AHOABC

The Annual A-HOABC Christmas Party, which was rapidly becoming a legend in West Coast Healeyland, actually serves two very important purposes: a terrific party to end the year, and the "official" Annual General Meeting, where the election of officers for the following year takes place. Doug Jinkerson, one of the founding members, became president for 1979 and promptly got married. This club does funny things to people. Mike Hall, challenged to better his long-distance records from Vancouver to Conclaves '77 and '78, talked club V-P Nell Holdstock (now Donaldson) into accompanying him and his BJ8 to International Healey Weekend in '79. They motored 4,000 miles to New York, shipped the car across the pond, flew to England to meet it, and learned to drive on the left side of the road, arriving in time for tea. Less ambitious members toured Vancouver Island, the Okanagan Valley, Whidbey Island, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Baker, and attended the Fifth Annual Healey Meet West in Bend, Oregon.

The A-HOABC began its sixth year with a new president and a somewhat permanent meeting place. Nell Holdstock called the first meeting of 1980 to order at Vancouver's historic Aberthau Cultural Centre. New events on the busy club calendar included a weekend tour of the scenic Sunshine Coast, day tours to Snoqualmie Falls and LaConner with the Pacific Centre Cascade group in Washington, and Healey Meet West in Mt. Shasta, California. The A-HOABC Annual Members' Choice Award was presented for the first time at the traditional Club Barbecue and Parts Department Work Party, and club regalia, handled by Earl Kagna, became the fashion highlight of the 1980 motoring season in Western Canada.

Mike Hall was president in 1981, another great year for the A-HOABC. The Healey turnout at the Fifth Annual Ross International Motors Concours was spectacular, as was club participation at the First Annual Westwood Historic Weekend. Donald Healey attended the August General Meeting, a barbecue at the Swanns, providing many members with a rare chance to talk Healeys with The Man, himself. While several B.C. Healeys made the run to Mt. Shasta for a Healey Meet West encore, preparations for club involvement in the Snowmass '82 International Meet were well underway. At the Annual Christmas Party and Executive Elections, appropriately held at the Billy Bishop Pub in Vancouver, Gordon Lloyd became the B.C. club president for 1982.

Some 28 B.C. club members and ten of their Austin- Healeys crossed the "world's longest undefended border" and drove a couple of thousand miles (return) to the mountains of Colorado for Snowmass '82. The B.C. club, continuing a Healey Meet West tradition, designed and managed the Snowmass Gymkhana and, as a bonus, participated enthusiastically in the Miss Austin-Healey Contest. In addition, the club executive suggested that the West Coast clubs consider holding a future Healey Meet West in Canada, hosted by the A-HOABC. The response was favourable.

Gordon Lloyd continued as president in 1983 as three years of planning got underway. Vancouver was to be the site of a World Transposition on Transportation in 1986, a fine opportunity for Healey Meet West to come to Canada for the first time. The mountain resort village of Whistler was selected as the site for "WHISTLER 86". Don Manning organized the official WHISTLER 86 Committee and Jim Morrison began production of a promotional videotape to entice Healey friends in the U.S. "up to Canada", eh. In the meantime, more rallying, touring, partying, the West Coast Meet in Eureka, and general Healey activity marked another great club year.

WHISTLER 86 was getting closer as Richard Young took over as B.C. Club president in 1984. Transpo 86 grew in the planning stages to encompass the theme of Communication as well as Transportation, and became EXPO 86. As the international advertising campaign for that world event unfolded, the WHISTLER 86 Committee realized that millions of people would be coming to Vancouver for EXPO. Booking of rooms and facilities for the 1986 Healey Meet West had to begin immediately. Production on the WHISTLER 86 promotional video continued and the club was filled with the anticipation of two busy years ahead.