Report on Kelvin's great St. George's Day event

      The annual St George's Day games night and food fight was once again, a rousing success. The evening opened with Kelvin getting some free work out of the gang by having us try and crush David's car under a large metal shed.  Despite our best efforts (and a lot of yelling) it remained upright and found it's way off the trailer.   The rest of the evening went as planned ie: lots of food and some fun games.  A  'James Bond' themed musical challenge was offered and a few folks demonstrated considerable familiarity with the movies and their theme songs.  Tim got most of them and won by a landslide.  The traditional game of 'Skittle's' saw heavy use during the evening and was second only to the dart board.  Joe took the opportunity to present his newly restored Jag to the club members.
  Bob E.

Click on one of these beauties to see MORE St. George's Day photos.

Kelvin's Mini update

Click on Kelvin for a larger version.
  It's been a busy spring for FABAC's Travelling Road Show & Pit Crew (FABACTRSPC?) with the latest visit being to Kelvin's where we spent yet more time looking for people's nuts. We've got to get those nuts under control.
    Joe and I took turns setting Kelvin on fire which turned out not to be as much fun as you'd expect so we switched tactics and took to hitting parts of the Mini with hammers. This, in fact did work and lots of stuff fell off the car as a result.  We then busied ourselves by replacing them with new parts...that is until we ran out of shims.  All our nuts had gotten lost under the workbenches by this time anyway so we gave up and whiled away the rest of the afternoon with pizza and tea.
- Bob E.

Kelvin's shopping list:
  • pickle fork
  • working grease gun
  • lotsa shims
  • bandaids
  • anti-sieze
  • side cutters
Phil has for sale a Standard Carpet Kit in Black for MGB Roadster from 1962-1967. Click on the FABAC Automobile Ads in the right hand column for details.    ---->

St. George and the Dragon

This coming Saturday April 26th is the time for our regular  ST. GEORGES DAY party and as usual it's a pot luck supper with BYOB.
The weather is meant to be great all weekend so come on out and enjoy the first social of the year. I believe Bent Bob has prepared something special just for this event.

It all starts at 6pm and the address is  1335 Route 10, NOONAN

See you all there.
- Kelvin

Another option for a run to Saint John

Ralph and Karen, our faithful Saint John members, are hosting a Homeport Homestage on May 3rd. This is basically a brunch and musical entertainment which should appeal to any FABACians who are itching to get rolling this Spring. The event consists of a brunch and what looks to be excellent award-winning musicians. Those interested in going might post a comment in case a group might want to travel together.
Lots more detail from Ralph below:

Homeport Homestages present Andy Brown and Ashley Condon.

Homeport Homestage folk music venue is presenting something different for the season finale with the ECMA Scatterlings concert on May 3rd.  This will be an afternoon performance again but with a buffet brunch on offer from noon until 1:30 before the music starts at 2:00.  The shows format may have changed but one thing is the same with the presentation of talented award winning musicians. This time around there will be two headline artists - Fredericton’s Andy Brown will share the stage with Ashley Condon from PEI appearing for her third time at Homeport.  Homeport owners Ralph and Karen Holyoke put this show together at the recent ECMA weekend in Charlottetown where they met with Andy and Ashley to hammer out a date from their very busy touring schedules.

Notes from April 16th Meeting

  With flood waters creeping up the banks of the mighty St. John river and threatening the city, a small group of stalwart FABACians braved the impending inundation and met for supper at Brewbaker's. Ever mindful of the rising water, we ate upstairs.
   The group was split between those who had buggered off for the winter and returned to metres of ice and snow blocking their driveways, and those who had stayed here and took it.  Many lies were traded before Gary took the floor (not literally) and made an unabashed plea for runs—any runs—anywhere with nice roads and good food.   His cries did not go unrewarded as the crowd responded with:
  • notice of the Frex-Rod car show this weekend here at the exhibition grounds.
  • a spring run to St John on 18th May for lunch, possibly at Lilly Lake again. 
  • the annual St Georges day pot luck dinner & party at Kelvins place in Noonan on Saturday the 26th of this month.  This event will feature a challenge being issued to you-know-who-you-are...*chuckling malevolently* 
  • a run (actually a drive) to St Andrews on Sunday the 1st of May (Corrected: This will take place some time in June.).  This will include a guided tour of the Huntsman Marine Aquarium. 
  • the Moncton car club will be hosting a Show-N-Shine in (where else) Moncton (Dieppe actually) on the 21st of June.  We went last year and despite the rain, had a great time. 
  • next meeting will be at Dimitri's Greek restaurant on the 21st of May.
   Mention was also made of the BIG events of the summer including the Windsor show, a possible PEI show and our FABAC fun days on the 8th of August.
   With one(s) towards the river, dinner was enjoyed.
      Bob E.

Dumfrie's Maples - first run of the season

Thank-you John and Shirley Ann for organizing our first FABAC run of the 2014 season.

The weather was ideal for the maple sugar bush country and the Scotts’—Jane and
Nathan—received us with a warm country welcome and good hardy table fare.

Upon hearing of a possible few member turn out, I invited some of my ski buddies
to join us. We had an interesting exchange of topics—especially Kelvin and John’s
car racing stories, etc.

Thanks again John for a fun day.
Jim & Ellie B.

Click on any photo for a larger version.

FABAC Meeting Wednesday

Hello Folks
FABAC has a reservation at Brewbakers on Wednesday, April 16th at 6:00. 
Unfortunately, neither Sandi nor I will be able to attend.
Cheers,
Larry H.

Bob and his "Cat" go out into the spring day.

  Despite the coolish and somber weather this morning I was determined to get the Jag out for a bit of a drive to shake out the cobwebs from both me and the car.  It's been a l-o-n-g winter and after spending the week chipping the ice from the driveway in front of the garage all I wanted was salt free roads.  Once outside she started on one cylinder for a few seconds then the others joined in in sequence as the front carb decided to work.  I ran a few errands in Oromocto then headed into Freddy via the 105 as it stopped raining.
     After a few more stops in the city I decided to try putting the top down as it had warmed up a good bit. Heading down Smythe was most pleasant and I decided to see if someone wanted to come out and play. All was quiet at Joe H's house but a blast of the horn brought him out in his slippers.  I insisted that his Jag be given its maiden voyage and and wouldn't listen to his tales of loose bolts and unfinished fettling. The battery was installed, stuff tightened up and off we went into town. Joe was nervous but everything worked fine and we enjoyed a nice little drive to the 'local' for a quick celebratory lunch.  We discovered a slight oil leak and that the passenger door needs some fiddling to close properly but that's minor stuff.  
     Heading home under warm and sunny skies was heady stuff.  The snow cover brought an almost overwhelming feeling of nostalgia and 'opening-scene-of-The-Italian-Job'  deja vu. ...oh ya, I declare this season open!
     Bob E.

If the potholes don't kill us, she might!

This car is featured in an online comic adventure penned by Erogenesis.
Just what we need to deal with lousy drivers in NB. 
  Bob E.


The Speed Channel on TV

For all those ardent motor racing fans—I am not talking about NASCAR but proper motor racing—we must say goodbye to the Speed channel as of the 1st May.
This means no more coverage of Le Mans 24hrs, Sebring, Petit Le Mans, World Rallying, motorcycle racing and anything else that is worth watching.
Still get Formula 1 on TSN but nothing else.
At the St. George's day party there will be a moment of silence to remember its passing.

Kelvin

DUMFRIES FUN RUN ON SUN, APR 13

Assemble at the  Schnitzel Restaurant parking lot (3136 Woodstock Rd) at 10.45 for a 11.00 am departure in your LBC or other four wheel conveyance for a leisurely drive along both sides of the mighty Saint John River. We will follow a route along Rte 102. across the dam onto Rte 105 into Nackawic. Back on Rte 102, we’ll end up at Dumfries Maples for a super pancake brunch. Tables will be reserved so there should be no waiting to be seated.
Please note: Cash only, no credit cards)
Afterwards, a visit to the sugar shack, or a walk through the sugar bush are optional extras. The return home will be at your own choosing. This will be a rain or shine event.
Please phone me at 449-0562 before April 12 to confirm your participation.

Organized by John B.

Dave:
Since Mother Nature has dealt us a nasty blow, I don't know if we'll be driving our LBCs before mid-July.
I'm considering another conversion of the MGB to get some LBC seat time.  What do you think?
- Phil
(Click on any photo for a larger version.)

Recommended by Bob E.

These are amazing.   http://www.kidston.com/kidston-movies
I got choked up during the D-Day video as the music started.
Bob E.