Check Out the Challengers

Purchased as a basket-case in 1976 the restoration of our ’51 MG-TD was completed in 1978 with Moss Motors the primary source of parts. With over 50,000 miles since the restoration the TD has been remarkably trouble-free. Our first long-distance run was in 1990 to GOF West at Bend, Oregon where the TD received the Long Distance Award for travelling 3227 miles. Our two problems encountered enroute included a fuel pump failure (we always carry a spare) and gummed-up plugs (too much lead-additive with the introduction of lead-free fuel). In 1996 we participated in the New England MG’T’ Register’s “Run-Around-the-Rock” (Newfoundland)—a 5200 mile round-trip. And in 2000 to celebrate the Millennium we crossed Canada twice—from home in Kitchener, Ontario to Newfoundland then to Vancouver Island, BC on the Pacific Coast before heading home again—over 10,000 miles with only a fuel pump failure and an ignition problem. While attending MG 2006 in Gatlinburg, Tennessee the TD experienced a water pump failure. Thanks to an expedited overnight shipment from Moss we were mobile again the next day and home safely after a 3000 mile run.
This year we are planning a return trip to Newfoundland in the TD’s stablemate – another ’51 TD. We’re looking forward to the trip and the photo opportunities this will provide for the Moss Motoring Challenge. —Wally Stubgen

Here’s a shot of my car today in front of the Jefferson, Texas post office – not very picturesque of a quaint, little tourist town, but it gets my “J” out of the way.
A brief history of my 1958 Metropolitan: I’ve owned it since April 2001 and have done most of the work on it myself. It’s currently sporting an MG axle bearing kit from Moss, two used MG axles—supposedly stronger than Met issue—MGA oil filter, and a bevy of other British parts. I swapped-out the original 4.22 rear gear for a ’79 Midget’s 3.9. I did the body work and primer, but had a shop in Balch Springs, TX paint it for me in 2003. I drive it, but it has a nice space in my garage and lives under a soft cover most of the time. I bought a second Met in 2007, but it’s down to a shell awaiting restoration—it will eventually be red/white. —Gaines Evans

I always enjoy hearing stories from British car owners. I’ve owned my Spitfire for 26 years and I think the Motoring Challenge Scavenger Hunt will be the most fun I will have with my Spitfire in many years. I like to drive to new and interesting places and Taintsville is one of those out-of-the-way spots in Seminole County, Florida. —Don Reynolds

It took a bit for us to get started but this is fun. Yesterday we had 30” of snow in the mountains and today it was in the low 70’s. S was taken in Stillwater, NY next to the Hudson River. After four days of rain, the river was raging. This week, we hope to hit a few states as well. —Erik Gebhardt

Here are two from the frozen North near Bar Harbor, Maine! It was an unusually warm day in early May and so I took my ’73 out of cold storage for an illegal (not insured yet, but don’t tell anybody) spin. My wife looked out for the police with one eye while taking these pictures with the other. Praying for warmer weather. —Blake brown

The weather never warmed up quite enough to drop the top, but we did rack up sixteen points for the Moss Motoring Challenge! My son and I turned the wheels for 204 miles, grabbed some great food at foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains and discovered some great spots hidden in Virginia. It was a good day! Thanks for the motivation, Moss Motors! –Joe Powers

This photo was taken at the Waretown NJ public library. The town of Waretown is a bay town, located on Barnegat Bay just west of Barnegat Inlet, and was settled in 1762. It was a haven for Privateers during the American Revolution. Not more than 10 miles from this spot, the last skirmish of the Revolution took place at Cedar Bridge. The spot in the photo was under water during super storm Sandy. Our area was ground zero for the storms landfall and many of the signs I would like to have used are no longer there, so most of our pictures will be of buildings. This contest is a great idea and we look forward to being a part of it. –Ralph & Janet Knutsen

My daughter and I are enthusiastically working through the lists. She really enjoys the time spent with me in the car, and is always urging me to drive 6-10 hours one way to get the ‘sign we need’. Not that I wouldn’t enjoy the drive, but…Anyhow, these pictures were taken last time we went out, about 150 mile round trip gathering as many as we could for our weekend together. We are embarking on a 600 mile + road trip to Vancouver B.C. next month, and we have seriously altered our route to take us to those different counties and cities we need to take off our list. Thanks for the fun! –Jeff Snow

My son and I have taken on working on the scavenger hunt together. –Jason Records

This is the ultimate “ARE WE THERE YET” sign. 50 miles south of our home in Portland Oregon. A rare car, 1952 Austin A40 Somerset, by a rare sign, at 45th parallel, with my rare wife of 54 years. –Geoff Levear

We have only had our 51 MG TD for a very short time. We have been having fun going on short trips with it here in Southern Arizona and now with the 2013 Motoring Challenge we are looking forward to making longer trips and taking photos. –Eric

May is going to be a very month for us. We will have very little time together so we decided what better way to spend our limited time together than working on the Moss 2013 Motoring Challenge. So, we joined the Kansas City MG Car Club bright and early Saturday morning, on May 4 for the annual SLIM Run to Bolivar, MO. The next morning, we let the club continue on their own and we started our great adventure. We spent the next five days in our fifty year old MG chasing the alphabet. We drove over a thousand miles and ventured into Missouri, Kentucky, and Illinois. During that time, we visited two national forests and the Ozark National Scenic Riverway. We covered over half the alphabet for towns and counties. The weather was crappy most of the time and the motels were less than four stars but we had a great time. –Gerry Cahill

High altitude motoring in Colorado. –Jack and Cathy Knopinski

‘N’ City: North Tonawanda, NY — My beautiful wife and my beautiful 1978 ‘B’ starting our quest. –Guy Harvey

We stopped by the fire trucks in St. Johnsbury, Vermont but they didn’t offer me a wash. We didn’t get as much attention as we got at the State Police barracks, but that’s another story! –Stan Fickes

The Italian Intruder … I was on my way home from Cruise In at the Convo at Ohio University
On the way down to the Cruise In at Ohio University in Athens (oh yes I got the “A” when I left), a 1969 Firebird caught up to me on a flat bit of road. I knew he had to be going to the Cruise In as well. As we continued south we got into some hills and the road got twisty. When I looked in my mirror I saw that I had pulled away from him. At the next straight he repaid the favor and came back up on my tail. We then entered another twisty bit and I pulled away again. We did this back and forth the rest of the way to Athens. We parked next to each other at the event at the event and had a good laugh about it. He told me that my car handled very well but that his was like a battleship. It was nice to have someone to dice it up with a little and I got to meet another car nut. The day ended well as we both won awards and the rain stopped. I got to drive home with the top down.Thanks for adding to the fun of going to & from events this year. –Steve Goudy