December 2013 Newsletter - the Pitt Birds Thunderbird Club

December 2013 Newsletter
OFFICERS:
President:
Bob Macek
412.331.6218
bobbetty_m@verizon.net
Vice President:
Peter Sarkis
412.310.1589
sarkis2004@comcast.net
Secretary:
Betty Macek
412.331.6218
bobbetty_m@verizon.net
Treasurer:
Jerry Longstreth
412.466.9091
gll1231@msn.com
Visit: www.pittbirds.org
2013 Year in Review
Holiday Dinner
Mardi Gras Celebration
La Casa Narcisi Winery
North Hills Historic Car Show
Wintersville Victory in Da Ville Festival
Meadville Hot Air Balloon Event
Garage Tour
Pitt Birds Picnic at the PVGP
Bushy Run Battlefield and Hanna's Town
North East Wine Festival
Forks of Cheat Winery/Distillery
UPCOMING EVENTS:
RECENT EVENTS:
Autumn Meeting:
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Holiday Dinner:
Twenty one Pitt Bird members met at Kings Restaurant in
Wexford. The following items were discussed:
Saturday, January 18, 2014
The Pitt Birds will have its annual holiday dinner on January
18, 2014, at 6:00 PM at Peters Place Restaurant. The cost of
the dinner is $32.00 per person. The cost of the dinner
includes; hors d'oeuvres, dinner, dessert, coffee, tea, tax and
gratuity.
Peters Place Restaurant is located at: 1199 Washington Pike,
Bridgeville, PA 15017. Phone number: 412.221.5000. Please
complete the form on the final page of this newsletter and send
it along with your payment to the address listed on the form. If
you have not paid your 2014 dues payment, please include
your dues payment with this form.
We are having a gift exchange. If you wish to participate, men
should bring a $10.00-$15.00 gentlemen’s gift. Ladies should
bring a $10.00-$15.00 lady’s gift.
Nomination of Officers:
Members were solicited for nominations for President, Vice
President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
Wayne Bane was
nominated for president, Peter Sarkis was nominated to
continue as vice president, Mary Beth Meyer was nominated for
Secretary, and Jerry Longstreth was nominated to continue as
Treasurer. Rich and Ann Augustine have offered to take the
position of historian.
Holiday Dinner Plans:
The holiday dinner will be at Peters Place Restaurant, on
January 18, 2014
Suggested activities and tours for 2014:
The following suggestions were made for 2014 tours:
Phipps Conservatory, winter tour.
Kiski Junction Train Ride
Aviary
Washington County tour
NHHAC Car Show
Wintersville Festival
PVGP Picnic
Lincoln Highway Tour
Horseshoe Curve in the fall
Winter Meeting:
Thursday, February 6, 2014
The Pitt Birds will meet at 6:30 PM at Kings Restaurant which
is located at the intersection of I79 and Route 910.
GPS: 105 VIP Drive, Wexford, PA 15090.
We will discuss and finalize ideas for the 2014 adventures.
Please bring your suggestions to the meeting or contact
Wayne Bane at 724.594.7482 or Jerry Longstreth at
412.466.9091.
Newsletter and Web Site:
Attendees stated they prefer a brief and simple newsletter.
The Pitt Birds currently exchange email copies of newsletters
with other Thunderbird clubs. If you would like to view these
newsletters, contact Jerry Longstreth.
Atlantic City Classic Auto Auction and Car Show:
List of members and their Thunderbirds:
In January the Pitt Birds will mail a printed list of club members
and their Thunderbirds to only club members.
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Saturday, March 1, 2014
Bill Snyder is running a bus trip to Atlantic City. The bus will
leave from Robinson Township and Monroeville at 1:00-1:30
AM Saturday morning, arrive in Atlantic City at 9:00 AM, leave
Atlantic City at 7:30 PM, and return to Pittsburgh at 2:00 AM
Sunday morning. If you are interested, please contact Bill
Snyder at 412.848.7080.
. UPCOMING
Hard Top Raddle on the Retro Birds
INTERNATIONAL EVENTS:
By Bill Green, TBN
Mocking Bird Run VI
May 2-4, 2014
Oakridge, TN
Visit: www.ctci.org/events.php
VTCI – Vintage Thunderbird Club International Convention
May 28-31, 2014
New Orleans, LA
Visit: www.vintagethunderbirdclub.net/events.htm
TBN – Thunderbirdnest “Bluegrass Cruising”
June 11-15, 2014 Lexington, KY
Visit: www.thunderbirdnest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38941
Driver’s side w/o the plastic spacer
CTCI – Classic Thunderbird Club International Convention
July 1-6, 2014
Springfield/Branson, MO
Visit: www.ctci.org/events.php
MEMBERSHIP:
Current Membership: 65 Member Families
Passing of Lou Franceschina:
It is with deep regret that we inform you that Lou passed away
on Saturday, November 23, 2013. Our thoughts and prayers go
out to his wife Fran and their family.
TREASURY:
Current Balance as of December 1, 2013: $3,571.09
Communications:
The Pitt Birds would like to update its membership listing with
your current information. If there have been changes to your
name, address, phones, email, or year and color of your
Thunderbird, please let us know.
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Spacer
New spacer package showing the part #
After installing the hard top on my Thunderbird, I noticed that
the top was popping or rattling more than in the past. I removed
the top and noticed that on the driver’s side, a plastic spacer that
the hard top post set down on was missing. This is what caused
the top to rattle. I found the old broken spacer under the plastic
cover.
The passenger side is quite different. This has the connection
for the rear defroster.
I ordered the part (Part # 1W6Z-7650611-AA) from a local
Ford dealer on Tuesday and three days later they called and said
the part was in.
The plastic spacer has clips that are supposed to hold the
spacer on the metal bracket, but they are very flimsy, so I decided
to put a little super glue under the spacer when I installed it. The
spacer is 1/4 inch thick where it sets on the bracket.
I tried to install the hard top. The Driver side post would not
go down into the bracket socket. I measured the diameter of the
post and it was 15/32, so I reamed the hole with a 15/32 drill bit;
that took out a little plastic material, so I then used a 31/64 bit and
reamed the hole again. After reaming the hole out the post
dropped in as it was supposed to.
I completed the top installation and took the Thunderbird for a
drive. The hard top did not make a sound. The spacer
compresses the spring on the hard top post assembly and that
holds the top down tighter, therefore the rattle goes away.
1989‐1990 Ford Thunderbird Super Coupe By: The Auto Editors of Consumer Guide Pluses of the 1989-1990 Ford Thunderbird Super Coupe:
An American BMW 6-Series
Fast mover (under 8 seconds 0-60)
Secure, "beefy" steering/handling
ABS brakes
Luxurious
The 1989-1990 Ford Thunderbird Super Coupe was the
successor to the Turbo Coupe as the hotshot T-Bird in 1989's
new 11th generation. It was still a closed five-seater, but broader
of beam, five inches longer in wheelbase, and some 300 pounds
heavier. The Thunderbird's old 2.3-liter turbo four was junked in
favor of a newly supercharged 3.8 V-6 with 20-60 more
horsepower.
The Thunderbird Super Coupe came with manual five-speed
and automatic four-speed transmissions, all-disc antilock brakes,
auto-adjusting shock absorbers, and uprated rolling stock as
before; independent rear suspension on this model was a first for
the T-Bird. Styling for this model was simpler and more graceful,
although it was made racier on the SC via perimeter lower-body
skirts, twin-venturi front bumper, and debossed I.D. lettering on
both bumpers.
The Thunderbird Super Coupe's cabin was plusher than ever,
enhanced by a new low-profile dash. The Super Coupe was
criticized by road-testers (and admitted by Ford) as too heavy for
real agility, but it had lots of cornering "stick" and smooth, rapid
acceleration.
The Super Coupe was not a super-seller in the troubled late'80s market, but its low volume plus its many laudable qualities
argue for it as a future collectible. A handful of special 35th
Anniversary 1989 models may have a slight value edge.
Minuses of the 1989-1990 Ford Thunderbird Super Coupe:
Heavy and thirsty
Manual shift a chore
Trunk and back-seat space limited
Some interior trim tacky
Specifications of the 1989-1990 Ford Thunderbird Super
Coupe:
Wheelbase, inches: 113.0
Length, inches: 198.7
Weight, pounds: approx. 3,600
Price, new: $20,000-$23,000
Engines for the Ford Thunderbird Super Coupe:
Type
Size
Horsepower
Years
Ohv V-6
232 cid
210-230
1989-1995
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FOR SALE:
PITT BIRDS HOLIDAY DINNER
SATURDAY, JANUARY 18, 2014, 6:00 PM
2004 Thunderbird:
Rare Vintage Mint Green with optional Whisper White Interior
Accents. All options including removable hardtop with boot.
10,000 miles. $26,500. Contact Peter Sarkis. 412.310.1589
PETERS PLACE RESTAURANT
1199 Washington Pike, Bridgeville, PA
Dinner
Choice
Chicken
a la Kelly
Golf Shirts:
If you would like to purchase a Turquoise / Thunderbird blue golf
shirt with the Pitt Birds logo, contact Wayne and Dolly Bane at:
724.226.0788. The price is $30.00 ($32.00 for XXL).
Name
Name
Veal
Parmiginana
Virginia
Spots
Tee Shirts:
With the Pitt Birds club logo are for sale for $15.00 each.
Shipping and handling to your address is an additional $3.00.
Limited supply remaining, sizes available; 6 large and 6 medium.
Contact Carol Vivaldi at: 412.486.6009.
We are having a gift exchange. If you wish to participate, men
should bring a $10.00-$15.00 gentlemen’s gift. Ladies should
bring a $10.00-$15.00 lady’s gift.
To advertise in the newsletter, please contact Jerry Longstreth
at: gll1231@msn.com or 412.466.9091
Wanted:
Please submit your choice of dinner(s) on or before
January 9, 2014. The cost of each dinner is $32.00 and
includes; hors d'oeuvres, dinner, dessert, coffee, tea, tax and
gratuity.
1930 or 1931 Ford Roadster.
Contact Frank Rybicki at: 724.842.6112
If you have not paid your 2014 dues payment, please include
your dues payment with this form.
2014 Dues Payment:
Please send this completed form and payment of $32.00 per
dinner to:
Pitt Birds
7 Woodland Drive
Coraopolis, PA
15108
If you have not paid your 2014 dues, please plan to submit
your $20.00 dues payment by December 31, 2013.
Please make the dues payment of $20.00 to:
Pitt Birds
1723 Pleasant Avenue
West Mifflin, PA 15122 2857
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Wishing Everyone a Happy
and Safe Holiday Season!