This month we will be doing something a little different with the Newsletter.

In addition to our regular (and always nice I might add) features, I wanted to include some pictures of an automotive bent that are provoking and interesting. You will find some spectacular in nature. Some will be humorous, others will be disconcerting, and some will be downright “What the heck! How did they do that?!”

[In all cases we will give credit to those who took the photos if their name was available. If not, thank you for your anonymous talents and photographic timing.]

This will be a lead in to a new feature on LI Classic Cars.com. It will be a picture caption contest where the winner will receive prizes. Look for it later this year!

I hope you enjoy this special edition of the Long Island Classic Cars.com Newsletter.

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Feedback

In response to my editorial last month regarding fuel prices and some possible consumer purchasing tactics; Steve Becker replied with this insightful rebuttal….

When it comes to gas prices you have been spending too much time reading urban legends on the web.

Oil prices are a factor of world wide demand and supply, tinged with a bit of greed on the part of the suppliers (i.e. OPEC). Since prices are pegged to the dollar, and the dollar is down against the Euro and other currencies, the suppliers want more money to make up for this.

In addition, gas supplies are also affected by refining capacity, which has not changed in decades in this country due to the environmental Nazis plaguing the US.

Individual gas station prices vary due to the costs they pay, with larger stations buying more and getting a better break from the oil companies. Also, since gas profits generally are used to cover rent and other expenses, with the owners making their money on the repairs, prices vary from station to station due to costs of rent, bulk buying rebates, and other costs of doing business at the individual stations.

If you boycott one brand there will be a run on the other stations, leading them to raise their prices (supply & demand again). Meanwhile, the boycotted brand will see a drop in sales and ship their gas to other countries, where demand is higher. They may even sell to the brands you are not boycotting, since those companies will probably have shortages.

Bottom line – boycotts of staple items will not result in lower prices – only in penalizing some stations to the point where they go out of business or switch their affiliation to another brand.

This is the Readers Digest version. And I have no connection to any oil company, gas station, etc.

Steve Becker

East Meadow, NY

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Please take note of our new advertiser:

J.J. BEST BANC & CO. CLASSIC CAR FINANCING.

The largest classic and specialty car financer in the world! They offer long term and low rates. With the ever-escalating price of collector cars, buying one is getting tougher and tougher. Many people are turning to finance from JJ Best to help them achieve their goal of a dream car. Especially since the cars are appreciating in value every year, the investment is a sound one as well as fun! See their ad in the FINANCE section on the main page of our website. Ask for Jesse Wimberly. Tell them Long Island Classic Cars.com sent you!

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More car clubs are listing their events, meetings, cruises, and shows for the upcoming season.

You can check them out in the EVENTS section on the main page of the website. http://www.liclassiccars.com

If you are in a car club, get your club and your stuff listed ASAP! The sooner it is up on the site and everyone has access to it, the more people will plan on attending your events! Remember to list your rain-dates as well.

They are all featured in the CLUBS section of the main page of the website!

http://liclassiccars.com/cgi-bin/clubs.cgi?

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“EXTRA EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!!”

SEE NEW ITEMS BELOW!

2005 Cruise Night location updates:

TUESDAYS: McDonald's. Metropolitan Ave. & 69^th Road, Forest Hills, NY.

Sponsored by East Coast Car Association/Toys For Tots

TUESDAYS: Audrey Ave. Oyster Bay, NY

Sponsored by Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce

TUESDAYS: Bald Hill Cultural Center. North Ocean Ave. Farmingville, NY

Sponsored by the Farmingville Fire Department

WEDNESDAYS: Long John Silver's/A&W. Union Blvd, South of Sunrise Hwy. West Islip, NY.

Public gathering

WEDNESDAYS: KFC. William Floyd Pkwy & Montauk Hwy. Shirley, NY

Sponsored by Bow Tie Boulevard Camaro Club

THURSDAYS: Wendy’s. LIE South Service Rd at Exit 62. Holtsville, NY.

Sponsored by The Fabulous 50’s & 60’s Car Club

THURSDAYS: Wendy’s Shopping Center. Montauk Hwy and Locust Ave, Oakdale, NY

Sponsored by Steve’s Collision.

SATURDAYS: Sonomax Station. 278 Greenpoint Ave. Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NY.

Sponsored by East Coast Car Association/Toys for Tots

SATURDAYS: Kohl’s. Corner Grand Blvd and Commack Rd. Deer Park, NY.

Public gathering.

SATURDAYS: King Kullen Shopping Center. William Floyd Pkwy. North of Montauk Hwy. Shirley, NY.

Sponsored by Bow Tie Boulevard Camaro Club

SUNDAYS: *AM Cruise* Ocean Pkwy, Captree Beach Parking Lot through May, then at OBI.

Public gathering.

More Cruise Night updates as they develop in the next Newsletter.

Be sure to check the EVENTS page daily!!

http://liclassiccars.com/cgi-bin/events.cgi?

A little note about the cruise nights: Tuesday has shaped up to be quite a night out on Long Island!

There are three cruise locations to choose from!

A new spot has sprung up in Levittown at the old K-Mart location on Hempstead Turnpike. It is held in the parking lot. No fee to get in, it is a public gathering.

Bald Hill has been overflowing as usual. Expect lines to get in after 6:00 PM and upwards of 500-600 cars each night! They have inexpensive food and soda as well. The Fire Department does a very nice job of running it. Admission is now $5.

Oyster Bay has turned into quite a little event! Not only are many cars attending, but the spectator count is getting higher each week! The merchants are also offering discounts on food now, so the whole family can make a night out of it! Lots of fun, live music, and more! Hosted by the Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce. $3 admission.

Check the on the main page of LI Classic Cars.com in the near future for coupons, etc from merchants and vendors.

In the mean time, here is one for all you cruise night attendees! (Print it out and take it with you!)

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Here’s a notice you might want to take heed of!

Remember the band I told you about a year ago? (See May 2004 Newsletter) Well, they are offering another FREE outdoor concert that you won’t want to miss!! This is a group of professional musicians that just blow everything else away!

Click Here: Welcome to Funkfilharmonik.com - New York's Tig…
FUNK FILHARMONIK IS AVAILABLE FOR YOUR FUNKTION AND /OR RECORDING
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!

Our next show is a free one, outdoors in Port Jefferson at the Harbor. It's a gig that we really dig, performed there many times and haven't done since 2000. It's one of those get there early, get a spot, bring the kids, a blanket, picnic dinner, whatever. We hope to see you there.

Thursday August 11
8 PM
Port Jefferson Harbor
Rt. 112 North

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Long Island Classic Cars.Com’s

In an image from video, Cuban refugees in a floating Over the river and through the woods……

taxicab are intercepted off the Florida Keys by the

U.S. Coast Guard. (WSCV/Reuters)

New seat belt option.

Women’s parking space Redneck lottery winner

Hopefully these pictures are giving you all some ideas for captions and cut-up comments! Watch for the contest coming soon. There will be prizes, certificates, and give-aways! Brought to you by Long Island Classic Cars.com

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GUEST WRITER(S) COLUMN(S)

Tom Sebastian tells a story about the wonderful and oft misunderstood Corvair Monza. Got you thinking already eh?

Tom shines some well deserved light on this little creation. Very amusing references too!

“Rich’s Tech Tips” gets us ready for a breakdown. What to pack in your trusty trunk! He thinks of it all. Good stuff that you really shouldn’t be without.

In this month’s “My Car Story” feature, John Christando writes about a set of Pontiac Fieros. Ya’ gotta see this!!

This is our second married couple with a pair of his and hers vehicles. As I said before…..the couple that collects cars together, stays together!

Enjoy…

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Tom Sebastian

Tom goes from this……. to this! 140 horsepower Corsa convertible

Gallia Est In Tres Partes...

Timeless -- And Not So Timeless -- Beauty

Who says you can't go back?

It's 1964. Summer. My mother has to come with me because she's the responsible adult -- and has the credit if she buys into the concept.

We pull into the Chevy dealer out there on Clark St. Rd.(?) And there it is:

That red (green?) Corvair Monza convert with the white bucket seats.

OK, memory fading here -- as expected. But did I actually take my mother along to pick up Mitch later in the day, and give it a test run? Was she actually there when I ran the light on North Street? ... Can't be... We must have had a 24-hr. pass from the local franchise and I took it out -- without her -- later. (Did they do things like that back then?)

OK, anyway... I'm in this super-wide body (Remember? Corvairs were built like Victorian bath tubs) with luxuriously plush, bucket seats and a big, white shifter knob feeling just about right slicing through the gears.

'Twas the time in youth when mere buckets and a floor shift magnified something visceral in teenage boys. This was also a time when a complete retard could roam around town with his gray-primed, nose-high Dodge and get all manner of chicks to ride with him. (We who had to study Latin were certain that the deck was rigged from On High -- but just for effect. God was giving these guys 'their moment' early. Our reward was coming later.)

And, boy, do we remember those queens -- those 'Early Rewards' -- in the passenger seats! Honeybee do’s stacked higher than a convertible could rightly protect them from the bugs they were named after. They reminded me more of Carvel ice-cream cones, swirled to a peak, than hairstyles. Strange, first-generation, Eastern European chicks, who ate various forms of potato dumplings and lived in basements. (But for us factory kids, that was Exotic!) Some -- the ones who were so certain that the fella’ who invited them for the ride was ‘Mr. Right and Forever’ -- even felt secure enough to wear those huge, hairbun-building curlers -- out in broad daylight! Mingya! Looked more like the pipe-laying section of the DPW rather than preparation for the evening prom which is what it really was.*

Anyway, the Corvair just wasn't in the cards that summer. Mom couldn't use a standard shift.

We settled for the Chrysler competitor, the Plymouth Valiant, instead. (Which was cool enough! Of the three compacts that made their debut in 1960, only the Ford Falcon possessed 0 caché -- for sure, the lamest of the bunch. But, know what? I saw one the other day. And, compared with the crappy, dime-a-dozen styles out there now, I'll take it! Ever see one with that big V-8 stuffed in there? hot, Hot, HOT!!)

And as much as I loved pushing the shifter buttons on the dash of that crazy looking Valiant, the Corvair stuck in my head.

Next to the Studebaker Avanti, I always hold up this venerable innovation as proof that the US could be light-years ahead of the world had it chosen, instead of forever lying in the wake of Japanese engines that last forever and overpriced Euro vamps with their multi-valve dohc's – able to set their low-range cruising speeds right about where this year’s NASCAR winner redlines.

And that flat six, air-cooled, Corvair rear-engine was a hooter! As much fun to screw around with, take apart and fire up as the Deuce Coupe was way back when and the VW is now. And, let's face it, the best innovation always seems to come from those kids out in the garage.

But it didn't catch on. Anti 'Whatever-is-Different' always seems to prevail in the Whitebread shallows of Grosse Pointe. Focus-group surveys in search of Mr. Milktoast will always snuff out originality. The Corvair was doomed long before Nader took his first ride. As were the two-door T-Bird, the totally gas-free, Chrysler Ghia Turbine (and, even, natural tomato coloring for your Heinz Ketchup).

Prescience. The rarest of the rare of attributes seems totally lacking among the auto execs. Whereas most of our favorite high-powered cars bit the dust during the 1973 gas crunch, gas was actually too cheap (!) in the late 60's as far as the Corvair's future was concerned. Why fool around with a sports car that was fun and fast -- but saved gas!? What's up with that? was the question on GM’s corporate mind. Doesn't gas last forever? Bring on those thumping muscle cars!

Which they did, only to sputter into the long gas lines created by stingy OPEC ministers a few years later. Now I'm a fan of cheap horsepower as much as anyone** but where was that 'Corvair Option' in the 1970's when we needed it?

Prescience: The ability to plan. Need a lot more of it in Detroit.

But, anyway, subsequent research showed that I aimed too low. The Monza was not the top of the Corvair line.

Just as the BMW 2002 Turbo lingers in the deeper recesses of all 02 owners, reminding them that they are, at least, 30 horsepower short of perfection for their heartthrob, so also do Monza owners know that somewhere out there, there's a Corsa - the Corvair on steroids - ready to humble them.

(And the 02 turbo owner, likewise, must wonder about that Renault 5 Turbo he'd read about somewhere. -- Now there's a skins match made in heaven!)

The Corsa.

Came out in '65; gone by '67.

You'll never hear this from Porsche and there's no longer a Corvair Division to brag about it, but it beat Porsche in fitting the first factory turbo to a passenger car by 10 years. You could get it with 140 HP or, rarest of all, the 180 HP thumper . And all of them came with Corvette-style suspension. Add a convertible top, and you were on top of the pile. Add a juicy, cherry red to offset that snow white top and, whoa, babe... You're Hot!

The Joan Baez fan who took a fancy to you in the weird Saab now gets nauseous when she sees you. But you couldn’t care less. (You're not even sure that wasn't a drug reaction anyway.) Besides, all those Tuesday-Weld-looking chicks with the ‘John-Edwards (remember him?) Breck-hairdos’ are beginning to remember you! And now you know Latin!

OK, so the thing had the loosest steering I ever experienced and the turbo lagged until Wednesday. But it was still well inside the edge of the Sports Car/Boulevardier divide, weighing in at around 2750 lb.

(The weight of cars these days is astounding. Especially when you consider that many of these behemoths want to be considered, "sport cars". I went to college at a place where lithe, lean running backs with sidestepping speed -- Gayle Sayers types -- were preferred to brick-shaped powerhouses that plowed straight ahead for extra yardage -- Larry Csonka types. I still cannot accept a car that weighs in over 2 tons. I know, you can get all the luxuries of home if you are willing to go there, and with new engine efficiencies, you can raise the HP output to deal with all that extra metal… but come on...! The latest Bentley is well over 2 and one-half tons! -- and that's their small car! My Lord... Thirty minutes into the trip on one of these leviathans and no amount of Dolby Sound and leather options can keep me awake. Approaching a fast series of esses with the momentum of an oil tanker does not make me happy.)

Aside from The Corsa's light-middleweight stats, its advanced, Italianesque look was, and still is, timeless. Those shapely curves look just about road-perfect, as natural in its own environment as is a sailboat on a pretty lake. (Collector Alert! The original, box-design -- 1960 - 64 -- is now back in demand! And if your heart runs in that direction, try to find the 1963 Turbo Spyder -- for which will get you more $$ in the long run than even my Corsa. And if you ever come across that rare Monza with the four single, Rochester carbs... OK. No more about that. I want that one!)

The ‘rarest of the rare’ talk aside, there are still many good Corsas out there. And the price won't leave you hedging over school supplies for the kids. In fact, they're cheap. And with a fun and head-turning quotient of 8 out of 10, I have no idea why you are still sitting there!

The club support is astounding. (One of the pleasures of my eclectic collection has been to compare the different 'types' who show interest in my cars. Someday I will have to do a profile article of Alfaman, Beemerman, SmallBlock Chevy Man, etcetera.) The Corvair Club has to be the folksiest bunch out there. You will never want for parts and/or technical advice.

And there's something uncanny about driving through town with a 40 yr. old car that looks exactly right for whatever year your calendar watch says it is. But you will not win against the Mustangs or the Camaros in the local car shows. To the judges, you are still a 3^rd political party, a Nader dropout. (But what do they know anyway.)

Arnold Toynbee said that at the end of time there will only be two groups left, the French Canadians and the Chinese. I would bet anything that the really cool ones will be driving Corvairs.

Hey, Mitchell... Shemanski... You out there? Yeah, you! ...The one who married Rita... Was my mother really in that car when I ran the light?

*I checked in on those guys with the raked cars and the skirted wheels some years later. Some Early Reward! 90% of those guys were driving Chevettes or Vegas and living upstairs from the Queen Bee's mother! Curlers in midday became curlers ALL day... And who knew then what we know now about potato diets and multiple childbearing! Va-BOOM! - if you catch my drift... ‘Tuesday Weld’ is now ‘Late Sunday Afternoon’! OK, OK... I could maybe countenance the natural aging process... But what about that mustache!? Amo, Amas, Amat - Thank God for Latin!

**Anyone ever hear about the Yenko Stinger? Look it up. A backyard, Corvair project on the verge of ending Corvette’s reign as America’s premier sports car. As you can guess, GM was not too happy about that! Not at that price!

…..

“Classics: The ones they slow down for to get a better look… If you’re in one, you’ll know it.

If you’re not: Too bad!!”

Next Time: Scaling Olympus

tmoore3us@yahoo.com

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DON'T BE A SCARED ..... BE PREPARED

By Rich Fiore

Every so often I veer off the columns major highway of technical intent and address what I consider a fairly important subject.

This month I would like to address that dreaded breakdown and how one should be prepared to get yourself (and maybe significant other) out of a jam. We are talking about getting back on Route 66 Bubba.

Recently I had a major malfunction (for the second time) with a cap that flew off my rear universal joint. Apparently the correct joint was never used (internal " C " clips) and I duplicated the problemo. I managed to limp to my intended car show in Glen Cove. After putting up with my cranky attitude, my friend Steve G. pulled his rare Daytona out of the show and gave me a ride to a local auto parts store. Luckily they had two different sizes in stock ... so I bought both ... a no brainer. We went back to the patient and we managed to install two new caps on the old joint as we were sprayed from a neighbor’s sprinkler that decided to come on half way through the job. (It just added to the experience watching my tools, Steve and myself get wet). Oye !!!!

I did manage to slowly get home taking an occasional peek a few times along the way.

I do pride myself on usually being prepared... and I was for the most part, but could have had more things along to make the job easier. Just remember, chance favors the prepared gearhead. One thing I always use when working under my cars is a nice piece of good ole refrigerator size cardboard. I managed to use the cardboard that was wrapped around my new hydraulic floor jack. It was around 18" x 36". Better than nothing. I barely managed to get the bolts off of the U-joint since I had only open-end wrenches and a ratchet which just narrowly got me through. A box end wrench would have been ideal without the sweating it out part. So not wanting to be unprepared for the next time, as soon as I got Old Betsy home, I jumped into that big ass Mopar trunk to re-assess my tool/spare parts inventory along with putting the missing box end wrenches and socket where they should be. A neighbor showed up while I was organizing and commented “that’s a lot of weight in there ". I stated that it was a small price to pay to get me out of quicksand.

So here is a list of what I feel are essential items (may seem like overkill) to get you slammin’ through the gears again.

Cardboard - wide and long enough to slide under car

Hydraulic jack with stands

Old belts, heater, and radiator hoses

Hose repair kits (splice kits) with duct tape

3 Flashlights (one is always dead)

Jumper Cables and a jump box with a built in compressor

A tire repair kit

Bailing wire (for exhaust problems ... or “significant other” problems)

Small tank of compressed air (old freon bottles work well)

Assorted fuel line with clamps

Spare fuel filter

Empty fuel can with long funnel

Spare fuses with puller

Wire stripper with assorted terminal and butt connectors

Spare wire

Old Dist Cap/rotor/points/condenser/ECM if so equipped

Pocket volt meter

Assorted screwdrivers of different lengths

Combination Wrenches

Socket sets - 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2

Diagonal cutters

Channel Lock and needle nose pliers

Latex Gloves

Brake and power Steering Fluid

Motor oil and used antifreeze

Bungee Cords

Razor Knife

Assorted bulbs (tail, headlight, turn signal)

Old Wiper refills

Spare alternator and starter (If you really want to get crazy like Steve K of the Mopar Power Club)

All of this can be organized in the trunk in an old milk crate with a copier paper box as a liner (fits perfectly) or a “Fancy Dan” organizer.

Don’t forget at least one fire Extinguisher and some spare cash in the glove box.

Again be prepared and it can probably get you out of a jam.

Quick and Dirty : When was the last time you checked your U-joints, mounting straps and tranny mount for tightness.

P.S. Congratulations to Steve G. for finally getting the recognition for his extremely rare and well kept ‘69 Dodge Daytona !!!

At the big Morgan Park show he received a plaque for “Best Stock in Show”!! Kudos my friend! (Rich F.)

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My Car Story John Cristando: 1986 Pontiac Fiero

The year was 1986. While driving past a Pontiac dealer, there it was; a beautiful red Fiero GT caught my eye. The first of the new fastback design. My heart started pounding. That was it - the beginning of my obsession with the unique American mid engine sports car. I bought that car for me and my wife, we enjoyed it for a while, but soon there were more butts in the family and not enough seats. So the car had to go. It would be many years before the fever would bite again, this time “real bad” I obtained a rare red 5-speed T-top model. Then, I thought my wife would look great behind the wheel of one of these babies so we found a automatic model for her, which we customized and painted it bright yellow. We were enjoying the cars. But the fever was real strong. So I thought I would like one with a little more performance. Enter the car of this story.

One day while browsing the Internet for a Fiero with more power, I stumbled upon this unbelievable candy apple red 1986 fastback GT, but this was no ordinary car. Carl Matts had been putting this car together for the past few years, by sending the car around the country. And having the car assembled by different craftsmen. Carl orchestrated the build, and settled for nothing but the best. Starting with a low mileage California rust free car. The car was first sent to Illinois to V-8 Archie, The godfather of the V-8 Fiero. A brand new corvette LT1 crate engine was mated to the Fiero 5-speed trans axle, Held motor sports, slalom suspension and bump steer rear suspension with coil overs on all 4 corners was installed. The Zenetti wheels were custom ordered blank, the proper hole pattern bored, and then sent to be chromed. IRM Rocker panel kit installed, then the awesome 13” drilled brakes, to stop the quickly accelerating mass. The interior completely removed and new leather interior installed. Finally time for paint. The House of Color candy paint was flawlessly laid down, in 10 coats of candy and clear, then hand wet sanded and polished to an amazing smooth and reflective finish.

The car was finished. Carl was having some back pain and found it difficult to drive the car (the car sits only 3¾ off the ground). After driving the car for only 3,700 miles Carl and his wife made a decision to sell the car. I called Carl and a bond was made. He and I both knew this car would be treated and cared for, the way he would. We made a deal, I hired an enclosed trailer to ship the car from California to N.Y.

The transporter arrived. In anticipation, the family and I watched anxiously as the trailer doors opened. The 1^st sight was amazing. Carl said the photos (which were great) would not reflect the awesome paint. He was right. We are thrilled with the car. It’s only driven to shows and cruises in the area. We enjoy telling the story of the V-8 Fiero. It is quite a unique vehicle!

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Here is where you can access previous editions of the Long Island Classic Cars Online Newsletter.

October 2003 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Oct03.html

November 2003 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Nov03.html

December 2003 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Dec03.html

January 2004 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Jan04.html

February 2004 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Feb04.html

March 2004 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Mar04.html

April 2004 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Apr04.html

May 2004 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/May04.html

June 2004 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Jun04.html

July 2004 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Jul04.html

August 2004 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Aug04.html

September 2004 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Sep04.html

October 2004 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Oct04.html

November 2004 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Nov04.html

January 2005 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Jan05.html

February 2005 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Feb05.html

March 2005 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Mar05.html

April 2005 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Apr05.html

May 2005 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/May05.html

June 2005 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Jun05.html

You can also access the previous Newsletters through a link on the main page of the website.

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In closing, I would like to leave you with a little story that is very uplifting, and is an excellent example of how we should all treat each other. Even strangers that we encounter along the way.

This was written by a Hospice of Metro Denver physician ...

I just had one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and wanted to share it with my family and dearest friends:

I was driving home from a meeting this evening about 5, stuck in traffic on Colorado Blvd., and the car started to choke and splutter and die - I barely managed to coast, cursing, into a gas station, glad only that I would not be blocking traffic and would have a somewhat warm spot to wait for the tow truck. It wouldn't even turn over. Before I could make the call, I saw a woman walking out of the "quickie mart" building, and it looked like she slipped on some ice and fell into a Gas pump, so I got out to see if she was okay.

When I got there, it looked more like she had been overcome by sobs than that she had fallen; she was a young woman who looked really haggard with dark circles under her eyes. She dropped something as I helped her up, and I picked it up to give it to her. It was a nickel.

At that moment, everything came into focus for me: the crying woman, the ancient Suburban crammed full of stuff with 3 kids in the back (1 in a car seat), and the gas pump reading $4.95.

I asked her if she was okay and if she needed help, and she just kept saying "I don't want my kids to see me crying," so we stood on the other side of the pump from her car. She said she was driving to California and that things were very hard for her right now. So I asked, "And you were praying?" That made her back away from me a little, but I assured her I was not a crazy person and said, "He heard you, and He sent me."

I took out my card and swiped it through the card reader on the pump so she could fill up her car completely, and while it was fueling, walked to the next door McDonald's and bought 2 big bags of food, some gift certificates for more, and a big cup of coffee. She gave the food to the kids in the car, who attacked it like wolves, and we stood by the pump eating fries and talking a little.

She told me her name, and that she lived in Kansas City. Her boyfriend left 2 months ago and she had not been able to make ends meet. She knew she wouldn't have money to pay rent Jan 1, and finally in desperation had finally called her parents, with whom she had not spoken in about 5 years. They lived in California and said she could come live with them and try to get on her feet there.

So she packed up everything she owned in the car. She told the kids they were going to California for Christmas, but not that they were going to live there.

I gave her my gloves, a little hug and said a quick prayer with her for safety on the road. As I was walking over to my car, she said, "So, are you like an angel or something?"

This definitely made me cry. I said, "Sweetie, at this time of year angels are really busy, so sometimes God uses regular people."

It was so incredible to be a part of someone else's miracle. And of course, you guessed it, when I got in my car it started right away and got me home with no problem. I'll put it in the shop tomorrow to check, but I suspect the mechanic won't find anything wrong.

Sometimes the angels fly close enough to you that you can hear the flutter of their wings...

Psalms 55:22 "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."

Thanks to this anonymous doctor for a wonderful story.

Pete Giordano

Long Island Classic Cars.com