[Bmcu] Speed: The Art of the Performance Automobile

[Ron Christensen]

I understand that you don't have to pay the museum admission to attend any of the free lectures so you want to go to all three lectures which are a "must see" for us enthusiasts.  I was there for the Press Day before the exhibit opened and found Ken Gross to be an extremely fascinating lecturer!  I met him when he was the editor at Automobile Magazine and a fellow competitor at the Jeep Cup International Off Road Rally in Vancouver during the World's Fair.  I assume he will be giving the lecture in the theater then possibly touring the exhibits.  Ken's lecture is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. as are the other two.

Noeth and Brasier are equally interesting and a great opportunity for Salt Lake's auto crowd. I will be at all three.

Don't forget the other EREE events in conjunction with the exhibit:

On June 20 (next Wednesday!) at 7:00 p.m. they will be showing the Steve McQueen movie "LeMans" providing a great opportunity to see the film in a theater setting with friends instead of on your TV.  (McQueen's "Green Rat" D-Type Jag SS is one of the cars on display in the exhibit.)

On July 18 at 7:00 p.m. they will be showing the film "Boys of Bonneville" which is an absolutely wonderful documentary about our own Ab Jenkins and his adventures in setting speed records at Bonneville.  This is a professionally produced film which should not be missed! (Mormon Meteor III and Mormon Meteor I are both on display)

By the way, when you pay to see the auto exhibit you can also tour the art exhibits in other areas of the museum.

From: bmcu-bounces at autox.team.net [mailto:bmcu-bounces at autox.team.net] On Behalf Of Duff Lawson
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2012 10:49 AM
To: bmcu
Subject: [Bmcu] Speed: The Art of the Performance Automobile

I presented this idea to the BMCU Board first to evaluate their feelings of club interest.  Everyone thought it a good idea and not too expensive.  To make it work though we need a commitment in advance from those members who respond that they WILL attend on the date agreed upon.  This club has always operated on a very loose principle of participation because the founders realized that getting much agreement on anything in advance was like herding cats.  It ain't goin'a happen!  But in this case, if you say you are going to be there, you really need to be there!

The Utah Museum of Fine Arts has just opened a new temporary exhibit called "Speed: The Art of the Performance Automobile<http://www.speedumfa.com/>."  This sounds like a really awesome show, including:

1)  Ab Jenkins', Mormon Meteor I, 1935 Duesenberg SJ
2)  Chet Herbert's, "The Beast III," 1952 streamliner
3)  Steve McQueen's, 1957 Jaguar XK-SS Roadster, aka "The Green Rat"
4)  Ab Jenkins', 1938 Mormon Meteor III, custom Bonneville racer
5)  Ingred Bergmann and Roberto Rossellini's, 1954 Ferrari 375MM
6)  So-Cal Speed Shop, 1952 "Belly Tank" Lakester
7)  1930's Alfa Romeo 8C
8)  Mercer Raceabout
9)  "The Million Franc Delahaye",  1937 Delahaye Type 145
10)  1965 Cobra Daytona Coupe, "THE" LeMans winning car

and 9 more but you get the general idea.  So... obviously they're not all British sports cars, but oh, what superb cars they are!

It's $15 a piece, if we get a minimum of 15 people to attend, that's the group rate (oh, and we can go through the regular exhibit also for that price).  $18 a piece if we don't get 15 people.

It runs from June 2nd to September 16th.

Check out the SL Trib article, http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/entertainment/54171861-81/museum-utah-exhibit-car.html.csp
The Utah Museum of Fine Arts page, http://www.speedumfa.com/index.html
Or, just goofing off, doing some web surfing I found, http://go.standard.net/story/speed-exhibit-puts-famous-racing-cars-on-display

If we went on July 15th (which is a Sunday) at 1:00 PM, there is a lecture by Ken Gross, Speed Guest Curator and Automotive Historian, you will take a fascinating tour of the storied histories and inner workings of the 19 world-class racers found in Speed.

Or, August 19th (also a Sunday) at 1:00 PM, we could hear riveting tales of the Bonneville Salt Flats as told by famous automotive historian, journalist, and author, "Landspeed Louise" Ann Noeth. Discover the mishaps and victories of those who "shoot the salt" in a quest to add their names to the list of land speed record holders. Landspeed Louise will pay special attention to Ab Jenkins and the Mormon Meteor III

Or, to make it even more difficult to decide, September 16th (of course, a Sunday) at 1:00 PM, is this lecture, industrial fabricator Roger Brasier will discuss the restoration and rebuilding of the record-setting Mormon Meteor III, including the intricate fabrication of its engine.

So the questions are:
1)  Can we get at least 15 people to commit in advance to attend the event?
2)  Do we want to:  a) go on Sunday and attend one of the lectures?  If so, which one?
                             b) go on a Saturday and possibly have a larger turnout?
                             c) go on a Friday night and then go to a drive-in for dinner afterwards?

I should also mention that all of the lectures are free, so if your personal favorite is not the one that the group selects, it doesn't mean you don't get to see it, you just have to make your own arrangements to attend.  Who knows maybe there will be enough interest in each of the lectures that you can email others and set up your own group trip!

Please hit the reply all button on your computer so that everyone can see how the voting is going and what everybody is thinking.

Thanks in advance for your cooperation.  Duff

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