Roadmaster Events List

[BlownMGB-V8]

Looking at that schedule, If I get a ride back to Champaign or drive the car back there it might be a little easier to get home from there, especially if some members were willing to give me a ride part way, like to Indy? I was just thinking that might be a fun way to make the trip home. I suppose I could always get a rental car or hop a bus or something like that but what fun is that? This is all coming up now because schedule wise I may not be able to be in WV while the car is there for that show, which means taking it there the weekend before and bringing it back later. And of course that complicates things in terms of costs and logistics. Once you start looking at making one way trips you have to also start looking at alternate transportation. An airplane isn't reasonable for such a short distance, trains are almost never available at the right time, rental cars run the cost up a good bit and busses tend towards discomfort. So none of the choices are really ideal. In the end it comes down to finding the lesser evil.

We ran across the Power Tour or one of them last year on vacation in Arizona and Nevada. I guess some of them are bigger than others, there were probably 10-15 cars in this one, certainly not more than 20. I wasn't really paying attention to the numbers. They were at Hoover Dam the same time we were and we also ran into them at a gas stop/restaurant. I guess it's a big event at the spots where they overnight but we never saw that part of it. I would think it would be possible for someone to tag along in a sedan for the return trip. I didn't really notice such an escort but that doesn't mean they weren't there. I sort of got the impression from the ones I talked to that they were making the entire trip so the way we are doing it is probably a little unique. But you know what would be really cool? If some of us were able to unofficially escort them on different legs of the trip. If we could do that it would also mean we'd have a passenger's seat or two available on the way back for the drivers of the GT. Not only that, but because they do make stops on the way we could take advantage of those stops to switch drivers. Of course to do that we need to recruit some people to go along, and we have to have it ready to roll right after Palestine. What do you guys think?

JB

[Bill Young]

Jim, the number of cars on the tour on any one day varies, you can register for the entire tour or do a one day registration for $30 as I understand. That enables you to drive along with the group and join them at that days stop for what ever activities they have planned. From past tours they've had time on drag strips, auto cross, show and shines, and BBQs. They try to keep the dailly driving hours down to the point where they have time for an activity every afternoon. I expect there to be well over a hundred cars on any particular day of this year's tour judging from photos of previous years.
Yes, making a return trip is one of the hassles of such a tour. That's why I enlisted Bill Davidson to join with me. We'll take his GT over to St. Louis and pick up the car, then I'll drive the Roadmaster while he drives his GT to Miami, OK, then we'll swap off for the next day on down to Stillwater, OK. Then we'll turn the car over to Rob and drive back to KC together. It'll cost us gas and $60 in daily registrations, but that's still a lot cheaper than flying or taking a bus to St. Louis, a cab to the nightly host hotel, and then the same back from Stillwater. It's takes teamwork to make something like this work, but then this group has the teamwork thing figured out pretty darn well I think judging from the results shown in the car.

[rficalora]

I just checked hotels in Stillwater; there are about a dozen that still have vacancies... But the less expensive ones are already booked.

Bill, are the plans solid enough to register and have folks start booking?  I'm thinking better to book now & cancel if we don't end up with enough drivers than wait much longer.

[BlownMGB-V8]

Bill, as far as I'm concerned you can go ahead. I don't know how I'll get home from Muskegon but I think I can get the car there, or at the very least to Detroit. Surely Mike or Richard or Steve Carrick or someone could take the next leg.

JB

[Bill Young]

Thanks Jim. Rob and all I'd say book now, you can always cancle. I'll be making reservations for Bill and myself this week now that the two stops are definite for us.
Jim, I know what you mean, but so far no response from anyone up in that area. I don't know if they're reading this board since none of them has posted in a while. I think I'll ask Rick to send out a Spurious e-mail asking everyone there to monitor this forum for a while to catch up on the latest information.

[BlownMGB-V8]

Probably a good idea Bill. I am going to send you the xcell spreadsheet with the info on our contributors. Allen Mandeen is the guy who gave us the engine. Also nobody has contacted Terry Schulte yet, or Dale Spooner, or really, any of our big contributors. We really need to do that. If we don't we could end up with a pretty embarrassing situation on our hands if they come up to us later and want to know why. I know they could be reading this but we also know not everybody does. Anyway I should be able to send you that spreadsheet tomorrow.

Jim

[Bill Young]

The Roadmaster is now registered as a Long Haul participant. Had to book it under my name as they required other address informaton on the registering party as well as e-mail address so Jim when you pick up your registration packet in Detroit you'll just have to say you're me. We'll get a goodie bag for the driver and one passenger, so get them both, someone might like an extra one.
Room reservations are made for our stops as well. Rob is right, they are filling up fast, especially in the smaller towns like Miami, Ok which is already full in town, closest hotel still available is in Joplin, about 15 miles away.

[BlownMGB-V8]

Here is the current projected itinerary, those involved may change it around as they see fit but it will give some idea of where the car will be, and where some of you might get a chance to see it:

Friday the 20th, it goes to Milton, W.Va. This is one of the few times it will be trailered. Not because it needs to be, certainly I'd much rather drive it, especially now that the exhaust leaks are fixed, but because I need to pick up Monte-BOOM's blown up TR-7 for a Lexus 1UZ engine swap for the return trip.

Between the 20th and the winter gathering it will be in the Milton to Charleston area as Dan drives it and shows it off to the folks around there. Then, depending on their schedules, Dan, Carl, and Steve DeGroat will bring the car back to Florence for the winter gathering the last weekend of February where it will be for the weekend.

At the conclusion of the gathering, Carl and Steve will take the car, likely leaving it with Carl in Johnson City, where it will stay until Steve returns to get it and take it to Lugoff, SC. We have some contributors in the general area that they may be able to get the car to, including John Ayers in Johnson City, Kelley Combs in Marion, NC and Jack Austin, and there might be some possibility of the car finding it's way back up to Danville during that time.

Then some time prior to the Blount county LBC meet arrangements will be made with Dan Masters and Jim Watson to get the car to Townsend, where it will remain until the run to Palestine, TX.

Dan B, my older son Dave and I will be coming through +1 on the way and can pick up the car to take it to the BritishV8 meet, but by that time you guys will be fighting over who gets to drive the GT so I'll drive whatever car needs a driver.

After the meet we will return to Florence, same arrangement on driving, and then the car will go on up to the peninsela. Mike Moor has offered to help with that but we will have to work out the details duing the gathering. Dave VanWyck (who built the exhaust system) is originally from Muskegon and his cousin John is on the Muskegon committee for the Power Tour. I think it would be very good form on our part to let him drive the first leg of the tour, and he is VERY excited about that possibility. He also will be at the gathering so plans can be made then. From this point on Bill is in charge of the schedule so whatever he says goes. I will assist where needed, I think we've got a general idea of what we'll be doing with it after the tour, and it's probably a good idea to try to keep the schedule as flexible as we can for about as long as seems reasonable. We intend that every person who contributed to the car at the very least get to drive it, and I think we've had a good start in doing just that.

Jim

[Bill Young]

What a great start to the year. Thanks Jim and all for filling up these winter and spring months with a great schedule. Looks like we're pretty well lined up until the end of the Power Tour, from then on we don't have anything specific scheduled yet, but we're working on it. If anyone is interested then let me know when and where and we'll try to work it all out.

[rficalora]

I'm booked at the Residence Inn for Stillwater.

[Bill Young]

We're at the La Quinta.

[Bill Young]

Bump.  Well it looks like the Roadmaster is going to be pretty busy between now and the Power Tour thanks to the guys back east who have a whole line up of shows to attend. A great outing for the WV show thanks to Dan as well. We're still looking for volunteers to host the car after the Power Tour. Rob has some events he wants to attend but then we need to get it started in another direction if we can. Between Rob and I we can probably get the car back to Kansas City if that would help anyone plan anything. I know it's early in the year to be thinking about summer events, but I along with others need to plan our time off work if we're going to take part in any moves.

[mowog1]

I believe the Champagne British Car Festival will be conflicting with the Power Tour in June.

We need to get it up to Grand Rapids in August for the UML Summer Party. The purists will have a cow.

The Des Plaines All British Show is in September and draws 700 or so British cars.

The Indy Show is usually in September and draws a couple hundred.

So does the St.Louis show, also in September....not to mention the Kansas City meet.

Seems as though the Memphis show is in October as is the Chattanooga Choo-Choo.

[madmax]

First off-- Bill, just AMAZING job you're doing handling the Roadmaster scheduling.    I can't say thank you enough for jostling all these dates and desires, etc.   You get it to even half the people who want it, I'll be suitably impressed!

Some notes at this end:

A) I have talked with Dale Spooner, thinking that if/when the RM makes it my way I could find a time to get it up to Him.   He said thanks but just too busy to worry about it.   So, don't feel you're leaving Dale out-- he'll be pleased to hear it's wracking up the miles!   :-)

2) I think we're onto something re: California and/or Florida-- why does the car need to be "put away" in October?   It's still very driveable weather down here for most of November (and then again in February)  and year round at the other two.   Should we consider taking Guzman up on his offer of the car "wintering" in California?   I think my concern (and probably Jim's, too) is that at some point we'll probably have a list of maintenance items and small fixes compiled and we might have to "careen" the car to get these done.   :-)

c) And, one question about logistics (that alludes to Jim's problem of getting back from Muskegon...):  is there a set format for delivering the car?   In the past, often he who has it next has gone and retrieved it (rather than it being brought, though that wasn't always the case.)  I'm just wondering if it aids logistics to follow a similar format?   Otherwise, some people do tons of driving to get the car and the others none at all, etc.  

c-4) I also wonder if the hand-offs make sense to occur AT THE CAR SHOWS.    This gives a reason for the next guy (and his buddy) to go over in their car, pick up the roadmaster (from the guy who's taken it to the show with HIS buddy, etc...) and then bring it back.    Seems a higher chance for success in having the extra drivers on hand, plus it has the "draw" for why someone would be there.   Also has an "open time" for exchange-- the time of the show going on.  

Just spitballing...

5) AS for when it comes here-- I'm easy.  :-)    Steve said he might bring it up to get on the dyno so I'll make sure to drive it then.     And I'm happy to take it up the east coast to anyone else (Tim Duhamel, Jim Stuart?) and hop a train back.   :-)   The local car show is *just* before Palestine, and I'll miss it so as to be on my way to Texas.   Only other event that it might be cool to do would be the Gold Cup race (late October-- winter storage by then?) 'cuz I could take it around the track during lunchtime laps and then keep it in the Paddock for all the Gearhead/Racers to see.   :-)

6) How are we getting it to Canada, eh?

Cheers,

M

[Bill Young]

Max, there are no set rules, but what I'm striving for is to be able to make exchanges at events if we can. I"ll try to use a hypothetical example. Say I had the car in KC, I'd take the car to the St. Louis Briltishcar show and hand it off to Rick or Pete who could then take it back to the Champaign area with them, then they could take the car to a show east or north of them and hand it off to someone else in the group. That way we'd eliminate most of the special trips by exchanging the car at shows these guys would normally attend anyway. I could get a ride back to KC with one of my friends who is there anyway and Rick and Pete could drive over together and then drive  back in seperate cars. We may not always be able to make such arrrangements, but even without a show I can think of places I could swap off the car where I might be visiting friends or relatives anyway, it will just require some coordination to make the connectons work out to everyones advantage. The problem with the California leg is that we don't have anyone in the group between Texas, Denver, or South Dakota and California, that makes a convient swap chain very difficult to work out and travel costs wll be much more than most of us want to absorb personally. We will find a way though, if not this year then maybe after the 2013 British V8 meet, where maybe Bill G would fly in as he's done for many events and drive it back to Camarillo. Options are open, we just need to figure out the details.

[danmas]

Gentlemen,

Here an exchange from the Race Cars and Motorsports forum.

(from Curtis Jacobson) I'm sure Roadmaster would be welcome in the paddock at Road Atlanta during The Mitty, April 27-29. At least six MGB GT V8 racers are planning to meet there. I was thinking of flying into Atlanta just for the weekend, and probably renting a car. I'll camp at the track. Is it possible that I might be able to "borrow" Roadmaster for that weekend?

(from Bill young)Curtis, you need to get in touch with Dan Masters. He should have the car around that time. You could probably fly into Tennessee and drive the car down to the Mitty and then back so that he could take it to the Blount county event the following week.

Bill and Curtis (and everyone else)

That's the weekend I had planned to get the car from Steve, over in NC. The following weekend it's scheduled to be in the Street Rod show in Knoxville; the weekend after that, it's due to be at the British car Gathering in townsend. A couple of options come to mind:

1. I could get it a week earlier and then Curtis could pick it up here as Bill suggested.
2. If someone could get it to Atlanta in time for Curtis to take it to The Mitty, I could then pick it up in Atlanta.
3. If someone could get it to me a week or so prior to the Mitty, I could take it down to Atlanta and bring it back here after Mitty.
4. Curtis could fly to NC, pick the car up, and then take it to The Mitty, and then fly home out of Atlanta. I'd pick the car up in Atlanta and drive it up here.

I think option 1 would be the best. I can show Curtis some realy great driving roads from here to Road Atlanta (including The Dragon, if he wants). It is, if I remember correctly, about a 4 hour drive from here, but a very pleasant drive. Another plus to option 1 - The Knoxville air port is MUCH less of a hassle than Atlanta, and you can avoid the madhouse that is the interstate system getting from the Atlanta airport through the City of Atlanta

[Bill Young]

I thought you guys could work it out Dan, thanks for responding. Hope it works out for all, I know that Curtis would love to drive the car throught the mountains down to the Mitty, I know that I would.

[RMO 699F]

The Dayton, Ohio British Car show is always the first Saturday in August, this year August 5. The Dayton show is the largest British car show in Ohio, typically having 325 to 350 registrations. Dayton is located 50 miles north of Cincy and is @ 200 miles from Grand Rapids. This would be be a logical place to display the car and is a potential "leg" on a trip to Grand Rapids.

[Bill Young]

That sounds good Mike, we'll see if we can get the car headed back your way before then.

[Citron]

It looks like I will have the CAR for the bug show at Lowes motor speedway on April 22.
I will plan to take it there and then get it to Dan the next weekend.
OK?

Steve

[Bill Young]

That will work fine if Curtis doesn't step up and want to take it to the Mittty. He'd have to pick it up from you and drive it down from SC instead of Tennessee, the get it back to Dan. Curtis, what say you? Is it something you can work out? If so then the Roadmaster will be busy every weekend from April 22 through May 13 and that's what we want, plenty of guys driving it and great exposure for the project. Doesn't get any better than that.

[Moderator]

re: "The Mitty" race weekend at Road Atlanta, April 26-20

Please count me in as definitely committed!

Although I haven't bought airline tickets just yet, I have at least left a phone message for Steve and I've spoken with Dan. My hope is that it will be convenient for Steve to pick me up at the Columbia SC airport on Wednesday afternoon, April 25th. (I think that's about forty minutes from Steve's home in Lugoff SC.)  The drive from Lugoff to Road Atlanta should take about four hours. I'll have the Roadmaster on display at the track for the whole race weekend.  Then, I expect the paddock at Road Atlanta will start emptying out around 3 or 4pm on Sunday... and I'll head toward Alcoa TN. That's also about a four hour drive. (I'll definitely want to do it in daylight and on dry roads because I expect it to be a magnificent ride the whole way!) My thought is to meet up with Dan on Monday morning, have a nice lunch somewhere, and hand off the car. Dan says the Knoxville airport is only about three miles from his home... and it looks like there's a 4pm flight back to Denver.  I hope this plan suits everyone else, because I'm getting very excited about it!

Now... I could use some help with one other detail. While I'm at The Mitty, I expect I'll have a paddock parking pass and I also expect it won't be any problem at all for me to park the Roadmaster in very close proximity to the MGB GT V8 racers... Jerry Richards, Les Gonda, etc. - I know they'll love to have it!  But I understand there will also be "car corrals" where various car clubs will be shining-up and showing their streetcars during the race weekend.  It would be ideal if someone would volunteer to help me with the presentation of the Roadmaster in that context. (Smile and talk to the nice people about the dynamic Roadmaster team and their visionary mission. Talk up the Roadmaster's various sponsors. Encourage children to try out the driver's seat. Wipe away dirty fingerprints. Etc... and incidentally free up more of my time so I can photograph more racecars.)  Anyone interested?

It's gonna be a great weekend!

[Bill Young]

That's great Curtis! I'm a bit too far away to help with the show part, but hopefully someone will step up. I'll bet you could probably rangle a drive around during the lunch break as well so everyone could see it on the track.  I know we'll all be seeing some great photos from the event and the car will get great exposure to the racing community.

[Dan B]

When I have been to the Mitty, and it has been a long time, they had a large area near the main gate for the Car Corral, but it was not open the whole weekend.  That has probably changed.  It would be a good idea to get Jerry or Les or one of the other guys to save you a parking space in their pit area.  Are you going to drive the car to an from the hotel, or bum rides?  We found that staying in Gainesville worked a little better, but there may be more hotels closer now.  We stayed at the Shoney's Inn the last few times I went.

Burt Levy always did a thing on the PA the few years I went, interviewing the famous drivers and other car owners throughout the weekend.  It would be really cool if you could hook up with him if he is going and get interviewed.  They always had parade laps too.  That would be fun.

Be sure to point out to the Triumph guys that the Roadmaster does have TR parts..(shift knob, hood latch) : )

[Bill Young]

Yes, as Dan said, other British cars represented there including Jag rear and wheels and Aston type fuel filler, but basically it's still an MGB GT. Dan I was wondering where that Triumph shift knob came from?