rcollum

A beautiful day in the country - the Hunt Country Classic. The last major British car show of the year, and one of my favorites. We had 5 beautiful Lotus there today. I'll cut to the chase - first place in our Lotus category was won by Jim Gordon's gorgeous Elan Coupe. (I got second place with my Seven.) The statuette of the Queen had a hand that rotated back-and-forth - the 'Queen wave'. It was in the back deck of a Jaguar XK. --Bob Collum

I got to Katie's this morning, as usual, around 5:30AM. Only one person was there, which was very odd - usually, there are at least 5 other cars there, with 10 more coming in immediately after me. It was low 60's and overcast, but I saw the forecast Friday night, which said it would not rain in Great Falls until 9:00AM or 10:00AM. Obviously, everybody else knew something I didn't (you get used to it), because it started misting around 6:30AM, and lightly raining at 7:00AM. Considering it was completely dry early, it was an amazingly light crowd - by the time I left at 7:30AM, the front lot was barely half full. Still, I'll take the rain today... as long as it's clear and dry for the Hunt Country Classic British car show tomorrow, Sunday, 10/9/16. Here's a link to the thread about the show - http://www.usa7s.net/vb/showthread.php?11318-Hunt-Country-Classic-Middleburg-VA-Sunday-10-9-16 Still, it was an interesting day at Katie's. Rich Brooks, of the Ford GT tuning firm GT Guys was in town to work on a few local cars, and decided to come over to Katie's. Rich used to work for Roush, and now does very high-end work on Ford GTs. (The white-black-and-yellow one is his.) --Bob Collum

I tried the full top that came with my Caterham when I bought it last year - once. It made me claustrophobic, being enclosed in the rear quarters. My wife got me the half-hood for Christmas, and I love it! Good sun protection, and overall, good wind protection with either the doors on, or the wind wings on. I've taken to putting the passenger side of my two-piece tonneau on, and if it rains, the driver side goes on pretty quickly. The tonneau protected the interior when it rained overnight at LOG this year. (Yes, I now know to tuck the top of the door under the half-hood!) --Bob Collum

Sunday's forecast is clear and 65 degrees - come on out to the Hunt Country Classic British car show - Sunday, Oct. 9th, 9:00AM - (Outside Middleburg, VA.) Link to the meet website: http://www.mgcarclubdc.com/hcc/hcc_main.html --Bob Collum

A reminder - make sure to register for the Hunt Country Classic by Friday, 9/30/16. Registration goes from $25 per car to $35 after 9/30/16. www.mgcarclubdc.com/hcc/EntryForm/HCC_Entry_Form.pdf This is a nice venue, with good driving roads there & back. We're hoping for another good turnout of Lotus cars & people, again this year. The event will be held Sunday, October 9th. Show field opens at 9:00AM. Spectator parking is $5 per vehicle. If you like British vehicles, this is a good show! --Bob Collum

I'm pretty sure that's not the same car... Bob M's car does not have a visible soft top cover, which that one does. --Bob Collum

Yep, same owner as the TR4 a few weeks ago. All his cars are gorgeous! --Bob Collum

A cool, clear morning - the first Saturday of Fall 2016. A good turnout, as you would expect at Katie's. I decided to take the Elise out for exercise. --Bob Collum

The last big British car show of the season, and one of the best, is put on by the MG Car Club of DC - the Hunt Country Classic: www.mgcarclubdc.com/hcc/hcc_main.html If we pre-register enough Lotus cars, we can make our own class (and not have to compete for a trophy with one-of-a-kind cars). Pre-registration is available via the above website, and it's $25 per vehicle if you sign up before September 30th, $35 thereafter. We had a good showing of Lotus last year, and we had three trophies awarded: 1st - Greg Foster, '67 Lotus Elan S3 2nd - Jim Gordon, '66 Lotus 7 3rd - Bob Collum, '06 Caterham 7 I hope to see a good showing of NoVA Lotus folks out there - it's a very nice drive, a beautiful venue, and really amazing British cars... (I will warn this group that this show has been, in the past, not welcoming of some kitcar entries - Cobras, for instance. They have been fine with Caterhams, and I assume any other British-based companies. You might check in advance with the club if you're concerned.) The show this year will be held Sunday, October 9th, with the show field opening at 9:00AM, and award of trophies scheduled (but never ready by) 2:00PM. This is a very nice social event, with good food and some vendors of British car paraphernalia. --Bob Collum I'm already signed up - who else is going?

After GYLO, of the larger group, 13 of us went over for a wine tasting at the Winery at Bull Run. --Bob Collum

We had 22 Lotus at GYLO 12 today, including two Caterhams - mine and Norm Beaver's. One couple even drove in all the way from Michigan for the event - thanks, David and Sarah! Some NoVA Lotus club members with non-running cars even came out, just to socialize. The first thing you're likely to notice is, we had 7 Chrome Orange cars there - six Elises and one Exige. It's like Halloween! --Bob Collum

Just in case your Seven is not roadworthy right now, please come out and see the cars, and meet the people at Get Your Lotus Out... The more, the merrier! Sunday morning, 9/18/16, 9:00AM - 11:00AM, at Katie's lower parking lot, Great Falls Village, VA. --Bob Collum

An overcast morning, but that didn't keep everyone away. No Sevens here except mine, though... Hope we have more tomorrow, Sunday, 09/18/16, at Katie's lower lot, from 9:00AM - 11:00AM. Lots of Lotus, and (I hope) lots of Se7ens! http://www.usa7s.net/vb/showthread.php?11290-Get-Your-Lotus-Out-GYLO-12-09-18-16-9AM-11AM-Great-Falls-VA --Bob Collum

Yes. We're an open-minded bunch, and I am the arbiter, and I say - OK! Come on out! --Bob Collum

GYLO: Sunday, 9/18/16 - we will get together a large group of Lotus, including all Seven variants, for a fun gathering of the marque. What could be better on a beautiful Sunday, than taking your Seven out? How about meeting with many other Lotus & Seven owners and their cars? We've been doing these meets, twice a year, for 6 years now. We hold a popular-vote 'Favorite Lotus' contest, with prizes. Meet some fellow Lotus fanatics, and trade info about favorite drives, unique features of your car (no 2 Lotus are ever REALLY alike!), and tech info. Have a problem with your car? There may well be someone at this event that has already solved your problem! Is your vehicle not running? Come on out and meet other Lotus people. This event is on Sunday, 9/18/16, at Katie's Coffee in Great Falls Village, lower parking lot - 760 Walker Rd, Great Falls, VA. We will be there from 9:00M - 11:00AM. In the past, some small groups have either organized spirited drives, before or after this event. You can organize such group drives on our website - http://novalotusclub.freeforums.net/forum Anyone who would like to go to the Bull Run Winery for lunch with us afterwards is welcome to join us - it's about a 30-minute drive from Katie's. You can bring your own lunch, or buy food at the winery. We hope you can make it! --Bob Collum

We have now held this event, each Spring and Fall, for 6 straight years. Turnout to these events has ranged from 27 Lotus cars to as many as 36. We'd like to break 40 Lotus cars this year. We have had three Sevens in attendance two different times, but I think we can do way better! Help us realize that record! It's a great time, seeing beautiful cars and talking to interesting people. Mark Franke makes sure it's a worthwhile event. It's a good start or end to a spirited drive. If you like, join us afterwards for a drive to the Bull Run Winery, about a 30-minute drive away. You can bring your lunch, or buy it there. Get Your Lotus Out: It's an event, and a request, and we welcome all Sevens. Drive you car - that's what you bought it for, right? Share your enthusiasm with other Lotus fans. --Bob Collum

More from today. Please remember: Get Your Lotus Out (GYLO), our 12th semi-annual gathering of Lotus cars & people, will be held on the lower parking lot of Katie's, on Sunday, 09/18/16, from 9:00AM - 11:00AM. We will drive to Bull Run Winery afterwards, for lunch. Do not miss this! http://www.usa7s.net/vb/showthread.php?11108-Gylo-11-05-01-16 --Bob Collum

Well, Michael D's clutch is working, and he got here EARLY this morning! It's good to have two Sevens up front at Katie's! See what other interesting vehicles were there this morning... --Bob Collum

Labor Day weekend at Katie's. Interesting cars? You bet! --Bob Collum

Yes, they looked amazingly sticky! I'm OK for now... I have 13" wheels, and had some problems choosing a tire to replace the originals, which had turned to stone. I never found a source for Avons, which (it seems) everybody in the UK uses. I ended up with Dunlop Direzza II Star Specs, which seem fine for street use. Thanks, Bob Collum

By the way, Jim - what tires are you running? --Bob Collum

Jim...sorry... Earlier that day, I had met Dave (XFlow7) at Cars & Coffee in Great Falls. With one new Seven friend, my 'buffer' was full. It was great having four 7's at the party. I hope we can do that well at our Get Your Lotus Out event on Sunday, Sept. 18th. (We have managed to have three at a time at these events, but never had more.) http://www.usa7s.net/vb/showthread.php?11290-Get-Your-Lotus-Out-GYLO-12-09-18-16-9AM-11AM-Great-Falls-VA --Bob Collum

Lots of cars, and a great variety! When's the last time you saw BOTH versions of Ferrari SuperAmerica in one place, plus an F40? A Model T? A racing Esprit X180R that was featured at Goodwood? Two different Lotus 4-seaters - Excel and Eclat? (Let's not forget the current Evora.) Finally, Scott Lentz' 914. --Bob Collum

We always have a good time at the parties thrown this time of year by Kevin and Denise McGovern. Obviously, a lot of other people have the same experience, and people (and interesting cars) came out in large numbers. Included in this were 4 Sevens: Kevin's Prisoner Caterham, Norm Beaver's autocross beast, my Caterham, and the red one, owned by a gentleman I just met from Maryland (but I can't remember his name...Grrrr...) Michael D, Scott Lentz, and Kevin (LotusMan1951) were also there, but in 'alternate' vehicles. Can anyone help with that owner's name? --Bob Collum

A great morning at Katie's. I met Dave (XFlow7) this morning, with his Caterham. Scott L was there today, but did not have his Seven. --Bob Collum