Keeping a promise
2003 MG ZR
This time last year CCW made a promise. We had pledged to get the ZR – then one of our £500 Challenge cars – to the International MG and Triumph Spares Day at Stoneleigh, Warwickshire. A space had been reserved and we had stocked up on Meltis Newberry Fruits for the journey. But then, while tackling another assignment, an errant motorist forgot that there might be cars behind him or her when pulling across the A605, and the poor MG had nowhere to go.
Damage was limited to the front grille and valance, but there was no way our MG would be making an show appearance any time soon.
We did, however, promise that DA03 WCL would make it to the 2018 show and a promise is a promise. We’re like that, you know. Band of brothers, etc.
And so I pointed the MG’s replaced frontal lobes in the direction of Stoneleigh early one Sunday morning last month. Thankfully it wasn’t too cold or frosty as I haven’t yet managed to investigate why the car’s heater blower has given up the ghost…
In case of emergencies I had taken along enough demist pads and old rags to fill a jumble sale, which must have led to some interesting conversations among the occupants of overtaking 4x4s.
Despite all this, I arrived in time to drive the MG into its reserved indoor exhibition space, with a little help from event organiser, Live Promotions.
It did seem a bit bizarre being allowed to display a £500 car in such prestigious company while helping to direct Saleem Hosein’s incredible Triumph TR4 – which has won 250 show prizes – into place.
I’d never actually been to this show before and it really is a shock to the system, with two exhibition halls crammed with spares for sale, with further outside traders and more spares in the exhibition area. And what a selection of cars!
Sadly, being duty-bound to provide the editor of this very tome with a top-quality show report meant that I didn’t have a lot of time to plunder any of stalls, apart from one selling fudge. That said, I did buy a nice new saw. You really would need a whole day to see everything here.
A surprising number of people recognised the ZR, and I made friends with members of the MG Car Club Z Register, who I hadn’t realised had provided help and advice with the car in the past. Indeed, one kindly member even produced a foot pump and got stuck into some pumping when the MG’s rear offside tyre decided to shed some of its air, for reasons still not apparent. The incident has not repeated itself and the tyres and valve seem perfect. Was I embarrassed? Yes, thank you.
The general consensus of opinion about the heater problem, meanwhile, is that a fuse or resistor may have failed. Investigative hat on!