September & Overseas Dispatch October 2004 10th Annual ECAIP Volume 9, Issue 5 In This Issue Les Foster This was an English Car Affair without a • At the Wheel ..................... 2 Park! A labour dispute involving federal gov- ernment employees at the Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site, ECAIP’s usual venue, • Autojumble: Cars & Parts For forced the OECC South Island Branch orga- nizers to come up with a new location on Sale & Wanted .................. 8 rather short notice. They not only succeeded in relocating the event but came up with a • Car Show Celebration ....... 6 spot that will no doubt give pause for thought when next year’s planning is under way. The good people at the B.C. Aviation Mu- • ECAIP ................................ 1 seum in Sidney were kind enough to offer their facility for the show. With a large grassy • Ladner-Bellingham Run ... 10 field for the cars, easy access, a backdrop of vintage aircraft, and handy facilities and concessions, it was custom-made for the • OECC Christmas Dinner .... 9 event! Both parties benefited, with the Mu- stead when the “Italian Job” contest came up. seum recording one of its best-ever days. This consisted of passing a load of “gold bricks” • OECC Picnic ...................... 2 Visitors were channeled through the Museum (2x4 wood blocks - apparently the OECC bullion entrance where admission was by donation. supply is low this year) in human-chain fashion For Vancouver Coast BranchLes members, Hetherington the to Awardeda table (representing the OECC&R a Mini Oxo from Cup the famous • Rover Run #1 .................... 4 closer proximity to the Swartz Bay ferry ter- movie). Luckily we had several real Italians on minal was an added bonus, shortening the hand and acquitted ourselves quite well in this • Triumph Challenge ............. 4 time spent dicing with highway traffic event! We were also happy to meet ex-VCB mem- greatly. bers Doug and Judy Unia, now enthusiastic Cen- I attended with Vice-Chair Fred Bennett, tral Island Branch supporters, showing their pris- • Wings & Wheels 2004 ....... 2 arriving in a Brand-X after Steve Diggins, tine ’77 Jag XJ-C. our pilot-to-be, was unable to revive his ail- The show sported the great mix of British ing Austin in time. I think this year’s vehicles which has become the trademark of Vancouver Coast Branch attendance was ECAIP. There was everything from a modern Den- Don’t Forget: probably the largest to date at ECAIP. Some nis double-decker bus to a tiny 1937 Fiat Topolino November 2: 7 PM Meeting, years ago, only two or three members were (yes, it was British). The featured marque for the th Location TBA in attendance but word has spread of this 10 Anniversary was, fittingly, Rolls-Royce, and wonderful fall fair; its “just-across-the-wa- some remarkable examples were displayed around November 7: Ladner-Bellingham ter” location this time likely helped encour- a vintage Douglas A-26 Invader water bomber. Of Run (see page 10) age mainland dwellers to venture forth. course I delighted in the commercials – a Bedford Besides Fred and I, Les and Carol van, Austin Gypsy, Austin Countryman, Austin Friday, December 3: Annual Hetherington (’89 Jaguar V-12), Bart and A35 van and a Morris Minor pickup. In fact, see- Christmas Dinner & Awards Audrey Shaw (’66 Triumph TR4-A - does Bart count as two?), Dom and Settimia Cirillo (’74 OECC Websites: MGB), brother Itallo (’60 Vauxhall Victor), Paul Vancouver Coast : and Kelly Beenham (’60 Vauxhall Velox - OECC car of the month), Bence McIntyre and members.shaw.ca/oeccvancouver/ Helen (’74 MG Midget), Patrick Jones and South Island (Victoria): Elaine Lafontaine, and Joe Carroll (’67 MG www.oecc.ca/sib.htm B-GT) were all there. (I hope that I haven’t Central Island (Nanaaimo): left anyone out.) members.shaw.ca/cioecc The healthy attendance stood us in good North Island (Comox): oecc-comox.com/ Northern Interior (Prince George): www.twobits.org/nibac/ OECC&R Society: www.oecc.ca/ Best Calendar Online: www.vancouverminiclub.ca Next Roundabout ing them was a huge recharge to my resolve to get DEADLINE: my Thames going. While its “new’ engine is cur- November 20 rently being rebuilt, it is mobile and licensed and Continued on page 3 $20 Dues are Due 12/31/04; $25 after that; Renew NOW! The Full Story! OECC Picnic August 29 Wings & Wheels 2004 Chris Walker Walter Reynolds In last month's Roundabout Chris Walker's photos from the August 15th Pitt Meadows "Wings & Wheels 2004" Show were published along with a short summary of the Show. Here's the long version: This is the second year that the Reynolds' have been involved, but the first year where the entire event has been organized by yours truly, with Linda looking after the "office work" at the Registration Tent on Show day. 2004 was the first year where we (the Open House Organizing Commit- tee) tried to have classic cars parked with airplanes on the same era. This part of the Show would be on the operating side of the Airport, in the taxiway. As show day came closer, previously committed planes dropped out and the “Park with a Plane” part of the show became one where we assigned About 30 attended our picnic registered cars (drivers had to specially register their car if at Elgin Park Crescent Beach. they wanted to park with a plane) to remaining airplanes Good food, OK weather; all based on the looks of the vehicle compared with the planes had a good time! Chef Itallo available, that is, sporty planes with sporty cars; "cute" cars cooked corn and potatoes for with "cute" planes, etc. On the actual day, though, even everyone; each group cooked this morphed into something different for most of the cars. their own meat. Bocci ball It became a "park with whatever plane you want" event. games (see below), organised Evenso, all went well - I think. We had ten cars parked with by Walter and Linda airplanes, and five of those were British. These included Reynolds, provided great fun. OECC members Chris and Dave Walker's Austin Seven Chummy, Itallo Cirillo's Vauxhall Victor, and Stephen Egerton's Allard Palm Beach. The remaining cars were parked on the south, non-op- erational part of the airport, in the same parking lot we used last year. In the parking lot, there were 52 vehicles , including a 1950s International Harvester flat bed one-ton truck, the New Westminster antique fire truck, the Mundie's Towing 1950s tow truck and OECC members Steve Diggins (Austin Cambridge), Alan Miles (Sunbeam Rapier convert- ible), and our Cambridge and Rover 2000. Club members who visited the show included Fred Bennett and Richard At the Wheel Taylor. As I was short of judges, I roped Steve Diggins in to do some judging. He did such a fine job, I will put him down to Chairperson: Gerry Parkinson 604-943-3824 be a judge next year (but don't tell him though). or [email protected] By the end of the day, ten trophies had been awarded, Vice-Chair: Fred Bennett including the Mayor's Award (presented by Pitt Meadows 604-939-1773 or Mayor, Don MacLean) and the RCMP Award (presented by Fax: 604-939-1753 Inspector Janice Armstrong of the Pitt Meadows/Maple Ridge Treasurer: Elaine Lafontaine 604-591-3332 or RCMP Detachment). In addition, 29 draw prizes were given [email protected] - Membership renewals: out to show participants. #73-8190 King George Highway, Surrey, BC V3W 5B7 While the entire open house event had a problem with a lack of volunteers, we were lucky with the Wings & Wheels Secretary: Dennis Nelson 604-599-9032 or because many friends and neighbours came out to help and [email protected] - New memberships and make the day a good one. Next year's date hasn't been set correspondence: 10932 Scarborough Drive, yet, but I will be sure to let everyone know (probably more Delta, BC V4C 7X1 than once). Thanks to all the OECC members who supported Wings Events Coordinator: Steve Diggins 604-294-6031 & Wheels 2004 by bringing out their cars or stopping by for Phone Committee Chief: Walter Reynolds a visit. 604-465-6350 or [email protected] Roundabout Editor: Steve Hutchens 360-733-3568 OECC Dues are Due 12/31! or [email protected] - Articles & ads: Elaine Lafontaine and Dennis Nelson 2090 N Shore Road, Bellingham, WA 98226-7864 Roundabout Printing & Distribution: Richard Taylor It’s time to renew your membership! Dues are $20 through 604-298-9347 or [email protected] December 31. Save $5 and renew now, because dues are Library Resources: Ivan Fisher 604-270-1096 $25 with the start of the new year. Mail renewals to Elaine and new memberships to Dennis (addresses in the next Good & Welfare: David Ballantine 604-980-4120 column). While you’re at it, please update your membership or [email protected] information for the OECC Roster, including cars owned! 2 Continued from page 1 which Joe Carroll informed me was more myself. Time machines indeed. As has had I realized earlier the short distance likely to have been carried ashore by Cana- become the tradition for some us, we hast- involved, I might have fixed its original dian troops wading in to Juno Beach on ily repaired to the 5 o’clock Super Ferry motor’s broken head stud and trundled D-Day. with its Pacific Buffet and happily stuffed over to the show. Dreams are an impor- We toured row upon row of lovely cars ourselves as the spectacular scenery tant part of these events! under dry skies and comfortable tempera- slipped by and the great day’s joys were There are always many vehicles at tures chatting with owners and guests.