MGB Register e-newsletter, June 2014

With just a few days until the start of the MG90 event at Silverstone (known as MGLive! in previous years), we thought this is a good opportunity to send out the latest e-newsletter. In this edition we share with you some information about MG90, news about upcoming events, a review of the Spring Run, some motoring news, and a bit of fun to keep you entertained one evening.

Upcoming Events

MG90

For those who are due to attend the event this weekend, or for those who are thinking they may go to Silverstone, here are some of the highlights and activities you can find, and key information about MG90.

Tickets - Tickets are still available on the gate priced at £26 for a day ticket and £45 for a weekend ticket. Entry is free for children aged 16 and under. Gates open at 9am on both days. http://www.mgcc.co.uk/mg90/tickets/

Travel – For information about access, parking, travel routes and maps, please go to: http://www.mgcc.co.uk/mg90/visitor-information/travel/ Accommodation – If you are thinking about staying over and in need of a last minute place to stay, have a look at these options: http://www.mgcc.co.uk/mg90/visitor-information/accomodation/

Layout – To see the proposed layout of the event please go to: http://www.mgcc.co.uk/mg90/visitor-information/layout/

Motorsport – As always there is a full agenda of motorsport on the historic Silverstone circuit. For race schedules and information about the Sprint and California Cup autotest, please go to: http://www.mgcc.co.uk/mg90/motorsport/

90 Year Timeline - Running the length of Copse Runway there will be a display of MG models in chronological order from the past 90 years. This is bound to be a magnificent sight and a must-see for any MG enthusiast.

Concours Pride of Ownership - For Concours, originality and attention to detail take centre stage. Both events take place on the Sunday of MG90 and are free to enter, with the winning Concours going on to compete in the Meguiars competition at the NEC Classic Motor Show. If you would like to enter this event, please go to http://www.mgcc.co.uk/mg90/features/concours-pride-of-ownership/

Circuit Tours - Spaces are running low so don’t miss out on the chance to drive your MG around Silverstone’s Grand Prix Circuit! For 2014 Silverstone Circuit Tours are available only to MG Car Club Members. The tours are taking place on the Saturday and Sunday lunchtime so book your place now to see Silverstone from a whole new perspective. To book go to: http://www.mgcc.co.uk/mg90/features/circuit-tours-2/

Register Parking – As always, you are likely to be able to park your MGB alongside other MGB’s (depending on availability when you arrive).

The Club Marquee - The Centre and Register stands provide a great spot for those with a shared passion for every type of MG to meet up chat and purchase regalia. There will also be a themed and imaginative display of MG , old and new, on show. The MGB Register will have a very special car on the stand, a Coune Berlinette owned by Nicolas and Gill Lecompte from Belgium. Only 56 of these cars were ever built.

The Club Marquee opening times are: Saturday 09:00 to 18:00, Sunday 09:00 to 16:30.

Classic Buses – If you fancy seeing the venue from a different perspective, why not take one of the classic buses that will be running throughout the weekend offering free tours, visiting sections of the circuit you may never have seen before. MG Motor – The event is not just about the history of MG from the past 90 years, but brings us up to the present day with MG Motor attending. To find out more about a special opportunity to get a test drive of the MG6 or MG3 at Stowe circuit, read on to the News section later in the newsletter.

The Social Marquee - This marquee provides a great space to socialise with MG friends old and new. With a bar and plenty of seating, the marquee also hosts the After Hours party on the Saturday night.

Other – There are lots of other activities at MG90, to find out more go to: http://www.mgcc.co.uk/mg90/

MGB Register Trip to Le Mans Classic

On 4th – 6th July this year, the Chairman of the MGB Register, John Watson, is attending the Le Mans Classic weekend along with some other MG enthusiasts. If you are planning to attend the event and want to meet up, or fancy a weekend away, please contact John on Tel 07770 575 236 or email [email protected] Having attended the Le Mans Classic in 2010, I can tell you it is a fantastic weekend. Races are 45 minutes long and comprise of 6 different grids through the eras, from 1923 through to 1979. Each grid has three races so they all get a night race. Races run back-to-back for 24 hours from Saturday afternoon through to Sunday afternoon. More information can be found at: http://www.lemansclassic.com/en/

European Event of the Year As mentioned in a previous e-newsletter, the MG European Event of the Year is in Denmark, celebrating 60 years of the MG car Club in Denmark. It is from 21 to 24 August. To find out more information, please see the following website: http://mgklub.dk/eeoty-2014/ or email: [email protected]. If anyone is attending this event, and would be interested in writing a few words and taking some photos that you are happy to be published in a future e-newsletter, please email me via [email protected]

MGB Register Weekend

There are still a couple of spaces left for the MGB Register weekend on 12th to 15th September 2015, based in Falmouth, Cornwall. The event is based at the Falmouth Hotel. There will be full day tours on the Saturday and Sunday, including visits to The Eden Project and The Lost Gardens of Heligan.

If you would like to book your place please first contact via email: [email protected] or call Geoff on 01425 654 416 to check availability. You can book your place online at: http://www.mgb- register.org/MGB-Register/Weekend_Entry_2014.html

MGB Register Lecture – RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. The 5th Annual MGB Register Lecture will take place on Friday 10th October 2014 and this year we welcome Warrant Office Kevin Ball, Senior Engineering Officer for the RAF BBMF, who will describe the history and organisation of The Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight which consist of Spitfires, Hurricane, Lancaster & Dakota aeroplanes. You may have recently seen the BBMF during Trooping of the Colour last weekend. Kevin joined the RAF in 1980 and in over 33 years service he has gained a huge amount of experience, and many stories! His lecture will be focusing on the work carried out to keep these iconic aircraft flying. The Lecture will be held at Amey Theatre, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 1DE. Doors open 7pm for 7.30 start. Entry to the lecture is £8.00 per person. Discount for block of 10 tickets purchased together £7.00 per person. Tea, coffee, merchandise and raffle tickets will be available. Number of tickets available is limited so please book early to avoid disappointment. By going to the following link, you can book your place, pay online, find the contact email, or download the flyer and book your place via cheque. http://www.mgb-register.org/MGB-Register/Events.html More information about the RAF BBMF, including display dates, can be found at: http://www.raf.mod.uk/bbmf/

Review of Recent Events

Many of you will have read Roger Boys’ write up of the annual MGB Register Spring Run in May’s edition of Safety Fast!, this year going to Waddesdon Manor. If you missed it, here is a link to some photos of the event by Steve Lee, to give you a flavour of the day. https://www.flickr.com/photos/mgbregister/sets/72157643628276824/

And here is one of mine: If you have never visited Waddesdon Manor, I definitely recommend it for a day trip in your MGB. The house itself is a National Trust property, built by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild in 1874. As well as some lovely gardens, and a stunning house showing how it was kept by the de Rothschild family, there are also a number of exhibitions and events that happen throughout the year. In July and August for instance, there will be a number of outdoor music and theatre performances, while throughout this year there is an exhibition about life in the house and village during the First World War. To find out more visit: http://www.waddesdon.org.uk/

News

VED Exemption extended on a rolling basis

In the budget on 1st April 2014, a welcome announcement for all classic motoring enthusiasts was that “the Government will introduce a rolling 40 year VED exemption for classic vehicles from 1st April 2014″. From 1st April 2014 a vehicle manufactured before 1st January 1974 will be exempt from paying VED. (Para 2.148, page 84). http://www.mgcc.co.uk/ved-exemption-extended-on-a-rolling-basis/

New Frontline Developments Car, and competition at MG90!

The MGCC are very proud to announce that MG 90 has been chosen to host the unveiling of the new MG ‘Abingdon Edition’ from Frontline Developments. This car has been designed around public request for the ultimate MG to ride alongside the MG LE50 which we saw for the first time in 2012. There will be only 25 of the new MG Abingdon Editions built at the Frontline Developments factory in Abingdon-on-Thames. As with the MG LE50, they are all being built to order allowing each car to be individually specified down to the last detail. In recognition of the new model, Frontline Developments have kindly offered one lucky person the opportunity to experience this outstanding new vehicle first hand by way of accompanying one of their test drivers for a ‘Hot lap’ of the Stowe circuit at MG90. Simply visit the Frontline Developments stand opposite the MG Car Club marquee to enter. Just tell them how many hours it takes to hand make a bonnet for an MG Abingdon Edition. All answers will be put into a hat and the draw will take place on Sunday at 2pm.You will need to be available at 3.00pm at the Frontline stand to be driven to the Stowe circuit for the experience of a life time!

MG Motor at MG90, with chance for a test drive at Stowe Circuit

MG Motor will be at MG90. This year, the MG Motor team will be hosting an experience like no other. On Saturday 21st June, at the Stowe Circuit complex, you are invited to join them on an interactive, behind the scenes, journey of MG Motor. This will include the first UK showings of the MG CS concept, confirmed for the UK market, and the fantastic MG Electric concept vehicle and much, much more. Anyone attending MG90 is welcome, but MG Motor only have a certain number of spaces and as such pre-booking is essential. After the MG UK experience, limited opportunities to test drive both the MG6 and the MG3 on the Stowe circuit will be available with a chance to take advantage of an exclusive MG90 purchase offer, only available to those who have attended the event. To book your space on the ‘MG Motor: The Next Ninety Years’ simply click on this link, complete the booking form and an acknowledgment will be sent to you from MG Motor. Please be aware that both experiential and test drive slots are limited so if you find that you are not able to select a specific time, please try another. MG Motor will remove the ability to choose filled time slots daily as they are filled. Full joining instructions for the experience will then be sent a few days before the event.

Jubilee and L.E Owners Club History – help needed

The MGB Jubilee and L.E Owners club (j.u.l.e) are seeking your help if you have owned, own or know of any of the 1975 MGB GT Jubilees or Anniversary editions or the 1981 Limited Edition GT or Roadster. J.U.L.E is a web based club for Limited Edition MG’s and we have a data base for these rare cars which we are currently updating. These cars are very special and an important piece of MG history and we are striving to collect all available information so if you could help and the car hasn’t been registered with us, please contact the club at mgbjubilee.com or [email protected]. Fun

To keep you entertained one evening, or on a journey to work, there is a motoring related crossword. Motoring Crossword

Clues Across 7 Homeland of Tata cars (5) 8 Makers of the Brera (4,5) 10 _ _ Cupra R, hot hatch (4,4) 11 1990s Daewoo similar in looks to the old Cavalier (6) 12 Discontinued Kia superminis (6) 13 Ford StreetKa or Porsche Boxster, eg (8) 14 Makers of the RX-8 (5) 16 How the MX-5 is known in North America (5) 21 It was replaced by the Brava and Bravo (4,4) 23 Change gear after stepping on it (6) 24 The XR2i was a version of which Ford? (6) 25 Ill-fated Irish from the early 1980s (8) 26 What nationality is the Proton car company? (9) 27 Suzuki hatchback (5)

Clues Down 1 Honda _ Type-R , it was discontinued in the UK in 2001 (7)

2 Vauxhall Meriva rival from the Punto people (4,4) 3 Hyundai family car (7) 4 Makers of the Quattroporte (8) 5 Two-door cars like the Ford Puma and Vauxhall Tigra (6) 6 L-plate driver (7) 9 Traditional alternative to remote control door unlockers (4)

15 Makers of the Copen convertible (8) 17 Stylish VW 4x4s (8) 18 A privately-run taxi (7) 19 Production of this Ferrari cabriolet lasted until the early 1990s (7) 20 Skoda family car (7) 22 TVR's best-seller (6) 23 Mitsubishi supermini (4)