With summer almost on us our region is awash with events. The Bressingham MG Drive It Day is now a well-established springtime run, this year’s event proving very popular. It included an excellent route and plenty of nostalgia with the steam engines at the finish.

The Oulton Park Race Meeting again proved successful for our members with Simon Tinkler taking Class pole for both races in the Peter Best Insurance Challenge, along with a Class win in race one and Driver of the Meeting Award. The second race saw James Darby bounce back from a spin in the first event to take class win in his blue B GT and secure driver of the race.

Missing from the BCV8 Race was 2009 Champion Steven Oakins. Steve was back home looking after the children as his Wife Clair is not so well at this time in Hospital. We all wish you well Clair and hope to see you back out at the Race meetings with Steve soon.

The Needham Market Natter held their first mid week run of the year with a very good turn out, this to be followed later with their open evening, including a display of cars at Kerrages Garage and a chance to look over the new MG6 GT. I hope to have photos of the event on the web site by the time you read this.

The MG6 was also in attendance at the finish of the Regency Run on Brighton Seafront for members to try for size.

This year’s event started at Epsom, with some 300 MGs converging at Brighton from lunchtime onwards. Always well attended by Anglia members, it was nice to meet up with some old friends. Tim Martin from Halstead brought an unusual and rare 2004 MG ZR Express Van. Only 370 of these were produced.

Derek and Marion Clementson had a spot of bother with their MGB GT LE on route, as the picture shows, but were rescued with repairs from Racer Ian Longhurst, who had them up and running in no time.

There is a Natter open evening at the Brewers Arms, Bickenacre, Chelmsford on June 15th. Telephone Roger Latham 01702 580472

June 19th sees the ever popular Mid Summer Run, Contact Margaret Beresford 01394 382096

Bookings are still being taken for the Anglia Summer Picnic at Felbrigg Hall on July 3rd, see booking form in May Safety Fast

I spent last weekend spectating at Brands Hatch with retired racer Stuart Musk, and very good racing it was too, albeit some races with smaller than usual grid sizes. Undoubtedly due to the recession, plus the cost of the race entry fee the club has to charge to cover the enormous cost of circuit hire.

It’s a sobering thought that when I started racing in 1979 you could enter a race for twenty-five pounds. My gross wage back then was less than one hundred pounds a week, now you are looking at an entry fee of over two hundred pounds, but my wage has not gone up by eight times. Soon the circuit owners must realise that they are at risk of pricing motor clubs out of the market place.

Clacton driver Dave Stubbings drove his rare Lenhan GT to good effect in the Grand Touring Greats race, this time fitted with a works engine following his fine drive at Goodwood last year. You can meet Dave at the Angers Green natter on the first Sunday of each month, a more enthusiastic chap it would be hard to find.

Our own Simon Tinkler put his yellow B GT on class A pole for both races in the Peter Best Insurance Challenge. Both races were stunners, with Simon, Jim Walpole and James Darby fighting for the class lead, ultimately the win in both races went to James Darby (James used to live in Clacton until he married and moved to Derbyshire, so is still classed as an honorary Anglia member)

Spare a thought for poor Michael Piggott in the same race. Michaels car broke down in practice so was unable to take the start. All this after he was awarded ’Crank of the Year Trophy’ for the highest number of none finishes last year. The presentation taking place in the paddock before the race, as this months picture shows.

Michael is such a gentleman and has supported the championship for years. He deserves much better fortune as the season progresses.

Events Planning

Needham Market Natter open evening takes place on May 13th, contact Graham 01394 283810

You can still book a place on the Spring Spree on May 15th Telephone Richard 01767 318166

BurbleNat open evening takes place on May 27th, telephone Stuart 01603 811675

The Anglia Autotest championship starts on May 29th, phone Peter 01362 668101

Anglia Centre members can justifiably be proud of the fact that William Ball, one of our regions most active members has been invited to become one of the Car Club’s Directors. An invitation William accepted recently, as reported in Safety Fast.

William is also the Anglia Centre Secretary, a position that he has held for some years. Understandably, with the extra work that a directorship will entail, William is looking to stand down from his position as Centre Secretary.

Although William is happy to carry on in the secretarial post until the AGM in September this year, both he and the committee felt that it would be a good idea to announce that we will be looking for a new secretary to take up the position from September. Therefore if a new person became known before September, they would have time to get to know the ropes before taking over following the AGM.

If you feel that you could fulfil this position then your first point of call would be to make contact with our Chairman Dave Tynan 01277 634703 or William himself on 01508 471506 to discus details.

It is also worth mentioning that if you felt you wanted to become more deeply involved in your club, that any members are welcome to come along to one of the committee meetings to see how they operate, and perhaps get an idea if it is an area that they would like to become involved. Meetings are held every couple of months, the next being April 16th. Just contact one of the committee members to say you would like to attend. The Centre will always welcome new blood.

On page 9 of the March issue of Safety Fast, club chairman John Day has set out the details of how the club is run in his very informative article. 2011 could be the year you take the first steps in helping to organise the club yourself.

Centre Calendar

The latest edition of the Anglia Centre Calendar was included in the March edition of Safety Fast. It not only contains information of upcoming events in our region, it also gives details of the new and popular Anglia Centre clothing and how you can order. The clothing is of high quality and fair price.

Events Planning

Brands Hatch on the 9th and 10th of April heralds a new season of racing, with races for most of the club championships and plenty of drivers to support from our area.

Bressingham MG Drive It Day including a touring assembly will take place on April 17th, again organised by Andrew Wenzel, contact 07951 692608.

This very popular day coincides with the Federation of British Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC) National Drive Your Classic Day and is absolutely brimming with nostalgia. Give Andrew a ring and join in this great day.

Regency Run.

Remember that this years Regency Run on May 8th, starts from Epsom rather than the usual Brooklands start, so brand new routes will be the order of the day. Get your entry in early to avoid disappointment. Entry forms in Safety Fast .

It is with sadness that as I came to write these notes, I learnt of the death of popular Anglia member Peter Andrews, following his battle with cancer. Peter was a regular and successful competitor in the MGCC Peter Best Insurance Challenge, driving ‘Olive’ the olive green MGB V8. Indeed Peter was awarded The Drivers Driver Award at last years annual dinner and presentations ceremony. He will be greatly missed by all of us. Our sincere condolences go to Peters Family.

Rabbie Burns Run

Fifteen cars assembled at Needham Market Lakes car park on Sunday 23rd January for the fourth running of the annual Rabbie Burns Run.

Following torrential rain only days before, the organisers had twice changed the route to avoid flooded roads. Even so one short section that proved particularly muddy on a scenic area of the route was left in with an advice note of how to avoid it should members not wish to get their gleaming cars too muddy.

John Cumming must be awarded the enthusiast of the day award, for arriving in full Scottish attire, as can be see in this months photo, showing John, standing beside Hazel and Derek Mayhew’s immaculate, British Racing Green Midget.

It is credit to the enthusiasm of the crews that no one took the option to avoid the ’muddy section’ Derek Mayhew giving a typical response ’we like to look as though we have been in a Rally if we have been in one’

Scottish shortbread biscuits were handed out by Gill at signing on, before cars departed at spaced intervals to take in some picturesque Suffolk roads that included visits to viewing areas around Alton Water, before ending up for a Haggis, Neaps and Tatties lunch at Stratford St Mary.

Everyone seemed to enjoy the run, but oh how much time must have been spent cleaning the cars the following week.

Events Planning

 

Moving from mid winter to mid summer, a reminder that this year’s Anglia Summer Picnic will be held on July 3rd at Felbrigg Hall. Again organised by Roger Latham. An entry form for this popular event will be printed in Safety Fast, more detail can be found on the website.

 

The Bressingham MG Drive It Day and Touring Assembly takes place on April 17. Contact Andrew Wenzel on 07951 692608 if you would like to take part in this popular event

Norfolk Riviera Run

 

Tuesday 28th of December saw the eighth running of the ever popular Norfolk Riviera Run, organised again by Bernard Clark and Trevor Forecast. The recent snow meant that the organisers had their work cut out checking that the route was passable just days before the event. But their sterling work was rewarded when twenty two cars turned up at the Sandringham Visitor Centre on the Royal Estate around 9am; their crews able to enjoy coffee and bacon rolls, before the first cars left the venue at 10am.

 

The route took in some of the most pleasing back roads and picturesque villages of Norfolk, even the misty conditions of the weather on the day contributed to the surreal winter views. With comprehensive route cards given to each crew, no one got lost and the successful event ended up at “The Lavender Kitchen” in Heacham. Credit must be given to the organisers for once again producing such a memorable run in the midst of winter; long may it continue.

 

Practical Classic MGF

 

Those of you who saw the January edition of Practical Classics magazine may have thought the yellow MGF on the front cover looked rather familiar. Well if you turned to page 111, you would have seen the face of the owner, none other than our very own Anglia Centre Chairman, Dave Tynan, who, along with help from the MGF Register, produced a most interesting four page article on the merits of owning one of these fine and often underestimated cars.

 

Such an article in one of the country’s leading classic car magazines can only help to raise the profile of this modern day classic. I for one would recommend that you try to get hold of a copy if you can, as the information for anyone with even the slightest interest in the ‘F’ is invaluable. Well done Dave.

 

Winter Maintenance

 

Just before Christmas I decided to renew the antifreeze in the MG. I always used to use ‘Blucol’ in years of old, but have not seen this on the shelves in my area for some years now. So in recent years I have used the Halfords variety, still a blue colour and have been more than happy with the result.

 

This year as ever I went down to my local store, only to find that they were sold out of the one I usually buy. Due to the high demand of the product following the very cold weather we had experienced in the preceding couple of weeks.

 

The only antifreeze they had left in stock was the more expensive, guaranteed for five years top of the range pink variety. Well I needed some and nothing is too good for the MG, so I bought it and put it in the car.

 

About a week later, the water pump started making a rather unpleasant noise and eventually started leaking. It was pretty old so I did not think much of it and I ordered a new pump. However on mentioning it to an old friend of mine, Roy Berry, he immediately said. ‘You didn’t put a modern antifreeze in the old girl did you’ Well it seems that the latest spec antifreeze could have accounted for the downfall of the water pump seal which was most likely made with a lead solder or lead alloy bearing.

 

Roy, who used to be head of motor engineering at Colchester Institute before he retired (some of you may remember him as the chap who restored the MGA for the Channel 4 TV series fronted by Chris Goffy a few years ago) explained that the latest spec antifreeze is made using organic acid fluids, and although kind to the environment can often be unkind to the water seal bearings in older cars. The coolant to use in the older cars is the Inorganic Technology antifreeze (IAT) which is ethylene glycol based and often the blue variety. It’s worth considering if like me you run an older MG.