The MGA With An Attitude
MGA Guru Is GOING MOBILE - (August 1 - August 15, 2025)
Friday, August 1, 2025:
Good morning cruel world. Where are we? Sitting in a rest stop on I-39 near Paw Paw, Illinois, kind of middle of nowhere, 24 hours shy of our next appointment, but at least eight days behind on our trip log photos and notes. Been a tough week, but you
can go back to Thursday August 24 to see what we have been doing (and all the stuff I hope to document today). So let's get going, 85 miles before stopping just across the Mississippi River in Le Claire, Iowa. Good WiFi here, good mid morning breakfast, and some email to catch up. Within a few hours I found an incoming message with a single photo of an unusual Car Number ID plate. This turned out to be for a very late production MGA 1600-MK-II that was most likely shipped to Germany before being brought to the U.S. by some returning serviceman. I did have a picture of a similar (not exact) plate that was posted several years ago, helping to identify the new one. See addendum to a Restoration Tech page RT-107 (bottom of page).
Saturday , August 2, 2025:
Off this morning to a car show on the levy of the Mississippi River at Le Claire, Iowa. This is the Heartland British Autofest, hosted by Quad Cities British Auto Club. Been too busy to register in advance, so cruise in, park the rig, and register at the gate. We were registered as car number 63, about normal turn out for this event.
The first vehicle right up front was a BMC Mini 425 tractor with 1.5-liter Austin B-series gasoline engine with small carburetor, 25-HP when governed to 2400-RPM limit. This qualifies as a variant of MGA, using the same basic engine.
The cars were parked at random as they arrived, not in any particular groups. The MGA was registered in Class A, including all British cars produced in 1959 or earlier. Not only is that a huge assortment of different models, but it also splits MGA cars into two different classes. No matter, as we were only here for the social event . I will just stroll along and take pictures, again in no particular order. I suppose most of the models are commonly known, so I won't elaborate unless it is something special. The lime green one is a Morris Minor Traveller estate car (woody wagon).
The green car next to my MGA is a 1961 Lotus 7 Series 2 (replica) with a Mazda twin Cam engine. The silver one next in line is a 2007 Lotus Elige S (V6 convertible).
This is a 1931 MG M-Type Midget, Double 12 replica, named after the Brooklands 24-hour race that was split into two 12-hour days. The exhaust system (which could severely burn the riding mechanic's arm) was required at Brooklands.
This is an MG TC Midget that pulls the Coleman Caboose trailer. I was interested in this because I have a large selection of small trailers documented in the Trailers Tech section of this web site.
I always like an MGB with a V6 engine and 5-speed gearbox.
You can guess, because I didn't write this one down.
Royal Enfield Classic 500 for sale.
A Spitfire with TVR V6 engine.
We met some old friends, and made some new friends. Lots of door prizes, and at least two dozen trophies (very generous). Not for me, thanks, I wouldn't have any space to stow one. This was wonderful weather for a car show, as long as you didn't sit in the sun too long. With things breaking up in mid afternoon, we were heading back to the known good local WiFi spot.
Sunday , August 3, 2025:
A day to catch up and process the photos and notes from yesterday's car show. Late night we moved across the river into Illinois, but not much more.
Monday , August 4, 2025:
Sitting in Galesburg, IL today.
Tuesday , August 5, 2025:
Moved a few miles down the road to Knoxville, IL, mostly killing time, but we do know where we're going. In the evening we drove another 100 miles down I-74.
Wednesday , August 6, 2025:
Breakfast in Mahomet, IL,part of a day to kill. Heading to Urbana, IL this evening for a meeting with Champaign County Sports Car Club (SCCA Affiliated). This is the gang I was hanging out with all through the 90's for regular autocross and TSD rally. Just nice to go back to visit occasionally, even though very few people there remember us from 25 years ago. -- Then heading back north, stopping in Channahon, Illinois for fuel stop at 10-pm.
Thursday , August 7, 2025:
A little farther north, laundry day in Lisle, IL. While waiting for clothes to dry, we took the opportunity to replace the boot lid seal in the MGA. This one came from Scarborough Faire. Nice soft closed cell foam rubber, but much too thick. If the boot lid was sitting loose on the rubber seal, the lid would stand about 1/8-inch above the surrounding body cowl. With hinges and latch pulled down tight, the lid is significantly distorted, not able to seal at the bottom corners. We may need to bend or shim the hinge attachment points upward, and loosen the latch striker plate. This will require some fettling for best fit, but in the end we may try to order another boot lid seal from MacGregor British Car Parts in Dundas, Ontario, Canada, which has served us well for decades.
Late night moving north again, stopping in Wadsworth, IL before midnight.
Friday , August 8, 2025:
We ran 103 miles farther north before breakfast, stopping at Fon Du Lac, Wisconsin. Top up the fuel, and loosen the boot latch striker plate, so it doesn't require a sledge hammer to close and latch the boot lid. I don't know if it may leak when it rains, but it sure looks ugly with the too-thick rubber seal holding the boot lid about 3/16-inch above flush.
Found a source for sun visor hinges for the MGA Coupe. See bottom of page here: CP-107
Saturday , August 9, 2025:
Haul out of Fon Du Lac at 6-am heading 45 minutes north up the interstate to Greenville, Wisconsin for a quick breakfast. Then 'spitting distance to an Ace Hardware store in Greenville for 8-am meeting with friendly folks from Fox Cities British Car Club for their "Fox Brits Great Garages Tour". Start with ten Little British Cars and at least ten larger people haulers bringing 25 people to play. Seems like a few 0f the LBC were scared off by rainy weather forecasts.
After introductions all around we were off to play follow the leader for 20 minutes north-east. First stop was the garage of Todd and Sandra Whit in Appleton, Wisconsin. Find space to park everybody before we converge on the garage(s).
Seems like there will always be at least one more car than there are spaces in any garage.
Plenty of toys here. They have a wonderful collection of 10+ cars; mostly British with some German and Italian thrown in. Todd has a number of projects he is currently working on. A few snacks and drinks available, and 45 minutes to gawk and chat before we were off again.
Another 20 miles in 30 minutes, still north-east, brought us to a larger shop space in De Pere, WI, two buildings maybe, occupied by Dennis Plaunt. Park wherever you can find space, just not on the grass. Notice the nice red Triumph Herald out front. There is another one inside undergoing restoration.
Also a few cars owned by Dale and Kelly Crocker were added to the mix today, including a couple of active projects: Dennis's Lotus 7 and Dale's TVR 2500M.
Oh yeah, notice the tail lights on the couch? That is also Triumph Harald.
Then we were off again more like 45 minutes, due south this time, to the garage of Mike and JoAnn Adler in Kaukauna,WI. Mike has a number of British cars including a couple of projects in process.
Mike and JoAnn had graciously volunteered to provide lunch for the group. More time to sit and chat, until it was time for folks to begin trickling out with good luck finding your way back. I had to look this one up on a map to discover we were only 20 miles east of the morning tour starting point. Navigator found the nearest WiFi spot would be 13 miles farther east in Brillion, WI, so off we went.
This first WiFi spot was closing early, so Navigator punched up another place he already knew to be good for WiFi. Waddaya mean 55 miles? Where we going? Loves in Sheboygan, WI, where we came few weeks earlier to escape the heat wave in Illinois. Oh well. Aside from a few rain sprinkles long the way, it was cooler in the evening, and sure enough a good WiFi spot open 24 hours. After 175 miles wandering around today, we ended up only 45 miles from where we woke up this morning.
Sunday , August 10, 2025:
We need a day off to catch up. Making contacts and on-line reservations, we are now booked into three more car shows in September. Chicago British Car Festival in Palatine, Illinois on Sept 7, British Invasion in Stow, Vermont Sept 19, and MGs On The Rocks in Street, Maryland Sept 27. There will be other things to do along the way. Then most of what was left of the day processing photos and notes from yesterday's Garage Tour.
Monday , August 11, 2025:
Sitting in Sheboygan, Wisconsin today, reviewing our Planning list. Not often we have a good idea where we will be going two months in advance. Our next fixed commitment is very near here two weeks from now. There are a few things we could do a few hours south of here in northern Indiana and northeast Illinois. But it's hotter down that way this week, and cooler up this way, and we have a week or so to spare, and we get bored sitting still. So we will head north into the upper peninsula of Michigan, hang a right and go east and south, crossing the Mackinac Bridge, back south on the other side of Lake Michigan, expecting to visit brother again, briefly, in Hanna, Indiana.Then some club activities in the Chicago area before returning to Wisconsin for -Brits on the Bay car show Sept 23 in Menasha, Wisconsin. That lap around the lake will kill a week and a half, and run up another 1000 miles s on the car.
After that, the Chicago British Car Festival Sept 7th in Palatine, Illinois, British Invasion show Sept 19-21 in Stow, Vermont , visit some club friends in York,Pennsylvania, and MGs On The Rocks car show Sept 27 in Street, Maryland. A couple more appointments in he northeast, followed by a tech consultation in Charlottesville, Virginia in mid to late October. Now to post this info in public, and see if anyone along he way might put a hand up for a visit on the way by.
Tuesday , August 12, 2025:
Sitting in Denmark, Wisconsin, struggling with mapping and graphics programs to make the routing pictures above.
Wednesday , August 13, 2025:
Sitting in Marinette WI, on the west side of the north end of Lake Michigan, just a mile from a bridge over the Memominee River with Memominee, Michigan on the north side, midway along the upper peninsula of Michigan. Getting out of Wisconsin late night, cross over the bridge and head east,55 miles to Escanaba,MI.
Thursday , August 14, 2025:
Out of Escanaba late night, then another 100 miles east to a rest area on US Highway 2 near Naubinway, MI. Very peaceful and cool.
Friday , August 15, 2025:
Up early for another nice drive, leaving Naubinway Rest Area for another nice drive along the north end of Lake Michigan, just 40 miles to St Ignace, Michigan. Five miles south over the Mackinac Bridge took us to Mackinaw City,MI, and another 36 miles to Petrosky, Michigan in time for late breakfast.
Click for 40-MB - 54-second MP4 video
The video was taken on the south edge of the upper peninsula of Michigan, along the north end of Lake Michigan, between the Naubinway Rest Area and St Ignace, Michigan, north of the Mackinac Bridge. A little "out of the way" for most people, just about top of the world in the continental (lower 48) United States. Just over 50 miles across the upper peninsula from Ontario, Canada if you look to the north.
Hey, good news! I'm a great-grandfather, for the first time. My younger daughter Honey's daughter Anna has a new baby. They are all living in Austin, Texas. -- Now we will be scheduling another side trip to Texas for a family visit.Kind of important, but it's also August in southern Texas, kind of hot down there, so we'll think about it for a while.
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