1998 ISOA Event Articles

Last updated December 6, 1998

Here's a Quick Index of articles on some of the things we've done in 1998...

• Front Suspension Clinic - February 28, 1998
• 1998 ISOA House on the Rock Tour - April 31, 1998
• Fuel Injection Clinic Tech Session - June 13, 1998
• 1998 ISOA BBQ/Go-Kart/Drive-in Movie Night - June 20, 1998
• 1998 VTR National Convention - July 21-24, 1998
• 1998 ISOA Picnic - August 8, 1998
• Mendota Sweet Corn Festival - August 9, 1998
• Potato Fest 1998 - September 6, 1998
• Chicagoland British Car Festival - September 13, 1998
• Lake Geneva Classic Car Rally - September 25-27, 1998

• 1998 Fall Tour & Campout - October 10, 1998

ISOA's First Front Suspension Clinic

February 28, 1998

ISOAers:

Had the pleasure of attending your front end clinic in Itasca. `Twas refreshing to even see a few of the fairer sex in the garage, ready to have at it. Seems at least half the thirty attending lent a wrench with your chap Jack [Billimack - Ed.] and his TR6. Clearly a well liked fellow - he must've pulled in quite a few markers and made some new ones too!

The race of left side versus right side was entertaining indeed. Though left won the "take off" by popping off the whole assembly, it lost time on reassembly for about the same reason. Those two blokes who wouldn't break for lunch till they rebuilt the A arms they took apart looked to be having quite a bit of fun. (Said they were afraid they wouldn't remember what went where...)

The tool supply and technical advice was quite impressive. Call for a tool and young Billy produced it or led one directly to it. Between Mr. Thundercheese, his full size assembled TR6 suspension assembly and the excellent Rimmer Bros. illustration, all who desired, wrenched to their heart's delight.

Lest I forget...of course...the tool of the day. That marvelous hydraulic press doing the same labour in one minute as eight sweaty cursing hammer wielders attacking that pesky rubber bushing for an hour.

Lucky Jack - lucky he wasn't dead from steering/suspension malfunction previous to this day. How the plastic bushings were disintegrated....the visible slop in nearly all swiveling parts...

And the unlucky couple [Mark and Lorrie-Ann Fisher-Ed.] with their GT6 who were to be the second course. How patiently they waited. The chap lending a hand on side right. His bride, in overalls, ready to do serious surgery on her baby. Alas it was not to be for them. But not a total loss - they leave with a special tool from Billy's bone yard.

Lucky Jack, and a good time was had by all! You chaps (and ladies) have the right idea!!

Mickey Grayer, Elmhampton

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1998 ISOA House on the Rock Tour

April 31, 1998

Saturday morning, April 31 dawned sunny and clear, as is customary for this, the most hallowed and beloved excursion in ISOA lore. We refer, of course, to the annual Earl Wright Memorial ISOA House on the Rock Tour and Concours d'Elegance. Although we were personally somewhat weary after spending the previous evening reading nursery rhymes to blind, disadvantaged urban youth and preparing meals at the soup kitchen, we arose early to try to spend a few hours on the Habitat for Humanity project before we stopped to help Billy Pyle figure out some transmission and carburetor enigmas on his 2000. I'm not sure which gave me greatest fulfillment, bringing some joy to the faces of those wonderful youngsters, providing some meagre sustenance to some of society's less fortunate, or coming to the aid of a fellow ISOAer in need of my expertise. I was especially excited to embark on this year's tour because it marked the return to the road of Caspar, (not the world's most expensive, just the nicest TR3, after a nine year frame-off restoration. This humble reporter is pleased to proclaim that the final restoration costs were significantly under budget and that he personally did every bit of body, trim, and mechanical work on the car. (There is really not that much to it if you have a good shop manual and a modest degree of mechanical aptitude.)

We met as usual at Earl Wright's home for our timely departure to the land of bratwurst and cheese to behold once again the majestic beauty of Alex Jordan's architectural marvel, the ever popular House of the Rock. No matter how many times we ISOAers view this breathtaking eighth wonder of the modern world, we never cease to be amazed at its beauty and splendor. Joining this year's caravan, aside from yours truly, were: Jeff Rust and Karen Reilly in Jeff's dual-stromberged late model TR6, Jack and Barb Billimack trailering their TR3 showcar, Tim and Ann Buja in their Stag, Pat Morse in his Triumph, Bob and Sharon Kamholtz in their pristine race car. Bob Erickson was there in his 250, as was Dave Kayson. Paul Van der Woude, Jerry Hurst and Jake Jaquet were each having mechanical troubles with their TR3s and since I didn't have time to fix each of their cars before we left, I agreed to let them ride in the back seat of mine on this year's tour. Sandy and Donna rode in the Suburban to follow the caravan in case anybody experienced any mechanical predicaments, which, of course, did not happen.

Out of our esteem for Earl, we asked him to set the pace on the tour and some of us had an extremely difficult time keeping up with the breakneck pace he established, especially Elwood Manteno who drove his prepared TR4 on the trip. With Jake, Paul and Jerry sprawled out in the occasional seat of my car, the performance suffered a tad. Earl actually lost much of the motorcade by speeding through the Kettle Moraine at full throttle. At one point, he actually took some of the turns in excess of 120 MPH and was observed cornering on two wheels. What a madcap that Earl is!

We arrived about 10:00 in the morning and had a nice brunch at the Pizza Hut before touring the House on the Rock. Words fail to adequately describe the sights and sounds of this breathtaking hallmark to the unusual. Following the tour, we adjourned to the hotel parking lot for the ISOA Concours d'Elegance. We decided to abandon the People's Choice balloting, since it was a foregone conclusion that Earl would win the best of show for the 15th straight year. Earl, such a thoughtful guy, had always volunteered to print ballots at his own expense. For the participants, but this year we surprised him by asking George Rabey to fly in from Atlanta to judge the cars according to the VTR guidelines. We were joined in the competition by our some of our friends form Minnesota and Wisconsin who drove in just to share some ISOA camaraderie. Following the judging, we all headed over to the track for the competitive driving portion of the tour. This year the event was held at nearby Elkhart Race Track. Earl had reserved the track for our group and we were able to race wheel-to-wheel around the track at full speed. Again, as it has been for the last 15 years, Earl Wright (who generously offered the use of his own timing devices) defeated all challengers for first place.

Other awards received by ISOA were as follows:

• Highest speed achieved without lug nuts: Jack Billimack
• Best time in the 360 Spin: Keith Gill
• Best time using only 2/3 of the required spark plugs: Jack Billimack

Following the driving contest, we returned to the hotel for some refreshments before attending the banquet. As happens all too often, Elwood overindulged and I had to assist him to our room. I never cease to be amazed at how some people can squander their health and self respect by abusing alcohol.

The banquet cuisine this year was truly elegant. We had all you could eat prime rib and lobster along with an open bar for only $4.95 per person. You just can't beat Wisconsin for the your entertainment dollar! The local people were so affable and gracious to us, especially after they found out that we hailed form the Chicagoland area. Many expressed an interest in the continued good health and welfare of Dave Wannstadt. The concours award for best of show this year went to Jack Billimack, with Bob Kamholtz taking second place. After the awards, I held an impromptu clinic on Lucas electrical systems for the benefit the club members present. I also conducted a workshop on carburetors primarily to help Paul Van der Woude and Dennis Trowbridge. I've always believed that if you have a gift, it is only fitting and proper that you share it.

Elwood had managed to regain some of his composure, and he wanted to go pub crawling, but Jeff and I persuaded him to stay in for his own good. He then insisted on ordering X-rated pay-per-view movies in the hotel, much to my dismay and embarrassment. Finally, he fell asleep and we were able to watch educational TV until it was time for the ever-popular Parking Lot Patrol. This an ISOA ritual in which members of different clubs engage in late night Bible study and also assist hotel security in seeing that our Triumphs are not molested during the wee hours. The Minnesota club is especially dedicated to this late night pursuit.

Sunday Morning, following chapel, we headed on a early morning drive through scenic southwestern Wisconsin. We stopped for an all-you-can-eat breakfast ($2.50 including tax and tip) of steak and eggs and once again, we were reminded of the joy of Triumph driving in an exemplary atmosphere, i.e. winding two lane blacktops, gently rolling hills and curves, sunny skies, and friendly natives. It was too bad that Elwood was too hung over to cherish such a bucolic scene.

Finally, it was time to return to the greater Chicagoland environs. We took the back roads and all of the cars performed flawlessly, as usual. I was especially pleased, since it was the first time I had taken my car out since finishing its restoration. But actually, since I had done virtually all of the work myself, there was really no reason to worry. As it turned out, any trepidation was unfounded. When we arrived home, our beloved was waiting for us with a cold glass of milk and some home made apple pie. She had just finished cutting the grass as we pulled in the driveway and she insisted that I get some rest after my long drive. I told her how much I really was looking forward to going to the shopping mall with her and her mother and sister, but she would have none of it. So despite my protests to the contrary, I was forced to spend the rest of the afternoon alternating between dozing in my recliner, reading the Sunday paper, and/or watching the NBA playoffs.

Thus ended our 15th annual House on the Rock tour. To be sure, a good time was had by all. If you weren't able to attend this year, one you certainly missed one of the best ISOA functions ever. Thanks again to Earl for making the whole event possible.

Respectfully submitted by your humble and obedient scribe

Bob "Hops" Streepy

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Fuel Injection Tech Session

June 13, 1998

My foot planted on the accelerator pedal, my head slammed against the headrest, and the roar of a 351 Pantera engine screaming in my ears; the end of a perfect day. But I digress.

The fuel injection tech session sponsored by Fuel Management Systems and The Injection Connection started bright and early on Saturday June 13, 8:00 am ISOA time. We had a wide variety of cars on hand including Dave "Snake" Shedor’s injected TR-6 and Bob "Wasbeard" Kamholtz’s wild 4.3L V6 powered, fuel injected TR-3. There were approximately 20 club members at the event, as well as a few interested passers-by.

Early on, FMS founder Gerhard Maier volunteered for a rescue mission to help Al Pieschel, whose TR-6 had overheated about a mile from the shop. It seems that a heater bypass valve was leaking.

A nervous Terry Marski handed me the keys to his beautiful, green 1972 Spitfire. Time to begin. We started by getting some baseline numbers on the car. We checked the emissions at idle and high idle, then checked the horsepower on the chassis dynamometer.

              Idle:      .90% CO   650 ppm HC
2,500 RPM, no load:     5.92% CO   246 ppm HC
4,200 RPM, Full load:   43 HP at rear wheels
4,500 RPM, Full load    46 HP at rear wheels	

The Weber carburetor was tuned well. A Stromberg equipped vehicle would typically produce substantially higher emissions.

Once we started the conversion, it seemed that everyone was eager to lend a hand. I would like to thank all the great people who offered their help at this event. It really is a tribute to ISOA that the members attend and participate to such a great extent.

The intake manifold and carburetor were the first parts removed from the Spitfire. These were replaced by a manifold and carburetor which were already modified for fuel injection. Modifications included adding a fuel injector in each intake runner, a fuel rail, fuel pressure regulator, and a Stromberg carburetor from which the slide, diaphragm and spring were removed.

A high pressure fuel pump and coarse fuel filter were installed in the trunk. The outlet of the pump was connected to the original fuel line. We bypassed the fuel pump, and connected the outlet of the fuel line to the fuel rail on the manifold. We then installed a steel return line to the fuel tank.

We installed a wiring harness through the firewall, and connected the injectors, fuel pump and tach signal to the harness. The tach signal provides the ECU with an RPM signal. The engine temperature sensor was bolted to the engine block.. The final electrical connections were the engine ground lead and switched battery +.

Finally, we installed the ECU in the glove box, and connected a hose from the ECU to a manifold vacuum source. This provides the ECU with information about engine load.

It was now the moment of truth. I turned the ignition key to the "run" position. The fuel pump turned on for a moment to prime the system, then off. So far, so good. I tried to start the engine: Wahwahwah . . . Whawhawhawhawhahwha. Nothing. . . . . . . . I scratched my head for a minute, then asked one of the members to watch the computer screen for RPM while I cranked it again. No RPM.

Upon checking the settings in the ECU via the Laptop, I realized that the trigger input was set to receive a high voltage signal which we had on the ignition coil primary of another Spitfire rather than the 12V level tach signal we were using on Terry's car. We changed the setting, downloaded it to the ECU, and tried the starter again.

The engine came to life instantly, and idled at 450-500 RPM. This is the lowest idle I have ever seen on a Spitfire!! We adjusted the idle set screw for 800 RPM, and took it for a spin around the parking lot. It ran well, a little surprising as we had performed no calibration to the fuel map at this point.

In order to demonstrate the art of calibration in a setting where all the spectators could watch, we returned the Spitfire to the roller dynamometer. We connected a fuel adjustment knob to the wiring harness. This allows us to modify the fuel flow in real-time while driving the vehicle. We set the engine RPM and throttle at various settings, and adjusted the knob to optimize the fuel map. We wrote down the required changes, then entered them into the map. Within 15 minutes we had a nice calibration (when this is performed "on the road", it takes a little longer).

We retested the steady state emissions, and idle performance.

              Idle:      3.25 % CO      316 ppm HC
2,500 RPM, no load:      4.98 % CO      202 ppm HC
4,000 RPM, Full load:   41 HP at rear wheels
4,500 RPM, Full load    45 HP at rear wheels

The Illinois limits for a 1972 vehicle are 8% CO, and 800 ppm hydrocarbons at idle.

In order to increase the low end torque, Terry has requested that we modify the performance manifold which he started with to accept fuel injectors. Once this is done, it will take around one hour to exchange the performance manifold in place of the Triumph style manifold. We expect several horsepower increase in the lower RPM range as a result of using this manifold.

Terry reported better throttle response, and all around drivability. We were able to reach into the car and start it without touching the throttle pedal. It settles down and idles smoothly. He called us when he got home to thank us and let us know that the car ran great!

Oh yeah, the Pantera. Paul, a friend of ISOA member Derek Morton, brought his incredible 351 Ford powered Pantera to the event. This in turn attracted another passing motorist who happened to be driving a Pantera, and a few passing Porsches. This gave the day an international feel.

Towards the end of the event, Wasbeard asked if he could use our parking lot to do a few donuts with the racing TR-3. Of course, I gave him the thumbs-up. This prompted my boss, Gerhard, to do a few hot laps in an IMSA 911 Porsche which we have at our shop. Snake followed with some rubber-smoking donuts in his fuel injected TR-6. Paul then responded in turn with the Pantera.

Paul then graciously offered to let Gerhard take the Pantera for a spin. Then, to our delight, Paul let everyone who was still there take the Pantera for a spin around the lot (we could hear L.A. giggling over the sound of the engine and tires from 100 feet away)! What a perfect way to end a great day!!!!! The die hards were then invited to Mr. & Mrs. Snake’s for a frosty beverage or two.

Once again, I would like to thank everyone who helped. I want to offer special thanks to Lorrie-Ann who was a huge help in planning, set-up, and support. Lorrie-Ann wants to especially thank Megan Buja for her help in setting up.

For additional information regarding fuel injection, contact:

The Injection Connection
(815) 477-2880
info@ISOAinjcon.com

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1998 ISOA BBQ/Go-Kart/Drive-in Movie Night

June 20, 1998

First things first.... those who did not make it to this event missed one great time. Jack and Barb Billimack hosted the second annual Drive In Night that was so great that we'll make them do it again next year (Sorry Barb ... tough act to follow). I'll cover each phase of this multi course meal and wheels of fun.

Part One: The Picnic.

Everyone started gathering at Jack and Barb's place for some idle chatter and some outstanding picnic faire. Besides driving some of the best sports cars around, ISOA members can actually cook as well! Plenty of dishes were brought and we had quite the selection of food to fill ourselves prior to the departure to the theatre. Besides feeding our faces, Jack had his TR3 available for dismantling. Phil and Phil Fox (Phil²?) got into the dismantling job in a big way. Distancing all others in the amount of grime they pulled off of Jack's car onto their clothes. Kudos also go to the Pyles who used some unconventional tools in the process of taking things apart. From here we move to

Part Two: The Big Race

Part 3: The Drive In

Well this was the final activity of the night. The weather was wonderful and we all had the tops down and enjoyed the feature movie, The Truman Story. This year like last, the movie owners let the drivers of experienced cars like ours get in free and the passenger pays $5. We also get a free popcorn because they like us so much. Lets do it again!!

Joe Pawlak

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1998 VTR National Convention

July 21-24, 1998

The Road to VTR
The first day of the trip was perfect. Sun was out, tops down and we're all looking forward to a fun time. We gathered at Tim and Ann's house in Rockford. Next stop was for lunch in Galena. Along the way we took a few pictures and even had a few chuckles as well. Here the skills of ISOA drivers are put to the test by simultaneously taking pictures and running video cameras at the same time. A few center lines were crossed during many of these manuevers. The coolest part of the trip was watching a long line of Triumphs make their way up to our final destination. Caravan participants were Sheri Pyle (TR3), Jack & Barb Billimack (TR6), Ken & Arlene (TR4), Tim & Ann (Stag), Tim "Gizmo" Mantel (TR6), Bob Streepy (TR3), Mark Joslyn and Brenda Kennedy (Sports Six), Sandy Hurst (TR6), Jerry Hurst (TR3), Donna Jaquet (Suburban), Jake Jaquet (TR6) and me with my Spitfire.

The road to the 1998 VTR convention started off shaky for some of us. Tim's differential had been whining for awhile and no matter how nice he was to it and how much money he spent on it, the whine remained. Maybe a fur coat or a trip to Florida would have stopped the whining. Well the whining had started to turn into groaning and it was getting obvious that taking the Stag on a long trip in that condition was risky at best. Anyway, I received a e-mail from Tim asking if there was a remote chance that his fellow Stag buddy, the best Stag buddy in the world consider letting him borrow the differential from my Stag. Well, to make a long story short (too late), we promptly pulled the diff from my car and put it into Tim's. His car is nice and quiet now. Everyone should have two Stags in the garage.

The Road to Galena
The route taken to Galena was on some wagon trail or something like that [The Stagecoach Trail - WM]. I didn't know that the wagon trails were paved like this. I guess you learn something new everyday. The roads were quite nice and very hilly especially for us Illinois flatlanders. Once we arrived in Galena, we wound our way through town and finally settled on a public parking lot that needed a few more oil stains. We did have to pay for the privilege of leaving the oil stains. A quick photo opportunity in the picturesque lot and then off to lunch. We split off into a couple of groups to get a quick bite to eat. After that some of the groups hit a few of the shops. One of the groups led by Bob Streepy found a nice shop in which we admired the antique offerings of the Millers of Milwaukee and Augie Busch. Once we were done antiquing, we saddled up and headed north to Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin where we would spend the night.

The road to Prarie du Chien
We left Galena and headed to the Iowa side of the Great River Road for our northern run to Prairie du Chien. We ran into some nasty traffic light patterns as we made our way through Dubuque. It seems like we hit every light on our way through town. If it weren't for the CBs, we would have been hopelessly split up. On this leg of the trip we did run into some minor mechanical glitches. Ken Kendzy's TR4 decided it could run good enough with numerous spokes on his wire wheels broken. Sheri put a stop to the fun of watching Ken's wheel wobble all over the road. The spare tire was retrieved and we now knew what one of Ken's purchases was going to be when he got to Hudson. Our good buddy, Mark Joslyn from the Central Illinois Triumph Owners Association had to get into the repair business with his Sports Six. Actually renamed to Squirelly Six. The mounting brackets holding the steering rack in place had loosened up enough, that Mark had about a quarter turn of play in the steering wheel before any reaction from the front wheels.

Later in the trip, just 15 minutes from Prarie du Chien, we saw some nasty weather coming in fast. We pulled into a church parking lot to put the tops up. Just as the last top was raised, we were pummeled with 60mph winds. We pulled the cars to the side of the church, which helped shield us until the storm blew over (no pun intended). We made the final leg of the trip without incident. Once checked into the hotel, we piled into a shuttle bus and headed to the riverboat casino for dinner and to leave some nickels for the local economy.

The Road to Hudson
We left Prarie du Chien right at 9:00 am just as planned. Just north of Prarie du Chien, we ran into a little rain. Fortunately we were able to keep moving and the folks with their tops down didn't get too wet. We did pass a sign for the Rock in the House tour. Maybe we'll go there after the House on the Rock Tour. Lunch was held in a little shop called Sooty's in the town of Alma Wisconsin. Tim "Gizmo" Mantel didn't have enough money for lunch. Apparently he lost all his money gambling the night before. Kept saying that "Sixie" needed new shoes and threw the dice. I think he was referring to new tires for his car. Sooty made him mow the front lawn to pay for lunch. Nice sandwiches and the first of numerous ice cream cones to be consumed during the week.

We Arrive in Hudson!
First stop after registration, Funkhana...

Autocross
There was a bit of a rough start for the autocross organizers but in the end a lot of fun and excitement was had by all who participated. The photos all capture everyone going around one of the wide sweeping turns in the course. Many were fooled but all the ISOAers managed to stay on course and capture some respectable times. Among the more notable participants was Donna "Putt-Putt" Jaquet who, by her own admission, doesn't know how to work a clutch well, took the "Fun Yeah" TR6 around the course. Not to worry, the car remained in first gear and stayed there until the finish. Sandy Hurst raced the Hurst's TR6 but not until after she raced around the parking lot looking for TR3 side curtains to run over. There was a black TR3 with a person driving it that looked a lot like Sheri Pyle. It couldn't have been her since Bill told her not to race the car. It was pretty cool seeing the Buja's Stag pull around the turns. Geez Tim, you could of pushed it hard, maybe Rimmers would give you a quantity discount on differentials and replaced mine as well. I don't know how long it took Shedor's Gravel Service to empty the TR6 dump truck, since I don't think they would have allowed that many rocks on the course. More on this later. Mark Joslyn ran the Sports Six, I mean the Squirelly Six around the course as well. It must have been hard to judge at what time you turned the steering wheel to the time the tires actually reacted. Do you start turning a 100 feet before the turn or was it 75 feet?.

Last but not least I did a few runs with the Spit, wire wheels and all. Lots of thrills pushing Spits around corners hard. It takes some concentration to keep the back end from tucking under too much plus maintain control with the stock suspension in a stock car. It seems that cheating is allowed in stock class autocross. If I would have known that cheating was allowed, I probably would not have been so naive as to think that you would race against similar cars. Silly me, I entered my stock car in the stock class to compete against modified cars entered in stock class. Oh well, I guess autocross is not a very honest activity...

Poker Run
What a great drive on some of the prettiest roads in the area. Great scenery and quite a few nice twists and turns. Halfway through the run there was a lunch stop at a local tavern. $1.50 beef sandwiches and liquid refreshment hit the spot on another warm sunny day. We had a great photo opportunity with the cars lined up in a groove of trees. Once our faces were full, we headed out and completed the second half of the run. I ended up with a pair of 4's with a 9 high. Everyone else's hand was equally bad. Who cares, the cars ran great and it was a bunch of fun.

River Tour
Another superb driving tour. Halfway through the drive we ended up in a park overlooking the junction of the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers. Cookies and pop were provided. Pat & Marilyn wouldn't leave until they played on the swings. Pat couldn't quite get the hang of it. Nice group photo on the "break your arm on the monkey bar dome thing". The next stop on the tour was a little ice cream shop. It is amazing how much ice cream ISOA people can consume.

Other Stuff
Well we had a couple of parking lot patrols happen. One night we had the Spitfire's stereo playing some 1960's music that included the likes of Cream and Jimi Hendrix. I'll forgo some of the appropriate 60's drug references at this time. Maybe it was the excessive use of recreational pharmaceuticals during that era that got us addicted to Triumphs. The parking lot also hosted some technical clinics with a informative one on rebuilding TR6 hubs. The panoramic photo shoot witnessed intimate moments of some club members. Sheri "Big Mama" Pyle won the prestigious T.S. Imports Sweat Equity Award presented by Ted and Doris Schumacher. A final photo shows ISOA members and the many awards. Quite a bit of trophies were passed on to our table during the awards ceremony.

The Show
What a bunch of nice cars! The parking lot was packed with cars, vendors and people having a good old time. Half the lot was set up for the various concours judging and the other half for the participants choice entries. Tim Smith brought his excellent TR250 and did well in the concours judging. Bob Streepy had "Casper", the most expensive TR3 on the planet. Bob only had room for a single change of clothes because the rest was taken up by cleaning supplies. I believe that after hearing Bob talk about Casper not having a chance in the competition, he came away with a 2nd place! Way to go! Gizmo, Jake and Pat were seen discussing the finer points of TR watching. Finally there was Adam Shedor in the Shedor Gravel Hauling vehicle. The amount of rocks on the back ledge of the TR6 exceeded the GVWR of the car and required Dave to make mandatory stops at all Interstate weigh stations. The whole week at the convention was great. What made the week special was all of the good Triumph folks from all over the country. What was extra special was the camaraderie of all the ISOA members. I heard many folks saying how great our club is and wish they could be a part of it. I'm glad to be a part of this super bunch of friends. The convention is a definite must do event if your schedule permits. I know I'll be ready for the next one. I don't know about the cars, but I'll be ready.

Joe Pawlak

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1998 ISOA Picnic

August 8, 1998

The maiden voyage for the good ship sixty-nine (after being down almost two years) is the ISOA summer picnic. Judge Dread has once again made all the arrangements. The park is ours.

Karen and I leave early on Saturday anticipating a quick stopover in Woodstock to visit Tom "The God" Andresen and Co. After proving to Tom and the others that I really do have a TRiumph (he's been hearing stories and collecting money for two years) we head off for Lunch in Chicago (I know, it's not Chicago to people of the 'burbs but to me, anything more than an hours drive east is "Chicago"). But before we get too far I have to start lunch. "MOTOR BRATS ala SIXTY-NINE".

I break out the aluminum foil wonder packages from the cooler and lay them gently on the Cannon intake manifold. They're nestled nicely between the highly polished valve cover and the triple Webers. Perfect temperature. The oven ... ah... engine compartment has been sufficiently pre-heated during the short drive from Rockford. I wisely choose not to let Tom see me "cooking" on the engine he worked so hard to rebuild.

ISOA'ers are parked and waiting as Karen and I arrive. Before I can gather lunch for the trek to the pavilion, there is the fury of camera clicking and comments. You would think these people never saw "Motor Brats" before.

One lonely MG from the Chicago club (two if you count Judge Dread's TD) is parked amongst an assortment of nice TRiumphs. The "Kendzy Graphics Special TR4". The "As always Korey 6". From Geneva the "Hetzel's 6-wheeled TR3". Bob's TR8 gassed and ready to go. The Shedor fueler-6 and is that three people in a Spitfire? Wow!

And she's taken names and quessing ages.

As it turns out "Rachael", a new member with her husband Dave and daughter Judy and dog Aster, is a photographer for a famous Chicago magazine. She spends much of the day taking advantage of this unique photo-op and promises a full color centerfold and writeup mentioning the name and for some reason "age" of everyone in attendance. As paranoia sets in, Karen is convinced that Rachael really works for a porn magazine (thus the "age" thing) and plans on using a computer to digitally undress each one of us before posting our photos on the Internet. Perhaps we've had a bit too much Mountain Dew at this point.

Two gas grills provide space enough for lunch before the "Men" breakup for world class Bocce Ball. The skins against the beards.

Throughout the day, a WIDE variety of music is provided by the Judge Dread dance machine boom box.

Eric and Gina and dog, prospective TRiumph couple/members, have heard of this event via the Internet and have come down to checkout how we work. Another Internet cruiser and past ISOAer brings by his '63 TR4.

After awhile, Irv's son Brian and his friend Steve show up in "Project Begun". A truly "Cool" GT6. NO DOORS! None! Gone! Left them at home. This gives you the opportunity to witness the "Structural Form" insulation filling the rocker panels. It was really a sight on the Tour through the Ravines, which was outstanding as usual. Especially cruising past some of Illinois' finest.

The highlight of the Picnic is when Pat ... ah... Judge Dread's friend comes by in his 1960 Bentley just 36 hours from the paint booth.

Later in the afternoon, Judge Dread and Elwood are over heard explaining to Steve "Sniffer" Yezo how truly fortunate he is to have such a good nickname. The Judge explains, "Hey, it's better than say "Poopy Pants" for instance. Now, Poopy Pants would be a bad nickname wouldn't it?" Afterwards, Sniffer feels better and joins in for a group hug.

Jeff "Stalker"Rust

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Mendota Sweet Corn Festival

August 9, 1998

This all-day eating binge started out with breakfast at the Iron Skillet restaurant at the Petro Truck Stop in Rochelle. Ed Mitchell, Jeff Rust & Karen Reilly, Steve Yezo & Sue, and Sheri & Bill Pyle began with a breakfast buffet. They were later joined by Tim and Megan Buja, who chose to save room for sweet corn. Since we were scheduled to meet Jerry and Sandy Hurst next to the steam engine in Mendota at noon, we left Rochelle at 11:30 and headed south. Jeff and Karen were in Jeff's TR6 for its second outing on a newly rebuilt engine, Ed was in his newly rebuilt TR6, Tim and Megan in the TR8, with Sheri and Billy in their TR3. Steve and Sue ran escort in a VW.

We got off I-39 at two minutes before noon, and promptly ran into a traffic jam of fellow sweet corn revelers as we entered Mendota. We even managed to get our cars parked only two blocks north of the festival site in time to meet the Hursts at noon ISOA time (that's 12:30 to most everyone else).

We found a shady driveway and set up our chairs in what turned out to be a prime parade viewing spot. As in our last trip to Mendota in 1996, the weather was sunny and hot (87F). The parade soon started, and we were entertained by lots of floats, antique farm tractors, miniature diesel-powered tractor trailer dump trucks, along with hordes of Shriners terrorizing the streets with their antique fire trucks and fleets of horses, motorcycles, miniature Model Ts, miniature jet planes and the like. The local fire departments proudly showed off their equipment, including two notable tankers from Sublette. The small tanker came first, and was named "The Pond". This got a few chuckles from us, and we broke out laughing when the large tanker went by - "The Lake".

Mendota is obviously your typical small town, and it seemed that every parade entrant, politicians and candidates included, knew Donna, our friendly hostess and owner of the home with the driveway where we had parked ourselves. The piece de resistance at the end of the parade was the South Shore Drill Team, which thrilled the crowd with excellent rifle and flag squads. You might expect this team to have a top quality sound, and they certainly did. It took three people to maneuver their "blaster" on wheels (six feet high, three feet wide, complete with its own generator) through the streets of Mendota, and the beat coming from the ten large drivers could be clearly heard blocks away.

After the parade ended, we made our way to downtown Mendota to get in line for the sweet corn. Pallet loads of corn were loaded into a huge watering trough with a fork lift. Steam from an antique wood-fired steam tractor was used to heat the water and cook the corn, which was then unloaded by the coal-shovelful. These guys are serious about cooking large quantities! The line moved fairly quickly, and before long, each of us received a plate filled with two or three ears of hot buttered Del Monte sweet corn. We ate our fill and moved on to the carnival, where Megan got her wish to try the Berry-Go-Round, Tilt-A-Whirl and carousel while just about everyone else checked out the bargains at the flea market.

Sheri & Billy and Steve & Sue decided to head for home, while the rest of us drove to Rip's Tavern in nearby Ladd for chicken. Ann Buja and Jake & Donna Jaquet drove down in their TR6s and met us minutes after we arrived in Ladd. We found that Sandy and Jerry had gotten a early place in line, and we joined them inside Rip's for a few drinks in the long line before sitting down for dinner. I think the total bill amounted to $44 for twelve orders of chicken and two pitchers of pop for the ten of us. Of course, we had to top off the evening with a stop at Torrie's Ice Cream parlor for sundaes.

We waddled back to our cars and headed for home. Sandy and Jerry took I-80 back home, while the rest of us headed north to enjoy the country roads at twilight in our Triumphs. Ann, Megan, and the Jaquets headed toward Oregon to finish some embroidery, while Jeff, Karen and I continued north toward the Byron power plant. There must have been something in the air there, since we began to have electrical problems. First, Jeff's taillights failed. We pulled in under a streetlight on the entrance road to the power plant to examine Jeff's fuses and wiring. After a bit of fuse manipulation, Jeff's taillights came back on. We got back on the road, and within minutes, his engine quit as the fuel gauge suddenly dropped from 1/2 to "E". I pulled over, and Jeff and Karen coasted by. We managed to make our way to a farm where a couple of "good old boys" were welding reinforcements into a future demolition derby car. Thinking he was out of gas, Jeff managed to obtain a couple of gallons of gas to get back into town. He hopped back in the TR6 to find that it would not start. This time the problem was tracked down to the fuel pump wiring. I got back into the TR8 to move it behind the TR6 for additional lighting, and found that my battery had died. We had to push the TR8 to get it running, and after a bit of work under the hood, Jeff got the TR6 started. We immediately headed to the nearest gas station to fill Jeff's tank, which turned out to be half-full after all. Gremlins? Or just a coincidence? You decide...

Tim Buja

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Potato Fest 1998

September 6, 1998

The hot and humid weather did not deter fun at this year's Potato Fest Picnic. Jake and Donna Jaquet hosted the picnic at their most Triumphant estate in Oregon, Illinois. Everyone brought a dish to pass plus there was much help from the Bujas to pull this first class party off. From the visitor list, we had people from four states join in the fun. There was too much food, too much drink and too much of everything that the day went by so fast. ISOA supplied most of the Triumphs parked in the front yard and our friends from the British Boots and Bonnets Rockford car club supplied an assortment of MG's as well.

I can not guarantee that some pinko bleeding heart, anti-freedom, pro-socialist, anti-gun, Sarah Brady lover will read this and turn us in to the BATF. So this paragraph of this report is pure heresay and gossip. Rumor has it that the Potato Fest brought out some of the best potato guns in Northern Illinois. A new potato howitzer was unveiled that used an ingenious rotary flint ignition system. This was designed by Mr. "Big" Pyle. Mr. Spuds brought out his kinetically enhanced elasticized delivery system which claimed to out perform the traditional charge of two squirts of Final Net. This was not the case as superior combustable firepower won out. The final tally of how many pounds of taters were fired is unknown. If the smell is any indication, I would say at least a couple of hundred pounds. One of the more notable targets this year was the big MG sign. Needless to say, this was the first to get shot down. The TR7 target took many direct hits but valiantly stood its ground and did not topple. We had some newcomers this year to the sport and by the looks on their faces, they will be back. Will the members of British Boots and Bonnets be back after the MG sign got trashed? Don't make us talk about you!

As mentioned, the day was very hot and humid, making the pool a popular gathering spot. Keith "Gastro Boy" Gill made a big splash and kept the children entertained by his professional cannon ball technique. Future Triumpher Adam Shedor showed his diving prowess of jumping from the board onto a raft and all without breaking his neck! Skill, pure skill. He needed the raft because he had eight pounds of rocks in his pockets.

One of the days activities was the Pinewood Derby competition. Arlene and Ken Kedzy were the officials of the race and final announcements of the results of the competition should be at the October meeting. This was a competition and not a exhibition so wagering was allowed.

Steve Yezo had the only vehicle casualty of the day when the driveshaft U-joints on his Spitfire decided to expire. Luckily there was a rescue squad available and Jake trailered the car to the house. A unique photo opportunity had a picture taken of a meeting of the minds as well as a meeting of the hinds. There are more stories and photos from the fest and I'm sure you'll see and here them all. Better yet, plan on being a part of Potato Fest 1999.

Joe "Stagmeister" Pawlak
Photos by Mr Fuji

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Chicagoland British Car Festival

September 13, 1998

It must have been 100 degrees in the shade at this years British Car Festival. What a great turnout! There were just under 850 cars that attended. ISOA and Triumph had a very respectable presence. I can't believe how many TR6's there were. And to think that Stalker drove all the way to New Jersey to attend Six Pack. Geez, I bet you could have held a TR6 convention here! It looked like the ever faithful Spitfire came in second in quantity of cars with the TR3 gang coming in a close third, but maybe second. Since I'm a Spitfire owner, they'll get the second place nod. Ken 'Berkeley' Kedzy had his LLBC car there. That's Little Little British Car. Did I mention it was hot? Gosh dang it was hot that day.

A bunch of vendors were on hand and TRF must of sold a million bucks worth of parts. New member and TR6 owner Mike Booz bought about a 1 000 fuses and a bunch of other stuff for his 6. We did manage to pick up a new front quarter and bumper for his car at a great price. Tim 'Gizmo' Mantel, Mike, Steve Yott (New TR4a owner and member) almost went together on picking up a TR6 parts car. We agonized on whether to get it or not. Since it was going for the 'best' offer, the price went beyond the trouble it was worth and parts we needed. Boy was it hot out there. A nice break came when we all went into the college to count votes. I would have voted to bring all the cars in there. What a great turnout by the club members to help out with the tabulations. It sure makes it easy when we all pitch in together.

I don't have a final tally of who won what, but I know ISOA members took home a few plaques. Jack and Barb 'lucky stiffs' Billimack won the trip to England. Jack requests that all part orders be in his possession 2 weeks prior to the trip. See how much you can get by customs so we can save some money on duty. After the show we did a quick caravan to Photo's Hot Dogs. What a way to wind up a perfect day. The show was great and well organized. Give Sheri Pyle and Jack Billimack, our British Car Union Reps a deserved thanks, they and all their crew deserve it!

Joe Pawlak

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Lake Geneva Classic Car Rally

September 25-27, 1998

On the last weekend of September, the 21st Annual Lake Geneva Classic Car Poker Rally was held. It's an annual benefit for the American Cancer Society. What's a Poker Rally? For this event the old money resort region of Lake Geneva WI is divided up into five zones. You drive to at least 5 designated businesses, one within each zone and pick up a card to create a poker hand. Best hand wins. You pre-pay for the hands, get a map of stops and away you go!

The diversity of entrants is outstanding. You can see up close everything from a Presidential Packard Limo to a restored Jensen Healey or how about an unrestored 1917 Model T? A few years ago I told the owner he was an honorary ISOA member because he had a jug of water and a toolbox so big the trunk wouldn't close. Weather permitting, vintage aircraft fly overhead. Because there is so much to do and see, this event has become an annual outing for my family. Over the years we have involved my sister Debbie and her family with my brother-in-law's (Ruben) Gold Wing SE as well as neighbors of ours (Karen and Dolores) who own a beautifully restored 66 Mustang Convertible.

Like last year, Lake Geneva's Interlaken Resort and Country Spa was the host hotel. The facilities and the nearby downtown shopping areas, provide something for all the family members. We have made it a weekend getaway the last few years. This year the resort hosted a weekend long Mary Kay cosmetics function, I've never seen so many pink cars in one place before.

The opening event is Friday night, a cocktail party at the home of a generous participant. He calls it their "party house", with two bars, a 30+ seat home theatre, a dance floor with a smoke machine, etc, an air-conditioned four car garage (Jaguar sedan, early E-Type convertible, Aston Martin Lagonda and the previously mentioned Jensen Healey). The garage is air conditioned so the deliverymen don't work up a sweat when hooking up the kegs in the coolers so the beverages can be piped underground into the house! By the way, the house is decorated like an English Pub. We bumped into Greg and Pat Hetzel in the hotel lobby Friday afternoon (complimentary wine, cheese, ribs... Free food tends to attract ISOAers) and our party was growing. We caravaned to the "party house" on Lake Geneva's South Shore and parked right behind Corvette nut Dave and his wife Betty. Greg and Pat got to park in the driveway next to an Auburn Roadster because the valet liked their TR3! Inside we joined Diane and Mike Mueller and Spuds Billimack. Like usual the quantity and variety of grub was impressive. A brief warm rain didn't dampen anyone's spirit because inside you could throw darts, shoot pool, eat, drink, dance, watch movies, etc.

Saturday morning, neighbor Karen got all of us going for breakfast at Ellie's Pancake house outside Delavan. Her tour took us through beautiful downtown Delavan where we were treated to a Fire department "controlled burn" and associated traffic problems. After pigging out we caravaned back to Interlaken, during the drive my TR6 started making ominous rear suspension clunks. Mrs. Snake properly diagnosed the problem as a loose shock absorber. Thanks to everybody for helping prevent the car from falling off the spindly factory jack. We gathered up the troops (nice thing about our teenagers driving is trusting them enough to go off shopping on their own) and started the Poker Rally. The weather was absolutely fantastic; Saturday more cars were participating than I've ever seen. We stopped at Papa Cory's for cocktails and ran into Ryals Cheek in his TR6, which was the only time I saw him all weekend! For dinner we went to Popeye's (also a Poker stop) for a traditional Octoberfest dinner, roast pig on a spit, spaetzel, sauerkraut, etc. After some souveniring and a little ice cream, we headed back to the resort to veg in the pool, whirlpool, and sauna.

Sunday morning was again beautiful, especially when I drove down to the staging area to get signatures for the waiver. This also registers ISOA as a club and we become eligible for special door prizes. Along came the Spuds, the Bujas, the Gills, Pat and Marilyn, Steve Yezo and Sue. The other beautiful part were three Ferraris - a Daytona, a 250 GT and a 250 California Spyder that people were actually driving! We parked the club cars together and got to watch the participants drive by, walk around, etc. while we picnicked. Before ISOA finished the Poker run itself, the neighbors and some of the women folk got front row seats for the awards presentation and guess what? ISOA won three bottles of liquor and 10 poker hands to use at next year's event.

Be there next year!!!

Dave "Snake" Shedor

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1998 Fall Tour & Campout

October 10, 1998

The organizers of the 1998 Fall Tour ordered up some superb weather for the event. Quite a group showed up that started off with lunch at the famed Chick N' Dip in Hampshire, Illinois. Most everyone got served except people from Park Ridge, so Ken and Arlene had to wait. I think they couldn't decide between ordering a hamburger or a hamburger. Bob Streepy got served and it filled him up so well that he didn't feel like eating the rest of the day. 19 Triumphs and one TR-Chevy Van headed on the route that would ultimately take us to Lowden State Park and the Turkey Testicle Festival in Byron, Illinois. We scooted north of Hampshire to Union, where we passed the Illinois Railway Museum (future ISOA activity?). From Union we headed west along River/Marengo Road to Belvidere. A quick stop had to be made by the lead car to inspect a corn field on the way. A biological break was then conducted at a McDonalds in Belvidere. From there we continued south through the corn and soybean fields of Illinois. Only minutes from our final destination in Byron, we had our first major breakdown. Now if you think it was one of these stinkin' Triumphs that broke, think again. While we are to accept all of our British car brethren with open arms, it is sometimes real hard to keep an open mind with a MG (Mostly Garaged) around. Well Greg and Pat Hetzel's MGB dumped its clutch slave cylinder and they were without any real way of shifting gears without attracting a lot of attention. There were some parking lot heroics that got them going again and they headed back home to Geneva. Some of the group headed to the festival and the camping group headed to the campground to secure a site. Not quite the way we wanted to end the tour, but everyone was in good spirits and were still having a good time. Did I mention the weather being great?

On to camping.......
We had seven Triumphs that were going to camp Saturday night. We will refer to these cars as the Magnificent Seven. The brave souls of Sheri & Bill Pyle, Tim, Ann & Megan Buja, Ryals Cheeks, Bob Streepy, Steve Yezo & Significant Other Sue Hopson, Ken & Arlene Kendzy and Joe & Kathy Pawlak. It's amazing what we can fit in these cars when we put our minds to it. To help keep the amount of gear to a minimum, we decided that we would eat out Saturday night and Sunday morning. Chocolate bars, graham crackers, marshmallows and of course liquid refreshment was left the only food we needed to carry.

After the camp was set up and secured, we paid our campground fees to the State of Illinois and were ready to head off to dinner. One interesting point was that the campground host (the lady who takes our camping money), owned a Triumph soon after World War II. We speculated for a bit about what model her and her husband owned. We even tried to beat it out of her with the hope she would remember. But, alas, the only thing she could remember is her husband calling her from work asking to be picked up because the car wouldn't start. I guess some things never change. The cars did draw quite a enthusiastic crowd when we were registering, that made us feel pretty good.

Well, off to dinner at the Steak Pit in Oregon. Dinner was great and Sheri met her match with some quality (good natured) primal yelling and screaming with the owner of the restaurant. The restaurant also had an eclectic crowd on hand. This may have been due to the type of beverages that were being served. After dinner we headed back to camp. Once there, we got the fire going pretty good. We piled the chairs around, burnt some marshmallows, drank a few brews and enjoyed the wonderful friendship we have because of these little cars and ISOA. The next morning we put the feed bags on once again at brunch that was being served at White Pines State Park. What a great drive that morning, the sun was out and it was another wonderful day. We returned to camp, packed up our gear and all scattered in various directions to head home. The biggest thing that made us mad about the whole camping experience with the Triumphs, is why we hadn't done this before! A new tradition has been started and we all can't wait until we do it again next year. The magnificent seven rides again, but this time we bring along a few more.
...do we have fun or what?

Joe Pawlak

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