My wife Susan and I were lucky to be a part of the Chicagoland MG Club. It is arguably one of the very best clubs in the USA. Its technical services to the membership ensures a future of these wonderful British cars. Its newsletter "The Driveline" is the best I've ever seen. There are so many dimensions to this club just too numerous to mention!

In mid '18 we relocated from Chicago to SW of Knoxville, TN. East Tennessee has beautiful topography (Smokey Mtns), very friendly people and amazing diversity. One of our great joys is that it also boosts 4 British car clubs - we joined Blount (as in county) British Cars (BBC). With approx. 60 members its meetings see half or more and its activities are second to none.

Like many MG clubs it has technical services for its members but what occurs within the BBC I can only describe as Sacred Ground. This is the technical services ground zero devoted to building a mechanical knowledge of British cars. It is how this is done which I find most compelling. A spin off of the BBC is “Manly Man Day” and happens at Jim Watson’s garage. Jim, who is a life time British car fan fell in love with an Austin Healey Sprite at 16 years of age, but parents said "no", and bit later on at 19 Jim bought his first British car - a Bugeye Sprite. The story moves from there to today where he has 2 garages full of his own (and friends) English cars being repaired, restored, or just refurbished as required.

The "Old Guard" installing an engine in a club members MGB.

Jim's affiliation with the BBC is close but he is also the "faithful communicator" with multiple British Car clubs in Alabama, Chattanooga, Morristown, and east Tennessee. His contributions to working cooperative events with these organizations is unique.

The day after each BBC club and most Fridays, Jim holds a workshop for the club. The event is open to all club members. These involve hands-on British car repairs, etc, but also custom "learning" sessions where, if you wish to learn about ignition fault finding, Jim will provide you tools needed and know-how.

Mom and the kids rehanging a muffler on Dad’s Mini

The tech sessions at Jim's garage, both the older "faithful" who are always there to help, drink coffee, eat a donut and to learn, but also (and pleasantly surprising) there is a new younger breed of enthusiast who come with their Granddad or Dad’s with a car they fell in love with and want to learn about. Such as Nico and Granddad Dan with Nico’s Spitfire.

It’s seeing the young people that come here that my find practically interesting. I was there one day to find a 18-year-old boy working (Nico) on his Spitfire. He was rebuilding the car's suspension to bring it up to snuff. Just think of the knowledge he will have by the time he graduates from college.



Jim says his shop is NOT a business but a hobby. His work as communicator for so many British Car Clubs, his work to train club members but especially that next generation is why I view his operation as Sacred Ground indeed!

~~ Ralph Arata