Welcome to Issue 12, June 2012. Twelve issues equals two year’s worth of magazines – it seems like only yesterday that Issue 1 ‘hit the streets’; reminds me of something funny I saw the other day (I think on the tabc site) as follows:
Growing up is optional, growing old is obligatory.
I posted the following message on the ‘News’ section of the website on 18th April:
“Sometime during the past week we passed the 2,000 milestone for subscribers to TTT 2. At the time of writing we have 975 members. A subscriber is defined as somebody who has ‘signed up’ to be notified by e-mail whenever a new issue of TTT 2 is launched. A member is defined as somebody who has registered in order to be able to access certain sections of the site – e.g. Publications, Membership Benefits.
The number of downloads recorded for the current issue of TTT 2 (April) is just over 1,200. The difference between this number and the number of subscribers is explained by the fact that many subscribers prefer to read TTT 2 by clicking on the individual articles under the Contents button on the left hand side of the TTT 2 screen.
A digitally printed full colour version of TTT 2 is available on subscription – the Editor will be pleased to forward details to interested parties.”
At the time of writing (2nd May) we are but 3 away from 1,000 members and well over the 2,000 mark for subscribers.
The price of petrol (average price in UK is around £1.40/litre = £6.36/Imperial Gallon = £5.30/US Gallon, which converts to $8.62/US Gallon at current exchange rates) is definitely having a deterrent effect on classic car gatherings in the UK. I noticed from a quick read of a recent issue of Classic Car Weekly that some clubs have cancelled their national event for the coming season. One club has downsized from three days to two in a move designed to save costs. We shall have to wait and see what level of support is forthcoming but as austerity is being heaped upon us in ever increasing doses, the omens are not good!
The current fuel tanker drivers’ industrial dispute in the UK has focussed attention in some quarters on the fast disappearing independent petrol stations. It is estimated that between 250 and 300 are closing every year and the cause is quite simply down to economics. This is brought into sharp focus when one considers that out of a total of approximately 8,500 filling stations in the UK, the supermarkets, with just over 1300 sites, are fast approaching 50% of total sales. The “pile it high and sell it cheap” style of marketing is obviously not confined to grocery, but of course the grocery sales also benefit as the cash-strapped punters are attracted to the supermarkets to fill up and then do the weekly shop.
I suppose that one comes across a “bad apple” in all walks of life. Unfortunately I have to record one that is closer to home. A TTT 2 ‘hard’ copy subscriber strung me along for far too long with a tale of hardship. This person owed subscriptions from the first issue and at the beginning of January 2012 I had to tell him that unless I received his overdue subscriptions, the January magazine would be the last he would receive. No payment was forthcoming. I know a couple of owners close to where he lives and will acquaint them with the details.
There might have been one “bad apple” but there are over 2,000 “good eggs”!
This issue contains an extra four pages and I’m pleased to be able to provide them. Last year I would have been worried about the extra printing cost, but this year, due to the very healthy state of the finances which have been transformed by donations received over and above the cost price of spares sold (in particular the polyurethane suspension bushes) I am far more relaxed about things. It’s not that I have become profligate – far from it – but that extra ‘cushion’ is really helpful to me.
Brian Rainbow has asked me to give some publicity to the Pre-War Prescott event on Saturday 21st July. There was a really good turnout of TAs last year and you can read about the event, see the photograph of the TAs and download an entry form from the following website: prewarprescott.com
Unfortunately I won’t be able to make the Prescott event because I am booked to attend the Silverstone Classic on that weekend. I shall be going with my brother in his Morgan. The website is silverstoneclassic.com. I haven’t been to Silverstone since I left the MG Car Club two years ago and it will be nice to go back there.
Just to let you know that postal charges have increased massively (the postage on the TTT 2 ‘hard’ copies that I send to European destinations has increased by 88%). Fortunately, we have bought ahead and will be holding our regalia postage prices.
Finally, just enough space to say that son, Stephen has asked me to let you know that he’s off on 11th May to Tanzania to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. He’s trying to raise some funds for a local charity, Weston Hospicecare, so if you would like to support a worthy cause you can donate via the website he has built for the trip at climbingmountkilimanjaro.org – thanks!
JOHN JAMES
DISCLAIMER BY THE EDITOR
Totally T-Type 2 is produced totally on a voluntary basis and is available on the website www.ttypes.org on a totally FREE basis. Its primary purpose is to help T-Type owners through articles of a technical nature and point them in the direction of recommended service and spares suppliers.
Articles are published in good faith but I cannot accept responsibility or legal liability and in respect of contents, liability is expressly disclaimed.