much admired Jack Brabham so to see Bob bring to life from what seemed totally unrelated pieces a Brabham for Bob Baker was a real treat. If it was not for Bob I would have never known there were VW pieces in a Brabham gear box.

Bob's call was direct. He was making a last call to his friends as he had liver cancer, advanced stages, and had maybe a month to live. He had been through his storage area recently and had noticed some Mini Cooper S parts that included both front and rear sub frames with my name on them. My friend Charlie said I could use his truck so a couple of days later, Edith and I were in Columbia, Missouri. We spent an evening with Bob, his wife Thelma, and daughter Rita. When somebody with just a few days to live wants to spend some time with you it is most humbling. Most of our conversations were bout SCCA racing, Tom Newcomer (who raced as Tom Casket so as not to alert his father who owned a funeral parlor), and his family (especially the coming wedding of his son). I went down to the basement to see the Porsche Speedster he had once raced and the beautiful new paint job on the BMW bike. Although of all the things Bob could be proud of you could just see his chest puff when he spoke about his daughter Rita and her care. We met the next morning at the storage area where Rita and I were to load the truck. While we had some initial set backs (the engine lift jack burst a seal and the rain was continuous) we managed to get the parts along with three engines to be delivered loaded in quick order. The engines were an Alfa 1750 with transmission, a Fiat aluminum V8 the likes of which I had not previously seen, and a Coventry Climax for a Vintage racer. Besides the many engines and transmissions in storage there were the three wonderful cars. The Mini, the MG TF and the MG TC that E. Tom Newcomer had raced at Offutt AFB in 1953. I had the programs from the Offutt races so I made Bob a copy to keep with the TC. Bob asked me to get together all the information I could get on the TC to help

document its racing history. If anybody has any help here I would sure appreciate it.

Our last stop was the shop. The number 47 red and white FP MG had looked better when it had been next to my work area at Jacks then following its flip at St Louis. But the process to bring the car back to full life had been begun and is now in the hands of Dick Davis. Dick was having a new car built in California and Bob was planning to go to Huffaker's shop to do the final assembly of the engine. I needed to update my GP Austin-Healey to a duel master cylinder brakes - as we spoke the parts I needed just seemed to magically appear in my hands along with a few words on the installation. I guess that is when the tears began to flow. That is when you see the eight fingers instead of four. So in those first few laps at Road America the thoughts of friends, inspirations, and dreams can really fly. But as the race leaders approach racing quickly becomes reality and the sole thought.

The Austin Seven Cooper is now back in the "working project" end of the building. The two sub frames have been degreased, dents removed, rust eliminated, and given several coats of paint. The front sub frame assembly is moving forward just lacking a few parts. I had gotten the rubber cones for the rear sub assembly last fall in England while visiting son Dave. Dave just finished his program at the London School of Economics and is in the process of finding a job there. A visit to get more Mini parts in the plans. The body rust repair is back on track and I'm beginning to feel like a MADMEN again (there is something so special about the smells of welding and ripe leathers on a 95 degree day with the RH at 100%).

Thank you Moss Motors

Once again Moss Motors has agreed to help us with the car show in September.
Ken Smith, Club Activities Director, has been quite generous to us over the years. Please remember that next time you need parts.

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