Man oh man, what a day!  Temperature in the low 70s, severe clear skies, 22 cars (about 18 of them Triumphs) and around 40 people.   We made a 70 mile drive from the Lewis & Clark Boathouse in St Charles, out through New Melle and Foristell, winding up at the clubhouse in St Peters.  There we enjoyed great food (shameless plug: Kenrick’s!), great conversation, photos, a few artifacts and even worked in a very brief business meeting.

To all who participated, hope you enjoyed the 35th birthday celebration for St Louis Triumph Owners Association.   This is one fine club and we do manage to have a lot of fun.

THE trophy, back in SLTOA’s possession.  Now to come up with a catchy phrase for the plaque…

For those who appreciate the classic VW Beetle.   They were on a ’67 Beetle sighted at Scott AFB last week (having learned to drive a stick in my dad’s ’63 Beetle convertible back during the early 70’s, I can vouch for both statements).

Sighted Friday night at the Dierberg’s lot on Manchester at Sulphur Spring.   The “I Like Ike” bumper sticker’s a nice touch…

Sighted Tuesday, on Barrett Station near Manchester.  Been a long time since I’ve seen a first-generation GTI; nice….

Things you don’t expect to see while taking a guided tour of Vancouver Barracks and Pearson Airfield, WA…  While heading from the Pearson Field Education Center, friend Ron said, “Hey, when you get up to the corner, look right.  I think I saw some sports cars.” I replied I’d seen the Jaguar/Land Rover shop on the corner but he said, “No, around the corner, there are some other cars that look British.”

Yeah, whatever…got to the corner and good grief, a 1976 TR6 and MG TF.  At that point I left the tour and checked out Commonwealth Classics, apparently one of a number of British repair shops in the Portland-Vancouver vicinity.  Another TR6 sat inside, along with an MGB GT, Austin-Healey 3000 up on a lift sans wheels and two Austin-Healey Bugeye/Frogeye Sprites.  And then one of the proprietors drove up in a light blue TR3 that’s a ringer for Dave Massey’s car.

A very pleasant surprise.  Now, where did our tour group go…?

Further down the road (OR 18), between Dundee and McMinnville, south of the small town of Lafayette, is British Parts Northwest.  Most of us in SLTOA have bought parts from this concern, which works out of a couple of warehouses (and one recently installed 40-ft container) perched on the Lafayette Highway.  What the heck, it’s on the way and I’m one of the company’s customers, I decided to drop in and take a look.

The joint was jumping, with several people moving around the various buildings bringing in and dispatching parts.  Still, owner Greg Sherick (who owns an ’80 TR8) happily gave me the grand tour of the property and yes, we talked plenty about the joys of LBC ownership and the LBC parts business.

Glad I stopped by.  If anyone who reads this finds they’re driving between Portland and Lincoln City, stop by and say hello.  It’ll be worth your time.

Monday morning I departed Issaquah and headed south to Portland, incorporating a couple of quick stops at McChord AFB and Camp Murray (the Washington National Guard’s headquarters installation).  From Portland, down OR 18 through Tigard to Lincoln City and a couple of nights with daughter No. 1 and three of the grandkids.  And yes, a large time was had by all, constant rain/drizzle notwithstanding (then again, unlike the current situation in St Louis, none of the freeways and roads up here in the Northwest are flooded.  Hoo-hah, what a mess back home).

Anyway, went barreling through Newberg, roughly halfway to the coast, saw some really nice classic cars, pulled on in and got the camera out.  Discovered I’d stumbled across the Oregon showroom of American Classics & Hotrods.  Wow, what a collection of vehicles…besides the ’56 TD in the showroom, lots of other interesting cars with emphasis on American muscle and classic cars and trucks from the 1950s and 1960s.  The company opened up shop in Newberg in 2014 and has other showrooms in Utah and Minnesota.

And yes, there is Triumph content: a ’76 TR6 w/ 54,721 miles in Utah.  Other LBCs include a 1967 Austin-Healey 3000 and 1979 MGB (also in UT), plus several Jaguars.

Looking for a little entertainment?  Call up the American Classics & Hotrods web page.  Lots of fun!