That's right, BCCCB Pickers. This story started a few weeks ago in Dartmouth. Don had heard of a guy who has tons of old British car parts and he was interested in selling the whole lot. Don had made contact and 4 of us jumped in my wife's SUV and took a run to Dartmouth for a look, just to see what's available. In a dark run down garage we found what we were looking for. With no lighting, I had to run a cord from a power inverter in Paula's SUV attached to a light to see... This was a pickers dream. There was a combination of good used parts, not so good used parts and a heck of a lot of new parts.  After about a half hour the light started to blink saying that the small inverter was overloaded and we had to stop for the day. We quickly grabbed a few needed items and left the barn. Little did I know, there was a second barn down the street with more parts, so off we went. Again, like a scene from American Pickers, we were stepping over stuff to look for old British car parts, and we found lots. As Brain and Don Picked, Barc and I stood back thinking that perhaps an offer for the lot would be our best approach. With the few items that we picked, we agreed on a price and off we went. All the way home we talked about what we seen and what we all though was a fair offer. We came up with a price that we though was fair and Don called the seller and the negotiations started. A price was agreed on and what follows in this story is the story of the BCCCB Pickers.

The large two seater panel van was pulled up to the rickety old garage and the fun began. The yellow beach chair in the van is where I sat. Yes where I sat, yes it's where I slid the length of the van when Don Pulled away from the lights in Antigonish, and yes when it flipped with me in it, it was in this beach chair where my legs were pointing to the ceiling of the van. I made it through unscathed and the van filled with laughter. Anyway.. all what you see on the floor of the garage has to go into the van.

Garage #1 is almost emptied. We had to leave behind a couple of engine and just a few things we didn't want but all the rest is "not so neatly" packed stacked and thrown in the van. What a haul! The plastic containers held many secrets as we were to busy to root around, we just picked them up and threw it in the van. What I did see was new floor panels, a overdrive transmission, spoke wheels, carbs, generators and alternators and much much more. Yes you can still see my little yellow chair, from this vantage point, barely. From this point on, I don't have to worry about Don pulling away fast, now I have to worry about him hitting the brakes hard, as a plastic bin of shocks was nestled just behind my head.

Being a member of the BCCCB, and being a BCCCB Picker is not new to me, two years ago I was one of three BCCCB pickers who took a journey to Hampton New Brunswick to pick up a Bugeye Sprite and the parts that came with it. The photos above are.... the first from Dartmouth and the second from Hampton New Brunswick two years ago. Scary isn't it?

Time for garage number 2. When the garage doors were opened, this is what greeted us. Bins upon bins of parts. Again we had to leave a few parts behind until another day but what we did shove in the van, will take us a long time to sort out and inventory. One last stop before the long trip home, Tim Hortons on the Cobequid Road to hook up with a couple of great guys, Ron Gray and Gerry Hull. If ever you wanted to sit back and kill an hour chatting then these are the two you want to be with. These guys know everyone and I swear they know where every British car is from here to Montreal. Both of these gentlemen sit on the committee for the British Motoring Festival  in Windsor and from what I gather the committee is putting on an even better show this year then last, I didn't think it was possible. I am pretty confident this show will be a the highlight of the summer of 2011.

110 was the magic number today. We flew down the road at 110 in a van that was over loaded for sure, just look how low the van was in the back. Going to Dartmouth I could see down the road while sitting in my little yellow chair, coming home all I could see was sky, so I slept most of the way home. Or maybe I fainted because of the fuel cost one-way to Dartmouth.

Barc had his garage ready for us when we arrived home early in the evening and we began the task of pulling the bounty out of the van and spreading out over the floor. Above you can see Barc inspecting the loot. Oh my, now to sort it and get it tucked away in our garages. Some of the goods may be saved and others may hit the pages of Kjiji, time will tell.

Time to open the bins and reveal their secrets. Don started to pull out the simplest of things to the more elaborate stuff such as a set of brand new brake callipers and fuel pumps. We should get our money back here, no problem, there is even a brand new MG bra for a chrome bumper car, what a haul. We may of had to work a little bit today.. and god knows I am not use to that but it was a super day. Don did the driving and Ricky did the lifting and I did what I do best ... take pictures and observe. After tucking everything in the garage, Barc took us all out for a Pizza, what a way to end a day. The crew from the BCCCB sure are trying their best to keep the British Car Experience alive here in Good Ole Cape Breton. Anyone need anything? Give us a call.