What better way to spend a sunny afternoon than in your backyard with a bunch of friends. The Everetts used to do that quite a bit and in the early days of SAMOA their friends would all bring their Minis. This photo must have been taken in the fall of 1967 as the Autocross Olympics trophy is proudly displayed on the roof of Del Gould's Downton Mini in the center foreground of the photo. Notice the British number plate still on the front of Del's Mini. Going clockwise from Del is Gerry Everett with one of his many Mini Mokes, Dick Penna, Ed Sauer, Sandy and Al Beebe with Al's white Cooper S and just behind the Downton Mini is Ian “Scotty” Gillies. The young lady behind Del is most likely Scotty's wife and the gentleman to Del's left remains unidentified while on the far right of the photo is Mrs. Jerry Everett wondering if her backyard will ever be the same.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
A Mini party in the Everett's backyard
What better way to spend a sunny afternoon than in your backyard with a bunch of friends. The Everetts used to do that quite a bit and in the early days of SAMOA their friends would all bring their Minis. This photo must have been taken in the fall of 1967 as the Autocross Olympics trophy is proudly displayed on the roof of Del Gould's Downton Mini in the center foreground of the photo. Notice the British number plate still on the front of Del's Mini. Going clockwise from Del is Gerry Everett with one of his many Mini Mokes, Dick Penna, Ed Sauer, Sandy and Al Beebe with Al's white Cooper S and just behind the Downton Mini is Ian “Scotty” Gillies. The young lady behind Del is most likely Scotty's wife and the gentleman to Del's left remains unidentified while on the far right of the photo is Mrs. Jerry Everett wondering if her backyard will ever be the same.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
This is from Mrs. Jerry Everett. We loved having Mini's in the back yard.
As some of you probably know, Jerry passed away a year ago December.
However Gretchen has carried on the racing tradition.
She's very active in SCCA, 2 time national champion in Emod ladies.
She and I would love to come to the reunion, as she purchased a new Mini a year ago.
I don't think it will be possible tho, as she has two weekends of racing on the 18th and 25th. National Tour and Pro Solo.
I will try to get there myself but if I don't make it, hello to everyone.
It is so good to hear from you Jerri. Even better to hear you'll try to make it to the reunion (I bet I know where you can find a ride to the reunion in a Moke!).
It was heart breaking to hear about Jerry. He was a true inspiration to me in my formative, high school years and his spirit lives on in the club.
We will have to drag some Minis out to the next autocross that Gretchen is running! Talk about a chip off the old block...
-Ed
Jerri,
It was said to hear about Jerry when we spoke yesterday, and I'd like to echo Ed's words. And don't forget the role you played in the club's formative years!
A memory of Jerry to share. Probably about 1969 we were talking in his garage. Jerry said I was just the type of guy that should own a Moke. I thought that was a cool thing to say. Of course, not long after that he sold me one. Hmmm.
Take a look at the blog photo of the Gay 90s rallye start. (You can click on photos to make them larger, by the way.) Who's that little red-headed munchkin dead center? Bet it's the same person now holding two national Solo 2 championships!
Even if Gretchen can't make it, there's no way we'll let you stay home on the 18th!
In the above picture of Jerry's back yard, the fellow to the left of me is Hugh Criswell (now living in North Carolina), a founding member, with his white 61 Austin 850. There were four of us who first started Samoa, myself (62 Morris Mini Minor, Greg Gould (62 Austin, Ray Honsberger (61 Austin), and Hugh (61 Austin). We bought our first mini's from BMCD in 64, I believe, and always met at my fathers house, the original SAMOA emblem first showing up on the inside of my father's garage door, where we first created the name and tried out the design. My first autocross (gymkana) was in 64, put on by the Boeing Sports Car Club, using my Morris 850 with an MG 1100 drive train. Ray Honsberger and I shared top honors.
A couple of years later, we met up with Dick Penna and Jerry Everett while autocrossing and we all decided to officially organize the club. In 1967, I took advantage of the BMC European Delivery Plan to buy a 67 Cooper S in London and have it delivered to Seattle after being modified by Downton Engr of Salisbury, GB. That car arrived in the States in May, 68, and I was told by BMC that it was the last all legal Mini imported here, all later models being slipped through the side doors. It was always fun racing against Dick Penn's 66 Cooper S.
Melander is our email name.
Del Gould
Add to the list:
Greg Gould (62 Red/white Austin 850)
4128 sunny Hill Lane
Lummi Island, Wa
360-758-4057
Hugh Criswell (62 white Austin 850)
Rte 5 Box 584
Hillsborough, NC
919-732-5735
Penny Bourdon (green/white Austin Cooper S)
10522 Phinney Ave
Seattle, Wa
206-417-1492
thanks,
Del
Just to add more to Del's story, what he doesn't remember is that his original 1100 powered 850 became my first Mini in late 1968! (I couldn't afford one while I was in scholl.) I have one photograph of it around here...somewhere.
Post a Comment