May - MG Car Club CNY

The
2
Seater
May, 2007
President’s Message:
I’m starting out again this month with a couple of announcements. As I mentioned last month on this page,
“British Car Week” is coming up May 26th to June 3rd.
Go to www.britishcarweek.org for more information.
This can be an exciting week to take out your car(s),
show them off and, best of all, enjoy them. How’s that
you say? Do what you love to do, that is drive ‘em?
Our top down weather is here! Get out and enjoy your
British auto, take it to work, dinner, ice cream or just
for a ride. We do have an event scheduled for this
time period - our annual trek to Norwich for their car
show on Sunday May 27th. Possibly more events during
this week will gel as well.
If you came to our May meeting and were a
half hour late, you must have forgotten we bumped up
our meeting times by a half hour. Just a reminder dinner starts at 6:00 and our general membership
meeting starts at 7:00. Don’t be bashful, come to a
meeting and bring your car!
Last month I broke down some of our membership information by village, distance and even state.
Birthdays were mentioned, leaving our ages to your
imagination and wonder. I also acknowledged some
days of distinction. Now, to finish what I started last
month, our toys.
Of course, the majority of autos owned by our
members are from the Morris Garage lineage. MGB
chrome bumpers as well as MGB rubber bumpers are
the majority of kids here, outnumbering all else. We
also have 26 MGAs, 15 Midgets including a JZ, and 20
TDs. TFs, TCs and GTs total up to 12. Our next most
popular brand is the Triumph label. We have 14 TR6s, and the TR3 and TR4 series tally up to seven,
Spitfires total six, the TR250 numbers only two, and
there is one rare TR1800. Our members also own
seven Mini Coopers, old as well as the new version; we
have Austin Healey 3000s, and several Austin Healey
Sprites. Austin of England, as well as TB7’s are represented. Morris Minor, Mini Mayfair, Mercedes,
Miata, Mercury Capri are some of the “M” class. A
Lotus Europa S4, Sunbeam Alpine, and even a DMC
Delorean decorate our member’s garages. Our members also enjoy the following autos: Volvo 544, Porsche (2), Jaguars, a VW Beetle and a Nissan 240 SX.
Domestics include a ‘55 Chevy, a ’66 Mustang, a ’69
Camaro, a ‘74 Pontiac Granville, a Blakely Bearcat and
even a ‘58 Ward LaFrance Fire truck. How’s that for
diversity!
Many of these cars plus a hundred or so more
will be available for viewing in a few weeks at Lorenzo
Historic Site. Save the date, June 17th for the best
showing so far this season of many classic cars
Europe has produced.
Till next time “Enjoy Your Ride!”
Mike
MG—Enjoy The Ride!
The 2 Seater
Upcoming Events
Published Monthly by:
The MG Car Club of Central NY
P.O. Box 1666
Cicero, NY 13039
May -
5/3— General membership meeting at Barbagallo’s
Newsletter Editor: Tom Ross—please
6:00-eat; 7:00—meetng. NOTE TIME CHANGE
send articles, photos, and gossip to:
tsavage46@msn.com
5/12- Wine run—Marty Winne
Advertising rates/info: Contact
Dave Winne—622-1230
5/27 - Norwich Car Show—Paul Andrews
British Car Week - 5/26 to 6/3
Club Officers
President:
V. Pres.:
Secretary:
Treasurer:
Mike Mastracco
635-9335
Dave Winne
622-1230
Sharon DeRusha
766-9016
Marty Winne
622-1230
June 6/5 -
General membership meeting at Barbagallo’s
6:00 eat; 7:00—meeting.
6/17 - EUROCAR
6/29 - “Swingin’ to the 4th” - Manlius Village Center
Mike Mastracco—635-9335
6/30 - “Beach Days for Breast Cancer” - Gilley Lake.
Galsters—638-1889
Committee Chairs
July Activities:
Regalia:
Chris Carbone
Diane Galster
Patty Golas
687-3849
Eurocar 2007:
Russ DeForest/
Sharon Hartman
Membership: Loie Mechetti
598-9187
Webmaster: Jimmy Hearne
788-9998
7/7 -
Old Forge Boat Show - Dave Winne
7/10 - General membership meeting.
Check the club web site for other events and updates
www.mgcarclub.com/cny
Disclaimer –
The Club, its officers, the editors, and the author of any piece disclaim any responsibility for damage, injury, or loss connected with
use of any technical information provided in the newsletter. Repairs/maintenance/technical tricks/procedures described herein
should not be attempted without the proper tools and equipment
and should never be attempted by anyone not experienced in the
techniques involved
2
Morgan Plus 4 By Mike Mastracco
Morgan Motor Company; a British automobile
manufacturer has been family owned since its inception
in 1910 located in Malvern, Worcester, England. The
company was founded that year by H.F.S. Morgan and
was run by Peter Morgan, son of H.F.S., until his death
in 2003. Now that’s longevity in the ownership lines.
Morgan Motor Company originally only made
three wheelers (with a single rear wheel), with the
world's first independent front suspension. In the
early 30s the company branched out into four wheel
cars. Frequent style changes are definitely not a feature of Morgan cars, as they have been producing what
is essentially the same design of car since 1950.
The Morgan Plus 4 (or +4) was a longer version
of the Morgan Motor Company's 4/4 model and was
made between 1950 and 1969. The Plus 4 had a
strengthened and longer chassis and was fitted with a
larger four cylinder 2088 cc engine with 68 hp mated
to a four-speed Moss gearbox. This larger engine was
based on what was then used in the Standard Vanguard
(another British Car Company). Hydraulic brakes, at
first all drum, were fitted for the first time on a Morgan. Slight modification to the body included surrounding the radiator grille by a cowl that blended into the
bonnet.
In 1953 a higher performance version was announced with the 1991 cc engine as used in the Triumph
TR3 and from 1961 this was enlarged to 2138 cc. Front
disc brakes became an option in 1959 and were standardized in 1960. A feature of the car is its wooden
chassis components (made from ash wood) and rudimentary suspension design, giving the Morgan a hard ride.
A racing version, the Plus 4 Super Sports, was
available from 1960 with a tuned engine and lightweight
body. In 1962 Chris Lawrence and Richard ShepherdBarron won the 2.0 litre GT class of the famous 24
Hours of Le Mans in a Morgan Plus 4. Body styles available were a 2 seat sports, 4 seat sports and more luxurious 2 or 4 seat drophead coupe (4 seat coupe 19541956 only).
Production numbers for the Plus 4 were only
4,584 units between the years 1950-1969.
Perhaps the biggest hit among movies featuring
Morgans was “The War of the Roses” in which several
cars were used to depict Mr. Rose's Plus Four roadster.
Peter O'Toole also drove a Blue Morgan in “What’s New
Pussycat?”
In the 1960s, the factory shoe-horned a 3.5
litre V8 into the engine compartment, widened the
wings by an inch on each side, and named the result the
Morgan +8. That’s a story for another time.
MG Car Club of CNY
Remembers
Phil DiMatteo
1946-2007
5
EUROCAR 2007 CAR CLASSES
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Austin Healey 100-4,100-6, 3000, Jensen *
Austin Healey Sprite/ MG Midget
MG-T Series
MGA 1500, 1600
MGA 1622, MkII, Deluxe, Twin Cam
MGB/ MGB-GT Chrome Bumper 1962-1969 *
MGB/ MGB-GT Chrome Bumper 1970-1974*
MGB/ MGB-GT Rubber Bumper 1974½- 1977 *
MGB/ MGB-GT Rubber Bumper 1978- 1980 *
Classic Mini (to 1987)
Triumph TR2, 3, 3A
Triumph TR4, 250, TR6
Triumph Spitfire, GT6, TR7, TR8, Other
Jaguar XK120, XK140, XK150
Jaguar E-Type *
Jaguar Luxury/ Other, XJ6, XJ12, XJ-S, MkII to 1987
British Sports/ Coupes, Morgan, Lotus, Etc. to 1987
British Luxury/ Other, Rolls, Bentley, Etc. to 1987*
Alfa Romeo to 1987*
Fiat to 1987
21. Italian Other to 1987
22. Swedish Cars to 1987
23. German Sports/ Coupes- Mercedes, BMW, Porsche,
etc. to 1987 *
24. German Luxury-Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Etc. to 1987
25. VW/ German Other to 1987*
26. French Cars to 1987
27. Micro cars to 1987
28. Exotic/ Sports, Ferrari, Pantera, Etc. to 1987
29. Trucks/ SUV to 1987
30. European Other/ Replica to 1987
31. Early Motorcycles, Original Dress thru 1969
32. Later Motorcycles, Original Dress 1970- 1985
33. Modern Motorcycles 1986- Present
34. Modified/ Custom Motorcycles, Scooters, 3- Wheelers
35. Contemporary Sports/ Coupes 1988 to 1997
36. Contemporary Sports/ Coupes 1998 to 2007
37. Contemporary Luxury 1988 to 1997
38. Contemporary Luxury 1997 to 2007
* Subclasses may be added the day of show depending upon the number of entrants
Cut and send this half for vehicle registration – save remainder for details
Eurocar Show Vehicle Entry Form
Name ______________________________________Year_________ Make _________________________
Address____________________________________Model________________________Judging class______
City ________________________________State _______Zip ___________Phone______________________
Return to:
Deb Larkin
3917 County Rt. 4
Oswego, NY 13126
Pre-register by June 13th
Day of Show
Checks payable to:
$7 per entry
$14 per entry
MGCCCNY
Release of liability: I agree to release and discharge from any liability, losses or damages, the show staff,
officers, management & all others connected to this event of the MG Car Club of CNY, Lorenzo State Historic
Site and the State of NY. This release must be signed before entry to the field.
Signature_____________________________________________________date_________________
~ Awards not mailed ~ for sale window signs on field-maximum 8 ½ x 11” ~
~ Entrants must be on field by noon ~ tops up, hoods & trunks open for judging ~
Questions about Eurocar entries? 315-342-3234
www.mgcarclub.com/cny
6
E Type Epic By: Tom Ross
It started innocently enough with an e-mail from Dave
Winne. Dave is a fine fellow, to be sure, but there are times
when he morphs into the Serpent from the Garden of Eden.
This was one of those times. Anyway, the e-mail said the Dave
knew of a Jaguar E Type 2+2 that might be obtained for a very
attractive price. Supposedly, the vehicle required only minor
mechanical work and would then be ready to enjoy.
Of course, I was intrigued by the idea of a bargain E
Type. I had wanted one of these cars since 1969 when I declined a chance to buy one new because the monthly payment
was too high. So, I “bit” and arranged with Dave to take a look
at the car. We met at the owner’s house in late winter of 2006.
The car was up on jack stands, but the body looked greatt, the
interior looked serviceable, and the mechanicals appeared, on
the surface, to not need a great deal of work. The selling price
was, indeed, a bargain due to a domestic situation involving the
owner and his wife. A deal was struck, and I arranged to have
the car towed to my friends at Fehlman’s Garage.
Now, as you all know, car nuts generally fall into two
classes. One is composed of people who have the tools, expertise, and facilities to tackle restoration work by themselves. The
other, to which I belong, is missing one or more of those attributes and, as a result, has to trust in the mercy of “professionals”.
Members of either class are usually blind to the matter of budget
or general sanity.
Even with this in mind, I was confident that it wouldn’t
take much to get this car on the road. Can we spell “deluded
optimist”? Mike Chetwin had also expressed interest in the car,
and I was grateful that he demurred and allowed me to make
the purchase (now it’s his turn to be grateful).
The problem, obvious even to me, was that most of the
ancillary items (alternator, water pump, A/C compressor, etc.)
had to be reattached. There also appeared to be minor problems with the engine bay wiring harness, and the car had no
exhaust system.
Fehlman’s started work on the car, and stumbling
blocks began appearing almost immediately. It turns out that
the engine peripherals were disconnected for a reason – they all
needed to be rebuilt or replaced. As work progressed, more and
more parts were discovered to need replacement. Among these
were the radiator expansion tank, the hydraulic fluid reservoirs,
and the aforementioned wiring harness. It turned out that the
entire front end needed to be rebuilt as well. I quickly developed a working relationship with a company in California that
specialized in Jaguar parts and began spending money like it
grew on the proverbial tree.
Time dragged on, and along the way we had the rear
end fall right off its mounts and continued to hit snags at every
turn. Since I was now committed (or should have been committed in the more unsavory meaning of the term), I also sprang for
new tires, new chrome wire wheels, and a new stainless steel
exhaust system. Finally, after about five months, the car was
finally assembled and the engine was running. There was an
unnerving rattle that sounded like a timing chain problem, but
I retrieved the car from round one anyway. During this period I
had decided that the interior of the car deserved to be redone,
so the car went from Fehlman’s over to Dan Cedrone at The
Secret Service. This phase lasted about three months (at a cost
much higher than anticipated, but what else is new?), and I finally got the car in my own garage around Thanksgiving time.
The stay was brief as I had made arrangements to have various
dings repaired at W.W. Collision in Chittenango. In a much too
rare experience, I actually drove the car there; it ended up staying until January. The company in San Diego that had done the
body work for the previous owner was unable to provide the
paint code, but we were able to find the proper color nevertheless. The bad news was that it was a two stage, metalflake
paint that was extremely expensive. The caused only momentary hesitation as I was now in too deep to ever turn back.
By January of 2007 the body work was completed and
the car went back to Fehlman’s to address that worrisome rattle.
Partial disassembly revealed that the timing chain tensioners
were broken. The method of disassembly involved removal of
the oil pan, and that revealed not only a large deposit of engine
sludge but also worn main and rod bearings. Needless to say,
this phase developed into a major job. After that was finally
completed, I had requested that they install a new wood center
dash panel which I had obtained on eBay. Another can of
worms open – all manner of electrical problems were discovered
(on a British car, you say?). So, we tackled those as well.
Finally, a little more than a year after I first saw the car,
it was back in my hands to enjoy. A few small problems still
remain, but aside from those, the car is in as good condition as I
could make it short of a total, rotisserie restoration (come to
think of it, that may have been more economical).
How much as this adventure in restoration cost? That
is not a question asked in polite company. Suffice it to say that I
will never get my money back out of it, even at an overpriced
auction, and the bargain aspect of the project disappeared a
long time ago. I am also exploring ways to get even with Mike
Chetwin.
Recipe Corner
May Birthdays -
5/1
5/3
5/9
5/11
5/14
5/17
5/19
5/22
5/23
5/26
5/29
5/30
Irwin Koss
Loie Mechetti
Kevin DeForest
Mark Hiller
Debbie Curtis
Marty Winne
Susan Harrison
Steve Davies
Michelle Shea
Alain Mauboussin
Pat Santy
Richard Major
Carl Glenister
Michelle Delilo
Carol Silverman
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL!!!!!
Hi: My name is Susan Sanborn, and as discussed
at our club meeting last month, I will be collecting
your favorite recipes to have published in our
monthly newsletter as a “Clip &Save" column.
Please feel free to email your recipes to me at
suepesaborn@aol.com , or drop them in the mail
to 32 North St., Baldwinsville, NY 13027. I will be
choosing one, maybe two, to publish on a monthly
basis.
Don't forget, picnic season is almost upon us for
any seasonal ideas you might have.
Please have all submissions to me by the 5th of
the month, and don't forget to tell me who the
"chef" is so you can be properly recognized!
Many thanks,
Sue
*****
CHICKEN RIGGIES
Jack Bocchino
1 pound skinless ,boneless chicken breasts
2 green peppers, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
5-6 mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. Rosemary
1/4 tsp. Garlic powder
1 Tbs. Salt
1 tsp. Pepper
1/4 tsp. Red pepper flakes
1 cup chicken broth
1 jar (26 oz) Marinara Sauce
Cut chicken into cubes. Shake with flour
seasoned with the salt and pepper and
brown in oil. Remove from pan and sauté
the peppers, the onion and the mushrooms
in the oil. In a large pan, combine the
chicken, the chicken broth, the marinara
sauce and the sautéed vegetables. Add remaining seasonings and simmer for 30 minutes. Served over cooked rigatoni or penne pasta.
Fond Memories of British Cars
By Dave Winne
I thought it might be fitting to share a couple of memories
about my experiences with British cars in response to British Car Week, which is
commemorated from May 26 to
June 3th, 2007.
There is something very appealing about driving and owning a
British car. It is probably the fact that it brings back a lifetime of great memories - back around 1962, when I had
hair…and no aches and pains. This was in the heyday of small
British imports to the US.
My first memory of riding in a British car was riding to
church with my neighbor, Ed Tipple, in his 1959 Morris Minor
coupe, when I about ten years old. Ed was a nice chap, very
tall, balding, and a bit odd, probably a good match for the
Morris Minor. It was a grey color and the leather inside had
a very typical British smell to it, probably mixed with smells
from gasoline, brake fluid, motor oil, antifreeze and car exhaust. To this day, I can still pick out that smell blindfolded
and it is still tantalizing. The Minor wasn't very fast (you
could almost get out and push), but it had a great sound, (the
exhaust and other mechanical noises), and 40 MPG. I think
of this stuff as character- try to imitate this in a Mazda
Miata!
About the same time, I remember riding in my Dad's red
1959 Hillman Minx convertible. We motored to Cooperstown
several times a week, about two miles from our home, with
my Mom and Dad and three siblings. It was crowded and fun,
at least most of the time. Thank God we didn't have seatbelt
laws in those days. The Hillman had a four cylinder, column
shift four-speed and had the same great smells as the Morris Minor. It was great with the top down, especially on cool
Summer mornings on the beautiful country roads of Otsego
County. My Dad looked especially at home in that little Hillman with the top down, sporting his green plaid British cap.
My next experience was driving my friend's Jimmy Bell's
Land Rover on the back roads from Cooperstown to Oneonta
(at fifteen years old) before I got my driver's license. This
truck was the long-wheelbase version with the observation
windows in the roof, just like being on African safari. It also
had great sounds and smells and was a blast to drive. My
cousin Jerry, then 14, rode along to make sure that I didn't
get into any trouble (and to watch for cops). Jerry and I
were giving the Land Rover a lacquer paint job and needed
some parts from Morris Garage, the local BMC dealer about
25 miles away. Morris Garage, in Maryland, New York, had a
junkyard full of fifties and sixties British cars including
MGs, Sunbeams, Morrises, Triumphs, Austins, and Rolls- Royces. What a great place for a fifteen year old kid to poke
around in on a Saturday morning - all guarded by two Great
Danes, named Morgan and Bentley!!
That same year, I bought and fixed up a 1959 Austin A40
Farina Saloon. This little two-door shared mechanicals with
the Austin Healey Sprite, but looked similar to a MGB-GT.
We first exchanged the broken transmission with one from a
Morris Minor in sub-zero weather and tied up my Dad's garage for an entire winter. In the Spring, my cousins and I
painted it a great red color and dyed the seats black to
match. We navigated many of the back roads in Otsego
county without the benefit of insurance, license plates, or a
driver's license. Farm boys really knew how to live in those
days. The little Austin drove and handled amazingly well, and
it was probably this car that cemented my love of British
cars for a lifetime.
About a year later, I got my driver's license and my Uncle
Bill Wheeler gave me a rare 1959 Triumph TR-10 Sedan for
my birthday. It sat in his yard for several years and he was
anxious to find it a good home. My friend Dennis Baker
towed me home to Cooperstown from Oneida, about 65 miles,
on the end of a tow rope at warp speed, as he was late for a
date with his future wife. I fixed it up, and it was capable
of holding about six kids for after-school outings. I drove
this car to high school in my junior year, until my 1949 Ford
Coupe came along, something more substantial and powerful,
with a 1957 Dodge Red Ram V8 in it! This was followed by a
1953 Ford Tudor Wagon, 1965 Sunbeam Alpine, a 1965 Chevy
Impala SS, a 1956 Ford pickup, and a 1965 Chevelle Malibu
SS Convertible. Variety is the spice of life…
A the tender age of nineteen I bought a new Mercury Capri
Coupe (yes it was German) followed by a 1963 Jaguar E-Type
Roadster, which was one of the most beautiful cars ever
built. I still have a couple great pictures of me driving this
beauty. These were a couple of my first cars during a stint in
the Air Force, along with a 1955 Ford Victoria, a 1965 Chevy
Impala SS, a 1967 Saab 96 Monte Carlo, and two great Volvo
P1800 coupes.
Fast forward to 2007… Over the past thirty five years, I
have owned fourteen MGBs, three MGAs, a MGC-GT, a Sunbeam Alpine, a Bugeye Sprite, two MG Midgets, and a Jaguar
E Type 2+2. British cars have been a significant part of my
life, and I wouldn't trade my experiences with British cars
for all the tea in China!
9
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MGCCCNY
P.O. Box 1666
Cicero, NY 13039
www.mgcarclub.com/cny