issue_60_january_201.. - Fabulous 50`s Ford Club of Manitoba

The
n e w s l e t t e r
ISSUE 60
JANUARY 2011
Proudly Parading for Santa Claus
* FORD * MONARCH * MERCURY * METEOR * EDSEL * THUNDERBIRD * LINCOLN * FORD & MERC TRUCKS *
1949 through 1960
-2-
Fabulous 50’s Ford Club
of Manitoba Inc.
29 Saturn Bay
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 0Z8
INFO. LINE (204) 453-FORD
www.fabulous50sford.com
The Fabulous 50’s Ford Club of Manitoba Inc. is a non-profit organization, dedicated to
the preservation, restoration and enjoyment of 1949 through 1960 Ford cars and trucks. Membership
is open to all 50’s Ford enthusiasts. Ownership of a vehicle from that era is not a requirement. The
club was founded August 1994 and incorporated September 1994.
“The Customline” is published quarterly by the Fabulous 50’s Ford Club of Manitoba Inc. [F.F.F.C.].
Members are encouraged to submit articles for publication. We reserve the right to edit any articles
or information submitted prior to publishing. Members opinions expressed in this publication are not
necessarily those of the F.F.F.C. Articles appearing in this newsletter are the property of F.F.F.C. and
permission to reprint must be obtained in advance.
All Club business is conducted through the official club address listed above. Classified advertising is
free for club members. For business advertising information, please contact the Treasurer.
Membership dues are $30.00 annually on August 1st. Membership includes spouse and family, if applicable. Membership applications may be obtained by calling the club’s Membership Director, or
by writing to the address listed above, or through the club website at www.fabulous50sford.com.
2010 – 2011 Executive and Committee Leaders
President
Vice-President
Treasurer
Secretary
Membership
Show Chair
Silent Auction
Silent Auction
Web-Site
Merchandise
Wellness
MACC Liaison
Newsletter Editors
Police Car
Roster
Ford Phone Line
Albert Lannoo
Adrien Poirier
Betty Lannoo
Doug Mosset
Dick Makar
Betty Lannoo
Joanne Bremaud
Silvia Hidara
Larry D’Argis
Betty Lannoo
Pat Keller
Gene Hnatuk
Karn and Joe Sandy
Randy Oleskiw
Betty Lannoo
Larry D’Argis
453-4871
488-1679
453-4871
735-2896
888-4939
453-4871
222-0975
255-5962
487-1559
453-4871
338-8163
253-5893
338-9590
338-5765
453-4871
487-1559
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[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
slest01@,mts.net
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
INTRODUCING THE NEW 2011 F-150
With 4 high-tech new engines, including a revolutionary EcoBoost engine, the
toughest truck line-up in the class is now the most powerful and the most fuel
efficient too.
It tows the most in the class - up to 11,300 LBS.
It hauls the most - up to 3,060 LBS.
It generates the most available power - up to 411 HP.
It gets you the most bang for your buck at the pump - up to 23
MPG HWY.
10 distinctive models. 3 cab configurations. 3 box lengths.
Whatever you need a truck to do best, the F-150 line-up delivers.
This is the future. This is the new 2011 F-150.
What a Dealership Should Be
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The President’s Message
January 2011
Happy New Year! Here we are well into the first month of the
new year. I hope you all had a great holiday season and enjoyed your time with family and friends.
In November we lost a long-time member and good friend Bill
Norris. It was good to see so many members at the services
celebrating Bill’s life. Our thoughts are with Linda as she copes
with the loss of her soul-mate.
The Club entered a float in the Annual Winnipeg Santa Claus Parade on November 13th. Once again we
lucked out on the weather and all went well. Thanks to Bob Stefishen, Carl Holly and all the volunteers who
came out to decorate and de-decorate, walk, or ride the float. Thanks to Chuck Lee, Dale Hickey and Ron
Lambert for bringing their convertibles out of storage, to Barry Searcy for the use of his tractor and trailer,
and, of course, the Band. The real reward to all this is when you see the smiles on all the children’s faces as
you move down Portage Avenue. This is quite a task that has to be put together in a very short time yet, with
a lot of fun, it seems to fall into place. Thanks again to all those who came out and helped.
Our thanks go out to Candice Blair, John Novak, Adrien Poirier and Marcia Galvin for organizing our Christmas Party this year. It was a fine job done by all! The evening started off with a delicious turkey buffet with
all the trimming and desserts. Hats off to the Viscount Gort Hotel for the excellent meal and service. Following this great meal, we all enjoyed the tunes played by the DJ, speeches, prizes, and games and before we
knew it, it was time to go. Thanks for the fun night! We understand that Candice and John are willing to
take this on for “one more year”.
Our Breakfast gatherings have started up again - the second Sunday of the month from now to May at
Bob’s Steakhouse in Headingley (beside the Co-op). So far we have had record attendance. If you haven’t
come out yet you may want to consider joining all of us for lots of chatter, jokes and whatever happens to be
the topic of the day.
Members are already planning their trips for 2011. Several will be going “Back to the 50’s” and to the
“Devil’s Lake Run”. Others find it a bit cold here in Manitoba this time of year and are heading down south
to enjoy a few months of sunshine and warm temperatures, golfing, swimming, and taking in the Barrett Jackson Auction, and car shows, southern-style.
March 12th is the date set for our Annual Bowling Night at Mosienko Lanes - 1132 Main Street at Redwood.
We want to start promptly at 7:30 pm so plan to arrive earlier to form teams, etc. Tickets can be picked up
at our Club Meeting or you may call Norm Huley at 669-0828 or Pat Keller at 338-8163. In the past this
has been a very popular event so come on out and find out why we have so much fun bowling.
March 25th to March 27th is “World of Wheels”. Our Club will be entering a Club Display once again and we
are looking for 6 vehicles to enter in our display. If you would like to enter your vehicle please let me know
as soon as possible as the spots are expected to go quickly. You can call me at 453-4871, e-mail me [email protected], or see me at the January meeting on January 27th. We are required to provide a picture of the participating vehicles so please provide a photograph with your request.
Time is flying, so those of you who are working on those winter projects better get at it cuz cruisin’ time is
really not that far away. Until we see you again, keep warm, get those projects done, enjoy your winter
holiday’s down south, stay healthy, and don’t forget to keep checking the Ford Info Line and our Website for
all new events and updates.
Bye for now,
Albert
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MANUFACTURERS OF QUALITY OUTERWEAR
TEAM AND PROMOTIONAL JACKETS
RICK WILK
PHONE: 204 - 774-0063
FAX: 204 - 783-8819
701 HENRY AVENUE WINNIPEG, MB. R3E 1T8
MANUFACTURERS OF SWISS EMBROIDERY
ON GARMENTS AND CRESTS
TRENT AND TREVOR WILK
701 HENRY AVENUE
WINNIPEG, MB. R3E 1T8
PHONE: 204 - 774-7728
FAX: 204 - 783-8819
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Club Merchandise
To order club merchandise other than jackets, call Betty
at 453-4871 or email her at: [email protected]
T-Shirts
Sizes: Small, Medium,
Large, XL and 2XL
Cost: $10.00
Club Donations to date: $58,884
T-Shirts
Sizes: Youth, Small,
and Large
Cost: $10.00
Club Jackets
T-Shirts
Summer and winter jackets
are custom-fit with arm
badges with your name and
vehicle with the Fabulous
50’s Ford Club of Manitoba
logo on the back.
Sizes: Youth, Small,
Medium, Large, XL,
XXL, and XXXL
Cost: $10.00
Fall/Winter Jacket
$250.00
Black wool melton with white
leather sleeves
Spring / Summer Jacket
in white or black
$150.00
Fabulous 50’s Ford Club T-Shirts
Black w/White Crest
Sizes: Large and XL
Cost: $10.00
White w/Colored Crest
Sizes: Large and XL
Cost: $12.00
Ford Caps
Black or White mesh
or Black cloth
Call Rick at Star Sportswear at 774-0063 to arrange for
a fitting and to discuss cuff preferences and other options. You will need to present your membership card
when ordering your jacket. Star Sportswear is located at
701 Henry Ave. Winnipeg, MB., R3E 1T8.
Cost: $10.00
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Club News and Other Stuff
Business Meetings
Meetings start at 7:30 pm at the
Viscount Gort Hotel, 1670 Portage
Ave. Meetings are always held on
the last Thursday of the month.
2010/11 Election of Club Officers
Gene Hnatuk conducted the annual election at the October meeting where all
incumbents were returned by acclamation to thunderous applause.
Many club members enjoy getting
together for dinner in a special section of the restaurant before the
meetings. Everyone is welcome to
join in the fun. Newsletters are distributed at the meetings that are
marked in red.
2011 Meeting Schedule
January 27
March 31
May 26
July 28
September 29
November 24
February 24
April 28
June 30
August 25
October 27
No Dec. Meeting
New Members
Please refer potential
new members to Dick
Makar, Membership
Chair at 888-4939 or
[email protected]
In the past few months,
we have welcomed the following
new members into the club:
Tony and Lorraine Labossiere
Vern and Ann Bond
Breakfast Gatherings
Bob’s Steak House
Headingley beside Coop
9:15 AM
February 13
April 10
March 13
May 8
Based on the first breakfast gettogether, it seems that the Headingley location works. We had a
table the full length of the restaurant
and we filled it and had to spill over
into the booth behind us.
Standing: Adrien Poirier, Vice-President, Doug Mosset, Secretary. Sitting L to
R: Albert Lannoo, President, Betty Lannoo, Treasurer, with John Platt, Past
Chairman of the Board, Children’s Rehabilitation Centre Foundation.
Come Bingo Bowling with the Club
Billy Mosienko Lanes
Saturday, March 12, 2011 at 7 pm
Cost: $10.00 / person
Why is this location such a good
venue? Well, to start with, there’s
lots of parking, nobody tries to rush
us through our breakfast and chattering, and you get a lot of food at
a decent price. Now this is our kind
of place!
This is a fun event requiring no skill; only a
sense of humour and an intention to throw
the bowling ball in the right lane. Tickets
are available at meetings or by calling
Norm Huley at 669-0828 or Pat Keller at
338-8163.
-8-
Meet Otto So’s special birthday
present. Her name is Mattie and she
is a 24 pound Maine Coon Cat. And
that’s not all that’s new with Otto
and Roberta. Otto has sold his only
Ford and captured the moment with
his usual photographic artistry!
Club Breakfasts
We’ve been having around 30 people turn out for our breakfasts gettogethers at Bob’s Steakhouse. It’s
a great chance to get caught up on
the members’ chatter, such as learning that Marcel Lafond is still carless after selling his 1957 Ford Fairlane.
Fab 50s club
member, Lorne
Edwards, is now
President of the
Portage la Prairie Vintage
Cruisers. He
has been a
member of the Vintage Cruisers
since he was 15. His first vehicle
was a 1953 Ford 1/2 ton truck (as
shown on the right side of this
photo).
Newsletter Update
It’s okay though because he’s been
busy getting a nifty paint job on his
1948 Desoto Suburban.
We are always looking for articles
and sometimes we have to beg your
patience when some of the stories
have to be held over to the next
issue. Such is the case again this
time but I expect to catch up in the
April edition. Thank you for participating and keep those articles coming.
If there were an award for most
determined reporter this issue, it
would have to go to Darrell Sheppy.
After a life-altering health warning,
Darrell had to convince his wife to
bring him a laptop to the hospital so
that he could write up the article he
had promised for the January newsletter. We are so glad she agreed!
The 1950 Desoto Club Coupe had a
slight misfortune with fire on the
dash so all the wiring and gauges
have been removed for careful inspection. There’s never a dull moment in the So household!
Devils Lake Plans
To get the reduced registration fee
for Devil’s Run, contact Marcia
Galvin as soon as possible at 4881679. She wants to conclude this
quickly. Pat Keller’s block of rooms
at the Casino are already committed and accommodations are difficult this year so check soon.
Now that the article has gone to the
press, we wish him well and look
forward to hearing that he has successfully completed his personal and
car restoration projects. Apparently
that will mean fewer steaks and no
bleu cheese burgers but perhaps a
sip of the red wine
from time to time.
Mario Palumbo
[who is not a club
member] provided
the great cover
photos of the Santa
Claus Parade as
well as some parade photos on
page 29.
-9-
Seeking Help, Please
We have been doing the newsletter
for six years and are looking for
help so we can go away for 2 or 3
months this summer without guilt that
the newsletter will not get out. We
won’t abandon the job; only “jobshare” it with interested parties. If
you are curious about what might be
involved, contact us and we’ll see
what we can come up with. Possibilities include any combination of
writing stories, preparing photographs, setting up the newsletter in
Office Publisher, etc. Please call
Karn at 204-338-9590 to discuss. I
will be waiting by the phone for
your call.
Remembering Tom Milne !
We lost another great car guy in
December when Tom Milne lost his
battle with cancer. Tom was the Past
President of MSRA, a man with a
prodigious knowledge of cars generally and hotrods in particular, and an
employee at Piston Ring. He was a
big guy with an even bigger heart.
Tom, his wife Kathy, and daughter
Dana are all well-known auto hobbyists and very involved in MSRA’s
Rodarama. Many Fab 50s members
gathered with Tom’s family and other
friends to celebrate Tom’s life.
Remembering …...
Travel On
By Linda Norris
As told by Larry D’Argis
The Fabulous 50's Ford Club was
founded on the era as much as the
cars and part of the era was
the music. We continued to include
that music in whatever we do.
The club held a "Sweethearts
Dance" as a club fundraiser on February 3, 1997 at the International
Inn. We had a plan to resurrect the
Teen Dance Party theme for the
evening so we invited Bob Burns the
original host of "Teen Dance Party"
and "Bob & The Hits".
Club member Ray Wheeler of Specialty Music had all of the dance
tunes we needed. Bob introduced
the music and commented from the
same type of lectern he used at
CJAY-TV.
The weather was cold and the attendance wasn't what we had hoped
for, but for the crowd of about 300
people we did have, it was a great
night!
We also had "Mr. Rock N Roll"
Wayne Walker out for the evening
as one of Manitoba's first recording
artists. Both Bob and Wayne were
welcomed into the club as Honorary
Members that evening and even had
club jackets made up later on.
Bob, Wayne and other Honorary
Members, Burton Cummings, Jack
Skelly, and Joe Profeta have been
very helpful over the years promoting our club and the Flashback
Weekend.
Sadly, Jack
Skelly,
Wayne
Walker and
now a "Burns
Called
Bob" are no
longer with
us today. In
many ways
they all conBob Burns
tributed to
the recording
industry and the era itself. They are
club members departed but never to
be forgotten.
Over the years I had often heard the
words “God drives a Ford, you
know!” While the words often caused
me to laugh, it did seem that the Fab
50 Ford Club almost always had favourable weather for their September Flashback weekend and car
show. Well if you need any more
proof that God drives a Ford, then
read on.
Manitoba had an unbelievably warm
early November. On the 8th of Nov.,
while I hung Christmas decorations
outside, my husband Bill took our old
car, the 1958 Meteor Rideau 500, to
the car wash and on the way back
changed the insurance ready for winter storage. After wiping down the
car and adding fuel line stabilizer, it
was time for the ‘baby’ to be put to
bed until spring. The only other
things required for storage I could
help him with later.
We had a date to meet in the garage on November 23rd when I finished line dancing. I was to help Bill
check the antifreeze, disconnect the
battery, cover the tail pipe (in case
any field mice wanted to winter
there), and then ,as a safety measure, put moth balls in a pan under the
hood and inside the car. That didn’t
sound too bad. I was sure I would be
up to the task under his direction.
Never before had Bill stood me up
for a date, but that day he did! He
said he didn’t feel well which was not
unusual for his pain level with Rheumatoid Arthritis. He went to bed for
a rest and never got up. He suffered
a massive intra-cerebral bleed and
succumbed in the early hours of
Nov.24th.
That night, while trying to grab a
little sleep in my shock and grief, I
had the most vivid dream! I was
very directed (by the Divine? Or Bill?
Or Angels?) to have the old car go to
his funeral! There were clearly four
conditions though: 1) that insurance
be put back on; 2) that only Bert
Wozny (our neighbour and a fellow
classic car owner) be allowed to
drive it; 3) that Bert and his wife Leslie not be at risk taking it to the fu- 10 -
Bill Norris
1939—2010
neral (“Remember Linda, that people are more important than
metal!”); and lastly, that the car not
sustain any damage!
WOW! I jumped out of bed energized by the dream! I phoned Bert
with all the plans and he willingly
followed all my directions. By then,
the temperature was -24 C and the
first thing he did was to check if the
car would even start! He said it
coughed twice and then purred like
a kitten. Then he was off to our insurance agent to see about shortterm insurance. Cockerill Insurance
here in Sanford was most cooperative and we obtained a four
day insurance policy. Scott, Catherine, and Barb had been Bill’s
friends and enjoyed his daily visits
to the post office located in the
same building) So with insurance on
the vehicle, it was time to see how
MIC (the Meteor) liked winter driving. Bert took it out on several test
runs around Meadowbrook which is
the 50+ complex where we live. I’m
quite sure several of the neighbours
thought he/we were nuts! Who
drives a classic car in the dead of
winter?
November 27th dawned cold and
clear with a bright blue sky and
every tree and bush was covered
with hoar frost. The snow in the front
yard glittered with diamonds.
Once again, the old car obliged and
I was able to get just a couple of
quick photos before a wind took all
the hoar frost off the trees.
THIS WAS THE BACKDROP THAT BILL
HAD ALWAYS WANTED FOR A PICTURE OF HIS CAR!
In discussion over the years and in
admiring pictures of other classic cars
in the Fab 50s newsletter, Bill always
said that a winter scene would show
his car the best!
It was only 8 a.m. but I phoned Bert
with my urgent request. “You have to
start up the old car and pull it out of
the garage so I can get the picture
that Bill always wanted”. Poor Bert.
He had to hurry, dress, and meet me
outside. What a great neighbour!
Bert told me that the car had very
little gas so he was going to take it
for a highway test run to Oak Bluff
12 km away. It seemed only a
short time later that Bert was at the
door in a panic. Bill’s Meteor had
stalled right at the cemetery! Several other neighbours and highway
drivers had stopped to help but to
no avail. All efforts to start the car
had failed!
While Bert stood at the door so upset, I started to laugh. A CLEAR
MESSAGE HAD BEEN SENT. It was
not the car that was to go to the
funeral, but the dream picture of it!
With the help of CAA, and good
neighbours including Bert, MIC 58
was returned home and pushed
safely into place for the winter!
Now you tell me. Does God drive a
Ford?
- 11 -
You might think that is the end of the
story, but it isn’t! A few weeks later,
after the funeral, I had to complete
my Christmas shopping. As I walked
into Zellers to buy our two young
grandsons a shirt to go with their
other presents, I gazed heavenward
and said “You better help me with
this, cause I just don’t know how I’m
going to manage”.
I felt myself pushed to a clothes rack
where I pulled out a top, and there
it was - a great big “58” in bold
print on the front of the shirts. They
were hanging there in two different
colors in just the right size!
Come cruising season, I’ll get a picture of those special boys in their
”58” shirts and add to my memories!
Thanks to all the Fab 50 members
who phoned, sent e-mails, and attended Bill’s funeral.!
With your help, come spring, MIC
58 will start up and I’ll be ready to
TRAVEL ON.
Linda Norris
- 12 -
The Balancing Beam
Sponsored by
- 13 -
The MSRA Toy Run is a Cruising Enthusiast’s Car Show
Photos by Deborah Evans, Karn
Never have so many car folks gone so
willingly to a Tax Centre and plopped
themselves down for a day in the parking lot. It is a welcoming venue for the
annual MSRA Toy Run and the cars kept
coming and coming until the car show hit
a new participant record of over 350
vehicles.
While most participants still bring a toy
as their admission fee, each year more
people make a financial contribution
which, together with the toys, goes directly to the Children’s Rehabilitation
Foundation.
There’s music, food, car show t-shirts
and other merchandise, and lots of rubber-necking as everyone checks out the
wide range of beautiful vehicles on the
lot.
This event feels like a car/truck person’s
show because, while there are public
spectators, the vibe is more one of hobbyists enjoying each others’ vehicles
while checking to see who has come out
this year.
The adjacent shopping mall lures some
of the ladies who proudly display their
bargains. JoJo’s hat attracted its fair
share of comments.
The Children’s Rehabilitation Foundation
[CRF] is a wonderful cause which helps
children with life-time disabilities. Both
the Fab 50s and MSRA have made it
their charity of choice and more car
clubs are coming on board. This year,
Lee Farmer from the Prime Steel Club in
Grand Forks, N.D. drove his 1934 Ford
Victoria to the Toy Run to bring a new
bike and a $100.00 donation from
their club. And the Manitoba Mustang
and Ford Association donated a new
tricycle and two-wheeler. Nice to see!
Another neat feature of the Toy Run is
the large number of MSRA volunteers
who are also Fab 50’s club members.
No wonder it feels so much like “home”!
All in all, it was a wonderful fall day
made even more delightful by the comraderie of all our fellow car folk and
the obvious display of the vibrancy of
the local car/truck hobby and the international friends we’ve made.
- 14 -
As the show winds up, there are the final participant prize awards and one lucky person
walks away with more than $1,000 from the
50/50 draw. After eighteen years, this car
event is as popular as ever.
- 15 -
Meet Members Lionel and Beatrice Kuran and their 1953 Lincoln Cosmopolitan
In his younger years, Lionel had a 1930 Chevy that could
outrace a 1933 V-8 Ford for the first quarter mile. Being a farm lad, it was a bonus that his Chevy was a 2
door Coach with roomy access into the back. This allowed Lionel to transport wood and year-old calves in it.
Another favourite car was his 1929 Willys Overland
Whippet which came equipped with a hot water heater.
This is the car that he courted his future wife, Bea, in and
she obviously enjoyed the car as well.
We met Lionel at a club breakfast at the Pony Corral.
Over coffee and breakfast, we learned that Lionel still
holds his pilot’s license and he still helps out on the family
farm where the tractor is about 55 years old and Lionel
is somewhat older.
Lionel was raised on a farm and he attended Grades 1
to 12 at Balmoral Consolidated School. He has the most
varied work experience of anyone I have ever met, including stints as switch man and head end brakeman on
the railroad, elevator and escalator attendant, bus
driver, teacher, bush pilot, high school principal, adult
university student, Assistant Deputy Minister, and projectionist at a theatre. And I’ve just touched on a bit of his
background to give you an idea of how diverse it has
been. Even after retiring in 1983, Lionel would be recalled for short periods of time to take on special assignments.
He has held several leadership positions within the Masons and Shriners and been on several boards and commissions.
He is an engaging fellow and he totally piqued our interest when he said that he and his wife Beatrice have a
1953 Lincoln Cosmopolitan Hardtop.
As his story unfolded we discovered that Lionel’s fascination with cars began long before he locked eyes on his
Lincoln.
When Lionel and Bea married, their wedding car was his
1947 Mercury. They drove the car on their honeymoon
to Niagara Falls and thankfully the trip was blessed with
only one car-related incident - a flat tire.
- 16 -
Her paint is two-tone Esquire green and the interior is
upholstered in a contrasting two-tone brown and tan nylon frieze.
Of course the car is an important part of this story but
Lionel’s first and enduring love is for his wife Beatrice
whom he met at a baseball tournament. Fortunately for
Lionel, Beatrice has also embraced the auto hobby.
They have now been married for 59 years and have
three children who also enjoy these kinds of cars.
When their oldest daughter, Kathryn, got married in
1974, it was only natural that the Lincoln should be the
wedding car. Both the bride and the wedding car
looked especially beautiful on her special day.
One of his all-time favourite cars is the 1951 Studebaker
Commander. What a car it was!! There was very low
maintenance cost and gas consumption was a very respectable 26 - 28 miles per gallon.
And then there is the Lincoln. It was love at first sight
when Lionel first saw a brand new 1953 Lincoln but the
sticker shock led him to pursue more modest means of
transportation at the time.
Some years later, as a member of the Khartum Shriners,
Lionel was involved in establishing the vintage cars unit.
After making a trip to Medora to purchase a Studebaker, Lionel got into a conversation with the seller about
Lionel buying the car for the vintage car unit. Upon hearing this, the seller told him “Lionel, you want class for
that!” and then led Lionel to a garage door behind which
was a prize that would make even Monty Hall gasp.
It was a 1953 Lincoln A Cosmopolitan Club Coupe with
97,000 original miles. Lionel must have thought he had
died and gone to car heaven. The Lincoln had never
been driven in winter and it was exactly what Lionel had
wanted for so many years. Needless to say, Lionel
made the deal and drove the car home in comfort.
After the wedding, Lionel drove the car into the garage.
Unfortunately, the wedding decoration was still on top of
the car and it got crushed when the car got parked.
Larry D’Argis profiled the Lincoln in a Winnipeg Free
Press article on December 19, 2008 which made my task
of describing the car, the owner, and the history of Lincolns oh-so-easy. Thanks Larry!
Since acquiring the Lincoln, Lionel and Beatrice have
racked up more than 30,000 miles. Memorable destinations in the Lincoln include Minneapolis,
Grand Forks, Fargo,
The Pas, Regina, Brandon, Gimli, Selkirk
and many trips of
similar or shorter distances.
From Larry’s article I learned most of the information in
the rest of this article including that the Lincoln car was
named after President Abraham Lincoln and that after a
production run of only 150 vehicles, the company was
forced into bankruptcy before being bought by Henry
Ford for about half the value of the company. He was a
shrewd man, that Henry Ford, as the Lincoln has become
a mainstay in the Ford line-up ever since.
The ‘53 Lincoln Cosmopolitan came from a production line
of only 6,562 cars. Apart from a new paint job in 1981
and regular maintenance, the car has been retained as
original.
Its factory 317.5 cubic-inch V-8 Lincoln engine was touted
for delivering exceptional fuel economy for its class.
Add a Hydra-Matic automatic transmission, four-way
power seat, power windows, AM radio, and tinted glass
and she’s as comfy on a cruise as she is beautiful.
Lionel first heard
about the Fabulous
50s Ford Club from
talking with club VicePresident Adrien Poirier at a display at the
Pony Corral on St. Mary’s Avenue. Since joining the club,
they have attended several car club events and car
shows such as the Crimestoppers fund-raiser, Flashback
Weekend, Super Run, and MSRA’s Toy Run. And we look
forward to cruising with them again in the years to come!
- 17 -
Darrell Sheppy Updates Us on his 1955 Ford Customline Rebuild
After some delay, I am pleased to
continue chronicling the rebuilding of
my 1955 Ford Customline. Our plans
were to have had it done late in the
summer of 2010 and take it on a
trip to Winnipeg and attend our first
club meeting. My wife and I had
been looking forward to meeting
members and putting faces to
names.
Unfortunately, south-western Ontario
summer storms swept in and brought
tornados to the area. The paint shop
was located just outside the path of
the tornado that caused millions of
dollars damage to Leamington and
Kingsville, Ontario. The good news
was that my car was fine but the
shop took close to a month to recover. Along with some other unforeseen build issues, we lost our opportunity to complete the car in 2010.
Since the year was gone, we all
pulled back a little and I added
some work to the rebuild. JH Restorations purchased this 351W foam
mock-up block which was used to
determine oil pan clearance (there
was none) to the cross member.
close, but would have had to be cut.
As soon as they are complete, we
will be able to fire up the engine.
This is the finished product.
We continued on the rest of the summer with simultaneous exercises of
mechanical build and paint prep. The
car was blocked and blocked again
and again to make it as smooth as
possible. A paint finish was chosen
which ended up as base black, clear
and red ghost pearl, with additional
pearl coats. The red pearl travels so
far in the clear we are only using a
small amount to leave the car appear
to be deep black, but a deep wine
colour pops in the sun. I decided to
call it Shiraz Black Pearl, seeing as it
has no real name. I am leaning toward an ivory roof with gold pearl,
but have not made a final decision.
This would match the colour scheme of
the interior.
This photo shows the 9 inch getting the shocks fitted.
Coilovers mounted rear ….
The frame was finished and parts
installed to ensure clearances. We
retained the 9 inch and rebuilt it,
adding coil overs and a panhard bar
to maintain alignment. QA1 shocks
with dual adjustment were used on all
four corners.
They then went about creating the
clearance and strengthening the
cross member to accommodate the
change. The oil pan was also reworked. The next photo shows the
removal, gusset and fill plate.
Then a Tremec 5 speed and Ford
crate engine were fitted and a search
went out for headers that would clear
the steering universals. This proved to
be much harder than I had imagined.
….and front..
Almost finished chassis construction
We ended up having to build headers as the sets we ordered were
- 18 -
As work was finishing up on the exterior and chassis, interior work began in earnest. Sound deadening
insulation was applied to the floor
pan, the interior was out for recovering and the dash was started. Wiring was underway and it was to be
100% redone with a purchased harness and a lot of patience.
The dash was modified to mount the
three gauges designed to match the
clock face and heater controls by
Classic Instruments. They were able
to provide needle indicators to
match the clock very closely.
Editor’s Note: We
are getting to
know Darrell and
Debra’s car but
since they plan to
come out and
meet us when the
car is finished, I
asked Darrell for
a photo of them.
All the lines and brakes are complete, as is the drive train clutch and
driveshaft. I am getting more anxious to see the completion. It will be
about a two year endeavour.
This is the current appearance and
if invited to finish the story, I’ll provide the final chapter in this neverending saga.
JH Restorations did a beautiful job
of fitting them just right, clearing the
radio and centering the three with a
slight angle toward the driver.
This was one of the added steps
referred to earlier. There was a lot
of discussion deciding on the benefits
and admittedly, I am pleased we
did add the insulation. From all accounts, everyone who has, is happy
they did.
The wiring pictures show the harness
at the beginning stages.
I wish everyone a great new year
and look forward to seeing you in
the summer.
Darrell Sheppy
Eastwood insulation was used to provide some quiet and a barrier
against the heat, allowing the air
conditioner to keep us in the style we
want to be accustomed to.
A Wise
Owl
Ponders….
Do you know why a car’s windshield
is so large and the rear view mirror
is so small?
Because viewing our past is not as
important as driving towards our
future as it unfolds before us.
The AC is visible in this photo.
- 19 -
So let’s look ahead and TRAVEL ON!
It’s a time-tested formula for a good time
and each year the Pumpkin Run adds yet
another element. This year we added
group puzzle solving and with steely determination, an ever-changing group of participants toiled away at a puzzle that featured
car museums.
The Pumpkin Run Gets Bigger and Better
We got off to an early start when the “set
up” volunteer crew showed up and found
that Doug and Carol had the hall fully prepared already. So, while some people got
right down to swapping stories, others began the arduous task of solving the puzzle
outline.
As more participants arrived, the chatter
level grew and other games began - floor
shuffleboard, beanbag toss, Chase the Ace,
cribbage, and others. Others were content
visiting amongst themselves and enough
members had brought their old cars out for
the day that a trip outside to see them drew
more than the smokers in the crowd.
The BBQ Crew cooked up roast beef, burgers, and hotdogs and the Kitchen Crew
ensured that a sumptuous buffet of hot and
cold items would be served up “just right”!
Gene conducted a 50/50 draw. If I could
find my notes, I would tell you who won and
how much. Suffice to say, I didn’t win.
As table numbers were drawn to determine
who would get their food first, some of us
tried to cajole those with mounds of food on
their plates to share. Again, no luck!
Participants have made this potluck dinner
an absolute feast and there is always
enough for seconds and even “take home”
portions of some items.
The bonus is that even when they had been
fed, a small and determined core of folks
came back to tackle the car puzzle. By
perseverance and puzzle-ability, they got
the job done!
While they were putting the finishing touches
to the puzzle, the kitchen was a whirlwind of
clean-up activity. Dishes were washed and
dried, containers returned to their donors,
and food leftovers distributed. At the same
time, the hall was busy too with tables being
cleaned and put away and floors swept.
As they were leaving, Bob and Pat Keller
claimed dibs on bringing next year’s puzzle
to be solved.
Many thanks to Doug and Carol for hosting
again, to all the cooks who contributed, and
to the Telephone Committee who made sure
we knew to come!
- 20 -
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- 23 -
2nd Anniversary Update by Eric Lubig
Well, a couple of years have
passed since I introduced you to my
project in the January 2009 edition
of “The Customline”. To recap:
I received a 1956 Monarch 2 Dr
hard top Custom from my Father’s
stable of cars. I had been eyeing
this one for years, but because I am
the baby of the family, I knew that
my oldest brother was first in line.
Much to my surprise, big brother
gave up dibs. I said “Thank You”
although I did have to pay for it.
This was my Dad’s FIRST and ONLY
new vehicle, EVER. I have some cool
pictures of it near a bridge in Ontario when it was only months old,
and another at some location with
the Zepplin in foreground flying in.
Dad drove a lot.
From the previous article, you know
that it was in pretty rough shape.
Getting involved with the Fabulous
50’s club has been most satisfying from learning all about these 50’s
cars to the tremendous help I receive
when the gang ventures north of the
perimeter to chop/cut/rebuild.
tion location. There’s no point in
cleaning what’s getting thrown
away.
Barry Levandosky has had control of
this project mostly. It was his bright
idea to cut my car and the parts car
in two. As there are far to many pictures to put into this newsletter, the
sampling included should indicate
how much work this actually is.
During first couple months of teardown, there was a debate. It is now
over. Yes, it is getting a 460 with
new motor mounts thanks to wheelin’
and dealin’ with parts guru, Adrien.
And if the lotto max is kind to me, I
will get my 6 speed as well.
Stripping a car down sure is interesting. It is hard not to get overenthused and have parts flying and
lying everywhere. A big thank you
to my old work location for donating
the 35-40 coffee cans.
Once we had the car off the frame,
both began to be stripped down.
The frame went to another location
beside the house while the body was
looked after in the shed or “cocoon”
I began grinding away years of
grime and rust to allow for body
mount repairs and probable dissec-
Greg Brown, Norm Huley (somewhat hidden), Barry Levandosky, and Eric
- 24 -
Essentially I have two projects now - the body and the frame. I know! I would be doing both anyways but by using
the parts car frame as a jig, I can work on both simultaneously.
The body has gone through a lot We cut out the firewall at the A pillars to the L-shaped floor, mirroring the parts car
with an inch or two overlap. As it sits now, it has a few tack welds at the A pillar and a couple at the back floor. Barry
wasn’t too thrilled at the driver’s door alignment so it still needs a bit of tweaking.
- 25 -
The frame has been stripped of all
parts, ground with a flapper disc and
is awaiting to be sandblasted at the
areas where the disc couldn’t reach. I
would have liked to have had the
frame prepped and painted and
back together before the end of summer but time goes quickly with a
young family and a homestead to
look after. We’ll get there though. I
can feel it.
stored” for a time as well as an industrial compressor from 1949. I
think I will change the “cherry bomb”
muffler and try something a little
more quiet. Otherwise sandblasting
at 11:00 PM won’t go over too well
with the neighbours.
•a
I guess entering the hot rod family
50 years into it, there’s not a lot
that hasn’t already been done.
I have been really blessed to have
such an awesome team helping out. I
would have been completely lost
without the Fabulous 50’s club members helping out including President
Albert by chiding in at most events
with, “where’s the car?, I don’t see it.”,
and so on. Ahh, such motivational
help! Apparently a picnic lunch is
required when travelling past the
North Perimeter. I think the ailment is
called Perimeteritis.
•a
Maybe I will stick to the original
colour plan and keep going.
•a
But then again “Ooooo, look at that
color. Nice!”
Finding great deals and help goes a
long way to getting things done.
Thanks to Laurence and Pearl, I now
have a home-made sandblasting
cabinet to use while it is “being
As at early September, we have:
body tack welded to floor, shimming required.
frame needing some spot blasting and paint, then rebuild.
rear axle housing needing a
drivers side shortening.
heat, another deal that came my
way.
Oh yes, I almost forgot. I have
been going nuts trying to figure out
a color scheme. Just as I think I have
it, I see it on some other ride.
•a
gathering of parts to enter
Blaster House
[that’s what I
am calling the
cabinet.]
• and
lots of
cleaning up for
a winter work
schedule, including new propane furnace
10ll MAIN ST. (5 blocks south of Redwood) • 586586-8531
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
CUSTOM EXHAUST SYSTEMS
MANDREL AND S/S SYSTEMS
LIFETIME MUFFLERS
ECONOMY MUFFLERS
MOOG CHASIS CENTRE
MONROE AND KYB SHOCKS
RAYBESTOS BRAKE CENTRE
ALIGNMENT AND SUSPENSION
MOTORHOME AND H.D.
CUSTOMIZE YOUR EXHAUST
DYNOMAX
MAGNAFLOW
FLOPRO
FLOMASTER
FLOWTECH
JACK MARTIN
Gord Atamanchuk’s 1960 Starliner Restoration
by Gord Atamanchuk
I was looking to purchase a 1960
Starliner or Sunliner. I had a 1960
Sunliner when I was a young buck
and sure got a lot of loving in the
front bench seat. Fond memories!
The car originates from New Mexico. I bought it from former club
member Randy Risteski as a good
buy! Thanks Randy!. It is a frameoff restoration.
Today the car has a 410 engine
completely rebuilt, 3 deuces, headers and a C6 tranny.
This restoration would not have been
possible without the help of club
members. Many thanks to:
•
No. This is not Gord but this is the
car he admired so much. The young
lad is Gord’s nephew, James.
Now that I am older and can only
dream, the finished product will
have bucket seats.
•
All that is left to do is the upholstery
and then it is expected to be completed for the 2011 World of
Wheels.
The Starliner was in fair shape when
I got it but lacked a motor and
tranny and a few other items.
(Editor’s Note: You may recall this
vehicle featured on the cover of the
January 2007 issue of The Customline and read about the progress
to that point of time.)
•
•
Albert Lannoo for his workmanship
and dedication to the project.
Without your help this project
would still be a long ways off
from completion.
Larry D’Argis for finding many
parts for me on E-Bay.
Barry Lavendosky for doing the
body work.
Several others who also helped
me along the way.
The Moroccan Ivory paint job was
done by Southside Body Shop.
This project has been an ongoing
group effort for approximately 6
years.
The moral of this story is – if you can
find a fully restored model, it will
cost you a lot less time and money!
In total, I had to purchase four other
parts cars to complete this one.
- 27 -
Fabulous Floating in the Santa Claus Parade
Cover Photos and others by Mario Palumbo
Photos by Otto, Karn
Friday night: We headed to Beaver
Volvo where Barry Searcy’s tandem
truck awaited our decorating magic.
Santa’s elves had already lit the front
of the truck with Christmas lights so
our work dealt with the 48’ two-level
trailer. Up went the tree, on went the
lights and decorations, the skirting,
and the band equipment. All was
going well until Marcia pushed Joe
off the trailer. At least that was his
story. It was just good-natured bantering as the truth is that he made a
misstep and tripped.
We had some exceptional, youthful
decorating talent in Katrina Bottomley
and her friend Steph. There was
nothing they could not do! When we
thought to take a group photo, some
folks had left so our apologies to
them.
Saturday: Bob, Ted and Jerrie left
early to take the float to its appointed marshalling spot. Hours later,
club members and friends started to
arrive and get ready. Our club volunteers are great. They always do
whatever job is most required and
we love them for it. As the club float
awaited its turn to roll, Ron Lambert,
Chuck Lee, and Dale Hickey were
already driving dignitaries in their
convertibles.
Other club members either dancing
or walking with the float in the parade included Ted and Jerrie,
Louise, Dennis, Greg and Heather,
John and Candace, Adrien and
Marcia, and Norm. Elsewhere Otto
and Roberta jockeyed for position
to take photographs.
And then our club’s two-part parade
entry was on the move:
The estimated 70,000 people lining
the route were enthusiastic and the
time passed quickly.
1.The float featured club member
Doug McRae and his 5 piece band
- “Three Rounds and a Crown”
and our very own club members
dancing up a storm while other
members and friends walked beside the float.
2.A re-enactment of Bonnie and
Clyde’s nefarious crime spree featuring Gary Minchin in his 1933
Dodge Rat Rod with “Bonnie” aka
Lori Hickey and “Clyde” and their
entourage [Gary’s friends Howard, Susan and Ron] taking aim at
the club police car driven by Carl
Holley while Heather waved at the
crowd from the passenger seat.
- 28 -
Doug McRae’s band belted out the
tunes while the dancers danced, the
walkers waved, and “Bonnie and
Clyde” eluded our ‘56 Meteor Niagara Police Cruiser. Santa’s reception from the crowd proves that,
even at an advanced age, an old,
fat guy in a red suit is still minty in
his fans’ eyes.
The parade finished at The Forks
where more entertainment was being held. Our merry band of members had already had all the fun
they could take for one day so they
dispersed while Bob drove the float
back to Beaver Volvo.
Sunday: Morning came early as it
was the first breakfast get-together
in Headingley. Once we had eaten
our fill, the “tear down” crew arrived at the shops to disassemble
our Christmas masterpiece. Oh how
quickly this work went!
As some disassembled, Betty tried
valiantly to sort between members’
decorations, tools, and equipment
and the club’s. And then there were
the “new” donations this year to be
taken into account. As the last of the
boxes were loaded, Betty reported
that the 4 or 5 boxes that they
brought had now morphed into a
half-ton load.
When the floor is swept and the last
articles packed away, we went for
L to R: Barry Searcy (mega-thanks for the truck!),
event co-ordinators Bob Stefishen and Carl Holly,
and Fab 50s First Couple Albert and Betty Lannoo.
a coffee and a recap of the parade
experience which identified ways to
make it even better next year. That
includes putting Katrina Bottomley’s
phone number on our speed dial!
- 29 -
Next year’s parade is November
12th so all you potential volunteers,
mark your calendars and provide
your ideas early!
The tickets said “Cocktails at 6 PM; Dinner
at 7 PM” but when we arrived at 6:05, all
the tables were already either fully or partially occupied. Members gathered early anticipating a good time and their expectations were exceeded! Candace Blair and
John Novak had put together an evening of
delight for the approximately 100 partygoers.
Christmas Party
The Trivia Contest had each table scrambling for answers or at least credible
guesses. The three different trivia sheets
tested all the memories of our youth. The
winning team was from Frank and Wendy
Seidel’s table and they had an impressive
13 right answers out of 16 questions.
As Master of Ceremonies, Adrien Poirier put
the evening into perspective. Larry D’Argis
lead us in prayerful thanks before our meal.
The buffet served up a good cross-section of
tasty treats and the music man pumped out
our kind of music at a decibel level appropriate to our crowd. There were frequent
spot dances and lots of happy winners.
Gene made the rounds selling tickets for the
50/50 draw and got $630.00. He was
pleased but not nearly as much as Line
Courcelles when her ticket was drawn and
she walked away with her half - $315.00.
Pat Wlock won the Participants’ Door Prize
while the Silent Auction winners included
JoJo Bremaud, Doug Mosset, Elly Garrett,
Doug Mosset, and Betty Makar. John Novak won the special Landau jacket that Bill
McKinnon had donated. Other donators
included Heather Mc Knight, Adrien Poirier,
and the Sandys.
Otto So caught all the action with his everready cameras while many of us enjoyed his
and Roberta’s wedding photo book.
There was the usual “catching up” with
friends, old and new, and we drooled over
Gordon Atamanchuk’s photos showing the
progress that had been made on his 1960
Starliner.
In summary, we heard loads of positive comments about the party and you know what
that means - the party committee now has
a job for life. All those in favour, raise
your hands! Motion passed!
Thanks go out to Heather and Line for calling members about the party, Heather and
Marcia for setting up the prize tables and
running the trivia contest, Heather for helping sell tickets for the prize draws, and the
other members already mentioned.
- 30 -
Photos
By
Otto
- 31 -
- 32 -
The Customline is printed by
- 33 -
Meet the Members: Ernie and Judy Klohn
collector in Whitemouth for a sum
that made it worth his while.
Ernie’s love of vehicles has included
many different types of vehicles including a 1952 Buick Super, then a
1953 Ford ½ ton, a 1956 Mercury
½ ton, and a 1958 Edsel Pacer
(brand new). He traded the Edsel in
at Dominion Motors for a 1964 Ford
Galaxie 500 4 Dr. Hardtop. Then
came a 1969 Country Squire
Wagon followed by a 1975 Country Squire Wagon that he bought
brand new.
Ernie and Judy have a cottage at
Victoria Beach and it was there that
he bought an old 1928 Model A two
door coach for the princely sum of
$25.00. Mind you, it was sitting in
the woods in horrible shape. When
he hauled his new treasure home, the
neighbour’s wife greeted their arrival by banging on a pot.
However, under Ernie’s TLC, the
Model A became quite a looker.
One day Ernie asked his business
colleague if the other fellow (John
Schettler) still had the car. Yes, John
still had the car and both he and his
son are into old cars so Ernie knew it
wouldn’t be an easy acquisition.
And it wasn’t! It took a couple of
years before John would sell the car
to Ernie.
The 1956 Mercury M100 1/2 ton
came together as a result of Ernie
collecting truck parts. He got a
hood and the truck cab from a fellow in Vivian, MB. He bought the
frame, the front fenders, and back
fenders from fellow club member
Gord McDonald.
The engine came from Ken Hiebert
of MSRA who had got it from Montana. The box and tailgate are
brand new (built in Winnipeg) and
the rest is sweat labour and begging, borrowing but no stealing
parts. In fits and starts, the project
took nine years. He did everything
himself except the painting and the
truck looks great.
After fixing it up, Ernie sold the
Model A to a guy in Branson, Missouri. But now he had the bug.
For more information on the truck
restoration process, see the January
2007 edition of The Customline.
When a policeman in the Model A
Club told Ernie about a John Deere
tractor that was sitting on an island
up north, Ernie knew he needed it.
After paying $200 for it, he restored the tractor and enjoyed the
novelty of it before selling it to a
fellow had bought the car so he
knew its possibilities.
Now the 1930 Model A Phaeton is
another story. It seems there was a
fellow who used to make business
calls on Ernie and this fellow had a
poker game once a month at different people’s houses. As luck would
have it, the fellow with the Phaeton
played poker with this group. Ernie
had been at the auction where the
- 34 -
Ernie promised to give John a photo
of the Phaeton once its restoration
was completed. Ernie is a man of
his words so when the car was done,
a beautiful photo was taken. But
that would be 2 1/2 years later after a ground-up restoration.
Once done, the car was driven to
Victoria Beach to be used for his
daughter Monica’s wedding to Paul
Berson.
Paul and Monica now live in Perth,
Australia so Ernie and Judy have
been there four times.
The trip in the 1930 Phaeton to Victoria Beach for the wedding was
quite memorable for reasons other
than the wedding itself.
Being respectful of an old car’s
needs, Ernie had packed spare
Marcia’s New Ride - The Valiant and the Villain
parts for the ‘30 Phaeton in another
car following the wedding car. But
he hadn’t packed extra gas and
with a strong head wind going to the
Beach and again fighting the wind
coming back, the car was sucking on
“empty” long before arriving home.
Not wanting to take a chance, the
wedding party drove into Selkirk to
top up the tank. You can imagine
the passer-bys gawking as the bride
and groom got out of the car at the
gas station to stretch their legs.
The rest of trip was a breeze, to
make a pun. However, they did
leave the car in Middlechurch before
proceeding to the wedding reception.
Ernie has been President of the
Model A Club for about 20 years
now so I was intrigued to know how
he got involved with the Fab 50’s
Ford Club. The story, as he told it, is
rapidly becoming a familiar one to
this reporter.
It seems that while Ernie was in his
seemingly endless search for parts
for one of his vehicles at a Flashback
Weekend Car Show, Ronnie Lambert told him “no more parts and no
more help unless you join the Fab
50’s Car club”! Ernie and Ronnie
had been friends for years so he
took it with the good humour that
was intended. But, to be on the safe
side, he joined the club. That was in
2001 and since he doesn’t need any
further car parts or help, I suspect he
and Judy have stayed members because they like it.
By Adrien Poirier
Here’s my story about 4 Valiant variants - a lady, a car, an effort and
a customs hero.
Part 1
Last September I got word of an interesting little car that was for sale.
The owner, whom we’ll call Mr. X ,
had brought it into Canada for his
teenage son who, upon casting eyes
on it, proclaimed he’d really rather
have a 4wd truck. So, Mr. X emails
a friend of mine that he was going to
sell the 1965 Valiant Signet 2dr HT
and would my friend know of a good
home. When I was sent the email to
help find a suitable buyer, I realized
that its future home may be a lot
closer than anyone thought.
Marcia had always wanted a Valiant. Her dad had one (a ‘65 also)
and that just happened to be the
year she was born. Frantic emails
later we agreed on very short notice
to go view the car. Mr. X really
wanted us to see the car first because he knew the car would see a
nice restoration and a good home.
Marcia instantly fell in love with it
and we agreed to buy it for the asking price, no haggling. Mr. X told us
that he had posted it on Kijiji and
there were two or three other people
with appointments to come see it.
That’s why he wanted us to come
quickly. Fair enough! We’ll take it.
We shake hands and agree to get
- 35 -
together in a couple days to finalize
the paperwork as I’m heading out of
town and so is he. We had rushed
there from work and didn’t even
have our cheque book. “No problem at all” says Mr. X .
The next day Marcia gets an email
from Mr. X that two of the other
potential buyers have offered him
more than his asking price and
would we consider upping our offer.
Huh?? What offer? We agreed to
the asking price and we shook on
the deal, buddy.
My mind races. You wanted us to
have this car so badly and now you
want to jack us. Unh-unh, it ain’t
gonna happen. My hand shake is
good even if yours isn’t. We had an
agreement. I am thinking “You can
either sell to your other potential
buyers or be a man and complete
our deal”. Mr. X decides he will
stand by the handshake.
Two days later, we pay the man,
get a bill of sale, and drive the car
to Piston Ring where Dan (club member) goes through the car and
makes Marcia a list of what it’s going to need. It’s not a big list. It does
need some rust work and new paint
so off it goes to her future son-inlaws shop in Gladstone for the
makeover.
The fun is about to begin.
To be continued next issue
More Magic Moments From our Members’ Photo Albums
Thank you to the members who answered my request for
photos of their cars being used for family wedding photos.
Kelly Bremaud on her marriage to Kevin
Wilf and Diane Bremaud’s daughter
Dave and Carrie [Joe and Karn Sandy’s god-daughter]
Troy Zelinsky and wife Brandy
Laura and Glen
Sheila and Dave with proud Pappa, Roy Zelinsky
Leah Zelinsky’s Wedding
- 36 -
From the Kellers’ Family Photo Album: Wedding and Wedding Car Memories
Using our cars for family weddings brings together our love of
family members with our passion for beautiful vehicles. It doesn’t
get any better than that! Bob and Pat Keller let me look
through their family album for photos of those magical moments.
Bob Keller with daughter Raylene
Mother of the bride, Pat Keller
Roberta Keller and groom Gary October, 1989
The Keller Family
Rick Keller and wife, Tammy
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September, 1994
Ted Forbes 1959 Bonneville
Since meeting Ted and Sharon Forbes a few
years back and viewing their outstanding
collection, we have kept in regular contact
by email. That is how I know that they took
in the CVA meet in Penticton and the Monroe Swap Meet. They also hosted a garage tour for the 2010 Coasters when they
got out to BC.
In his “spare” time, he’s been working on the
1959 Bonneville which he hopes to have
finished by next summer. Here’s some of the
signs of the progress he’s making.
When we last chatted before Christmas, he
asked me to send on his and Sharon’s best
wishes to their fellow club members for a
great 2011. Amen to that!
Melita Car Show Cont’d
After printing what I had received about the
Melita Car Show [see p. 21 of October issue], I got an offer from Doug Mosset to tell
the true story so here it is.
Doug and Carol attended the Melita Car
Show and these are their photos and clarification. Darwin’s Show refers to Darwin
Slack who, with Verne Mills do a lot of the
organizing for the Melita Car Show. Doug
remembers the car club name as the “3 &
83 Cruisers” .
The Mossets catch up with their club members at Devils Lake, Morden, and Brandon.
They put on a great show in a nice park and
this year they attracted at least one participant from BC.
Doug knows Darwin from his youth [think
way, way back in time] when Doug would
go to Melita dances to meet the girls there
and Darwin was part of a very good local
Rock n Roll band.
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