Newbury Show - what a Wessex Club?

[Big Al]

Lovely day so an excuse to have a stomp round our local bash. I had Adrian Fluxed three classic cars Messerschmitt, BX 16 TRS Auto and Trooper MK1, with all trimmings including use abroad for a very reasonable £250, but none was quite ready to take along.
In the midst of the classics, the boring and the modern- 'what special about that'?, you get at such events these days, I was impressed to find a very tidy Mini Comtesse. It turned out that it had been in a pretty rough state and subject to a rebuilt. The owner was clearly a capable and enthusiastic micronaut. Sadly he was amongst the ranks of the disconnected due to negative experiences with club contacts. In this case the owner was no longer interested in RUMcar activity. I am continually finding this in both new and in old time-served owners. By not being part of the larger Microcar activity they tend to restrict themselves to their local show circuit and the odd special trip. They are not going to receive information on the Microcar Rallies as these are not placed on the independent calendars and rosters of events published annually, for whatever reason. So there is clearly a few problems here to be resolved by clubs and its all about quality and availability of communications.
 
Such is the desolation in the South of the country now. Little joined up activity, and I continually meet unaligned Micronauts, I do wonder if the one marque clubs have had their day and should look to being the businesses they really have become, in running their spares services. To replace the void, in much the way the Micro Maniacs does in the North, and the other regional clubs in their areas, perhaps it is time for a Wessex Microcar Club. Yes we had the Bristol Microcar Club. But Bristol is easy to define as a place. It is an area as devoid of Microcars these days as it was bulging in its hay day. Wessex is very much larger and blurred at the edges. The nearer I get to having a car on the road the more I realize there are very few places too take it that offer group Microcar support. So a lonely existence.

[Grant Kearney]

The nearer I get to having a car on the road the more I realize there are very few places too take it that offer group Microcar support. So a lonely existence.

Alan, come and join us in April in the Lakes and be part of a large gathering of like minded enthusiasts who own a wide variety of microcars.  The Scots are heading south this year to meet the MicroManiacs and Southport crew on 'neutral' territory .  The campsite at Vale of Lorton can't be that far from your Cumbrian Estate.  Drop Alan Prince an e-mail for more details.
Grant

[Big Al]

I am currently choosing which items off the menu to plump for.

Quite if the Schmitt will be up for the challenge of the lakes I do not know. I do not have much time to play with it and I seriously need to loose weight to give it a chance to shine anyway. The lakes are more suited to a Goggo, in my opinion, but since there is not a functioning one here that is out.

It so long since I have been active with a car at range I have lost much of my infrastructure to camp. The Schmitt tent is around somewhere - has to fit across the car in-front of the front seat under your legs. Your right, Tinnions is not to far away and I might have to compromise this time. Depends where we get to with the car.

I am also eying up the Northern Rally as it is so far South!

Hoping to drive to Kettering with Roger Hall and possible Ian Jenkins in convoy as an adventure. Got to get these cars back into use.

[golo2]

Hi, clearly you have more confidence in my Schmitt than I have!!   continue to make slight progress then setback. The engine appears to work both ways and steering too , brakes another challenge along with repeated self lowering offside front suspension.

The Isetta (know you hate them) is leaping forward metaphorically, and the total rebuild engine fired up first try -around 8-10 yrs since actual rebuild. Front door base chopped and serious adjustment due to inner repair panel being welded off centre and not easy to spot until try and fit door. All glass in guess you would know that rear screen sizes vary by 1/2" tried all 5 of mine before a good fit was achieved.   Next try clutch and gears for the actual leap forward and off course add brake fluid and bleed first!!!
Managed to record the sound of the first fire up using whatsapp but now cannot find it on my phone.
Good to hear from you, booked into some local shows do not expect to meet new faces!
Abingdon show, new venue Chiltern Hills (Aylesbury), and a few others, think National is just too far this year. In touch direct before long

[Big Al]

Ah, Ian. If I get my car sorted and have time we can have a look at yours and see if the niggles can be removed. Unlike the Isetta, a Schmitt has to be used to keep it up to snuff. The more you use it, the better it goes, generally. Isettas have an extraordinary ability to run even after decades of being ignored. Quite possibly why they are popular for a hobbyist. Not sure a Schmitt is quite so amenable in irregular usage.

I have also to get Nick's Tri Tech sorted out with an MOT. Maybe our other local Nick W might be able to play too. Dave is talking of getting Bumbly, Trojon, going at last. So there just might be a bit more activity locally once life can be got out of the way.