Perkins Brothers garage in Wokingham High Street - the new 1928 Morris models lined up
Just over a year ago, and as reported in the VMR Magazine, I started to put together a formula for a web-based Morris group for owners of vintage Morrises - 1913 to 1930. Apart from a pilot website, nothing much happened as I became engrossed with completing the Semi-sports before shipping it to England, the VSCC eligibility debacle and other distractions.
Also since then the club landscape for Morris owners has subtly shifted. The VSCC, while being a club which encourages driving rather than polishing of cars continues to ostracize virtually all thirties Morrises while welcoming Austins with open arms. The Bullnose Morris Club has become even more of a picnic club and the Morris Register is struggling to reinvent itself after damaging lawsuits and boardroom power battles, but remains preoccupied with membership numbers and regalia sales and static beauty pageants.
So there does appear to be an opportunity at this time to launch a group whose goal is to recover, restore and DRIVE any and all Morris motorcars that survived the Blitz. As such, all members' cars will be treated as equals - whether White & Poppe Bullnoses or Morris 8 Series Es. I believe that in 2008, the time has come to treat all vehicles that survived the World War 2 with equally high respect and to maintain as many as possible in roadworthy condition and to use them regularly both on the road and in competition.
The new Society will start in a very low key manner and feel its way very carefully. Membership will come in two flavours - Web membership (website, forum, monthly e-Newsletters) for just five Pounds a year, and Full membership which will include copies of the VMR Magazine for twenty Pounds a year. If and when EMS full membership grows, a greater proportion of the VMR Magazine will be given over to broader Morris matters, which should, in any case, be of more than passing interest to ourselves as VMR members.
All VMR members will have automatic EMS membership and will therefore account for the first 200 or so EMS members.
The VMR stands to benefit from all this since EMS members will be invited to join in with our Summer Rallies and pub meets, thus boosting numbers which will be good for everyone. Thus, the two groups will in most respects be sister organizations.
The pilot website may be found initially at http://www.vintageminor.co.uk/EMS
The Members' Area username is emsmember and the password is bullseye.
Feedback and suggestions for developing the Society would be warmly welcomed.