Antique & Classic Cars Blog

Doesn’t take much of an excuse to put some cars together, get talking and have some fun with like-minded folks. People with the same make or era of car have been doing it for decades.

Luis Fraguada and Tyler Christopherson have an even broader thing going. You got a cool car? Like coffee? Then why not get together the first Saturday of every month to park, sip, talk, learn, laugh and then move on to the rest of the weekend.

Dan Shaefer started a similar thing a few years ago with Wheels of Italy, embracing all cars, motorcycles and scooters (and any other wheeled thing) from the Red, White and Green. Cars and Coffee is similar but not even nation specific.

If it’s cool, if it’s a car—whether classic or modern sports—start it, drive it, park it…for a bit, have some java and go on with your day.

Last Saturday, over 300 classic and sports cars stopped by the Auto Motorplex in Chanhassen. Huge variety. Good sights. Good sounds. They’ll be back first Saturday in Ocbtober….

This coming weekend, Sept 12-14, the amazing Brainerd International Raceway is celebrating its 40th anniversary, as well as completion of it new 2.5 mile 13-turn road circuit. There’s going to be food and music and lots of track use, including you if you wish. Motorsports enthusiasts of all levels will have opportunity to get out onto a major raceway.

Two friends and I have in its infancy a scheme to go racing next year in a ‘71 Midget. We won’t have dough for a race motor, but we should be able to get four lighter wheels, some racing tires, roll bar, racing brake pads, 5-point harness and probably a better seat, as both of my friends are taller than I am. We’ve gotten clearance from one of the two spouses involved. This plan hinges on sign-off by the other…. If it falls through, I still may look into it because I’ve gotten so excited about the prospect just thinking about it. (TR6 has be done first, I’m told.)

So if any of you out there have ever given thought to buckling in and rouding a track, the coming weekend would be a good way to see more of what it’s all about. There will be lots of different events making use of the track and many, many people familiar with all of motorsports’ opportunities here in the state and region.

‘Twas the late night of Friday in our bungalow
A deep peaceful slumber before the morrow
When out in the street there arose such a clamor…
A CRASH and CRACK and SCRAPE—Thor’s hammer!?

We threw on our robes and rushed to the street,
where the strangest of sights our gazes did meet:
A car off the road, a woman a wandering
in search of a light for a smoke for her pondering.

She’d knocked down a tree, put her car on its side
what a strange thing to see, in your robe, in the night.
The cops soon arrived, wondered how she’d explain it,
“I’ve been run off the road!” was the way she did frame it.

She didn’t seem hurt; the law had arrived
’twas time to return to pursue more shuteye…
We reflected as we departed the show
That driving up trees is best left to pros.

According to Morgan Plus Four owner, Lloyd Shields, enthusiasts know of about 18 running Morgan sports cars in the state and another 10 off the road. As a Plus Four, Shields’ car runs a four-cylinder Triumph engine, the same one that that manufacturer put in its TR4. There is also a Plus Eight, with Rover’s version of Buick’s venerable 3.5-liter aluminum V8.

Shields has owned this one since 1990; the original owner enjoyed it from ’67 until then. I did a Locals in Motion on him and the car and he was kind enough to offer up the driver’s seat on Tuesday afternoon. It was a day a lot like today–overcast and threatening a heavy deluge that never fell. Temperature was mid-60s, perfect for a British car.

What a treat for a fall-like day. The car looks small as you stand beside it, but that snout is long. At the wheel, it really feels like a vintage sports car–one older than the 1960s (though perceived length is shortened by the fact that you’re virtually sitting over the rear axle).

There’s no synchro on first and the throw on the Moss box is short and crisp. There’s power nuthin’, so everything the car and road surface are doing gets communicated through the controls. While it’s too big to feel much like a go-kart, the stiffness and road feel are comparable. The eight cylinder cars beat 7 seconds to 60, but a Morgan is small enough that the Triumph four-banger offers ample oomph. A trip down the Minneapolis side of the river and back down the St. Paul side was a perfect classic fix for the week. Thanks Lloyd.  (And thanks to Strib photog Tom Witta for the great snaps–you can tell they aren’t mine because neither my reflection, thumb, nor camera strap appears in any of them.)

In the post below on the MG Midget I bought at age 15, reader bjbuster lamented that his head sticks up higher at the wheel of his MG. Being big has its advantages when you’re trying to tackle or wrestle someone, but it can be a challenge if your favorite sports car is tailored to the statistically formulated “average man.”

Wrestler, football-player, TV host (Bill) Goldberg was in my Dream Garages book (his garage is on the cover) with his amazing Mopar collection and he has this photo of himself on his garage wall. This is his kit Cobra with super hi-po engine by NASCAR engine builder, Ernie Elliot (Bill Elliot’s brother). Even with his formidable mass ensconced at the controls, he says it’ll pick up the front wheels at speed if he puts his foot in it.

(He also has the best garage-wall sign I’ve ever seen to accompany a hot collection: “Those found here at night will be found here in the morning.”)