Mike’s involvement with the VAR started in the early sixties. THE sixties, by the way, not his. He was nobbut a lad at the time. He applied for membership and was told “This club is for Vintage Austins only” – at the time he had a 1934 10hp Cabriolet (tut tut) and was directed to the Austin Ten Drivers Club.

When he acquired a 1932 Burnham, he re-applied to join the VAR and was welcomed with half-opened arms - he thinks they were desperate for members at the time....

That was in London and meetings were held at the Yates Wine Lodge; his first was on a foul November evening and four people turned up.
In a moment of weakness he volunteered to edit the VAR Magazine, thinking that there would be a handover from the previous editor - a mistake. The previous editor had long gone and Mike was presented with one tatty VAR magazine together with a knackered IBM electric typewriter, which he had to rebuild to start his stint as editor. In those days the editor did it all with little material coming from members. Happy days....

Mike became involved with VAR rallies, at the time when the VAR were looking for a site for a National Rally. One evening in the 1970s he travelled to a small village in Derbyshire to deliver some 12/4 spares to a chap called Frank Smith and casually asked “.. any idea where we could hire a field for a rally, Frank?” The answer “I think so ….” led to a 36-year adventure called ASHOVER.

Sadly, the Ashover Rally is now history, although for the single year after it finished, Mike successfully organised a smaller meeting at another venue - Renishaw Hall - with his trusty sidekick of thirty years, Phil 'Gopher' Carpenter. He still takes care of media and publicity as well as overseeing the website, the serious updating of which he has brought to fruition. All complaints therefore should be addressed to Frank Smith, just like at Ashover. Mike is very old and does not live in Surbiton with three dogs and a ferret.

Mike Eggenton 01709 812415