Tinkering Times - Antique Auto Mushers of Alaska

Antique Auto Mushers of Alaska
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Volume 51, Number 4
www.antiqueautomushersak.org
April 6, 2011
Things Happening at Robbie!s Garage
Photo: Tom Cresap
Robbie Robinson peers through a www tire (not a website) for his 1928 Franklin, which
is in the midst of a restoration. The car has been waiting patiently in the back corner of
Robbie’s garage since 1984 but will soon get proper attention at a professional restoration shop in New York.
This month’s garage
Robbie Robinson’s garage has
been aflutter for the last few weeks
with preparations to complete the restoration of his 1928 Franklin, which
he has owned since its purchase at a
Portland Swap Meet in 1982.
Repairs began after a 1983 tour
with the Antique Auto Mushers to
Denali Park, where one of the crankshaft bearings failed. At the time,
Larry Vandersloot, an aircraft mechanic and AAMA member from Wasilla, overhauled the engine; but intended completion of the restoration
was sidelined due to Robbie’s many
other interests–including one of his
main loves, Habitat for Humanity. As
we all know, Robbie is dedicated to
Habitat, and he is constantly preoccupied with projects both here in Anchorage and around the world.
Now, after about 28 years, the
Franklin is going to be restored, and
work is under way. Robbie plans to
clean all parts, remount the engine
and ship the car to a professional
Franklin restorer in Broadalbin, New
York, where it should be brought back
to its original splendor, or better.
H. J. (Robbie) Robinson was born
to Alicia (Cassidy) and John Robinson
of Donegal, Ireland on December 26,
1926. Alicia and John immigrated to
the United States separately in 1922
and met at an uncle’s farm in Woburn,
Massachusetts.
Robbie attended grade school
through high school in Woburn, Massachusetts and graduated in 1944. He
subsequently served in the Coast
Guard (1944-46) as a radio operator
aboard a ship in the North Atlantic
and attended Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute in Troy, New york, where he
earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1951.
After graduation, the globetrotting
began, as he did project engineering
and management in construction and
operation of oil refineries, pipelines
and terminals in India (3 years) Indonesia (5 years) Singapore (5 years)
and South Africa (2 years.) It was on
one of his business trips in October,
1957 that he met a beautiful young
stewardess, Marianne Jansson, on a
Pan-Am Stratoliner 30,000 feet above
Istanbul, Turkey. They married in
Woburn, Massachusetts eight weeks
later on December 8, 1957 and honeymooned in her hometown of Karlskoga, Sweden.
The couple moved to Sumatra in
(Please see p. 4, Robbie Robinson)
April
Meeting
Our regular business meeting for
April will take place at Robbie and
Marianne Robinson’s clubhouse at
7:30 p.m. April 13.
Refreshments for the April Meeting will be provided by Fredenhagens
and Kimzeys.
Many thanks to Scott Hulse and
Laura Reese for the refreshments at
the March meeting.
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Tinkering Times
Photo: Marcy Cresap
Editor, Tom Cresap, poses with his 1925
Model T at the Rondy Show at the Worthington dealership in February.
Your president is a little busy this
month, so the editor is usurping this
column.
To begin, I would like to ask the
membership to dedicate some of your
thoughts, prayers and good wishes to
our secretary, Laura Reese, who has
been having some health (heart) problems. She seems to be taking it in
stride, but we want her to know that
we appreciate her and want her to take
care of herself.
Emails
Dear AAMA members
We are planning an Alaskan cruise in
June on the Disney Wonder. We will make
stops in Skagway (6/10), Juneau (6/11),
and Ketchikan (6/12). I am trying to find
out if there are any Hudson-EssexTerraplane (HET) clubs or car enthusiasts
in these ports.
My dad is Walt Mordenti, better
known in HET circles and on car club
blogs as "Walt's Garage," with a little bit
of celebrity for his carburetor expertise
and his two volume book of HET tech
tips. He is 89 years old, an authentic HETNash-Rambler-Jeep-American
Motors
mechanic and WWII veteran (379-8th Air
Force B17 bomber Division.) He has been
working on cars since 1934 and in business since 1945. He is experienced with
all vintage automobiles, and he loves to
talk cars!
As you might imagine with any active mechanic, Walt gets terribly bored on
cruises and may not sail with us. We were
wondering if you could help us hook him
up with some HET, AMC, or vintage car
folks in these ports to kick tires and share
tech tips; otherwise, his wife (88 yrs.) and
his grandchildren (9 & 11 yrs.) must sail
without him.
I don't want to give the impression
that he doesn't love Alaska, he does! In
1990, he drove his Jeep from Orlando, FL
to Fairbanks pulling a 24-foot trailer.
All help appreciated!
Regards, Joyce Mordenti
[email protected] 415-412-0531
From Margaret Heaven
I just want you to know that the "Remembering LeRoi" website,
http://rememberingleroi.wordpres
s.com/, has been updated by Deborah
with photos from the LeRoi's celebration of life in November.
I have also written a short thank you
note on the home page.
Love,
Margaret
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Be sure to take a look at our
Schedule of Events, because we have
added a few things. President Donn
said that we need volunteers to fill the
obvious empty spots. You might consider stepping forward to do one or
two of these fun activities. Donn will
pass around a sign-up sheet at the
April meeting for your convenience.
We especially need some Cruise Masters for our rolling meetings.
This month, the Tinkering Times
is preoccupied with the goings-on at
Robinsons’ place. Over the years,
Robbie’s home has been open to us on
a regular basis, and we are very appreciative. It is really great to see that
he is finally taking time from his
many involvements to enjoy his
Franklin. It is a fine collector car, and
I am sure he is looking forward to
getting it back on the road.
We look forward to seeing everyone at the April meeting.
Tom
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Running Board Reflections
April 6, 2011
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www.antiqueautomushersak.org
2011 Officers
President: Donn Reese 245-7203
Vice President: Scott Hulse 349-8106
Secretary: Laura Reese 563-2914
Treasurer: Howard Hansen 345-1268
Sergeant at Arms: Fred Scharper
Members at Large
Diane Allen 345-6355
Tom Cresap 694-7510
Tam Isham 688-3671
Past Presidents (10 years)
Donn Reese (2009, 2010)
Jeff Hassler/Donn Reese (2008)
Jim Fredenhagen (2006-2007)
Fred Schurman (2005)
Diane Allen (2004)
Fred Schurman (2001-2003)
Peg Stout (2000)
Tinkering Times Staff
Editor: Tom Cresap
Proofing: Marcy Cresap
Please send correspondence,
articles or ads to:
Tinkering Times
Tom Cresap, Editor
P.O. Box 770703
Eagle River AK 99577
or e-mail:
[email protected]
The Tinkering Times is published
monthly by Alaska’s premier classic
and antique automobile club, Antique
Auto Mushers of Alaska, P.O. Box
232086, Anchorage AK 99523-2086.
Opinions expressed by authors
who contribute to Tinkering Times are
their own and do not necessarily reflect
the official policy of the Antique Auto
Mushers of Alaska.
Tinkering Times
April 6, 2011
One Man’s
Treasures
Contact Dave Chiotti,
707-539-6073
Saturday April 9th —12 PM TO 3 PM —THIS IS A FREE EVENT!
CAR SHOW REGISTRATION @ 12 PM
TROPHIES @ 3 PM
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Schedule of Events
! April 9–Show ‘N Shine Johnson’s Tire, registration 12:00 noon Donn
Reese, 245-7203)
! April 13–7:30 p.m Regular Meeting (Refreshments: Fredenhagens and
Kimzeys)
! May 11–6:30 p.m. Rolling Meeting (Cruise Master needed)
! May 7–9:00 a.m. Adopt-A-Road (Robbie Robinson, 333-0693)
! June 4–Muldoon Parade honoring the military
! June 4, 5–Blast From the Past, MATI (Dennis and Diane Allen, 3456355)
! June 8–6:30 p.m. Rolling Meeting (Cruise Master needed)
! June 16– 1:00-2:30 p.m. Daybreak Center (Dennis and Diane Allen, 3456355)
! June 17, 18–AAMA/VLNAAC Joint Meet
! June 18–Summer Solstice, 4th Ave, Anchorge
! June 23–1:00-2:30 p.m. Serendipity (Dennis and Diane Allen, 345-6355)
! July 2–Adopt-A-Road (Tom and Marcy Cresap, 694-7510)
! July 4–Fourth of July Parades, Anchorage, Chugiak, Palmer
! July 7-11–Long Distance Tour, McCarthy-Kennicott, (Tam Isham, 6883671, Ron Watts, 622-1931)
! July 13–6:30 p.m. Rolling Meeting (Cruise Master needed)
! July 15, 16, 17–Hope Weekend (Dennis and Diane Allen, 345-6355)
! August 10–6:30 p.m. Rolling Meeting (Cruise Master needed)
! September 10–Adopt-A-Road (Chairman needed)
! September 14–6:30 p.m. Rolling Meeting (Cruise Master needed)
! October 12–7:30 Regular Meeting (Nominations)
Tidbits
BRING THE WHOLE FAMILY FOR A DAY OF FUN! - FOOD - ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE KIDS
DRAWING:
• $250.00 GIFT CERTIFICATE X2
• HATS
• HOODY’S
• SHIRTS
TROPHIES AWARDED TO:
• BEST HOT ROD
• BEST STOCK ORIGINAL
• BEST CUSTOM
• PEOPLE’S CHOICE
3330 DENLALI ST. ANCHORAGE / 561-1414 / JTSALASKA.COM
For Two-Car Families
If one car is a limousine, the other
should be a phaeton. If one car is a
town car, the other should be a country car. If one car is a sedan, the other
should be a roadster. If one car is a
second-hand car, the other should be a
tow truck.
Northrim Bank
We want to offer a great big thankyou to Northrim Bank for paying our
$350 fee to be included in the 2011 Fur
Rendezvous schedule. We appreciate
the unexpected and generous help from
these good folks!
Adopt-A-Road
Robbie Robinson has announced
that our first of three summer clean ups
will be Saturday, May 7th, beginning at
9:00 a.m. Robbie will host the “tailgate
breakfast.” Be there or be square.
Blast from the Past
The “Blast from the Past” will take
place June 4th and 5th, 2011. Dennis and
Diane will have more information at
the April meeting.
Hope Weekend
Hope Weekend dates are July 15th,
th
16 and 17th. Drive home Monday, the
18th and avoid the traffic! Make reservations NOW if you need them. Rooms
fill up fast.
Daybreak
Come help us give rides to the
Daybreak folks June 16th at 1:00 to
2:30 p.m.
Serendipity
Again, we will give rides to the day
tenants on June 23rd from 1:00 to 2:30
p.m.
4
Tinkering Times
April 6, 2011
Robbie!s Robinson:The Adventures continue
Continued from p. 1
1958, and during their five years
there, two daughters were born.
Then it was on to Singapore in
1965, where they joined the Malaysian and Singapore Vintage Car Club
and acquired and restored an abandoned 1934 Lagonda and an abandoned 1926 Austin Chummy. They
subsequently participated in and won
1st and 2nd place in the 1967 Singapore Grand Prix: Vintage Class. The
adventures continued as they raced
and rallied in Singapore, Malaysia,
Thailand and Laos up to 1970. Marianne owned a 1934 Railton for a year,
but she really joined Robbie in the
competition when, in 1968, she purchased a 1934 Lagonda tourer in Malaysia.
In 1970, they shipped both
Lagondas to Durban, South Africa
where they rallied with the South African Vintage Car Club for two years.
In 1973 and 1974, they brought the
Lagondas first to Texas, then to
Alaska where they have been members of the Antique Auto Mushers of
Alaska for the past 37 years.
The Lagondas returned to England for restoration in the late 1980’s,
then to Vancouver, BC in 2004. While
there, the Le Mans-bodied racer was
completely consumed in a horrific fire
in the restorer’s shop, in January of
2005. Marianne’s tourer, which survived the fire, was later sold to a
Lagonda Club British member in
2007. That owner and his wife drove
the already well-traveled car 9,500
miles from Peking, China to Paris and
London.
The Robinsons’ purchase of the
Franklin in 1982 and a Model A Fordor in 1994 signal a considerably
slower pace in driving habits, although other aspects of their lives
keep moving at a considerable pace;
but that is another story.
The last aspect of Robbie and
Marianne’s garage is the clubroom
AAMA has come to know as home. It
got its start when the Robinsons decided to build a “proper” six-car garage to hold their toys. The plans included a large meeting/social room
above. In the past 10 or 15 years, that
room has become the regular meeting
place for the Antique Auto Mushers of
Photo: Robbie Robinson
Alaska, and Robbie says that “as long
as the house is in the Robinson name,
[it] will continue to be the AAMA
club room and “headquarters.”
We congratulate the Robinsons on
their life of adventure with automobiles and, of course, their wonderful
garage. We are also anxious to see the
outcome of the Flight of the (Phoenix)
Franklin.
Photo: Tom Cresap
Above left: Ted Kimzey attempts to remove a rear wheel, which stubbornly
would not budge. Above right: Ti refinishes wheel spokes “in situ.” Below: Robbie thanks his partner in the restoration task, Ti, for help preparing the Franklin
for its Odyssey to New York and its rebirth.
Photo: Tom Cresap
Tinkering Times
April 6, 2011
5
Meeting Room Sees Changes
The AAMA meeting room at Robinsons’ garage got a bit of a face lift
on Saturday, March 19 when a small
group of volunteers converged to install new shelving to hold trophies and
other displays that have gathered over
the years.
The need for a display area has
been the subject of discussion for several months. At the February and
March meetings, things heated up, and
we decided to research projected
costs.
At the February meeting, president, Donn Reese, reported an estimated material cost of about $600. We
were discussing using treasury funds
when our honorable Sergeant-atArms, Fred Scharper, stood up and
challenged members present to match
his $10.00 donation for the project.
The resulting collection produced
about half of what was needed, and
we decided the treasury could make
up the rest.
At the March meeting, Donn had
firmed up material selection and cost,
and four members volunteered to do
the installation. Tom Cresap offered to
schedule a day with the work group,
which included Alan Combs, Donn
Reese and Mike Wiedmer.
Robbie Robinson picked up the
materials a day before the scheduled
installation, and the group made quick
work of hanging the sheets on the appointed day.
Completion involves choosing
and installing shelving and display
racks. This will depend on our supplier delivering the products we want,
but it should happen soon.
Thanks go to our work group; but
we would like to give a special thanks
to Donn Reese for locating a source
for the materials and to Robbie Robinson for picking them up.
Members can expect a bit of a
change when they come for the April
meeting.
Photo: Mike Wiedmer
Photo: Donn Reese
Photo: Donn Reese
Clockwise from upper
left: the “before” shot
of the corner holding
a clutter of accumulated trophies and
other stuff; Tom, Alan
and Donn prepare to
install the first two
wall panels; Tom and
Mike measure for a
cut; Tom reinstalls a
switch.
Photo: Donn Reese
Tinkering Times
Model A!s Jump the gun
by Jim Fredenhagen
A few of us Model A'ers
couldn't let the nice weather
and dry pavement go to
waste on Sunday, March
13th, so we met at Carrs
Huffman and made a donut John Piper fixes
exhaust on his
run to Girdwood.
Photo: Jim Fredenhagen
’30 Tudor.
Rather
spur-of-themoment but the drive was wonderful. Only small problem when
John Piper lost the bolt that holds up his tailpipe. We scrounged
and found an extra and were on our way to the donut shop.
In 5 cars were Ted Kimzey ('31 Tudor), John Piper, his
grandaughter, Heather, and Darren Folkers('30 Tudor), Jim Fredenhagen and Boyd Watson('29Tudor), Ken Holland and Bob
Bartlett('29 Coupe), Ben Robar and Larry Yates('29 Tudor.)
April 6, 2011
April
Birthdays
Brian Leinon–4th
Marcy Cresap–7th
Kathy Centoni–12th
Diane Allen–14th
James Hall–15th
Richard Combs–25th
Marion Benham–27th
Anniversaries
Jack and Carolyn
Rathert–3rd
Jim and Vickie
McCubben–17th
Ken and Peg
Stout–18th
Ken and Doris
Holland–22nd
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AAMA
P.O. Box 232086
Anchorage AK 99523-2086