SEPTEMBER 2023 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., LOCATION TBA
V8
TIMES
PLEASE NOTE: All meetings include Show & Tell. Members are encouraged to bring items to share.
NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, September 5, 2023 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 by our own George Abernathy, DVM.
NEXT BOARD MEETING: TBD
BREAKFAST GROUP: Sunday, September 10th after set up at the New Mexico State Fair.
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
SEPTEMBER 5TH MEETING
The September meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 5th, 7pm, at North Domingo Baca Mutigenerational Center. The speaker will be our own George Abernathy, an outstanding veterinarian with his own clinic – Sunrise Veterinarian Clinic, speaking on Zoonatic Diseases – Cornucopia. As usual, there will be a raffle held and refreshments will be provided by Bill Joiner.
THE NEW MEXICO STATE FAIR
V8 Day at the New Mexico State Fair will take place on Sunday, September 10th. Please gather at the east end of the Fair Plaza parking lot at the NW corner of San Pedro & Lomas by 7:45 am so we can drive in to the fairgrounds together starting at 8 am. There will be no charge for those entering with the club. We will drive in according to year of the car driven and will try to eat breakfast together after getting set up.
Let’s make a great showing this year!
President’s Message for September 2023 Chris Joiner
Here we go with yet another month. Another year will have passed before we realize it. Fair time is quickly approaching. The cars parked along Main Street are an appealing sight. Seeing all the cars at once is exciting in itself. Please make plans to join us. I'm relieved that it has begun to cool off a little. Driving in our cars is more pleasant as a result. Although, it is difficult to imagine that summer is almost over. I am looking forward to seeing everyone at the meeting and at the Fair.
Minutes of the August 1st Meeting
The meeting was called to order by President Chris. There were nineteen members present, along with our speaker (Dave DeGeer) and 2 guests, who were his sister and niece. Chris welcomed all and made sure everyone received the newsletter. Amy gave the Treasurer’s report which was that nothing has happened in the last month. Chris offered several birthday greetings and one anniversary greeting. Chris thanked Gus & Debbie and Anthony for refreshments this evening. Joe Abbin gave a report on the 4th of July Corrales parade and picnic at the Azevedo’s. He said there were probably over 100 people in attendance. He also talked about how Larry just won the Montana 500. Chris announced that donations for the raffle are always welcome. Chris mentioned that the All Clubs Picnic will be on Sunday, August 13th and that Joyce brought a flyer if anyone needs more information. Chris also announced that our next club meeting will be on September 5th, 7pm at North Domingo Baca Multigenerational Center. We will be learning about rattlesnakes that evening. Chris reminded the club to mark their calendars for the State Fair. Our day will be Sunday, September 10th and we need at least 10 cars so start planning now. He also mentioned that we will send out an email with a meeting time and place. He also mentioned we will have our club breakfast at the fair. Joe Abbin gave a short crime report. He mentioned that on 8/10 at Revel Entertainment, there will be a presentation by NM Business Coalition as they think they have the answer to the crime in the city. As far as new business, Chris mentioned that name tags have been ordered for those who requested them and that if anyone still wants one, they can be ordered. They are $10 each. We had refreshments and the raffle. Dave DeGeer then gave a very interesting presentation on the cars he has worked on and restored over the years.
September Birthdays and Anniversaries
Joyce Clements (4) Nick & Diana Bakas (6)
Anthony Wagner (5) Mike & Kim Goodrich (12)
Jeff Jackson (8) Larry & Lorna Azevedo (21)
Evonne Joiner (22) Max & Johanne Glover (23)
Mike Goodrich (23)
Amanda Baird (30)
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
2023 OFFICERS & DIRECTORS
President: Chris Joiner (amy2001tweety@hotmail.com) 505-382-8723
Vice-President: George Abernathy (docszoo22@gmail.com) 505-771-2113
Secretary: Jackie Abernathy (docszoo22@gmail.com) 505-269-4010
Treasurer: Amy Joiner (amy2001tweety@hotmail.com) 505-382-8724
Director: Joe Abbin (roadrunnerengr@msn.com) 505-263-1946
Director: Larry Bost (LBost111@gmail.com) 505-379-7891
Director: Don Gutierrez 951-241-4959
Director: Jeff Jackson (jbjaxun@gmail.com) 505-908-7565
Director: Bill Joiner (joinerenterprise@cs.com) 505-238-1794
Director: Joe Warren (jbwarren302@gmail.com) 505-554-1387
Director: Roger Wilbur 505-603-5031
From the Northern Ohio RG Officers Installation
Heavenly Henry, I want you to hear,
What we're going to say tonight right chere.
Henry's not here, but if he was,
He would bless these V-8'er's because,
We are the best damnedest upcoming officers in this here state,
That ever got in and drove a Ford V-8.
On my Honor I'll do my best,
To uphold the virtues of the Early Ford V-8 Club and forget the rest.
As we stand here before you we solemnly swear,
We will never own a Chevy BelAir.
Hudsons are a virtue, and Nashes are great,
But those of us here tonight do state,
That the offices to which we have been selected,
We promise will never be neglected.
J.R. Ballard
Gene Riggs
Jokes of the Month
1. I have an inferiority complex, but it’s not a very good one.
2. I told my doctor that I broke my arm in two places. He told me to stop going to those places.
3. What vegetable is cool, but not that cool? Rad-ish.
4. I was wondering why the baseball kept getting bigger and bigger, and then it hit me.
5. Why did the employee get fired from the calendar factory? She took a day off.
6. Worrying works! Case in point: 90% of the things I worry about never happen.
7. My teachers told me I’d never amount to much because I procrastinate. I told them, “Just you wait!”
8. Why do seagulls fly over the sea? If they flew over the bay, they would be bagels.
9. I ordered a chicken and an egg from Amazon. I’ll let you know which comes first.
10. What do you call a magician who lost his magic? Ian.
11. I broke my finger last week. On the other hand, I am OK.
12. I went to the doctor with a suspicious-looking mole. He told me they all look that way and I should have left it in the garden.
13. Two men are on opposite sides of the river. The first man shouts, “How do I get to the other side of the river?” The other man yells, “You are on the other side of the river!”
14. Why would a pig dressed in black never get bullied? Because Batman has sworn to protect Goth-ham.
15. Every morning, I announce that I’m going running, but then I don’t. It’s a running joke.
16. Why is a swordfish’s nose 11 inches long? Because if it were 12 inches, it would be a foot.
17. What state is known for its small drinks? Minnesota.
18. What do you call a line of men waiting to get haircuts? A barberqueue.
19. I was going to tell a time-traveling joke, but you didn’t like it.
20. I can’t take my dog to the pond anymore because the ducks keep attacking him. That’s what I get for buying a pure bread dog.
WHEN I GROW UP
I WANT TO BE………
THE ITALIAN COWBOY
MONTIE’S SAGEING CCLIII
BY MONTIE AVERY
In a never-ending search for material to add to this series, entitled FORGOTTEN NEW MEXICO TALES, we have discovered a New Mexico character who is no doubt unknown to most if not all my readers. This Texan had many and varied careers over his 73 years. A portion of those 73 years were spent in the Santa Fe area where he owned a small ranch. He spent six months, undercover, investigating a New Mexico Governor. He would infiltrate the Las Gorras Blancas and the Knights of Labor. He crossed paths with Clay Allison, Bat Masterson, Billy the Kid, Butch Cassidy, Wyatt Earp, Tom Horn, and other Old West notables. His career path includes cowboy, ranch owner, store owner, Pinkerton Agent, Gentleman Santa Fe rancher, author, New Mexico Ranger, actor, and movie consultant. Even though Charlie Springo only spent 15 years in New Mexico his tracks can be uncovered with a bit of searching.
Charlie was born on February 7, 1855 in Matagordo County which is in the far southeast of Texas and on the Gulf Coast. Perhaps best known today for the huge Bridge City bridge which spans a coastal shipping waterway. At age one his Italian father died, his mother was soon to remarry and he found himself in Saint Louis. Too young for direct involvement in the Civil War he was however soon to begin learning the finer points of being a cowboy. By 1871 he was back in Texas and plying his newly acquired the skills of a cowboy. He found his way to the Texas panhandle ranch known as the LX. One writer suggests that Billy the Kid may have strayed across the border into Texas and diminished the LX herd a bit. On a cattle drive to Dodge City he and Bat Masterson had a bit of a disagreement. Tiring of this life he was to sell out his interest in the LX, marry and move to Caldwell, Kansas where he opened a tobacco shop.
In about 1885 he began his writing career with A Texas Cow-Boy, Or Fifteen Years on the Hurricane Deck of a Spanish Pony. This autobiography would soon go to a second printing which took Charlie, his wife, and young daughter to Chicago. This book would be but the first of several he would author. While he would never cease his writing he was to begin yet another career in 1886 when he joined the Pinkerton Detective Agency.
For the next 22 years Springo would chase criminals from Alaska to Mexico City. He went under-cover, infiltrating criminal organizations, operating under assumed names, and representing employers with Union issues. Pinkerton sent him to New Mexico where he spent six months as Charles T. Leon, investigating New Mexico Governor L. Bradford Prince for alleged assassin-nation attempts of rival politicians. The investigation was terminated before a case could be made. He then went on to infiltrating Las Gorras Blancas and the labor movement known as Knights of Labor.
While in New Mexico he bought a 265 acre ranch, Sunny Slope Ranch, near Santa Fe in the Arroya Chamiso area. His writing continued and one of his books, Evil Isms: Pinkertonism and Anarchism, would cause his separation from Pinkerton in 1907. Evil Isms divulged internal methods and practices of Pinkerton. Pinkerton had him charged with Criminal Libel and started an extradition process which was blocked by New Mexico Governor McDonald. The book was suppressed and the courts finally blocked its further printing and ordered that all copies be destroyed.
From 1916 through 1918 he served as a New Mexico Ranger. New Mexico’s Rangers were much like the famous Texas version. The need for this organization ended in the second decade of the 20th Century. December 8, 1941 saw the revival of the name, New Mexico Rangers, as a group of New Mexico citizens stepped forward to provide protection for others in light of the events, at Pearl Harbor the day before, and the belief that law enforcement’s numbers would be diminished by the declared war with Japan and Germany.
As might be expected his lifestyle did not contribute much to marriage. His first wife died shortly after the birth of a daughter, the next marriage lasted three years and produced a son. A third and fourth marriage were each just months long. By 1922 his health was failing, he sold out in Santa Fe and moved to Hollywood where his children resided.
Hollywood provided a whole plethora of employment opportunities, but his writing was to continue to be a larger part of his life. Soon he was employed as a bit actor and movie consultant.
Among his writings are: A Texas Cow-boy, or Fifteen years on the Hurricane deck of a Spanish Pony (1885), A Cowboy Detective (1912), Further Adventures of a Cowboy Detective (1912), A Lone Star Cowboy (1915), History of Billy the Kid (1920), and Riata and Spurs (1927).
A 1976 PBS video starring Steve Railsback was entitled CHARLIE SPRINGO. A 1994 Screenplay entitled SPRINGO narrated the life and adventures of Charlie Springo who had died on October 28, 1928. Seventy-three years of adventure.
WHEN I GROW UP I WANT TO BE JUST LIKE ME
SURELY THE SENTIMENTS OF CHARLIE SPRINGO
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
The Late Ford Flathead Engines 8BA, 8CM, 8RT, EAB & EAC by Francis Von Muller,1949-50-51 Ford/Mercury Owners Magazine
The year was 1949 (1948 for some trucks) when Ford brought out the last basic redesign of their fabulous Flathead V8 engine that graced the Ford line since 1932. This engine, called the “8BA” (and so marked on the heads), really didn't differ that much from the previous 59A unit used from 1946 to 1948. The CID (239 CI) and the rated 100 horsepower remained the same. The big change was the adoption of a front right side conventional distributor replacing the former front end mounted unit that made a tune up such a chore. Other changes were moving the head water outlets up front, the replacement of the integral clutch housing with a pressed steel unit and the adoption of angle mounted water pumps. Inside, the former split valve guides gave way to the more modern one-piece type and the former free floating rod bearings were not keyed in place. The 8BA V-8 engine was to live on in the Ford line through 1951 with a few minor changes. In early 1949, the valve timing was improved a bit by increasing the valve overlap to 16 degrees. Overlap is the degrees of crank shaft rotation that both the intake and exhaust valves are open at the same time. More overlap increases high RPM HP, but at the expense of a smooth idle and low RPM torque. When overlap approaches 40 degrees, these efforts become pronounced. At 50 degrees, the idle all but disappears and low RPM torque really suffers, as the early hot rodders soon discovered. This change was accompanied by a change in engine color from dark blue to bronze brown. Other changes in 1949 were the rerouting of the fan belts, a belt size reduction to 3/8 of an inch and the adoption of an integral bearing slash sat shaft design in the water pumps. In 1950 a brief try to of a lower end distributor shaft support was made, but soon abandoned in favor of the original design. In 1951 rotating valves were introduced, a modification that changed most of the valve train parts. Along with the 8BA engine, a truck version of it called the 8RT was introduced that differed from the 8BA unit only in the use of replaceable hard valve seats. Accompanying the birth of the 8BA engine in 1949 was the 8CM engine, a unit very similar in design to the 8BA (same block) which was intended for the all-new 1949 Mercury. The big difference with the 8CM engine was the four inch stroke camshaft, 1/4 inches more than the Ford, which gave the engine 255 cubes and upped the HP rating to 110. Other differences consisted of a large side draft carburetor and horizontal truck type water pump mounting. Torque to the rear end was fed by a Borg and Beck 10-inch clutch. Engine color was a dark green. In 1951, the short clutch housing was replaced by a full-length Ford type unit and various other Mercomatic accompanying modifications made. This engine comes highly recommended or the later ‘52 to ‘53 version for 1949 to 1951 Ford owners waiting to put a bit more horsepower under foot. Drop on a set of 8BA heads getting a slight compression ratio increase, saddle up a Ford intake manifold, slap on a coat of bronze brown paint and no one will be wiser. A measure of Ford's fanatic devotion to the Flathead engine can be seen in their 1949 to 1951 Lincolns. These cars sported A newly designed large Flathead V-8 engine (336 cubic inches) that had the dubious distinction of being obsolete while still on the drawing boards! General Motors had at least two successful overhead valve OHV V-8s at this time. The years 1952 and 1953 saw the sunset of the famous Flathead; the engines in these years were labeled the EAB for Ford and the EAC for Mercury. They were slightly warmed over versions of the 8BA and 8CM units. Changes consisted of a compression ratio increase from 6.8 to 7.3 and an increase in valve overlap to 30 degrees to squeeze a little more horsepower out of the aging beauties. This amounted to 10 HP more for the Ford and 15 HP for the Mercury.
Tumbleweed Early Ford V8 Club Calendar for 2023
September
Tuesday 5th – 7pm Club Meeting at North Domingo Baca Multigenerational Center – Program by George Abernathy. Refreshments by Bill Joiner.
Sunday 10th - New Mexico State Fair Car Show
Sunday 24th – NM Car Council Fall Car Show and Cruise
October
Tuesday 3rd – 7pm Club Meeting at North Domingo Baca Multigenerational Center – Program by Lorna Azevedo. Refreshments open
Saturday 14th – Car tour to Rancho de Chimayo
November
Tuesday 7th – 7pm Club Meeting at North Domingo Baca Multigenerational Center – Program by Larry Azevedo speaking on Henry Ford. Elections of new officers. Refreshments open.
Saturday 11th – 8:30am Breakfast followed by visit to the Wheels Museum
December
Saturday 9th – 1 pm Potluck Christmas Gathering at George’s Warehouse
SEPTEMBER 2023 CLASSIFIED ADS
For Sale: Radiator for 1953 Ford P.U. - very good $150. Gary McGlasson 505-250-1586
For Sale: 1936 Ford Cabriolet, $30,000. Tan exterior, LeBaron-Bonney interior and top. Working radio in box with correct controls is included. Extra parts go with the convertible. Bob Quirici 505-821-1646 or 505-350-2454
For Sale: 1955 Chevrolet BelAire. Gets lots of attention. Runs well. 283/Th350/10-bolt, 2.70 gear/no power/no ac/front disc brakes. $35K OBO. Joe Abbin 505-268-6768 office 505-263-1946 cell.
Storage: Outdoor $25/month, secure yard. Joe Abbin 505-296-7678
For Sale: 1926 Model T, Roadster Project. Jim Clements 505-884-7912
For Sale: 1953 Ford flathead V-8. Partially dis-assembled but complete. Many new and used parts including two transmissions, new water pumps, etc. To be sold as one lot.
Gary Bachman, gbach2736@gmail.com, 505-850-9026
Wanted: 1939 Ford ½ ton rear fenders, floorboard and rear bumper assembly. Contact Daniel at dperea@q.com.
Services Offered: Vintage engine rebuilding, any make, any model. Stock or modified. Dynamometer testing available. Results guaranteed. References available. Gary McGlasson, 505-250-1586.
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, 300 Aspen Ave NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102, 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. The Santa Fe Detail, 7512 Avenger Way, Unit 2, Santa Fe NM 87507, 505-204-5120, Luis.
6. Horizon Auto Glass & Tint, 8201 Menaul Blvd NE, Albuquerque NM 87110, 505-897-9000, Rod Williams. Also at 1560 Deborah Rd SE, Rio Rancho NM 87124, 505-822-1717.
7. Wild Heart Ranch Texas, 3120 FM 1995, Van TX 75790, 505-908-7565