Jonathan Hermance, another LBC aficionado, said, "These are simple machines, that is, comparatively simple. If you have a volt meter and a timing light, you can make them run. I know the trouble most people have. I have three of the T-series MGs; most have SU carburetors and Lucas electricals. I rebuilt the carbs once in the mid-1970s on a car I bought in 1968. They work great if you know how to fix them.

"They do have a reputation, but mostly it's because Americans don't look under the hood until the red light stays on. They don't realize that with the LBCs, you have to occasionally lift the bonnet to see what's leaking."

Davis and Hermance are calling on all British car owners to get them cleaned up and running as well as can be expected. All British cars and bikes in any condition from 100-point restorations to works in progress or an old daily beater are welcome.

For the brave of heart, there will be a driving course again this year on a closed-access road inside the park. It promises to be as noisy and challenging as in previous years.

During the event there will be music, shop talk, bench-racing, catching up with old friends, drawings for raffle prizes and more. Liberty Park has many amenities for family members not directly involved with the show. There is a remodeled food concession stand, one of the largest and best playgrounds in the city, the Tracy Aviary and a small amusement park with a Ferris wheel and merry-go-round.

Proceeds from this year's British Field Day event will be donated to The Food Pantry of Saint Paul's Episcopal Church. In recent years the group has raised enough money to pay for 80 percent of the pantry's yearly cash budget. The pantry is providing volunteers to assist with the event so the organizers can have more time for some fun, too.

Liberty Park is between 500 East and 700 East and 900 South and 1300 South. The British Field Day event will be held in the northeast quadrant of the park. Enter off 1300 South and drive east and north about a quarter of the way around the park. The event will be on the left.

Registration starts at 8 a.m., and most bikes and cars should be in place by 9 a.m. The registration fee is $10 per bike or car. A $5 donation is requested per adult admission. Kids 12 and under are free.

The closed-course race, called a gymkhana, is a test of skill as drivers put their cars one at a time through a wildly twisting course marked by orange cones. There are lots of turns and hardly any straights at all, Hermance said. "We hand time it because basically we're just having fun. I can go through it in one of my old MGs, in second gear without using brakes, in about 20 seconds. A Lotus 7 can go through it in about 15 seconds."

The mailing list for the British Motor Club of Utah is about 250. About 10 LBCs went to Moab for the Memorial Day weekend. Other annual events include drives to Antelope Island, the Alpine Loop and up Mount Nebo.

Club members don't need to own a British car to join, just have an interest, Hermance said. For information on the club, visit www.britishmotorclub.org/join.html.

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E-mail: lweist@desnews.com