John Twist’s University Motors hosted this year’s Summer Party Reunion from August 15 to 18 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. As in most of the original run of 1977 to 1999, the party was centered at the Hilton Grand Rapids on 28th Street as the host hotel. The Saturday MG show was held on the field at Douglas Walker Park.



Numerous CMGC members made the trip around the southern tip of Lake Michigan and back north to Grand Rapids. The parking lot was a big reunion as we met up with fellow MGers from all over the U.S. and Canada, many of whom we had met at the Summer Parties of the past. Especially enjoyable was seeing participants who had been coming to Twist’s since childhood meet up with friends they had made in their early years while coming to this event. These young MGers included Chris, Emily and Nick Cooper who grew up in our club and David Zebarah who grew up in the Windsor-Detroit MG Club and now is a CMGC member after graduating from college and taking a job in the Chicago area.

The whole event started early, 6:30am on Thursday, with the driver’s meeting for the Grand Lake Tour that saw three intrepid teams set out on a competitive lap around Lake Michigan that would see them return to the finish line on Friday to find the lot bursting with MGs.

There were activities in the Grand Rapids area like touring the Frederik Meijer Gardens or more informal tours like some of us did of local Michigan microbreweries – including one (Schmohz Brewery) just a half a block walk from the hotel.

There was an unfortunate occurrence on Friday morning when Oscar & Diana Gonzales headed out for breakfast in their LE. They were hit by an impatient motorist coming out of one of the numerous construction zones in the area. The Gonzales’ are fortunately fine, but their LE suffered a substantial impact that left it undriveable. They rented a car to enable staying for the weekend. Gene and Becky Cooper kindly gave them a ride back home after the weekend in the minivan their family brought to Grand Rapids in addition to three MGs.

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