MAY PROGRAM – LARRY AZEVEDO
Larry will speak on the lost art of babbitting. As you know, Larry is a gifted metallurgical guru, not to
mention an entertaining speaker. He probably knows more about babbitting than anyone in town.
Babbitting is nearly a lost art, yet it is essential for those rebuilding the early 21-stud flathead motors and
Model A motors.
PLEASE NOTE: All meetings include Show & Tell. Members are encouraged to bring items to share.
NEXT MEETING: PLEASE NOTE: Tuesday, May 7, 6:30 p.m., Unser Museum.
MAY SHOW & SHARE: There will not be a Show & Share before the May meeting.
REFRESHMENTS WILL BE PROVIDED BY: Ray Calderon / Max & Johanne Glover.
BREAKFAST/LUNCH GROUP: The dates and locations for May and June will be discussed at the May
business meeting.
MAY ACTIVITIES: May 5, Route 66 Rodders Swap Meet, Los Lunas. May 19, Albuquerque Museum
Car Show. See the May Activity article and Joyce’s Museum car show article.
CLUB WEBSITE: Be sure to check out our website at http://abqfordflatheadv8.com/.
NEXT BOARD MEETING: Tuesday, May 28, 7:30 p.m., Jay Hertz’ home, 8704 La Sala Del Sur, NE.
Jay’s home phone number is 296.3137. See article in this newsletter for details. Members are welcome.
MEETING REFRESHMENT VOLUNTEERS 2013
May Ray Calderon / Max & Johanne Glover June Marvin & Neva Coffee / ?
July Bob & Joan Quirici / ? August Jeff & Beth Jackson / Art & Betty Leupold
September John & Betty Shelton / ? October Bob Mathes / ?
November Larry & Meg Williams / ? December Holiday Party
We need refreshment volunteers. Your help would be appreciated.
MEETING LOCATION FOR THE MAY 7TH MEETING IS THE UNSER MUSEUM
The Unser Museum at 1767 Montaño Road NW has graciously agreed to allow us to hold our May 7th
meeting at the Museum. The Museum will open for club members at 6:30 pm so we can tour before our
meeting, which will start at 7:30, and Larry Azevedo will be speaking on The Lost Art of Babbiting. This
is a great chance to tour the Museum at your leisure. Please arrive early if you wish to tour because the
Museum will close after the meeting. Often Al Unser Senior is at the Museum for these events!
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE FOR MAY 2013
Jay Hertz, President
You know that Henry Ford was very sympathetic with the plight of farmers, having come from farming
stock himself. One of his life-long goals was to produce what he initially called a “farm locomotive” (or
tractor) to ease the drudgery and labor involved in farming. His first efforts at building such a machine
were in 1882 and 1883, when he was in his early twenties. Those efforts were largely unsuccessful.
Henry did not lose his enthusiasm for building tractors despite his initial failures, but it took more than
three decades before he seriously returned to the concept. In his musings over the design of a farm
tractor in those intervening years, he arrived at certain design criteria. Those design criteria were
apparently so hard to meet that Henry was temporarily dissuaded from further efforts. That is, until he
met and hired Eugene Farkas. Farkas was a Hungarian immigrant trained as a mechanical engineer.
Farkas was one of the few men who got close enough to Henry Ford to tell Henry when Henry was
wrong, and Henry came to trust and respect Farkas and his abilities. Like Ford, Farkas had a passion
for efficiency. And like Ford, Farkas was innovative and loved machines. No wonder the two men
worked well together; they spoke the same mechanical language.
Two of Henry’s design criteria for tractors were lightness and a fully enclosed engine that would keep dirt
out. Eugene Farkas satisfied these criteria with a single concept: a series of castings machined to such
close tolerances that they could be bolted together without the need for a frame. One of the castings was
the engine block, designed in such a way that it was self-contained. The combination of the various
castings resembled a modern-day uni-body, achieving strength with lightness by eliminating a frame.
Farkas also developed a series of calculations to compare the roll and slide of worm gears which drove
the rear wheels, knowing that the more roll, and the less slide, yielded higher efficiency. The end result
of the collaboration of Farkas and Ford was a lightweight 20-horsepower, self-enclosed tractor ideal for
mass production and mass sales.
The business entity created to build and sell tractors was first called Henry Ford & Co., incorporated
1917. This was replaced by Henry Ford & Son. The “Son” portion of the corporate name found its way
into the name of the tractor, the Fordson. Only members of the Ford family were entitled to buy shares
in the tractor company. Production of the Fordsons was planned at two factories: Dearborn and County
Cork, Ireland, the latter being the home of Henry Ford’s father. But production was delayed by the onset
of World War I. You are aware that the period leading up to WWI was the primary time of Ford’s
pacifism. In an interesting combination of events and circumstances, Henry Ford felt that the farm tractor
would help achieve pacifism, since it was, in his mind, “an implement of peaceful labor.” The tractor, he
felt, would keep small farmers employed during hard economic times and particularly during times of war,
and possibly divert farmers from entering combat by tying them to their farms. So strongly did he feel
about the public benefits of the farm tractor that he decided not to patent its design. That was an
uncharacteristic decision for Ford, a paradox that contributes to his legacy as an enigma.
APRIL 2, 2013 MEETING MINUTES
by Neva Coffee, Secretary
OPENED BY Jay Hertz. Welcome to all and guest Richard Polk who has a '46 pickup.
TREASURER’S REPORT: Per Larry, 5,294.87, and 365.21 in checking
CAR COUNCIL REPORT: Per Jim, “May 19 car show coming along well.” Cost is 10.00 at the gate for
the show. 4/20 is Spring Thaw. 4/21 car show at the Sonic on San Mateo. 7/13 is collector car
appreciation day, we would like to participate, please see Joyce for details.
OLD BUSINESS: Joe will be chair of a committee to prepare the ideas and opinions of membership
regarding lowering cost of dues and use of money in savings.
Neva will have roster done by next meeting. If you have not paid your dues, please do so now.
Cards from the membership were sent to the Agnews, Ira and Arleen Rimson. Speedy recoveries were
wished for Jo Seery and Lou Gorenz.
NEW BUSINESS:
1. 5/19/ car show, we would like to display together so we will meet as a group at Hotel Albuquerque on
Rio Grande at 0700 and depart at 0730 as a group to the show.
2. Next month Larry Azevedo will be our speaker; his topic will be about babbiting and restoration.
3. Our next meeting will be at the Unser Museum, we may arrive early to take the tour which is always
enjoyable. The meeting will start at 7:30 pm, Please NO homemade refreshments at the museum.
4. We would like to display our cars at one of the races at Sandia Raceway. There is a parking lot; it
would be a good way to get some exposure with people that love cars. No date is set; you can talk to
Jeff for more info.
5. The club sponsored National Tour starts Oct 14; it will be a 5 day event. Routes have been
established with a club member leading different days of the tour. Jay will take the Chama leg, Joyce
will lead the Taos leg, Jeff will take Santa Fe and Larry Azevedo will take Los Alamos. It is shaping up
to be an exciting event. There is a planning committee but we need club members to join in and
participate. Please see Jay for any questions or help you have.
Mistee conducted the raffle with some fun prizes.
REFRESHMENTS; were enjoyed by all.
SHOW and SHARE: Frank brought a '53 four door to share.
SHOW and TELL: Joe had some great books and V8 Times, Joyce had a new old car, Jay had some
Johnson Blocks used for calibrating machines and a short discussion on dimensional metrology given
by Larry.
THANKS; to the speaker of the night, Marvin Coffee who gave fun look into the past of racing at
Speedway Park and flatheads.
MAY 2013 CLUB ACTIVITIES
May 5, Route 66 Rodders Swap Meet, Los Lunas
25th Annual Automotive Swap Meet at Morris Field, Los Lunas. Contact Bud at 715-3951 or
www.theroute66rodders.com. Spaces start at $20.
May 19, 29th Annual Albuquerque Museum Car Show
By Joyce Clements
We usually have a good turnout for this show each year. It’s a great venue to show off our V-8's and
recruit new members. If you wish to park with the other V8s, meet behind the Hotel Albuquerque (Old
Sheraton) before 7:00am. Be prepared to leave at 7. If you have a pickup, you may also park in one of
the first three rows at the front of the show, at your option. Please bring the completed entry form
(included with newsletter) with you and $10 exactly. There are some phony bills floating around
Albuquerque, and the money collectors are not going to take any bills larger than $20, as they have no
way to check them. You are hereby forewarned. It should be a fun day for all. This is always a good
show: lots of different cars and lots of tires to kick. The audience and the owners all seem to enjoy just
taking it easy, visiting, and looking at nice cars. You get admission tickets to the Museum in your packet
if you care to have a look in there. There will also be food and water on site when you get hungry. And
there will be a model, toy, and art show inside the Museum, off the lobby. If you can help out with
registration or counting votes, see Joyce. See you at the show.
Tumbleweed Early Ford V-8 Club
Picnic Show and Shine
When: Memorial Day, Monday, May 27, 2013, 11am-2pm.
Where: Los Ranchos Village Hall, 6718 Rio Grande Blvd NW
Yup, we’re having a picnic! We will be celebrating our Tumbleweed Group’s 39th birthday, the 50th
birthday of the Early Ford V-8 Club, the 111th anniversary of the Ford Motor Company, the 61st
anniversary of the flathead’s demise (bummer) and the City of Albuquerque’s 308th birthday! All dates
are approximate. The festivities begin at 11 am at the Los Ranchos Village Hall. We’ll line up all those
flatheads for display and play some games. Then we’ll make sandwiches, share some goodies and tie
everything together with birthday cake. Sodas and chips will also be provided, courtesy of the club!
Wow, a free lunch (donations accepted)! Feel free to bring a side dish, a salad or anything else you’d
like to share with the Ford party animals. Volunteers to help and cleanup are appreciated. Let’s put on
the biggest display of flatheads since 1953! Bring your friends!
We will have our popular 50-50 raffle with some nice prizes as well as the cash!
Contact Joe Abbin at 296-7678 to volunteer and for details.
MAY 28, 2013 BOARD MEETING
By Jay Hertz
Hello, All. This is to let you know that we will be holding our May directors’/officers’ meeting on Tuesday,
May 28, at my house, 8704 La Sala Del Sur, NE (phone 296-3137) beginning at 7:30 p.m. It is near
Wyoming and Candelaria. From that intersection, go east and take the second left-hand turn bay, which
is General Stillwell. Go to the end of General Stillwell, which is only about four blocks. Where it ends,
the house on the right is mine. It is a corner house with a stop sign on the property. The entrance is on
General Stillwell even though the address is on La Sala Del Sur. I will serve refreshments. All members
are welcome at our Board meetings.
2013 OFFICERS & DIRECTORS
President: Jay Hertz (jdhhag@comcast.net)
Vice-President: R. Jeff Jackson (jbjaxun@gmail.com)
Secretary: Neva Coffee (marvin.coffee@comcast.net)
Treasurer: Larry Williams (l-m-williams@comcast.net)
Directors: Joe Abbin (roadrunnerengr@msn.com)
Dee Patterson (patdcar@aol.com)
Max Glover (mfgjlg1995@aol.com)
MAY BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES
Happy Birthday to:
3 Geri Gallegos
3 Sue Mathes
21 Betty Leupold
23 Art Leupold
24 Ron Gigger
29 Mark Williams
Happy Anniversary to:
5 Al & Jo Seery
27 John & Betty Shelton
NEWSLETTER NOTE
Members are encouraged to submit articles and ads for inclusion in the newsletter, but please remember
we have space limitations. Article submissions may be reformatted for newsletter purposes, but they will
not be edited without the author’s approval. The deadline for submissions is the 20th of the month. Micki
Hughes, newsletter publisher, 505.359.3227, or email: tumbleweednewsletter@gmail.com.
NEW MEXICO TOUR
by Joyce Clements
As you are all aware, the Tumbleweeds are hosting a National Driving Tour, October 14-18, in northern
New Mexico. This tour is advertised in the current issue of the V8 TIMES (see p. 15), and we expect
people from several nearby states to join us. Jay, Jeff and Beth have been working hard on setting up
a schedule, and fun driving routes for us and our guests. The Denver RG, who have been here before,
have a nice write-up in their latest newsletter encouraging their members to come drive in New Mexico
and ride the Chama steam train. One quote from the Denver article is, “The world is best viewed thru
Ford script glass!”
The tour starts in Chama with tours of the train yards and a ride on the train. Then it is on to Taos via
a scenic route, to visit that historic town. There will also be an opportunity to drive some lesser-travelled
roads out of Taos. The final destination is Santa Fe, from which trips to Bandelier National Monument
and Los Alamos are planned. It’s time to get one of your flatheads ready to hit the road. It’s a wonderful
chance for us to take a National Tour close to home. There will be no show field or judging of cars, just
driving V8's, visiting with fellow enthusiasts, and seeing New Mexico through the Ford script glass. See
Jeff and sign up to go.
EARLY FORD V-8 FOUNDATION & MUSEUM
by Joyce Clements
The Foundation News, Jan-Feb, 2013, reports that the projects currently underway are: remodelling the
Gift Shop (now completed), finishing the Rotunda sign, purchasing A-V equipment for educational
purposes, cataloging items in the Library, painting the Art Deco stripes on the building, building a brick
patio around the flagpole using the memorial bricks, and creating a Rotunda book. You can help with
these projects, while helping yourself, by shopping at the online store. All the restoration books are
available there, as well as books detailing the histories of Ford and the Ford dealerships. Souvenir
Rotunda gearshift knobs are also available for 1934, 1935, and 1936. Go to the web site, and check out
the “Ford Store” to see all the neat “stuff” and books for sale.
Find out more about the Foundation at www.fordv8foundation.org. There is a donation page now on the
web site where you can make a donation or buy a brick in memory of a fellow enthusiast. Support your
local V8 Ford Foundation.
FORD TIMES
by Joyce Clements
From the Ford Times for May 14, 1943: Ford Supercharger Production Reaches Full Stride
Full production of turbo-superchargers, delicately-machined turbines which force great quantities of air
into aircraft engines to obtain greater horsepower, especially at high altitudes, has been reached by the
Ford Motor Company. Using the General Electric Company’s design, Ford has turned out several
thousand of the machines in a plant where automobile bodies were built just a little more than a year ago.
Outstanding in the Ford supercharger production has been the development and adaptation of several
new manufacturing methods which save critical materials and time and eliminate use of vital machinery.
Ford’s construction of these highly precisioned machines started after America entered the war. The
original designs were turned over to the Ford staff early in 1942, and the Government contract was
signed last summer.
Fundamentally, the supercharger is an air compressor attached to an internal combustion engine and
arranged so as to fill the cylinder with a charge of air and fuel at pressure and density greater than that
which would otherwise occur. The turbo-supercharger is the result of many years of experimentation by
Dr. Sanford A Moss, consulting engineer of General Electric. This turbo-compressor, which weighs 136
pounds, is used in heavy bombers, with many of the Ford-built machines being installed in the Ford
Liberators.
OTHER NEARBY ACTIVITIES
May 4 – Christian Rodders’ Swap Meet – Mayfield HS, Las Cruces – Ray Trigg – (575)524-3371.
May 4 – Mopar Challenge Race – Abq Dragway, Albuquerque – 4pm – nmmopars@gmail.com.
May 4 – “Kids Cruz” Poker Run – Bloomfield – Starts 9am at Farmer’s Market, 816 Hwy. 516, Flora
Vista – Proceeds donated to Boys & Girls Club of Bloomfield – Chris (505)486-3955 or (505)215-0200.
May 5 – 25th Annual Automotive Swap Meet – Morris Field, Los Lunas – Bud 715-3951 or
www.theroute66rodders.com – Spaces start at $20.
May 11 – Los Lunas Clue Cruz – Wells Fargo Bank, Bosque Farms – 6:00pm – Bill Schofield (505)565-
2105, David Silva (505)550-8415, or vintagegasser@aim.com
May 11 – 3rd Annual Hoffmantown Body Shop Car Show – 702 Carmony Lane NE (behind American
Furniture Warehouse Plus on Comanche) – LOE GTOs Sponsor – Benefit to Albuquerque Christian
Children's Home – 8am-3pm – Entertainment, vendors, lunch included with $15 registration – Cash prizes
and trophies – Chris Carrejo 831-9697 or ccarrejo@q.com
May 11 – Northern New Mexico Street Rodders Swap Meet – San Juan Plaza, Farmington (next to
Dunkin Donuts) – 10'x20' spaces $10 – Auto-related parts, please – Bob Fuller (562)760-1091 or Dennis
(505)947-1797 or hotrodsnharleys@aol.com
May 11 – Open House & NSRA Appreciation Day – PJ’s Classic Stop, 2066 2nd St. NW – Info at 268-
4100 or pjsclassic@qwestoffice.net
May 18 – Barkin' Bad Car Show – Unser Racing Museum, 1776 Montaño Road NW – Proceeds go to
rescue of dogs in NM – 9am to 4pm – No entry fee – Tanya Munding barkinbad@nmddb.org or 414-3066
or http://newmexicodogsdeservebetter.org
May 19 – ASR Drags – Arroyo Seco Raceway, Arroyo Seco – Roger (575)494-4794 or
www.arroyosecoraceway.com or http://nmcarcouncil.net/events-2/asr-drag-racing-4/
May 25-26 – Annual Mustang Enchantment Car Show – Marriott Pyramid – Rio Grande Mustangs –
Frank McMullan 294-7902 or f.mcmullan@q.com or www./riograndemustangs.org
May 25-26 – 52 Deck of Cars Custom Car Show – Route 66 Casino Hotel on I-40 – (505)332-9222
May 31 – Mopar Challenge Race – Abq Dragway – 6pm – No Bull Races as well –
nmmopars@gmail.com
May 31-June 2 – Red River Car Show – 100 E. Main St, Red River – Red River C of C sponsor –
Register at noon Friday – Live music, parades, show, shine, cash, prizes – Registration $30 till April 30,
$35 after – Karen (575)754-2366, ext 1, karen@redriverchamber.org or www.redriverclassiccarshow.com
For information/flyers about area events: http://nmcarcouncil.net/events-2/
2013 GRAND NATIONAL GOLDEN JUBILEE
The Early Ford V-8 Club will celebrate its 50th Anniversary at Lake Tahoe, Nevada, June 17-21, 2013.
This is the site of the first meet held by the founding members of the Club. It will be a big event, and the
only National Meet for 2013. Bob Agnew and the Clements family have already registered. Registration
forms and information are available at www.earlyfordv8.org or in the V-8 TIMES.
MOTORFEST V
August 28-31, 2013
There will be a Motorfest in Sauder Village, Archbold, OH this summer. The tour will include a caravan
to the V8 Museum in Auburn. Get a registration form at http://fordv8foundation.org/mf5.html, or contact
Pat Fenner (937)382-1678 or pfenner@cinci.rr.com.
2013 CLUB EVENTS
Date Activities Resp. Party
5/7 Lost Art of Babbiting: Larry Azevedo
5/4 Horseless Carriage Club garage tour in Santa Fe
5/28 Board Meeting, 7:30, Jay Hertz’ house
5/5 Route 66 Rodders Swap Meet, Los Lunas
5/19 Museum Car Show
5/27 Birthday Party @ Los Ranchos
6/4 ???: 6/21-22 Make-A-Wish Foundation annual car show in Ruidoso
7/2 ???: 7/4 4th of July Parade & Picnic, Corrales Azevedo
7/9 Board Meeting, 7:30, Jay Hertz’ house
7/13 NMCCC Collector Car Appreciation
Day. Open house at Mild to Wild with hot dogs, long cruise with ice cream in Los Lunas. All clubs invited.
7/? Evening at Sandia Racetrack
8/6 ???: 8/11 All Clubs Picnic NMCCC
9/3 ???: 9/?? State Fair
9/10 Board Meeting, 7:30, Jay Hertz’ house
9/27-29 Swap Meet Clements
10/1 ???: 10/14-18 Western National Tour Abbin
11/5 Elections & Women’s Night Presentation
Board 11/? Picnic at Jacksons’
11/12 Board Meeting, 7:30, Jay
Hertz’ house
12/3 Holiday Party Board
If you can help with any of the activities, please don’t hesitate to volunteer.