Part 19 - New Year, New World

You may carry weapons and ammo in your checked luggage,
but don't you dare smoke, skateboard or loiter in the terminal.
The USA never fails to amaze.

January and February 2023 passed all too quickly with no motorsport action at Jacoby Jaguars.  

The XKR celebrated its 21st Birthday by having total electrical failure at 70mph in lane 3 on the M25, at night.  Amazingly the engine kept running, but all other electric/electronic systems disappeared:  No lights at all, no gear changes, no indicators, horn, windows etc.

Fortunately we were due to exit at the next junction and a few miles later, some electrics reappeared:  Side lights and gearchanges.  As we were heading into London, we had no need of headlamps.  We arrived for (a lovely) dinner at cousin Robert's apartment in Belsize Park.  After an evening of good eating and excellent company (and getting to hold a real Oscar, brought over by a neighbour), Robert kindly lent us his monster Audi RS5 to get home.

Before continuing, I should mention that the Jaguar XKR was my late father-in-law's pride and joy.  He had it maintained in impeccable mechanical and cosmetic condition, at great cost, using genuine factory parts even though minimal mileage was driven each year.  We kept up this tradition and consequently we don't think twice about jumping in this two-decade old car for a round trip of 600 miles to Cornwall and back.  However, time (in the form of rust) catches up with any steel car.  For some time we had been advised to keep an eye on the rear end of the sills and so before the last MOT inspection I decided to take that look.  

There is a sinking feeling, known to many enthusiasts, when the shaft of the screwdriver they are holding disappears through the layer of paint instead of meeting solid metal.  This simple action triggered a change of attitude in my mind:  There comes a point when the value of a car and the cost of professional repair starts to become uncomfortably close.  We were now at that crux.

Fortunately, I had plenty of practice replacing rusty sills on the rally XJS, and in essence, the XKR uses the same floorpan.   The correct colour paint was ordered and I set to with the angle grinder to cut out the rust.  I was able to fashion the correct replacement panel from a spare XJS sill end, that had arrived in the boot of the rust bucket XJ-SC, and welded it in place.  A little filler, primer and paint and the work was complete.

The process released the last remaining shackles of guilt that had previously ensured the car was maintained solely by trained professionals.  I was now free to wield a spanner on father-in-laws's pride & joy!

We picked up the Jaguar the following day and drove home gingerly along the North Circular Road, stuck in first gear.  A faulty voltage regulator was diagnosed.  As this is integrated in the 21 year old alternator, we decided to replace the whole unit.  Bypassing the £1000+ Jaguar OEM part, with little guilt, we plumped for the £110 copy on E-Bay.

A few hours, some creative thinking and some scraped knuckles later, we had the Jaguar restored to full health; having also replaced the dipped beam headlight bulbs which had burnt out when the voltage output spiked.  Naturally there's a special tool required to overcome the spring on the idler pulley that maintains tension on the serpentine drive belt that drives the alternator, water pump and power steering pump.  No such tool resides chez-nous.  Nor did I wish to remove the oil filter that is strategically placed to block the preferred route below the car for extraction and replacement of the alternator.

An ancient and very large spanner inherited from my father (which had remained unused for at least 50 years) combined with a modern 15mm ratchet ring spanner overcame the spring; and removal of the air-filter housing and supercharger coolant pump gave sufficient access to replace the alternator from above.  

Ever since the car was new, it has suffered from regularly depleted batteries for no apparent reason, other than lack of use, and a rather irritating squealing rattle from under the bonnet on start-up.  We had put the former down to electrical drain by the alarm system (a known issue at the time) and the latter was dismissed by the phrase "they all do that, Sir".  On inspection of the failed alternator, the metal casing was found to be cracked through, as if it had been dropped before installation.  Could this have been the cause of so many replacement batteries and the squealing?  On start-up we were greeted solely by the sweet purr of the Jaguar V8 - no squealing.  Time will tell if the battery is as happy.

The rally XJS remained in storage during January & February, awaiting some TLC.  The lack of action was partly down to non-availability of navigators:  

Graham had been invited to navigate on HERO's Winter Challenge through France and finishing in Monte Carlo, in a well prepared Alfa Romeo Alfetta.  It was too good an opportunity to miss, but it may well have been his last regularity event before he emigrates to la belle France later in the year.  Despite some misgivings about the driver, he admitted it had been a great event re-creating some of the classic Monte Carlo Rally, even though he hadn't packed black tie for the traditional end-of-rally gala evening.

Meanwhile, Dexter, in his final year of school, and with A-levels examinations looming, is impressively focused on achieving the grades he needs for his chosen Uni.  Hopefully he will a) get the grades and b) fancy some navigating in the latter part of the year.

This left my thumbs twiddling. I contacted my friend Gene in the USA, a classic car enthusiast. Three years ago we had entered a rally in Colorado using his 1967 Oldsmobile Toronado, only to have the rally cancelled when Covid closed down the World. Although the same rally is not scheduled in 2023, we decided that something had to be done.  

Gene suggested a 2000+ mile road trip via The Amelia Concours, the East Coast alternative to the famous Pebble Beach car show.  Plans were quickly set in motion, a flight ticket from London to Atlanta purchased and an itinerary outlined.  

Gene carefully selected the car for the trip from his stable estimated at over 30 vehicles:  A 1979 Oldsmobile Holiday 88 in brown and beige, crucially with aircon for the Floridian spring warmth and an 8-track stereo to while away the many hours of driving. He promised music for any occasion from his collection of hundreds of period 8-tracks.  It's going to be a funky ride!

I kissed my wife goodbye, and with great anticipation I left home on a frosty morning at the end of February to catch my flight.  Eight hours later the Virgin Airbus 350 touched down in a balmy Atlanta, for the first leg of our trip to Lenoir City, near Knoxville TN.

I met Gene when he was an engineering undergraduate and inducted to the Phi Kappa Tau (ΦΚΤ) Fraternity at the University of Tennessee, whilst I was working as an intern in Knoxville in the early 1980s.  With the advent of the world wide web, we managed to reconnect and found that we had a shared interest in classic cars.

Tour Day 1: Mileage 201

Gene picked me up from the airport in his daily driver, a full sized Lincoln Town Car, made a short detour to sample a few chillidogs from The Varsity (formerly the World's largest drive-thru) and made our way north on I75.  Gene and his wife Cissy were the perfect hosts during my short stay at their home in Lenoir City.

The next morning we were all given a tour of the University of Tennessee, in Knoxville TN, by Steve Catlett (another '80's ΦΚΤ), Director of Development, who proudly showed us the vast improvements in facilities since I last visited 40 years ago.  As is the way in the US, successful alumni donate generously to their Alma Mata and have buildings and facilities named in their honour.  Mr Min of the Garmin company, amongst many others, has been especially helpful.  Currently, around $1bn in capital projects are scheduled for the near future!  University funding doesn't seem to be an issue on the other side of the pond.

One thing that had remained almost the same is the (american) football stadium at UT, which seats over 103,000 people for the legions of Vols fans that fanatically support every game - that's bigger than Chelsea's and Arsenal's stadiums combined and even more than the Daytona Speedway.

Gene & Cissy at UT's Stadium

The Current ΦΚΤ Fraternity House
In the 1980's it was Animal House made real (at least to my delicate sensibilities)

After a lunch of steamed sandwiches (a very local greek delicacy - unknown outside central Knoxville) and a quick tour of the ΦΚΤ fraternity house, it was time to return to Lenoir City.

I was honoured to be the first person to whom Gene has give a full tour of his eclectic collection of vehicles.  Every one has a back story, usually with an elderly widow involved.  People simply trust Gene to take care of their late spouse's pride and joy, which has often been sitting quietly for years or decades.  Gene nurses them back to full health (the cars, not the widows), ensuring they are as original as when they left the factory.

The rest of the day was spent touring various storage locations.  Here is the list as I remember...no doubt I have missed a few or forgotten the exact details, but you'll notice a preference for 5.7L V8s, and a surprising soft spot for small Triumph sports cars and some oddities that were acquired by chance.

AMC Pacer Wagon Maroon 1978
Acura Sedan (Cissy's car)
Buick Roadmaster Wagon Woody 1993
Bertone (Fiat) X1/9 White - 1985?

Cadillac Eldorado Coupe in Triple Yellow 1977
Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham, Gold 1991
Cadillac Eldorado Convertible Black 1971

Chevrolet Chevelle 1973
Chevrolet El Camino SS Black 1972
Chrysler Imperial Yellow 1991

El Camino SS

Chrysler Imperial

Fiat 500 Abarth
Ford Thunderbird 2001 (almost no miles)
Ford F250 Pickup Blue 2019

Lincoln Town Car 2005?
Mini (BMW) - Cissy's Car

Oldsmobile Cutlass Salon Blue 1977
Oldsmobile Holiday 88 Bronze 1979
Oldsmobile Cutlass Green 1977?
Oldsmobile 98 Green 1977?
Oldsmobile Toronado Maroon 1969
Oldsmobile Toronado Green 1971

Pontiac GTO Red 2004 - it's a rebadged Holden/Vauxhall Monaro
Pontiac Grand Prix Navy Blue 1976? - as new

A Small Corner of Gene's home Workshop -
Larger than many professional garages

Cadillac Eldorado Convertible
Fabulously Oversized!

  

Triumph TR3 - multiple disassembled (at least 5?)
Triumph TR4 BRG
Triumph TR5 White
Triumph GT6 Mk111 Yellow

and to finish, a Winnebago (or similar) coach-sized RV, a speedboat and a couple of covered trailers!

Triple Yellow Cadillac
Inside & Out!

Gene broke the news that his first choice of our chariot (the bronze Oldsmobile Holiday 88) to carry us on our journey was having some engine problems, so with slight trepidation he had substituted the 1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass Salon to take its place.  This was a car he had picked up three years ago in Washington State on the far west of the continent and driven a couple of thousand miles across country to Tennessee.  He hadn't driven it much since....

1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass Salon - Our roadtrip ride

Tour Day 2: Mileage 423

The first long leg of 423 miles to Spring Island, a private enclave on the coast of South Carolina took most of the day but felt effortless in the big Cutlass.  Along the way we drove through the Smokey Mountains, stopping at Buds Gun Store in Sevierville (home of Dolly Parton) for Gene to pick up a small handgun for our journey, as he had forgotten to bring his regular weapon.  He already has a permit to carry a concealed weapon, so the formalities were completed in a matter of minutes.  The gun store had enough automatic weapons and ammunition to start a small war.

Buds Gun Store
Handgun Section (Assault Rifles around the corner)

Bud's Gun Store
Ammunition for Sale

   

Packing heat, we headed east and south.  Gene took a deep breath and invited me to drive the big blue Cutlass.  I knew this was a "big thing"...not the car, but receiving the invitation.  Gene's cars are a very personal obsession, and it was perhaps with a little apprehension that he relinquished the wheel.  Respecting Gene and the car, we cruised across South Carolina at an easy pace.

Dinner in Beaufort, SC, was my re-introduction to Southern Cooking: Shrimps, Grits and Collard Greens.  After dinner, we made our way, via a causeway to a gatehouse where our credentials were checked, and onto the private enclave that is Spring Island.  

Mike and Dana greeted us at their beautiful home and we made ourselves comfortable in the guesthouse on the property. They had literally just flown in from NYC but nonetheless were the most gracious hosts as we chatted long into the evening and snacked on a local delicacy, boiled peanuts.

Mike & Dana's Beautiful Home Nestled Amongst the Living Oaks on Spring Island

Tour Day 3:  Mileage 156

Mike took us on a tour of Spring Island on Dana's nippy de-restricted golf buggy (easily reaching 30mph), complete with wildlife advice, such as ignoring the alligators:  The weather was not warm enough for them to digest a big meal..so they are not likely to be looking for tasty morsel just yet, despite the warning signs posted on every fairway of the Arnold Palmer golf course.

An alligator is on that small island, just off the fairway.

A breakfast burrito at the members-only Clubhouse [Gentlemen must remove (baseball) hats] set us up for the drive down the coast on I95 to Amelia Island.

In the evening we meet Gene's old friends Sue and Don and their immaculate Triumph TR3 for a drive through the historic Fernandino Beach downtown area and a bevy at the oldest bar in town, The Palace.

Triumph TR3 - Our Transport on Amelia Island
One family owned from new.

Sue, a former reporter for the NY Times, cooked us shrimp and grits for dinner, after which, their neighbours, Mark and Linda made an appearance. Mark, a good ol' boy, born on the island - knows everyone who is anyone in the vicinity - regaled us with stories of characters from the past, including Grandpa Booger and the female flasher (ask me for details!).  It was very Dukes of Hazzard.

Tour Day 4: Amelia Island Car & Community/Concours de Lemons

It was Day One of The Amelia and although the weather was not cooperating, we took the shuttle bus from our hotel to the Concours de Lemons - a display of cars, unremarkable in their day, but which now aspire to some esoteric claim to fame.  Tropical rain greeted us and within a few minutes we were too wet to care.  We tried to shelter in The Amelia Merch shop, but it really was much warmer outside in the rain!  

Although in the Concours de Lemons, I think this Subaru SVX is very cool

As we continued to the Car and Community display, the weather improved, and so did the quality of the cars.  This was more like a normal car show (although not every car show has half-a-dozen Ferrari Enzos, each in a different colour).  Proud enthusiast owners of a variety of beautifully prepared cars were happy to talk about them.  This was but a taster of what was to come the following day.

The first day of The Amelia ended with beer & pizza and later we met Bruce, friend of Gene's from Knoxville - a watch dealer who had traded two (very valuable) watches for a Ferrari 458 Speciale during the Covid lockdowns.

Tour Day 5:  Amelia Island Concours

The next day dawned bright and warm for the Concours Day at Amelia.  Slightly smarting that we hadn't been invited to the Sotheby's pre-event auction (Heaven knows why), although given that you had to prove your financial credentials to be permitted to bid, it was just as well.  

Many, many vehicles sold over $1m...with a top price achieved by a Zonda of over $5m.  It made the Ferraris look relatively cheap.  Knowing the main day would be a slightly more formal event, I had donned a shirt and jacket.  Gene commented that at least I looked like an "owner".  

Overnight, an amazing selection of perfectly restored automobiles including fabulous cars of the 1930 including Packard, Pierce and Duesenbergs and US-made Rolls Royces had appeared.  

Half a dozen RR Silver Ghosts and half a dozen Ferrari Enzos topped and tailed the selection.  Wonderful specimens from Germany, France, Italy, the UK and, of course, the USA filled the golf course at the Ritz Carlton Resort.

From the modern Aston Martin Valkerie to the show winning Voisin C25,  250 cars you would never normally see, littered the field.

1947 Bentley MkV1 Figoni et Falaschi - Simply Stunning Coachwork

BMW "Batmobile" racer

  

Jaguar Supersonic - A re-bodied XK120 by Ghia - Jaguar didn't take up the option of buying the design,
so Ghia sold it to Fiat.  Around 115 were made with Fiat mechanicals.

An Extraordinary Alfa Romeo - Driven to the Event

 

1960 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz

1934 Brewster-Ford

1934 LaSalle

 

One of my favourites at The Amelia - A Buick Le Sabre Fully Driveable Concept

Aston Martin Valkerie

1935 Voisin  C25 Aerodyne- Overall Winner of The Amelia Concours

As the wealthy owners departed by their private jets, we rounded off a fascinating day with a few more miles in the TR3 followed by dinner at The Salty Pelican with Susan and Don.

The next day we would be heading south, down route A1A, with an ultimate destination of Key West at the end of the Florida Keys.   Leaving Amelia Island behind, the second part of our journey was about to begin.  More next time.