Sept. Oct. 2006 - RE Olds Chapter

September - October 2006
Rocket Review
Page 1
Rocket Review
Serving Mid-Michigan
Published by
Chapter -
President’s Corner
Membership
2
3
My First Car
Homecoming Wrap
4
7
Secretary’s Report
8
Olds Parting with
9
Going Places
11
Classified Ads
15
• Eyes-On-Design pg. 5
• Proposed Bylaw Changes
pg. 10
• Chapter Annual Banquet
info pg. 12, 13
• Homecoming Stats pg. 13
• Chapter Merchandise
Forms pg. 14
September - October
2006
Pace Car Reunion Held at Indy
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Of Special Interest:
Oldsmobile Club of Americ a
May 19 - 21, 2006
By Judy Badgley
E
arlier this year,
member Steve
Zaban heard about a Pace
Car Reunion to be held
during the Indy 500 festivities. A reunion of ALL
makes of Pace Cars, Festival cars and Repli-cars was
planned. Steve contacted
other people he knew who
owned a Pace Car and
learned details of the
planned reunion. This event
would be held on the weekend prior to the actual Indy
500 race. Potential participants had to send a picture
of their car and a story
about their car along with
an application. The Indy
committee would review all
applicants, and select the
cars to participate.
Doug and Judy Badgley along with Steve applied. Badgley’s son Calvin also applied. All were
accepted. A road trip
was planned. Calvin
Cutlass Pace Cars on display at Indy
would trailer his 1974
Delta 88 Hurst/Olds convertible (formerly used
by Linda Vaughn during
the ’74 Festival) and
Steve’s 1970 Pace Car in
a 2 car enclosed trailer.
Doug and Judy drove
their 1972 Hurst/Olds
Pace Car convertible.
The organizing people
did a wonderful job for a
first time event. All participants were given
bronze badges, a gift
package, and a dinner/reception in the Indy
Museum. The dinner was
delicious.
The gift package included a special polostyle shirt commemorating the event. The badges
were used as an official
“pass”, which allowed
access into the garage
and pit areas during the
festivities.
The Pace Cars were
all lined up inside the
track area along the main
road. Everybody who
entered the track saw
the cars. There were
Continued page 6 | see Indy
September - October 2006
Rocket Review
2006 R.E. Olds Chapter
Board of Director s
President
Ken Nicholas
(517) 663-2397
[email protected]
Vice-President
Harry Emmons
517-485-5998
no e-mail
Secretary
Ed Shand
517-655-4739
[email protected]
Treasurer
Dave Violetta
517- 669-9246
[email protected]
Membership Coordinator
Joe Pohl
517-323-2342
[email protected]
OCA Representative
Chuck Mitchell
(517) 882-9757
[email protected]
Newsletter Editor
Webmaster
Wayne Mason
(517) 669-8051
[email protected]
Past President
Troy Collins
(517) 646-0879
[email protected]
Board members are elected for a
one year period of time at the
Annual Banquet Meeting. Officers
assume their office beginning February 1st of the subsequent year
in which they are elected.
General Club meetings are held
on the 1st Tuesday of the month
at various locations, but usually at
the R.E. Olds Museum in Lansing.
Contact Ken Nicholas at the number shown above for more information.
Oldsmobile Homecoming Car
Show committee meetings are
held periodically through out the
year. Contact Don Cooper at:
[email protected] for
more information.
The President’s
Corner
S
omething the
Homecoming Committee does
is to have a wrap up meeting soon after the event. By doing
this, everything is still fresh and vivid.
No huge problems, but some speed
bumps just need to be smoothed out.
One of the concerns can be tracked
down to one area, trophies and judging. This year, as in the past few
years, the awards where not on
schedule. This is no one person or
groups fault. It is just a huge task.
The Homecoming committee
has recommended to drop trophies
and judging at next years event.
While it is a big change at first glance,
I think it's time to move forward. I've
thought for years it was the friends
and the people that were the draw.
I'm sure that there are those that are
only there for a trophy. The committee hopes that a nice gift will help appease some concerns. While, at this
date, nothing has been selected, the
Notes from the Editor
C
omputers
are wonderful
tools! Yes, I know,
we all have our
problems with
them from time to time; but think of
what you can do with a computer today that may have require leg-work
years ago. As an example, think of how
easy it is to search for a used Oldsmobile on-line now. There are many, many
web sites whose sole purpose is offering used cars or parts for sale. You can
even search by zip code and locate the
used Olds of choice nearest you.
In conversation with Ron Severance
at our last Chapter meeting, we talked
Page 2
possibility looks good. Please keep an
open mind and help the committee
worth through this. Other trophies
will still be given, such as the Founders
Award and the Helen Earley Award.
Other possibilities are open.
One thing I've had a hard time
deciding is this will be my last term as
Chapter President. I feel I have not
been able to dedicate the proper time
to do a good job. I'm still working
two jobs, 20 hours a week at
Menard's, and an average of 48 hours
plus at the Magnesium Factory. This
leaves little or no time for friends or
family. While the Chapter does not
require a huge amount of time, it's just
time I need for me. I was brought up
to do a job well but I just can't dedicate the time needed. Hopefully one
of you can jump in and help out. The
Chapter is in great shape. The current Board is great and the active
committees all do a great job. It's
been a blast, but it's time to adjust and
realign.
Maybe it's time in your life for you
to take on this great opportunity.
Think about it.
Ccccccya,
Ken
of the various web sites available; one
of my favorites is autotrader.com. Ron
was not familiar with this site. That’s
when it dawned on me that perhaps
many of our members have their own
favorite sites when searching for
Oldsmobile cars or parts. How about
sharing your favorite web site with
other Chapter members?
If you will send me your favorite
web site(s) web address(es), I will
share it with other Chapter members
in the next newsletter issue. Send
your favorite web sites to:
[email protected]. Please do it
now so you won’t forget! Your fellow
Chapter members will thank you!
Until next issue,
Wayne
September - October 2006
Rocket Review
R.E. Olds Chapter Membership Application
New __________
Renewal ___________
Application Date ____/_____/_____
OCA Number _________ Birthday - Month ____________ Day ____________
Name ___________________________________________
Street ___________________________________________
City _____________________________ State _______ Zip Code ________- ______
Home Phone (_____) _____ - __________Work Phone (______) _____ - __________
E-Mail address ____________________________________
Spouse Name ____________________ Birthday - Month ___________Day _________
List of all Oldsmobiles owned:
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
You must be a member of the Oldsmobile Club of America to join the Chapter.
Chapter dues are $10.00 a year or 3 years for $25.00.
Send application and make check payable to:
R.E. OLDS CHAPTER
OLDSMOBILE CLUB OF AMERICA
P.O. BOX 80101
LANSING, MICHIGAN 48908-0101
R.E. Olds Chapter is a regional chapter of the Oldsmobile Club of America, based in the Mid-Michigan
area. The Chapter received its charter in 1984, and has served Olds enthusiasts in the area since then.
A bi-monthly publication, ROCKET REVIEW is sent to members and offers a variety of member stories,
technical information and a classified ad section. As a member of the chapter you are invited to join the
group at various car show around the state and enjoy family oriented car club activities.
How to Join the Oldsmobile Club of America
Visit the Oldsmobile Club of America’s web site: www.oldsclub.org for an
application form, dues schedule and other club information and benefits.
RE Olds Chapter Dues
Dues are $10 for 1 year or $25 for three years, renewable each June for all
members and payable to R.E. Olds Chapter. Mail to: RE Olds Chapter
OCA, %Joe Pohl, P.O. Box 80101, Lansing, MI 48908-0101. A renewal
form is not necessary. Your address label contains the year in which you
need to renew your membership. For example, if the “RN” code after
your name is “RN06”, then your dues are renewable and due in June 2006.
No additional renewal reminder will be sent to you.
Upcoming Events
Club Meetings for 2006 are usually
scheduled for the first Tuesday of the
month at the R.E.O. Transportation
Museum at 7 PM . Scheduled meeting
dates for this year are:
September 5th , October 3rd,
November 7th , December 5th .
August 12 , 2006 - Car Capitol
Car Show sponsored by the RE Olds
Museum. Noon to Dusk in 2000 block
of Michigan Ave., downtown Lansing.
Car parking noon to 2 PM. Info at
th
Page 3
Monthly Meeting
Programs Needed
Do
you have a suggestion
for a speaker or program
for our monthly meetings?
Someone or something that would
be interesting to share with your
Oldsmobile friends? Let us know
your ideas. Even if you have a
topic of interest but don’t know
who to contact
about doing a
program, let us
know and
maybe we can
find someone.
Contact Judy
Badgley at 517337-0444,
weekdays or email:
[email protected].
Happy Birthday
September Birthdays - Joe Pohl
11th, Wayne Jacobs 13th, Mike Ross
14th, Dwain Hilliard & Wayne Mason
16th, Marsha Nicholas 19th, Tom
Hummer 25th, Deborah Shank 27th.
October Birthdays - Dave
Lehnen 1st, Scott Bischoff 5th, Jim
Brehm 6th, Lori Emmons 8th, Harry
Emmons & Dan Mroczak 9th, Ashley
Jones 11th, Shirley Place 13th, Ken
Nicholas & Susan Pohl 16th, Linda
Heminger 17th, Judy Badgley 28th.
517-372-0529.
August 26th - Grand Rapids 28th
Street Metro Cruise. More info at:
http://www.grnow.com/ or contact
Mike Ross at 517-646-5630.
November 11th - RE Olds Chapter
Annual Banquet at Guerrazzi's,
15643 So. US 27, Lansing MI 48906.
See details on pages 12 & 13.
If we don’t list your birthday, send
yours/spouses birthday information
(month and day only) to
[email protected] . In the subject
line put R.E. OLDS. Or snail mail to:
Wayne Mason
2713 W. Clark Rd.
Lansing, MI 48906
Rocket Review
September - October 2006
My First Car was a . . .
ever owned especially considering the hard usage it
received. We had that car
until 1973 when I sold it at
63,000 miles. When I became an Oldsmobile zone
rep and I had a company car,
my wife Elaine drove the
Valiant. Besides maintenance,
W
e continue with
Chapter
member’s stories of their
first car. This will be the
last in the series unless
new stories are received.
If interested, please
submit YOUR story to
the editor for
publication in an
upcoming issue of
Rocket Review.
“My father operated an Atlantic
service station from 1941-64 and my
Uncle owned a new car dealership from
1938-56. They were located within 4
blocks of each other along Kinsman Rd
in Cleveland. I was born in 1944 and our
family lived next to the service station
until 1956. I started working in the service station in 1952. My mother wanted
me to be a concert pianist but the tetraethyl lead in gasoline had poisoned my
brain very early.
I drove cars around the gas station
at age 10. One afternoon in 1955 my
father picked me up from elementary
school in the family car, his first new car,
a 1952 Kaiser Manhattan that he purchased from his brother-in-law, my uncle. When we were ½ mile from home,
on a side street, he pulled over, got out,
opened the passenger door to get in and
said to me “you drive.” Kaisers may have
been nice looking but they were slow.
Even at that age I could tell. When we
got home he let me drive the service
station 1952 Jeep which was even
slower.
In the fall of 1959 my father decided
it was time to replace the Kaiser. It was
a rust bucket. The floor was so bad the
front seat “floated.” I would accelerate
hard and look at the headliner. Brake
hard and hit the steering wheel. It was
more fun to be a passenger. My uncle
was not selling cars any more but my
father went to see one of my uncle’s
former salesmen who worked at a Nash
dealership. Horrors-my father brought
home a full size Rambler demo with a 6
cylinder engine! We have a service station. Why an economy car? I reminded
my father that Ramblers were not good
cars and he agreed. I begged him to
please consider a Wide Track Pontiac. A
few days later my father buys a 1959
Plymouth with a V8 – Wow! I was some-
Page 4
what happy but 1957-59 Chrysler vehicles were not that good. GM had the
best quality then. I got my drivers’ license a few days after my 16th birthday
and passed the testing on my first try
which was no surprise. I proved that the
Plymouth had problems: new rear tires
and front brake shoes every 7-8,000
miles. My father didn’t complain but I
knew he knew. The grille emblem was
the pilgrim ship Mayflower. I called the
car the Mayflower too but for a different
reason. Explanation available in person
since this is a “family” newsletter.
Advance to May 1965. I was driving
either the 1959 Plymouth or a 1961 Jeep.
My father was finally declared disabled
from multiple heart attacks. We had
closed our service station in December
1964 and I went to work in a Sohio service station. My father gave me his first
disability check which was payment retroactive for 2 years, and I sold the 1961
Jeep to my employer. Total net was
$2400. I wanted a new car without payments. I wanted a Chrysler vehicle since
now they had the best quality, best
brakes, handling, etc and a 5 year/50,000
warranty. I wanted a Barracuda but discovered I needed $ 350 more. My best
friend was also going to buy a new car
for cash. We found a Chrysler-Plymouth
dealer who agreed to a sweet deal if we
bought at the same time. We ordered
and took delivery of “sleepers” – mid
trim level Valliant’s with all the high performance options. Mine had an automatic
transmission so if needed my parents
could drive it and the other had a 4
speed manual transmission. I could easily
out accelerate a 442 that had an automatic transmission but could not out run
one with a manual transmission. That
Valiant was the most reliable car I have
one exhaust system and two sets of
brake shoes, the only repair was a voltage regulator one year before we sold it.
We sold it to my mother-in-laws’
neighbor who used it for commuting in
metro New York. Four years later he
sold it to his wife’s beautician who drove
it until it had 150,000 + miles. It never
needed a major repair. One too many
collisions in its last year did it in.
My first Oldsmobile was a 1963 88
that I bought used for my father in 1966
from the Oldsmobile dealer I worked at
in Cleveland Heights. It had 60,000 +
miles, burned engine oil, mis-fired and
the transmission shifted rough. The used
car manager thought the Rotor Hydramatic needed an overhaul as most did
by that mileage but I knew the car, unlike
most, was properly maintained. I convinced him to sell it to me for what he
“stole” it for. I replaced the valve stem
seals, tuned it up and properly set the
transmission throttle valve linkage. It ran
very well after that $25 parts investment.
My father loved that car. He gave it back
to me just before he passed away in
1969. I drove it to work at Oldsmobile in
Lansing while a “trainee.” I was so lucky.
Whenever the 88 needed parts I could
find them at Salvage. (Salvage sold employees surplus parts from new car production and the parts warehouse.) Examples: a gas tank $5, spark plugs 25 cents,
shock absorbers $1.) I wish Salvage had
front fenders because they were getting
rusty and so was the rest of the car. I
enjoyed driving the 88. Unlike the Valiant
I could drive over a dime and not tell
you what year it was minted. It was a
good high speed cruiser. On a trip to
Cleveland I got a 75 mph speeding ticket
while on the Ohio Turnpike. I think that
if the car still had Ohio license plates I
would have only received a warning. I
sold the car to another trainee when I
was transferred to the field.”
From Jerry Garfiled
Rocket Review
September - October 2006
Page 5
Eyes-On-Design Car Show
A Toronado Triumph
By Joe Pohl
D
AYBREAK, FATHERS DAY
JUNE 18, 2006, I PICK UP
MY SON IN LAW, BRETT, IN MY
1966 DUBONNET TORONADO.
WE HEAD TO THE GROUNDS OF
THE EDSEL AND ELEANOR FORD
HOUSE ON LAKE ST. CLAIR IN
GROSS POINT SHORES,
MICHIGAN, TO PARTICIPATE IN
THE "EYES ON DESIGN" CAR
EVENT SPONSORED BY THE
DETROIT INSTITUTE OF
OPTHAMOLOGY. THE TRIP
COVERS ABOUT 100 MILES AND
WE REACH THE GROUNDS AT
ABOUT 8 O'CLOCK.
WE ARE GREETED BY THE
EVENT PERSONNEL, GIVEN A
CONTESTANT BAG, AND
DIRECTED TO OUR PLACE OF
SHOW.
AFTER PARKING THE CAR, A
LICENSE PLATE WITH NAME OF
OWNERS AND VEHICLE TYPE IS
MOUNTED ON A POST IN FRONT
OF THE CAR. WE GO TO THE
FOOD TENT FOR COFFEE AND
ROLLS, AND TO RELAX A BIT
AFTER THE TRIP. (AGE IS
CREEPING UP). WE GET OUT THE
LAWN CHAIRS, AND GET SET FOR
THE DAY. BRETT, WHO IS AN
EXCELLENT PHOTOGRAPHER,
CIRCULATES THROUGH THE
GROUNDS TAKING PHOTOS OF
THE FIELD.
IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO
DESCRIBE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT
VEHICLES ON DISPLAY.
HOWEVER, THERE WERE
CONCEPT CARS FROM G. M.,
HONDA, AND OTHERS. SEVERAL
ROLLS SILVER CLOUDS WERE
BEING SHOWN. AFTER LUNCH,
WE RETURNED TO THE TORO
AND FOUND THAT FOUR FLAGS
WERE PLACED AT EACH CORNER
OF THE CAR, AND A BIG GOLD
RIBBON WAS ON THE
WINDSHIELD. FURTHER
INVESTIGATION FOUND A NOTE
IN THE CAR STATING THAT THE
CAR HAD BEEN GIVEN THE
"BEST OF SHOW" AWARD.
WE WERE BOTH SHOCKED BY
THIS, AND HAD TO TALK TO AN
OFFICIAL TO VERIFY THAT WE
WERE NOT DREAMING.
AFTER ABOUT TWO HOURS,
WE WERE GIVEN DIRECTIONS TO
PULL THE TORO UP IN FRONT OF
THE HOUSE, BEHIND A CORD, A
PIERCE ARROW, A LAMBROGHINI,
A NASH, AND A FERRARI. I WAS
STILL IN SHOCK, AND TRIED TO
START THE CAR WITHOUT IT
BEING IN PARK OR NEUTRAL. THE
SAFETY SWITCH WORKED, AND I
JUST ABOUT HAD A HEART
ATTACK WHEN THE CAR
WOULD NOT CRANK. BRETT
HOLLERED TO PUT IT IN PARK,
AND WE WERE OFF. FIVE CARS
WERE PARKED AROUND THE
DRIVE WITH THE TORO PLACED
RIGHT IN FRONT. A BEAUTIFUL
CRYSTAL FIGURINE WITH A
MARBLE BASE WAS PRESENTED
TO THE CAR (AND ME), AND
PHOTOS WERE TAKEN FOR
ABOUT A HALF HOUR.
WE THEN LEFT THE GROUNDS,
AND PROCEEDED TO DRIVE THE
100 MILES BACK HOME. BRETT
TELLS ME THAT IT RAINED MOST
OF THE WAY HOME, BUT EVEN
THOUGH I WAS DRIVING, I WAS
STILL IN SHOCK (I GUESS), AND I
HARDLY NOTICED THE RAIN. WE
DROVE ABOUT 200 MILES ON THE
TRIP, AND THE TORO JUST
PURRED ALL THE WAY. IT
SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE
"EYES ON DESIGN" EVENT IS
UNIQUE IN THAT THE AWARDS
ARE MADE FOR CLASSIC DESIGN,
AND THE TORONADO WAS THE
WINNER. I LIKE TO THINK THAT
MY CAR WILL COMPARE WELL
WITH OTHERS IN OVERALL
CONDITION, BUT IT WAS THE
PEOPLE WHO DESIGNED THE
TORONADO WHO DESERVE THE
AWARD.
September - October 2006
Rocket Review
Indy
|
Page 6
continued from page 1
about 150+ cars on display. The
Indy Museum had their collection
of Pace Cars on display as well. The
display was impressive with all of
the different cars. It was nice to see
some of the other marquees that
paced the race.
During the weekend we were
allowed to roam through the pit
area and see all the race teams
working on their cars for the qualifying runs. We could watch as they
went through tech, made adjustments, and then run their laps. The
Indy cars run at 200+ mph and they
look like a blur going by. It was a
thrill indescribable. Doug and Judy
spent a lot of time watching the pit
crews “tweaking” the cars for the
run. All of the engines are the
same, but the way a car is set up is
what makes the difference in lap
times.
Steve decided to devote a good
amount of his time to collecting
autographs. Saturday was a difficult
day to get signatures, as everybody
was concentrating on qualifying well
for the race; however, Steve was
still able to get a few autographs.
Steve does not carry an autograph
“book”, he has them sign his shirt.
Sunday was a much better day for
signing! Everybody that had already
qualified for the race was much
more relaxed. By Sunday, Steve was
focused! He had specific signatures
he wanted to get; his real
“trophies” were A.J. Foyt’s and
Danika Patrick’s autograph.
Doug Badgley (back to camera) looks on as Danica
Patrick’s crew prepares her back-up car for time trials.
Sunday at 6pm all of the Pace
Cars that participated were allowed
to run a parade lap around the famous track. It was a great weekend!
“Most Quotable” quote -- Steve
was really excited chasing around
getting signatures and meeting the
racers. He had commented that he
wasn’t sure he had recognized
some of the people. He took a
break and came to sit with us in the
grandstands to watch the Indy cars
run. He was telling us about everyone he had seen and showing us
the signatures on his shirt. He said
“I got Scott Harrington’s autograph
and he isn’t even here!” What he
meant was, Scott wasn’t racing at
Indy this year.
Steve Zaban (right) approaches A.J. Foyt (center) for his
autograph.
All makes of past Indy Pace
Cars, such as the 1948
Chevrolet at left, participated in
the Pace Car Reunion at the
Brickyard this past May.
At right, the Borg Warner trophy
that will be awarded to the Indy
500 winner, sits glistens in the
morning sun.
Rocket Review
September - October 2006
Page 7
2006 Oldsmobile Homecoming Wrap-up
H
omecoming 2006 is now
just a memory. It was another record-breaking show in many areas.
•
459 show cars REGISTERED
•
32 "For Sale" cars REGISTERED
•
75 vendors using 135 spaces
REGISTERED
•
Over 90 degree temperatures
•
18 on the organizing committee
•
NO road construction on the roads
around us
WOW!!!!!!
We must be doing something
right, as the show continues to
grow. Next time you see a committee member, say "thanks". They
not only work on the show all
year, they "get-it-together" for
show day. Most of the committee
devotes their time and their family's time from 5pm on Friday night
until 5pm on Saturday night!
Fall is now approaching and we will
begin planning the 15th Annual
Homecoming scheduled for JUNE
16, 2007. PLEASE SAVE THIS
DATE TO HELP. Over 100 workers are needed to continue to
make this show a success.
first 500 show car registrants. Trop h i e s f o r " B e s t- of- Show",
"Founder's Award", and "Helen
Earley Award" will be retained.
The 2006 organizing committee
was a diverse group; seven members have been on the committee
since the beginning. In addition to
veteran committee members, several first-time volunteers contributed to the success of the 2006
Homecoming. New ideas mixed
with experience and wisdom created a perfect combination. Now,
we need your help for next year's
show! In particular we need someone to handle registrations. After
MANY years of service, Cathy
Keesaer is leaving registration.
Cathy has done an outstanding job
and we all appreciate her devotion.
In addition to needing someone to
handle registration duties, the
committee has concluded we
should have "apprentices" in all
committee areas. Back-up committee people are needed to work
side-by-side with veterans to insure another successful Home-
coming event; we never know
when an emergency might occur
that prevents a committee member from performing their tasks.
Please contact a committee member and volunteer. We will have
our first meeting for the 2007
show in October.
Thanks to all of you who helped, it
takes everybody to make the
Oldsmobile Homecoming the
"BEST OLDSMOBILE SHOW IN
THE WORLD!"
2006 COMMITTEE
Doug & Judy Badgley
Don & Eva Cooper
Harry and Lori Emmons
Alan Goshka
Ashley Jones
Cathy Keesaer
Wayne Mason
Chuck Mitchell
Ken & Marsha Nicholas
Terry Pinkney
Joe & Shirley Place
Scott Whittaker
Steve Zaban
The 2007 show will feature the
Curved Dash Olds and celebrate
110 years of Oldsmobile. One of
the planned changes for the 2007
event includes eliminating ballot
voting. The committee has decided
to pool money formerly designated
for a registration gifts and trophies,
and purchase a REALLY nice commemorative gift to present to the
The many Oldsmobiles of Homecoming 2006
517-337-0444
517-627-6697
517-485-5998
517-622-2070
517-645-7366
517-655-3158
517-669-8051
517-882-9757
517-663-2397
517-676-4473
517-543-6445
517-622-4378
517-655-2421
Rocket Review
Secretary’s
Report
R.E. Olds Chapter General
Session Meeting
July 11, 2006
7:00 PM
Ken Nicholas brought the meeting to
order at 7:00 PM
There were 27 present at the meeting.
Presidents Report: Ken welcomed
the members and guests. The chapter
was well represented at the national’s
with a number of members attending.
Next years national in 2007 will be held
in Bowling Green, Kentucky, the 2008
national will be hosted in Detroit and in
2009 nationals at the Seven Springs
Resort in Champion, Pa.
Vice Presidents Report: Harry
Emmons was unable to attend the
meeting
Treasurers Report: Dave Violetta
provided the treasurers report. The
starting balance as of May 31, 2006 was
$17,447.23. The revenues for the
month of June were $10,951.00. The
expenditures for the month of June
were $8,419.17 leaving a balance of
$19,979.06. Jim Harsant motioned to
accept the treasures report. Judy
Bagley seconded the motion. The
membership accepted the motion.
Secretaries Report: The minutes
from the June 6, 2006 General Session
meeting were read and opened for
discussion. Mike Ross motioned to
accept the minutes as read. Joe Pohl
seconded the motion. The membership
approved the motion.
Newsletter Report: Wayne Mason
advised the membership that there is
only one more “my first car” article for
the next issue of the newsletter. Please
send your article to Wayne if you have
one. The cost of the news letter runs
$1900.00 per year or $19.00 per
member. The dues are currently
September - October 2006
$10.00 and it may become an issue in
the future.
There are 13 members that have dues
that are current overdue payment. It
was suggested that the newsletter be
distributed to those at the meeting to
save the cost of postage. The
suggestion was tabled as a “nuisance”
item because it would not be worth the
extra work involved for such a minimal
savings and to keep mailing the
newsletter to all members.
The web site: The homecoming
photos should be posted on the website
by the end of August.
OCA Representative Report:
Chuck Mitchell had no additional
information to report.
Membership Chairman Report: Joe
Pohl reported there were 8 paid
members and three new members
registered for the month of June. A Mr.
Wenzel, Mr. Sherman and Mr. Johnson.
Old Business:
Helen Earley memorial: Judy
Badgley presented the draft drawing
of the Helen Earley portrait. Some
comments from the members were
that the portrait did not look like
Helen. . The book being held is too
large and takes away from Helen as
the main focus. The artist will make
the “Setting the Pace” book held in
her hand fuzzier so it didn’t look like
a photo and bring the attention to
Helen. The forehead and mouth
doesn’t represent a good likeness.
The artist will be shown a different
picture of Helen at the museum so he
can draw the portrait more to her
likeness.
The portrait should be completed by
the chapter’s November meeting.
The presentation to the R.E. Olds
museum will be at their annual RE
Olds meeting in December.
Homecoming: The show was big
and hot. The committee met and is
recommending some changes for
show next year. The balloting is a
nightmare it took 4 hours to count
the ballots. It also cost $3,000 for
trophy’s and gifts. The committee is
proposing that the first 500
registered gets a nice commendatory
gift instead of having class trophies.
Page 8
Next year would be the Oldsmobile
110 th anniversary. There will still be
specialty trophies (long distance,
Helen Early etc.) It’s proposed to be
adopted for the 2007 show. Since
there are no “class” trophies, we
need to plan activities to keep people
there through the end of the show.
Joe Pohl presented the motion,
Wayne Mason seconded the motion.
The membership passed the motion
with 25 in favor and 2 against.
Terry Pinkney presented the
Homecoming Financial Report.
The net profit was in line with what
was in the forecast.
Bylaw change request: Troy is
having difficulty getting the
information from the board members.
This will be a topic for next month’s
meeting.
New Business:
Annual Banquet and meeting:
There is a need for a chairperson to
head the annual banquet. Judy
Badgley and Eva Cooper will head the
event. Guerazzi’s was recommended
and accepted by those present. The
planned date is November 18 th.The
minutes were revised to state
the new date for the annual
meeting is November 11th.
Nationals: OCA is developing a
special class for race vehicles for
judging at the nationals. Ken is
requesting any input from the
members for the qualifications for a
“race car” class.
Special event: Mike Ross talked to
the sponsor for the 28th street in
Grand Rapids cruise on Saturday
August 26th. If anyone wants to
attend the event they should contact
Mike. If there is enough interest the
event coordinator will reserve a
special spot for the club.
Archive: Dave Violetta requested to
have a formal archive system for
record keeping of financial and
minutes of meetings and other events
involving the chapter. The board will
have this as a topic item in their next
meeting.
Chapter trailer: Judy Badgley
noted that the trailer is getting dull
Continued page 10 | see Minutes
Rocket Review
Olds Parting
with Willis and Troy
T
his seems to be like a
broken record, but
we haven’t had time to go
anywhere for parts. We still have
Spring Lake and Ravenna yards to
get to. However, we have spent
bucoo dinaros having our stuff
brought to us. Being stuck at home
hasn’t slowed us from getting on EBay, and in “Doc’s” case, off the
phone. So what follows is how we
got in more trouble without leaving
home.
Willis’ Alabama Find
Willis, AKA Doc, AKA Mr.
Brownie, leads off with a couple of
cars that had been down in
Alabama. It wasn’t that he needed
them, they just had a zillion dollars
worth of parts that he didn’t want
some one else to get first. Also, in
his “Doc” persona he has become
an international parts locator and
entrepreneur of “can’t find
and will pay any price for”
parts. In addition to this, he
has his Ram air cleaners and
air scoops for 66 and 67
muscle cars. Even though he
seems a little wrung out at
times and his hair is grayer
and thinner, he tells me he
loves every minute of it. If
you can squeeze a few
September - October 2006
Page 9
minutes from him,
I’m sure he’ll tell you
more about it.
Anyway, there’s a
couple of pictures of
the Alabama cars
within this article.
Next comes one
Willis’ Alabama Find II
from me that I found
o n E-bay. For me,
who long ago ran out of space for
awaiting tear down while the Toro
what I have now, it was another
sits outside behind the garage.
story of the “Devil” on one
Anyway, there is a garage shot
shoulder and the “Angel” on the
picture of it within this article.
other.
Since I haven’t sung in
church choirs for a while, you know
This brings us to our last vehicle
who won don’t you? This time it
which you have heard about for
was a ‘40 70 series coupe over in
two articles now. In case you
Holly, NY. It had the following
forgot by now, I’ll give you a hint
must have items: A complete
(New Castle, PA). This is one
unbroken grill (the last one in super
that’s been waiting about a year to
shape on E-Bay went for over $800
get to leave its (soon to be
greenbacks), a three bar grill guard
divorced if its not out of here)
(only saw one in
owners. Once again it had those
magazines),
a
“must have” parts that Willis or
complete 230 CI
someone needed. Due to all the
straight
six
things I mentioned at the beginning
engine (you read
about
my
Troy’s Treasure
adventure
in
finding a 230
head for the
engine in my 60
series 4dr), a set
of
trumpet
horns (last time seen, never), a
complete set of stainless (no dents),
a banjo steering wheel and a clock
(you always need extra’s). Willis
was kind enough to receive it from
our new found car hauler friend Al
of this article, Willis turned to Al
Maize as I had taken Moms to Vegas
Maize to go and get it (being a
for her (really old but can’t print)
family man, Willis didn’t want the
birthday. It’s in the garage now
responsibility of a possible divorce
on his hands). As with the other
vehicles above, there’s a picture of
this one within this article. Next
issue, we’ll tell you about our trip
to one of our vendor’s birthday
bash and the great cars we saw
there.
Till Later, Happy Oldsing
Willis’ New Castle Find
Rocket Review
September - October 2006
Minutes | continued from page 8
and should be wheeled and waxed.
She motioned that the trailer be
maintained so it would not
deteriorate. Don Cooper seconded
the motion. The membership
approved a not exceed $150.00
budget to check the trailer out and
clean and wax it.
Bylaw Change Proposal
Editor’s note - During the
year, one of our Chapter
members, Mike Ross, proposed
changes to Article 14 of our
current bylaws, which specifies
how our Chapter bylaws can be
changed and the method of voting
on proposed changes. The bylaw
committee, chaired by Troy
Collins, met and discussed Mike’s
proposed changes. On this page,
you will find proposed bylaw
changes assembled by the
committee, using some of Mike’s
original ideas for change. In
addition, our current bylaws are
printed here so that you may
compare current language with
the proposed language.
The proposed bylaw change
will be a topic of discussion at the
September 5th General
Membership meeting of the RE
Olds Chapter, 7 pm at the RE
Olds Museum in downtown
Lansing. Per our current bylaws, a
vote will be taken at a subsequent
General Membership meeting,
most likely our October 3rd
General Membership meeting.
Questions concerning these
changes can be directed to Troy
Collins at (517) 646-0879.
Joe Pohl was invited to the Eyes on
Design show in Dearborn. He won
best of show for the 1966 Toronado.
Joe Pohl made a motion to adjourn the
meeting. Dave Violetta seconded the
motioned. The motion was carried.
Approved Chapter Expenditures:
Current Bylaws, Article 14
14.1 Before presenting a change in
the bylaws to the general
membership for vote, the
proposed change must be
approved by a simple majority
of the Board.
14.2 The membership will be
provided a written copy of
the proposed changes a
minimum of fifteen days prior
to a General Membership
meeting, at which members
will review and discuss the
proposed By-Laws changes.
At a subsequent General
Membership meeting
members shall vote on the
proposed changes.
14.3 A simple majority “yes” vote
of members present will
approve the proposed
changes in the bylaws.
*****
Proposed Bylaws, Article 14
14.1 Before presenting a change in
the bylaws to the general
membership for vote, the
proposed change must be
presented to the Board for
review. After Board review,
the proposed bylaw change
will be sent to the
membership for discussion,
along with the Board’s
recommendation.
Page 10
The membership approved a $150.00
not to exceed amount to refurbish the
trailer
Respectfully submitted: Ed Shand
Secretary. The minutes were
approved by the membership at
the August 1, 2006 meeting.
Thank you Vicki May who brought
in some treats for the meeting.
14.2 The membership will be
provided a written copy of
the proposed change a
minimum of thirty days prior
to the general membership
meeting at which the
proposed bylaw change will
be reviewed and discussed.
14.3 Proposed final changes to the
bylaws will be sent to each
active member who will have
a minimum of 30 days to vote
on the proposed change by a
mailed ballot. For those
members who do not vote by
mail, a voice vote will be
taken at the next general
membership meeting.
14.4 A simple majority of total
“yes” votes cast either by mail
ballot or in-person voting will
approve the proposed change
in the bylaws.
*****
Historical note - In the most
recent updating of our bylaws,
approved by the membership in
October 2005, Article 14 of the
bylaws was not changed. To the
bylaw committee’s knowledge, the
current wording found in Article 14
is as originally established by the
founders of our Chapter.
Rocket Review
September - October 2006
Going Places with Joe & Shirley
W
ell, here we go with
another crazy trip with the
Places!!
On Thursday July 26, we were
loading our ‘69 Hurst Olds in the toyhauler trailer with the wench, and it
wouldn’t pull the car up. So we
charged the battery and got it in the
trailer. (After calling the place where
we got the trailer from and asking
them what was wrong with it!) We
were heading to Canada for the
Canadian Olds Nationals. We had
made reservations with the Days Inn
through the Canada Olds Car club for
a room for three nights, Friday,
Saturday, and Sunday. The car show
was at Balls Falls by Niagara.
We left Friday morning and got to
the motel about 5:30pm. That’s when
the fun (I use that the term lightly)
began. The outside of the motel
should have been a clue; the facade
was fixed with plywood where pieces
had fallen off, and painted the same
color as the building. I told Joe,
“Maybe they’re waiting to get it
fixed.”…Boy was I wrong!! So we go
to the desk and give them our name;
they pull up our file and say, “One
queen bed.” I said, “No, two beds.”
“Well, we have all of your Olds car
club people together.” I said, “I still
want two beds.” So they took fifteen
m i n u t e s r e-p r o g r a m m i n g t h e
computer, “because so many people
were changing rooms!!!” And, they
had us down for only two nights. Clue
number Two!!!
We got our room (with two beds!)
then found out that this motel has
booked more than half the motel for
- get this - A DOG SHOW AT THE
MOTEL!!!!! A dog show, not of little
dogs, but Golden Retrievers!! Big dogs
and puppies. Oh ya, the show ring was
only a few feet outside our room
window!!! The management told us
they don’t bark, and that the dogs are
very well behaved. Clue number
Three. All Dogs Bark, including the
dog in the room across the Hall!!
Oh, I haven’t told you about our
Lovely Room (you know that’s not
true). Clue number . . . well you get
my drift!! Floor needed sweeping; Bed
cover needed washing; Toilet needed
scrubbing, (black ring in there, yuk!)
Bathtub needed replacing, (Rust holes
through the tub!)!! Joe and I decide
to go out and clean the car up for the
next day. We back the car out but not
all the way. Clean it up and went to
put it back inside the trailer and the
battery won’t work. So with the help of
some migrant workers from Trinidad,
we push it back inside!! We go back to
our so called room for the night….And
now there’s barking dogs at 10:30 at
night and no one answers at the desk
when you call. (Go figure.) Wake up
next morning to…You guess it barking
dogs! Joe got up to check on things,
(and get a new battery!!)! I got
dressed and wonder why there were
Page 11
people talking in front of our window. I
open the curtains a little and its raining
cats and dogs (just a pun), but its
raining and a few people and their kids
are standing under the eves by our
window out of the rain. Now we have
WET DOGS in the motel!!!! And it smells
like, let me see, WET DOG?!!! (We also
found out all the other motels are
booked up)!! We left and went to the
show sight for a while, sold some
homecoming t-shirts, then went back to
the motel. Henry, our friend from
Canada and his sister-in-law, Pauline,
wanted to take us to the new casino in
Niagara, so we took off in our truck…..
Did I forget to mention that Joe just
had foot surgery two weeks before, And
was on crutches? Well, with Henrys
wonderful directions we made it there!
We were going to eat at the casino, but
the line was too long, (really long!!).So
Henrys said there was a Buffet a couple
blocks away that we could walk to. Joe
had left his crutches in the truck but
thought he could make it. Well, we
never did find the Buffet and ended up
at a Denny’s that cost $37.00 for a
breakfast and chicken strips& fries!!
(Canadian) We had a good time
though. The next day was better. And
the sun was shining! (The dogs were
happy, too!!! They were everywhere!!)
The Car Show was nice. They had about
65 cars. One couple came all the way
from Nova Scotia. Joe and I DID NOT
STAY ANOTHER NIGHT! We pack up
and got out of the “DOGGY MOTEL”.
We went to London and stayed at a
Holiday Inn. It was so nice!!! The funny
thing is, I was telling the desk clerk that
we just stayed in the motel from (you
know where!!) and he ask us where it
was. I told him the location, and he
knew all about it because he stay there
once -- for two hours!! Oh Well!!
Joe and Shirley Place
Rocket Review
September - October 2006
Page 12
R. E. OLDS CHAPTER
2006 ANNUAL BANQUET
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
•
•
•
•
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Doors open 6 p.m. * Dinner served at 6:30 p.m.
Guerrazzi’s Restaurant (lower level)
15643 So. US 27, Lansing, MI 48906 (in DeWitt Twp, north of State Rd.)
The Chapter’s annual meeting and election of officers will be held after
dinner.
If any members are interested in running for an officer’s position, please
contact Ken Nicholas, President, at 517/663-2397 or Ed Shand, Secretary, at
517/655-4739 or Joe Pohl, membership Coordinator, at 517/323-2342.
We will be having an “Indoor Oldsmobile Model Car Show” during the
evening. Bring an Oldsmobile model or Oldsmobile display (hand-made or
store bought) for the show. We will have display tables available. There will
be judging and Peoples Choice Award. It’s time to “shine and show” your
small Oldsmobile.
Join us for food, fun and friends!
BUFFET DINNER
Pork loin
Braised Swiss Steak
Au Gratin Potatoes
Salad bar
Chef’s choice vegetables
Hot Bread and Butter
Fresh fruit tray
Hot apple Crisp
Coffee or tea
Cash bar
Cost: $10.00 per person
The Chapter has agreed to help with the cost of the meal by contributing $5.00 per meal.
The price on the form has been reduced by this amount.
?-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Cut here and mail with your check
Name ______________________________________________ Phone No. _______________________
Number attending _____ X $10.00 = ________ Send check payable to: R. E. Olds
Chapter
Mail to: Eva Cooper, 13500 W. State Road, Grand Ledge MI 48837
Questions: Eva Cooper 517 / 627-6697 or 517 / 290-8451 or email: [email protected]
Rocket Review
September - October 2006
Map to Annual Banquet at Guarrazzi’s
November 11, 2006
6:30 pm
Page 13
H
HELP WANTED!
ave you always wanted to
become more active in our
Chapter but didn’t know what to
do or where to start? Boy, do we
have opportunities for you! If you
think of our Chapter members as
being part of a team, then think
about this- Teams share the burden
and divide the grief. Teamwork divides
the task and doubles the success.
With those thoughts in mind, we
are trying to lighten the load of
some of our Chapter officers by
spreading their work load. Hence,
we are looking for volunteers to
head up each of the following tasks:
A. Chapter golf shirt order
coordinator, (vendor located in
Dewitt)
B. Chapter meeting programs
coordinator.
C. Be a phone tree caller to
remind members of meetings.
Here is your chance to become
more involve.
Please contact Judy Badgley at
337-0444 if interested.
By the Numbers . . .
F
or those who like
numbers, here are
some stats from the
2006 Homecoming show. You
already know the totals, but here
are some additional interesting facts.
Almost 59% or 269 of our
show cars pre-registered for the
event. It has been said by those who
have worked registration before
that this is a record for our preregistration.
Show cars from fourteen states,
plus Canada participated in this
year’s event. The break-down of
state participation is as follows:
Michigan 344, Illinois 27, Ohio 26,
Indiana 22, Canada 15,
Wisconsin 9, Pennsylvania 4,
Iowa 2, North Carolina 2,
New York 2, Texas 2, Colorado 1,
Florida 1, New Hampshire 1,
Virginia 1.
The number of entries in each class
was another interesting story. Class
16, 1970 - 1972 Cutlass (nonconvertible) contained the most
entries at 27. Class 18, 1970 - 1972
442 & performance (nonconvertible), held the next highest
total for a class with 24 entries. The
‘70 through ‘72 Cutlass body style
was well represented in the show.
The least number of entries in a
class was found in Class 23 and
Class 39. Class 23 included 1973 1980 RWD Omega & Starfire, while
Class 39 exhibited Olds powered
vehicles. Both classes contained only
one entry each. A break-down of
numbers for all classes is shown
below.
Class
16
18
19
33
25
11
17
22
3
6
36
40
5
24
8
12
7
15
20
9
Total
27
24
22
22
20
17
17
17
16
16
16
16
15
15
14
14
13
12
12
11
14
31
4
34
37
21
30
2
13
32
28
29
35
1
27
10
26
38
23
39
10
10
9
9
9
8
8
7
7
7
6
6
6
5
5
3
3
3
1
1
September - October 2006
Rocket Review
R.E. Olds Name Badge Order Form
Name:_______________________________________
Address:_____________________________________
Magnetic
attachment is
standard.
City: _______________ State: _______ Zip_________
If you want
Print Name(s) below exactly how you want
pin attachment
check box
below.
it to appear on your name badge.
1.____________________________________________
2.____________________________________________
3.____________________________________________
4.____________________________________________
Page 14
O
Chapter Jackets
rder forms for ordering an RE
Olds Chapter Jacket can be
found on our Chapter web site,
www.reolds.org. Just click on the
Chapter Merchandise link at the top
of our home page and you will find
forms for not only Chapter Jackets,
but also Chapter Name badges and
Polo shirts. So, just in case you
don’t want to cut up your
newsletter to order Chapter
merchandise, use the handy forms
on our Chapter’s web site. Happy
Shopping!
No. badges ordered _____ x $5.00 = _________
I will pick up badge at
monthly meeting.
Or
Please mail badges to
me.
Add shipping
_________
($1.50 per order)
Total
_________
Please make checks payable to: R.E. Olds Chapter
Please send order form along with check
or money order to:
Ron Severance
2233 Hampden Dr.
Lansing, MI 48911-1636
R.E. Olds Chapter Polo Shirt Order Form
Quality Polo shirt (white or maroon) with Chapter logo, approx. 3” high,
embroidered on top left chest.
Jerzees brand, 2-button, 50/50 poly cotton with stain resistant finish
offered at Chapter cost in men’s sizes below. See a photo of this shirt on
our Chapter Web site, www.reolds.org. Click on the “Chapters
Merchandise” link, then “Chapter polo shirts.”
Name:____________________________________________
w!
Ne
Address:__________________________________________
City: ____________________ State: _______ Zip_________
Circle size(s): S
M
L
XL
2X
3X
I will pick up
from Judy.
Or
Please mail
shirt to me.
White shirt ($18) _________
Maroon shirt ($20) _________
Add $2 for 2X_________
Add $3 for 3X_________
Add shipping _________
($5 per order)
Total
_________
Please send order form along
with check or money order to:
R.E. Olds Chapter
Attn: Judy Badgley
304 S. Clippert St.
Lansing, MI 48912-4606
Please make checks payable
to: R.E. Olds Chapter
Rocket Review
Classified Ads
Classified ads must be received
by the editor on or before the
first
Tuesday
of
publication
month’s (February, April, June,
August, October, December) Cost
of ad is “0” for members and
$ 6 . 0 0 f o r n o n- members. Photos
welcome. Ads will be run once
unless you call the Editor and
request that it be run again!
For Sale - 1929 F-29 Two Door
Sedan - Nearly all original, nice
condition ready to show or drive or it
can be restored. Solid original wood,
interior, top. Additional information
at www.handofshand.com (best
viewed using Internet Explorer)
September - October 2006
Page 15
For Sale - 2004 Final 500 Bravada
Number 410 of 500. Shines and looks
like new, 13,800 miles. Options
include 6 disc in-dash CD player,
Bose premium sound system, sunroof,
side-impact air bags, polished
aluminum wheels, heated seats,
memory pkg, power adjustable pedals,
cargo shade, net and mat, and rain
sense wipers. $25,500. Contact
Wayne Mason at: 517-669-8051 or
cell: 517-719-0834 or email to:
[email protected] for more info.
Etc . . .
A thank-you note was received from the R.E. Olds Transportation
Museum, thanking our Chapter for our $25.00 donation to the museum in
memory of long-time Chapter member Dean Patterson, who passed away in
February of this year.
*****
For Sale - 1988 Cutlass
Brougham Gold in color. 52,000
miles.307 cu in engine with 4 bbl.
Cruise control. $6,900 or B.O. Very
nice car. Call 517 882-8864.
*****
FOR SALE: Lansing built 1965
Oldsmobile Cutlass 2dr Holiday
Coupe. 80,000 original miles, 330 V-8
with 4bbl carb. 2-spd ST-300 auto
trans. Has been repainted at some
point the original Target Red.
Original red interior, no rips, factory
air (not dealer installed), ps/pb. No
rust anywhere on the car. Runs great.
Olds SSIII wheels. Have shop
manuals, assembly manual, original
wheels with wheel covers and extra
transmission that all go with the car.
Additional photos available. Contact
Bill Brandt at (517) 627-3981, or
[email protected] $11,900.
As Deborah Horstik, the Museum’s Executive Director, stated in the
thank-you letter, “Your gift enhances our ability to better fulfill our mission in
preserving the history of Ransom Olds.”
Notice to All Members
The RE Olds Chapter is planning to publish a Chapter Roster, to be distributed
to all members, and would include information as shown in the example below:
Jack & Jill Smith
123 Main St.
Lansing, MI 48911
Ph. (517) 222-0009
[email protected]
If you do not want your name to appear in this roster, please
notify the Chapter in writing by September 30, 2006, at Chapter address
on back cover. No requests for partial information will be included; i.e. If
someone wants their name and address in the roster, but not their phone number
and/or email address, we will not honor that request. Individual requests for
custom information becomes too burdensome to manage.
This roster will be distributed to, and for the use of RE Olds Chapter members
only. When received, members shall not use the roster for any commercial
purpose, or share its contents with anyone outside the RE Olds Chapter.
Questions on this roster may be directed to Wayne Mason at (517) 669-8051.
New Members!
Rick & Tamara Wenzel of Saginaw
Doug & Sandra Johnston of Lansing
Robert & Phyllis Shorman of Perry
Rocket
R.E. OLDSReview
CHAPTER
September - October 2006
Page 16
OLDSMOBILE CLUB OF AM E R I C A
P.O. BOX 80101
LANSING, MI 48908-0101
http://www.reolds.org
Rocket Review
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September - October 2006