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TattlerThe
The Newsletter of the Minnesota MG T Register
April 2012 Vol. 33, Issue 3
2
The Minnesota MG T Registerwww.mnmgtr.org
OfficersChair: ! Jim Pennoyer! 763.536.5472 ! [email protected]:! Jenée Honnigford! 612.869.7720! [email protected]:! Tom & Barb Belongia! 715.425.0189! [email protected]: ! Mickey Delfino! 763.263.6641! [email protected] Editor:! Wayne Kivell! 507.645.4691! [email protected]:! Tom Maine! 952.881.3737! [email protected] Council:! Keith Galberth! 952.898.6914 ! [email protected] Master:! Steve Blomberg! 612.869.8264! [email protected] Past Chair:! Mark Honnigford! 612.869.7720! [email protected]
PublicationThe Tattler is published ten times each year from February through November. All material to be included in the next publication should be sent to the Editor
at the following address by the 20th day of the previous month:
The TattlerWayne Kivell, Editor
1003 Maple StNorthfield MN 55057
or by email to: [email protected]
Mission Statement(from our charter, adopted 15 February 1975)
“To bring together those who have a common interest in the restoration and preservation of the ‘T’ series and other vintage MGs, and in so doing, further the spirit of the vintage MG,
partake in good fellowship, and develop greater interests in the Gathering Of the Faithful.”
Having a Bad Day? The average cost of rehabilitating a seal after the Exxon Valdez Oil spill in Alaska was $80,000.00. At a special ceremony, two of the most expensively saved animals were being released back into the wild amid cheers and applause from onlookers. A minute later, in full view, a killer whale ate them both.
Still think you are having a Bad Day?A woman came home to find her husband in the kitchen shaking frantically, almost in a dancing frenzy, with some kind of wire running from his waist towards the electric kettle. Intending to jolt him away from the deadly current, she whacked him with a handy plank of wood, breaking his arm in two places. Up to that moment, he had been happily listening to his Walkman.
Are Ya OK Now? - No? Two animal rights defenders were protesting the cruelty of sending pigs to a slaughterhouse in Bonn, Germany. Suddenly, all two thousand pigs broke loose and escaped through a broken fence, stampeding madly. The two helpless protesters were trampled to death.
What?!? STILL having a Bad Day?Iraqi terrorist Khay Rahnajet did not pay enough postage on a letter bomb. It came back with 'Return to Sender' stamped on it. Forgetting it was the bomb, he opened it and was blown to bits. God is Good!
There now, Feeling Better?
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When you think of British cars, such names as Jaguar or Rolls Royce come to mind. The image of an English sports car usually starts with such names as MG, Triumph, Morgan or Healey. Sad to say these are names from the past; the once flourishing British Motor Industry is now just a memory.
However there is one vehicle that continues to flourish and prosper. When you visit London as a tourist or for business, you certainly see and often use this facility. In total there are over 24,000 located in the British capital in use every day, three hundred and sixty five days a year. I am referring to the popular London Taxi service better known as a “Hackney Cab,” a name dating back at least three hundred years. Each vehicle is unique to its requirements. The floor cannot be more than fifteen inches off the ground and must now be wheelchair accessible.
The license to drive a London cab is granted by the Public Carriage Office, known as the “PCO.” They are responsible for the 22,000 licensed drivers who have to complete a total of three years training before being granted the authority to drive a hackney cab. The first year is spent learning every location of 26,000 streets within the London area and that’s only related to a six mile radius from Charring Cross station, considered the center of central London excluding the city and the greater suburbs. Now add the location of hospitals, hotels, theaters, churches and of course central London hotels, all 1,800 of them! This knowledge is obtained by getting each would-be driver to spend a year on a motor scooter, rain or shine, memorizing these required locations. One in five applicants manage to complete this first one year training period. The next two years are
spent as an assistant to an experienced driver, which in real terms means that you watch and learn. If you are successful after this you get the desired prize--the coveted green badge that every London cabbie wears with pride on the left side of his or her jacket. And women are also now able to apply and pass the training.
The cabs are specially made, but change their design every few years. They are not a cheap item to purchase. The average price is around $45,000 and they are subject to an annual inspection by the Driving Authorities. At the same time there are plain clothes inspectors who will hail a cab and observe the way that the vehicle is driven, parked, etc., also how the driver relates to the passengers. That green badge that took so long to achieve can be suspended for a given period should it be decided that the driver is not up to the required standards. If any cabbie is found to be overcharging passengers he or she can lose their license for as long as a year, which means that their cab can remain idle along with the driver’s income.
During WWII, London cabs were used to direct fire services and to take injured people to the hospitals when the ambulance services were over loaded. They also assisted in transport requirements regardless of the circumstances, such as an air raid, etc. Over three dozen London cabbies were decorated for their service during this period and a few were killed on duty.
I like to sit in the back of a London cab with space to stretch out and look out the large windows to see the passing world. However there is one aspect of such travel that I do find disturbing. Watching those numbers flick by on the pay meter, I often wish they were on the reverse side so that I was not subjected to this irritation, but the law is firm on this matter. The passenger must always be able to see the meter from start to finish of the journey.
The term “taxi” derives from the inventor of this devise in 1907. He was a German by birth, named “Von Thurn Taxis!” The highest collection of London cabs at any time is Heathrow airport during the allowed flying hours. Over three thousand cabs service passengers during this period seven days a week, three hundred and sixty five days a year.
The Hackney CabGeoff Wheatley
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PERSPECTIVETIIg OLD S?ECKLSD HE}t'$ UPDATE
.MY PHOTO
FROM THE OLD SPECKLED HEN
It’s That Time Again
Some of you may already know that GoF Mk. XXXVI (2014) is scheduled to be hosted by The Minnesota MG T Register. YIKES! It seems like only yesterday that we were all anticipating the start of GoF Mk. XXIX in 2007. I guess time really does fly when you’re having fun. But it’s a fact, so planning has already started. The first order of business is choosing a suitable site.
Some history. The first GoF Central was hosted by our club in 1979. The site chosen was Rochester, MN. Apparently the event was successful enough that the GoF Central tradition began that year and has continued uninterrupted for 33 years. In that time it has been our privilege to host five events in several locations; Rochester, LaCrosse, Plymouth, Duluth and Chaska. And with one rare exception, Plymouth, all have been well received. As a matter of fact the last two have been deemed exceptional. The club’s past experiences, as well as the experiences of our fellow clubs, have shown us that certain things are essential to hosting a great event, and the first three requirements are location, location and location. The site selection is so important that it must be the first step in the process.
Over the years, certain considerations have evolved into requirements. These requirements evolved through trial and error, tradition and rising expectations. Our club also has some points to consider due to our remote location and our past attendance history. So, what is a suitable site? Here are some requirements (more or less in order of importance):• 90 to 110 sleeping rooms at moderate cost ($110 per night range).• Banquet facilities that accommodate 150 to 200
guests. Perspective, cont. p. 12
I got my hair cut the other day and just as I was leaving my stylist said she was going to jump into porno on Saturday. Well, I was shocked! A young mother of two having to rely on porno to supplement her income? Was I not tipping her enough to keep her on the straight and narrow? I felt so bad until I asked, “What? You’re jumping into porno?” “No”, she said, laughing. “I’m jumping into Lake Orono this weekend.”Apparently one of those polar leaps. Hmmm—Personally, I think the porno thing seemed much more interesting.
The weather is starting to warm up and I can barely wait to hop into the TD and go riding around. Aren’t you all looking forward to getting together again?
The “Season Kick-Off Brunch” on April 21st is again at The Golden Nugget in Minnetonka. There is a map under Club News on the website. The cost is $15.00 per person plus beverages. Our fearless leader, Jim Pennoyer, and his wife, Cindy, host this event. Be sure to wear your name tag.
Other coming events include the:) Tech Session at Midwest Motor Sports on April 28th ) Tech Session and lunch at Mike and Betsy’s on the 5th of May) The Intermarque Spring Kickoff in Osseo this year on May 12th ) The Scottish Fair and British car show on May 19th
) May 27th thru June 2nd is British Car Week with a special Natters Sunday June 2nd
) May 30th (Wednesday) is the Minneapolis to Mexico Tour
Wow! We have a lot going on and I hope you’ll all be able to make it to one or more of these events.
Old Speckled Hen, cont. next page
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FROM THE PASSENGER SEAT FROM THE GARAGE
The Think SystemRemember the Music Man? Smooth-talking Harold Hill selling band instruments in an Iowa town, with the intent of skipping town as soon as he had the money because he knew diddly-squat about actually teaching the kids to play those instruments. But when love struck him down and he was forced to confront the “band” he begged them to “think” Melody in F. And remember his shock when it actually kind of worked!
Well, enough club members must that been “thinking” Spring, because it happened. Last month, I facetiously wrote about extending the driving season into the winter months. Little did I know that my wish would come true. A week and a half after you received the March Tattler, I put the battery in the B and was tooling around town. That was March 10. I don’t think I have ever before had either car out until April. Even if the temperature cooperates, the roads are still usually covered with salt.
However, this year, while those of you unfortunate enough to live north of Northfield were getting a pretty good snowfall on February 28, down here we got only rain and a little slush. Enough rain, in fact, to wash the salt off the roads. Then followed a record breaking heat wave that put temperatures 30 degrees above normal. I’m sure I wasn’t the only club member with an MG on the road.
Wayne Kivell, Editor
Old Speckled Hen, cont. "om p. 4 Oh, Lance got one of the new MN MG jackets for his birthday and it is very nice. Steve and Tom picked a really good vendor. Hope more of you purchase one of these—you won’t be sorry.
See you soon.
Mickey Delfino
It’s been a long, not so cold winter. I know lots of cars are being driven by lots of folks early this year.
I have been in Florida for the last few weeks and talked to Fig on the phone. He indicated the Southern Lunch Bunch had a great get-together. Wish I could have been there, but I was too far north in Florida to attend.
I met Tom Matsokas thru the BBS club site and we met for a few beers at Peg Leg Pete's on Pensacola Beach and also had dinner one night with the car club bunch from Pensacola. It was lots of fun, and I got to ride in Tom's 53 TD before he shipped it off to his sister in Australia. The car has been in his family since 1960.
Dave Von Wald continues working on those Bs. I do not have anything to really do on my car this year, except hopefully drive it. Jerry Thorson is hoping to get the gas tank fixed on Cecil.
I did have the opportunity to meet a bunch of Brit car owners from the Panhandle British Car Club and had a great dinner with them.
I know that Bruce Van Sloan has been working on the TD that he picked up. Bruce has been coming to some of our functions and has a Judson supercharged TD in addition to an A, a Mercedes, a Triumph and other early Brass Era cars.
Mike Speidel is coming along on the Austin; can't wait to see it done.
Looks like we are off to an early driving season and I hope to join in as soon as my circus is over and get both of my cars out.
‘Til then, SAFETY FAST
Tom Maine
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First of all, a brief history of the SU Fuel pump. As you all know, SU stands for Skinners Union and was the brainchild of George and Carl Skinner. George, in spite of taking over his father’s business, Lilly & Skinner footwear distributors, had a better idea for a carburetor in the early automotive days. In addition to building the well known and much loved SU carburetors, they also went into the fuel pump business. They started in the 1932/33 t ime with the L, low pressure pumps. Approximately 1939, they developed the HP, LCS and Dual pumps and in 1942 they even came up with fuel injection pumps. In 1958 they came up with another “High pressure pump” (this may be the AUF 300 series pumps found in the later MGBs).
Some of the more common SU pumps that those of us with MGs can run into, along with their pressure and flow rate are as follows:
L Type (low pressure pumps). These are found on the T series (TA, TB, TC, TD and early TF) and earlier MGs. They develop up to 1.5psi and have a flow rate of 1.3 pints per minute (9.6 gallon per hour).
L Type HP (high pressure pumps). These are found on late TF, MGA, Z Magnette and early MGBs. They are the same outline and size as the Low Pressure pumps or sometimes come with a longer coil housing (referred to as a High Pressure/Long Body pump). They develop up to 2.7psi and have a flow rate of 1.1 pints per minute (8.4 gallons per hour).
LCS pumps. These were used on the MGA Twin Cam and on the Austin Healey. They use the long coil body of the High Pressure/Long Body pump and have a large, rectangular pump body on them. They develop up to 3.8psi and have a flow rate of 2 pints per minute (15 gallons per hour).
AUF 300 series (now AZX 1300 series) pumps. These are found on all of the later MGBs plus many other British cars of the mid 1960s and later. They have, what is called a “plain air bottle on the inlet side and a flow-smoothing device on the delivery side.” They develop up to 2.7psi (AZX 1307) or 3.8psi (AZX 1308) and a flow rate of 2.4 pints per minute (18 gallons per hour) for both types.
Various configurations of Dual Or Double Ended pumps including L, HP, AZX 1400 series and AZX 1500 series. Some of these operate both ends simultaneously and
some operate just one end, keeping the other end as a reserve. The pressures and flow rates for these pumps are as follows:L (both ends working simultaneously) 1.5psi, 3.2 pints per minute (24 gallons per hour) HP (both ends working simultaneously) 2.7psi, 2.6 pints per minute (19.2 gallons per hour)AZX 1400 series (both ends working simultaneously) 2.7 or 3.8psi, 4.8 pints per minute (36 gallons per hour) AZX 1500 series (one end working at a time) 3.8psi, 2 pints per minute (15 gallons per hour).
The SU fuel pump is an impulse type of pump. That is, when power is supplied to the pump, current flows through the points and the solenoid coil. The energized coil acts on the iron disk attached to the diaphragm, pulling it and the diaphragm toward the coil. This movement of the diaphragm develops a vacuum in the pump body, which pulls fuel from the tank, through a check valve and into the body. The movement of the diaphragm also causes a shaft that is attached between it and the lower points bridge or carrier to push the carrier up, making the carrier to “throw over” and open the points. Once the points open, the flow of current through the coil is interrupted, allowing the diaphragm to be pushed back to it’s original position by the volute spring, which in turn pushes the fuel in the pump body out through another check valve to the carburetors. Once the diaphragm reaches it’s original position, the points carrier “throws over” to the points closed position and the whole action is repeated – thus the familiar tic, tic, tic sound of the pump. The pump pressure is established by the strength of the volute spring which resides between the iron disk on top of the diaphragm and the bottom of the coil. The check valves can be either a simple brass disk that held against the valve seat by combination of gravity and back pressure in the system in the case of the L, HP and LCS pumps or a plastic sheet in a valve assembly that closes against the assembly’s valve seat and is held against the seat by system pressure in the case of the later AUF 300 and AZX 1300 series pumps. In both cases, the system pressure is developed on the carburetor or outlet side of the pump, so the valves act as check valves to keep fuel from flowing back to the tank.
As with anything that uses a set of points opening and closing, there is point wear, both mechanical (slight) and electrical arching (major) that eventually causes
SU Fuel Pumps 101Dave Dubois
Northwest (Puget Sound) MGT Register
7
operation to deteriorate and eventually stop all together. Over the years, various methods were employed to suppress the electrical arching at the points. Originally, on the L type pumps, the only suppressor used was a swamping resistor, in the form of resistance wire wrapped around the coil and attached in parallel with it. As stronger coils that draw more current were employed, a 0.47 microfarad capacitor was added to assist the swamping resistor suppress the arching (by the way, even though it looks like an electrolytic capacitor, it is not, and therefore is not polarity sensitive). With the introduction of the AUF 300 and AZX series pumps, the capacitor was replaced with a diode to work in conjunction the swamping resistor. This arrangement made the pumps polarity sensitive. All of the systems of arch suppression worked fairly well with the series of pumps they were designed for, giving the pumps a reasonable life expectancy (except the expectancy of the owners) . Finally, the al l electronic pumps were introduced, which replaced the points with a Hall effect circuit to control the current flow in the coil. These pumps look and operate the same as the points style pumps, complete with the familiar tic, tic, tic sound, but there is no longer any problem with point wear and the life expectancy of the pumps is now established by the life of the diaphragm and check valves.
The following are some of the more common problems with SU fuel pumps: 1) Burned and/or sticking points – usually causes intermittent fuel starvation and stalling. When this happens, the silence is deafening with the normal tic, tic, tic sound missing. A sharp rap on the side of the coil housing will sometimes bring the pump back to life, but the long term solution is replacement of the points. 2) Diaphragm stiffens with age – this will usually cause the pump to run slowly or erratically. The only solution for this is to replace the diaphragm. 3) Leakage past valves – pump will seem to run at normal or faster rate, but no fuel is pumped, a vacuum gauge on the input to the pump will bounce up and down in time with fuel pump clicking. On the L or HP pumps, this will necessitate new valve disks and/or re-facing the valve seats. On the AUF 300 or AZX 1300 series, one or both of the valve assemblies will have to be replaced.4) Broken pedestal (bakelite platform under the end cap where the points mount) – this is usually a problem only on the L and HP type pumps where the pedestal is not supported around the mounting screws, and then usually
a owner induced failure by over tightening the mounting screws. This condition will stop the pump completely and is corrected with a new pedestal.5) Fuel leak – caused by loose coil housing to body screws, loose inlet/outlet fittings, split diaphragm or cracked pump body. A cracked pump body is a very unusual situation and with the price of new bodies, the best solution is a new pump. A split diaphragm requires replacement of the diaphragm while loose screws or fittings just requires tightening. It is a good idea to use some sealing compound on fitting threads and lock washers on screws.6) Air leak – This will usually show up as fuel starvation at higher speeds. To check for this situation, disconnect the fuel line from the last carburetor in line and route it into a jar. Turn on the ignition, and as the jar fills above the end of the line, watch for a stream of bubbles. The fix is the same as the above, plus checking the lines and fittings between the pump and the fuel tank. 7) Clogged lines – this can happen before or after the pump. Disconnect the line from the pump to the carburetors and replace it with a line into a jar or can, then turn on the ignition and see if fuel is pumped out of the pump. If so, the output line is clogged. If no fuel is pumped out, disconnect the line from the tank at the pump and turn on the ignition. If the pump runs, the line from the tank is clogged. Note: since a clogged input line will cause the pump to fail in a current on condition, leaving the ignition on for a long period of time in this condition will cause the swamping resistor wire to burn out, which will, in turn, cause excessive arching at the points and a reduced points life. If the pump is an all electronic pump this situation can result in a burned out circuit board which gets into many $$$.
Instructions on repair, reassembly and adjustments of the pumps can be found in the shop manual or the Haynes manual for all of the cars. The information on the fuel pumps for the TD is in Section B.2 of the shop manual and section D.3 of the shop manual for the MGB (pre 74). In the Haynes manual for the MGBs it is in Chapter 3, sections 4 through 11. For all the other models, you will have to search your manuals for the information since I don’t have the manuals for them. Repair parts for the pumps can be purchased through Moss Motors (http://www.mossmotors.com/), Victoria British (http://www.victoriabritish.com/), or directly from Burlen Fuel (http://www.burlen.co.uk/).
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REGULAR “T” EVENTS
Tuesday MG LuncheonsThe Minnesota MG T Register weekly
luncheons are held at the American Legion,6501 Portland Ave So in Richfield every
Tuesday at 11:15 am.Come one, come all!
East Ender’s Breakfast1st & 3rd Saturdays
Sail Away Café1321 St. Croix Trail, A,on, MNJust North of the junction of
County Road 18 and St. Croix Trail9:00 a.m.
Natter & NogginFirst Sunday of the month
3:00 - 5:00 p.m.at The Scoreboard5765 Sanibel Drive
Minnetonka
WEEKLY INTER-MARQUE EVENTS
InterMarque BreakfastSaturday mornings, 8:30Square Peg Restaurant,2021 E Hennepin Ave,
in the Hennepin Square Buildingbetween 35W and 280.
MG Gals Lunch
Resumes in April and will continuethe first Wednesday of each month, 11:30 a.m.
The Great Wall Restaurant, 4515 France Ave S, Minneapolis
Please RSVP to Thea Trudgeon 612.869.5560 or JoAnn Brown 952.934.1812
Spring Kick-off Brunch
Date: Saturday, April 21stWhere: Gold Nugget, 14401 Excelsior Blvd., ) MinnetonkaTime: 10:00 a.m.Host: Jim PennoyerPhone: 763-536-5472
Directions: From Highway 169, take Excelsior Blvd. west. The Gold Nugget is located just west of highway 494 on Excelsior blvd on the South side of the road. The restaurant will have a great buffet for us. The price is $15.00 and does not include drinks. This should be a great kick-off to a wonderful driving season. With the light winter that we are having, maybe we will be able to drive our cars to the event!
Mike & Betsy’s 7th annual TECH SESSION
Date: Saturday, May 5Where: 12157 St. Croix Trail. S. Hastings, MN 55033 Time: 11:00 a.m. Hosts: Mike Speidel & Betsy MasiéePhone: 763-536-5472 Tech Session Subject: More than you ever wanted to know about lubricating oils; plus a progress report on the Austin. Food: It’s May 5th, so the culinary theme is Cinco de Mayo Tire kicking starts at 11:00 a. m. Directions: Take Hwy 61/10 south toward Hastings.1 block past Hwy 95 (stoplight) , turn left (east) on 120th and go one long block to Morgan Ave.Turn right (south) on Morgan to 122nd St.Turn left (east) on 122nd and go to “T” at St. Croix Trail S.Turn left (north) and go to 12157 on right side of road.
No need to RSVP, we just assume you won't miss it! Any questions? Call 612-866-8888 or 651-437-3666 or 612-325-2008.
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AprilSat 21! Kick-off BreakfastSat 28! Midwest Motor Sports Tech Session, 10 am, Sauk Rapids
MaySat 5 Tech Session, Mike SpeidelSat 12 Intermarque Car Show, Downtown OsseoSat 19 Scottish Fair, Farmington27-June 2 British Car WeekWed 30 Minnesota to Mexico (Steve Blomberg), 5:30 pm
JuneSat 2! Advanced Distributor Tech SessionThur 7! Bring a Friend Tour (Jim Elwell)Sat 9! Valve Cover Taces (Thea Trudgeon)Sat 16! South Lindale Car Show/BBQ (Steve Blomberg/Tom Maine)
JulySun 1! Gray’s Bay 4th of July Bash (John Davis)Thur 5! Monticello Car Show (Sanchez/Delfino)7-8! Overnight to New Ulm (Browns)Sat 14! Mystery Tour (Thorson/Trondson)24-27! GOF
AugustSat 4! Day at the Lake (Sanchez)Sat 11! Brit Fest (Intermarque)Sat 18! Beer Tasting (M. & J. Honnigford)Sat 25! Litchfield (Reilly/Brodin)
SeptemberSat 8! Hare and HoundsSat 22! Wheels and WingsSun 23! Oktoberfest (M. & J. Honnigford)Sat 29! Fall Color Tour (Delfino)
OctoberSat 6! Fish & Chips (Belongia)Sat 20! Annual Business Meeting (Pennoyer)
NovemberSat 10 !Awards Banquet
E V
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35 Years Ago - From the Tattlers of 1977
Two of the three men in this photo are still members. Can you identify them?
Even this ad for MGA was historic in 1977
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At long last: a home designed for antique car owners!
Jesus and Satan were having an on-going argument about who was better on the computer. They had been going at it for days, and frankly God was tired of hearing all the bickering.
Finally fed up, God said, 'THAT'S IT! I have had enough. I am going to set up a test that will run for two hours, and from those results, I will judge who does the better job.'
So Satan and Jesus sat down at the keyboards and typed away. They moused.They faxed.They e-mailed. They e-mailed with attachments.They downloaded.They did spreadsheets!They wrote reports.They created labels and cards. They created charts and graphs.They did some genealogy reports.They did every job known to man.
Jesus worked with heavenly efficiency and Satan was
faster than hell.
Then, ten minutes before their time was up, lightning suddenly flashed across the sky, thunder rolled, rain poured, and, of course, the power went off.
Satan stared at his blank screen and screamed every curse word known in the underworld.
Jesus just sighed.
Finally the electricity came back on, and each of them restarted their computers. Satan started searching frantically, screaming:
'It's gone! It's all GONE! 'I lost everything when the power went out!'
Meanwhile, Jesus quietly started printing out all of his files from the past two hours of work.
Satan observed this and became irate.
'Wait!' he screamed. 'That's not fair! He cheated! How come he has all his work and I don't have any?'
God just shrugged and said, JESUS SAVES....AMEN!
12
GOF 2012 The Vintage MG Car Club of Chicago invites you to GOF Central Mark XXXIV, at the fabulous Pheasant Run Resort Hotel in St. Charles, Illinois. Pheasant Run has been the host facility for many car clubs since 1980, including the “Bloomington Gold”, one of the premier Corvette shows in the country which is held annually and attracts thousands of participants.
The hotel provides free child care and lots of activities, featuring a championship golf course, three swimming pools, a Mario Tricosi Spa and many restaurants. The resort has a live theater and Zanies Comedy Club. We are fortunate to have our GOF at this wonderful facility.
In addition to the traditional GOF events, we plan on visiting the Volo Auto Museum. Now in its 51st year, the Volo Auto Museum draws international attention to the beautiful village of Volo, Illinois. The Museum has over 300 classic cars on display for your pleasure! It is home to the world's largest muscle car collection and the George Barris TV & Movie Car Collection. If you love classic cars, you'll love the Volo Auto Museum. It's a car lover’s Theme Park. In addition to
cars, there are also 3 antique malls on the premises.Once again, we plan to have a bus trip to downtown Chicago’s Michigan Avenue for an afternoon of shopping and sightseeing on the “Magnificent Mile.” For those who want to take a break from their cars, this will be an opportunity to relax and leave the driving to us. Other events include a rally and tour along the Fox River, a First Timers show, a traditional car show of all classes of MG’s, an awards banquet, a Funkahna to challenge your driving skills, the popular valve cover races, tech sessions, an auction, vendor tables and swap meet, and a photo and craft contest. We look forward to seeing you and your car(s) at GOF Central July 24-27, 2012. Don’t miss what is sure to be a fun and event filled gathering.
Hotel InformationPheasant Run is located at 4051 East Main Street, St. Charles, Illinois. Room rates are $109 per night plus tax. Call (630) 584-6300 or (800) 999-3319, by June 23, 2012, to make your reservation. Be sure to reference Vintage MG Car Club for the special room rate. This rate is only guaranteed until June 23, 2012.
http://www.pheasantrun.com
The Official Club Jacket is available again after 3 years. The new jacket is the Mk II version with updated club logo, correct “Safety Fast” script and an inside pocket, which the original did not have! The color is a slightly darker green than the original.
To order, contact Green Dog Custom Embroidery & Screening and ask for an MG Club Jacket. Have your credit card ready and Mike at Green Dog will guide you through the rest of the process. Your new jacket will show up a few weeks later. Itʼs that simple. These jackets are made in Minneapolis and the sizing is as expected, i.e. if you normally wear a large you should order a large. Mike will help you with that as well.
Green Dog phone number: 612-827-0700Address: 5413 Nicollet Ave. S. Mpls, MN 55419
SPECIAL NOTE: The more jackets we order in the first few months, the lower the cost to the club for the initial art charge. So help your club and order soon.
Perspective, cont. "om p. 4 • Breakfast facilities on site or nearby.• • An accommodating, guest oriented hotel staff.• And of course a clean and comfortable facility.• • A bar or lounge on site or nearby.• A car show venue, on grass if possible and the more scenic the better.• An interesting route for the Rally/Tour.• A paved area large enough for a Funkana.• A reasonable diving distance that will not discourage our out-of-state attendees.• An interesting attraction for a side trip.
Jerry Thorson and I visited Oakridge, the site of the 2007 GoF, a few weeks ago and met with Kelly Parkhurst, the event coordinator. Kelly was our contact in 2007 and invited us to come out and take another look. We did, and if anything, it looks even better. We also plan to visit Treasure Island and look around again, because things have changed there as well. So, as you can see we are already in the process of looking for a site and we welcome your suggestions and opinions. I hope to have a feedback page on the web site by the time you read this. Please give it some thought and get back to us. Thanks in advance.
See you on the road,
Steve Blomberg
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April FirstWayne Kivell
First, you must imagine it is April 1 as you read this. I o#en like to time the April issue so that you wi$ receive it on that day, but since it fa$s on a Sunday this year, that is not possible.
It was four years ago today that the Spotlight article featured a supposed new club member’s restored TD. The member Newley Lavik (anagram of an actual club member), had found an old TD hanging in a blishlut (anagram) tree in Czechoslovakia. And, as you may recall, the car had FU carbs in it. Many club members read deep into the article until they figured out that the story was just a little too fantastic and realized what day it was. But several called or emailed me to find out more! Dean Carlson, my co-conspirator, and I had several good chuckles.
Following are several actual April Fools Day hoaxes that received national attention over the years.
Alabama Changes the Value of PiThe April 1998 issue of the New Mexicans for Science and Reason newsletter contained an article claiming that the Alabama state legislature had voted to change the value of the mathematical constant pi from 3.14159 to the 'Biblical value' of 3.0. Soon the article made its way onto the internet, and then it rapidly spread around the world, forwarded by email. It only became apparent how far the article had spread when the Alabama legislature began receiving hundreds of calls from people protesting the legislation. The original article, which was intended as a parody of legislative attempts to circumscribe the teaching of evolution, was written by physicist Mark Boslough.
The Left-Handed WhopperBurger King published a full page advertisement in the April 1st edition of USA Today announcing the introduction of a new item to their menu: a "Left-Handed Whopper" specially designed for the 32 million left-handed Americans. According to the advertisement, the new whopper included the same ingredients as the original Whopper (lettuce, tomato, hamburger patty, etc.), but all the condiments were rotated 180 degrees for the benefit of their left-handed customers. The following day Burger King issued a follow-up release revealing that although the Left-Handed Whopper was a hoax, thousands of customers had gone into restaurants to request the new sandwich. Simultaneously, according to the press release, "many others requested their own 'right handed' version."
Planetary Alignment Decreases GravityDuring an interview on BBC Radio 2, on the morning of April 1, 1976, the British astronomer Patrick Moore announced that an extraordinary astronomical event was about to occur. At exactly 9:47 am, the planet Pluto would pass directly behind Jupiter, in relation to the Earth. This rare alignment would mean that the combined gravitational force of the two planets would exert a stronger tidal pull, temporarily counteracting the Earth's own gravity and making people weigh less. Moore called this the Jovian-Plutonian Gravitational Effect.
Moore told listeners that they could experience the phenomenon by jumping in the air at the precise moment the alignment occurred. If they did so, he promised, they would experience a strange floating sensation.
At 9:47, Moore declared, "Jump now!" A minute passed, and then the BBC switchboard lit up with dozens of people calling in to report that the experiment had worked!
A Dutch woman from Utrecht said that she and her husband had floated around the room together. Another caller claimed she had been seated around a table with eleven friends and that all of them, including the table, had begun to ascend.
But not ever yone was happy. One angr y cal ler complained he had risen from the ground so rapidly that he hit his head on the ceiling, and he wanted com-pensation.
The Taco Liberty BellThe Taco Bell Corporation took out a full-page ad that appeared in six major newspapers on 1 April 1996, announcing it had bought the Liberty Bell and was renaming it the Taco Liberty Bell. Hundreds of outraged cit izens ca l led the National Histor ic Park in Philadelphia where the bell was housed to express their anger. Their nerves were only calmed when Taco Bell revealed, a few hours later, that it was all a practical joke. The best line of the day came when White House press secretary Mike McCurry was asked about the sale. Thinking on his feet, he responded that the Lincoln Memorial had also been sold. It would now be known, he said, as the Ford Lincoln Mercury Memorial.
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Don’t miss out on the fun this year!Mystery TourBeer Tasting
Weekend OvernightDay at the LakeHare & Hounds
Gray’s Bay 4th of JulySouth Lyndale Show
Litchfield TripValve Car Racing
OktoberfestFall Color Tour
Speidel Tech SessionFish & Chips
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Motoring GoodiesNow is the time to get
your favorite MG ready for theSTOP and START season.
Tune, change the oil,get the brakes to work.
For your appointment, please callBob Figenskau at 952-935-7909.
The garage is open!
Roundabout MotorsSpecializing in Triple-M and T-Types
Now accepting any T-Type or Triple-M bench work of components up to full restorations.
Lowest rates in the Midwest. Contact us for your repair or restoration needs.
Lew PalmerPhone: 651-270-3291
dbraun99SU Carburetors work best when in Tip Top condition.
We will rebuild your carburetors paying special attentionto throttle shafts, butterflies, floats, dampers and jet assemblies.
Speedy turn-around, responsive communication, guaranteed work.H, HS and HIF carburetor services are offered.
For a quote please [email protected] or visit
www.dbraun99.com
BMC British Automobile, LLC
Established 1999 Exclusively for British Automobile Enthusiasts Professional Repair, Restoration and
Spares for British Classics
http://[email protected]
651-400-0145
ClassifiedsFor Sale: Jim Hendershot lithograph, created in 1979 to honor the ‘79 GOF. It is titled "MG-Minnesota T series." Centered is the Minnesota club logo stating "79 GOF Central." Measuring 16x24, it is tastefully framed & mounted to 28x34 overall. The mat has developed a slight curve but does not detract from it's presentation. Asking $450. John Davis, 952-476-6005. (7/11)
For Sale: 1953 TD. Red with black interior. Chrome wire wheels. $25,000. Call Mark Brandow at 612-306-0044. (2/12)
Wanted: Any spare T-type parts you do not need or want. Any quantity will be considered. Gary Krukoski 763-226-5789 (4/09)
Wanted to Buy: Very serious buyer for: Jaguar XK-XKE; MG "T" series; MGA; Triumph; TR-2-3-4-250; Mercedes 190-220-230-250-280 SL; All open cars; Porsche 356-911-914; Austin Healey; Riley; Alfa-Romeo; Singer. Entire collections possible. Any condition. Any location. Generous finder’s fees. I WILL PAY THE MOST. Steve’s British Connection, 630-553-9023, [email protected]. (4/09)
For Sale: BMC (bmcautos.com/led) now offers both MG TD Rectangle AND MG TD/TF Round LED tail light inserts designed specifically for the Lucas tail lamp housings. They are cool to the touch, are easier on your charging system requiring 85% LESS power than standard, are 4 times brighter in Parking AND Brake and activate quicker than standard. Modern cars now have bright LEDs and less people notice our classic (dim by comparison) lighting. Help inept drives behind you and save your car and lives! Brian Mc Cullough. 651.400.0145 [email protected]. (2/12)
For Sale: 1953 MG TD – PAGTD226279 – Chelsea Grey/Black leather. Frame off restoration completed summer 2005. The instruments were restored by APT Instruments and AAA Chrome did the chrome work. The car runs beautifully, has a new top and side curtains, asking $25,000. Contact Robert Ward: (952)492-5229, Email: [email protected] (6/11)
For Sale: 1958 MGA Coupe – HMK4338261 - Mineral blue/grey leather. Ground up restoration, completed fall 1999. Car has 60 spoke chrome wires and brand new tires, runs very well. This is a perfect chilly weather spring and fall car. I am asking $12,500. Contact Robert Ward: (952)492-5229, Email: [email protected] (6/11)
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The Minnesota MG T Register1003 Maple St
Northfield, MN 55057
First Class MailDated Material
The Minnesota MG T Register: Membership Application FormName: ) Significant Other:Address:) Significant Other’s OccupationCity:State:) Zip:Home Phone:Work Phone:Fax Number:Email Address:Occupation:If you have a second address part of the year and would like your publications mailed there:That Address:City:) ) State:) ) ) Zip:Phone:You are there on the first of which months? From: ) ) ) Through:
MGs that you own:Year) Model)Chassis #) Engine #) License #) Color(s)) Condition
First time, first year membership in The Minnesota MG T Register is free, and $30 annually thereafter. Mail to: Tom Belongia, 238 Glen Circle, River Falls WI 54022
If you would like a name tag, contact Bill McReaken at 952-890-0102 or [email protected]. Please specify the names to be engraved and whether you wish a pin, or magnetic back.
