Every once in a while, there comes a time when no matter how
much you try to humbly contain yourself, your pride
shows. It happened a couple years ago when “Old Biddy” received her
official Connecticut state license plate making her a legal registered vehicle
on the road. (See the blog post in July 2016). Another time was yesterday June
3rd, 2018.
Careful readers know that I have been wanting…no….dreaming
of bringing Old Biddy to the CT MG Club’s annual British By the Sea gathering at Harkness Memorial
Park in Waterford, Connecticut for the past six years. Yesterday, that fantasy
became reality!
I have some
duties that I do every year for the event including setting up all the sound system,
speakers and wiring, etc… When I finished, I drove Old Biddy to the MG Saloon category row, a 1957 MG Magnette had
already taken the aisle spot, and a Nash Metropolitan took the second spot. The Nash
was supposed to park in the “Open Sedan” category row behind us, but somehow
snuck in undetected. No matter, the owner was a great guy and I enjoyed his company.
Old Biddy was parked in the third spot, which happened to be
the corner spot of the show field since no other MG saloons showed. Here she is amongst the other 317 or so British cars!!!
And her window card. (Yes, I know I misspelled Saloon!)
She received much more attention than I ever imagined. Her picture was taken by literally
a gazillion people!! People wanted to talk to me about her, and cars that they
had “just like yours” when they were a teenager, and how my car is a special
treat to have at the show, and that they have not seen one in “probably 30
years”, and they ogled over the details of the car, and they asked questions about
her restoration. I even let people touch her (usually a no-no at car shows)!! I let one lady sit in Old Biddy and it “made her day and
brought back a lot of happy memories”. At one time, a lady (who arrived in a Jaguar Mark II) talked to me for a
few minutes then walked over to her husband in the “Open Sedan” row. She told
him that I was charming! It was such an amazing indescribable feeling to be
able to have that much respect for a little 1965 MG 1100…and I was proud that
it was MY 1965 MG 1100!! It was so much fun talking to the folks and making them smile and laugh!
By popular vote, she won 2nd place in the MG
Saloon class…because well, there were only two cars in the class anyway. And, c’mon,
who wouldn’t vote for a fancy Magnette? My prize for the day was getting
her there and sharing her with other people, not just the mug I received.
Needless to say, John and I had to trailer her down there
due to her engine’s tendency to run really warm. Next post will bring us back down to
reality to solve the issue and there is already a new punch list of tedious finishing tasks
to do.
Thanks for visiting,
Toddy
