July - Queen City Model A Club
Transcription
July - Queen City Model A Club
President Distributor Jim Townsend townsendj@comporium.net 803-327-3042 Vice President V O L U M E 2 1 I S S U E 7 J U L Y 2 0 1 4 Rion Rutledge rion@comporium.net On the Road Again 803-366-8209 Secretary Jane Hyland brucejanehyland@att.net 704-398-2674 Treasurer Virginia Faulkenberry vfaulkenberry@carolina.rr.com 704-549-1525 Website: www.queencitymodelaclub.com INSIDE THIS ISSUE: On the Road Again 1 President’s Message 2 Down the Road A Piece 2 Health & Happiness 2 Ford AA Featured 3 Henry the Farmboy 4 My first Car 5 MARC-French Lick 6-7 Birthdays & Anniversaries 8 QCMAC members, Norma and Sonny Sain spend much of the summer traveling to car-related events, national club meetings and flea markets. Perhaps they are thinking of giving up hotels and traveling in a different style as they inspect this car-camper combo at an AACA meet in Lebanon TN. Health & Happiness Ola Mae Matthew’s mother (100 years young) Ann Enos is doing well after surgery Elsie Robinson Johnny & Yvonne Phifer…...needing your prayers JoAnne Bryant surgery possibly pending George Kent still suffering with hand/wrist problems Jim Townsend with torn meniscus Harlan The Hero continues to need your prayers (www.caringbridge.co m/harlansullins) Laura and Jim Silver are celebrating their 51st wedding anniversary President’s Message: Margaret and I are sitting in the West Baden Springs Hotel in French Lick, Indiana as I write this. We are here attending the MARC national meet and it is an experience all of you would love. The hotel is not your average Motel 6. It is elegant beyond words. Southeastern Indiana is rural with lush countryside, perfect for enjoying the tours of the 400 or so Model A’s here. Other QCMAC members here are Rion/Virginia Rutledge, John/Julie Kluttz, Norman/ Charlotte Culbreth, Lou Burnoski and Craig Stoll. Later I will give a more complete report with pictures. Check the list of events in “Down the Road…..”and mark your calendar. I have my reservations for the fall tour to the beach and understand a number of us have made contact with the hotel. The more the merrier. The one day tour to Spencer on Aug 3 is easy and a chance to meet other old Ford enthusiasts and experience the NC Transportation Museum. I didn't get any commitments from my inquiry ref: the Waxhaw July 4th parade so I informed them to find someone else to transport their dignitaries. annual Christmas Party have been confirmed for December 9th at Hickory Tavern. As time draws closer, I will send out a request for your reservations and menu choices. You need not take any action until then, but respond then quickly as there may be limited space. See you down the road, Jim Townsend Our reservations for the Down The Road A Piece July August 21 QCMAC Meeting 6:30pm, Jonathan’s Restaurant, Matthews, NC Hosts: Vickie & Dale Kirby 2 8 18 All Ford Show @ NC Transportation Museum, Spencer NC Tour Host TBA Model A’s Featured at Cruise-In On Main, Monroe, NC; be there with other Model A’s showing QCMAC Meeting 6:30pm, Hickory Tavern; Harris Blvd. & Hwy. 21 Hosts: Carrie & Glenn Swann September 22 27 QCMAC Meeting 6:30, Longhorn Steak, Pineville, NC Hosts: Danny & Ann Enos Murray’s Mill harvest Folk Festival October 10-12 20 Fall Tour to Ocean Isle Beach: Reservations 888-325-4753 Tour Host TR& Alma Hunter QCMAC Meeting 6:30, Captain’s Cap, Belmont NC Hosts Laura & Jim Silver December 9 QCMAC Holiday Party, Hickory Tavern Hosts Margaret & Jim Townsend Ford AA Featured at AACA Meet By: PAGE 3 Dwight & Glenda Jackson While attending the AACA National Meet in Port St. Lucie, Florida in February, 2014, we (Dwight and Glenda Jackson) visited the Elliott Museum in Stuart, Florida. Located about halfway between Daytona and Miami Beach on the Atlantic coast, this museum is a "must see" for the Model A enthusiast. Named for Sterling Elliott, the museum recently moved to a beautiful new building on 825 NE Ocean Boulevard. As you enter the museum, you see an exhibit of early bicycles and learn of the connection of the automobile with the bicycle inventors. Sterling Elliott invented the kingpin and steering knuckle that enabled steering for four-wheeled vehicles. Almost all of the early automobiles adopted the Elliot design and his inventions led to later work with the Stanley brothers in the early Stanley automobiles. A 1903 Stanley, 1914 Detroit Electric, 1903 Cadillac, 1909 Ford Model "T" touring car and a 1910 rare Moline Model M are a few of the cars in the early vehicle section. But it is the Wheels of Change section of the museum that will really interest our Model A friends. In the Wheels of Change gallery is a collection of 44 Model A Fords that Mr. Elliott Donnelly took over forty years to assemble. Commercial vehicles include a "C" cab United Parcel delivery truck, a delivery van with a Drop Floor, two funeral coaches, Model A pick up trucks, farm trucks, dump trucks, tow trucks, a milk truck, a Bell Telephone line truck and even a Model "AA" service truck and tow truck. Also there are many rare Model A automobiles. This is definitely one of the largest collections of Model A's that we have seen. But what is unique is the way you get to see them. The cars are on a three tiered automated rack storage system with spaces for 55 vehicles. You browse through one of two computers that have cataloged the collection. After making your selection of the car you would like to see, you simply inform the attendant who then uses his computer to automatically bring the car down to the main level for viewing. A robotic-like arm canvasses the three level garage until it finds your selection and then brings it to a turntable on the main level where it is rotates so that all angles of the car can be viewed. The car is displayed as long as you like as you take as many pictures as you want. You may select as many cars as you would like for viewing. No hands ever touch the cars. Everything is totally automated. Designed by the Boomerang Systems of Provo Utah, it is the only one currently installed in an American museum. The museum also has a Pelican Hydro-Aeroplane replica on exhibit, a baseball memorabilia gallery, Evinrude outboard motor exhibit, and more! If you are visiting Florida's Treasure Coast, this museum is definitely worth your time. This collection of Model A's is outstanding and the unique way of showing them is really impressive. For more information go to my source: elliottmuseum.org and you can get a complete list of all the Model A's and other cars shown. Model A Chassis For Sale Model A “rolling chassis” for SALE: has engine ( not stuck ), carb.,dist., manifold htr., transmission, rear and front later model 16” wire wheels with tires that hold air. Located just north of Charlotte, near Hwy.73 & Hwy. 16. Asking price is $750.00. Contact QCMAC member Hardy DeView @ 512-554-3594. Henry the Farmboy (part 83) Post War Boom and Bust By: Danny Enos It was not difficult to sell cars in America immediately after World War I ended. Peace, a national waiting list for cars, and a general economic upturn released tremendous pent up demand for new cars. In 1919, Ford sold more cars than ever before – over 750,000 vehicles. Detroit discovered how pleasant life can be when Americans had money to spend. But the bottom fell out abruptly in the summer of 1920. Worried about inflation, the federal government cut its budget and pulled over $6 billion out of the economy. Motor City now discovered how quickly the bust could come. Keeping the old rattle trap running instead of buying a new car became a very viable option for many Americans trapped by the uncertainty of recession. By the autumn of 1920 the automobile industry was experiencing the cyclical nature of the car business for the very first time. Ford Motor was not immune. Ford was the giant of the car industry. By 1919, one in every three cars purchased in the U.S. was a Model T. The Dodge Brothers made the most comparable economy car. General Motors with their Buick, Oldsmobile, Chevrolet, and other lines accounted for the industry’ second largest in sales. Hudson, Studebaker, Packard, Maxwell and WillysOverland were all successful independents but all combined did not nearly approach Ford in size. Even so, Ford was particularly unprepared for the sudden downturn in 1920. The 1919 judgment against Ford in the Dodge Brothers case had drained $20 million from the company. Capital outlays for the Rouge plant consumed $60 million, and the coal and iron mines of northern Michigan that Henry purchased accounted for another $15-20 million. One should remember that these are 1919 dollars. Henry’s solution? Simple: cut prices. It had worked before, so he instructed Edsel, William Knudsen, and other top executives to come up with cost reductions. Their end result was not enough. “There, gentlemen are your prices,” he declared, handing over a sheet of paper with his own price cuts. The base price of a model T truck chassis went from $525 to $360, the $550 runabout went to $395, and the sedan came down nearly $200 to $795. When the executives protested that this would mean selling cars at a loss Henry threaten deeper cuts and that ended any further objections. These were the largest price cuts in the history of the American car business. They worked at first but even Henry Ford couldn’t stave off a recession approaching crash proportions, and Ford sales fell as well. Sharp and painful cuts within the company were just around the corner as we will see next month. PAGE 5 My First Car By: Danny Phillips This is a sales brochure for my 1st car, a 1953 Chevrolet 4-door sedan with all the features listed and the exact same color shown. I paid my grandfather $300 for the car in 1963 and it had less than 25,000 miles on it. You can check out a sales brochure on your 1st car at: www.lov2xlr8.no/broch1.html The following is an ad in the New York Times, dated June 2nd, 1930, indicating that the Model A Ford would be reduced in price, depending on model, anywhere from $5.00 to $25.000. The advertisement was matted and framed when we found it, and we could not resist purchasing it at a local antique shop in Atlanta, Georgia. It makes a nice addition to my garage.. Enjoy, Buddy, Pal and Partner By: Craig Stoll With all the attention and pride in attaining the Mark of Excellence Award for my Model A at French Lick, I would be remiss not to mention my good buddy, pal and partner in toil and travel, Lou Burnoski. When I bought my Model “A” 6 years ago, after my bypass surgery, Lou was immediately drawn to the car. Lou has a wealth of knowledge of cars, having worked at Studebaker in Indiana years ago. He has an attention to L. Lou Burnoski, R. John Kluttz detail that I sometimes do not have the patience for. After we joined QCMAC our interest in bringing the car back to life grew and grew with stories from our fellow members, their shared experiences and their knowledge and pride in their vehicles. This last year for Christmas, from our eldest daughter Kimberly, I received a “Model A Travel Certificate” made out to myself from “Santa’s Elves” for travel to French Lick, Indiana. That was just the push Lou and I needed. From the beginning of the year on, Lou and I worked to bring the car up to show quality. We skirted off to Gold Hill on numerous occasions for help from the Master, John Kluttz, and with his encouragement and assistance got the car up to par. Now it was fine tuning, tackling underneath the carriage, lying on the cement floor of the garage in 90* heat, cleaning and painting while Lou sanded and painted nicks and peels and dings above me. The last three weeks before departure were grueling. With gift certificates in hand for gasoline and one for Cracker Barrel (the elves) , and a bottle of Jack Daniels to share with John, Lou and I headed to Indiana like a couple of kids. Every joy is better shared. We shared this with each other and we share this with you. Yes, QCMAC did it! JOHN TO THE RESCUE “We have to stop and help” said John Kluttz. “They will never be able to jack up that truck in the soft grass. My God, all we need to do is pick up the front end, put the spare on and they can drive it to the awards area.” Having John and Julie Kluttz as passengers in my Model A Thursday, for the Mandatory Tour to Gasthof an Amish village, was another learning experience for me of how it was done in 1930. On the drive we saw a Model A pickup truck from NY which had pulled off the road into the grass. The left front brake drum was buried into mud. The left front wheel was lying on the driveway. A fellow was trying to jack up the front end of the truck, to no avail. The lug nuts had worked loose, the holes were enlarged and the wheel came off. Fortunately for everyone this happened at the very end of the tour. I drove passed and stopped in the street. John had already analyzed the problem. Julie stayed in the car. John, Lou and I got out to help three others who had already stopped . Four of us lifted the front of the truck while the others put on the spare wheel. Then the owners drove into the assembly area. Later in the afternoon they were called to receive their award. I never stop learning when I am in John’s company. What a terrific guy. Thank you, John. Queen City Members Enjoy French Lick By: Jim Townsend The MARC meet at French Lick is almost over and we leave tomorrow morning for our return trip home. Seems like the first question I get is, “French Lick, what kind of name is that?” There are mineral springs here that leave salt on the rocks and wild life come to lick them. It is thought that the fact that the French were early settlers of the areal made this lick the French Lick. So, then how did such a fancy resort happen to land in the farming area of southeastern Indiana? The mineral springs of the area were thought to have healing powers so people from all around came as early as 1845 to stay in the French Lick and West Baden hotels. The two hotels located less than a mile apart, operated separately. The area thrived during the late 1800’s and casinos attracted more people and money. The Chicago mob had connections. Rail lines were built to bring the masses in. The depression years brought prosperity to an end and the facilities of the rich and famous were used for a Catholic seminary and later for a private college for nearly 50 years. In the mid 90’s, the Cook Foundation bought the hotels and invested over 30 million dollars to restore the two hotels to their former elegance. Dr. Cook was the inventor of the heart stint and other medical devices. There are 2 top rated golf courses on the property, one designed by Donald Ross and the other by Pete Dye. They both attract PGA tournaments. Enough history, what about the national meet? One of the special reasons for this meet is to provide a place for competitive judging of members’ Model A Fords. Fine point judging is for the cars restored meticulously with every nut and bolt, every color and finish, prepared just as Ford made them when new. QCMAC member John Kluttz was a member of the judging team. The photo in this article shows the 15 cars submitted for this year’s fine point judging. There is also judging on a group entered for awards in the touring class. Club member Craig Stoll helped with judging in this class. This class of car is judged to a lesser standard but must meet a list of mandatory original features. I would estimate 30 to 40 cars were submitted for judging including the car of Craig Stoll. These cars have been restored to a standard to look good on the road and attract positive attention to our hobby. Craig’s Model A was awarded the MARC of Excellence medallion to display on the front of his radiator. His car received 467 points out of a possible 500. This meet is also about tours and entertainment. Several self-guided tours are arranged for Jim Townsend and Rion attendees. We drove through the countryside to Beck Mill on Tuesday. The operating mill Rutledge @ old mill dated back to 1808 and provided sawmill, woolen processing and grain milling services to the community (see photo of Jim and Dr. Rion Rutledge at the mill). We learned that the Becks moved to this area from Salem, NC and had been millers in Germany. The county seat of the area is Salem, Ind. We took a bus tour to the Lincoln State Park, boyhood home of Abe Lincoln, and attended a musical performance telling Abe’s story. We participated in the touring class tour to the Amish community about 40 miles away where we had lunch (imagine that Model Aer’s, interest in food) and watched the awards for the Touring Class. We will attend the Fashion Show of era clothing tonight and see the awards given to the fine point cars ( QCMAC member Julie Kluttz was a member of the judging team for Era Fashions). Tonight’s events will be in the 200 foot wide, domed lobby area of the West Baden Hotel. This is the same area shown in the photo of the fine point cars. Participating in events like this is not without expense but it is a lifetime of memory experience well worth the cost and effort. It is a nice twist on taking a vacation. Queen City Model A Club 4620 Rozzelles Ferry Road Charlotte, NC 28216 Anniversaries: Birthdays: 12 18 28 30 31 Elsie Robinson Ron Bryant Paul Crosby Henry Donaghy Virginia Rutledge 1 4 8 12 27 Janice & Wilson Vohs Judie & Ed Dickerson Melissa & Patrick Duckworth Susan & Danny Phillips Ruth & Don Berkebile Model A Trunk/Luggage Rack Banners The club is selling banners that you can attach to your rear luggage rack/trunk that identifies you are a member of the Queen City Model A Club in Charlotte North Carolina. Some members already sport these banners when they are on tour with the club. It identifies who we are and where we are from…….people are always asking when we travel. See Wayne Helderman at our meeting…..cost $25.00