2011 National Microcar Rally
The National Microcar rally is the biggest event of the Microcar year but finding someone to take on the job of organizing it is often a problem,The task is not one for the faint hearted (I know as I took it on in 1997).
Some of you may remember the 2009 rally organized by the Bug Club Chairman Jeff Ellis, This was an event that will live in the memories of many as the National where it rained and rained and rained. So much so we had to get a tractor to pull the camper vans etc of the site. On the plus side it was also very memorable as the Microcar fraternity really pulled together with a sort of Dunkirk type spirit and made the best of it with thousands of pounds of vehicles all parked up around the museum rather then the soggy display field.
Jeff had been contemplating taking on the task again and as no one came froward he is yet again going to give it a go. The event will be held at the Atwell Motor Museum but with the added benefit of a new roadway to the camping and display fields. Drainage has also been added plus a new toilet block.
Another aim is to break a Guinness world record for the most Microcar's in one place a record that has stood since the 1980s.It would be great if the Bugging community could help as I'm sure they will.
Wheeler Dealers Programme
I was away in sunny Turkey when this programme was broadcast but managed to catch up with it a few days after my return. This is the 2nd programme hosted by Matt Brewer featuring the Bond Bug, the first one was Deals on Wheels in 1997. Both programmes cover Bug selling and give advice on Bug restoration and things to look out for. For those of you who may have missed it I have added links below.
On a personal level I felt it was a 30 minutes of great viewing and it was good to see all the Bugs at the 40th Rally in August. I would like to have seen more on body prep and spraying but it was still a good promotion for our little cars. Beats the Top gear Reliant fodder hands down. Ed China made some of the jobs appear very easy including removing the half shaft. In my experience this can be a right pig of a job as they tend to get stuck in the axle. In the past I have applied heat and used a slide hammer but even then they can still be a bugger. The gearbox removal was also a novel way of doing it. I mentioned on my forum if you decide to remove a gearbox the way they did I would mark the prop shaft prior to splitting it so it goes back the same way- failure to do so may result in a out of balance shaft.
http://www.mediafire.com/file/m1d85...Bug%20Part1.avi
http://www.mediafire.com/file/hivsg...Bug%20Part2.avi
http://www.mediafire.com/file/z2460...Bug%20Part3.avi