January 2016 - Skagit-Snohomish - Horseless Carriage Club of

BRASS
RAMBLINGS
Official Publication of the
Skagit-Snohomish Regional Group
Horseless Carriage Club of America
January 2016
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January 2016
Skagit-Snohomish Regional Group
Horseless Carriage Club of America
The Skagit-Snohomish Regional Group of the Horseless Carriage Club of America is a
non-profit organization with an active membership dedicated to the preservation of pre1916 motorized vehicles, literature, accessories, history, and associated items.
Any person/family who is a current member of the Horseless Carriage Club of America,
with interest or ownership in pre-1916 vehicles shall be eligible to apply for
membership. Dues are $15.00 per year and include a minimum of 10 issues of the
Brass Ramblings newsletter annually.
The Brass Ramblings is mailed and e-mailed to local members in good standing, and
e-mailed to other regional groups and the National Board. Permission to reproduce
material appearing in this publication is granted, provided credit is given to the original
source.
2016 Officers
President
Vice-President
Secretary
Treasurer
Keene Brewer
[email protected]
Ray Markley
[email protected]
Gayle Musolf
[email protected]
Vicki Markley
[email protected]
Yakima, WA
(509) 965-1740
Maple Valley, WA
(206) 949-5000
Seattle, WA
(206) 601-9229
Maple Valley, WA
(425) 432-5391
2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Mike Martin, Donna McGinnis, and Robb Johnson (2016)
Tom Brethauer, Pat Farrell, Dave Ellis (2017)
EDITOR
th
Tom Brethauer
23611 39 Pl W
Brier, WA 98036
Regional Web Site:
National Web Site:
http:// www.skagit.hcca.org
http://www.hcca.org
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(425) 402-3960
[email protected]
President’s Ramblings
HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!
Now that the arduous election process is over
we can look forward to a new year. I still find it
hard to believe I prevailed through the primaries
and even the general election itself. The
competition was the strongest I have ever
endured. It was a long and strenuous ordeal and
I want to thank my most faithful supporters
especially those that ponied up the large
amounts of cash for my campaign. I want to
assure you I have your back and will do my best
to honor your requests and paybacks for your
loyal support. I also want to recognize and thank
all my competitors for their long hard fought
battle.
Having survived all that and now Christmas as
well, I sit here the day after contemplating what
to write before I get an email from Tom wanting
my two cents worth for the newsletter. I’m sure
all you past presidents are sitting there smiling
as you read this knowing exactly what I’m
talking about. What should I write about? This
may be the hardest part of this office. Actually I
think Tom has the toughest job (office) in this
club serving as the editor. He has to wait and
wait and sometimes prod until some of us send
him articles and pictures so he can decipher
everything, correct the grammar and spelling
and fit it into some readable format that we can
all enjoy. I tip my hat to you Tom, for all you do
behind the scenes with little or no fanfare.
My first thought is I should have a lot of latitude
in this column because the title does have the
word rambling in it! Actually I have been
procrastinating all day. Instead of writing this
message, I have been ordering all the things I
did not find under my Christmas tree because I
did not make a list, no one accurately guessed
what I really wanted, or it was much too big to fit
under the tree. I think I will start with a four post
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lift, or maybe stop there because my wife might
accidently read this part of the newsletter.
If you are reading this, I trust you too survived
Christmas and the New Year as well. If so, I’m
sure your thoughts have turned to the goals you
have set in order to complete those unfinished
projects you have started and all the touring you
plan to do in 2016. Forget the weight loss thing.
As you start filling out your yearly calendar try to
pencil in the tour or meeting you would like to
host. There is a tremendous amount of talent
and touring knowledge in this club and I hope to
see many of you clamoring to get specific dates
to demonstrate these abilities at the next
meeting. Dave and Elaine Ellis have stepped up
and volunteered to spearhead our Annual
September
tour
possibly
in
Eastern
Washington. Please contact them, support
them, and contribute whatever you can to make
this another spectacular club memory. It is a
monumental task and deserves all of our talents
and efforts.
I am glad the monthly meeting was not
scheduled to take place this past week. Mother
Nature has closed Snoqualmie Pass for the last
few days with 15 feet (that is 180 inches) of
snow just about where the old snow shed was
demolished this past year. Realizing that snow
shed was built in 1950 for a good reason,
smarter people now decided to remove it but I’m
not sure about the reason? That is called
progress and our tax dollars at work. Chinook
Pass is closed until May because of snow and
White Pass was also closed from both ends for
several weeks because the road washed out in
both directions. You will be comforted to know it
is now open with a temporary fix with one lane
open until Spring at a mere cost of $5 million.
It would be remiss of me if I did not thank the
Markley’s for their hospitality hosting the
Christmas party and monthly meeting at their
home. Also, thank all of you for bringing all that
great food and adding to my (our) Holiday
weight gain. But it sure tasted great!
Apr 23
Meet & Tour Host – Gil Klecan, (619)
295-8000
Mt Vernon Swap meet
Steve Hammett has stepped up and graciously
arranged our January meeting. Our meeting will
be held on January 16th (Saturday) in Arlington.
We will meet around 11:30 to 11:45 am (and
hopefully eat at noon) at Hubb’s Pizza and
Pasta Restaurant, 21102 67th Ave. NE
Arlington. Steve will be showing the newly
created DVD by Jim Moe for the Horseless
Carriage Education Institution. The title is “From
Horse Drawn To Horseless Carriage”. My wife
Chris will fill us in on the history and background
behind this project.
MAY 2016
May 14-15
Til the next meeting - may the Brass be with you!
SEPTEMBER 2016
Sep 8-9
Lansing to Dearborn run. John Grace 734467-7802 or [email protected]
Keene
May 22
May 23-26
JUNE 2016
June 20-23
Seattle Auto Swap Meet, Evergreen State
Fairgrounds, Monroe, WA
http://seattleautoswapmeet.com/
Brass in Berks Co. Swap meet Jim Dix
607-562-3501 or [email protected]
Brass in Berks Co. touring from
Strasburg, PA. Jim Dix 607-562-3501 or
[email protected]
60th Midwest Tour Mandan ND Helen
Diemert 701-388-9797 or
[email protected]
AUGUST 2016
Aug 13 New London to New Brighton
2016 Calendar
OCTOBER 2016
Oct 5-8
Hershey Swap Meet, HCCA RWO 30,
BBQ Friday afternoon
JANUARY 2016
Jan 16
Club Meeting. Hubb’s Pizza and
Pasta Restaurant, 21102 67th
Ave NE Arlington, WA
If looking for other auto related events to attend,
a fairly extensive list is found here:
http://www.oldride.com/events/washington.html
FEBRUARY 2016
Feb 14-15
Early Bird Swap Meet, Puyallup,
WA
Feb tbd
Club meeting
Skagit-Snohomish Regional
HCCA December 5th, 2015
Meeting Minutes
Please submit calendar updates to Tom Brethauer promptly, as future
planning depends on this information.
MARCH 2016
Mar 12-13
36th Almost Spring Swap Meet
and Car Show, Puyallup, WA
Mar 17-18
26th Chickasha Pre-War Swap
Meet, Chickasha OK.
Mike Ersland 405-224-9090
APRIL 2016
Apr 1-3
Apr 3-8
Apr 10-13
Apr 14-16
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Portland Swap Meet
HCCA Convention and Tour
“Swarm to BEE Warm”,
Brooksville, FL. Carl Pate
860-614-0875 or
[email protected]
Grizzly Bear Tour, Salinas CA Michael
Sullivan 805-728-5317 or
[email protected]
Bakersfield International Swap
Meeting was called to order at 1 PM by
President Harold Musolf III at Ray and Vicki
Markley's home in Maple Valley, WA.
We wish to thank Ray and Vicki Markley for our
meeting location today.
No guests were present.
present.
25 members were
Minutes: Minutes from the October meeting. A
move was made by Dave Ellis to approve the
minutes as printed in the last newsletter. The
motion was seconded by Ann Musolf and
passed.
Treasurer's Report:
President Harold.
Report
given
by
Sunshine Committee Report: After having his
triple by-pass surgery, Mike McGinnis's
progress is good. Merl Johnson's wife Mavis
Johnson has recently passed on.
Old business: Dave Ellis will look into the
possibility of having our 2016 Fall Tour in Idaho.
He will have a sure answer for us in about a
week. Mike Martin mentioned a possibility of
having a 2017 tour in Idaho.
Elections were held to fill the 2016 positions....
President: Keene Brewer, Vice President:
Ray Markley, Secretary: Gayle Musolf,
Treasurer: Vicki Markley. The positions were
filled by acclimation.
2016 Directors:
Mike Martin, Donna
McGinnis, and Robb Johnson (2016) Tom
Brethauer, Pat Farrell, Dave Ellis (2017)
President Harold adjourned the meeting.
Meeting adjourned at 1:20 PM.
December 5th Christmas
Party & Meeting
Carriage Education Institution that you won’t
want to miss.
Directions:
Take I-5 North or South to exit 208,
Go east on State Highway 530 for 2.7 miles
Turn right on 211 Pl. N.E. for 0.4 miles
Turn left on 67th Ave N.E./Armar Rd.
The Restaurant will be on the left in 150 feet.
Mark & Bob’s Excellent
Car & Trailer Adventure
Bob Strieter had been looking for used car trailer
capable of hauling his antique cars without
putting the tops down; and I have been looking
for a two cylinder Buick. Bob had been staying
in touch with his old friends Dave & Carol Ayres
from his HCCA group in California. He recently
learned that they were selling off their antique
car collection along with their truck and
enclosed car trailer with an 8’ high rear
door. They had just sold their truck, so Bob
bought the trailer & told me their 08 Model F
Buick was also for sale. So, since the stars &
planets seemed to be aligned by virtue of having
an empty trailer to haul a beautifully restored
two cylinder Buick with a relatively new body &
running gear, it was the right time to buy this car.
By report, the Christmas Party at the Markley’s
was a very nice gathering with great food and
much socializing. Unfortunately, we have no
photo documentation of this event, as
apparently, all cameras and cell phones were
confiscated before festivities began. I heard that
the internet was also temporarily disabled there
too! You can only imagine what you missed.
January 16, 2016, Meeting
Our next meeting will be held on Saturday
January 16th in Arlington at Hubb’s Pizza and
Pasta Restaurant, 21102 67th Ave. NE
Arlington. Plan to arrive around 11:30 to 11:45
a.m. for lunch at noon and to view the splendid
production entitled “From Horse Drawn To
Horseless Carriage”. This is an excellent
educational piece, made by the Horseless
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Dave Ayres is a meticulous engineer who got
this Buick with a “Plumber’s Body” on a 1908
Model F chassis. Bob’s friend Bill Phillips
provided his original Model F Buick for Dave to
use as a pattern to build a new Side Entrance
Tonneau body. He also told me that David
Dunbar Buick provided his cars with these
bodies for plumbers who installed his porcelain
bath tubs and fixtures when so many people
were upgrading to indoor plumbing. The original
body and upholstery was included with the car
along with a Silver Tray awarded to Dave Ayres
when he won the 1977 AACA Cup along with
the third place ribbon he won at the 27th Annual
Pebble Beach Concourse D’Elegance.
So, our adventure began early Monday morning
December 7th to unsuccessfully beat the traffic
through Portland. We spent one night near
Sacramento & arrived at the Ayers beautiful
home in the foothills outside Clovis CA just after
10AM Tuesday. We extricated the “Plumber’s
Body” from the rafters and put it in the back of
Bob’s truck under a tarp to keep it dry on the trip
home. Then we hitched up the trailer before
lunch with Dave & Carol. After lunch, we loaded
the car along with several boxes of parts,
patterns & cool stuff that went with the car. We
departed around 3PM to stay with my sister
overnight in Fresno.
Since Bob has several local HCCA friends who
wanted to see him, we arranged to have dinner
with them that evening at a local restaurant. Bill
Phillips was there telling stories about the car
and how it started life as a “Plumber’s Truck”.
He explained how Dave Ayers meticulously
made the new body to original specifications
and rebuilt the running gear with a new
crankshaft, pistons, etc. Others brought boxes
of car parts to give to Bob along with a lug box
of oranges and lemons for us Washingtonians
to
enjoy
when
we
got
home.
We unloaded the car at the Buick Barn
Thursday morning and Bob made it home with
his new trailer by using frontage roads because
I-5 was closed due to a landslide. We had a
great time making the trip and we are both very
pleased with our new purchases.
Mark Shaw
PRG Gasleak - North Bank Reporter
--------------------------------------------------------------Rise and fall of Ford's
sales network
architect: Prison,
success, bankruptcy
Leslie J. Allen
We left Fresno the next morning at 7 AM and
shared the driving to arrive home before 9 PM
the same day. Fortunately, we traveled between
the bad storms and encountered almost no rain
or traffic issues on the return trip.
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From the dawn of the
20th century through
World War I, Ford Motor
Co.
dominated
the
nascent auto industry.
But although Henry Ford
Norval Hawkins
was an engineering
genius, he was no
salesman. His company's earliest sales
achievements can be traced to one car, the
Model T, and to two men - one of them, Norval
Hawkins, a convicted embezzler.
Treasurer James Couzens was Ford Motor's
business brain from its founding in 1903, says
Robert Casey, transportation curator at the
Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich.
Couzens hit the streets and asked people who
they thought would make good auto dealers,
Casey says. Couzens sought go-getters "who
would not just wait for customers to come in but
would try to seek out customers and advertise,"
he adds.
From the big house
In 1907, Ford hired an experienced public
accountant, Hawkins, as an auditor. Hawkins
quickly rose to become the company's
commercial and general sales manager.
In his 1920 book of sales advice, Certain
Success, Hawkins wrote that before he joined
Ford Motor, he had been an "organizer" of many
large concerns, including 28 auto companies.
Hawkins failed to mention that he had served a
short prison term for "defalcation of funds" when
he came to Henry Ford's attention. "It was said
of Mr. Hawkins that Henry Ford, learning of his
ability to sell things and to cut costs, used some
influence in getting him out of the penitentiary to
have him sell cars," the New York Herald
Tribune wrote in Hawkins' obituary. Hawkins
landed in prison after he had embezzled $8,000
from Standard Oil Co., which employed him as
an auditor, says David Lewis, a professor of
business history at the University of Michigan.
Henry Ford hired Hawkins, Lewis says, because
he believed that any man could be rehabilitated.
Despite his criminal history, Hawkins' success in
building Ford's dealership network is
undeniable. "He was the guy who said we have
to estimate sales ahead of time to be able to
establish our production schedules," says Ford
Motor historian Robert Kreipke.
Branch offices
Under Couzens and Hawkins, Ford Motor set up
branch offices in major North American cities, in
part to minimize shipping costs. Eventually the
company created 32 branches in the United
States and Canada. "These were, in effect,
company stores," Lewis told Automotive News.
"Generally they were rather ornate and upscale.
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After all, they projected the image of the
company." Besides selling cars, the branch
offices oversaw Ford dealerships in their
territories. By 1913, Ford had nearly 7,000
dealers. "They were chosen with care: men
financially reliable, of good standing in the
community, occupying presentable homes,"
historian Allan Nevins wrote in Ford: The Times,
The Man, The Company. Hawkins wrote that
during his dozen years at Ford Motor, the
company evolved from "a few hundred
scattered, unorganized, uncontrolled and nondirected dealers" into a network of nearly 11,000
sellers. Ford's annual sales jumped from 14,877
vehicles in 1907 to 946,155 in 1919.
Ford Motor began to pull away from its many
competitors with the debut of the original Model
A in 1903. Its business took off when the Model
T was launched five years later. "By the time the
Model T was introduced, people really wanted a
Ford dealership," Lewis says. Prominent
business executives, politicians and rich young
men all saw a Ford store as "a chance to make
some money without any manual labor," he
says. During the Model T's heyday, Ford Motor
owned half the U.S. car market.
Pressure on dealers
As the U.S. economy slid into recession just
after World War I, Henry Ford started to lean on
his dealers, largely because he owed money to
New York bankers. "They were licking their
chops, hoping he couldn't pay them and they
could take over Ford Motor Company," Lewis
says. So Henry Ford started dumping cars on
dealers, the Henry Ford Museum's Casey says.
"He would just box 'em up, send 'em and say, if
you don't pay for them, we're going to take your
franchise away," Casey says. Ford "was able to
pay his notes by foisting his financing essentially
off on the dealers," Casey says. "Having a Ford
dealership in 1920 was really lucrative. You
didn't want to lose it. You would try your best to
come up with the money and sell those cars."
Hard times
Ford Motor continued to lead the industry in the
1920s. But by 1930, Ford's dominance started
to wane as the low-end market created by the
Model T became saturated. Ford fell behind in
technologies such as hydraulic brakes. General
Motors and Chrysler Corp. ascended. "Being a
Ford dealer then had gone from almost this
license to print money to being kind of tough,"
Casey says. "You had to explain to your
customer why mechanical brakes were better
than hydraulic brakes - which was a hard thing
to do because they're not."
The system of branch offices staffed by Ford
employees that had proved so successful in the
Hawkins years fell out of favor once Model T
sales declined. Ford Motor decided it needed
more aggressive salespeople. And Hawkins?
After he left Ford Motor in 1919, he joined GM
for two years as a sales, service and advertising
consultant. According to one account, he drew
a $150,000 salary. Adjusted for the cost of
living, that is equal to about $1.5 million today.
Hawkins quit GM to try his hand at selling baby
buggies, Lewis says.
The 1929 stock market collapse and a
subsequent banking crisis in his hometown of
Detroit hit him hard. "In the Depression, he lost
his shirt," Lewis says. The sales hero of Ford
Motor Co. ended up bankrupt. He died in 1936
at age 69.
Plumb, and to re-elected members Bob Ladd
and Chris Paulsen.
Member Autos Profiled
The Fords of Les Gitts
1913 Ford Town Car
Only (3) models were produced in 1913:
Tourings – 12,715 @$600
Runabouts – 33,129 @ $525
Town cars - 1,415 @$800
The town car was supposed to be Ford’s luxury
vehicle, but were not very popular, as the body
tried to allow so much room in the rear to seat 5
(3 on rear seat and 2 on jump seats) that the
driver’s area was pushed forward close to the
steering wheel and resulted in a very
uncomfortable seating position. Many were
used as taxis. Very few town cars exist today.
The Model T was Ford's ticket to early
dominance of the U.S. auto industry.
National Board Members
Announced for 2016
Congratulations to our new National HCCA
Board Members; Steve Rinaldo, Steve Cook
and (fellow Skagit-Snohomish member) Don
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My town car came out of Oregon being an old
restoration of an original car. I have a photo of
the car as found prior to restoration, proving it
was a town car. Current plans for it are having
the wheels rebuilt and then re-painting it back to
the correct dark blue with French gray pinstripe.
A few upholstery repairs are scheduled for it.
I feel very fortunate to have found one and look
forward to taking it for spins next summer.
My car was purchased from Jim Beuzenberg
and is pictured on the cover jacket of the book
“From Here to Obscurity”.
The car runs and drives wonderfully and is very
dependable. The only work needed is to change
oil once a year and put gas in it.
2016 “Swarm
Warm” …
1911 Ford Torpedo Runabout
1911 was the first year of the Torpedo Runabout
@ $725. I don’t know how many were made as
Ford did not break down the production records
by runabout type. Torpedos were produced
either open (no doors), or closed.
The low body and sweeping fenders were only
produced for 1911, as the 1912 Torpedo look
more like a typical roadster, with exception to
the fuel tank and now an added tool box on the
back behind the body. The Torpedo was
discontinued in 1912.
These were considered the raciest of the Fords
made. These sit lower and have much more leg
room because the fuel tank sits behind the body.
Interestingly enough, though very desirable
today, they were not too popular when they
were new, probably because of the difficulty of
getting in and out of them.
to
BEE
Have you signed up and made your
reservations? –
The 2016 HCCA Annual Convention and
tours will be held April 3 – 8, 2016 at the
Hampton Inn, 30301 Cortez Blvd, Brooksville,
FL (352-796-1000) … The Annual Meeting,
Tours, Events, Seminars and Presentations
will allow us to meet the goal of Sharing,
Educating and Passing our experience on to
others. Because the event allows us to meet
face to face, it reunites old hobby friends and
allows us to expose the public to the Horseless
Carriage Club of America in different parts of the
country. There will be a gas light tour of the
town, involvement with local schools and
multiple seminars. Touring is being planned to
an Indian battle site, a Preserve and Park,
Airboat on Withlacoochee river, Train ride on
CP&G railroad (Not full size), Air show @ Sun ‘n
Fun Florida, and Lunch overlooking the Gulf,
School visit to educate and share our historic
vehicles and history with the next generation.
Night events will include talks on Early
Automobiles, “The Need to Race”, and View
of
WWI
from American Field Service
Ambulance driver seats and an Annual
Members meeting.
**REMINDER** DUES are DUE!!! Be sure to
send $15 with the completed application for
2016 to Vicki Markley and mail it to 21832
S.E. 245th St, Maple Valley, WA 98038 or
bring it to the next meeting. Be sure to renew
your National HCCA membership as well.
Classifieds:
Wanted: Porcelain signs and old service station
stuff. Tom 425-402-3960
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Sunday April 10 to Wednesday April 13, 2016
REGISTRATION FORM
Driver’s name: _____________________________________
Address: __________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Email: ____________________________________________
Cell phone: ________________________________________
Passenger(s): ______________________________________
___________________________________________________
Car: Make: ____________ Year:________ Model:__________
Insurance Carrier:_________________ Policy #:___________
HCCA Member Number:________________
TOUR COSTS
Required Costs:
1. HCCA Fee per car……………………………………………………...$10.00
Other Costs:
2. Tour bag and driving directions per car …………………………..…$40.00
3. Passengers……………………………………………………………….…free
4. Meals – on your own (final lunch at Steinbeck House ≈ $20/person)
5. Tours – on your own (Point Sur Light House - $12 admission)
– on your own (John Steinbeck Center - $15 admission)
REQUIRED TOUR COST PER CAR ………………………………………$50.00
Optional Costs: (a la carte touring…only pay for what you want)
6. Tour car banner……(pre-order/add to tour cost)…………….….…..$15.00
7. Tour T-shirts……(pre-order/add to tour cost each)……………..…..$10.00
(indicate number you wish to pre-order-adult XL___, L___, M___, S___)
TOTAL TOUR COST:…………………………………………………………$________
Please send this registration form and check made out to Michael Sullivan to:
Michael Sullivan 816 Capitan Street Newbury Park, CA 91320
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MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
YEAR 2016
SKAGIT/SNOHOMISH REGIONAL GROUP
HORSELESS CARRIAGE CLUB OF AMERICA
Regional Group Membership – Any person/family who is a current member of the
national HCCA with ownership and/or interest in pre-1916 automobiles shall be eligible to apply for
membership. Members are entitled to all Regional Group privileges, including receiving notices of club
functions and newsletters, a roster of members, the right to hold office, and the right to vote (ownership of
a pre-1916 automobile is a requirement for voting rights). Members agree to abide by all rules and
regulations as designated by the bylaws of this Regional Group and the National HCCA. Dues in the
SKAGIT/SNOHOMISH REGIONAL GROUP are $15.00 per calendar year and membership in the
NATIONAL HCCA is a prerequisite. National dues are currently $45.00 per year.
NAME: __________________________________________________________________________
Last
Husband
Wife
PHONE: (______)__________________________NATIONAL HCCA#________________________
ARE NATIONAL DUES CURRENT? Yes _______ No _______ *National dues must be current to process
CELL PHONES: Husband: (_____)____________________ Wife: (_____)____________________
ADDRESS: Street:_________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
City
State
Zip
EMAIL ADDRESS:____________________________@____________________________________
_____Yes, correspondence by email is fine.
YEAR
MAKE OF AUTO
_____No, I need correspondence by mail
MODEL
BODY TYPE
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
In compliance with the laws of the state of Washington, I certify that I have Automobile Liability Insurance
(P.D. & P.L.) on my antique cars used for club functions. I also agree to make sure that the policy is in
force for the entire year no matter when the expiration date is.
NAME OF COMPANY____________________________NAME OF AGENT____________________
POLICY #_________________________________ EXPIRATION DATE_______________________
SIGNATURE____________________________CHARTER/LIFETIME MEMBER: Yes____ No_____
Mail completed form to:
Vicki Markley, 21832 S.E. 245th St, Maple Valley, WA 98038
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