Saturday, March 23rd, was a picture-perfect day in Southwest Florida as we headed north out of Ft. Myers to Venice in “Lady Jane” (our ’62 Jaguar Mk2), with its 3.8, straight six breathing in the cool morning air. The destination was the Island Walk community, conveniently located on Rt. 41 in South Venice, where the 4th Annual Island Walk Car Show was held.

On arrival we were greeted by the organizer, Phil Mannino (President of the Southwest Florida Chapter of JCNA), who guided our car into a predetermined spot and invited us to enjoy complimentary coffee and cake, which was most welcome after the 70-mile drive.

In addition to the wide range of about 30 classic cars of various marques there was a crafts and art fair, multiple customized baskets as raffle prizes and a 50/50 cash draw. The show appeared to be very well attended by community residents who fully supported the chosen Community Emergency Response Team charity.

Around midday all show car participants were invited to a complimentary lunch held beside the beautifully designed community pool area. At 1 p.m. very nice custom designed glass trophies were presented in four specific classes, and everybody was invited to continue to enjoy the really nice facilities rather than leave immediately. We enjoyed receiving a “1st in Jaguar Class” trophy and a swim in the gorgeous pool before heading back south.

A final surprise was being passed on I-75 by good friends and fellow BCCSWF members Lionel and Jackie Hill, who were en route from their new home on the Florida Panhandle to visit friends around Ft. Myers over the following week!

It was a pity that few BCCSWF and JCNA members/cars attended this event, but Phil was positive that this show will continue to grow stronger over time. It should — it is a very well planned, friendly classic car show with something of interest for everyone.

The club held its Annual Picnic with about 15 members attending. There was a threat of rain so the turnout was less than expected. We want to thank Vice President Ken Taylor for being our chief chef with help from some others.

Isabel and Cecil Carter organized the games and the winners were as follows:

Pasta Contest — Bill Newman

Corn Hole — John Fraioli

Horseshoes — Cecil Carter

They each received a gift card.

Thank you, Cecil and Isabel, for your help, and everyone else who helped the Picnic be a success by attending. —Mary Newman

The British Car Club of Southwest Florida has reinstituted its Member Point System. The System is designed to stimulate participation of all club members in more and in a variety of activities.

Club members receive “points” for participating in various activities. At the end of the calendar year, the three club members with highest point totals will be recognized.

The activities and points awarded for each activity are listed below:

• Attend a monthly meeting (2 points)

• Drive your British car to a monthly meeting (2 points)

• Wear your name tag at a club meeting or activity (1 point)

• Write an article for the British Marque (5 points)

• Participate in a club activity (3 points)

• Lead a club activity (5 points)

• Attend the club Saturday breakfast (2 points)

• Drive your British car to the club Saturday breakfast (2 points)

• Recruit a new member (3 points)

Members may record their points at each club meeting through November. The club president will maintain the records and will announce the winners at the 2019 Holiday Party in December. —Cecil Carter

FT. MYERS, Fla., Mar. 12 — The meeting was called to order by President Cecil Carter at 6:30 p.m. Mary Newman gave the Treasurer’s Report in Tom Brewsaugh’s absence. She stated the minutes of all meetings are on the website and printed in the British Marque.

Guest John Frioli from Colorado was introduced. He has an MGB.

Past events

The Cape Coral Charity Car Show was held on February 16th at Jaycee Park. Many members attended.

The Gold Coast All-British Car Show was held on February 17th at a new venue, the Palm Beach Outlet Mall. Peter Sales won a 2nd place with his Jaguar. John Sergeant won a 1st with his MGA. Bill and Mary Newman attended with their 1972 Clubman, and John Welch, with his Jaguar, also made the trek.

The BIG Show was held March 3rd at Jaycee Park in Cape Coral. The British car winners were a 1929 Austin Seven Tourer owned by Robert Faria of Englewood, Fla., Hermann Schaller’s Lagonda with 2nd place, and John Shoemaker’s MG with 3rd.

February and March birthdays were celebrated.

The membership discussed the upcoming Picnic on March 16th at the Franklin Lock Park.

The Breakfast Runs were discussed. Steve Cleveland made a motion to continue to go to Mimi’s and the motion carried. Glenn Vrooman volunteered to make the reservations.

Upcoming events (as of the meeting date)

April or May — Bill Newman would be organizing a luncheon run to the Celtic Ray.

April 20 — Wheels Across the Pond show.

April 26-27 — Pensacola Brits on the Bay show.

April 26-28 — Sunshine Speed Show, Lakeland, Fla.

Other club business

President Cecil Carter will be writing an article for the Marque on the new Member Recognition program.

Vice President Ken Taylor and Steve Cleveland will sponsor upcoming tech sessions including these topics: Inspecting Your British Car Troubleshooting your Car Preparing to Show Your car Basic Welding Electrical Session Powder Coating. Dates will be discussed at future meetings.

Cecil discussed an ongoing event idea brought to him by Larry and Marcia McCartt. It is based on touring Southwest Florida in your vintage car and documenting your visit with pictures of each of the counties. A log will be kept and ultimately the logs will be submitted and the winner will be recognized at the Christmas Party.

President Cecil wants to send out a survey to see what the members are interested in.

The meeting adjourned. —Mary Newman, Secretary

NAPLES, Fla. — Thirty British cars participated in “Cars on Fifth” in Naples on Saturday, February 9th.

Cars on Fifth is one of the premier car events in Southwest Florida. The event, which is sponsored by the Ferrari Club of Naples, showcases more than 400 cars along Naples’ Fifth Avenue. The British Car Club of Southwest Florida is one of the supporting organizations. Proceeds from the event are donated to St. Matthew’s House, an agency that provides services to indigent individuals in the area.

This year, the event hosted approximately 50,000 spectators and raised about $250,000.

The day was perfect for displaying the cars. Temperatures were in the mid-80s without a cloud in sight. The British cars gathered early in the morning in a nearby shopping plaza and at 7:15 a.m. caravanned to Fifth Avenue. By 8 a.m. all cars were in place.

There was a good mix of British marques that included Aston-Martin, Jaguar, MG, Triumph, Rolls-Royce and Lotus. Unique among the cars was a miniature, petrol-powered 1969 Jaguar E-type, which arrived loaded in the back of an SUV. It had a Honda gas engine and three-speed transmission with clutch, all hand-assembled and painted in Poland.

A 1952 Austin-Healey BN2 100M that was caught in a disastrous garage fire two years ago returned after a beautiful total restoration.

By 10 a.m. Fifth Avenue was crowded with spectators who appreciated all of the cars, especially the British ones. Two local bands, multiple vendors, and several hospitality hosts added to the festive atmosphere.

In keeping with tradition, at 3:45 p.m. all cars were started and the police-escorted exit parade began. The drivers proudly took their places among the cars and slowly exited Fifth Avenue, thus enabling all to admire the uniqueness of British cars.

February and March have become “Car Show Months” in Southwest Florida.

As you just read, on February 9th was Cars on Fifth, a big show held annually by the Naples Ferrari Club).

February 16th was the Cape Coral Charity Car Show put on by the Cape Coral 1st United Methodist Church, with proceeds donated to the Cape Caring Center. The multi-marque show raised over $30,000 and was attended by Mary and me with our Mini Clubman and Al Iagemno with his Jaguar XK140. I don’t know the winners since we left early, but did stay long enough to win a big gas grill door prize. The grill would not fit in the Mini, so we sold it to a visiting couple from Canada who attended our last meeting.

Mary and I left early to drive the Mini to West Palm Beach for the All-British Show put on by the Gold Coast British Sports Car Club on February 17th at the Palm Beach Outlets Mall. Our little car made the three-hour trip across the state with no problems and continues to build my confidence in driving the car long distances.

The Gold Coast club put on an excellent show at a new venue this year. Since Mary and I are members of GCBSCC, it was a great time to renew friendships and recall past adventures. We were joined by BCCSWF members John and Angela Sergeant, who took 1st place with their 1959 MGA, and Peter and Pam Sales, who were in the “Jaguar Other” class with their MkII Jaguar. John Welch also joined us with his 2007 Jaguar.

The BIG (British, Italian & German) Show was sponsored by Triumphs of Southwest Florida and was held on March 3rd. There were over 100 cars, with the majority being of British manufacture. Many of our present and past members were in attendance and I will provide the winners next month. —Bill Newman

FORT MYERS, Fla., Feb. 12 — The meeting was called to order by President Cecil Carter at 6:30 p.m. at Famous Dave’s in Fort Myers.

We welcomed guests Barry and Joy Preston from Kitchener, Ont., Canada. Also we welcomed guest Al Rios, who has an MGB.

Cecil detailed a participation program for the membership. He will keep track of the points and pass a sheet around at every meeting. Two members volunteered for planning the Christmas Party.

Secretary Mary Newman said the minutes for the January meeting were on the website and in the British Marque. The Treasurer gave his report and stated we had 53 paid members as of that meeting.

Past events were discussed, and they included the Celtic Festival that was held on January 26th in Centennial Park in Fort Myers. Twenty-one cars signed up, but due to concerns about the weather only six cars came. The weather turned out fine and those who came had a great time. The winners were John Sergeant for the ’50s, Peter Sales for the ’60s, Mary and Bill Newman for the ’70s, and John Welch for the ’80s. The plaques were presented by the Festival MC. Headley Wilson also participated.

Cecil discussed the “Cars on Fifth” in Naples on February 9th. Thirty British cars signed up, including a small-size Jaguar E-type. Isabel Carter sat in the little car and it looked like it fit her fine.

The McCartts stated they attended a Rolls-Royce event.

Ken Taylor discussed the February Sebring races. There were 15 vintage cars. Ken drove his Triumph TR7.

Future (as of our meeting) events include:

February 16 — Charity Car Show in Jaycee Park, Cape Coral.

February 17 — Gold Coast British Sports Car Club Show, Palm Beach Outlet Mall.

March 3 — BIG (British, Italian & German) Show, at Jaycee Park in Cape Coral.

March 16 — Annual Club Picnic Franklin Locks Park in Alva.

April 6 — All-British Car Show, Winter Springs, in Central Winds Park.

A discussion was held regarding Club Breakfast Runs. It was decided that members could attend breakfast at Mimi’s on February 27th and/or breakfast at Skillets on March 2nd.

The 50/50 was held and the meeting then adjourned. —Mary Newman, Secretary

FORT MYERS, Fla. — The City of Fort Myers held its 16th Annual Celtic Festival on January 26th, and for the 16th time asked our club to participate with a British car display.

The Festival is always lots of fun, with several Irish and Scottish musical groups, vendors selling Celtic goods and food, and of course Guinness and Smithwicks.

Last year the club brought 30 cars, but this year the forecast called for possible rain, wind and temperatures in the 50s (much too cold for us Floridians!).

As a result only six cars showed up, brought by Peter and Pam Sales, Glen Vrooman and Bob Frost, John and Angela Sergeant, John Welch, Headley Wilson, and Mary and me. We were treated to some wind, partly cloudy skies, but no rain.

At the end of the day the City awarded trophies to the spectators’ favorites for each decade. The winners were John Sergeant (1959 MGA) in the ’50s and earlier group, Peter Sales (1962 Jaguar MkII) in the ’60s group, Mary Newman (1972 Mini Clubman) in the ’70s group, and John Welch (2007 Jaguar XK) in the ’80s and later group.

This “auto-biography” starts strangely, with my employment in 1952 with the Chrysler Corporation in Highland Park, Michigan.

I was a third year co-op student at the University of Cincinnati in the College of Applied Arts. During my very brief eight-week stint at Chrysler, I was responsible at times to convert photographs of various foreign-built cars to line drawings that easily could be used in printing documents comparing foreign cars to those offered at the time by Chrysler. In 1952, auto manufacturers were starting to fret a wee bit regarding those horrid little cars running around the 48 states. In other words, they thought, rightfully so, they were losing sales to overseas products.

One of the little cars I illustrated was the MG TC. At the time (and at present, too) I thought the TC was a knockout of a car. I even converted my line drawing to a finished piece of art by rendering a full-color version — in red, of course, what else?

Upon returning to classes in late February, I showed my work of art to fellow students, male, of course. One of them told me there was one just like my illustration near the campus. Having never laid eyes on one, I eventually found it and admired it. It looked like new, and it was red over red, just like my artwork.

Boldly I left a note under the wiper arm inquiring whether she might be for sale. To make a long story short, I took delivery of the 1949 MG TC on Saturday evening, April 26, 1952, just a few hundred feet from my church home in Covington, Kentucky. You see, the owner, James Francis, was church organist for a nearby church, and he needed to part with the TC to augment the purchase of an Auburn Boattail Speedster — which ran Jim around 2,600 dead presidents in 1952.

Note: The TC cost me (er, my father) $1,350, a tidy sum in 1952, but interestingly two TC purchases in later years were the same, $1,350, the last being in 1972 — the primrose TC now sitting in my garage in Monroe.

The next morning, Sunday, was exciting. There sitting in our back yard in Ft. Mitchell was the red MG that I had longed for while perched at my drawing board in Michigan. My father agreed to be shuttled off to church in my little beauty and proudly showed her off to other church members after the morning’s service was over.

The service seemed extra-long that day, I guess because I wanted to be back on the streets and byways of Northern Kentucky with my TC. After lunch I hurried on over to a favorite girlfriend’s home next to Lookout Stud Farm in the Crestview Hills area, and off we went on a my first drive. I wish I could remember what the drive was like, but that was 53 years ago.

During the three-plus years I owned the TC, a lot happened to it and me. The engine “wore out” in about 25,000 miles,. It had less than 15,000 on it when I bought in 1952, but I drove her every day, to UC, dates, mini vacations, SCCA rally junkets, gymkhanas — you name it, we were there.

Speaking of dates, a few mothers had mixed thoughts about letting their daughters ride around in “that noisy little thing.” But the true-blue girls loved it, thank goodness for that.

The clutch gave out and a Covington Ford dealer fixed that. My father’s mechanics gave her a valve job. A lady backed into her one day while parked in front of a frat house in Clifton and I resorted to cycle fenders for a repair job whilst blowing the insurance check on a new black Haartz top with windows over the dashboard.

She got a new paint job, blue, and a set of Rudge wheels from one of Ebby Lunken’s Ferraris, complete with tires and all. I affixed a copper straight pipe for exhaust purposes, and later added a cycle muffler on the outside of the body because the car with its 15” Ferrari wheels was just too low to the ground.

My TC was one of about six or so in Greater Cincinnati in those days, all running and some in very original condition, which is the way I should have left mine — not screwing around with funny paint jobs, 15” wheels, weird exhaust treatments, etc. But I was a young college kid with a new and different toy.

I now look back and think about the things I did, both to and with her, but it was great experience and now, some 20 or so British cars later, I wince every time I see something off the beaten path done to a vehicle, whether it’s British or not. Look what the customizers do to vehicles in their charge.

My first MG TC taught me a lot about automobiles, things I’ll never forget. It was a great learning experience, as is every car or truck after that if you’re a do-it-yourselfer like me.

The evening I sold the TC was another nightmare. I took a Ford Model A coupe in trade plus $650 in cash from a UC student, and before the night was over, had to buy him a new battery. He later retrieved the fenders from my parents’ crawl space, and the last time I saw her she was racing at an abandoned airport northeast of St. Louis. She was back to red, the 15” wheels were still on the ground, and the interior looked new after seven years of use. —Larry McCartt

March 3 — BIG (British, Italian and German) Car Show.

March 12 — Regular meeting at Famous Dave’s.

March 16 — BCCSWF Annual Picnic, Franklin Lock Park, Alva, Fla.

March 15-16 — Jaguar Club of Florida event, The Villages, Fla.

April 9 — Regular meeting at Famous Dave’s.

April 20 — Wheels Across the Pond, Jupiter, Fla.

For more information see our website, www.bccswf.com.

December 11, 2018

Our December meeting (the Club Christmas Party) was called to order at 6:30 p.m. by President Bill Newman.

Guests were introduced. Roger Wright and Jerry and Mary Jo Strom joined us for the party.

President Bill thanked all of the officers for their past service. Bill acknowledged all of the past Presidents in attendance.

It was reported that 14 of our members joined members of the Gold Coast British Sports Car Club for dinner at the British Open Pub in Bonita Springs on December 1st.

Upcoming events were discussed:

January 26 — Celtic Festival, Centennial Park, downtown Fort Myers. Contact Bill Newman, mnewman@embarqmail.com.

February 9 — Cars on Fifth, Naples, Fla. Contact Cecil Carter, ccarter@fgcu.edu.

February 16 — Cape Coral Charity Car Show. Contact Mary Newman, mnewman@embarqmail.com.

February 17 — Gold Coast All-British Car Show. Contact Bill Gearheart, billg.wpb@gmail.com.

March 3 — BIG (British, Italian and German) Car Show. Contact: dennis-mckinley@comcast.net.

March 16 — BCCSWF Annual Picnic, Franklin Lock Park, Alva, Fla. Contact Mary Newman, mnewman@embarqmail.com.

Bill congratulated Cecil Carter as incoming President.

Two awards were given out. Tom Brewsaugh received the Outstanding Club Member Award for doing a great job as Treasurer. Ken Taylor was presented a Race Fuel Can from Bill for his racing efforts with as little fuel as possible.

January 8, 2019

The meeting was called to order by President Cecil Carter at 6:30 p.m. There were no new members or guests.

The Secretary, Mary Newman, stated the minutes from the December meeting and Christmas Party will soon be on the website. The Treasurer, Tom Brewsaugh, gave his report. He is busy collecting the yearly dues from members. A motion was made to accept his report. The motion carried.

President Cecil wants to reinstate the Participation Award. Members would receive points for attending events. The points list will be available at the meetings and people can use the sign-in sheet to register their points. Isabel and Cecil will keep the list.

Past events — As reported previously, 14 club members met for dinner at the British Open Pub and were joined by 14 members from the Gold Coast British Sports Car Club. The club celebrated Christmas at the Christmas Party on December 11th. It was well attended.

Upcoming events were discussed:

January 26 — Celtic Festival, Centennial Park, downtown Fort Myers. Contact Bill Newman, mnewman@embarqmail.com.

February 9 — Cars on Fifth, Naples, Fla. Contact Cecil Carter, ccarter@fgcu.edu.

February 16 — Cape Coral Charity Car Show. Contact Mary Newman, mnewman@embarqmail.com.

February 17 — Gold Coast All-British Car Show. Contact Bill Gearheart, billg.wpb@gmail.com.

March 3 — BIG (British, Italian and German) Car Show. Contact: dennis-mckinley@comcast.net.

March 15-16 — Jaguar Club of Florida event, The Villages, Fla.

March 16 — BCCSWF Annual Picnic, Franklin Lock Park, Alva, Fla. Contact Mary Newman, mnewman@embarqmail.com.

April 20 — Wheels Across the Pond, Jupiter, Fla.