Closing out the year is
usually busy in so many ways, but when you stop and think about what is really
important, what matters most, it always comes down to those you love. All other
things are trivial compared to that.
The last month has been tough, we had to euthanize
our beloved dog who became ill suddenly. That was a real heartbreaker for us.
Boomer was the greatest dog you could ever hope to
have. A Golden Retriever that loved everyone and was loved by all too.
And for those of you who have been readers of the
Newsletter for any length of time, you know our writer Tom Sebastian well. It
is with sadness that I inform you that Tom passed away in November. He had been
fighting a valiant battle with cancer unbeknownst to any of us. Tom was not
only a terrific writer and an unsurpassed automotive enthusiast, but most
importantly – he was one heck of a great guy. Tom’s nephew informed me about
two weeks ago and I was shocked to say the least. I asked Karl if he would like
to write something in Tom’s place for this edition, as a way to honor his uncle
and partake in something that Tom enjoyed. Karl jumped at the opportunity and
his column is featured here. I think you will enjoy it and gain a bit of an
inside look at Tom Sebastian.
God bless you Tom in your heavenly reward. I bet you
are driving the greatest racetracks any of us could ever imagine in some
incredible vehicles! Thank you for all
your contributions to Long Island Classic Cars.com, and, for being a good
friend.
This edition of the Newsletter will pay tribute to
Tom in various ways. It is a loss for us all. I will miss him and his one of a
kind writings that amused, educated, and fascinated us for many years.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
*
I wish
everyone a Merry Christmas! and Happy Hannukah! Blessings to all.
I hope you all get some nice
car related goodies! Make sure your chimneys are open for Santa, but your
tailpipes are plugged for the winter so you don’t get any varmints crawling
into your car while it’s tucked away! You don’t want to try starting it in the
spring and get a “pop” or backfire because your exhaust is jammed up with
rodent debris! Any firewall openings – tape ‘em shut. Check your doors and all
seals too – those little mice can fit through the tiniest of openings!
A few years back I had my ’71
Cuda stored in a building with several other vehicles at a private residence.
First class area, multi-million dollar home. But, the mice got in anyway! They
crawled in and the little buggers set up a cozy nest in my heating duct.
I found the debris eventually
when I went to check on the car in early spring, I cleaned it out and checked
around thinking I got it all and the mice must have left. Nope. The mice did
indeed leave, but when I turned on the blower motor, you can imagine the filth
that came out of the duct! NAS-TEEEE!
Anyway, after a good
cleaning, spray disinfectant, and some fresh air – I decided that next time out
I would take precautions. I had heard from someone that by simply using Bounce
dryer sheets in and around your car, it would keep rodents away. Apparently
they do not like the smell. So, in subsequent years, I laid out the sheets
around all four tires (they had to climb up there to get to the car), put some
on the front suspension near the firewall, a couple inside by the firewall, and,
one sheet under each seat since they like to go in there to pull out burlap,
etc. for their nasty little filth ridden nest. Oh – and don’t forget a couple
in the trunk.
Never had a problem again.
And, my car smelled so fresh
it reminded me of an Irish Spring commercial.
Enjoy the rest of the Newsletter
………
___________________________________________________
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1
Editor’s Introduction
2
Advertisers Holiday
Discounts
3 Automotive Trivia Contest
4 Cruise Night Information
5 Guest Writers’ Columns
Karl Schmitt
Lou Refano
Rich’s Tech Tips
6
My Car Story
7
The Archive
8 Editor’s Closing
___________________________________________________
Here are some
special deals and offers from some of our advertisers! Hurry – they are time
limited!
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Certificate for use towards work on car
only. Not for parts. Maximum 3 per vehicle.
Must purchase certificates by December
30th. Can be used any time. 516-938-7373
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purchased before 1-31-12
(10% OFF
applies to our regular web site catalog price)
These businesses advertise on Long Island Classic Cars.com in the
RESTORATION& REPAIR section.
These places do
GREAT work and are wonderful ideas for CHRISTMAS & HANNUKAH gifts!!
Don’t miss out on
these great savings for you or someone you love – Call now!!
___________________________________________________
Long Island Classic Cars’
Submit your entry along with your name and e-mail
address to: newsletter@liclassiccars.com
This contest is open to everyone! (LI Classic Cars.com
paid personnel, regular column writers, and business advertisers are not
eligible.)
Winners will be notified by e-mail and/or phone.
Please submit all entries by the 20th of the next
month. (Ex: for August’s contest the entries are due by September 20th)
No substitutions of prizes will be allowed.
In the event of prize choices, winner will be given
the opportunity to select the one they want.
All decisions are final and are made by the paid
personnel of Long Island Classic Cars.com
Winners must claim their prizes within 30 days of
contest end or forfeit the prize to the runner up.
If there are multiple correct entries on puzzle,
matching, fill-in, or Q&A contests - winner will be randomly selected from
all correct entries.
Believe it
or not – no correct entries were received from last issues’ contest!
I am
shocked. I guess this Race-Hemi Crate Motor (value $23,000) that was to be the
first place prize will have to go back to Ma Mopar’s inventory. Oh well.
Our contests
will resume in the New Year. Give them a go folks - you CAN be a winner!
But – only if
you ENTER! (Just like Lotto – “Ya gotta be in it to win it”)
___________________________________________________
“EXTRA EXTRA!
READ ALL ABOUT IT!!”
The season has wound down, but there are still things happening
on Long Island! If you know of a place that still has car cruises in the winter
let us know- we’ll add it to the Ocean Parkway event.
The Cruise Nights are going to start in April. I will be
posting the listings and updates starting in March.
If anybody knows of any changes to
existing locations or new places – enlighten us and we will pass it on.
Winter Cruise locations:
SUNDAYS: *AM Cruise* Ocean Pkwy,
Captree Beach Parking Lot through May, then at OBI. Babylon, NY
Public Gathering
___________________________________________________
Guest Writers’ Columns
Karl
Schmitt writes in stead for Tom
Sebastian. Karl is Tom’s nephew and a fellow “Automotisto” who had the pleasure
and good fortune of accompanying Tom on some of his worldwide automotive jaunts.
Here we get a first hand perspective of life around Tom Sebastian, as well as
some fond memories that we can all share in and treasure.
Lou
Refano talks about Checkers this time
out. No, he has not lost his automotive marbles nor jumped off the deep end and
checked himself into a retirement facility at the ripe old age of 50 (which he
just turned by the way). It is not the kind of checkers that you play on a
table with a guy named Sol who yells at you for every move you make. Read on to
find out what it IS.
Rich’s
Tech Tips cranks it up with a column
on – crankshafts. Do you know what type your car has in it? What about changing
the stroke for optimal power? Bore vs stroke. Here are some tips and things to
consider….
In the My Car Story section Frank
Damiani
shows off his stunning Challenger R/T. This car is blessed to have a
combination of looks and “Go Power”! Orange on Orange with a kick-butt
drivetrain combo! All factory original! Read it and weep.
Enjoy!
* * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
(for Tom Sebastia) by Karl Schmitt
Tribute to my Uncle
(A Racer & True
Renaissance Man)
To all of you that enjoyed Tom’s “thought provoking” articles I’m sorry
to inform you that he will no longer be writing for LICC. Tom died
peacefully on November 25th from cancer. As a reader of,
and occasional participant in, his automotive escapades I will deeply miss his irreverent
yet knowledgeable discussions about all things automotive. As his nephew
I will miss so much more.
To
say Tom pursued an unconventional journey is an understatement. Beginning
in Malaysia as a Peace Corps Volunteer from ’71-’73 he began his first
collection not of cars but of languages. He would spend the next 20+
years as a linguist for the State Department traveling the world cultivating an
encyclopedic knowledge of people and places that would serve him well as he
pursued his other love – cars.
Tom would
be the first to admit he wasn’t blessed with the stunning reflexes of Senna,
Prost or Hakkinen. But what he did possess were the language skills that
allowed him to speak “Language A” to the pit crew, “Language B” to the
engineers and “Language C” to the owners. All while trail-braking, paddle
shifting and not crashing. His driving began at Skip Barber and
progressed through the open wheel training but with an eye on his age Tom
decided the most likely path into an F1 cockpit was as test driver. So,
between work assignments (showing Russian delegates our court system, guiding
Portuguese entrepreneurs through Las Vegas etc.) Tom entered the world of F1 in
the early ‘90s.
But Tom had already begun his penchant for collecting. He
would religiously scour the papers and look for “future collectibles” – key
word being “future”. Many times he would proudly reveal the next “must
have” a Saab 96 or a Volvo 240DL. But
it could also be an Opel GT or a BMW M5. Those of us with less visionary
skills would often wonder at how good he was at this. Of course having
access to Tom’s skill at sourcing any car did have its advantages. When I decided an early ‘70s BMW tii was the
key to my happiness, he produced a wonderful dark blue 5 speed. When my brother in law felt that a late ‘60s
Alfa GTV would make his life complete, Tom located a thrilling light yellow
model we used to assault rural Illinois. Many of you probably wonder of the
many cars that passed through his hands what were his favorite(s). I
believe that he loved his Morgan +8 and his Jag E Type 4.2 the most. The
master of the grand entrance, he arrived at my sister’s college graduation at
the wheel of his Morgan offering thrilling tales of his latest foreign travels
and an equally thrilling ride. I must
mention that this was an all women college; the rest of us young men attending
were not amused. Tom garnered most of
the attention!
(Editor’s note: See March 2004 for Tom’s fantastic Morgan article!
And check out our ARCHIVE for all of Tom’s 37 columns!)
For any of us feeling brave, he was quick to offer a ride. And
not just a leisurely drive through the Finger Lakes, but a
“what-did-I-do-to-deserve-this” blast where he would gleefully demonstrate F1
techniques on decidedly NOT F1 equipment!
I remember in particular the Avanti and the Lotus – surely two ends of
that automotive spectrum. Mike Tyson vs
Carl Lewis. The Finger Lakes region in
NY was his playground and Tom nimbly took advantage of those miles of
un-policed roads.
Of course
Tom wasn’t content to stay in the US. He was the perfect travel companion
where his languages and networks allowed us access to peoples and places
usually off limits. One of our favorite adventures was to witness the
Mille Miglia and then catch the F1 qualifying runs at Monaco. One year at the Mille Miglia he produced a
press pass and we accompanied him on his “interviews”, watching as he talked
with German, French, and Japanese owners about the anticipated thrill of racing
their priceless cars for 1,000 miles into the Italian countryside. With an enviably flexible work schedule, he
attended, almost annually, one of his favorite spectacles – the 24 hours of Le
Mans. I regret never having been able
to attend that with him as he stayed with a colleague whose family just
happened to own a delightful castle that afforded spectacular views of what Tom
called the “world’s greatest circus”.
The last time I saw Tom he was wringing out his latest hi-tech
toy: an iPad. He was working on another
book, fielding calls for cars from car lovers and always refining his language
skills. He left this life just as he
drove – with a full appreciation for the moment and completely in charge.
Since
you knew him as writer, I should mention his other written works under the name
of S. Thomas - such as Miracle at Monaco, Submarine, Oh Starry Night, and The
Last King of Babylon.
In
closing I want to leave you with knowledge that writing for Long Island Classic
Cars.com was one of Tom’s most enjoyable pastimes. Many times I would
catch him chuckling at his laptop as he worked on his next submission to LICC,
carefully crafting a story that he hoped would entertain and inform the
readers. I hope you have enjoyed his work over the years.
(Karl, thanks very much. We
all miss Tom already.) Pete
*
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Grab A Cab
by Louis Refano
When you think of New York
City, invariably a lot of symbols come to mind: The skyscrapers. The
subway. The Statue of Liberty. From the early ‘60s to the late ‘80s
there was another icon that defined New York…a transportation icon. Hint:
It was big and yellow and was more practical than a banana peel. And it
was preferred by people like Alex Rieger and Jim Ignatowski. It was a taxi
cab. Actually, it was THE taxi cab. It was called the Checker
Marathon. It was built by Checker Motors Company of Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Like a typical New Yorker, the Marathons blended into the surroundings while
being hard-working and seat-of-the-pants tough, without a lot of frills.
And unlike everyone else’s car, they pretty much stayed the same during their
twenty two year run…and got away with it. The styling was dated for sure,
but it also had a comfortable quality about it…only the VW Beetle, the
1971-1999 Dodge full-size van and the Checker could accomplish so much by
staying so true to their form, year after year after year.
What was it that made these cars so popular as a taxi? For one thing, they
had exceptional interior space…legroom, headroom and seat width were expansive,
as was the case in most cars designed in the early-to-mid 1950s. For
another, they were virtually indestructible. They featured robust,
uncomplicated bolt-on construction, making them easy to fix and maintain.
They also utilized commonality of simple parts. Engines, transmissions
and all drivetrain and mechanical parts were all outsourced from suppliers,
leaving Checker to build frame and body and to assemble the whole
indestructible lump. The lack of yearly changes to the styling greatly
simplified the management of parts; just about any body part from 1961 to
1982 was interchangeable!
The Marathon model was introduced in September 1960 for the 1961 model year,
superseding the Checker Superba Custom which debuted in 1956, and differing
from the Superba with its better interior appointments. The exterior of the
Marathon had a full width egg crate grille, differing from the Superba's
narrower grille and inboard parking lights. 1963 saw a mild facelift; that year
also saw the debut of the Marathon Town Custom, a limousine version on a
longer (129 versus 120 inch) wheelbase.
Below are examples of a 1967 Checker Wagon and a 1975 Checker Sedan.
As mentioned, Checker outsourced most of the mechanical components for these
cars. Notably, the Marathon's front suspension A-frames interchange with
a 1956 Ford. The engines used were originally L-head inline sixes built by
Continental. Then in 1965 these were exchanged for Chevrolet sixes and
small-block V8s. These continued to change as Chevrolet introduced
changes, peaking with the 1969 L48 350 cubic inch V8 that produced 300 hp.
By 1973, power for the 350 had decreased to 145 hp (net), and in 1975
catalytic converters were introduced, as they were on the entire GM
lineup. For 1980 the engine lineup was once again changed, with a Buick
3.8 liter V6 replacing the old inline unit, and a smaller 4.4 L
standard V8. An Oldsmobile 350 cu in diesel V8 was also
available for a short time. Speaking of GM, about this time Checkers
appeared at Buick new car dealers’ lots for non-commercial use. This
program did not catch on, however; apparently the majority of the car-buying
public was too used to the idea of Marathons being work vehicles, and couldn’t
consider them in their driveway. And let’s face it, the consumer market
in the late ‘70s didn’t cry out for a basic full-size car with 1950s styling, a
bland interior, 15 mpg economy and sluggish acceleration…despite the roominess,
and the fact that it was built like a Sherman Tank.
With the exception of U.S. government-mandated 5 mph bumpers in 1974
replacing the chrome units, and the aforementioned ongoing mechanical changes,
the Marathon remained virtually unchanged visually during its 21-year
production run.
The Marathon ran its last race in 1982, when Checker exited the automobile
manufacturing business. Its successor in the taxi market was a series of
Chevy Impalas and Ford Crown Victorias, the latter having its own amazing
ubiquitous run.
Checker also produced the Aerobus--a seven-
(including the tailgate) or nine-door station wagon, or a six- or eight-door
sedan, manufactured on two different wheelbases from 1962 until 1977 (although
none were built in 1975). Meant primarily to serve as an airport shuttle, it
was an extended version of the Marathon. Production of the short wheelbase
versions, always considerably lower than the longer ones, ended with the 1969
model year. They could seat nine, while the longer station wagon seated twelve
people and their luggage. From its introduction through the 1964 model
year, the Aerobus used Chrysler V8s, but when Checker Motors shifted from Continental
to Chevrolet engines for 1965, the Aerobus line followed suit. The early
cars used Chrysler's A318 V8, originally with 190 hp and later
200 hp. During 1965 the Aerobus switched to Chevrolet's
327 cu in small block, with 185 hp. This was in a lesser
state of tune than the 250 hp unit used in the regular Marathons, with
lower 8:1 compression and twin rather than quadruple carbs. For 1969 the bigger
350 took over, with 200 hp. Output climbed to 215 hp for 1971.
1974 was the last year for the Aerobus as Checker ended production of the
Station Wagons. These were available only with an automatic transmission and
power steering. After none were built in 1975, 107 more eight-door sedans
(the only ones built in this configuration) were built in 1976 and 1977. The
engine output for 1977 again increased somewhat, to 170 hp. Called the
Aerobus 15 since it could seat fifteen, it did not prove very successful as
there was limited luggage space. Marketing material makes mention of a
special prisoner transport version of the Aerobus called the Convoy, but there
is no evidence of any Convoys actually being sold. In total, 3,568 Checker
Aerobuses of all versions were built.
Checker Motors continued operation at partial capacity, making Cadillac parts
until January 2009, when it declared bankruptcy.
And so the old reliable Checker Marathon taxi cabs and its variants, that were
once a staple on city streets, an iconic symbol, have driven off into the long
history of New York, right along with wooden lampposts and horse-drawn
carriages. There will always be taxicabs on the streets of New York, but
there was only one Checker cab. An icon that anyone could ride in on the
streets of ol’ New York.
Sources:
thetruthaboutcars.com, wikipedia.org
************
I’d
like to take this opportunity to express my deepest condolences to the family
of Tom Sebastian, who passed away recently from illness. As a writer I
respected his amazing ability to paint the word picture and pull the reader
into his personal automotive adventures. His style was intelligent and
professional; I would compare the quality of his writing to the finest
automotive scribes I’ve had the chance to enjoy, including Richard Langworth
and Jim Richardson, to name a few. Yet I always felt his underlying passion
for those great automobiles. He had a great calling, and all of us were
fortunate to have been able to enjoy his gift. He will surely be missed.
(Lou
thanks for the interesting history on Checker Cabs, and for the note about
Tom.) Pete
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
RICH’S TECH
TIPS
By Rich Fiore
LETS NOT GET CRANKY !!!!
When
looking for more performance from your ride and you’re thinking of rebuilding
your motor anyway...many will consider starting with the crank. For
most, replacement with a stroker crank is the way to really kick
things up to the next level.
As the old expression
goes: “There is no replacement for displacement.” During a "normal"
rebuild, there is a limit as to how far you can go in cylinder bore size before
reliability becomes an issue. It can also lead to problems with the water
jackets between the cylinders which can result in overheating issues. Cylinder
overbore varies between blocks, but a safe general rule is .040 or less. Some
can go to .060 and still be strong however.
The .040 overbore will yield 5 - 10 cubic inches ( depending on initial
bore size ) and the yield might be 5 - 10 Horsepower. But if you
are really hungry for horsepower and looking for a significant increase in
displacement, big gains are obtained by increasing the length of the
stroke ... rotating assembly, ( sounds fancy ) with a stroker crank.
So since you have
made the decision to seriously up the Horsepower, tear down the boat
anchor and replace the crank with a stroker, lets look at your
choices. When it comes to cranks the stronger the materials... the higher the
RPM limit. Higher RPM limit equates to faster piston speed, which is a
critical factor when trying to up the horsepower. Soooo, the strength of all
the rotating components is critical as the length of the stroke
increases. Right? Check.
There are two
basic types of original equipment cranks. They are the cast iron type and
the forged steel type. The cast iron type was found in the majority of cranks
on most original applications ( since they are cheaper - A.K.A. faster- to
manufacture.) Ductile iron is poured into a mold to create a crankshaft blank.
Bearing surfaces and flanges are then machined to OE specs. But due to the
manufacturing process, cast iron cranks are more brittle and rigid than a
forged crankshaft. The forging process of any kind of manufacture results in a
denser material which offers increased strength and ductility ( the ability to
avoid ducks crossing the road :) ). Seriously - the increase in ductility
would mean it would be able to flex more under stress without failing ... as
opposed to a cast iron equivalent. This can mean that a forged crank may
require less dampening as opposed to a similar cast iron crank. One should be
careful when interchanging harmonic balancers, flexplates, and flywheels. There
is a third type of crank which would be very pricey but is the
ultimate material. That would be the billet crankshaft. They are machined to
engine specifications from roll - forged steel billet.
So what it boils down
to is that the forged crankshaft can take more abuse than its cast iron
counterpart due to its increased strength and flexibility. This will allow the
engine to operate at a higher RPM with more reliability and able to handle more
engine modifications. It would be safe to say that a cast iron crank could handle
up to 500 H.P. with torques of 550 - 600 ft lbs. But if you are a speed demon
and you want serious H.P. and torque above those ranges, the
obvious choice is to go with the forged or even the Billet type of
crank. This way you wont be too ... cranky.
Quick and Dirty: Do you
have a nice timing tape or easy to read timing marks on your balancer?
************
I
would like to say I am saddened with the passing of fellow writer Tom Sebastian
and I offer my condolences to his family and friends.
(Thanks Rich – good column and I am sure Tom’s
family will appreciate your note.)
Pete
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Frank Damiani: 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T
I
purchased the car approximately two years ago from F.A.S.T. Series Racer Ed
Cook. (Factory Appearing Stock Tire) That is a relatively new racing class for
stock original vehicles, not modified track cars. Ed lived in Sparkill, NY. He
got it in a trade for a Max Wedge car from John Piazza in Staten Island. John
had the car for a while but didn’t do much with it. When I purchased it from
Ed, the car needed lots of TLC. This particular Challenger R/T appealed to me
because of the color combination (more on that later) and the “Factory Hot Rod”
option list that it took advantage of.
Options Include: The R/T Challengers had many drivetrain
choices, but next to the 426 Hemi option this car has the best Hot Rod combo -
the (E87) 440 Six Pack rated from the factory @ 390 HP, (slightly tweaked now),
Hemi 4 Speed transmission, and the ultr-quick off the line 410 Dana rear. As
soon as you checked the box for the Six Pack option and the Super track Pack
(A34) box, this automatically included many other things like a 26 inch
radiator, heavy duty Hemi suspension, power steering cooler, dual point
distributor - all go fast stuff!
There
are no real creature comforts other than power disc brakes and power steering.
The car also has the Rim Blow steering wheel (squeeze the rim and the horn
sounds), center console, and an AM radio. That’s about it. Someone just wanted
to go fast and stop quickly!
The
car is super fast and a pleasure to drive! A rare combo! This car in stock form
went 13:40’s with the Bias ply tires and no real tuning! Like I said, “Factory
Hot Rod”! Put a set of new radials on it for grip, and you could probably shave
a bit off the time. Couple that with a pro tune, and it’ll be running close to
13 flat or better!
The
paint and interior are all redone in the factory original colors: (EK2) Go ManGo paint, no vinyl top, and the
rare but super gorgeous Burnt Orange vinyl interior (H6K4). Yes, orange on
orange – and – it’s awesome looking! Too many cars have the boring basic black
interior. This one has pizzaz and more!
When
I bought the car it was in need of some serious TLC. Most of the mechanicals
were good, but I made some immediate repairs like battery cables, fixed some
wiring harness issues, etc. to make it reliable and safe, as I wanted to drive
it, not just show it around.
The
real work was the interior! Someone didn’t like the burnt orange color and
proceeded to “spray bomb” the entire interior black! Some people have seen me
going to the shows like this before I had it redone - with all the new orange
parts jammed in the passenger and back seat waiting for the time to put it all
together! Now it’s done and I love driving this car!
I
couldn’t have it for long in the unfinished condition, so I completely gutted
the interior and restored it back to its original color once again. Including a
new dash and a restored instrument cluster to round out and finish all the
areas.. The clock and tach work now too! The paint was good, but came out even
nicer with an good wet sand, polish, and wax.
The
car is most of the way there now with just some detail work needed under the
hood. That bugs me since everything else is so nice! I plan on doing that in
the spring.
It will all get done in time. For now, I’m driving it as much as I can before the weather gets bad and the long winter sets in! Happy Cruising and Happy Holidays!
(Gorgeous car Frankie.
I have always been a fan of Burnt Orange. My 70 Road Runner Convt was the same
color combo with a white top!) Pete
______________________________________________________
Here
is where you can access previous editions of the Long Island Classic Cars
Online Newsletter.
http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/
You can also access the previous Newsletters through a
link on the main page of the website.
_____________________________________________________
I was introduced to Tom
Sebastian by way of an e-mail communication he sent me way back in 2003. I had
just started the website and churned out the first Newsletter. It didn’t take
long for feedback to come in as we were doing something new that wasn’t being
done anyplace. (And we are still the only ones doing it!) A full,
comprehensive, all-in-one place to go on Long Island for the specialty car
hobby. Tom was excited and thrilled to
find us, (how he did I do not remember) but he lauded what I was doing and we
chatted back and forth over a few e-mails. He mentioned that he had written in
the automotive vein and our conversation turned in that direction. He was the
most excited person commenting on the new website. He had suggestions and was
eager to talk.
Tom relayed to me his
penchant for the hobby and his vast experience in all things automotive. I do
not remember who made the first move about him possibly writing for us, but I
do recall his initial trepidation about when he could, since he was at the time
working for the US Government and traveling the world on assignment. In fact, some of his earlier articles were
sent from clandestine overseas locations! That is the reason why Tom’s “head
shot” was always just a silhouette. He was a government agent – the Secret
Agent – I had writing for me! We had to keep his identity somewhat secure. We
had a good laugh about that, and after I made the little picture of him and
sent it to him for approval, he wrote back that it was perfect and would make a
great addition to his column. We stayed with that format even over the last two
years when we probably could have just gone with a regular headshot by then.
But hey, why mess with it! It had become his signature identity for Long Island
Classic Cars.com!
At first, Tom’s writing was
going to be a one-shot contribution, but the way it was received, the feedback
I got and how much I enjoyed it – well, I immediately asked him if he would
consider being a regular contributor! At that time I was just putting together
my staff of writers and learning about how much work this was and all the time
needed. I also wanted this from the beginning to be about the community and
have community involvement. Tom agreed and said he had many ideas and would
work on a bi-monthly basis. For many years the Newsletter was monthly, and my
core writers would alternate contributions. Later on we went to bi-monthly in
the publication. Tom always chided me
about not getting it out in print into a saleable book format. I would still
like to do that someday. (Any publishers out there?)
Every month I looked forward
to Tom’s columns. The writing, the wit, the excitement, and the way he had with
words, and – all of his deft references and those little quotable asides that
took the form of linked paragraphs and footnotes. What a writer he was! You could
always envision yourself in the surroundings he painted, and feel yourself at
the wheel (or at least in the car with him) and enjoy the ride! I relished
reading each column he sent. There were always snickers that would come out of
me, and sometimes outright laughter. Often I would e-mail him back to discuss
what he wrote, and we would chat about that for a few e-mails. Most of the time
there were also computer compatibility issues between his work and my program,
so I would usually spend hours tweaking things to get them to lay out right and
work properly. All those little aside footnote jumps would often wreak havoc on
my layout! But in the end, it was all well worth the effort every time. It was
kind of like having Dennis Miller writing – all those little “in-the-know”
references and side notes.
I strongly encourage you to go
back to our Archive section in the website and read each and every one of Tom’s
columns. You will no doubt be entertained, enthralled, and find yourself
escaping into the automotive landscape that he painted.
Tom and I never met in
person. Although in the past few years he was often at his home in Upstate, NY.
We talked about eventually getting together sometime when he was not traveling the
country or the world for the government or for some exciting racing venue. Alas,
we never made the plans to do it. I wish we did.
We cannot replace a writer
like Tom. And we certainly cannot replace the person, his life, his wit, and
his experiences. It has been a privilege and an honor to have him write for us
for nine years. He has been with us since the beginning.
I will miss him dearly and
his writing as well.
Pete Giordano
PS – If any of you readers
out there would like to send in a comment regarding Tom’s writing and his
articles that you have enjoyed – please do so.
We will forward them on to
his relatives and perhaps post them in our next Newsletter as a tribute.
Thanks.
* * *
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New Year’s Resolutions? Nope – I don’t make ‘em.
Hmmm, my New Year wishes? That’s easy. Good health for
all I know and love. And the same for all of you reading this.
Nothing else compares.
Enjoy your
holidays everyone. Have a great 2012 also!
Pete Giordano
Editor
Long Island Classic Cars.com