I had an e-mail from Grant Palmer over the weekend who is trying to get forum access for his father-in-law, Eric Jones "who is very interested in tracing a car and chatting to fellow enthusiasts".
I called Eric yesterday. What a fascinating chap! He is months short of his 80th Birthday. He started motoring in Minors in his youth and has had seven of them. These days he runs a vintage Alvis and a vintage Sunbeam and is a regular in the Orchard at VSCC Prescott - even though he lives in the northern Midlands. I spent a good time on the 'phone listening to his hair-raising stories of Minor motoring in days long gone. Wonderful chap.
He tells me that he started his motoring in Minors and wants to finish in a Minor. He recently contacted Ken Cox about his OHC saloon but was pipped at the post by Chris Garner who has joined the Register. (Incidentally, I got to know Chris when he was looking for a vintage Minor last year - I put him on to Sue Pocklington, but, like me, neither of us could get any sense out of her. She eventually sold the car to Roger Barker at the Vintage Petrol Pump Company, and I bought it from him).
Anyway, I'm going to arrange forum access for Eric, and I hope he will be able to share many of his stories with us all. He also hopes to be at Pre-War Prescott in July. But in the meantime, if anyone knows of a suitable running and sorted Minor for Eric, please let me know.
As a footnote to this story, I heard from Chris Garner this morning - sad to tell that he ran a big end over the weekend, so is now about to be familiarized with Morris Minor engine internals!
Eric Jones
Moderators: Ian Grace, Will Grace
Re: Eric Jones
Well, news travels fast. It looks like Eric is going to be offered a very nice Minor. Watch this space.