Classic Minis United - April 18-21, 2018 - Kingsport Tn - Mini 59

Started by jedduh01, August 24, 2017, 10:16:56 AM

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MiniDave

We have about 60 cars here for the event, and already there have been some casualties - an MPi that won't start is believed to have a fried ECU, another car has a dead battery and would barely turn over, a new alternator was being installed in a car when we got here last night, another car fried it's front axle bearing but they got that one fixed again......it's a typical Mini event!

The weather was pretty cool this am, overcast and the wind was really blowing so coats and hats were the order of the day for the driver's meeting. I elected to join the spirited driving group after all, and tucked in right behind the leader the whole way, some of the roads were a bit rough and there was one short mile or so of gravel, which was right around the bend from where we had been driving pretty fast...a couple of drivers got to do a little rallye style but no one went off or wrecked.

Today was a half day run, tonight we'll do the ice cream run, and tomorrow is the big day - 165 miles total going up into Kentucky coal country. The weather is supposed to be mid 60's and sunny so it will be a good day for a cruise

I thought I had my front end wobble tamed but unfortunately I don't...it's particularly annoying from about 45-53, which is right where we spend most of our driving time. I'm going to have to find someone with a set of 13" wheels I can borrow to see if the wheels are really the problem. I hope that's all it is.....

My grandson will be in late tonight and will ride with me tomorrow in the opening stint. Short video of the line up for today's run, I'm right behind Chuck's red/white car. Probably the most common color here is grenn/white! I did manage to get my car washed at last, al the bird poop and dirt were really bithering me....I feel much better now with a nice clean Mini!

A short video from todays ineup of the two groups.....the orange woody wagon is leading the "normal" group. The folks in the two Mokes were bundled up good!


Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

Well, so far I've found 6 Restoration Mini forum members here at the event, tomorrow we'll post a pic of us before we head out on our final run for the day. SCargo, WillieB, Judduh01, Bahowe1, Somethingnew71, and YHS.

Today's run was a fun - if long - one, into Virginia, Kentucky and Tenn....we went to the town of Cumberland, Ky right in the heart of coal country. The road over the mountain was not only steep and twisty, but many of the turns we laced with fine gravel or mounds of salt left over from the last snow/ice they had, so it got pretty "interesting" around some of the turns!



(He was OK, he just got real sideways!)

We stopped at the top of the mountain for the obligatory pics, then headed down into Ky....we were going pretty hot and hard and on the way down my brakes started getting a little soft so I let several of the more "spirited" drivers go on past and I ran the rest of the way down at more of a "touring" pace so I didn't have to touch the brakes all the rest of the way down the mountain, by the time we came out into the town they were back to normal. I had clean fresh fluid in them too.......

My grandson made it in last night and he drove all the way up the mountain - first time he'd ever driven a Mini - since he's 6'5" or so, he doesn't have a real good driving position but he did fine, if a tad aggressive on some of the turns - now we know why my brakes went soft when I drove down the other side of the mountain!   ;D

Tonight we have the silent auction, swap meet, dinner, Hot Wheels races and the movies, so lots more to come......

Tomorrow's drive is only 140 miles, so we'll be done by early afternoon, I'll head on south to my daughter's house just south of Asheville, NC and spend a couple days there, then hit the road home to KC. It's been a really fun event - it was great to meet face to face with other RM members and finally see who I've been talking to all these days!
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

BruceK

Detailed report.  4.gif. 

But are there photos?   ;D
1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

MiniDave

If you were here you wouldn't need to see pics!   ;D

I'll have some more tonight, I just had a few minutes to download the vids out of my dashcam, now I'm headed back to the KOA and the event.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

The International Mini Film Festival really wasn't all that great, of the 8 films most of them  consisted of vids of Minis at other events, parked in fields or on an autocross course, no explanations just music dubbed over them.

Two however really stood out, both done by CMU members - one was done by the last film festival winners, and it was a Mini takeoff on Cinderella, but the other one? ding, ding, ding we have a winna!

This couple did a fantastic take on the homeless and dog breeders commercial, complete with the same music, only instead of poor shivering scared dogs we had Mini remains left rotting in fields or scrap yards, and the couple begging for only a few dollars a month to save these poor creatures! It was extremely well done and I thought it was marvelous. However, I don't think it will play as well in Europe where they will all be shown again at the IMM in Portugal, as Europe may not be familiar with those doggy pleadings.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

BruceK

Quote from: MiniDave on April 20, 2018, 02:16:57 PM
If you were here you wouldn't need to see pics!   ;D
True enough.

But I promise to share any Mini photos I take on my trip to the UK in a couple weeks.     77.gif   I plan to go to at least one Mini car show and perhaps one Mini race.   
1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

MiniDave

OK, here's a fun one - these are all the Restoration Mini members who were at CMU 59! (Plus a couple extras who just snuck into the pic for some reason)

From left to right.....Jedduh, WillieB, MiniDave, Scargo, Jimini II, a couplle of interlopers, Bahowe, and soon to be a new member Tiffany Holt. Sir not appearing in this picture, SomethingNew71 who's car broke a CV joint and he had loaded it back on the trailer for home so he didn't make it on this run.

There were a few other mechanical casualties as well, Jason Pigg lost a CV and front bearings too, but got there a couple days early and they were able to fix his and get him back on the road. Joe Machado had a heartbreaker, he drove his car from the hotel to the KOA and it never started again.......till they were getting ready to load it on the trailer, when it popped right off and ran fine the rest of the day, the next day he got about 60 miles into the 180 mile run and it quit for good - they believe it's either the fuel pump or ECU - and this is an MPi, so no one had what he needed to get it going again. Another fellow fried his electronic ign module by leaving the key on too long without the engine running (I had never heard of that one)  - on Sat when we got to our first stop one car came around the corner with a terrible clunk, he was convinced it was a rear wheel bearing so we gathered tools and parts for an assault on it, when we jacked the car up we found he just had loose lug nuts, a quick torque and he was good to go again.

We had one car crash this year, first time that's happened at a CMU event. There was a lot of gravel and piles of salt especially on the corners on one run, and one fellow caught that stuff just wrong and it put him into a rock wall head first. I think his van is totaled, luckily he was with a few other club members from his area (Ohio) and one had towed his car down on a trailer, so the wrecked van went on the trailer and he drove the other guy's car home. 

We left before the final half of the run on Sat, we had joined the "touring" or "normal" group instead of the "spirited" group who had gotten just a tad too agressive for me and the touring leader had gotten us lost - twice - when I decided that waa enough and we headed back to the hotel so my grandson could get back to college where he had papers or reports due.

All in all it was a terrific fun event, I met a lot of new folks - including the couple from Australia - and connected with RM members face to face instead of just thru the keyboard. I will have some short video clips as soon as they upload to Youtube and some more pics later today.

I went to my daughter's newly built house in Hendersonville to spend a day with her, her hubby and my grandaughters and tomorrow I'll head back to KC...I may try to stop for the night in St. Louis to see my brother - it's on the way and I won't have to stay in another motel so win/win/win, then it will be just a short 4 hour drive home on Tuesday.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

94touring

Very cool  4.gif. I'll post it on the facebook page and pretend they're all members lol.

Scargo

MiniDave,

It was a pleasure meeting you, putting a face to a name, and chatting with you, and the other RM members during the event. Nice job documenting the activities. Safe travels back to KC.

jedduh01

Dave,

    Great capture of the days. Really highlights how CMU plans to DRIVE cars and not just show them.

There were some sure SHOW STOPPERS There, Nice cars and they were driven too!    62 Speedwell Cooper (restored but very original), and a 16v Inno with Supercharger were  standouts.

It was great to meet you ! and enjoy running mini's Around all together. Seeing all the mini family together again!
    Really this is the ONLY place you can run your mini to the point of being over a limit. And its good to know and find you own.

I headed home on Saturday,  watching all the mini's pull away from that spot was sad, Like family leaving you behind.   I Headed off to do the 175 mile  motor home. Left town and heard a knocking.  Traveled 30 miles = got into Boone NC and the knocking was worse.   Figured i better LOOK for u-joints just in case.. Luckily enough, advance had them ( TR6 U joints to go inside the cups)  Spent some time in Boone trying to diagnose. nothing relevant found
   Motored on another 30 miles =  NOISE WAS HORRIBLE by this point.  Almost called family for a rescue.    Stopped in Lenoir NC, About 100 Miles from home.. Tore it down.   Bearings - Hubs - axle out.  Figured go ahead and replace that Ujoint..   Re assembled under a shade tree=   All quiet.... MOTORED ON...  And people at the event were surprised at my Basket of spares an tools !   Always carry your pickle fork!

Motoring on taking back roads + 2 lanes off the interstates = UH OH I RAN of gas!!!
  Luckily    Found a great Local Farmer  he gave me a gallon of gas to get to a station.  The gods were with me that day to get me home.

Note == REPACK + LUBE ALl wheel bearings  REGULARLY!   (my case was either Bearings or Ujoint.. Thinking Ujoint.. Somethingnew lost one on Friday too!



Ill try to share some links here of gathered Pics + Videos from others that i know.


Somethingnew = Youtube Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pskpeagse4c&t=3s

BHowell - Raw Go pro video footage = Unedited  of the drives. His passenger held camera

  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_56E_kLwYk1d1UtF_XGF0A


My own picture album -  Random shots of stuff.  Driving too much to take many REAL Driving photos

https://photos.app.goo.gl/EY6e2EYvcrkZLiay1



Great to see the whole  Mini family again and  felt SOOO thankful for the well wishes for my newest addition to my family!




Mini 60 --- Fall 2019 .  Cherkoee NC.

Drives  for sure  Deciding with organizers .   TSD Rally Stage or ??   Poker Run Challenge.

Bahowe1

Here Here!!
MiniDave, I didn't realize you were chronicling through the days.  Very cool!
It was a pleasure to put a face to your name and be able to thank you in person for all your comments and help on this forum.  For those that aren't aware, MiniDave is a swell fella.  I knew so the minute I heard him tell a fellow mini owner (and total stranger to him) he would skip one of the best twisties to stay with him and show him how to replace wheel bearings (the fella didn't know how).  Thankfully, the guy only had loose lugs and a good tighten and all could make the trip.

Funny to hear you say you bailed on the last afternoon.  I was looking for you and wondered where you went - and yes, everyone was aggravated when the leader kept turning us around.  I was getting very annoyed trying to follow that mess with no brakes.

Overall, a lot of fun, and more great memories to pack away.

Jimini II

Great event and nice to meet all the new faces even though it was a bit cold in the mornings in a Moke (just add layers LOL).
Thanks to those who posted the videos and pics.

gr8kornholio

Anyone meet the owners of the fiesta yellow mini from Pennsylvania in the picture link?
I am the GR8KORNHOLIO! Are you threatening me?

Saussie Aussie 1965 Australian MK1 Mini.
"Beavis" - 07 MY/MY MCS, B/MY Konig Daylites, JCW sideskirts, TSW springs, TSW lower rear control arms -- Exploring the country with new friends since 11/09.

Scargo

I chatted with both of them on more than one occasion but I do not recall their names, if that's what you're after.

MiniDave

Not Fiesta yellow according to Grant from Australia, btw I'm going to get him on this forum, he knows EVERYTHING there is to know about Aussi Minis! And I mean everything!
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

I just got home from CMU 59, I went from the event down to my daughter's in Hendersonville, NC....the drive down there was uneventful, wish I could say the same for my drive from there to St Louis and my drive home today! I got just west of Nashville on 24 when things ground to a halt and we spent the next 1 1/2 hours parked on the freeway, cars were so bunched up there was no way to move and no exit nearby anyway. There had been t-Storms and I think what happened was a semi slowed due to poor visibility, another slowed behind him and a third plowed into the second (a tanker truck) and the collision drove him into the first one, The engine was torn off the third semi, the back of the tanker was stove in and they life flighted at least one of the drivers (probably the guy from the third one) .

Once they got one lane open and we moved past that things were OK for a good long ways tho I drove thru a lot of rain. About 120 miles from St. Louis we ground to a halt again north of Paducah and again parked on the highway for a good hour and a half. This time there were two wrecks, a semi was parked on the shoulder due to mechanical trouble and another semi hit it, causing it to roll over and demolishing both. The had to life flight one of those drivers too. while traffic was stopped for that one a guy in a Honda apparently didn't realize traffic was stopped and drove under the back of a stopped semi...again the helicopters were called in and we were parked. Not a good day for semis or Hondas.......

This morning while trying to leave St. Louis there was yet another bad wreck on the road I was on, I was to the rear of a 5 1/2 mile parking lot 5 lanes wide but this time I managed to take an exit, then spent the next hour driving thru St. Louis traffic to get back to the highway - it was still faster than waiting tho. Once I got clear of St. Lou things went smoothly, the weather cleared and I made it home OK.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

gr8kornholio

Quote from: MiniDave on April 24, 2018, 12:33:58 PM
Not Fiesta yellow according to Grant from Australia, btw I'm going to get him on this forum, he knows EVERYTHING there is to know about Aussi Minis! And I mean everything!

That'll be great.  I'll be excited to pick his brain.

Aww, Interstate adventures.  It amazes me how poor drivers are that on a road with multiple lanes and absolutely no traffic signals or stop signs can cause such messes. 
I am the GR8KORNHOLIO! Are you threatening me?

Saussie Aussie 1965 Australian MK1 Mini.
"Beavis" - 07 MY/MY MCS, B/MY Konig Daylites, JCW sideskirts, TSW springs, TSW lower rear control arms -- Exploring the country with new friends since 11/09.

MiniDave

I messaged him - the couple's name is Grant and Loray Freeman - on FB, they're still on vacay for another few days then they have the long journey back to Oz, so we may not hear from them for a bit.

Grant will know the name of the owner of the yellow car - which was gorgeous BTW - and if he doesn't Guido will.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

94touring


MiniDave

What understeer?

What, understeer? 

;D

The laughing and giggling is the best part of this video, people having fun in Mini is what it's all about!  77.gif
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad