Monterey Classic Car Week has long been an item on my bucket list. Almost two years ago, with retirement in the near future, I decided to travel to Monterey at the first opportunity. So, I reserved a cottage through one of the home rental sites and started planning. Next came the airline tickets for Isabel and me, and finally the tickets for Pebble Beach.

We flew out of Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco on Friday morning, spent two days in San Francisco with our son, and after commandeering his car, drove down to Pacific Grove on Sunday. The first order of business after arriving was to drive along 17 Mile Drive. It was absolutely spectacular!

I did my homework before traveling and had almost every activity planned. Our cottage was within a half-block walk to all of the activities on Pacific Grove’s Lighthouse Avenue and a short driving distance to everything else.

The Week had so many activities for car enthusiasts it was impossible to do them all. Isabel and I started with Automobilia Monterey on Day One. There was a very good display of posters, artwork, apparel, books, and other memorabilia. Of course I had to splurge on a book and a necktie.

Tuesday marked the start of the real action. We drove to Carmel for the Carmel-by-the-Sea Concours on the Avenue. The show’s ambience reminded me very much of Naples’ Cars on Fifth, with an impressive mix of well-prepared automobiles representing multiple marques. Unlike Naples’ 5th Avenue, Carmel’s Ocean Avenue is wide with a median running down the middle. There were fewer cars at Carmel and they were not as closely parked. I took advantage of an opportunity to shake hands with Donald Osborne.

The city of Carmel added its own charm to the event however, we needed to get back to Pacific Grove in early afternoon for the Classic Motorsports Kick-off Car Show & Cruise. That show, along Lighthouse Avenue, also provided an impressive display of cars of all marques and conditions. The headquarters for the show was the local British pub that had excellent fish and chips and Boddington’s.

Wednesday’s agenda included the Little Car Show, which was also on Lighthouse Avenue. I expected to see primarily microcars, and there were a few, but there were also others such as Minis, Bugeye Sprites, and Morris Minors. I guess they too qualified as “Little.”

After viewing this excellent show, Isabel and I decided we needed a little rest and chose to forgo the other shows that day. By the way, we did spend some time along Cannery Row as tourists. My energy level, though, is not what it was.

It was back to Carmel on Thursday. We decided the best way to view the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance was in Carmel rather than at the start of the Tour or along the route. The 70-mile Tour consisted of cars that were slated to be on display on Sunday at the Concours d’Elegance. As the cars drove onto Ocean Avenue, they simply parked straight ahead along the street. The crowd then circulated among them in close proximity. No one seemed to be worried about getting a scratch on their priceless cars. I was very careful with my backpack.

We left Carmel with plans to visit the Pebble Beach Retroauto, another automobilia show, at the Inn at Spanish Bay. However, I missed a turn along 17 Mile Drive, became tired and grumpy, and decided I had already splurged enough on automobilia. We continued back to our cottage at Pacific Grove for more rest.

Laguna Seca was an absolute must on my bucket list, so Friday was set aside for the pilgrimage to the Rolex Monterey Motorsport Reunion. Our first order of business was to see the racetrack’s Corkscrew. We found a comfortable spot under the trees and watched several practice and qualifying runs from that vantage point.

It was all I expected it to be. At the beginning of one of the runs, the track announcer announced a driver from Naples, Florida. Of course that caught my attention and I cheered for him as he came through the Corkscrew in a 1964 Alfa Romeo GTZ.

Later, while passing through the garage area, I saw the Revs Institute (Naples) banner and stopped to let the crew know that some hometown fans were cheering for them. Miles Collier was “supervising” the work on the Alfa Romeo and a 1965 Ferrari 250 LM Berlinetta GT. We chatted briefly and he seemed to appreciate our stopping by.

The featured theme of the Reunion was a celebration of the 50th Anniversary of IMSA. Lunchtime also brought a unique experience. After negotiating with Isabel and our son over a place to sit, I was told to take the only seat that was left at the nearby table. Upon sitting down, I looked up and recognized IMSA drivers Ricky Taylor and Wayne Taylor sitting directly in front of me. A cordial conversation ensued after I complimented them on their accomplishments and we established that we were Florida residents. Spending the day at the Reunion, with almost 500 vintage race cars, was exhausting and rewarding.

The antithesis of the Concours d’Elegance is the Concours d’Lemons. The brainchild of Alan Galbraith, this event includes everything from “somewhat preserved” to “absolute junkers.” They all run! My Mark 2 would have been perfect for this event.

Several vehicles were outlandishly modified for special purposes, such as space exploration. Unlike Pebble Beach, most of the cars were not historically significant. One exception was the station wagon used in several episodes of The Donna Reed Show of the 1950s.

Several British marques were on display in the Concours d’Lemons. I had a long conversation with the owner of an MGB about the virtues of Marvel Mystery Oil. Perhaps the most profound lesson for the show, however, was that the Yugo is the “ultimate chick magnet.”

Sunday brought the most anticipated event of the week, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. It was all I expected and more. The Featured Marque was Bentley, in celebration of its 100th anniversary, and several well-preserved and significant Bentleys were on display. Best in Show was awarded to the 1934 Bentley 8 Litre Gurney Nutting Sports Tourer presented by The Honorable Sir Michael Kadoorie of Hong Kong. British cars ruled!

I think my biggest take-away from the event is its focus on significance, elegance, and charitable causes. Almost all of the cars featured had some well-documented historical significance. While all were in a very pre-sentable condition, not all had undergone restorations. Many were preserved and some were in “very original” condition. But they were all significant.

Not only were the cars elegant at Pebble Beach, but the spectators were as well. Promoters encouraged “polished casual attire” and a special hat for the day. My seersucker suit (no tie) and Panama hat fit the bill. Isabel was bewitching in her fancy attire and Panama hat, too. We were well prepared for car and star gazing and our picnic along the 18th fairway.

Proceeds from the event go to several charitable causes. Jay Leno and Donald Osborne encouraged 40 people to donate $3,000 each for the local Boys and Girls Club. I had to hold Isabel’s hand down to prevent her from making a pledge.

The rewards of the week at Monterey cannot be captured fully in one sitting. There is much more to tell, which I intend to do in several follow-up pieces. Suffice it to say, the Monterey Classic Car Week should be on every car enthusiast bucket list. It’s well worth it.

FT. MYERS, Fla. — The meeting was called to order by Treasurer Tom Brewsaugh due to the absence of the President and Vice President.

Three new members were recognized. Bob and Susan Engelhart and Jim Collins were present. Guests Steve and Glyva Rentz were also recognized.

The Secretary, Mary Newman, read the minutes from the July meeting. Tom gave the Treasurer’s Report.

Past events

A club breakfast was held at Mel’s Diner in Ft. Myers on July 27th. A total of six members attended. Marcia McCartt reported that the food and service were both good.

Tom reported on the July race at Sebring Raceway. Ken Taylor ran his Triumph TR7. Tom worked Turn 6. He has been a faithful worker with Sports Car Club of America and is currently the Lt. Governor for District 8 of the Central Florida Division. The next race (as of the date of this meeting) will be August 31st and the 1st of September.

Future events (as of this meeting)

October 9-13 — “Mini 60” Celebration at Wytheville, Va., presented by Classic Minis United.

October 12 — Jaguar Concours at St Armands Circle, presented by the Suncoast Jaguar Club.

October 26 — 33rd Annual TBAHC All-British Field Meet & Autojumble, presented by the Tampa Bay Austin-Healey Club.

October 26 — 4th Annual Concours d’Elegance at Charlotte Harbor Event Center, Punta Gorda, Fla., presented by the Jaguar Club of Southwest Florida.

November 16 — Luncheon run with the Gold Coast British Sports Car Club at Jo Ann’s Blue Crab Café, Ochopee, Fla.

November 30 — “A Holiday Happening” Car Show, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Muscle Car City, 10175 Tamiami Trail, Punta Gorda, Fla.

December 10 — BCCSWF Christmas Party.

January 11, 2020 — Land Yachts Commodore Cup, 4400 Lister St., Port Charlotte, Fla. The show is open to American and foreign classic cars 1886-1990 and all sports cars (two-door coupes and convertibles). Contact Hermann at (941) 564-5638.

January 25 — Ft. Myers Celtic Festival. Club members will be displaying their British cars.

Tom Brewsaugh told the club that Steve Cleveland was having a tool sale at his shop on the weekend of August 16th.

The August Club Breakfast will be at the House of Omelets in Cape Coral.

The meeting adjourned. —Mary Newman, Secretary

A few issues back I wrote about our 1972 Mini Clubman being towed home from a Memorial Day trip to Arcadia, Fla. At the time, I guessed it was an electric fuel pump/filter problem. I was wrong!

After installing a new pump and filter, I checked for power to the pump and found nothing. I also had no power to anything else except the starter. Checking for electrical problems is not something I like to do, nor am I very good at it, however at this point, with multi-meter in hand, I charged into the engine bay.

What I found was multiple loose connections at the fuse panel. A new fuse panel was purchased and installed along with numerous new connectors. Gradually power was restored to everything that needed “juice” to operate.

I should have known that all connections will fail at some point from my years of playing with British cars. This event will serve as a reminder to frequently inspect all things electrical and repair/replace anything that is loose or does not look right.

Other improvements to the purple Mini include new shocks, knuckle joints and tie rod ends. I will soon be replacing the outer CV joints as I found the rubber gaiters to be split.

The one visible improvement was a new dash with oil pressure gauge and voltmeter. This job was much easier than I expected, with the hardest part being making sure all the electrical connections were right and working before the final bolt-up of the dash.

In a future issue I will discuss the unique suspension systems used in the Mini. Happy 60th Birthday to Mini!

FT. MYERS, Fla. — Our meeting on tuesday, July 9th, was called to order by President Cecil Carter at 6:30 p.m. There were no guests or new members. The Secretary stated that the minutes of the June meeting are on the website and in British Marque. The Treasurer, Tom Brewsaugh, gave his report.

Past events

Cecil reported that six club members attended breakfast at Skillets Restaurant in Ft. Myers. He stated the food was good as well as the service. He asked for suggestions for the July breakfast and the club decided on Mel’s Diner in Ft. Myers on Cleveland Avenue. The Secretary will send out an e-mail.

Future events

October 9-13 — “Mini 60 Celebration,” Wytheville, Va., presented by Classic Mini United.

October 12 — Jaguar Concours at St. Armands Circle, presented by the Suncoast Jaguar Club.

October 26 — 33rd Annual TBAHC All-British Field Meet & Autojumble, presented by the Tampa Bay Austin-Healey Club.

October 26 — 4th Annual Concours d’Elegance at Charlotte Harbor Event Center, Punta Gorda, Fla., presented by the Jaguar Club of Southwest Florida.

November 16 — Luncheon run with the Gold Coast British Sports Car Club at Jo Ann’s Blue Crab Café, Ochopee, Fla.

November 30 — “A Holiday Happening” Car Show, 8 a.m to 3 p.m., Muscle Car City, 10175 Tamiami Trail, Punta Gorda, Fla.

December 10 — BCCSWF Christmas Party. More details to follow.

January 11, 2020 — 2020 Land Yachts Commodore Cup, 4400 Lister St., Port Charlotte, Fla. The show is open to American and foreign classic cars from 1886 to 1990 and all sports cars (two-door coupes and convertibles). Contact Hermann at (941) 564-5638.

January 25 — Ft. Myers Celtic Festival. Club members will be displaying their British cars.

Other news

President Cecil gave an update on the Club Participation Award.

The Secretary presented some club business cards to the members present.

The July birthdays were celebrated, the 50/50 raffle was held, and the meeting adjourned.

On Saturday June 8th the BCCSWF met in Bokeelia, Fla., for a fun-filled adventure to Cabbage Key, for a “Cheeseburger in Paradise”!

Legend has it that singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffet occasionally visited Cabbage Key and dedicated the song to Cabbage Key during a concert at Ft. Myers. There are many places who claim the infamous cheeseburger, and only Buffet knows for sure. But it certainly was a fun trip, and a perfect, sunny day!

The tour began at the Jug Creek Marina on Bokeelia. The cruise went to Cayo Costa State Park before dropping us off at Cabbage Key. These places are only accessible by helicopter or boat. You can camp overnight on Cayo Costa and get back to nature (beaches, shelling, trails and wildlife are abundant).

The tour was narrated and the history of the area is fascinating. Our guide spoke of a beautiful Spanish princess who was kidnapped by a pirate named José Gaspar.

Gaspar wanted to marry the princess, but she wanted nothing to do with the “dirty pirate,” and completely rejected him. He tried and tried and tried to win her over, and finally he beheaded the princess with his sword, possibly in a jealous rage (another version of the story states his crew demanded her death).

The lovelorn pirate instantly regretted the deed, and buried her on Useppa Island, which he named for her. This is the legend of Useppa, and whether there is truth to that story, I cannot say.

We left Cayo Costa and were able to photograph playful dolphins swimming in our wake. Arriving at the Cabbage Key Marina, we were greeted by a quaint and colorful row of cabins. We disembarked and headed up the long, windy walkway to the restaurant, perched on top of a hill with an excellent view of the harbor. We chose to dine in the Dollar Bill Bar area. Dollars are taped all over the walls and ceiling. I’ve read there is $60,000 taped to those walls! It reminded me of Captain Tony’s in Key West, but without the bras!

Naturally we had to get the Cheeseburger in Paradise — we also tried the Cabbage Creeper, which we really loved.

We want to thank Cecil and Isabel Carter, Bill and Mary Newman, Mary’s sister-in-law, Mary Fitzpatrick, Marcia Ling, and Peter and Sandy Blackford for braving the heat and making the trip an absolute delight! It was the Blackfords’ anniversary, and we were so glad to share their special day.

FT. MYERS, Fla., June 11 — The meeting was called to order by President Cecil Carter at 6:30 p.m. The minutes of the previous meeting are in the British Marque (July issue) and on the website.

The Treasurer, Tom Brewsaugh, gave his report and stated he paid Faith Lamprey of the Marque for the management of the website.

Past events

The breakfast at the Alva Diner was well attended. The food was good and the service was great. The club decided to rotate locations for breakfast. The next breakfast will be held at Skillets in Ft. Myers, across from the Bell Tower. The Secretary will send an e-mail.

The Memorial Day Service at the Arcadia Oak Ridge Cemetery was well attended and the President and Gary Maue presented a wreath from the club.

The June 8th “Cheeseburger in Paradise” Luncheon Run was well attended by 10 members for the 90-minute boat trip. The food was excellent and a good time was had by all. Thank you, Marcia and Larry McCartt, for arranging the trip.

The club will be looking into business cards for the club.

Tom Brewsaugh reported on the SCCA race held at Sebring June 8th and 9th. Ken Taylor ran his TR7 in Vintage. Tom stated the race was hot and raining. The next race will be July 20th and 21st. It will be a drivers school and a vintage race.

Future events

The Safety Harbor Car Show will be held on October 26th. The Jaguar Club will be hosting a show at the Charlotte Harbor Event Center on that date also.

The Gold Coast British Sports Car Club has invited the club for a luncheon run to JoAnn’s Blue Crab Café on November 16th. More details will follow.

There will be a “Mini 60” event in Wytheville, Va., October 9th through 13th. Details are at Classicmini.org. Bill and Mary Newman will be taking their 1972 Clubman.

The annual Christmas Party will be held on December 10th at the Crown Plaza in Ft. Myers. A motion was made for the club to pay $10 per member toward the price of the dinner.

Members will submit a separate check for membership renewal for 2020.

President Cecil suggested Rosie Tomorrow’s for brunch in the future.

The 50/50 raffle was held. The meeting adjourned. —Mary Newman, Secretary

The British Car Club of Southwest Florida made our annual run to Arcadia, Fla., on Memorial Day, May 27th, for the 25th Year Memorial Service to honor the twenty-three RAF cadets who died while in training in Florida during World War II.

With the Nazis’ constant bombing of the British Isles, the United States allowed the Royal Air Force to train at six sites on this side of the Atlantic. Two of the training schools were in Clewiston and Arcadia, Fla. When the first training death accrued in 1941, the British government made arrangements for a burial site in Arcadia’s Oak Ridge Cemetery. The Arcadia Rotary Club has been holding a British Memorial Service on Memorial Day for the last 63 years.

This year President Cecil Carter and Isabel, Larry and Marcia McCartt, Gary and Trish Maue, and Bill and Mary Newman made the trip. The McCartts’ Rolls-Royce and the Newmans’ Mini were the only British cars in attendance, and our club was the only British car club there as well.

Cecil presented a wreath from our club after the singing of “America” and “God Save the Queen.” Small Union Jacks and Poppy Wreaths were placed at each gravesite when the names of the British dead were read.

This is always a very moving ceremony. There was no guest speaker from the U.K. this year, but American Chief Warrant Officer Michael Wilcox, a career military aviator and attack helicopter pilot in Vietnam, gave a great speech.

The Newman Mini ran beautifully at good speeds for the trip to Arcadia, leading the Rolls, a Honda and a Lexus. The ceremony was great as usual, and the next stop was lunch at the Celtic Ray Pub in Punta Gorda, Fla.

That was the good part of the story. Next is the bad.

When I tried starting the Mini there was nothing. There was no juice coming from the battery. I had recently installed a new battery and negative cable and cleaned all the ground connections, but I checked everything again. Still no juice from the battery.

At this point I called for a tow truck. No sense in hanging around with the temperature at 95° and no tools to do any work.

While waiting for the tow truck to arrive, I went back the battery and gave the negative cable a tug. The cable fell away from the clamp. I was able to fix the broken connection and the Mini fired right up. I made a call to cancel the tow truck and were on our way to the Pub.

Before we reached the Cemetery gates, the Mini’s engine sputtered and stopped. Several restarts produced the same results. Again I called the tow truck, waited and hour for it to arrive, loaded the Mini and made the trip home. The $235 towing fee was well worth it just to get in the air-conditioned cab.

When we got to the house, the tow truck unloaded the car in the front of the house and I expected to have to push the Mini into the garage. I got in the car and tried to start it. The Mini started with ease, idled nicely and drove right into the garage, purring like a kitten. Sometimes, I think, our British cars enjoy causing their owners problems and like to ride home on a tow truck.

I suspect that the second issue is a fuel problem and I will be replacing the fuel filter and possibly the electric fuel pump. Results of my troubleshooting will be reported in another issue.

Thanks to all the members who offered help and support at the Cemetery.

FT. MYERS, Fla., May 14 — The meeting was called to order by President Cecil Carter at 6:30 p.m. There were no guests or new members. The Treasurer was not present and we did not have an updated report. The Secretary stated the minutes of the last meeting as well as past meeting were on the website and also in the British Marque.

Past events

The Saturday Breakfast at Mimi’s did not go well and the club discussed other options. A suggestion was made to go to the Alva Diner. A motion was made and seconded and passed by the members present. An e-mail will be sent to members who can then RSVP to Cecil Carter. Steve Cleveland held an open house at his Shop following the Mimi’s Breakfast. He plans on having some more events at his shop.

The club held the 2nd Annual Cinco de Mayo Luncheon on May 5th at the Celtic Ray Pub in Punta Gorda. Thanks to all who came.

Future events (as of the meeting date)

The Memorial Day Service for the fallen British pilots who trained in the Arcadia area and are buried in the British Plot at the Oak Ridge Cemetery will be held at 10 a.m. on May 27th. The club will meet at the McDonald’s on Jones Loop Road and proceed to the Cemetery. The members who wish will meet at the Celtic Ray Pub for lunch after the service.

Marcia and Larry McCartt are sponsoring a Boat Tour & Luncheon to Cabbage Key on June 8th on the Tropic Star. The Secretary will send an e-mail along with instructions about making reservations.

The Triumph Club is sponsoring a tour of the Babcock Ranch on May 22nd. There will be a lunch following the tour.

The Gold Coast British Sports Car Club has proposed a joint event with our club in October and November.

The President will be seeking officers for the 2020 term. If you are interested contact Cecil Carter.

SCCA Club Racing has two upcoming races. They are June 8th and July 20th.

Following these announcements the meeting adjourned. —Mary Newman, Secretary