V8 Column for July 2004
published in Safety Fast!, the award winning monthly magazine of the MG Car Club

The V8 Gathering at Silverstone always attracts V8 enthusiasts from far and wide. The programme this year over the weekend from Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th July starts on Friday with an informal run to the small independent brewery at Hook Norton to collect the beer for the V8 Marquee at Silverstone - always an enjoyable trip. Bryan Ditchman, John Targett and Victor Smith will be there just before noon and then will have lunch at the nearby Pear Tree pub before taking the cross country route to Silverstone. Full details of how to find Sulgrave and the brewery in a maze of country lanes and a route map with directions are on the V8 Website. There is also a link to the very interesting Hook Norton website. If you need help finding Hook Norton you can contact Victor Smith on 07770 822977. On Friday evening there is the traditional informal V8 supper at the Sun Inn in Sulgrave village. Again a location map with route directions is on the V8 Website to help you find the place. We meet up in the bar from around 7pm.

On Saturday V8 enthusiasts make for the dedicated V8 car parking area alongside the V8 Marquee in the centre of the Circuit. The V8 Marquee has supplies of the two series of workshop notes CDs, V8 Regalia, spares support with Clive Wheatley, and of course the traditional real ale and Stilton on hand. If you are not familiar with the event, there is a comprehensive guide on the V8 Website. In addition the event has one of the largest collection of trade stalls you will find where you can hunt down spares, a display of MGs for the MG 80 anniversary, and you can spectate what is generally regarded as the best run club race meeting in the UK. In the evening there is a choice this year - either you can join a V8 Table at the Club's Silverstone dinner in the BRDC marquee or join an informal V8 BBQ organised by Walter Kallenberg and Mike Maude-Roxby. The practicalities of "catering in the field" will mean you will need to make contact beforehand so Walter knows how many German sausages to bring over! If you plan to to join the V8 BBQ, then please email him on Victor Smith or call him on 0208 392 9434 by not later than Friday 9th July. Bookings for the Club dinner are

Back


Tartan Red 4029, a very neat and well equipped V8 Roadster Conversion from Geoff King in Kincardineshire. A full report from Geoff on this dream car is coming soon. (Photo: Geoff King)

made through Gill Watson at Club Office - but don't leave it too late!

Traditionally Sunday at Silverstone is always more relaxed but there is a great deal on offer with track racing, autotests, concours, trade stalls, track parade laps sessions and of course meeting fellow V8 enthusiasts in the V8 Marquee. Last year the V8 Track Laps session proved very popular with V8 enthusiasts and many are planning to book a slot again. Just contact Club Office to book a space mentioning you would like to be in what will effectively be a V8 session with the large number expected. It's a wonderful opportunity to see the Circuit from the track amongst V8 friends. The V8 AGM is on Sunday at 12.30pm at the V8 Marquee when open elections for the all posts are held. See the formal notice in June's Safety Fast!

Forthcoming events for V8 enthusiasts include the AWC Summer Day Out at Basildon Park near Streatley in Berkshire on Sunday 11th July and the Classics on the Common event at Harpenden on Wednesday evening on 28th July which is always very popular with all classic car enthusiasts. Contact the V8 Events Coordinator Keith Rowson on 01582 760754 for further details. The next V8 Gathering at Hazeley Heath is on Sunday 22nd August - always an enjoyable lunchtime event at the Shoulder of Mutton, a rural pub run by a V8 enthusiast, Steve Thorning.