European Vintage of Excellence!

The 2009 EURO Auto Festival was filled with the excitement of European vintage of excellence!

The EURO Auto Festival (http://www.euroautofestival.com/) was held at the gorgeous BMW Zentrum in Greer, SC. The featured marque for 2009 was the Morgan, which is celebrating its 100th year anniversary! The wooden bodied classic was lining the field, and stole the show.

The show also honored the 50th year anniversary of the Mini and 20th year anniversary of the BMW 8 Series. Other vintage models attracted to the show included the Austin Healey, MG, Triumph, Mercedes Benz, Rolls Royce, Volvo, Porsche, Jaguar, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Land Rover, Opel and more!

The charity of choice is the Disaster Relief Fund of the American Red Cross (http://www.redcross.org/), which all proceeds will be donated from the show.


Click on the video to experience the view of Morgan's surrounding the Zentrum!

The 2009 EURO Auto Festival host many beautiful vintage cars, but this '33 Morgan Supersport Trike was one of my favorite! The '33 has a 1100cc twin, and three speed with reverse. The total weight is over 700 lbs!

Click on the video to view this '36 Riley Kestrel! This aluminum body classic has original leather seats, and has a top speed of 80 mph. The Riley documentation promises that the engine will use no more than 1 gallon of oil per 1,000 miles.

The 2009 EURO Auto Festival hosts a wide display of European vintage cars, and attract over 450 classics from across the United States with thousands of enthusiasts with smiles of excitement viewing their favorite model!

Congratulations to the Board of Directors and Steering Committee for organizing a fantastic classic car event! Please click on http://www.euroautofestival.com/ for additional information on how you can be involved!

See you at this exciting event in 2010!

Frogeye Sprite Austin Healey the first of several Sprite models

Frogeye Sprite Austin Healey

Frogeye Sprite Austin Healey the first of several Sprite models.

The Austin Healey Sprite which was introduced in 1958 was a diminutive roadster with an unmistakable headlight arrangement.
The prominent headlights were initially intended to be flip-up units. However the cost of retractable headlights was to high, and instead they were fixed in what would have been the 'up' position. Their unusual location gave rise to the cars affectionate nickname, the "Frogeye" Sprite.
The Austin Healey Sprite MK I was powered by a 1.0 litre, inline, four cylinder engine which developed a grand total of 43 horsepower. Coupled to a four speed manual gearbox it was capable of propelling the car up to 84 mph.
The Frogeye Sprite (which was discontinued in 1961) was the first of several Sprite models. In 1962 the MK II Austin Healey Sprite was introduced. The MK II introduced several updates, the most noticeable of which was a more conventional headlight layout. From 1961 the Austin Healey Sprite was also sold as the MG Midget.

MK III Austin Healey 3000 Improved due to engine modifications.

The Austin Healey 3000

The Austin Healey 3000 was the replacement car for the Austin Healey 100/6. The Austin Healey 3000 was a superior car to its predecessor, equipped with many improved features and updated parts. During its production lifetime the Austin Healey 3000 went through three different versions, the MK I, MK II and MK III.
The Austin Healey 3000 MK I (1959 - 1961) was fitted with a 3.0 litre inline six cylinder engine developing 124 horsepower. The engine was equipped with twin SU carburetors. And the car featured disc brakes at the front.
The Austin Healey 3000 MK II (1961 - 1963) introduced several improvements and design changes. The engine was enhanced by the fitment of triple SU carburettors which bumped the power up to 132 horsepower. In 1962 the BT7 2+2 version was introduced. This seating layout became the only option from 1962 onwards. The Austin Healey 3000 MK IIa introduced wind-up windows, a curved windscreen, and a convertible hood.

The Austin Healey 3000

The Austin Healey 3000 MK III (1963 - 1967) was the final version of the 3000 model. The performance was improved due to engine modifications. Peak power was raised to 148 horsepower, giving the 3000 MK III a top speed of 120 mph. The brakes were also enhanced with the fitment of a servo.
In 1967, due to new safety regulations in the cars biggest market - America, the Austin Healey 3000 was discontinued. It's replacement, the MGC, was nowhere near as popular as the Austin Healey 3000.
During its lifetime the Austin Healey 3000 proved to be a capable racing car. And it competed successfully in rally and road races around the world.