The primary purposes of this road trip were (are? I am still on it) to see my friend Gene Gillenwater in Ohio, to attend the MG national meet in Louisville, KY, and to simply get out and drive and see some countryside. I have done all of those, and I am still on the road!
The first leg of the road trip took me from Charleston, SC, over some of the worst roads I have ever seen, through North Carolina and a bit of Tennessee up into Virginia. Seriously, the roads in my own home state are the worst I have seen and are in dangerously bad shape. We should be ashamed of ourselves.
The second leg of the trip was from Bristol, VA, through Abingdon, VA, because no self-respecting British car fan could pass up going to Abingdon, and then on through Kentucky to Ohio – just outside of Columbus.
Somewhere on the mountain grade outside of Blowing Rock, NC, I scraped a huge hole in my exhaust. It was about an inch wide by two and a half to three inches long. Let me tell you, that as loud. Thankfully Gene is a talented fabricator and welder, so I only had to endure about 6 hours of that sound. Too many, yes, but what are you gonna do?
Preparing to leave home
Near Blowing Rock, NC
Near Boone, NC
She seems lonely out there amidst all those unfamiliar cars. Bristol, VA
4 AM out the window in Bristol, VA
Not a bad view of the edge of the mountains.
The Barter Theatre in Abingdon, VA
Even though I was in a Triumph, I still had to stop in Abingdon!
Somewhere in Virginia. Or Kentucky?
Vintage Austin Healey Racer on its way to Indianapolis most probably.
OK, this I do remember is Kentucky. I think.
A road. I know for certain that this is a road.
In Louisa, KY I stopped for gas and came across a red British phone box. I took it as a sign that I was supposed to be there.
And if you scrape a hole like this in your exhaust header, your little 1500 cc Spitfire will sound like a Harley Davidson that had too much Taco Bell for lunch.
Made it to Ohio, safe and sound. And … helped my friend Gene rescue this poor 78 MG Midget out of a field. It seemed happy to get out of there.
Sunrise over farm fields in Ohio. Really, have to admit it, quite a pretty area.
Michael Carnell is the editor and founder of the Just British Online Motoring Magazine. As a lifelong British car enthusiast, he has owned or driven British cars of all ages from Austins and MGs to Jaguars and Triumphs. He currently owns a 2017 MINI Cooper S 4-door, a 1966 Vanden Plas Princess 1100, and a 1979 MGB with V6 and 5-speed. But there is always room for more - no matter what his wife says.
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The 31st annual British Car Day in Dayton, Ohio, billed as the “Midwest’s best British car and motorcycle show” will be held on August 1, 2015. This is a Saturday, and the show will run from 9 am to 4 pm at Eastwood MetroPark, 1385 Harshman Rd., Dayton, OH 45431 Make plans now to attend as there will be a popular vote car show, vendors & swap meet, full-service concession stand, dash plaques to first 325 entrants, spectators admitted free, and children’s activities. For more information or to register, hit the official site at http://britishcardaydayton.com. As an Amazon Associate I may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Just got this note from a friend so I thought I would pass it along. Note that this car is not mine nor do I know anything more about it than what is listed here. Seems like a great deal to me though! If I didn’t already have two projects cars, plus our normal daily drivers, I would be keeping this one to myself. It’s finally time! After going back & forth for quite a while, I have decided I have too many cars and not enough time, so I am putting my MG 1100 up for sale. The car is a 4-door 1964 US-spec. model in Connaught Green w/Dove Grey interior. I am the 3rd owner. The first owner used the car from new. The second owner bought it as a parts car for his 1100, then realized it […]
The Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours d’Elegance, one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing automotive and motorsports enthusiast events, today announced the Honored Marque for its 15th annual festival. The 2016 Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival (HHIMF) will pay homage to the 1925 – 1948 era of European Classics. With the 2016 events scheduled for Oct. 28 – Nov. 6, the HHIMF is one of only a few national automotive gatherings to combine collecting and racing with enthusiast and lifestyle activities in a single, action-packed week. Working strictly on the Classic Car Club of America’s designation, marques such as Bugatti, Hispano-Suiza, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz and Alfa Romeo will line the fairways of the Port Royal Golf Club on Hilton Head Island during the Concours portion of the festival, being held Sunday, Nov. 6. Three classes have been dedicated to […]