CLUB TALES

THE BMC-LEYLAND CAR CLUB. BECAUSE LIFE IS BORING WITHOUT THE ODD BUMP IN THE ROAD

Having got its start in mid-2014 the BMC-Leyland Car Club Inc has over 100 members on its books these days.

The club is ably run by President Gary Turner and Secretary Norma May. Asked to give readers a sense of what the club is about, Gary said: “We’re a social club that caters to people with a common interest in classic cars, in our case with a focus on those built in the various BMC then Leyland factories. Members’ cars cover the range pretty well, from an early Morris 10 right up to a Leyland P76 and a lot in between. Among the total of 69 vehicles on the Club Permit system the most common make is MG.

“The club exists to encourage people to preserve and restore classic cars and to help them enjoy the whole process that it involves.

“Among our members there is a lot of technical expertise that is willingly shared to assist others with their projects. We also assist people to source hard to get parts through the clubs network of contacts.

“We’re not a club that is too purist in its attitude to cars. If we were I might be in trouble as the President whose Morris Minor panel van is powered by a Datsun 120Y motor.”

The club operates basically around getting members together for monthly runs to a range of scenic spots involving enjoyable out of town drives, be it to the coast or through the hills. As well as being fun drives and social gatherings for club members and friends, the runs also provide the opportuntiy to deal with any necessary formal club business.

Responding to a number of enquiries in recent years from interstate-based Brit-car fans, the club is embarking on a process of assisting people outside its Victorian catchment area to set up their own regional chapters of the club.

Gary points to a number of enquiries from NSW and Queensland in particular; this led him to offer a broader invitation to potentially interested UniqueCars readers based outside Victoria. If reasonable numbers of readers contact the club, the critical mass required to run viable satellite club chapters will be reached.

Come on you Brit car tragics – you know what to do.