JANUARY 2020 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, January 7, 2020 at 7pm.
NEXT BOARD MEETING: Tuesday, February 18th, 7pm at Jay’s garage.
BREAKFAST GROUP: Saturday, January 18th, 8:30am at Monica’s El Portal, 321 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
EARLY FORD V8 CLUB OF AMERICA WEBSITE: www.earlyfordv8.org
JANUARY BREAKFAST
Breakfast this month will be held Saturday, January 18th, 8:30 am at one of our favorite breakfast spots, Monica’s El Portal at 321 Rio Grande Blvd NW – across from Old Town. The food is outstanding, the service is great and there generally is lots of room for a large turnout. See you there!
New Year’s Day Party at Joe’s
We will start the new year with an open house at my place on New Year’s Day, January 1 at 1 pm. The featured dish will be my own posole. Bring goodies if you’d like, but not necessary. The address is 11716 Tivoli Ave. NE. Go East on Comanche past Juan Tabo, take the first right on Holiday, then left on Tivoli.
Joe Abbin
January Meeting Program
This month we will take a look at flathead Ford distributors over the years. We will have examples on display and a description of the differences and the disassembly techniques. Bring your questions and any examples you would like to identify or display for show and tell.
President’s Message for January 2019
Joe Abbin
Wow it is a new year and I’m President again! Seems like just yesterday when I was President. Time flies as we say! Examples of the changes that have taken place with time are found in comparing the features of my 2019 Ford EcoSport and my 1940 Ford. They both weigh about the same and have four wheels and that is about it for similarities!
Vehicle Weight HP Engine Mileage Cost
1940 Ford 2910 85 3.9L, V-8 15-17 $800 ($15,000 inflated 2019 dollars)
Miscellaneous: AM radio with 6 presets, seat belts (aftermarket), 4-wheel drum brakes
2019 EcoSport 3020 120 1L, 3 cyl 26-33 $21,400
Miscellaneous: AM/FM/Sirius radio with 64 presets, seat belts, airbags, wifi, four wheel disk brakes, navigation, EFI, ABS, AEB, PS, AC, blind-spot crash avoidance, 8-speed automatic transmission, sun roof, rear window wiper, etc. Holy Moley!
Each new car I’ve purchased (1966, 1984, 1993, 2001, 2007, 2019) has amazed me and caused me to think the auto makers will never top this! Boy, have I been wrong! A better comparison to my 1940 in all respects might have been a Ford Fiesta at $14,300. Either way, charm aside, new cars have better drivability, are safer, cleaner, quicker, more economical and more comfortable. I still like my ’40 and it is worth about the same as the EcoSport today. I think it is also harder to steal….haha.
1940 Ford 2019 Ford
Anyway, the future looks bright for both vehicles to be on the road this year. Maybe I’ll put Sirius and air conditioning in my ’40 like Clyde Bangiola!
The old and new board members and I got together and have a good start on planning club activities this year. Let us know what you want to see, do. Or hear about this year. Better yet coordinate a program or tour for us!
MEMBER OF THE MONTH
Al Seery
Al and Jan
Beware the Ice Man cometh. How come Al Seery has such a warm heart but such cold hands? Read on and you will know.
Al Seery was born in Albuquerque then moved to Belen. I asked why he moved to Belen thinking I would get a story. Al said, “I was a baby and Dad and Mom moved to Belen so I didn’t have much choice!” Al also said his dad grew up in Belen. Al went through his junior year of high school in Belen. Then a friend was going to New Mexico Military and Al decided to join him. “Whew” he says, “that was a rough year.”
After high school he went to a community college in Roswell then finished his degree at University of New Mexico. He earned a bachelor in Archeology. He now sees that as useless for getting a job and earning a living. However, ever resourceful and with several summers experience he went to full time at the ice plant in Belen. He notes it was a train stop where the refrigerator cars were loaded to keep the produce cool. He then migrated to Albuquerque and spent 42 years with Ready Ice. Hence the cold hands. Al explained to me the ice making process using cold ammonia to freeze water in a long tube and then using heated ammonia to slightly melt the ice which slid out of the tubes and was then mechanically broken into appropriate size pieces. He says he was lucky because he stayed safe all those years and ammonia isn’t ‘nice stuff’.
Al says he has been playing with cars forever. His fist adventure was with a 1935 Ford coupe, then he built a T-bucket with an aluminum Buick V8, then a 1934 4 door sedan, and a 1932 fiberglass Ford, and a 1950 Mercury. Many of his past cars are still around in Belen or Albuquerque. Al built a 1932 Phaeton and painted it red and installed a Chevy V8. He and Jo went all over the country in that car, including a trip to the Father’s Day show somewhere when Jo wanted to see Memphis and Nashville. They put 3000 miles on that trip alone. In 2003 Al went to a show in Louisville, Kentucky. He noticed a fluid leak in the power steering and had been wanting an upgrade so he bought a new unit for $600. He and a friend decided to install it before returning to Albuquerque but it did not fit. And, the seller enforced his no return policy. So, if any of you need a 17-year-old brand new power steering set up Al has one for sale. He got his original PS fixed for the cost of a couple of O rings. Al says he wasn’t a founding member of the Tumbleweed V8 club “but I was close, joining about a week after it formed.”
Cold runs in the family. His daughter lives in California and runs a strawberry seedling business selling seedlings all over the country. And, guess what? The seedlings need to be kept in cold storage before delivery.
Al keeps busy as a member of the Tumbleweed club, the Route 66 Rodders, and the Rickshaw’s. And, in his spare time he has been seeing the world, or at least the dining room of the cruise ship he is on. Al enjoys travel and his favorite is cruise line excursions. Besides eating Al is a great dancer and also enjoys the shows.
2020 OFFICERS & DIRECTORS
President: Joe Abbin (roadrunnerengr@msn.com)
Vice-President: Jay Hertz (jdhhag1@comcast.net)
Secretary: Beth Jackson (jbjaxun@gmail.com)
Treasurer: George Abernathy (gabernathy@sunriseveterinary.com)
Director: R. Jeff Jackson (jbjaxun@gmail.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)
January Birthdays and Anniversaries
Demetrio Lee (1) Chris & Amy Joiner (1)
Helen Grevey (14)
David McLain (31)
CHRISTMAS PARTY by Joyce Clements
Thank you, Jeff and Beth for hosting a fabulous party. I think there were 34 people there, and the food was outstanding. Jeff and Beth did a great job of preparing and setting up the event. Garage and quilting tours took place. The gift exchange went off smoothly. A vote was taken about stealing gifts, and “no stealing” won by a narrow margin. Maybe next year. At any rate, we all had a good time. $196.00 was collected for the Roadrunner Food Bank. They are very grateful for your generous contributions. And thank you again to Jeff & Beth for hosting the party and all their work during the past years. Beth does an excellent job on the newsletter.
Christmas Photes
Thanks to Joe Abbin
Tumbleweed Early Ford V8 Club Calendar for 2020
(Tentative)
January
Tuesday 7th Club Meeting 7pm Program – Distributors by Joe Abbin, Refreshments Joe Abbin
Saturday 18th Breakfast 8:30am Monica’s El Portal, 321 Rio Grande Blvd NW
Fri-Sun 24-26th Super Nationals at the New Mexico Expo grounds
February
Tuesday 4th Club Meeting 7pm Program – “The Super Bowl, Now and Then” by Demetrio Lee
Saturday 15th Breakfast 8:30am
March
Tuesday 3rd Club Meeting 7pm Program – “Ford Performance Cars” by Jeff Jackson
Saturday 21st Breakfast 8:30am at Sopa’s in Bosque Farms followed by a possible garage tour(s)
April
Tuesday 7th Club Meeting 7pm
Tuesday 9th Board Meeting 7pm at the Jackson’s
Saturday 18th Lunch at Ponderosa – meet at Smith’s on Tramway at 10:30am.
Saturday ?? Spring Thaw-Old Car Garage
May
Tuesday 5th Club Meeting 7pm
Saturday 16th Breakfast 8:30am
Sunday 17th Museum Car Show
Monday 25th Club Birthday Party at Los Ranchos
June
Tuesday 2nd Club Meeting 7pm
?? Day trip to Acoma Sky City
Saturday 20th Breakfast
July
Tuesday 7th Club Meeting 7pm
Friday 4th Parade in Corrales and Hopefully Picnic at Azevedo’s
Saturday 18th Breakfast
August
Tuesday 4th Club Meeting 7pm
Sunday 9th All Clubs Picnic
Saturday 15th Breakfast
September
Tuesday 1st Club Meeting 7pm
Sunday 13th State Fair Car Show
Saturday 19th Breakfast
Sunday-Thursday 20-24 Western National Meet, Alamosa, CO
Friday-Sunday 25-27 Annual NMCCC Auto Swap Meet
October
Tuesday 6th Club Meeting 7pm
?? Overnight Tour being planned
Saturday 17th Breakfast
November
Tuesday 3rd Club Meeting 7pm Officer Election
Saturday 21st Breakfast
December
Saturday 12th Club Christmas Party (tentatively pot luck)
Tuesday 8th (tentative Board meeting with new and old officers and directors plan for 2020)
Saturday 19th Breakfast
UPCOMING EVENTS
JANUARY, 2020
January 11-19 – 48th Barrett-Jackson Auction – Westworld, Scottsdale, AZ – (480)663-6255, www.barrett-jackson.com
January 15-19 – 18th Russo & Steele Auction – Salt River Fields, Scottsdale, AZ – (888)482-5315, www.russoandsteele.com
January 16 – The Scottsdale Auction – Westin-Kierland Resort, Scottsdale, AZ – (415)391-4000, www.bonhams.com
January 17-18 – Gooding & Co Auction – Fashion Square – Scottsdale, AZ – (310)899-1960, www.goodingco.com
January 17-19 – Mesquite Motor Mania – Mesquite Resort Assn, Mesquite, NV – (702)643-0000, www.mesquitecarshows.com
January 18-19 – 20th Annual Street Fair/Car Show – 2nd & Florence Sts, Casa Grande, AZ – Open to all – (520)836-8744 or www.cgmainstreet.org
January 24-25 – 26th Annual Collector Car Show – Tubac Golf Resort, Tubac, AZ – Open to all – Linda (520)300-6396 or www.carnuts.org
January 24-26 – 2020 SuperNationals – EXPO NM, Albuquerque – Entry $50 – Includes T-Shirt, goody bag, dash plaque, 2 exhibitor passes – Entry forms available at www.thesupernationals.com or Yearwood Performance – Hand deliver entry to Yearwood by January 13, 2020
January 24-26 – Grand National Roadster Show – Fairplex, Pomona, CA – (877)763-7469 or www.rodshows.com
EARLY FORD V8 TOURS
Go to Early Ford V-8 Web Site for More Information.
June 15-18, 2020 – Eastern National Meet – Morgantown, PA – www.NCR36.com for information.
September 20-24 – 2020 WESTERN NATIONAL MEET – ALAMOSA, COLORADO Sponsored by Hi-Country RG. Register by December 31 for $75, $100 till June 1, $125 after June 1, 2020. Deanie Kennedy (303)489-3944 or 2020EFV8MEET@ecentral.com. It’s only a bit over 200 miles from Albuquerque, and the drive is scenic. The Denver group always puts on a good tour, and Colorado weather is always interesting. Plan to go.
Here are links to the Pre-Registration for the 2020 National V8 Meet in Alamosa, Co in September. Those registering before December 31st save $25.00.
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