Maybe see you guys in Gettysburg for the last 50 miles in...
The Speedster's cleaned, the top's up and the side curtains are in (cause it's going to be cold when we leave at 6:30 AM Saturday). Tomorrow it's the Hershey swap meet and we're ready for Saturday!
Look forward to seeing you, Bruce!
In honor of tomorrow, here's a neat pic of a Speedster and MG racing in Venezuela in 1953.
The summary...Los Proceres circuit, near Fuerte Tiuna Military base, in Caracas, in 12-Apr-53. This circuit was used later with several modifications in three Grand Prix of Venezuela races for Sport Cars were held in 1955, 1956 and 1957. In that race (the MG finished) second to a Porsche 1500 cc.
The full story and more pics are here:
Good weather & great roads...see you all in the AM, safe trip ! ~Alan
Bruce,
Aren't you bringing your new ride ?
Chuck
Great photo, Paul. Here's wishing you folks a real blast tomorrow.
Bruce's new ride does, have heat (?) and would easily have passengers :~)
Allan--I hope everyone has a great time tomprrow---I know they will and wish I was going to join you!
Be safe!
Hey, is that Hugo Chavez in the background on turn 3?
Thanks Jack !
Whooo-Weee...Put the coffee on Alan!
I'm on my way
Y'all have a great time. Wish I was there.
Getting ready to head to Dr. Clock's Casa. There will be no worry of cars overheating...it's 30 out right now. When the Frost is on The Punkin'......
~WB
I wanted to go also, but the distance is just toooo great.... Sooo I send you my "BEST"...
30 degrees here at 8:00 AM.... Lenny and Danny got here last night ..... ~Alan
Gassing up in Chambersburg be there soon. Marlies & Brian
The crowd gathered and itchin to go!
..and we're off and running !
Can't post pics here But got some up on F/B.
Wish I was there!
Finally home! Thank you Alan and all you guys for helping keep my car on the road. Brian is on-line ordering a disc brake conversion kit as I write this. It was so great meeting all of you!
Good meeting you too Marlies, and glad you made it home safe on that bum bearing. Look forward to seeing you two again.
We got in the garage about 7:15. No issues other than the usual traffic through Gettysburg and some nausea (Karen) from the gas and fumes.
Great run again, Alan; thanks for all the great breakfast, Connie.
Great pics WB! Looks like the weather was perfect!
Awesome day.
Great cars, great roads, great weather ... but most of all GREAT PEOPLE!
Thank you Al and Connie for organizing, hosting and feeding!
So much fun to have the MG back on the road!
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The 5th annual Pumpkin Run was an unqualified success ! Starting with a great breakfast at Alan and Connies's, and concluding with a late lunch at Dillys. and everything in between. Weather couldn't have been better, nice and cool in the morning warming up nicely by the afternoon. Roads were spectacular, plenty of twisties and great scenery. Met a number of new people, great additions to our group ! Thanks Alan and Connie for a great run .
Chuck & Maggie
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I saw all of Cory's pictures and am soooooo jealous! Looked like a perfect gathering.
Great run. I blogged it here, with pics. Think I got everyone's name straight (everyone mentioned in the post, anyway). Please let me know if not.
Thanks, everyone, for the hospitality. Congrats again to Alan and Connie on their nuptials.
"Our Gang" what a great day we had, Ed thank you for doing wonderful write up !
Chuck Martin, thank you for toasting Connie and I on our nuptials !
Also, thank you ALL for welcoming Connie into the "family" .
This clan is truely an extended family that "makes nice with" everyone !
Kelly, Connie was way impressed with "you" and your speedy (Loved riding in it)
The "Bowery Boys" (Lenny and Danny) just left the Merklin B &B)
THANK YOU ALL ....for making the day absolutely memorable!
Vince to answer your question ....Connie is, my wife of one week :~)
Alan & Connie~
I only found out today that Connie had made an honest man out of you, Alan. Many congratulations!
Well HOT DANG!!!! Good for you two.... Does this portend a return to Speedster nervana??? 
Thank you Lane and Leon, wish you guys could make it here, it's a fun day!
What a great weekend! Drove to Gettysburg Thurs. afternoon and stayed at the Brick House B&B.Great attention to detail and a wonderful breakfast,Thank you Al Gallo for the recommendation.
Toured the museum Fri AM and took a guided tour of the battlefield in the PM. Learn ed alot.
Arrived at Alan and Connies Sat.AM for another great breakfast. Thank you and congratulations on your marriage. I used ether to start the car that morning. It was 30 degrees F. and no chokes. The car was covered with ice but a few minutes in the sun cured that.
The Pumpkin Run was a 80 mile spiirited drive through beautiful country on great roads. There was alot of downshifting to keep up but I had
my shift guide plate adjusted correctly and the car ran great.
Lunch at Dillys was great-good companionship and good food. We left Chambersburg at 5 PM and arrived in north NJ by 10 PM.-one gas stop one coffee stop and one pee stop. We did about 700 miles and averaged about 30mpg on the interstates and 25mpg on the run. The car used one half quart of oil -I was running between 70-75 and occasionally up to 80 mpg on the hiways.
I am satisfied with the 1600cc engine but I plan to build it up to a 1915 this winter.
Can't leave well enough alone.
It was great to see familuar faces and to meet new ones.
Joel
Alan, Pic's please.....you know what I mean...
Glad you knuckle heads had a good and safe time. Congrats to the Doctor and Connie and ask her to clock you a schmeer for me. See y'all ASAFP.
Our Speedster didn't seem to run right all day long and the headlights flickered a little when we pulled out of garage at 6:30 AM. In Gettysburg on the way home traffic backed up and the car ran the worst of the day. Pulled into a parking lot and did the Merklin "fix" - pulled each air cleaner, put my hand over the carb and raced the engine. Usually just the left fixes the problem but had to do the right side too (have to figure out what's happening here - either there is dirt getting into the jets and/or the valve cover vents are screwing up the carbs). The car ran great for the rest of the ride home except...
In Westminster, Maryland the headlights went totally dark and we were stuck on the side of a dark street with no services nearby. I spent some time tearing into the switches and fuse panel under the dash but didn’t find any problems.
A couple of years ago I added three relays to the Speedster wiring – one for the fog lights, one for the hi-beams and one for the lo-beams. These were mounted in the trunk beside the battery. To do this I tapped off the positive battery connection and included an in-line fuse. Yesterday during the Pumpkin Run through the mountains the connection on the battery came loose and the headlights were flickering. Apparently, the loose connection was creating heat. I found that the hea
t had burned through the orange protector that sits over positive post on VW batteries and also partially melted the wire from the battery to the in-line fuse. Surprisingly, the fuse did not blow (probably because it was heat and not a short) but that end of the in-line fuse holder was shot. So there we sat by the side of a dark street in Westminster, Maryland no where near any open parts stores.
A good Samaritan finally stopped and asked if we needed help - turns out he is a streetrodder who lives in Westminster and just completed building a ’35 Ford. We debated what to do and then he decided to run home and create a replacement wire that would – temporarily – replace the ruined in-line fuse. He left and came back with the wire we needed – connections and all – and I simply reconnected from the battery to the lo-beam relay. We had lights! We successfully made the rest of the trip home without any further issues but over two hours later than we expected. Lesson learned – add some wire, connectors and a crimper to the tool kit.
Kudos to Alan and Connie for a fun time on the Pumpkin Run yesterday and it was super seeing may of our fellow Speedster friends again!
Alan, after leaving Casa Merklin on Saturday I coffee'd up In Hagerstown Maryland and an image briefly crossed my mind of the platters of pasteries that Connie put out...especially the chocolet covered ones
WELL, that image took root and flourished IN MY MIND through West Virginia and into Virginia!!... A three state obsession.
By the time I got to Winchester the craving was incessant. I exited I-81 and searched, but the best I could find was a day old glazed donut.
Next year, after the Pumpkin Run, I'll be heading back north east instead south west into N.Carolina...and I'm bringing a doggy bag with me!