THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION of THE BRITISH MOTOR CLUB of SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY September 2018 VOL. 28 ISSUE 04 September Cover Car The Triumph TR 2 / TR 3 Story on page 11 INTERIM PRESIDENT “Offside/Nearside ” is the bi -monthly newsletter of the British Motor Club of Southern New Jersey (BMC), which was founded in 1992 to encourage the ownership, operation and Ed Gaubert 856 -751 -7773 preservation of British cars. [email protected] Membership is open to all owners of automobiles manufactured in Great Britain prior to 1996 and all owners of motorcycles manufactured in Great Britain prior to 1979. BOARD OF DIRECTORS The dues of $15.00 per year, includes a subscription to “Offside/Nearside”. BMC is affiliated with the following organizations: MG Owners Club (MGOC); North American MGB Register Tom Evans (NAMGBR); North American MGA Register (NAMGAR); Vintage Triumph Register (VTR); Triumph Register of America (TRA). [email protected] BMC Meetings Steve Ferrante BMC Meetings are generally held on the third Wednesday of each month in alternating locations to best reach our membership base: [email protected] Odd numbered months (January, March, May, July, September): Seven Stars Diner 1890 Hurffville Rd, Sewell, NJ 08080 Jack Kontes Even numbered months (February, April, June, August, October) [email protected] Uno Pizzeria & Grill, 2803 NJ 73, Maple Shade NJ 08052 Meetings are not planned for November or December due to holiday scheduling conflicts. Gary Warren Meetings typically begin at 7pm, with food service beginning at 6pm. Dates and times are sub- [email protected] ject to change, which will be communicated by email to club members. Although we hope that these things are common sense, BMCSNJ has adopted the following policies and practices with respect to club sponsored events. SUPPORT STAFF Membership meetings are sometimes held in restaurants that serve alcoholic bever- MEMBERSHIP and ages. We expect that members who choose to consume alcohol at these meetings TREASURER - Steve Ferrante will do so responsibly. 90 Strawberry Drive BMCSNJ supports safe and responsible enjoyment of British automobiles and mo- Shamong, NJ 08088 torcycles. All events sponsored by BMCSNJ are alcohol and drug free. Consump- [email protected] tion or distribution of alcohol or controlled substances is expressly prohibited. All driving events are conducted in accordance with motor vehicle laws at all times. SECRETARY - Tom Evans This does not really represent a change to our prior policy or practice, it just docu- 177 Grant Ave. Cherry Hill, NJ 08002 ments it. If you have not been to one of our events before, come out and join us. 609 - 923 -9298 You will be glad that you did. [email protected] EDITOR - Joe Marchione NEWSLETTER CONTRIBUTIONS 921 Shelburne Ave Absecon, NJ 08201 OFF SIDE / NEAR SIDE is YOUR Newsletter. 609 - 272 -9743 The Editors are always looking for new material. [email protected] No material / No Newsletter. Simple as that. Please submit British car EVENT DIRECTOR - related copy and especially personal experiences in your LBC for us to use in one of our Tracy Westergard six annual Newsletters. Project articles with pictures are really good. [email protected] PLEASE SEND NEWSLETTER CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE EDITOR : The official BMCSNJ Joe Marchione: [email protected] website can be Note: If you are emailing please leave a message on 609 -272 -9743 phone number accessed at so I’m sure to get it. WWW.BMCSNJ.ORG Thanks —Joe Marchione PLEASE SEND FOR SALE, WANTED or FREE REQUESTS TO : Ed Gaubert: [email protected] >>>>> DISCLAIMER!!! <<<<< Readers are warned that any attempt at mechanical or other modifications described herein is at their own risk. Good car mechanics results in pleasure; poor car mechan- ics results in, at best, a personal rebuild. The opinions expressed in the articles of this newsletter are not necessarily those of BMC, the editors or advertisers. The editors take responsibility for any editorial mistakes or errors. 2 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Since the last newsletter I am proud to an- For each issue of the newsletter we will adhere nounce that I managed to steal 3 hours from life to these deadlines for submissions: to work in my garage. But, you do not belong to this club to hear about how bad I am at complet- First of the month prior to the newsletter ing projects. You want to hear about the fun ( i.e. first of the even numbered months ) and exciting things right? Member profiles There has been a lot of activity for the board Event reports and pictures recently, but I must admit that very little of it has All other member submitted information been fun or exciting. It all comes with the terri- tory and is outlined in this article. If you happen Material is always welcomed, but material to find any of it to be fun or exciting, please let received after this deadline may be delayed to me know. Like Huck Finn, we can let you in on the following newsletter. the fun if you like. Along with the insurance changes comes a I may have mentioned this before, but the requirement that we provide event information in Board has voted to increase the number of advance of many events to the insurance Board positions from six to nine. We are doing carrier. That will require some tweaking regard- this to bring more talent to the Board and insure ing the events calendar. More about that when that we have adequate backup for the tasks we get to 2019 planning. necessary to run the club. We hope to define and fill the extra positions by the end of this Elsewhere in the newsletter you will find a year. policy statement regarding BMCSNJ events. While it should be common sense, in order pre- We have reviewed our insurance coverage vent or limit any liability, it is necessary for the and enhanced it. We are insured under the club to have and enforce policies about certain North American MGB Register (NAMGBR) poli- actions including alcohol and observance of traf- cy for $2 million of liability arising from injury or fic laws. It is common sense that we are print- damage to property of others. We have also ing it to make it official. obtained an additional $1 million of coverage for any claims against the Officers and Directors The other big change is a change to the club of BMCSNJ. This benefit is provided to us be- by -laws. Originally, the club was open to “those cause we are an affiliated chapter of NAMGBR. with an interest in British automobiles”. The If you own an MGB, MGC, Midget, or MG 1100 Board has voted to be more specific about our you owe it to yourself to join this organization. membership guidelines to maintain the vintage Their publication is top notch, and their national nature of the club and to expand beyond auto- events are better than many corporate conven- mobiles. This change applies to future mem- tions. Visit www.namgbr.org for information. bers. The by -laws and our advertising will now state that membership is open to those who We have established a newsletter production “own an automobile manufactured in Great Brit- schedule to insure you will consistently have the ain prior to 1996 or own a motorcycle manufac- newsletter on or about the 5th day of every odd tured in Great Britain prior to 1979”. Will we ac- numbered month. The key to this consistent cept a member who is shopping for a car and delivery is establishment of a schedule and ad- wants to belong to a club to learn more? Of herence to it. Joe has explained only part of course we will. Will we throw someone out of what it takes to put the newsletter together to the club because they sold their car? Of course me, and I now understand why his emails come not. at such late or early hours. ( Continued on page # 4 ) 3 ( President's Message Continued from pg.3 ) Similarly, we want to keep the vintage nature That’s what I remember. Gene is going of our events. Our event advertising will specify through each page of the website and making that the event is for the categories of vehicles lots of good suggestions. The best part of the mentioned above. This does not mean that you suggestions is that Gene has the ability and is are not welcome if you bring the family truckster willing to make them happen for us. Once it is to an event. We simply ask that vehicles that all done, we will have a demonstration of the do not fit in the above categories are not parked websites abilities at a membership meeting. in the display areas of shows and that vehicles that do not fit in the above categories take up One of the major objectives that the Board is the rear in driving events. always talking about is member participation. Steve has always sent a welcome letter to each WOW, that all sounds like even less fun when new member acknowledging their dues pay- I write about it. But it is all part of growing “to ment and giving them a bit of information on the next level” as our original editor Ken Baxter club structure. We have added to that process. always used to say. Joe and Charlie have reached out to members who have joined the club since January and On to some fun stuff. asked them to write a brief introduction profile and submit a picture for Joe to include in the In the past few months we have had a couple of newsletter.