July 2024 Club Meeting

St Johns Austin-Healey Club
Jacksonville, Florida

a chapter of the

Austin-Healey Club of America

St. Johns Austin Healey Club Minutes for July 1, 2024

The monthly SJAHC member meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by President Bill Young, who, with wife Judy, hosted the evening meeting at their riverside home in Switzerland. Among members attending were a couple of fresh faces, Roy and Debbie Brant, who were visiting from Palm Coast. Also there were Bill and Char Maroney, Tom and Linda Carollo, Tony Martini and Ron Keysor. The Switzerland location an unincorporated community that straddles Rt. 13 (San Jose Blvd.) south of Mandarin.

The minutes of the June 3 meeting were approved. Treasurer Paul Sandifer and wife Judy were unable to attend because Paul underwent a medical procedure earlier in the day. His monthly report, sent to all members prior to the meeting, was detailed by Bill Young. The club’s bank balance stands at $$$$$. The expenses during the month included $50 for rental of the Spring Park pavilion in Green Cove Springs for British Car Rendezvous II on June 8 and $49.78 for a luncheon at a tech session hosted by Ron Keysor on June 22.

Membership Chair Maroney reported the addition of a new club member, Rob Strum, bringing current membership to 35. New members include Rob Sturm and Hans Knoepfel. Hopefully more will be forthoming about them in the future, and ditto on encouraging their sharing in club activities.

Bill Young talked about this fall’s Austin Healey Club of America Conclave being held at Road America this fall in Wisconsin, his home state. Of course he and Judy are attending, including the three-day Healey track event at the well-known race track. He said the primary hotel for the year’s major event for AHCA, our parent organization, has sold out, indicating a minimum of more than 200 planning to attend. Visit the AHCA web site for more information.

Briefly mentioned was the tech session at Ron Keysor and Elaine Weistock’s home on River Road in Orange Park attended by Bill Y., Bill M., Tony Martini, Paul Sandefer and the host. The activity was an effort to reduce the idle on Ron’s ’60 BN7 and fiddling the choke on Bill Maroney’s BJ8. It was pretty light fare compared with past shop meets.

As a founding member of the SJAHC, Bill Young proposed that the club hold a 50th anniversary celebration on Sept. 28. He has identified and secured permission to use the 18-car auto museum owned by Bill Warner, the founder of the prestigious Amelia Island Concours that he managed for 26 years. Incidentally, our Bill Young judged at that event each year. The Amelia Island car show with a couple of attendant offshoots is now owned by the Michigan-based Hagerty firm known to most of us as an auto insurer. Bill Warner has offered the use of his museum and will be asked to attend and, hopefully, give one of his popular speeches on the automotive world that has brought him much fame.

In addition to the anniversary celebration, Bill Young, after polling club officers, has arranged for the production of a custom-made car badge to commemorate the club’s 50 years. The club will provide $1,200, the estimate for manufacture of badges for all club members with a proviso still under discussion. Because SJAHC includes a number of members who pay dues but rarely, if ever attend club activities, how will those members who want one of the handsome badges obtain them. Stay tuned.

Activities chair Tony Martini mentioned that the Healey club he belonged to in the Richmond, VA, area before coming to Florida has successfully held regular luncheons at designated times over the years. He will be investigating bringing that idea to SJAHC, which include finding a relatively convenient and desirable dining spot in the Jacksonville area.

In all likelihood SJAHC will skip a regular business meeting in August, instead replacing it with the ice cream social we have had over the years. Members will be notified of details.

Finally, Tom Carollo, accompanied to the meeting by wife Linda, said his TR3 has finally been painted and has come back to his Deerwood home. This car has been in his ownership since 1975, that’s 49 years, and has undergone a repaint history that is beyond epic. Members look forward to seeing Tom and Linda’s TR3, even if it isn’t a a Healey. TRs, of course are a major player in the history of affordable British sports cars and a Healey owners have often or currently own that marque.

The meeting was adjourned about 8:35 as members headed to the Young kitchen to sample the snacks and beverages that are a feature of club meetings hosted by members. Again, all members can expect email notifications of all future club activities. R.Keysor, Sec.

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