Articles on 1997 ISOA Events

Last updated November 1, 1997

Here's a Quick Index of some of the things we've done in 1997...

• Quadfest IX - August 23-24, 1997
• 1997 VTR National Convention trip - July 8-14, 1997
• Mike Blonder's account of attending his first ISOA meeting, followed by the 1997 Transmission Rebuild Clinic - April 12, 1997
• 1997 Big Bash - January 25, 1997

Quadfest IX

August 23-24, 1997

This year, our four-state gathering of Triumphs, the annual Quadfest, was held during the Heartland British Car Festival in East Davenport, Iowa. A separate event in past years, this year's Quadfest host club (ISOA - that's us!) decided to combine it with the Quad Cities British Auto Club's event since the summer calendar was already overflowing with other Triumph activities and we didn't want to do much work...

The Heartland show started late Saturday afternoon with and hour+ scenic drive. An estimated 50-60 cars participated. The drive was followed by a catered picnic in a local park, with lots of door prizes and conversation. Those who didn't picnic ate elsewhere. A few made trips to the "President" gambling boat down the street. Some returned with smiles, others didn't for some reason.

Sunday morning saw an estimated 170 cars and cycles gather on the streets of the Village of East Davenport, a community of specialty shops and restaurants, where the cars were lined up along the streets. The town had closed the street for the event. Nice layout for a show. The Heartland organizers put on a well organized show, dampened only by a couple of brief but heavy rain showers. The people's choice ballotting resulted in awards in 25 classes (5 of the Triumph classes). Several of our members took awards including Jake Jaquet (TR3B) and Ed Mitchell (modified TR6). Thanks to the Quad Cities club, especially Frank Ege, Ken Kelly and Naomi Swanson, for hosting a fun event.

As far as our Quadfest "sub-show" went, 42 Triumphs registered - quite a few more than normally attend the Heartland show. A group drove down from Minnesota with brochures for the 1998 VTR convention in Winona. (Sounds like their plans are well along.) ISOA presented dash plaques to all Triumph entrants and held a special balloting for the event's "Best Triumph". The award was won by our very own Jake Jaquet for his TR3B. Congratulations, Jake.

Attendance, by state, for Quadfest was:

After the show, Jake led a caravan of nine cars (18 people, including several from the British Boots and Bonnets club of Rockford) to Ladd, Illinois, near LaSalle-Peru (not really the shortest distance home from the Quad Cities) for Rip's world famous chicken dinner (with fried grease and pickle appetizers). Only one breakdown on the way - Whiz Kid had a flat on a redline and the group actually stopped to help him. We had the usual hour+ wait at Rip's but the beverages flowed freely. Then, on for ice cream. Afterwards, Jake led us on a quick-paced back roads return to the Byron/Rockford area. Nice drive at night. I hope I never have to retrace our route. The detour to Ladd was well worth it.

ISOA members in attendance were: Bob Streepy, Jeff Rust & Karen & Nicki & Hannah, Jack and Barb Billimack, Ann, Megan & Tim Buja, Donna & Jake Jaquet, Ed & Kathy Mitchell, Bob & Alice Crowley, Mike & Diane Mueller. Everyone seemed to have a good time. Can't wait till next year.

Jack Billimack

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Sweatfest '97 Report

Tuesday, July 8

The plan was to meet at Streepy's house since his house was as close as we were going to get to a central location. We were going in two cars, the Billimack TR6 and the Manteno daily driver, renamed the Triumph Acclaim for this journey (Elwood's TR6 was suffering from a brake malady). The Acclaim provided extra cargo capacity, which was a good thing since the TR6 was already loaded with Billimack's stuff and Streepy's stuff was on the ground next to the car. Part of that stuff on the ground was a case of Sparkling Spring Water, the Official Bottled Water of the Trip to Sweatfest. We were planning on a 5:30 AM departure from Bartlett. Unusual by ISOA standards, we actually left on time. In a show of solidarity with his travel mates, Elwood promised not to use the A/C in the Acclaim until the trip home. What a fool.

Our two car caravan managed to stay together for almost two miles before we became separated. The CB radios brought along for such an occurrance apparently don't have any range at all and turned out to be almost useless. The missing TR6 waited ahead on the shoulder, and the Acclaim joined up. We were on our way again. We had practically ideal travel conditions, and were in Pontiac, IL in no time. Spuds' bladder actually outlasted his fuel supply. The top went down on the TR6 and we were on our way again. We were making great time, by 9:00 we are already in Springfield, heading towards St. Louis. Just outside St. Louis, we came across a contrast in style. The TR6 cruised past a Miata. The Miata was not only top up, but the driver has the A/C on. What's the point? This was the only other sports car we saw on the entire drive to Texas. Where is everybody?

We crossed Old Man River, and headed south on 1-44. Our original destination was going to be Joplin, MO. But we were making such good time, that we were already starting to think about going further. We were on the other side of St. Louis, and it was only 11:00. What a difference a year makes. The speed limit was posted at 70 mph, the highest we'd seen in some time. Near Springfield, MO, we stopped for gas and saw a place called Tiny's Barbecue. We decided that we were on an adventure and should go to this joint for lunch. Turned out to be an excellent choice, as long as you like pig meat. They have two menus - one for locals, one for Yankees.

After lunch, we decided to go beyond Joplin, and made a motel reservation in Tulsa. We spotted a bumper sticker on an Oklahoma licensed pick up: "I dip and spit, do you swallow"? There was a billboard up ahead advertising Ozarkland. They were advertising a "blowout" sale. Who would want to buy a blowout? Our favorite billboard was one that advertised microsurgery "vasectomy reversal, results guaranteed".

We crossed into Oklahoma, and were greeted by a 75 mph speed limit on the Will Rogers Turnpike. It has been written in various car magazines that people drive as fast as they feel comfortable. This seemed to be proven out on this trip. While driving through 55 mph areas in Illinois, traffic was moving 75-80. The same held true on the Will Rogers Turnpike, even with the 75 mph speed limit. We were driving the speed limit or a little above, and frequently passed slower cars, while seldom being passed ourselves. While we were in Missouri, there was a sign posted that we were 101 miles from Tulsa. Now we were in Oklahoma, and Tulsa was 102 miles away. We arrived at our motel, after driving about 700 miles. Elwood mentioned that we were only two hours from Oklahoma City. In fact, we were only five hours from Ft. Worth, and it was only 6:00. Elwood suggested we could be there the same night. Spuds and Hops were not amused. The motel, a Super 8, had its best days behind it. This turned out to be a theme that was to be repeated every night of this trip except the last one. The air conditioner couldn't keep up and the TV was dead. We only had to change rooms once though, and at least there was a good restaurant next door. The Restaurant was called Fajita Rita's. Elwood had eaten in one of these on a different trip, and knew it to be okay, so we tempted the gods and ate Mexican food 700 miles from home. All was fine, especially the BF Margaritas. Even Elwood had one.

Wednesday, July 9

7:15 AM, and we were on the road again. It was noticeably hotter. In fact, it was over 90 by 9:00 AM. Elwood was listening to local radio (Tulsa) and heard an ad for a body piercing store. Their phone number was 524-OUCH. No joke.

We stopped at a gas station near the Texas border. The coffee drinkers among us were distressed to discover that the facilities were out of order, so they took their business elsewhere. There was a cornfield next to the gas station, Spuds and Hops disappeared into it like a scene from Field of Dreams. They emerged smiling.

We arrived at the Green Oaks Convention Center (which has no Oaks and nothing green) around 1 2:30 PM. A sign near the front door reminded all patrons to check their guns at the door. We immediately ran into people we knew from previous conventions. Elwood, who was lazy and did not preregister, was stunned to receive registration # 123. We were going to have a small crowd.

We checked into the room and unloaded the cars. One of the items we unloaded was the case of Sparlding Spring Water, the official Bottled Water of the trip to Sweatfest. After that, it was back to the parking lot. The Green Oaks was not unlike the Clock Tower in layout. It just wasn't nearly as nice. Age had taken its toll on the place. It didn't look that bad or run down, but it just wasn't what it used to be. But Hell, neither are we. There were several wings, with parking all around. We walked the lot, greeting friends, looking at the cars, and trying to decide where to set up for parking lot patrol that evening (we chose a grassy knoll near the front entrance to the hotel). There was a brief rain shower which had many people scurrying to put their tops up. Good thing, because 15 minutes after the brief shower ended, there was a big one. But it didn't last long either, just made a river through the center of the parking lot.

Spuds and Hops entered the first event of the Convention, the Funkhana. They ended up taldng second place, although no one knows which one of them was driving on the trophy run. This turned out to be the only ISOA trophy for the entire event.

Back up in the room, Spuds and Elwood were told that Hops had accidentally disconnected the adult movies from our room. Hops was so anguished by this mishap, that he immediately went to the front desk to request that they reinstate our privileges. He claimed the young woman at the desk would not make eye contact with him during this request. We also confirmed that the air conditioner in the room could not keep up with the heat of a Texas summer. Even though the thermostat was set at meat locker, the room never really did cool down. A visit from hotel maintenance pronounced the unit to be functioning as well as it could (Scottish brogue here 'Aye Captain, she's giving it everything she's got'). Good thing the temperatures were only in the mid 90s, almost 10 degrees cooler on a daily basis than at the '88 Convention which was in Dallas.

The pool party was scheduled for that evening. Everything was set up around the pool, and then at about T minus 35 minutes, the Green Oaks was rocked by a thunderclap, followed by an even louder thunderclap, followed by a deluge, complete with sideways rain. Arrything that had been set up for the pool party was now across the street.

The pool party became the Grand Ballroom party. Your ever frugal correspondents managed to make a dinner out of the hors d'oevores. Elwood had another Margarita. Then we went out to a conveniently located ice cream parlor. After the ice cream, we set up for parking lot patrol, and ran into Kent Martin, former ISOA member now living in New Mexico, and Les Francis, former ISOA member now living in Texas. Parking lot patrol attracted several Minnesotans (ya shure, you betcha). From spending just a little bit of time with them, we can tell that we are going to have a major hoot at next year's Convention.

Thursday, July 10

The main event of the day was the autocross, held in the parking lot of a Nieman-Marcus. A perky local news gal, seriously overdressed and without an apparent clue of what she was reporting on, did a remote for a local TV station. She was accompanied by a surly cameraman.

Streepy, in his maiden autocross, actually beat Spuds while driving Spuds car ('I don't give a damn about the car, Elwood will drive me home"), despite having a DNF during his first run for missing virtually every gate, including the first one. Each of Spuds' runs was progressively slower. After one of the runs, the TR6 wouldn't start. It turned out that the solenoid ground had fallen off. This was discovered and fixed by a TR6 racer from Atlanta who was in town visiting his family and found us by accident. His skinny arm and nomex gloves had the wire back on in no time. This was to be the only mechanical difficulty of the entire trip (for us).

Hops and Spuds went on the Granbury Rally, which featured locating and collecting dehydrated cowflop to turn in for bonus points. They successfully collected their organic frisbee. Granbury is the Texas version of Long Grove, without any tavems. Hops began to hallucinate, either from the heat or from his alcohol level falling below safe operating levels.There was a side trip to a transportation museum with lots of derelict planes, trains, and automobiles. Thursday night was the VTR annual meeting. The theme of the meeting seemed to be "Lynch Andy Mace" (Most Esteemed High Triumph Potentate/President VTR). This was truly unfair, as Andy had only recently become president following the passing away of previous President Dennis Riley, and could hardly be held responsible for the complaints of the whiners. Andy demonstrated tremendous self control by not killing a dozen or so attendees, even though they truly deserved it. No judge who observed the situation would have convicted Andy.

The auction followed the meeting. There were even some items auctioned off that had actual Triumph relevance. Streepy (I'm not a real auctioneer but I played one in Rockford) did not bid. A VTR first.

The ISOA contingent went back to the ice cream parlor before resuming parking lot patrol. At the parlor, there was a female member of the local law community. She had loads of hair piled way up there. Naturally, Spuds had to take a picture. We kept moving around until said law enforcement official was in the background of the shot. This is a technique that Spuds has perfected to take pictures of interesting bikers and their ladies with out getting beaten up at the Turkey Testicle Festival. Hops, Spuds, and Elwood all discovered that their pants had shrunk, apparently from the heat. Streepy went to the front desk to again inquire when we might expect our adult movie channel to return. Parking lot patrol attracted a larger crowd than the first night.

Friday, July 11

Streepy and Spuds participated in the TSD rally, with Streepy driving. Spuds was convinced that ISOA would win a trophy since they seemed to make every checkpoint +/- a few nanoseconds. They weren't even close. The fact that the TR6 speedo is off by 20-30% might have been a corytributing factor. Hops and Spuds found an all you can eat pizza lunch for $2.99. Pants continued to shrink.

There were tech sessions in the afternoon, and we also made the annual pilgrimage to the traveling Roadster Factory. One small bag and several charge slips later, we headed out to the pool. There is a group called the Scions of Lucas on the Internet. One of the Texas SOL members had invited all those attending to join him for a beer (he bought). This was originally scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, but was rained out. We had a chance to meet 15 - 20 people that we have communicated with but never met. We haven't heard from some of them since.

The panoramic photo was to be taken Friday evening. Spuds and Streepy went to the Fort Worth stockyards for the photo, and then went with the group to Billy Bob's World's Largest Honky Tonk for much needed cool beverage. Spuds bought a set of homs for his car. Cow horns, not Clear Hooters. We weren't sure if they were to be his souvenir of the trip, or a gift for Barb. He immediately duct taped them to his grille, hoping to endear himself to the locals (and perhaps earn some points in the peoples' choice balloting at the show). Back at the hotel, they washed the TR6 in preparation for the Saturday car show. Apparently they missed a spot, since the car did not win an award in the beauty contest The homs did attract some interesting comments.

Saturday, July 12

The car show and autojumble were held in the hotel lot. The layout was not conducive to traditional marshaling, and the doorstop shaped TRs were assigned to another zip code. Their owners were not happy. One of the highlights of the show, and in fact the entire Convention, was the 1935 Triumph Gloria Sputhern Cross. This car was a beaut. There was also a TR7 whose owner had installed the UK Dolomite twin cam engine. Very nice. Rumor had it that the winning TR250's owner had spent megabucks to create a virtual museum piece. He may have succeeded, since no one seemed to see the car actually being driven.

Saturday evening was the awards banquet. The Minnesota people put on a skit to drum up interest in the Convention for 1998. It was then that we found out that the state bird of Minnesota is the mosquito. The host club showed slides on a big screen of the show winning cars. Autocross winners, rally winners, and funkhana winners were conspicuously absent in the slide show. Door prize presentation lasted until the wee hours, and then it was time for the last night of parking lot patrol. Spuds bet Kent Howard (Vintage Triumphs of Wisconsin) that there would be more Illinois cars in Winona than Wisconsin cars. Seems like a sucker bet for Spuds because VTOW has about twice as many members as our club. Knowing Spuds' willingness to throw money around (he could be the ISOA answer to George Halas), this is a serious wager.

Sunday, July 13

We make our tearful goodbyes, we were especially tearful after we got the hotel bill. Streepy managed to get the desk clerk to waive most of the adult movie channel charges by lying about not understanding what he was doing when he programmed the room TV to dial-a-pom. This saves us almost $300.00.

Spuds decided to lead us on a different route home, taldng us through Kansas and some other big square states. Elwood chose to maximize the aerodynamics of the Acclaim by running the air conditioning, and proclaiming that he was getting 35 mpg this way at every gas stop. Spuds and Streepy began plotting to murder him. We stopped for lunch at an Arby's, whose claim to fame was that it is located near the site of Knute Rockne's death. Elwood remarked that he didn't realize Rockne had died of food poisoning. Streepy has actually sweat through a pair of blue jeans (at least we hoped it was sweat). His jeans smell like beer.They remain shrunk.

We made it all the way to Des Moines, arriving just ahead of the tornado warnings, and checked into a Super 8. For the first time on this trip, we stayed in a room with a properly functioning air conditioner. We had dinner at a pizza joint on the outskirts of Des Moines, easily the best meal since our first night on the road. Elwood was disappointed that BF Margaritas weren't on the menu.

Monday, July 14

We arrived at the House of Streepy around noon. The only detour/major traffic delay of the whole trip took place within 5 miles of Streepy's house. 2500 miles (more or less) of mostly good times. Spud's TR6 ran great, handled fantastic, and Elwood's A/C worked flawlessly. We're looking forward to Winona. Elwood hopes they have BF Margaritas there. Did we mention that Sparkling Spring Water was the Official Bottled Water of the Trip to Sweatfest?

This recap written by Bob "Hops" Streepy, Jack "Spuds" Billimack, and Irv "Elwood Manteno" Korey

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1997 Transmission Rebuild Clinic

First - impressions of my first ISOA meeting at the Pizza Roundup Saloon in Hillside: VERY friendly men and women, trying to find a way to relate to me ("What're you driving?", "Who do you know?" ["George brought you here - oh geez..."], "Where you from?", etc. etc.), a bit of Triumph info, lots of laughs, good food and very cold beer, lots of laughs, and a slide show at the end with lots more laughs. Next event: transmission rebuild clinic at the Pyle's.

All right - the Pyle's live about ten minutes from me, so this is a natural. Leave Elmhurst about 8:00 am, telling the wife I'll be home about noonish. (After all, I'm not bringing any transmission to rebuild.) Sweet rolls and coffee in the Pyle kitchen plus pleasant conversation with Sheri (aka Big Mama), Billy, Jack (aka Spuds), Ann (aka Hammer) and Tim. This IS a friendly bunch.

Next, to the garage. I knew the inside of the garage must hold something special because parked OUTSIDE was the Pyle's immaculate `49 2000 Saloon. Inside the garage did not disappoint. At the back were two TR's one stacked atop the other - something I'd never seen before! (Later in the year I'd find this setup to pale compared to Bob E's two double decker and Jake's three double decker setups!) Billy seemed to have every tool imaginable plus a compressor and cutting tools.

There were tables and benches for working, and as I walked in, Tim and Joe were already deep into Joe's Stag trans. They were very calm and methodical - Tim with extra hands and technical advice, Joe fairly dripping with assembly lube. These two looked like surgeons.

Pretty soon Dave (aka Snake) and son Conor arrived, and claimed a corner to put new seals in his 6 diff. Being a father of two boys myself, it was especially fun to watch them - the future of our passion seems secure indeed.

Pretty soon Jack and Ken (?) started creating a Frankenstein with Jack's 6 trans. Seems like they had parts from at least three other units. Jeff (aka Stalker) ("Let me get my hand in there so the cluster gear stays together.") looked closely on as he seemed to have a vested interest in this project. ("No way you're gonna get me to pay $200 for that piece of junk, Jack.")

At about this time Bob (aka Hops/Grappler) arrived - handing out beers and lending a hand wherever. About this same time Mike M. appeared, lending his warmly analytic expertise wherever needed. Soon the first TR trans was stripped down without too much difficulty. That stubborn piece (ring? clip?) at one end was finally removed by judicious placement of a steel plate and precisely (?) located sledge hammer blows. Guess the guys in this club are pretty trusting - I was the guy on the sledge.This first group effort went without a hitch. Result - a smoothly turning unit, stuffed with new synchros, new bearings and ready to go! The next two or three also went smoothly - the time dropping successively for each one. Expression of the day: "Pass that flame wrench over here!"

Concurrent to this humming activity, Sheri and Ann set out the barbecue fixings which were quite excellent, followed by superb brownies. Paul snuck in amidst all this activity and the overdrive rebuilds could begin. Overdrive question? Paul's got the answer. Seems like most OD problems were remedied by removing and cleaning the filter screen and then degunking the works. Pat from Indiana cruised in - home machined release bearing fork in hand. With this baby, the fork and bearing might last a good while, and that taper pin might actually stay in one piece! With noon around the corner, I checked in with the (very understanding) wife, and bought a few more hours. Just being a part of the first few rebuilds made me feel like one of the guys - the cameraderie was freely and genuinely shared.

Pretty soon heavy hitters Bob K. (aka Redbeard/Was-Beard/Thundercheese) plus Sharon,and Bob E. (hot off the mail route) slid in and went to work on Bob K's trans. I'll say there was plenty of expertise and acumen before they arrived, but they kicked it up to a higher level still. As they stripped the trans down, they discovered that a ring (?) covering a tiny oil splasher was the culprit - remedied by a tiny rotation of the ring. PRESTO! Their recognition and solution would have taken a novice like me half a lifetime to figure out - I mean these guys level of expertise was waaay out there.

The best experience of the day had to do with this English fellow (chap?) who was in Chicago on business, and came with a friend. (Our net site hipped him to the clinic.) He was very quiet and observent all day. A group of us had tried to figure out what was wrong with Keith (aka Gastro Boy's) 3 trans. Three teardowns/rebuilds and still no go. This British dude peers over and says: "I think that shim might be a bit off center." One teardown later, a centering of the shim, and WALAH!! That baby was smooth as silk. By this time it was 4:00 and I checked my wallet to see if I had enough to take the wife out for Chinese.

All in all, for a first event, I ....well....I....HAD A BLAST!!! It was just more and more fun as the day went on. Incredible expertise, wonderfully quick acceptance and cameraderie, an absolute absence of pretentious b.s. (though there was no shortage of good natured b.s.). Man, this is the club for me!

Mike Blonder

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1997 Big Bash

It was a dark and stormy night. Okay, it wasn't stormy, but it was dark. And cold. Real cold. Just about the usual temperature when we hold our Big Bash. As the spousal unit and I approached the new venue for our annual dinner foolishness, we notice two things: A number of Cadillacs, and a like number of women wearing fur coats accompanied by men in suits. Yep, we're going to fit right in with this group: the Des Plaines Elks.

Nice building. So nice, in fact that some of our members circled the building looking for an alternate service entrance. Perhaps it was the doorman that scared them away.

"May I help you?" he asked. "We're with the car club", answered Mrs. Jake, showing no fear. His eyes narrowed as he began to consider the fact that we might be interlopers, barbarians trying to storm the bastians.

"The Triumph Club?" she ventured. Now he was certain! INFIDELS! CAVE DWELLING TROGLODYTES! He seemed ready to sound the alarm.

"ISOA?" I tried.

Open sesame. "Ah," he said, "Down the stairs, all the way to the left", as he let down the drawbridge. "And don't steal any of the ashtrays", he yelled as we started down the stairs. (OK, I made that last part up.)

When we got to the assigned room, we discovered others who known the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow. (European or African?) ¹

The Elks eat better than the cowboys back at the Cadillac Ranch. And they believe in paying their heating bills. Eventually, about 40 people made it to our little enclave and enjoyed great appetizers, a bar, slides, a great meal, a Triumph word search puzzle, the usual "name the person in the picture" game, plus a new "name the Club member in the picture from the old family album" game. (Which was a crowd favorite and sure to return next year.)

A few of the highlights for those who didn't attend this august event (even though it was held in January)

And best of all, a good time was had by all.

Jake Manteno

^1. Monty Python and the Holy Grail

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