Car show season is in full swing and we have had great weather! Low humidity and we have not hit 90 once yet this year! Stupendously perfect indeed!

I have been to many shows and they have been fantastic! Hope you are all “making the scene” as they used to say.

I have received many e-mails from car clubs that have provided lots of updates of shows and events, plus the cruise nights too. So check the EVENT section of the website frequently.

MANY people tell me that the Events area is the one they use most often. That is great, but do not forget all the other areas of LICLASSICCARS.COM. I remind everyone that the PARTS section is free for all that you might want to sell! Go ahead, load all your stuff up there for all to see!

Without further ado - here is June’s edition……

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Another new magazine has hit the town! This one will be going regional in a short time I am sure! A full color glossy that speaks to the local hobby with wonderful artwork and photography! In it you will find local cars just like yours…in fact, if you have a super nice stock or custom ride…give them a call! Maybe you can be featured! The first issue just came out…visit http://www.stockandcustom.com to subscribe. Well worth it my friends!

is the brainchild and work of Michael “Mekos” Horton.

Feel free to contact him at 917-692-8255 Mekos was assisted by many others in bringing this endeavor to fruition. Check out their talents when you open the pages!

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We would like to another car club that has listed on our site recently. As the hobby continues to grow and bring in both older and younger enthusiasts, there is no shortage of clubs and organizations to fulfill anyone’s tastes. Some of these clubs have been around for many years, while others are relatively new start-ups, or as in this case; mergers. Check them out in our CLUBS section!

Also, remember to check our EVENTS section for show, cruise, and event listings! As of this writing over 500 events are already listed for the 2006 car season!

If your club and events are not listed on Long Island Classic Cars.com get them listed ASAP! People have made their plans on where to go and what shows to attend. Don’t be left out of the party!

Mustang & Shelby Club of Long Island. The Classic Mustang Club – LI region MCA and Long Island Mustang and Shelby Owners Club have merged to form this new club. Welcoming all year Mustangs and all cars "Born a Ford". A Chapter of MCA and SAAC. They are an active club that has several meetings each month along with cruises, shows, tech events, and much more! Check them out!

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TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1 Editor’s Introduction

2 Advertiser’s Promos

3 Picture Caption Contest

4 Cruise Night Information

5 Guest Writer’s Columns

Lou Refano

Rich’s Tech Tips

6 My Car Story

7 The Archive

8 Editor’s Closing

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PROMOS!

Here are some special deals and offers from some of our advertisers!

We thought it would be a good time to re-acquaint you with what these folks offer when you mention Long Island Classic Cars.com. They have grrreat stuff!!

All of these businesses below advertise on Long Island Classic Cars.com in the underlined section of the website.

Let’s start with TRANSPORTATION.

When you buy that new car or sell one of yours, Phil at ABRO MOTORSPORTS is offering special rates for those who mention Long Island Classic Cars.com! He has all new equipment, fully enclosed, insured, and door to door service by the owner himself! Call him for a free quote today!

AJ CLASSIC AUTO TRANSPORT is a premier local service that takes great pride and care in their work. They are huge car enthusiast that serve LI, the tri-state area, northeast, and beyond! Call Jimmy and mention us for a nice rate to go along with his fantastic service! Great people!

Hmmm….maybe you are buying something to add to the fleet!? In that case check the INSURANCE section.

Call VEHICLE APPRAISERS NETWORK. Dave Smith is an accredited appraiser of the International Appraisers Network. What that means is that his services are reliable and accepted by major members of the collector car market. If you need an appraisal of your car, or an experienced and accurate assessment of a specialty or classic vehicle that you are considering purchasing, Dave is the guy you should call upon. Don’t make that purchase without a professional appraisal! Spend a little now to save thousands later!! Tell him he was recommended by liclassiccars.com!!

For good rates, and more importantly; great service, check out THE RASKIN GROUP. Ask for Ray and tell him we sent ‘ya! They will help you out and give free quotes with no obligation.

If you like dealing with pros, try the DeStefanos at ALLSTATE/HAGGERTY AGENCY. They work in conjunction with one of the world’s finest Specialty insurance companies, but can also provide you with the local touch you need!

Perhaps you need a little monetary help with that new purchase? Go to the FINANCE section and see…..

The largest and most widely known of all Classic Car Finance institutions is J.J. BEST. They have so many years of getting people into cars and have helped thousands! Their experience and rates are top notch! Mention LI Classic Cars.com for some special consideration!

Keith Adler at CLASSICAUTOLOANS.COM. Tell him you saw his ad on liclassiccars.com and he will certainly help you out! He specializes in all kinds of classic, exotic, and luxury car loans.

Also try Jim at CLASSIC CAR FINANCIAL. He can help you if your credit is less than perfect. They finance classic and modern machinery.

How about PARTS for your baby?

Are you putting out a fire? Is your car running hot? Electrical goblins? Fuel leakage? In any case, having a fire stopping device is a necessity in our valuable cars! John at PYROCOOL TECHNOLOGIES has a patented system that not only works better than standard fire extinguishers, but it is harmless to paint, rubber, fabric, and other valuable surfaces! If you care about your car - get one of these! The pros and industry use it all the time!

Call or go to PARTS AUTHORITY. They have everything automotive and locations throughout the area! They are giving 10% off to all who mention Long Island Classic Cars.com. Get your repair, maintenance, and performance parts all in one place! Get some stocking stuffers from their vast inventory!

Another great auto guy to call upon is David from AUTOMOTIVE UNLIMITED. They can help you with parts for your classic and late model or new vehicle. They have two locations- Port Washington and Brooklyn. Tell them LIClassicCars.com sent you and they will be glad to serve all your needs with great pricing to go along with it!

Is your radiator or cooling system steaming you up? Then Bill Carberry at CLASSIC HEATERS and CAP-A-RADIATOR SHOP is the one man who has what you need! Whether it is parts, service, or a custom build, this guy does it all. Mention liclassiccars.com for a discount that will certainly cool you off!

How about some NOS, reconditioned, or used parts for your Chevrolet vehicle? Don at RESTO TRIM is offering 10% off now through the end of May when you mention Long Island Classic Cars.com. Minimum $100 purchase. He can give you the parts you need, or refurbish yours to showroom new condition!

If you need Mopar parts, HERBEE DODGE is giving 5% off when you mention Long Island Classic Cars.com. Whether you need resto, performance, or daily driver parts, call or visit them. They are a great bunch of guys in the parts department! Ask for Bob or Ronnie.

More GM stuff you say? DAVE’S GM PARTS is also offering 10% off for all who mention Long Island Classic Cars.com. He has three (3) warehouses full of parts!

Need some RESTORATION or REPAIR?

Any restoration is only as good as the prep work that goes into it. That being the case, here is a company that can start you off in the right direction: AMERICAN DRY STRIPPING will take your car and all your parts down to bare metal so you can restore them better than new! Tell them we sent you for some special considerations!

APPEL AUTO SERVICE is operated by a classic car nut! He is more protective of your cars than you are! Call him to get free quotes on all types of work. Tell him LI Classic Cars.com sent you and he’ll take car of you and your car for sure!

TAPPEN ENTERPRISES is a premier street rod shop here on Long Island. Bill has vast experience in all phases of rodding from ground up fabrication to finish work of the highest caliber! When a guy who loves the hobby has a business he loves too, the results are remarkable! Tell him Long Island Classic Cars.com sent you!

Jan at ELITE COACHWORKS takes tremendous pride in his work. He can make your modern, classic, or anything else look gorgeous! He has good prices, turnaround time, and most important he is a quality guy to deal with! Tell him LI Classic Cars.com sent you and get a discount as well!

Whether it is your interior or top (and a whole lot more), the boys at AUTOMAT have got you covered. [Pun intended]

The fellas have decades in the hobby and do tremendous custom jobs as well as classic and modern restorations, repair, and modifications to your vehicle. Let them know you saw their ad here for a nice discount. Their reputation is their name!

Dave (from above) also owns and operates BANNER ROD & CUSTOM. I have seen his work and man his cars are scary fast! He performs surgery on all types of cars, whether you want repairs, fabrications, customizing, restorations, engine or chassis building, paint and body, dyno-tuning, and more!! Again mention Long Island Classic Cars.com for 10% off any work! That can be a monstrous savings for restorations and custom work!

Try AL & SELWYN. Paul is a serious pro at classic car and performance mechanical work. He takes great care with your vehicle and has a true interest in the art. He offers great prices and service to begin with, but mention Long Island Classic Cars.com for a nice discount.

EAST COAST RESTORATIONS is also owned and operated by Don Ness. He does beautiful work on vehicles. Stock, modified, or custom, he does it all! A nice, clean, and efficient shop is his trademark.

STREETSIDE RESTORATIONS specializes in fabricating, roll cages, and complete restorations! Tell Christian that liclassiccars.com sent you! He will take care of you and your ride.

Many of our readers have foreign cars that need love too! Lou Palumbo at GULLWING MOTORS INC. is THE specialist to see for all your repairs on British, Italian, German, and other foreign car makes. They have over 25 years experience! Tell them you saw their ad on liclassiccars.com and they will take care of you and your car with “kid gloves”.

Bill at CLASSIC HEATERS and CAP-A-RADIATOR SHOP does some real special fabrication, repair, and resto of your cars components. He makes things from scratch as well, and does some neat resto work to boot!

Paul Rawden who sells and restores vintage license plates is now also offering a duplication service. If you have one good plate and the other one is damaged or even lost, Paul can duplicate the good one for you so you have a full set again! How about that?!

Warm weather means top down cruising! Just in time, Jim at PHOENIX AUTO INTERIORS is offering 10% off on convertible top repairs and replacements! Just mention Long Island Classic Cars.com and he’ll have your car ready for the road in style!

Another professional upholstery shop is RP INTERIORS. They do many of the custom and classic rides you may have seen at the shows. Tell Rich you saw his ad on liclassiccars.com. They do cars, boats, bikes, even airplanes!

And what’s better than driving with the top down and the radio on?! Nothing if you ask me! The problem is most of us don’t have a good working radio and speakers. Robert at ELLIOT’S CAR RADIO can fix your “box” and speakers and have you driving and singing along with the music. (Hopefully that’s a good thing.) He is offering free shipping on your radio purchases and/or repairs for the month of April. Just make sure you tell him Long Island Classic Cars.com sent you!

While you’re parked or driving, THE REFELECTED IMAGE can ensure that you properly see where you are going and what’s around you! They are offering 10% off on all mirror restoration, customizing, and re-silvering! What that means is simple: if your rear or side view mirrors are cloudy or gray, they can make them brand new again! They also create stock and wild custom etchings and graphics for any kind of ride!

Want some collectible or show stopping AUTOMOBILIA? Check the PARTS-BUSINESS AD section.

Alan at CARZIGNS is offering free shipping on all custom made signs for your pride and joy! These are the highest quality show signs out there and he offers a design service that no one else does! Just make sure to mention LI Classic Cars.com for the free shipping! (By the way, his design service is outstanding! I know, he did a beautiful sign for my ’69 Super Bee that you may have seen at the shows.)

TOYS TOYS TOYS! Who can have enough? Not me! Call DIECAST MUSCLE. They have one of the largest stocks of die cast items that includes ultra-rare and limited edition models you can’t find anywhere else. I have many of their items and their service is fantastic! Ask for Mark or Dave. They will give you 10% off all orders regardless of amount, and, free shipping if you spend $100 bucks! Make sure to mention you saw their ad on liclassiccars.com for the discount.

Brought to you by Long Island Classic Cars.com

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Long Island Classic Cars.Com’s

AUTOMOTIVE PICTURE CAPTION CONTEST

Submit your caption 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 7th of the next month. (ex: for June’s contest the entries are due by July 7th)

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 Dr Jim M.

"OK boys, they said I'd be able to get Howard Stern if I got a serious satellite system for my car." "This one looks pretty serious to me!"

Jim wins a Mr. Clean AutoDry Car Wash kit! Congratulations!

Courtesy of Tom Tardugno at SEARS in Hicksville, NY.

(Tom has all kinds of great stuff there! Go see him and tell him liclassiccars.com sent you!)

Most of this months entries were about satellite radio! (Some quite funny!)

Here’s a great one from Andy Vourlos – one of our writers. Top notch, but not eligible for prize consideration since he is involved in the website.

However, I wanted you all to enjoy it! It surely is a winner!

"FOR SALE. 1979 Dodge Aspen, 4 door, slant 6, classic, restorable, many options including ultra-rare circa 1979 global positioning navigation system. Galen Govier certified. $10,000 neg."

OK – Here is the picture for our June “Caption Cut-Up Contest”!!

Go to it! Send in your funniest, wittiest comments by 7/7/06 and win the prize!

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“EXTRA EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!!”

The Cruise Nights are all up and running!! Here’s the latest on them…

2006 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

TUESDAYS: Old K-Mart Plaza. Hempstead Tpk. Levittown, 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 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.

PS –

Whoever has information on the early Sunday morning cruise out near where OBI used to be, please let us know.

Also – I have had people submit cruise night start up location ideas to me and ask me to list them here. I will promote every viable and active event, but please only send me events that are somewhat established and populated since otherwise people are dismayed when they go and nothing or very little cars are there. Editing, adding, and deleting all of this takes a great amount of time. Thanks.

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GUEST WRITER(S) COLUMN(S)

This time out, Lou Refano, our writer extraordinaire about all things automotive, imparts to us some information about Nash automobiles. This month’s feature highlights a particular Nash Metropolitan that is locally owned and can be regularly seen at the cruises and shows of Long Island!

Rich’s Tech Tips returns with an amazingly informative column on gas gauge and fuel sending unit issues and troubleshooting. He literally is a genius about automotive function and repair and we are all fortunate to have his insight here for free! I bet none of the folks you know have the knowledge about all the things he has discussed in his many columns. My gratitude goes out to him and so should everyone who reads these Newsletters! Atta boy Richie! (Bet he’s embarrassed now and wants to kick my ass!)

In the MY CAR STORY section Kevin and Laura Healion share with us their wonderful passion for all things Studebaker. What a great collection, and one of our longer and deeper stories! Good writing!

Enjoy…

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LETS GO METS

by Louis Refano (not a baseball article)

George Mason, President of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation, had a lot of good ideas in the 1950s. One such idea was for his Nash Motors to sell an upscale yet economical, 2-seat "runabout". This was a somewhat strange idea in the late '40s and early '50s, when consumers increasingly wanted "longer, lower, wider" cars, and Crosley's attempt to make a small car mainstream was just about sunk. But as with everything else Mason put his mind to, he was doggedly determined to make this idea work. He knew that for Nash to continue to prosper, it would have to produce vehicles that fit a certain niche that the Big Three either had not discovered, or just ignored. The first car to fill this void was the successful Nash Rambler. The second was the Italian-styled, British-built Nash Healey sports car. The third was the subject of this article.

In 1949 Mason built a prototype of a small 2-seater, calling it the NXI for Nash Experimental International. It was taken to various cities around the country to gauge public reaction. When the reaction wound up being mostly positive, Nash Motors mailed out questionnaires to potential buyers. The results of the survey convinced Nash management to forge ahead with production of the car. However, Nash didn't have the production capacity or the small car savvy to produce the car in big numbers, so it struck a deal with Austin Motor Company of England to produce a car called the NKI (Nash Kelvinator International). Austin was renowned as one of the world's best small car producers at that time...they had exported several Austin models to America since 1930. So the production car came together with a Nash unitized body, (based upon the prototype designed by William Flajole) and Austin running gear. At 149.5 inches long, with a wheelbase of 85.0 inches, it was America's smallest car in 1954...fully 6 feet shorter than a '54 Cadillac.

The engine was a proven 4-cylinder, 73-cubic-inch that had been used in the Austin A40, mated to an Austin "three-on-the-tree". This engine proved to be a reliable workhorse, consisting of aluminum pistons, a fully counterbalanced crankshaft, a Zenith downdraft carburetor, and overhead valves. With only 42 horsepower and despite the light curb weight of only 1,800, the car took 30 seconds to do 0-60. If only AMC offered a turbo then! Of course, you could have walked across the showroom floor and put a deposit on a Nash Healey, but the NKI was all about economy...gas mileage was in the range of 25-35 mpg. The suspension featured a conventional solid rear axle with leaf springs.

When the first car hit American shores, they were called NKI Customs. But soon the name was changed to better suggest the market that Nash was trying to go after. The name was changed to Metropolitan. The car was targeted at suburban families who wanted a "second car" (which was a newly-developing market), commuters, and city dwellers who wanted something maneuverable and thrifty yet stylish. Like the prototype, the car stayed a two-seater with some room in the back for odds-and-ends, a big dog, or a couple of kids. Just like the Rambler, Mason insisted that the "Met" not be a cheap, bare-bones car; it had a lot of standard features that we take for granted today, but that competitors in its price range did not offer as standard. Every Met came with a radio, heater, turn signals, dual sun visors, trunk mounted spare tire with cover and foam seats with high-quality nylon and leather. It was offered in hardtop and convertible, with a two-tone option available on the hardtop and contrasting roof color for the soft-top. The '54 hardtop sold for $1,445, and the convertible could be had for $1,469. These were pricey for a small car in '54, but they did offer a lot of value for the money, and besides, Mason was targeting Cadillac and Lincoln buyers who wanted the flexibility of a second car. The target marketing investment hit the bulls-eye, as nearly 14,000 Mets were produced in '54 for the US and Canadian markets!

In terms of styling, it's easy to see how the Met became such a winner considering its size. William Flajole and the Nash design team deserve an awful lot of credit for doing a small car so well. It had a cute, spunky quality to it, with the signature Nash door-dip so you could hang your left arm out the window comfortably, plus a handsome curved hardtop roofline with a wraparound rear window, and the little "Continental" kit in the back. It was classy and had much more "sex appeal" than the concurrent Kaiser Henry J, Willys Aero, or Hudson Jet, which all seemed dull by comparison.

For '55, sales dropped a bit, but the newly-formed American Motors (the merger of Nash and Hudson) was hard at work on making improvements to the Met. The new Metropolitan 1500 was introduced in April 1956. This came with a new 1500cc motor which improved horsepower to 52. A new egg-crate grille replaced the chrome horizontal bar up front, and a new zig-zag side molding was added to give the car a less fat, more sleek look. In addition, more user-friendly features were added (again, stuff we take for granted but not the norm on small cars in the '50s): glove box with door, one-piece rear wraparound glass on hardtops, and front vent windows. A top-opening trunk lid was finally added in '60. Two-tones were once again available with the darker color on top of the side molding to give the illusion that the car was larger than it really was...think about that for a moment. When you see a small car in a dark color, it seems to make it look more substantial, doesn't it?

This second edition Met was produced until 1960, despite the fact that sales jumped a bit in '59 to almost 22,000. AMC management decided to concentrate on the more versatile, more substantial "compact" Rambler American, which sold in huge numbers. Leftover 1960 Mets were retitled as '61s and '62s until the supply was exhausted. When it was all said and done; 94,986 Metropolitans were sold during the car's nine-year run...a sales figure Crosley could only dream about. One of them was the car you see here...a rare, last of the line, '62 Metropolitan 1500, owned by Randi Schenfeld and photographed at a recent Oyster Bay Cruise Night. It's a testament to the car's appeal that some 44 years after the last Mets were produced, this car still brings smiles to just about everyone and fond memories to those who recall them when they first came out.

Randi's factory-correct Berkshire Green over Frost White hardtop was purchased in Florida last year and driven up to New York. It is all factory-correct except for the Weber carburetor which was added to improve breathing. It also has an ornate, heavy chrome hood ornament which the standard hood rod can't support, thus the need for the thick pipe you see in the front-end photo. She claims to get 40 miles per gallon, which makes for an ultra-efficient as well as cool-looking collectible. I'm sure she also gets more than her fair share of smiles per gallon, which you just can't put a price on!

Sources: allpar.com, Illustrated AMC Buyer's Guide by Larry G. Mitchell, Cars of the Fabulous Fifties by James K. Flammang and the Auto Editors of Consumer Guide

(Luigi, once again…timely and informational - and full of good stuff!) Pete

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By Rich Fiore

ITS A GAS MAN - GAUGE THAT IS !!!

Many vintage automobiles ( mine included ) have had problems with inaccurate gas readings or no readings at all. Lets go into detail as to how this fuel quantity measuring device ( sounds technical eh ? ) really works and how to test the bad boy.

   In the bowels of the system is the sending unit which is located in the gas tank. It is nothing more than a variable resistor. It will vary the resistance ( oppose current flow ) as the sending units float moves up and down with changes in the tanks fuel level. It consists of a strip of resistive material ( usually fine wire ). One side of this strip is connected to the cars ground. A small piece of metal slides across this resistive strip. This piece of metal is known as the wiper. The wiper is connected by a wire to one side of the fuel gauge.
   So lets put it all together and see how it works. 12 volts is fed to the input side of the gauge ( we'll look at that in a sec ). Current flows out of the gauge and to the wiper. From the wiper it continues through the resistor and on to ground. The amount of resistance that the current flow encounters depends on where the wiper’s position is on the resistive strip. If it is closer to the ground side of the strip ... there is less resistive material to overcome so resistance is small!!! If the wiper is at the beginning of the strip the resistance is _ _ _ _. You got it !!! Less resistance will give you a " Full " reading.

So on to the fuel gauge itself. The gauge is a tool for measuring electrical resistance. It consists of a bi-metallic strip which has 2 dissimilar metals laminated together. The metals expand when heated and contract when cool. Each metal has a specific rate of expansion/contraction. More current means more heat. As you pass current through the strip, it arcs and swings the needle. So when gas is added to the tank, the float moves up, the wiper moves closer to ground. Resistance is minimal which means more current to the bimetallic strip, which means it gets hotter. A hotter strip as we said bends more and moves the needle to full baby. These positions are of course calibrated to reflect the position of the float in the tank. That’s it. Not that difficult when you think about it.

Now lets say you have a problem and you want to do a quick test to determine if the problem is in the sending unit or the gauge. Have a friend sit in the driver seat and turn on the ignition. Remove the wire from the sending unit. Place a drill bit or nail in the wire’s connector and touch it to ground. This should move the gauge towards full. Do not hold it too long and deflect the gauge needle. If you have movement and can reach the full mark, the sending unit is bad, the float is filled with gas or your not getting a good ground at the tank. If no movement the gauge or it’s associated wiring is no good.
If you find the problem in the sending unit remove it ... drain the tank first ( unless you like a high test shower ) and remove the float. Give it a shake. Obviously it should be empty. You can put it in hot water which will heat the air inside and bubbles will show you where the leak is. If the float is ok test the resistance of the sending unit with an ohm meter. Put one lead on the electrical terminal and the other on the unit’s body. With the float in the down ( empty ) position, the meter should read roughly 110 - 130 ohms. In the up position roughly 1 - 10 ohms. Check your shop manual for exact ohm readings. Too high of a resistance means too much corrosion. Clean it if you can or replace the unit. I have seen corrosion add up at different points.
If the gauge is found to be the problem, voltage to the gauge should be checked along with the wire from the gauge to the sending unit. If all are ok, remove gauge and put 12 volts to the feed side of the gauge and ground the sending unit side. The gauge should move to full. Again do not hold too long. If no movement replace the gauge.
So that’s basically it. The theory and troubleshooting of your fuel quantity measuring device. Its a gas man !!!!

QUICK AND DIRTY : IF YOU HAVE A VERY OLD VEHICLE HAVE YOU EVER PULLED THE SENDING UNIT AND REPLACED THE FILTER ( SOCK ) ON THE SENDING UNIT’S PICK UP ? HOW ABOUT REPLACING THE RUBBER FUEL LINES THAT ROT OUT ?

(Rich, how many times can I say it: You are a genius man!! People SHOULD pay you for this info!) Pete

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My Car Story Kevin & Laura Healion: 1938 & 1951 Studebakers

A Studebaker Story

If you told me thirty years ago that I would have a Studebaker in the garage, I would have said you were nuts. Come to think of it, I was into those nice, sporty MGBs or a cool Porsche 356. Studebaker, no way!!

One day, not long after I turned 30, I was thumbing through the newspaper and I saw an ad in the classified in Newsday. It said "1938 Studebaker for sale. Needs restoration." Curious, I called the owner and set up a "look see". My brother in law Billy took a ride with me out to Middle Island, in Suffolk County, Long Island.

1986 was the year and I was the proud owner of a 1938 Studebaker Commander Club Sedan Two Door. First glance, it was just cool, I thought. The big pontoon fenders and the headlights that came out of the fenders with the Art Deco styling, was just too much! I had never owned a car that old. I was, to say the least, very gung-ho to get it running and looking good.

I didn't have a lot of money to have the car restored by a pro, so I figured I was going to take on the project and learn as I go "sort of speak". Hey look, I was pretty good in auto shop in school. Did a little painting and some engine rebuilds, I could get into this.

First thing I did was pull the frozen motor out and began to disassemble the whole car. Fenders, doors, bumpers and hood in a pile and the body off the chassis was the way this was going down. Well, the rot in the rockers and in behind the fenders on the body was not so bad, but the rot in the trunk was too much. Stick welding was something I was familiar with, and that was not so hard. I learned you cannot weld everything with stick welding. So I learned a little about Mig and Tig welding. Trial and error was the way this Studebaker was going to be restored.

I was never afraid to do something. If it had to be done and I didn't have the money to pay to get it done, I was going to do it myself! I would always figure out how to do it, "hands on". If I did a bad job, I would just take it apart and do it again, until it was, in my mind, right.

Well I must say, it took the better part of 10 years before it was ready for paint. So much for the gung-ho mental state I started with. Some of you know, it is a delicate balance of patience with the project and the patience of those around you deserving of equal devotion.

The ‘38 Stude was looking real good with all the metal work done and the engine rebuilt. Paint was next, but moving to a new home made the decision to let someone else paint the car.

Now I know everyone has a story about a body shop and this one is no different. A friend was going to do the work and finish the car in trade for some work I would do for him. Five years in his shop and still not done, it was time to move the car out and get it finished. I did finish painting the car in 2002 and brought it to the first car show at the Long Island Flower Fields in St. James, N.Y. It was still need of some finishing touches, but drivable. In 2005, the 1938 Commander Studebaker won first prize in pre war class.

At the time the ‘38 was in the shop, not being touched, I had seen an ad for a 1951 Studebaker Bullet nose. I was in need of an antique I could actually drive. Well this one wanted to run but was in need of a little help. I made an offer for the non running car and towed it home from Middletown, NY. About an hour after I got it home, I filed down the points and adjusted them to get that baby running. This car was a nice running car with the typical leaking oil and rusty bumpers that come with the territory.

I registered the car the first chance I got and drove it around town.

Now, being the nut I am, and with self masochist tendencies, I decided to do just a little work here and there on my new acquisition to make it better. Famous last words. What started out to be a quick paint job, turned into an engine overhaul, interior, and re-chrome of everything. Naturally, brakes, brake lines, fuel lines and tires. Oh yeah, wiring harness was a must.

Compared to the restoration of the ‘38 Studebaker, this was a bit quicker. The ‘51 was on the road again in four months, looking good and driving nice. Thanks to E-bay online and special car shows, parts were not too difficult to find.

Unfortunately, according to my wife Laura, my two Studebakers are more than one man can handle. I disagree. In the past few years I have bought three other Studebakers to bring back to life, including a 1931, 1925 and a 1956 Sky Hawk. Not road worthy yet. I stress the word, "Yet".

Laura is a good sport about my little hobby. We did take a trip to Pittsburgh PA. to pick up the 1931 Studebaker. It was a great way to get some time alone together. The weather was great on the way there, but a thunderstorm followed us all the way home, making the trip a little scary especially with the ‘31 in tow.

All in all, Laura and I have a good time going to shows and just driving a Studebaker out to dinner, sometimes with friends.

Kevin J. Healion

(Kevin and Laura.....Inspirational story! Great collection and “Gung-ho” attitude!) Pete

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