:: [ SVVS Lunchtime Meeting - The Cock, Headley - February 2017] ::

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Temperature on the dashboard 2.5C, windscreen wipers scraping snowflakes off the glass, seat heater full on and, ultimate in luxury, the heated steering wheel glowing warmly!  No, not my 1923 Citroen but the 'modern'  XKR. It should have been the XJS but the alternator belt was slipping/flapping about. So the garage tried to tighten it and discovered the mounting thread was gone. Drilled it out and fitted nut/bolt and tightened belt. Did not check to see if the alternator was charging, and gave me the car back. Another visit to find out why no volts? Seems the alternator was whimsical, giving occasional volts and mostly withholding them. Seems new alternator needed. Ordered and waited for new alternator. Eventually arrived and fitted, which it didn't. Wrong alternator. Another one needs to be ordered. So XJS stuck at the menders just when needed for the visit to the Cock at Headley. So good excuse therefore to take out the modern one, the one with a heated steering wheel!!

When I got to the Cock, it seems I was not the only one in a 'modern'. Seems our brave bunch of intrepid vintage car enthusiasts found equally good reasons for not being enthusiastic about bringing their 'oldies' out. Seems our President had arrived also in a modern and hid in the dining room consuming lunches, as did our Editor.  Our Hon Sec Malcolm Bailey was in his modern Mazda which gave scope for conversation with Hon Publicity Officer Tony Russell who was in his modern hot Mondeo station wagon. Seems both cars had an engine in common so much comparison of open bonnets. Sheena was meanwhile keeping well in the warm in the bar. Chris Geary who has a choice of multiple oldies, all lovely and gleaming, came in his modern-but-getting-classic Citroen BX. Making absolutely no attempt at coming in anything proper, despite again multiple choices back in his garage, was Mike Gorman.

The surprise of the day was that Roger Bishop, he of the Bishop's Move fame, had left his trusty heated Chelsea tractor at home and had come in the drafty and cold 1925 Morris Traveler's Van. Seems the deal was that as Pam was wiffy of Jays fluid disinfecting her stable, Roger could take her as-is in the van but had to buy her lunch. Very similar story for Tony Tester who was allowed to take out the 1935 Chrysler Wimbledon as long as he took along Julia and Gavin. The Chrysler was adorned with a multicolor patch on the nearside front wing which roughly matched the smudge on the garage door back home. Another with a proper car was Brian Daley, who came in his 1968 Triumph TR5, but left early to administer to his wife who had just had an operation.

Will How did the decent thing and not only came to the meeting but also came in his pillarless 1956 Lancia Appia Saloon. And so he should have done, he only lives a minute away. It was largely due to his moans about people from the 'west' being forgotten about in having a local venue that we came back to the Cock. This used to be a regular meeting point but got shut down just before one of meetings a few years back.

Finally, we were very pleased to welcome to the venue, and to the SVVS, a new member clutching money and membership form. Robert Grothier found us from this very website and decided he would give us a try by coming along. Very pleased he did, especially as he came in proper 1993 Fiat 124 Sport Spider.

As I was leaving I bumped into two sets of latecomers who also came in their moderns, coincidentally Jaguars. Messrs John Wickens came for lunch in their S Type and Messrs Tony Marshall in a new XE. Also in the car park was an elderly 1993 VolksWagen Polo Coupe but it may not have been one of ours.

Please click on any thumbnail picture below  to see the full size picture. To return to the thumbnails please click the Explorer "Back" arrow (top left of screen). The text and photos by Bozi Mohacek.

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