Car clubs generally spring to life upon a whim or a desire after many discussions or pints of lager. Just such fraternity resulted in The MG Car Club, Midlands Centre in 1996, the organization before our present club, British Car Club - Midlands Centre (BCCMC).
A phone call to the organizers of the 1996 Mid-Carolina Auto Show revealed that 2,000sf of space was available for MG Car enthusiasts. While there were only a few known MG enthusiasts in the area, they were not served by a formal club. We had just 21 days to fill the show area with cars and related items. A club name was also required. Fortunately, we were able to field 7 MG’s: 1 - TC, 4 - TD’s, 1 – Midget, and 1 - ‘B’, along with photos, advertisement copies, and a name for the group. This show attracted dozens of prospective members and led to our first official meeting - a picnic at Guignard Park, Columbia, in May 1996. Thus, the MG Club took off with 15 signing on at that first meeting. Soon, officers were elected and we attended car shows and gatherings in Columbia and elsewhere in SC. Not bad for our first year!
The membership numbers continued to increase for the next couple of years and reached a plateau in 1998. In 1999, the name was changed to the “British Car Club - Midlands Centre” with the incorporation of some members of The Triumph Club of the Carolinas. This allowed the club to grow by accepting all British vehicles. The increased membership provided funding and manpower for our first car show at Saluda Shoals Park in 2003. This show attracted about 60 vehicles and provided good exposure.
This is an active club. We hold an annual show, with over 100 cars coming from the tri-state area, and conduct monthly outings year round. We also go to other car club events. The club includes members from all walks of life and a diverse range of vintage British cars, including the new Minis, Jags, Lotus', Rovers, etc. Our membership continues to grow each year and we welcome new members who want to share their love of British Cars.