The Steering Column
Left Hand Drive from our President

It’s here! Spring is finally here! The Club’s driving calendar is filling up nicely. The weather is warming up at a happy clip, never mind that odd snowfall the other day. Having grown up in the Midwest, I understand that the odd snowfall in March doesn’t mean that it’s not spring!

I, for one, am itching to get out into the garage, and turn a few wrenches, and hear the audio fury that 1.8 liters of pure cast iron can belch out! Unfortunately, I stopped by the local surgery the other day, so the good doctors could have a good look around the inside of a toe on my clutch foot. So for the next couple weeks, I’ll be sporting a clever and attractive boot, instead of a normal shoe. On the plus side, this downtime has given me an excellent opportunity to catch up on many, many, episodes of Top Gear. This is, of course, after the nuclear-grade painkillers have finally released their grip on my head. It was fun while it lasted, but not a pleasant way to exist. I should be back in “clutch-ing” shape in a couple short weeks.

So, I’m getting excited as the driving calendar is getting finalized. We will be doing something that will never happen again, we’re having a drive to celebrate the club’s 40th anniversary! We’ll be doing it in conjunction with Vintage club, who will be celebrating the Vintage club’s 50th anniversary! So this will be shaping up to be a very special driving season, and I for one, can’t wait. So long as I have normal footwear again.

Until then, Safety Fast!

-- Dave Novak

	The Steering Column
	Right Hand Drive   from our Vice-President

At some times in my life I feel like an antique. I get this feeling when it comes to new technology. I am not a techie person. Social media is beyond my comprehension. The older I get the less I seem to understand. I don’t enjoy being an antique. I do enjoy antique cars. Antique cars are generally described as being built before 1920. This included the brass car and the electric car eras. By 1910 there were over 500 car makers and by the great depression in 1929 there were fewer than 20. Up until 1920, when the average worker earned less than $1500 per year, automobiles were handmade, one at a time, and could cost $3,000, $6,000 and even $10,000. Then Henry Ford revolutionized the industry by utilizing the assembly line and pre-manufactured replacement parts. It was the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.

At other times, since I am of a certain age, vintage seems to suit me better. Vintage seems classier to me than antique. It may not be, but I like the sound of it. The vintage car era is often given to cars built between 1920 and 1945. When we think of vintage cars we think of fancy dressed gents and brass young ladies known as “flappers” arriving at exotic speakeasies to dance the Charleston, the roaring 20’s. We think of Elliot Ness, Capone, Bugsy Malone, Ma Parker and the rest of the thugs during prohibition. I like to relate to the Great Gatsby instead of the mobsters. But, since I was born after the vintage era I must be a classic.

The classic car era is 1946 to 1972. That’s where I fit in. Most people think of classic cars as anything over 20 years. Classic cars, according to Consumer Guide, are cars built in the 1960’s. The Classic car Club of America refers to them as cars built between 1925 and 1942. This is a wide definition so I will stick with 1946 to 1972. Somehow the later MG’s (like Maggie) don’t fit the definition of classic except for the general “anything over 20”. Spring is coming and these two “classics” hope to see you on the road.

~~ Ray Hansen & Maggie     (AKA Little Red)