Exhaust Notes Newsletter of the St Louis Triumph Owners Association Www.SLTOA.org Vol 15, Issue 12, December 2013 See page 6 In Memoriam Thanksgiving is a special season for all Americans. It gives us a time to count our Kjell Qvale blessings and to consider all the things we have to be thankful for. No matter what 1919-2013 View From Behind the Steering our economic, religious, or ethnic back- Wheel See pg 7 ground, the one thing that will come to the By Creig Houghtaling (Continued on page 7) 1 Calendar 6 Dec 2013—Annual SLTOA Christmas across from Gravois Bluffs in Fenton at 6 PM. Info at Party, Missouri Athletic Club-West, 1777 Des www.stlmgclub.com/events-calendar. Peres Rd, StL. See pg. 3. 11 Jan 2014—MGCStL Holiday Party, at Sqwire’s in La- 21 Jan 2014 – SLTOA monthly meeting fayette Square, 1415 S 18th St, St Louis. Cash bar at 5:30 PM, dinner at 6:30 PM, cost $15 per person (club 9 Feb 2014 – SLTOA Polar Bear Run. Annual all- subsidized), reservations must be made by Monday 6 weather kick-off driving event for the season, 16 January. Details including menu at February will serve as the backup date in the event www.stlouismgclub.com/events-calendar/. of really bad weather. Event route in planning, end 11 Jan 2014—Jaguar Association of Greater St Louis point at El Casa Grande del Moore (ie, Stephen y Annual Dinner and Awards Gala, at the Deer Creek Maria Moore’s), 5215 Mirasol Manor Way, Eureka Club, 9861 Deer Creek Hill, St Louis. Hors d’oeuvres and 63025. Pot-luck meal with monthly business meet- cocktails at 6:30 PM, dinner at 7:30 PM, followed by ing, more details in next month’s Exhaust Notes. awards presentation at 9 PM. Please RSVP by 31 De- cember to Jeri Herold, 129 Ridgecrest Ct, Chesterfield, 27-30 Apr 2014 – South Central VTR Regional, The MO 63017. Elms Spa & Hotel, Excelsior Springs, hosted by the th Kansas City Triumph Club. See pg. 3. 9 Feb 2014—34 Annual St Louis Area Automotive Swap Meet, 6 AM to 1:30 PM, $4 admission. At Belle- th May 2014 – 30 Anniversary, St Louis Triumph Claire Fairgrounds, 200 S Belt East, Belleville. Owners Association 8-17 Feb 2014 – Chicago Auto Show, at McCormick 20-23 Jul 2014 – 18th Annual British V8 Meeting, Place, hard by Soldier Field (“’Da Bears!”), Lake Colorado Springs, host hotel Hilton Garden Inn, Shore Drive at 23rd St. Web page: 1810 Briargate Parkway, Colorado Springs (719) www.chicagoautoshow.com. 589-6866. Planned events include morning moun- tain drive to Bailey with lunch, a drive to the summit 25-27 Apr 2014 – 2014 Speedfest at the Classic Mo- of Pikes Peak (14,115’), local tours and dinners. torsports Mitty, Road Atlanta, Braselton, GA. Monitor www.britishv8.org/British-V8-Meetings.htm. Races sanctioned by Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR); Brian Redmond will serve as Grand Marshal. 11-15 Jun 2014 – TRA 2014, Deer W e b p a g e s www.themitty.com/ a n d Creek State Park, Mount Sterling, OH, www.hsrrace.com/2013_Mitty.html. hosted by the Miami Valley Triumphs. Located between Columbus and Cin- Apr 2014—Cars & Coffee returns, details to follow. cinnati, lots of good roads, a modern 28-31 May 2014 – 3rd Annual British Car Week Na- lodge with 110 rooms and plenty of tional meet, Little Rock & Hot Springs National amenities. Website up and running at Park, AR. Monitor www.bcwnm.org/. www.miamivalleytriumphs.org/tra2014. 7-9 Mar 2014 – Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, 12-14 Sept 2014 – British Small Bore/Kastner Cup at the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, FL, celebrating 50 Race, Eagles Canyon Raceway, Decatur, TX years of McLaren. Monitor (northwest of Fort Worth). Sponsored by Corinthian www.ameliaconcours.org. Vintage Auto Racing (CVAR), th www.corinthianvintagerace.com. 16-18 May 2014 – 11 Annual Carlisle Import & Kit Car Nationals, Carlisle, PA. At the Carlisle Fair- 22-25 Apr 2015 – South Central VTR Regional, Bas- grounds, showcasing over 1200 classic and high- trop, TX, hosted by Hill Country Triumph Club of performance vehicles. Info including registration at Austin. www.carlisleevents.com/carlisle-events/carlisle- import-kit-nationals/default.aspx. 7 Dec 2014—Gateway Healey Associa- Full listing at www.sltoa.org/events/2013/events13.htm tion Annual Christmas Party, 7:30 PM at Keith Bester’s home, 115 N Sappington, Kirk- wood (314)821-2372. Please bring a dish to share. St Louis Triumph Owners Association 18 Dec 2014—MG Club of St Louis Holiday Lights Tour. Join the MG Club for a tour of holiday lights in and around Kirkwood, followed by a stop at Uncle Bill’s on Manches- ter for a meal or desert. Come in any car you Member, St Louis Sports Car Council like, dress for the weather. Meet at Starbucks Www.stlscc.org 2 SLTOA’s 2013 Christmas Party Friday, December 6 at the MAC-West County, Cash bar at 6:30 PM, dinner at 7:30 PM Tossed Caesar salad Shaved Top Sirloin with au jus Seared Chicken Marsala Mashed potatoes Penne pasta with creams sauce and peas Sauteed Haricot verts CHEESECAKE! Cost per attendee: $17.00 (club subsidized) Contacts: Ann Stark (314)993-5314 [email protected] Kathy Kresser (636)394-3012 [email protected] Polar Bear’s Coming… South Central VTR Regional 27-30 April 2014 The Elms Hotel & Spa Excelsior Springs, MO Events include welcome reception, funkhana, gimmick rallye, autocross, model/craft show, dinner run and participants’ choice concours. Registration now open: http://kansascitytriumphs.com/Registration%20-% 202014%20VTR%20South%20Central%20Regional.htm Those registering by 31 December 2013 will be entered in a 6 January 2014 drawing for one night’s stay at the host hotel, The Elms Hotel & Spa, six winners total. VTR hotel rate $104+tax, register ASAP as rooms are going fast. (800)843-3567 www.elmshotelandspa.com. Sunday 9 Feb 2014– Details in the January issue of Exhaust Notes (and no, there are no casino stops…) 3 Meeting Notes—19 Nov 2013 In an evening As a follow-up to 10 November’s Vet’s Drive fundraiser, the appropriate for the organizer noted 10 cars (four Triumphs, two MGs, two BMWs onset of the holiday and one Morgan) with $266 in donations for The Fisher House season, the mem- Foundation. Stephen Paur immediately made a motion for the bers of SLTOA club to provide matching funds, which passed unanimously. observed a rather The secretary advised that everyone who participated would festive (hilarious, get a printout/receipt listing their donation with Fisher House’s occasionally riot- 501c3 number “within a couple of weeks.” ous) monthly meet- Stephen Moore then initiated a discussion on gaining 501c3 ing at the home of status for SLTOA (“We’re already a charitable organization. Ann and Tom We have to be; we drive Triumphs”) which would a) be useful Stark. in future fundraising events and b) save us tax dollars during And, as always purchases of supplies for events, such as the ABCCS. A spir- when food and libation were involved, getting people to put ited debate followed, including questions over the cost of gain- down their plates, suspend passes through the kitchen and end ing 501c3 status and the question of whether it’s worth spend- a large number of conversations proved problematic but Prez ing “…$500 to save a few bucks in taxes?” The conversation Creig did manage to get the business part of the evening continued, as will the annual Veterans Run, which will serve as started promptly at 7:30 PM. He then conducted a pre-emptive an annual club event, open to all local sports and special inter- strike, calling for immediate adjournment; the crowd, caught off est clubs. -guard, failed to respond to his resolution so the meeting pro- Creig asked for an update on the event schedule for the next ceeded. two months. The response: “Party! Party! Party!” (followed by Treasurer Joe someone announcing, “Happy, happy, happy”)(no, that individ- gave the initial, brief ual did not have a beard or camo). Member (and new MG report on the club’s Club of St Louis chairman) Lee Fox reminded everyone of the finances (“Yes, Saturday 23 November MGCStL “Sporting Clays” at the Black- we’ve got money”) hawk Valley Hunt Club, stating “It’s a blast” (collective groans) and followed with and adding it was kind of like “golf with shotguns” (collective somewhat more cheers). He did say that seeing as it was deer season, every- detail, ie, $4525.86 one should wear orange, just in case…(from the floor: “…and in the bank in ad- DON’T wear your antlers!”). The MG gang will follow up on 18 vance of Christmas December Holiday Lights drive, see the event calendar for de- party expenditures. tails. Finally, Lee updated everyone on the MG holiday party, He noted last year’s scheduled for Saturday 11 January. party cost the club Concerning the SLTOA’s annual Polar Bear Run scheduled about $800 in subsi- for Sunday 9 February, the members agreed to a 16 February dies for the meals. really really bad weather alternate date, although someone Someone com- pointed out the Triumphista had plenty of experience in going mented that with out into snow and ice…and rain…and heat…and plague, pesti- this kind of budget, “When Treasurer Joe speaks, everyone lis- lence, famine, etc. Creig put up an optional post-event party at an open bar should tens…” Game Haven in Overland (www.gamehavenstl.com; “…a local be part of the eve- business with the goal of providing a safe place for kids and ning; someone else responded with, “No, more cheesecake!” adults of all ages); Ann Stark responded by offering up her and and The Great Cheesecake Controversy was on, once again.