British Car Show
Written by Keith Fudge

Recently, Dennis Gage had the opportunity to travel to Prince Edward Island in Canada to attend the Ninth Annual British Car Days!  More than 200 classic British automobiles will make the trek across the 10-mile bridge to the island for a day of fun and certified automotive fellowship - British style!  After he arrived, Dennis spoke with Bob Bentley, President of the British Motoring Association.  He said that the show had certainly grown since the first year when there were only 80 participants.  Bob went on to tell Dennis that there would be in excess of 200 cars present this year, including the obviously recognizable MGs, Triumphs, and Jaguars.  There would also be cars represented from other manufacturers such as Lotus, Morgan, and a variety of lesser-known makes.  Bob did point out that one car everyone should see is the 1926 Bentley that was on display!  As soon as Bob mentioned the Bentley, Dennis was raring to go.  The two of them headed out to the show area to look at some of these outstanding cars!

First, Dennis ran onto Michael Gibson and his 1969 Lotus Elan.  This vehicle was produced from 1962 until 1971 and is a fiberglass car.  Fairly plain in appearance, this car is all about performance and has an excellent power-to-weight ratio.  The 1,500 cc double overhead cam engine makes approximately 100-105 horsepower.  In a 1,300-pound car, that means it will get down the road in a hurry!  Sporting Lotus team colors of green and yellow, this is one sharp looking ride!  Next, Dennis found Bruce Fowler and his 1957 Morris Minor Touring car!  Complete with a canvas top and repainted in the original shade of blue, this little car is quite the package of style and economy!  Bruce said that he had owned the car for 14 years and that when he took possession of the car it was scrap!  The finished car was a five-year restoration project that has now turned into a 44 miles per gallon family cruiser!  Powered by a 946 cc engine that makes a massive 36 horsepower, Bruce said that the car cruises nicely at 50-60 miles per hour!  A 1953 Sunbeam Alpine was the next car on Dennis’s agenda.  This “fab” roadster is owned by Robert Hamilton and was bought out of California.  Robert said that these cars were produced between 1953 and 1955.  Of the 3,000 made between those years, there are approximately only 200 remaining.  A 2,267 cc four-cylinder engine powers the car, and Robert added that this model was a type of sports-touring car that is very comfortable at 60-65 miles per hour.  However, handling is not the car’s strong point, and it is often described as, “driving a fast tractor!”  In any case, it is an awesome roadster!  Soon thereafter, Dennis found James Woodford, the owner of a pristine 1958 Morgan.  Painted in what is referred to as English Primrose Yellow with Earth Brown fenders, this classic roadster is perfectly equipped for a picnic in the country - right down to the picnic basket!  The car sports such unusual features as a push-button starter and telescopic steering wheel.  The amazing thing is that Morgan continues to produce these cars, and they haven’t changed a great deal over the years!  How cool is that?  Finally, Dennis found Pat Connolly and his 1959 Triumph TR3A.  Built from three parts cars, this classic Triumph is stunning with its black exterior accented with a red racing stripe.  Pat said that building the car wasn’t difficult, because all the parts are interchangeable.  A four-cylinder, two-liter Triumph TR4 engine powers the car.  Built low to the ground and with “gear” features such as a red dash, this car definitely looks “zippy!”

Dennis and the crew had a great time at British Car Days on Prince Edward Island!  This year’s show will be held from July 11th through the 13th.  If you would like more information, you can find them on the web at www.britishcardays.com.  That’s it from Prince Edward Island.  So until our next visit, “Honor the timeless classics.  Happy Motoring!”