POWERDRIVE

[DaveMiller]

let's hope its driven to rally's and not trailered , the Bond was (will be soon be - new brake parts have arrived ) always under its own steam.

There's a certain joy in doing that (and in getting safely home again!).  I loved it when I did 160 miles each way to Morecambe, similarly to the National at Cardiff, and nearly 200 when I drove to the Isle of Wight.

However ... I think I go to many more, and wider-flung, rallies now that I trailer!  The twice that I've driven my Bond 500 miles joyously round the Dolomites, Verona and Lake Garda just wouldn't have happened, if I'd also had to drive the 1200 miles there (at 600 miles a day 'cos that was all the holiday we had).

No-one was banned from coming in a Bond to the rally in South Wales this weekend - but strangely they didn't ...

[Rusty Chrome (Malcolm Parker)]

At least one made an attempt! Had I only anticipated that a tube of non-setting gasket goo might be needed along with all the other spares/bits I had on board. I did a 30 mile trip today with your temporary fix with no problems, but I'm not sure I want to attempt the 170+ miles each way to Nottingham. Anyone got a trailer going cheap?

[DaveMiller]

I'll tell you a secret, Malcolm: I used the "temporary" gasket-goo fix successfully for 4 years, and 4,000 miles. Until I discovered that I could get it helicoiled, basically! 

[Big Al]

[quote author=DaveMiller link=topic=4690.msg39874#msg39874 date=1428331265
No-one was banned from coming in a Bond to the rally in South Wales this weekend - but strangely they didn't ...
[/quote]

Bit cryptic. So folk there trailed? I did not know there was a Rally on, so that probably means the folk I know with Bonds did not know either, as one of them would have told me. I believe in that number are 'banned' members who are, were, might be, have, fallen out with last British outpost in a certain Birmingham canton. Yet some of these cars are in regular use. And just think of the money saved by Bonding over the Severn Bridge, as opposed to trailing. That is nearly enough to by a tyre.

I do not know what happened to South Wales. One minute there was a club, magazine and events, the next it was a wasteland, claiming, for instance, only 4 Schmitts, apparently. But it mirrors the decline of the South West which at one time was perhaps the most active area in the country. Nothing stays the same.

[DaveMiller]

Bit cryptic. So folk there trailed? I did not know there was a Rally on, so that probably means the folk I know with Bonds did not know either, as one of them would have told me. I believe in that number are 'banned' members who are, were, might be, have, fallen out with last British outpost in a certain Birmingham canton. Yet some of these cars are in regular use. And just think of the money saved by Bonding over the Severn Bridge, as opposed to trailing. That is nearly enough to by a tyre.

How very odd. On several counts:

Every single member of the Bond Owners Club (who were having their Easter rally - the annual Doug Ferreira Memorial Tour - in South Wales) will have known about the rally, through the details published in the club's magazine.

Every single BOC member was welcome (in any vehicle) and none, at all, were "banned".

Use of the Severn bridges would depend, of course, on where you start off. Going in the Bond, via the Bridge, would have been slightly more expensive for me than trailing!

A tyre, for a Mk G anyway, is typically over £50, nowadays.

... Or did you just have a bad Easter, Al?   

[Big Al]

No, got a lot done.

So while not banned from the Bond Rally, how do non BOC owners (some of whom aledge they are banned) find out about the Rally they are not banned from. That is effectively a question I was covering. Some of them will have no inkling as to who, or what, a Doug Ferreira is. Some will have had Bonds only a few years, not decades. Tradition is a wonderful thing. Like Eels heading off to the Sargasso sea. Trouble is if they all forget there will be no more Eels.
What price is a nice 4.00 by 8 for the rear of an earlier Bond? £14? Not all Bonds are north of Watford.

[richard]

You won't win this one Al ! As usual you are looking for a negative where there is  none  I really think that if you had a Bond you would NOT be welcome mainly because you seem so negative about it all. Wish I had been there this week meeting some of the participants this Friday and they will be full of it ! It was no secret it's every Easter and publicised in the excellent mag all year around . GREAT STUFF 

[DaveMiller]

So while not banned from the Bond Rally, how do non BOC owners (some of whom aledge they are banned) find out about the Rally they are not banned from. That is effectively a question I was covering.

You misquote me, Al.  I said no Club member was banned from the Club's rally. (And no-one else could be banned, because they weren't eligible in the first place!)

The rally was for Club members, so why would it be advertised to others?  Just because you like driving microcars doesn't make you eligible to attend the meeting or rally of a club you're not a member of.  In fact, I know of one person who's often turned up at a Bond Rally, in a Bond, when he steadfastly refuses to pay the club membership.  That's just bloody rude, to all those members of the club who put in hard work and funds, for the benefit of the club members. (He is, incidentally, not turned away.)

How would you expect to be treated if you turned up at the annual dinner of the Scarborough Rotary Club, on the grounds that you like to eat, too?   Or the Birmingham chess-masters club, with a set of mah-jong, and expecting a game?

Clubs are member-based.  That's the idea of a club.  Sometimes they have "open" or "invitation" events, and they are different.  It's really quite simple.

[powerdrive]

On the subject of trailering to shows I agree In principle and as a rule I would drive to local shows , but my wife and I are off to the Scottish highlands this week sadly not with the powerdrive as the weather can be a bit unpredictable , until the Summer ,        ( I believe summer is on a Thursday this year ) but we are off to the Scottish microcar rally at Ullapool with my Trojan , this is my excuse for trailering , it doubles as our accommodation for the week .

[Big Al]

You misquote me, Al.

Not really a miss quote, but a miss understanding. If the BOC, or any other organisation, wish to do things on their own, I have no great problem with it, nor is it my business. What fooled me is it appeared here, under a Unusual Microcar Discussion. So an observational tangent, of which I am guilty of doing too, of course. I did query it as a missunderstanding of sorts.

Not sure what you see as negative in that, Richard. Is asking sensible questions a negative thing? I got a sensible answer. Winning, or agreeing, is nothing to do with it, and really revolves round your point of view anyway. I find odd that BOC is not more actively seeking members, but as I said. Its not my business. Clearly there is an understanding within BOC that works for BOC in the way it trots along for longer than any other micro club.

[plas man]

I'm agreeing with Al on this one , the BMOC motto seems to be " I started it so I'm staying put " .
   

[DaveMiller]

I'm agreeing with Al on this one , the BMOC motto seems to be " I started it so I'm staying put " .

Not an attitude that seems to pervade the club's members. I think it's important to be careful whether you're referring to attitudes of "the Club" (called BOC, incidentally, for those now confused!) or to individual attitudes.

Al finds it "odd that BOC is not more actively seeking members" and seems to suggest the only way a club should operate is to run yet more open rallies (Gawd, no, please - we have so many on the scene already that attendance is diluted horribly!) and that they are "the" method of recruitment.   I can confirm that the BOC (see comment above) does welcome new members - I've only been able to see the detail since I started doing the magazine, but in those 16 months, we've had 42 new members.  Quite how many should a small club (which is "not actively recruiting"!!) expect, I'm wondering?


 

[DaveMiller]

in those 16 months, we've had 42 new members.

Oops - got that wrong.  Having just gone through my email inbox, I'll correct that figure: to forty four.

[richard]

Gone well off subject but this is an odd one  I bought a Bond and joined the club , there was no reluctance to accept me , if there ever was a reluctance to accept new members , which I honestly doubt , ever since I joined 10 years ago there has been a half page or so of new members this month many from abroad . The last two months there have been very interesting articles from Australia and Alaska detailing rebuilds and the terrific friendly response the guys had on joining the club . I would beg that if you are talking of some mythical or historic situation you get better informed 

[Big Al]

Well that is good news. With cars moving around, and a few new, even if old, faces doing things, a positive reaction. However there is a big difference between a Bond rally, for Bonds, and an open rally. Returning to the Messerschmitt lot, who many consider a bit elitist, they are happy to have Schmitts not in the club attend, hoping that the owner will be enrolled on the day. However that is not their sole medium of entry, as it is not for BOC. By the same token the Schmitters are not nearly so welcoming of other microcars attending, like a Nobel, for instance. Like taking a Scootacar to a BOC rally, same engine, different thing. If the policy is stated, there you go. No arguements.

An interesting question as to the number of open events. Are there to many? Its a separate topic but, yes, connected at the hip. Why should a Bonder be interested in Messerschmitts, for instance. Why have a road run where 'the advanced guard' disappear into the distance in some other sorts of cars. You want to be Bonding, with other Bonds.  If the BOC is strengthening, success is its own advertisement. Offering what might be exactly what Bond owners want. Bonding without interference, could be the policy. I do not know all the answers, I wish I did. Some clubs need a bit of a BOC up the 'arris, by the sound of it.

I wonder if we might be treated to one of those magic moments at Hatton, like the old Burford, where 25 odd Bonds turned up together having rolled a convoy up on the way. Anyone who saw that must agree it was hugely motivational, no matter what car was your interest. The senior club showed everyone how to do it. Fledgling Isetta, Trienkel Clubs and more. Perhaps the last marque to fly in value, maybe the Bonds will be the ones to show how to harmonise that with a good social scene and events calender. But if its all secret we will not know.

Be assured I will be telling everyone that BOC is growing again. Give it a go. What have you to loose?