It looks like large car shows are back. Queen’s English, one of the largest all-British car shows in the greater L.A. area, which was cancelled in 2019 and 2020 finally took place on August 1st. The turnout was exceptional, as British car owners from the LA area and beyond finally had an opportunity to show their cars and check out the other marques on hand. There were plenty of marques to look at: Rovers and Morgans, the Rootes group of Alpines and Tigers, Jaguars of every age and description, MG’s, Morris Minors and Mini’s, Jensen’s and Healey’s, both Big Healeys and Sprites, and then the rarities: an Alvis, a Singer, and cars I can’t remember.
I arrived shortly after 8:00am and the Healey paddock was already filling up. Drivers were busy wiping down their cars; the park was dusty. This year’s show was later than usual. In the past it has been held in April and the grass and grounds are lush from the winter rains. The late summer date in conjunction with drought conditions brought us dust! And it was HOT. Another change from past shows. As the sun rose so did the temperature and people started congregating under the few trees near our paddock.
The club turnout was excellent. A total of 24 members were at the show. Four did not bring a Healey or another classic (there were excuses), two drove their Jensen Healeys, and there was one Lotus and one Triumph. Greg Aden was busy recruiting new Sprite owners into joining the club, including a couple who drove down from Palmdale to check out our group. The turnout also afforded me the chance to meet some of the newer members who have been mentioned in the newsletter; like Paul Van Wig, Flavio Montoro, and Matt Hunter. It also gave me a chance to embarrass myself by not recognizing Greg Cosh or his 100-6 with the factory-creased bonnet. Sorry Greg.
By the early afternoon the heat was making people think of packing it in and heading home.
But not before some of the Bugeye guys were visited by car buff extraordinaire, Jay Leno, who spent some time talking to them about their cars.
Then it was time to load up the chairs, coolers, and umbrellas and head home.
Attending sans Healey: Jon Doherty, Jack Gies, Charlie Hart, and Larry Bryant. Bugeye drivers were: Matt Hunter, Dex Kaytis, Greg Aden, Emil Joseph, and Paul Van Wig. In their “Big” Healeys were: Russ Thompson, Fred Cohen, Dan Burroloa, David Thorne, Ron Fine, Tim McNiff, Lou and Diane Miraglia, Phil Caliva, Flavio Montoro, Greg Cosh, and Steve Magoffin.
Parked in the Jensen paddock were Peter Hutchings and Chuck Lakowski driving their Jensen Healeys. Finally, driving other marques were George Merino in his Lotus hatchback and Chuck and Barby Meng in their Triumph.