The Steering Column
Left Hand Drive from our President

From the union of cold and darkness comes the highly anticipated birth of spring.

After a mild December and a tolerable January, February came at us full bore showing no mercy for man or beast. We saw subzero temperatures accompanied by enough snow to make Sergeant Preston cower. If you don’t know who Sergeant Preston is, you may be too young to own an MG. He was that famous Mounty from Canada that “always got his man.”

In an attempt to bank some good karma, I have shoveled and snow-blowed my way thru my entire neighborhood. Not to be outdone, my next door neighbor, trying to win the heart of our mail lady, thought it would be a good idea to run his snow blower across my lawn from my front door to his driveway all the while throwing up pieces of turf like he was chipping on the 18th Hole.

As I write this, I have a lawn covered by a beautiful blanket of white snow with the exception of a yellow brown path winding next door. It may not be the yellow brick road, but it just might lead to some priority service.

So as I count the days until my MG comes out of storage, I think of all the nice warm days ahead. The club already has a few entries marked on the driving calendar with the promise of more to come.

I think one of the neatest views is looking out the front windscreen and seeing a whole line of MGs in front of you cruising down some winding country road looking to see what is over the next hill or beyond the next curve.

Because my car is close to 50 years old, there is always the risk of a breakdown. And this my fellow cruisers, is where I plan on cashing in on that earned karma.

Stay safe my friends

~~ Phil Wydra

	The Steering Column
	Right Hand Drive   from our Vice-President

Hello,

I am the daughter of Oscar and Diana Gonzales. My parents have been members of the Vintage and CMGCC combination of both for about 42 years. My mother held office as the President of CMGCC three years in a row about 20 years ago. My parents were greatly involved in the Vintage MG, Chicagoland MGB currently CMGCC, British Car Union and NAMGBR. Mom and Dad encountered many people across the state and even across the "pond" while traveling with their cars. As you can imagine there are stories waiting to be told. My father and mother had a beautiful 1952 red MG TD. In this car the three of us would drive to John Twist’s Party and other events. I would ride in the cubby hole with pillows and blankets all bundled up traveling down the highway.

At some point I did grow up and was too tall to fit in the back - forcing my mom to travel in a regular car. That was completely and utterly no fun for my mom. As my dad and I traveled in the TD of course with the top down. Therefore my dad went out and bought a 1979 MGB LE on Valentine's day. He handed the keys to her and said "quit your complaining" of course not exactly in those words but you can imagine the word he used LOL.

Fast forward, Safety Fast that is, I grew up driving the MGB LE. I drove it when I should not have, I use to take it to school, park it in the lot that was marked Teachers only. Please keep in mind I was just a high school student at the age of 15 to 16. I didn't even have a drivers license and I would have not gotten caught if only, I would have just looked under the hood and see the valve cover was off. Ohh boy was I in deep trouble.

Fast Forward a few more years my dad sold the beautiful TD, kept the LE. My mom was going to sell it after my father passed in 2016, but I told my mom, I want this car and I will do whatever it takes to keep this car. Well, my mom told me I had to join the club, pay my dues replace an alternator, radiator and master slave and hose and here I am. Ohh boy am I in deep trouble lol.

My name is Melissa Gonzales I am here to carry on my mom and dad legend of being a member of such a wonderful organization the CMGCC.
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Thank You,
Melissa Gonzales
630-215-7185

~~ Melissa Gonzales