East Anglia Region - Newsletter December 2005 - my last one

[route66]

Hi all,


Again, we’re at the end of another year. How time seems to have flown recently. Due to global warming and several people running large V8 engines, we’ve enjoyed some fine cobra weather and have had plenty of opportunities for open top motoring and socialising with friends.
As usual, we’ve had a fine complement of members and their cars at our meetings, runs and overseas visits. A number of you, have spent many long hours in your garages and much money with the kit car suppliers, have completed your cars and hit the highways and byways of East Anglia. Also some of us who may not be entirely content with cars as they were originally built, have continued to adapt, modify, tune, improve and fiddle with their pride and joy.
As well as our monthly meets, we also visited local and national shows and events, track days and the annual pilgrimage to Le Mans for the 24 hour race.


Sadly, this newsletter not only brings this year to an end, but also my tenure as your regional rep for the national CRC. Having delved back through my previous newsletters, I’m surprised to find that I’ve been typing away on my keyboard, giving my views, some news and some general rambling for just short of 6 years now. You’ve followed my progress and trauma with the car, been sympathetic and didn’t laugh too much when I stuffed it into my own front hedge, you’ve been very quick to offer to grease various parts of mine, whether or not it was desperately needed at that point in time and you’ve always been there with fabulous pubs, restaurants and venues for us to visit. I’ll miss your phone calls with your suggestions, advice, and long and rambling chats about highly technical and mysterious bits of your build. I’ll be sad not to write the newsletter, having spent hours pouring over the Good Beer guide for foody type pubs with a large car park. You’ve let me waffle on about my chickens, my non drinking months, and my joy with my various other cars (especially my wonderful Trans Am). However, I didn’t want to give up the role of regional rep and let the club slide into oblivion, so I’ve hunted around for someone who exhibits the same type of technical passion, enthusiasm and drive that Steve and I both do, and I think that I’ve found a worthy successor…

Andy Soar has (finally) volunteered (been press ganged) to jump into the hot seat, organise the meets, and events, and impress you with his sparkling wit and repartee in future newsletters. I’m sure you’ll give Andy as much support as you’ve given me. So, from next month, it’s over to Andy so please continue to feed the rep with all of the amazing tips and tricks about managing these growling beasties. I’ll leave it to Andy to give out his contact details and email address next month. I’ll still go to meets though, I’ll be there, in the corner of the bar at meets now, having a chance to chat to you all properly and not zipping around “being the rep” and looking important…

At home, we’re continuing our house modifications. We now have a new retiled roof and have internal walls upstairs, roughed in wiring and rudimentary en suite bathrooms. As many people have said, “It’ll be nice when it’s finished”. At least it’s warm now, after 5 weeks without heating or hot water whilst the tanks were being moved. Such luxury.
Suffice to say, the Dax is ‘resting’ in the garage – well, with scaffolding blocking the garage door, there’s little chance of us going out for a winter drive in it for the foreseeable future. However, it’s something else to look forward to though.

…..and so, to this month’s meet on Sunday 18th December. I suggest a meet in Hadleigh, west of Ipswich on the A1071. Parallel to the high street in Magdelan Road is a car park where we could ‘assemble’ at 11:00, prior to taking the Suffolk back roads to the Crown at the Ardleigh Interchange of the A12 and A120, just outside Colchester, for 12:00.
The Crown is one of those pubs where pre-booking is not required, they give you a ‘wooden spoon’ when you’ve selected your table – mines the one by the roaring fire!

Anyway, for now, Steve and I wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a boozy New Year and we will see you in January.

Thanks to all you cobrateers, we’ll see you on the road to the pub.
That’s it from me now, it’s been fun. It’s also been really hard work sometimes, but on the plus side, I’ve made lots of new friends during my six years as rep, and given Steve a new hobby too. Take care, and thank you very much for your valuable contributions over the years.
Eileen
Call me on 01206 863804, or mail me at "route66@pgen.net"

[john cohen]

Goodbye eileen and steve . Thanks for doing a greate job. I hope you have a great christmas . And have a rest from working on your house. See you at some meets hopfuly. :thumb: