http://classicminis.org/mini59.htm (http://classicminis.org/mini59.htm)
The Mini 59!
The Mini 60 Pre-Party!
CMU invades Kingsport, Tennessee (Near Bristol)
April 18 -21, 2018
If you like driving your Mini, don't miss this 3 day cruising adventure!
Experience
beautiful mountains
and classic Minis
as far as the eye
can see!
(http://classicminis.org/mini59/cover-pic.gif)
(Picture from the Mini 51,
Autumn in the Appalachians)
Hosted by the CMU Florida Chapter and members from around the world.
This year we chose to go back to a GREAT location, Kingsport/Blountville, Tennessee as the base for our 3 day driving adventure. It's located near some amazing mountains and rivers setting the scene for some breathtaking drives through Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, and North Carolina. As with all of our CMU events, we like to drive, and that's what we'll be doing. We will have drives each of the three days with plenty of stops and things to see. Add in the nighttime activities, and you have the most amazing classic Mini event in North America! But wait, there's more! This event will have also have the famous scavenger hunt, International Mini Film Festival, and introducing Hot Wheels racing!
Regarding the International Mini Film Festival... If you haven't started to produce your award winning short film, get on it and have a chance to be famous around the world, and win some cash! Note, you can win cash just by entering. You don't have to be a Festival winner to win cash! The top 3 winners will also be seen at the International Mini Meet in Portugal. Go HERE for the film festival info. Note the deadline for entries is March 15, 2018.
This event is entitled "The Mini 60 Pre-Party!" as the following year with be the 60th birthday of the Mini. Whatever monies are raised at this event through sponsorships, supporters, silent auction, and even the Hot Wheels racing, will go towards throwing the biggest classic Mini event ever in North America! It will be held in October 2019 in the Tennessee/North Carolina area. What better way to build up the excitement of the Mini 60, than having an event to build up the excitement of the Mini 60?!?!
If you haven't been to a CMU event before, we do it differently; we like to drive/cruise a lot and see all around the beautiful area we're visiting. With this being a CMU event, you must be a member to enter a Mini. Membership is free! If you are one of the few that hasn't already joined, go to the join page and become one of the over 1,300 members! As with all of our events, this is for everybody, but all of the drives/cruises/anything is only for classic Minis and its variants produced from 1959-2000, no exceptions. (The period following "exceptions" is to end the sentence and to also say "period".) There's always room to ride in someone's Mini if you come in something else. We don't leave anybody behind! Not even the couple coming all the way from Australia...assuming they bring the staff cool Australian gifts. But then I'm sure those coming from England won't be outdone by the Auzzies... It's a pride thing.
For those of you that don't know someone that has been to a CMU event to hear how amazing it is, the following should help you with your decision. But, beware, when you come to one you'll be counting down the days until the next one, and we only do it every year and a half!
I'm planning to go, I have missed every Guido trip up to now due to one reason or another - this time I'm gonna make it! 77.gif
I know it's early days yet, but is anyone else planning to go?
Don Ipock (Red Vtec Pup) and I are scheduled in, we reserved our rooms at the EconoLodge, we're hopeful it's not a roach motel.
Registration should open soon......
I'm in ! - barring the new offspring child doesn't show up on the days before /// Due date = April 10th! :-\
We all have to keep cheering Bahowe on for regular progress! No more Trips, get to work! Priorities!
Speaking with Howe , He has verbally he has committed to having his mini back under its own power by end of the year. And hes making progress .. So should be there in some form or another... (even if he borrows a classic mini from someone!) :)
http://www.restorationmini.com/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=27hnconpeqqfeui1kb21h51qp5&topic=1246.msg24134;topicseen#new
Somethingnew71 = also Charlotte will be there too!
And Locally also Charlotte gearing up for HOPEFULLY 2-3 more = but knowing scheduling, may be fewer. Not RM Members.
Kingport TN is a great location = FUN Backroads into Kentucky Coal Country to explore!
My daughter/grandkids are only a couple of hours from there too in H'ville, just south of Asheville....
I've got a pretty good list of stuff to do to mine over this winter, and we're planning to drop the engine/subframe out of Don's Pup to fix a broken engine steady that can't be reached any other way, plus he needs a new steering rack......while we have the engine out we'll replace the clutch and main crank seals.
Quote from: MiniDave on September 25, 2017, 08:53:24 AM
My daughter/grandkids are only a couple of hours from there too in H'ville, just south of Asheville....
Love H'ville!
My 2019 Goal is to move entirely in that direction = Brevard most specifically / Mills Creek / Hendersonville .. I call the mountains home.
We love the area too, and visit there often.....the weather is temperate and the scenery spectacular. Spendy place to buy a home tho......my kids just built one for themselves on the southwest side of town, they used to live just off 64 about 5 miles west of H'ville.
2 more KC area members committed to go, John Styers and Susan McKenzie.......
I'm keeping an eye out for registration to open.
I got some of the work done on my car, still a few more things to do before we go.
Registration is now open!
http://classicminis.org/mini59/59Registration.pdf (http://classicminis.org/mini59/59Registration.pdf)
Pre-register to save some $$$. The deadline for pre-registering is March 16th!
I hope you will also be bringing and competing in the Hot Wheels Pro class.... http://www.classicminis.org/hotwheels.htm
See ya soon!
Mike
WheW finally did it! Pre Reg ends 3/16
( and you can also send Paypal, easily! ) as noted in reg form.
I'm reg'd, I'll see you there!
Making a list, checking it twice......or several lists actually!
Got everything done on both cars except for some piddle....need a new cabin filter for the Clubby and to drop the Green Mini wheels off to be balanced, but mostly I'm there with both cars.
Gather up a few things around the house to take along, finish the laundry......I'm glad I have one more weekday to get ready to go.
Are people bringing a lot of tools and spares? I'm thinking I'll just take minimal stuff with me....
There will be a lot of tools and spare parts around.
I doubt I'll need anything, but it might be good to be prepared a bit.
Got my wheel wobble sorted, it appears I have a slightly bent wheel, only a few thousandths but enough to cause the steering to wobble, moved the offending wheel to the rear and problem solved.
I'm still smelling coolant after I shut off but not seeing anything dripping and it's not going into the oil , so I'm just going to take extra coolant with me and check it periodically. I'll have a couple extra hoses with me just in case too.
All loaded up and ready to go in the AM......both cars desperately need a bath, but I'll do that when I get to Tenn. Tow lights are now working correctly! ::) 77.gif
Safe travels
Have a great trip and be safe.
See you soon.
We're here!
As soon as I pulled up to the hotel I found WillieB sitting in his truck, and tonight I found a friend of Bruce's with her car (soon to be a customer, Dan)
I'm not sure how many cars will attend but everyone seems to be having a pretty good time. Monday it snowed here, and today it was 80* and I got a wicked sunburn just hanging out with people in the parking lot - true to form a car was up on ramps getting a new alternator, another had the axle nut come loose on her car, yet the cotter was still in place!?!? Another guy was trying to get the brake lights to work on his van.
Tomorrow is the first run and I think the weather promises to be nice the rest of the week.
I left KC about 9 am so I would miss all the rush hour traffic in KC, St. Louis and Louisville, where I had planned to spend the night, but realizing Lexington was only another hour I pushed on thru and easily found a cheap Day's Inn motel for the night, with a restaurant attached. Perfect. Even the food was OK.
I had a leisurely drive down to Kingsport and ran a few errands while I had time till I could check into my room at 3 pm, then a bunch of us ran across the highway to the local Cracker Barrel for dinner and to the Registration party that started at 6 pm.
Tomorrow night my grandson will be here to join me on our Fri and Sat runs, he's never been to an event like this so I've arranged with several other car owners to let home ride/drive with them too, so he won't just get to experience my car, but several others as well. I think he's going to write an article for his local paper, college paper (or whoever he can get to buy it) so he should have a full day too.
Quote from: MiniDave on April 18, 2018, 06:15:44 PM
I found a friend of Bruce's with her car (soon to be a customer, Dan)
For me?
Oh yeah, Bondo popping off everywhere and she wants to keep it "forever"
She already has all the front end panels - Heritage panels. It will need other repairs too......under the side windows, down at the front of the rear wheel openings
But does she have lot's of time and money? ;D
I believe she's committed to fixing it, whatever it takes, as long as it's done well and done to last.
We have about 60 cars here for the event, and already there have been some casualties - an MPi that won't start is believed to have a fried ECU, another car has a dead battery and would barely turn over, a new alternator was being installed in a car when we got here last night, another car fried it's front axle bearing but they got that one fixed again......it's a typical Mini event!
The weather was pretty cool this am, overcast and the wind was really blowing so coats and hats were the order of the day for the driver's meeting. I elected to join the spirited driving group after all, and tucked in right behind the leader the whole way, some of the roads were a bit rough and there was one short mile or so of gravel, which was right around the bend from where we had been driving pretty fast...a couple of drivers got to do a little rallye style but no one went off or wrecked.
Today was a half day run, tonight we'll do the ice cream run, and tomorrow is the big day - 165 miles total going up into Kentucky coal country. The weather is supposed to be mid 60's and sunny so it will be a good day for a cruise
I thought I had my front end wobble tamed but unfortunately I don't...it's particularly annoying from about 45-53, which is right where we spend most of our driving time. I'm going to have to find someone with a set of 13" wheels I can borrow to see if the wheels are really the problem. I hope that's all it is.....
My grandson will be in late tonight and will ride with me tomorrow in the opening stint. Short video of the line up for today's run, I'm right behind Chuck's red/white car. Probably the most common color here is grenn/white! I did manage to get my car washed at last, al the bird poop and dirt were really bithering me....I feel much better now with a nice clean Mini!
A short video from todays ineup of the two groups.....the orange woody wagon is leading the "normal" group. The folks in the two Mokes were bundled up good!
Well, so far I've found 6 Restoration Mini forum members here at the event, tomorrow we'll post a pic of us before we head out on our final run for the day. SCargo, WillieB, Judduh01, Bahowe1, Somethingnew71, and YHS.
Today's run was a fun - if long - one, into Virginia, Kentucky and Tenn....we went to the town of Cumberland, Ky right in the heart of coal country. The road over the mountain was not only steep and twisty, but many of the turns we laced with fine gravel or mounds of salt left over from the last snow/ice they had, so it got pretty "interesting" around some of the turns!
(He was OK, he just got real sideways!)
We stopped at the top of the mountain for the obligatory pics, then headed down into Ky....we were going pretty hot and hard and on the way down my brakes started getting a little soft so I let several of the more "spirited" drivers go on past and I ran the rest of the way down at more of a "touring" pace so I didn't have to touch the brakes all the rest of the way down the mountain, by the time we came out into the town they were back to normal. I had clean fresh fluid in them too.......
My grandson made it in last night and he drove all the way up the mountain - first time he'd ever driven a Mini - since he's 6'5" or so, he doesn't have a real good driving position but he did fine, if a tad aggressive on some of the turns - now we know why my brakes went soft when I drove down the other side of the mountain! ;D
Tonight we have the silent auction, swap meet, dinner, Hot Wheels races and the movies, so lots more to come......
Tomorrow's drive is only 140 miles, so we'll be done by early afternoon, I'll head on south to my daughter's house just south of Asheville, NC and spend a couple days there, then hit the road home to KC. It's been a really fun event - it was great to meet face to face with other RM members and finally see who I've been talking to all these days!
Detailed report. 4.gif.
But are there photos? ;D
If you were here you wouldn't need to see pics! ;D
I'll have some more tonight, I just had a few minutes to download the vids out of my dashcam, now I'm headed back to the KOA and the event.
The International Mini Film Festival really wasn't all that great, of the 8 films most of them consisted of vids of Minis at other events, parked in fields or on an autocross course, no explanations just music dubbed over them.
Two however really stood out, both done by CMU members - one was done by the last film festival winners, and it was a Mini takeoff on Cinderella, but the other one? ding, ding, ding we have a winna!
This couple did a fantastic take on the homeless and dog breeders commercial, complete with the same music, only instead of poor shivering scared dogs we had Mini remains left rotting in fields or scrap yards, and the couple begging for only a few dollars a month to save these poor creatures! It was extremely well done and I thought it was marvelous. However, I don't think it will play as well in Europe where they will all be shown again at the IMM in Portugal, as Europe may not be familiar with those doggy pleadings.
Quote from: MiniDave on April 20, 2018, 02:16:57 PM
If you were here you wouldn't need to see pics! ;D
True enough.
But I promise to share any Mini photos I take on my trip to the UK in a couple weeks. 77.gif I plan to go to at least one Mini car show and perhaps one Mini race.
OK, here's a fun one - these are all the Restoration Mini members who were at CMU 59! (Plus a couple extras who just snuck into the pic for some reason)
From left to right.....Jedduh, WillieB, MiniDave, Scargo, Jimini II, a couplle of interlopers, Bahowe, and soon to be a new member Tiffany Holt. Sir not appearing in this picture, SomethingNew71 who's car broke a CV joint and he had loaded it back on the trailer for home so he didn't make it on this run.
There were a few other mechanical casualties as well, Jason Pigg lost a CV and front bearings too, but got there a couple days early and they were able to fix his and get him back on the road. Joe Machado had a heartbreaker, he drove his car from the hotel to the KOA and it never started again.......till they were getting ready to load it on the trailer, when it popped right off and ran fine the rest of the day, the next day he got about 60 miles into the 180 mile run and it quit for good - they believe it's either the fuel pump or ECU - and this is an MPi, so no one had what he needed to get it going again. Another fellow fried his electronic ign module by leaving the key on too long without the engine running (I had never heard of that one) - on Sat when we got to our first stop one car came around the corner with a terrible clunk, he was convinced it was a rear wheel bearing so we gathered tools and parts for an assault on it, when we jacked the car up we found he just had loose lug nuts, a quick torque and he was good to go again.
We had one car crash this year, first time that's happened at a CMU event. There was a lot of gravel and piles of salt especially on the corners on one run, and one fellow caught that stuff just wrong and it put him into a rock wall head first. I think his van is totaled, luckily he was with a few other club members from his area (Ohio) and one had towed his car down on a trailer, so the wrecked van went on the trailer and he drove the other guy's car home.
We left before the final half of the run on Sat, we had joined the "touring" or "normal" group instead of the "spirited" group who had gotten just a tad too agressive for me and the touring leader had gotten us lost - twice - when I decided that waa enough and we headed back to the hotel so my grandson could get back to college where he had papers or reports due.
All in all it was a terrific fun event, I met a lot of new folks - including the couple from Australia - and connected with RM members face to face instead of just thru the keyboard. I will have some short video clips as soon as they upload to Youtube and some more pics later today.
I went to my daughter's newly built house in Hendersonville to spend a day with her, her hubby and my grandaughters and tomorrow I'll head back to KC...I may try to stop for the night in St. Louis to see my brother - it's on the way and I won't have to stay in another motel so win/win/win, then it will be just a short 4 hour drive home on Tuesday.
Very cool 4.gif. I'll post it on the facebook page and pretend they're all members lol.
MiniDave,
It was a pleasure meeting you, putting a face to a name, and chatting with you, and the other RM members during the event. Nice job documenting the activities. Safe travels back to KC.
Dave,
Great capture of the days. Really highlights how CMU plans to DRIVE cars and not just show them.
There were some sure SHOW STOPPERS There, Nice cars and they were driven too! 62 Speedwell Cooper (restored but very original), and a 16v Inno with Supercharger were standouts.
It was great to meet you ! and enjoy running mini's Around all together. Seeing all the mini family together again!
Really this is the ONLY place you can run your mini to the point of being over a limit. And its good to know and find you own.
I headed home on Saturday, watching all the mini's pull away from that spot was sad, Like family leaving you behind. I Headed off to do the 175 mile motor home. Left town and heard a knocking. Traveled 30 miles = got into Boone NC and the knocking was worse. Figured i better LOOK for u-joints just in case.. Luckily enough, advance had them ( TR6 U joints to go inside the cups) Spent some time in Boone trying to diagnose. nothing relevant found
Motored on another 30 miles = NOISE WAS HORRIBLE by this point. Almost called family for a rescue. Stopped in Lenoir NC, About 100 Miles from home.. Tore it down. Bearings - Hubs - axle out. Figured go ahead and replace that Ujoint.. Re assembled under a shade tree= All quiet.... MOTORED ON... And people at the event were surprised at my Basket of spares an tools ! Always carry your pickle fork!
Motoring on taking back roads + 2 lanes off the interstates = UH OH I RAN of gas!!!
Luckily Found a great Local Farmer he gave me a gallon of gas to get to a station. The gods were with me that day to get me home.
Note == REPACK + LUBE ALl wheel bearings REGULARLY! (my case was either Bearings or Ujoint.. Thinking Ujoint.. Somethingnew lost one on Friday too!
Ill try to share some links here of gathered Pics + Videos from others that i know.
Somethingnew = Youtube Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pskpeagse4c&t=3s (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pskpeagse4c&t=3s)
BHowell - Raw Go pro video footage = Unedited of the drives. His passenger held camera
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_56E_kLwYk1d1UtF_XGF0A (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_56E_kLwYk1d1UtF_XGF0A)
My own picture album - Random shots of stuff. Driving too much to take many REAL Driving photos
https://photos.app.goo.gl/EY6e2EYvcrkZLiay1 (https://photos.app.goo.gl/EY6e2EYvcrkZLiay1)
Great to see the whole Mini family again and felt SOOO thankful for the well wishes for my newest addition to my family!
Mini 60 --- Fall 2019 . Cherkoee NC.
Drives for sure Deciding with organizers . TSD Rally Stage or ?? Poker Run Challenge.
Here Here!!
MiniDave, I didn't realize you were chronicling through the days. Very cool!
It was a pleasure to put a face to your name and be able to thank you in person for all your comments and help on this forum. For those that aren't aware, MiniDave is a swell fella. I knew so the minute I heard him tell a fellow mini owner (and total stranger to him) he would skip one of the best twisties to stay with him and show him how to replace wheel bearings (the fella didn't know how). Thankfully, the guy only had loose lugs and a good tighten and all could make the trip.
Funny to hear you say you bailed on the last afternoon. I was looking for you and wondered where you went - and yes, everyone was aggravated when the leader kept turning us around. I was getting very annoyed trying to follow that mess with no brakes.
Overall, a lot of fun, and more great memories to pack away.
Great event and nice to meet all the new faces even though it was a bit cold in the mornings in a Moke (just add layers LOL).
Thanks to those who posted the videos and pics.
Anyone meet the owners of the fiesta yellow mini from Pennsylvania in the picture link?
I chatted with both of them on more than one occasion but I do not recall their names, if that's what you're after.
Not Fiesta yellow according to Grant from Australia, btw I'm going to get him on this forum, he knows EVERYTHING there is to know about Aussi Minis! And I mean everything!
I just got home from CMU 59, I went from the event down to my daughter's in Hendersonville, NC....the drive down there was uneventful, wish I could say the same for my drive from there to St Louis and my drive home today! I got just west of Nashville on 24 when things ground to a halt and we spent the next 1 1/2 hours parked on the freeway, cars were so bunched up there was no way to move and no exit nearby anyway. There had been t-Storms and I think what happened was a semi slowed due to poor visibility, another slowed behind him and a third plowed into the second (a tanker truck) and the collision drove him into the first one, The engine was torn off the third semi, the back of the tanker was stove in and they life flighted at least one of the drivers (probably the guy from the third one) .
Once they got one lane open and we moved past that things were OK for a good long ways tho I drove thru a lot of rain. About 120 miles from St. Louis we ground to a halt again north of Paducah and again parked on the highway for a good hour and a half. This time there were two wrecks, a semi was parked on the shoulder due to mechanical trouble and another semi hit it, causing it to roll over and demolishing both. The had to life flight one of those drivers too. while traffic was stopped for that one a guy in a Honda apparently didn't realize traffic was stopped and drove under the back of a stopped semi...again the helicopters were called in and we were parked. Not a good day for semis or Hondas.......
This morning while trying to leave St. Louis there was yet another bad wreck on the road I was on, I was to the rear of a 5 1/2 mile parking lot 5 lanes wide but this time I managed to take an exit, then spent the next hour driving thru St. Louis traffic to get back to the highway - it was still faster than waiting tho. Once I got clear of St. Lou things went smoothly, the weather cleared and I made it home OK.
Quote from: MiniDave on April 24, 2018, 12:33:58 PM
Not Fiesta yellow according to Grant from Australia, btw I'm going to get him on this forum, he knows EVERYTHING there is to know about Aussi Minis! And I mean everything!
That'll be great. I'll be excited to pick his brain.
Aww, Interstate adventures. It amazes me how poor drivers are that on a road with multiple lanes and absolutely no traffic signals or stop signs can cause such messes.
I messaged him - the couple's name is Grant and Loray Freeman - on FB, they're still on vacay for another few days then they have the long journey back to Oz, so we may not hear from them for a bit.
Grant will know the name of the owner of the yellow car - which was gorgeous BTW - and if he doesn't Guido will.
Some pics......
More pics......
and more.....
and more......how many do you want to see?
CMU vids keep popping up!
Hands 10 and 2 people.
What understeer?
What, understeer?
;D
The laughing and giggling is the best part of this video, people having fun in Mini is what it's all about! 77.gif
10 and 2. True story. A few years ago my brother was riding with my mom. My brother noticed my mom was driving with her hands at 5 and 7. My brother asks her why she was driving so crazy. Mom said "it's because if you drive at 10 and 2 and get into an accident and the airbag deploys, your thumbs can put your eyes out!"
My brother horse laughed her so hard, she is back to 10 and 2.
Really funny video ... wow her hand was all twisted up!
She downshifted right in the middle of the turn and her hand was still on the lever.....