September 2011

VOLUME 22 Issue 08

Healey

Happenings

Roger Morcilla (editor)

Where did summer go! Summer of 2011 is one the best summer we’ve had in Winnipeg in such along time! Cant remember the last hot dry summer, with barely any mosquito's

to slap around. I hope everyone's LBC’s where in tip top shape and racked the mileage. September is here and it’s my favorite time of the year to out driving the Healey!

The Austin Healey Club Of Manitoba Welcomes our newest members,

Cheryl & Henley Cunnington ; Owners of A60, Austin Healey 3000 Mk III, Austin Healey 3000 Mk I

Dawn & Phil Feske; She drive’s a beautiful green 1979 Triumph TR7– Buick V6 conversion!

I have heard that she also does work on her car on Wednesday’s at Graeme & Joyce shop!

Welcome to the everyone!

Also just a reminder that the very popular Oakbank Dinner Theatre tickets go on sale October 7th!

Please contact Graeme Lowden for more info. lowden@highspeedcrow.ca

THE MOST HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT AUSTIN-HEALEY IS GOING TO BE AUCTIONED ON DECEMBER 1st, 2011 For details see, www.bonhams.com/eur/press/6016

Next Meeting

October 3, 2011

Cynthia, & Ted Moorby

7:30 PM

Elaine Davidson (Prez)

Hello again!

Like the rest of the summer, September is flying by. The last few months have been packed with numerous vintage car events. I count our monthly meetings amongst my favorite things to look forward to as it is so good to see everybody. Gerry and Sheila graciously hosted the August meeting and it was a fun packed afternoon topped off with a fabulous boat tour. And Jerry and Gail kindly hosted our September meeting. Wow, what a set-up. I hope my husband took note of what an organized ga-

rage looks like. To our hosts, we extend our thanks for a wonderful time.

The first week-end in August was a busy time for car enthusiasts. Brian and Brenda Lanoway hosted a BBQ on August 6th. Their hospitality is very much appreciated.

The 13th Annual CMW Vintage Race Weekend was held at Gimli Motor Sports Park again. Several of our members participated or were there to cheer for the brave of

heart. Racing enthusiasts experienced another fabulous weekend.

A group got together to have beer and pizza with Allan Heartfield August 19th. There was a good turnout and it was good to catch up on news from BC. We went to Captain Kennedy’s for brunch on August 21st. It is now called Maple Groove and I think under new management. It really was most enjoyable. The drive to Wawanesa

was postponed to September 11th. There was a good turn out and it was a beautiful day for a drive.

The Pony Corral on Grant sponsored a British Car night on August 28th that was a big success. The Free Press had some great pictures and write-ups. Hopefully, the

Pony will do that again next year.

Congratulations to Dave and Lisa Gibson!! They exchanged wedding vows at the Fort Gary Hotel on September 10th. What a beautiful wedding. We extend our very

best wishes to both of you.

There are two events scheduled for September 24th and 25th. Contact Don Huebert (204-667-5289) if you want to drive to the Whiteshell for the Fall Colours Drive. This can be either a 1 or 2 day event. The group is meeting at Smitty’s on Pembina and Grant with an 11:00 am departure time. It should be a beautiful drive. Roger

Morcilla is organizing the drive to Morden or Steinbach on Sunday, September 25th. It sounds like it will be fun.

Driving tips from the Prez for this fall are to check your convertible top to ensure it still fits as the temperatures cool down. It should be fitted at least once per driving

season to keep the creases from hardening into cracks. Be sure to check the antifreeze for quantity so that it provides protection down to minus 30 degrees. And make

sure the brake reservoir is topped up. Remember that we are meeting at Ted and Cynthia’s for our club meeting on October 3rd.

Happy motoring!!! Elaine

On Thursday June 30th We ( Joan & Bob ) just arrived in Hepburn to visit our son Bill & Cindy our favorite daughter in law. Hepburn is a small village of around 400 people many whom commute to Saskatoon. A small place like that does not attract tourist or many people just passing through. We had just finished supper in the only restaurant when Bill spotted a Mini going by the front window, and then a second one, we had to go see what was this all about. Across the street the two Minis had parked and three young fellows were getting out and stretching. After a quick intro we learned the 3 were just touring around going where ever the whim takes them. Both Minis were dirty from the road and it was clear the cars were built to drive not show. Bill and Cindy invited them to stay on their

property in a tent and they quickly agreed. The restaurant was closing, so Cindy offered chili & buns to the starving adventurers.

We inspected their cars and Bill proudly showed off his newly acquired Healey Sprite. We spent the evening getting to know each other and telling stories of being on the road with old British cars. The three fellows, Alex Dereski, Sean Drynan, & Donald Robertson

all came from near Edmonton and said they ad an informal club called the Strathcona Mini Owners Association.

In the morning the guys were up and down the road to new adventures. Bill’s friend told us he saw the Minis in Saskatoon at the Jazz

Festival.

All three had to be back at work on the Monday so we hope their drive home went well.

Bob & Joan Wilkinson

Adventures in Hepburn ( Saskatchewan not Audrey )

Stella Mission

Day Trip To Lockport MB (Half Moon)

On Tuesday August 23, Hugh & Val Arklie organized a drive to the famous Half Moon Restaurant out in Lockport with a group of inner city kids from the Stella mission in Winnipeg. A total of 6 mem-bers spent a good part of the day making these kids feel special with treats and being driven around in

a British car. I’m sure everyone had a great time!

Thank you! Hugh and Val for a very thoughtful Idea, these kids will now have great memories of

cruising in a LBC’s.

On Sunday, Sept. 11th a group of us gathered at the Esso Gas Bar at the corner of McGillivray and the West Perimeter

for a drive to Wawanesa. The reason for that particular destination is that one of our former Club member, Vic Venier is laid to rest there and we figured it was as good an excuse as any to visit the town and check on Vic's gravesite.

The group was composed of four Austin-Healeys and one Lotus. Todd Chivers in his 100M, Roger Morcilla and Graeme Lowden in their BT7's, Richard Weide in his Lotus Eclat and myself in the BN6. We traveled west on Highway #2 all the

way to Wawanesa, stopping for ice cream along the way and finally arriving at our destination a couple of hours after we started. Wawanesa on a sunday can be best described as a sleepy hollow, a very sleepy hollow. We walked around

for some time, taking on the scenery, then went for a bit to eat at the local burger joint, giving them enough business for the day so that immediately after we got our order, they closed shop. Photos were taken in front of the Wawanesa

Insurance Head Office then moved on to the local cemetery where Vic is laid to rest beside his wife. We spent a few

minutes there and then planned our way back home.

We decided to make our way back by turning south on Highway #18 then eastbound on Highway #23, heading for

Morris. Highway #23 has numerous hills and curves and is far more interesting to drive than #2. We also stopped in

Miami, Manitoba where an Austin-Healey Club member from the British Columbia Club has moved to. He was not home but we were able to see his new garage with his yellow BN6 in there as well as an MGB he is working on. He also owns

a beige MGA Coupe that is awaiting restoration. I talked to him a few days later and he informed me that he decided to put the MGA for sale.

From there we continued on #23 until the intersection to #3. We turned north on Highway #3 in the direction of Car-

man where we all stoped for gas. Since there was only one pump serving Premium, we had to take turns. I filled up first and then moved my car away from the pump to let others take their turn. Then another customer pulled in to fill up his

van, briefly looked at the cars and then proceeded to slowly back into mine. Needless to say I was impressed by his driving habits, we exchange papers and were on our way. I was determined not to let such great drive being spoiled by

that mishap, The car can be fixed and the damage did not hamper its operation. As Graeme pointed out before we left

the gas station, perhaps my car was not visible enough, maybe I should think of having painted a different colour. The rest of the drive was thankfully uneventful and by the time we all arrived in Winnipeg, most of us had traveled about

300 miles, the weather was fabulous, a little hazy due to forest fires in Saskatchewan but a great day overall.

Jean

Drive to Wawanessa

Conclave

2013

Conclave 2013, yes 2013, I know it is a long ways away, however, for planning purposes, it is not that far away.

Conclave 2013, the annual gathering of our favourite cars by the Austin-Healey Club of America is being hosted by the Quebec Chapter, see their site at www.austinhealeyquebec.com, from June 23-27 at The Manoir Richelieu,

( www.fairmont.com/richelieu), see their site to have a look at the place. Manoir Richelieu is a place comparable to Le Chateau Frontenac but on a smaller scale. Although pricing has not been announced yet, it will likely be fairly

pricey but the location is spectacular. It is located in the town of La Malbaie, in the Charlevoix Region, approximately

95 miles east of Quebec City, on the north shore of the St.Lawrence River.

If there is interest from our membership to plan such trip, I would be interested to hear from you in the next little while, there is certainly no rush yet but by early 2012, March or April, one would have to get the ball rolling as there

would be a fair amount of planning to do.

I have contacted John VanDam of VanDam Trucking (www.vandamtrucking.com), he is a member of the British Iron

Society and has been in the hauling car business for several years. A couple of our members have used his services

in the past.

I inquired to see how much it would cost to ship our cars from Grand Forks, N.D. to Bangor, Maine and his reply was

that at today's fuel prices, his rate for his enclosed trailer to transport six Austin-Healeys, would cost $1150.00 US per car and for a single car, the rate would be $1850.00 US.

He will not pick up cars in Canada, he has no coverage for Canada and has no desire to do so given our road condi-tions.

The thought here would be to ship the cars and then drive them to the event and then drive all the way back home as well. Obviously, arrangements would have to be made to drop off the cars in Grand Forks, then fly to Montreal or

Quebec City and drive down to Bangor to pick them up. We could also have them deliver closer, say Waterville or Showhegan, this would be up to the group to decide. The drive from wherever in Maine to the Quebec border is

very scenic and follows the Kennebec River from Solon to West Forks and the roads are really good. From the US/Canada border it is bush and farm country for about 40 miles followed by a drive in the valley of the Beauce re-

gion all the way to Quebec City. This is a 234 miles drive to Quebec City so it could be done in one day but would

likely take two days if we plan to do some sightseeing on the way.

Conclave is an event that is pretty well reserved for the National members of the Austin-Healey Club of America,

they certainly have been given first priority in the past and do not see it changing anytime soon. Having said that, there is nothing preventing any of our members to join us for the trip, after all, Conclave itself is only five days in

duration and there are many other places to visit in Quebec. Bear in mind that June 24 is, beside Christmas, the big-gest holiday in that Province and if you want to take in the local flavour, there is no better time to do so.

So here it is, something to consider. I will from time to time, in our newsletter, let you know how things are devel-oping, who is interested, any news I hear from the Quebec Club I will relay to our membership.

Jean

REPLACEMENT GAS TANK FOR AUSTIN-HEALEY

There was some interesting discussion lately on the Healey List with regards to the quality of replacement gas tank available. A few years ago, one of Moss former distributor started selling gas tanks to the public. They were sold

from the USA but fabricated just across the border in Mexico. These were sold by Jorge Cervera out of Chula Vista, California. They were also marketed via E-Bay. I bought three of those and they were of good quality at a reason-

able price. The fit was good and had no issue with them. Now comes words that the quality has dropped substan-

tially even to the point that British Car Specialists had to return four of them recently. The interesting thing is that while this happened, Moss Motors has steadily, over the last couple of years, started to supply replacement tanks

for Austin-Healeys that are significantly better than they were before. As a matter of fact they were highly recom-mended by many satisfied customers on the Austin-Healey List. One lister indicated that they were a little pricier but

the fit and finish was as good as the originals. So, keep that in mind if you ever need a new tank in the near future. Not sure if this applies across the board for other British car brand Moss supplies but it is worth checking them out if

you are in need of such item.

Jean

Recently, we have been told by Nisonger that that Smiths electronic tachs may

malfunction when connected to a distributor using a Pertronix ignition. This problem is separate from the problem associated with switching polarity. If

you have been expriencing problems, even though you had your tach rebuilt &/or converted to neg. ground & you are using a Pertronix, this may be part of the

the issue. See correspondence below. Has anyone heard about this?

http://www.nisonger.com/electric-tachometer-conversions.htm In spite of comments to the contrary made by Pertronix and several other

Electronic Ignition manufacturers, Smiths Tachs produced prior to 2001 were not designed for use with Electronic Ignition systems. When used in

conjunction with an Electronic Ignition, they will either: Provide an inaccurate reading.

Provide an erratic reading.

Show double the engine speed.

The converted Tachs eliminate these problems and can be used with either an electronic or points ignition system. The cost of the conversion is $275 plus

shipping; just like our rebuilds, the converted Tachs are guaranteed for 1

year.

Thank you for your inquiry.

Peter Bayer

REPLACEMENT GAS TANK FOR AUSTIN-HEALEY

There was some interesting discussion lately on the Healey List with regards to the quality of replacement gas tank available. A few years ago, one of Moss former distributor started selling gas tanks to the public. They were sold

from the USA but fabricated just across the border in Mexico. These were sold by Jorge Cervera out of Chula Vista, California. They were also marketed via E-Bay. I bought three of those and they were of good quality at a reason-

able price. The fit was good and had no issue with them. Now comes words that the quality has dropped substan-

tially even to the point that British Car Specialists had to return four of them recently. The interesting thing is that while this happened, Moss Motors has steadily, over the last couple of years, started to supply replacement tanks

for Austin-Healeys that are significantly better than they were before. As a matter of fact they were highly recom-mended by many satisfied customers on the Austin-Healey List. One lister indicated that they were a little pricier but

the fit and finish was as good as the originals. So, keep that in mind if you ever need a new tank in the near future. Not sure if this applies across the board for other British car brand Moss supplies but it is worth checking them out if

you are in need of such item.

Jean

From Our Sponsors

Club Events

And Monthly Meeting Schedule 2011

April.16 TDC Annual Garage Tour… More info to come, Contact Ted & Mark

May. 1 Spring Perrogy Dinner, Lockport Church …. Graeme Lowden for info.

May.2 General Meeting: Waltra & John

May 15 11:00 AM, Visit St Clements Anglican Church, followed by lunch at the Lower Fort Garry interpretive center.

After lunch it’s off to MACCC swap meet at Assiniboine Downs.

May.14 2011 Spring Revival: Contact Jean Caron time and location TBD

May.20-22 Annual Clear Lake Weekend… TBA

June 4 Drive to Fargo ND for Breakfast with the British Iron Society.. Jean Caron

June.6 General Meeting: Fern & Bill

June 16-19 2011 Rendezvous Fargo ND please check LINK on the AHCM website for details.

June.26 Annual Summer BBQ Location TBD

July.3-8 Austin Healey Conclave: Colorado Springs

July. 4 General meeting: Karen & Roger’s

July.16-17 Overnighter Hecla Island (Light House Inn)… Contact Hugh & Val

July. 16 All British Show & Shine, Noon to 4:00 pm. Forks Downtown… contact Geordie or Ted.

Aug. 5-7 Gimli Vintage Race Weekend...Contact Dyrk & Jodi

Aug. 7 Event Sunday Picnic at Sheila & Gerry’s Cottage more info TBA

Aug.14 Drive to Wawanesa ( visit the memorial Victor Venier)… Contact Jean Caron

Aug.21 Brunch at Captain Kennedy’s Tea House.. More info to come

Sept.12 General Meeting Gail & Jerry’s

Sept 25 Drive to Morden or Steinbach Details TBA

Oct.3 General Meeting: Cynthia & Ted’s

Oct Fall color Tour September 24th for details contact Don Hubert.

Oct Fall Suppers TBA

Nov.7 General Meeting: Elaine & John’s

December General Meeting & Christmas Dinner Party… Rembrandt's Lockport MB

* Note that some of these event may change and more can be added, stay tuned for updates or check the AHCM web-

site.