Category Event Posts

Our plan this year was to have an easy day for our first event, and as it happens the sun was with us,
after a very stormy night on Saturday.

We met at the ‘Kings Head’ at Redlynch near Whiteparish, West Grinstead, Whadden, Alderbury and back via Downton for coffee at 10.30pm. There was a good turn out of 11 cars, including David Tofts freshly restored 100/6 making its maiden club appearance, and looking remarkably smart (not a Sprite in sight, so where are you all?).

The time was spent chatting and eventually after signing the MSA form, folk went off for the 19 mile planned drive. The route went through Downton. The countryside was superb in the sun, with primroses and bluebells adorning the banks of the roads. All returned safely, and the pre ordered lunch was served at 12.45pm, and proved a hearty feast which was much enjoyed. Gradually the car park emptied, and we all had an enjoyable drive home. Keep an eye on the New Forest events programme, there are a lot of events to enjoy this year, and we hope to see you out and about!

The New Forest opened the New Year with an Auto Technical Evening at the Empress of Blandings, Copythorne on 18 January 2018. This pub is the home of the centre, and is able to provide a good sized room above the bar, and this was the venue for the evening.

We are fortunate to have in our centre area, Eastleigh Auto Electrics, and John Burton the owner agreed to come along and spend an evening trying to educate us all on how the parts under the bonnet work, fail and why.

John has titles after his name for the work he does to support the Jaguar Drivers Club. They are, Director of the JDC, Technical Advisor to the ‘E’ Type register of the JDC, and finally, Chairman of the ‘E’ Type register.

A large table was set out with parts that John had brought along. These ranged from a huge 12 volt battery to the contact points of a fuel pump. We were told that we should all carry a digital volt meter, and that unless the battery showed 12.65 volts when tested ‘IT IS NOT FULLY CHARGED’

Steadily and methodically John went through each item providing anecdotes, facts and warnings on why they break down if you abuse them, ignore them or they were poorly made in the first place (being polite here).

John’s favourite part had to be a ‘bolt on’ radiator cooling fan of approximately 15 inches diameter. This was picked up and put down at least 10 times to demonstrate that its make up actually blocked the air from passing through it and every other bar should be cut from it to let some cooling effect happen, or better still throw it away!

As you will see from the photographs, there were many members in the room (31 in all) and questions were frequently asked regarding all these new parts now sold with electronics involved, to this John pointed out that they may not always be the best step forward for the older car. ie: Do not purchase a rotor arm with a rivet through it, they will short out! After a refreshment break, we then had a conducted tour through some 200 photos on the overhead screen. These were of cars that have crossed John’s path in need of attention for mechanical or electrical works.

The evening broke up with a resounding thank you to John, for his knowledge and detailed explanations, and then folks gathered around the table of parts to debate further points of interest to individual members, which went on for another 30 mins.

Thanks again John for your time and effort.

Held on the 3rd February at The Hotel Miramar, Bournemouth. Again in 2018 we had reason to celebrate an anniversary, so The ‘New Forest Centre’ had a special cake made for the traditional afternoon teas at ‘The Hotel Miramar’ and marked the year that the Frogeye Sprite was launched at the 1958 Monaco Grand Prix on the 20th May.

Frogeye owners present were gathered to cut the cake, and with tea served to 40 members enjoyed a very pleasant afternoon catching up. Welcome guests and officers of the club from outside our centre included Tony & Caroline Curren & John Keener.

Our evening festivities commenced at 6.45pm in the ‘Garden Suite’ bar, and dinner followed at 7.30pm. Peter Healey, our centre President, had joined us by this time having been glued to the television in the afternoon to watch rugby!!

This year 56 enjoyed a super meal and whilst coffee was served, our raffle ladies did a great job of selling lots of tickets for the 21 prizes on display. Our centre is very fortunate to receive support from company sponsors:- Bill Rawles Classic Cars, Ahead4Healeys, Rawles Motorsport together with our own members, so our thanks go out to all who assist the committee in providing great enjoyment for the members of our centre.

Before the raffle, the prizes were given out for the 2017 season, and they were:-
Competition: Alan & Sandra Pickford
Concours: BJ7/BJ8 Gordon & Sue Grant
Roadster: Phil & Julie Gardner
100: Trevor & Alison Hirst
Jensen Shield: Jim & Rowena Palmer
Rev-Counter: Trevor & Alison Hirst
New Comers Award: David Burton
Clubman of the Year: Brian Loades

The evening continued later with the disco producing good dance music for all, with a few retreating to the bar for that earnest chat about a new fangled part that is essential to making the Healey perform much better.

Sunday as is traditional after a good breakfast, the seafront and sunny conditions beckoned us for that good walk on the prom to blow the cobwebs away, and prepare us all for the drive home.

Jim Finch Presentation

Your New Forest Austin Healey Club committee had their first meeting, last night, fresh with ideas and enthusiasm after last months AGM – Jim Finch, Chairman, was presented with his beautifully mounted and engraved con rod award in recognition for all he and Jan do for the centre – here’s to 2018….we will keep you posted through every social media avenue known to man!!!!

Jim Finch and Will Cox

Down in the New Forest, the tradition at this time of year is to have a skittles match, when the dark evenings close in and the cars are likely to be resting after lots of long summer of outings.

On the 8th November we abandoned our regular haunt ‘The Potters Heron’ at Hursley for ‘The Phoenix Inn’, Twyford just to the east of Winchester, where our host Paul looked after us very well with basket meals that hit the spot.

Jim Finch and Janice Clay

We had a full house of 30 this year competing, and after two boisterous rounds, the highest gent was a tie between Tim Main & Will Cox. After much heckling it all ended with tears for Tim, as Will became the gents victor of the night.

Our ladies fought well, but could not sustain the pressure from Janice Clay who not only is a new comer to this event, but swept the board with the highest score.
Both winners received a bottle of bubbly and the whole evening was declared a great success, and should be repeated next year!

Meeting at the Swan

50 Healeys and 50 years since the forming of New Forest Centre. Saturday 15th July saw 50 Healeys meet on Bucklers Hard, a historic site on the Beaulieu River just below the National Car Museum.

This was the site 200 years ago where Nelson’s war ships were being constructed each one taking some two and a half years to build using timber from the forest close by. Both the Museum and the Georgian cottages serve as a reminder to the men who built these iconic ships.

Parked outside the Master Builders

Our own iconic display consisted of Austin Healeys of which some are also 50 years old even for the latest MkIIIs! and Sprites of a younger vintage. One of the lower buildings on the site is now a restaurant and pub (The Master Builders) with good local ale to which we retired for an excellent lunch before taking a short boat trip down the river past some of the original moorings and the construction site of the Mulberry harbours which were towed over to France for D-Day.

As one of the seven Centres representing the Austin Healey club as a whole, New Forest had its first meeting in 1967. This first meeting was held at the Swan Inn near Lyndhurst so it seemed apt to start from here for this Anniversary run. There was also an entry at the time logging the forma­tion of this group in the Southern Evening Echo.

The national club was organised in 1961 with offices at Abingdon and publicity used the pages of Safety Fast alternating with the MG brand. Membership joining leaflets were placed in each car sold whilst the club badge developed into the symbols of the “long suspension bridge” and the wings from the Healey wings design with Warwick castle as the background.

Lunch at the Master Builders

Later on with Lord Stokes at this time,1968/1969, heading up the formation of the conglomerate British Leyland it was decided to cut all ties with the Healey com­pany and close the club office at Abingdon, so leaving us to develop the club through the seven Centres [plus the specialist Healeysport Centre] that we continue to enjoy today.