Vintage Motoring

Phil Hill, champion and gentleman of motorsport.

It’s sad news when a man who was hero to thousands, and a gentleman to boot, passes away. We faced this unfortunate inevitability on August 28 of this year when Phil Hill, champion and legend of motorsport, left us. There are hundreds of places where a person can read biographies and recollections about the man, so I won’t bother trying to write my own. My meager attempts wouldn’t do his legacy justice anyway. But one after another as I read such stories from his friends, strangers and even fellow competitors, I found no mention of a man who was anything less than a person anyone could look up to and aspire to be like. Although I never met him, I have seen him race and will never forget it. I will also never forget reading that he owned a Model T as well as an MG TC, both of which I also own. The man had good taste! Phil will be missed by many, including me.

Pat Moss (right) poses with her co-driver Anne Wisdom.

Today another automotive great left us, and although she is not as famous or recognizable to most as Phil Hill is, she is certainly deserving of recognition. Pat Moss (pictured on right in the photo) was a successful rally driver at a time when women were not supposed to be successful rally drivers. She helped pioneer the way for other women to not only enter the sport but to be accepted and even excel at their craft. Pat led an interesting life, part of which is chronicled on a page at THIS LINK.

Lately it seems that too many of the truly great people of the 20th century have passed. I like to think that when heroes of auto racing’s past die, they go to the great racetrack in the sky where the tarmac is firm and fuel is free. Each time one of these legends leaves us, it reminds us to learn what we can from them while we have the chance.

This post is a bit late since the “new and improved” forums have been online for a while now, but better late than never. The forum software has gone through a major update and design change. The basic functions work the same, but you will notice changes in the layout and added functionality. Hopefully everyone will find the new software easier to use and more pleasing to the eye. The layout and visual aspects are still being worked on and may take some time to complete.

Other than being more secure and streamlined in operation, you may also notice many improved features. Some of these features are the ability to embed Youtube videos directly into your post, more easily manage attachments and a more powerful user control panel where you can manage your account, private messages, topic subscriptions and more.

Ok, enough with the technical babble. Check out the forums and drop a note in the “Feedback Forum” to let me know what you like and dislike about the new software. It’s your site after all… I just work here!

This change to the site has been a long time coming while pros and cons were considered. As of today it is finally official that So Cal British Motoring has been renamed to Vintage Motoring! Our events have always drawn non-British classics and it seems only right to include them in our online discussions as well as to offer them the same resources as for British cars. We’re all classic car nuts and share the same passion for our hobby. In local matters, what benefits a ’61 Porsche will benefit a ’74 Triumph! We are all in this together, and as a group we can make Southern California’s classic car community even stronger!

Nothing has changed in the forums. Everything works as always and even the old look remains for now. The look of the forum will be changed eventually to match the rest of the new site, which should be a great improvement over the questionable visual styling of the current one. What can I say, I’m not a graphic design artist!

I hope everyone enjoys the newly expanded site. Feel free to post any feedback or suggestions in the discussion forums!

California Bill to Require ANNUAL Emissions Tests for Vehicles 15-Years Old and Older Dead for the Year

In a major victory for enthusiasts in California, the Senate Appropriations Committee rejected SAN-opposed legislation (A.B. 616) that threatened to require annual Smog check inspections for vehicles 15-years old and older. After having been approved previously by the full California Assembly and the Senate Transportation Committee, the bill is dead for the year.

“Car clubs and individual hobbyists across the state loudly and forcefully objected to passage of this bill,” said SEMA Vice President of Government Affairs Steve McDonald. “Ultimately, the lawmakers in Sacramento heard their message.”

Read more in the forums >>>

Improvements have been made to most of the existing pages and a few new ones have been added. An image gallery is now available and albums are being uploaded. Navigation has also been improved so hopefully the site is as simple and easy to use as possible.

The forums are still being integrated into the new site, and while the look is still the same as the old forum it remains fully functional. Sometime in the near future there will be a major software upgrade made to the forums which will result in an interruption of their availability. It should be minimal however, and if all goes well it will be a worthwhile project.

The Vintage Motoring website has existed several times in different formats, but a final design is now online for testing. Further development continues while I add new features and refine the look, feel and operation of the site. We should be in full business soon!

For now, those who know of the site’s existence are invited to browse the various sections and use the “Contact” page to give suggestions. Happy motoring!