MG Oil DRIPS 

So ever since Katy, you’ve been thinking about going to Crystal Lake, IL for NAMGBR 2025? You’d love to see how Chicagoland puts on a show, but don’t know how you’re going to get there? You thought you’d make the long trek to Calgary in 2023, but didn’t and now you have regrets? Well, you’re outa luck, because our drive to the Land of Lincoln will be THE WORST ROAD TRIP… EVER!!

We hear you asking, “Why is it going to be THE WORST ROAD TRIP… EVER!!"?  Well, for one thing, you could make the trip in two days. Just hit the interstate and the cruise control on your MG and wake up in Chicago two days later. But no, not us! We’re going to take six friggin’ days! And those nice, comfortable interstates? Fugetaboudit! We’re going to take those miserable, two-lane, twisty roads that will make every day about 30 hours long!

What else, you say? How about the scenery? We could choose to view the enchanting expanses of suburbia, with their arrays of neat strip malls and outlet stores. But instead, we’re going to expose you to fences, pastures, trees and hills. For mile after mile after endless mile.

But surely it gets better when it comes to food, right? HAH! No more Chilis and Applebees for you! You better like those run-down local diners, with their “character” and “diverse” menus. And fast food? What advantage does a local drive-in have over the consistency and predictability of a McDonald’s or Chick Fil A?

How about hotels? If you just hit the interstate, you could comfortably overnight in, say, Springfield, MO and cruise into Chi town the following day. But with us, you get an endless procession of roadside flop houses in every flea-bitten town in flyover country.

So if we still haven’t convinced you that this road trip is entirely underwhelming, just check out this proposed itinerary:

If you’re still thinking of going to NAMGBR 2025, and if we haven’t convinced you that our route there will be THE WORST ROAD TRIP… EVER!!, then you have our deepest sympathy. If you would like to further discuss this or your other poor life choices, please contact Scott Hardy at scott.b.hardy@gmail.com and we will be glad to offer you a consultation. Offer only available until the end of April, 2025.

Several CCMGC members attended the TMGR Gathering of the Faithful in Blanco, Nov, 7-9, for which the local hosts were our very own Scott and Trish Hardy. Although the weather was rainy and overcast on Friday, keeping some from participating in the various poker runs, weather was gorgeous for the show at the courthouse square on Saturday. A total of 10 club members' cars were entered in the event. Food, drinks, and friendship were plentiful all weekend! 

Three of the 8 MGs entered by our club members were winners, including  the following:

Tom and JoEllen Luin, 1st place, Premier class

Michael Blalock, 2nd place, MG-TF 

Greg Grohoski (new member), 1st place, MG Midget chrome bumper

My apologies for not getting more pictures. If anyone has any they'd like me to add, please send them my way: vannoteb@swbell.net.

---Submitted by Bev Van Note; additional photos submitted by John Rogers

Nineteen CCMGC members with four MGBs, one Midget, and an assortment of lesser vehicles drove to Shiner on Sept. 14, where we joined several members of the Houston and San Antonio clubs for bbq lunch and Shiner beer. Joe Vining led the northern contingent of 11 club members, while Scott Hardy led the southern group of 8, rendezvousing at Rockne. Along the way, we stopped at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Praha, known as the queen of Texas’ famous painted churches, built by Czech and German immigrants in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Although it was a hot day, we tremendously enjoyed the company, the occasional breeze, and, as always, the cars--with only one minor fuel pump issue along the way! Great drive!

CCMGC rocked Rockne.

We added some exterior color at St. Mary's, but couldn't rival its interior.

Then we kicked back at the Spoetzl brewery!

---Photos submitted by Karla Vining, and Eric and Bev Van Note

Fifteen CCMGC members gathered in their Little British Cars at Kenny Fort Pub in Round Rock on Aug. 17th for a traditional English Breakfast. We enjoyed swapping stories, checking out each others' cars, and sharing  tech tips. We had MGs ranging from T-series to Bs, from 1948 to 1978, represented. Thanks to all those who made it out for this event! 

--Photos submitted by the Van Notes and the Vinings

Eighteen club members enjoyed the third installment of the Gregarious Garrulous Garage Guys and Girls on June 22.  (I mean, seriously, shouldn't we rename it 5Gs, ladies?)

Terry and Sandra Lawell were our gracious hosts, and all enjoyed  garage chat, oohed and aahed over Terry's cars (how about that Jag?), and basked in Sandra's fabulous garden . New club member Michael Blalock introduced us to his TF. 

Following the visit, many of the attendees enjoyed a barbecue lunch at County Line on the lake. Great turnout for a great garage visit!

---Submitted by Bev Van Note; photos submitted by Bev Van Note and Denise Whiteside

Seven members of the CCMGC attended TMGR’s GOF in Corsicana, May 16-19: Tom Luin, Joe and Karla Vining, Bruce and Denise Whiteside, and Eric and Bev Van Note. Although the rain on Thursday night had been perilous for some, most of our group enjoyed a caravan from Round Rock on a beautiful Friday afternoon. We stopped in Rockdale for Mexican food, arriving in time for pizza in the parking lot that evening.

The show Saturday morning was in downtown Corsicana, where several blocks were set aside for our little British cars. As the day warmed up, attendees appreciated the shade trees lining the main shopping district, while enjoying dozens of classic cars paralleling historic store fronts. 

A sandwich lunch and business meeting were held at a church meeting space convenient to the show. Some members enjoyed a rallye that afternoon, while others chose to beat the heat by driving through Corsicana’s historic carriage district or relaxing in their hotel rooms.

The Saturday evening banquet was held at the Corsicana Opry. Several members participated in the live and silent auctions, and we all congratulated Tom Luin on his second-place win in Premier Class. The Lucas gods were with us on the drive home on Sunday, which was pleasant and uneventful.

And no, Joe didn't really break down in front of the auto parts store. That photo op was just too good a visual gag to pass up!

--Submitted by Bev Van Note

NAMGBR’s MG2024 was held in Katy, Texas, April 21-24, at the Holiday Inn & Suites adjacent to the Katy Mills Mall. The Houston MG Club was the local host, and they did a masterful job of deflecting heavy rainstorms to allow attendees to visit with old friends we have met over the years attending various national events. The usual complement of drives, tours, tech sessions, and the infamous John Twist Rolling Tech Session provided some 135 entrants with many opportunities to learn more about our beloved MGs.

If you have been to any national event where John Twist does his Rolling Tech, you know that the line is quite long and requires great patience to get before The Master. CCMGC member Bruce Whiteside was early in the queue, and he got under the tent just before noon. While John took a short break to eat a WhataBurger, he started looking Bruce’s LE over and asking Bruce some questions that most of us could not hear. There were probably 20-25 folks crowding around the car trying to hear John’s comments. As soon as the burger was gone, John set about checking the timing and other basics, correcting a few things as he went. When he got to the carbs, he pulled out a two-foot rubber hose (no Uni-Syn allowed) and set about tweaking them until the car was idling very smoothly. John then checked for any carb shaft leaks with some carb cleaner and found none. However, he did discover a leak in the booster pump for the master cylinder. All done, Bruce got about an hour of John’s time and some nice comments from John about his car.

In addition, to Twist's tech session, our own Dave Braun offered a session on rebuilding SU carbs.

The Wednesday night awards banquet moved along at a quick pace. CCMGC was well represented, and trophies were awarded to the following club members:

Crystal Johnson, 1^st Place, 70-72 MGB

Debbie Olson, 1^st Place, 74 ½-76 MGB

Bruce Whiteside, 3^rd Place, 79-80 MGB LE

Joe and Karla Vining, 1^st Place, All MGA

The 2025 NAMGBR will be held in Crystal Lake, Illinois, July 28-31.  See the preview video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1az4ZkU8HdE. Let's caravan for the long drive! 

 

 

---Submitted by Joe and Karla Vining

Saturday, April 27, was a great day for a drive to Kingsland for four couples in the CCMGC: drive leaders Scott and Trish Hardy, Doug and Nancy Breneman, Andy and Jennifer Hempel, and Joe and Karla Vining. Thanks to Scott for a great route with lots of wildflowers and an awesome brunch/lunch spot. If you haven't had a chance to visit Hooper's in Kingsland, the group recommends that you make the drive. It's well worth it!

---Submitted by Karla Vining

Nearly 40 CCMGC members and guests gathered at Champion Park in Round Rock on Sat., April 13, for the annual club picnic. A big thank you to Joe and Karla Vining for planning and organizing another successful event. Eric Van Note and Bruce Whiteside grilled burgers, and club members provided sides and desserts. The weather for our gathering was perfect! Light breezes and a mostly sunny day made for an enjoyable time and a perfect complement to the fields of wildflowers nearby. 

Scott Hardy, Denise Whiteside, and Bev Van Note agreed to continue serving in their respective positions as treasurer, secretary, and website content manager. However, with the departure of our current president, Martyn Atterton, as he prepares to move back to England, and with Joe Vining stepping down after several years in key positions, the club needs new leadership. Since we currently have no candidates for president or vice president, the conversation about filling those key leadership positions and about what members want from the club going forward will be taken up at the May meeting. 

On a purely personal note, Eric and I have been part of this club for more than 15 years. It's a cooperative, fun, and helpful group. We pitch in and assist each other with events and meetings when needed (just like we did for this picnic). But the group won't run effectively, and perhaps won't continue to run at all, if more of us don't step up. Please consider volunteering! You'll have plenty of help when needed! 

--Photos by Joe Vining and Bev Van Note

On January 24, CCMGC members visited Moment Motors in South Austin for an informative and interesting tour. Moment Motors, started by Marc Davis in 2017, converts classic cars to fully electric operation. Marc explained that they begin with highly restored cars and laser map the engine bay, trunk, and (sometimes) interior. That data is then used to design electric motor placement and, more importantly, the number and placement of batteries to be installed. As Marc says, it’s a case of “more batteries, more range,” but also more weight, so suspension modifications are the norm.

Marc pointed out that the high cost of conversion makes relatively low-cost cars like our MGs unlikely candidates. The cars we saw included older Mercedes SLs, Porsche 911s, a Jag E-Type Coupe and an Austin Healy 3000. They were also working on a beautiful 63 Corvette Split Window.

Depending on needs (and budget), Moment can make the car direct-drive with just an electric motor and no transmission, or they can attach the motor to the existing transmission.

The shifter on several of the direct-drive cars had been changed to a panel with just three buttons: park, forward and reverse. 

After the tour, most of the club members attending went to a nearby taqueria for a nice lunch and great conversation.

Thanks to Henry Reynolds and Joe Vining for organizing this outing and to Marc Davis for sharing his expertise!

--Article submitted by Eric Van Note; photos submitted by Scott Hardy, Joe Vining, and Eric Van Note