MARCH 2026 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, North Domingo Baca Mutigenerational Center,
7600 Carmel NE, Albuquerque, NM
V8 TIMES
PLEASE NOTE: All meetings include Show & Tell. Members are encouraged to bring items to share.
NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 at 7 pm at North Domingo Baca Multigenerational Center, 7600 Carmel NE, one-half block North and West of Paseo Del Norte and Wyoming. Program on License Plates by Michael Wiener. Refreshments by Abernathy’s.
NEXT BOARD MEETING: TBD
BREAKFAST GROUP: Saturday, March 14th, 2026, 8:30 am at The Range Café at Cottonwood, 10019 Coors 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
EARLY FORD V8 CLUB OF AMERICA WEBSITE: www.earlyfordv8.org
March 3rd Meeting – License Plates
Our March speaker is Michael Wiener, an expert on automobile license plates and motor vehicle licensing systems. He is a serious license plate collector with an extensive collection of over 200,000 antique and rare license plates. Michael is a 52-year member and two-time past president of the international Automobile License Plate Collectors Association - ALPCA.
In addition to his other extensive community involvement as an elected official, Michael was the editor of “The License Plate Book” for over a decade and created New Mexico’s Diamond Jubilee 75th Anniversary commemorative license plate series.
His talk will cover topics such as: the license plate history of New Mexico, “Horseless Carriage” plates, year of manufacture YOM, and a discussion of the many other specialty plates. He invites us to bring our questions along with plates to sell or show, or to donate to his extensive collection!
The meeting will be held Tuesday, March 3rd, 7pm at North Domingo Baca Multigenerational Center, 7600 Carmel NE. If you have any items appropriate for the raffle, please bring them.
What is out of the ordinary about these license plates? Answers at the meeting. Free raffle ticket for most correct answers.
March 14th Club Breakfast
We invite club members and friends to meet for breakfast on Saturday, March 14th, at 8:30 am at the Range Café at Cottonwood, 10019 Coors Blvd. NW, Albuquerque. Join the group for good food and intelligent conversation. Note: Route 66 Diner does not open until 11 so we switched locations.
March Birthdays
Larry Azevedo (6)
Vi Chavez-Cropp (12)
Bob Payne (15)
George Abernathy (16)
2026 March President’s Message – Jeff Jackson
Ok y'all, weather will be warming up so time to start serious planning. The Tulsa Route 66 Capital Cruise is set for May 30. Go to www.capitalofroute66.com for a flyer on the event. Chris and Amy have plans well underway for a visit to Durango in October. The club has received a call from a woman who wants to come speak in April on a Route 66 event in Santa Rosa in August. Great year for our car club to do some 'out of Albuquerque' events.
In the Newsletter this month there is a Route 66 quiz. We will go over the answers at the March meeting. The answers will also be printed in the newsletter next month.
Michael Wiener will do a license plate discussion as the speaker for the March meeting.
In addition to the Route 66 quiz, March will be our club discussion of which events to participate in this year. Oh yea! Good talks, new friends - we are on our way.
P.S. On a personal note, I drove from Texas to Albuquerque last week, picked up a piece of equipment and drove back to Texas on Thursday. All we have been hearing about the fires in west Texas and Oklahoma are true. I saw several fires and a lot of fire equipment on my trip. Don't burn when there is a burn ban!!!!!
2026 OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS
President: Jeff Jackson (jbjaxun@gmail.com) 505-908-7565
Vice-President: Joe Abbin (roadrunnerengr@msn.com) 505-263-1946
Secretary: Liz Johnson (diesel_buster@yahoo.com) 505-281-5747
Treasurer: Amy Joiner (amy2001tweety@hotmail.com) 505-382-8724
Director: Joe Baird (clanbaird@gmail.com) 505-263-5329
Director: Larry Bost (LBost111@gmail.com) 505-379-7891
Director: Debbie Louie (GusandDebbie@gmail.com) 505-225-9488
Director: Anthony Wagner (anthonywagner@comcast.net) 505-270-5015
Director: Roger Wilbur 505-603-5031
Newsletter Editor: Beth Jackson (bjaxun@gmail.com) 505-908-7564
Minutes of the February 3rd, 2026 Meeting
The meeting was called to order by President Jeff Jackson around 7pm with 25 people present. Guests were Paul McLaughlin, Kenny Campbell and Kathy Petot. The newsletter was received by all. Treasurer Amy reported that she is still collecting dues so if you haven’t paid yet, please do. Birthday and Anniversary greetings were extended. It was reported that Joe Warren has had major medical issues and that is the reason he has not been in attendance recently. Hope you are better soon, Joe. Thanks to Larry and Lorna for refreshments. A sign-up sheet was passed around for refreshments for the remainder of the year.
Old Business:
No Car Council Report
Tonight’s program will be on the History of Route 66 by member Joyce Clements.
New Business:
February’s breakfast will be Saturday, February 14th, 8:30am at Hello Deli, 7600 Jefferson NE. It was suggested that next month breakfast be at The 66 Diner. (However, it is not open for breakfast so The Range Café at Cottonwood will be the location.)
Amy announced that the date for an overnight tour to Durango is October 9-11. It is in the planning stage. There is a train museum in Durango that also has old cars that might be fun to visit.
Next month’s meeting will be Tuesday, March 3, at 7pm at this same location. The program will be on license plates. Joe Abbin is confirming the speaker.
Jeff presented some information on the Tulsa Route 66 Capital Cruise. Beth will email the flyer to members so they will have all the information.
Joe Abbin went to the Arizona auctions where prices were generally good and also attended the Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, CA. This is a yearly show that he highly recommends, there were lots of flatheads in attendance.
Refreshments and conversations were greatly enjoyed and then Joyce reminisced with us about Route 66 in Albuquerque. She realized she has lived near Route 66 for most of her life. Paul McLaughlin and Kenny Campbell added some additional insights of Route 66.
Beth Jackson, substitute secretary
How Much Do You Know About Route 66?
1. What year was Route 66 commissioned by the U.S. Government?
2. It wasn’t until what year before all 2,448 miles were paved. (Hint) The same year as a major Realignment.
3. How many States did Route 66 pass through?
4. Name the States from East to West.
5. What State had the fewest miles? How many miles?
6. What town is the Mid-Point of Route 66?
7. Name the famous Neon Sign Motel in Tucumcari.
8. Santa Rosa is the City of Natural Lakes, name the most famous one.
9. What year was the KiMo Theater in Albuquerque built?
10. Where did Route 66 cross the Continental Divide?
11. Name the Hotel of the Stars in Gallup.
12. In what town can you find Wigwam Village?
13. Who starred in the CBS series Route 66?
14. What make of car did they drive and what color was it?
15. Who wrote the song “Route 66”?
16. Where are you “standing on the corner”?
17. Name the song and the band.
18. Name the iconic Gas Stations in NM & AZ.
19. Name the eatery started in San Bernadino in 1945.
20. Name the locations where Route 66 started and ended.
We will go over the answers at the March meeting and answers will be published next month. Quiz from the Poco Quatros Model A Club.
Route 66 Speaker Series for March
March 28, 2026 11:00am to 12:30 pm
Central & Unser – Patrick J Baca Library 8081 Central Ave NW
Joseph Sabatini – North Fourth Street, Albuquerque’s Original Route 66
East Mountain Library – 487 NM 333. Tijeras
Sondra Diepen – Route 66 New Mexico
Fred Luna Multi-Generational Center 197 Don Pasqual, Los Lunas
David Montoya – Land and Acequias along Los Ranchos’ Route 66
Gutierrez-Hubbell House 6029 Isleta Blvd SW, ABQ
Jennifer Bohnhoff – The Civil War on Route 66
International District Library 7601 Central Ave. SE, ABQ
Lynne Franchini Peckinpaugh – The Italian’s Pathway to Prosperity on Albuquerque’s Route 66
Loma Colorado Library 755 Loma Colorado Blvd NE, Rio Rancho
Roger Zimmerman – Rerouting Route 66 Through New Mexico
Martha Liebert Public Library 124 W Malinche St., Bernalillo
Hazel Lathrop – Tijeras Canyon – Five Miles of Road and Hundreds of Stories
Pueblo of Isleta Cultural Center 71 Tribal Road 40, Isleta
Donatello Davanzo – Route 66 Connected: A photo-ethnographic exploration of the contemporary Route 66 in New Mexico
Raymond Sanchez Community Center 9800 4th Street NW, ABQ
Gary Herron – Motels on Route 66/Central Avenue in Albuquerque
South Valley Library 3904 Isleta Blvd SW, ABQ
Jacqueline Murray Loring – The KiMo Theatre: Fact and Folklore
Special Collections Library 423 Central Ave NE, ABQ
Richard Ruddy – An Iconic View: Route 66 in Downtown Albuquerque
Wheels Museum 1100 2nd Street SW, ABQ
Abraham Santillanes – Why turn left at Albuquerque? Albuquerque, Route 66 and the many roads that came before.
BUNION DERBY
In 1928, C.C. (Cash & Carry) Pyle sponsored a foot race from Los Angeles to New York. First Prize was to be $25,000. 199 runners started the race, and 55 finished. Pyle had been promised promotion money from cities along the way. Pyle accompanied the racers with staff in two huge double-decker buses. The race was soon dubbed the "Bunion Derby". The race had started on Route 66 in Los Angeles, but when it reached Albuquerque, the city fathers and the U.S. Highway 66 Association would not pay the promised money. Pyle left Route 66, which then went through Santa Fe, and ran through Tijeras Canyon, rejoining Route 66 in Santa Rosa. Town after town did not come up with expected money. A bridge near Clinton, Oklahoma, collapsed under the weight of his 13-ton bus. When the race reached Chicago, that city refused to pay the $60,000 they had promised. The race ended in New York 84 days later, and the winner was Andy Payne, a 19-year-old Cherokee from Oklahoma. Pyle was broke, but he paid the prize money anyway. He tried the race again in 1929, from New York to Los Angeles, but was too broke to pay the prize money when the race ended. Winner, Johnny Salo, was unpaid.
Article by Joyce Clements for the Museum Car Show several years ago.
Joyce Clements talks about Route 66 at the February meeting
Riddles for the Month
What has keys but can’t open locks? A piano
What has hands but cannot clap? A clock
The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I? Footsteps
What has a head and a tail but no body? A coin
What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years? The letter M.
What can travel around the world while staying in one corner? A stamp
What gets wetter the more it dries? A towel
What has an eye but cannot see? A needle
What has legs but cannot walk? A table
What has no legs but travels? A rumor
What has a crown but isn’t a king? A tooth
What runs but never walks? A river
Chris and Amy’s 1930 Model A
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. The deadline for submissions is the 20th of the month. Beth Jackson, 505-908-7564, or email: JBJaxun@gmail.com
FEBRUARY 2026 CLASSIFIED ADS
For Sale: Radiator for 1953 Ford P.U. - very good $150. Gary McGlasson 505-250-1586
For Sale: 1940 Deluxe Ford Station Wagon running and driving, rebuilt 59A (1946-1948 Ford/Merc engine), 12 volt, Columbia 2 speed rear end, excellent paint (Folkstone Gray) and body, chrome and trim, stock repro leather interior, new running boards, dual exhaust, etc. $75,000.
Frank Brown, crazyf232@aol.com, 505-710-6907
For Sale: 1940 Mercury Sedan Coupe. Call Max Glover for more information. 505-249-7344 Cell or 505-792-2011 Home.
For Sale: 1940 Willys. Former gasser. All steel. 468 cu.in. BBC, TH350 transmission, Ford 9” rear end, disc brakes all around, straight axle, Mustang steering box, Custom grey ultra leather interior, Kenwood stereo, alarm. No A/C, PS, or PB. $59,000 OBO. Joe Abbin, roadrunnerengr@msn.com, 505-263-1946.
For Sale: 1931 Model A Coupe. Older restoration. Runs & drives well. Modern radiator, 6v alternator, electrical upgrades. $16,000. Jake at 602-275-7990,jake@vintagepartsarizona.com
Storage: Outdoor $25/month, secure yard. Joe Abbin 505-296-7678
Wanted: 1957 Ford ½ Ton Truck, Don Gutierrez 951-241-4959
Services Offered: Vintage engine rebuilding, any make, any model. Stock or modified. Dynamometer testing available. Results guaranteed. References available. Gary McGlasson, 505-250-1586.
Tumbleweed Early Ford V8 Club Calendar for 2026 (Tentative)
January
Tuesday 6th Club Meeting 7pm North Domingo Baca Multigenerational Center, Program on Vapor Lock by Joe Abbin. Refreshments by Beth & Jeff Jackson
Saturday 10th Breakfast 8:30am Weck’s at 10131 Coors Blvd NW, in front of Harbor Freight
February
Tuesday 3rd Club Meeting 7pm North Domingo Baca Multigenerational Center, Program on Route 66 by Joyce Clements. Refreshments by Azevedo’s.
Saturday 14th Breakfast 8:30am at Hello Deli, 7600 Jefferson St NE, ABQ
March
Tuesday 3rd Club Meeting 7pm N Domingo Baca Center, Program on License plates by Michael Weiner. Refreshments by Abernathy’s.
Saturday 14th Breakfast 8:30am at The Range Café at Cottonwood, 10019 Coors Blvd. NW, Albuquerque.
April
Tuesday 7th Club Meeting 7pm N Domingo Baca Center, Spark Plugs by Eddie Corbin. Refreshments by Van de Velde’s and Wagner
Saturday 11th Breakfast 8:30am
May
Tuesday 5th Club Meeting N Domingo Baca Center, Comparison of the ’36 and ‘46 Fords. Refreshments by Clements
Sunday 17th Museum Car Show, 10am – 3pm
Monday 25th 11 – 2, Club Birthday Party
Saturday 30th Tulsa Route 66 Capital Cruise
June
Tuesday 2nd Club Meeting 7pm N Domingo Baca Center, Electrical Troubleshooting by Joe Baird.
Saturday 13th Breakfast 8:30am
July
Tuesday 7th Club Meeting 7pm N Domingo Baca Center, Ship Modeling by Dave Straub.
Saturday 4th Parade in Corrales and Picnic at Azevedo’s, 209 Hansen Rd., Corrales, 87048.
August
Tuesday 4th Club Meeting 7pm N Domingo Baca Center, Tools by Jerry Page.
Saturday 8th Breakfast 8:30am
Sunday ?? All Clubs Picnic at Oak Flats for info go to www.nmcarcouncil.com
September
Tuesday 1st Club Meeting 7pm N Domingo Baca Center, Monte Avery on NM History.
Sunday ?? State Fair Car Show, meet for breakfast after set-up.
October
Tuesday 6th Club Meeting 7pm N Domingo Baca Center, Insurance. Refreshments by Chris & Amy Joiner
Fri-Sun 9-11 Overnight Tour to Durango
November
Tuesday 3rd Club Meeting 7pm N Domingo Baca Center, Officer Election and Larry Azevedo on Henry Ford.
Saturday 14th Breakfast 8:30am
December
Saturday 12th Club Christmas Party 1pm Potluck
Businesses Used by Members
(Send us names of businesses you have used)
1. Starters and Alternators of New Mexico, 3711 Franciscan St NE, Albuquerque NM 87107, 505-344-5025, Eldon.
2. Skinners Carburetor & Distributor Service, 3100 Pan American Fwy NE, Unit 6, Albuquerque, NM 87107, 505-344-3704, Albert & Nic.
3. McBride’s Springs & Welding, 1010 2nd St NW, Albuquerque NM 87102, 505-242-2174.
4. Old Car Garage/World Wide Automotive, 3232 Girard Blvd NE, Albuquerque NM 505-881-2722, Bob.
5. Auto Glass Now, 8201 Menaul Blvd NE, Albuquerque NM 87110, 505-897-9000. Also at 8301 San Pedro NE, Albuquerque NM 87113, 505-445-7022
6. Wild Heart Ranch Texas, 3120 FM 1995, Van TX 75790, 505-908-7565
www.wildheartranchtexas.com