smokesignals - Ankokas Region of AACA

June 2006
Volume 43, Issue 6
SMOKE SIGNALS
The Official Publication of the ANKOKAS Region AACA
’49 MERC
In This Month’s Issue:
’49 Merc
1
by James A. Wickel
Can you remember sitting
in the first car that you
knew you had to own? It
was lateInterest
1948. I had
Special
stopped
at
the local
Articles:
Lincoln-Mercury dealer,
the same one my wife
• almost
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or yourfamous
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bottoms-up
some new literature.
The Prez Says.. 4
• Add a highlight
your
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of new Mercs
I or
had
seen
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here. on television
and
Lincolns
American Muscle 5
• "Toast
Add a highlight
of The Towns" and
your point of
I or
had
gone to the dealer to
interest here.
Upcoming
Events
7
For Sale/Wanted 7
From the Editor/The
Cuba Project
8
ads for Ed Sullivan's
look at the cars when they
first came out. It was so
crowded in the showroom
all you could do was walk
around the cars. I was 15
and not about to buy a car
so I kept a low profile.
On this particular day the
showroom was empty. A
young salesman was
standing there looking at a
dark blue Lincoln
Cosmopolitan. I picked up
two or three new folders
and turned and looked at
the Cosmopolitan. I guess
my eyes were lighting up.
"Would you like to sit in
it?", the salesman said.
Wow! Would I. I spent the
next half hour sitting in all
the cars on the showroom
floor. I liked the Lincolns
very much. In fact, I
always thought the '49, '50
and '51 big Lincolns were
great looking cars.
They rode well and were
very good on gas.
Fact was I thought they
were better looking than
the Packard or the
Cadillac..but Cadillac had
that overhead valve
engine and fins..never did
quite understand fins.
Caddys and Packards in
1950 also had auto trans.
I'll give them that but for
smooth, clean, rich
appearance the Cosmo, in
my opinion, had it.
Over on the side of the
showroom was a green
Mercury, 2-door. When
my fanny sank into this
seat and I closed the door,
this was my car. I closed
my eyes and we left the
showroom down Route 22
to Phillipsburg, out across
Pennsylvania towards
Ohio. We were really
cruising. What a car. It
was clean, big, beautiful
dash, soft and luxurious
upholstery. I loved this
car. I had to have this car.
I was 15.
In 1953 I was 19 and the
new car bug was biting in
a big way. My '40 Ford
was running well. I had it
for over two years, but I
needed something newer.
The 1954 Fords and
Mercs had just come out
with the new overhead
valve V-8 's but I was only
making $50.00 or so a
week, a new car was out.
My Dad said I should visit
an old friend of his, Mr.
Stonicker, in Bloomfield.
He was a Willys' dealer
and Dad bought his car
from him...remember...a
1938 Willys. Why visit
him, I don't want a
Willys...but my father
insisted. What could I
loose, he had a used car
department so over I
went.
Mr. Stonicker's operation
was typical of the times. A
small showroom with two
cars in it.
A small lot out front with
about five to ten used cars
and a repair area behind
the showroom.
This was a lean operation.
Willys was not doing well
in 1953, in fact, I guess
they were soon bought by
Kaiser Fraiser. Mr.
Stonicker himself was
handling both new and
used car sales.
As I drove up my eyes lit
up. Right in the middle of
the used car lot was a
1949 Merc, 2- door, light
metallic green. I don't
think I saw anything else. I
wanted that car. My mind
raced back to 1948 as I
sat in the used Merc.
(continued on next page)
SMOKE SIGNALS
The inside was like new.
No spots on the seats or
the headlined. The dash
glowed in the lights.
The body was perfect, no
dents, scratches or
missing parts.
Once again we were
cruising. This time on
Bloomfield Avenue, but
my eyes were open, my
fanny really was in the
seat of a real moving 1949
Merc, 2-door...what a car.
My fantasy of 15 could
now become reality. All I
needed was about $1,200.
As we drove along Mr.
Stonicker looked at me
and said, you really want
this car, don't you?" Being
the hard bargainer I've
always been I said, "You
betcha more than my next
breath. " We went back to
the dealership and I was
about to drive the Merc
back into the used car
line. "Never mind, " said
Mr. Stonicker, "just run
around to the back, I'll put
a sold sign on it until the
end of the week and you
go get your money, that
way no one else will sell
it." I guess Dad was right
about the man.
It took three days to get
my first car loan at
Irvington National Bank
True to his word Mr.
Stonicker still had the
Merc behind his building
with a sold sign on it.
The next day Don
Knowles drove me over to
Bloomfield and I picked up
my Merc. It was four years
old, only 35,000 on the
clock and everything
worked including the
overdrive.
Over the years I have
become a traditionalist
regarding old cars. I go to
extremes to restore them
exactly as they were
produced in the factory.
The first thing I did with
the Merc was to nose it
and to replace the
centerpiece of the grille.
Next I decked it. All the
parts and equipment
came from the House of
Chrome in Paterson, New
Jersey. The first custom
car parts store I can
remember in New Jersey.
The piece I put in the grill
gave the Merc a much
lower-wider look from the
front. By putting a couple
of cinder blocks in the
trunk, the back was
lowered and with the nose
and deck job it gave the
car a much faster look. I
was happier than a pig in
you know what.
As I look back, however,
the thing I remember best
was how reliable the '49
Merc was.
Sure it looked good but it
always ran and it ran well.
I do not recall any major
repairs other than tuneups and brake shoes. As
a current TV ad says, "It
just kept going and going
and..."
In the winter of 1953-54 I
purchased a 1949 Shultz
house trailer, 30' long. At
this time a hitch was
welded to the Merc rear
frame in order to tow the
Shultz to and from the
Jersey shore. Little did I
think at this time that this
was the beginning of the
end of the Merc.
Page 2
1934 Chevy coil springs
were obtained at the
junkyard. Metal plates
were welded on the
bottom with four bolts
forming a shackle. The
Merc rear was jacked up.
The coils were placed
between the frame and
the rear leaf springs.
This gave the extra
support to the rear to tow
the trailer.
A spot was found at Sea
Bay Park, a private trailer
and cottage area below
Bay Head, New Jersey,
and for the next three
seasons the Merc dutifully
towed the old Shultz to
and from the shore each
season.
Early in the summer of
1954 the Merc took us to
visit relatives in Canada. A
rather amusing episode
took place southeast of
Buffalo, New York. We
were cruising along at
about 60-65 on a new four
lane section of road. My
Dad was next to me in
the front seat. My
grandmother in her late
70's, my sister who was
twelve and my mother
were in the back. As I
approached a 1951 or
1952 Olds Rocket 88 from
the rear I pulled into the
left-hand lane to pass. As
we drew even with the
Olds, an elderly, white
haired gentleman was
driving, he glared at us
and stepped on the gas as
if to say how dare you try
to pass me. Of course at
19 I was not about to let
this challenge go
unanswered.
70, 80, 85, the road was
straight, no other cars
near us. As we exceeded
90 the old fellow driving
the Olds appeared to be
frozen at the wheel. We
were staying even. Dad
seemed to have left his
body and it was sitting
next to me starring
straight ahead, very little
breathing, no motion. In
the rearview mirror I could
see my mother holding
onto the seat for dear life,
eyes almost popping out
of her head. My sister
Ellen was leaning forward
looking at the speeds
announcing to everyone
70, 72, 75, 78, etc.
Grandma who was 4' 11"
and almost as round, was
a wonderful lady. I had
always liked to be around
her. She was knitting in
the backseat and she
never missed a stitch,
watching the other car out
of the corner of her eye.
I knew the Olds was faster
than my flathead Merc but
I had an ace in the hole overdrive.
I put the pedal to the floor
and it downshifted giving
us a little extra punch. At
this point I heard
Grandma say, "Atta boy
Jimmy, floor it! " I later
found out she had learned
to drive in the early 20's
and had a lead foot.
In any event that "little"
extra must have scared
the Olds, probably never
tangled with overdrive. We
passed him and soon
settled back to 60. Mom
put her eyes back into her
head. Dad returned to his
body and my sister said
she was bored.
(continued on next page)
SMOKE SIGNALS
Grandma kept knitting
while she posed a
question to me. "Do you
think this car would go
more than 100 miles an
hour?" I've never gone
that fast.
Talking about overdrive,
by 1954 automatics were
taking over even with
some younger people. I
liked to ride next to people
with automatics and shift
my Merc from 1st to 2nd
then let it drop into 2nd
overdrive then shift into
high and then let it shift
into overdrive high.
The guy next to you never
could figure how you
shifted 5 times. At one
time we even considered
putting a dummy shift
handle on the left side of
the column just to confuse
people. Our plan was to
shift 1st on the right then
the left, etc. Might have
been fun, but we never
got around to it.
By the winter of 1956 I
had the Merc for over two
years and the past three
seasons at the shore had
not been kind to her.
As I said earlier I never
thought buying the trailer
was the beginning of the
end of the Merc but it was
not due to mechanical
fault but be- cause of
physical problems that I
as its' driver caused.
No, I never had any
accidents with her but my
trailer location at the shore
was only 20 feet from the
beach at the bay. Several
times a year I would come
home rather early in the
morning and carelessly
park to far down the
beach at low tide. On a
number of occasions my
poor Merc would be up to
the floorboards in salt
water and on one
occasion the entire rear
including the trunk was in
the water. I'm sure you
know what happened...my
poor Merc had some
serious cancer in the
lower quarters, rear
fenders and trunk area.
Winter snow and salt on
the roads didn't help the
matter. In the spring of
1956 I repaired the
quarters, rear fenders and
trunk with some new
sheet metal. The old girl
looked good and still ran
as good as new.
Towing the trailer back to
Mountainside in Sept.
1956 at about 50 on the
New Jersey Park- way,
the rear wheels of the
Merc locked momentarily
with a loud clang. They
broke free and I never had
overdrive after that. I
would think something in
the planetary gear
snapped.
The old girl just kept
running so good that I was
seriously going to have
some additional body
work done, the overdrive
repaired and a new paint
job but like so many other
young men I fell in love
not once but twice.
My first love turned out to
be my wife of the past 32
+ years. Funny thing
about this was that we
were born and raised
about four blocks apart.
She went to a Catholic
school, St. Leo's, and
wore a green uniform. I
would wait hid- ding in the
Page 3
bushes many times and
jump out scaring her and
calling her a brussel
sprout, great fun huh? We
were introduced years
later by friends on a blind
date and by this time her
family had moved 20
miles away.
If you think some of my
activities as a child and
young man are strange
you may be right but I
suggest before you come
to any conclusions you
closely review your own
youth whether you are 19
or 99, male or female. I'm
sure you will fmd some
surprises under that
covering of aging dust.
Hopefully, some real good
laughs.
At about the same time
most of my buddies got
newer cars. In fact about 1
1/2 years earlier Don
Knowles bought a brand
new 1954 Ford
convertible, red outside,
white inside, overhead
valve V-8, stick shift, skirts
and all the other bells and
whistles. At this time I also
sold my trailer so I no
longer needed the hitch
on my '49 Merc.
I had put almost 60,000
on the Merc in 2 1/2
years. Hard Miles. The
clock read 90,000+ .
Not only did I tow the
trailer but I also towed a
1952 Studebaker
Commander from Point
Pleasant, New Jersey to
Plainfield, a trip of about
75-80 mites. The car did
not use oil. Every- thing
except the overdrive and
the clock worked. You
know I never had a clock
work in a car until a digital
in a 1986 Capri.
It was at this time I
discovered a 1954
Chrysler New Yorker with
9,000 miles in Mallon
Pontiac's used car lot. V-8
Hemi, four-door, two tone
green and a matching
plush interior.
My 2nd love at that time.
That Chrysler is one of
only two non-Ford
products I ever owned. I
liked the car, its luxury
impressed me but when I
took the Mercury at tradein time there were tears in
my eyes.
What a strange feeling. I
never experienced it
before but have several
times since. I was excited about the new car
but unhappy and reluctant
to give up the old car.
Who would buy it? Would
they care for it..where was
it going? I knew my
feelings for the new
car...would my old Merc
be someone's new car? I
guess all of us who like
cars feel this way at new
car time.
Nothing will ever replace
my first car, the '40 Ford
but my '49 Merc was
special. We had a mutual
like for one another. You
keep me waxed and I will
always start.
Over the years I have
considered restoring
another '49 Mercury but
that's the
problem...another '49
Mercury, not my '49 Merc.
SMOKE SIGNALS
The Prez Says…….
I hope everyone enjoyed
the Memorial Day
weekend, the weather
was hot but beautiful.
Well, the Courier post
show was rained out for
the 3rd; hopefully we will
get it in on the 10th.
We had 146 cars
registered, of which 20
were club cars, how many
will show up for the rain
date is anyone guess.
Now there seems to be at
least one car show every
weekend.
This month we also have
the Vintage car Show in
Riverton & the Grand
National in Dover, DE on
the 17th.
On the 24th you have an
opportunity to see the
start of the Great Race
2006 here in Philadelphia.
(See the Upcoming
Events section in this
newsletter)
The regular June meeting
is our Annual Tailgate
Meeting, for those who
have not joined us before,
it is behind the
Haddonfield Town Hall in
the back parking lot
(behind the post office) at
6:00pm or as soon as you
can get there. Bring your
car, something to eat &
drink, your chairs & a
table if you would like. We
just sit around, look at
cars, chat & usually are
gone by 8:00. If it should
rain we just move inside to
the regular meeting room,
but still 6:00pm. I hope we
have a large turn out.
Page 4
By Tom Mc Larney
There are not any
meetings in July & August
so this is your last chance
to discuss anything
happening this summer.
The next Directors
meeting will be on
September 5th at the
Petters’ home.
The Haddonfield Car
Show is also before we
meet again, this is one of
our premier events, so
please come out & help
park car or help in
registration.
If I don’t see you at the
Tailgate meeting, I hope
everyone has a safe &
health summer & look
forward to seeing you in
Haddonfield.
Tom McLarney
This is the Directors meeting list for the
rest of the year:
September meeting @ Bob Petters’
October meeting @ Dave Hann’s
November meeting @ Jackie Flechtner’s
December meeting @ Allan Vogelson’s
All are welcome to attend. Contact
Director for directions
Jeff Schulte
CARMASTERS
1920-1970’s
Collectable Car
Repairs &
Maintenance
Electrical
Specialists
538 Main Street
Lumberton, NJ
08048
Tel: 609-267-5234
Fax: 609-267-5100
E. Gilbert Jordan
ASE Master Engine Machinist
Jordan Automotive Machine
Cyl. Head Work, Cyl. Boring & Honing,
Connecting Rod Work, Flywheels
Resurfaced, Complete Motor Rebuilding
1307 Maine Avenue
Tel:609-261-2636
(one block off Rt. 38w) Fax:609-261-2636
Hainesport, NJ 08036
[email protected]
Bereavements
We sadly report that Barbara
Moss, a former editor of Smoke
Signals who worked closely with
Alan Volgelson has recently
passed away.
SMOKE SIGNALS
Page 5
AMERICAN MUSCLE: Factory High Performance Vehicles 1964-1972
By Jeffrey Bliemeister, AACA Museum Curator
Since the AACA
Museum’s opening in
2003, our staff and
volunteers have
repeatedly heard the
same two questions from
our visitors: when are the
Tuckers arriving and
where are your muscle
cars? The Tuckers
remain in Alexandria,
Virginia where Mr. David
Cammack graciously
offers personal tours upon
request. As for the
muscle cars, they will
arrive in full force on
Saturday, May 20th!
What, exactly, is a muscle
car? The AACA Museum
asked that very question
last winter with its
exhibition, “Thunder
Before the Storm: Birth of
the American Muscle
Car.” Our starting point
for the exhibition was
1949, when General
Motors introduced its
overhead valve V8
engine. This “modern”
power plant changed
people’s idea of
performance as it offered
factory horsepower that
could match or exceed
that obtained by the era’s
hot-rodders who were
modifying flat-head Ford
V8s. Other powerful
landmark vehicles, such
as the 1955 Chrysler
300C (with its 300
horsepower hemi engine)
soon followed. Yes, it was
a new era in performance
for the cars coming from
Detroit, but were these
vehicles really “muscle
cars?” We deliberately
ended this exhibition at
1964, the year Pontiac
debuted its GTO, the car
most associated with the
beginning of the “muscle
car” era.
muscle car n. A highperformance automobile,
often with flashy, sporty
styling; any of a group of
American-made two-door
sports coupes, with
powerful engines,
designed for highperformance driving; a
production car that is
formidable in oval track
racing, road racing or drag
racing. See also: Supercar
and Pony Car
Jim Aberts, John Katz,
Greg Czarnecki and Steve
Jones for their efforts in
not only locating these
fantastic automobiles but
convincing their owners to
give up driving them for an
entire summer season.
Some of these cars are
extremely rare and,
together, they give the
public an incredible
exhibition experience.
The term “Muscle Car”
was not a standard part of
our automotive vocabulary
in the days when these
cars were fresh from the
factory. In fact, the term
first appeared in print in
automotive journals in the
mid-1970s, several years
after the performance era
had run its course. During
“American Muscle”
their actual production,
focuses on the height of
these performance
the factory performance
machines were more
period, 1964 to 1972. Our
commonly referred to as
starting point is the 1964
“Supercars,” possibly in
Pontiac Tempest with the
reference to their
GTO option. This
connection with super
particular example is
stock drag racing.
coming to us from the
Factory performance cars
General Motors Heritage
Collection in Detroit. It is reached their peak in the
late 1960s and early
the same vehicle that
1970s as intense
ended “Thunder Before
competition between
the Storm.” The
manufacturers resulted in
Museum’s all volunteer
Exhibition Task Force has yearly horsepower
increases and dramatic
really worked hard to
styling. The 1973 OPEC
identify and secure an
oil embargo, stricter air
impressive array of
pollution laws and
milestone muscle cars
insurance premiums made
from all the major
muscle cars impractical
manufacturers. I wish to
and out of fashion with the
acknowledge and thank
public. While most
models disappeared, a
few, such as the Mustang,
Camaro and Firebird,
remained in production
with an emphasis on style
and appearance, rather
than actual performance.
Today, muscle cars are
coveted by car collectors
and restorers across
several generations.
Certain vintage vehicles,
such as Hemi-Powered
Mopars and Boss-Engined
Mustangs are setting
record prices at major
auctions across the
country. The “Big Three”
are responding to this
craze by introducing retro
styled versions of these
old favorites with
performance that far
exceeds the original
models.
“American Muscle:
Factory Performance
Vehicles 1964-1972”
offers the public a rare
opportunity to see the
legendary vehicles that
epitomized this exciting
era in American
automotive history. The
exhibition runs through
Sunday, October 8th.
(continued on next page)
SMOKE SIGNALS
American Muscle – Exhibition List
1964 Pontiac Tempest/GTO
The General Motors Heritage Collection
1966 Ford Mustang GT350 Hertz
Bill Smart – Lansdale, PA
1967 Mercury Comet 427
Pete and Sandy Robinson - Reistertown, MD
1967 Pontiac GTO
The General Motors Heritage Collection
1969 AMC AMX
Museum Collection, gift of Chris Zinn
1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS
Ron Molinaro – Manalapan, NJ
1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z28
Richard Dilworth – East Fallowfield, PA
1969 Dodge Daytona
Duane and Bonnie Catlett – Winchester, VA
1969 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet
Tom McElroy – Glenmoore, PA
1969 Plymouth Roadrunner
Dickie Wolfe – Wardensville, WV
1969 Pontiac GTO Judge
The General Motors Collection
1970 Buick GSX
The General Motors Heritage Collection
1970 Chevrolet Chevelle
Ken Mahr – Chadds Ford, PA
1970 Chevrolet El Camino SS
Bob Kapral – Boonton, NJ
1970 Chevrolet Yenko Nova
Alan I. Ives – Chesapeake, VA
1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302
Andrew Bickhart – Shamokin Dam, PA
1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429
Joe Spinelli – Media, PA
1970 Ford Torino
Mike Porotta – Trenton, NJ
1970 Oldsmobile 442
The General Motors Collection
1970 Plymouth Hemi Barracuda
Dave Points – Dover, PA
1970 Pontiac GTO
Dennis Nerganst – Downingtown, PA
1972 Oldsmobile 442 W30
Ken Mahr – Chadds Ford, PA
1973 Pontiac Trans Am Super Duty
Todd Matthews – Harrisburg, PA
Page 6
SMOKE SIGNALS
Page 7
Upcoming Events
Courier Post Car Show – postponed due to rain - June 10th.
Tailgate Party at Haddonfield Municipal Building back parking lot
June 15th, 6:00pm in lieu of meeting.
Great Race in Philadelphia – on the Parkway.
6/21&6/22…Car registration starts at the Sheraton Society Hill
6/23…Trophy Run to Dover DE. & back
6/24....Cars depart Hotel for Ben Franklin Parkway @ 8:30am
Official Start of Race @ 12:30pm
http://www.greatrace.com/ for more details.
Merchantville Car Show, Saturday July 8th,
http://merchantvillecarshow.com/ for more details.
Peach Festival – August 5th, 5:00pm at the Mt. Laurel Friends Meeting
House – more details to come.
Grand National Show in Dover, DE – June 17th - Contact Tom Amendola
for details.
NOTE THERE WILL BE NO CLUB MEETINGS IN JULY AND AUGUST.
For Sale/Wanted
1970 Caddy El Dorado, muscle car 500 cubic inch engine, 400 horse
power and 550 torque. Has damage on passenger side. Runs great.
Call for details – Caddy Mike – 610-789-5753
For Sale: a ton of Caddy Parts. Caddy guy Mike wants to empty out his
entire collection of stuff. Give him a call - 610-789-5753
For Sale: 1957 Pontiac 2 door, good for parts. Call Chuck Sweeney
856-753-8575
ANKOKAS REGION, AACA
The ANKOKAS is the
South East Region of the
AACA dating back to
1964.
TOM MCLARNEY, PRESIDENT
[email protected]
856-461-6688
TOM AMENDOLA, VICE PRESIDENT
[email protected]
609-268-8488
GEORGE REINIS, TREASURER
[email protected]
856-424-4243
JACKIE FLECHTNER, SECRETARY
856-429-2709
TOM GIANGIULIO, DIRECTOR
[email protected]
856-767-5913
BOB PETTERS, DIRECTOR
[email protected]
856-7674438
DAVE HANN, DIRECTOR
[email protected]
856-546-8241
JEFF SCHULTE, DIRECTOR
[email protected]
856-234-1623
HOWARD STEINBERG, DIRECTOR
[email protected]
856-424-1861
We’re on the Web!
See us at:
http://www.geocities.com/ankokas/
For Sale: 1984 Chrysler New Yorker, 5th Ave, original owner, auto,
garaged kept, 4 dr sedan, white, dk blue leather interior, 318 V8, ½ vinyl
roof, 56K miles, p/s, p/b, p/seats, p/dl, p/ant, am/fm cassette, new tires,
driver/pass heat & a/c controls, asking $5,000 firm. Car is located in
Westmont near Haddonfield. Please call Dave Bernardo 856-665-1535.
For Sale by Bob Petters – ANKOKAS Region AACA “Static Cling”
stickers. Reapply-able and available in traditional logo or club banner.
$4.00 each – get them from Bob at our monthly meetings.
Regular meetings are held on the
3rd Thursday of each month at
8:00pm on the second floor of the
Haddonfield Municipal Building.
Director meetings are held on the
1st Tuesday of the month at the
home of one of the officers.
All are welcome.
NOTE: No meetings in July,
August, or December
SMOKE SIGNALS
From the Editor…….
By Michael Sisto
“The Cuba Project: TailLight Diplomacy Starts 9th Year”
As I wrote in last months issue,
south of Key West. As I did one
roadster, Cuba counts but one
at our April club meeting you
night in 2000, riding along the
motor vehicle for 24 people.
missed a fascinating
oceanfront in a '56 Chevy,
Compare this to Pennsylvania
presentation by guest Rick
looking north I could see a clear
with 6 vehicles to every 9 people!
Shnitzler on classic American
glow that was Florida. Havana
OK, what is TLD'S mission ? For
cars in Cuba. Rick is the Lead
started up 27 years after
8 years we've been working to
Organizer of the TailLight
Columbus discovered Cuba in
get American old car owners to
Diplomacy organization.
1492. 1519 or 1959, it's been the
Cuba. Persistently seeking to
Caribbean's biggest city, bigger
create the conditions for the
than Baltimore.
owners of '57 Buicks, '49
Below is a reprint of his talk on
the subject before we watched
the video that originally aired on
By the 1700's Cuba's roaring
PBS back in 2002. Keep your
exports included sugar cane,
eyes open as it may air again.
tobacco, rum and hardwoods.
Great thanks to the Ankokas
Region's officers and members.
And right-off-the-bat I want to
Page 8
Starting before WW I, Cubans
imported more American cars
per person than any nation.
SMOKE SIGNALS EDITOR
Michael Sisto
20 Huckleberry Way
Turnersville, NJ 08012
E-MAIL:
ANKOKASNEWSLETTER@
Comcast.net
FAX: 856-401-9253
PHONE: 856-232-1329
st
Articles due end of 1 week
of each month
Dodges, '55 Harleys, and '58
Fageols to meet face-to-face
with Cuban brethren. Americans
acknowledge three other key
with Cubans - along with their
non-governmental groups. The
families. Open visitation . . .
US-Cuba Trade Association, the
Recent discoveries included a
300 SL, a Chrysler Ghia auto
Latin American Working Group,
The National Foreign Trade
recognize AACA National
From any set of assumptions, its
Directors. Doug Drake from our
easy to confirm a minimum of
startup, and now continuing from
30,000 as still in daily use. A line
Bo Croly and Terry Bond. We
more than 110 miles long. And
also must recognize equal
this doesn't count at least 60,000
supporting roles by SAH, OCW,
AACA-eligible pre-1982 cars,
HMN, SEMA, and Cuba's top
motorcycles, light and heavy
What you will not see next?
Dagoberto Rodriguez, Cuba's
auto museum, Havana's
trucks, and buses mainly from
Mixed in among the countless
''ambassador" to the U.S. in
Deposito del Automovil. Before
Eastern Europe. I caution you
'52 Chevies and '49 Plymouths,
Washington; and Rodrigo
we watch the film, I'm going to
these numbers are bare
rolling proof of Cuba's
Malmierca, Cuba's Ambassador
bring you proprietary facts to
minimums. Regardless, Cuba,
automotive adventures.
to the United Nations in New
help you frame your responses.
with area and population of
Czechoslovakian Skodas, Polish,
York.
''Classic American Cars of Cuba''
Pennsylvania, ranks 75th in the
Fiat 500's, East German
was a 2002 PBS special, so far
world, but 2nd (after the US) with
Wartburgs, West German
seen by about 50,000,000
registered AACA-eligible
DKW's, English Lagondas, and
Americans. I was their script
vehicles! Regarding vehicle age,
Ural motorcycles from Russia.
consultant, and I want you to
5% are from the '20s and '3os;
Anybody here ever seen a 2000
decipher just which AACA core
20% are '40s; and 75% are '50s.
Ssasyang from China? Or GAZ
values - are precise and
congruent - despite being totally
separated since 1961. 45 years.
This offered Americans our first
look at Cuba, Cubans, and
Cuban cars.
For condition, less than 5% are
#1 or 2, 25% are #3, 60% are #4.
figures. Havana is 90 miles due
Guevara's '60 Chevrolet.
personnel carriers still in military
drag? Stuff I encountered on the
streets when I war hoping to see
first drove at age 15.
Cuba's dominant brand. Chrysler
is next, followed by Ford, then
Studebaker, Nash, and Kaiser.
DC-3 ! OK, some facts and
biggest discoveries since Che
dominates, with Chevrolet
independents such as Packard,
hand carried home as a kid in a
that TLD is sitting on one of the
an Isetta, perhaps the very car I
and finger the artifacts. No ''Do
in Cuba. Some of this stuff I
Skylark. And I want to confirm
As in the 1950's, GM still
During the Q&A come up here
Not Touch'' signs here or on cars
show car, and a '54 Buick
TLD is a spinoff from US-Cuba
Sister Cities Association. In
2000 they invited me to
Council. Their leaders are all well
aware of AACA. Fernando
Remirez' role in Havana sits
alongside other senior policy
makers like Ricardo Alarcon,
General Assembly President;
Remember this film reflected
great shared optimism of 5 years
ago. Now, what's a federal crime
for 99.9% of Americans is hosum for any Canadian. Take an
extra handout but don't waste it
on someone from AACA'S
Ontario Region. Find a fellow
American whose passion is
guaranteeing the rights in our
Constitution.
RICK SHNITZLER
Lead organizer
determine if old cars were a
TailLight Diplomacy
No time soon are any cars likely
basis for a US-Cuba people-to-
[email protected]
to be sunk as fish reefs. Whether
people cultural exchange. So
a 1999 (Canadian-assembled
right now aside from Sister Cities
Dodge Cirrus ) or a 1929 Ford
International, I want to
Contact Tom & Carol Amendola if interested in arranging an informal meeting place.
SMOKE SIGNALS
Michael Sisto, Editor
20 Huckleberry Way
Turnersville, NJ 08012
Your June Issue of ANKOKAS Region AACA
Newsletter has arrived……
Tail Gate Party is June 15th at 6:00pm in the back
parking lot of the Haddonfield Municipal Building.
No June, July, or August meeting….