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 fan, he has owned or driven British cars of all ages from Austins and MGs to Jaguars and Triumphs. He currently owns a 1966 Vanden Plas Princess 1100, a 1977 MGB, and a 2002 Land Rover Discovery.
The American MGB Association’s 38th Annual Meet – AMGBA MEET 2015 – for the MGB, MGB-GT & Midget – Myrtle Beach, South Carolina – October 3, 2015 MG sports car production as we know it was discontinued in 1980 with the closing of the famed Abingdon-On-Thames works in the United Kingdom. But these modern day classics are being preserved forever here in North America by members of the American MGB Association which serves enthusiastic MGB, MGB-GT, and MG Midget owners throughout the USA, Canada and throughout the world. Each year, the AMGBA holds its National Meet. The 1978 initial gathering was held in Chicago. In 1979 and 1980 the AMGBA National Conventions were held in New York state, in Ithaca and Glens Falls. The organization’s success led to renting the world famous Indianapolis 500 Motor Speedway in 1981 for the […]
From the Post & Courier in Charleston, SC. … Call this the poignant story of a local car buff’s prized 1977 roadster and the uplifting events that would follow in the past year. Eugene D. Foxworth III, a Marine veteran and a stockbroker for 25 years, died in December 2013 at age 58. Known as Foxy, his possessions included a Damask Red MGB considered in good condition and running well after an HS4 carb conversion. His wife, Cantey Foxworth, at one point last year advertised the soft-top for sale before agreeing to donate the MGB for a British Car Club of Charleston fundraiser. A drawing raised $5,000 for new tools for students at a Charleston County technical high school’s automotive classes. “It’s nice to do something like this, that makes a difference,” said Wray Lemke, a British Car Club of […]
The MG N-type Magnette was produced by the MG Car company from October 1934 to 1936. The car was developed from the K-Type and L-Type but had a new chassis that broke away in design from the simple ladder type used on the earlier cars of the 1930s being wider at the rear than the front and with the body fitted to outriggers off the main frame. This beautiful example of the six-cylinder Magnette was on display at the Pinehurst Concours d’Elegance on May 2nd in Pinehurst, North Carolina. The beautiful example is owned by Roy Crowninshield of Asheville, North Carolina. Its 6-cylinder engine displaces 1271 cc and has overhead cam, Marshall supercharger, side exhaust, and pre-selector transmission. Only about 700 N Type MGs were built between 1934 and 1936. The became well known in sports car circles for their lively performance. […]
