MG90 basked in hot sunshine!


See a video of the MG90 Timeline produced by Mark Hester of the MGA Twin Cam Group. Video

See Mario Kloostra's photo reports from MG90. More










Updated: 140624
Posted: 140623
V8 Register's display in the Club's Main Marquee at MG90
When the MGBGTV8 was launched in August 1973 it featured at the Earls Court Motor Show up on a ramp in a dramatic position. That car, Citron 798, is owned today by fellow V8 Register member Robert MacGillivray who offered to bring his car down from Dumfries & Galloway so it could be on display at MG90 at Silverstone.

The display featured a large reproduction of the iconic photo behind Robert's car with the aim of reproducing the feel and sight of the MGBGTV8 up on the ramp. The photo shows the original strapline down the side of the ramp - "The new 124mph MGB GT V8".

See a video clip of the Earls Court Motor Show 1973. More
Chris Dodds Award for a major contribution to the Club and V8 members went to Ron Gammons for his tremendous work in planning and managing the Club's motor racing programme, not least the two day meeting as part of MG90. The award, made at the V8 Supper at the Three Conies on Friday 20th June 2014, is a metal engraving of a cut away diagram of an MGBGTV8 mounted on a picture frame surrounded by silver shields engraved to record the previous holders over the years. This award was first made in the early 1980s and is the second copy as the first is full of shields recording earlier holders!
Ian Lloyd Award went to Robert MacGillivray for the quite exceptional work he and his fellow Caledonian committee members did in planning, arranging and delivering a quite outstanding European Event of the Year in August 2013 at Aviemore. The award was a framed photo of the V8s parked up at the Dundonnell Hotel at at the head of Little Loch Broom with the sun setting down the loch. The Dundonnell Hotel was the base for the Two Day V8 Add-On Tour 2013 which was held after the EEOY 2013. The award was made at the V8 Supper at the Three Conies on Friday 20th June 2014. The stunning photo was taken by Peter Ellis, a V8 member and former editor of Safety Fast!.
Geoff Allen Award went to Andy Knott, the Editor of Safety Fast!, for his tremendous work as editor in raising the quality of the monthly publication but also most notably over the last 6 months of bring forward the delivery date so the magazine reaches most UK based members on or before the 29th of the month before the issue month. The award was made at the V8 AGM on Sunday 22nd June 2014 and was a framed photo of the famous advert in 1973 for an MGBGTV8 with the strapline "if you have just bought a Datsun 240 . . " then take note the 124 mph V8 is available now for just over £2,300!
John Targett Award - this was a new award to remember a very popular V8 member, John Targett, who sadly passed away earlier this year. John was an active racing enthusiast from the early 1970s and in recent years his replica Works MGB in the US, so it was fitting the first award went to John Yea an enthusiastic racing competitor with an MGB and previously with an RV8. John Yea has welcomed us on many occasions when we have arranged tours of his BMH Body Plant at Witney with an interesting and personal guided tour. The award was made on Saturday 22nd June 2014 at Pit 8C in the paddock at Silverstone as John Yea returned from a practice session - it was the only time we could be sure of finding him! It was presented by David Matthews, the nephew of the late John Targett, who was particularly proud to do so as he was very fond of his uncle John. The award was a framed photo of John Yea's RV8 in the paddock at Castle Combe some years ago.
MGV8s in the MG90 Timeline
For the 90th anniversary of MG, a timeline featuring all production MGs from the earliest to the current models was assembled with cars prepared and provided by Club members. Over the two days eight volunteer V8 members provided an example on each day of the V8 powered MGs - an MGBGTV8, RV8, ZT260V8 and an SV-R. On Saturday we had a development MGBGTV8 from Clive Wagerfield. a development RV8 (DEV2) from Stephen Dent, a ZT-T260V8 (estate version) from Geoff Edwards and an SV-R from John Newey. On Sunday an early MGBGTV8 (exhibited in the Longbridge Hall back in 1973) from Gavin Bailey, a rare RV8 in White Gold from Tony Arnold, a powerful ZT400SEV8 from Dave Pearce and an SV-R from Stan Aleksandrowicz. Many thanks to those member and and of course to Dennis Wharf, a V8 member, who had the major task or organising the MG90 Timeline.

V8 AGM on Sunday 22nd June 2014
At the V8 AGM the new V8 Committee was elected including two new members - Roger Aldridge (MGBGTV8 and RV8) and Tony Arnold (RV8). The longstanding V8 Committee member, Howard Gosling, stood down as his commitments to supporting the Club's race administration team are quite heavy so he felt it was time to take a break. He still has his two V8s (MGBGTV8 and V8 Roadster) which he drives a very great deal.

V8 Supper on Friday 20th June 2014
Finally the V8 Supper at the Three Conies went well on the Friday evening. We were very pleased to see our friends from the Caledonian Centre, many with V8s including their chairman Ian Lindley with a recent purchase of an RV8. Their contribution was as lively as ever - I just hope they will not need passports to join us next year! We had our traditional eight 4 minute toasts which were most entertaining. Our principal guests were Ron Gammons (Club Vice President) and Valery Gammons.
V8 Register - MG Car Club - the leading group for MG V8 enthusiasts at www.v8register.net