Chicagoland MG Club: Driveline October 2016
 

MGAguru is on the Prowl
MGA Guru is Gone Mobile

On last month's report we had just moved in to New York state, and guess what, we are still here, another 4000 miles on. Back and forth across the length of the state a few times. On August 24 we hooked up with MG Car Club, Western New York Center in Canandaigua, NY for a 17-car cruise to the east to meet with MG Car Club of Central New York "half way" for dinner at Mac's Drive-In in Waterloo. A couple days later we were visiting Frazer and Beverly Rice in Orchard Park, NY, last seen in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, the 1st of February 2015 (time flies). We did a bit of work on his MGA 1600-MK-II bonnet latch and electrical issues.

Sunday the 28th found us with Twin Tiers Sports Car Club for "Boys’ Breakfast" in the woods on a mountain near Elmira, NY, on Harris Hill at Big Flats (soaring capital of the world). This was part of running around the hills in the Finger Lakes area of New York for a week. Next day we were off to visit Finger Lakes Vintage & Sports Car LLC in Shortsville, NY, at present location for two years and looking forward to running out of space. They like vintage cars, just finished an MG T-type restoration.

On the 30th we were visiting Franklin & Co. Automotive Restorations in Syracuse, NY, a body and paint shop doing lots of restoration work on British cars (and others). There were two MGA, a TD, and a Bugeye Sprite. Then we were off to visit Miller's Autohaus in Phoenix City, NY, another body and paint shop doing restoration work, and heavy into British cars. There was a very sweet Morgan and two MG TDs in process. In the evening we were off to visit Jim Werner in Camillus, NY, who has an MGA 1500 "bitsa" car. We pulled engine and gearbox out of that one to investigate a sticky 2nd gear, ultimately blamed on faulty ceramic coating in 2nd gear synchro cone.

On Sept 2 we were off to visit Jim Borkman in Clarence, New York to give his MGA 1500 a tune up, after which it went off to Arbor Day parade. Next day we bumped into Steve Weston in Depew, NY, a member of British Car Club of Western New York, ex-owner of an MGA. This kicked up a discussion whether his Australian built Capri XR2 was made in an English colony, which led to a bit of research revealing a surprisingly recent Independence Day for Australia (but not quite recent enough to include his car as British). A couple days later we were at Como Lake Park in Lancaster, NY for Autumn Sports Classic Car Show with Buffalo Octagon Association with 80 cars including 12 chrome bumper MGB, 8 rubber bumper MGB, 4 MGA, 3 MG Midget and one AH Bug-eye Sprite. Also a 1951 Riley Drop Head Coupe, AH 3000, Morgan Plus-4, Mini Moke, at least 6 Triumphs, 5 Jaguar and 1 Datsun 260Z (with a bit of British heritage).

On Sept 5 were we at Keuka Yacht Club, Hammondsport, NY to meet John T Brown from Corning, NY. He drives a 1962 MGA 1600-Mk-II which he purchased new in April 1962. On the 6th we had dinner with MG Car Club of Central New York in East Syracuse, NY, including at least 10 MGs. After the meeting we were fixing more than a few faults on an MGA in the car park, and finally escorted it home. On the 7th and 8th we were visiting Chris Rich in Dobbs Ferry, NY to help a bit with his MGA Twin Cam which is just about at the "go kart" test drive stage. We cut down and installed a pair of tie rod ends, U-joint and felt bushings for the steering column, and some work on the windscreen. Also took the
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