In a departure from prior years, I decided to drive over to the Car Show in Oxnard on Sunday morning. I knew Steve and Pat McHarris would be there as they were driving down from San Jose on Saturday. Phil Caliva and Dex Kaytis had mentioned they would be there during the Saturday morning get together at the United Artists Theater. So of I went heading west on the 134/101 Fwy with the morning sun at my back and the 3000 running like a top. Heading over the pass into Camarillo I passed a nice ’67 Sunbeam Alpine and we waved to each other good" naturedly. I exited at Pleasant Valley and cut across the agricultural area on a diagonal until hitting Hwy 1. North one exit and then onto Channel Islands Blvd for the run to the harbor. Just ahead of me I spied a small group of Healey’s also headed to the show. It was Corkey and Lupita Holt in his one owner BJ8, Greg Aden in his black Bug Eye, and Dex and Peggy Kaytis in their yellow loaner" Bug Eye. As we all got situated in the Healey paddock the McHarris’ showed up with their Red 1960 Bug Eye, followed by Bruce Marrs and Susan Motander in “Tigger”, their Orange square" body Sprite and new member Emil Joseph with his Baby" Blue Bug Eye with white hardtop. Then Bill Hoyt arrived in his 100, the class winner from last year, and was parked in the Premier class paddock. Russ Thompson and Joyce Maeda in Russ’ black hardtop rounded out our group, that is, until Phil Caliva roared up in his “Nasty Boy” after having a ?at and getting towed to his shop where he changed tires. We were joined by Healey’s from Simi Valley, Goleta, Oxnard, and Thousand Oaks.
This year the show was celebrating 60 years of the MGA and the TR3. There were more MGA’s in one place than I can remember and the TR3’s were a dream to look at. There were also MGB’s and C’s; TR4’s, TR6’s and the odd Spit?re and 250; lots of Jaguars and a few other marques, like Sunbeam, Mini, Morris, Rover, and Lotus. In the rarities paddock you could gaze on an AC Bristol, a Cobra, and an Aston Martin DB4.
As the sun came out so did the crowds. We had a visit from past" president George McHarris and his wife. George was driving modern; his 100 was having head problems; plus it’s a long drive from Las Vegas. Then the group was surprised to see Ron Fine stroll up. Ron was showing his MGB with a For Sale sign and was lucky enough to ?nd a buyer with cash" in"hand.
After performances by the Highland Pipe Band and dancers the awards were announced. In the Sprite Class, Steve McHarris took First Place, with dad George accepting the award. The Big Healey class was won by Dave DeLorie from Goleta with his 1966 BJ8 and second place went to Jim Heit from Simi Valley with his really nice Concours BJ7. Bill Hoyt and his 100 won First Place in the Premier class.
All in all a great show, a nice day with friends and car lovers, and a not so nice toasty ride home.