Reflections

[markiii]

Well it's been an odd month what with the change of ROC Committee and my baby off to her knew home (oddly with another Mark  :-) :-) :-) ) in Scotland.

Although only 7 years have passed, it seems a very long time ago that I set off to Derby to collect a 51 Plate Sahara Sun Roadster.

Having been sold on the concept of the MR2 by a workmate with a MK1 some years before and always having wanted a convertible the Mk3 seemed a logical choice, even if many were convinced I wouldn't keep her long due to the practicality.

My first test drive had been in a Yellow one oddly enough, during a very cold January whilst snowing and of course with the roof down. The salesman thought I was clinically insane (ok he may have had a point) but since I new that's how she would get driven if I bought one it was a no brainer. The test drive did nothing to convince me otherwise so the plan was set.

Having owned her for not even a year and having attended only a couple of meets in the clubs early days, it was with surprise I found myself a part of the group that became ROCs first Committee.

With no experience of car clubs, and no real idea what we were doing (somethings don't change)  we set out on the road to make ROC the club we new it could be.

Over the years I've had some great fun, Treasure Hunts, Weekends away, Trackdays. Met some great people many whom have become really great mates in the real world as well as online. Had a lot of stress, namely organising 6 successive JAEs, my favourite still has to be 2003, having visited TTE at the Essen motorshow (Fabulous roadtrip included) we convinced them to bring the TTE Turbo Prototype  over to JAE for us. I think we drove it that year even before the Press had got their hands on it. Even more gratifying when they agreed to bring the half a million pound one off prototype Street Affair with them, and left it in our custody in the middle of a field at Billing for the weekend   s:shock: :shock: s:shock:   (Nervous? Us? You better believe it  :-) :-) :-) ). And had some surreal moments, who would have thought a GB would end up with a total value of $14000, certainly not me, nor the guys in the US fulfilling it.

I've learnt a lot as well,  never having got my hands dirty on a car until the Roadster, the information and knowledge within the club, and the support both virtually and from fellow spanner monkeys who've spent as much time in my garage as myself over the years. Has me to the point where I don't consider an engine swap, gearbox exchange or turbo install a hard job (mental note though there is no such thing as a 5 minute job). Now thats progress from 7 years ago   s:D s:D  . For anyone in the position I was back then, you can do it, but moral support doesn't half help.

Hopefully I've managed to share as much as I've learned back to you guys in return.

And so the rides coming to an end, a new Committee are in post, the car has gone (and yes I shed a tear as she disappeared down the road  s:( s:(  ). And already I feel a little lost. A testament to how much the club and car has dominated my life for the last 7 years.

I'll be sticking around because I still find this the best club I've ever joined, and I've every confidence the current Committee will do justice to the faith we have collectively put in them.

But I thought this as good a time as any to say thanks to all of you past and present for making the last 7 years a fabulous experience, it truly has been a pleasure.

To quote a favourite film, "To Internal Combustion, and Wind in the face"  s:bounce: :bounce: s:bounce: