Back Home - how was it for you?

[TUS 373]

It can really rain in Blackpool can't it? Didn't matter too much though - I really had a great time. Good to say hello to a few Pistonheaders I had not met before in person.

The autotest kept us entertained as we huddled beneath our huge TVRCC brollies - club regalia sales must have been well up for those Carol!

Great to meet up with friends and have a chat about all things TVR. Great fun had in the evening - I haven't laughed so much in ages, drunk so much beer and wine and danced to the point of exhaustion.

The cavalcade had lost a little of its magic compared to previous years - but I blame the weather for that. Roof off / on / off / on.

Factory tour was good too. Nice to see the first T440R awaiting completion - and lots of T350Cs. No T350 targas to be seen yet though. Met Trevor Wilkinson and saw Peter Wheeler. Found out that Ned died very recently.

All in all, a very good do. My thanks go out to those who organised things so well and give their time freely. It is appreciated - and I want you to know it!

[blackpoolwedge]

Glad you had a good time and hope everybody else enjoyed the Blackpool sunshine!!!

No sign of the T350 Targa???? Didn't look that close during your factory tour, how about the two bodies just out of the moulds. Very clearly showed an intresting roof arrangement.

[TUS 373]

Nah, missed it then in that case. It was a late night/early morning scenario if I may use that as an excuse! Saw loads of T350Cs though - seems that ic occupying the majority of production. Barely saw any Tamoras anywhere over the weekend - just one at the concours IIRC - yet 2 T350Cs (Flasher and Fish).

[yellowchim]

Hi Mungo ,
yes we Essex lot had a swell time at back home,shame about the weather.
It was great seeing all the old faces again!! and sad at having to say goodbye at the end,the best weather was when we started to drive home. We had been on the road for about half an hour when i dropped the rear wheel into the biggest bldy pot hole in Lancashire,
which was followed by a loud rattling from under the car, we stopped to check ,thinking that i had dropped one of the rubber donuts holding up the silencer's
but could see nothing!! Anyway we carried on slowly
towards Preston looking for a Quickfit or the likes.
We were creeping along up to some traffic lights, moving very slow when the arse end suddenly sat on the top of the tyre!!!in the middle of the road, i could not go forwards or backwards, traffic was building up.
It turned out that we had got a broken shocker, the AA arrived but could not help (wrong type of recovery vehicle)but managed to jack up the back enough and jam in a very thick parts book to keep it off the wheel, so that we could roll the car into a side road.
half an hour later a proper lorry arrived,(both of us dying for a Pss)We arrived home at 11.30(knackered).
Diane and I would like to thanks all the 'back homers'who stopped to offer assistance and to the man from the AA (Richie from Wigan)for bringing us back to Essex..Thanks Diane&Dave.

[mrs fish]

I had a good time marred only by the horrendous service at the DeVere hotel, but thats another story.

Got very very drunk and danced lots

Brian sorry I didn't get chance to catch up with you again on the evening but it was nice to meet you.

[graham m]

Didn't like the weather much but it made the autotest fun. Pity there was a thief about who removed the set of TVR logo valve caps from my Taimar Turbo! (obviously someone could not aford the £12 and the walk to the club van to buy a set) Guess it could have been worse and been a part more difficult to replace. It is ironic that I never have any problems leaving the car parked around Birmingham and then this happens at a TVRCC meeting. Anyone see who did it?

[Alf Essex]

Diane&Dave,

Sorry to here about your Chim...just as your about to trade it in for that nice yellow T350!....

Will you be at Silverstone at the weekend then?

Alan.

[gemini]

I even got to meet the soon to be famous TVR Monkey

watch the web and sprint IM sure!

[TUS 373]

graham m said: Didn't like the weather much but it made the autotest fun. Pity there was a thief about who removed the set of TVR logo valve caps from my Taimar Turbo! (obviously someone could not aford the £12 and the walk to the club van to buy a set) Guess it could have been worse and been a part more difficult to replace. It is ironic that I never have any problems leaving the car parked around Birmingham and then this happens at a TVRCC meeting. Anyone see who did it?

Myself and others lost quite a few TVR logo'd valve caps at Back Home a few years ago. Likewise, I had never had this problem before. When did you notice they had gone - at the concours or at the Devere? There were quite a few pesky kids knocking around at both venues - so was it them or (perish the thought) another TVR owner? I use the locking non-TVR ones now.

[Big_M]

gemini said: I even got to meet the soon to be famous TVR Monkey

[TUS 373]

mrs fish said: I had a good time marred only by the horrendous service at the DeVere hotel, but thats another story.

Got very very drunk and danced lots

Brian sorry I didn't get chance to catch up with you again on the evening but it was nice to meet you.

No problem Lisa. I fear that the speech centre in my tiny brain was malfunctioning that evening. For some reason I found myself babbling incoherently so you probably did well to keep your distance. Good to meet you and Flasher and your T350Cs looked nice keeping one another company in the hotel carpark.

Did you see my friend successfully bid for the carbon fibre Speed 12 undertray while his wife was in the ladies ? It only cost him £10 but we told his wife it was £500 (after the previous £800 lot for the Le Mans steering wheel). She absolutley murdered him. I got told off too for letting him do it! Haven't laughed so much in ages. .

He's got to figure how to get it home and then what to do with it - its in the porter's room at the hotel still at the moment. Fantastic!

[TUS 373]

mungo said: Enjoyed myself.

Was a bit knackered from a heavy night before in Notts where I kipped over enroute to Blackpool.

Was great to meet up with friends again - Was very keen for the factory tour as I have never been around the TVR factory before - the place responsible for building my first real sports car, unfortunately though this experience was marred by the unprofessional behaviour of a certain (to remain nameless here) TVR ltd employee but this is something I will be taking up with TVR themselves.

Apart from that, great time and seriously enjoyed the noise of all those cars! Can still hear thunderous v8's echoing in my mind

I missed meeting the legendary Mr Mungo! Bu&&er! I'd be interested to hear why your factory tour was spoiled? Mail me off line if you wish to divulge further.

[david010167]

I had a great time. The Auto Test was fun, it was the first time I tried anything like that, and my first run showed it, especialy after I killed a few cones, but still it was fun and the other four runs were much better.

The famous TVR Monkey, even met Michael Caine, yes I think he is to become a big big feature.

What a great weekend. I met some great people, and a great couple who are yet to buy a TVR, but came for the weekend to find out more.

Back to work now, ahhhh.

David

[Steve_T]

For anyone still in the dark about monkey. Monkey is now the official mascot of Surrey TVRCC and has started making appearances at most events. He met Michael Caine on Saturday night, had his t-shirt signed, was photographed on the bonnet of car 92 with Michael and invited into the pits at Le Mans where he will be in the car for some warm up laps . Monkey's fame is spreading. I'm organising a Dewalt shirt for him and hopefully monkeycam! (anyone know how to get hold of one of those cricket stump cameras?). Photos will be on the Surrey e-group this evening.

Gemini, well done with marshalling the cavalcade.

What a top weekend!. If anyone witnessed our antics trying to get the speed 12 tyre into the chimaera, we failed!. Luckily the folks at Leven have taken it to Essex, at least it's easier to collect from there. We had a breakthrough regarding what we will do with it. As we have a perfectly functioning coffee table (thanks Michael for the many and varied suggestions), we will be filling it with cushions and making it into one of the fastest cat baskets ever .

Thanks to everyone who was involved in the organising of the event. David, Linda (David's GUEST!),Bob the planner, George( well done in the photo competition!), Tom (how did you get that door home in the end?), thanks for making our weekend so memorable.

[TUS 373]

Steve_T said:

What a top weekend!. If anyone witnessed our antics trying to get the speed 12 tyre into the chimaera, we failed!. Luckily the folks at Leven have taken it to Essex, at least it's easier to collect from there. We had a breakthrough regarding what we will do with it. As we have a perfectly functioning coffee table (thanks Michael for the many and varied suggestions), we will be filling it with cushions and making it into one of the fastest cat baskets ever .

! Top marks for innovation. What will everyone be doing with their doors?

I suggested to my friend that he uses the carbon fibre Speed 12 undertray for a new (and possibly the fastest)....shed roof!

Steve - also a pleasure to have met monkey on the factory tour. I like da Ali G stylee gold chain complete with TVR badge - you could have started something here! He is a rascal isn't he.

>> Edited by TUS 373 on Monday 19th May 09:40

[TVR-NUT]

Glad to hear that you all had a good time. Unfortunately I didn't make it as I couln't afford both the hotel and the petrol for the journey up from Essex . Which is a shame really as it would have been my first time up and I know that I would have enjoyed it (especially as I would have got to meet somee fellow pistonheaders and see Mungo again). Never mind, there's always next year... Anyone got any pics by the way?
Mark

[Psychobert]

Weekend was excellent, if a little moist, and it has to be said, rather loud and bright on Sunday.

I know its difficult arranging for so many people to eat at once, but I thought the de Vere could have done a little better.. Also slightly annoyed that I paid for the buffet lunch and when I got back from the factory tour there was none left so I had to find somewhere else..

Sorry that someone lost valve caps. Not overly surprised though, there were a lot of kids wandering around and the TVRs were quite spread out..

Slight electrical problem hit me Friday at 4pm on the M1 in torrential rain - wipers decided to pack up. Huge thanks to RudeGirl and Joolz without whom I'd have missed the whole show..

>> Edited by Psychobert on Monday 19th May 12:13

[david010167]

It must be a Blackpool thing, my drivers side wiper shot off, it split right down the middle.

David

Psychobert said: Weekend was excellent, if a little moist, and it has to be said, rather loud and bright on Sunday.

I know its difficult arranging for so many people to eat at once, but I thought the de Vere could have done a little better.. Also slightly annoyed that I paid for the buffet lunch and when I got back from the factory tour there was none left so I had to find somewhere else..

Sorry that someone lost valve caps. Not overly surprised though, there were a lot of kids wandering around and the TVRs were quite spread out..

Slight electrical problem hit me Friday at 4pm on the M1 in torrential rain - wipers decided to pack up. Huge thanks to RudeGirl and Joolz without whom I'd
have missed the whole show..

[snorky]

Hi to all the "Back Home 2003" Gang. Tracy and myself had a great ( for great read Fabulous )time. Thanks to (naked chef) Bob for convincing Tracy we really couldn't live without a TVR by ripping down the M55 and making her hair look like the top off a pineapple. To David ( and Linda ) for trying to make me crp myself doing autotesting in a Griff in the pouring rain ( how we laughed ). To Steve and Karen ( and TVRMunkey ! ) for all those good tips on the use of Lard till 4.00am . To Bill for chauffeuring me round in his Chim all weekend. To Steve and Linda for the trip to the factory in that lovely blue Tuscan. To Paul and Lisa for making sure that we did look at EVERY TVR in Blackpool that weekend. Hello to Fran and Chris, yes the famous Chris Walker of "my names on the LeMans TVR" fame . Thanks to Tony Connor for all his help, to Jayne for the organising and frightening me by buying a second-hand steering wheel for £800 ! and to Gordon for letting Tracy know that buying a TVR is MANDATORY for your 40th. Thanks to all and be assured that we're scouring the ads now for that potential purchase, I've even convinced Tracy that we should keep the Jap Pocket rocket for the rainy days ( ha! mission accomplished )

Kind Regards Tracy & John

>> Edited by snorky on Monday 19th May 12:30

[simon.b]

My Griff got diverted going back home from Back Home, she’s ended up on a low loader to TMS with an electric’s failure

Simon.