A Word From the Ed
    Our Chairman having recently lashed out on one of the only two STS Sevilles that have so far made it into the country, we now discover that the other one has apparently gone to another of our members - own up please, whoever you are!
    As stated in previous magazines, details of the Grand European event in the Loire Valley are readily accessed - all in English - from the link on our www.cocgb.dircon.co.uk home page. 
    Also, as stated below by Dirk Van Dorst, our European CLC Liaison, due to the clash with Australia, the next GE after the 2010 will be in 2013. So, hope as many members as possible support this great event being hosted by the French.

From Bernie Burling
    Thanks to Skid Parrish, I attended the Duxford gathering, where it was great to meet the members who attended. I bought my 1976 Fleetwood Brougham D’Elegance from Skid just over a year ago and, at Duxford, was pleased to at last meet Mark Stinson from Brighton, the previous owner, as we had been in contact by email and phone but had never met. I thought that it was a great day out and well attended.
    The Fleetwood is quite reliable, after a few problems encountered along the way with a blocked radiator, repairs to alternator and starter motor, but I still have some electrical problems – not I suspect unusual with older American cars. For example, the radio should turn off when the driver’s door is opened but the clock stops and if I turn on the radio/8-track, the footwell lights come on. This could be that someone has played with the wiring at some time and rewired incorrectly or possibly a bad earth – would anyone know where the earth connections are that may affect this, as I certainly don’t profess to be an electrician. Another little problem is that neither of the small lights that light up the keyholes – located under the outside door handles – work and I can’t see how to gain access to them. They appear to almost come out with the use of a screwdriver, but I don’t want to use force and damage them. I find it hard to believe that the door panel needs to be removed! Anyhow, enough of my problems.
    As I am rather out on a limb in Norfolk, I may not attend many meets but will certainly make the effort to get to some when I can. Thanks to all for making me feel so welcome.
    Regards, Bernie Burling

From Dirk Van Dorst, European Liaison
    Hello COCGB members. Here you will find an update about the 2010 Grand European to be held in France 2nd-5th September 2010.
    Our good friend and president of the CLC France, Pierre Gravel, in co -operation with Genévieve Keyaerts and the board members of Keyaerts Museum, have done their very best to create a wonderful event for you: “a la Cadillac”. We have also been able to count on the experience of Sigrid Hofmann who organized the 2008 Grand European 
    Back in the 1990s, during one of the meetings at the Keyaerts Cadillac Museum we played with the idea of a big event in this area. Back then there was no CLC affiliate in France. It took more then five years to find the right man in the right place – Pierre Gravel. It is really thanks to Genévieve that we have Pierre Gravel and the French CLC affiliate – and the 2010 GE!
    A truckload of champagne has already been ordered; we are now awaiting your arrival to open the bottles in the garden of a historic castle on the Loire River, and under a bright sun in a blue sky. Due to limited parking space, there is to be a limit of 100 participating cars for this GE. 
    With the link on the home page of the COCGB website, you will always have the first updates for the 2010 GE, as the link also serves for the CLC France. This website is hosted free of charge by a Lotus driver – thanks Howard. You will soon find the registration form here, with prices and bank information along with the hotel info page also. It is almost ready – Pierre is working on it.
    Please Note: because of the clash with the Australian Grand National every two years in the same year as the Grand European, we have decided to skip a 2012 GE. Participants from the US have to make two big trips, to find that nothing happens in the year between. Therefore, the next GE after 2010 will be in 2013.
    Have a nice day, Dirk Van Dorst.

From Nick Stratta
    Hi there all!
    Thanks very much for the article in the Sept- Oct Magazine on page 8. It was great reading. If you have a spare couple of copies, could you mail them to me please? I would like to send them to my buddies who came with me on the trip. I’m staying at my parents’ place for the next two weeks. My mother had to go into hospital (she’s out now and OK) so I’m over here looking after everything for three weeks.
    Also, I’ve mailed Dirk Van Dorst and Peter Gavel asking them how to register for the 2010 GE. I can find info only about it on the web, but no registration forms. I can find the hotel booking website but not for me and the car. The ‘73 is hankering to get back to France!
    Thanks for running the ads by the way – terrible rain here, not normally like this in Ireland. 
    Best regards, Nick Stratta.