by Jay D`angelo - Great Autos of Yesteryear

GREA T AUTOS
OF
YESTER YEAR
SERIES XXXII • MODEL IX february 2016
OUT OF THE GARAGE...INTO THE STREETS!
GREA T AUTOS
OF
YESTER YEAR
OUT OF THE GARAGE...INTO THE STREETS!
by Jay D’Angelo
A
lthough his legacy is the subject
of much debate, especially in
our community, it’s generally
agreed that Ronald Reagan
has been the most influential president
since Franklin D. Roosevelt. Since we
are lucky enough to have his presidential
library here in southern California,
please join us for a tour on February 27th.
Regardless of your opinion of Reagan,
it’s a fascinating place full of interesting
historical artifacts both automotive and
non-automotive.
Ronald Wilson Reagan was born in
Tampico, Illinois on February 6, 1911.
When he was born, his father John said,
“He looks like a fat little Dutchman. But,
who knows, he might grow up to be president someday.”
Besides being an actor, he became a
politician late in life and was elected Governor of California in 1966. He became
President of the United States on January
20, 1981. He was a beloved man known
as the Great Communicator who kept
Continued on page 3
O FFICE RS ’1 D IRE CT O RS
CALENDAR OF EV ENTS
Feb 3 (Wed) — Palm Springs Dinner Cruise at Nicolino’s (pg. 10)
Feb 7 (Sun) — Orange County Brunch at Tustin Grille (pg. 10)
Feb 10 (Wed) — SF Valley Dinner Cruise at Magnolia Grille (pg. 10)
Feb 21 (Sun) — L.A./West Hollywood Brunch at Desano Pizzeria (pg. 10)
president
Vice President
(702) 400-3749
[email protected]
(818) 761-7622
[email protected]
Jay D’Angelo
Mike Parente
Feb 21 (Sun) — Palm Springs Brunch at P.S. Air Museum (pg. 10)
Feb 24 (Wed) — SF Valley Dinner Cruise at Hill Street Cafe (pg. 10)
Treasurer
Secretary
Feb 27 (Sat) — Reagan Library Tour in Simi Valley (pg. 1)
(760) 740-0904
[email protected]
(818) 645-5830
[email protected]
Feb 28 (Sun) — San Gabriel Valley Breakfast at Bun & Burger (pg. 10)
Mar 6 (Sun) — Swap Meet at Pomona Fairplex
Director
Mar 20 (Sun) — Heaps O’ Fun (pg. 11)
Jul 7-9
— West Coast Meet in Atascadero (back cover)
Monthly Board Meetings: Meetings are usually on the first Thursday of
the month. The next meeting is on Thursday, February 4, at 6:30 PM. This
meeting is a virtual meeting and all club members are welcome. Please call
Jay D’Angelo for more information on how to join the meeting.
Official Great Autos events are represented in bold type. Calendar of Events
items are Board approved and may be subject to change without notice.
GREAT AUTOS
OF
Ken Zander
Sanford Doi
Director
Brad Littlefield
(213) 309-6999
[email protected]
Jack Waldo
(714) 675-5824
[email protected]
director
Director
(760) 409-4651
[email protected]
(626) 644-5215
[email protected]
John Burge
Richard von Ernst
YESTERYEAR
Director
Richard St. Amant
(310) 989-7700 [email protected]
Club Founders
in Memoriam
Ted Davidson and
Herb Rothman
SOLENOID
The Solenoid is published monthly by Great Autos of Yesteryear Car Club,
Inc. Material suitable for publication may be submitted to the editor by the
15th day of the month prior to printing. Send to P.O. Box 70407, Pasadena,
CA 91117, or [email protected]. Material usage is at the discretion
of the editor. Please include SASE for materials to be returned.
Editor and Art Director..................................................Chris Green
Contributing Writers................Jay D’Angelo, Sanford Doi, Ed Garren,
Rick Lee, Richard St. Amant
Webmaster Club Archivists
(818) 995-3701
[email protected]
(818) 761-7622
Mark Tracy (310) 395-3577
Keith Jefferies
Membership Chuck Lieb
(619) 518-0615
[email protected]
Mike Parente
Women’s LiaisonS Carmi Standish & Sue Baden
(562) 427-AUTO
W ELC O M E , N E W M E M B E R S!
3141
John Szafirowski
13098 Old Sycamore Dr.
San Diego, CA 92128
Email: [email protected]
1999 Cadillac DeVille
2
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To join Great Autos of Yesteryear, please request a membership application from Glenn Gordon, (213) 447-7081, or
[email protected]. You can now also apply and pay for your membership online at greatautos.org. Dues
are $45/year (for both single and couples). When paying by mail, make checks payable in U.S. funds and send to
Great Autos of Yesteryear, P.O. Box 70407, Pasadena, CA 91117
O
n January 10th, Great Autos
of Yesteryear held the annual
planning meeting and after that
meeting, the new board members were
installed. I will serve another year as
your President, with help from Vice
President Mike Parente, Secretary
Sanford Doi, Treasurer Ken Zander,
Director Richard Von Ernst, Director
Richard St. Amant, Director John
Burge, Director Jack Waldo and
Director Brad Littlefield. We are
looking forward to a constructive 2016!
The calendar for 2016/2017 was tentatively established and includes such
monthly events as a weekend in Las
Vegas in April, a San Diego adventure
in May, an LA area driving tour in June,
and in the following months a tour of
OPGI, Capitol Records, Galpin Motors,
Barris Productions and a movie day at
the drive in.
Among the many things discussed
at the board meeting was the recurring
need to attract new members of all ages
and ways to keep people interested
enough to renew memberships. The
best way to grow this club is your efforts
to get the word out. That’s why it is
so important to utilize our Facebook
page for notifications of events we have
held. Pictures speak a thousand words!
We will be looking into demographic
targeting of people on Facebook who
are GLBT or GLBT friendly and who
like cars. Also, please give the business
Reagan Library Tour
people spellbound with his
speeches.
One in particular was
in reference to the Challenger disaster when he
said to the nation, “….The
crew of the space shuttle
Challenger honored us by the
manner in which they lived their
lives. We will never forget them, nor the
last time we saw them, this morning, as
they prepared for the journey and waved
goodbye and “slipped the surly bonds of
earth” to “touch the face of God.”
If you liked hearing this great
President speak, the library has all of
those speeches to listen to again and
you could listen for days. So, as we
gather in the parking lot reserved for
us, drink some coffee, eat some donuts,
ThunderWords
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
FROM JAY D’ANGELO
cards you’ve received from your Area
Coordinator to potential new members.
One of the discussions included
whether or not to continue the raffle car
aspect for Concours 2016. Lately, the
raffle car just has not produced enough
money to be able to donate. One suggestion was to raffle off three prizes…a
voucher for a trip of choice, a big screen
TV, etc. Please send any ideas you have
directly to me. Remember, the proceeds
from Concours go to our selected charity, so we are looking at ways to increase
this donation.
Another subject of vital importance is
how we receive new members at events.
This can be a significant problem and
you can help with this. Please welcome
that new member you see standing off
in a corner and bring him or her into
the group, making introductions and
helping them with their comfort level.
Remember your first time?
Finally, a few members have
contacted me with concerns that they
didn’t know about the board of direcors
election and didn’t see email blasts
or event notifications about it. The
Solenoid is published each month with
the information you need about events.
In addition, we post event reminders
on Facebook, we send out email blasts,
and area coordinators should also be
notifying you of these things. I don’t
know how much more we can do to get
the word out to you.
If you don’t remember getting the
email notification of the Solenoid or the
blasts, it may be because those notifications come in with all the other emails
we get on a daily basis and perhaps they
just get lost in the mix. I would like to
suggest that you consider getting an
additional email address through Gmail,
Yahoo, Hotmail, Outloook, etc. that you
would use strictly for club business.
If club emails sent to you come to a
separate inbox, you are more likely to
see them and less likely to lose them.
Just a thought.
I hope that what we have planned for
the year will satisfy our need for exciting things to do. As always, have a Great
Autos Day!
Continued from page 1
we can prepare for an
unforgettable experience.
As we tour the library,
the gift shop, the
grounds you will reach
what I would consider
the highlight of the day.
Walking up the ramp and into
Air Force One is exciting to me, a
fan of the presidency, the White House
and everything about it. In addition to
the plane is Marine One, the helicopter
used to shuttle him to the airport and
Camp David. Also, you will find his
mobile escort with police vehicles and
limousine. Afterwards, the café on site
is a great place to have a reasonably
priced lunch as you contemplate what
you have just seen.
We will meet in the parking lot which
will be reserved for us at 9:30 am for
the tire-kicking portion. Passes to the
library will be given to you at that time
along with a facility map. The cost for
this event, which includes the tour and
coffee and donuts is $20 each. Lunch is
on your own in the café, if you wish. The
library is hoping for a good display of
our treasures, so you are encouraged to
bring your collector car.
Please log on to the website and
register for this event. If you cannot
access the website, send your check and
number of reservations to Jay D’Angelo,
62437 S. Starcross Drive, Desert Hot
Springs, CA 92240. Your registration
online or check MUST BE received by
midnight February 23rd. Please include
names of all attending with your check.
This will be an incredible experience
for our members. Plan to join us!
february 2016
3
The Mullin Grand Salon
Mike Parente makes club announcements
Gary Carr and Mike Porto’s 1948 Nash
Ambassador at the Breakfast Club Cruise
Club members check out
the Breakfast Club Cruise
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Glenn Gordon arrives in his 1968 Imperial
Great Autos
members
met at the Petersen Museum
on Sunday, January 24th
for a tour of the remodeled
museum. 51 members also
took the optional vault tour
for a look at some of the cars
not yet on display and hidden
from public view until they are
moved into the main museum.
There was stiff competition
for parking, as the 3rd and
4th level of parking was taken
up by the Petersen’s monthly
Breakfast Club cruise. About
200 cars showed for that event,
and what a variety it was.
We settled down on the
second level for coffee and
donuts and check in where
the members received
their entry wristbands and
hobnobbed for a bit before
heading into the museum.
Once inside, I was surprised
at how different it was. Gone
were the static displays of the
gas station, car dealership,
small market, the home
garage and I really missed
the motor cop that used to
hide behind the bill board. In
the place of all these things
we remembered were clean,
more modern environments
1955 Chevrolet Biscayne concept car
Meeting
and greeting
before entering
the museum
Bruce Hoel with his 1963 Volkswagen Type 34 Ghia
Mike Klyde’s 1966 Toronado
at the Breakfast Club Cruise
Chris Green’s 1986 Honda Prelude at the Breakfast Club Cruise
Chris Hoffman’s
1980 Honda Accord
at the Breakfast Club Cruise
1938 Hispano-Suiza Dubonnet Xenia
for the multitude of
automotive engineering
examples on display. The 1st
floor featured automotive art
with amazing examples from
the Mullin Collection, BMW
art cars and more. Cars from
the 30’s were prevalent and
some of the finest examples
in existence were there for
our enjoyment. Floor 2 was
all about the automobile
industry with many
innovative technologies
featured, and the 3rd floor
was themed around history,
with highlights such as
Detroit dream cars from
the ‘50s. Take a look here
at some examples of the
beautiful automobiles that
we feasted our eyes upon
(including some of our own!)
february 2016
5
By Jay D’Angelo
L
3 1st ANNUA
ST MEEfinTe ca rs
ily of
WE S T CanOA
d th e FO RD fa m
fe at ur in g M US TA
NG
I
t’s that time again to get all
you creative folks to start
thinking about themes for
WCM 2017 and particpate in
our biggest event for 2017.
Yes, July 2017 does seem
like a long time away and
it is—except that planning
begins now. We want to
hear from our members
for theme ideas. Don’t be
shy! It is the members who
make the suggestions that
the board will run with.
I urge you to consider ideas
that we can explore. The
winning theme presented
will entitle the winner to
accolades, two drinks on me
and a free WCM dinner ticket.
We will hold a theme
presentation meeting at
the March 4 board meeting
to be held in Pasadena. Be
prepared to pitch your idea.
Time to get creative — now’s
your chance to share your idea
to make WCM 2017 the West
Coast Meet of your dreams!
Some past WCM themes
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e d i t o r i al
Embracing our diversity in cars (and people)
Great Autos is so much more than Lincolns, Cadillacs, and Imperials
B y c h r i s gr e e n
Reprinted from last year, by request
s part of the LGBT community,
this club strongly supports
diversity in our membership.
That includes age, and while we have
members of all ages, the average age of
our club is rising. That’s not surprising;
after all, the automotive hobby is a
great fit for people who are retired, have
more time for hobbies, and possibly
more resources for obtaining the cars.
But, we also need younger people to
take interest and join in the fun of the
car hobby, hopefully in our club, for it
to really thrive. One great way to do
that is to celebrate a variety of cars!
A
Three decades ago, when this
club got started, it was still relatively
avant-garde to consider a 1960s car
as a classic. That changed relatively
quickly, but here’s my own perspective:
in the 1990s, when I joined, this club
seemed to be all about 1950s and 1960s
American cars. I didn’t have an old
car, but I wanted one. While I thought
those cars were beautiful, I wasn’t
sure I wanted one that old. As I tried
to imagine what I might want, I looked
back and remembered what cars had
“spoken” to me as a child. For me, as for
many people, the cars from childhood
really strike a chord, and with me, that
was the 1970s. I had always liked the
“Colonnade” GM mid-size cars with
their long hoods and opera windows,
and before long, I found a 1977 Pontiac
Grand Prix for a very good price, and
I brought it to Heaps of Fun the day
after I bought it! It wasn’t
my first Great
Autos event,
but it was the
first one I
brought my
own “special”
car to. I was
so excited!
Even better, I
now owned a car that
many club members hadn’t thought
of as a classic car before. The mood
changed quickly, though, and by 1999,
Great Autos hosted the “Disco Obispo”
West Coast Meet, which
celebrated the cars of the 1970s.
Fast forward to today, and our
club has a fleet of 1970s cars.
And now, if we want to attract
a newer and more diverse
membership, it’s time to start
embracing even newer cars, and
more non-US models, since as
time has passed, imports and
non-US makes became more
and more a part of the American
automotive landscape.
Think of it this way: Someone
who’s 30 years old today was 10 years
old in 1995. So, believe it or not, the
cars that may really have a special place
in their hearts are going to
be from the 1990s. You read
that right, the 1990s, or even
2000s. And not necessarily
as a daily driver, and not as
something they’re settling for
because they can’t get an older
model—but as their dream
car! For example, my nephew
has a 1998 Pontiac Trans Am
that’s his pride and joy. It
speaks to him in a way that a
1970s or 1960s Firebird never
would. And that’s quite natural
for someone his age.
Do we want to
see cars like this at
events? I think we do, if we
want the club to keep thriving for the
next 30 years as it has for the past 30.
We need to make sure people with
newer cars and foreign makes feel
not just welcome but that their cars
are appreciated and celebrated.
So if you see someone new at an event
with that type of car, take a second look
and maybe take some time to check out
his or her car and ask a few questions
about it. You might find out the car (and
the person) is a lot more interesting
than you thought! Of course, none of
this is to diminish the appreciation
of the incredible older automobiles
that we traditionally associate
with this club. They’re undeniably
beautiful, but there is a lot more
out there. It’s a world of automotive
riches to explore. Let’s embrace it!
february 2016
7
A R EA R EPORT S
san fernando valley
I
t may have been a chilly January night in the San Fernando
Valley at Bob’s Big Boy, but no one seemed to notice as
we checked out Jack Charney’s fully restored 1957 BMW
(Isetta) 300 micro car.
What could be more heart warming than a wicker basket
as the trunk! Thanks to Jack for braving rush hour traffic
to share it with us. Not to be left behind, Alex Dadourian
proved how “great” yesteryear’s cars really were by bringing
his 500,000+ mile Chevy Nova daily driver. (Its a sleeper,
there is a Corvette engine hiding under the hood). Join us in
February when we meet at Magnolia Grille on the 10th and
Hill St. Cafe on the 24th. See the Area Calendar for addresses
and time. –Rick Lee
Coachella Valley/
Palm Springs
O
ur January 6 Dinner Cruise-in
at 360 north was a challanging
experience. Seventeen members
showed up even though it was
stormy. We had a great meal
and comraderie (needless to
say there was no tire kicking).
Our monthly Brunch was held
at Alibi Azul in downtown Palm
Springs. Twenty-two members
showed. Our cars attracted
public attention so we had a mini
car show. On Saturday Jan 30
we met at Koffi Roasting House
in Rancho Mirage for caffeine
and cars. – Richard St. Amant
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AREA REPORTS
los angeles/west hollywood
T
he Los Angeles Group had a small gathering
today at DeSano pizzeria. The parking lot
was virtually empty, there was plenty of room.
The pizza and gelato are both genuine Italian
(as is the owner) thin crust pizza, only fresh
ingredients, dough made on site from Italian
flour. Our attendees loved the setting, raved
about the food, and look forward to a larger
group joining us on February 21st. –Ed Garren
Marketing to new members
A
ll car clubs are having
recruitment issues...we are
not alone. We have tried gay
related magazine advertising, pride
event booths, member connections,
business cards, and Facebook. Our club
is graying and departing members are
not being replaced by new younger (or
older) people.
I have heard that a few have been
discouraged by unwanted attention
from other members and decided
not to pursue membership. This is
disappointing. But, remember, our car
club is open to everyone, not just GLBT.
How we greet potential or new members
will dictate our success.
One of our members, at least, has
a marketing background. We need to
market this club, but I think we should
pursue our marketing with someone
who can do this properly for us.
So, I ask that any of our current
members with a marketing
background who may be willing
to step up and assist our fine car
club, make themselves known.
With the right guidance we can grow
and grow stronger.
Any volunteers? Please contact
the President if you want to help
([email protected]).
Thank you! – Jay D’Angelo
february 2016
9
A R EA C ALENDAR
Area cruises are subject to change. Check with area coordinators
before you attend. Don’t see what you’re looking for?
Contact Area Coordinators for more information.
ALBUQUERQUE/NEW MEXICO
SAN DIEGO
ORANGE COUNTY
John Criswell (505) 255-2824
John Fuldner (619) 550-6045
Jerry Garvin (714) 758-2899
[email protected]
[email protected]
Sunday Feb. 21st (3rd Sunday) at 12:30 pm
Brunch at Desano Pizzeria,
4959 Santa Monica Blvd. in Los Angeles.
1st Sunday Breakfast Cruise at the Tustin Grille
(formerly Quinn’s Old Town Grill) in Tustin,
February 7th! (RSVP required)
405 El Camino Real, Tustin 92780
We’ll meet between 9 and 9:30 a.m. for tire-kicking,
and sit down to dine @ 9:30.
Please RSVP by Thursday midnight,
Feb. 4th by e-mailing Jerry.
LONG BEACH/SOUTH BAY
SAN FERNANDO VALLEY
LOS ANGELES/WEST HOLLYWOOD
CENTRAL CALIFORNIA COAST
Edward Garren (213) 596-9674
Rick Tibben (805) 931-0828
[email protected]
[email protected]
Central Coast area events will resume in March.
COACHELLA VALLEY/PALM SPRINGS
Richard St. Amant (310) 989-7700
Carmi Standish (562) 427-AUTO
[email protected]
[email protected]
Wednesday, Feb. 3rd, Dinner Cruise-In at Nicolino’s
in Cathedral City. Tire-kicking 5:30, dinner at 6.
Sunday, Feb. 21st, Brunch at the Patriot’s Cafe in
the Palm Springs Air Museum. Tire kicking 10:30
am, tour 11 am and brunch at 12.
Lincoln Sarmanian (206) 595-0618
SAN GABRIEL VALLEY
[email protected]
Mitch Braiman (626) 798-AUTO
[email protected]
LAS VEGAS/NEVADA
Sunday, February 28th at Bun & Burger
1000 E. Main St., Alhambra, CA 91801
Meet at 9:30 am for tire kicking and then brunch
Bob Cardillo (702) 435-0758
[email protected]
Rick Lee (805) 527-2264
[email protected]
Long Beach cruises are officially in hibernation
until April! However, just because it’s our official
cruise doesn’t mean you can’t eat! If you want to
grab a bite at the official cruise location,
George’s 50’s Diner, give us a call!
4390 Atlantic Ave (corner of Atlantic &
San Antonio Drive in Long Beach)
Questions? Carmi or Sue at (562) 427-AUTO
SEATTLE/PACIFIC NORTHWEST
[email protected]
Wednesday, February 10th at Magnolia Grille
10530 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601
Wednesday, February 24th at Hill St. Cafe
3301 N. Glenoaks Blvd., Burbank, CA 91504
Meet at 6:30 pm for tire kicking, dinner at 7 pm
PHOENIX/ARIZONA
Roger Irland (602) 264-5208
[email protected]
Sunday brunch 10 am at The Good Egg at Park
Central Mall. Every Friday (except the first
Friday of the month) we are at The 5 and Diner
around 6 pm at 16th St. and Colter, Phoenix.
CLASSIFIEDS
CAR FOR SALE
CAR FOR SALE
CAR FOR SALE
1983 Ford Mustang GLX Convertible. V6,
auto, power windows, A/C, original top, white
with nice red interior. I’m original owner,
purchased in Pasadena in 1983, all original,
always garaged. $4,500. Herb Dinwiddie,
(760) 327-9962 (Palm Springs)
1985 Eldorado Biarritz. Outstanding original
17K mi. Stainless top, Elegant Bordeaux
metallic w/dark Claret leather int. Cold
A/C, serviced, everything works. Window
sticker, gold keys, owner and service history
and more. Steven Aaron (323) 459-1138
$19,000.
1968 Imperial LeBaron, original California
black plate car. 51,300 original miles. Forest
green, antique green original vinyl roof and
green leather interior. Fully loaded with
all power accessories available. Excellent
condition. Has won many 1st place awards.
Ready to be driven anywhere. Asking
$19,000. Glenn 213-447-7081.
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To place an ad: Current members only
may place an auto-related classified ad.
Please send ad text and photo, along with
your membership number, to the editor at
[email protected]. 40 words or
less; longer ads may be edited for space.
Copy and photos must be sent by the 15th
day of the month before the issue month
you want the ad to run. Photos will be used
at the editor’s discretion and become the
property of Great Autos unless otherwise
specified. Ads appear for one month only
unless otherwise specified.
Don’t forget to list your ad on
greatautos.org, too!
Visit www.greatautos.org/
sitev2/classifieds/place-an-ad
O
BY SANFORD DOI
ne of Great Autos’
most beloved
events is
almost here!
Heaps O’ Fun is returning
to Woodley Park in
Van Nuys on Sunday,
March 20. For those of
you familiar with this
iconic event, you know
why members make the drive
from San Diego, Palm Springs, the
Gold Coast and beyond to attend.
For those unfamiliar with the event,
it is an opportunity to show your work
in progress vehicle or show off your
newly acquired dream car that may
need some (or a lot) of work. Heaps
O’ Fun celebrates “the more work
it needs, the better” philosophy, so
bringing your 1972 Ford Country
Squire that was found in a corn field in
Iowa with rusted out floors, a cracked
dashboard, faded woodgrain siding,
more Bondo than you can find at
AutoZone’s distribution center, and a
TMU title may make you the belle of
the ball!
We’ll start off in the morning
with coffee and donuts,
then you can enjoy the
spectacular array of cars,
and round out the day
with a delicious barbeque
lunch of burgers,
veggie burgers, and
hot dogs—all grilled
to perfection. Where
else can you enjoy a
donut, coffee, a funky
array of cars, a morning/
afternoon with your Great Autos
friends and a barbeque lunch for $15?
Heaps O’ Fun requires a lot of
volunteers, so please contact Sanford
Doi at [email protected] if you’re
interested in helping out. Volunteering
is a great way to serve the club and meet
other members.
So, plan to join us on Sunday, March
20. The gate to the field will open at 9:00.
Pre-registration is not required. Just show
up and join us for one of the greatest
events of the year. We welcome all cars—
heaps or not! More details, including the
address and directions will be in your
March Solenoid.
february 2016
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