Gathering of the Faithful (GOF)

(Pronounced Gee Oh Eff)

Twice yearly since 1964 the members of the New England MG T Register have gathered to enjoy the magic of the MG marque and the people who own them. The first GOFs were billed as a "low key weekend to enjoy the cars and new friends." And it is much the same now. The GOF provides owners of MG T series and other early MG variants a chance to gather for a weekend of tours, talk and tire kicking.

There is no such thing as a typical GOF, each one has it's own special flare. From a trip to the scenic lighthouses in Nova Scotia, a visit to historic Williamsburg, VA, sand sculptures on the Jersey shore, stepping back in time in Amish country in Pennsylvania, wondering what would happen if we tried to drive up the ski jump in Lake Placid, NY to recreating historic races at Watkins Glenn and Alexandria Bay, NY the Register members have been treated to some of the best sights that the United States and Canada has to offer. Interested in where we've gone? There's a menu item to access a list of GOF locations over the years.

GOFs are typically held in late June (Spring) and September (Fall), although these months do shift from time to time in order to take advantage of a special event in a specific area. GOFs start on a Wednesday and end the following Sunday. There have been three occasions that the Spring GOF was not held and members were encouraged to attend the North American Council of MG Registers national event that year.

What We Do

Wednesday is considered "Early Bird Day". Members who arrive on this day can participate in the "Great Unwashed" car show that is held in the evening. Cars are displayed and voted on for the best "just off the road" car. Members can use any criteria they wish to pick their favorite.

Thursday's activities may include a tour, boat trip, winery tour, a Time-Speed-Distance rallye or many other events. Dinner is usually on your own and the group usually gathers at the end of the day - most of the time in the parking lot with the cars - to talk and greet old friends.

Friday usually consists of technical seminars, tours, and the highlight of the day is the First Timer's show. This show, for cars attending a Register GOF for the first time, is sometimes held at the GOF site or at other scenic sites in the area of the GOF. All attending the show can vote on the First Timer cars. First time GOF participants are identified by a special name badge so that all other Register members may make them feel welcome.
On occasion there will be a Friday night dinner or buffet with a special theme. The Register members are quick to join in with these theme ideas and have been know to dress up as cows, lumber jacks, gangsters & molls, and in a wide variety of 1940's and 1950's attire to make the evening that much more fun.

Saturday brings us the main car show and flea market. This popular vote car show has classes for all types MG models that the Register covers (14/40 to ZB). These are cars that were produced prior to 1956. Each car class is set up to show off the cars and allow members to vote using their own criteria. Depending on the number of entries there are frequently several award winners along with 3^rd, 2^nd, and 1^st place awards given out.

Along with the car show a Flea Market is held to allow members to buy and sell parts or other goods. It is also the members chance to purchase Register Regalia from the large selection of items available for sale. Each year brings new MG and automobile related items that you just can't live without!

Frequently on Friday and Saturday afternoons the Register's Safety Fast inspection program is run to give the members confidence that their cars are road worthy. This check, performed by members of the Register, is a comprehensive and thorough look at the major systems of the car. The check takes about 15 minutes and is time well spent. The first part of the check is done on the ground and reviews things like tires, float chambers, and fan belts to name a few. The car is then moved to a portable lift to give the Safety Fast checkers complete access to the underside of the car for inspections of the exhaust system, swivel pins-king pins, shocks, brake hoses, etc. The form used to communicate the condition of the car uses clear and concise terms for the condition of each section checked and can help the operator of the car in targeting the area or areas that need work. There has been more than one car kept on the lift until an "Unsafe" condition has been corrected. The dedicated team will go above and beyond to make sure all cars are safe to drive. Members whose cars receive a passing score receive a special Register Safety Fast pin that can be proudly worn to let others know that their car is among an elite group of the Safety Fast's best.

Saturday night an awards banquet is held. This consists of a social hour and then a dinner. During the dessert portion the Chairman will entertain us with brief remarks and the Awards Chairman will present the lovely pewter awards for which the Register is known. Distance awards, Photo awards and other special awards are also presented at this time. The car class awards are then given out with the Premier award to cap off the evening. The Premier car is one that has won 1^st place in its class and now competes with the other first place winners. It's the Best of the Best.

Those not participating in the Safety Fast program may use the rest of the day to explore the area or catch up with old friends and make new ones. The Gathering is as much about the friends you make, as it is the cars.

On Sunday, the winners of the first place awards and the Premier winners cars are lined up for a group photo shoot to commemorate the weekend.

A GOF is a special time and can lead to long lasting friendships. We can't wait to meet you at one!

Visit our Events page to learn about the upcoming GOF and other events on the Register calendar.