As an exceedingly pernickety old codger, I had been meaning to see what anyone had to say about the recent change to the OC mag re Arabic numerals. I'm most likely not alone saying I don't mind either format or even quirky fonts. However, does anyone know why Roman Numerals were chosen in the first place? As I am what might be called a retro fan I am aware of the cachet attached to Roman Numerals and how for example, time pieces fitted to cars are more attractive in Roman (a clock has chimes, an instrument for telling the time is a timepiece). I wonder therefore was there a sentimental, stylistic or even more cogent impulse?
Hardly any except one mag letter have seemingly commented so I suppose it matters not. I do recall however though that last time I was in a (retro) car club everything was run by members and changes to anything were either suggested or at least announced in advance to allow for comment, support or objection. It's one of those dodgy areas where perceptions can deceive. I used to attend motorcycle rallies run by a club called 'Brothers Over The Hill'. But management has been handed down to younger members who seem to have lost the plot. No more classic rock, rock and roll or blues music etc gets played and later bikes outnumber the old iron. I digress slightly.
Or do I? Part of our reasoning for ownership of a Morris Traveller is to make life easier (i.e. I can allegedly fix whatever's broke and e.g. we can start it without a simcard/pincode/whatever). So, by cutting out the guy with the laptop (sorry mate, but I can get cap/leads/plugs etc for less than you charge to visit) running costs are easing. However my wish to use less swearing is hard against it. Then there's practicality. I hear Landy Disco owners guffaw, but I scoff quietly as they pay the price of a new Moggy motor for a simple electrical part. Any saloon with leather seats would get too much hammer as I lug guitars and amps around (venue owners love having this outside instead of some ghastly white van) and stuff for the garden. So, flip the back seat down and I can load up in moments through the back doors.
Then there's the pure hedonistic pleasure of listening to the rasp of the exhaust on over-run, the smell of leather seats and the whining transmission...Everyone who gets a lift doesn't want to get out; little kids point and squeal; people in the street and in car parks keep you talking - it's worse than the 62 Tiger. At least a few miserable people still hate bikes...
Among Morris owners we thought one might also find a cameraderie equal to that which we enjoy among those who ride more elderly bikes. Looking through the forums and mag suggests that is a fair assumption.
So we must read up where we can about the club as it is an important part of English cultural heritage. And the magazine is an important organ within that, as is this forum, while the rest of the world flips about in pointless (see Euro) change.
I should go back outside now and see to 'Moriarty' as this car has been named. It's not what we'd have chosen had we even been given to calling Mrs Backfire by a name.
Never mind if anyone replies, I've enjoyed a gabble over lunch...spanners are calling:)[frame]
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