Being British is...

...about driving in a German car to an Irish pub for a Belgian beer, then travelling home, grabbing an Indian curry or a Turkish kebab on the way, to sit on Swedish furniture and watch American shows on a Japanese TV.
(Thanks to Earl S. for passing this one along.)

Who is this and what kind of car does he have? (For extra points, what is he doing?)


Vic forwarded to me an email with an interesting handful of movie stars and the cars they owned from many years ago. That led me to search for the source and I uncovered a gold mine. Check it out at:
http://www.acertaincinema.com/galleries/yes-its-my-automobile/

Movie Night at Kelvin's

When Kelvin puts on a movie night with the fixins he really does a wonderful job! The Lancashire Hotpot, Shepherds Pie and Cumberland stout Stew all made by Kelvin and all the desserts and salads brought by attending members made for a delicious and hearty meal that certainly warmed your insides and tickled your taste buds.

 I'd say there was nearly 20 of us that invaded Kelvin's Saturday evening where we were all treated to he and his daughter's warm and wonderful welcome.  

 After this great meal we all sat down to watch the original "Italian Job" movie, but before Kelvin hit the play button we called our friend Alex H whom we had heard recently spend time in the hospital. We spoke to Lise at first to see if Alex was up to chatting with us and he was. We were all very glad to hear from him that he is doing well. Whereas we were all on a speaker phone, we as a group were all able to send a clear and loud message to Alex to get well as we all missed him and Lise.

 With our best wishes sent to Alex we all sat back with bellies full to take in this classic movie. A great movie it was.

 After the movie I had to leave so I'm not sure how many more "movies" and "car chats" came after. The one thing we did decide though was where we were going to have our next meeting. It was decided to have it at McGinnis Landing. Someone had mentioned as well that there are some great menu deals going on there as well.

 All in all it was another great evening put on by Kelvin. We all had a great time with delicious meals, great laughs with wonderful company and hosts. It doesn't get any better then that!

 Many thanks for doing this Kelvin,

     Gary and the FABAC Bunch

FABAC Skiers


Can you name all three. (No, I don't think The Stig is one of them!)

The Jaguar E Type - The Golden Age of Motorsport

A little history for those who like Jags can be found here.
(Thanks to Joe H. for discovering this video.)

New MGB GT

From Phil:
Here’s a link to an article on the “new” MGB GT being offered by Front Line Developments in the UK.  Very nice but quite pricey and powered by Miata!  Front Line Developments is owned by Ken Costello of the original MGB GT v8 fame.
 http://www.autominded.com/le50-is-an-all-new-old-mgb

Change in date and place for January Meeting

Kelvin Perry has once again invited us to his home for a fun night of eating some traditional British food as well as having a movie night. What better way to help beat those blasted winter blahs! Here are the details:
  • What:  Movie night at Kelvin's - showing the Italian Job and other movies.
  • Where: 69 Carriage Hill Drive turn off  Woodstock Rd onto Carriage Hill Drive just after Kingsclear Consolidated School if coming from Fredericton direction.
  • When:  Saturday Jan 21, meet between 5:30-6:00pm, eat 6:15-6:30pm, movie 7:15-8:45pm, other movies to follow for those who wish to stay including Goodwood Revival for 2010 plus other vintage racing as well as Top Gear episodes or even the film Le Mans.
  • Menu: Kelvin will  provide supper, including  Lancashire Hotpot -- Shepherds Pie -- Cumberland stout Stew. If anyone wants to bring a salad or a dessert then it would be of great help.
           BYOB

Kelvin also needs to have numbers attending so he knows how much food to prepare. Please comment here or contact him directly. (472-9895; 36KP45@nb.sympatico.ca)
 Thanks,
   Gary

A hearty laugh for a stormy day

After being married for 40 years, I took a careful look at my wife one day and said, "Forty years ago we had a cheap house, a junk car, slept on a sofa bed and watched a 10-inch black and white TV, but I got to sleep every night with a hot 23-year-old girl.

Now ... I have a $500,000.00 home, a $35,000.00 car, a nice big bed and a large screen TV, but I'm sleeping with a 63-year-old woman. It seems to me that you're not holding up your side of things."

My wife is a very reasonable woman. She told me to go out and find a hot 23-year-old girl and she would make sure that I would once again be living in a cheap house, driving a junk car, sleeping on a sofa bed and watching a 10-inch black and white TV.

Aren't older women great? They really know how to solve an old guy's problems.

Today's Chuckle (suggested by Joe H. and created by Trevor Boicey)

Tata Motors Mini CAT Air Car to debut in 2012

http://www.caradvice.com.au/141944/tata-motors-mini-cat-air-car-to-debut-in-2012/
(Thanks to Curry for this and reminding us that Tata owns Jaguar.)

Today's Chuckle (suggested by Joe H. and created by Trevor Boicey)

Planning to go to the Magdalen Islands?

Vic D says, "I sailed there last summer, and I put a small website together and modified it to share with Club members to help with them with their decision. It is beautiful there, and would be a great outing!"
www.vicd.50webs.com
(It's worth going to Vic's webpage just to see the photos. - Webmaster)

That's not a Morgan!

The Morgan may be put away for the winter, but that doesn't prevent Jim W. from enjoying his horse back riding on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.
(from Jim and Ellie)










Like so many of our now precious cars, at one time or another they end up on a flatbed truck in pieces waiting for someone who would like a project car. Such was the case in the life of my car when it ended up in the shop of Sean Johnson in Okanogan, WA. Sean was aware that Stephen Juntila of Everett, WA was looking for such a car and the result is a very well restored 1966 Austin Healey 3000 Mk III. I subsequently purchased the car from Stephen in 2007 as a retirement gift to myself and had it shipped to New Brunswick, Canada. The car’s performance and reliability makes it a great touring car and one which we do not hesitate to head out on road.

Our MGB friends John and Shirley Anne Bowles and ourselves planned a tour last winter through Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia including the very well known Cabot Trail. This is a trip that I have completed in three long days, but we completed this leg of our trip in six days, enjoying the scenery while making our way ultimately to an all British Motoring Festival in Windsor, NS.
I should note here that my wife suffers with MS and is in a wheelchair and of course to allow some room for clothes, something has to be left home – the spare tire. (of course there is more about this later).

We departed home on at 8:30 am Sunday July 4th, met our friends in Fredericton, and continued on highway 2 direct to the Nova Scotia border. The weather was extremely hot and my wife asked me twice if I was certain the heat was turned off in the cockpit of the Healey. We have had this discussion before, but I finally made it clear that yes the heat control was off – end of story. Healey owners can relate to this.

We passed through the NB/NS border and took exit 6 at Oxford, NS (blueberry capital of NS) and followed the Northhumberland Strait shore road, No. 6 through Pugwash, Tatamagouche for our first nights stay at the Pictou Lodge in Pictou. Pictou is renown as the “Birth place of New Scotland” as the first of the Scottish immigrants landed here in 1773. Pictou Lodge is situated directly on the Strait with beautiful vistas for sunrise and weather moving in from offshore. The Lodge is well known for the dining qualities, but just days before our visit the Lodge experienced a kitchen fire. The Lodge scrambled and served a continental breakfast under a tent. Perhaps next time.

NOTE: This is the same story in the original magazine format

Curry passed on to me the story of last summer's trip to Cape Breton that was published in the Austin Healey Magazine. As always, the Healey looks fantastic, and Curry's account of the trip is well worth the read. Click here to go to the story.
(Click for larger view)

Maritime Motorsport History 1967-1974 by Herb Walsh

I came to Fredericton in 1961 to attend University at UNB and pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering. I had always had an interest in cars and joined the UNBSCC (University of New Brunswick Sports Car Club) which was very active in rallying, slaloms and ice racing. During my UNB days I drove a VW bug which, while not a sports car, did well in slaloms and ice racing (not car to car racing but time trials on Killarny Lake on a road type course ploughed on the lake surface.
After graduation in 1964, we moved to the U.S. for extended instrumentation and controls training with the company I joined.  On completion of that training I was moved to Toronto, where at every opportunity I attended F-1 and Can-Am races at Mosport.
After the formation of the consulting engineering firm of Neill and Gunter in 1964, I was offered a position and moved back to Fredericton in 1966. I again rejoined UNBSCC and as interest grew in circuit racing at the various CASC (Canadian Automobile Sports Clubs) in the maritime region, arrangements were made with the CASC Quebec region to run a race driving school at the old WW II base at Scoudouc near Moncton. Participating in the school were drivers from CASC clubs in Halifax, Saint John, Moncton and Fredericton. We had three instructors from the Quebec Region, with the passage of time and poor records from two of the “old timers” I contacted seeking information, I can recall only two. Roger Peart,  who I have maintained contact with over the years and John Sambrooke who moved from racing to forming the Opimian society specializing in the importation of fine wines for its members. Roger, an engineer, stayed involved in racing, designing the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal and President of FIA Canada. Roger can be seen each year after the Canadian Grand Prix, presenting the third place trophy.