Rocket Report - Blue/Gray Chapter of the Oldsmobile Club of America

BLUE / GRAY
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Chapter
Rocket Report
NEWSLETTER FOR THE BLUE/GRAY CHAPTER OF THE OLDSMOBILE CLUB OF AMERICA
Number 2, Volume 27
April, May 2011
INSIDE THIS ISSUE !
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
********************** We had a productive Spring meeting where we
page 2
discussed the upcoming events for the year. There were a
Sunshine report
number of suggestions and positive input to help make the
Treasurerʼs report
events and planning run smoother. Now that we are
page 3
moving into Spring, we begin to get the inclination to attend
Chapter information
some car events. Vaughn Hostetler had some ideas for
pages 4-7
the Spring Dust-Off Event. Rick Tice gave an update on
Feature story
the All GM Nationals at Carlisle. The car club day at Das
pages 7-9
Upcoming events
Awkscht Fescht in Macungie is set and some details for the
pages 9-12
chapter participation were discussed. Plans for the chapter
odds & ends
picnic and the Fall Show at the Texas Road House in
entry forms
Hanover are being made and more information will be in the
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newsletter as the plans are finalized. More detailed
information about all of these events can be found in the
newsletter and will be posted to the chapter website. Chapter membership was discussed and we ask that
when you attend other car shows, when you see other
Oldsmobiles to ask the owners if they might be interested in
attending any of our events and shows. Some personal
contact is a good way to get others interested in our chapter
**************************** and shows.
Our feature story in this We are looking forward to seeing the members and
issue appeared in the
some new faces and cars at these events. As always your
Rocket Report in 2003.
It has been updated and input, participation and assistance will help to make all of
we are glad to reprint it these shows and activities a success. in this issue. It is a great !
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Bob Seaman story and it gives Lucille
a day off.
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From our Sunshine Lady
BIRTHDAYS
APRIL
Annette Annabel
Robert Archer
Irma Benedek
Lee Lehnus
Geoffrey Lee McNett
J. Tobias Milletics
Larry Ott
Melissa Rogers
Anthony Rusnock
Kermit Shindledecker
Judy Spahr
MAY
Jeffrey Golden
Jack Hooks
Donna Miller
Carol Moser
Craig Petrasic
Martha Shindledecker
Lewis F. Weiss
I want to wish everyone a Happy Spring . I
know everyone cannot wait to get your cars
out and go cruising. Winter seems to be one
of the longest seasons and I know I have
cabin fever and cannot wait for the warmer
weather. Hope to see you all at the Spring
meeting on March 19 at Funks Restaurant. In the event of illness or death please let me
know. I would not want anyone to feel
slighted if they did not receive a card or
flowers . You can email me at
[email protected].
Thank You,
Alice Snyder
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TREASURER'S REPORT
March 19, 2011
Beginning balance
01/01/2011! !
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2009.37
Payments! !
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Christmas party deposit, postage
Deposits!
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Christmas party/ dues
Current
Balance!
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Respectfully submitted
Ken Whitcomb, Treasurer
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123.79
90.00
1975.58
CHAPTER INFO
President and Chapter Representative:!
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Bob Seaman
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1004 E. 9th St.
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Hazleton, PA 18201
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[email protected]
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(570) 455-8040
Vice President:
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John Rogers
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100 Providence Rd.
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Newtown Square, PA 19073
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[email protected]
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(610) 353-4699
Chapter Secretary:
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Bev Whitcomb
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781 S. Humer St.
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Enola, PA 17025-2623
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(717) 732-0348
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[email protected]
Sunshine Lady:
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Alice Snyder
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324 Maple Blvd.
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Orwigsburg, PA 17961
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[email protected]
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(570) 366-2101
Chapter Mailings:
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Suzie Lushbaugh
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20403 Kings Crest Blvd.
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Hagerstown, MD 21742
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[email protected]
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(240) 420-3852
Chapter Treasurer:
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Ken Whitcomb
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781 S. Humer St.
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Enola, PA 17025-2623
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(717) 732-0348
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[email protected]
Membership Secretary:
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Annette Annabel
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PO Box 555
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Beaver Meadows, PA 18216-0555
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[email protected]
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578-6168 or (570) 578-3739
Chapter website: ! !
Board Members:
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Tony Rusnock
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PO Box 385
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Beaver Meadows, PA 18216
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[email protected]
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(570) 455-8864
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Richard Tice
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125 E. Maple St.
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Cleona, PA 17042
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[email protected]
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(717) 277-0789
Webmaster:
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Tony Rusnock
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PO Box 385
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Beaver Meadows, PA 18216
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[email protected]
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(570) 455-8864
blue-graychapter.com
The Rocket Report is published 5 times per year, bi-monthly with the exceptions of the August/
September/October and the November/December/January issues.
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issued!!
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deadline for submissions
February/March!
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Feb. 1st!
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Jan. 10th
April/May! !
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Apr. 1st!
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Mar. 10th
June/July ! !
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June 1st!
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May 10th
Aug./Sep./Oct.!
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Aug. 1st!
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July 10th
Nov./Dec./Jan.!
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Nov. 1st!
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Oct. 10th
Please submit stories, articles, comments, corrections, and classifieds to:
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Ken Whitcomb
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781 S.Humer St.
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Enola, PA 17025-2623 or email to [email protected]
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REVISITING AN OLD FRIEND
The following story was published in the October 1992 issue of JWO. Nineteen years have passed since I
wrote the story, so I thought there might be some new members that have joined our chapter since then that
might like to read it.
I am writing my original story in my own words that I sent to JWO back in 1992, not the super-duper edited
version that was a total rewrite by the late editor Dennis Casteel.
So, to the older members of our chapter, you may want to read it again because you wonʼt recognize it as
the same story that was printed in JWO. I know I did not recognize it when I read it. The mileage figures and
years of ownership have been updated since the time I wrote the original story.
Vaughn Hostetler
Itʼs tough to decide where to begin, so Iʼll begin by saying, “442”.
That was the only car I could think about in the year 1970. That was also the year I graduated from
Palmyra High School. Yes, I was a teenager in the Muscle Car era.
A 1970, 442, W-30 was always my dream car, but I couldnʼt afford to buy a new car until I graduated
and entered into the work force.
By the time I saved enough money to buy a 442, it was August of 1971. That meant if I wanted to
order a brand new 442, it would have to be a 1972 model.
So off I went to order my dream car at E.O. Miller, Chevrolet-Oldsmobile, in Hershey, Pa. Of course
my Dad felt he just had to tag along to see what his 19 year old son was about to order.
I ordered the car sight unseen, because the dealership had not yet received any sales literature for
the ʻ72 model year. The salesman assured me that the body style would be the same as the 70ʼs &
71ʼs with only minor grill and tail light changes. He also told me that the 442 came with a standard 455
c.i. engine which suited me just fine. However, this information didnʼt set well with my Dad.
His voice rang out, “No way! Your insurance rates will be too high with an engine that size. And
furthermore, where are you going to use all of that horsepower anyway?” Those were the words all
teen-agers hated to hear. “I think that you should order a Cutlass with a 350 engine instead of the
455,” he advised.
What the salesman didnʼt know at the time and neither did we, was that for 1972, the 442 option
was an appearance and handling package, which could be ordered on a Cutlass with a 350 engine as
well as a 455. We found out that information much, much, too late.
Being misinformed by the salesman and pressured by my father, I reluctantly ordered a 1972
Cutlass “S” with a 350 engine and a four barrel carburetor.
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continued
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I ordered the car on the 18th of August, 1971. I was told it would take about four to six weeks
before the car would be delivered. I waited patiently for six weeks. The car had not arrived yet. I
would occasionally stop by the dealership on my way home from work to see if the Olds had been
delivered. By now, eleven weeks had passed and still no Cutlass.
Then two days later I drove by and spied a Cutlass in Millerʼs lot that looked like the one I ordered. I
said to myself, “All right! Itʼs finally here.” I walked over to take a closer look at the car, when I
realized something didnʼt look quite right. The color was correct, Nordic Blue with the white vinyl roof,
but there was something about the stripes. I ordered a white stripe down the center of the hood, but
this car had accent stripes on the sides of the body.
“This couldnʼt be my car, could it?” I inspected it a little more. Yes, there was the Hurst 4-Speed that
I ordered, the bucket seats, console, and Super Stock I wheels. “But wait a minute, where were the
tach and gauges that I ordered, and where was the Sport Styled Steering Wheel? And whatʼs this?
Air conditioning? I didnʼt order that.” I thought, “This canʼt be my car.”
By now my salesman spotted me looking at the car and came out of the showroom to
greet me.
I said to him with a tone of disgust in my voice, “Well, I thought my car was finally here, but I see
that this one must be for someone else.”
He said to me, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this one is yours.”
I concluded, “It canʼt be mine! Not the way it is equipped.”
He then proceeded to show me the order form which was sent to Oldsmobile which was correct.
But somehow, someone, somewhere at Oldsmobile entered the order incorrectly and this Cutlass
was the result of their mistake. He said that he had never seen a car come through with so many
discrepancies on it.
I asked him, “What do we do now? Can we add the missing options, ordering them through the
parts department?” He explained that they could but it would be more costly because of the labor
involved. He said that Oldsmobile advised them that if I decided not to take the car that the only
alternative would be to send the car back to the factory and order another one in itʼs place. Well, I
sure didnʼt feel like waiting another eleven weeks for a replacement vehicle, so I elected to keep
Oldsmobileʼs “Mistake.” *
The salesman drew up the final paper work and the Cutlass was mine.
The following are the options as they were listed on the factory window sticker:
350 4-bbl. Rocket V-8, Hurst 4-Speed, Super Stock I Wheels, G70x14 Wide Oval Tires, AM Radio,
Strato Bucket Seats, Tinted Glass, Deluxe Seat Belts, Vinyl Woodgrain Instrument Panel Trim, Floor
Mats, Chrome Door Edge Guards, Protective Side Moldings, Vinyl Roof, Console, Remote Control
Mirror, Air Conditioner, Rallye Suspension Package, Power Brakes, Power Steering, Interior Operated
Hood Lock, Bi-Phonic Rear Radio Speaker, Body Side Paint Stripes, and the Lamp Package.
*(nice mistake. Iʼd take it. - ed.)! !
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continued
page 5
The car was assembled in Lansing Michigan. The final cost of the car plus fees came to a grand total
of $5,025.26. This figure was higher than I originally planned. The original order had to be rewritten
and recalculated because all of the discrepancies on the car. What a nightmare my first new car
buying experience turned out to be. I took delivery on Nov. 5, 1971.
Later on down the road, I decided to add on the extras
that were omitted from the factory, with the exception of
the gauges. I never replaced the “Idiot Lights.” I ordered
the Tach/Clock combination and the Sport Steering
through the parts department. I also had the paint stripe
added to the center of the hood.
The Cutlass saw only one year of winter driving,
because I bought a new 73 Chevrolet 4x4 pick-up truck
the following year to save wear and tear on the Olds.
There were numerous times that I almost traded in the
Cutlass on a newer model, but nothing built after the 72ʼ
model year appealed to me. Each new model year that
came along I would always say, “Well maybe something
will come along next year that will excite me enough to
buy a new one.”
Before I knew it I had the Cutlass for ten years, so I
decided that maybe Iʼll just hang onto it a little while
longer. Fifteen years passed, then twenty years. Where
did the time go? On November 05, of 2011, I will have
been the proud owner of the Oldsmobile for itʼs 40 year
history. I have logged over 130,157 trouble free miles on
the original 350 engine which has never been rebuilt or
torn apart. The vinyl roof is still the original as well as the
Nordic Blue paint finish. The only items that were redone
were the driver side bucket seat and a new trunk mat.
The dash, carpet, headliner, door panels, and the rest of
the vinyl upholstery is all original equipment.
I am glad that I hung onto the Cutlass of my youth,
because whenever I start to feel a little on the older side
of life, I just slip into the seat of my ʻ72 Cutlass, drive off
into the sunset while speed shifting a few gears and itʼs
like traveling backward in a time machine. Suddenly Iʼm
19 again. Then I feel the orthopedic pillow behind my
back and suddenly Iʼm 58 again.
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To complement my story, my loving wife composed the following lines as a tribute to the Cutlass.
The model year was ʻ72 I wanted to buy a 442
Dad said the insurance would be too high,
so a Cutlass “S” I opted to buy.
Dadʼs advice could be such a killer,
I ordered the car from E.O.Miller.
I ordered the car in Nordic Blue and white,
the roof was vinyl, what a beautiful sight.
I ordered Bucket Seats, a coupe, two door,
a console, a Hurst 4 on the floor.
I didnʼt order Air, but I ordered the Tach,
I ordered blue interior, cause I didnʼt want black.
I ordered a hood stripe and sport steering wheel,
a look that would cause peopleʼs heads to reel.
I ordered the 350, 4 Barrel, Rocket V-8,
I thought I couldnʼt stand a six week wait.
It finally arrived in 11 weeks and 2 days,
and when I saw it I was truly amazed.
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continued
No sport steering wheel,
the stripes came on the sides,
It had Air Conditioning,
I could have cried.
It also came without the Tach,
the dealer said they could send it back.
Iʼm glad I kept the car that I got,
the Air Conditioning feels good when itʼs hot.
I now have a hood stripe and sport steering wheel,
It cost me extra, but was no big deal.
My car turns 32 the 5th of November,
you better believe itʼs birthday Iʼll remember.
The 442 was my dream car ideal,
but technically I bought my “Fatherʼs Oldsmobile.” This poem is dedicated to a friend true blue,
my Olds Cutlass “S” of 1972.
UPCOMING EVENTS
May 7, Saturday
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Join us at the Shady Maple
Smorgasbord for lots of good food and
socializing with your fellow Blue/Gray
members. This is not a car show or cruise.
Its just a good excuse to get together.
Weʼll meet in the lobby at 10:30 am.
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SHADY MAPLE SMORGASBORD
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129 Toddy Drive
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East Earl, PA 17519
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Contact Vaughn Hostetler
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[email protected]
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(717) 838-6756
No later than Friday May 6, if you plan to
attend.
May 14 !
OCOCP Spring Show: !
9AM - 4PM
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5719 Lincoln Highway (U.S. Rte.30), Manns Choice, PA
May 21 ! DVOC Spring BPOC Show
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KD Markley Elementary School, Malvern, PA
June 18! Olds Homecoming
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Lansing, MI
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JUNE 24-26, 2011
Once again the Blue/Gray Chapter and Delaware Valley Oldsmobile Club will be
cohosting the Oldsmobile show field at the Carlisle All GM Nationals. On Saturday June
25 the chapters will be presenting awards in various classes
Pre-register before May 23rd to get your window sticker early and drive right in when you get to the
gate! When you pre-register, you save time AND you save money. Beat the May 23rd deadline and
they will mail your window sticker to your address of record via USPS. The sticker will go out weeks in
advance of the event. When you get to the show, enjoy the VIP treatment of driving straight to Gate 3.
When you pre-register, you save $10.! !
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To register:
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Call (717) 243-7855
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On line go to www.carlisleevents.com!
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or: an entry form is provided in this newsletter to register by mail
This is an official Oldsmobile Road Show event. Make sure you register club affiliation as Oldsmobile
Club of America.
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205 1966 - 1992 OLDS TORONADO
CLASSES! !
206 OLDS CUTLASS
for registration!
207 OLDS PERFORMANCE (ALL-INC 442,HURST,RALLYE,MOD)
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208 OLDS (ALL OTHER YEARS & MODELS) )
Registering a vehicle on the showfield allows three-day admission for two adults and one vehicle.
Early registration price $30.
July 27 - 31!
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2011 National Meet, Hosted by Nor-Cal Chapter of OCA
Grand Sierra Resort & Casino, Reno, NV
Visit the OCA website or “Journey With Olds” for details
August 7, 2011
The Blue/Gray Chapter is hosting the Oldsmobile show field.
Pre-registration is $13 and is handled by Das Awkscht Fescht
and must be postmarked by July 1, 2011.
For more information, mail requests to:
Das Awkscht Fescht
P.O. Box 193
Macungie, PA 18062
[email protected]! !
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info hotline: 610-967-2317
August 14 or 21 ? !
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September 10! !
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Blue/Gray Picnic
exact date and location not yet finalized
OCOCP Fall Show
5719 Lincoln Highway (U.S. Rte.30), Manns Choice, PA
blue-graychapter.com
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September 25 ! !
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Blue/Gray 26th Annual Fall Show
Texas Roadhouse
179 Eisenhower Drive
Hanover, PA
October 9! !
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DVOV Fall Show
December 10!
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Blue/Gray 2011 Christmas Party
Holiday Inn
Exit 80, I-81
Grantville, PA
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Das Awkscht Fescht entry form
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Spring has sprung!
Top Ten Reasons to register for the GM Nationals
#10!
# 9!
#8!
#7!
#6!
#5!
#4!
Its June. Get out there and enjoy it.
Support Oldsmobile and the OCA
Support the Blue/Gray Chapter
Save money - $10 cheaper to register by May 23
Vendors: parts & supplies, car related stuff.
Food: sold by mostly non-profit local groups
Car Corral: lots of interesting cars for sale
(maybe one you want)
#3! People: lots of Oldsmobile people
#2! Cars in the Show Field: Olds, Chevy, Pontiac,
Buick, & Caddy
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And the
#1 reason to register for the GM Nationals:
Its a Cheap Date:
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Your entry fee is good for 2 adults
and your car for all 3 days. The cost for two 3 day
passes without a car is the
same, so why not drive in close to everything?!Heck,
there's a fee to park anywhere else!
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