The Octagon 

NEWSLETTER OF THE CLASSIC     CLUB

Vol. 48                       No.5                    Issue 572                                    May, 2011 

MAINTAINING THE BREED FOR OVER FORTY YEARS

PRESIDENT: Pete Rogers, 31104 Fairvista Dr., Tavares, FL 32778.  Phone 352-343-1855.   E-mail: pfrslot@gmail.com.

EDITOR:   Al Cook, 8554 Amber Oak Dr. Orlando, FL 32817.  Phone 407-678-6814. E–mail arcpa@mpinet.net.

WEBSITE:  www.classicmgclub.com  WEBMASTER:  Paul Plasschaert, E-mail: webmaster@classicmgclub.com.

MEETING:   (AGAIN) NOT QUITE AS USUAL.  It is the third Thursday, May 19th, however, we have been informed (for the second time in 2 months) that we cannot “use the facilities” at the Maitland Senior Center.  Instead, we will plan to meet at Carlucci’s Italian Restaurant where we can convene our meeting.  We encourage you to go directly to Carlucci’s at 7:15 PM.  In the event that you forget, someone, probably your Editor, will be at the Maitland Senior Center to remind you.  Directions to Carlucci’s: 501 North Orlando Ave, Ste 145, Winter Park.  This is at the shopping center at the corner of 17-92 & Lee Rd. 

APRIL EVENT FOLLOW UP I: MEAD GARDENS BRITISH CAR SHOW:  A meeting of the Planning Committee was held on May 3, 2011 and it was decided to distribute $600.00 to each participating club.  The Morgan Club was added to the mix.  A full report and comment will be given to the members at the May 19^th meeting.

APRIL EVENTS: II  GOF REPORT: The good folks running the recent event shared with our GOF Committee their attendance and other information to help us with our planning for the 2012 GOF, our 46^th Annual event which will be hosted by The Classic MG Club of Orlando.  They also offered to transfer to us their Domain Name “gofsouth.com” if we can figure out how to do that!

GOF COMMITTEE REPORT;  We are very pleased to report that the date and location of the 46^th Annual Gathering of the Faithful, South will be on March 23-25, 2012 at the Hilton Orlando/Altamonte located just south of US Highway 436 in Altamonte Springs, near I-4.  We considered and negotiated with other facilities, but the Hilton came up as the clear favorite in terms of price, amenities and location.  The relative early time for the event was determined by the timing of the Easter Holiday in 2012, and the need to work around the competing date selected by the Mead Gardens British Car show which will be March 30-April 1, 2012.   More details will be announced as they are available, but it’s not too early to circle the weekend of March 23-25 on your 2012 calendars!

 MAY DRIVING EVENT:  Our driving event for May will be an excursion to Ponce Inlet on Saturday, May 21, 2011.  We plan to meet at the Publix Shopping Center on US 17-92 in Maitland (just North of Horatio Avenue) at 8:30 to leave at 9:00.  Paul Plasschaert has discovered the trick of never being late: he has volunteered to lead the hour and a half drive over to the coast!  While over on the right-hand side of Florida, we plan to go to the Marine Science Center and possibly the Lighthouse for a tour of the grounds before going to lunch.  (If anyone wants to climb the lighthouse, they are on their own!)  I am told that the North Turn is definitely the place to go to have lunch, so we will have someone get their contact information and warn them about our arrival.  

FUTURE EVENTS:    May 28-June 5, 2011 is the 2011 British Car Week International Classic Car Awareness Week.  For information, go to www.britishcarweek.org.

Also note the arrival of a new vintage British car parts company, Britannia Parts and Conversions Corp. out of NY.  Their web address is www.britanniaparts.com and they offer a 10% discount for Car Club members.  You can also call them for information at 1-866-758-2984.

Brit Bash 2011 is on for Saturday, October 29, 2011 at Riverside Park in Vero Beach.  This is the former Fox Lake and Wickham Park event put on by our friends at MG Car Club Florida and the location and venue (Springfield Suites by Marriott) were wonderful last year.  For information and registration go to www.mgcarclubflorida.org .

Speaking of our friends in Melbourne, we have received a request to keep them informed about our traditional October over-night event.  It was suggested that we move it up a little (to make room in our schedules for the Brit Bash, no doubt) and plan to meet them at one of our favorite locations, the Tuckaway Resort (now condo hotels) in Indian Harbor Beach.  We will check out rates, availability, etc. and put our heads together to see if we can “cook up” a great weekend event on the East Coast this early fall.