Vintage Minor Register

Don't we all!

Just received this super Prescott film from John Hicks - VMR member, Prescott marshal, one of the truly good guys and a star of the film. If you have not been to Prescott, this is required watching.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=em-s ... FE787Bfma8

Years ago, a modern hill climb car ploughed at high speed into John at Prescott and it was a miracle he survived. He was in intensive care for two years. He joined the Register a couple of years ago, even though he has no Minor connection. When asked why, he simply said that he felt our little enterprise deserved his full support. He now acts as our Summer Rally press officer, being interviewed live on local radio in Gloucester and working with the local press in the run up to the weekend every year. Come and meet him on Friday evening at his local, the Shutters at Gotherington.

Lovely hill, nice ulster too

Halbe,

I very much hope to welcome you to Prescott one of these days with your fabric saloon. although your Aston would be an acceptable alternative!

Ian

Well, have a great time and take lots of pictures !!
I'll join you with VG when she is ready (2016?)

Halbe

Finally getting close to having all preparations done. This morning the last 20 sets of tickets went out to late entrants - all others will collect their tickets or pay at the gate!

Right now we have 132 entries booked and ticketed which is slightly up on last year, which is very encouraging given the clash with VSCC Donington this year.

I still have a good deal of work to do to complete the Tour Handbooks for Sunday, but the route is set and the descriptive sections completed, and I just need to 'drive' it one more time today using StreetView before I go to print. I must say that the route looks particularly attractive this year.

The Programmes are printed in England and M 150 is in print and the envelopes are ready for it. Tomorrow, the copy for the Pre-War Prescott 2015 calendar - new for this year - will also go to the printers. Pick up your copy at the VMR tent on the day.

So we fly to England a week Wednesday and can't wait.

Splendid news today from SU!

This will be public tomorrrow, but here it is now...

In Mark Burnett's words:

"Ian, I have good news. Last minute…. David Baldock has kindly offered the White Minor to us for display next to the red car at Pre-War Prescott! It isn’t able to be run unfortunately and obviously isn’t quite finished but he thinks it would be most fitting to have both the cars back together at Prescott again. We will be bringing the car on David's behalf as he has other commitments unfortunately. Our plan will be to have a little display with info boards kindly written by Mike Harvey (author of the Skinner Book) alongside the two cars. Mikes research suggests it will be the first time the cars have stood together since 1937! I plan to do a mailshot/facebook splash tomorrow/Thurs but in the meantime please do let everyone know as time is of the essence! Hope all else going well. Mark."

Note that Annabelle Swain, Richard Skinner and other members of the Skinner family wil also be joining us on the day for his historic reunion.

Fantastic news from SU!

I heard yesterday from SU that this year, they are bringing BOTH of the Minor-based Skinner Specials to Pre-War Prescott - the now-familiar Triangle Skinner Special (based on the original 'Red Minor') and also the White Minor which David Baldock has been working on heroically for many years, including recreating the original blown engine from scratch. This will be the first time these two historic hillclimb specials have been together since the War. David did bring the half-rebuilt White Minor to VMR Prescott way back in 2005, but at that time it was engineless, and of course there was no sign of the Red Minor back then.

We're also expecting Annabelle Swain (Barbara Skinner's daughter), Richard Skinner and several other family members and also those who were associated with the White Minor throughout its long and active life, as well as Mike Harvey who is about to publish his new book on the history of SU.

All bodes well for seeing both cars in action on the hill together next year, which, I just realised this morning will be our 15th Anniversary year!

Some of you may already have met Joy Rainey at one of our Prescotts. Google her name to find out more about this incredible physically chsllenged lady, including her trans-America drive in her 1904 Oldsmobile Curved Dash last year. Joy will join us again at Prescott this year and her book - Joy Across America - will be available at the VMR tent.

Well, after Prescott, she's off again, driving the same car from Adelaide to Darwin.

http://joy-in-the-outback.com/

In a 110 year old car and all on a SINGLE cylinder!!! Now how about getting your Minor to Gloucestershire for our Summer Rally!

Another SV Minor booked in this morning - the 1934 2-seater of new member Ian Roberts. The car has no engine in it yet, but he's briging it anyway to help make up the SV Minor numbers - that's the Register spirit!

Annabelle Swain says she might not be able to bring her Austrialian Minor roadster - it has incomplete front brakes still. I told her to bring it anyway and we'll fininsh the brake rebuild for her in the Paddock!

We'll be at the Shutters in Gotherington a week tonight!

Phew! Sitting here in is Seattle in over 90 degree heat and melting. It's been in the 90's for over a week and there is no let up before we fly on Wednesday - thankfully to Iceland where it might be a tad cooler, before pressing on to Heathrow.

Spent the morning today packing M 150 and the afternoon finalizing the navigation clues for the Sunday Great War Navigation Rally. I can tell you that this year's rally is going to be absolutely super, with tons of local Great War history and points of interest to discover - thanks to Jayne's researches over the last several months.

Now all that is left to do is attend to the last few dozen small tasks before packing, and heading to the airport on Wednesday morning.

And the latest count for Saturday - 14 OHV Minors, 5 SV Minors (including the White Minor), 6 M Types, making a record 25 Register cars pre-booked!

Hi Ian:

We leave Spain tomorrow to pick up my MG and drive to Prescott on Friday. I just wanted to thank you for all your hard preparatory work - I am sure that it will be yet another great event - and wish you a good trip.

See you at the Shutters!

Roger

Thanks Roger,

We fly Wednesday. Just the last few bits and pieces to finish off, like getting the final marshaling plan out and preparing the final entry lists for the gate marshals and posting on the start line hut.

Looking forward to Friday night. See you there, and have a safe trip over.

Ian

Hi Ian, I hope to be with you on Saturday to keep the tally of OHC Minors up to the 14 you predict. I am racing against time to rebuild the back end of the engine to cure a massive oil leak that developed at the PWMN Suffolk Rally.
Things are looking good so far, so fingers crossed I will make it.
Have a good trip andf I look forward to our meeting at the weekend.
Martin

Good luck Martin!

Ian

Just about done! Finished all preparations, rally is packed and we fly in the morning!