JANUARY 2021 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: No January Meeting
NEXT BOARD MEETING: January 12, 2021 on Zoom
BREAKFAST GROUP: Saturday, January 9th, cruise to Bosque del Apache. See the article below.
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
EARLY FORD V8 CLUB OF AMERICA WEBSITE: www.earlyfordv8.org
2021 OFFICERS & DIRECTORS
President: Joe Abbin (roadrunnerengr@msn.com)
Vice-President: R. Jeff Jackson (jbjaxun@gmail.com)
Secretary: Beth Jackson (jbjaxun@gmail.com)
Treasurer: George Abernathy (gabernathy@sunriseveterinary.com)
Director: Demetrio Lee (Dmost_1@yahoo.com)
Director: Roger Wilbur (rogerwilbur88@gmail.com)
Director: Chris Joiner (Amy2001tweety@hotmail.com)
Director: Larry Bost (LBost11@gmail.com)
Director: Vern Willan (willan10@msn.com)
CLUB CRUISE TO BOSQUE DEL APACHE
All interested members and friends, who are up for a drive, meet on Saturday, January 9th at 10:30 am at the UNM Pit parking lot (University south of Avenida Cesar Chavez). Drive your flathead or whatever vehicle is available to you. It’s about a 95-mile drive via I-25. Outdoor lunch is available at the Buckhorn Bar. Look for a confirmation email before this event.
January Birthdays and Anniversaries
Demetrio Lee (1) Chris & Amy Joiner (1)
Helen Grevey (14)
Don Gutierrez (27)
David McLain (31)
President’s Message for January 2021
A Club Cruise and Happy New Year
Joe Abbin
Again, our board decided that there is still too much uncertainty as to what we should do as far as scheduling a normal club meeting or party in January. No regular club meetings until further notice due to ongoing health concerns and evolving government rules and recommendations. We will have a Zoom board meeting on January 12 with all club members invited. You will get an invitation before the meeting.
At the board meeting in December we decided to do a cruise to Bosque Del Apache - weather permitting - on Saturday, January 9. We will leave 10:30 am from the UNM Pit parking lot. It is about a 95-mile drive via I-25. Outdoor lunch is available at the Buckhorn Bar in the area. Confirmation will be made closer to the date of departure.
Happy New Year to everyone and let’s plan on a much better 2021!
Minutes of the December 12th Board Meeting via Zoom
The Zoom meeting was set up by Vern Willan (Thank you, Vern) for 6pm. Those tuning in were Vern Willan, Joe Abbin, Demetrio Lee, George Abernathy and Jeff and Beth Jackson.
Joe announced that Vern Willan has volunteered to fill the board vacancy, he was welcomed by those attending. The vacancy occurred because Jeff Jackson agreed to fill the Vice President’s spot.
Joe suggested an appropriate activity for January: a cruise to Bosque del Apache on Saturday, January 9th. Lunch is available at the Buckhorn Bar in that area. (Confirmation of that will be made closer to the date of departure.) Everyone agreed that sounded good and departure time from Albuquerque was set for 10:30am at the UNM Pit parking lot.
Joe also had a suggestion that club videos be put on YouTube, making our own channel. Jeff agreed to try after the holidays. D has a video of Jay making a club presentation and said he would try to get it uploaded also. George volunteered his son-in-law to assist with YouTube.
Beth reminded everyone to submit their articles for the January newsletter so it can be published between Christmas and New Year’s.
The meeting was adjourned.
Secretary, Beth Jackson
Spot the Differences
The early 1949 Mercury promotional photo above did not exactly match the car as produced. The photo of the stock grey Mercury on the left is not exactly stock in one area. Can you describe the apparent discrepancies?
Rolling the Roads
Let your mind turn back the calendar about a generation – to 1915, say: The Tax Collector of the day looks the situation over and decides where to put the bite. Suppose he seized every horse and mule in all the 48 states!
1915 was about the peak year of the horse-and-wagon age, and the entire horsepower of the country would have made quite a haul.
Well, in 1949, the trucking business will hand over in taxes just about the entire value of the horseflesh in the palmiest days of Dobbin! Think of it. Your truckers are giving the government more every year in taxes than the transportation system you replaced was worth in toto! Quite an accomplishment in 35 years.
Your taxes are enough to re-arm Europe. They are enough to build a million miles of highways exclusively for truck use (But don’t hold your breath until truck taxes are used to build truck routes!)
By Don Stoddard for Ford Truck Times of September-October, 1949
Electric 1940 Ford?
By Joe Abbin
In 1900, 38% of motor vehicles were all-electric. Now they are coming back. Ford Chief Executive Jim Hackett told investors in October 2020 the automaker would slash $14 billion in costs over the next five years and shift capital investment away from sedans and internal combustion engines to develop more trucks and electric and hybrid cars. Of the 40 electrified vehicles Ford plans for its global lineup by 2022, 16 will be fully electric and the rest will be plug-in hybrids, executives said. The all-electric Mustang Mach-E will debut in 2021.
Hard to believe, but California may be banning any new internal combustion engine powered vehicles as early as 2035 and some countries as early as 2025 (Norway).
However, you may not have to just dream about an all-electric 1940 Ford. It turns out that a new industry has sprung up converting existing vehicles of any age and brand to all-electric or hybrid. Ever wondered what happens to wrecked Teslas? Turns out the drivetrains can be recycled like any other. I couldn’t find any such converted 1940 Fords yet, but how about a1949 Mercury? How about 400 HP and 40 mpg? Shown below is the “Derelict”, 1949 Mercury built by Icon and introduced at the 2018 SEMA show. Read all about it at https://www.autoweek.com/news/auto-shows/a1710606/icons-latest-derelict-all-electric-49-mercury-coupe/ .
You can have yours converted by Icon or others. See https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2019-01-10/the-new-hot-rods-are-vintage-classics-with-electric-motors for sources.
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
RECIPE OF THE MONTH
Swiss Steak Trinity Alps Joyce Clements
4-lb round steak, in serving-size pieces 2 tsp salt
2/3 cup flour pepper to taste
4 Tbsp. shortening 2 bay leaves
1 large onion, sliced ½ tsp Beau Monde seasoning
1 large can tomatoes
Roll the meat in flour, pounding in as much of the flour as possible with a meat pounder. Place shortening in a heavy skillet and heat well. Add meat and brown on both sid3es, then add 2 cups water, onion and seasonings. Simmer slowly for about 2 hours, adding water as necessary. Just before removing the steak from the fire, cover with tomatoes and simmer a few seconds longer.
Recipe from Ford Treasury of Favorite Recipes from Famous Eating Places, c 1950. Recipe is from Trinity Alps Resort, Trinity Alps, California, on the Trinity River.
Tumbleweed Early Ford V8 Club Calendar for 2021
January Saturday 9th Cruise to Bosque del Apache - meet at 10:30am PIT Parking Lot
Tuesday 12th Zoom board meeting
The rest of the year – UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Club Dues Due
The Board of Directors voted to waive dues for 2021 for those members who paid their 2020 dues. However, if you did not pay your dues in 2020, you will need to pay dues now to continue as a member in good standing and remain on our club roster. If you are unsure of your status please email treasurer George Abernathy at gabernathy@sunriseveterinary.com or contact secretary Beth Jackson at jbjaxun@gmail.com
Jokes of the Month
A Ford motor mechanic was removing a cylinder head from the motor of a V8 when he spotted a well-known cardiologist in his work shop. The doctor was there waiting for the service manager to come and take a look at his car when the mechanic shouted across the garage, "Hey doc, do you want to take a look at this?" The cardiologist, a bit surprised, walked over to where the mechanic was working. The mechanic straightened up, wiped his hands on a rag and asked, "So doc, look at this engine. I opened its heart, took the valves out, repaired and replaced anything damaged and then put everything back in, and when I finished, it worked just like new. So how is it that I make $48,000 a year and you make $1.7 million when you and I are doing basically the same work?"
The cardiologist paused, leaned over and whispered to the mechanic: "Try doing it with the engine running!"
A woman's husband and bridge partner had been slipping in and out of a
coma for several months, yet she had stayed by his bedside every single day.
One day, when he came to, he motioned for her to come nearer.
As she sat by him, he whispered, eyes full of tears, 'You know what?
'You have been with me all through the bad times. When I got fired,
you were there to support me. When my business failed, you were
there. When I got shot, you were by my side.
When we lost the house, you stayed right here. When my health started
failing, you were still by my side... And for all the bridge games we lost...
You know what Martha?'
'What dear?' she gently asked, smiling as her heart began to fill with warmth.
'I'm beginning to think you're bad luck...
What happens when race car drivers eat too much?
They get Indy-gestion.
TEACHER ARRESTED
At New York’s Kennedy airport today, an individual later discovered to be a public school teacher was arrested trying to board a flight while in possession of a ruler, a protractor, a setsquare, a slide rule, and a calculator. At a morning press conference, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said he believes the man is a member of the notorious al-gebra movement. He is being charged by the FBI with carrying weapons of math instruction. “Al-gebra is a fearsome cult,” Gonzales said. “They desire average solutions by means and extremes, and sometimes go off on tangents in a search of absolute value. They use secret code names like ‘x’ and ‘y’ and refer to themselves as unknowns, but we have determined they belong to a common denominator of the axis of medieval with coordinates in every country. As the Greek philanderer Isosceles used to say, ‘There are 3 sides to every triangle’.” When asked to comment on the arrest, Al Gore said, “If God had wanted us to have better weapons of math instruction, He would have given us more fingers and toes.”