29.06.2013 Views

CVC June 2013

A Touch of Glass, June 2013 Central Valley Corvettes

A Touch of Glass, June 2013
Central Valley Corvettes

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS
  • No tags were found...

Transform your PDFs into Flipbooks and boost your revenue!

Leverage SEO-optimized Flipbooks, powerful backlinks, and multimedia content to professionally showcase your products and significantly increase your reach.

THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF<br />

CENTRAL VALLEY CORVETTES<br />

FRESNO, CALIFORNIA<br />

(CHARTERED NOVEMBER 12, 1991)<br />

VOLUME 23 NUMBER 6 JUNE <strong>2013</strong>


The Central Valley Corvette Club was<br />

chartered in 1991 for the owners of the only<br />

real AMERICAN sports car, the awesome<br />

CORVETTE. It's a social organization with<br />

activities that provide enjoyment for the true<br />

Corvette lover.<br />

MONTHLY MEETINGS ARE HELD<br />

AT 6:30 P.M. ON THE 3 RD TUESDAY<br />

OF EVERY MONTH AT YOSEMITE<br />

FALLS CAFE, 4278 W. ASHLAN AVE,<br />

FRESNO CALIFORNIA. INTERESTED<br />

CORVETTE ENTHUSIATS ARE<br />

MORE THAN WELCOME TO<br />

ATTEND THE MEETINGS AND MEET<br />

OUR MEMBERS.<br />

Club activities include monthly meetings,<br />

car shows, weekend Club activities,<br />

overnighters, picnics, road rallies, summer<br />

cruises, holiday get-to-gathers and more!<br />

Eligibility for membership in <strong>CVC</strong> is<br />

defined in Article III, section 1 of the<br />

bylaws in part as follows: "Membership in<br />

Central Valley Corvettes shall be open to all<br />

Corvette owners who are sponsored by a<br />

member in good standing. Additionally, a<br />

prospective member must, within a three<br />

month period , attend two consecutive<br />

meetings, participate in two club sanctioned<br />

social activities, pay current membership<br />

dues and initiation fees, and be approved by<br />

two- thirds vote of membership present at<br />

any general membership meeting by secret<br />

ballot<br />

Sponsors shall be responsible for advising<br />

prospective member of results. All<br />

members must submit proof of personal<br />

insurance in accordance with California<br />

State Law upon application for<br />

membership, and all members must be a<br />

member of the association providing club<br />

liability insurance for CENTRAL VALLEY<br />

CORVETTES.<br />

A prospective member who does not have a<br />

sponsor will be provided one by the<br />

membership committee. Non-members may<br />

not participate in more than three meetings<br />

or two sanctioned activities.<br />

<strong>CVC</strong> membership dues are $67.00 plus an<br />

initiation fee of $35.00. Membership entitles<br />

two members at the same address voting<br />

privileges at meetings (provided they are in<br />

good standing) and membership rights.<br />

Please feel free to contact the membership<br />

chairperson, Diane Hayes (559)-559-591-<br />

0844 or any officer on the following page.


PRESIDENT<br />

Craig Hansen (Pam)<br />

559-645-0513<br />

hansenrt66@att.net<br />

VP-ACTIVITIES<br />

Pam Hansen (Craig)<br />

559-645-0513<br />

hansenrt66@att.net<br />

VP-PUBLIC RELATIONS<br />

Jeff Levine (Sarah)<br />

559-222-8148<br />

lonewolf3@comcast.net<br />

SECRETARY<br />

Terri Parks (Fred)<br />

559-324-9760<br />

fredandterri@comcast.net<br />

TREASURER<br />

Fred Parks (Terri)<br />

559-324-9760<br />

fredandterri@comcast.net<br />

PARLIMENTARIAN<br />

Linda Laningham (Chuck)<br />

559-896-2637<br />

Laningham@hotmail.com<br />

MEMBERSHIP*<br />

Diane Hayes (Mike)<br />

559-591-0844<br />

dimi62@comcast.net<br />

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS*<br />

Charlie Fosnaugh<br />

559-299-0547<br />

fosnaugh@comcast.net<br />

Raffle Tickets<br />

Ruth Danielsen<br />

559-298-5225<br />

redanielsen@aol.com<br />

NEWSLETTER EDITOR<br />

Pat Garrahan (Patrick)<br />

559-275-9304<br />

patricia.garrahan@att.net


Pam and I are unable to attend the <strong>June</strong> monthly<br />

club meeting, but we will be there in spirit. With<br />

both the president and the VP of activities gone, we<br />

will leave you in the capable hands of VP of public<br />

relations, Jeff Levine. Prior to accepting the<br />

nomination for <strong>CVC</strong> office last October, I was<br />

already booked to attend a convention in<br />

Charleston, West Virginia on behalf of the<br />

International Right of Way Association of which I<br />

am president of the Central Valley chapter.<br />

About 200 miles from Charleston is Cincinnati,<br />

Ohio where I was born on <strong>June</strong> 3, 1955. Our family<br />

moved to Stockton in March of 1956. We’ve not<br />

been back since. But for as long as I can remember,<br />

I have always wanted to return to Cincinnati and<br />

visit the house we lived in at 8675 Cottonwood<br />

Drive, see Christ Hospital down the street where I<br />

was born and catch a ballgame at Crosley Field.<br />

The house looks much the same today as it did in<br />

our black and white photos taken when we lived<br />

there. The hospital, while in the same location has<br />

been completly rebuilt. Crosley Field was<br />

abandoned by the Reds in 1970 and demolished in<br />

1972. The Reds next home, Riverfront Stadium,<br />

lasted about 35 years before it was imploded to<br />

make way for another new facility. So on <strong>June</strong> 14,<br />

<strong>2013</strong> it will be the Reds and Milwaukee Brewers at<br />

Great American Ballpark. Little did I know it would<br />

take 57 years to finally fulfill an item on the bucket<br />

list.<br />

Pam and I will be accompanied by my sister who is<br />

14 years my senior and she can fill in the blanks.<br />

Also on the itinerary is a visit to the suburb of<br />

Norwood, Ohio where GM assembled automobiles<br />

for seven decades, including the Chevrolet Camaro<br />

and Pontiac Firebird. In 1987, GM shuttered the<br />

plant. Our 1969 Camaro RS/SS 396 convertible was<br />

built at Norwood on <strong>June</strong> 3, 1969 which was my<br />

14 th birthday. The plant is long gone, but just to see<br />

where it all took place, I still find intriguing.<br />

Other stops before reaching the convention include<br />

the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, the Rock<br />

and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Niagara Falls,<br />

the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown NY and<br />

the Performing Arts Center and Museum in Bethel<br />

NY which was the site of the famed August 1969<br />

Woodstock concert.<br />

Our last stop will be Gettysburg PA to view the epic<br />

Civil War battlefield in which over 50,000 union<br />

and confederate soldiers died in July 1863. The<br />

outer wall of our bedroom at the bed and breakfast<br />

we will be staying in still contains several bullet<br />

holes from the three day event 150 years ago.<br />

It promises to be a memorable trip. Now if only we<br />

could exchange our run of the mill rental car for a<br />

Corvette!<br />

Craig


Central Valley Corvettes General<br />

Meeting Minutes<br />

May 21, <strong>2013</strong><br />

General meeting was called to order at 6:31 p.m. by<br />

President Craig Hansen.<br />

Minutes from the April General meeting were read<br />

by Terri Parks. Motion was made by Scott Parkin<br />

and seconded by Ed Kroeker to accept the minutes<br />

as read.<br />

Membership Chairman Diane Hays introduced our<br />

guests and potential members Del Walker and<br />

Susan Cursi. They are friends of Jan and Gary.<br />

Treasurer Fred Parks gave the May's Treasurer's<br />

report.<br />

Vice President of Public Relations Jeff Levin<br />

reported the on the birthdays and anniversaries of<br />

the club members.<br />

Vice President of Activities Pam Hansen had<br />

members report on their past runs. She reported the<br />

future runs as the Word from Home car show,<br />

Phoenician Gardens, El Cid's dinner run,<br />

Chowchilla Steakhouse dinner run, Auburn/Nevada<br />

City, Solvang, and Alaskan cruise.<br />

Debbie Garrison reported on the success of the<br />

Cancer Walk.<br />

Sergeant of Arms Charlie Fosnaugh collected badge<br />

fines of $1.25.<br />

Our "In the News" reporter Jan Pflepsen reported<br />

the news concerning our Corvette families.<br />

Parliamentarian Linda Laningham had nothing to<br />

report.<br />

Old Business: Craig reminded members to submit<br />

reports on their runs for the newsletter.<br />

Charlie Fosnaugh reported our website is under<br />

construction.<br />

Craig reminded members the first 50% of the<br />

Mystery run costs are due tonight.<br />

New Business: Patricia Garrahan asked if members<br />

would be interested in window decals.<br />

Craig asked members if there's interested in a run to<br />

the coast and Hearst Castle the weekend after<br />

Christmas.<br />

Next Board meeting will be at the home of Fred<br />

and Terri Parks on May 23th at 7:00 p.m.<br />

Craig and Pam will not be at the <strong>June</strong> general<br />

meeting. So, Jeff will be running the meeting.<br />

Charlie asked if there was anyone interested in<br />

seeing the new Star Trek movie.<br />

Skip Severance reported on some of the new<br />

technology of the C7.<br />

The motion to adjourn the meeting was made by<br />

Judy Capurro and seconded by Lupe Dawson.<br />

Meeting adjourned at 7:13 p.m.<br />

Raffle: Thank you to the following members for<br />

donating raffle prizes; Bird, Campos, Comer,<br />

Dawson, Fam, Fosnaugh, Garrahan, Debbie, Keith,<br />

Skip, and Vickie Garrison, Hayes, Krebs, Kroeker,<br />

Laningham, Null, Olson, Parkin, Pflepsen, and<br />

Severance.<br />

Respectfully submitted by,<br />

Terri Parks, Secretary


Gotta Run?<br />

Hey guys, it’s me again. Many thanks to those of you who have scheduled some new runs.<br />

Everyone, be sure to check them out below and get them on your calendar. We still need a run<br />

leader for the Chowchilla Car Show if you are interested let me know. Gotta Run!?! Be<br />

blessed, Pam<br />

<strong>June</strong> <strong>2013</strong><br />

Fri-Sun 6/7-9 Auburn-Nevada City, Garrahans and Garrisons<br />

Sun 6/30 Word From Home Car Show to support our troops,<br />

Hansens<br />

July <strong>2013</strong><br />

Saturday 7/6 Phoenician Garden’s, Fams<br />

Fri-Sun 7/12-14 Solvang, Capurros and Laninghams<br />

Sat 7/27 Potluck, Capurros and Laninghams<br />

August <strong>2013</strong><br />

Sat 8/3 El Cids, Oakhurst, Comers<br />

Sat 8/10 Chowchilla Steak House, Capurros<br />

8/18-28 Alaska Cruise – Goodalls and Garrahans<br />

September <strong>2013</strong><br />

Saturday 9/21 Chowchilla Car Show (?)<br />

October <strong>2013</strong><br />

Fri-Sun 10/4 – 10/6 President’s Mystery Run, Hansens<br />

Sun 10/20 Mystery Dinner, Capurros<br />

December <strong>2013</strong><br />

Thursday 12/12/13 Christmas Party<br />

12/27 – 29 Cambria Christmas, Comers – Hansen - Hayes<br />

March 2014<br />

3/29-4/13/14 Southwest Tour II, Hansens


WHEN: <strong>June</strong> 7-9, <strong>2013</strong><br />

TIME: 8:00 a.m.<br />

MEET AT HERNDON AND 99 by the TACO BELL<br />

Make reservations at BEST WESTERN Golden Key<br />

530-885-8611 CUT-OFF DATE May 7, <strong>2013</strong><br />

Rooms are under Central Valley Corvettes.<br />

1 King Bed @ $90.99 + Tax or 2 queen beds @ $110.99 + Tax<br />

COMPLIMENTARY BREAKFAST<br />

For more information contact:<br />

PATRICK OR PAT GARRAHAN<br />

559-275-9304<br />

OR<br />

SKIP OR VICKIE GARRISON<br />

408-666-9816


6 th Annual Word From<br />

Home Car Show<br />

Freedom Celebration to<br />

Support Our Troops<br />

Sunday <strong>June</strong> 30, <strong>2013</strong> 5:00 P.M. til Dark<br />

35849 Ave 13 ½ Madera Ranchos<br />

Call Pam Hansen (559) 474-2330 to enter your classic car


Come Join Freddy and me for Dinner!<br />

WHERE: Phoenician Garden<br />

1025 E. Herndon Ave.<br />

(SE Corner of Herndon and First)<br />

WHEN: Saturday, July 6, <strong>2013</strong><br />

at 5:00 P.M.<br />

We will go for frozen yogurt after dinner.<br />

There will be a sign-up sheet at the next meeting or you<br />

can contact me.<br />

Paula Fam 559-449-8548 or E-mail:<br />

fma103136@aol.com


SATURDAY, JULY 27, <strong>2013</strong><br />

Join us for a Potluck at Judy and Gordon’s house!<br />

3022 Hornet Ave.<br />

Clovis, CA<br />

Come early for appetizers and a little socializing at<br />

2:00 P.M.<br />

We plan to eat at about 5:30.<br />

There will be a sign-up sheet at the meeting<br />

or you can sign-up by calling 559-294-7050<br />

or E-mailing jgcapurro@comcast.net


We’re going to cruise Bass Lake and then head<br />

to<br />

El Cid’s in Oakhurst for dinner.<br />

Saturday August 3, <strong>2013</strong><br />

Reimer’s Candy and Ice Cream<br />

has opened a store next door to El Cid’s.<br />

How convenient is that!<br />

Meeting in the Target parking lot at<br />

River Park: 3:00 P.M.<br />

Sign-up sheet will be at the next meeting or you can contact:<br />

Dale or Sue Comer at 559-683-6710<br />

or E-mail dscomer@sti.net


COST WILL BE $600.00 PER COUPLE AND $435.OO FOR SINGLES.<br />

This includes lodging, one breakfast, 2 lunches, transfers, all<br />

admissions and tours.<br />

WE COULD GO WEST, NORTH EAST OF SOUTH…OR ALL FOUR<br />

DIRECTIONS! WE COULD GO HIGH OR WE MIGHT GO LOW…BOLDLY<br />

GO WHERE <strong>CVC</strong> HAS NEVER GONE BEFORE! RESERVE YOUR SPACE<br />

TODAY! 50 PERCENT DEPOSIT BY MAY MEETING AND 50 PERCENT BY<br />

AUGUST MEETING.<br />

CALL 645-0513 OR E-MAIL US AT<br />

HANSENRT66@ATT.NET.


CENTRAL VALLEY CORVETTES<br />

BULLETIN-JUNE <strong>2013</strong><br />

CRAIG HANSEN JUNE 3<br />

SHARON CONDLEY JUNE 17<br />

MARY ANN WHITSON JUNE 18<br />

GAIL TAVARES JUNE 20<br />

CRAIG AND PAM HANSEN JUNE 14, 1979 34 YEARS<br />

MOTHER KNOWS BEST<br />

John invited his mother over for dinner. During the meal, his mother couldn't help noticing how<br />

beautiful John's roommate Julie was. She had long been suspicious of a relationship between John and<br />

his roommate, and this only made her more curious.<br />

Over the course of the evening, while watching the two interact, she started to wonder if there was more<br />

between John and the roommate than met the eye. Reading his mom's thoughts, John volunteered, "I<br />

know what you must be thinking, but I assure you, Julie and I are just roommates."<br />

About a week later, Julie came to John and said, "Ever since your mother came to dinner, I can't find the<br />

beautiful silver gravy ladle. You don't suppose she took it, do you?" John said, "Well, I doubt it, but I'll<br />

write her a letter just to be sure." So he sat down and wrote, "Dear Mother, I'm not saying you 'did' take<br />

a gravy ladle from my house, and I'm not saying you 'did not' take a gravy ladle. But the fact remains<br />

that one has been missing ever since you were here for dinner."<br />

Several days later, John received a letter from his mother which read, "Dear Son, I'm not saying that you<br />

'do' sleep with Julie, and I'm not saying that you 'do not' sleep with Julie. But the fact remains that if she<br />

was sleeping in her own bed, she would have found the gravy ladle by now.<br />

Love, Mom."<br />

PLEASE REMEMBER TO WEAR YOUR BADGES TO ALL<br />

MEETINGS, CLUB EVENTS AND RUNS.<br />

SUPPORT YOUR CLUB RAFFLE AND BRING A RAFFLE PRIZE


To all of you <strong>CVC</strong> members I say thank you for your<br />

contribution regarding what is going on in your lives……<br />

The first response was from our friend Charlotte who tells me that Don is buying a motor home for their<br />

travels ans she is going to help with the driving…..that’s scarry!!!! I certainly hope she remembers that<br />

they need gas to drive – considering she ran our of gas in her corvette!!!!<br />

Charlotee also tells me that Don has been diagnosed with Parkinsons Disease, is now on medication and<br />

seems to feel a little better.<br />

The latest exciting news for the Laninghmas is that they are going to be great-grandparents again in<br />

December. Congrats!!!<br />

Our dear Keith Garrison is going to have surgery on May 23 rd to repair two tears in his Meniscus. Keith<br />

got a big surprise when he learned he had a fracture in this knee. Aren’t the golden years fun and full of<br />

surprises?<br />

Debbie is participating in the Relay for Life this coming weekend, the 18 th and the 19 th . We are very<br />

proud of you. Do well.<br />

Peggy Cook sent this message to all: “After a successful car show, Bob and I are ready for a much<br />

needed rest. So we have headed for the lake for a week. Thanks to all of my Corvette friends that joined<br />

us on Saturday. Our show was awesome and the new location was a hit. I can’t wait to tell you how<br />

much money we made for Families For Effective Autism Treatment. I will let you all know when the<br />

totals come in.” –Peggy<br />

The Garrahans have some unwelcome guests at their house. A termite inspection revealed dry wood<br />

termites have moved in. Their house is being tented for 3 days. Patrick and Shawn will pitch a tent in the<br />

back yard while Pat has chosen to stay with her daughter. There is no structural damage. The inspcter<br />

says this is a good case for those who have yearly inspections.<br />

Gary and Jan spent the last three days playing golf at the Ridgemark Golf Course in Hollister with 24<br />

couples from Belmont Country Club playing golf. Jan’s team placed second in the Ladies Division and<br />

Gary had his best game played. This golf putting is a 30 year tradition and was enjoyed by all.<br />

Jan


It’s that time of year again when squash and<br />

tomatoes are starting to produce in your<br />

garden. If you are like me, you’re always<br />

looking for new ways to fix them.<br />

The following recipe uses both of these<br />

summertime favorites and was shared by<br />

Charlotte Renna. It makes a delicious and<br />

easy side dish.<br />

BAKED ZUCCHINI WITH GARLIC AND TOMATOES<br />

Zucchini<br />

Olive oil<br />

Fresh garlic or garlic powder<br />

Tomatoes<br />

Salt and pepper to taste<br />

Cheese: Grated Mozzarella, Parmesan, or cheese blend<br />

Basil, fresh or dried<br />

Slice the zucchini in half. (Slice off the bottom to keep in stable.)<br />

Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic or garlic powder.<br />

Top with sliced tomatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.<br />

Sprinkle with cheese of your choice (mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese or<br />

mixed blend.)<br />

Sprinkle with chopped fresh or dried basil. Bake 375 for 20 to 30 minutes until<br />

soft. (Depends on your oven.)


WHY MEN ARE NEVER DEPRESSED:<br />

Men Are Just Happier People --<br />

What do you expect from such simple creatures?<br />

Your last name stays put.<br />

The garage is all yours.<br />

Wedding plans take care of themselves.<br />

Chocolate is just another snack...<br />

You can be President.<br />

You can never be pregnant.<br />

You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park.<br />

You can wear NO shirt to a water park.<br />

Car mechanics tell you the truth.<br />

The world is your urinal.<br />

You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky.<br />

You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.<br />

Same work, more pay.<br />

Wrinkles add character.<br />

Wedding dress $5000. Tux rental-$100.<br />

People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them.<br />

New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet.<br />

One mood all the time.<br />

Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.<br />

You know stuff about tanks.<br />

A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase.<br />

You can open all your own jars.<br />

You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.<br />

If someone forgets to invite you,<br />

He or she can still be your friend.<br />

Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack.<br />

Three pairs of shoes are more than enough..<br />

You almost never have strap problems in public.<br />

You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes..<br />

Everything on your face stays its original color.<br />

The same hairstyle lasts for years, even decades.<br />

You only have to shave your face and neck.<br />

You can play with toys all your life.<br />

One wallet and one pair of shoes -- one color for all seasons.<br />

You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look.<br />

You can 'do' your nails with a pocket knife.<br />

You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.<br />

You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives<br />

On December 24 in 25 minutes.


NICKNAMES<br />

If Laura, Kate and Sarah go out for lunch, they will call each other Laura, Kate and Sarah.<br />

If Mike, Dave and John go out, they will affectionately refer to each other as Fat Boy,<br />

Bubba and Wildman.<br />

EATING OUT<br />

When the bill arrives, Mike, Dave and John will each throw in $20, even though it's only<br />

for $32.50. None of them will have anything smaller and none will actually admit they want<br />

change back.<br />

When the girls get their bill, out come the pocket calculators.<br />

MONEY<br />

A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs.<br />

A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn't need but it's on sale.<br />

BATHROOMS<br />

A man has six items in his bathroom: toothbrush and toothpaste, shaving cream, razor, a<br />

bar of soap, and a towel.<br />

The average number of items in the typical woman's bathroom is 337. A man would not be<br />

able to identify more than 20 of these items.<br />

ARGUMENTS<br />

A woman has the last word in any argument.<br />

Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.<br />

FUTURE<br />

A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.<br />

A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.<br />

MARRIAGE<br />

A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't.<br />

A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change, but she does.<br />

DRESSING UP<br />

A woman will dress up to go shopping, water the plants, empty the trash, answer the<br />

phone, read a book, and get the mail.<br />

A man will dress up for weddings and funerals.<br />

NATURAL<br />

Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed.<br />

Women somehow deteriorate during the night.<br />

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY<br />

A married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the<br />

same thing!


Here's what the Corvette Oldsmobile<br />

Division wanted, but never had. This<br />

experimental sports car would have been in<br />

direct competition with the Chevrolet<br />

Corvette. While debating the matter, GM<br />

built three Olds F-88 show cars, each one<br />

slightly different, all with concealed folding<br />

tops. It is powered by a 324-cid 'Rocket V8'<br />

producing 250 bhp. Brought out of GM<br />

styling in pieces, and owned briefly by<br />

financier and luxury auto magnate, E.L.<br />

Cord (CEO of Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg).<br />

One version was gifted to Harley Earl upon<br />

his retirement. The only surviving F-88 was<br />

sold at auction in 2005 for $3.2 million.<br />

The XP-20 project, commonly known as F-<br />

88 was a pet project of Harley Earl (working<br />

with him was Bill Mitchell, Ken Pickering,<br />

Zora Duntov etc.). Four cars came out of the<br />

project, but only styling order #2265 (this<br />

car) survived. It was sold or given to E.L.<br />

Cord (Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg owner) in<br />

1955. Hundreds of internal GM documents<br />

and original blue prints are still with this<br />

sole survivor.<br />

The Oldsmobile F-88 is one of the most<br />

historically significant vehicles of its era and<br />

considered by many automotive historians to<br />

be a great expression of automotive design<br />

from the 1950s Golden Age.<br />

Designed during 1952-1953, around the<br />

same time as the first Motorama Corvette,<br />

the preliminary sketches of the F-88 came<br />

from veteran designer Bill Lange. The final<br />

design was done in the main Oldsmobile<br />

studio under the direction of Art Ross. A<br />

very gifted designer, Ross is given credit for<br />

the 1941 Cadillac egg crate ‘tombstone'<br />

grill, the World War II Wildcat tank<br />

destroyer, and the ‘rocket' beltline for the '59<br />

Oldsmobile. The interior of the Oldsmobile<br />

was designed by Jack Humbert (who later<br />

moved on to become Pontiac's chief<br />

designer).<br />

The first Oldsmobile F-88 was built for the<br />

1954 Motorama show circuit and followed<br />

in 1957 by the Oldsmobile F-88 Mark II.<br />

The Oldsmobile F-88 shared the stage of the<br />

Motorama show with the Oldsmobile<br />

Cutlass fastback coupe that shared an<br />

identical instrument panel. Unveiled at the<br />

General Motors Motorama on January 21,<br />

1954 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New<br />

York, the 1954 Oldsmobile F-88 was<br />

painted metallic gold with metallic green<br />

inside the fender wells.<br />

The golden Oldsmobile F-88 was a true<br />

showstopper. For six days the vehicle<br />

display and musical revenue ran, following<br />

that the Oldsmobile F-88 became part of a<br />

series of traveling Motorama shows that<br />

caravanned by both bus and truck to Miami,<br />

LA, San Francisco, and Chicago. Over 2<br />

million viewers saw the five Motoramas that<br />

season. Back in that day, after a show car<br />

had completed its Motorama duties, it was<br />

usually turned over to its sponsoring<br />

division. The division's top execs were then<br />

encouraged to eventually destroy it as they<br />

couldn't sell such vehicle, or they could give<br />

them away to favored dealers.<br />

The Mark II looked entirely different than<br />

the first F-88 and featured quad headlights<br />

and blade-like vertical tailfins. The Mark III<br />

was introduced in the 1959 and unveiled for<br />

the GM Motorama, also looking nothing like<br />

the earlier two.<br />

An experimental, high performance, two-


passenger sports convertible, the F-88 was<br />

Oldsmobile's legendary dream car. A<br />

beautiful dynamo on wheel, the F-88 was<br />

Oldsmobile's experimental convertible that<br />

GM's stylists incorporated scores of striking<br />

innovations into. This spectacular sports car<br />

featured natural pigskin upholstery, lowpoised<br />

fiberglass body, unusual rear deck<br />

design, sparkling interior trim and a special<br />

250 hp ‘Rocket' engine. The elliptical grille<br />

mouth, ‘hockey stick' side trim and bullet<br />

tail lights were designed purely period<br />

Oldsmobile style.<br />

Harley Earl, the legendary automotive<br />

stylist, designed the F-88 under the belief<br />

that it would have outsold the Corvette and<br />

forever changed automotive history.<br />

Unfortunately Chevrolet, which produced<br />

more GM products than any of its other<br />

divisions, convinced the GM board of<br />

directors to cut the Oldsmobile project. The<br />

F-88 never went into production due to that<br />

sabotage combined with lukewarm Corvette<br />

sales. The 1954 Oldsmobile F-88 was<br />

strictly ever a dream car.<br />

Meant to compete with the similarly sized<br />

Corvette, the F-88 was one of the most<br />

significant concept vehicles ever designed<br />

by GM. Lightweight; the F-88 would have<br />

outperformed even the Ford Thunderbird.<br />

The Oldsmobile F-88 featured a Rocket 88<br />

V8, 4 speed automatic hydromatic<br />

transmission, power windows and door<br />

latches, bullet tail lights, large vertical<br />

exhaust outlets for its ‘Rocket' V-8, and a<br />

distinguished wide-mouth grille, unlike the<br />

Corvette, which only had a 6-cylinder<br />

engine, a 2-speed automatic transmission<br />

and no windows.<br />

Powered by hopped up 324-cubic-inch V8<br />

from the '54 Oldsmobile Super 99, the F-55<br />

engine used a stock four-barrel carburetor<br />

with a tiny flat air cleaner. The engine's<br />

9.0:1 compression ratio plus additional<br />

modifications boosted the Super 88's 185<br />

horsepower to 250 horsepower and an<br />

undisclosed amount of torque. With no<br />

trouble handling the Oldsmobile's V-8<br />

torque, power flowed through a four-speed<br />

Hydra-Matic transmission to a 3.55:1<br />

Corvette rear axle. The F-88 took its off-theshelf<br />

components, its instruments, from a<br />

1953 Oldsmobile. Humbert turned the<br />

speedometer into a combined speedo/tach<br />

and gave the other three dials custom faces.<br />

Only four cars were ever built, and one<br />

survives today and set a world record when<br />

auctioned in January 2005 at the Barrett-<br />

Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona for<br />

$3,240,000.00. The founder of the<br />

Discovery Channel, John S. Hendricks is the<br />

proud owner who has is displayed in its own<br />

room at the Gateway Auto Museum in<br />

Colorado.<br />

By Jessica Donaldson<br />

(Ed. note: Greg Krebs forwarded an E-mail<br />

he got re: this car that said “the ’54 Olds<br />

could have ‘Killed’ the Corvette”. What do<br />

you think?)


When I went to the car show,<br />

Freida gave me the bird!


2 3 4 5 6 7 8<br />

9<br />

16<br />

23<br />

30<br />

10 11 12 13 14<br />

17 18<br />

24<br />

General<br />

Meeting<br />

7:00 P.M.<br />

25<br />

19 20<br />

Board<br />

Meeting<br />

7:00 P.M.<br />

1<br />

15<br />

21 22<br />

26 27 28 29


1 2<br />

3 4<br />

7 8 9 10 11 12<br />

14<br />

15 16<br />

General<br />

Meeting<br />

7:00 P.M.<br />

17 18<br />

Board<br />

Meeting<br />

7:00 P.M.<br />

5 6<br />

13<br />

19 20<br />

21 23 24 24 25 26 27<br />

28<br />

29<br />

30<br />

31


CENTRAL VALLEY CORVETTES<br />

P. O. BOX 26591<br />

FRESNO, CALIFORNIA 93729-6591

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!