes that have more than a casual interest
for you?
I mentioned the TR3 and the Nash Healey. I’ve had 38 different cars, not too
many were terribly interesting. My first 356 Porsche nearly killed me
(actually I killed it by attempting flight with it). and the second is now in my
son Craig’s garage. Linda and I currently have a love/hate relationship with
our Mini-Cooper S, the best drive I’ve ever experienced, so I let it get away
with lots. It is currently dripping oil. What did I expect?
10.
Can you recall a couple of high and low points of your association with the ARR?
High points? Always a pleasure, but the 50th Conclave was a real blast, with
Linda and me doing a lot of work. Low point was when I decided to go to
university full time and anticipated selling the TC mid-restoration.
Thankfully I didn’t. Sell that is – but I did get my degree!
11.
The foregoing notwithstanding, an all-embracing involvement with old cars does
not a well-rounded person make. What else do you like to do?
When not wasting time at the computer I am working on the TA. When I
retired I started doing kitchens and bathrooms and building furniture with
former member Bob Anderson. Hiking the Bay Area on weekends keeps the
blood flowing. When I finish the TA maybe I’ll resume my flying lessons.
Well, maybe not!
12.
As with any group, the ARR consists of active, semi-active and passive members.
My association with the club started in 1991. During those 23 years I can't recall any
members of the ARR family who have been more continuously involved in the daily life
of the club than the Chalmers’. Can you even imagine yourself existing in a less active
capacity than you are today?
The Rough Riders has been an extremely important part of my life. I’ve met
and kept great friends and expanded my horizons through knowing y’all and
all those folks who have come and gone from our little fraternity.
Only if I completely fall apart will I be less active.
Allan, thank you!