The Corvetter Newsletter - Sam Houston Corvette Club
Transcription
The Corvetter Newsletter - Sam Houston Corvette Club
The Corvetter Newsletter Sam Houston Corvette Club Monthly Publication Volume 1 Issue 5 JULY 2012 60 YEARS YOUNG The Corvette is unique in automotive history. No other car has ever achieved 60 years (and counting) of production, and no other car has come close to the romantic reputation of Chevrolet's powerful two-seat sports car. From the President Well, it’s officially hot! Last week was record temperatures in the area. I’ve been here 12 years and still not used to it. The only thing I’m used to is high electric bills during the summer! I better stop ranting or I’ll fill this page up quick. I’ll just give an update for those that missed the past events. June 9th Rick and Lynn DiGiovanni organized and lead the Drive & Movie Run to Conroe’s Star Cinema. It was a nice drive and a much appreciated cool theater to relax a couple hours and watch the movie with lunch. After the movie a few cars followed Mike and Mary Ewers over to Franks Vettes so they could check out an 09 coupe Mike had his eye recently. It didn’t take long with the additional peer pressure upon him and a deal was made. Congrats Mike and Mary! June 30th we had a better turn out then I anticipated (due to rain forecast) and 29 cars attended the Let’em Breath Run through the Sam Houston Forest. Plus several members just showed up at the restaurant to support the club...awesome! July 4th is this week and the party is at the DiGiovanni house and through the evite the rsvp’s are about 40. Bring your swim wear and folding chair, all food and drink (BYOB) is provided by the club. Later in the month is a really cool event we have been wanting to do for years and thanks to John Bruce he has put a nice lunch run to Brenham together with a winery visit that has the grape smashing going on. The winery’s only do this a couple weekends a year so don’t miss this event. One last thing, you should have received your membership renewal in the mail along with a questionnaire. If you haven’t sent your dues in yet...do so now to stay a current member of the club. The questionnaires will be reviewed by the board and findings presenting at the August club meeting and posted in the next Corvetter Newsletter. Thank you to all that have participated. David this issue Presidents Note P.1 Membership info P.2 Calendar P.3 Apparel P.4 NCM news P.5 Corvette news P.7 Past Events P.9 Street Meet P.15 Future Events P.16 Mary & Mike Ewers got a new vette! Sam Houston Corvette Club has it’s own Facebook Group where you can keep up with club news and people. This is a private group not shared with the world. Sam Houston Corvette Club Volume 1 Issue 5 JULY 2012 Meeting Information Membership Info Monthly Membership Meeting Held the first Friday of each month at 7:30 pm at the Westador Club House. Currently we have 156 memberships consisting of about 285 individuals. 17715 Cali Drive, Houston 77090 Monthly Board Meeting New Members Held at 6:30 pm the Tuesday before the club meeting. Contact David Johnson for meeting locations. All members in July Birthdays 2012 Sam Houston Corvette Club Officers: July 4 Gaynelle Hall July 5 Ken Reddix President David Johnson 713-303-6264 [email protected] July 13 Dick Murphy 1st Vice Pres. Van Knox 713-688-7836 [email protected] July 14 Charles McLouth 2nd Vice Pres. Galen Lee 281-655-7554 [email protected] July 14 Ken Losen Treasurer Rick DiGiovanni 281-350-5052 [email protected] July 14 Lynn DiGiovanni Officer-At-Large John Bruce 281-974-6801 [email protected] July 14 Shane Davis Sergeant-At-Arms Rocky Maglio 832-797-2970 [email protected] July 17 Lori Hall Secretary Sam Damico 713-253-5514 [email protected] July 17 Ruth Wiesmann Governor Mike Ewers 281-367-0494 [email protected] July 17 Sandra Love Past President Sid Shackelford 713-906-0311 [email protected] July 19 James Orick July 19 Kelly Mills July 21 Janet Barcelona Committee Heads: Apparel & Raffles Kelly Shackelford 713-760-5702 [email protected] July 22 Carl Volke Car Shows Stephen Alford 832-646-6704 [email protected] July 23 John Lamb Special Projects Van Knox 713-688-7836 [email protected] July 24 Don Vogler Historian Lynn DiGiovanni 281-350-5052 [email protected] July 25 Craig Dunn Membership Sid Shackelford 713-906-0311 [email protected] July 25 Linda Horstmann NCM Ambassador John Bruce 281-974-6801 [email protected] July 30 Lori Howard Newsletter Editor David Johnson 713-303-6264 [email protected] Racing Bruce Carter 281-367-8455 [email protected] Road Trips Jeb Jonas 281-576-4669 [email protected] Socials Sandra Love 832-477-5700 [email protected] Visit the Sam Houston Corvette Club website for more information, news and events and our picture gallery. “Check out the Website” www.samhoustoncorvetteclub.com Sam Houston Corvette Club Volume 1 Issue 5 JULY 2012 SHCC Calendar of Events July 4 4th July Party DiGiovanni House July 6 NO Club Meeting Month of July July 14 SHCC Street Gathering at Munday 7pm Page 15 July 21 Invited to Space City Corvette’s Dinner Ride to Top Water Grill, San Leon TX Info here July 28 Road Trip to Brenham & Pleasant Hill Winery to stomp grapes. Page 18 Aug 3 SHCC Monthly Club Meeting Page 2 Aug 11 No Label Brewery Tour in Katy,TX Page 17 Aug 11 SHCC Street Gathering at Munday 7pm Page 15 Aug 25 Road Trip to Royer’s Round Top Café Page 18 Sept 7 SHCC Monthly Club Meeting Page 2 Sept Event TBD page 14 Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 5 6 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 12 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 July 7 Coffee & Cars—Vintage Park 8am –10am July 21 Open Car & Bike Show— Conroe Oct 27- Wings over Houston Airshow Ellington Field 28 August 2012 July 2012 Sun Other Events Website Flyer here website Sam Houston Corvette Club Volume 1 Issue 5 JULY 2012 SHCC Merchandise If you need apparel Please contact Sid at 713-906-0311. Please check the website for the newest additions and photos to our SHCC Merchandise. We have a lot of new items and new pricing! All merchandise display an embroidered or screen printed club logo. Club Clock $35.00 Ladies T-shirt Scoop Neck (pink, raspberry) 2XL, 3XL $15.00 Club Official Jacket $75.00 Ladies Polo (pink, red, Black) M-3XL $25.00 Club Cap (black racing checker) $15.00 Men’s Pocket T-Shirt (color) L, XL $15.00 Club Cap (red flame) $10.00 Men’s Pocket T-Shirt (color) 2XL, 3XL $18.00 Club Visor (tan, black) $12.00 Men’s Racing Polo (blue, black, red) M-2XL $25.00 Club Tote Bag $15.00 Club Denim Shirt, short sleeve $25.00 Club Ladies V-neck (colors) $12.00 Club Denim Shirt, long sleeve $25.00 Ladies T-shirt Scoop Neck (pink, raspberry) L, XL $12.00 Club T-Shirt (long “racing” sleeve, white) $20.00 Advertisers Buy –Sell—Trade Cars & Car Parts Full Line of New, Used & Preproduction Parts & Supplies at Houston’s Best Prices Major Credit Cards Accepted Gulf Coast Corvette Parts 5940 N. Sam Houston Pkwy. East #319 Humble, TX 77396 Phone: 281-441-2111 Toll Free: 800-546-2111 Fax: 281-441-3057 E-mail: [email protected] www.gulfcoastcorvette.com Sam Houston Corvette Club Volume 1 Issue 5 JULY 2012 From Your National Corvette Museum Ambassador John Bruce Happy Birthday Corvette! June 28, 1953 workers at a Chevrolet plant in Flint, Michigan, assembled the first Corvette, a two-seater sports car that would become an American icon. The first completed production car rolled off the assembly line two days later, one of just 300 Corvettes made that year. The idea for the Corvette originated with General Motors' pioneering designer Harley J. Earl, who in 1951 began developing plans for a low-cost American sports car that could compete with Europe's MGs, Jaguars and Ferraris. The project was eventually code-named "Opel." The first Corvette was hand-assembled and featured a Polo White exterior and red interior, two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission and was designed to be opened from the inside, lacking exterior door handles. The car carried an initial price tag of $3,490 and could go from zero to 60 miles per hour in 11 or 12 seconds, then considered a fairly average speed. In 1954, the Corvette went into mass production at a Chevy plant in St. Louis, Missouri. Sales were lackluster in the beginning and GM considered discontinuing the line. However, rival company Ford had introduced the two-seater Thunderbird around the same time and GM did not want to be seen bowing to the competition. Another critical development in the Corvette's survival came in 1955, when it was equipped with the more powerful V-8 engine. The rest, as they say, is history! 2012 NCM CORVETTE EVENTS* Performance Tour III July 20 - 21 Anniversary Celebration & Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony August 30 - September 1 NCM Benefit at HOD Thunderhill September 5 - 6 Historic Motorama Reunion September 26 - 29* NCM Benefit at HOD Autobahn October 1* R8C Reunion October 4 - 6 1-Lap of Kentucky – Artisans & Musicians October 16 – 20* American Warrior Recognition October 31 Vets 'n Vettes November 1 - 3 *Dates are subject to adjustment http://www.corvettemuseum.com/calendar/ ncm_events_2012.shtml Win a 2013 60th Anniversary Grand Sport! Your next chance to win a Corvette is Thursday, July 12 when we raffle a 2013 60th Anniversary Grand Sport! The car is Arctic White with the 60th Anniversary Package and a Pearl Silver Blue Stripe, Ebony/Dark Blue Interior, 4LT Package with Nav, 6-Speed Automatic Transmission, NPP Dual Mode Exhaust and more. Tickets are $100 and the raffle is limited to 1,995 tickets! Learn more about our raffles, including exclusions and restrictions and purchase tickets online at www.corvettemuseum.org/raffle or call 800-538-3883 during normal business hours. Sam Houston Corvette Club Volume 1 Issue 5 JULY 2012 Cont. From Your National Corvette Museum Ambassador Order here Corvette American Drive T-shirts TSTCORVAMDRIVE Super soft ringspun tee screen printed with Corvette script and emblem overlapping an American flag background. 55% cotton, 45% polyester. $21.95 Corvette American Flag T-shirt TSTCORVTORN Super soft ringspun tee features a Corvette American Flag design screen printed with a soft hand for lighter weight and added comfort. 55% cotton, 45% polyester. $21.95 Check out the National Corvette Museum on Facebook Sam Houston Corvette Club Volume 1 Issue 5 JULY 2012 Corvette News June 16-17 Le Mans, France Corvette Racing has to settle for fifth and sixth at Le Mans Not exactly the finishing order Corvette Racing was hoping for but both the No. 73 and No. 74 Compuware Corvette C6.R race cars were running at the finish of the world's most demanding sports car race. The No. 73 Corvette C6.R driven by Jan Magnussen, Antonio Garcia, and Jordan Taylor completed 326 laps and finished fifth in the GTE Pro category. The No. 74 Corvette C6.R of Oliver Gavin, Tommy Milner, and Richard Westbrook completed 215 laps and was sixth across the line, but was not classified because the car did not complete the minimum race distance. The No. 51 AF Corsa Ferrari won the GTE Pro class by a three-lap margin with 336 laps completed. The No. 73 Corvette crew was relentless as the drivers and mechanics clawed their way back into contention after losing time to a steering rack replacement and electrical problems. With four hours to go, the crew replaced the alternator and then made a series of battery replacements to cope with a problem in the charging system. Le Mans rookie Jordan Taylor did a triple stint at dawn, followed by doubles by Jan Magnussen and a triple by Antonio Garcia. Magnussen drove the car to the checkered flag. The No. 74 Corvette suffered extensive damage in a crash in the Porsche Curves in the 18th hour. Tommy Milner nursed the battered car back to the garage, where the Corvette crew virtually rebuilt the back half of the chassis. After a 2 hours and 12 minute pit stop, Oliver Gavin had the No. 74 back on track. With no possibility of advancement in the final standings, the star-crossed car was held in its garage until the final 40 minutes of the race. Gavin drove the car to the finish in his 12th appearance at Le Mans. Doug Fehan, Corvette Racing Program Manager: "Sometimes in motorsports, the greatest battles that are waged are not against a competitor, but rather against the challenges that one faces. Today was one of those days for both the No. 73 and No. 74 Corvettes. When we got to the 12hour mark, it became clear that it would be difficult to leave Le Mans with a victory. At that point we engaged the enemy head on, which was adversity. I think by any measure, anyone who watched this event saw us emerge victorious against that enemy as we brought both cars home once again to a finish in one of the most brutal, hard-fought battles in our Le Mans history. I think we can all be proud of the passion, the dedication, and that neversay-die attitude of Corvette Racing. Hopefully, our fans enjoyed every minute of it." Sam Houston Corvette Club Volume 1 Issue 5 JULY 2012 Corvette News cont. Antonio Garcia, No. 73 Compuware Corvette C6.R: "All I could do was push, push, push, but in the end it’s not down to us whether we finish on the podium or not. It’s a shame, of course, because the car was really good throughout the race, except for the problems with the steering rack and the alternator. Some years ago you could maybe still hope to make up a five-lap deficit over 12 hours, but nowadays the competition is so tough that the slightest problem puts you out of contention. We’ll have to come back next year for some suitable revenge." Jan Magnussen, No. 73 Compuware Corvette C6.R: "The car was fantastic, very fast and very consistent. My double stint in the morning was the best double I had in the entire race. It’s a shame we lost some time by changing the alternator. Other than that I’m feeling fine when I’m in the car as the adrenaline takes over and I then don’t suffer from my cold and fever." Jordan Taylor, No. 73 Compuware Corvette C6.R: "It was great to race at Le Mans, every stint I've done has been better and better. It was a relief to get through those stints safely, without any mistakes and keeping the car on the track. That's the name of the game here. We didn't make any mistakes, although we did have mechanical problems. It was just beginning to get light when I started, and it was really cool to go through the Porsche Curves at sunrise and then down the Esses at Dunlop, to remember the footage and photos from the old days and to think that I was in the same position as those cars. I'm glad I got to do that kind of stint and feel the history while I was driving." Doug Louth, Engineering Director: "We had the drivers, cars, and team to compete for a win this weekend. It was a pleasant surprise to find our lead increasing at night as the cool conditions are the most challenging for us. It’s unfortunate we weren’t able to leverage our warm weather performance on Sunday afternoon – we expected to gain performance as the temperature increased and for our competitors to drop off. What we ended up with is a fresh reminder of the scope of the undertaking that is the 24 Hours of Le Mans. There are so many details, checklists, and tasks that go into running the perfect 24-hour race. We missed a few of these today and had some bad luck along the way, but we have our 13th Le Mans 24 behind us, and we’re already looking to 2013." 24 Hours of Le Mans GTE Pro Results: Pos./Car No./Drivers/Car/Laps 1. 51 Fisichella/Bruni/Vilander, Ferrari 458 Italia, 336 2. 59 Makowiecki/Melo/Farnbacher, Ferrari 458 Italia, 333 3. 97 Mucke/Turner/Fernandez, Aston Martin Vantage V8, 332 4. 71 Bertolini/Beretta/Cioci, Ferrari 458 Italia, 326 5. 73 Garcia/Magnussen/Taylor, Corvette C6.R, 326 6. 74 Gavin/Milner/Westbrook, Corvette C6.R, 215 7. 66 Cocker/Walker/Wills, Ferrari 458 Italia, 204 8. 77 Lietz/Lieb/Henzler, Porsche 911 RSR, 184 9. 80 Bergmeister/Long/Holzer, Porsche 911 RSR 114 6/18/12 Sam Houston Corvette Club Volume 1 Issue 5 JULY 2012 Past Events June 9th, 2012 was the Drive and Movie Run to Star Cinema in Conroe. We had about 30 people attend on this very hot day on the drive and then lunch while we watched Snow White and the Huntsman. Sam Houston Corvette Club Volume 1 Issue 5 JULY 2012 Past Events June 30th, 2012 Let’em Breath run through Sam Houston National Forest. We had 29 cars on this run to Papp’s on the Lake for Lunch. For the most part we beat the rain and had good little run. After the pit stop was the 13 mile let’em breath road and Kassy lead the way at an average of 110 and it took only 6 minutes. I did hear of one or two cars hitting 140 for a bit. With just a few miles left to the lake Kenny Chandler shredded his serpentine belt and was broke down. But only for a few minutes with the help of Rocky, Rick and Bob. Rick picked up a new belt and ratchet at a near by auto store and the guys had Kenny back on the road in no time. Sam Houston Corvette Club Volume 1 Issue 5 JULY 2012 Past Events June 30th cont. Sam Houston Corvette Club Volume 1 Issue 5 JULY 2012 Past Events June 30th cont. Sam Houston Corvette Club Volume 1 Issue 5 JULY 2012 Past Events June 30th cont. Sam Houston Corvette Club Volume 1 Issue 5 JULY 2012 Future Events The pool is clear and the party is on. Starting time is 2:30. Hot dogs (from a hot dog machine), side dishes, soft drinks, snow cones, SHCC birthday cake will be provided. BYOB. Chairs may be limited so consider bringing your own. Rick & Lynn DiGiovanni Sam Houston Corvette Club Volume 1 Issue 5 JULY 2012 Future Events Sam Houston Corvette Club "STREET GATHERING" We will be meeting at Munday Chevrolet July, August We usually meet, on the 2nd Saturday of the month 7:00pm—9:00pm April 14—May 12—June 9—July 14—August 11 This is a great social time! Ask your family and friends to come on out and check out the beautiful Corvettes on display by our fellow members. Sam Houston Corvette Club Volume 1 Issue 5 JULY 2012 Future Events BRENHAM, TX ROAD TRIP Winery Harvest & Crush For Fun When: Saturday July 28th, 2012 Meeting at: Tomball Lowes at FM 2920 just west of 249 Time: 9:00 AM, Wheels Turning at 9:30 AM Take a leisurely drive to Brenham, TX. 11:00am Eat Lunch at Must Be Heaven Restaurant 107 W Alamo Street at Leave: Must be Heaven at 1:00 pm 1:30 pm Tour the Pleasant Hill Winery $7.00 (includes 4 wine tastings) Crush the Grapes $25.00 (includes a T-Shirt) Bring a towel and some plastic bags to cover your feet, so your Corvette doesn’t have a chance to get dirty. If you have any questions, contact: John Bruce / Theresa Fletcher Email: [email protected] (281-974-6801) Email: [email protected] Pleasant Hill Winery 11 Annual Crush for Fun You get purple feet and a special T-shirt “I picked. I stomped. I made some wine.” This “PleAsAnT” experience is only $25. www.pleasanthillwinery.com 1441 Salem Road Brenham, TX Sam Houston Corvette Club Volume 1 Issue 5 JULY 2012 Future Events No Label Brewery Tour & Tasting When: Meeting at: Time: August 11th, 2012 Tomball Lowes at FM 2920 just west of 249 11:30 AM, Wheels Turning at 12:00 noon The beer tasting is from 1pm –3pm and cost of $5.00 per person. They usually have some really nice food trucks on site. Contact: David Johnson For more information on the brewery click here: No Label Brewery Sam Houston Corvette Club Volume 1 Issue 5 JULY 2012 Future Events Road Trip to Royer’s Round Top Cafe When: Meeting at: Time: August 25th, 2012 Tomball Lowes at FM 2920 just west of 249 9:00 AM, Wheels Turning at 9:30 Get ready for an experience you will never forget! Royer’s Café is in downtown Round Top; (Pop. About 80). The town itself looks like your on a movie set back in time. The food is incredible and the pies are world famous. After lunch you can do some antique shopping within walking distance. From Tomball we’ll travel down to Bellville then through Fayetteville up to Round Top. These are some very nice scenic roads. Supports the Troops with Operation Pie. Royer’s has sent over 2000 pies to Afghanistan and Iraq the past two years. More info here. Sam Houston Corvette Club Volume 1 Issue 5 JULY 2012 STEP BY STEP AGENDA FOR PROSPECTIVE ROAD TRIPS Have you had ideas for a road trip or social event that you think the club would be interested in? We know everyone has been to a place or heard of some place and thought that it would be enjoyable for a group of Corvetters. Well here’s how you can put it on paper to get your potential ideas turned into actual events and placed on the calendar. Check it out and submit it to one of the board members or Jeb Jonas, our Road Trip Committee Head at [email protected]. 1. Starting place, time and date 2. Written itinerary (if applicable) with directions. 3. Map— roads marked. 4. Restaurant name and approximate prices. A menu would be helpful (or website). Talk to someone in charge and confirm that they can accommodate 30 + people. 5. If overnighter, hotel accommodations need to be verified as well as room prices. 6. Package of info will be presented to Road Trip Committee to make sure everything is complete and in order. 7. Total road trip package will be presented to the Officers at the next board meeting and they will approve or disapprove. Their decision is final. 8. If approved, the Road Trip Committee will help finalize details and generally oversee management of the road trip. 9. 15 or more cars are required to constitute an official club road trip. Sam Houston Corvette Club Volume 1 Issue 5 JULY 2012 Deals on Wheels If you have something to sell, trade or give away contact me at [email protected] to get it in the club newsletter. 1997 –2004 Clear Top for coupe. New condition. Contact Mike Ewers at: [email protected] Or 281-367-0494 The Corvetter Newsletter Sam Houston Corvette Club, Inc. PO Box 7637 The Woodlands, TX 77387 www.samhoustoncorvetteclub.com Club Sponsor