The Abingdon Rough Riders

The Abingdon Rough Riders was informally organized in 1956 in the San Francisco Bay Area when several MGTC owners decided to create a club dedicated to the 1945 thru 1949 MGTC. In August of 1957 the club was incorporated in the State of California as The Abingdon Rough Riders Touring Society. Founding members were Lucien Remy, Bob Winkelmann and Jack Vandermale.

A gathering of the clan

Through the years the club has changed the membership requirement to owners of any pre-1949 MG roadsters, as well as, changing other aspects of the club. But, the main reason for the association has been enjoyment of the cars and the people who find them very special and that continues to this day.

Current membership is around 100, with some members owning more than one MG. Most members are within driving distance of the Bay Area but we currently have members in multiple states and in other countries. The club is loosely organized, with one annual meeting in January and a driving event each month, ending the year with a holiday party. During the late summer or early fall, we meet with the TC Motoring Guild of Southern California for a weekend, somewhere halfway between the Bay Area and Los Angeles.  Know as the "Conclave", this tradition has been ongoing every year since 1957.

Our club badge shown above was designed by Bob Winkelmann back in 1956 and is available for club members only from our club secretary. Besides the web site, our primary form of communications is via our monthly newsletter called the Abingdon Rough Rider Review, which is also available on this site by selection the Newsletter menu option above.

Phil Frank and Joe Troise driving Four Angry Cylinders

Over the years the club has seen it's share of prominent members. One of which was Phil Frank. Phil, along with his partner Joe Troise, were the creators of the Farley cartoon and Nigel Shiftright that notorious lover of English Cars that graced the pages of Road & Track. Phil's car FUN504, aka Four Angry Cylinders, was a staple of the club gracing many of our driving events. He was much loved and is dearly missed.