Classic Minis United - April 18-21, 2018 - Kingsport Tn - Mini 59

[jedduh01]

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!




(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!

[MiniDave]

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! 

[MiniDave]

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......

[jedduh01]

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://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!

[MiniDave]

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.

[jedduh01]

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.

[MiniDave]

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.

[MiniDave]

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.

[MiniDave]

Registration is now open!

http://classicminis.org/mini59/59Registration.pdf

[Fastclown]

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

[jedduh01]

WheW finally did it!     Pre Reg ends 3/16

( and you can also send Paypal, easily! )  as noted in reg form.

[MiniDave]

I'm reg'd, I'll see you there!

[MiniDave]

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....

[Willie_B]

There will be a lot of tools and spare parts around.

[MiniDave]

I doubt I'll need anything, but it might be good to be prepared a bit.

[MiniDave]

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.

[MiniDave]

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!   

[94touring]

Safe travels

[BruceK]

Have a great trip and be safe.

[Willie_B]

See you soon.

[MiniDave]

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.

[94touring]

I found a friend of Bruce's with her car (soon to be a customer, Dan)

For me?

[MiniDave]

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

[94touring]

But does she have lot's of time and money? 

[MiniDave]

I believe she's committed to fixing it, whatever it takes, as long as it's done well and done to last.