Belltown Antique Car Club - P.O. Box 211, East Hampton, CT 06424 April, 2015 NEXT MEETING Wednesday, April 1st, 2015 at 7:30 p.m. at the E. Hampton Library (no kidding) On the Agenda: - Preparations for our Engine Show at the end of the month - Suggestions for club tours. One idea is to build a tour around visiting 2 or 3 private car collections in the same general area. Where? Whose? FOOLS FOR THOUGHT Dumb: “Income taxes are due in two weeks, and for once I’m gonna owe money to the IRS!” Dumber: “On yer Form 1040 did ya remember to claim yer Nash Metropolitan as a in-dependent?!?” CLUB NOTES The March 4th meeting of the Club was preceded by our semi-annual pot luck supper. A hearty “Thanks!” to all who contributed to the occasion. Following the meal, invited speaker George King gave a talk about his 2014 trip to France and neighboring countries with his 1916 Ford Model T-based re-creation of a WWI ambulance (please go to www.ambulance255.org for more information). George’s six month journey coincided with activities surrounding the 100th anniversary of the war in Eu- rope. It was undertaken to honor those Americans who, between 1914 and 1917, joined an organization in France called the American Field Service and volunteered to drive purpose-built Ford ambulances in support of the war effort. Although George trailered his Model T as he travelled from place to place, he had many memorable opportunities to drive it around in Paris and several other locations of historic interest during the events and tours he participated in. For one French veteran car tour, in which many of the invited vehicles dated to the late 1800’s, George quipped that his T had to have a special exemption to join the group because it was “too new!” Next on the schedule for George and his ambulance is the 4th of July Parade in Chicago. Belltown Club member Steve Rossi was honored by the Antique Automobile Club of America at its Annual Meeting held in Philadelphia in February, 2015. Steve received their M.J. Duryea Memorial Cup service award in recognition of his “immeasurable contribution to Antique Automobile,” the bi-monthly publication of AACA. In particular, they cited his two-part column entitled “A Feeling for French Cars” which ap- peared in last year’s issues, Volume 78, Numbers 3 and 4.
Transcript
Belltown Antique Car Club - P.O. Box 211, East Hampton, CT 06424 April, 2015
NEXT MEETING
Wednesday, April 1st, 2015 at 7:30 p.m. at the E. Hampton Library (no kidding)
On the Agenda: - Preparations for our Engine Show at the end of the month
- Suggestions for club tours. One idea is to build a tour around visiting 2 or 3
private car collections in the same general area. Where? Whose?
FOOLS FOR THOUGHT
Dumb: “Income taxes are due in two weeks, and for once I’m gonna owe money to the IRS!”
Dumber: “On yer Form 1040 did ya remember to claim yer Nash Metropolitan as a in-dependent?!?”
CLUB NOTES
The March 4th meeting of the Club was preceded by our semi-annual pot luck supper. A hearty “Thanks!”
to all who contributed to the occasion. Following the meal, invited speaker George King gave a talk about
his 2014 trip to France and neighboring countries with his 1916 Ford Model T-based re-creation of a WWI
ambulance (please go to www.ambulance255.org for more information).
George’s six month journey coincided with activities surrounding the 100th anniversary of the war in Eu-
rope. It was undertaken to honor those Americans who, between
1914 and 1917, joined an organization in France called the
American Field Service and volunteered to drive purpose-built
Ford ambulances in support of the war effort.
Although George trailered his Model T as he travelled from
place to place, he had many memorable opportunities to drive it
around in Paris and several other locations of historic interest
during the events and tours he participated in. For one French
veteran car tour, in which many of the invited vehicles dated to
the late 1800’s, George quipped that his T had to have a special exemption to join the group because it was
“too new!” Next on the schedule for George and his ambulance is the 4th of July Parade in Chicago.
Belltown Club member Steve Rossi was honored by the Antique Automobile Club of America at its Annual
Meeting held in Philadelphia in February, 2015. Steve received their M.J. Duryea Memorial Cup service
award in recognition of his “immeasurable contribution to Antique Automobile,” the bi-monthly publication
of AACA. In particular, they cited his two-part column entitled “A Feeling for French Cars” which ap-
peared in last year’s issues, Volume 78, Numbers 3 and 4.
P. 2 of 6 The Belltown Bulletin April, 2015
MEMBER MILESTONES
Happy Birthday to: Mark Aldieri April 2nd Alan Carlson April 13th
Mike Sutton April 3rd Jonathan Foote April 14th
Merle Wade April 3rd Gordon Hallberg April 14th
Jim Borbas April 4th Maureen Hallberg April 17th
Ken Terrio April 5th Jacquelyn Reardon April 20th
Corky Lieder April 9th Lorraine Clark April 21st
Richard Everett April 10th Rick Reale April 21st
Happy Anniversary to: Ron & Jean Hodge April 22nd
Jim & Barbara Borbas April 23rd
HEARD FROM BOB HELLSTROM
As reported in The Hartford Courant on February 20, the Middlesex Community College Foundation has
announced its largest donation ever received, a bequest from the estate of Hazel Robinson in honor of her
brother, Raymond. Hazel, a long-time member of the Belltown Antique Car Club and the owner of several
fine Hudsons, passed away in 2013 at age 90. According to the school, her donation will be used to estab-
lish a new scholarship endowment to help financially challenged students with their education expenses.
IDLE ENGINE CLATTER Unmuffled Exhaust from the Editor
In the March, 2015 issue of Hemming’s Classic Car, columnist Bob Palma posited that Studebaker, not
Chevrolet, made America’s best OHV V-8 engine. He based his assertion on the fact that Studebaker engi-
neers designed their new post-war V-8 to withstand a significantly higher compression ratio in anticipation
of high octane gasoline blends that never came to be. The resulting “overbuilt” Studebaker V8 thus had
many advantages that Bob details to make his case.
Buy this argument or not, it begs the question of whether their V-8 engine’s comparatively higher product
cost prompted Studebaker to scrimp in other areas of vehicle specification, thus hurting competitiveness.
Or, was the V-8’s added expense just another element in the squeeze on the company’s profitability, has-
tening its demise? Getting the economics right in the auto business is critical to survival, let alone success.
Mr. Palma’s column also might inspire us to contemplate worthy rivals to other highly-regarded engines.
For example, is Chrysler’s “Slant-Six” the real Numero Uno of OHV in-line sixes, not the venerable Chevy
workhorse once nicknamed the “Stovebolt”? All things considered, including performance for the money,
can the Corvair’s rear-mounted, flat-six challenge the Porsche 911’s first-generation engine for superiority
in the international realm of air-cooled, horizontally-opposed sixes? And back in the day, aside from the
few limited-production, overhead cam engines, which company built the real king of the American-brand
straight-eights, and which manufacturer often gets the credit, perhaps less deservedly?
Inquiring minds will want to know.
P. 3 of 6 The Belltown Bulletin April, 2015
THE “STRAIGHT(?) SIX”
The Bulletin interviewed J. Leno, stand-up guy and denim-clad car nut
[Editor’s note: The idea for this dream assignment came to me after I hit my head on a giant icicle while taking out
the trash after dark. With the date of the upcoming Club meeting firmly in mind, I had to get “cranking on it”...]
Q1 – What was your first car? JL: When I was just a lad of 14, I bought a 1934 Ford pickup truck that did
not run. To my father’s dismay, I managed to get it running before I could legally drive it.
Q2 – What interests you most about old cars? JL: I’m fascinated by their mechanical workings, as well as
the inventiveness of their creators. I’m even OK with the ones that look kind of funny. More than anything,
though, I just enjoy driving them.
Q3 – Do you have a favorite make, era or type of car? JL: For me, it pretty much runs the gamut from the
Brass Era (I’m known as a big “steam-head”) and pre-war Classics - especially Duesenbergs and Bentleys -
to modern day performance cars, with all manner of offbeat stuff in between. I’ve also enjoyed a few unique
creations of my own that have monster engines cloaked in a period appearance.
Q4 – In your opinion, what can an organization such as the Belltown Club do to remain vital? JL: Based on
my personal experience I’m apt to tell you to bow out while you’re on top. That is, if you aren’t able to re-
invent yourself and do it before it’s too late! Or, like I did, you can quit too soon and stage a short-lived
comeback. Ultimately you might succeed with a different kind of encore, one that’s purely for fun (be sure
to check out my new, upcoming car-themed TV show on NBC). Seriously folks, I have no clue other than to
encourage your club to venture out of its comfort zone a little. As long as you enjoy it, and your audience
response is positive, you’ll be in good shape. No matter what, though, you’d best heed what they are always
telling us in the entertainment business, namely, “You need to attract a younger demographic!”
Q5 – How do we get young people to be more interested in the antique car hobby? JL: It’s easy to dismiss
kids today as primarily interested in looking at the world through a two-dimensional screen, only able to use
their two thumbs plus the index finger of their dominant hand. In fact, some of them actually do appreciate
history, and quite a few of them are able to understand how analog, mechanical things work. They can, if
properly encouraged, use all ten fingers they were born with to actually DO stuff! You see, getting young
people to become involved with cars is a lot like getting them to appreciate nature. They have to experience
it in order to have a chance to become hooked. Bring a kid to a car show or along for a ride in your old
Belchfire 88 and talk with them about it. If they don’t respond, take them hiking in the woods and threaten
to leave them in the wild to find their own way back. Without their smart phone of course!
Q6 – Name someone in the collector car world whose accomplishments you consider noteworthy. JL: I
have to tip my hat to the late Bill Harrah, the casino operator. He amassed a huge collection of vehicles of
historic interest and opened it to the public, creating a destination attraction at that time for little known
Sparks, Nevada. While Old Bill was not a hands-on car guy, he famously had a Ferrari engine put under the
hood of his Jeep Wagoneer and drove it all around Reno. Very inspiring, don’tcha think?
April Fool! As if you couldn’t tell, the above “interview” is totally fictitious except for a few grains of truth here and
there. A real interview with Jay Leno will likely appear in a future publication, but probably not this one.
P. 4 of 6 The Belltown Bulletin April, 2015
UPCOMING EVENTS
Wednesday, April 1 (April Fools Day) - BACC monthly meeting at the East Hampton Library at 7:30 p.m.
Friday April 3 - Sunday, April 12 - New York International Auto Show at Jacob Javits Center, NYC. Go to
www.autoshowny.com for details.
Saturday, April 11 - Swap Meet, Friends of the Haul of Fame Annex, Handcraft Rte. 12, Plainfield, exit 87
off I-395. Larry Dudek , 860-376-2306 (YYCC) NOTE: Event cancelled, per YYCC on 3/26/15
Sunday, April 26 - BACC’s 41st Annual Antique Gas & Steam Engine Show, Fireman’s Field, Rte. 16,
East Hampton, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Volunteers from the Club are needed to run the show!
Wednesday, May 6 - BACC monthly meeting at the East Hampton Library at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 16 - Car show at Covenant Village of Cromwell, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. Details: 860-754-3039.
HOBBY HEADLINES
Earnest “Ernie” Hemmings, founder of Hemmings Motor News, passed away on Feb. 26 at age 88. Ernie
grew the newsletter of his Illinois mail order parts business into what became “the bible” of the collector car
hobby. He sold the magazine in 1969, whereupon it was moved to its present home in Bennington, VT.
Unsafe at Any Speed, the auto industry expose that made Ralph Nader a household name and helped doom
the Corvair, was published 50 years ago. The book, together with a study released by the National Academy
of Sciences, galvanized criticism of the safety of Detroit’s cars that soon led to the formation of the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the adoption of Federal motor vehicle safety standards.
CONNECTICUT AUTOMOBILIA
From the Steven Rossi Collection
AD-DENDUM
Challenge your brand recognition IQ
In advertising its station wagon models, one car brand once billed itself as the “Wagonmaster.”
It was – a.) Ford
b.) Studebaker
c.) Volvo
The correct answer to last month’s Ad-Dendum, “Suddenly It’s 1960!” - 1957 Plymouths
BELLTOWN CLASSIFIEDS
Send all For Sale/Wanted ads for cars, parts and hobby-related services to [email protected]
Scott’s Garage Sale – New gas tank for 1955 Ford (also fits other Ford products, e.g. 1953 Mercury), $250
Lincoln SP-170T MIG welder with extras, $300
1/2 hp grinder with Eastwood buffer kit, $65
Craftsman belt & disc sander, $60
Makita table saw, 8 1/4" with stand, $150
4'x8' folding trailer with 4.80 x 12" tires (assembled but never used), $225. Includes
particle board decking
> Scott Macgregor, 860-399-7641 after 7:00 p.m., or [email protected]
NEXT ISSUE
The copy and classified ad deadline for the May issue of The Belltown Bulletin is April 23, 2015. The
planned printing date is April 27.
Got suggestions or feedback for the newsletter or the Club? Send an email to your editor!
