[Staowners] Report from the British Invasion. Stowe VT.

[Beth/Frank Jenkins]

Steve's right an all counts. Except he omitted that I aged a few years on
Saturday as it was my first big show and I had no clue what to be prepared
for. He did a good job. The details need to be addressed or they will kill
you. There were some beautiful cars in the competition so, given our
hiccups, we didn't do too bad after all. 
 
Thanks Steve, Frank

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Subject: Report from the British Invasion. Stowe VT.


Greetings all ... As some of you may know Frank Jenkins and I entered his
Sunbeam Alpine Special which I restored, in this years Concours De'Elegance
at the annual all British Stowe VT. show.
 Friday afternoon, the next days weather forecast was not looking good, so
we decided to bring the car up then, before the rain began, as I only have
an open trailer and we figured it would be better off getting wet on the
field in the rain, than getting covered with road slop on the trip up the
next morning.
 However when we got there, They said we couldn't leave the car on the field
as they weren't sure where the Concours was going to take place, (they were
leaving that decision to the very last minute because of the rain). Someone
in charge gave us permission to leave the car inside the main tent
overnight, only with the agreement that it Absolutely Had to be moved
outside first thing in the morning. Frank was staying in Stowe that night so
we figured he would come over early and move it out. Well, to everyone's
surprise when he got there it wouldn't start for him. attempts to push it by
hand were unsuccessful and desperate phone calls were made to me on the
road. I was about halfway to Stowe at the time and had no tools with me,
(after all, I brought the car up on a trailer and didn't plan on driving it,
Why would I need tools ??? SILLY ME !! )
Anyway, I arrived and after a "Laying on of hands" and with the very last of
the battery, got it going and moved her into the proper place. and set about
cleaning her up for the judges. Meanwhile the showers were turning into a
somewhat steady rain and the whole field became a mudhole.
 Eventually it was our turn for the judges scrutiny, alas there were chips
in the paint, one parklite was out, and horror of horrors the battery was
flat (the car has to run to be eligible for competition). 
The situation looked bleak ... Then it struck me ... There's a hand crank in
the trunk ... I retrieved the crank, stuck it in place, and after a couple
of mighty pulls the old girl roared to life, with much cheering and applause
from all in attendance. I held my "Lucas" starter aloft and proclaimed "They
said it has to start, they didn't say it had to be with the key" ... again
with much cheering from the masses! 
 At that point we were back in the competition, so I ran to the autojumble
and found a replacement bulb. (still nothing I could do about the paint
chip, but dammit all the lights would work). So with the rain pouring down,
mud up to our ankles, the awards ceremony postponed till the next day, Many
exquisite cars in attendance, and our spirits dampened we left for home, I
would come back the next day to pick up the Alpine. 
 Sunday the field was still muddy but the clouds disappeared, the sun came
out, and the tops came off.
There would be some salvage to this show afterall ... meanwhile the awards
were getting underway and lo and behold we came away with a second place
ribbon in the Concours De'Elegance competition !!! 
An absolutely perfect black MGA coupe took best of show, and we were best'ed
in the concours by an absolutely stunning 1934 Jaguar, a 100 point long door
TR2, and a beautiful Rover 3500 saloon,
 I managed to start her a total of three times with the hand crank,
including a cold start first thing in the morning, and then when it came our
time to parade by the awards area, she fired right up proper.
 <> Cheers <>  Steve and Frank <>



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