Drive was the Bronkies' answer to most of our questions. The Bronkies are actually the Bronkhorst family; Dick and Jacqueline and their sons Jeroen and Stefan with their friends Alexandra and Debbie. In 2016, when we were in Holland for the 95th Birthday of Henneke’s mom, the Bronkies invited us to drive their blue 1934 PB in the Dutch Triple M Rally. An article about that day, titled ‘Triple M Rally, Lunteren, The Netherlands’ can be found here: http://chicagolandmgclub.com/driveline10/1016/p06.html

The next year, 2017, we were also in The Netherlands for the Dutch Triple M Rally, but now with a group of six American MG friends (three couples). Our trip (almost three weeks all together) included not only the 10th Anniversary of the Dutch Triple M Rally (an entire weekend), but also the 60th Anniversary Celebration of theMG Car Club in Luxembourg (four days) and the British car and motorcycle swap meet in Beaulieu in England (three days). I started to write an article about that trip, but it became far too long and because I couldn’t decide which parts to skip and which to put in, I never finished it.

Breakfast outside with the MG garage and workshop in the back ground. The building includes a couple of car lifts, paint cabin, full machine shop, and parking/storage for at least 15 cars. The Bronkies have two dogs, this is Senna or Silva. (I can’t tell them apart) They are called after one of the greatest Formula One drivers, Ayrton Senna da Silva.

This year, we were again in our hometown to celebrate Henneke’s mother’s Birthday. (she is doing great, for a 97-year-old). And because the Dutch Triple M Rally happened while we were there, the Bronkies invited us again to drive their PB, and to come to their house the night before the rally to celebrate Stefan’s 30th Birthday. When I asked how we would get from there to the Triple M Rally meeting point, the answer was “Drive”. And mind you, we would be driving 80-plus-years old MGs. And what will we do when we get there? “Drive some more” and then we’ll have dinner and “Drive back home”, all in the same 80-plus-years old MGs.

The morning of the event, Jacueline served breakfast for everyone at their very large outdoor table. Dick, Jeroen, and Stefan got all the MG’s from the garage and ready for the drive to the meeting point for the rally. We drove about 55 miles in a caravan of seven prewar MGs. Dick and Jacqueline in their recently finished black/grey 1934 NA two-seater. Stefan and friend Debbie in his green 1934 NA four-seater, Jeroen and his girlfriend Alexandra in their green 1933 J2, our blue 1934 PB, and three more prewar MGs from friends. The PB suffered a flat tire on the way, but with such a group there is plenty of help and we were on the road again in about 10 minutes.

The 1934 NA two-seater is a 6-cylinder Magnette. Dick installed a pre-selector gearbox and modified it so that it can be operated by hand instead of its normal left-foot gear-change pedal. (which is not the same as a clutch on a regular transmission) Now, Jacqueline can change gears without the strain of double-clutching on her painful knees. Jacqueline considered buying this Magnette a long time ago. However, the drivability of more modern MG won at the time and an A became her first MG. When the Magnette showed up many years later she couldn’t resist and bought it after all.

The meeting point for the rally was at Terlet, a glider airfield in one of the Veluwe National Parcs, just North of Arnhem (of ‘A Bridge Too Far’ fame). There were a little bit over 30 Triple M cars of and many more people must have answered “Drive” to the same questions we asked; How do we get there?, What will we do?, and How do we get back? There were maybe five or six trailers parked next to the restaurant, the rest of the 80-plus-year-olds came ‘driving’.

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