Miles Reid Poster

[Gene Gillam]

I just received "The Great Getaway Cars - Series Profile Plate No. 1" Miles Reid poster I won (?) on eBay - and on it was a description of a TC I just had to share with the group - it was written by a Joe Giordano who had to have owned a TC at some time to have captured it in words so exquisitely. Although it's longer than a lot of the posts here it's worth reading to the very end - he has captured the very essence of the car I love: ******************************************************************* "You'll never see an old man in a TC. The unwritten law governing roadways from 1945 to 1949 wouldn't permit it. Youth is not an option with the TC. It's a must. The minute you're in it, a kindly breeze erases the creases in your forehead and the hair you haven't seen since your Junior Prom is suddenly fodder for the four winds again. Your muscles may be gone, but you 've been blessed with a new body by Morris of Coventry. A body no one could ever quite appreciate: the TC is a man's car born of an era when men were men who commanded their vehicles. And women were women who thought the TC rather cute, but quite impractical for the kiddies. And impractical they were, uncomfortable too. Two rather slender gentlemen could be accommodated quite nicely. And, though easy on petrol, the TC was not an easy rider. It mirrored every pit in the pavement, every nuance on the road. Rough on the rear? You bet? And yet, one ride down one country lane, rubbed by generations of wheels to sensual smoothness made magic. And men called it TC. In retrospect, the motor car, in general, and the TC in particular were as innocent and as immune to sophistication as the years that spawned them. Born of a War fought on principles, not politics, they were na ve almost to a fault. And America with all its enthusiasm intact was eager to give them a home. And among the welcoming committee were the yankee heroes of World War II. They had seen the MG in action in its native habitat. And were anxious to perform in their postwar TC's for the natives. The MGTC was the first great getaway car to cross the ocean and open up the highways to the classic European invasion. Before the TC rode out of the Morris Garages (long for MG) there were just the Ford and Chevy - domestic in every sense of the word. While the TC was foreign, yet familiar, British by design, American by desire. No other could compare with this welcome intruder. At once, the TC is athletic and courtly, ageless in a time sphere where time doesn't matter at all. If it were just made last year, the TC would obliterate everything made before or after it because it is the definitive sportscar. Linear from any angle there are no curves to detract from the purity of design or the honesty of purpose. The TC is today, yesterday, and tomorrow. All things to all men whatever their age or station. To ride one is to recapture youth on the highways; to own one is to own youth forever." ******************************************************************** I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did. Gene Gillam Saucier, MS TC 7872 XPAG 8659

[AJChalmers@aol.com]

In a message dated 12/5/01 5:54:31 PM Pacific Standard Time, anngene@bellsouth.net writes:

The Great Getaway Cars - Series Profile Plate No. 1 I wonder if this is the guy described at this address:

http://www.maef.org/bdgiordano.htm The car was owned by a photographer of note, Reid Miles. I've mentioned him and his car here before, it has a TR3 engine and was clearly a personalized vehicle. I think it looks smashing!

[Gene Gillam]

The Joe Giordano piece on the TC is the best expression of what a TC is I have seen. Thanks for putting it on the TABC website. I Bought my first TC in '52 while working in the Irish-Fergus pit crew at Sebring. Only kept for a short time as being somewhat impecunious and about to get married, was forced to sell it. Bought my second, and current, TC in '54. Drove it from Columbus Ohio to Florida in '57 and also to Watkins Glen the same year. Returned to Watkins Glen in '98 with the same wife and the same two Pirelli tires from '54. in the same TC. Have been to Alexandria Bay, and Rochester also. Drove to St. Paul this year after a new pair of Dunlop's became necessary. A flat tire brought a nearly bald Pirelli spare back onto the ground for another 1000 miles. Also drove to GOF Central at French Lick Indiana. Trips have not been without a variety of problems, but the car has always completed trips without being hauled home. Generally run at about 3700 to 4000 RPM as that is as fast as most others are willing to run. Have run at 5200 to 5500 indicated for 20 mile or so on occasion. Couldn't hear the noise from the passenger seat as the wind noise was rather high and the hearing aids were turned down. Turned 75 this year and expect to continue enjoying the TC for some time to come. Thanks again for the Joe Giordano piece. Bob Watts TC 6557

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I received the above from Bob Watts, read and loved it, and requested he let me share it with the group. Graciously he let me with the following concern: "Sorry to be so long replying to your last E Mail. You may feel my brief comments are worth sharing, but I am quite sure there are many others with many more road miles in a TC than I have. For example T owners that took in the NEMGTR Ocean to Ocean trip a few years back are likely to have many good yarns to relate. I would rather not clutter the TABC site with trivia, And I suspect it might generate better stories than mine. So go ahead and share it with the hope it wont cause too many to cancel their TABC use."

Friends, these little cars are all about history, trips, races, and their drivers. If there's one thing I would love to see more of is how we, the owners, relate to them. I find it hard to believe that there's anyone on the list who would complain about reading something that Bob sent me - and I wish more of you would share your love of the cars with the group.

My two cents.

Gene Gillam Saucier, MS TC7872 XPAG 8659