Serving the Pre-War OHC and SV Morris Minor and M Type MG

The 1933 Gilg Expedition - Liverpool to Cape Town - 80th Anniversary

Summer Rally 20th/21st July 2013

Midland Weekend - 13th/14th July 2013

The Latest News from the Register

10/5/13  And also welcome to Andy Brown who joins us with his equally smart and original 1934 saloon, recently acquired from Register member Richard Mace.

10/5/13  Welcome to new member Paul Critchley who owns this very smart and original 1932 saloon which he recently purchased.
The above photo was taken at Brooklands during their annual Austin/Morris Day in March.

VMR member Michael Banfield receiving the Transport Trust's Lifetime Achievement Award from Prince Michael of Kent in July 2007

3/5/13  Yesterday I learned of the sad passing of one of our members - Michael Banfield of Staplehurst, Kent.
Michael joined our Register just last year when he acquired the highly original Minor 5 cwt. Van PJ 5453 from Steve Johnstone.
We send our sincere condolences to his family.  Michael's obituary may be found here.

3/5/13  We are delighted to announce that the Vintage Minor Register has been accepted as a member of the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs.
The FBHVC exists to uphold the vital freedom we enjoy to drive our historic cars on the open road.  It does this by representing our interests to politicians,
government officials and legislators, both in the UK and (through the Federation Internationale des Vehicules Anciens) in Europe.
 There are over 500 subscriber organisations representing a total membership of over 250,000 in addition to individual and trade supporters.
Membership of the Federation further raises the standing of our Register and will bring many important benefits to our members in the future.

2/5/13  Those of you who are following the Gilg Expedition diary (link above) will notice that tomorrow, the diary will reach its one hundredth page.
The Gilg's diary of the trip is developing, day by day, into a fascinating insight into life in the thirties in the Dark Continent - a look back to another age.
Eighty years ago today, Gilg and Kay had reached Eldoret in Kenya on their way to Cape Town.  Here they met up with this 1932 model Minor tourer.
Notice the handy bathing facilities at their hotel!

30/4/13  We are very excited to announce that our 2013 Summer Rally Navigation Tour and parallel Scenic Tour (Sunday 21st July)
will conclude at the spectacular Stanway House, home of Lord Wemyss.  Rallyists from last year will undoubtedly remember the incredible 300 ft gravity fountain,
and His Lordship has very generously offered to run it again - twice - for us this year at the conclusion of the day.  NOT to be missed!
Entry to both events is open to all pre-war cars, and an entry form may be downloaded here.

30/4/13  This the perfect time to pick up a vintage Minor for the coming motoring season.  Right now, there is a mouthwatering collection of
vintage Minors on the market - including four OHC saloons (two very much on the button and two projects, including the above car
currently being offered by Tony Gamble), three Semi-sports (one in concours condition and two projects), a concours Cunard Calshott, a Maddox and a McEvoy.
Take your pick!  These can all be found on our Marketplace page.  If anyone needs any further information on any of these cars,
please contact the Register - we'd be delighted to help.
And incidentally, the CMS (see 26/4/13 below) was successfully auctioned in Ireland yesterday for 7,000 Euros.  A bargain for someone!

27/4/13  (In New Zealand!)  Today marks the 80th Birthday of our Founder and Honorary Member Jack Blyth.  A resident of New Zealand, Jack
has been a Minor stalwart for decades.  He flew from New Zealand to be at our inaugural Summer Rally in 2001, and famously bought a suitcase of spares for members!
Ten years ago, to mark his 70th Birthday (and the 75th Anniversary of the Morris Minor), Jack took his fabric saloon on a 1,400 mile circumnavigation
of New Zealand's South Island.  In the summer of 2005, we sent our son William to New Zealand and Austraila for his 18th Birthday.
William stayed with Jack who took him all over South Island and gave him a very special holiday, for which William will always be very grateful.

To mark Jack's 80th Birthday, here are some of the articles that he has provided for the Register's Magazine over the years.

Happy 80th Jack!

M103 - Jack Blyth's Fabric Saloon
M 108 - Jack Blyth planning his South Island Circumnavigation
M 111 - More Planning
M 112 - Outside front cover
M 112 - Jack Blyth's South Island Tour
M 115 - Jack Blyth's West Coast Tour
M 116 - Outside front cover

26/4/13  The ex-George Bryne, ex-Tony Foot 1930 CMS Special (M20036) is to be acutioned in Ireland by Mealy's next Monday 29th April.
George acquired this car in a poor state in December 1992 from D Page who had owned it since 1973.  He then undertook a complete restoration.
The rear of the car is non-standard, but nevertheless, this is a rare opportunity to pick up a genuine vintage Minor special.
Auction details may be found here.

26/4/13  The April Newsletter was lauched into the ether today and has also been uploaded to the Members' Area of the website.

23/4/13  This year's VSCC Light Car Section's Summer Navigational Rally and Tour will be based at Old Sarum Airfield, SP4 6DZ
(accessed via MR184/150335), one of the oldest First World War airfields (& museum) still operating.
The LCES invites you to arrive on Saturday 22nd June from 10 a.m. and see the afternoon Vintage Aircraft Fly-In and/or
explore some local attractions, e.g. Salisbury Cathedral, English Heritage Stonehenge plus Old Sarum Hill Fort,
or Saturday’s Gurston Down Speed Hill Climb (20% discount arranged) before supper at the airfield restaurant
from 7pm with a band.  On Sunday there is a 70 mile Navigational Rally with light
mental stimulation - or a Tour for those wanting to admire the scenery
close to the cathedral City of Salisbury, with a lunch stop.
Download the regs and entry form here.
Let's see if we can gather a strong VMR entry for what is certain to be a truly splendid and varied weekend.

Cliveden from the gardens

18/4/13  This Sunday, thousands of vintage, pre-war and classic cars will take to the roads across Britain to demonstrate our love of our vehicles to the wider world
in a massive PR exercise which can only be good for our movement.

The Vintage Minor Register has a Drive it Day meet planned in conjunction with our friends at the Bean Car Club at Clivedon House on the Thames near Windsor.
We have been told to arrive between 10 a.m. and noon, as the general public are allowed in from noon, and we must stay until 3 p.m. (seems reasonable).
Not a good idea to bring dogs, as they are not allowed in the grand avenue (where we park) or the formal gardens.  Everyone is welcome to explore the estate;
refreshments can be purchased.  Feel free to bring a picnic.  Anyone wanting to attend needs to contact Howard Martin who is co-ordinating with Cliveden National Trust,
at h_h_martin@hotmail.com or call him on 01628/522421

If you are not within striking distance of Cliveden, then if at all possible, please get the Minor or M Type out this Sunday and take it for a spin – perhaps a trip to a pub lunch
at your local or to one of the many gatherings being organized across the country.  And please take some photos and send them on for the Magazine.
And if your car isn’t roadworthy – why not get it out, give it a clean, fire it up if the engine runs, or generally do a few jobs on it.

Further information on Drive it Day may be found here.

9/4/13  Not a Minor but a Major!  Member Col Schiller of Cambooya, Queensland has recently acquired this superb Morris Major in the UK and has entered it
for our Summer Rally and our Midland Rally in July.  He will be traveling from Australia with his wife and two daughters to join us.
See you there, guys!

19/3/13  We are extremely excited to announce that, for the third year running, the Register has been awarded a flying display by the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight for our Summer Rally.
In 2011, we were lucky enough to secure a display by the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight's Avro Lancaster - one of only two flying survivors in the world.
Last year, the skies over Prescott were graced by a Spitfire Vb from the Flight, and I just heard this morning that this year, we have been awarded a display by a BBMF Hurricane IIc.
Although the Spitfire became the iconic fighter of all time, the Hurricane was the workhorse of the Battle of Britain in the summer of 1940.
The image above shows one of the two BBMF Hurricanes in the foreground, then the Spitfire and the Lancaster furthest from the camera.
Put the date firmly in your diary - Saturday 20th July.
Per Ardua Ad Astra!

17/3/13  We are delighted to announce that, on Drive-it Day Sunday 21st April, we will be joining the Bean Car Club at the spectacular Cliveden House,
near Windsor in Berkshire and one-time home of Nancy Astor.  With 376 acres of National Trust gardens to explore, it is difficult to imagine a better spring day out.
Watch this space for further details of the day as they are finalized.

17/3/13  Eighty years ago today, things were getting interesting for Gilg and Kay as they began to tackle the Sahara crossing.
Apart from Gilg's diary, he kept every piece of documentation from the expedition and these are being systematically scanned right now.
For example, here are their hotel and petrol bills for 'last night'.  After 43 days on the road, the expediton is becoming a real challenge for a Morris Minor.
We are posting Kay's diairy entries, eighty years to the day after they were written, here.

2/3/13  IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

The Morris cars Centenary is nearly upon us.
This just in from Robin Barraclough - foremost Morris historian and VMR Honorary member:

Dear Ian, The first Morris car was despatched from Cowley on 29th March 1913.  To celebrate a hundred years of car making in Oxford,
Lady Tanya Field has organised a run and display at Oxford.  (To give you some background, Lady Tanya is the daughter of the 9th Earl of Macclesfield
and is an enthusiast.  The 7th Earl was chairman of W.R.M.Motors Ltd. which made the first Morrises at Cowley i.e. Morris borrowed money off the Earl).
The cavalcade organised by Lady Tanya is not a Bullnose Club event.  The event has the support of BMW and the official Oxford Tourist Guide.
If you Google “Morris Centenary Cavalcade” you get the details given below:

“40 Oxford built vehicles will assemble early morning of the 29th March at MINI Plant Oxford. The Bullnose and MINI will be waved off to go to Hollow Way
where they will start an re-enactment of when the first ever Bullnose left Hollow Way on 29th March 1913. However, instead of driving to London as in 1913,
they will drive to Nuffield Place to join the Bullnose Morris Club's celebrations. The 40 vehicles will then leave MINI Plant Oxford to drive to the City Centre
to form a static display for the day taking a route that will pass by as many significant places as possible, including the Nuffield Needle,
old North and South Works, Hollow Way, the Nuffield Hospital and the Longwall garage.”

The important Morris models of which the cavalcade is in need is a good example or two of the first generation OHC and S.V. Minors.
Could you suggest any owners who might like to take part?  Presumably they would be in the Oxford area. Lady Tanya can arrange secure storage
if required for the cars and/or trailers. The event will attract plenty of TV and press coverage.
Hope you can help.  Pity you do not live in England!
Robin

We have an OHC Minor, but are in URGENT NEED of a SV Minor.
Who will support this historic event and fly the flag for Minors and our Register?

28/2/13  On this day 80 years ago, the Gilg and Kay Expedition, who had been waiting in Tangier, received the impatiently awaited letter
from the Prince de Ligne providing vital information on the way ahead.  So they are now ready to head for Cape Town.
Kay's expedition diary entries are being updated daily here.

24/2/2013  We have been invited to join the Bullnose Morris Club at Nuffield Place on Good Friday, 29th March with our Minors/M Types.
The first ever Morris left the work on 29th March 1913 - exactly a hundred years ago on this day.
An optional lunch at the Oxford Thames Four Pillars Hotel is also available.
If you would like to attend, please dowload the entry form in two parts - here and here - and return them directly to the BNMC.

1/2/13  On this day eighty years ago, two restless young men left Liverpool in a 1933 Morris Minor tourer.
They would not rest until they reached Capetown.  The incredible story of their record-breaking expedition
will be told in words and pictures on this website - day by day.  Follow the story here.
Sincere thanks to the Gilg family for providing diary entries and other documents relating to the expedition
from their father's trip records.

30/1/13  And still they keep turning up - the latest in a never-ending series.  This SV Minor has just surfaced in Oxford.
It has been highly modified, including Family Eight 9" hydraulic brakes - for good reason.
Under the bonnet lurks a 918 c.c BMC A series engine that apparently gives it 'scorching' performance!
We look forward to seeing more of the car once it has been sprung from its lair.

19/1/13  In the summer of 1933, two Englishmen - Cameron Gilg and Walter Kay - drove a Morris Minor tourer from Liverpool to Capetown
becoming the first light car to achieve such an epic journey, including crossing the Sahara.  Gilg maintained a daily diary of the trip and
his family have carefully transcribed each daily entry.  2013 is the 80th Anniversary of the trip and  so we will post each day's diary entry
here - exactly 80 years to the day after they were written.

15/1/13  This 1931 SV Minor (chassis SV1641) is being offered for sale in Italy by  Gian Paolo Cheula who has just inherited it and wants to pass it on.
Gian Paolo is looking for around € 12,000 and can be contacted at g.cheula@libero.it.

10/1/13  Jim Peacop is auctioning his 1932 McEvoy Minor at Brigtwells in Leominster on 6th March - details here and here.
This is a great opportunity for someone to pick up a rare and delightful Minor.

Joyce and Andrew Gilg at Prescott last July, trying out Chris Holland's 1933 tourer for size (photo - Chris Holland, with Joyce Gilg's camera!)

10/1/13  2013 marks the 80th Anniversary of Gilg and Kay's epic drive from Liverpool to Capetown in a new 1933 Minor tourer.
The Gilg family were our Guests of Honour at Pre-War Prescott last July and they brought along all of their father's arrtifacts from his trip,
including his trip diary.  The plot was hatched there to transcribe that diary and post it on this website - each day - exactly 80 years after the trip.
The trip actually began on February 1st 1933 and lasted 158 days until July 7th, but the diary starts before then and so, to set the scene,
the introductory pages have been posted on our forum and lead up to the collection of the car from Cowley.  Later this month, I will be setting up a separate
web page for the entire diary as the year progresses and post daily as the diary entries progress day by day through 1933.
Watch this space for further news.

5/1/13  First of all - a Happy New Year to one and all!  We kick off 2013 by welcoming Arthur Campbell to the Register with his rare
1932 (1933 season) Minor four-seater tourer.  Arthur is a friend of Brian Maeers, which explains everything!
Here we see KV 2652 at Brian's Manor Farm last July when Brian was getting the Minor road-sorted for Arthur.

27th November 2012  Today we welcome  new member Phil Sowry of Epsom Downs who joins the Register with his 1930 M Type MG 493 (2M/1425).
Phil was recommended by Dave Cooksey who will receive ten pounds discount on his 2013 subs for referring a new member - thanks, Dave.
Phil is a family friend of Dave's and commented on his membership application, "I should have joined a decode ago"!
(He has owned the M since at least 1964, according to Register records.)
Never too late, Dave - welcome at last!

4/11/12  The Hundred Pound Minor MU 3307 (see 20/10/12 below) is now being offered for sale by the Vintage Petrol Pump Company
who are asking £4,950 for her.  Contact Roger Baker for call him on 01947/895289 for more details.

28/10/12  250 copies of the Autumn Magazine M 143 hot off the presses of Northwest Fine Art Printing today.
These will be winging their way to eighteen countries early next week.
M 144 will be with all members in time for Christmas.

27/10/12  And congratulations to new Register member Martin Watts who collected this Lancashire-registered
1932 long-wheelbase Family Eight TF 7653 (M36187) from Jim Peacop's Mouldsworth Motor Museum today.

27/10/12  And still they turn up!  This time in New Zealand where this '1928' Minor is being offered for sale.
Notwithstanding the 1932 season radiator, the windscreen suggests that this is indeed be a very early tourer.
More information here.

20/10/12  Congratulations to new Bedfordshire member Peter Newbery who has acqired the 1930 M Type MG 748 (2M/1506), nicknamed 'Pootle'.
Originally built 16th April 1930, the car was modified in the forties in the fashinable J2 style seen here.
Peter has owned an MGB for 18 years, but has never owned a pre-war car, so he is looking forward to the new experience.

20/12/12  And still they turn up!  This 1928 OHC tourer is being offered for sale in Sydney, Australia, having been in the same family for seventy years.
The owner reports: "The car gave us very good service, and both myself and my brother learned to drive on it the 50's.
The car has been up on blocks for about 15 years and we now think it is time to sell it to a good home.  A restoration project was
carried out about 10 years ago and even though there is some finishing off to be done, the car is complete and almost in running conditon.
A 4-speed gear box is fitted.  There are a lot of spares such as engine, 3-speed gear boxes, axles and diffs. which would also be included in a sale."
Contact the Register for further details.

20/10/12  Minors continue to come out of the woodwork.  This 1931 Hundred Pound 2-seater and is available to interested parties.
MU 3307, chassis is SV2129, still fitted with original engine 2894.  It is now in primer and needs finishing but is a fairly tidy car
and turns over with good compressions.  Contact the Register for further information.

20/10/12  We have two very enthusiastic Register members in Japan - Kenji Matsuoka (left) and Shinichi Nagatani (right).
On 13th October, the 28th MG Day was held at Kajimanomori Hotel in Karuizawa under the auspices of the MGCC Japan Centre.
The MG Day is the biggest MG gathering in Japan and has a long history since 1973.  The 1st and 2nd meets were held in Tokyo, then they moved to Karuizawa
where there is a historic health resort near Tokyo.  For the last six years, the MG Day has not been held.  Many MG enthusiasts in Japan have waited
for the the restart of the MG Day, so more than 70 MGs gathered from all over Japan this year.
Among them were eight MMMs including Kenji's and Shinichi's M types.
Other MMMs were two J2s, one PA, one PB, one C and one K3.
(Photo: Kenji Matsuoka)

19/10/12  Today we welcome John Denton to the Register.  John has acquired the ex-Paul Harris, ex-David Brown, ex-Jeremy Evans
1929 Minor saloon DF 9053 from a dealer in Northern Ireland, who at one point reently was planning to dismantle this car for spares!
It is great to see this car back in the Register and in such good hands.
And in other great vintage Minor news, Derek Tew has acquired the 1929 Minor tourer FL 7665 - see 30/9/12 news item below.
Derek is known to many for his work at Gaydon and as a Wolseley man.

17/10/12  The Vintage Minor Register has been working over the years with the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust at Gaydon to
transcribe and computerize the original manuscript Cowley production records for the Morris Minor.  The resulting data has become known
as the Morris Minor 'Genome'.  We captured the data for the vintage Minors several years ago, but have always wanted to expand the initiative to the
sidevalve Minors.  We started earlier this year to record the production data for the SV Minors, recordng data for the first 18,340 SV chassis.
We have now extended this to chassis number SV32246 - almost to the end of the 1933 season production, and look forward to completing the
entire Minor 'Genome' in the New Year.  This is a monumental task that takes weeks of careful and accurate onsite work and all of this data is made available
to Register members online in the Members' Area of this website.  As a Register, we will continue to strive to make historical data
available to members wherever it can be found.

16/10/12  Today we warmly welcome to the Register Peter Purcell of Melbourne, Australia who has restored this 1929 Ruskin-bodied roadster.
You will appreciate his monumental achievement when you see what he started with.

The VSCC was founded at the Phoenix, Hartley Wintney in 1934 when the landlord was Tim Carson.
The club has been meeting there monthly ever since, on the first Thursday of the month.
Here we see a gathering at the Phoenix of several VSCC heroes of the late sixties.  Many will recognize the faces.
Left to right: Jim Wyman - Arthur Jeddere-Fisher (co-founder with Bill Boddy of the VSCC Light Car Section) - Jock Chamberlain (on the running board)
- Pam Dear - Russell Wilson-Kitchen - Peter Hull - Dudley Gahagan - A N Other (any ideas?)
No longer with us.  Happy days.
(Photo courtesy of Peter Harris)

15/10/12  Two upcoming events.  First, on Sunday November 18th, a VMR-hosted MoT Emancipation Meet at the Phoenix Inn, Hartley Wintney
to celebrate the day that the MoT will be dispensed with for pre-1960 cars.  All and every pre-1960 car warmly welecomed - MoT'd or not!

Second, a New Year's Day meet at the Crooked Billet, Honey Hill near Wokingham, in association with the Bean Car Club.

13/10/12  Today we welcome new member John Hall of Kidderminster who has acquird the ex-Bunn Collection
1929 fabric saloon RX 4207 (M4322) which was auctioned by Bonhams last year and subsequently offered by Arun Motors.
RX 4207 was first registered in Berkshire on 10th April 1929.

13/10/12  This 1933 SV Minor 5 cwt. van, chassis SV26830 is to be auctioned next Saturday 20th by Cheffyns in Cambridge.
Find details here.

6/10/12  The date for Pre-War Prescott 2013 was officially established thisi week as Saturday 20th July.
This sets the date for our 2013 Summer Rally - 20th/21st July.  Start making plans!

5/10/12  The October Newsletter was distributed by e-mail yesterday and can also be found in the Members' Area of the website.

30/9/12  Nickel radiator tourer projects don't come up very often these days, so here's a super opportunity for someone to pick one up at a reasonable price.
This Peterborough-registered 1929 tourer was being restored by a garage owner in Cornwall back in 1981 when I was posted to RAF St. Mawgan.
He was making a poor job of it and so I pestered him to sell it to me.  After about a year, he relented and so I advertized my Austin 7 fabric saloon project
in Exchange and Mart, sold it and went back with the cash - only to find he'd sold it to someone up in Preston the previous week!
I have been searching for it ever since.  This just shows how a restored car in sound, running condition and unknown others more recently.
View it on eBay here.

29/9/12  After a break of about four years, VMR HQ now has high-speed internet that permits use of Vonage VOIP telephone service.
One of the features of this service is that we can take advantage of a pseudo telephone number in the UK.
Members in the UK can therefore call this number, paying only for a local call, and be connected directly to VMR HQ in Seattle.
The pseudo number is Oxford (01865)/593089 and should take effect within 24 hours from now.
Members in Europe and elsewhere can also call this number and pay for a call to England, which may be cheaper than calling the USA.
Please feel free to give call with your news or questions - evenings or weekends, just remembering that we are 8 hours behind Oxford time!

29/9/12  The ex-Captain Angus Hambro Semi-sports, LJ 4435 is being offered for sale by the current owner - who is too tall to fit in it with the hood up!
This vintage Minor is probably the finest and most historic Minor in existence today.  The perfect mount for VMR and Light Car events.
Contact the Register for comprehensive details.

9/9/12  And today was VSCC Madresfield, held since 1947 on the mile-long drive of Madresfield Court and with the gorgeous backdrop
of the Malvern Hills.  The M types entered held the end up well in the Standard Sports Car Class.  5% of the total field were M types,
and 25% of Class A (Standard Sports Cars) were M's.   Owen Bolton's 1932 car APB 298, 2nd Class award, Nigel Stroud 1929 car PO 1357
and David Rushton 1932 car PJ 7970 both 3rd Class awards.  (The 1st Class went to a Bugatti  Type 22.)  All subject to official confirmation.
 In Class A the M's held off opposition from the likes of Hornet Special, Frazer Nash, a PA and TA.
Thanks to David Hinds for the report and photo.

9/9/12  And here's the lineup!  A brace of Minor 2-seaters - Mike Jones' OHC, and Mike Wood's SV flew the VMR flag at Lodge Park yesterday.
Mike Wood reported that a great day was had by all, and the National Trust made them very welcome.
(Photo: Mke Wood)

18/8/12  As part of the 2012 Heritage Open Days on Saturday 8th September, the National Trust has invited the Register to put on a display
of our cars at the magnificent Lodge Park, Sherborne, Gloucestershire.  We visited Lodge Park during our Summer Rally last month,
where there was a clue for the Navigation Rally in the grounds.  So far, two members have declared, but the more we get, the better.
The NT will give us free entry and allow us to line up our cars on the lawns in front of the Lodge for a great photo opportunity.
If anyone else would like to come along, please e-mail the Register for further details and co-ordination.

5/8/12  Today we welcome Derek Russell and a very special vintage Minor to the Register.
Derek, who lives in the Isle of Man has acquired the late Harry Edwards' 1930 Minor saloon UK 8983.
Harry restored this car back in the sixties, took it to the Morris Register's rally in the seventies and it was then put into the garage until his death.
It will be splendid to see this Minor out and about in future, once it has received a little road sorting.
Derek's only regret is that the number plate will have to be relinquished, as the car will be receiving a Manx plate shortly.

The Minor line at Prescott (Photo:  John Nagle)

4/8/12  Arrived back in Seattle last Tuesday to a project crisis at work, a vicious bug picked up on the flight back, and now 105 degree heat,
so it is taking a bit of time to get back to the usual routine!  Jayne arrives back on Monday.
What a superb two weekends!  Prescott and the Summer Rally enjoyed two completely dry, warm days, and I lost count of the people who told us how lucky we were!
Prescott was amazing - around 150 entries and 16 or 17 Minors (I haven't had time to do the final count yet) - either way a post-war world record!
And the Northern Weekend was definitely the best-kept secret of the year.  What a superb weekend!  Just four Minors, plus others (like us) in moderns,
but the focus of the weekend was a social one and it was great to meet so many members for the first time.  John Pallister and Peter Brock did a superb job of planning
and the scenery of the Dales could not have been more dramatic.  The Sunday lunch stop at the Tan Hill Inn (the highest pub in England) was truly unforgettable.
Sixteen of us sat down to dinner together in Romaldkirk on Saturday night where many new friendships were forged.
Thanks to everyone involved in both weekends - you know who you are.  Now to start planning next year's rallies - and we cannot wait!

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfire is scheduled for 1410 hrs over Prescott.

18/7/12  Wednesday morning, and Jayne and I are just about to leave for the airport to fly to London for our Summer Rally,
Pre-War Precott and our Northern Weekend.  We have the best ever lineup of VMR cars booked in to Prescott and a very
strong entry of other cars - around 130 in all with a very large MMM contingent.
And after seemingly-endless rains lately, the weather forecast is looking GREAT!
We're both really looking forward to meeting as many members as possible over the coming two weekends.
If you have not booked for Prescott, and want to come along, just turn up at the gate, which opens at 9 a.m.
If you have not booked for the Sunday Navigation Rally or Scenic Tour, just turn up at Prescott this Sunday morning at around 8, with the off at 9.
If you have not declared form the Northern Weekend, just either turn up at the Rose and Crown, Romaldkirk on Friday evening (27th),
or on the village green on Saturday morning.
See you all soon!

.

12/7/12  Peter Brock has completed the route planning for our Northern Weekend 28th/29th July and he has assembled two superb touring routes for us -
 one for Saturday and the other for Sunday.  Click on the two maps above for the planned routes.
The Saturday route summary can be downloaded here.
The Saturday route directions can be downloaded here.
The Sunday route summary can be downloaded here.
The Sunday route directions can be downloaded here.

Printed copies of all of the above will be available to particpants at the start of each tour.
All members are most welcome to join in the weekend which will also include suitable evening socials.

10/7/12  So earlier this year we commissioned a batch of fifty Tenth Anniversary CD's (which grew into DVD's!) containing all 36 of our Magazines produced over our
first ten years as a Register, plus the five Yearbooks that have been produced over that time.  I was planning to bring a number of unsold copies
to our Summer Rally, but 49 sold and I am keeping one for our archives.  But I just visited our printers and they have agreed to run off a second batch
of 50 disks for us, and also get them to me before next Tuesday when Jayne and I fly to England for the Rally!
Our print shop is going crazy right now - they will be delivering our Summer Magazine (M 142) by Friday so it can be enveloped over the weekend to bring with me,
they are printing the Rally Programmes which will be ready by next Tuesday and they are also going to be printing the Scenic Tour Handbooks which I am
going to give them the artwork for tomorrow after finishing the master off tonight!  Meanwhile, VMR HQ is in a state of near bedlam with countless
last minute items to be sorted.  Among other things, we will be very pleased to welcome Peter McFadyen to Pre-War Prescott once again this year.
Peter penned a very nice report on Pre-War Prescott 2011 for The Automobile, and will be doing so again this year.
But this time, in order to more fully appreciate the spirit and excitement of the day,
he is bringing his recently-acquired Lea Francis Hyper to have a crack at the hill!
Anyway, if you are coming to either the Summer Rally or the Northern Weekend and would like a copy of the Anniversary,
I will have some with me.  Now to chase up the car badges which I am also very much hoping will be delivered in time!

10/7/12  Our good friends at Hereford Vintage Auctions have graciously offered to run a no-reserve auction of spares and automobilia at Pre-War Prescott.
All of the proceeds raised will be donated to the RAF Charitable Trust at the end of the day, and will be accepted by Air Vice Marshal Rick Charles who is one
of the Trust's trustees.  All entrants are invited to bring along any suitable items and drop them off in the morning at the VMR tent - thanks in advance for your support!
This fine rendition of the Skinner Special was painted by Graham Abbott and shows Mark Burnett at speed at Pre-War Prescott last year.
(Needless to say, the SU boys and the Skinner will be joining us again this year, and SU is once again our headline Pre-War Prescott sponsor.)
We are delighted to announce that Graham has very generously donated this painting to the auction.
Graham will be joining us again this year.  If you would like to commission him, either speak to him on the day or visit either of his websites
at www.4aphoto.co.uk or www.4apainting.co.uk.

10/7/12  The June Newsletter was distributed over the ether last night, and a copy may be found in the Members' Area.

9/7/12  Welcome to Christophe Lack of Knaresborough, North Yorkshire who joins the Register with his M Type XAS 404 (2M/3308).
Christophe tells us that the car has been in the family for many years but has recently been re-commisioned.

28/6/12  Our inaugural Northern Weekend is now just a month away and the Entry Form may be downloaded here.
There is no entry fee for this informal weekend of touring the Dales and socializing, but we do need to have an idea of numbers before we finalize the pubs, etc.
John Pallister and Peter Brock are doing wonderful work putting a great weekend together for us all.
Jayne and I will be in the Dales and are looking forward to meeting as many of our northern members as possible, but of course southerners MIGHT be accepted!
Feel free to bring your Minor, M Type or modern.  OS map 192 would be useful, but not absolutely necessary as route instructions for the two tours will be available each morning.
 If you are planning to attend, please either post the Entry Form back (quite quickly - we leave for England on the 18th July),
or fill it in, scan it and return it electrically, or just e-mailthe pertinent info.

12/6/12  We are delighted to announce that we have commissioned Premier Badges to produce a limited run of enamel on chrome car badges for the Register.
The badges produced by Premier Badges are of the very highest quality and come with a strong recommendation
from Frank Ashley who tells us that Premier manufactured the 50th Anniversary badges for the MMM Register.
I was able to inspect one of these on Frank’s M Type last year.  The badges come with the standard badge bar clip two-hole fixing
and feature the VMR logo.  The artwork for the badges is shown above and we have ordered a batch of badges
which will be available in time for the Summer Rally and Northern Weekend next month.
To order your badge (or badges), please return the order form.  It would also be very helpful if you would also
respond by e-mail, letting us know your interest.

10/6/12  We are delighted to announce that Chris Dunster has been appointed an Honorary Member of the Register.  Chris has been
closely involved with Morrises for many years and joined the Morris 8 Tourer Club as member number 131 in 1962,
since when he has been a proponent of the Minor at every opportunity and a firm background supporter of the VMR
since its founding.  The photo above shows Chris (left) with the late Bev Hicks at VMR Prescott 2010.
Congratulations, Chris!

6/4/12  Today we welcome Alice Sears (any relation, Toby?) to the Register with her 1933 saloon JB 861, chassis SV15337.
Alice lives in Uckington, near Cheltenham.  This saloon is new to the chassis register, so watch this space for more information.

5/4/12  The June Newsletter was launched into the ether today and a copy can be found in the Members' Area.

5/4/12  The Discussion Forum is back up and running again!

1/6/12  Longtime member John Seddon lives in France and after many decades of ownership is now offering his extremely rare 1932 OHC Cunard Calshott Special for sale.
The car is very original, has history from the first owner, including photos, and the car has run less than 500 miles since a £4,500 engine rebuild.
        The car is to be sold with Cunard archive photographs, advertisements, other literature and spares - see The Automobile for August 1997 for an article on this car.
        For more information e-mail John at seddonjohn@orange.fr

25/5/12  After getting Magazine M 141 and the Anniversary DVD's in the post today, there was time to pull out the ex-Olive Willats Minor fabric saloon
and fire her up for the first time in 38 years.  With just 4,000 miles on the clock since new, this car is virtually new mechanically.
Here is a video of the first engine run taken earlier today.

21/5/12  Our Summer Rally is TWO MONTHS TODAY!  So far, we have eight Minors and 6 M Types booked in, but would like to see many more.
In particular, we only have three OHC Minors booked in to date, so if you are intending to come along, please send in your entry, or at least drop us a quick e-mail!
In other news, Magazine M141 goes in the post tomorrow along with the Tenth Anniversary DVD's.  We are STILL working to get the Forum back up again.
And today we welcome Graham Taylor to the Register.  Graham owns the very last Scuttle tank Minor car, chassis SV5535.

15/5/12  We just received this proof for the Tenth Anniversary CD sleeve - actually a DVD now, as a CD wasn't big enough to contain all the content!
If you would like a copy, we have just SIX left!  Contact us immediately!
The DVD's and sleeves will be ready for collection by the end of the week which means I can pack them with the Magazines over the weekend
to post worldwide next Monday.  Meanwhile, we are STILL fighting to recover the Forum - if you cannot access it, it is NOT your fault!

13/5/12 Big news just in from the operators of Cotswold Airport (the old RAF Kemble) this morning.
Pre-War Prescott forms just a part of our Summer Rally in the Cotswolds and we have a Navigation Rally and parallel Scenic Tour on Sunday.
This year, the route will be taking us to the south - down towards the old RAF Kemble.  We will gather there during the day, along with a collection of vintage aircraft
that will be offering pleasure flights to the pre-war car crews with all proceeds going to our designated charity - the RAF Charitable Trust.
 If the formula for the day is a success, this charity fly-in and pre-war car gathering may well become a firmly established feature of our Summer Rallies!

10/5/12  And still they keep turing up.  Today we welcome Neil Carpenter of Bliss Gate, Kidderminster to the Register.
Neil is collecting this 1933 season 2-seater tomorrow from a factory where it has langiushed on the roof of the factory toilet block since 1964!
We wish him well with the restoration.

23/4/12  Tony Gamble is selling his 1930 Minor fire tender replica.
Full details of this charming and unique vehicle may be found in Marketplace.

23/4/12  Minors were out and about all over the country yesterday, attending our spring pub meets and other Drive-It Day gatherings.
Here we see the Minors of Toby Sears and Mike Rose with appropriate spring green coackwork attending our meet in the New Forest.

17/4/12  Our spring pub meets are THIS WEEKEND!  First, the Hatchgate Meet is ON!
There were just two takers for John Nagle's Land's End Run - one from the VMR and one from the Morris Register, so the run is CANCELLED.
This means we will revert to our usual pub meet THIS SUNDAY at the Hatchgate at Bramshill.
Our other meets this Sunday at noon are at the Alice Lisle, Rockford Green near Ringwood in the New Forest
and our inaugural western meet at the Who'd Have Thougt It, Milton Combe, Yelverton in Devon.
Full details of these meets may be found here.
Please do try to make it in your Minor, M or modern, if you can, and please remember your camera!
Cheers!

Parth gives another interview to the media while the next reporter waits.

17/4/12  VMR member Parth Medh got together with three of his friends in Ahmedabad, India last weekend for a Sunday morning drive.
The word got out and resulted in 29 cars participating, national media coverage including a front page story in the Times of India and thousands of spectators lining the route.
The result is that the Gujarat Vintage and Classic Car Club has now been well and truly founded!
Well done Parth!

11/4/12  Today we welcome new member Ronald Trumpi from The Netherlands and his 1934 season 2-seater DE-24-11 (SV36604).
We also welcome Michael Banfield who has acquired Steve Johnstone's 1932 5 cwt. van (see 31/3/12 below)
and Richard Cox with his 1933 Minor 2-seater OY 4962 (SV20057).

11/4/12  The April Newsletter was launched into the ether yesterday and may also be accessed in the Members' Area.
Update on the forum - more snags have emerged, the final fix will take a little more effort yet.

9/4/12  The Forum is in the process of being re-hosted on our new server right now.
The forum baseline is accessible, and the original database, including all the original content
should be in place later today.

....

31/3/12  This weekend five Minors are attending the VSCC Light Car Section's annual Welsh Weekend.
The four saloons and a tourer were captured by David Hinds at the lunch stop today.
Left to right - Paul Rogers, Lee Robertson, Clive Hamilton-Gould, Colin Lee, David Rolfe.

25/3/12  Member Steve Johnstone is selling his rare, charming and highly original 1932 Minor 5 cwt. van PJ 4653.
Saved in 2006 by Tony Gamble working on a tip from fellow van owner John Twinberrow, Tony reported that the
condition of the vehicle is apparently not as good as photos suggests, but it is unrestored, and, for it age, it is quite amazing.
The passenger door needs replacing (weight of spare wheel has taken its toll!), and seats are not original (bench seat for two!).
The front central roof panel has suffered badly from wire worm at the front and needs replacing (which poses a problem in itself -
to keep restoration to a minimum - without incurring major ‘incompatible’ panels in the roof.)
Nevertheless a superb original Minor for someone at a time when the worth of unrestored vehicles is finally
being recognized.  Find it on eBay here.

20/3/12  Today, we received a letter from the RAF Events Team at RAF Northolt, bringing the splendid news that we have been allocated a
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfire display for our Summer Rally.  Last year, we were extremely lucky to have the BBMF Lancaster,
the arrival of which was undoubtedly the highlight of the day.  The appearance of a Spit over Pre-War Prescott
this year will no doubt be an equally heart-stirring moment not to be missed.

16/3/12  Still life.  This remarkable photograph shows the restored radiator, engine and gearbox for Halbe Tjepkema's 1929 fabric saloon.
Finished, tested and ready to re-install in the chassis.  We look forward to seeing this highly original car back on the open road before long.

14/3/12  Today we welcome Richard Cox to the Register with his very tidy 1932 Minor 2-seater OY 4962 (SV20057).
Richard lives in Oxfordshire.

14/3/12  Good newas regarding the forum. The SQL database has been recovered by TalkTalk, but it will take some time to
re-host it and get the forum up and running again.  With any luck, none of the content will have been lost.

The Who'd Have Thought It, Milton Combe, near Yelverton, Devon

12/3/12  It is nearly time for our spring pub meets once again.  This year, we have two meets and a short rally,
all to be held on Drive It Day, Sunday 22nd April.  We will hold another meet at the Alice Lisle, in the New Forest,
a brand new gathering for our western members at the Who'd Have Thought It, Milton Combe, Devon and another brand new event,
The Land's End Rally for our members in the north Hampshire/Berkshire/Surrey area.
Full details of all these events may be found on our 2012 Events page.

12/3/12  The March Newsletter was distributed by e-mail today and a copy has been placed in the Members' Area.

4/3/12  Testing, testing, testing!  It looks like the website is up and running on the new server.
There are some teething problems to sort, chiefly the non-appearance of the forum.
Hopefully everything will be back to normal very shortly.

27/2/12  Yes, its a vintage Minor!  Chassis number M10057, this chassis was exported to Austalia in 1929 and is now being auctioned in Australia.
The car has a fascinating history.  A great example of Aussie ingenuity, the Bedmore single-seat racer came into the world when William Jolly
crashed his 1929 Morris Minor at a Lobethal race meeting in 1948. It was a decent accident, a rollover on the second lap of his first motor race,
but Bill came away with an idea.  Unable to afford an MG motor, he found an old Bedford truck block in a wrecking yard.
It was modified to fit the retained four-speed Minor gearbox, while the Bedford's rear hydraulic brakes were also adapted.
This was all slotted in to the remains of the Minor chassis.  The finished hybrid couldn't fit the drivetrain and Bill in, so the engine was offset
to suit and Bill sat on an aircraft seat with a rear-mounted fuel tank, also from an aircraft, being installed. The new machine was christened the 'Bedmore'
('Bed' for Bedford, more for 'more Morris'), and it was bodied as a single-seater and taken off to compete in local events, modifying the car to suit.
An example of this was when he took inspiration from the Dunlop disc brakes and created his own version of them,
ensuring excellent stopping capabilities for the time.  After several years of competing with the Bedmore,
Jolly sold it to motoring journalist Tony Lucas in 1953.  The rest of the car's more recent history
can be found on the auction site here.  Wouldn't it be splendid to see this car at Pre-War Precott in July?!

26/2/12  A monumental effort is under way to reproduce the entire collection of our first ten years of Magazines and Yearbooks in full colour
and to capture them on a single Tenth Anniversary CD.  This is what M 113 - our Autumn 2003 issue - looks like in full colour.
The covers will be added before the entire issue is converted to .pdf format.  All 36 Magazines are going through this process
which includes enhancing many of the original images and numerous formatting and typo corrections.
The Anniversary CD is to be professionally assembled and will be presented in a professionally designed CD box.
This is a unique opportunity for members who have joined since the Register was founded to obtain a complete set of back issues of our publications.
A limited run of 50 copies is being burned, and there are now just 16 left, so if you have not yet reserved your copy,
please contact the Register without delay.  The Anniversary CD's will be distributed with our Spring Magazine (M 141) next month.

26/2/12  With spring hopefully just around the corner, it is time to gear up for the new events season.
First up will be our spring pub meets on Drive It Day - Sunday 22nd April, and this year, our Hatchgate meet is being replaced
with a Land's End Run!
You are invited to enter the Lands End Rally, incorporating a trip to a brewery, a pub crawl, and to go in search of a Maharaja.
The start will be just south of Reading at 12 noon and the finish will be at Lands End - TWO HOURS LATER.
(Hint - the finish is just east of Reading!)
John Nagle has put the run together and interested parties should contact John for further details.
A location map can be found here.

4/2/12  Hearty congratulations to Kartikea Lunia in India who took his 1930 tourer to a local show today.
What makes this such a huge achievement is that his car was not much more than a pile of bits only weeks ago.
In the last seven days, the car has been assembled, rewired, painted, upholstered and all the myriad finishing details sorted,
with work finishing in the small hours this morning.  A full report on this record-breaking restoration will be published in our Spring Magazine.

24/1/12  The Register's 2012 calendar is now available for download in the Members' Area in both A4 and 8.5" x 11" formats.
The theme of this year's calendar is our 2011 Summer Rally.

19/1/12  VMR HQ is battling the worst Pacific winter storm in living memory.  Two feet of snow has now given way to
freezing rain and an ice storm that is bringing down hundreds of trees, and power lines with them.
The city of Seattle has ground to a halt.  I'll try to post a few more images on the Forum.
Roll on the spring!

16/1/12  The 2012 Pre-War Prescott website has been launched at www.prewarprescott.com and includes an online entry form.
Keep wathcing the website for all the latest event news and it breaks.

8/1/12  The start of the 2012 vintage motoring season is here and promises to be the best yet!
The 2012 Summer Rally website has been launched today and can be found here,
and the entry form can be downloaded here.  Once again, the highlight of our Summer Rally will be Pre-War Prescott.
The following weeked will see the inauguration of our Northern Weekend in Teesdale,
details of which may be found here.  In addition, we are planning a number of new pub meets and short runs this spring,
details of which will be posted here shortly.

3/1/12  The January Newsletter was distributed by e-mail today and a copy may also be found in the Members' Area.

John Nagle's recently-restored two-seater in festive setting.

24/12/11  We wish every member across the world, their families and friends a wonderful Christmas
and a happy, peaceful and safe New Year.
Please visit our virtual Christmas pub meet on the Forum for a virtual pint with friends!

If you are considering joining the Register, December is a great time to do so, as you will receive the Winter 2011 Magazine
plus four quarterly magazines next year for the price of your 2012 subscription.
Download the 2012 Membership Form here.

8/12/11  We extend a very warm welcome to the following new members who have joined us in the last two weeks.
Paul Meeker (1934 Minor 2-seater), Andy Tullis (1934 Minor 2-seater), Doug Spooner (1933 Minor 2-seater),
Lee Robertson (1929 Minor saloon) and Tony and Debbie Slattery in Queensland who are looking for an M Type.
Welcome one and all!

7/12/11  The Register website is once again operational after the successful transfer to TalkTalk.
Numerous updates will be made in the next few days, but the first major addition was uploaded this afternoon.
It is the first part of the SV Minor 'Genome' - a table listing the body type fitted to chassis SV101 to SV18330,
as well as the full build data for all known surviving SV Minors within this production run.
This, and the full OHC Genome may be found in the Members' Area.

20/11/11   One out, one in.  Bill Piggott has sold his 1929 fabric saloon UR 4313 and acquired this very smart M Type which he plans to use
for LCES events.  As the M is currently in 12/12 trim, Bill is looking for a 3-speed box and standard single carburetter and manifold.
Please contact the Register if you can help.

ANO 17 all present and correct at the Alresford Watercress Line annual 'War on the Line', the 2011 weekend event.
Lt. Cdr. Holland on the left.

18/11/11  Welcome to new member Clive Holland who owns this rare 1933 4-seater tourer.
Regular readers may recall that Clive's car played host to a very special reunion last year.
And next year, Chris will be doing us another great favour when his Minor will play the role of HF 8547,
the Minor tourer that Cameron Gilg and Walter Kay drove from Liverpool to Capetown in 1933 (see 3/11/11 below).
ANO 17 will form the centrepiece of the Gilg and Kay exhibition at Pre-War Prescott next July.

The picturesque village of Romaldkirk at the foot of Teesdale will be the weekend's headquarters

13/11/11  Provisonal details of our inaugural 2012 Northern Weekend are now available here.
Start making your plans now.

Near the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge which marks the gateway to New York, Martin Redmond sets Pacific water free in the Atlantic.

12/11/11  14 countries, 80 cities and 15,000 miles.  Tonight, Martin Redmond and Roger Gaunt reached New York city
on the final leg of their epic round-the-world drive in their 1938 Morris 25  'Stanley'.

Congratulations to you both on a truly magnificent, once in a lifetime achievement!

Many of you have been following their progress online, but if not, here is their final daily blog from the Big Apple.

Our first Register Magazine was published in the autumn of 2000.   Just sixty copies were printed.

11/11/11  Last year we celebrated our Tenth Anniversary as a Register, and we have certainly come a very long way in that time
since our very first Magazine was distributed to about sixty founder members back in 2000.  Just how far we have come becomes clear
when one looks back at some of our early Magazines, which make fascinating and sometimes poignant reading today.

In our first decade, we published 36 Magazines.  These have now been tidied up and converted to .pdf format files and are available as a full set on CD.
The Anniversary CD also contains all of our Yearbooks and a wealth of other fascinating material and comes in a very smart
commemorative presentation case.  All of the files are fully searchable for names, registration numbers, etc. and all of the
Magazines and Yearbooks are presented in full colour, high resolution graphics – unlike the black and white photocopied originals.
So this represents a tremendous opportunity for members who joined after 2000 to acquire a complete set of the Register’s publications.

A one-time limited run of fifty Anniversary CD’s are being prepared by our printers – Northwest Fine Art Printing.
To order your copy of the CD, please use the order form, or simply add £25 (or $Au45, $NZ50, $US40) to your 2012 subscription payment.

By purchasing this CD you will be supporting the Register, enabling us to make even more improvements
in our publications and services for you as we head into our second decade.

The wild moorland above Teesdale's picturesque and historic villages affords some of the most spectacular vistas in Britain.

10/11/11  The Register is delighted to announce that we will hold an inaugural Northern Weekend the weekend after our Summer Rally next year.
The date for our Summer Rally is 21st/22nd July, so the Northern Weekend will take place over the weekend of 28th/29th July, and will be
based in Teesdale in the northern Pennines, a region of Britain famous for its quiet lanes and dramatic scenery.
This brand new Register event is designed to offer our northern members the opportunity to meet and enjoy a relaxed weekend
of touring and socialising.  However, southern members will be tolerated - if they promise to behave themselves!
Two days of gentle touring and visits to places of interest will be planned, with a slightly special Register dinner on Saturday night.
A hotel will be selected with safe parking and plenty of space for trailers for those traveling from afar.
There will be no competitive aspect to the weekend (except getting to the bar first in the evening!),
so it should be a very family-friendly weekend.  So far, at least eight of our northern members have expressed an intention to gather
and more expressions of interest would be most welcome.  Please let the Register know if you might be interested, so that we can secure
sufficient accommodation and hopefully negotiate an advantageous group rate.  There will be NO rally entry fee.
For our European members, there is a DFDS car ferry from Amsterdam, and ferries from other European ports to Newcastle,
which is only about forty miles from the Rally area.  Keep an eye on the website and our publications for more information
as plans for this exciting new Register weekend develop.

6/11/11  Over in Jaipur, India, Kartikea Lunia's 1930 tourer (M22335) was driven for  the first time in forty years today.
He recorded the momentous event on these fascinating videos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPKDO8Ldmlc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vf1BEa2ieK8
Congratualtions on returning another vintage Minor to the open road, Kartik.

4/11/11  Martin Redmond and Roger Gaunt have reached Madison, Wisconsin on the trans-America leg of their round the world drive.
In Madison, Martin and Roger met up with Register member Peter Caldwell for a chat and a look at Peter's workshop
and classic British car spares business.  Also in attendance was the President of the local British Car Club.
Next stop for Martin and Roger is the windy city - Chicago.

3/11/11  In 1933, Cameron Gilg and Walter Kay drove their new 1933 Morris Minor from Liverpool to Capetown,
thus achieving the first ever crossing of the Sahara in a light car.  For the trip, the car was adorned with a
serpent radiator mascot and Red Duster.  Here we see Cameron's wife who still has her late husband's radiator mascot and duster
from that adventure.  The family will be our Guests of Honour at our Summer Rally next year,
where long distance adventure will be a major theme of the weekend.

1/11/11  Today we warmly welcome Eberhard Sasse to the Register.  Eberhart lives in Schwerte which is near Dortmund in Germany.
He runs a firm of architects - Schlosserei Sasse.  He has always wanted a Mercedes SSK or Blower Bentley,
but has decided that what he really wants is a Morris Minor!  We wish him well with his quest.

1/11/11  The November Newsletter was e-mailed to members last night and is available in the Members' Area.

31/10/11  Just how we like to find them.  As mentioned below, new member Philip Butland has acquired a Hundred Pound Minor
which he collected from Surrey today.  TF 4293 (SV802) is a very sound and quite original early two-seater which Philip
intends to recommission rather than rebuild.  The car is currently sitting on 18" wheels, but Philip has already sourced
a set of correct 19" Magna wheels.  We very much look forward to seeing another Minor out and about before long.
The Minor will join Philip's very smart Morris 8 tourer.

30/10/11 Meanwhile over in Japan, the Meet the MG 2011 event was held at the Shin-Nishinomiya Yacht Harbour yesterday.
Front and centre is Kenji Matsuoka's ex-Dave Cooksey 1930 M Type WH 2424 (2M/886), behind which can be seen
Shinichi Nagatani's recently-completed 1930 Double Twelve PJ 4513 (2M/1342).  Shinichi has spent the last seven years restoring his M.
Completing the lineup is a C Type and a K3.

30/10/11  VMR member Martin Redmond (centre) has reached the Rockies with his friend Roger Gaunt
on their trek across the USA as part of their round the world drive in their 1937 Morris 25.
The Badlands await them over the next few days as they head east towards Chicago.
Last night they stayed close to Yellowstone.  You can follow their journey each day on TravelPod,
and you can easily sign up for their fascianting daily e-mailed updates.

29/10/11  Today we welcome Mark Morris to the Regsister.  Mark is looking for a 1929 nickel radiator
fabric saloon, and has discussed the two cars below with the Register.  However, if anoyone else has one
that they may be interested in parting with, please let the Register know.  Mark is the Registrar for the
Bugatti Owners Club, and so is no stranger to Prescott.   We very much look forward to seeing him there
at our Summer Rally next July with his Minor - whichever one he acquires.

28/10/11  And here's another vinatge saloon for sale - to be auctioned by our very good friends and sponsors
Hereford Vintage Auctions on 23rd November.  This OHC saloon, chassis M12504, started life on 12th August 1929
as fabric saloon and was exported to New Zealand.  Re-imported to the UK in 2007 after an estate clearance,
in New Zealand, it was sold by Orchid Cars in May 2008, but is now for sale once again.
The car has been steel paneled at some point in the past.  It is fitted with a 1931 OHC engine with large dynamo.
Smart, sorted and with a realistic estimate of £5,000-£6,500, it is ready for the coming vintage motoring season.
Find more photographs here or contact the Register for more details.

24/10/11  This very fine 1929 Fabric Saloon RX 4207 (M4322), first registered in Berkshire on the 10th April 1929
was auctioned at the Goodwood Festival of Speed back in July (see 15/6/11 below) and is now being offered for sale again
by Jaguar dealers Arun Motors of Pulborough, West Sussex.  It formed part of the Bunn Collection in Dorset
prior to being auctioned.  Here's the sales blurb:
"This fabric-bodied example of a now rare Vintage-era Morris comes with a report dated April 1983 written by noted automobile
historian and author, Michael Sedgwick, who found that it was a good example of a now very rare car.
The car was refurbished quite some time ago and is now offered in excellent condition both inside and out.
Documentation on file records a complete engine rebuild in 1975 by St Christopher's Garage, Dorset
while accompanying photographs appear to show the Morris undergoing a full 'body off' restoration in the 1970s
with in excess of 300 hours labour spent (at £2.80 an hour!!).  The car has obviously stood the test of time as it remains
in superb condition both inside and out - an unusual opportunity to purchase a great looking little car
and is nice to have something apart from the usual Austin 7."
We agree that this would make a fine vintage light car and is definitely worthy of a closer look.

23/10/11  Welcome to new member Philip Butland of Hailsham, East Sussex who joins us with his 1938 Series 2 Morris 8 tourer,
seen here rounding the Semi-cicrle at our inaugural Pre-War Prescott event in July.  (Photo: Graham Abbott)
Philip writes: "Loved Pre-War Prescott, had four runs up the hill and am now besotted.  Have been looking out for a Minor for
some time and now think I may have found one.  Anyway, whether the Minor happens or not, it's time I joined the Register."
Welcome, Philip.
UPDATE 25/10/11! Congratulation, Philip, on your purchase of a Hundred Pound Minor today!

23/10/11  The contents of the Members' Area of the website is currently being overhauled and expanded.
The first upgrade was to add wiring diagrams and lubrication charts for most OHC, SV Minors and M Types.
These diagrams have also be uploaded in French, Spanish, German and Dutch from original overseas Morris Minor Handbooks!
The remaining missing diagrams are being sought and will be added in due course.
Emphasis is being put on providing more technical information, sources of spares and providers of services.
If you have any material or suggestions to help with the upgrade, please contact the Register.
Similarly, if you find any information on the website which is out of date or incorrect, please let us know.

23/10/11  After a few months of snags including a chewed-up oil pump, John Nagle has nearly completed the restoration of his 1934 2-seater
OW 4224 (SV37955). John had OW out today in fine fettle in the autumn sunshine.  Congratulations on another high quality restoration, John.

21/10/11  Jeff Body has completed the new body for Toby Sears' 1931 (1932 season) four-seater tourer
(UX 9251, chassis SV 6690) and the result is spectacular, as can be seen above.  Hereis what he started with.
This was the car that Toby won in our Register auction two years ago, after it was found as part of the estate
of the deceased owner.  It has been off the road since the 1960's.  We look forward to seeing this rare SV tourer
out and about once Toby has completed the restoration.

19/10/11  During the summer of 2011 Kip and Carmen Waistell drove, unsupported, from Peking to Paris.
Unfortunately they used two vintage Austin Sevens!  However, they had an epic journey.  The purpose of their journey was
to raise funds for SmileTrain, the charity that treats children in developing countries with the dreadful affliction of cleft lip and pallet.
They will be giving a slide presentation of their exciting cross continental journey in
PEMBRIDGE VILLAGE HALL, HEREFORDSHIRE ON WEDNESDAY 2nd NOVEMBER AT 7.30 pm.
Tickets in advance price £7.50, to include light refreshments, may be obtained from David Hinds, Garage House, East Street, Pembridge, HR6 9HA.
Please make cheques payable to D. Hinds and enclose a sae.  All profits to SmileTrain.
There will be a number Minor Register members there, perhaps some of them will be inspired to make this journey in a Minor.

18/10/11  Our Summer 2011 Magazine has been made available online here as a sample copy of our quarterly Magazines.
It replaces the old-format Spring 2009 Magazine.  Our quarterly 48-page Register Magazine is now professionally printed in full colour
and distributed to all members.  So, if you are not currently a member, and you like what you see, you know what to do!

16/10/11  Register member Martin Redmond and friend Roger Gaunt are driving their 1937 Morris 25 around the world.
From Bedford in England, they drive across Europe and Asia to Vladivostok, where they shipped the car to Los Angeles.
They have now left Los Angeles for the east coast.  Here we see them headng for the mountains yesterday.
You can follow their progress on TravelPod, where you can also sign up for e-mail updates.

14/10/11  The October Newsletter was distributed by e-mail today and a copy may be found on the Members' Area.

5/10/11  Just how we like to find them.  UP 5286 is an early Hundred Pound Minor 2-seater, chassis number SV910.
It has been laid up in this shed since 1986.  It belonged to Paul Palmer's father,
who died 25 years ago, but the family have now decided to restore it for their sons and daughters.
The first step will be to try to recover the registration number.

28/9/11  Once again this Sunday we will be holding our founding autumn pub meet at the Hatchgate, Bramshill, Berkshire.
This was our very first pub meet and we met regularly at the Shoulder of Mutton at Hazeley.  In more recent times, the meet has moved
to the Hatchgate at Bramshill which has proved very popular, and we are now joined by our friends at the Morris Register and the Bean Car Club.
 So DO PLEASE see if you can come along to the Hatchgate this Sunday 2nd October at noon and help mark
this auspicious Register anniversary with a record muster of Minors and M Types!
 Full details and directions may be found here.
 Cheers to one and all, please invite your friends to join us and please bring your cameras too!

25/9/11  It was a beautiful autumn day for our Minor muster at the Alice Lisle earlier today.
Next Sunday is the Hatchgate, Bramshill.
(Photo: Toby Sears)

21/9/11  A reminder that our New Forest Autumn pub meet will take place THIS SUNDAY at the Alice Lisle, Rockford Green, Hampshire.
Details here.  All most welcome!

21/9/11  The September Newsletter was distributed by e-mail today.  A copy may also be found in the Members' Area.

30/9/11  And today we also welcome Michael Norrey to the Register.  Michael recently acquired this
Stewart & Ardern-registered 1930 Minor saloon MU 2165 (M28983) from Newtown in Wales.
Incidentally, new members joining the Register between now and the end of the year will receive
membership through to the end of 2012.  The Membership Form may be downloaded here.

16/9/11  Today we welcome John Newell to the Register.
John has acquired this 1932 2-seater CG 1140 (SV15401) which was offered for sale earlier in the year
and also auctioned at Castle Combe in March.  Good luck with the collection tomorrow John, and welcome aboard!

30/8/11  Our autumn pub meets are almost upon us.  We will be holding two meets this autumn.
Our traditional meet at the Hatchgate at Bramshill, Berkshire will take place on Sunday 2nd October
in conjunction with the Morris Register and Bean Car Club.
 Our other meet is our roving New Forest meet, taking place this time at the Alice Lisle (above),
which is a superb country pub.  All are most welcome at both meets, which start at noon.

22/8/11 Bill Piggot is offering his very tidy 1929 fabric saloon UR 4313 (M11538) for sale.
This is an excellent opportunity to acquire a vintage Minor that is ready to be enjoyed.
Contact Bill for further details.

3/8/11  Welcome to new member Andy Pocock of Birdham, West Sussex who recently acquired this 1934 saloon AYF 733.

22/7/11  A number of superb Pre-War Prescott photosets are appearing on the web.
Paul Saunders (Dart Images) can be found here (including the one above).
Peter McFadyen's images can be found here.
Allan Rhodes (Track Car Photography) has posted his images here.
Hereford Vintage Auctions has posted a selection on their web page here, which include shots of the Navigation Rally on Sunday.
Nick Williams has posted a good selection here.
David Southcott (Bonzer Photos) has posted more here.
Finally, there is a lovely video by the Bowie contingent here that sums up the spirit of the day and includes shots of the Lancaster display.
I also hope to be posting some of the GoPro onboard videos to YouTube shortly.
If anyone posts any other online galleries of the weekend, please let us know.

22/7/11  Over in Picton, Ontario, Ian Samuel is offering his unique 1933 Maddox Coupe Minor for sale.
It would be good to see this car repatriated.  If interested, please contact the Register for further details.

20/7/11  Just back from a superb weekend in the Cotswolds.  Here's the Triangle Special ready for its first run in the hands of the boys from SU.
Photo sets are starting to appear on the Internet.  Peter Mcfadyen's can be found here, and Paul Saunders' here.
Also check out this YouTube video which nicely sums up the day.  I'll be posting a selection of GoPro onboard videos to YouTube shortly.
Thanks to everyone who worked to make the weekend a huge success.

12/7/11  Just signing off before flying to London tomorrow, arriving Thursday mornning for the Summer Rally.
We have 99 advance entries and are expecting many more on the day, so a super weekend is in store for everyone.
I will be running around the navigation rally/scenic tour route on Friday after calling in at Prescott in the morning to check on
final arrangements, and then I'll be at the Gardeners Arms, Alderton on Friday evening for our reception.
I am also bringing Magazine M 138 with me, so if you are attending at any point over the weekend, I'll have your copy for you.
See you there!

28/6/11  With just over two weeks to what will undoubtedly be our best ever Summer Rally, planning is in its final stages,
and we already have over a hundred cars booked in over the weekend.  On Sunday we will be holding a Navigation Rally
and spectacular Scenic Tour across the glorious Cotswolds.  Meanwhile preparations are virtually complete for our
inaugural Pre-War Prescott event on Saturday.  The incomparable and historic Battle of Britain Memorial Flight's Avro Lancaster
is booked to arrive over the hill at 1445 hrs precisely, and we heard today that it may also be accompanied by
a Spitfire and Hurricane from the Flight.
Definitely a weekend not to be missed, and there is still time to enter.

19/6/11  With just four weeks to our Summer Rally, have you booked yet?  Your tickets are waiting for you!

16/6/11  This stunning advert will be published in our Pre-War Prescott Rally programme.
The SU Carburetter Company is the event's main sponsor and the advert proudly highlights their recent acquisition -
the Skinner Triangle Special which will be attacking the hill on the day.

15/6/11  More auction news.
The Bunn Collection, comprising two Bentleys, five Rolls Royces and this very sound Berkshire-registered 1929 Minor fabric saloon
RX 4207 (M4322) is being auctioned by Bonhmas at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on 1st July.
Thanks to Dave Aston for spotting this one.
View it here.

Gavin and his M Type seen here arriving at Milton Abbey School on our 2007 Summer Rally.