Hi Kristina,

Very happy to see you and everyone else at Burr's - and many thanks for posting the photos!!

Rick

Mini friends!  Mini rides!

Restored/modified Mini 1000 with 1380cc power unit, 2.95:1 FD, adj. suspension, S discs/drums, 10x5 Minilites, 165x70 A008s, custom trim and matching custom trailer.

I'm so gald you made it!! You had some beautiful roads to travel too!! Those redwoods are just awesome!

It was great to meet you and I have to say that Pooh and Honey Pot are real camera grabbers! It was fun seeing all the pictures of the 2 after meeting you in person! I hope to see you again sometime.

Here is a link to some of the pictures from the SMOG meeting. I emailed the pics to Bogdan too.

http://www.minimania.com/web/threadid/92730/InfoID/1/SiteMessages/7/msgthread.cfm

Thanks so much for joining us that night!!!

Kristina

DON'T feed the trolls

Rick, glad to read you made it home alright. I was impressed by the amount of long distance Mini's that attended the meet and the range of problems you all overcame. I did a total of 250 miles for the meet, one tenth the total of your road trip and I had one mechanical. Looks like I've got some more work to do for next year.

Thx for bringing down the trailer hitch, I haven't had a chance to do a trial fit but I'm sure it will be fine. I also picked up a tow bar for the Mini during the meet so it looks like I'll be covered coming and going next time. 

It was good meet you and put a face on the name. Now to get back to work on the trailer (again)...   dan

"I don't know much, but what I do know I know little of "

Hi Murray, 

Good to hear you are travelling well in the 998 Woody.  Tidy rig you have there.  Say hi to LURCH and go on safely to home.

Must say, I was surprised by the number of "issues" that arose on the trip.  However the parts bin and good friends helped all work out OK.

Rick

Mini friends!  Mini rides!

Restored/modified Mini 1000 with 1380cc power unit, 2.95:1 FD, adj. suspension, S discs/drums, 10x5 Minilites, 165x70 A008s, custom trim and matching custom trailer.

I'm still kicking myself for not betting you a hundred thousand dollars that my stock 998 would make it up to the top of the Grapevine at least an hour before your 1380.  Of course, if any of us had been smart, we would have all gone up the hill at idle in first gear, stopping often for large feasts; and thereby missed the parking lot otherwise known as I 405.

Glad you're home OK.

It is Beer:thirty in Nelson and and I am waiting for Lurch.

Hi Mike,

Nothing obvious with the tire.  I'm sure the wap, wap wap of concrete freeway driving didn't help.

Have yet to adjust the clutch.  Hope it's just that..been 15,000 miles or so since install and a 'heavy' load to/from MMW.

Sorry to hear you got drenched on last day to home.  It started to rain as I started to swap spare tire onto trailer last night too!

Must give Mini thorough pre-trip prep before Winnona next summer.  And skip the camping gear etc. to lighten the load.

Will go to your blog for a closer look at the Victoria Minis trip.

PS - please forward Richard's mailing address.

Rick

Mini friends!  Mini rides!

Restored/modified Mini 1000 with 1380cc power unit, 2.95:1 FD, adj. suspension, S discs/drums, 10x5 Minilites, 165x70 A008s, custom trim and matching custom trailer.

Mini Mike.  ..... - MOKE being Driven! 

minimikebc.tripod.com        www.victoriaminis.com

Hi Willy,

We didn't get too many photos at the SMOG Ice Cream get together.  Sure good to meet you and everyone else that turned out!

Hope SMOG becomes an ongoing Mini club!

Rick

Mini friends!  Mini rides!

Restored/modified Mini 1000 with 1380cc power unit, 2.95:1 FD, adj. suspension, S discs/drums, 10x5 Minilites, 165x70 A008s, custom trim and matching custom trailer.

Looks like you had quite the adventure!  Glad you made it home safely with many new memories.  It was great meeting you and everyone else in Folsom.

willy

BIG AL,  Mini/trailer combo was really loaded - fresh SC/CR gearbox and trailer hitch with all the other stuff on the way down, Minilites, adj. lower arms, new seatbelts etc. with all the other stuff on the way home.  And drove it like I stole it through the twisties out to and along northern California coast.

Cliff, was good to meet you and not good to wince at the lights/grill/apron damage from the AAA tow truck mishandling.  Really enjoyed Cars & Coffee.  What a treat...almost too much eye candy!  Again, congratulations on well earned recognition from your peers with the Eric Lindquist Award.

George, we only did a little driving while in Santa Barbara.  Made good use of the hop on/off trollies.  Would have enjoyed more time with you over a meal or a glass of wine!

Lonnie, not sure about driving the Mini to Prince George and the Peace River this week.  Will adjust clutch first...sure hope it's not a failed main seal, but if so, will do in car re & re.

Neal, wifey won't be posting, hardly checks her own email LOL.  However, I can say that she sits tight, hands clasped while I mechanic and pops out of the Mini to help if asked.  I believe she thinks every "problem" scenario is a 'trip ending disaster', thus the hands folded neatly in her lap!  When I finally installed the replacement coil, she asked, "Will it run?"  My response was, "Turn the key."  VROOM and her smile was instantaneous!

Here is happy wifey at MMW group photo setup after Autocross at shutdown USMC airbase -

Best of Mini Meets are always time with friends, BBQ going under Bogdan's care with Minis scattered on the "gravel trap" in Carmichael, with MUR to arrive next a.m. -

Elaine set to drive Kent in the Cooper out to Nevada City alongside the two Classics.

Patti, Bogdan & Elaine (wifey) in Santa Barbara harbour -

Most Original MMW attendee without question was SPANK with 848cc Series A powered Honda CRX.  When I first saw the Honda lining up at the Autocross it was whaaaat?  Then the 10" rear wheels.  Then the struggling around the track.  Mini shift lever was on the floor under the dash!  Mike did promise something no one had seen before.

Most disappointing event was Meet Rallye that came a cropper given the heavy traffic along the beach.  Five Minis/MINIs ended up at the Biker Pub wondering where everyone else was.  We knew we were the first there but no Rallye control point and no one else showed up.  Finally at 6:10 p.m. we raced back to the hotel, learning enroute by cell phone that the Rallye had been cancelled.

2008 long haul Miniacs, Morgan Everett, on left, with Mike McMillan in Irvine.  They left Saturday night after the MMW banquet for Bethel, Me. -

Go safely everyone!

Rick/Hunter2

Mini friends!  Mini rides!

Restored/modified Mini 1000 with 1380cc power unit, 2.95:1 FD, adj. suspension, S discs/drums, 10x5 Minilites, 165x70 A008s, custom trim and matching custom trailer.

Light travels faster than sound. That's why some people appear bright till you hear them speak.

SE7EN

Great write up Rick- and-

"NOTE - while volunteering to help me, Richard's digital camera is swiped by some passerby in the meet's parking area.  Damn shame such human crap exists.]?

just shows there are A***s everywhere !!

BIG AL

Wifey and I got in at 9:20 p.m. PDT July 5th from MMW after luxuriating in Santa Barbara for a couple of days, overnighting in Monterey, Petaluma, Crescent City and the +500 mile haul from Roseburg today.

However, it was a Mini trip with issues....

More on the photo later, but first, going south -

Bogdan's newly broken in engine has enough blowby to fill the valve cover, spew oil out the filler cap and soak the air filters for the twin SUs.  Until some plumbing can be rearanged, it's slow down/reduce revs, thus plonking along at 55-60 mph.

Next day, in sympathy my oil filler cap "blows" off south of Rice Hill, Oregon just a few miles after starting from the overnight.  Was only "raining" on my side of the windshield.  Fortunately, the cap landed and stayed on the front subframe at Interstate speed.

Later in the day one of Bogdan's SUs is puking fuel at a Rest Stop.  A little emery paper was used to clean up/chamfer the valve vanes, problem solved.

Foot of the Grapevine we gas up and the 4 Mini convoy hits the slopes Murray up front, Terryl, Bogdan and me in the rear. Just out of the starting blocks and while passing a semi, Mini dies no fuel.  I end up within 10 inches of the freeway truck lane right where the trucks are entering I5 gunning for the hill.  Within a few minutes I find a blown fuse, replace, get the pump going and on up the hill.  BUT, no turn signals....

At MMW we looked to solving the turn signal issue.  After some searching, I find a 30 year old in-line fuse connection has failed, shorted and blown the fuse.  Temporary wiring solution - tie knot in exposed copper wire to allow the new fuse to butt at the failed end and both flashers now function on the hazard circuit.  Later sleuthing by Richard F IDs a failed turn signal switch.  Fortunately one is available from a meet vendor and problem is resolved.

[NOTE - while volunteering to help me, Richard's digital camera is swiped by some passerby in the meet's parking area.  Damn shame such human crap exists.]

Meet was good fun, always great people to see again, meet for the first time, to share a lie or the truth!  And, Dan got his new trailer hitch.  Was good fun too in Sacramento to meet several Board Members who wouldn't get to MMW - Fishingka, Swift Justice, BRG Mini, Steive "THANK YOU IN ADVANCE", who has been quite ingenious in addressing matters on his Mini.  Sorry I disappointed by not hauling the 'Hunny Pot' to Burr's Fountain on Folsom Blvd.  Standby for 'SMOG Alerts' from the forming Sacramento Mini Owners Group (SMOG) - a Swift Justice brainstorm.

On the way home, Bogdan's Mini was behaving so he and Patti set out from Monterey to cover ground and get to home.  He'd bought wheels and tires for his vintage travel trailer in Sacramento and hoped to pick them up in Sumas, Washington for a border crossing on July 4th.  His only issue on the run north was a drenched dizzy in the rain.

We set out from Monterey for Milpitas and 4 new Minilite wheels to be delivered after getting home.  Met Dave Y to consumate the deal (he has other NEW/NEVER USED stuff for sale too which he'll advertise) and headed for Petaluma.

Things got interesting after a hard work out on the twisties out to Ft. Bragg and again north on Pacific Coast Hwy. to Hwy. 101 and on to Crescent City.  20 miles short of the city we again had a misfire or fuel problem.  Had fuel so swapped on a new cap and rotor and Mini fired up.  Just back on 101 and it crapped out again.  Points OK, installed a new condenser.  Fired up and crapped out almost immediately.  Rolled off at next exit and deduced it musty be the Lucas Sport Coil (2 years old).  Went to parts bin and pulled out a coil +30 years of age (checked at 2.76 Ohms prior to leaving home), installed and Mini fired up for rest of trip.

Plunked down in Roseburg, Oregon on July 4th which left a 500+ mile haul home today.  Checking oil and coolant regularly Mini was running flawlessly until 30 miles south of Canada the trailer's right tire disintegrated (the photo) and while changing wheel/tire it started to rain!  Back in the Pacific Northwest.

Through Canada Customs and hitting the steep hill on 176th Street North from the Truck Crossing and, wouldn't you know, clutch slippage.

Parked and unloaded!

Hope everyone else got home safely from MMW and MME...and cheers for Mike McMillan and stepson, Co-Driver Morgan Everett, who soldiered on from MMW to MME having started in Tennessee!  New North American Classic Mini Brigade members.

Rick/Hunter2

Mini friends!  Mini rides!

Restored/modified Mini 1000 with 1380cc power unit, 2.95:1 FD, adj. suspension, S discs/drums, 10x5 Minilites, 165x70 A008s, custom trim and matching custom trailer.