The meeting was held Thursday, September 12. There were 21 members present. We welcome our
newest member Phil Kern. The cars represented were: (4) MGB's, (1) XKE 2+2, (1) XK 140,
(1) Austin Healy 3000, (1) XJS, (1) XJ6, (1) XK8, and (2) Miatas. Dave Valentine presented an informative program on the activities of a recent high-speed
driver training event at VIR experienced by the Porshe Club of Kingsport. His pictures
depicted the beauty of the track and the cars that participated. If you are interested in
this type driving school, contact Dave for more information.
Allen Calcote is desperately trying to find homes for the following name tags: Ethan Allen Atkinson-Page IV
Linda Lee Atkinson-Page
Larry Schiffer
Judy Schiffer
Scott Bullock
Connie Bullock
Dennis Clark
Joe Drinnon
Carol Drinnon
Steve Hightower
Hartley Hyder
Cherylyn Hyder
He will once again bring them to the October meeting. If your name is on the list, please
plan to attend the meeting and pick up your name tag.
All members interested in attending the Middlesboro Fall Festival, October 5th, plan to meet
at Rush Street Grill Saturday at 7:45 AM with a full tank of gas. We will leave promptly
at 8:00 AM to meet Dick Williams atop Clinch Mountain for breakfast around 9:00 AM.
Then it's on to the air-show to see plenty of World War II and other vintage craft
including lots of T-6s. There will be plenty of food and fun, so everyone plan to go!
The October meeting will be produced by the members! The subject is "Neat Tools & Stuff."
Each of you is encouraged to bring any type product, tool, or just an interesting time-saving
tip that you will share with the club members. As we work on our cars throughout the years,
we have all tried something that worked and many things that didn't. Got any creative uses
for duct tape, bobbi pins, paper clips, chewing gum, etc.?
Dick Williams once again cordially invites us to participate in the multi-club picnic
Sunday, October 20 at the home of Dave and Darlene Britton on Cherokee Lake. Hamburgers
and hot dogs will be furnished. Just bring a covered dish of your choice. After dinner,
we will again travel to Mooresburg to visit Ron Bloomquist for a guided tour of his aircraft
hanger and shop. Come about 11:00 AM. Directions: From Kingsport, take 11W to 25E, turn
South toward Morristown 2.5 miles to 375 S. Go approximately 2 miles to Oliver Estates.
Turn onto Wildcat Road and look for the sign. From Johnson City, take 11E to 25E, go North 7
miles to 375 then 2 miles to Oliver Estates.
The Appalachian British Car Society held its annual Get Together picnic event at Warrior's
Path State Park on the 22nd of September 2002 for the express purpose of celebrating the 10th
anniversary of our association. There was even a huge, beautifully decorated cake for the
purpose, thanks to Gael Bright, our Vice President. Gael didn't make the cake, but he did
make the arrangements! There were 40 or so members and their families in attendance and lots of British cars in the
parking lot. Hamburgers and hot dogs were provided by the club and very ably cooked under the
most difficult of circumstances by Gael Bright, Robert Hall and Ken Hampton and a few other
helpers. The Club thanks these fellows and all others who assisted for their perseverance. There were
some great salads, veggie dishes and desserts to be enjoyed supplied by the membership so that
anyone who went away hungry just didn't try! We were all very happy to see our good friend Dick Williams among those present. Dick has been
ill for some time and has just sufficiently recovered to put up with us again as long as he
doesn't do so for very long! Among the other highlights of this event was the rain. It poured. We stayed more or less dry
under our reserved shelter. It reminded some of us of one of the first GT events where there
was no rain, but the wind blew enough cold air around that everyone was complaining of frostbite!
As usual, Dave Valentine presided over the annual auction of goodies which netted the club
almost enough to pay for the cost of the event. Among the highlights of the auction was some
spirited bidding for a tiny statuette of a Bugeye Sprite from Moss Motors. Our three resident
Sprite owners were all determined to win it, but Ken Hampton won out in the end. Among the
other items were spray bottles of Speed Shine from Griot's Garage, a nice book on MG's from
Motorbooks and a very nice Lucas poster from Victoria British. I think we all managed to enjoy ourselves and each other in what has come to an ABCS tradition
over the years!
"Al, bent over the wheel, kept shifting eyes from the road to the instrument panel,
watching the ammeter needle, which jerked suspiciously, watching the oil gauge and the heat
indicator. And his mind was cataloguing weak points about the car. He listened to the whine,
which might be the rear end, dry; and he listened to tappets lifting and falling. He kept his
hand on the gear lever, feeling the turning gears through it." "Listen to the motor. Listen to the wheels. Listen with your ears and with your hands on the
steering wheel; listen with the palm of your hand on the gearshift lever; listen with your
feet on the floorboards. Listen to the pounding old jalopy with all your senses; for a change
of tone, what a variation of rhythm might mean. That rattle - that's tappets. Don't hurt a bit.
Tappets can rattle till Jesus comes again without no harm. But that thudding as the car moves
along - can't hear that - just kind of feel it. Maybe oil isn't gettin' someplace. Maybe a
bearing's startin' to go..." The Grapes of Wrath
John Steinbeck
President: Robert Hall, 423-262-0402.
Vice-President: Gael Bright, 423-239-4247.
Secretary: Clarence (CC) Goodson, 423-928-2023
Treasurer: Al Bradley, 540-628-4763.
Newsletter: Jane Ogle, 423-282-5687.
Driving Events: Randall Thomas, 606-432-5153.
Programs: John Hanlin, 423-239-5603.
Webpage: Herren Floyd, 423-239-5455.