AUGUST 2017 TUMBLEWEED CLUB OF NEW MEXICO
RG #79, EARLY FORD V-8 CLUB OF AMERICA, PO BOX 21538, ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87154-1538
MEETS FIRST TUESDAY OF THE MONTH, 7:00 P.M., OLD CAR GARAGE, 3232 GIRARD BLVD NE
TIMES
PLEASE NOTE: All meetings include Show & Tell. Members are encouraged to bring items to share.
NEXT MEETING: Next meeting is Tuesday August 1, 7pm. Program will be on tools. Refreshments provided by Jacksons.
NEXT BOARD MEETING: TBD
BREAKFAST GROUP: Saturday August 19th, 8:30am breakfast at The Range Café, 1050 Rio Grande Blvd NW.
CLUB WEBSITE: Be sure to check out our website at www.abqfordflatheadv8.com Updated “current Information and calendar” is on the current information page. More club pictures are on the website.
FORD V8 FOUNDATION WEBSITE: Another interesting website to check out is www.fordv8foundation.org
August Breakfast
On Saturday, August 19th at 8:30am, club members and friends will be meeting at The Range Café at 1050 Rio Grande Blvd NW, at Rio Grande and I40. This is the newest location for The Range Café. Hope to see you there.
August Meeting Program
The August meeting is a highly anticipated program on 'tools' coordinated by our own tool expert George Abernathy. Why is George the tool expert? Because he volunteered to do the program. You too could have been the tool expert but you didn't volunteer. Maybe next time you too can be the center of attention.
Now admittedly Jeff Jackson also volunteered and he qualifies as a 'Tim the Tool Man' type expert but hearing one more time how he almost set himself on fire was not the type program we needed.
We anticipate broad attendance at this meeting, why folks from Texas and Arizona have called asking for information about George and his tool talk. This highly anticipated meeting requires group participation. Please come prepared to discuss your favorite tool or two; for example why are you particularly enamored with your craftsman 1/2 inch socket, or why does mention of a mac torque wrench send you spinning, or Look At This Amazing dohicky, it is sooo cool.
Now you get the picture, George will lead the discussion but we all get to participate 'that means you, Frank'. Let's make this meeting fully participative.
All Clubs Picnic
The New Mexico Council of Car Clubs is sponsoring the All Clubs Picnic on Sunday, August 13 from 10am to 3pm. It will be held at Oak Flat Picnic Area on Oak Flat Rd, Cibola National Forest, Tijeras, NM. Water will be provided, hamburgers and hot dogs will be served, please bring side dishes or desserts to share. Food will be served at noon. The entrance fee is $5 per car. There will be door prizes and fun for all.
August Birthdays and Anniversaries
Jeannine Kontny (1) Bud Hennessy (3) Roger Wilbur & Bobbie Benzaquen (15)
Harvey Catchpole (24) Pat Willan (27) Jim Clements (29)
August 2017 President’s Message – Tools for your Flathead Joe Abbin
This month’s meeting will feature a presentation put together by George Abernathy on tools for our Fords and in general. See announcement elsewhere in this newsletter. During the early part of the Flathead Era, Ford provided a basic tool kit with your new vehicle. I have such a kit for my 1940 that I will bring to the meeting for show and tell. Owners in the day often worked on their own vehicles and the factory attempted to facilitate minor repair and maintenance with these tool kits and the owner’s manuals. Contrast that with today where most owners have no idea how to perform even minor maintenance on their complex new vehicles and the factory actively discourages owner maintenance and may even void your warranty if attempted or maintenance at the dealer is not documented. The good news is that the new vehicles don’t need much maintenance. Some don’t even have a spare tire or a jack! The factory has always supported the dealers with special tools and publications (mostly digital now) to enable factory authorized service.
So come to the meeting, share your knowledge, and bring a tool and your friends!
Minutes of the July 11, 2017 Meeting
Beth Jackson, Secretary
President Joe called the meeting to order. There were 16 members present. Roger Wilbur joined the club, welcome to you, Roger. Treasurer Dave was not present but reported via the president that the club is close to budget.
Old Business: The committee in charge of arranging a tour of southern New Mexico has decided to postpone that tour until 2018 to give more time for planning and publicity on the national level. Jay Hertz reported for the committee. It is being planned for the 3rd week in October 2018 with Ruidoso and Artesia being used as 2 hubs. Planning will commence late this year.
Joe reported that the Azevedo’s July 4th picnic was great as always, with a large crowd attending.
New Business: The July breakfast will be held on Saturday, July 15th at the Golden Corral on San Mateo. The Oldsmobile Nationals will be held this coming weekend, July 15-16. The Route 66 Festival will be held in Gallup the 29th and 30th of July. Hurley Ford is sponsoring the festival. There are very nice prizes to be awarded.
Joyce reported for the Car Council. The meeting to prepare packets for the swap meet went well. The Los Lunas Swap Meet on September 22-24th may be short 100 spaces from last year’s number so get your forms in early. There are 75 spaces already reserved and paid for.
The All Clubs Picnic will be held on Sunday the 13th of August at the Oak Flat Picnic Area. Bring something to contribute if you attend.
The next meeting topic will be tools, with George Abernathy making arrangements. Ray offered to bring some tools.
Members chose the breakfast spot for August – The Range Café at Rio Grande and I40. Lou and Mary reported that it was a fine place to breakfast.
There was a break for refreshments, provided by the Clements, after which the raffle was held and a video of The Sleeping Bear Dunesmobile was reviewed, courtesy of Hagerty Insurance and presented by Joyce.
2017 OFFICERS & DIRECTORS
President: Joe Abbin (roadrunnerengr@msn.com)
Vice-President: Bob Quirici (qbtruc@aol.com)
Secretary: Beth Jackson (jbjaxun@gmail.com)
Treasurer: David McLain (fordshoeboxmclain@aol.com)
Director: Jay Hertz (jdhhag1@comcast.net)
Director: R. Jeff Jackson (jbjaxun@gmail.com)
Director: George Abernathy (gabernathy@sunriseveterinary.com)
Director: Bob Payne
THE 1936 LINCOLN ZEPHYR
The following is from Edsel Ford and E.T. Gregorie by Henry Dominguez
John Tjaarda, working for Briggs Manufacturing, designed streamlined automobiles during the 1920's and 1930's. He called his cars "Sterkenbergs." His cars generally had sloped noses, fastback rears and rear engines. Edsel was toying with expanding the Ford line to include more models, and was interested on Tjaarda's work. He bought one design, and it was on display at the Ford Exhibition of Progress in Detroit in 1933. He wanted Tjaarda to redesign the front to get rid of what Gregorie called the "sheep's nose" and replace it with a taller and more pointy grille. Edsel showed his ideas to Gregorie who got Tjaarda to work with him to rework the front end while keeping the fastback. Both Gregorie and Tjaarda were dubious about the idea, but Edsel was pleased with the outcome. Gregorie was never extremely fond of the car, but it paved the way for his advancement in Ford's design department.
The car went into production as the 1936 Lincoln Zephyr. It had a tall, flat hood, and the engine was moved to the front. It sold for $1,275, the upper medium-priced market. The car was beautiful to look at and well-finished, but it had some drivability problems: it was nose-heavy, light in the tail and had poor weight distribution according to Gregorie. In 1951, the Museum of Modern Art in New York held "an exhibition concerned with the aesthetics of motorcar design" and called it "the first successfully streamlined car in America." They said the Lincoln "has an impeccable, studied elegance, enhanced by such small decorative details as the thin, linear grille and....sharp, prow-like leading edges."
The Sterkenberg at the 1933 Exposition The 1936 Lincoln Zephyr
Two design ideas rejected by Joyce Clements
NEWSLETTER NOTE
Members are encouraged to submit articles, ads and photographs for inclusion in the newsletter. Please understand we have a volunteer Newsletter Editor so try and submit typed and proofed articles, comments, and new want ads (for sale items will continue to be updated at the meetings). The deadline for submissions is the 20th of the month. Beth Jackson, 505-908-7564, or email: JBJaxun@gmail.com
Funny Stories About the Ford
Published in 1915
Safety First
Abe: “They tell me that all Ford cars will be painted red next season.”
Gabe: “You don’t say so.”
Abe: “Sure thing. The State laws insist that any tin can made to carry gasoline must be painted red.”
Additional Equipment in 1916
It is rumored that with every Ford sold in 1916 two grey squirrels will be furnished, the animals being trained to run along behind the machine and gather up the nuts as they drop off.
But It’s a Vain Hope
“Have you heard the last Ford story?” someone asked an official of the Ford Motor Co. “I hope so,” was the prompt reply.
Anniversary Quilt
The National Early Ford V-8 Club is creating a quilt in commemoration of the upcoming 55th Anniversary. Plans call for this quilt to make its debut at the 2018 Grand National Meet in Dearborn. The quilt will feature squares from Regional Groups throughout the world. Beth designed and made the square for our own Tumbleweed group. It will be sent to the national group to be included in the commemorative anniversary quilt.
UPCOMING EVENTS
July 28-30 – 11th Annual Rte 66 Festival – 8th & Aztec, Gallup – Open to cars, motorcycles, hot air balloons – Unique pottery trophy for best of show plus $1500 cash award – Raffle for vehicle giveaway – Steve Gurley www.gurleymotorcoroute66carshow.com (505)722-6621
August 1 – Freddy's Car Show & Cruise In – Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steak Burgers, 10201 Central NE – Starts 5:30pm – Free frozen custard – DJ music by Rockin' Rob – Joe Mascarenas 235-5900
August 5 – Summertime Cars-n-Coffee on the Patio – Owl Cafe, 800 Eubank NE – All cars welcome –
7:30am-10:00am – Free coffee to all Car Enthusiasts – 291-4900
August 5 – Movie & Game Night – Old Tyme Shop & Ice Cream Parlor, 10786 Hwy 337 (S Rt 14), Tijeras – Cruise & Drive-In Movie showing “Grease” – Games start at 6pm (Croquet, Badminton, Balloon Toss, Checkers, Dominos, Old Maid, Uno & more) – Movie starts at dusk – Come dressed as your favorite character or 50’s attire – 281-3892
August 12 – Car Show, Fair, Rodeo – Eagle Park, Los Alamos – Car Show, Los Alamos Fair & Rodeo and Arts/Crafts Fair – Parade, food vendors, jumpy houses – Mike hotcorner_sports@hotmail.com
August 12 – Rich Ford Car Show – Edgewood – Open to all makes, models, years – Free event – Music, free food – No stress, hats or T-shirts, just tire-kicking and visiting – 9:30am-2:30pm – Take Edgewood exit from I-40 or left on Plaza from old Rte. 66 – Bruce Shaffer bcougar67@msn.com
August 12 – Kool-Aid Kar Show – Ventana Ranch Park, 10000 Universe Blvd NW – Pre-entry $15, $20
day of show – To support Lukemia-Lymphoma Society – 4pm-10pm – Live DJ, food trucks, cash prizes, beer garden – Free admission – Lorenzo (505)400-0773
August 14 – Driving Divas All Woman Car Shine & Show – Fastinos (between Menaul and Candelaria)
– 5pm to dark – Open to all cars and drivers; woman-driven cars get free meal – Melinda cccahelper@yahoo.com or Karen karencampbellwithrt66@hotmail.com
August 14 – Conference on Aging Car Show – Isleta Resort & Casino, Isleta – Open to 50 pre-1979 Cars – Free entry but pre-registration required – Setup 3-5:30pm, show 5:30-8pm – Awards, live band, face painting, family event – Crystal Lucero (505)383-3905 or crystal.lucero@state.nm.us
August 15 – Freddy's Car Show & Cruise In – Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steak Burgers, 10201 Central NE – Starts 5:30pm – Free frozen custard – DJ music by Rockin' Rob – Joe Mascarenas 235-5900
August 19 – 23rd Annual Summer Car Show Series – Hooters East – SanMateo – Setup 7am-10am – Show 10am-4pm, Open to all years makes and models, Entry $20 – 40 classes – 50 Special Awards, 50/50 drawing and raffle supporting the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. Music by: Steve's Cruisan with the Oldies – 505-269-0496 or 505-332-9222 for info
August 19 – Wines of the San Juans Wine & Shine Car Show – 233 Hwy 511, Blanco – Register 9-10am, show 10am-3pm – Pre-registration $10 by July 31 includes free wine glass, day of show $15 – (970)903-4177 or wsjnmsales@gmail.com
August 25 – Santa Fe Cruise Night on the Plaza – Historic Santa Fe Plaza – Sponsored by Santa Fe Vintage Car Club & Santa Fe Police Dept – 5-9pm – Entry $20, proceeds to "Shop with a Cop Program" – 80 car limit – Food, music, T-shirts, Cars – Mustang Ed (505)310-0381 or Buddy (505)699-2687
August 26 – Land of Enchantment Fly-In – Double Eagle II Airport – Airplane fun for the whole family
– 7am-2pm • Aircraft fly in from all over – Pancakes, burgers, lectures – Car clubs invited to show their cars – http://eaa179.org Watch our Facebook page for last minute updates
August 26 – 23rd Annual Summer Car Show Series – Hooters West – Alameda – Setup 7am-10am – Show 10am-4pm, Open to all years makes and models, Entry $20 – 30 classes – 25 Special Awards, 50/50 drawing and raffle supporting the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. Music by: Steve's Cruisan with the Oldies – 505-269-0496 or 505-332-9222 for info
August 26 – New Mexico Fire Muster & 5K Race – Balloon Fiesta Park – Hosts: IAFF Local 244, others – Raise money for firefighters cancer fund – Car/bike/fire truck show, music, food, golf events, motor cycle run, Desert Valley Brewing Co – $20 – www.nmfiremuster5k.com ornmfiremuster5k@gmail.com
August 27 – Blake's Lotaburger 65th Anniversary Show & Shine – Blake's, 2529 Washington St. NE – Free admission – Open to all vehicles but prefer 1952-1965 – 1952-era vehicles will receive Blake's gift card – Free soft drinks & giveaways – Music by DJ Rockin' Rob – Joe Mascarenas (505)235-5900
August 27 – Salute to the Heroes Car & Bike Show – American Legion Post 49, 11005 Central NE –Setup 10 am, show 11am-4pm, awards 3:30pm – Entry $20 – Music indoors & out, prizes, food available – Kenney Kennedy 261-7505 or Joe Campbell 228-6811
September 2– Summertime Cars-n-Coffee on the Patio – Owl Cafe, 800 Eubank NE – All cars welcome 7:30am-10am – Free coffee to all Car Enthusiasts – 291-4900
2017 NATIONAL/REGIONAL MEETS
September 11-14 – "A Capitol V8 Affair" Western National Meet sponsored by Columbia River RG #10 in Salem, Oregon. Call Steve Lemmons (360)430-3285 or e-mail ihateoldcars@hotmail.com.
Tumbleweed Early Ford V8 Club Calendar for 2017
August
Tuesday 1st Club Meeting – 7pmTools. Refreshments by Jacksons.
Sunday 13th All Clubs Picnic
Saturday 19th Breakfast at the Range Café on Rio Grande
September
Tuesday 5th Club Meeting – 7pm1932/1937 Fords. Refreshments by Mary & Lou Gorenz.
Sunday 10th State Fair
Saturday 16th Breakfast
Friday, Sat., Sun 22nd, 23rd, 24th Los Lunas Swap Meet
October
Tuesday 3rd Club Meeting – 7pmPowder Coating. Refreshments by Dave McLain
Saturday 7th Drive to Chimayo
Saturday 21st Drive to Coronado Monument with lunch
November
Tuesday 7th Club Meeting – 7pmOfficer Elections and Program - Antique Toasters by Kathleen
Saturday 18th Breakfast
December
Saturday 9th Christmas Party, location TBD
Saturday 16th Breakfast