Jaguar Journal July/August 2022

BACK THEN Once upon a time, and just about in living memory, radio was a stunning new social and technological medium for broadcasting information and entertainment. From schoolchildren listening to a home-made crystal set under the blanket at night, to elegant ‘Radiogram’ furniture housing a multi-wave radio receiver and record player, listeners were transported beyond the confines of their own home and whole neighborhoods would discuss the latest broadcasts. The cycle repeated with the advent of TV, but successive technological advances majored on improved fidelity, portability and convenience. Today, the communal aspect of information sharing has all but disappeared, so that passengers in any given train, airplane or automobile are soon lost in their own private world of browsing or streaming. When you see an entire bus-load of youngsters at…

It is that time of year again, to consider taking your interest and dedication to our favorite car marque and the Jaguar Clubs of North America (JCNA) to the next level, by seeking the office of Regional Director and serving on the JCNA Board of Directors. The nominations are now open for each of the six regions of JCNA for the 2023-2025 term of office. Nominations must be made in accordance with the JCNA Bylaws, as stated below, by submission of a duly completed Nomination for Regional Director Form, found in the “Library” page on the www.JCNA.com web-site, https://www.jcna.com/librarylist. Nominations should be completed no later than August 15th, 2022. Election is by ballot that is mailed to members in the Nov/Dec issue of Jaguar Journal, and newly elected Regional Directors…

It has been a while since I have updated the members of JCNA on the happenings at the Coventry Foundation. Although the past two years have been difficult for everyone, the foundation has continued to move forward, albeit a bit slower than in the past. Our space in Columbia, South Carolina, has expanded to house our ever-increasing collection of cars and everything else Jaguar. Our space in Oceanside, California, is now full of material, including three cars for the use and enjoyment of our West Coast patrons. In Petersburg, Virginia, Moss Motors has expanded our dedicated space for both the foundation and the British Sports Car Hall of Fame displays. We have two robust eBay stores (Coventry Foundation and Coventry Columbia) filled with Jaguar and other British car material, some…

Not long after we started the Foundation, it became clear that one of our primary goals should include a focus on the next generation of enthusiasts. Founding board of directors member and past JCNA president Gary Hagopian took on the challenge as his personal project and started considering how we should approach finding and supporting the next generation. It did not take Gary very long to begin considering institutions of higher education and, in particular, those that provided a degree in auto restoration. He eventually found, visited and proposed that we support the Pennsylvania College of Technology with an annual scholarship. It was recommended that we approach this through an endowment that, once paid, would continue to grow in value, and provide a scholarship annually to a student in the…

For this issue, I’d like to discuss a subject that I feel strongly about – namely, competition rules. If you are a concours entrant, organizer, judge, chief judge or are simply considering getting involved in any way, please take the time to read through the rule book for JCNA-sanctioned competitions and make sure you understand the contents. Sounds obvious, but they are detailed and not everyone remembers every detail. Field judges and chief judges both have rules to follow. The issues that typically hold up the finalization of club events and the posting of official scores can be boiled down to not following through with the rules governing your concours. I want to remind clubs that early planning and following the rules are as important as getting cars to show…

To date, the Southeast Region is doing well. The pandemic seems to be diminishing and there have been no hurricanes for a while, which enabled us to host two major events in 2021. WORTH WAITING FOR The South Carolina Jaguar Society and the Coventry Foundation hosted a belated late-summer AGM meeting in Columbia, which approved the first dues raise in a decade. Never a popular topic, the financial experts made a cohesive and clearly understandable case (slides and forecast on website) and the club’s financial viability is now secure. Columbia next-door neighbor the Coventry Foundation (now approximately ten years old) has grown in both content and stature, and the AGM was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the incredible things they have accomplished. This organization is now a repository for tools,…