Fredericton Area British Automobile Club: May 2025

Cape Breton trip June 2025

Here is a trip Ernst and I are planning for my birthday.

Day one Thursday June 12. Drive from Fredericton, NB to Cheticamp NS 635 km around seven hours driving spend the night Cornerstone Motel in Cheticamp. 1(902)224-3232
Day two Friday June 13 . Drive take Rte 30 Englishtown NS. Then take the Ferry to North Sydney on to Rte 125E to Sydney then Rte 22 S to Louisbourg around 331 Km approximately hours driving time 4 1/2 hours Spending the night in Louisbourg at The Fortress Inn 1(902)733-2844.
Day three Saturday, June 14 driving from to Louisbourg NS on Rte4 W to Port Hawkesbury on Rte 16 S to Canso NS . Continue on route 16 S.to Isaac Nova Scotia. Then take Rte 374 S to Sheet Harbour around 519Km around 6hr driving time. Spending the night in Sheet Harbor at Fairwinds Motel 1(902)885-2502
Day four Sunday, June 15 Sheet Harbour Nova Scotia on Rte 224 W to Upper Musquoboit Harbour on to Truro on Rte 289W. Then on Rte 2 the Glooscap trail to Parrsborro NS and Spring Hill on Goosecap trail onto Amherst Nova Scotia. Amherst NS to Moncton taking route 106. Moncton to Salisbury New Brunswick taking the Coles Island cut off back to Fredericton. Driving around 500km and approximately six hours driving time.

- John D.

Keep an eye on Chinese car manufacturing

They are quickly and quietly planning to take over the industry. Here is a small quote from an interesting article in Wired magazine with the heading 'Auto Shanghai 2025 Wasn’t Just a Car Show. It Was a Warning to the West':

It’s easy to credit Beijing’s massive investment in China’s nascent auto sector as a prime contributor to its success. But China’s closing of the gap to, and in many cases overtaking, US and European carmakers isn’t due to cash and copying alone. Just as the Japanese and Korean brands did before them, the Chinese have hired smartly.

Luxury sedan maker Hongqi took on Rolls-Royce design head Giles Taylor as its own global vice president of design in 2018. Similarly, Bentley design chief Stefam Sielaff headed to Geely in 2021, while 2024 saw Jozef Kaban—whose pencil gave us the era-defining Bugatti Veyron—swap Audi for MG, a part of Chinese giant SAIC. Stellantis UK managing director Maria Grazia Davino moved to BYD that same year, and JuanMa Lopez, who spent a decade as head of exterior design at Ferrari, moved to Xpeng.

- David

Report on May Meeting

Our May-hem (did j'ya see what I did there?) on the 21st of May was at the Carnation Restaurant in Oromocto, always a favourite with us. We had a bumper crowd which the facility had no problem accommodating.

1) It seems that the gentlemen of FABAC have taken to wearing ties to the meetings. Not only do we look sophisticated, we get to figure out which Beatles song is represented by Joe's tie. This month (I won it) it was:

Yes, I'm gonna be a star
Baby, you can drive my car
And maybe I'll love you
Beep beep...beep beep Yaaa!

and don't tell me you didn't sing it to yourself as you read the lyrics. He has over 40 of them (the ties) so better start boning up on Beatles songs.

2) There's a call to have cars visit Shannex on or near Father's day. David N is organizing this excursion and further info will appear on the site.

3) The lovely and talented John D. has a trip to the Island soon. As always, info will appear here.

4) June 7th will see a car show in Hoyt.

5) Sandy-n-Larry suggested a weekday late-lunch trip to the Doaktown Bistro. I assume it's near Doaktown.

6) The Wednesday evening car gatherings, affectionally known as 'Freddie Beach', are starting this week.

7) Our next meeting/dinner in June will be at the Mactaquac Lodge on the 18th of June.

From the rumour mill—Johanna and Bruce were sighted at the Cabin today (26th). Now that they're back, can the McMillans be far behind?

Rob E.

Updated details on the Father's Day Car display at Shannex

An interesting variety of automobiles representing FABAC. Residents from Regent, Governor and Brunswick Halls will all have an opportunity to view the cars.

Date: June 12th

Time: 2:00 to 4:00pm

Place: lower parking lot—first on the left. Parkland Fredericton. (Shannex south side) 55 Patience Lane

Click for larger view

Please mark your calendars. We had a great representation of FABAC vehicles at the last one we did at Eden's Retirement Villa on the north side—TR6, Corvette, Sunbeam Alpine, Morgan, Spitfire, TR3, Jaguar, MGB and a Marcos!

Photos from the last one:

Father’s Day British Car Show

Perhaps this idea could be discussed at breakfast and/or meeting next week: I had a request for a Father’s Day British Car Show (Small scale) at Parkland Fredericton (Shannex) sometime during the week of Father’s Day (Afternoon or Evening). Suggestions for best day and time and how many would be interested in showing their car to the residents there.

- David

Meeting/dinner/food fight.

Next week on the 21st at 5:30 PM, our monthly meetup and dinner will be at the Carnation Restaurant in Oromocto. We've been there twice(?) before and have always enjoyed it. One advantage is that there's lots of room.

See ya there!
Rob E.