The title of this month’s article might be “I Couldn't Get a Brake in Monterey”.  For those of you who have not heard the story, on our way to the GOF the brakes on our TC went out just as we were coming to the bottom of a hill.  I was lucky and was able to slow down enough before the pedal went all the way to the floor, using the handbrake to make the final stop.  It seems that after 60 years the hard-line for the right front brake had fractured.  We were able to pull over and Kevin Gaston and Lloyd Hendrickson immediately got to work to diagnose the problem. 

Not carrying a spare brake line they were able to get the leak down to a very small drip (the problem was where the hard-line goes into the flexible hose).  This was on the second day of our trip and we were able to make it to our stop in San Simeon and then the next day all of the way to Monterey.  I was able to order a replacement line and Kevin and Lloyd installed in record time.  Unfortunately, the line I was sent was the wrong size, it was much too long.  Kevin was able to form it into a loop to take up the slack and once again we had brakes.

As I said at the beginning, the title of this article could be about our brake failure.  However, what it really should be titled is “Join the VMG and Learn What Real Friends Are About”.   It was amazing to watch Kevin and Lloyd jump out and start working.  Earlier in the morning Earl Moore’s TC had a flat tire.  I can't remember all of the people who were involved in changing it, but they looked like they were at the Indy 500.  Everyone who heard about our experience was concerned and wanted to make sure that we (and of course the TC) were OK. 

In the last OT I mentioned the “red car syndrome” and noted that Daveen said I was jinxing things.  I guess she was right, but on the positive side, we did receive an award at the GOF.  Just because it was the Hard Luck Award doesn't make it any less special.  I think it was a close call with Jerry Felper on who would win the award.  On the driveway to the hotel his car broke an axle. I think the only reason he didn’t win was that he had made it to the hotel and we broke down on the way there.

I want to thank all of you who went to the GOF.  Daveen and I had a great time and we enjoyed seeing and talking to everyone.  If you didn’t go this year I urge you to try and attend in 2009.  It will be held June 22 – 26 in Squaw Valley.  As Daveen said, driving an MG is a little like giving birth.  After the trip is over you forget about the problems and want to do it again.

This month’s event for the VMG is the El Segundo tour on July 26^th.    Lunch will be at The Richmond Street Bar and Grill with the 1947 musical “Something in the Wind” following at the Old Town Music Hall.  The August event is one that I know Daveen is looking forward to.  It will be the MG Coastal Tour, Picnic, Rogers Garden tour and Desert. 

AS A REMINDER FOR ALL OF THOSE WHO WON AWARDS AT THE GOF PLEASE REMEMBER TO BRING THEM TO THE AUGUST MEETING SO THAT WE CAN ALL SEE THEM.

Keep ‘Em on the Road

Sherman