herald - Northstar Region Cadillac LaSalle Club

THE
HERALD
Volume 16 —Issue 2 —March 2014
March 2014
3
Check us out Online ......
In This Issue
CLC Northstar Region
www.northstarcadillac.org
Calendar of Events…………………………………...5
Cadillac & LaSalle Club, Inc.
www.cadillaclasalleclub.org
Holiday Brunch Review……………………………...9
President’s Steering Column……..………………...7
Speaking of Kars……………………………………..11
1968 Cadillac Style.………………………………….13
Northstar Region Officers
President Gene Rafferty
Blaine, MN  763-780-0386
Email: cadlimo76@yahoo.com
Immediate Past-President Duane Warren
Maple Grove, MN  763-420-7980
Email: cadillacdewey@aol.com
Advertising Director Steve Norenberg
West Lakeland, MN  651-436-1003
Email: steve@minnesotawater.com
On the Cover: The smooth flowing lines of 1968
Cadillac styling are depicted in this detail photo of
member Steve Norenberg’s convertible. A full
“Owner’s Pride” feature will appear in a future issue of The Herald.
The Herald is the official publication of the
Cadillac & LaSalle Club’s Northstar Region.
All GM Show Representative Geoffrey Hunt
Club Store
Eagan, MN  651-688-7507
Email: hunt@skypoint.com
Events Coordinator Rod Dehmlow
Shakopee, MN  612-839-6226
Email: events@northstarcadillac.org
Membership Director Mark Hawkinson
Lauderdale, MN  651-644-8083
Email: Membership@northstarcadillac.org
Newsletter Editor
Tony Karsnia
East Bethel, MN  612-325-2344
Email: kars971@aol.com
Sunshine Lady Patty Alexander
Edina, MN  952-922-1939
Email: pattyluk@comcast.net
Tour Coordinator Deen Braathen
Mounds View, MN  612-250-5005
Email: ordeen@comcast.net
Treasurer Larry Klement
Bloomington, MN 55431  952-884-6563
Email: lklement4047@q.com
Webmaster Grayle Leech
Breezy Point, MN  218-562-5977
Email: gleech1@tds.net
Board Members At Large
Linda Warren
Stephen Page
NorthStar
Jacket Patch
$ 5.00
(size 3 ¾”)
National
Jacket Patch
$ 3.00
(size 3 ¾”)
National
Window Decal
$ 1.50
(size 3 ¾”)
NorthStar
Lapel Pin
$ 10.00
(size ¾”)
To order any of these items, please contact
Gene Rafferty at 763.780.0386 or cadlimo76@yahoo.com
Name Tags: Purchase at Awards By Hammond
1669 University Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55104
 Phone 651-642-9273 Size 1 1/2” x 3”
Cost of members Name Tag is $9.70 each, for two
or more including the magnetic retainers.
When ordering mention the NorthStar Region Cadillac Club.
A fine used Cadillac being offered for sale by
Dehmlow Auto Sales:
2011 Cadillac CTS-4. Black Raven metallic, 31,989
miles, Luxury Pkg., 3.0L V6, AWD, Heated Leather
Seats, Panoramic Sunroof with Power Shade, Dual
Climate Control, Dual Power Seats w/Memory,
Bose Premium Sound with CD Changer, Steering
Wheel Controls, XM Satellite Radio, Side Curtain
Airbags, Traction Control, Bluetooth, Alloy Wheels,
Backup Camera. Beautiful One-Owner Car with
Remaining Warranty! Extended Service Policy
Available. $25,990.
March 2014
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2014 Northstar Region Calendar of Events
All dates, times and locations are subject to change
Please call ahead or check the latest issue of The Herald
MARCH 11—Tuesday—Board Meeting
Location:
Cub Foods 5301 36th Ave N, Crystal (2nd floor)
Time:
7:00 PM (All Members Welcome)
MARCH 18—Tuesday—Burger Run
Location:
Big Louie’s 790 W. County Road D New Brighton
Time:
6:00 PM
APRIL 15—Tuesday—Board Meeting
Location:
Cub Foods 5301 36th Ave N, Crystal (2nd floor)
Time:
7:00 PM (All Members Welcome)
APRIL 17—Thursday—Burger Run
Location:
Casper’s Cherokee Steak House 4625 Nicols Road Eagan
Time:
6:00 PM
MAY 13—Tuesday—NSR Annual Banquet at Mancini’s
Location:
531 West Seventh St. Saint Paul
Time:
6:00 PM Social 7:00 Dinner
RSVP:
Rod Dehmlow by May 6
MAY 20—Tuesday—Board Meeting
Location:
Cub Foods 5301 36th Ave N, Crystal (2nd floor)
Time:
7:00 PM (All Members Welcome)
Hi! I’m Rod Dehmlow, NSR Events Coordinator. Please feel
welcome to call me if you have a suggestion for a Burger Run
location. We are always looking for new places to try!
612-839-6226
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The Herald
Pl a c e a b us in e ss c a rd si ze Ad h e re f o r $ 95 .0 0 a n nu a ll y.
DEEN BRAATHEN
2836 Lyndale Avenue S.—Minneapolis, MN 55408
Tel: 612-872-2325—Fax: 612-872-2385
Email: deen@onframe-art.com—Web: www.onframe-art.com
* PLEASE BE SURE TO THANK THESE CLUB SUPPORTERS BY PATRONIZING THEM WHENEVER POSSIBLE *
March 2014
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President’s Steering Column
This winter has been tough on me and I can’t wait for
it to be over. Hopefully we will be back on the road in
no time. Hopefully everyone had a good time at Jax
Café for the holiday brunch. Space was a little tight, but we got everyone in who came.
The food was good. If we go there again, we will get a bigger space.
We are working on the calendar for this year’s Burger Runs. If you have a favorite spot we have been to,
or a new place we should try, let one of the board members know or contact Rod Dehmlow, our Burger Run
coordinator. I picked a different spot for the Steak Fry this year. We will try this place out and see how it
goes. It is located in Fridley in Locke Park, which is one of Anoka County’s fine parks. The shelter has
tables under it for 150 people and the parking lot is about four times the size of the other place. There are
some nice trails to walk off your dinner if you want later on.
Deen is working on some good tours again for this year. If you have some suggestions or would like to help
out, let him know.
At the next Burger Run, be sure to thank Ed Gunyo for taking over the secretary job, Stephen Page for
doing such an excellent job on the newsletter, and Tony Karsnia for taking over the newsletter again.
- Gene Rafferty
Some images from Locke Park in Fridley, the new location for our annual Steak Fry:
March 2014
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CLC NSR JAX
On Sunday, January 19, a spirited group of NSR members gathered at Jax Café in Northeast
Minneapolis for the annual Holiday Brunch. CLC NSR members arrived at JAX via DTS,
CTS, and ATS. It seems all XLR are still hibernating for the winter and no member has yet
to purchase an ELR. We did not dine on alphabet soup, but rather feasted on one of the most
delicious brunch buffets around. The turnout was so impressive that our reserved space filled
up quickly and became a bit cramped. Let’s look at this from a positive standpoint: we had
an excellent turnout for this event! The food at Jax is always superb, the atmosphere
welcoming, and now that we know NSR members appreciate the place, we’ll reserve a larger
dining space next time.
Many thanks to all who joined us for brunch! (And just for the record, NSR Treasurer, Larry
Klement, pictured above, did not polish off that entire plate of bagels!) Tony Karsnia, photos
10
The Herald
March 2014
11
Speaking of Kars…
A Message from the Editor
Hello everyone!
If the presence of my picture on this page seems like déjà vu, that’s because I have re assumed the duties of Editor for the NSR. I served in this position for a little over a year back in 2009, but
passed the quill over to Stephen Page due to time limitations. Words cannot express enough appreciation to
Stephen for diligently performing the duties of Editor over the past three and a half years. It’s easy to read
each issue of The Herald that magically appears in your mailbox, but the truth is, many hours of work go
into each and every issue of this thing. Under Stephen’s leadership, The Herald arrived on time, every time,
packed with information that reviewed the past and enticed the future. While retired from newsletter
editing, he continues to serve the club as a Board Member At Large. Please be sure to thank Stephen for his
dedication not only to The Herald, but the NSR as a whole.
For those of you who might not know me, I’ve been an active member of the NSR since 1999 and
continuous member of CLC since then also. In addition to being on my second tour of duty as Editor, I
served as Secretary following Gene Rafferty’s election to President. I’ve always liked writing, photography,
and talking cars. I enjoy admiring numbers of cars at shows and local cruise events, but I also appreciate
one-on-one time spent with fellow members and their cars. This is a great way to get to obtain individual
vehicle history, detail photos, and if I’m really lucky, a ride in a fantastic Cadillac or LaSalle!
I’ve been interested in cars for as long as I can remember, progressing from Matchbox cars as a youngster to
building scale models as a pre-teen, and beginning a collection of 1:1 scale cars when I was 14 years old. I
grew up around a funeral home, so professional cars (hearses, ambulances, limousines) have always been
fascinating to me because of their uniqueness and custom coachwork. I chose to follow in my dad’s footsteps and have worked in the funeral service profession my entire career, much of it as the business manager
of a St. Paul funeral home. In 2012, I began working for Miller Funeral Home in Fridley and returned to
college to finish my Bachelor of Science degree with major in Mortuary Science. I will graduate in the
spring of 2016.
In the meantime, I look forward to being active in the CLC / NSR and the other car club I am a member of,
The Professional Car Society. It is my goal to personally contact every Northstar Region member over the
course of this tour of duty as Editor in order to meet everyone and compose a collection of vehicle photos
and histories—Owner’s Pride features—for this newsletter. Every old car has a story. Every old car buff
has a story, often many. These are the features that need to occupy pages in this, your publication.
My wife, Kim, and I maintain a collection of professional cars: a 1967 Miller -Meteor Cadillac Paramount
combination, a 1967 Superior Cadillac Crown Sovereign limousine -style combination, a 1973 Superior
Cadillac Crown Sovereign limousine -style combination, and a 1975 Miller -Meteor Cadillac Lifeliner ambulance. One of my favorite aspects of collecting old cars is the hunt for them. I’ve gone to some pretty interesting extremes hunting for cars and their individual history. Barn finds are a favorite! We rescued our
Paramount in 2011 after a 22-year hibernation in an Iowa machine shed. Our ‘67 Superior Crown was a
2012 Montana barn find.
The 1968 Cadillac style is one of my all -time favorites. I’ve owned five of them over the years, all professional cars. I do not current own a ‘68 but have the opportunity to re -acquire one that I had years ago. I
would also like to find a nice “regular” Cadillac passenger automobile for club touring and summer night
cruising. We’ll see where that adventure takes me!
-Tony Karsnia
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The Herald
Cory’s Cadillac Parts
Purveyor of Fine Cars and Parts
20 years experience
Specializing in ‘93—’96
Fleetwood Broughams
1980-1996 Cadillac parts for sale
Limousine Parts also available
(920) 210-2225 or (920) 387-9132
corykulibert@att.net
Website: coryscadillacpartsusa.weebly.com
March 2014
13
1968 Cadillac Style
By Tony Karsnia
I’ve been a “car guy” for as long as I can remember. My parents
and grandparents drove GM products; Buick, Oldsmobile, and
Pontiac cars mostly. Growing up around a funeral home, I was
also no stranger to Cadillac, as that was (and still is) the chassis
on which our professional cars are primarily built. Around the
time I turned five years old, I remember looking at one of my
dad’s funeral service trade journals, which featured a full-page color ad for the all-new 1977 Cadillac professional cars. Shown prominently in the foreground was a 1977 Cadillac hearse (in yellow, of course,
since this was the ‘70s!) But what really caught my attention was the “old” car shown in the background;
a 1968 Cadillac hearse. The styling, specifically of the Cadillac components, immediately captured my
fancy.
Not long after, my best friend’s parents purchased a black 1968 Sedan de Ville, facilitating my admiration of this style in person. Everything about it from the “lunging” front end to the side marker lights to
the functional style of the instrument panel, was to my liking. I would later learn that one of the best
features of a ‘68 Cadillac is something that isn’t immediately obvious; the all-new power plant that
lurked under the hood. It boasted a whopping 472 cubic inch displacement and 525 foot-pounds of
torque...highest of any passenger car engine in the world at that time! This fourth-generation V8 was
standard in all 1968 models including the front wheel drive Eldorado.
The 1968 Cadillac model lineup included the Calais, de Ville, Fleetwood Sixty Special, Fleetwood
Brougham, Fleetwood 75, commercial chassis, and Eldorado (only the Calais sedan with pillared hardtop
was dropped from the previous year’s lineup.) All of these saw minor restyling details from the 1967
models. In addition to the new engine and presence of side-marker lights, the other notable feature of
1968 Cadillac styling is the presence of a longer hood, allowing the windshield wipers to be concealed.
This further enhanced the “clean” look of an already sleek design.
The value-leader 1968 Cadillac was the
Calais 68247 coupe with an MSRP of
$5,284. Rounding out the upper-end of
the spectrum was the Fleetwood 75
limousine, which carried an MSRP of
$10,736. Cadillac built three cars over
230,000 that year, and on June 10,
1968, a milestone gold convertible
rolled off the assembly line in Detroit
as Cadillac’s 3-millionth postwar car!
I look forward to featuring some
“Owners Pride” articles about NSR
members’ 1968 Cadillacs!
Right: 1968 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty
Special. (Karsnia archives)
14
The Herald
See the complete lineup from Cadillac, including the
all-new ELR, featured vehicle at this year’s Auto
Show. According to the GMADA website
(www.twincitiesautoshow.com):
“The all new ELR, with its forward-thinking technology and forwardleaning design, is an original thought in a sea of conformity and our
most advanced luxury coupe ever.
The electric drive system elicits an immediate response. Press down on
the accelerator and you’re greeted with instant torque and the smooth,
shiftless acceleration of electric drive. Up to 340 mile range on electricity stored by the battery and electricity
developed by the gas-generator allows you room to adventure.
A sophisticated network of radar sensors and cameras are constantly at work within and around the ELR,
monitoring speed, lanes, and objects in its path. The cut-and-sewn interior reveals an exquisite oasis of elegance and
information, providing touches of those that rival the finest homes.”
Upcoming
NSR Event
BURGER RUN Tuesday, March 18 6 PM
BIG LOUIE’S BAR & GRILL
790 W. County Road D
New Brighton, MN 55112
(651) 636-2901
http://www.biglouiesbarandgrill.com/
RSVP to Rod Dehmlow (612) 839-6226
The Herald
Tony Karsnia, Editor
3634 Viking Boulevard NE
East Bethel, MN 55092