VOLUME 13, NUMBER 2 MARCH-APRIL 2008 INSIDE THIS ISSUE UPCOMING EVENTS EDITOR’S BIT BRBC Update ..................................10 Tue., May 6, 7:00: Meeting at Join me in a big “THANKS!” to the Executive Meeting Minutes ..............2 Richmond Frame & Alignment, Roundabout Contributors Fort Langley Run...............................7 7960 River Road, Richmond Honour Roll of 2007: Fred Ben- Garage Tour...................................... 8 Sat., May 17: VanDusen ABFM; Post- nett, Steve Blake, Joe Carroll, John Happy 70th Birthday, E83W ............3 ABFM event TBA on May 6 Chapman, Fred Cirillo, Steve Diggins, Jaguar-Land Rover Deal ...................6 Tue., June 3, 7:00: Meeting at Roma Les Foster, Bill Grant, Carl Knorr, My First MG ......................................6 Hall, 940 Ewen Avenue, New West Alan Miles, Ken Miles, Pat Miles, Win OECC AGM Nanaimo........................7 Fri., June 27, 9:00: BRBC ferries to Muehling, Dennis Nelson, Walter Positive Earth ....................................9 Swartz Bay; PM: Comox pig roast Reynolds, Mike Smith, Pat Sparks, Tramcars in Birmingham..................4 Sat., June 28: AGM in Nanaimo (p. 7) Chris Walker, Karen Whitworth, and VCB AGM Meeting Minutes..............2 Sun., June 29: VCB meets BRBC for Roy Wilkins. Without them we would- Welcome to OECC...........................10 lunch or picnic (details by June 3) n’t have had a Roundabout! Sound and Fury Les Foster … a poor player index to the magazine. ver, B.C. The film may premiere at That struts and frets his hour upon the stage After only a modicum of Cannes in May, 2008, and appear in And then is heard no more. It is a tale eyestrain I found what I theatres after that. It will be the duty Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, was looking for: “The Tak- of all red-blooded Sidevalvers to see Signifying nothing. ing of the Stone of Destiny (and hear) it! W. Shakespeare, Macbeth (How small Fords played The actual sound recording session their part”) in the October was both fun and interesting. Appropri- My Thames pickup has strut its hour 2004 Pre War Register by Yvon Pre- ately the sound technician, Pat Haskill upon the stage and it was, indeed, full cieux. This excellent narrative tells the from DBC, showed up driving an older of sound and fury. A Vancouver, B.C. true story of the Stone of Destiny or Ford Probe. Pat followed my Thames sound production company, DBC Sound The Stone of Scone. The subject of Inc., approached the Vancouver Coast many legends, the stone was definitely Branch of the Old English Car Club of the sacred seat upon which Scottish B.C. with hope of finding a Ford E493A kings sat for their coronations and its Prefect whose sounds they could record removal to Westminster Abbey as a for use in a motion picture. An email prize of war by the English King Ed- containing the request from Jeff Davis ward I in 1296 was a sore point for the of DBC Sound was read out at our Feb- Scots for centuries. The Stone of Des- ruary 2008 meeting and as the only tiny’s liberation by four Scottish uni- Ford sidevalve owner present, I agreed versity students driving two 8 H.P. to contact Jeff. Ford cars on Christmas Day, 1950, and I learned that the movie in question, its harrowing repatriation to Scotland “The Stone of Destiny,” already shot on has, itself, become modern legend. location in Glasgow and London, appar- Yvon identified the two vehicles used to ently featured the main characters us- execute the raid and transport the al- pickup from my home in Tsawwassen, ing a Prefect throughout the film. Al- most 400 pound stone as a Ford 7Y B.C. (a southern suburb of Vancouver) though we do have an E493A in the (about 1938) and a newer E04A Anglia. down the hill to the flat Fraser River Branch, the owner, Elliot Sclater, was Having not seen the film footage, I can- delta lands of the Ladner area. We away on vacation and time was of the not say definitely that the 7Y and the drove a few miles out into the farm essence. I explained to Jeff that I Anglia are being represented by an owned an English Ford pickup truck E493A in the movie but this is what (my 1951 E83W steel box pickup) which I’ve been led to believe. used the same engine and gearbox as a Seeking more information I went to Prefect and was generally similar in the Internet where the ‘Playbackonline’ construction. I did caution him that it website told me that the movie stars was probably a bit louder than the car Robert Carlyle (Trainspotting, Human due to its short exhaust system and Trafficking), Billy Boyd (The Lord of lack of interior upholstery! “OK!” said the Rings), Kate Mara (Shooter) and Jeff and a recording date set for Febru- Charlie Cox (Stardust) in Rob Merilees’ ary 13th, a day forecast to be sunny. Infinity Features production directed Meanwhile my excitement was build- by Charles Martin Smith. Co- ing! I recalled reading something about production in the U.K. was by Mob a famous Scottish stone with a Ford Films of London. The budget was put at area and found a little-used road. The connection in the Ford Sidevalve Own- 13 million dollars, none of which, sadly, equipment was simple: a portable re- ers Club magazine, Sidevalve News, a trickled down to me. Post-production corder and a large, muffled, micro- while back. My first step was to use my (this is where my Thames comes in) phone. At Pat’s direction I made many computer to search the comprehensive included DBC Sound here in Vancou- (Continued on page 3) Executive Meeting Minutes and also inviting all English pre-war application would include tick boxes to car owners. indicate whether the person prefers – February 19, 2008 The welcoming of new members was contact , the words “Do you wish to be discussed and a procedure has been phoned directly [ ] or emailed [ ] regard- Treasurer’s report: the general opin- developed. Information from member- ing information as to where the next ion of the group was that the club is in ship applications will be sent the Editor meeting is and when upcoming events very good financial shape. A short dis- who will make name tags and add the are happening.” would be added to the cussion of Ladner to Bellingham old information to a “Welcome to OECC” form. How we get an update on current expenses led to resolution. It was asked column in the Roundabout. Welcome member’s desires was not discussed, that the fiscal year be moved from No- packets will be developed and brought but could be handled partially at the vember to November to a year which to the next meeting to be given to the general meeting. follows the normal annual calendar. new members. The packets will in- Ladner to Bellingham 2008 (?) will Steve Diggin’s moved that the treas- clude: have volunteers for a committee solic- urer’s report be accepted, and Fred • A welcome letter from our chairper- ited at the AGM. Volunteers for the Bennett seconded. There was unani- son OECC – BC Triumph Challenge event mous agreement. • A Welcome to OECC brochure from will also be solicited. Christmas party The budget for the next year was the Society with info on all branches will be discussed at the AGM, with discussed and the general summary • Membership cards ideas ranging from a carol ship to was that we have a significant float so • Name tags Roma Hall (upper rooms). that, over the next four years, we might • OECC window decals (inside and In attendance: Ken Miles, Fred Ben- plan to spend a little more than the out) nett, Bart Shaw, Michael Smith, dues bring in and still maintain the • Discount cards Elaine, Lafontaine, Steve Diggins, and desired level of cushion. Some very in- • A recent OECC Society roster Dennis Nelson. Missing due to injury, teresting club events were discussed • Meetings information Steve Hutchens. With seven members with a few remaining alive. One major • A recent Roundabout present, there were usually six conver- addition to the club’s plans for 2008 is If the new member isn’t at that sations underway. an event at HMCS Discovery in Stanley meeting, the packet will be mailed. Park on Sunday, July 20th, with the The phone list and process was dis- Dennis Nelson objective of inviting a second car club cussed, and a revision to the applica- Secretary-Registrar each year (the selection on rotation), tion form was agreed to. The revised OECC Vancouver Coast Branch Vancouver Coast Branch Annual General tannia Shipyard, in thanks for their great hospitality during the Valentine’s Day drive, Elaine seconded, all agreed, and Meeting Minutes – March 4, 2008 Lorna will deliver a $50 donation. The “new members” kit was explained, and the first one Despite the fact that it was hard for the Chair to get the was handed out, and the other four were to be mailed. attention of members, as 20% can't hear and 45% don’t listen, As is the tradition, the entire elected Executive stepped we nevertheless persevered with our annual AGM. Several down in hopes that someone would replace them. As often issues coming out of the Executive Meeting were dealt with. happens, this was a faint hope. Showing that they must get Firstly, plans for the November Branch event were discussed. along, each of the Executives agreed to stand for election Agreement was almost unanimous for planning to not cross again, and no one even tried to get in the way.