Glenn Davis is among the very few FCCA archives contributors who was actually there when the club was established. His dad, Ralph was a charter member who helped organize and participated in the club’s earliest events. Glenn was his dad’s navigator and companion, and he remembers much about these FCCA activities and the unique people who participated in them. Glenn has provided the FCCA history archives with many early photographs, newsletters, handwritten notes, and other rare items. Here, he tells the story of his dad’s 1934 Austin Bantam, including its status of the first car to be clocked out in the FCCA’s inaugural rally in 1950. Club members in those days were more than just drivers of “appliance-like cars”. They knew their cars inside and out. Proof of this is contained in Glenn’s story where he tells of his dad replacing a rod bearing with a length of his trouser belt! Read on for a fascinating tale of the earliest days of the FCCA.
PLEASE BE PATIENT. THIS MAY TAKE A MINUTE TO LOAD. FOR EASIEST READING, CLICK THE RECTANGLE ON THE RIGHT SIDE TO THE TOOL BAR BELOW, OR CLICK ON “Download” BELOW THE STORY TO DOWNLOAD STORY TO YOUR OWN COMPUTER.
Thanks, Bill! It is quite fun to see the story of our little Austin posted on the web. Maybe someone will remember us when they see the pictures. Best, Glenn
I’m glad I found time to post this. Hopefully, things will slow down a bit, as I have a ton of material I’d like to interpret for the site. One thought I have is to do a year-by-year history of the club. With the handwritten notes you have sent me and the board meeting minutes I got from Bob Beck, I could easily chronicle the club through the 1960s. Beyond that, I have a notebook of Glendale Chapter newsletters that would allow the extension of the history, at least from Glendale’s perspective, through the 1970s. Can’t wait to get into that project.