July - Queen City Model A Club

President
Distributor
Jim Townsend
[email protected]
803-327-3042
Vice President
V O L U M E
2 1
I S S U E
7
J U L Y
2 0 1 4
Rion Rutledge
[email protected]
On the Road Again
803-366-8209
Secretary
Jane Hyland
[email protected]
704-398-2674
Treasurer
Virginia Faulkenberry
[email protected]
704-549-1525
Website:
www.queencitymodelaclub.com
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
On the Road Again
1
President’s Message
2
Down the Road A Piece
2
Health & Happiness
2
Ford AA Featured
3
Henry the Farmboy
4
My first Car
5
MARC-French Lick
6-7
Birthdays &
Anniversaries
8
QCMAC members, Norma and Sonny
Sain spend much of the summer traveling to car-related events, national
club meetings and flea markets. Perhaps they are thinking of giving up hotels and traveling in a different style
as they inspect this car-camper combo at an AACA meet in Lebanon TN.
Health &
Happiness









Ola Mae Matthew’s
mother (100 years
young)
Ann Enos is doing
well after surgery
Elsie Robinson
Johnny & Yvonne
Phifer…...needing
your prayers
JoAnne Bryant surgery possibly pending
George Kent still suffering with hand/wrist
problems
Jim Townsend with
torn meniscus
Harlan The Hero continues to need your
prayers
(www.caringbridge.co
m/harlansullins)
Laura and Jim Silver
are celebrating their
51st wedding anniversary
President’s Message:
Margaret and I are sitting in the West Baden
Springs Hotel in French
Lick, Indiana as I write
this. We are here attending the MARC national meet and it is an
experience all of you
would love. The hotel
is not your average Motel 6. It is elegant beyond words. Southeastern Indiana is rural
with lush countryside,
perfect for enjoying the
tours of the 400 or so
Model A’s here. Other
QCMAC members here
are Rion/Virginia
Rutledge, John/Julie
Kluttz, Norman/
Charlotte Culbreth, Lou
Burnoski and Craig
Stoll. Later I will give a
more complete report
with pictures.
Check the list of events
in “Down the
Road…..”and mark your
calendar. I have my reservations for the fall
tour to the beach and
understand a number of
us have made contact
with the hotel. The
more the merrier. The
one day tour to Spencer
on Aug 3 is easy and a
chance to meet other
old Ford enthusiasts and
experience the NC
Transportation Museum.
I didn't get any commitments from my inquiry
ref: the Waxhaw July
4th parade so I informed them to find
someone else to
transport their dignitaries.
annual Christmas Party
have been confirmed for
December 9th at Hickory Tavern. As time
draws closer, I will send
out a request for your
reservations and menu
choices. You need not
take any action until
then, but respond then
quickly as there may be
limited space.
See you down the
road,
Jim Townsend
Our reservations for the
Down The Road A Piece
July
August
21
QCMAC Meeting 6:30pm, Jonathan’s Restaurant, Matthews, NC Hosts: Vickie & Dale Kirby
2
8
18
All Ford Show @ NC Transportation Museum, Spencer NC Tour Host TBA
Model A’s Featured at Cruise-In On Main, Monroe, NC; be there with other Model A’s showing
QCMAC Meeting 6:30pm, Hickory Tavern; Harris Blvd. & Hwy. 21
Hosts: Carrie & Glenn Swann
September
22
27
QCMAC Meeting 6:30, Longhorn Steak, Pineville, NC Hosts: Danny & Ann Enos
Murray’s Mill harvest Folk Festival
October
10-12
20
Fall Tour to Ocean Isle Beach: Reservations 888-325-4753 Tour Host TR& Alma Hunter
QCMAC Meeting 6:30, Captain’s Cap, Belmont NC Hosts Laura & Jim Silver
December
9
QCMAC Holiday Party, Hickory Tavern Hosts Margaret & Jim Townsend
Ford AA Featured at AACA Meet
By:
PAGE
3
Dwight & Glenda Jackson
While attending the AACA National Meet in Port St. Lucie, Florida in February, 2014, we (Dwight and Glenda Jackson) visited the Elliott Museum in Stuart, Florida. Located about halfway between Daytona and
Miami Beach on the Atlantic coast, this museum is a "must see" for the Model A enthusiast.
Named for Sterling Elliott, the museum recently moved to a beautiful new building on 825 NE Ocean
Boulevard. As you enter the museum, you see an exhibit of early bicycles and learn of the connection of
the automobile with the bicycle inventors. Sterling Elliott invented the kingpin and steering knuckle that
enabled steering for four-wheeled vehicles. Almost all of the early automobiles adopted the Elliot design
and his inventions led to later work with the Stanley brothers in the early Stanley automobiles. A 1903
Stanley, 1914 Detroit Electric, 1903 Cadillac, 1909 Ford Model "T" touring car and a 1910 rare Moline Model M are a few of the cars in the early vehicle section.
But it is the Wheels of Change section of the museum that will really interest our Model A friends. In the
Wheels of Change gallery is a collection of 44 Model A Fords that Mr. Elliott Donnelly took over forty
years to assemble. Commercial vehicles include a "C" cab United
Parcel delivery truck, a delivery van with a Drop Floor, two funeral coaches, Model A pick up trucks, farm
trucks, dump trucks, tow trucks, a milk truck, a Bell Telephone line truck and even a Model "AA" service
truck and tow truck. Also there are many rare Model A automobiles.
This is definitely one of the largest collections of Model A's that we have seen. But what is unique is the
way you get to see them. The cars are on a three tiered automated rack storage system with spaces for 55
vehicles. You browse through one of two computers that have cataloged the collection. After making your
selection of the car you would like to see, you simply
inform the attendant who then uses his computer to
automatically bring the car down to the main level for
viewing. A robotic-like arm canvasses the three level
garage until it finds your selection and then brings it to
a turntable on the main level where it is rotates so that
all angles of the car can be viewed. The car is displayed
as long as you like as you take as many pictures as you
want.
You may select as many cars as you would like for viewing. No hands ever touch the cars. Everything is totally
automated. Designed by the Boomerang Systems of
Provo Utah, it is the only one currently installed in an
American museum.
The museum also has a Pelican Hydro-Aeroplane replica on exhibit, a baseball memorabilia gallery,
Evinrude outboard motor exhibit, and more! If you are visiting Florida's Treasure Coast, this museum is
definitely worth your time. This collection of Model A's is outstanding and the unique way of showing
them is really impressive.
For more information go to my source: elliottmuseum.org and you can get a complete list of all the Model
A's and other cars shown.
Model A Chassis For Sale
Model A “rolling chassis” for SALE: has engine ( not stuck ), carb.,dist., manifold htr., transmission, rear and front later model 16” wire wheels with tires that hold air. Located just
north of Charlotte, near Hwy.73 & Hwy. 16. Asking price is $750.00.
Contact QCMAC member Hardy DeView @ 512-554-3594.
Henry the Farmboy (part 83)
Post War Boom and Bust
By: Danny Enos
It was not difficult to sell cars in America immediately after World War I ended. Peace, a national waiting list for
cars, and a general economic upturn released tremendous pent up demand for new cars. In 1919, Ford sold more
cars than ever before – over 750,000 vehicles. Detroit discovered how pleasant life can be when Americans had money to spend.
But the bottom fell out abruptly in the summer of 1920. Worried about inflation, the federal government cut its
budget and pulled over $6 billion out of the economy. Motor City now discovered how quickly the bust could come.
Keeping the old rattle trap running instead of buying a new car became a very viable option for many Americans
trapped by the uncertainty of recession. By the autumn of 1920 the automobile industry was experiencing the cyclical nature of the car business for the very first time. Ford Motor was not immune.
Ford was the giant of the car industry. By 1919, one in every three cars purchased in the U.S. was a Model T. The
Dodge Brothers made the most comparable economy car. General Motors with their Buick, Oldsmobile, Chevrolet,
and other lines accounted for the industry’ second largest in sales. Hudson, Studebaker, Packard, Maxwell and WillysOverland were all successful independents but all combined did not nearly approach Ford in size. Even so, Ford was
particularly unprepared for the sudden downturn in 1920. The 1919 judgment against Ford in the Dodge Brothers
case had drained $20 million from the company. Capital outlays for the Rouge plant consumed $60 million, and the
coal and iron mines of northern Michigan that Henry purchased accounted for another $15-20 million. One should
remember that these are 1919 dollars.
Henry’s solution? Simple: cut prices. It had worked before, so he instructed Edsel, William Knudsen, and other top
executives to come up with cost reductions. Their end result was not enough.
“There, gentlemen are your prices,” he declared, handing over a sheet of paper with his own price cuts. The base
price of a model T truck chassis went from $525 to $360, the $550 runabout went to $395, and the sedan came down
nearly $200 to $795. When the executives protested that this would mean selling cars at a loss Henry threaten deeper cuts and that ended any further objections.
These were the largest price cuts in the history of the American car business. They
worked at first but even Henry Ford couldn’t stave off a recession approaching crash proportions, and Ford sales fell as well.
Sharp and painful cuts within the company were just around the corner as we will see
next month.
PAGE
5
My First Car
By: Danny Phillips
This is a sales brochure for my 1st car, a 1953
Chevrolet 4-door sedan with all the features
listed and the exact same color shown. I paid
my grandfather $300 for the car in 1963 and it
had less than 25,000 miles on it.
You can check out a sales brochure on your
1st car at: www.lov2xlr8.no/broch1.html
The following is an ad in the New York Times, dated June
2nd, 1930, indicating that the Model A
Ford would be reduced in price, depending on model,
anywhere from $5.00 to $25.000. The
advertisement was matted and framed when we found
it, and we could not resist purchasing it at a
local antique shop in Atlanta, Georgia. It makes a nice
addition to my garage..
Enjoy,
Buddy, Pal and Partner
By: Craig Stoll
With all the attention and pride in attaining the Mark of Excellence
Award for my Model A at French Lick, I would be remiss not to mention my
good buddy, pal and partner in toil and travel, Lou Burnoski.
When I bought my Model “A” 6 years ago, after my bypass surgery, Lou
was immediately drawn to the car. Lou has a wealth of knowledge of cars,
having worked at Studebaker in Indiana years ago. He has an attention to
L. Lou Burnoski, R. John Kluttz detail that I sometimes do not have the patience for.
After we joined QCMAC our interest in bringing the car back to life grew
and grew with stories from our fellow members, their shared experiences and their knowledge and pride in
their vehicles. This last year for Christmas, from our eldest daughter Kimberly, I received a “Model A Travel
Certificate” made out to myself from “Santa’s Elves” for travel to French Lick, Indiana. That was just the push Lou and I
needed. From the beginning of the year on, Lou and I
worked to bring the car up to show quality. We skirted off to
Gold Hill on numerous occasions for help from the Master,
John Kluttz, and with his encouragement and assistance got
the car up to par.
Now it was fine tuning, tackling underneath the carriage,
lying on the cement floor of the garage in 90* heat, cleaning
and painting while Lou sanded and painted nicks and peels and dings above me. The last three weeks before departure were grueling.
With gift certificates in hand for gasoline and one for Cracker Barrel (the elves) , and a bottle of Jack Daniels to share with John, Lou and I headed to Indiana like a couple of kids. Every joy is better shared. We
shared this with each other and we share this with you. Yes, QCMAC did it!
JOHN TO THE RESCUE
“We have to stop and help” said John Kluttz. “They will never be able to jack up that truck in
the soft grass. My God, all we need to do is pick up the front end, put the spare on and they
can drive it to the awards area.”
Having John and Julie Kluttz as passengers in my Model A
Thursday, for the Mandatory Tour to Gasthof an Amish village,
was another learning experience for me of how it was done in
1930.
On the drive we saw a Model A pickup truck from NY which had pulled off the road into the
grass. The left front brake drum was buried into mud. The left front wheel was lying on the
driveway. A fellow was trying to jack up the front end of the truck, to no avail. The lug nuts had
worked loose, the holes were enlarged and the wheel came off. Fortunately for everyone this
happened at the very end of the tour.
I drove passed and stopped in the street. John had already analyzed the problem. Julie
stayed in the car. John, Lou and I got out to help three others who had already stopped . Four
of us lifted the front of the truck while the others put on the spare wheel. Then the owners
drove into the assembly area. Later in the afternoon they were called to receive their award.
I never stop learning when I am in John’s company. What a terrific guy. Thank you, John.
Queen City Members Enjoy French Lick
By: Jim Townsend
The MARC meet at French Lick is almost over and we leave tomorrow morning for our
return trip home. Seems like the first question I get is, “French Lick, what kind of name
is that?” There are mineral springs here that leave salt on the rocks and wild life come to
lick them. It is thought that the fact that the French were early settlers of the areal
made this lick the French Lick. So, then how did such a fancy resort happen to land in
the farming area of southeastern Indiana? The mineral springs of the area were thought
to have healing powers so people from all around came as early as 1845 to stay in the
French Lick and West Baden hotels. The two hotels located less than a mile apart, operated separately. The area thrived during the late 1800’s and casinos attracted more people and money. The Chicago mob had connections. Rail lines were built to bring the
masses in. The depression years brought prosperity to an end and the facilities of the
rich and famous were used for a Catholic seminary and later for a private college for
nearly 50 years.
In the mid 90’s, the Cook Foundation bought the hotels and invested over 30 million
dollars to restore the two hotels to their former elegance. Dr. Cook was the inventor of the heart stint and other medical devices. There are 2 top rated golf courses on the property, one designed by Donald Ross and the other by Pete Dye. They both
attract PGA tournaments.
Enough history, what about the national meet? One of the special reasons for this meet is to
provide a place for competitive judging of members’ Model A Fords. Fine point judging is for
the cars restored meticulously with every nut and bolt, every color and finish, prepared just as
Ford made them when new. QCMAC member John Kluttz was a member of the judging
team. The photo in this article shows the 15 cars submitted for this year’s fine point judging.
There is also judging on a group entered for awards in the touring class. Club member Craig
Stoll helped with judging in this class. This class of car is judged to a lesser standard but must
meet a list of mandatory original features. I would estimate 30 to 40 cars were submitted for
judging including the car of Craig Stoll. These cars have been restored to a standard to look
good on the road and attract positive attention to our hobby. Craig’s Model A was awarded
the MARC of Excellence medallion to display on the front of his radiator. His car received 467
points out of a possible 500.
This meet is also about tours and entertainment. Several self-guided tours are arranged for
Jim Townsend and Rion
attendees. We drove through the countryside to Beck Mill on Tuesday. The operating mill
Rutledge @ old mill
dated back to 1808 and provided sawmill, woolen processing and grain milling services to the
community (see photo of Jim and Dr. Rion Rutledge at the mill). We learned that the Becks
moved to this area from Salem, NC and had been millers in Germany. The county seat of the area is Salem, Ind.
We took a bus tour to the Lincoln State Park, boyhood home of Abe Lincoln, and attended a musical performance telling Abe’s
story. We participated in the touring class tour to the Amish community about
40 miles away where we had lunch (imagine that Model Aer’s, interest in food)
and watched the awards for the Touring Class. We will attend the Fashion
Show of era clothing tonight and see the awards given to the fine point cars
( QCMAC member Julie Kluttz was a member of the judging team for Era Fashions). Tonight’s events will be in the 200 foot wide, domed lobby area of the
West Baden Hotel. This is the same area shown in the photo of the fine point
cars. Participating in events like this is not without expense but it is a lifetime
of memory experience well worth the cost and effort. It is a nice twist on taking a vacation.
Queen City Model A Club
4620 Rozzelles Ferry Road
Charlotte, NC 28216
Anniversaries:
Birthdays:
12
18
28
30
31
Elsie Robinson
Ron Bryant
Paul Crosby
Henry Donaghy
Virginia Rutledge
1
4
8
12
27
Janice & Wilson Vohs
Judie & Ed Dickerson
Melissa & Patrick Duckworth
Susan & Danny Phillips
Ruth & Don Berkebile
Model A Trunk/Luggage Rack Banners
The club is selling banners that you can attach to your rear luggage rack/trunk that identifies
you are a member of the Queen City Model A Club in Charlotte North Carolina. Some members already sport these banners when they are on tour with the club. It identifies who we are
and where we are from…….people are always asking when we travel. See Wayne Helderman
at our meeting…..cost $25.00