LECLAIRE, Iowa – Thomas Trodglen, of Milan, looked over a 1974 Mini Cooper S that was on display Saturday, Aug. 3, at the 37th annual Heartland British Autofest in this community.
He enjoyed the show, but said many of the cars – like that Mini Cooper owned by Jay Thomas of Davenport – didn’t come in his size.
“I don’t even think I can fit in this one. …. This is my first British auto show. I like the cars, but they’re so small. I can’t imagine driving one,” said Mr. Trodglen, who was among hundreds of attendees looking over the classic vehicles during the show hosted by the Quad City British Auto Club.
That show attracted about 75 British-made vehicles on a sunny, hot Saturday afternoon on the LeClaire Levee. The vehicles included a wide variety of classic cars, such a 1955 Bentley, a 1964 Triumph, a 1959 Lotus and a 1968 Jaguar, to name just a few.
Quad City British Auto Club (QCBAC) officials said they were happy with the turnout and the vehicles at the show.
“The quality of cars here today has been great. There’s a lot of super nice cars here,” Mike Burkart, the club’s secretary, said during Saturday’s show. He added the quality of vehicles was so good, it created a tough job for club members to decide the show’s award winners.
The Best of Show Award went to the 1929 MG 18/80 owned by Dennis and Crystal Klemm.
The QCBAC also honored its top 20 vehicles and owners at the show. Those awards, in no particular order, went to: Dennis Clark, owner of a 1968 Jaguar XKE FHC; Sean and Cindy Frey, owners of a 1962 Austin Healey 3000 Mark II BT7; Fred Goetisch, owner of 1947 MG TC; Don Grosenick, owner of a 1967 Morris Minor Traveler; Peter Mond, owner of a 1955 Bentley S-1; Mike Burkart, owner of a 1959 MG MGA; Steven Fowler, owner of a 1951 MG TD; Lewis Moore, owner of a 1962 Triumph TR3 B; Chuck McGuire, owner of a 1959 Triumph TR3A; Glenn Barickman, owner of 1975 Triumph TR6; Mike Burkart, owner of a 1960 AH Sprite Mark 1; John Freitag, owner of a 1962 MG MGA; Ken Katch, owner of a 1963 Austin Mini Countryman; David Hauman, owner of a 1970 Jaguar E-Type Roadster; Chris Diekman, owner of a 1973 Triumph TR6; Ron Radeke, owner of a 1967 Sunbeam Alpine V; Carl Jamison, owner of 1964 Triumph TR4; Daniel Stratman, owner of a 1974 MG MGB–GT; Jim Ellard, owner of a 1974 Triumph TR6; and Gary Springer, owner of a 1962 Austin Healey 3000 BT7.
One of the other top-quality cars on display was a 1977 yellow MGB convertible. The car was partially covered by a big black and yellow umbrella during much of the show to protect it from the sun.
The vehicle is owned by Matt Smith of Bettendorf, who was happy to talk about British cars and why they have a special place in his heart. He said he got interested in the MGBs a few years ago when his father had him test drive one. “I couldn’t get the smile off my face. … They’re just really fun cars,” he said about the small cars.
Even though owning British cars can be a very expensive hobby, Mr. Smith said he got a good deal on his 1977 MGB, and has an understanding wife. “Well, we’re both Iowa Hawkeye fans, and it’s yellow. … So, she said I could buy it,” he added.
Another car owner, Dennis Clark of Muscatine, Iowa, was showing his 1968 dark blue Jaguar.
For Mr. Clark, owning and restoring the classic car has been a quest years in the making. He bought the Jaguar in 1983, and started restoration work on it about 10 years ago. “And I just got it completed from that restoration work three months ago,” he said.
The Muscatine man added that owning a Jaguar has been one of his dreams for much of his life. “I always wanted one of these, even in high school. … I finally had the opportunity to get in back in 1983,” he added.
Other car owners also had stories about their cars and why they are passionate about the vehicles. Many of those stories were displayed on the vehicles during the show. For instance, a 1974 green MG car owned by Terry Kinsey of Burlington, Wisconsin, had this sign on it: “This is my MG. There are many like it, but this one is mine.”
Another vehicle, a 1971 MGB Roadster owned by Adam Goodwin of Colona, Illinois, had much of its history on display at the show as it had a certified copy of the factory record on the car’s windshield. That record stated the car was built on Feb. 16-17, 1971, and dispatched on Feb. 24 of that year. Its equipment included wire wheels, heater, whitewall tires and a cigar lighter.
The history, quality and variety of cars were a big hit to the many Brit vehicle fans at the Saturday show. But for many of the fans, the cars were great to see, but maybe just a bit too small.
“I’m telling you, I still can’t fit into these cars,” said Mr. Trodglen.
