Classic Mini Fun run - Part 33 1/3 - UPDATE Once more into the breach! It's coming up on Spring and we're getting ready for our 3rd annual blast on the roads of SoMo, last years run was really cranking along till one of our classics suffered an untimely rod bearing failure, cutting that day's run short. Then the next day it snowed, so we spent the day in our host's cozy shop working on his Moke project. The next day the remaining few took to the hills again as the weather had cleared. You never know what the weather will do at this time of year, but it's usually sunny, clear and cool - perfect weather for a run in a Classic Mini! This year again we're going down sometime over spring break week - March 17-23 - so if you'd like to join us, chime it! UPDATE: Dates have been chosen, we're going down Thursday the 20th and coming back Sunday the 23rd of March. Right now we have 3 Cooper S and 4 P'ups committed, (or is it 4 and 3?)...... we have 7 cars commited and as we like to limit it to 10 cars that means we have 3 spots left open. One of the cars is coming over from Louisville, so if we have some readers in that area, maybe you all could link up for the drive? The roads in this area are twisty, roller coaster fun roads, yet smooth and lightly trafficked. There are lots of little towns and scenic places to stop, regroup, get a coke or stretch your legs, and plenty of photo ops. We'll be based in Cuba, Mo (hotel to be chosen yet) and tentatively it looks like we'll meet up Wed or Thurs the 12th/13th and run thru the weekend. Despite what you see in these pics, the run is for Classic Minis only, last year we had a couple of interlopers biggrin5: )but this year we hope to fill out with just classics. Here are a couple of pics of last year's run.....unfortunately one of the Cooper S died the first day with electrical issues, and another just wasn't ready in time, this year both of those cars will make it, along with a couple of new runners.
7 cars planning to come, 3 more spots open, how about some of our St. Louis members? It's right in your back yard and an easy drive to Cuba, conveniently located on good ol Rt 66! Here's a short vid of some of the roads we'll be cruising.... [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik-TaYQLtUs&list=UUaBwiAbBZCLhIcEnvuB1ZJw"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik-TaYQLtUs&list=UUaBwiAbBZCLhIcEnvuB1ZJw[/ame]
Looks like the Cuba Super 8 will be our headquarters hotel, I'm negotiating a room rate as we speak.....it may turn out to be the regular rate, but Oh well, I tried! :biggrin5:
One thing about the P'ups, you can't be very tall or big and fit in one, cause the back window and panel mean you can't move the seat back much at all. I'm 5'10" and I don't fit in them without really scrunching myself up.
Only three more weeks from today, I'm getting itchy to hit the road.... We've added on more "possible", he has a beautifully restored almond green Cooper S, I hope he makes it. The fellow who had his engine blow in his P'up last year has a 998 in another car that he can swap into the truck, if he can get it done in time - he's working on it. One of the local boy has parts coming, but he's also sweating being done in time. Details at 11..... :eek6: Oh, and we decided to go back to the Wagon Wheel on Rt. 66. One of the guys is bringing his quadrotor so we should get some fun aerial shots too! Still have a couple of spots open, for anyone who'd like to join us for a weekend of hooning about the southern Missouri Ozarks! Come on down!
Only a few days left now till we head for the hills! I'm still doing the odd this and that on Buzz, trying to make him more livable and fun to drive....I got the seat redone and the dash installed and quieted down, it still has a number of vibrations and noises but I may not get on top of those till after we get back. It's still running well tho I started using a lead substitute...didn't seem to bother it not to have it on my 1100 mile trip home, but just in case..... I'm going to see if I can get the fog/driving lights working since the ye olde English headlights are A) weak B) aimed wrong for our roads and my headlight buckets won't be here in time to install the new sealed beams I bought anyway. I'm also going to take a look at the heater and see if I can quell the noise from it, but I don't have high hopes for it either as I think something's come loose or broken inside the casing - I will just have to take my earplugs along again. I've got Don's truck working well again, John's 94 seems to be reliable and not giving any problems since we fixed his clutch and drop gears a couple of years ago, Seth's car is a little bit of a question, he's been having an intermittent problem that I've been having a difficult time understanding where to look for it, but he's got Wed off, so worst case we still have the one day to try and cure whatever's bugging it. The fear is that we'll get 300 miles from home and it will crap out on the road. I'm taking some tools, but invariably trying to fix something on the side of the road you need something you didn't bring that just can't be found in the deep dark hills of the Missouri Ozarks. Hey, life's supposed to be an adventure, right? Worst, worst case Ruder has a pickup truck and a tow dolly made specially for a Mini....but lets hope it doesn't come to that like it did last year with Galen's P'up. Don has his quadrotor ready to fly so he'll get some fun aerial shots when we make a pit stop, several of us will have vid cams going and Don's volunteered to edit and make a vid for us, I'll post it on You Tube when done..... The weather forecast looks pretty good, high 50's to low 70's and only a very small chance of rain on Friday. Thursday morning we'll meet at 9am at the Krispy Kreme for road sustenance, then hit the highway......
Alrighty then, final preparations are being completed.... MiniManics car got tuned and is running much better, it might need some final tiny tweeks along the way, but it seems like it's feeling better now. MiniX2 is running as sweetly as ever. Buzz is still buzzing despite my best efforts, so he'll just have to live up to his name till we get back and I can get after what's making all that noise. Dimini's P'up is ready to go.... John S will be joining us along the way or meet us in Cuba at the Wagon Wheel. We've been finalizing plans, and we will have a surprise event on Friday morning that I think everyone will enjoy. Weather tomorrow is looking fantastic, with temps around 70, the rest of the weekend is going to be a little cooler, but still nice. We'll post pics when we can, and once home we'll have some fun vids to share. Time to pack and get ready to hit the road tomorrow morning!
Buzz went, then he didn't, then he did, then he didn't, then he did..... I tried a fuel filter but no joy so today I installed a new electric fuel pump, and it worked perfectly till about 7:30 pm when driving thru Steelville at about 25 mph after being on the road all day today - it died. I found a loose wire to the pump and fixed that, but still the pump wouldn't run so in exasperation I gave the new pump a good whack with my fist - it started immediately and has run fine since. Fingers crossed for tomorrow. Almost didn't make it home last night after the day's run - doing a short stretch on Interstate 44 to get back to Cuba, three times it died but got going again before I got below 30 mph in brutal traffic. That's when I decided to install a new pump.... Don Ruder's pickup broke it's transmission in his driveway this am, fortunately he has his Cooper S to drive. Seth lost his goPro just about dark yesterday when the 300 mph rated suction cup mount let go at about 70 mph, the car behind him also had his GoPro on and video'd the whole thing as it came flying back towards him and he ran over it. Unbelievably they found almost all of the remains! Don's P'up has a CV joint making clicking noises - usually the sound of a terminal joint - and his fuel pump is making odd noises too...... So far no issues with the other cars, touch wood! Tomorrow we're supposed to have a 500 Abarth joining us.
Sounds like a fun time Dave. Thanks for filling us in. Hitting a wonky fuel pump is in the best Brit car tradition. My knock off hammer hit the fuel pump in my MG many more times than it ever hit a knock off. Have fun today!
Yes, but you EXPECT to do that with a Lucas points style pump, not one of these new modern electronical types! This morning we were supposed to meet at a local chain restaurant in Steelville (2 locations is a chain, right? the other one is right next door to the Wagon Wheel in Cuba) but when we got there this am, it was closed - too early in the tourist season? Anyway we found a delightful coffee shoppe right across the street so no matter....it's quiet in Steelville on a Saturday morning at 7:30 am.... Yes I'm aware my camera's clock setting is 12 hours off! I can't find my darn manual and I can't remember how to change it.....:blush2:
Well, this year's fun run is behind us, the good news - no one wrecked, no engines blew up, no damage to speak of. We did lose a GoPro, and one of the cars now has a noisy CV joint that will need attention, but overall it was a problem free weekend! We covered a LOT of miles, with a couple of guys saying that's the most they've driven their classic since they got it.....and all were planning to do it again too. I think next time we'll head down to northwest Arkansas, there are tons of really good roads down there too, and some new towns to terrorize! :biggrin5: I'd love to see a full 10 classics, I think that's a good number for variety without getting too unwieldy.....anyone interested just stay in touch as plans are finalized. We'll have videos up on my You Tubez channel in a few days once they all get edited and uploaded; should be some fun vids, including one of the GoPro as it met it's end.:blush2: