MG Car Club of South Australia
HOCUS POCUS AT MCLAREN VALE
CLASSIC
Reported by MGCCSA member H.P.
A
n elaborately conceived hoax de-
signed to deceive the organiser of
the McLaren Vale Classic motor event on
April 8 th may have been successful if
MGCCSA member Trevor Sharpe, head
of the organising committee had believed
it – but he has stated with confidence that
he played along with the hoaxer – or did
he ? We will never know!
SMS messages sent to Trevor purported
to announce the attendance of Mike
Love, lead singer of the Beach Boys at
the event – he was visiting friends in
Adelaide and when invited to attend he
accepted – Mike Love is an ardent MG
fanatic, and still has his 1948 MGTC
which he purchased in the 60s.
The plan involved another couple of
MGCCSA members lending Mike Love a
club car which he could drive to, and par-
ticipate in, the McLaren Vale display and
street parade.
The car, a BRG MGB was appropriately
dressed up with vintage surfboards, and
swag of Mike’s “performance worn
“Hawaiian shirts, [which Mike was pre-
pared to sell to anyone who was pre-
pared to buy them.] A windscreen sticker
pronounced the arrival of MIKE LOVE’S
OFFICIAL GOOD VIBRATIONS MGB
Continuous playing of the Beach Boys
classic “Good Vibrations” was to be
played throughout the performance from
a CD player taped to the boot of the MG,
to prevent it falling off during acceleration
in the procession.
After numerous SMS messages from his
agent in South Australia to Trevor
Sharpe, Mike Love arrived at Serafino
Winery in a blaze of colour, dressed in
his best Beach Boys shirt and cap, and
sporting the legendary sunnies – he was
26
cheered and waved to during the pro-
cession by thousands of spectators who
were amazed to see such an iconic rock
star travelling the streets of McLaren
Vale.
Security for Mike was provided by two
MGCCSA members in their distinctive
red MGTC and MGTF classics.
He conducted chats with many local
older women fans and a few younger
ones too, who swarmed around the
MGB listening and gyrating to Good
Vibrations – even the City of Onkapar-
inga Mayor, recently elected Erin
Thompson, met Mike during her first
visit to the classic event – she was ab-
solutely thrilled to be part of the action
and willingly posed for the cameras with
the superstar.
A lot of offers were received for Mike’s
20 Hawaiian shirts – but when they
were informed by him that the shirts
and the vintage surfboards were a
package deal with the MGB thrown in –
at a $22,000 price tag, there was only
one prospective buyer who eagerly
gave him her contact number – there
may well be a follow up !
The Official Good Vibrations MGB
parked alongside the legendary Arthur
Rudiger in his magnificent 1934 N Type
Sturt Football Club mascot vehicle, at
Paxton winery. Arthur, looking resplen-
dent in his thirties gangster outfit, and
resembling a youthful Shorty Lamanita,
replied “Mike who ? “ when informed of
his close proximity to the iconic front
man.
There was mild panic amongst onlook-
ers when he reached into the rear of his
vehicle, only to pull out his restoration
record folder.