ABFM 2010 Silver Anniversary
May 22, 2010,
VanDusen Garden,Vancouver, BC

The Greatest Show on British Wheels began in 1985 as a Show ‘n Shine event held in the parking lot of MCL Motor Cars in Vancouver.  That first show hosted some 35 cars, after which it was decided that a new venue would attract a larger crowd. The event was moved to its current outstanding location at VanDusen Botanical Garden at 37th and Oak Street. Since those early days the event has grown to become the largest of its kind in Canada and the Pacific Northwest, displaying some 637 vehicles, and with more than 5,000 enthusiasts in attendance.
The 2010 Silver Anniversary event will prove to be a very special celebration, with many staging improvements and some additional attractions. Here is what is included so far:

• Anniversary Class: A special display of winning cars from previous years’ Debuting Restoration entrants.
• Restoration Row: Work-in-progress car displays to provide knowledge and information on classic car preservation.
• 2010 Featured Marques will celebrate 50 years of Britain’s sexiest sports car, the E-Type Jaguar (1960-1974)*, and pay tribute to all English Ford models.
• In 2-wheel class: 100 years of BSA motor bikes will be honoured.
• A swanky 25th Anniversary Reception Dinner and Silent Auction will be held Friday May 21st at Shaughnessy’s Restaurant, VanDusen Garden. Entrants can reserve a table for the dinner or have the option of  attending the Reception only. Dinner attendees will be able to park their cars overnight (security in attendance overnight). Transportation will be provided to Richmond hotels.
• The annual presentation of the Canaccord Lewie Award to recognize an individual’s outstanding contribution to the classic car industry.  Best Picnic and Period Dress Award, with emphasis on the Swinging Sixties.
• A special Race Car display sponsored by the Vintage Race Club of B.C. with prize draws for hot laps at the July Historic Motor Races event Mission Raceway.
• Manufacturers’ displays showing the latest 2010 British-built models.
• Garden Tours and a VanDusen $12-million Capital Plan display showing future construction and facilities’ plans.
• What’s Your Classic Worth? Informative presentation on classic car values over the past 25 years. Owners’ cars will be reviewed.
• Win a Trip for 2, Grand prize draw; Weekend Getaway to Haida Gwaii; plus many other prizes draws to be announced.

The annual walk down memory lane promises beautiful machinery, colourful and exotic flora, stirring brass band and jazz music, plus vendors’ stands packed with classic car parts and all things British.
Mark your calendars for the Victoria Day Weekend, Saturday May 22, 2010, and check the event website www.westerndriver.com/abfm for more announcements and registration details. The event is produced by the Olde British & Classic Car Society, which encourages the appreciation, understanding and preservation of classic cars, vehicles and motorcycles for the enjoyment of their owners and the general public. For sponsorship details or to register your British car or motorbike, please visit www.westerndriver.com/abfm, call 604.736.6754, or email jstewart@westerndriver.com.
* E2A Prototype first debuted LeMans June 1960.

Feb. 13, 2010 -  The City of Albany, OR is restoring a turn-of-the-century carousel.  The restorers are extending a great deal of effort in this process.  Individual carousel figures, eg, horses, etc. are being carved from scratch for the project.  The work site is located at  503 First Ave. in Albany, OR.  The Healey Club members are to meet at this address at 11:00 AM Saturday, February 13,  2010.  There will be a nominal entrance fee.  After our tour of the carousel project we will go to  the Yaquina Bay Restaurant, located at 325 Airport Road, Albany, for lunch at 12:30. The Club business meeting will follow at approximately 1:30

Rendezvous Committee Meeting, Feb. 13, 2010 -  Meet at 09:30 AM in the main dining room of the Yaquina Bay Restaurant, 325 Airport Road, Albany, OR.

PM.March 13, 2010 -  British Auto Works has invited us to an open house and technical session at 10580 NW 289th Place, North Plains. (corner of 289th and West Union Rd).  For those unfamiliar with the British Auto Works location the easiest route is to travel west on Sunset Highway 26 to Exit 59, Jackson School road.  It is approximately 9.5 miles west of the Highways 217/Sunset interchange.  Proceed north on Jackson School Road to the first left, NW West Union Road.  Turn left and drive about a quarter mile to British Auto Works.  Phone 503-647-0435. The technical session subject will cover rebuilding of S.U. HD8 Carburetors and will begin at Time: 11:00 AM.   Lunch will be at Cornelius Pass Road House and Imbrie Hall located at 4045 NW Cornelius Pass Road (just south of Hwy. 26).  Lunch will be at 1:00 p.m. with club meeting to follow at about 1:30.

April 10, 2010 -  We are planning this as an overnighter to Astoria/Warrenton.  We will be staying at the Shilo Inn in Warrenton, OR (503-861-2181).  The special rate for a king or queen room is $76.86.  Be sure to mention that you are with the Austin Healey club of Oregon when making your reservation.  We have a block of 15 rooms available that must be reserved by March 10, 2010 in order to get this price.  We will have a special tour of the beautiful Victorian  “Warren House”.  It is a private house owned by a friend of John and Judy Carter.  We ill also tour nearby Ft. Stevens also in Warrenton.  www.astoria-usa.com/fort-stevens-state-park.shtml.  The meeting time and place has not been decided.  Stay tuned for that information.

Other News and Thoughts -  I want to thank all of the members who responded to my first memo and provided me with guidance.  The Executive Board has asked me to increase the memo frequency.  I will be sending Mark’s Memo monthly.  Hopefully,  I have corrected the formatting difficulties we had with the first issue and all of the members will receive this one and be able to read it straightaway.

If you haven’t already done so, you will want to register for the 2010 Rendezvous,  June 28 – July 2,  2010 in Eugene, OR.  Charlie Frazer and the committee are working very hard to put together an outstanding event.  It would also be a good idea to book your rooms at the Valley River Inn, 541-341-3472.

Another activity to be aware of is found on the Club website, http://healey-oregon.org.  Activities Director, John Carter is seeking a show of interest in participating in a great tour.  Destinations on a super tour include: Port Angeles, WA; Victoria, B.C.; Roche Harbor, San Juan Is.; La Conner WA; and Tacoma, WA during the week of August 21-29, 2010.  Check it out and let John know. 503-579-6599.

I just read something in the newest issue of the AH Club USA magazine that struck me as a really good idea.  Most of us have a Road Trip Kit of spare parts and tools stowed in the boot.  If you haven’t already done so, add a copy of one of the national Healey clubs’ Directories or Resource Books to the kit.  No matter where you may travel and a breakdown occurs, there is probably another Healey owner nearby who might lend assistance.

In Boulder, CO there is a collection of some of the most significant sports racing machines produced in the United States.  The Shelby American Collection is a unique and extensive gathering of Shelby Cobras, Ford GT40s, 350 and 500 GT Mustangs, historical records and memorabilia.  Many of the original vehicles designed, built, and raced by Carroll Shelby and other famous sports car racers of the 60’s and 70’s are on exhibit.  It is a “gearhead’s” Valhalla and not to be missed.  I recently visited the collection during a visit with my Dad in Denver.  I have posted a small gallery of photographs to the website.  You can view those images here. You can also see information on the collection at: www.ShelbyAmericanCollection.com.

ORP held their first public opening on Saturday 9/28. Having neglected my ‘65 BJ8 street car during the vintage racing season it was a nice opportunity to stretch it’s legs on the 2 1/2 hour drive to the Grass Valley track. I was impressed with the group that is behind this very ambitious endeavor, they appear to have a good long range plan for this wonderful new NW road race course. Though it’s a little out of the way, any die hard racer will have no problem camping on site for any event planned for this venue.  I enjoyed the 2 parade laps even if I couldn’t open her up too much.  http://www.oregonraceway.com/track_sched_news.php

The full title of the Book is “Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans” by A.J. Baime.  If your interests in sports cars go back to the early and mid-’60s this book might be for you.  If your interests are heightened by names like Carrol Shelby, Phil Hill, Dan Gurney, Ken Miles, John Surtees, Bruce McLaren, or Mark Donahue this is a book you must read.  It is the story of why and how Henry Ford II beat Enzo Ferrari at Enzo’s game and on his home court, i.e., the 24 hours of Le Mans.  Ford’s ire was ignited when Ferrari, at the last minute, backed out of a deal to sell 90 % of Ferrari to Ford.  Ford hired Carrol Shelby to build a race car capable of beating the Ferraris.  That car was the Ford GT40.  It took several attempts but they finally succeeded in 1966.  And, they did it in style.  The first three cars to cross the finish line after 24 hours at record smashing speeds were GT40s.  This is a great read.

As the time until the Healeys hit the Salt Flats grows shorter their newsletters are are arriving regularly.  See the attached for the latest news and pictures.

Bonneville Newsletter 009

Saturday, August 8, 2009 was set as the day to celebrate       the birthday of one of the founding fathers of the Austin    Healey Club of Oregon.  Bill Bolton celebrated his 80th  birthday with the help of a large number of friends  from the Healey Club as well as family, friends and    neighbors from the Eugene/Springfield and Creswell area.   Those of us who are members of the AHCO can thank Bill for his participation and leadership in the formation of ther Club in 1975, 34 years ago.

On Saturday several Club members spent the morning touring down the Willamette Valley before arriving at the Creswell Community Center to participate in the birthday pot luck lunch and party.  Thanks again, Bill, for all that you have done for the Austin Healey owners in the Northwest and beyond.

Dear Newsletter Subscriber,

It is certain : the Healeys are returning to Bonneville in 42 days from today.
Both cars will race in Bonneville, Utah during the World of Speed between 16-19th of September 2009. For those who want to attend, please let us know and check www.saltflats.com.
In the current Newsletter the exact Venues and dates organized by our Healey friends and Clubs in the USA.
In the Newsletters to come we will go into more detail about these events for those of you organizing the trip to the event.

Also a story about which Challenges were faced by Steve Pike and his team to get to this stage.

We will keep you informed about this Challenge.
Kindest regards,

Bruno Verstraete
Webmaster / owner Endurance Car

Oregon Club Members – Note the following is listed in the Newsletter No. 7.  We are officially on the Team’s Schedule:

September 4-7, 2009, Portland International Raceway
All British Field Meet
12 September 2009 : Miller Motorsportspark
Display of the record Cars, BBQ,… Admission + BBQ : 15 USD
16 – 19 September 2009 : World of Speed, Bonneville Utah
See the Healey Endurance Car and the Streamliner in action on the Salt 55 years after the original
event. (USFRA Admission : 10 USD per day or 20 USD for the Event.)

We received this photo of the two Healey Bonneville cars yesterday (click on the photo to see a larger version).  ARe those gorgeous cars, or what?  As you can see, Steve Pike and crew are about ready to ship the cars to the United States.  We’re anxiously looking forward to seeing the cars at our 33rd Annual All British Field Meet, in Portland, on September 4 -7.  This will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see these very special cars, so be sure to register your car and plan to attend.

If you’re not receiving the Healeys Return to Bonneville Newsletters, you can view the two most recent issues here and here.