The Austin Seven Clubs Association

 

A7CA meeting Sunday 15th January 2012 at Gaydon

Read the summary of the meeting here, or download the full version of the minutes.

Our Winter Meeting at Gaydon was very well attended with 28 attendees from 14 Clubs and Registers.This compares well with the annual average I calculated last year of 25 – perhaps triggered by Dave Orange's point made at our last meeting and hopefully to be re-enforced by my little piece in the current Mag. Bernard Cowley reckoned the Association was in good shape and working well and Ian confirmed that we now have 64 Clubs and Registers – down one due to the sad death of Pierre Borgano and the consequent demise of Amicale A7 de Provence. Also announced was the sad demise of Keith Nelson, Membership Secretary of the PWA7C. Meeting offered condolences to both families.

John Wyett Hon. Treasurer reported that the Association finances were still in good shape, though 2012 was expected to make some inroads into our surplus with Warwick and our Le Mans entry.

Stuart Phillips SWA7C advised that their Club was developing a Website and the Meeting encouraged them, and any other Club Websites, to link with our own Association Site via our 'Web-Mistress' Ilke Cochrane.

Hazel could not join us as Edward was scheduled for major surgery but wished us all well and reported a November/December income of £1415 for advertising – Meeting thanked her for her great contribution to the Association and offered best wishes to them both.

Phil Baildon provided his usual fascinating and much-appreciated update on our Association Archives comprising no less than 8 varied topics including drawings, posters and oiling charts.

In addition, the Meeting gratefully accepted the offer of Graham Baldock Essex/Dorset A7Cs to get his excellent A3 Display Sheet of representative A7s reproduced in a non-laminated form for the A7CA Archives and free distribution to all Warwick Entrants. Meeting thanked Graham for this nice initiative.

In terms of 'Support to Clubs', the Breakdown Register is now fully distributed, the 2012 Chassis Register is in preparation, as is the new Red Cross Guide and yet another great 'Grey Book' is winging its way to you all. Grateful thanks to Gordon Philips, Sandy Croall/Hayden Morgan/Dave Wilcox, Bob Cross/Dave Waller, Robin Boyce and Les & Joy Gammon was expressed by the Meeting.

Regarding the 'Grey Book', Peter Youles A7OC some time ago nobly put all the A7CA Mags on a Master DVD and offered to have copies made – the Meeting thanked Peter for his efforts and requested 250 copies for free distribution to each Club and Register with the balance to be held for sale in the Association Archives.

It was also noted that several overseas Clubs received NO copy of our Great Mag so depriving their members of a wonderful source of A7 information and interest – such Clubs were strongly urged to contact Ian to remedy this!.

The A7CA Annual Calendar of Events has once again been produced through the efforts of Bernard Griffiths and Club Secretaries and is distributed with the Mag. Meeting offered a huge vote of thanks to Bernard for all his work on this – recognizing that all our other efforts would be pretty pointless if we "don't use 'em !"

Celebration Events for 90th Birthday of the A7 – notified for 2012 were:
1 April Austins to Brighton A7OC
7 - 11 April JOGLE N. Herts 750 MC & Partners
22 April Drive It Day – Brum On-Line A7C
12 - 27 May Eurotour – 'Alpine Amble' 750MC N. Herts
18 - 19 May
 'Netherlands JOGLE' Dutch Pre-War A7C
2 - 3 June
 50th Anniversary 'AutoKarna' PWA7C
30 June - 1 July 50th National Rally at Beaulieu 750 MC
20 - 23 July A7 90th Birthday Celebration A7CA
1 - 2 September Pennine Run PWA7C
1 - 5 October Australian National Rally A7C Australia
details in minutes

For our own 90th Birthday Association Celebration at Warwick School 20 - 22 July 2012:

A comprehensive update was presented noting that the entrants was approaching 100 cars but ALL not yet registered are urged to do so NOW to assist detailed planning – Entry Forms in 2012A and attached to the Minutes.

Significant aspects included: an Anniversary Bottle Label designed by Graham Baldock, Goody Bags and Souvenir Programme well under way thanks to Chris Chubb/Howard Annett and Ed Waugh respectively, more sponsorship thanks to Hazel Gore, run will comprise a 'Scatter Event' by Brem Bremner & Midlands A7C, some very special display cars (subject to insurance), Registers booking contact Jim Blacklock, for Club Stands it's Chris Garner, Autojumbles/Trade Stands call David Cochrane.

A couple of restrictions – sadly no dogs due to School hygiene rules and electric hook-ups only for disabled. All ideas for VIP Guests to Ian please. Some single-room School-type accommodation available – contact Ian.

We noted that Peter Butler has successfully entered for Classic Le Mans 2012.

And that PWA7C has produced some great A7 Calendars – from Dave Wilcox at £2.25 for Clubs and £4 for individuals.

Finally, much media interest reported in our 90th A7 Anniversary – watch this space!

Next meeting at A7CA Archive Centre Lubenham Leics
on Sunday 15th April 2012

Ian Mason-Smith
Secretary Austin Seven Club's Association

Download

Full minutes January 2012