Now that summer is here I expect that everyone is heavily involved in the
car scene. That means that we are putting aside some of the stuff that needs to
be done around the house or perhaps even at the office in order to devote more
time to our pursuit of all things automotive.
“I’ll get to
it tomorrow” becomes a standard phrase that many of us utter when confronted
with performing a mundane chore vs taking our classics out for a jaunt around
town.
Or maybe you
are guilty of this one…. “If anyone calls, don’t tell them I’m home” so that
you can work uninterrupted on your baby. Perhaps you have cancelled plans using
various excuses of “things you have to take care of” when the honest truth is;
you just want to spend time with your car above everything else!
Well then,
you are like me, a car guy, and summer means its time to spend as much time as
possible enjoying our vehicles. Hey, that bathroom door that won’t close
properly still won’t close in November! You can get to it then!
Weeds? What
weeds? That’s a perfect lawn out there!
I’ll bathe
the dog tomorrow.
I’ll change
the baby’s diaper tomorrow.
I’ll watch
the Yankees replay on YES around midnight.
On and on it
goes! Who wants to be inside or tied up doing things on a nice summer’s day when
there are cars to be driven!? Certainly not I.
All
understandable.
So, as long
as it is raining, early in the morning, late at night, or you are at work;
enjoy this double issue!
If it’s a
nice sunny day … what the hell are you doing reading this?!?! Get outside!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
One more thing… did you see that news-piece about the ‘57 Plymouth that
was “Time-Capsuled” in Tulsa, OK fifty years ago? They unearthed it a few weeks
back!
What a cool thing
that was!! The car was buried with various objects from its day as well.
A bit of
history with what was at the time, a routine, everyday car, and now when
unveiled; a classic that people seek after! Too bad their attempts at
preservation and the methods they used didn’t work out.
Here’s the
story below…
A 1957 Plymouth Belvedere Sport Coupe was raised from
it's sealed container in Tulsa last weekend. The Tulsarama was one of the most
bally-hooed events this year. The fun began fifty years ago when it was decided
that the futuristic looking 1957 Plymouth Belvedere would be buried in a sealed
vault underneath the County Courthouse 
terrace in downtown
Tulsa, Oklahoma. The two-tone gold and white Belvedere was lowered into a
concrete vault on June 15, 1957. At the time people were invited to guess what
the population of Tulsa, Oklahoma would be fifty years from that date, in 2007.
The person who guessed the closest to the correct population figure will now
win the car.
(Editor’s note: Yeah, if the person is still alive!)Pete
1957 Plymouth to Emerge
from Tulsa Time Capsule
If you happen find yourself in Tulsa,
Oklahoma on June 15, bring a shovel. Buried beneath the dirt of the Tulsa
County Courthouse lawn, about 100 feet north of the
intersection of Sixth Street and Denver Avenue, a 1957 Plymouth Belvedere Sport
Coupe has been hidden underground for half a century. Swaddled in
rust-resistant preservatives and gently placed inside a giant concrete
sarcophagus, the tailfinned Plymouth was interred on June 15, 1957 as the
centerpiece of a time capsule created for the 21st century citizens of Tulsa
2007.
They
probably expected we would re-open the time capsule with hover-shovels --
unless, of course, we'd already perfected our atomic de-materializers.
Regardless, in 1957 Tulsa's civic leaders hoped to dazzle their future descendants
with the scope of their own technological 
prowess. So in addition to
burying a brand-new Plymouth, they also packed the car with a variety of
advanced products and wares -- including a case of Schlitz beer and the
complete contents of a woman's purse. This explains why, when today's
auto-archaeologists open the glove box of the buried Belvedere, inside they
will find fourteen bobby pins, a ladies compact, plastic rain cap, several combs,
a tube of lipstick, a pack of gum, a wad of Kleenex, $2.73 in bills and coins,
a pack of cigarettes with matches, an unpaid parking ticket, and a bottle of
tranquilizers.
Here's how the burial was described by the Tulsa Tribune on June
15, 1957:
A 1957 automobile was buried in
the courthouse lawn today - with a bottle of tranquilizer pills in the glove
compartment.
Into the hole with the new
Plymouth hardtop went a steel "time capsule'' containing assorted
documents and artifacts of Oklahoma's semi-centennial year.
The car, mounted on a steel skid and swathed in a plastic and paper
wrapping, was lowered into the concrete-lined well near the southeast corner of
the lawn during dedicatory ceremonies marking the observance of Golden Jubilee
Week here.
"This is the sort of thing that could happen only in Tulsa,''
commented Chairman Lewis Roberts Sr. "We have been amazed - although I
guess we shouldn't have been - by the cooperation of every one concerned in
making this event possible.
"Although the cost of the automobile is a major item, of course,
Tulsans have contributed time, machinery and materials, and services far beyond
the initial cost.''
The vault will be opened in 2007. The automobile will be awarded then to
the person who guessed nearest to the city's population figure at that time. If
he or she is not living, the award goes to the heirs, along with the proceeds
from a $100 trust fund. Guesses have been microfilmed and are sealed in the
steel capsule.
(Amazing stuff isn’t it!?
Wait!! They are not done out in Tulsa!!)
http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/24/video-the-other-tulsa-time-capsule/
What is it with Tulsa burying cars? By
now, surely everyone has heard of Tulsa's buried Belvedere. Placed in its
"watertight" cement coffin in 1957, it didn't do too well over half a
century. But technology then was not nearly as advanced as it is now, right? So
how would one go about burying a car today with the hopes of it surviving 50
years?
In 1998, Tulsa buried a preproduction Plymouth Prowler, and we'll find out how
well it does when it's dug out in 2048. This time though, the city did
it right. Instead of ancient 1950s technology of concrete and plastic wrap,
Tulsa chose a "seamless plastic box" filled with an inert gas, which
was then put into an above-ground mausoleum and partially covered with dirt.
They also drained all the car's fluids and replaced them with synthetics. We
can't help but wonder if in 2048, the world will again turn its eyes on Tulsa
to see a badly-decomposed car pulled from the ground and laugh at the ancient
1998 technology used to preserve it.
And instead of the bobby pins, cigarettes and tranquilizers the Belvedere had
in its glovebox, the Prowler is entombed with a pair of inline skates, a cell
phone, the front of an ATM and a large collection of Beanie Babies. Yeah, that should
age much better than smokes and drugs.
(I’d sure like to be around when they open this one too!)
Pete
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
We would like to welcome a new car club on board! Jewels of the Road. They are a club for all vehicles 25 years of age and older. The premise is a simple one: no politics, just have fun! No meetings, just get together with the cars and enjoy! Even joining is free! That’s right – no dues!! See them in the CLUBS section.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1 Editor’s Introduction
2 Picture Caption Contest
3 Cruise Night Information
4 Guest Writer’s Columns
Lou
Refano
Tom Sebastian
Andy Vourlos
Rich’s Tech Tips
5 My Car Story x 2
6 The Archive
7 Editor’s Closing
___________________________________________________
Long Island Classic Cars.Com’s
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 10th of the next
month. (ex: for July’s contest the entries are due by August 10th)
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.
A few
simple rules:
1) Be funny
and creative!
2) Keep it somewhat
clean!
Here is
last month’s winning entry from Kathy Schoendorf:
Details
of the new merger in from Wall Street:
Fed-Ups
When
it absolutely, positively won't get there at all.
Kathy wins
a California Dash – Mini Duster! Congratulations!!
OK -
Here is the picture for our July “Caption Cut-Up Contest”!!
Go to it! Send in your funniest, wittiest comments by 8/10/07 and
win the prize!
___________________________________________________
“EXTRA EXTRA!
READ ALL ABOUT IT!!”
The Cruise Nights - SEE NEW ITEMS BELOW - are all up and running!! Here’s the latest on them…
2007 Cruise Night location
updates:
TUESDAYS: McDonald's. Metropolitan Ave. & 69th 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
TUESDAYS: Old K-Mart Center. Dogwood Avenue, Franklin Square, NY
Public gathering.
WEDNESDAYS: KFC. William Floyd Pkwy & Montauk Hwy. Shirley, NY
Sponsored by Bow Tie Boulevard Camaro Club
THURSDAYS: Wendy’s Shopping Center. Montauk Hwy and Locust Ave, Oakdale, NY
Sponsored by Still Cruisin’ Car Club
FRIDAYS: Bellmore Train Station. Sunrise Highway. Bellmore, NY
Public Gathering
FRIDAYS: Massapequa Train Station. Sunrise Highway, Massapequa, NY
Sponsored by Town of Oyster Bay Parks Dept.
SATURDAYS: *AM Cruise* Steve’s Collision. 618 North Bicycle Path. Port Jefferson Station, 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: KFC. William Floyd Pkwy & 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.
A
little note about the cruise nights:
Tuesday is now offering FOUR locations for you to choose from! Saturday has
THREE plus a morning one on the first Saturday of each month! Seems like every
day but Monday has something to offer. Guess we all need a break from the
weekend huh?!
A new
spot has sprung up in Franklin Square at the old K-Mart
location on Dogwood Avenue. It is held in the parking lot. No fee to get in, it
is a public gathering.
Also, last year’s Massapequa Train Station
cruise has started again. It is sponsored by the Town of Oyster Bay and is a
nice effort to help out hungry families and folks here on LI. Kudos to the town
for this!! Just bring two cans of food for your donation/admission.
8-10
PM is the time. Tell them LICLASSICCARS.COM sent you down!
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
HEY! - What about Nathan’s in Oceanside? Is that active, who sponsors
it, and do they charge to get in? Anybody know about it?
___________________________________________________
GUEST WRITER(S)
COLUMN(S)
Lou Refano continues
his series on his favorite cars of the ‘1970s. This time he goes off the
performance track into something a little more on the luxo side. The man has
eclectic tastes for sure!
Tom Sebastian has a great article about a car and brand that have a certain allegiance.
Not known as the most sporting of automobiles for sure, but they do have quite
a reputation for safety and longevity. Quite a sardonic musing that I re-read
thrice!
Andy Vourlos
tells the tale of creating a local car club. This story is one part inspiration
and five parts perspiration!
Rich’s Tech Tips enters diagnosis mode once again! The Doctor is in! Dr. Rich has his
stethoscope out and offers advice on a simple tool to evaluate your patient
(vehicle). Prescription is free of charge, courtesy of Richard Fiore,
Automotive MD!
In this month’s “My Car Story” we have quite an interesting
piece! I’ll let you wait in anticipation of what it might be. Let’s just say
that the owner Nick Nuzzi has one of the rarest vehicles you’ll ever
come across!
Being a double issue, we
have a second “My Car Story” feature!
You might get “bugged” reading this one, because Glenn Ring has one of the nicest VW
Beetles you have ever seen! Its also one of the quickest!
Enjoy…
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
LOU’S ’70’s FAVES, PART 3...ANOTHER GRAND
by Louis
Refano
The subject of this article has as much to do with the
division that produced the car as it does the car itself. This month I turn my
attention to a brand that is unfortunately overlooked a little too often. That
would be Mercury.
Conceived by Edsel Ford in 1939 as an upscale companion to the Ford lineup,
Mercury has had its moments in the sun in the seven decades since, but for a
lot of its existence it has seemed like Ford’s poor sibling…especially now.
Similar to Oldsmobile in the GM lineup, Mercury has struggled to maintain its
identity and appeal on a consistent basis. The marketing people at FoMoCo have
tried to find a niche for this division…it has been marketed at
African-Americans, women, yuppies…with mixed results. Some people dismiss the
car as a rebadged Ford. Some people feel that Ford should just pull the plug on
it. I would hate to see another American car line bite the dust…we’ve already
lost Plymouth and Oldsmobile, and now we have new competition coming from China
soon (speaking of Plymouth, maybe it will come back under the new ownership?
Start writing letters!).
Let’s go into the time machine again and take a look at when Mercury, and Ford
Motor Company in general, was seemingly doing everything right. With Lee
Iacocca as President, FoMoCo in the early to mid-70s was more profitable than
ever…due to a diverse and popular product lineup. From Pintos to Panteras to
Town Cars, the company was on a major roll and good times were enjoyed in
Dearborn, Michigan.
The Mercury division (then known as The Sign of the Cat) moved its sporty
Cougar a little more upscale in ‘74 to reflect Mercury’s theme of luxury and
classiness, while also acknowledging the fact that buyers were moving away from
muscle cars. At the top end of the Mercury scale were the “luxo-barges” known
as Marquis. These were better than Ford LTDs (which were luxurious land yachts
in their own right) and not quite Lincolns, though they could have been. For
1975, the Marquis came in three flavors: Marquis, Marquis Brougham and Grand Marquis.
Make no mistake about it, these were big cars…even by ‘70s standards. Huge
hoods and trunks, with chrome moldings running the length of the car atop the
fenders to emphasize the massiveness even more. 
In the days when you had a lot more choices of body style for a particular
series, each variation offered a 2-door hardtop and 4-door sedan. There were
also two station wagons based on this platform…the Marquis Wagon and the top
line Colony Park with simulated woodgrain and thick chrome moldings on the
sides. The styling of the Marquis was virtually unchanged from 1975-1978.
Full-size cars were still in vogue in the mid-70s and FoMoCo
produced some of the biggest and most comfortable. The ‘75 Marquis was a
handsome replacement for the previous year’s model. It featured a Lincoln-esque
vertical bar grille and hidden headlamps with color-keyed vinyl covers. For
$6,469, you bought yourself a lot of car in the Grand Marquis sedan. These cars
not only looked big, they really were big: a wheelbase of 124 inches, an
overall length of 229, and a width of 79.6 inches. The 2-door weighed 4,470
lbs. while the 4-door checked in at 4,508. No matter which model you chose at
your Lincoln-Mercury dealer, you got a roomy, plush interior that was the envy
of any living room, and a tall dashboard with lots of simulated wood. The Grand
Marquis gave you a fancier steering wheel, standard digital clock, twin comfort
lounge seats with dual front armrests, a full vinyl top (a half vinyl top on
the rear of the roof was available on the 2-door), fender skirts, and thick
color-keyed bodyside molding. 
You also got handsome
chrome wheels with black centers. In ‘77 and ‘78, a smart-looking deep dish
chrome wheel was offered. Powering the beast was a big-block 460 cubic inch
(7.5 liter) power plant of 216 horsepower, mated to a three-speed automatic.
This was Ford’s largest available block, and was standard in Grand Marquis as
well as the Marquis Brougham through ‘78.
In ‘76, American car buyers were flocking back to large cars, despite the OPEC
oil embargo of only three years prior. This boded well for land yachts like the
Grand Marquis. The car also compared favorably to its competition. Ford’s
advertising played up the fact that in independent testing, most people
preferred the Marquis over the Buick Electra 225 and Olds 98 LS in styling
features, ride, handling, quality, and convenience. Ford President Lee Iacocca
could feel really good about a car like the Grand Marquis…as long as the price
of gas stayed cheap (which it did until ‘79, when it first touched $1 a
gallon). In the freedom of those disco days, car buyers looked for size
and glamour, and the big Merc brought plenty of it without being "over the
top".
1978 probably saw the last gasp of the truly full-size American car with
dimensions that had been in place since 1959. For ‘77, GM downsized its big
cars, shedding 800-900 pounds and nearly a foot in length, while still
providing plenty of interior room and trunk space. Ford and Chrysler followed
suit in ‘79. The ‘79 Grand Marquis was patterned after the GM concept: smaller
in every exterior dimension, but roomier inside and with better handling. The
cars had a more lean, angular look about them, and they had more glass area
than the ‘78s. The 460 V-8 was gone, replaced by a more fuel-efficient 302
(5.0-liter). This platform lasted with cosmetic updates until 1991...though the
class and distinction of the 1975-78 models was lacking.
The Grand Marquis continues today and is Mercury’s all-time best selling model.
The 1975-78 Mercury Grand Marquis floated over the road in comfort, smoothness,
and opulence, and brought a measure of dignity and flair to a division seeking
a true identity.
Sources: Cars of the Sensational ‘70s by James M. Flammang and the Auto Editors
of Consumer Guide, BBCHZ’s Mercury Archive, www.wikipedia.org.
(Luigi,
sounds like a comfy car for all kinds of travel. How was the pitch and roll
factor?) Pete
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Tom Sebastian
Volvo 240DL Wagon – WASP-Mobile
Extraordinaire
“Baby on Board!” “My Son Made the Honor Roll!” “Princeton University”… These are a
few of the stencils you were (and still are) likely to see prominently
displayed on the rear hatch of one of these cars.
There wasn’t just one of these vehicles on-screen in The
Family Stone -- the story of
an upscale, Connecticut (where else?) family -- but two of them, just to make the point.
Yet there is no organized
club for the owners, nowhere where you’ll find them ogling over each other’s
good sense and exchanging parts information.
In fact, they would not even acknowledge what is, in fact, the
case: They belong to the ultimate
car club.[1]
So, what does this thing really indicate?
WASP coming through!!
That’s right, and I purchased
this thing solely based on its symbolic heft.
As one of my favorite
professors used to say: the only group who doesn’t feel compelled to march up 5th
Avenue once a year to proclaim their existence is the group that owns it. And the 240 DL was big with
this group.
Whenever you saw an upscale,
yuppie family during the first, really
big, post-war economic boom (the 1980’s), they were driving one of these. It was the iconic (ironic?) choice of the
Reagan-era. The car for Republicans
with a brain -- or any kind of liberal.[2]
Although I
said in one of my articles that I wouldn’t buy this thing, the 240 really is a direct, bloodline
descendant of the fabulous, 1800 ES Volvo
Sports Wagon – with a healthy dose of boredom added, I’ll grant you that. But
what it lost in hormonal appeal, it more than made up for in imagery and
historical importance.
When the 1800 ES was on the highways, Volvo had yet to
make its bones as the leading contender for the ‘Thinking Man’s Car’. But by the end of its run in the
early 90’s, the 240 DL series had become just that. And what better time -- the Reagan Era -- to
make its mark on the collective subconscious of all clear-thinking
Americans. Go to any protest,
demonstration, nuclear weapons outcry, nuclear energy sit-in, or gay women’s
rights movement, and there it would be -- with all those future Harvard social
workers strapped into the (extra secure) baby seats while their parents ran
wild in the streets. Volvo types seemed
magnetized to each other. Owners came
to believe, by association, that the only sane people left on the planet drove
a Volvo. As the Reagan Era phased into the Soccer Mom Decade this car was
there as well. How could it not
be? Built like a tank (‘The Swedish
Brick’) for baby protection with close to 0 fuel usage -- and close to 0
pick-up as well -- it also provided the extra bit of insurance that your
precious cargo would only mingle with the right people upon debarkation. (Volvos didn’t park next to Pontiacs.)
See? All secular progressive, left-of-center,
non-redneck types. (Basically, all the
people that Bill O’Reilly hates.) Its
opposite would be that other oft-seen highway gem of the 1980’s: an AMX all-wheel drive Eagle. The first crossover SUV, it may have been
just too far ahead of the curve. For
its survivalist allure, it drew broadly from the lunatic class.[3] Volvo 240
people just knew what most of us
didn’t about this crowd: “No trust fund there, Madison!”
Today, you can go to Ithaca,
NY -- as liberal a town as exists in the country -- and find an entire festival
dedicated to the mark – an annual spring parade of Dancing Volvos all done up
-- in ballet tutus!! HA! Not only confusing genders but life
forms, mechanical vs. human, as well! HA! It figures!
Regarding Performance
The standing joke with Volvos
was that you get turbo lag minus the turbo, i.e. you get nothing. But the 240 is so light -- and so
narrow -- that the 1.4-liter, 4-banger is, actually, not bad where it
counts. On the open highway, it is
quite luxurious, as a matter of fact (love those lumbar-correctable
seatbacks!). My mechanic absolutely
loved that engine. Simple.
Durable. And parts galore.
Volvo
never again made a car like it. After
the DL, when Ford took command, the thing got as complex mechanically as
anything out there -- with all the attendant increases in parts, repair bills,
down time, etc.
Last of the Great Ones from
Sweden?
After the DL, a
box-like, stand-in evolved called the V70 -- but this one possessed none
of the same magnetism of the original.
This charm-challenged wagon seems to have no personality that I can
determine. But then again, it may not
be entirely the designer’s fault. The
times, they are a-changin’. Volvo Folk
have moved on into history, no longer the distinctive, socio-political
phenomenon they used to be, leaving the V70
as just another grocery van, bereft of any symbolic weight.
When it came time for me to
sell my myth-laden masterpiece -- some 16 years after its last iteration -- the
mystique surrounding this thing yet prevailed.
Every one of the inquiries had .edu
attached to the email address (meaning: university-based respondent). The actual sale proved to be an all-out race
among retired academics, scientists and writers to get to the car first. When a retired physicist beat out one of the
big winners on Jeopardy by a day, I
knew I was right about this car: 240 owners are a value-based
population: These people own 5th Avenue because they know what
they’re doing!
NEXT TIME: The
ultimate Cruise Night: Where the Big Boys Hang
(Accurate & funny Tom! Hey – I work at Volvo – do
I get a trust fund too?) Pete
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
A Car Club is Born
By Andy Vourlos
It was a
cold evening in March, 2006. Four
gearheads were sitting around a table at a pizza joint. Discussion was as intense as a freshly waxed
B5 Blue paint-job; ideas free-flowed like synthetic oil. For quite some time, these folks had a
vision; to form a car club on Long Island that was dedicated to the owners of
arguably the best-engineered cars on the planet. Those of you that subscribe to the ideology, “Mopar or No Car”,
know what I am talking about.
There had
been some “rumble-beeing” in the air for a while about forming a Mopar club,
but no one had actually done it. Now,
in the 11th hour, at the very beginnings of the 2006 car season,
here was a group of guys that were about to attempt to get a club going who’s
mission statement was simple; “Keep it light, keep it right, let our members
provide the insight”.
So there
you have it. On a cold night in a pizzeria in March 2006, the “Long Island
Mopars” car club was formed. Serving
Mopar owners in Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk, this club would be
dedicated to its member base by subscribing to the notion that each member
could play an active role in suggesting directions the club could take, and
events that it could organize. And in
what could be considered a radical departure from the norm, the founding
members decided to make club membership FREE.
Why make
a club free? Why not have dues? Well, to answer these questions, the founding
members asked themselves, “what are we charging our members for, and what are
they getting in return?”. The purpose
for creating the club was to unite Mopar fans in an environment that bound them
together by their common interest; the cars. This group of guys offered the
idea that you didn’t need to have membership dues for a car club whose sole
purpose is to get people together because they share a passion for certain
types of vehicles. Going to a cruise night? Want to organize a picnic? Thinking
about putting on a car show? No problem; let’s get together and go.
Now, how
do you start acquiring members? Well,
that’s always a tough one. Because Long
Island Mopars was going to be a dues-free club, there were certain routes that
would have to be taken to keep the cost down (ha!). The founding members hit the pavement by handing out flyers and
talking to owners at local cruise nights. A short form that collected basic
contact information and most importantly, email addresses, got the ball
rolling. Members began to receive
emails from the club secretary on upcoming events, as well solicit ideas from
them. Slowly but surely, the word got
out, and the club was even able to put together a few club-only (but all
welcomed) meets in 2006. Membership grew quickly and by the end of the summer
over 100 people had signed on!
Now in
its second year, Long Island Mopars is poised to continue its steady
growth. Its member base crested the
century mark last year and is over 150 as this is written! Some recent “club
signature” events were held in June with encouraging member turnouts. Certain local merchants are offering
discounts to club members that show their ID cards. The group even has a free website this year to help communicate
with its members. It can be found at: http://mysite.verizon.net/vzes9hbq/longislandmopars/
Its not
easy running a car club; it takes a lot of hard work and dedication among key
individuals to make things happen for the enjoyment of its members. But that’s part of what a club is
about. Whether you belong to one club,
multiple clubs, or no club, at a Long Island Mopars meet, you’re always going
to find good folks with interesting cars and stories to tell about them. Take the time to listen; you’ll be glad you
did.
Til next
time,
Andy
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
By Rich Fiore
LETS GAUGE OUR
PROGRESS - VACUUM GAUGE THAT IS !!!!!!!
Many of us have your basic vacuum gauge stowed
away in our tool boxes but rarely think of using it when we have trouble in
paradise (ie:our favorite ride ). Who
would think of using it when we are in the old fashioned diagnosis mode? I have
traditionally used it for adjusting my Carb’s idle mixture, something most
would not be familiar with . Well, Uncle Rich is here to learn ya !!!
Its
actually pretty simple! First off, the engine must be in tune, idle speed adjusted
to spec and there must be no vacuum leaks. I simply turn both mixture screw(s)
in (clockwise) until they bottom out. I then turn them out .. usually 2 turns,
(some vehicles may not idle - so 3 turns may be necessary), and start the
engine. With the vacuum gauge attached to manifold vacuum ( this is a port
below the throttle plates), back out each screw 1/2 turn while watching the
vacuum gauge. The gauge will increase with each turn. Once the gauge stops
moving, you have completed the adjustment!
Recently my friend Rob had a rough idle and would get
popping out the exhaust. It wound up being a sticking valve ( I believe most of
the problem ) along with replacement of a few lifters. Not until a few days
later ( this is what happens when you get over 50 ) did I remember that a
vacuum gauge would have been an easy and effective way to troubleshoot the
problem. Like a Doctor with a stethoscope, a vacuum gauge can be a very useful
tool in diagnosis of internal engine problems. Below is a list of vacuum readings
you might encounter at idle ( or a hard pump of the throttle ) and the possible
cause if there is a problem.
1. 18 - 22" at idle - Normal Reading
2. 15" at idle - Normal with high lift cam
3. 14 - 17" - Late ignition timing (with normal cam)
4. 8 - 15" - Late valve timing
5. 4" ( steady) - Intake leak
6. Drops to 2" then rises to 25" with hard throttle pump -
Normal
7. Drops to 0" then rises to 22' with hard throttle pump – Worn
rings/diluted oil
8. Normally steady then flicks down 4" intermittently – Sticking
Valves
9. Regular drop about 2" - Leaky valve
10.Regular even spaced flick of 4" - Burned or warped valve
11.Regular Oscillation of 4" - Worn Valve guides
12.Violent oscillation ( about 10" ) as RPM steadily incr. ( steady at
idle ) - Weak valve springs
13.Floats between 13 and 17" - Improper idle mixture
14.Slight float between 14 and 16" - small spark gap or bad ignition
points
15.Floats between 5 and 19"- Head Gasket Leak
16.Normal when started then drops to zero as RPM incr. May rise to 16" -
Restricted exhaust
So there
you have it. A whole new reason to dust off that vacuum gauge and use it to
play the doctor role relative to engine diagnosis along with adjusting your
idle mixture. Again always keep in mind that the vehicle should be properly
tuned with no vacuum leaks.
Quick and Dirty
: When was the last time you checked all vacuum
diaphragms and the intake manifold for leakage?
(Impressive list Doctor Rich! Do you make house
calls?) Pete
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Nick Nuzzi: 1930 Dodge
Merchant Van
Nick Nuzzi is the proud owner of this incredible truck. No stranger to classics, he has a nice stable of vehicles of various makes and models. Nick is an engaging guy who along with his buddies, spends time working on his vehicles, driving around, and just plain having fun with them! This one is quite a rare piece of history.
It was originally built to be used as a Merchant Van. People who had produce businesses or the like would fill it with their wares and either deliver them to stores or pedal them on the streets. You have probably seen vehicles like this in some movies such as The Godfather and others. Usually the owner would cruise very slowly down the street as people would come up and buy what he had to offer. There are canvas type screens along the sides that fold down for protection against the weather. They tie up when not in use. This is a low mileage baby. It only has about 50,000 miles despite its seventy plus years!
Brand new it cost a whopping $995! It seats two up front. The bed is very long and can carry a 1,500 lb payload! Although it has a six cylinder engine, the horsepower is only a tad over 27. It takes a while to get up to speed, but speed wasn’t its purpose. Back in its day there was no such thing as “fast food”.
Nick has much in the way of historical documentation for it. Chrysler Historical says that only forty were built and that is one of only two that are know to exist!
The truck is quite hefty and is comprised of a sturdy chassis, heavy gauge steel panels, and wood flooring on the long bed out back. The floorboards in the cab are made of raised diamond pattern steel plate. No rubber covering, mats, or any other luxury equipment. This truck was business only. The two front seat cushions lift up - one to reveal the gas tank, and the other for access to tool storage.
An interesting and little known fact about the Dodge Brothers vehicles; they have the Star of David on them. Although the Dodge Brothers were not Jewish themselves, back in their day, they had seen a lot of anti-semitism that they found distasteful and just plain wrong. So when it came time for a logo, they decided to honor the Jewish people by incorporating the Star into their brand name. A nice gesture for sure.
Nick has plenty of info on this truck’s looong history. Here is some of it:
“I was down in Florida two years ago when I saw it at Ragtops in West Palm Beach. I took a good look and knew it was something special and bought it on the spot.” Nick had it shipped back up here to New York and since he bought it has only had to replace the flywheel, clutch and starter. Nick continues: “ The car was found in Ontario, Canada in a shed partially disassembled and in need of restoration. It had been off the road since 1961 when it was last registered in South Carolina. The private Canadian owner redid it for a cost of about $45,000 in 1994. After that it went down to an owner in Dolesville, NY. A mill owned it and put the graphics on it that you now see. This is the mill that makes the Adirondack baseball bats.” How’s that for a bit of history?!
Nick says the mill sold it and it once again went back to South Carolina into a collector’s possession, then it went to the Barrett-Jackson auction in Palm Beach in 2005 where it did not sell. Ragtop took it in on consignment, and that is where Nick stepped in.
Nick’s plans to redo the wood wheels and add some TLC to the interior. He will continue to use it for shows and cruise nights, so keep an eye out for it!
(Great truck with great history Nick! Hope
you keep it a long, long time!) Pete
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Glenn Ring: 1974
Volkswagen Beetle
Where do you start when you’ve owned the same car for 33 years? I guess at the beginning…
I was a senior in High School in 1974 and needed an inexpensive car. Since my Dad owned a number of VW Beetles over the years I decided to buy a new one instead of the used muscle cars my friends were buying. So I headed down to Val-Stream VW to price a car. They had a red 1974 Standard Beetle on the lot and settled on a price of $2150. The car became my daily driver and drive it I did. For work I had to travel over 100 miles per day and within 3 years I had 100,000 trouble free miles.
In 1980 I had 160,000 on it and the engine needed a rebuild. I knew of a local shop that build performance VW engines and had dual carbs, a mild cam and headers added to a rebuild. The car had a lot more pep and was fun to drive. The years and the miles and the mods kept coming. I increased the displacement from 1584cc to 1776cc, installed close ratio gears and added front disc brakes. While driving to a friend’s house in June 1997 I had a small engine fire and took the car off the road. I decided that 23 years and 445,000 miles of daily use was enough and the body really needed some attention.
I figured that it needed some rust/rot repair, new paint and an engine rebuild. As I should have known; the body needed way more work than I thought. A good friend owned a body shop and I worked a deal out that he would do the work in his spare time at a reduced hourly rate. I was lucky enough to have a large stash of parts including 4 NOS German fenders and many rubber pieces. After 11 months of off again, on again work, I received the call asking “what color are we painting it?” My answer is “the original color - African Red”. You see, I’m a nut for stock looks even though I love performance upgrades. The car would have all the correct body parts including the large shock absorbing bumpers and large taillights.
A year after being taken apart it arrived home on a flatbed. While the car was at the body shop I was in the process of rebuilding the 1904cc that was now in it.
I had some major headwork done and since it was no longer a daily driver I could put in a more radical cam. I had the engine dyno’ed at 180hp. I then spent the next six months finishing the undercarriage, installing a new interior (all stock) and I had the Recaro seats recovered. The lights and all electrical parts went in and were tested. Now it’s September and I’m at the point of deciding what to do about the leaking tranny. I had a close ratio 4 speed but was never able to cruise the highways at a fast enough speed. I made a few calls and decided to have the 4 speed converted to a 5 speed over the winter. Finally it’s spring 2000 and the car is ready to drive. All my hard work has paid off. I still had some things I wanted to do to it, but at least I was able to drive it.
The next year I got around to lowering the
car. I dropped it 3” in the front and 1” in the rear. I also rebuild the front
disc brakes and added larger rear drums from the VW station wagon. Over the
next 6 years I put 17,000 miles on it driving to shows all over the Northeast.
Then one Tuesday on my way home from Nathan’s in Oceanside I, I hear a loud
bang followed by a rattle and oil mist pouring out the back. I pulled over and
got a ride home to retrieve my tow bar and drag it home. That night I pulled
the engine and found a fist size hole in the top of the case. It threw a rod.
After tearing the engine down I could see that one of the rod bots snapped. It
pushed the piston into the exhaust valve breaking it off. It also broke one of
the lifter bores and that pretty much tore up the inside. The engine was
basically a total loss. I realized that in rebuilding that engine, I cut some
corners to save money for the rest of the car.
I
decided that since I got lemons I would make lemon aid. I did a lot of research
and spoke to many in the VW community and decided on a new engine combo. This
would be a no-cost-spared engine and would be a true “driver”, capable of going
cross country and at the same time able to tear up the ¼ mile. I started with 
a
low mileage VW case and had it machined and blue printed. I decided on 2180cc
which is 37% larger in displacement. I went with the new “thick wall” 92mm
cylinders and forged pistons. The connecting rods would be forged H-Beam with
ARP 2000 rod bolts. The cam is an Engle K-8 with 1.4:1 rockers that gave me 298° and a .535” lift. The crank is a
forged, counterweighted, 82mm with Buick journals and a wedgemated lightened
flywheel. The heads a genuine VW heads with 42x37.5 stainless steel valves,
dual springs, chrome moly retainers and chrome moly pushrods. Compression was
set to 9.3:1 so it could run on pump gas. The lifters a German Tool Steel and
have been Parkerized to prevent wear. The carbs are Italian Weber 48 IDAs on
match ported tall manifolds and the exhaust is a Gene Berg 1-5/8” merged that
has been Jet Hot coated along with the dual mufflers. The cooling system is
assisted by the addition of a 1.5qt. oil sump, 26mm oil pump, Canton Mecca oil
filter and a Setrab secondary cooler with fan assist. Finally the ignition is a
Bosch 010 distributor that triggers a custom Gene Berg CDI system. The engine
was dyno’d at 203hp @ 6800rpm. That’s over 4 times the stock 48hp.
Of all my engines this has to be the nicest. The cam allows it to idle at 850 rpm, cruise in the 2000-3000 range and is a real beast whenever you press on the gas! The last time I was at the track with my previous engine the car ran a 12.718 @ 103mph and a 1.61 60” time. Now with 23hp more and tons more low end torque, I expect it to run low 12s and drive to and from the track.
If you’d like to see more detailed specs and tons of pictures, please checkout my website at http://www.glenn-ring.com
(Wow! That
Bug sure can fly Glenn! Great car and story!) 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.
___________________________________________________
Before we close out this
edition of the Newsletter, I want to tell all of you about a very special
cruise event that is like none other on Long Island. Over in Oyster Bay they hold
a Tuesday night cruise that has grown into something that brings people in from
far and wide. The reason? Well, there are several!
First and foremost, instead of being held in a
parking lot as most cruises are, the Chamber of Commerce closes off the street
(Audrey Avenue) beginning at 5PM. Cars that come for the cruise get to park
without the worry of everyday vehicles interspersed between and around them.
The whole thing is one big private cruise-in!
In fact, it has gotten so popular, that guys start
showing up around 4:30 and wait nearby for the street to open! On nice nights,
if you don’t get there by 6:30 you can get shut out! To address that, they have
recently expanded and have room for about 175 vehicles now!
In addition to all the cars and people who bring
them, this is such an event that local residents and people in general come to
partake in it! There are literally hundreds of people walking about, looking at
the cars, talking, meeting new people, having fun with their friends and
families, and just plain enjoying the experience. Almost all of the classic and
specialty car owners are very engaging and easy to talk to. The quality of
cars, whether old, new, stock, or custom, is very high. You get quite a
spectrum of vehicles too!
Another thing is live music in the street! There is
always a musician or two and often times even a whole band! Also many of the
merchants are open and offer cruise night discounts! You can eat at little
tables on the street in front of various locales and get a drink in one of
several bars or restaurants as well. This is a great experience that all of you
should come and check out!
Tell them Long Island Classic Cars.com sent ya’
down!
PS Here is
a little coupon you can print out and take to one of the places to eat! Dave
offers one of the best discounts for cruise-nighters! Good food, plenty of it,
and prices that can’t be beat!
Oyster Bay Sports Café – 100
South Street
Cruise Night Specials! Half Price Wings Free Soft Drink w/any Adult EntréeFREE
Kids Meal w/each Adult Entrée!!
See Dave. Bring this ad and tell them
you got it on Long Island Classic Cars.com |
Pete Giordano
Editor
Long Island Classic Cars.com