Newsletter - JSMCC | Jersey Shore Model Car Club

January 2015
Jersey Shore Model Car Club
Newsletter
Idle Thoughts by John Stark III
I hope everyone had a happy and healthy holiday season. It was nice to see so many friendly faces at the Christmas
party. I know I had a great time, and I hope you all did too. I think we might have set some kind of attendance record this
year, I did a rough count and we were over 70 members and guests in attendance. I knew it was a lot when we were
running low after ordering 20 pizza's. In my 10 years as president that is the most we have ever gone through, with none
left over. That's insane, but well worth it to see everyone happy, after all, that is what it is all about. Thanks also go out to
the members and guests who brought eats with them to share, Dan Hogan, Eddie and Maureen, Keith Justice for the M &
M's as always. Dave Wood for the coffee set up, you all rock, Thanks.
We even had three guests sign in to our guest book. I know there were many more than 3, but it is a good start for our
guest book. It was nice to see everyone taking advantage of there name tags also, I hope that made it a little easier on
our members and guests
I would like to thank everyone involved in helping to set up, break down, and cleanup also. I run all over the place trying to
make sure every thing runs smooth, and I could not do it without all of your help. Especially the help of the First Lady,
Marge is always there for us and makes my job 1000 % easier.
With that being said did anyone get new kits from Santa ? Maybe you want to bring them in and show us what you got .
Anything model related, bring them in this meeting and share them with us.
Most of the time we place ourselves in our build rooms and work in our own solitary little worlds, but it sure is nice to get
together and share our hobby with others.
NOMINATION YEAR - Very important reminder, this is a nomination year for the officer positions, I'm just throwing it out
there to remind you all. Nominations are not until the June meeting, but in the event that anyone is looking to run I want to
give you enough time to think it over.
CONTEST RECAP - I thought it was amazing that we had 14 members eligible to vote for the 2014 kitbash kit, and we
had 13 kits on the contest table. That tells me that we made the right move, those that are voting on the kit, are building
and entering, that's fantastic. The Slingster was a relatively tough one to work with, but you guys did it, and did it
spectacularly, there were a lot of great builds to vote for. Some of the guys didn't get a chance to finish there's, but that is
okay too, they put them on the table and enabled themselves to vote on the future kitbash kits.
There were a total of 35 votes cast, (way low for the amount of people there) probably less than 50 % cast votes, but it is
what it is. Out of that came our 3rd place vote getter Joel Brower, 2nd place went to Walt Frey and our winner was Tory
Mucaro. Fantastic job guys, and great work from all of our entrants.
We had 15 members eligible to vote on this years Christmas build, 13 votes were cast and by 2 votes you guys chose the
1953 Ford Pickup kit, just squeaking by the 1969 Ford F-100. Lets see how many we can put on the table in 2015.
After that we rolled right into our 2014 club contest series awards, there were six awards given out this year, because of a
tie for second. Our 2014 winners were, 5th Place, Felix Plaza Jr., 4th Place, Tory Mucaro, 3rd Place Al Meske, 2nd Place
(tie) Walt Frey, John Stark, and our 1st place winner Chuck Rehberger. As is our custom we also handed out an award to
our Junior participant Joe Cirillo Jr. Congratulations to all our winners and thanks to everyone who puts a model out for
judging at all the yearly contests. You guys make it happen.
I also gave out a special appreciation award to Bob Kern, I know Bob is our Club Secretary and usually officers get an
award at the end of their terms, but Bob started to work on the newsletter with Dave Wood before he took on the
Secretarial responsibilities and our newsletter is phenomenal. I realize that it is a group effort to get it done, but I also
wanted to recognize Bob for all the time and effort he put in to get it to where it is now and not mean it as a slight to
everyone else who helps get it out there.
Carl Simeone was kind enough to bring in a bunch of wrapped books as special raffle gifts, we had 10 members win
books, Myself, Jonathan Kuna (2), John Schertzer, Dave Coppolino, Maureen Gubatosi, Dan Hogan, Bill Kuna and Floyd
Albertson. ( Nice to see you back again Floyd)
Along with that we also had our monthly kit raffle, we had 5 pulls and our kit winners were, Jonathan Kuna ( good night for
him 3 in the win column ), Mike Capasso, ( hey Mike, a Ford pickup won the kitbash. It's not a big rig, but it is a truck,
maybe next year ), Joel Brower, Al Meske, and Chuck Rehberger.
I would like to welcome to our meeting night the Pine Barrens Model Club. They will be sharing our meeting space, please
stop by and welcome them in. It is my belief that they will only improve our club meeting. They build everything, and have
a lot of hints and tips they can share with us.
I also want you to know that our 25th anniversary patches are in. They will be given to every dues paying member, in
celebration of our 25th. I hope you like them. The design was a coordinated effort between myself and Felix. They have
an iron on back to make it easier to wear. Enjoy them
TRAIN SHOW - Eddie Hornlein, Brian and I went to the Greenberg train show on Saturday January 3rd and had a good
time, bought a few thing and had a good time. I took my son, daughter in law and grandson back on Sunday and really
had blast. My grandson is a little over 2 years old and really loves trains, He wore us all out, it made me feel like a kid
again just watching him. This show was in Somerset, the next one is in Raritan Center at the end of February. Keep an
eye out for it.
On January 7th , Eddie I, Eddie H, Brian L, Mike C, and myself went on a hobby store journey. We have heard that Bob's
Hobbies and Crafts located in Pitman NJ was closing, we decided that since it had been a few years since our last visit
down that way we would head down again. We had a great time down there, the owner was very happy to know we had
made the trip down to visit and treated us very nicely. I'm not sure of their exact closing date, but it was worth the trip
down as we each made some pretty good finds.
From there we then headed to AAA Hobbies in Magnolia, after some good conversation with the staff there and a few
purchases we headed across the street to Arby's for lunch. After a relaxing lunch we headed out to AIR Hobbies in
Lumberton. After a while conversing with the owner, and a few more purchases we decided to call it a day. Eight hours,
three shops, 160 miles, another day on the books. All in all a very good day.
Thanks to all of you for making 2014 a fantastic year and hoping we can have a better 2015. We keep on growing and it is
because of what you all do, and that is Keep It Fun, which is what we are all about, REMEMBERING THAT IT'S A
HOBBY, and LET'S KEEP IT FUN.
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Did you know??
By Felix Plaza Jr, for JSMCC
Plymouth Road Runner
The Plymouth Road Runner was a performance car built by the Plymouth division of the Chrysler
Corporation in the United States between 1968 and 1980. By 1968 the original muscle cars were moving away
from their roots as relatively cheap, fast cars as they gained options. Although Plymouth already had a
performance car in the GTX, it wanted to reincarnate the original muscle car concept in a car able to run 14second quarter mile (402 m) times and sell for less than US$3000. Both goals were met, and the Road Runner
would far outpace the upscale and lower volume GTX.
First Generation (1968 to 1970)
1968
1968 Plymouth Road Runner
Paying $50,000 to Warner Bros.-Seven Arts to use the name and likeness of their Road Runner cartoon
character (as well as a "beep, beep" horn, which Plymouth paid $10,000 to develop), and using the Chrysler B
platform as a base (the same as the Belvedere), Plymouth set out to build a back-to-basics muscle car.
Everything essential to performance and handling was beefed-up and improved; everything nonessential was
left out. The interior was spartan with a basic vinyl bench seat, lacking even carpets in early models with an
automatic transmission, and few options were available - just the basics such as power steering and front disc
brakes, AM radio, air conditioning (except with the 426 Hemi) and automatic transmission. A floor-mounted
shifter (for the four-speed) featured only a rubber boot and no console so that a bench seat could be used. The
earliest of the 1968 models were available only as 2-door pillared coupes (with a B-pillar between the front and
rear windows), but later in the model year a 2-door "hardtop" model (sans pillar) was offered. The Road Runner
of 1968-1970 was based on the Belvedere, while the GTX was based on the Sport Satellite, a car with higher
level trim and slight differences in the grilles and taillights.
1969
1969 Plymouth Road Runner
The 1969 model kept the same basic look but with some slight changes such as tail lights and grille, side
marker lights, optional bucket seats, and new Road Runner decals. The Road Runner added a convertible option
for 1969 with 2128 droptop models produced that year. All were 383 engine cars, except for ten 426ci Hemi
convertible cars. Six of those Hemi convertibles were automatics and four were four-speed manual
transmissions. Six are known to exist. No 440 6-bbl convertibles were made in 1969.
An Air Grabber option (N96 code) was introduced this year; it consisted of a fiberglass air duct assembly
bolted to the underside of the hood that connected to twin rectangular upward-facing vents in the hood with
orange vent screens. The fiberglass hood box had an "Air Grabber" sticker on the front. When the hood was
closed, a rubber seal fit over the large-oval unsilenced air cleaner. A decal with Wile E. Coyote saying "Coyote
Duster" was on the air cleaner lid. The assembly ducted air directly into the engine. The vents in the hood could
be opened and closed via a lever under the dashboard labeled "Carb Air."
1970
1970 Plymouth Road Runner
1970 brought new front and rear end looks to the basic 1968 body, and it would prove to be another success.
Updates included a new grille, a cloth & vinyl bench seat, hood, front fenders, quarter panels, single-piston
Kelsey-Hayes disc brakes (improved from the rather small-rotor Bendix 4 piston calipers of '68 - '69 ), and even
non-functional scoops in the rear quarters. The design and functionality of the Air Grabber option was changed
this year to increase both efficiency and the "intimidation factor". A switch below the dash actuated a vacuum
servo to slowly raise the forward-facing scoop, exposing shark-like teeth on either side. "High Impact" colors,
with names like In-Violet, Moulin Rouge, and Vitamin C, were options available for that year. The 1970 Road
Runner and GTX continued to be attractive and popular cars. The engine lineup was left unchanged although a
heavy-duty three-speed manual became the standard transmission, relegating the four-speed to the option list
along with the TorqueFlite automatic. This was to be the second and last year of the Road Runner convertible,
with only 834 made. These cars are considered more valuable than the 1969 version due to a better dash, high
impact colors and more options including the new high-back bucket seats shared with other Chrysler products
which featured built-in headrests.
The relatively popular 440 Six Barrel was relegated to option status for 1970. The 1969 "M" Code Edelbrock
aluminum intake was replaced by a factory-produced cast iron piece; however there were some early cars built
prior to January 1, 1970 that were equipped with the left over aluminum Edelbrock intake from the year prior.
Plymouth Duster I
The Plymouth Duster I was a high-performance concept car version of the Road Runner produced in the late
1960s. It featured the usual low-curved racing-type of windshield and had airplane-type flaps on the top and
sides. A set of adjustable spoilers on the side of the rear fender (near the gas tank filler cap) helped prevent sideto-side yaw when slipstreaming in a race, with two more of them on top behind the driver, plus spoilers in the
front as rock shields to reduce frontal lift. It was powered by a 383 4BBL V-8.
1970 Superbird
1970 Plymouth Superbird
In the tough competition of the 1969 NASCAR "aero wars", Chrysler first fielded the Dodge Charger 500 that
featured aerodynamic improvements to a standard 1969 Charger. Later in the season Chrysler and Dodge
debuted the Dodge Charger Daytona. The Daytona featured an elevated spoiler raised 23 inches off of the trunk
deck by upright pylons and an aerodynamic nose cone. The Charger 500, especially, and the Daytona to a lesser
degree struggled to equal the fastback Ford Torino Talladega and Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II in 1969.
Dissatisfied with the performance of the 1968 Road Runner, Petty Engineering had asked the Chrysler
managers for 1969 Dodge Charger 500s and Charger Daytonas for the 1969 season. Unfortunately, the Chrysler
managers told the Pettys that they were "a Plymouth team." The Pettys signed with Ford in days and Richard
Petty and Petty Engineering won 10 races in 1969 and finished second in the NASCAR points championship.
Second Generation (1971–1974)
1971
1971 Plymouth Road Runner
In 1971, the coupe bodywork was completely changed to a more rounded "fuselage" design in keeping with
then-current Chrysler styling trends, including a steeply raked windshield, hidden cowl, and deeply inset grille
and headlights. In a departure from previous thinking, the B-Body two-door bodies shared little if any sheet
metal, glass, or trim with the four-door bodies. The convertible was canceled. The interiors could be ordered
with 6-way power leather seats, thick deep-pile carpeting, and additional sound-proofing was installed. A/C,
and power steering could be had, except on the Hemi. 1971 was a high-water year for ride and handling for the
Road Runner. The overall length was increased, but the wheelbase was shortened an inch. It also saw the
introduction of the 340-4bbl option, and a detuned 383 "Road Runner" engine with 8.7 compression, hardened
exhaust valve seats, and power dropping to 300 hp (224 kW). In return, Road Runners with the 340 and 383
engine received a standard insurance rating without the costly premiums normally tacked onto muscle cars. The
383 would now run on regular gas. The 370 hp 440 4-barrel returned to the option list, and the 440+6 and 426
Hemi were available, though this would be the last year for them. The tall axle ratios with the 8 3/4" Dana rear
ends, as well as the wide and close ratio 4-speed transmissions could be had with any of the engine choices,
though few cars were built with the six-pack or Hemi engines. Aerodynamics were much improved over the first
generation Road Runners, resulting in much-improved high-speed handling.
1972
1972 plymouth Road Runner
1972 saw new emission regulations drive power down and 1/4 mile times up.
The 1972 model was nearly identical to the 1971 with a few minor changes. The grille design was cleaned up,
and the tail lights were changed to match the new aerodynamic look of the grille. Side marker lights changed
from the flush mounted side markers to the surface-mounted units that were adopted across the entire Chrysler
line-up for the 1972 model year. The optional bumper guards for 1972 included a rubber strip surrounding the
tail lights and a rubber strip below the grille. The big differences came in the cutting back of performance
options for the car. The suspension, rear axle ratios (a 3:55 ratio was the tallest available), and most noticeably
the engines changed, with the big-block 383 being replaced by a larger-bore (and lower performance) 400 CID
version as the standard engine. The small-block 340 CID as well as the performance version of the 440 CID
engine (with a 4-barrel carburetor, performance camshaft, and dual exhausts) were also available, and for the
last time a 4-speed manual transmission could be paired with any of the three engines. All of the engines
suffered a drop in compression ratios to allow use of low-lead/no-lead gas and to meet the first round of
emissions regulations. The 280 hp (209 kW) 440 engine was the basis for the "GTX" package (the GTX was no
longer a separate model) available on Road Runners from 1972 to 1974. The 1971-72 Road Runner sheet-metal
was used by several NASCAR racing teams for their racecars and ran well on the circuit during the 1971-74
seasons. Richard Petty won the championship both in 1971 and 1972 using the Road Runner based cars,
winning 30 races over the two seasons.
1973-74
1974 Plymouth Road Runner
The 1973-74 models received completely new sheet metal and had more conventional squared-up front-end
styling and changes to the rear that more closely resembled the four-door models than the 71-72s. The restyling
helped sales which were up 40% over the 1972 models. In testing 1/4 mile times were getting close to the 16s,
top speeds had dropped to barely over 125 mph (201 km/h), and the car moved further away from "muscle car"
status. The base engine for the 1973-74 models had dropped down to Chrysler's workaday 318 CID V8 but
equipped with dual exhausts which bumped the power up to 170 hp (127 kW). After 1972, no 440 with fourspeed manual cars were built. The 400 was the biggest engine Plymouth offered with the four-speed, which
could also be had with the 340 (1973), and 360 (1974) engines. The 318 was equipped with a three speed
manual transmission as standard (though very few were built), and the TorqueFlite as an option. The 440 was
still available for 1973 and 1974, but only mated to the 727 TorqueFlite automatic.
Third Generation (1975)
1975
1975 Plymouth Road Runner
The 1975 model was based on the newly restyled, more formal-looking B-body which was now called the
Fury (the former full-sized Fury being called "Gran Fury"). The Road Runner came with a blacked out grille
and a special stripe treatment to distinguish it from the Fury. As before the 318 was the standard engine, but it
was now just with a single exhaust. The 360 (220 hp (164 kW)) and the 400 (though still with a four barrel and
dual exhausts, the power was down to 230 hp {172 kW}) were also available. In Car and Driver magazine
testing of a 1975 car with the 400 engine; 0-60 happened in 8.1 seconds and quarter-mile times were solidly in
the 16-second range. While just a shadow of the 1970 figures, this performance was at least respectable for the
times. Plymouth's most powerful engine; the 440, was restricted to police models, though it has been rumored
that a few 1975 Road Runners were built (via special factory order) with the 240 hp (179 kW) police spec 440,
along with the police spec suspension and wider (7") rims. Only 7,183 Road Runners were built in 1975, and
most (just over 50%) had just the 318 engine.
Though the name of the car the Road Runner was based on changed from Belvedere to Satellite to Fury, the
Road Runner remained a B-body through 1975. While the Road Runner name was planned to be on a B-body in
Plymouth's published literature for the 1976 model year, the name was transferred to an optional appearance
package for the all-new Volare.
1976–1980: F-body Trim Package
In 1976 the Road Runner name was switched to the 2-door model of the replacement for the compact A-body
Valiant/Duster series. This car, based on the new F platform, would be known as "Volaré". The new Road
Runner was little more than a trim and graphics package; however, many suspension parts were borrowed from
the police packages. A 360 CID engine was offered as an option (but only with a two barrel carb for 1976-'77
and single exhaust) to the standard 318 V8, but only paired with the 3-speed automatic transmission. Rated at
160 hp (119 kW), the F platform's best 1/4 mile times would be just inside 16-seconds at 88 mph (142 km/h).
Although no comparison to the earlier stormers, the 360 powered models were respectable performers in their
time. By 1978 and thru to 1980 the 360 was offered with a four-barrel carb and, for 1980, dual exhaust, bringing
power up to 195 hp (145 kW). However, performance continued to suffer, and by 1979 the 225 CID "Slant 6"
six-cylinder became standard. The Road Runner continued as part of the Volaré line until its discontinuation in
1980.
Concepts
The now-defunct Mopar Enthusiast magazine released a concept rendering of a potential 2010 Road Runner,
with design cues based on the 1971-72 model.
Did you know?
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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Happy Birthday to
Russ Reber Jan. 1st
Dave Wood Jan.6th
Mike Wolfe Jan. 21st
Keith Justice Jan.22nd
Nick Marcigliano Jan. 28th
Happy Anniversary to
Mr & Mrs Willam Kuna Jan. 13th
Mr & Mrs Stash Serzan Jan.17th
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