MTWC Group Events are also listed after the GO’s report BROOKLANDS LANCS AND LAKES Next meeting 3rd March at the New Inn, Send, Surrey GU23 7EN th Post-Christmas Dinner 28 March at the MacDonald NORTH WEST Stewart (Canadian) Pavilion Bisley. 11th March - Wednesday Lunch at The Smoker EAST ANGLIAN Inn, A556, Plumley EAST ANGLIA – WOOLPIT OXFORD Tuesday 28th March, Oxford Group Meeting, The Abingdon Arms, Beckley, noon. EAST MIDLANDS SOUTH COAST th FAR FAR SOUTH WEST 18 th Fri Mar 6 . Black &White breakfast meet, 10.00am, SOUTH EAST Fox & Hounds, Scorrier. Wednesday 4th and 18th March Wednesday th - Wed Mar 11 . VSCC lunch meet. 12.00pm, Hawkins Irregulars lunchtime meetings Arms, Zelah Saturday 7th March, the annual SE Group Mogjumble th Sun Mar 15 . VMCC Run, 10.30am, Tesco's, at The Swan, Horndon-on-the-Hill Wadebridge. th SOUTH WEST Wed Mar 18 VMCC Lunch meet. 12.00pm, Victoria, Roche. Thu Mar 19th MTWC Group Meeting 7.30pm, Fox & Hounds, Scorrier. FAR SOUTH WEST WEST MIDLANDS Wednesday, 11th March, Mid-month Meeting. Fruiterer’s Arms, Ombersley 20.00 Wednesday 25th HERTS, BEDS AND BUCKS. March, Monthly Meeting. The Clent Club 20:00 Y.N.D. 18th 10th March The Bay Horse, Scholes. M1, J35, A629 Rotherham, 3rd left Scholes (Sat Nav S61 2RQ). “Buffet Night” Dates for your 2015 diary th Sunday 12 April MTWC OPENING RUN th th 25 26 April MTWC Night Trial see page 26 May 22nd–25th 8th Dutch Run: Amersfoort see page 9 Jan May 29 to June 1st. Fougeres Rally July 24th-26th Viking Run see page 15 Jan Contents: 14 Letters/postcards/emails 26 PH 8267/Night Trial 3 Editorial Witterings 15 EU Directive News 30 Group Reports Adrian M-L’s conrod 16 Help the Aged 40 Speedometers OPENING Run 2015 17 FL 5031 42 Bump Steering 6 Coombe Mills 44 New Members 45 Precision Engines 9 JAP Factory correction 22 Driving in UK at 70 46 Floggery 10 Competition report 23 Trackrod Wisdom 48 Page 48 11 Racing USA 24 Austrian Events 49 ….. 12 Making Do 25 Sandford Auction Cover Photo: Yoshihiro Ogawa and his 1933/34 Morgan; taken whilst enjoying his first run of 2015 with Mt Fuji as an appropriate back-drop. 2 Vol. 70 March2015 No. 3 THE BULLETIN THE MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE MORGAN THREE- WHEELER CLUB AFFILIATED TO THE ACU: NON - TERRITORIAL CLUB WEBSITE: www.mtwc.co.uk Editorial This is the only part of the Bulletin where I other day, he declared no recollection of use the first person and the part I always find contacting the DVLA when he reached that takes the greatest application. As the age. Alan has been unwell of late and Mrs contributions arrive during the preceding President, Sheena has been driving him … month, the copy starts to come together around (!) Alan was in good spirits - when I and it is a real pleasure as diverse articles spoke with him he had just arrived at the arrive. All good things must Critchlows - no doubt Julia come to an end … so let's … and Len would carry on. keep him happily It gives me much comfort entertained. that so many members are Sheena herself has been sending in articles, clearly having back trouble of late, having given thought to on behalf of the Club we answering questions and in send Very Best Wishes. the case of Alan Rance on Contemplating how page 6 an exposition directly youthful I feel (!) and the related to the venue of the forthcoming season with so Opening Run. many exciting events, I Alan has provided an realised that fifty years ago erudite piece on early this month, a sixteen year sawmill practice, so Opening old living in Somerset Run attendees will not only have prior insight joined as an associate and received his very but an understanding of the origins of some old first Bulletin. That copy, edited by Pete expressions. Thompson, was read over and over again and It is evident that discussions on the topic “to set the path that I have followed to this day. grease or not to grease” continues unabated and Names that were to become fully familiar will eclipse the UK General Election in May. appeared; Alan Lazenbury as Chairman, Mike As the files close for the month, comment is Guess, Hohj Podnil* Gary Caroline, Clarrie still arriving and will continue next month. I’m Coombes and so many more. By pure fascinated and intrigued by the comments so coincidence, I met Pete Loveless and similarly, far - and the diversity of opinion. two weeks later, Nev Lear. (we’re still friends) Tony Birks (he of the F-Type Handbook) Little did I imagine that so many would has penned an article on Speedometer become such good friends. Little did I then maintenance, Steve Uprichard is helping the imagine that I would have the privilege of aged on p16 and those of a certain age may having so many friends worldwide. Never did I read the DVLA advice on what to do with your imagine that fellow Club members would UK driving licence when one reaches 70. provide so many eye-watering laughs! Chatting with President Alan Lazenbury the Such is the pleasure and conviviality * Uncle John Lindop of Morgan Three Wheeler ownership. STOP PRESS NEW DATE FOR THE NIGHT TRIAL - SEE PAGE 26 3 Connecting Rod Adrian Murray-Leslie A few years ago I broke a slider coming design components and there are some who down a 1 in 4 hill on my way to an MOT test. look for improvements. Fortunately the garage owner was a vintage I have heard many say that the Club has enthusiast who promptly drove me the five run for seventy years so it must be all right miles each way to collect an old spare and now and doesn’t need changing and there are allowed me to replace it in his garage. Thank those keen to keep the structures, policies and you Roger Thorpe of Castleton. procedures fit for purpose and to develop the I decided this year, after quite a few years Club using modern technology and of general reliability from the car that it was improvements. time to replace that get-me-out-of-jail slider My view is that if structures, policies and and its partner with new ones. procedures are fit for purpose, then we will As I proceeded with the job, I found a both work better and have fewer fallings-out broken rebound spring and a loose brake because everyone knows where they stand. In cable anchor and some rather less than free the car metaphor, this is the periodic acting track rod ends and the pivot of on the maintenance. outer end of the drag link was corroded and Then there are those who want to introduce tight. Oh, and the bottom wing stay on the modern technology and improvements, near side was bent. particularly in the field of IT and in the car I shall start on the engine and transmission metaphor, this is the floating cam conversion soon . Then I thought about (OK, it isn’t that new!) or, not that I have improvements and, as the brakes were pulling done it, the introduction of electronic ignition to the offside, I made a floating cam conversions and LED lights and indicators, conversion and a better shroud to stop grease cunningly concealed in the louvres of a beetle coming through the rebound spring from back. getting into the brake. My view of all this is that periodic main- There is a metaphor here for the manage- tenance is vital to trouble free motoring and ment of the club. There are many Morgan Club life and improvements can make the owners who drive until something breaks, overall experience of both there are others who periodically check and Threewheelers and how people access, repair. There are some who only use original enjoy and run our Club. Facebook Feature - Paul and Molly Nolte Most, I believe are familiar with Youtube … not so many are Facebook users, judging from the number of my FB friends who are UK MTWC members. Many, I suspect, are of the opinion that it is the province of the young - not so! I have found FB a great way to make more friends and use it Paul and Molly Nolte are real enthusiasts and use their M3W all the time, being a regular sight around Okemos, Michigan. Have a look at “My friend Molly and her Amazing Car” on Vimeo or YouTube 4 MTWC Opening Run 2015 Sunday 12th April Combe Mill, Blenheim Palace Sawmills, Oxfordshire OX29 8ET … Why not make a weekend of it? Opening Run April 12th - Update. The Mill will be open from 10:00am to We plan to have a visit by a steam 5:00pm and admission will be free for traction engine and Combe Mill will be members of the MTWC via tickets we will providing guided natural history walks in supply on the day. the Blenheim Palace Estate. The walks will I’ve asked a small group of renowned be on the hour and will last about 45 mins Morgan Ladies to do the concours judging (there will be a small charge for these). and to select people and cars for a few Don’t forget there is suggested accom- additional prizes - so make sure you come modation on the website for those who dressed to impress! The prize giving will want to make a weekend of it. be early that afternoon.