By Erik Jordan
Denver, NC, March 4
The weather for our 2nd visit to Elite Vehicle Restorations in Denver (of the east) started out a bit on the chilly side, 32* F, but thankfully the cold wind we experienced the day before was absent. Like last time, we started from Arby's in Hickory, on time, and proceeded to the second rendezvous point just off I-40 in Claremont to pick up the folks from the eastern side of Catawba County. Save for my Morgan experiencing a short tantrum of the carburetor flooding variety while on I-40, the trip was uneventful. If I'm not mistaken, our caravan included 13 motorcars with a couple of others meeting us at the EVR shop. As time went along, the weather progressively got warmer. The trip took us through the town of Catawba, past Murray's Mill, down Sherrill's Ford Road where we turned onto Slanting Bridge Road which carried us to Highway 16. Once on NC 16, it was a short ride south to the EVR shop in Denver.
As I mentioned, this was our second visit so in a sense it was like "old home week". Seth Lehman, proprietor, and his capable staff, including Amy Collingnon met us at our arrival. Once the greetings were done and all the folks had finished wandering about the shop looking at the current project, we started bringing our cars in, one at a time, for a complimentary under carriage spring check up. Seth and his mechanic pried and prodded pulled and pushed the bits and pieces that make up the parts of our cars that we rarely get to see, namely the steering components. You know, ball joints, steering boxes, springs and A-arms. They also checked universal joints for movement and listened for noises in the rear ends. On one car, John Adamson's MGB, they found a fuel tank leak that save for some screw in the side of the tank, half the petrol would have leaked out. When all the cars had been inspected, Seth and his crew proceed to grill some burgers and hot dog for our lunch. It was great for them to feed us and we were all very thankful for the sustenance that would see us until suppertime.
Right before we departed, Amy and our Kathy Ahrendt took a group photo to be shared as a keepsake memento. Members on the trip included Mike Rhyne (tin top), David Ault (Bug eye), John Adamson (MGB), Harley and Margie Blodgett (TR 3), Mike Outen Jr. and Sr. (Mazda Miata), Corky and Pricilla Guenther (Mazda Miata), Dean Sprague and Neil Martin (MGTD), Steve Monroe (late model Camero), Bill Baird (Austin-Healey), Ken Luterbach (TR 6), David Poe (MGA), a guest (MGB) and yours truly (Morgan +8). Gary Shaver was with us at the start of the trip but pulled out before we left Hickory due to a random noise that caused him some concern. I was informed later that it was a minor issue and was soon taken care of. It was a nice day for a nice ride. These are the types of adventures that folks in British cars are wont to have.
