PB 307 new page 19.indd - Plymouth Club
PB 307 new page 19.indd - Plymouth Club
PB 307 new page 19.indd - Plymouth Club
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Founded 1957<br />
Nineteen-time Old Cars Weekly Golden Quill Award winner<br />
March - April, 2011 <strong>307</strong> Volume 52 Number 3<br />
Photo By mark J. mccourt<br />
Open Air<br />
– 1949<br />
1949 convertibles<br />
Richard Wahrendorff’s 1949 Special Deluxe convertible<br />
formerly owned by Dan Kilpatrick
<strong>Plymouth</strong> ® Owners <strong>Club</strong>, Inc.<br />
®<strong>Plymouth</strong> is a registered trademark of Chrysler Group LLC and is used by special permission.<br />
MEMBERSHIP<br />
The PLYMOUTH BULLETIN is published bi-monthly by the <strong>Plymouth</strong> Owners <strong>Club</strong>, Inc.,<br />
PO Box 416, Cavalier, North Dakota 58220. Periodicals postage paid at Grafton, ND.<br />
Membership is open to all persons genuinely interested in <strong>Plymouth</strong> or Fargo vehicles.<br />
Ownership of a club recognized vehicle is not a prerequisite for club membership. <strong>Club</strong><br />
dues entitle members to receive all BULLETIN issues published within the 12 month period<br />
following establishment or re<strong>new</strong>al of membership. Membership in the <strong>Plymouth</strong><br />
Owners <strong>Club</strong> is a prerequisite for membership in one of its regions.<br />
DUES<br />
Dues for first-time members are $32 per year payable in US funds. Re<strong>new</strong>als are $30<br />
per year payable in US funds. Payment can be made by VISA or MasterCard. No personal<br />
checks outside of USA please. Overseas members may get airmail delivery for $45<br />
per year.<br />
MEETS<br />
National meets are sponsored by the <strong>Plymouth</strong> Owners <strong>Club</strong>. Such meets are held on a<br />
rotating basis with location of the meets determined by local regions upon application to<br />
the Officers and Board of Directors. Notice of the dates and locations of such meets will<br />
be announced in the PLYMOUTH BULLETIN. At least one meet will be held east of the<br />
Mississippi River and one meet west of the Mississippi with meets held in the Spring,<br />
Summer and/or Fall. On years ending in "8" a single Grand National Meet is held in the<br />
Detroit area in honor of <strong>Plymouth</strong>'s 1928 beginning.<br />
AWARDS &TROPHIES<br />
MAYFLOWER AWARD is awarded to the highest scoring 4dr sedan not winning Best of<br />
Show at each national meet.<br />
EDITOR’S AWARDS are presented annually by the Editor for outstanding contributions by<br />
the members to the PLYMOUTH BULLETIN.<br />
JUDGING CLASSES Class 8 -- 1960-61 full size; 1965-77 C-body<br />
Class 1 -- 1928-1932 Class 9 -- 1964-1974 Barracuda<br />
Class 2 -- 1933-1939 Class 10 - Commercial (pickup, sdn del, stn wgn)<br />
Class 3 -- 1940-1948 Class 11 - 1976-80 F-, 78-89 M-, ‘80-81 R-bodies<br />
Class 4 -- 1949-1954 Class 12 - 1978-2001 FWD<br />
Class 5 -- 1955-1959 Class 13 - 1997-2001 Prowler<br />
Class 6 -- 1960-76 Val. Class 14 - 1971-1994 imports<br />
Class 7 -- 1962-78 B-body Senior -- Best of Show cars since1996<br />
JUDGING GROUPS: Group I: 1928-39 / Group II: 1940-59 / Group III:1960-89 RWD /<br />
Group IV:1971-2001 FWD & imports<br />
MEMBERSHIP ROSTER<br />
A complete listings of all current members along with their address and <strong>Plymouth</strong> and/or<br />
Fargo vehicles roster can be downloaded at any time via e-mail or member can obtain a<br />
disc with the information. Contact Membership Secretary Jim Benjaminson.<br />
ADDRESS CHANGES<br />
The PLYMOUTH BULLETIN is mailed by periodicals postage. The postal service WILL<br />
NOT FORWARD YOUR COPIES IF YOU CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS. If you plan<br />
to move, use the postal address change form on the cover and send it to the Membership<br />
Secretary BEFORE you move. The <strong>Plymouth</strong> Owners <strong>Club</strong> WILL NOT replace issues<br />
not received because of an address change.<br />
NON-DELIVERY OF THE BULLETIN<br />
If you have any questions or problems, direct your inquiries to the Membership<br />
Secretary.<br />
BULLETIN DEADLINE DATES for ads, articles, photographs, etc.<br />
Jan-Feb -- Dec. 10 Jul-Aug -- Jun. 10<br />
Mar-Apr -- Feb. 10 Spt-Oct -- Aug. 10<br />
May-Jun -- Apr. 10 Nov-Dec -- Oct. 10<br />
Articles, etc., submitted to the BULLETIN CANNOT be returned to the author for review<br />
prior to publication. ALL submissions are subject to editing.<br />
RETURN OF PHOTOS AND ARTICLES<br />
All items sent to the BULLETIN will be returned if requested with a SASE (please DO<br />
NOT affix US stamps to the return envelope--as it will be mailed from Canada--but<br />
enclose within envelope).<br />
MAIL DATE<br />
The BULLETIN is to be mailed by the last week of the even numbered month of the cover<br />
date (i.e. the Jan-Feb issue is to be mailed in February, etc.).<br />
ADVERTISING POLICY<br />
Please refer to the complete advertising policy printed in the Marketplace section.<br />
TECHNICAL ADVICE<br />
Technical questions may be submitted to the individual advisor for each model.<br />
Technical questions should be brief and specific. A SASE should be included with your<br />
enquiry (please do not affix stamps if mailed out-of-country but enclose within envelope).<br />
TECHNICAL SUPERVISORS<br />
GROUP I<br />
Earl Buton, Jr.<br />
2366 Glasco Trnpk.<br />
Woodstock, NY<br />
12498-1013<br />
1928 Q<br />
Earl Buton, Jr.<br />
(see address above)<br />
(845) 679-6185<br />
earlbuton@yahoo.com<br />
1929 U<br />
Jeff C. Buton<br />
275 Dutchtown Road<br />
Saugerties, NY 12477<br />
(845) 247-3158<br />
jbuton57@yahoo.com<br />
1930 30U - 1931 PA<br />
Robert McMulkin<br />
Box 40<br />
Lemon Springs, NC 28355<br />
rmcmulkin@aol.com<br />
1932 <strong>PB</strong><br />
Bruce E. Buton<br />
2366 Glasco Tnpk.<br />
Woodstock, NY12498-1076<br />
(845) 657-6287<br />
bbuton@verizon.net<br />
1933<br />
Robert Davis<br />
1870 Eldon Rd, RR1<br />
Woodville, ON KOM 2T0<br />
CANADA (705) 374-5059<br />
bobpat@nexicom.net<br />
1934<br />
Edward R. Peterson<br />
32 Crane Road<br />
Walpole, MA 02081<br />
plymouth34@hotmail<br />
1935 - 1936<br />
Wayne Brandon<br />
5715 Forest Green Dr.<br />
Perry, MI 48872-9197<br />
(517) 675-5717<br />
plymdr@aol.com<br />
1937<br />
Robert L. Semichy<br />
18220 Daves Ave.<br />
Monte Sereno, CA 95030<br />
(408) 395-4968<br />
1938<br />
John Sbardella<br />
11 Heritage Path<br />
Millis, MA 02054<br />
misunstd@world.std.com<br />
1939<br />
Roy G. Kidwell;<br />
9 St. Andrews Garth;<br />
Severna Park, MD 21146<br />
(410) 987-6081<br />
patriciakidwell@msn.com<br />
1940<br />
Jim Benjaminson<br />
Box 345<br />
Walhalla, ND 58282-0345<br />
1941<br />
Larry W. Jenkins<br />
Rt. 1, Box 127<br />
Belleville, WV 26133-9728<br />
ljenkins@castinternet.net<br />
1942<br />
William Leonhardt<br />
10100 Fletcher Ave.<br />
Lincoln, NE 68527-9735<br />
(402) 467-2222<br />
1946-49 P15<br />
Frank J. Marescalco<br />
2610 D Street<br />
Omaha, NE 68107-1622<br />
(402) 733-3153fmsr@cox.net<br />
GROUP II<br />
Dave Geise<br />
417 Tennessee Tr.<br />
Browns Mills, NJ<br />
08015-5664<br />
1950 P19, P20<br />
David Pollock<br />
Box 196<br />
Shawnigan Lake, BC<br />
VOR 2W0 CANADA<br />
dnpollock@shaw.ca<br />
1951-53<br />
Neil Riddle<br />
20303 8th Ave NW,<br />
Shoreline,WA 98177-2107<br />
seaplym@hotmail.com<br />
1954<br />
Darrell Davis<br />
100 Tech Drive<br />
Sanford, FL 32771<br />
(407) 330-9100, 701-4493cell<br />
ddavis8839@aol.com<br />
1955<br />
Jason Rogers<br />
123 Carterwoods Drive<br />
Warner Robins, GA 31088<br />
(478) 953-4760<br />
jasonrogers@windstream.net<br />
1956<br />
Chris Suminski<br />
27090 Jean Rd<br />
Warren, MI 48093<br />
(586) 933-7404, cell<br />
cjsuminski@yahoo.com<br />
1956-58 Fury<br />
Tom VanBeek<br />
3006 Emerald Street<br />
WestBend, WI 53095<br />
(262) 338-8986<br />
tvanbeek@milwpc.com<br />
1957-58<br />
Wally Breer<br />
66 Stanway Bay<br />
Mitchell, MB R5G 1H5<br />
CANADA wbreer@mts.net<br />
1959<br />
Robert Hinds<br />
1292 Daventry Court<br />
Birmingham, AL 35243<br />
bobjanehinds@bellsouth.net<br />
1960 Sav/Belv/Fury<br />
Randy Wilson<br />
PO Box 647<br />
Maxwell, CA 95955<br />
(430) 438-2376<br />
1960-76 A-body<br />
Bruce Pine<br />
1458 Nunneley Road<br />
Paradise, CA 95969<br />
(530) 876-7463<br />
pinepp@sbcglobal.net<br />
1961 Sav/Belv/Fury<br />
John Thurman Wiggins<br />
677 Winklers Road<br />
Red Boiling Springs, TN<br />
37150 (615) 504-3746<br />
oldshaven@yahoo.com<br />
GROUP III<br />
Merrill Berkheimer<br />
36640 Hawk Rd.<br />
Hazard, NE<br />
68844<br />
TECHNICAL ADVISORS<br />
1962 B-Body<br />
Gerald Klinger<br />
1027 N.W. 1st<br />
Gresham, OR 97030<br />
(503) 665-8330<br />
austin54@comcast.net<br />
1963 B-Body<br />
Darrell Davis (see 1954)<br />
1964-65 B-Body<br />
Rob Elliott<br />
<strong>307</strong> - 30 Ave. NE<br />
Calgary, AB T2E 2E2<br />
CANADA elliotro@telus.net<br />
GROUP IV<br />
Chris Suminski<br />
27090 Jean Rd<br />
Warren, MI<br />
48093<br />
1965-66 C-Body<br />
William D. Coble, Jr.<br />
331 N. Roosevelt St.<br />
Shawnee, OK 74801<br />
(405) 275-4004<br />
1966-67 B-Body<br />
Art Schlachter<br />
2056 Cardinal Dr.<br />
Danville, KY40422-9732<br />
(859) 236-9487<br />
aschlachter@roadrunner.com<br />
1967 C-Body<br />
Bill Gallop, Jr.<br />
201 Park St.<br />
New Bedford, MA 02740<br />
(508) 993-0619<br />
1968 C-Body<br />
Mark E. Olson<br />
707 4th Street<br />
Proctor, MN 55810-1722<br />
(218) 624-4482<br />
mark@turbinecar.com<br />
1968-70 B-Body<br />
Clif Nelson<br />
7038 117th Ave. NE<br />
Adams,ND 58210<br />
clifn01@gmail.com<br />
1969-71 C-Body<br />
Edwin C. Hill<br />
412 West Temple St.<br />
Lenox, IA 50851-1228<br />
edwinhill@webtv.net<br />
1971-01 4-cylinder; FWD<br />
Chris Suminski (see 1955-56)<br />
1971-72 B-Body<br />
Edward F. Weingart<br />
334 Creekview Dr<br />
Hampstead, NC 28443<br />
edweingart@att.net<br />
1974-77 C-body<br />
Wally Breer (see 1957-58)<br />
1975-78 B-body<br />
Ed Lanfer<br />
6201 Wade Avenue<br />
St. Louis, MO 63139-3108<br />
Ed.Lanfer@federalmogul.com<br />
1976-80 F-body<br />
Wayne & Karen Fowler<br />
6902 Ruckles Road<br />
Mt. Airy, MD 21771<br />
(301) 831-7150<br />
wiffer@worldnet.att.net<br />
1978-89 M-body<br />
Michael Bonadonna<br />
455 North Cherry Pop Drive<br />
Inverness, FL 34453-7975<br />
(352) 341-1019<br />
mlb5355@hotmail.com<br />
1980-81 R-body<br />
Chris Suminski (see 1955-56)<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> Commercial<br />
Bob Manke<br />
6037 E. Canal Rd.<br />
Lockport NY 14094<br />
(716) 625-4048<br />
bobantqplys@aol.com<br />
Fargo Commercial<br />
Cam D. Clayton<br />
Box 725, Kaslo, BC<br />
V0G1M0 CANADA<br />
dook@netidea.com<br />
Advisors wanted: 1949; 1970-74 E-body; 1972-73 C-body; 1973-74 B-body
PPllyymmoouutthh ®<br />
PPllyymmoouutthh<br />
OOwwnneerrss CClluubb CClluubb<br />
Box 416<br />
Cavalier, ND 58220-0416<br />
Phone: (701) 549-3746<br />
Fax: (701) 549-3744<br />
e-mail: benji@utma.com<br />
plymouthbulletin.com<br />
FOUNDER-DIRECTOR<br />
Jay M. Fisher<br />
Acken Drive 4-B<br />
Clark, NJ 07066-2902<br />
(732) 388-6442<br />
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR<br />
Earl Buton, Jr.<br />
2366 Glasco Turnpike<br />
Woodstock, NY 12498-1076<br />
(845) 679-6185 earlbuton@yahoo.com<br />
OFFICERS 2010-11 2010-1<br />
PRESIDENT<br />
Nick DeSimone<br />
1423 Pecan Grove Dr.<br />
Diamond Bar, CA91765-2536 (909) 861-4950 ndesimone@verizon.net<br />
VICE PRESIDENT<br />
Bobbi Berkheimer<br />
36640 Hawk Road<br />
Hazard, NE 68844<br />
(308) 452-3980 bobbib@nctc.net<br />
MEMBERSHIP<br />
SECRETARY-TREASURER<br />
Jim Benjaminson<br />
Box 345<br />
Walhalla, ND 58282-0345<br />
(701) 549-3746 benji@utma.com<br />
CORRESPONDING SEC.<br />
Tom Nachand<br />
5215 NW Cavalier Ave.<br />
Lincoln City, OR 97367<br />
(541) 764-2011 33plym@centurytel.net<br />
BULLETIN EDITOR<br />
Lanny D. Knutson<br />
288 Strathmillan Road<br />
Winnipeg MB R3J 2V5 CANADA<br />
(204) 889-8008 plybul@mts.net<br />
DIRECTOR 2006-11<br />
Carl D. Wegner<br />
19600 Cardinal Drive<br />
Grand Rapids, MN 55744-6189<br />
(218) 326-5965 cwegner2@msn.com<br />
DIRECTOR 2008-13 (Judging)<br />
Joe Suminski<br />
68226 Winchester Court<br />
Washington, MI 48095-1244<br />
(586) 752-3140 jsuminski2@yahoo.com<br />
DIRECTOR 2010-15<br />
Robert S. Kerico<br />
4640 Boardwalk<br />
Smithton , IL 62285-3662<br />
(618) 444-6966<br />
Bobkool344@wmconnect.com<br />
TThhee PPllyymmoouutthh BBuulllleettiinn<br />
No. <strong>307</strong> March-April, 2011<br />
LANNY D. KNUTSON, editor (204) 889-8008<br />
288 Strathmillan Road, Winnipeg, MB R3J 2V5 CANADA<br />
editor@plymouthbulletin.com or plybul@mts.net<br />
1949 convertibles<br />
-1-<br />
Open Air<br />
– 1949<br />
MARK MCCORD PHOTO
Open Air<br />
– 1949<br />
This BULLETIN’s theme didn’’t<br />
develop in the usual way. There<br />
was no long-range plan to<br />
devote an issue soley to convertibles<br />
from 1949. Nobody suggested, “Hey,<br />
let’s do an issue on ‘49 ragtops.”<br />
Of all things, this issue’s theme<br />
began with an ad, a rather persistent ad,<br />
at that. Some of you may have been<br />
aware of the recurring ad in the CARS<br />
WANTED section, placed by one Dallas<br />
Wiese of Toledo, Iowa, for a driveable<br />
‘49 convertible, preferably blue like<br />
the one he had when he and his<br />
wife, Joyce, were married (now,<br />
60 years ago). I figured that<br />
there had to be a story in this<br />
and so I inquired. Sure<br />
enough, there is… and this<br />
issue has it.<br />
I then checked through my<br />
computer files and found a couple<br />
‘49 convertible stories I had<br />
saved from regional <strong>new</strong>sletters,<br />
namely Larry Stanton’s and Tom<br />
Mulligan’s. Not much later, I<br />
received Bob Drown’s account of<br />
meeting Richard Wahrendorff and his<br />
‘49 convertible. Checking further, I<br />
discovered that Richard had recently<br />
purchased his car from fellow member<br />
Dan Kilpatrick and that when it was in<br />
Dan’s possession, the convertible had<br />
been the subject of a Hemmings<br />
Classic Car article. Not only that, but<br />
Tom Mulligan’s ‘49 “droptop” had also<br />
been featured in an HCC article two<br />
years earlier. Contacting Jim Donnelly<br />
of HCC, I was able to receive permission<br />
to reprint the two articles and to<br />
contact the photographers for their pictures<br />
and permission to use them.<br />
Thus, this issue took shape.<br />
What I did not do was contact all<br />
From the Editor<br />
Open pen Air<br />
ir‘49 ‘49<br />
of the 40-some ‘49 convertible owners<br />
on our roster, requesting their contributions.<br />
With longer-range planning,<br />
that would have been possible, but<br />
there was little long-range planning<br />
with this particular issue. It simply<br />
began with material available, an idea<br />
and it went from there.<br />
For this issue’s logo, I went to my<br />
cigar box full of dash plaques and<br />
pulled out the one from the meet<br />
which I was involved in hosting, the<br />
1990 Spring Meet in Calgary.<br />
For that logo, I had “commissioned”<br />
a good friend, Ray Yauk, an<br />
erstwhile <strong>new</strong>spaper sports cartoonist,<br />
who had become a Lutheran minister,<br />
who was then working amongst the<br />
down-and-out street people in one of<br />
Canada’s richest cities.<br />
-2-<br />
Ray wasn’t really a car guy. For<br />
him cars were, at best, a necessity for<br />
getting from Point A to Point B, but<br />
he was very much a people-guy, as the<br />
people on the fringes of downtown<br />
Calgary would attest. In that, and as a<br />
friend, he was interested in my life too,<br />
including my car life, and was happy<br />
to do some cartooning work for our<br />
upcoming meet. He took the ‘49 convertible<br />
from a <strong>Plymouth</strong> ad and put a<br />
friendly guy behind the wheel, waving<br />
his cowboy hat. We had our logo,<br />
thanks to Ray. Sadly, Ray died<br />
in 1997.<br />
THE NEXT BULLETIN is taking<br />
shape much the way this<br />
one has. Beginning with<br />
some ‘56 Fury material<br />
mailed to me and what I’ve<br />
had on file, I’ve contacted<br />
owners for their stories on<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong>’s first Fury. It will<br />
be a celebration, of sorts, marking<br />
the car’s 55th anniversary.<br />
Plans are in the works for a 50th<br />
anniversary celebration, this time of<br />
the 1961 models. Owners of ‘61s, I<br />
hope to be hearing from you.<br />
I’ve also been planning to do<br />
issues on the first Valiants (1960-62)<br />
and E-body Barracudas (1970-74), but I<br />
haven’t yet received enough material to<br />
proceed. I’m still hoping to hear from<br />
owners of these <strong>Plymouth</strong>s.<br />
But now for some open air, ‘49<br />
style.<br />
– Lanny Knutson<br />
The <strong>Plymouth</strong> Bulletin<br />
No. <strong>307</strong> Mar-Apr 2011<br />
LANNY D. KNUTSON, editor<br />
LEEANN LUCAS, asst. editor<br />
THORSTEN LARSSON PHOTO
The<br />
Members have begun<br />
receiving the Great<br />
Roster Update card with their<br />
dues re<strong>new</strong>al notices. The<br />
first members getting the card<br />
are those with an April 30,<br />
2011, re<strong>new</strong>al date. Roster<br />
Update cards will be included<br />
with each mailing of re<strong>new</strong>al<br />
notices. The project will take<br />
an entire year to complete, as<br />
the cards will be included<br />
with re<strong>new</strong>al notices for June<br />
30, August 31, October 31,<br />
December 31 and February<br />
2012. Members who do not<br />
return the card with their<br />
re<strong>new</strong>al will be asked a second<br />
time for their updated<br />
information. Please: Do not<br />
write “same as before” on the<br />
cards. List your cars, address,<br />
phone number and email<br />
address on the card. Cards<br />
returned, to date, indicate<br />
there have been many<br />
changes!<br />
One last cautionary note:<br />
PLEASE DO NOT RENEW<br />
AHEAD OF TIME! Please<br />
wait until you receive your<br />
re<strong>new</strong>al notice envelope to<br />
send in your dues. Re<strong>new</strong>ing<br />
ahead of time only helps to<br />
screw up the system. If you<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> Press<br />
CLUB NEWS <strong>Plymouth</strong> Owners <strong>Club</strong> No. <strong>307</strong><br />
The Great Roster Update is on!<br />
are going to be away during<br />
the time period of your<br />
re<strong>new</strong>al, drop me a note with<br />
your re<strong>new</strong>al so I can specialhandle<br />
it. If you are uncertain<br />
as to your re<strong>new</strong>al date,<br />
simply look at your mailing<br />
label: 22811 means your<br />
membership expires February<br />
28, 2011; 43011 means your<br />
membership expires April 30,<br />
2011, and so on.<br />
Please notice a change on<br />
the re<strong>new</strong>al envelopes.<br />
Directly above your mailing<br />
label are two messages: one<br />
reading “Yes, please send me<br />
a <strong>new</strong> membership card” and<br />
the other reading “No, do not<br />
send me a <strong>new</strong> membership<br />
card.”<br />
If you wish to receive a<br />
<strong>new</strong> card, check the “yes”<br />
box. If you do not want a<br />
<strong>new</strong> card, check the “no” box.<br />
If neither box is checked, I<br />
will assume you do not wish<br />
to receive a membership card<br />
and your cancelled check will<br />
act a proof of payment for<br />
your dues.<br />
Thank you for your cooperation!<br />
– Jim Benjaminson,<br />
Membership Secretary<br />
Speed limits posted<br />
Tod Fitch, of California and the Golden State Region has<br />
added a speed limit chart to his “<strong>Plymouth</strong> – The First<br />
Decade” website http://ply33.com/Misc/speed based on<br />
the contents of Benj’s Page in BULLETIN 306.<br />
The <strong>Plymouth</strong> Bulletin (ISSN 0032-1737) is published bi-monthly. Subscription<br />
through annual dues: $32 <strong>new</strong>; $30 re<strong>new</strong>al. Published by the <strong>Plymouth</strong><br />
Owners <strong>Club</strong>, PO Box 345, 603 Central Ave, Walhalla, ND 58282-0345.<br />
Periodical postage paid at Grafton, ND 58237. POSTMASTER: Send address<br />
-3-<br />
<strong>Club</strong> Video Library to be shut down<br />
With the waning of VHS<br />
technology and the rising<br />
costs of postage, the<br />
POC Video Library has fallen<br />
into disuse.<br />
The videos have been<br />
kept in two libraries: one,<br />
maintained by Larry Nuesch<br />
in New Jersey and a second,<br />
managed by Rita Green of<br />
Victoria, BC, for Canadian<br />
members. The videos were<br />
loaned to members who paid<br />
a rental fee and postage costs.<br />
Larry Nuesch reports that<br />
he has sent out only one or<br />
so videos this past year. His<br />
Canadian counterpart reports<br />
she hasn’t sent out a video to<br />
a Canadian member for several<br />
years.<br />
Membership secretary<br />
Jim Benjaminson will gather<br />
the remaining videos and<br />
store them until a decision is<br />
made as to what to do with<br />
them.<br />
Some or all videos could<br />
be copied onto DVD disks<br />
and kept for posterity, depending<br />
on the costs of doing so<br />
and the quality of reproduction.<br />
Copies could then be<br />
made, on demand, for members<br />
wishing to purchase a<br />
disk.<br />
The videos could also be<br />
simply disposed of. Contact<br />
a board member if you have<br />
suggestions concerning the<br />
videos listed on the inside<br />
back cover of each BULLETIN.<br />
Members Remembered<br />
Stuart Riddell, Williamstown, Vermont, died on December<br />
15, 2011, at age 62. An owner of a 1932 <strong>PB</strong> sport roadster, he<br />
had been a member since 1981. He is survived by his wife,<br />
Linda.<br />
Walter T. Trittipoe, Shady Side, Maryland, died on January<br />
12, 2011. The owner of a 1947 P15 Special Deluxe business<br />
coupe, he had been a member since 1993. He is survived by his<br />
wife, Janette.<br />
Opal Crowe, Minden, Ontario, died on March 19, 2011, at<br />
the age of 70. She and her husband of 51 years, Don, attended<br />
nearly all four-cylinder tours with their ‘31 PAs, a coupe and a<br />
sport roadster.<br />
Phil Volpe, New Castle, Delaware, died on March 31, 2011,<br />
at the age of 66. The former national president of the POC<br />
(2002-03) also served three terms as vice-president and five<br />
years as a director. He was the owner of two ‘67s, a Belvedere<br />
II sedan and a Satellite convertible, and a ‘69 Fury II two-door.
I asked my wife to put on her thinking<br />
cap and write the president's message<br />
for Issue <strong>307</strong>.<br />
Myyoung,<br />
growing up in<br />
of cars<br />
began when I was<br />
Myappreciation<br />
the fifties. My older brother and I<br />
would sit in our front window and watch<br />
the cars passing by. He would teach me<br />
the names of the cars and give specific<br />
details about each that would help me<br />
remember. When I gave an incorrect<br />
answer, he responded with a smack at<br />
the back of my head. And so I learned<br />
the names and years of many of the<br />
models of the 1950s.<br />
Unfortunately, I never learned about<br />
anything under the hood. But my love<br />
for the cars of those years, when I was a<br />
preteen, has stayed with me. At car<br />
shows, those are the ones I still gravitate<br />
toward.<br />
When I met my husband he<br />
had a ‘31 Model A. He<br />
drove the Model A<br />
when we got married,<br />
and we<br />
brought our first<br />
child home<br />
from the hospital<br />
in it. The<br />
nurse was hesitant<br />
to release us<br />
at curbside to<br />
“that noisy old car.”<br />
And my appreciation<br />
of old cars grew.<br />
A few years<br />
later, we moved<br />
and were unable<br />
From the President’s President’ s wife<br />
Teach each them while<br />
they’re young<br />
to take the Model A, so it was sold to a<br />
friend. My husband, however, did not<br />
lose his yearning for another “old car.”<br />
He maintained his love for fixing by<br />
doing the maintenance on the cars we<br />
did have. As our children<br />
grew, he shared that love<br />
and skill with the<br />
boys. Car shows<br />
became an integral<br />
part of our<br />
lives, as did the<br />
awareness of<br />
the many classic<br />
“old timers”<br />
we enjoyed in<br />
our daily travels.<br />
Today we<br />
have several grandchil-<br />
Changing oil:<br />
Changing oil: “In the red shirt is Christian, age 10,<br />
in the brown shirt is Justin, age 8, and the old man is<br />
‘ageless.’ Directly behind us is my 1940 P10 coupe.”<br />
-4-<br />
dren. A couple<br />
of them have<br />
been going to<br />
car shows since shortly after being<br />
born. They show a wonderful enthusiasm<br />
and appreciation for old cars.<br />
They have learned car show etiquette -<br />
DO NOT TOUCH. But Papa’s garage<br />
is another thing. They are allowed to<br />
sit in Papa’s old cars, and pretend they<br />
are going on trips to the store or<br />
another car show. They also help Papa<br />
by handing him tools, asking questions,<br />
and holding the flashlight. It is<br />
my hope that this love and care of<br />
what is old will stay with them and<br />
On Papa’s Papa’ s running board: three DeSimone grandchildren Justin, Gianna and Christian<br />
Grant.<br />
that they will be fixing up their own old<br />
cars, someday.<br />
My thing is sewing. I noticed that<br />
when my children were little they wanted<br />
to do what I was doing. They wanted<br />
to sew. Instead of getting them toy<br />
sewing machines, they learned on the<br />
real thing. They learned to thread, sew,<br />
clean and maintain the machine. To this<br />
day they have an appreciation of the<br />
machine, what it can do and the joy of<br />
the results. Not all of them sew anymore,<br />
but they are giving their children<br />
opportunities to learn.<br />
It is my belief that when a child is<br />
given hands-on experiences with the real<br />
thing, they learn respect as well as love<br />
for it. It becomes a real part of them,<br />
and through this deep-seeded love and<br />
respect, they naturally want to pass it<br />
on to future generations.<br />
-- Charmaine DeSimone
2009 PLYMOUTH BULLETIN Awards<br />
Column:<br />
“When <strong>Plymouth</strong> was the car to beat” by Clif Nelson, Issue 294<br />
“The Lesser ‘Bees’ ” by Clif Nelson, Issue 295<br />
“Atomic <strong>Plymouth</strong> Found!” by Jim Benjaminson, Issue 299<br />
“Cuda man” by Clif Nelson, Issue 299<br />
Feature Article:<br />
“<strong>Plymouth</strong> of the Southern Hemisphere” – Various authors:<br />
Phil Gander, John Goldsmith, Lanny Knutson, Brenton and<br />
Norma Hamilton, John and Carmel Kelly, Nelson Lipinski,<br />
Lars Sorensen, Adrian Stern, and Roberto Marenzi<br />
And thanks to all the photographers, Issue 295<br />
“21st Annual 4-cylinder <strong>Plymouth</strong> Tour” by George and<br />
Sylvia Bahro, Issue 297<br />
“<strong>Plymouth</strong>s Cover the World” by Ed Wilkinson, Issue 298<br />
“First Restoration” by Les and Marie Bennett, Issue 298<br />
“Warning: fuel pumps for six-cylinder engines” by Cam Clayton,<br />
Issue 298<br />
“<strong>Plymouth</strong>s Shine in ‘09” by David B. Young and Dianne E.<br />
Taylor, Meet Coordinators, with photos by Mike Perlberg,<br />
Paul Connolly, and Tom Kenney, Issue 299<br />
Historical Feature:<br />
“An encore in refinement” by Lanny Knutson, Issue 294<br />
“Mid-year trim changes & series addition: 1958 <strong>Plymouth</strong>”<br />
by Jeffrey I Godshall, Issue 294<br />
“<strong>Plymouth</strong> body plates” by Jim Benjaminson, Issue 295<br />
“The Little Owner’s Manual” by Andy Weimann, Issue 296<br />
“<strong>Plymouth</strong> by name” by Larry LaBrack, Issue 296<br />
“Chrysler Factory Employee Badges” by Rob Elliott, Issue 296<br />
“Another Diesel <strong>Plymouth</strong>” by Jim Benjaminson – Photos<br />
by Michael Noe, Issue 297<br />
Letter / Photo:<br />
“And another” by John Robertson, Issue 294<br />
Letter to the Editor:<br />
“Today is 24th December” by Gary Thorpe, Issue 294<br />
Photo:<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> Wagon, <strong>page</strong> 35, Issue 297<br />
‘<strong>Plymouth</strong>-Dodge’ Harley-Davidson at the Harley-Davidson<br />
Museum, by Paul Curtis, Issue 298<br />
Photography of Minis:<br />
“A Collector’s Collection” by Wally Breer, Issue 294 – Photos<br />
by Larry Schau<br />
Selected by Jan Peel and Bob Van Buskirk<br />
-5-<br />
Personal Car Stories:<br />
“Confessions of a Fury nut” by Wally Breer, Issue 294<br />
“50 years of ownership” by Dave Burkart, Issue 294<br />
“My Granddad’s <strong>Plymouth</strong>” – a parable by Kan Norton as<br />
written by Harold Norton, Issue 296<br />
“Error in Judgment” by Greg Rager – Photos by Brad Bowling,<br />
Issue 297<br />
“A very special wedding anniversary with Jay Leno”<br />
by Mark Olson, Issue 298<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> Movies:<br />
“The Book” / “The movie” / “The car” / “Driving Christine”<br />
by Michael Morelli, Issue 294<br />
“Christine the car” by Martin Sanchez, Issue 294<br />
“Our PJ’s Movie Adventure” by Ed Hovorka, Issue 296<br />
“Member in the Movies” by Paul Horch, Issue 296<br />
Road Trip rip Feature:<br />
“Good Company” by Lanny Knutson, Issue 298<br />
Series:<br />
“Swedish 1935 <strong>Plymouth</strong> Memphis Bound” by Thorsten Larsson,<br />
Issue 295<br />
Short Feature:<br />
“Member assists Jay Len’s purchase of a Chrysler Turbine”<br />
by Mark Olson, Issue 296<br />
Technical echnical Article:<br />
“Earl’s parts bag” and “Sparkplug study” by Earl Buton, Issue 294<br />
“Setting the timing on your flathead engine” by Ken Bartz,<br />
Issue 297<br />
2009 Best BULLETIN ULLETIN Cover<br />
Photo by Mike Perlberg of David Steed’s<br />
original 1928 Q Sedan, Issue 299<br />
Not awards awards<br />
but special thanks…<br />
for all the great tributes for the many that<br />
passed away in 2009. My special thanks to Lanny Knutson, Bob<br />
and Judy Kerico (Issue 295) and Bob Van Buskirk (Issue 298) for<br />
their tributes to Stan Peel. All loved ones are missed even after all<br />
this time, as that’s the way <strong>Plymouth</strong> people are. – Jan Jan Peel
When I joined the <strong>Plymouth</strong><br />
<strong>Club</strong> in February of 1967,<br />
the member closest to me<br />
was in Fergus Falls, Minnesota –<br />
Marlin Aagenes, who later became a<br />
good friend.<br />
In 1968 my folks and I took a trip<br />
to the west coast to visit relatives in<br />
Arizona and California. We planned it<br />
so we could coordinate with the Harrah<br />
Swap Meet in Reno, Nevada. While<br />
walking the swap meet grounds with<br />
Dad, I spotted a ‘33 <strong>Plymouth</strong> flying<br />
lady radiator cap on the ground at a vendors<br />
stand. As I reached down for it,<br />
someone else reached in and grabbed the<br />
‘32 flying lady that was alongside it.<br />
The two of us almost knocked each<br />
other over. The “someone else” turned<br />
out to be Dwight Cervin. He was the<br />
first club member I ever met in person.<br />
He was after the ‘32 PA-<strong>PB</strong> radiator cap<br />
(I don’t remember if it was for a friend<br />
or for his touring car). I wanted the ‘33<br />
cap for the car my dad used to have, a<br />
‘33 PD business coupe, from which I<br />
still have the body.<br />
In later years, Dwight and his<br />
wife came and visited us in North<br />
Dakota and looked at our cars. They<br />
were driving his ‘54 Imperial at the<br />
time. Dwight and I kept in touch<br />
over the years and he shared WWII<br />
photos he had taken of some of the<br />
cars he had seen while in India:<br />
Indian versions of U.S. makes, all<br />
GM models.<br />
Dad was service manager for the<br />
local Chevrolet dealership, and in<br />
1957 the boss’ son took delivery of a<br />
‘57 Bel Air convertible with the 283horsepower,<br />
283 cubic-inch fuel-<br />
Benji's Page<br />
Dwight Cervin<br />
injected V8. The 283-horse version was<br />
a very rare car (if we had only known it<br />
then!). But the thing never ran right.<br />
Dad took the car to the GM Training<br />
Center in Golden Valley, Minnesota, to<br />
see if the GM techs could fix it (they<br />
couldn’t).<br />
On the trip down, two things happened:<br />
Dad came across a 1931 PA<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> touring car puttsing down the<br />
road. Dad said he followed it for miles<br />
just to look at it, until it finally turned<br />
off onto a side road. That had to have<br />
been Dwight’s car before he had pur-<br />
chased it from the original owner. The<br />
other part of the story dealt with two<br />
young lads in a shoe-box Ford sedan<br />
who kept harassing him on the road,<br />
catching up to him, then passing, then<br />
slowing down so he would have to pass<br />
them. I suppose they couldn’t figure<br />
out what that “old man” (Dad was 46 at<br />
the time) was doing driving such a hot<br />
rod as a ‘57 Bel Air convertible with<br />
fuel injection. Anyway, after several<br />
Dwight Cervin with his ‘28 <strong>Plymouth</strong> Q. Photo taken at the Motion Picture Country<br />
Home, June 1988; first place trophy<br />
Hurrah Swap Meet, 1968: Sig Benjaminson, Jim<br />
Benjaminson (wearing that “goofy Harrah's straw<br />
hat!”), Dwight Cervin<br />
-6-<br />
passes, Dad said he simply pulled into<br />
the passing lane, waved “bye-bye” to the<br />
boys and floored the Chevy, never to see<br />
the Ford again.<br />
And Dad did later find a cure for the<br />
miss in the fuel-injected engine… by<br />
accident. He was leaning under the<br />
hood working on the thing when a customer<br />
came by and asked him a question.<br />
Rather than pull himself out from<br />
under the hood completely, Dad balanced<br />
himself by placing his hand on the<br />
plenum chamber and turned around to<br />
talk to the guy. The car suddenly ran<br />
perfectly. Realizing the change, Dad<br />
pulled his hand away and it started to<br />
run rough again. He placed his hand<br />
back on the same spot and it settled<br />
right down. The plenum chamber<br />
had a naked-to-the-eye flaw in it that<br />
allowed air to enter the chamber<br />
where it wasn't supposed to… problem<br />
solved after many miles and trials.<br />
I still have Dad’s service manual<br />
for that fuel injection system.<br />
-- Jim Benjaminson<br />
Benjaminson
Letters<br />
The rest rest<br />
of the<br />
honeymoon story stor<br />
HERE’S THE REST of the<br />
story from “A New Life for<br />
the Honeymoon Car” in the<br />
BULLETIN 305. We sent a<br />
copy to Mike, and he was<br />
more than happy to give us<br />
an update. He is still doing<br />
a major renovation and says<br />
“I have pictures of the<br />
progress so far. I will get<br />
them sent to you soon.<br />
Ginnie and I are planning on<br />
being married in Hawaii in<br />
June. The honeymoon will<br />
take place another day. We<br />
are looking at taking all kids<br />
and their spouses and just<br />
having a grand time on the<br />
islands. More coming as we<br />
tie up the details.”<br />
As for our Plym 2, it is<br />
running very well and attended<br />
our Lone Star Region<br />
meeting in Austin the end of<br />
January.<br />
Richard Robertson<br />
Austin, Texas<br />
Coupe’s Coupe’ s coop<br />
GREETINGS FROM UTAH!<br />
We participated in Autorama<br />
this year with “Boop’s<br />
Coupe” (the car) and “Boop’s<br />
Coop” (the trailer). The old<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> got a best-in-class<br />
award and the trailer got an<br />
outstanding-in-class award.<br />
It was quite a show with<br />
From From<br />
the Cervin family<br />
GRANDPA (DWIGHT CERVIN) would have felt so honored<br />
having such a large article printed about him. These magazines<br />
(copies of BULLETIN 306) will be treasured by the family<br />
members that I will sending them out to. On behalf of<br />
all of us, the Cervin family, we want to thank you for<br />
remembering our father, grandfather and brother.<br />
John and Jean Cervin - son and daughter-in-law<br />
Christy Cervin - daughter<br />
Kristina Cervin - granddaughter<br />
Nicole Cervin Tuttle - granddaughter<br />
Mrs.Melba Cervin Smith - Dwight's 93-year-old sister<br />
some fantastic cars from all<br />
over the country. There<br />
weren’t many oldies, though,<br />
that weren’t all tricked out<br />
and rodded. It’s surprising<br />
how much traffic that trailer<br />
gets. If you’ve seen photos<br />
of the trailer before, note that<br />
it now has diamond plate<br />
trim around the frame and<br />
‘32 Ford pickup fenders.<br />
Can’t wait for cruising and<br />
camping season.<br />
Here’s a photo of Betty<br />
and me at the show – we’re<br />
still kickin’.<br />
Betty and Bill Ward<br />
Sandy, Utah<br />
Wood ood wouldn’t<br />
REGARDING Andy<br />
Weimann’s column item<br />
about the recalled issue of<br />
the <strong>Plymouth</strong> Sales<br />
Promoter magazine with the<br />
ad about cars with wooden<br />
framework in the body: they<br />
didn’t all get recalled; I have<br />
a copy of it! I hadn’t heard<br />
-7-<br />
that story before, but I am<br />
familiar with Chevrolet’s<br />
counte- advertising. GM<br />
countered the claims of the<br />
superior safety of the “allsteel<br />
body” with a simple<br />
test: take a round, metal tube<br />
(like a straw) and try to bend<br />
it. No problem. Put a piece<br />
of wood (like a dowel) inside<br />
of it and then try to bend it.<br />
Impossible. Therefore a<br />
wood framed body is safer<br />
that an an steel body! (They<br />
claimed.) If you think the<br />
accident photos of the allsteel<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong>s I provided in<br />
BULLETIN 306 look bad, you<br />
ought to see the ones I have<br />
of wood-framed Chevrolets!<br />
Jim Benjaminson<br />
Walhalla, North Dakota<br />
Fury Fury<br />
surprise<br />
WE JUST RECEIVED<br />
PLYMOUTH BULLETIN 306.<br />
What a pleasant surprise to<br />
see our 1967 Fury III on the<br />
back cover. Thank you for<br />
the recognition.<br />
Looking forward to seeing<br />
you in Rochester,<br />
Minnesota, this summer.<br />
Dean and Ardith Skinner<br />
Eureka, Illinois<br />
Speed limits<br />
I’VE LOOKED FOR YEARS<br />
for references for speed limits<br />
“back in the day” and had<br />
only gotten information for<br />
Ohio and California. Thank<br />
you (Jim Benjaminson) so<br />
much for your article in the<br />
January-February issue of the<br />
PLYMOUTH BULLETIN. One<br />
question: Maryland appears<br />
to be missing from the list.<br />
Do you have the 1941 speed<br />
limit for that state?<br />
Tod Fitch<br />
Sunnyvale, California<br />
Hi Tod: Maryland 50 - dual<br />
lane highways 55.<br />
I was really surprised at the<br />
speeds in relation to the<br />
types of cars still on the road<br />
back then and as for the condition<br />
of the roads there was<br />
not that much pavement -- at<br />
least in this part of the country<br />
(North Dakota)! – JB<br />
Toyland oyland video<br />
As mentioned in BULLETIN<br />
306, a video of the Soukup<br />
Toyland & Museum was<br />
made last fall but not by the<br />
myantique.com website as<br />
stated but by the<br />
iantique.com website where<br />
it is available for viewing. I<br />
found the site and joined, in<br />
order to watch the video<br />
which is titled “toy museum.”<br />
It is about 1 1/4 hour<br />
long and contains a lot of<br />
detail about what is in the<br />
museum. A lot of MOPARs<br />
along with other stuff is represented.<br />
I especially enjoyed<br />
seeing a toy garage which<br />
Harold had found. It was<br />
made in 1938 or 1939 and<br />
has a poster on the side<br />
which is a copy of the fullsized<br />
Chrysler dealership<br />
poster which we have.<br />
Terry Hoeman<br />
Columbus, Nebraska<br />
The direct link to the Soukup Toyland video is:<br />
http://www.iantique.com/vid.php?user=News&video_id=356
Coil polarity?<br />
I READ WITH INTEREST Donald Russell’s<br />
article on proper connection of ignition coils.<br />
Of course, I immediately ran out to check my<br />
own two ‘39 <strong>Plymouth</strong>s and found that both<br />
coils have only one low-voltage terminal,<br />
which is connected to the distributor in the<br />
engine compartment. Of course, Chrysler<br />
coils of that vintage extend through the firewall,<br />
and I found the other terminal at the<br />
other end in the passenger compartment, making<br />
incorrect connection impossible.<br />
Someone once told me that Chrysler adopted<br />
this configuration to make their cars more<br />
difficult to hot-wire. Thanks for the tip,<br />
though!<br />
Bob Brown<br />
Tallahassee, Florida<br />
I JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE with Dennis<br />
Cutshall. He read the article about ignition coils by Donald<br />
Russell, in the BULLETIN 306. He said the sketch showing<br />
the correct way to connect them up is inaccurate, and he even<br />
found some documentation in his service manuals. He was<br />
wondering if you had any other feedback on this. He’s just<br />
afraid people will be hooking these coils up wrong.<br />
Lee Lape<br />
Papillion, Nebraska<br />
TODAY I RECEIVED the latest PLYMOUTH BULLETIN. It’s<br />
another great issue. I have briefly checked it out and I was<br />
glad to find the article on the ignition coil. Who k<strong>new</strong> that all<br />
these years I've been connecting those things backward? I<br />
need to check out the ignition system on my ‘52 Ford truck<br />
‘60 supplement<br />
MAY I SUPPLEMENT Rudy<br />
Kraut’s nice article,<br />
“<strong>Plymouth</strong> ‘60: On the track<br />
and in the classroom”<br />
(BULLETIN 306)?<br />
The article speaks of<br />
some 1/64th-scale ‘60 miniatures<br />
of Petty <strong>Plymouth</strong>s.<br />
While I don’t have the<br />
1/64th-scale Number 42 of<br />
Lee Petty, I do have the 43<br />
of Richard. It was produced<br />
by Racing Champions:<br />
www.racingchampions.com<br />
I also have a Toolbox<br />
Treasures 1/24th-scale<br />
Number 42, autographed by<br />
Richard. The “model” for<br />
this model may be the ‘60<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> restored by Kim<br />
Haynes of Gastonia, North<br />
Carolina, that is pictured and<br />
described in a book entitled<br />
Classic Stock Cars. The<br />
Haynes car very likely is not<br />
Richard’s actual 1960 racer,<br />
as it appears to be a “Sky-<br />
Hi” rear-window Fury.<br />
Every photo I<br />
have seen of<br />
Nos. 42 and<br />
43 in action<br />
back in 1960<br />
shows them to<br />
be low-rearwindow<br />
Belvedere twodoor<br />
hardtops.<br />
Still, it is a<br />
neat model and<br />
I like it not<br />
only for its<br />
autograph but<br />
also because of<br />
The wiring diagram from the <strong>Plymouth</strong> Service Manual, 1946-1954, shows<br />
the coil wiring to be opposite of that shown in BULLETIN 306.<br />
-8-<br />
and also on my friend's ‘46 Dodge D25. I'm sure they are<br />
both connected wrong. I'll see if it makes a difference.<br />
LATER, AFTER BEING TOLD OF THE DISCREPANCY:<br />
I was out in the garage yesterday and checked the replacement<br />
coil on my Ford truck. I had it wired with the + side to the<br />
battery. It has been running great that way. I checked my<br />
friend's '46 Dodge and I had the coil with the - connected to<br />
the ignition. It has always been hard to start. I reversed the<br />
wiring and it fired up almost instantly. NOW I don't know<br />
what to think. I'd like to find out more about the coil thing.<br />
Right now I'm happy with the + going to the battery.<br />
Paul Horch<br />
Winnipeg, Manitoba<br />
its resemblance to my Big-<br />
Tailed Beast, with its interior<br />
being remarkably similar.<br />
A company by the name<br />
of Sun Star may release a<br />
convertible in 1/18th-scale<br />
this year, along about<br />
October or so. I have been<br />
able to supply some information<br />
to a representative of the<br />
firm about the SonoRamic<br />
Commando engine, so I<br />
assume it will have that mill<br />
under the hood. I just hope<br />
Valiant domination: The NASCAR 1960 Compact Race
it doesn’t have wire wheels<br />
which, while very popular<br />
with restorers of ‘60<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong>s today, were virtually<br />
unknown on them back<br />
in the early 1960s. At any<br />
rate, I am looking forward to<br />
seeing what will come out.<br />
It is interesting that the<br />
‘60 <strong>Plymouth</strong>s with their<br />
325-horse 383s fared better<br />
on the tracks than did the<br />
‘'61s with the 350/413s.<br />
However, those “flippedon-their-side”<br />
fins lead me<br />
to suspect that this feature<br />
tended to generate an<br />
aerodynamic lift over the<br />
rear, thus reducing traction,<br />
especially on turns.<br />
And both Richard and Lee<br />
had terrible crashes coming<br />
out of turns with<br />
their ‘61s. On the other<br />
hand, the “stabilizers”<br />
(<strong>Plymouth</strong>'s official name<br />
for them… honest!) supposedly<br />
improved their stability.<br />
Incidentally, as a preliminary<br />
to the 1960 Daytona<br />
500, NASCAR introduced a<br />
“small-car race” for the compact<br />
cars (Corvair, Falcon,<br />
and Valiant) that were <strong>new</strong><br />
for that model year. This<br />
was televised on CBS’s<br />
“Sports Spectacular,” and it<br />
was dominated by the<br />
Valiants (and I do mean dominated,<br />
because there were<br />
seven of them in the race and<br />
they finished 1 through 7!).<br />
These cars had the “dealerinstalled”<br />
148-horsepower<br />
Hyper-Pac engines with a<br />
four-barrel carburetor, headers,<br />
high-lift cam, special<br />
distributor, and a larger<br />
capacity radiator. One advantage<br />
to being an old fudd like<br />
me is that I can remember<br />
watching Marvin Panch, the<br />
first-place finisher, and the<br />
others show their heels to<br />
the rest of the field. Since<br />
Bill France was somewhat<br />
anti-Chrysler, he canceled<br />
compact car races after the<br />
1961 race was won by Lee<br />
Petty’s Valiant. It was a<br />
trick similar to the one he<br />
pulled in 1965 when<br />
NASCAR banned the 426<br />
Hemi after the ‘64s blew<br />
away their competition.<br />
Joe Godec<br />
Colorado Springs,<br />
Colorado<br />
Another PlySign<br />
ON A RECENT TRIP to<br />
Atlanta, my wife and I were<br />
passing through a small<br />
town in North Carolina<br />
called Hayesville. I noticed<br />
the Chrysler dealership’s sign<br />
still bore the <strong>Plymouth</strong><br />
name. They were remodeling<br />
and are planning to<br />
replace the dealership sign.<br />
The <strong>new</strong> one won’t include<br />
“<strong>Plymouth</strong>.” Not all<br />
changes are for the good!<br />
Woody Poor<br />
Valsese, North Carolina<br />
Captive imports imports<br />
MY NAME is Sam Fiorani<br />
and I write for Automotive<br />
Traveler magazine. My editor<br />
and I were discussing<br />
possible articles for future<br />
issues, and one of my jokes<br />
on the subject was taken<br />
seriously. Now my joke has<br />
required me to do the<br />
research.<br />
For this article, I'm<br />
looking for captive imports,<br />
-9-<br />
‘40 coupe meets ‘49 convertible<br />
convertible<br />
THE HEATER STARTED LEAKING in my 1940 P10 business<br />
coupe, so I took the heater out, and sure enough the core<br />
was bad.<br />
I posted on both the POC forum and P15-D24 forum<br />
about my quest for another serviceable MOPAR heater. I had<br />
replies from both sites, but since Richard Wahrendorff of the<br />
Hudson Valley Region lives about 50 miles from me and<br />
said that he had one he would sell, I bought the one he had.<br />
I drove my <strong>Plymouth</strong>, or<br />
“Wayback Machine” as I like to call<br />
her, to Kerhonkson, New York,<br />
about 24 miles northeast of<br />
Neversink, to meet Richard and<br />
pay for and pick up my <strong>new</strong>-tome<br />
heater. Richard drove his<br />
1949 <strong>Plymouth</strong> convertible about<br />
the same distance to<br />
meet me as I drove<br />
to meet him. We had a nice visit<br />
over a cup of coffee and a bagel,<br />
I took some photos, paid him<br />
for the heater and we both left<br />
for home.<br />
I want to publicly thank Rich<br />
for the heater, the visit, and him<br />
showing me his beautiful <strong>Plymouth</strong><br />
convertible.<br />
Old <strong>Plymouth</strong> owners are the best – yes they are!<br />
Bob Drown<br />
Neversink, New York<br />
preferably older ones. I was<br />
hoping that your club could<br />
help find some of these models.<br />
Among the <strong>Plymouth</strong>s<br />
that I’d like to feature are the<br />
Arrow, Champ, Saporro,<br />
Conquest, Vista and Cricket.<br />
Knowing how car fans are,<br />
perhaps some of your members<br />
would know where to<br />
find any of these or a reardrive<br />
Dodge or any pre-1980<br />
captive import.<br />
Because we're looking to<br />
photograph the cars in<br />
Philadelphia, I’d prefer to<br />
find cars owned in that<br />
region (eastern Pennsylvania,<br />
southern New Jersey,<br />
Delaware, northeastern<br />
Maryland), but we’ll work<br />
with any owner.<br />
Sam Fiorani<br />
fiorani@ptd.net<br />
(484) 410-4132<br />
automotivetraveler.com
Brake and speed limits<br />
CONCERNING THE RECENT ARTICLE, “P15 Driving<br />
Impressions,” I should like to enter the following comments.<br />
First, I feel highly honored to receive such genuinely positive<br />
comments from two very distinguished persons: Frank<br />
Marescalco, our P15 Technical Advisor, and Jim Benjaminson,<br />
our membership secretary and columnist, and in two different<br />
issues. For the most part, both acknowledged my impressions<br />
as being much as their own would be; perhaps in my<br />
senior years my thoughts are not too far out of whack.<br />
Yet, I still feel that I must respond to both. First, in reference<br />
to Frank’s note about the brakes of the <strong>Plymouth</strong> being<br />
better than the other two in the low-priced field: they are. My<br />
impressions are drawn from my own vehicle, and I do feel that<br />
these brakes do work quite well – even though I’ve not had to<br />
use them very harshly! And, I did not properly state that<br />
item. All of my comments were prefaced by the advice that<br />
one should not do anything fast! I am writing about a vintage<br />
vehicle and definitely not a vehicle of the last thirty years.<br />
This means that one cannot drive these vehicles in the same<br />
manner as one would the <strong>new</strong>er cars (with ABS, let alone antiskid<br />
control). It is unfortunate that I don’t have a copy of the<br />
road test done by Tom McCahill for Mechanix Illustrated, as I<br />
might have been able to relate the brakes directly to the “other<br />
two.”<br />
And to the comments of Jim as to the speed limits of<br />
some seventy years past, the following might be considered. It<br />
was interesting to read of the various speed limits throughout<br />
the United States in 1941. Please note that, in most cases,<br />
the cars of 1946 to 1948 were very much warmed-over 1942<br />
models! My comments noted specifically that the prior owner<br />
of my car told me that in a majority of the areas the speed<br />
limit was only 35 MPH. [This was my typographical error as<br />
it should have read, “45 MPH.”] I noted that he was with the<br />
Maryland State Police back then; I did not give a maximum<br />
speed limit for any state. But the column from Jim matched<br />
up with quite a few of our eastern states; they did not change<br />
much till the 1950s. Part of our conversation was of the<br />
many rural roads that were built during the 1930s: narrow,<br />
two-lane roads that were not capable of much higher speeds,<br />
safely, due to design and construction. The maximum speed<br />
limit was not the point in my article. This was indirectly<br />
pointed out by Jim’s three pictures, captioned, “Speed<br />
Limits?”<br />
However, most of the roads after WWII were in rural<br />
areas, and many had been built in the 1930s under the CCC<br />
and the WPA (tune in to <strong>PB</strong>S.) There were no expressways,<br />
nor Interstates, nor turnpikes in 1948, as they were a development<br />
of the Eisenhower era in the mid-1950s. (Okay, there<br />
were some four-lane roads in, around and near cities.) If one<br />
wanted to drive from Detroit to Miami, one would take US<br />
25, with most of the trip on a two-lane road (with a berm),<br />
and even though the speed limit may have been 50 to 60 MPH,<br />
there wasn’t that much opportunity to travel that fast; other,<br />
slower, traffic resulted in rear-end collisions (see pictures noted<br />
above). In fact, Interstate 75 (replacing US 25) was not fully<br />
completed until 1969 or even 1970. (I know, as I lived just<br />
-10-<br />
south of Knoxville and would travel to my parents’ and inlaws’<br />
homes in Toledo quite often.) For my early days of<br />
driving in Ohio in the mid-1950s, I seem to recall that the<br />
speed limit was 55 day and 50 night. Today, April 2011,<br />
most of the roads in Ohio are still rural, where the posted<br />
speed limit is 55 mph; on the expressways and the Interstates,<br />
it varies from 55 to 65 MPH. And it was just last weekend<br />
that the speed limit on the Ohio Turnpike was raised to 70<br />
MPH!<br />
And while speaking of ‘speed limits,’ it may be worth<br />
while to open another can of worms. I believe that many senior<br />
members will remember certain motoring comments made<br />
by their fathers, be it back in the 1940s, 1950s, or the 1960s.<br />
I can remember my father saying many times that a person’s<br />
car was either being junked way too soon or had to have an<br />
expensive engine job (valves and/or rings) because the driver<br />
had been consistently driving too fast! Yes, lubricants have<br />
since improved, but so have the engineering tolerances of current<br />
engines. He’d say to just slow down a bit, have regular<br />
service and oil changes, and “add Bardahl Top Oil!” And he<br />
just loved his big Buick (ooops, sorry) until I obtained a <strong>new</strong><br />
1969 Chrysler for him (while I was working for Chrysler);<br />
my grandparents drove Dodge Brothers and Dodges.<br />
The other item about the speed (or cruising ability) of the<br />
older cars is that of the options of overdrive and rear axle gear<br />
ratio. Overdrive would allow one to drive at a higher speed<br />
while keeping the engine speed (RPM) lower. One could also<br />
order/install a different rear-axle gear ratio (the ring and pinion<br />
gear) to permit this. I am at a loss right now as to where I<br />
read it – either in a WPC News article, which, by the way,<br />
was co-authored by our Tech Adviser a few years ago, or in<br />
the Technical Service Manual or Parts Manual – and I cannot<br />
now find the article. I seem to remember that the three gear<br />
ratios for the P15 were 3.9, 4.0 and 4.1. I do not know the<br />
ratio in my P15, but per the tachometer (Westach of<br />
California), at 2,000 RPM the speed is about 40-41 MPH. So,<br />
if the maximum horsepower (95) is developed at 3,600 RPM,<br />
then it should top out at around 75 miles per hour! It was<br />
surprising to see (in the above-mentioned WPC article) that<br />
on the P15 there was another option, which I think would<br />
have had very few takers, being a device that limited the maximum<br />
speed to 45 MPH – and one had to pay for that! Lower<br />
RPM and lower gear ratios would help in achieving better gas<br />
mileage in many cases, provided that the foot was not otherwise<br />
too heavy. (What is the price of “regular” gas in your<br />
area? On March 31st, it went to $3.79.9/gallon! Shades of<br />
that $4/gallon of just a few years ago, eh? And our economy<br />
is no better today.)<br />
Okay, folks, I am still pleased to have had my articles<br />
accepted, and highly honored for the positive comments from<br />
Frank and Jim. As they said before, it would be nice if a few<br />
other P15 owners would contribute. One member read my<br />
articles, then drove over 200 miles to meet me and to see the<br />
“Maroon Balloon.” THANKS, “Blue Goose.” As a wise old<br />
bird said once, “When you’re in a hole, quit diggin’!” Think<br />
I’m in deep enough. Thank you for the patience required in<br />
reading this letter.<br />
Nicholas Essinger<br />
Troy, Ohio
Model <strong>Plymouth</strong> kit covers<br />
AS FAR AS I CAN JUDGE, the article on the 1960 models in BULLETIN 303 has unleashed quite some enthusiasm! I was very<br />
pleased as well.<br />
Yesterday I received the BULLETIN 306, and its cover made me do today what was long overdue: to send you copies of covers<br />
of <strong>Plymouth</strong> model car kits.<br />
As a kid I bought a 1/32-scale model of the ‘32 roadster. The model I built didn’t survive (only a few pieces remain) but a<br />
part of the box did, as I would always save the front or side of a box. Maybe it is a well-known kit, but I haven’t seen one<br />
since I was about 10, and that’s about 40 years ago now.<br />
Here are the details of the covers I sent you:<br />
1932 <strong>Plymouth</strong> roadster Life-Like 1/32 Collector’s Series, no. C-336<br />
1960 <strong>Plymouth</strong> Fury wagon Jo-Han 1/25, no. C-4560<br />
1960 <strong>Plymouth</strong> emergency wagon Jo-Han 1/25, no. C-5100 – this should be a “Belvedere”<br />
1962 <strong>Plymouth</strong> Fury hardtop Jo-Han 1/25, no number – one of the pictures as found on the side of model kit boxes<br />
to make you aware of other kits<br />
1963 <strong>Plymouth</strong> Fury hardtop Jo-Han 1/25, no. C-5263 – this kit could be built in two versions: stock or custom.<br />
The box has a picture of the stock model on its side.<br />
1968 <strong>Plymouth</strong> Fury police Jo-Han 1/25, no. GC-1300 – three police versions could be build; a very fine kit<br />
1977 <strong>Plymouth</strong> Fury Yodel 1/24, no. YPM-7-1000 – I bought this actual Fury kit in Germany in the<br />
mid-eighties on a car show but I never could lay my hands on another<br />
one. For the purists: I converted my kit to a “plain Jane” stock Fury,<br />
as this is what most Furys were.<br />
1977-78 <strong>Plymouth</strong> Fury / Dodge Monaco Yodel 1/24 – The Japanese company Yodel had the “American Police Series,” a range<br />
of kits in scale 1/24, whereby one could build this model either as a<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> Fury or a Dodge Monaco (only the grille and rear lights<br />
would make the difference). These kits were not for the demanding<br />
modeller but merely meant as toys (electric motor included). Still,<br />
with a bit of love, a reasonable car model could be the result.<br />
Best regards from the Netherlands,<br />
Ewald Stein<br />
Oosterhout, The Netherlands<br />
-11-
The Oddball<br />
Road Runner<br />
Ihad just gotten my issue of the<br />
BULLETIN, and couldn’t have been<br />
happier with my first Odd Ball column.<br />
I’m looking forward to staying<br />
with two <strong>page</strong>s. The Oddball will work<br />
out of the box as far as theme stories go;<br />
I won’t have duplications that way.<br />
Look for more pictures than text. Last<br />
issue’s picture of “Variations...” shows a<br />
“dealer only” complete packet of a mailer.<br />
My bad for not labeling each shot<br />
better.<br />
I started on my next article when<br />
the above-mentioned issue arrived.<br />
Looking at <strong>page</strong> three of Issue 305 with<br />
Jack Smith holding on to the Road<br />
Runner by the neck, I k<strong>new</strong> that the<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> Road Runner needed to be my<br />
2. The same holographic card and the two<br />
dealer postcards<br />
next story. That showroom item is the<br />
quintessential Road Runner collectible<br />
item. The Road Runner was introduced<br />
in 1968. One of the first items that was<br />
given to the customer was the “Catch a<br />
-12-<br />
GREAT! <strong>Plymouth</strong>,” with the Road<br />
Runner in front of the “Win you over”<br />
heart.<br />
For the purist, I will address<br />
Chrysler Corporation’s Road Runner<br />
promotional stuff, but will also include a<br />
few pictures of some of the myriad fun<br />
collectibles. This is the tip of the iceberg:<br />
hopefully enough to have you<br />
looking for more.<br />
So until next issue, keep looking for<br />
the “Oddball.”<br />
– Andy Weimann<br />
weimann@snet.net<br />
1. Bumper sticker, holographic card and lapel pin<br />
3. Non-Chrysler Corporation stuffed toys, mugs, banks, Christmas items, pens, baby bottles<br />
and jam and mustard containers to name a few
11. 1. Dealer model promos which were sold to the dealers to give away<br />
to the “kids” (the dealer cost was about $2.00 each)<br />
10. Non-Chrysler Corporation model kits<br />
4, 5. 1969 dealer promo items<br />
-13-<br />
8. 1971 Rapid<br />
Transit System<br />
color catalog<br />
9. 1973 dealer<br />
proof ad sheet<br />
for magazines<br />
6, 7. Chrysler<br />
Corporation<br />
Times Vol. 8 #3<br />
March 1968:<br />
Petty and Road<br />
Runner article
Regional Report<br />
Carolina Region<br />
GREETINGS from Winston-Salem! I<br />
hope all members and their families are<br />
healthy and are getting ready for spring.<br />
On February 26, we held our second<br />
meeting of the year, this time at<br />
Punchy’s Diner in Concord, NC, one<br />
of the club’s favorite places to meet<br />
and eat. Seventeen members came out<br />
to participate in the meeting and share<br />
their ideas. Of course, we discussed the<br />
officer elections and the Charlotte Auto<br />
Fair, but we also continued to plan<br />
ahead for other future club activities.<br />
We reviewed the club’s 2011 calendar<br />
of activities and agreed on having a fall<br />
tour in October. -- Greg Errett<br />
PUNCHY’S is a very good 50s/60s-<br />
BUCKEYE REGION<br />
Ron Thomann<br />
8001 Schott Rd.<br />
Westerville, OH 43081 (614) 895-2319<br />
airflow1@earthlink.net<br />
CAROLINA REGION<br />
Greg Errett<br />
PO Box 2511<br />
Winston-Salem, NC 27102<br />
(336) 747-6871<br />
GREGE@cityofws.org<br />
CASCADE PACIFIC REGION<br />
Mike Bade<br />
15149 SE Pebble Beach Drive<br />
Happy Valley, OR 97086<br />
(503) 206-4652 mdscbade@msn.com<br />
COLONIAL REGION<br />
Betty Kibbe<br />
456 Holyoke St.<br />
Ludlow, MA 01056<br />
(413) 589-9854 winmil456@charter.net<br />
DAIRYLAND REGION<br />
Tom Wagner<br />
4913 Foxwood Blvd.<br />
Lakeland, FL 33810 (Dec 1-May 1)<br />
(920) 285-2660, cell tgwkiw@yahoo.com<br />
DELAWARE VALLEY REGION<br />
Bill Tropia<br />
52 Breece Dr.<br />
Yardley, PA 19067-1513<br />
seehaas@snip.net<br />
DETROIT REGION<br />
Joseph B. Lewis, editor<br />
9145 Hazelton<br />
Redford, MI 48239<br />
Russ Nardi, pres: (586) 566-5838<br />
rpnardi@hotmail.com<br />
style diner. The decor is true to the<br />
time period with a 1970 Dodge<br />
Challenger T/A, and a mid-1950s Ford<br />
F100 in the show area along with many<br />
pedal cars and other time-period items.<br />
They have the best ‘Bang For Your<br />
Buck’ food! This place really knows<br />
how to fix a plate! If you leave hungry,<br />
it's your own fault! The service is good,<br />
the food great, and the price excellent!<br />
-- Dean Yates<br />
Cascade Pacific Region<br />
AT OUR FEBRUARY MEETING, Mike<br />
Bade, president, presided with 37 people<br />
in attendance.<br />
Following reports, Mike welcomed<br />
<strong>new</strong> members Gerry Peterson and his<br />
fiancée Kena Jacobs. He also recognized<br />
FLORIDA SUNSHINE REGION<br />
Michael Bonadonna<br />
455 North Cherry Pop Drive<br />
Inverness, FL 34453-7975<br />
(352) 341-1019<br />
mlb5355@hotmail.com<br />
GOLDEN STATE REGION<br />
Kenneth Wilson<br />
312 Bagshaw Court<br />
San Jose, CA 95123<br />
(408) 227-1837<br />
jblken@pacbell.net<br />
GRAND CANYON REGION<br />
Tony Tricoci<br />
10206 South 43rd Court<br />
Phoenix, AZ 85044 (480) 893-8687<br />
tx12@cox.net<br />
HEART OF AMERICA REGION<br />
Mike Schaefer<br />
12221 NE 136th<br />
Kearney, MO 64060<br />
(816) 781-7117 schaeferfam@hotmail.com<br />
www.plymouthclub.com<br />
HOOSIER REGION<br />
Kevin Reeves, President<br />
5268 W. 500 S.<br />
Westpoint, IN 47992 / (765) 714-0255<br />
kevin.50plymouth@yahoo.com<br />
Jan Peel, Editor, JPeel83719@aol.com<br />
HUDSON VALLEY REGION<br />
Richard Wahrendorff<br />
1471 Rt. 213<br />
Ulster Park, NY 12487<br />
(845) 338-7871 rwwmds@hvc.rr.com<br />
LINCOLN LAND REGION<br />
Ed Lanfer<br />
6201 Wade Avenue<br />
St. Louis, MO 63139 (314) 704-5608<br />
Ed.Lanfer@federalmogul.com<br />
-14-<br />
LONE STAR REGION<br />
Van Massirer<br />
124 Canaan Church Rd.<br />
Crawford, TX 76638<br />
(254) 486?2366<br />
vmassirer@yahoo.com<br />
LONG ISLAND REGION<br />
Peter Marks<br />
47 Flintlock Drive<br />
Shirley, NY 11967<br />
(631) 772-2270 liplymouths@aol.com<br />
MID-ATLANTIC REGION<br />
Dianne E. Taylor<br />
407 E. Nicodemus Rd.<br />
Westminster, MD 21157<br />
(410) 876-0702 detaylor@towson.edu<br />
MID-IOWA REGION<br />
Jim Dooley<br />
29341 US Hwy 69<br />
Huxley, IA 50124<br />
(515) 597-3244<br />
eeyore@huxcomm.net<br />
MISSOURI "Show Me” REGION<br />
Tommy G. Pike<br />
1602 East Dale<br />
Springfield, MO 65803<br />
furyon66@earthlink.net<br />
groshong@socket.net (Loyd Groshong)<br />
PA OIL VALLEY REGION<br />
Jim Stoudt<br />
1290 Bankson Rd.<br />
Oil City, PA 16301 (814) 676-6678<br />
bjjstoudt@zoominternet.net<br />
PRAIRIE REGION<br />
Frank Shemek<br />
11901 South 34th St.<br />
Bellevue, NE 68123<br />
(402) 291-4834<br />
f.e.shemek@cox.net<br />
NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT<br />
(responsible for regions)<br />
Bobbi Berkheimer<br />
(308) 452-3980 bobbib@nctc.net<br />
Jim Philips who has been a member for<br />
three years. Visitors from Milwaukie,<br />
Tom and Bonnie Short, were introduced.<br />
Upcoming activities and tours were<br />
announced, including “Allure of the<br />
Auto,” an event at the art museum. A<br />
group is planning to retrace the route<br />
taken by the Golden State Region on<br />
their way north to the 2010 National<br />
Meet in Portland, this time going south<br />
to attend the 2011 National Meet in<br />
Pacific Grove, California.<br />
– Donna Bade<br />
THE TECH COMMITTEE MET at Gary<br />
Rusher’s shop to help him put some of<br />
his ‘30 coupe back together. But, as<br />
things would have it, they found themselves<br />
lacking some parts. The head<br />
was not back from being boiled out and<br />
ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION<br />
Wayne Kreps<br />
8911 Ithaca Way<br />
Westminster, CO 80031<br />
(303) 427-5543<br />
teenyjeanne@hotmail.com<br />
TALL PINES REGION<br />
Richard Tetzlaff<br />
23383 Malanie Trail North<br />
Scandia, MN 55073-9745<br />
(612) 759 2103 ajorrj@aol.com<br />
Winter: R.Ramberg rar1082@gmail.com<br />
TULSA REGION<br />
Jerry Burch<br />
1111 South Florence Ave.<br />
Tulsa, OK 74104-4104<br />
jerryburch@cox.net<br />
UNITED KINGDOM REGION<br />
Barry Reece<br />
“The Meadows” Cookley Halesworth,<br />
Suffolk IP19 0LU, ENGLAND.<br />
tel/fax: 01986-784305<br />
jillnbarry@reecejill.orangehome.co.uk<br />
WESTERN CANADA<br />
Rob Elliot<br />
<strong>307</strong> - 30th Avenue NE<br />
Calgary, AB T2E 2E2 CANADA<br />
(403) 277-1956<br />
elliott.r@telus.net
esurfaced and the water pump’s rebuild<br />
was not finished.<br />
There was a lot of discussion about<br />
the things that could be checked out<br />
while the engine was partially down.<br />
Pat Brost suggested that we check the<br />
valves while they were visible. They<br />
all checked out to be good. Tim<br />
McCarthy helped time the engine while<br />
a dial indicator could be used on top of a<br />
piston.<br />
A good part of the day was spent<br />
trying to alleviate headlight concerns<br />
that Tim had regarding his recently purchased<br />
‘36 coupe and the problems<br />
Marlo Edmon was having in getting the<br />
lenses to fit into the headlight buckets<br />
on his pickup. (We won’t mention the<br />
brand, as it is other than a Chrysler<br />
product.)<br />
All-in-all, it was a very helpful and<br />
informative day. – Gary Rusher<br />
Colonial Region<br />
WHAT IS THE LONGEST WORD in the<br />
dictionary?<br />
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious?<br />
Or, is it even in the dictionary? That is<br />
the best word I can use to describe our<br />
dinner meeting at the Oliver Wight<br />
Tavern in Sturbridge, Massachusetts,<br />
attended by 20 members. Every possible<br />
food item was available on the<br />
Sunday brunch menu, and there was no<br />
way anyone went home hungry! We<br />
were each greeted with a mimosa drink<br />
and a table with coffee, a vast tea selection<br />
and hot chocolate that was set up in<br />
our private dining room. Oh yes, did I<br />
mention the roaring fire in the huge fireplace<br />
that made us all feel warm and<br />
toasty? Our February dinner meeting is<br />
proving to be one of our most popular<br />
events of the <strong>Plymouth</strong> season.<br />
We are off to a great <strong>Plymouth</strong> start<br />
for the season. We tossed around some<br />
ideas for tours and meetings. Now that<br />
the weather is cooperating and the<br />
humongous piles of snirt (a combo of<br />
snow and dirt) are starting to recede, we<br />
can get moving on our activities.<br />
– Betty Kibbe<br />
Dairyland Region<br />
WINTER IN THE DAIRYLAND REGION<br />
is our slow time. Our last meeting of<br />
the year is the November Banquet with<br />
the next get-together in February. The<br />
weather in Wisconsin and northern<br />
Illinois is often iffy at best with the<br />
usual mix of snow, sleet, rain and of<br />
course, the “Dark of Night.” Also, we<br />
have several members who, as snowbirds,<br />
begin to head south after the<br />
November meeting. All combine to<br />
make it better for us to wait until<br />
February to begin our <strong>new</strong> year.<br />
A change in the way we have our<br />
meetings was introduced at our 2010<br />
banquet. It was decided to limit our<br />
business meetings to three per year and<br />
make all others social meetings with<br />
whatever activity or trip the host wants<br />
to set up. The thought behind this is<br />
twofold: one, the amount of actual business<br />
conducted at each meeting is usually<br />
small and, as such, can be done in a<br />
few real business meetings per year;<br />
two, the hope that more actual fun time<br />
will improve the quality of our gettogethers.<br />
With this in mind, our first meeting<br />
this year was held at members Rob and<br />
Kris Borman’s house in rural Elizabeth,<br />
Illinois (near Galena). Going to the<br />
Bormans’ house must be what a trip was<br />
like for many of our old <strong>Plymouth</strong>s<br />
when they were <strong>new</strong>. A lot of two-lane<br />
roads with the last few miles through<br />
somewhat hilly country near their home<br />
almost makes you think that you should<br />
be in a 1930s <strong>Plymouth</strong>. This was a<br />
social meeting which had a great<br />
potluck (sadly, circumstances did not<br />
allow for Rob’s excellent homemade<br />
pizza to put in its usual appearance, but<br />
there is always next year). We had a<br />
very good turnout of members (15 in<br />
attendance), great for that time of year.<br />
Lots of good times and conversations<br />
ensued as we caught up on the last couple<br />
of months. We hope to do it again<br />
next year.<br />
OUR MARCH MEETING was held at<br />
Ron and Shari Leibley’s home in<br />
Oconocmowoc, Wisconsin. A St.<br />
Patrick’s day lunch was prepared by<br />
Shari, with the able assistance of other<br />
members with their delicious dishes.<br />
After the lunch was consumed, the<br />
ladies decided to visit a large Ben<br />
Franklin Craft store in town while the<br />
menfolk proceeded to discuss many topics<br />
of great interest to all of them, especially<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong>s. Sixteen members<br />
attended.<br />
-15-<br />
Dairyland has several activities<br />
planned for the coming months including<br />
a possible Dairyland Reunion in<br />
July for all members of Dairyland past<br />
and present. Ken and Vickie Bartz are<br />
working on this, and we hope it is a<br />
great success. It would be great to see<br />
some of the past members again.<br />
Dairyland also welcomes two <strong>new</strong><br />
members: Bob and Cris Haddad. They<br />
are from Freeport, Illinois, and have two<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong>s: a 1949 P-18 four-door sedan<br />
and a 1949 P18 convertible.<br />
– Jeff Tarwood<br />
Delaware Valley Region<br />
BILL TROPIA BROUGHT our January<br />
meeting to order with seven members<br />
present.<br />
Business as usual included planning<br />
for our May 14 show at Mt. Ephraim<br />
Dodge and our annual spring banquet<br />
scheduled for April 10.<br />
We were informed that fellow members<br />
Ed Ober and Fred Brown had undergone<br />
surgeries, Ed on his lung and Fred,<br />
a quadruple by-pass heart surgery. We<br />
wish them well.<br />
For Tech Talk, Bill Barrett expressed<br />
concern about the alcohol content in<br />
gasoline. He distributed brochures from<br />
Star Tron, a company that sells a fuel<br />
treatment designed to prevent ethanol<br />
problems. startron.com<br />
OUR FEBRUARY MEETING was cancelled<br />
due to a snow warning (and the<br />
forecasters were right). Warren Nelson<br />
had a knee-replacement in January and is<br />
mending well. – Hank DeMayo<br />
Detroit Region<br />
WELL, OLD MAN WINTER refused to<br />
release his grip on the Midwest in general<br />
and the Detroit metropolitan area in<br />
particular. We had so much snow that<br />
we cancelled our February meeting.<br />
THE WEATHER, HOWEVER, did not<br />
deter Gwen and me from taking a weekend<br />
train trip to the Chicago Auto<br />
Show. We met a couple friends there<br />
who took us to the show. I have to<br />
admit that the Chicago show is much<br />
larger than the one in Detroit.<br />
We had a very enjoyable train ride both<br />
ways, although several delays pushed<br />
our return to Dearborn back three and a
half hours. To our surprise, as we<br />
stepped off the train, we saw six to<br />
seven inches of snow on the ground.<br />
Thank goodness for our Dodge Nitro’s<br />
four-wheel-drive, which enabled us to<br />
traverse through the snow with no problem.<br />
-- Joe Lewis<br />
PRESIDENT RUSS NARDI called our<br />
March meeting to order at the home of<br />
Ron and Jan Irvin. Ten members were<br />
present, including <strong>new</strong> member Tom<br />
Neil.<br />
President Nardi distributed the<br />
results of the survey regarding a proposed<br />
national meet which show a<br />
majority being in favor of hosting a<br />
meet. He then reported on a conversation<br />
with a national director regarding<br />
our decision to host the 2013 meet.<br />
The national club needs a decision soon,<br />
as there is interest in having a coast-tocoast<br />
tour in 2013. Our membership<br />
agreed to move the regional meet to<br />
2014.<br />
Paul Curtis reported on the status of<br />
Dave Cleavinger’s remaining five cars.<br />
Paul has been in contact with Dave’s<br />
brother and sister-in-law, who are helping<br />
with the sale of the estate. Anyone<br />
interested in one of the cars should call<br />
Mel or Sylvia at 517-882-5881.<br />
Dennis Oleksiak reported that he and<br />
Vicki had visited Woody at St Joes in<br />
Pontiac. Woody is recovering from the<br />
surgery he had earlier this year but still<br />
has a long way to go in therapy.<br />
During Tech Time, Tom Neil asked<br />
for information on steering wheel interchange.<br />
– Paul Curtis<br />
Grand Canyon Region<br />
S IX MEMBERS AND ONE GUEST gathered<br />
for our February meeting. After a<br />
sumptuous meal at My Big Fat Greek<br />
Restaurant, Harold and Kay Norton led<br />
our group through a portion of Saguaro<br />
National Park and on to the Arizona -<br />
Sonora Desert Museum. This museum<br />
is a world-renowned zoo, natural history<br />
museum and botanical garden, all in one<br />
place. Unfortunately, the weather was<br />
on the cool and breezy side and eventually<br />
turned to a light rain. While a shower<br />
is a generally welcome event in this<br />
desert region, much of the museum is<br />
outdoors, so the precipitation caused us<br />
to cut our visit short.<br />
Our primary discussion during the<br />
meeting concerned our regional banner<br />
being created by Bob Bickel.<br />
OUR MARCH MEETING was a potluck<br />
BBQ held at the home of Bob and<br />
Donna Bickle in San Tan Valley<br />
Arizona, with ten members attending.<br />
After the meeting Bob showed a<br />
DVD of the unearthing of Ms Belvedere,<br />
the 1957 <strong>Plymouth</strong> buried in 1957 and<br />
unearthed in 2007 along with a time<br />
capsule from the period.<br />
The meeting was called to order by<br />
Tony Tricoci. Following some discussion,<br />
we decided to purchase a banner<br />
ten feet long with grommet holes and a<br />
white background with fairly large letters.<br />
Tech Time: Frank Johnston talked<br />
about how vehicles that have been<br />
stored for long periods of time sometimes<br />
smoke badly when started, but<br />
that doesn’t necessarily mean the<br />
engines is in need of a rebuild, so don’t<br />
panic. Frank recently purchased an old<br />
MOPAR and it was smoking quite badly<br />
when it was first started but he decided<br />
to drive it home “as is.” The smoking<br />
gradually decreased and when he got to<br />
about 70 MPH the smoke quit completely<br />
as the rings loosened up in their<br />
grooves and became reseated!<br />
-- Donna Bickel<br />
Heart of America Region<br />
IT WAS COLD IN KANSAS CITY this<br />
January. The Chiefs being in the playoffs<br />
helped heat us up…briefly. We had<br />
22 members and one guest at our<br />
January meeting. We talked about the<br />
Christmas party which had been held at<br />
the Eden Heights Church and was<br />
attended by 29 of our members with two<br />
guests. We arranged to have our 2011<br />
Christmas party committee provide<br />
some options so we could lock in a<br />
place early for our party. We also agreed<br />
-16-<br />
Grand Canyon Region’s Region’ s <strong>new</strong> banner<br />
to have a silent auction at our February<br />
meeting. Members were to bring any<br />
parts, books, gifts or food items for the<br />
auction. The last time we had an auction<br />
we took in a great deal of money<br />
for the club.<br />
January’s cruise was at the Corner<br />
Café in Riverside with 19 members and<br />
one guest attending. The lunch was<br />
great in spite of the mountains of snow<br />
outside.<br />
In January, we mourned the loss of<br />
Don Wood, who died in his sleep on<br />
January 1, 2011, four days short of his<br />
54th wedding anniversary to his wife<br />
Geraldine. Don was one of the founding<br />
members of the Heart of America<br />
Region <strong>Plymouth</strong> <strong>Club</strong>, known and<br />
admired by many in both regional and<br />
national clubs. He will be missed.<br />
Bill Krenzer won the 2010 Points<br />
Competition which consists of earning<br />
the most points for attending meetings,<br />
cruises, tours, car shows and any other<br />
activities that benefit the club.<br />
AT OUR FEBRUARY MEETING we had<br />
27 members and one guest attending.<br />
Our silent auction was held after our<br />
regular meeting, garnering over $300 for<br />
our club. During our February meeting<br />
we usually begin to plan for the year’s<br />
swap meets, cruises, tours and car<br />
shows. Lots of suggestions were made,<br />
many by Jerry Elwood, and plans are<br />
beginning to form. Our Christmas<br />
committee began providing suggestions<br />
for locations and we had a good discussion<br />
and even more suggestions. At our<br />
March meeting, we hope to choose a<br />
location and lock in a date and time.<br />
Every March we have a potluck<br />
lunch and meeting at the Eden Heights<br />
Church. Plans are coming together for<br />
this March.<br />
Finally, Mike Welsh wrote a story<br />
about his experiences with a 1976<br />
Lincoln Continental. Mike, who had<br />
acquired this car from the family of a
friend who had passed away, wrote about<br />
his experience getting it ready for and<br />
driving on a 2000-mile tour. Quite<br />
exciting. – Gene Bellet<br />
Hoosier Region<br />
OUR MARCH MEETING at Murphy’s<br />
Steak House was well attended with 22<br />
members present. While receiving our<br />
usual good service of excellent food<br />
there was a lot of both serious and fun<br />
chattering going on. (I should have had<br />
my recorder. [Or the Unknown Mouse in<br />
your pocket – asst. ed.])<br />
Kristen Reeves made an apology for<br />
an error that was made in her secretary<br />
report for the February<br />
meeting: She reported that the 1942<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> had a similar style to the <strong>new</strong><br />
300. It was actually a 1942 Chrysler.<br />
Her apologies to Chrysler.<br />
President Kevin Reeves then<br />
brought the meeting to order. He had<br />
brought the 1956 <strong>Plymouth</strong> model cars<br />
to the meeting and six were sold. These<br />
are to be sold for $8.00 each. If members<br />
of other <strong>Plymouth</strong> Owner <strong>Club</strong>s<br />
want to purchase, the shipping cost<br />
would have to be added to the price.<br />
Tours were then discussed with two<br />
possibilities being offered and several<br />
others announced. No one mentioned<br />
going to the Golden State Region’s<br />
National Summer Meet in Pacific<br />
Grove, California. Eight are planning<br />
on going to the Tour with the Tall Pines<br />
in Rochester, Minnesota,<br />
Jan Peel reminded members that she<br />
is starting the Member Profile in the<br />
<strong>new</strong>sletter and that Bob Van Buskirk<br />
had agreed to be first. – Jan Peel<br />
Lone Star Region<br />
WE HAD A GOOD TURNOUT of 15<br />
members for our March meeting held in<br />
conjunction with the car show in<br />
Hamilton, Texas. The folks at<br />
Hamilton put on a good show and<br />
even reserved a space with a table<br />
under the trees for our business meeting.<br />
They handed out lots of door<br />
prizes and had a good feed at noon.<br />
Well over 200 cars were entered in<br />
this year’s show. One of the participants<br />
at Hamilton was<br />
our own Chris Brandon, who drove<br />
his 1974 Valiant Brougham four-door<br />
Hamilton show: Judy Honey sits between<br />
her and Marc’s ‘50 coupe and Van and Mary<br />
Massirer’s ‘56 Fury.<br />
sedan) to the show. Chris is stationed<br />
at nearby Ft. Hood but will soon<br />
depart for an assignment in Iraq.<br />
Please keep him and his family, and<br />
indeed all of our military people, in<br />
your thoughts and prayers as they<br />
serve our country in hostile areas.<br />
– Van Massirer<br />
Mid-Atlantic Region<br />
OUR JANUARY MEETING was held at<br />
the Golden Corral Restaurant in<br />
Frederick, Maryland, with 20 members<br />
present. Discussion, led by President<br />
Dianne Taylor, included setting goals for<br />
2011, reviewing our bylaws and<br />
announcements of upcoming events.<br />
WE HELD OUR FEBRUARY MEETING<br />
at Ledo’s Pizza, Severna Park,<br />
Maryland, with 24 members attending.<br />
Following dinner, President Dianne<br />
Taylor called the meeting to order.<br />
Following reports, David Young spoke<br />
to the members regarding the possibility<br />
of distributing the Mayflower electronically<br />
to those with email capabilities.<br />
Roy Kidwell said that there is proposed<br />
legislation for Maryland to go to<br />
a single tag on all cars. This would<br />
enable members to have other type tags,<br />
e.g., POC tags, on the fronts of their<br />
vehicles. Sandy Resch reported that<br />
Clayton Miller had recently been hospitalized<br />
but was at home and doing okay.<br />
Discussion on other items followed.<br />
Following the meeting, the members<br />
were entertained by the Mid-<br />
Atlantic Crooner, Al Herold, with an<br />
appropriate Valentine’s Day song, Rose<br />
are Red, My Love.<br />
WE HELD OUR MARCH MEETING at<br />
Salernos in Eldersburg, Maryland, with<br />
-17-<br />
25 members present. Discussion included<br />
distributing our Mid-Atlantic<br />
Mayflower <strong>new</strong>sletter as a pdf file and<br />
our club website. A review of our club<br />
by-laws also took place.<br />
– Karen Fowler<br />
Prairie Region<br />
OUR ANNUAL YORK GET-AWAY weekend<br />
was held on February 10, with 28<br />
people attending.<br />
Introductions where given by everyone<br />
present and all of us got a little<br />
more information on one another: our<br />
favorite car, hobbies, where or how we<br />
met their significant others, all kinds of<br />
good stuff.<br />
Frank Shemek then brought the<br />
meeting to order, and reports were given<br />
and the thank-yous we received for our<br />
yearly donations were read and noted.<br />
It was noted that pioneer member<br />
Ardene Bartlett was in the hospital. She<br />
had surgery on her frontal artery which<br />
was 99% blocked. They ballooned it<br />
and put in a stint. She is now going to<br />
a nursing home to get physical therapy,<br />
and everyone is hoping she continues to<br />
get better and will be able to come<br />
home.<br />
Frank stated that the web site was<br />
done and up and running. Everyone<br />
commented on how well it looks. The<br />
website address:<br />
prairieregionplymouthclub.club.officelive.com<br />
OUR MARCH 6TH MEETING at the<br />
Lincoln Swap Meet, attended by ten<br />
members, was called to order by Vicepresident,<br />
Denny Cutshall. Our president<br />
Frank Shemek was absent, due to the<br />
death of his mother.. Discussion took<br />
place regarding our annual swap meet<br />
and future meetings, trips and events.<br />
– Pam Fleming<br />
Rocky Mountain Region<br />
WE HELD OUR ANNUAL New Year’s<br />
lunch at Johnson’s Corner Restaurant on<br />
January 15. We had a great turnout due<br />
to our remarkable white elephant gift<br />
exchange.<br />
Welcomed were <strong>new</strong> members Pete<br />
and Renee Haldiman and returning<br />
regional members Greg and Rita<br />
Berkheimer who were attending with<br />
their daughter Darchanna and her little<br />
daughter Kiahna.
HEMMINGS CLASSIC CAR, A PUBLICATION OF HEMMINGS MOTOR NEWS<br />
After an enjoyable meal with lots of<br />
conversation, Wayne Kreps conducted<br />
our meeting and then dismissed us so<br />
we could get started on the real fun.<br />
Bill Sullivan picked a large gift that<br />
turned out to be a LARGE coffee table<br />
book on muscle cars--so cool that someone<br />
offered to buy it from him. Sandra<br />
Hicks picked a really neat music box<br />
with a little car that comes out of its<br />
garage and makes its rounds. There<br />
were other great gifts and some not-sogreat,<br />
but everyone had fun, and that’s<br />
the point, after all.<br />
IN FEBRUARY, we met at the<br />
Guadalajara Restaurant in Windsor,<br />
Colorado.<br />
Dan and MIllie Leopard were our<br />
guests. Dan, who does auto upholstering,<br />
brought lots of samples and some<br />
pictures of his work. We had a time of<br />
questions and answers. Member Chuck<br />
Putnam brought a set for Dan to work<br />
over.<br />
Stan and Sandra Hicks, our hosts,<br />
brought some tools and a miniature rose<br />
bush for door prizes.<br />
Our meetings can be very profitable,<br />
as we make wonderful friends, share<br />
information and ideas, enjoy good food<br />
and win an occasional 50/50 drawing or<br />
door/old car prize. It just pays to come<br />
to meetings! -- Sandra Hicks<br />
Tall Pines Region<br />
WE HAD OUR FIRST MEETING of the<br />
year on January 30th at the home of<br />
Jack and Virginia Schultz near Medford,<br />
Minnesota. We had a nice turnout of 24,<br />
considering it was a chilly, mid-winter<br />
day. At the beginning of our event, the<br />
ladies met in the house, while the men<br />
met in Jack’s garage. In the garage, nearing<br />
completion and a trip to the upholsterer,<br />
was the 1937 P4 sedan that<br />
belongs to members John & Leslie<br />
Watschke. It will be a very sharp vehicle<br />
when finished.<br />
After some time for visiting and<br />
inspecting Jack’s car collection, we<br />
joined the ladies in the house. Since we<br />
are planning the 2011 Fall National<br />
Touring Meet to be hosted by our<br />
region, we thought it best to gather and<br />
meet where everyone could hear and participate.<br />
In the absence of our president,<br />
Rich Tetzlaff, our vice-president, Jeff<br />
Juneau, conducted the meeting. Lengthy<br />
discussion, mostly concerning the<br />
national meet, followed.<br />
We then enjoyed our usual late-afternoon<br />
potluck dinner. Thanks to Jack and<br />
Virginia for hosting our meeting.<br />
OUR MARCH MEETING was held at the<br />
home of Howard and Cookie Cassidy<br />
near Forest Lake, Minnesota. We had a<br />
nice turnout of 18 members. No old<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong>s yet, but it was warming up;<br />
maybe next month. We had a good time<br />
visiting and sharing pictures and stories<br />
until it was time for our business meeting.<br />
Our vice-president, Jeff Juneau,<br />
called the meeting to order. Business,<br />
again, primarily concerned planning for<br />
our Fall National Meet.<br />
-18-<br />
Tulsa ulsa DVD viewed by the Grand Canyon<br />
Region. It is available for $25 at:<br />
http://www.tulsaramastore.com/servlet/StoreFront<br />
After some more time for visiting,<br />
we enjoyed our customary potluck afternoon<br />
dinner. Most people left for home<br />
not long after that, but a few stayed<br />
around to see the progress made on<br />
Howard’s 1936 Terraplane four-door, and<br />
to take a tour of his transportation minimuseum<br />
in the barn behind his house.<br />
Thanks to Howard & Cookie for hosting<br />
our meeting.<br />
– Happy <strong>Plymouth</strong>ing,<br />
Rog & Jean Ramberg
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Mon. Mon. May 30 Memorial Day USA<br />
Mon. May May3030 Memorial Day DayUSA USA<br />
No No planned events but lots to do and see in this popular Lakeside Resort Area<br />
Noplanned planned events but butlots lotstotodo doand and see seeininthis this popular Lakeside Resort Area<br />
REGISTRATION REGISTRATION FORM<br />
REGISTRATIONFORM FORM<br />
Please use the pdf<br />
from the Please last issue use (304) the pdf<br />
from the last issue (306)<br />
Name______________________________________________________ Name______________________________________________________Spouse&/Or Spouse&/Or<br />
Spouse&/OrGuest Guest<br />
Guest_____________________________________ _____________________________________<br />
_____________________________________<br />
Address_____________________________________________________<br />
Address_____________________________________________________<br />
Address_____________________________________________________City________________________ City________________________<br />
City________________________Postal/Zip Postal/Zip<br />
Postal/ZipCode___________ Code___________<br />
Code___________<br />
E-Mail__________________________________________________________________<br />
E-Mail__________________________________________________________________<br />
E-Mail__________________________________________________________________Phone Phone<br />
Phone (<br />
(<br />
( )______________________________<br />
)______________________________<br />
)______________________________<br />
Please use the pdf<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong>:<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong>:<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong>: Year___________<br />
Year___________<br />
Year___________Model Model<br />
Model from __________________________<br />
__________________________<br />
__________________________ the last issue (304) Body__________________________<br />
Body__________________________<br />
Body__________________________<br />
Fee:<br />
Fee:<br />
Fee: $25.00<br />
$25.00<br />
$25.00 Send<br />
Send<br />
SendRegistration Registration Form & Cheque to: Peter Warner<br />
RegistrationForm Form & Cheque to: Peter Warner<br />
P.O. Box 1089<br />
P.O. Box 1089<br />
Grand Bend, ON N0M 1T0<br />
Grand Bend, ON N0M 1T0<br />
Canada<br />
Canada<br />
E-Mail: warner@hay.net Telephone: (519) 238-2473<br />
E-Mail: warner@hay.net Telephone: (519) 238-2473<br />
ACCOMMODATION (Book on your own)<br />
ACCOMMODATION (Book on onyour your own)<br />
It is very important to book prior to March 31, 2011 to guarantee space. This is a popular Vacation Area and this is a holiday weekend.<br />
It It is is very important to tobook book prior to toMarch March 31, 2011 to toguarantee guarantee space. This is isa a popular Vacation Area and this is a holiday weekend.<br />
We have the entire motel blocked until this date ~ Don’t miss out! After March 31, 2011 rooms will not be held exclusively for our group!<br />
We Wehave have the theentire entire motel blocked until this date ~ Don’t miss out! After March 31, 2011 rooms will not be held exclusively exclusivelyfor for our group! group!<br />
HOST MOTEL: Bluewater Motel (519) 238-2014 RV PARKING: Townsite RV Park (519) 238-5625<br />
HOST MOTEL: Bluewater Motel (519) 238-2014 RV PARKING: Townsite RV Park (519) 238-5625 238-5625<br />
Rates from: $92.00 Full Service Sites—Reserve Early<br />
Rates from: $92.00 Full Service Sites—Reserve Early<br />
www.grandbend.com/bluewatermotel/ *Primitive (no service) sites ~ No charge at our farm<br />
www.grandbend.com/bluewatermotel/ *Primitive (no service) sites ~ No charge at our farm<br />
*Mention <strong>Plymouth</strong> Car Tour<br />
*Mention <strong>Plymouth</strong> Car Tour<br />
FEATURES<br />
*Mention <strong>Plymouth</strong> Car Tour<br />
FEATURES<br />
• All paved roads • No Judging…just fun!<br />
• All • All paved roads ••No No Judging…just fun!<br />
• Long Distance award • Food and Admission…you pay at establishment<br />
• Long • LongDistance Distance award ••Food Food and Admission…you pay at establishment<br />
• First 25 cars registered receive dash plaque • Border Crossing is E-Z<br />
• First • First 25 25cars carsregistered registered receive dash plaque ••Border Border Crossing is isE-Z E-Z<br />
• Running Board Flea Market…bring those surplus <strong>Plymouth</strong> items ~Passport or enhanced drivers license is all that<br />
• Running • RunningBoard Board Flea FleaMarket…bring Market…bring those surplus <strong>Plymouth</strong> items ~Passport or enhanced drivers license is all that<br />
is required! Canada welcomes tourists!<br />
is isrequired! required! Canada welcomes tourists!<br />
-19-<br />
-17- -19-<br />
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2011 2011<br />
National Summer Meet<br />
hosted by the Golden State Region<br />
Pacific Grove, California - July 13 through July 16, 2011<br />
Pacific Grove, offering an<br />
unparalleled quality of life, shares its<br />
borders with the Monterey Bay, the<br />
City of Monterey, the Pacific Ocean<br />
and the Del Monte Forest<br />
with breathtaking views.<br />
The host hotel is the Sea Breeze Inn & Lodge, 1100 Lighthouse Avenue, Pacific Grove, CA. 93950<br />
(800) 575-1805 / Fax: (831) 643-0235<br />
Arrival Date: Wednesday, July 13, 2011 Departure Date: Sunday, July 17, 2011<br />
Room Block: Variety of 1 & 2 beds – modifying counts is contingent upon specific guest bookings.<br />
20 rooms for Wednesday 7/13; 25 rooms for Thursday 7/14; 40 rooms for Friday & Saturday 7/15 & 7/16<br />
Rates: Standard 1- Queen Room = $89.95 + tax 7/13&14 and $109.95 + Tax 7/15&16<br />
Standard 2- Queen Room = $95.95 + Tax 7/13&14 and $119.95 + Tax 7/15&16<br />
Reservation Procedure: Guests to call individually to reserve, mention the <strong>Plymouth</strong> Owners <strong>Club</strong> for preferred rates and availability.<br />
Billing:On own, all charges. Cancellation Policy: Guests will be held to a 30-day cancellation policy and a 2-night minimum.<br />
Cut-off Dates: Guests will be able to reserve at preferred rates until April 20, 2011; afterwards standard hotel rates will apply.<br />
Inclusive: AM Coffee & Muffin Social, use of onsite amenities, wireless Internet, local calling.<br />
The Pacific Grove/Monterey area is very popular in July.<br />
Please call the Seabreeze Inn and book your room as soon as possible.<br />
SCHEDULED ACTIVITIES Tour information, signup sheets and maps will be available in the Hospitality Room<br />
Thursday, July 14th: Driving tour to Big Sur – Tour Guide Tod Fitch. Depart the meet hotel at 10:30 AM for an hour long<br />
36 mile drive along scenic California Hwy 1 over to the Nepenthe Restaurant in Big Sur. www.nepenthebigsur.com Along the<br />
way we will stop for photographs at the famous and photogenic Bixby Creek Bridge. The restaurant has fabulous views down<br />
the rugged coastline. After lunch we will return along the same route. The group size limit is 40 guests so make your decision<br />
as soon as possible.<br />
Friday, July 15th: Driving tour to several wineries – Tour Guide Tod Fitch. There is a $12 fee per person to cover the winery<br />
tour. Depart the meet hotel at 10:00 AM for a short drive to the Chateau Julien Winery where we will tour the facilities with<br />
an explanation of the wine making process and an opportunity to taste some of the vineyard’s wines. Then we will continue on<br />
to the village of Carmel Valley for lunch and visit several wine tasting rooms or, for those who prefer, visit some shops and<br />
galleries. The return route to the meet hotel will show off some quintessential California landscape. We should be back at the<br />
meet hotel by 3:00 PM. (Note: This tour was changed from an all-day trip to San Juan Bautista Mission to allow time for participants<br />
to wash and prepare their cars for Saturday’s judged show.)<br />
Saturday, July 16th: Ladies/spouse bus tour for lunch and shopping in Carmel – Tour Guides, Leslie Fitch and Kim Hunt.<br />
SELF-GUIDED TOURS At your leisure, these tours are available every day.<br />
Wine Trolley Tours of Monterey – $59 per Pepson (Includes 5-hour guided tour & wine tasting at one venue). Abox lunch ($15.00)<br />
and additional wine tasting ($7.50 each) can be purchase while enroute. A <strong>Plymouth</strong> Owners <strong>Club</strong> special $89.00 per person,<br />
includes the box lunch and wine tasting at all 6 wineries.To make reservations/purchase tickets, please call 831-624-1700.<br />
Experience an unforgettable journey wine tasting in the aesthetic beauty of Carmel Valley aboard “Hattie the Magnificent Trolley.” For<br />
more details: www.toursmonterey.com<br />
Monterey Movie Tour – Daily boarding near Fisherman's Wharf (Monterey, CA) at 1:00 PM. Cost $55 per person, seniors $50, children<br />
15 years and under $35. To make reservation/purchase tickets, please call 800-343-6437. Winding through Monterey, Pacific<br />
Grove and Carmel, this scenic tour also stops along the stunning 17-MILE DRIVE® in Pebble Beach. The three-hour adventure takes<br />
place aboard the multimedia Theater-On-Wheels®, a customized luxury motor coach with high-back seats, overhead video screens and<br />
personal headsets. As you glide past sites made famous on the big screen, you’ll hear behind-the-scenes stories of Hollywood glamour.<br />
For more details: www.montereymovietours.com/index.htm<br />
Summer and Fall Whale Watch: Humpback Whales, Blue Whales, Dolphins, Killer Whales Reservations can be made by calling<br />
(831) 375-4658 with a credit card to hold your spot. Departure is from Monterey Bay Whale Watch Center located on Fisherman’s Wharf.<br />
For more details: www.montereybaywhalewatch.com/trips.htm Morning trips: 4 to 5-hour trips every day, departing at 9:00 AM and<br />
returning between 1:00 and 2:00 PM. Cost for morning trips: Adults $45, children 12 and under $35, children 3 and under free<br />
Afternoon trips: 3 to 4-hour afternoon trips every day Trips depart at 2:00 PM and return between 5:00 and 6:00 PM. Cost for afternoon<br />
trips: Adults $36, children 12 and under $25, children 3 and under free<br />
Monterey Bay Aquarium, located in Monterey at the west end of historic Cannery Row. Tickets can be ordered by phone (866) 963-<br />
9645 from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Mon. through Fri. Tickets prices: Adults, $29.95, Child (3 thru 12) $19.95, Student $27.95, Seniors<br />
(65+) $27.95. For more details: www.montereybayaquarium.org/<br />
John Steinbeck's Pacific Grove - Driving Tour: This is a self-guided driving tour of John Steinbeck's Pacific Grove. It features<br />
local sites relating to the lives and work of John Steinbeck and Edward F. Ricketts. There are 20 places to visit on the tour. For more<br />
details: www.93950.com/steinbeck/<br />
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July 13-16,<br />
2011 201<br />
Pacific Grove, Grove,<br />
California<br />
REGISTRATION: $15 per person or $25 per couple by June 1st; After June 1st $20 per person or $30 per couple<br />
(Includes: name tags, meet program, goody bag, hospitality room, Thursday complimentary dinner) $______________<br />
Participant’s Name _________________________________ Spouse/Passenger _____________________________________<br />
Address __________________________________________City _______________________________Zip ______________<br />
Phone (h) ________________________ (c) ________________________ Email __________________________________<br />
I’ll be a Judge ___________ Which Category or Class or Year _____________<br />
VEHICLE REGISTRATION: POC Region______________________________<br />
Car to be Judged: ______ number of cars @ $ 25.00 by June 1st or @ $ 30.00 after June 1st $______________<br />
Year _______ Model __________________ Body Style ________________________<br />
Car, Non-judged: ______ number of cars @ $ 25.00 by June 1st or @ $ 30.00 after June 1st $______________<br />
Year ________ Model _____________________ Body Style _________________________<br />
SELF-GUIDED TOURS Available all days – Pay as you go Wine Trolley Tours of Monterey; Monterey Movie Tour;<br />
Monterey Summer and Fall Whale Watch; Monterey Bay Aquarium; John Steinbeck's Pacific Grove - Driving Tour<br />
SCHEDULED ACTIVITIES (See Activity Descriptions on accompanying <strong>page</strong>)<br />
Thursday , July 14: Guided tour down the Big Sur coastline to a lunch at Nepenthe Restaurant. Tour Guide Tod Fitch.<br />
Note: Limited to 40 people so register early. Number ______ Pay as you go<br />
Friday, July 15: Guided tour to several wineries; lunch at Carmel Valley Tour Guide Tod Fitch<br />
Number ______ Pay as you go<br />
Saturday, July 16: GSR POC Ladies Lunch & Shopping in Carmel – Transportation provided<br />
Tour Guides, Leslie Fitch and Kim Hunt Number ______ Pay as you go<br />
6:00 PM Awards Banquet & Awards Program Buffet Menu make your selection<br />
Grilled Chicken Alfredo_____ / Grilled Carmel Style Tri-Tip_____ / Carved Ham_____ / Vegetarian Pasta Dish _____<br />
Total Banquet Number ________ @ $ 40.00 $______________<br />
T-Shirt Order: S____ / M____ / L____ / XL____ @ $15 / XXL____@ $17 / XXXL____ @ $18 Total $______________<br />
Make checks payable to: Golden State Region, POC 2011 National Meet MEET TOTAL $______________<br />
Mail completed registration to: 2011Summer National Meet, c/o Nick DeSimone, 1423 Pecan Grove<br />
Drive, Diamond Bar, CA 91765-2536<br />
For additional Meet Information, call or email: home phone (909) 861-4950 or cell phone (714) 864-0658<br />
Email: ndesimone@verizon.net<br />
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Tour our with the Tall Tall<br />
Pines<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> Owners <strong>Club</strong> Inc.<br />
2011 2011<br />
National Fall Touring ouring Meet<br />
August 31, September 1-3, Rochester, Rochester,<br />
Minnesota<br />
Tall Pines Region, hosts<br />
Tour Overview<br />
Beginning on Wednesday, August 31, there will be organized daily driving tours throughout beautiful Southeastern Minnesota’s bluff<br />
country and the Mississippi River, Lake Pepin area, from the host hotel: LaQuinta Inn and Suites, 1625 So. Broadway, Rochester MN.<br />
55902. Special room rates of $75 can be reserved by calling 507-281-2211 and asking for the <strong>Plymouth</strong> Owners <strong>Club</strong> rate which ends<br />
August 10th, 2011. Includes free hot breakfast buffet, wireless internet, indoor pool, onsite restaurant, fridge and microwave. All tours<br />
leaving Rochester will be approximately 120 miles round-trip, and because of limited parking we will be offering a bus tour on Friday.<br />
We strongly encourage the use of GPS devices, cell phones and handheld walkie talkies so people can complete the tours with minimal<br />
confusion. We will be providing complete addresses and phone numbers for each tour stop. We are urging early registration as some tour<br />
and events are limited. We will attempt to tour on rural, less-traveled roads where possible.<br />
Wednesday, August 31:<br />
The plan for Wednesday is to tour to Harmony, Minnesota, where participants will board smaller vans and begin an Old Order Amish<br />
tour. Guides will explain Amish culture and history stopping at 5 - 6 working farms. Most stops offer retail opportunities to purchase<br />
Amish quilts and crafts. Driving back toward Rochester, we will visit Historic Lanesboro, the Bed and Breakfast Capital of Minnesota.<br />
Lunch is on your own and a tour of Lanesboro will provide viewing of the beautifully restored homes and mansions or visits of the many<br />
unique shops. This is a fun town, especially for the ladies.<br />
Thursday, September 1st:<br />
Thursday will be a driving tour to the National Eagle Center located on the banks of the Mississippi River.<br />
The center has many exhibits providing insight into the life of the eagle. We hope to be participants in an<br />
interactive program where we can see eagles feeding and bathing and learn about the eagles’ significance in<br />
the environment and their importance in Native American culture. Hopefully, we will<br />
be able to view wild birds from the observation deck, and learn about injured eagles and how they can be returned<br />
into the environment. Lunch is on your own, but we have arranged for box lunches to be available at Nelson’s<br />
Cheese Factory, Nelson,Wisconsin. Nelson’s is known for their super ice cream cones. Following lunch we will be<br />
visiting one of the largest private Franklin automobile collections in existence, and it has a <strong>Plymouth</strong> also.<br />
Heading back to Rochester, we will stop and visit Lark Toys. Lark Toys is one of the largest independent toy stores<br />
in the United States. It has a huge hand carved wooden carousel and for a buck you get a ride. There’s an old time toy<br />
museum and toy exhibits. If you need a souvenir of the trip for the grandkids this is the place to get it. The evening<br />
begins with a Tall Pines Region build-it-yourself Burger Buffet at the hotel. Be sure to check this on the registration<br />
form. If you’re still not tired, drive to downtown Rochester for the Street Fair with shopping and music.<br />
Friday, September 2nd:<br />
On Friday we will offer a bus tour. We will tour into Western Wisconsin and visit Elmer’s Auto and Toy<br />
Museum. The museum includes antique, classic and muscle cars along with motorcycles,<br />
bicycles, over 200 pedal tractors and over 600 pedal cars on display. In<br />
addition there are 1000s of auto-related toys. This is a fascinating museum and<br />
includes one of the most beautiful views of the Mississippi River valley. Also we<br />
will visit The Pickwick Mill. Built in the 1850s, it is one of the oldest waterpowered<br />
gristmills in Southeastern Minn. It was built with locally quarried limestone<br />
with a timber frame that was so closely fit that nails were not used. This<br />
will be an extremely educational and interesting stop.<br />
Saturday September 3rd:<br />
Saturday will be a day for touring around the Rochester area. We will be visiting the Mayowood Mansion.<br />
The Mayowood estate was created between 1910 and 1938 by Dr. Charles Mayo, co-founder of the internationally<br />
known Mayo Clinic. The centerpiece of the 3000-acre estate is the 38-room Mayowood<br />
Mansion and gardens. The Olmstead County Historical Center is another interesting stop with numerous<br />
exhibits including five historic buildings on the grounds. Following lunch on your own, we recommend<br />
a tour to Assisi Heights and home of the Sisters of Saint Francis. There will be a one-hour tour of the<br />
buildings and grounds. The view of Rochester is very picturesque from Assisi Heights. On the way back<br />
Elmer lmer’s<br />
Mayowood<br />
to the hotel we will stop at the Plummer House, the former residence of Dr. Henry Plummer, a Mayo Clinic partner and founder. The<br />
Plummer House is located on Pill Hill as it became known because of all the doctors’ residences located there. Again there will be spectacular<br />
views of Rochester. The day will conclude with the banquet, membership meeting and awards at the host hotel.<br />
Sunday, September 4th:breakfast and farewells Contact: Carl Wegner cwegner2@msn.com<br />
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Tour our with the Tall Tall<br />
Pines<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> Owners <strong>Club</strong> Inc.<br />
2011 2011<br />
National Fall Touring ouring Meet<br />
August 31, September 1-3, Rochester, Rochester,<br />
Minnesota<br />
Tall Pines Region, hosts<br />
Member’s name__________________________________ Spouse / Passenger_____________________<br />
Address_____________________________________ City_____________________ Zip____________<br />
Phones (home)_____________________(cell)___________________ Email_______________________<br />
Vehicle ehicle Registration: Year _________ Model_____________________ Body style__________________<br />
(We strongly recommend the use of GPS tools, cell phones and walkie talkies for all tours)<br />
---- Registration desk opens, beginning Tuesday August 30th, at 5:00 PM -----<br />
Registration: $20.00 per vehicle/member before August 10th –– $25.00 after August 10th $_____________<br />
Activity Registration ( See descriptions of activities on the accompanying <strong>page</strong>.)<br />
Wednesday August 31, 2011 Driving tour to Harmony, MN. There, experience Old Order Amish culture, with a 2 hr.<br />
guided van tour, visiting working farms. (Limit 70) Number @ $25_____ $______________<br />
Visit Historic Lanesboro, lunch on your own and shop before returning to Rochester.<br />
Thursday, September 1st, 2011 Driving tour to the National Eagle Center, Wabasha MN. (Admission)<br />
Box lunch available at Nelson’s Cheese factory. Nelson WI. (Lunch on your own) Visit one of the largest collections of<br />
Franklin automobiles in the country, then on to Lark Toys.<br />
Thursday evening, Special “Burger Buffet” dinner. Number @ $ 11_____ $______________<br />
Evening Street fair, Downtown Rochester, food, shopping and music.<br />
Friday, September 2nd, 2011 Because of limited parking, today we offer an all day bus tour. We will be visiting the historic<br />
Pickwick Mill, Pickwick, MN, and Elmer‘s Auto and Toy Museum, Alma, WI. Cost will include the Bus ride and all<br />
admissions. Lunch on your own. Number @ $ 25_____ $______________<br />
Saturday, September 3rd, 2011 Participation pictures. Visit the Olmstead County Historical Center<br />
and Mayowood Mansion. Number @ $ 10_____ $______________<br />
Tour to Assisi Heights, Sisters of St. Francis and historic Plummer House. (Admission)<br />
Evening dinner buffet, membership meeting and awards. Number @ $24_____ $______________<br />
T Shirt Order: S_____ M_____ L_____ XL_____ XXL_____ XXXL_____<br />
(All T shirts have pockets) Total T Shirts @ $15.00 ea. ______ $______________<br />
Registration Total Make checks payable to: Tall Pines Region POC<br />
Grand Total $______________<br />
Mail completed registration to: Don Rohweder, 261 1st Ave SE, New Brighton, MN 55112<br />
Fall Meet Information: Richard Tetzlaff 651-433-2707 or cell 612-759-2103, ajorrj@aol.com / Carl Wegner 218-326-5965<br />
cwegner2@msn.com / Don Rohweder 651-636-2506,cell 612-817-6135 don.rohweder@gmail.com<br />
Meet Hotel: LaQuinta Inns and Suites, 1625 S. Broadway, Rochester, MN 55902 507-281-2211<br />
Information on alternative self-guided tours for people with other interests available at the registration desk.<br />
-23-
<strong>Plymouth</strong> Owners <strong>Club</strong> sponsors ...<br />
1st Western New York (Niagara) Tour<br />
1928 - 1932 4 Cylinder <strong>Plymouth</strong>s<br />
September 15 - 17 2011<br />
Thursday, September 15th: Registration 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm<br />
Holiday Inn Lockport , 515 Transit Rd. (Rt 78), Lockport, NY 14904<br />
For reservations call 716-434-6151 or 1-800-HOLIDAY or www.holidayinn.com<br />
Room rate is $91.00 plus tax (mention <strong>Plymouth</strong> Owners <strong>Club</strong>)<br />
Reservations must be made before August 15, 2011. Includes Continental Breakfast<br />
Trailer and motor home parking on premises<br />
• 5:30 pm There will be a short tour and stop for dinner (pay on your own)<br />
Friday, September 16th: Tour 8:30 am<br />
• To the Historic Lockport Locks and Erie Canal Boat Cruise<br />
Includes 2 hour cruise on the Erie Canal through 2 locks cost: $13.00 each<br />
• After a stop for lunch we will tour to the Niagara Power Project to see how<br />
water is turned into electricity (free of charge)<br />
• Then we will tour to the Herschel Carousel Factory and Museum and<br />
enjoy a ride on a restored carousel (cost: $3.00 each)<br />
• Return to hotel<br />
Saturday, September 17th: Tour 8:30 am<br />
• Buffalo Waterfront, Naval and Servicemen’s Park (cost: $5.00 each)<br />
• Pierce Arrow Car Museum (cost $7.00 each)<br />
• Then lunch at the Anchor Bar, Original Home of the Buffalo Chicken Wing<br />
• Return to hotel<br />
• 6:30 pm Banquet at Holiday Inn<br />
Registration<br />
If you are interested in seeing Niagara Falls, come a day early.<br />
I will arrange a tour on Wednesday, September 14, 2011. Call for details.<br />
Name __________________________________________ Spouse/Guests _______________________<br />
Address __________________________________________ City ______________________________<br />
State/Province_______________ ZIP/Code _________ Phone ________________________<br />
Your <strong>Plymouth</strong> Year __________ Model _________________<br />
Registration $18.00 per car ________<br />
Dinner $25.00 x _______ ________<br />
Total ________<br />
Mail to: Robert Manke, 6037 E Canal Rd, Lockport, NY 14094<br />
Phone: 716-925-4048 e-mail: bobantqpyls@aol.com<br />
Dash Plaques Running Board Flea Market Tour 50 - 70 miles per day<br />
-24-
Use pdf<br />
-25-<br />
-25-
TThings hings<br />
P<strong>Plymouth</strong> lymouth<br />
by Rob Elliott<br />
Calgary, Alberta<br />
Atproof<br />
adjustable ball-bearing<br />
age of 27, Horace Dodge<br />
invented a four-point dirt-<br />
Atthe<br />
race for use in bicycles. A patent<br />
application was made on July 20,<br />
1895, and the bearing was first used in<br />
Maple Leaf bicycles manufactured in<br />
Windsor, Ontario, Canada.<br />
In 1897 John and Horace Dodge were involved in<br />
the manufacture of “Evans and Dodge” bicycles in<br />
Windsor. Sources of information vary on the dates,<br />
mergers and sales events that followed. Evans-<br />
Dodge was purchased by National Cycle of<br />
Hamilton Ontario in 1899. National Cycle and<br />
four other bicycle manufactures were purchased in<br />
1900 to form Canada Cycle and Motor Company.<br />
The Dodge brothers sold their shares for $7500<br />
and moved Dodge Cycles and Machine back to<br />
Detroit.<br />
Bicycle manufacturing in Syracuse, New York,<br />
was booming in 1896. Over 40 different manufacturers<br />
were producing bicycles there, including one firm<br />
called Dodge Cycles. I cannot find any ties to the<br />
Dodge Brothers. I believe this headset badge and<br />
pin are from the Syracuse plant.<br />
Canada Cycle and Motor Company (CCM) produced<br />
bicycles in Canada until declaring bankruptcy<br />
in 1983. Procycle of Quebec bought the assets.<br />
Some sources indicate that the Dodge brothers<br />
brought their asset value in machinery to Detroit<br />
from the Windsor plant. Ransom Olds approached<br />
the Dodges in 1901 with a request to produce 2000<br />
engines. Henry Ford followed with a need of production<br />
parts for his cars. The Dodges were contracted<br />
and the Dodge dynasty began.<br />
This <strong>Plymouth</strong> headset<br />
badge is another mystery.<br />
The badge is<br />
stamped on very<br />
thin copper and<br />
then enameled. I<br />
have found limited<br />
information on the<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> Cycle<br />
Company. The<br />
…and our brothers John ohn and Horace orace Dodge odge<br />
-26-<br />
Evans and Dodge bicycle owned by the Detroit Historical<br />
Museum (supposedly John Dodge’s own bike) and deposited<br />
in the Chrysler archives PHOTO COURTESY OF CHARLES HYDE<br />
Evans and Dodge headset badge<br />
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHARLES HYDE<br />
Dodge Cycle headset badge<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> Cycle Company headset badge<br />
“Our Defender” Dodge Bicycle badge also has a<br />
sailing ship theme<br />
Wheelman web<strong>page</strong> lists <strong>Plymouth</strong> Cycle in<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong>, Indiana, 1895 to 1896, and <strong>Plymouth</strong><br />
Cycle by Lindsay Brothers of Milwaukee, Wisconsin,<br />
also during 1895 to 1896. 1 bicycle production began<br />
in 1895.
CALGARY ALGAR has 550 kilometres<br />
of paved pathways<br />
and 260 kilometres of onstreet<br />
bicycle routes within<br />
the city.<br />
As an avid cyclist, I<br />
have purchased a few<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> cycling jerseys<br />
online. At one time I<br />
found myself bidding<br />
against a fellow <strong>Plymouth</strong><br />
Owners <strong>Club</strong> member<br />
from California who<br />
shares the same interests.<br />
His cycling and vintage car<br />
season would be longer<br />
than mine here in Canada.<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> cycling jersey worn by Rob Elliott on a tour through Calgary’s Edworthy Park<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> Reebook cycling jerseys – two styles – front and back, probably from a British team.<br />
-27-
Derby erby<br />
by Lee Lape<br />
Papillion, Nebraska<br />
Pine ine Wood<br />
(<strong>Plymouth</strong> Wood)<br />
Inbuild<br />
his Pi<strong>new</strong>ood Derby car for Cub Scouts. My<br />
my daughter and son-in-law asked if I<br />
would be interested in helping my grandson Logan<br />
InFebruary,<br />
son-in-law is a partner in his CPA firm and was in tax mode,<br />
working long hours seven days a week. And you should also<br />
know Logan broke his thumb by having it between the legs<br />
of a folding chair when he was folding it up. So he had a<br />
cast from his elbow to the tips of his fingers on his right<br />
hand.<br />
I said, “Sure, I’d be glad to work with him,” and began<br />
thinking about how to build it. I looked at Pi<strong>new</strong>ood Derby<br />
cars on Google and found hints to make them faster, etc. But<br />
I kept thinking how cool would it be to make it look like my<br />
‘58 Belvedere convertible. So, the next time they were over<br />
for Sunday dinner, they brought the kit and I bounced my idea<br />
off him. He thought it sounded great. During the course of<br />
-28-<br />
the next week, I studied pictures of my car<br />
ood<br />
and my Franklin Mint model of it (BULLETIN<br />
279), and I marked up the block of wood<br />
with a pencil on how it should look.<br />
The following Saturday, we jumped in the<br />
car and drove over to my shop in<br />
Springfield, Nebraska, and I cut out the<br />
shape on the bandsaw. Once we got home,<br />
I worked with him using the coping saw to<br />
cut out the trunk between the fins, and we<br />
did a lot of sanding. Between Saturday and<br />
Sunday, we applied the sanding sealer, did<br />
more sanding, then clear coat and final sanding.<br />
While that was drying, I chucked up the<br />
axles (actually nails) in my cordless drill and<br />
used some emery cloth to smooth them out.<br />
I read in my Google searches that some people<br />
use polish on those axles, so I broke out<br />
the Simi-Chrome and polished them. He<br />
came over on Tuesday, and we then sprayed<br />
on the black paint. I suggested “wide<br />
whites,” so we painted the outside of the wheels. And all the<br />
while, I was thinking about how to add the trim.<br />
I kind of remembered some shiny duct tape I once had, so<br />
I searched the basement and came up with it. Next I cut a<br />
pattern out of some construction paper and made the two side<br />
pieces. And then I thought, why not make shiny bumpers<br />
and a windshield? So I cut out those pieces as well.<br />
Thursday night Logan was back over again, so we applied<br />
the “chrome” pieces and installed the wheels. We dosed the<br />
axles with liberal amounts of powered graphite. Logan was<br />
looking through the craft supplies grandma always has<br />
around, and we found the head and tail lights. We were ready<br />
for Saturday, and “race day.” Oh, and Logan got his cast off<br />
on Tuesday.<br />
The races were held Saturday night after the scouts’ Blue<br />
and Gold Banquet. The car was weighed, and found to be<br />
light (just over 3.5 ounces). The car can weigh no more than<br />
5 ounces. Another parent had some weights and a hot glue<br />
gun, so some weight was added to the bottom to bring the car<br />
up to 5 ounces.<br />
Now the track is a lot different than when I<br />
was in scouts 50+ years ago. The track is<br />
all-aluminum and each of the four lanes is<br />
on a timer. My dad built a track out of<br />
wood that our pack used when I was in<br />
scouts. We had a scoutmaster at the end of<br />
the track to determine which car was first,<br />
second, etc. The winners were raced against<br />
the other winners, until, through the process<br />
of elimination, you had the fastest cars. In<br />
Logan’s case, four cars were put on the track<br />
and raced and the times were recorded. This<br />
was repeated four times, once for each of the<br />
four lanes. Then the times were averaged.<br />
It didn’t take too long to figure out who the<br />
winners were.<br />
Logan won third place in the Tiger
Cubs class (his first year in scouts). I wasn’t sure how fast it<br />
was going to be, but I was hoping he at least would get<br />
something for originality – best design, something like that.<br />
I was as thrilled as he was that he actually placed!<br />
My grandson David has his Pi<strong>new</strong>ood Derby race coming<br />
up in a couple of months. I’m thinking of my ‘41 coupe for<br />
this one. Stay tuned! <strong>PB</strong><br />
Applying<br />
paint<br />
Polishing an axle<br />
Applying<br />
sealer<br />
-29-<br />
Racing license<br />
Trophy, car and Grandpa!<br />
Race!
Open Air<br />
by Dallas Wiese<br />
Toledo, Iowa<br />
– 1949<br />
This story starts more than 60<br />
years ago when my dad presented<br />
my older brother and me with a<br />
1930 Model A Ford. I was a junior in<br />
high school in the little town of<br />
Montour, Iowa; population 353.<br />
My first contact with a girlfriend<br />
was going for a ride in the Model A<br />
after a basketball game with a cute cheerleader. I was just 15<br />
years old. The older guys in town had filled me in on how<br />
things should go. I parked the Model A down by the schoolhouse,<br />
just a block from where my girlfriend lived. When I<br />
decided to check things out (according to the older boys directions),<br />
she slapped me and jumped out of my Model A and ran<br />
home – very confusing for me at the time.<br />
Fast forward to the summer of 1949: I was working for<br />
my father, who was doing roadside erosion work for the DOT.<br />
Dad sent me from Davenport, Iowa, to our home town of<br />
Montour with a truck<br />
and instructions to bring<br />
back a cultipacker which<br />
was used in the seed bed<br />
preparation.<br />
I happened to stop at<br />
the local Chrysler-<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> dealer, owned<br />
by Bill Devins and a<br />
man named Clark. There<br />
on the showroom floor<br />
sat a <strong>new</strong> blue 1949<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> convertible.<br />
Since one of the jobs<br />
my dad had me doing<br />
was being the timekeeper<br />
and handling the payroll, I was permitted to write checks on<br />
his account. I decided to make out a check for around $2300<br />
for that blue convertible.<br />
In order to get the truck and cultipacker back to<br />
Davenport, I needed a driver. Our neighbor, only 15 and big<br />
for his age, was recruited. I k<strong>new</strong> Dad would hire him, so I<br />
recruited him to be the driver of the one-ton pickup with a flat<br />
bed that was loaded with the cultipacker. I followed with the<br />
<strong>new</strong> convertible. We had gone about ten miles from home<br />
when the pickup driver came upon a sharp curve and rolled the<br />
pickup and cultipacker, parts flying in every direction.<br />
Needless to say the pickup and cultipacker were totaled, but<br />
Anniversary nniversary <strong>Plymouth</strong> lymouth<br />
-30-<br />
the driver was not hurt.<br />
Now I was faced with the task of showing up in<br />
Davenport, less truck and cultipacker, but with a <strong>new</strong> convertible.<br />
Next came the explosion (my dad). However, he let me<br />
keep the convertible and make weekly payments.<br />
During 1950 I lived at home in Montour and worked in<br />
nearby Marshalltown. Two young gals rode back and forth to<br />
work with me, one happening to be the cheerleader named<br />
Joyce from the Model A experience. By New Year’s Eve I had<br />
convinced her I was now a gentleman, and we celebrated New<br />
Year’s Eve together.<br />
From there on we dated<br />
steadily. She began to<br />
slide over closer and<br />
closer to my side of the<br />
car so I felt it was time<br />
to pop the question. We<br />
were engaged in March<br />
and were married on<br />
April 6, 1951.<br />
We rented a tworoom<br />
apartment, where<br />
an older lady lived,<br />
which we later bought<br />
for $1200. It was quite<br />
primitive, with an outhouse<br />
and no running water, etc. We carried water in a bucket<br />
from the town pump. One day when I was up by the pump<br />
washing my convertible, my brother and his pals drove by,<br />
throwing a cherry bomb in my bucket. So much for that<br />
bucket!<br />
By late 1951, I sold the convertible to my brother, as I<br />
was trying to raise money to start a farm machinery business.<br />
My dad was a silent partner (brave man). A couple of years<br />
later my brother decided to sell the convertible and asked for<br />
my help. In those years I did not have very good judgment in<br />
driving and drove like a wild man. In demonstrating the ‘49<br />
to the buyer, I performed by taking the guy for a ride through
"Dead Man's Curve" at 80 MPH, slipping a little<br />
as we went through the bridge. All survived, and<br />
I’m still alive – a little smarter, though. Now,<br />
being age 83, I find it pretty hard to believe what<br />
a fool I was.<br />
Fast forwarding through the years: I spent 35<br />
years as a diesel engineer at the power plant<br />
while my dear wife and I ran a grocery<br />
store/restaurant, raised four children, bought and<br />
moved to an 80-acre farm (and did the farming),<br />
and ran a Yamaha motorcycle shop for eighteen<br />
years. My wife took the day shift and I took the<br />
evening shift.<br />
Sometime in the ‘80s I began a search for a<br />
‘49 <strong>Plymouth</strong> convertible (blue preferably).<br />
Having saved the registration of the original, I<br />
had it traced and discovered it went to salvage and<br />
was crushed. Over the years I have looked at<br />
‘49s but failed to find one in good shape and fairly<br />
priced. One of the saddest things happening<br />
during my search was calling a man near<br />
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who had a red ‘49.<br />
I called from Madison, Wisconsin, to see<br />
if he still had the car. The next day, I<br />
made the 100-mile trip to see the car,<br />
only to find he had sold it the year<br />
before. I have never figured that one<br />
out.<br />
One of the near misses I had in<br />
my hunt was a blue ‘49 that was<br />
sold at auction in Chicago in<br />
October 2001. This car was previously<br />
owned by Mickey Mantle, the<br />
famous baseball player. I learned of<br />
the sale just three days after the auction<br />
took place. Checking with the auction<br />
house, I found that the car only brought<br />
$12,000. I finally bought a yellow 49 which<br />
needed a lot of work. I have had <strong>new</strong> floors put<br />
April 6, 1951<br />
-31-<br />
in it and done some other work but am unable<br />
to complete it.<br />
Joyce and I elebrated our 60th wedding<br />
anniversary on April 23, 2011, in<br />
Toledo, Iowa. I extended an invitation<br />
to any club member who would care<br />
to attend our celebration and offered<br />
to give a $100 reward to anyone who<br />
showed up at our celebration driving<br />
a 1949 <strong>Plymouth</strong> convertible.<br />
<strong>PB</strong> <strong>PB</strong><br />
Bill Devins, from whom I purchased the<br />
‘49, later moved to California and<br />
became famous for building sport cars.
Special pecial Deluxe eluxe Droptop optop<br />
Feature article from Hemmings Classic Car, July, 2005<br />
by Jim Donnelly<br />
PHOTOS © BY DON SPIRO PHOTOGRAPHY<br />
The shooting was over, the green-glowing mushroom<br />
clouds had finally dissipated and, at least in America,<br />
society was eager for a return to optimism and normalcy<br />
after being mired in economic collapse, and then global<br />
war, for two consecutive decades. The auto manufacturers –<br />
most of them – were well into rolling out their 1949 models<br />
on the 20th anniversary of the day when the Wall Street bubble<br />
popped with the concussive force of Zeus’s thunderclap.<br />
After the long period of stagnation in the consumer marketplace,<br />
the great race of acquisition was on in earnest.<br />
Where the Hempstead Plains stretched out of sight on Long<br />
Island, a community of little homes called Levittown sprang<br />
up, and veterans streamed east from New York City to build<br />
their families there. The world was still a tumultuous, disorderly<br />
place, with the Communists forcing the Nationalists<br />
into offshore exile in China, the Berlin airlift circumventing<br />
the Soviet blockade of that city, the partitioning of Germany<br />
and the unsettling revelation that the comrades in Moscow<br />
now had the bomb, too. Regardless, war-weary Americans<br />
were ready to rock. Broadcast television was in its infancy,<br />
but you could catch Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis on Ed<br />
Sullivan’s Toast of the Town. Film-goers were stunned by<br />
the Oscar-sweeping All the King's Men, inspired by the demagogic<br />
Louisiana populist Huey Long, and they cowered when<br />
James Cagney, as the demonic Cody Jarrett, raised his face to<br />
a flaming sky and shrieked, “Made it, Ma! Top of the world!”<br />
in Raoul Walsh's riveting White Heat.<br />
-32-<br />
Above all, however, Americans craved <strong>new</strong> cars, and the<br />
auto industry was only too happy to accommodate them.<br />
Kaiser-Frazer, Studebaker and Hudson were actually the first<br />
into the marketplace with “<strong>new</strong>” post-war cars as early as<br />
1947. But by 1949, the biggies had finally reverted from<br />
wartime production and had caught up with the independents,<br />
and then some. In years to come, 1949 would be noteworthy<br />
for advances in technology and style that occurred across the<br />
board.<br />
The biggest came from Ford, which radically redesigned<br />
virtually its entire lineup, including both Lincoln and<br />
Mercury, producing more than 1.2 million cars in all.<br />
General Motors unleashed a broad array of changes, including<br />
<strong>new</strong> high-compression OHV V8 engines for both Cadillac and<br />
Oldsmobile, and extensive restyling that gave all its divisions
Open Air<br />
– 1949<br />
distinct appearances and personalities, a<br />
case in point being the dramatic Cadillac<br />
Coupe de Ville and Buick Roadmaster<br />
Riviera, both novel hardtops. This task<br />
force of <strong>new</strong> products propelled GM to<br />
sell more than 2.7 million vehicles in<br />
1949. And then there was Chrysler.<br />
In 1949, the captain of Chrysler was<br />
board chairman Kaufman Thuma Keller.<br />
Mr. Keller had enjoyed a remarkable rise<br />
through the industry’s ranks, starting out<br />
as a clerk before eventually becoming a<br />
master mechanic at Buick, led at the time<br />
by Walter P. Chrysler. After Chrysler<br />
reorganized doddering Maxwell-Chalmers<br />
as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925,<br />
Keller accepted a personal invitation to<br />
join the firm as vice president of manufacturing.<br />
He was particularly instrumental<br />
in integrating Dodge into the company’s<br />
lineup of brands, after<br />
Chrysler purchased it in 1928 from<br />
New York investment bankers<br />
Dillon, Reed, which had in turn<br />
bought out the company three years<br />
earlier. Keller was named<br />
Chrysler’s president in 1935, and<br />
was elevated to chairman after<br />
Walter P. Chrysler died in 1940.<br />
In drag racing parlance,<br />
Chrysler got gate-jobbed, left<br />
snoozing at the starting line. It<br />
“introduced” its 1949 models in late 1948, but because the<br />
1948s had been selling strongly, they were simply issued registration<br />
numbers re-identifying them as 1949 cars – there was<br />
little corporate urgency to get the “real” 1949s out in a hurry,<br />
-33-<br />
and Chrysler wanted no launch-related<br />
glitches. The genuine <strong>new</strong> 1949 models<br />
didn’t first appear until March 1949, and<br />
the production start of some body styles<br />
didn’t commence until July. At<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong>, the changeover meant that, for<br />
the first time since 1934, <strong>Plymouth</strong>s<br />
would be built on two distinct wheelbases.<br />
The shorter model, dubbed P17, measured<br />
111 inches between the wheel centers<br />
and was used by the likes of a business<br />
coupe and <strong>new</strong>, all-steel Suburban wagon.<br />
The P18’s wheelbase was 118.5 inches,<br />
and it could be ordered as a Deluxe club<br />
coupe or four-door sedan, or for a few<br />
extra dollars, as a Special Deluxe with a<br />
broader body variety: <strong>Club</strong> coupe, sedan,<br />
Suburban, or as <strong>Plymouth</strong>’s sole convertible<br />
model. Regardless of wheelbase,<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong>’s sole engine was its<br />
217.8-CU.IN. L-head straight-six. A<br />
compression nudge to 7.0 from<br />
1948’s ratio of 6.6:1 yielded a corresponding<br />
horsepower increase to<br />
97 for 1949, over the previous<br />
year’s 95 HP.<br />
Under Keller’s tutelage, Chrysler<br />
product philosophy favored copious<br />
interior space – indeed, the 1949<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong>s had more interior room<br />
by every dimension than the cars<br />
they replaced – and that meant the<br />
<strong>new</strong> designs approved by Keller were generally taller and boxier<br />
than the more aggressively styled offerings from most of<br />
the competition. Critics chastised this sort of conservatism,<br />
but the combination of fresh sheetmetal and <strong>Plymouth</strong>’s well-
established reputation of durability and affordability resonated<br />
forcefully with the buying public. Despite the late arrival of<br />
the “real” 1949 cars, hurrahed as “The Great New <strong>Plymouth</strong>”<br />
in national advertising, <strong>Plymouth</strong> produced 574,734 cars that<br />
year, of which some 508,000 were actual 1949 models built<br />
from March forward. That represented a sales increase of more<br />
than 47 percent over 1948’s total.<br />
Included in the output quantities were 15,240 Special<br />
Deluxe convertibles, including this restored, award-winning<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> Cream example owned and driven by Tom<br />
Mulligan of Tucson, Arizona. Perhaps better than any other<br />
bodystyle that <strong>Plymouth</strong> built in 1949, the Special Deluxe<br />
convertible presents the styling changes that were so long in<br />
gestation. It’s blocky, to be sure, though markedly more<br />
svelte than the 1948’s coats of steel. <strong>Plymouth</strong> kept the horizontal-bar<br />
grille treatment, but the bars used in 1949 were<br />
more delicately proportioned. Contrastingly, the brightwork<br />
spears running rearward along the front fenders and quarter<br />
panel look comparatively more aggressive; they’re significantly<br />
longer than the 1948 pieces.<br />
As <strong>Plymouth</strong>’s premium model range, the Special Deluxe<br />
series was treated to hearty cosmetic burnishing, including a<br />
chrome windshield frame and trim moldings, mahogany-toned<br />
dashboard graining with matching garnish moldings, rear fender<br />
stone guards and SPECIAL DELUXE front-fender scripts. The<br />
convertible added a standard power top with boot and full<br />
leather upholstery. Tom’s car adds more still – by searching<br />
through Hemmings Motor News, swap meets and websites,<br />
he has located and installed every available dealer-installed<br />
accessory offered for the 1949 <strong>Plymouth</strong>s. A partial list<br />
includes a trunk-mounted MOPAR spare-tire inflator that he<br />
located with its original box, full wheel covers, a complete<br />
tool kit, bumper guards, an exhaust extension, and auxiliary<br />
interior lamps, such as a parking brake warning lamp.<br />
“I guess I’ve just got a thing for accessories,” he said.<br />
“Go grab the MOPAR accessory book from that year, and if it’s<br />
in there, I’ve got it. I’d have to say that the grille guards<br />
were probably the toughest pieces to find.”<br />
This is Tom’s second encounter with a 1949 <strong>Plymouth</strong><br />
convertible. The first began in high school and lasted for<br />
years until he sold the car. Eventually becoming wistful, he<br />
set out on a hunt for another convertible, and enlisted the help<br />
of a local <strong>Plymouth</strong> buff in the search. More than four years<br />
ago, he learned that a professionally restored 1949 Special<br />
-34-<br />
Optional spare tire inflator has a hose that connects an external<br />
valve (shown below the taillight in the left photo) to the spare tire<br />
valve. Also shown, above, is the electrical hydraulic power convertible<br />
top pump.<br />
1949 P18 Special Deluxe convertible coupe<br />
Chassis & Body<br />
Construction: All-steel body on<br />
box-section steel frame<br />
Body style: Two-door, five-passenger<br />
convertible<br />
Layout: Front engine, rear-wheel<br />
drive<br />
Base price: $1,982<br />
Options on this car: Various dealerinstalled;<br />
owner-installed overdrive<br />
Engine<br />
Type: L-head, straight-six, cast-iron<br />
Displacement: 217.8 cubic inches<br />
Bore x Stroke: 3.250 x 4.375 inches<br />
Compression ratio: 7.0:1<br />
Horsepower @ RPM: 97 @ 3,600<br />
Torque @ RPM: 175-lbs.ft. @ 1,200<br />
Valvetrain: Solid valve lifters<br />
Main bearings: 4<br />
Fuel system: Single Carter BB<br />
D6H1 1-bbl. carburetor, cast-iron<br />
intake manifold, mechanical pump<br />
Lubrication system: Pressure,<br />
mechanical pump<br />
Electrical system: 6-volt<br />
Exhaust system: Single exhaust<br />
Transmission<br />
Type: Three-speed manual, column<br />
shift, synchronized 2nd and 3rd<br />
gears; 28 percent electrical overdrive<br />
Ratios: 1st 2.57:1; 2nd: 1.83:1; 3rd:<br />
1.00:1; Reverse: 3.48:1<br />
Differential<br />
Type: Hypoid, semi-floating axles<br />
Ratio: 3.90:1<br />
Steering<br />
Type: Worm and roller<br />
Ratio: 18.2:1<br />
Turns, lock-to-lock: 4.25<br />
Turning circle: 40.0 feet<br />
Brakes<br />
Type: Four-wheel hydraulic,manual<br />
Front: 10-inch drum<br />
Rear: 10-inch drum<br />
Specifications<br />
Suspension<br />
Front: Independent, coil springs,<br />
tubular hydraulic shocks<br />
Rear: Live axle, longitudinal leaf<br />
springs, tubular hydraulic shocks<br />
Wheels & Tires<br />
Wheels: Pressed steel discs<br />
Front: 15 x 4.5 inches<br />
Rear: 15 x 4.5 inches<br />
Tires: Goodyear Power Cushion<br />
bias-ply<br />
Front: 6.70 x 15 inches<br />
Rear: 6.70 x 15 inches<br />
Weights & Measures<br />
Wheelbase: 118.5 inches<br />
Overall length: 191.5 inches<br />
Overall width: 72.0 inches<br />
Overall height: 64.0 inches<br />
Front track: 55.0 inches<br />
Rear track: 56.0 inches<br />
Shipping weight: 3,323 pounds<br />
Capacities<br />
Crankcase: 5 quarts w/o filter<br />
Cooling system: 15 quarts<br />
Fuel tank: 17 gallons<br />
Calculated Data<br />
BHP per CID: 0.44<br />
Weight per BHP: 34.25 pounds<br />
Weight per CID: 15.25 pounds<br />
Production<br />
Special Deluxe convs.: 15,240<br />
Total 1949 <strong>Plymouth</strong>s: 508,600
Deluxe convertible might be offered for sale to the right<br />
buyer. Tom contacted the owner, based in Huntington Beach,<br />
California, and decided to make the long westbound run across<br />
Interstate 10 to check it out.<br />
“Normally, before I decide to buy a car, I go check it out<br />
at least four or five times, ask to drive it for awhile,” he said.<br />
“This time, the guy pulled it out of his garage, I walked<br />
around it once, looked at the interior for a minute, and wrote a<br />
check. And I've never regretted it.”<br />
Small wonder: This 1949 Special Deluxe convertible had<br />
won Best in Show for two straight years at the national meet<br />
of the <strong>Plymouth</strong> Owners <strong>Club</strong>. With a near-concours example<br />
now in hand, Tom started out on his hunt for MOPAR<br />
accessories. One of them was a MOPAR factory heater, in this<br />
case out of another 1949 <strong>Plymouth</strong>, which Tom had powdercoated,<br />
re-cored and then bolted in place himself. Given the<br />
vast expanses of southern Arizona, he made one decidedly<br />
non-stock modification to the Special Deluxe: He went out<br />
and bought a 1952 <strong>Plymouth</strong> parts car, for one specific reason:<br />
To extract its MOPAR overdrive unit, which was a <strong>new</strong><br />
option that year and was priced at $102. As Tom put it, “It<br />
bolts right into the 1949 transmission with no modifications<br />
at all; you only have to drop the transmission to install it.<br />
You don’t have to cut the driveshaft down or anything. It’s<br />
electrically operated off a solenoid and relay with a push-pull<br />
(dashboard) cable, and it overdrives (the 1949 three-speed manual<br />
transmission’s top gear) at 28 percent. I just bolted it in,<br />
and it works perfectly.”<br />
The add-on overdrive is justified by the fact that while<br />
Tom drives the <strong>Plymouth</strong> only about 750 miles annually on<br />
weekends, he drives it, with a capital “D,” including freeway<br />
and mountain motoring. The Arizona speed limit on interstates<br />
is 75 MPH, and Tom k<strong>new</strong> immediately that the stock<br />
powertrain was inadequate. Explaining why, he said, “When<br />
these cars were <strong>new</strong>, most highway speed limits were set at<br />
50 MPH. As it was, the <strong>Plymouth</strong> was perfectly competent at<br />
50, but today, especially on the freeways, if you’re just puttering<br />
along in your little ‘49 <strong>Plymouth</strong>, everybody else is<br />
just going to run right over you. Now, with the overdrive, if<br />
I’m doing 70, I’m right around 2,000 RPM.”<br />
Unlike many collector-car owners, Tom has opted to stay<br />
with bias-ply tires for authenticity instead of switching to<br />
radials; in his case, they’re Goodyear Power Cushions. Nonradials<br />
notwithstanding, he assures that, “<strong>Plymouth</strong>s had a<br />
really strong chassis that year, with <strong>new</strong> shocks (dubbed “Sea-<br />
Leg” by the manufacturer), and even at 70 MPH, on bias tires,<br />
it really handles well. I’d say the brakes are excellent. In<br />
1949, <strong>Plymouth</strong> went with two wheel cylinders on the front<br />
drum brakes instead of the industry’s standard of one, and the<br />
Pros<br />
• Lots cheaper than similar Fords/Mercurys<br />
• Less frequently seen than similar Fords/Mercurys<br />
• Like cockroaches, L-head straight-six is tough to kill<br />
Cons<br />
• Parts-hunting requires a little effort<br />
• Lacks macho panache to some onlookers<br />
• Without O/D, it’s weak in today’s traffic<br />
-35-<br />
brake linings were bonded to the shoes, not riveted.”<br />
Not a few MOPAR fans also appreciated Fords, and Tom is<br />
no exception: For years, he was a regional officer with the<br />
Early Ford V8 <strong>Club</strong> of America, and he freely acknowledges<br />
that even though <strong>Plymouth</strong> convertibles typically sell for significantly<br />
less than comparable Fords, they can hold their own<br />
against them in practically every driving element.<br />
“I really like Fords, but if you live out here where in<br />
summer it’s hotter than the hinges of hell, the Fords are prone<br />
to overheating,” he said. “The <strong>Plymouth</strong>s aren’t intimidated<br />
at all when it’s really hot. Horsepower-wise, they’re about the<br />
same, and the <strong>Plymouth</strong>s are cheaper to buy up front. It<br />
doesn’t make sense to me to pay $18,000 or so for a 1940<br />
Ford that’s going to need another $20,000 or $25,000 worth<br />
of work to get it where I want it.”<br />
Owner’s View<br />
Retired<br />
Tucson<br />
police sergeant<br />
Tom<br />
Mulligan is<br />
a captain of<br />
security in<br />
that city’s<br />
school district,<br />
but<br />
his recreational<br />
hours are consumed with promoting the virtues of<br />
post-war <strong>Plymouth</strong>s. He’s adamant that it’s a smart, affordable<br />
way to get into the hobby.<br />
“Being that I’ve also got Fords, I think a lot of their<br />
appeal comes from brand loyalty. A lot of people think the<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong>s are tough to do, but they’re really not. There are<br />
a lot of suppliers out there. Look, I just bought an NOS<br />
front grille guard for $80. For a 1940 Ford, you can only get<br />
a reproduction, and its going to cost you $250, probably.<br />
‘Remember that Lee Petty ran a 1949 <strong>Plymouth</strong> coupe in<br />
NASCAR's first season, and finished second in the season<br />
championship. These were the Little Cars that Could.<br />
They'd didn’t out-speed everyone, but they sure outlasted<br />
them.”<br />
REPRINT COURTESY OF HEMMINGS CLASSIC CAR MAGAZINE,<br />
A PUBLICATION FROM HEMMINGS MOTOR NEWS<br />
PHOTOS, COPYRIGHT DON SPIRO PHOTOGRAPHY
Open Air<br />
– 1949<br />
This article was written when the car was owned by Dan<br />
Kilpatrick. He has since sold it to fellow POC member<br />
Richard Wahrendorff.<br />
Feature article from Hemmings Classic Car, September, 2007<br />
by Mark J. McCourt<br />
PHOTOS BY MARK J. MCCOURT<br />
Special pecial Souvenir ouvenir<br />
A 50-year-long love affair affair<br />
with <strong>Plymouth</strong>'s 1949 Special Deluxe convertible coupe<br />
Romantic types point out that cars like this eye-catching<br />
1949 <strong>Plymouth</strong> Special Deluxe convertible coupe<br />
conjure up images of innocence, gingham dresses and<br />
picnic baskets. Few would argue that there is something<br />
optimistic and prosperous about a late 1940s American convertible,<br />
especially one from the “Low-Priced Three,” which<br />
was <strong>new</strong> in a time when the country held big possibilities for<br />
everyone, and everybody felt<br />
they had the opportunity to<br />
move up in the world.<br />
The pull towards owning a<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> convertible was<br />
strong for retired IBMer and<br />
Rhinebeck, New York, resident<br />
Dan Kilpatrick. “I shared a 1948<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> five-passenger coupe<br />
with my brother – it was my<br />
first car,” he reminisces.<br />
“Going back to my childhood,<br />
my family always had Chrysler<br />
products. The first car I remem-<br />
-36-<br />
ber was my dad’s 1941 DeSoto. MOPAR history is in my<br />
blood.”<br />
The second-series <strong>Plymouth</strong>s have maintained their appeal<br />
to Dan for more than fifty years: “I remember when the 1949<br />
models came out – I always liked the <strong>Plymouth</strong> convertible’s<br />
rippled bumpers, exposed chrome trunk lid hinges, the great<br />
dashboard and raised taillamps. Now I’m lucky enough to<br />
own one.”<br />
Dan found our featured long-wheelbase P18 Special<br />
Deluxe for sale at a car show in Chatham, New York, back in<br />
2000. “The car’s restoration was completed just before the<br />
show where I first saw it,” he recalls. “The restorer was a fellow<br />
from Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and he sells all the cars he<br />
restores. He put a lot of money into it, and he’s told me that<br />
this is the one car he’s sorry that he sold.”<br />
When he took delivery of<br />
the convertible, Dan received a<br />
stack of receipts for the restoration<br />
parts, as well as photographs<br />
of the car before it was<br />
restored. “It was a basket case,<br />
in an odd shade of green. The<br />
body was surprisingly solid and<br />
complete, though, and he indicated<br />
that the car had come from<br />
an estate sale around Lake<br />
George, New York. The only<br />
rust he repaired was a bit in the<br />
floor pan and trunk pan. He re-
plated all of the chrome, and polished the<br />
stainless steel trim; whoever rebuilt the<br />
engine did an outstanding job, as it runs<br />
and drives beautifully.”<br />
A big part of this convertible coupe’s<br />
enduring appeal is its handsome tan-over-<br />
Salvador Blue color scheme. “I don't<br />
think I would have picked this exterior<br />
color, had I restored the car myself,” he<br />
admits. “Looking at the color chip, it<br />
doesn’t look appropriate for a convertible,<br />
and I might have done a maroon. Now,<br />
in my opinion, when you see it with the<br />
tan top up, it’s the best.”<br />
The optional combination Bedford<br />
Cord cloth and vinyl bolster upholstery is<br />
another special touch on this <strong>Plymouth</strong>,<br />
as it replaced the standard leather seating<br />
and brings welcome coolness for the driver's<br />
legs after a top-down afternoon in the<br />
hot summer sun.<br />
A die-hard convertible aficionado, Dan<br />
finds that his 1949 <strong>Plymouth</strong> provides an<br />
interesting contrast to his handsome navy<br />
blue 1940 <strong>Plymouth</strong> convertible coupe<br />
and the perfectly restored 1940 Ford convertible<br />
that he used to own. “The column<br />
shifter in the ‘49 shifts a bit easier,<br />
with a high clutch, and it’s so torquey and<br />
well-geared that it will easily pull from 20<br />
MPH in third. The 97 HP from the 217.8-<br />
CU IN L-head straight-six is very comparable<br />
to the power of the Ford’s flathead V8,<br />
and it easily cruises along at comfortable<br />
highway speeds of 50 to 55 MPH.<br />
“My <strong>Plymouth</strong> has bias ply tires, and<br />
as with all old cars on bias plies, it has a<br />
tendency to wander a bit going down the<br />
road, but nothing like my Ford… that car<br />
-37-<br />
required constant<br />
steering corrections.<br />
The<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong>’s<br />
tube shocks<br />
offer an<br />
extremely<br />
comfortable ride<br />
compared to knee-action<br />
shocks, and the brakes – big 10-inch<br />
drums with dual wheel cylinders – are surprisingly<br />
good. The 1949’s chair-height<br />
seats are so comfortable that I’ve driven<br />
more than 200 miles to a meet in<br />
Killington, Vermont, and have gotten out<br />
of the car feeling like I’d just started out.<br />
“I don't think that MOPARS, and<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong>s in particular, are comparable<br />
in quality to equivalent Fords and Chevys<br />
– notice the way this car's doors close,<br />
their sound, the way the expensive-looking<br />
dashboard is put together,” Dan<br />
opines. “You'll see that, all over, the<br />
engineering is superior.”<br />
He’s justifiably proud of his latemodel<br />
‘49 <strong>Plymouth</strong>, and it attracts a<br />
crowd everywhere he takes it. “I have<br />
shown the car many times and it always<br />
wins a first or second place. It’s also<br />
won a National <strong>Plymouth</strong> Owners <strong>Club</strong><br />
first place award; I’m planning to take it<br />
to the AACA show in Binghamton, New<br />
York, for judging this summer.”<br />
If our hunch is correct, he’ll bring<br />
home another trophy.<br />
REPRINT COURTESY OF<br />
HEMMINGS CLASSIC CAR MAGAZINE,<br />
A PUBLICATION FROM HEMMINGS MOTOR NEWS
Open Air<br />
– 1949<br />
Just ust Waiting aiting for a Queen ueen<br />
by Pat Stanton<br />
Ft. Calhoun, Nebraska<br />
When Larry Stanton from the Prairie Region joined<br />
the <strong>Plymouth</strong> Owners <strong>Club</strong> in 1976, he didn’t own<br />
a <strong>Plymouth</strong>, so he began looking for a project car.<br />
In 1980, he found what he was looking for, a 1949 P18<br />
convertible that he bought from fellow Prairie Region member,<br />
Wayne Page. The car came with all its parts.<br />
At that time,<br />
Larry didn’t own a<br />
building to store the<br />
car, so he spent<br />
about a year<br />
reassembling it in<br />
the family driveway.<br />
He repainted it to<br />
the original color<br />
called Mexico Red<br />
and had it ready to<br />
enter in the<br />
Daughter Rachel waits while Daddy works on the car.<br />
At the 1989 Spring Meet in Des Moines, Iowa<br />
Ready to go: car, camper and family departing for the 1987 Spring Meet in Colorado<br />
-38-<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> Spring National<br />
meet held in Owatonna,<br />
Minnesota, in 1981.<br />
The six-cylinder engine<br />
purred quietly and was able to<br />
pull the family pop-up camper<br />
through the Rocky Mountains<br />
to the <strong>Plymouth</strong> National Meet<br />
held in Golden, Colorado.<br />
Since the car is a red convertible,<br />
it was requested to<br />
transport the Nebraska Pork<br />
Queen through the Seward<br />
Fourth of July parade. It also<br />
carried the 1993 Fort Calhoun<br />
High School homecoming king<br />
and queen to the football game.<br />
The ‘49 is now retired to<br />
the back of the barn while other<br />
projects get all the attention,<br />
but it is still all together and<br />
ready for a come back… just<br />
waiting for a king or queen<br />
who needs a ride. <strong>PB</strong><br />
The Nebraska Pork Queen rides in Larry and Pat’s convertible<br />
through the Seward 4th of July Parade.<br />
A 1959 Sport Fury, Fury<br />
Larry’s current driver,<br />
as pictured at the 2000<br />
National Spring Meet in<br />
Rapid City, South<br />
Dakota. He is presently<br />
working on a 1963<br />
Sport Fury convertible<br />
and a 1970 GTX clone.
MARK J. MCCOURT PHOTO<br />
Open Air<br />
by Richard Wahrendorff<br />
Ulster Park, New York<br />
– 1949<br />
Last November I bought my ‘49<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> P18 convertible from<br />
fellow club member Dan<br />
Kilpatrick.<br />
The first time I rode in it was on<br />
our last tour to Olana, New York, in<br />
2009. Unlike today’s cars, it is comfortable<br />
and roomy, and the ride is<br />
smooth and quiet. The car was meticulously<br />
restored and looks brand <strong>new</strong>, inside<br />
and out. It was an experience that I would<br />
never forget.<br />
There was no rust anywhere, and the engine compartment<br />
was just as clean. During the summer, Dan decided to sell<br />
the ‘49 convertible. After some thought, I told him I wanted<br />
to buy it. I told him I wanted something to drive while my<br />
PJ Deluxe touring sedan was being restored.<br />
Since it was late in the year I only got to drive it twice<br />
after I bought it. The first was on the day I brought it home<br />
and the second was on the day I made a trip to Hoffman’s<br />
Barn in Redhook (about 10 miles from my home). The rest<br />
of the year was devoted to getting the car in better running<br />
condition and finding other things that might need attention.<br />
I noticed that the engine had some fuel/choke issues. So I<br />
had the carburetor<br />
rebuilt<br />
and reset the<br />
Sisson choke.<br />
That made a<br />
dramatic<br />
improvement.<br />
After making<br />
a few other<br />
adjustments, I<br />
was ready for the road, but snow had come and I had to put off<br />
driving the <strong>Plymouth</strong> until spring.<br />
When I purchased the car, the former owner gave me a<br />
copy of the car’s original build sheet from the Chrysler<br />
Historical Collection. The car was built in Detroit on June<br />
2, 1949, and shipped June 3, 1949, to Syracuse, New York,<br />
and delivered to H. L. Johnson Sales, Inc., in Troy, New<br />
York. The car was painted Salvador Blue and had a Bedford<br />
Cord and Blue Leathercloth interior. The car also came with<br />
an eight-tube radio and an All Weather Comfort System<br />
Model 550 heater, both of which still work very well. The<br />
car still has the original engine.<br />
Other <strong>Plymouth</strong> accessories were added later by the previous<br />
owners. These include fender skirts, a clock, a door mir-<br />
Unforgettable<br />
Unforgettable<br />
-39-<br />
ror, a trunk light, fog lights, door handle guards and an<br />
exhaust deflector. Directional signals were also added at some<br />
point. The car has had a meticulous restoration and has won<br />
several awards in the past. The car and the previous owner<br />
Dan Kilpatrick were in a featured story in the September 2007<br />
issue of Hemmings Classic Car magazine.<br />
One day while I was viewing one of the POC Forum ads<br />
I saw that a fellow club regional member, Bob Drown, was<br />
looking for a heater for his 1940 <strong>Plymouth</strong> coupe. I emailed<br />
him and said that I had one, and we decided to meet at the<br />
Rainbow Diner in Kerhonkson, New York. On March 15 the<br />
weather was nice, the snow was melted, and I decided to drive<br />
the <strong>Plymouth</strong> for the first time this year. The car started right<br />
up and soon settled to a quiet idle. The diner is about 20<br />
miles away. Most of the roads driven were back roads, and<br />
the traffic was light. My average cruising speed was between<br />
45 and 55 MPH. When I arrived at the diner, Bob met me in<br />
the parking lot.<br />
After I sold him my heater, we went inside and had coffee<br />
and talked a bit. Afterwards, we departed, and I arrived back<br />
home about a half-hour later. The car ran very well the whole<br />
time.<br />
I'm looking forward to my next outing with the<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong>. <strong>PB</strong><br />
RICHARD WAHRENDORFF PHOTO<br />
MARK J. MCCOURT PHOTO
The second<br />
in a series series<br />
about a Plymout <strong>Plymouth</strong><br />
and a famil family<br />
by Phil Hall<br />
Roseburg, Oregon<br />
Sometime ago, Mike Bade, president<br />
of the Cascade Pacific<br />
Region of the <strong>Plymouth</strong> Owners<br />
<strong>Club</strong>, encouraged me to write the<br />
story of our 1954 <strong>Plymouth</strong>. Mike<br />
said that the story of our car was<br />
– at least somewhat – the story of<br />
our family, and that club members<br />
could get to know a little something<br />
of us through the story of<br />
our car. So, Mike, thank you for<br />
the invitation and encouragement to<br />
write this story.<br />
In<br />
4. Moving Moving<br />
wes west<br />
1976 I had graduated with a degree in forestry, and in<br />
Inthe fall I landed a job as a forester with the<br />
Bureau of Land Management in Medford,<br />
Oregon. Rose Ann and I had never been<br />
out west before and we looked forward<br />
to the <strong>new</strong> adventure. We hooked the<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> to the back of a U-Haul<br />
truck, drove to Delaware to say<br />
good-bye to family and headed<br />
west.<br />
We kept our Irish Setter in<br />
the <strong>Plymouth</strong> during the move,<br />
and one night he got bored and<br />
tore down (and ate most of) the<br />
headliner. To this day, the car does<br />
not have a headliner. Arriving in<br />
Medford, we unhitched the <strong>Plymouth</strong> and<br />
started our search for a house to begin our<br />
<strong>new</strong> life in Oregon.<br />
I drove the <strong>Plymouth</strong> to work<br />
my first day on the <strong>new</strong> job and<br />
would drive it to work thirty years<br />
later on the day of my retirement.<br />
Although I was starting a professional<br />
job, the entry salary was<br />
quite modest, and we found ourselves<br />
eating more than our share<br />
of peanut butter sandwiches and pancakes. Once again, we<br />
occasionally found ourselves short of fuel oil money. Once<br />
again, we would take the rear seat out of the <strong>Plymouth</strong> and,<br />
The 195 1954<br />
4 <strong>Plymouth</strong><br />
ymouth<br />
of Phil and Rose Rose<br />
Ann Hall<br />
This is in 1976 as we arrive in eastern Oregon<br />
This is in 1976 as we arrive in eastern Oregon on our<br />
way to accept a job as a forester and begin our <strong>new</strong> life.<br />
Because I know he is there, I can see our Irish Setter in the<br />
back seat. Quite an adventure for a <strong>new</strong> family. How many<br />
people would have just sold the <strong>Plymouth</strong> and left it behind<br />
rather than take a $150 used car across country. Never a<br />
regret in that department.<br />
-40-<br />
with a five-dollar permit, head to the mountains to cut firewood<br />
with our hand bow saw. As before, we would load the<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> with as much wood as we could possibly cram into<br />
it.<br />
I have mentioned that the Hy-Drive system on the<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> enabled it to go almost anywhere without getting<br />
stuck. One weekend I took the family for a drive way<br />
up in the mountains where I worked during the<br />
week to show them the beautiful forests and<br />
the great looking country. We took the<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> up an unsurfaced roller-coaster,<br />
an up-and-down jeep road which<br />
was quite steep in many places. We<br />
had a lovely outing, and the<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> took us safely home.<br />
Later, at work I took a<br />
two-wheel-drive pickup truck on<br />
that same jeep road and got stuck in<br />
a saddle. There was a steep pitch<br />
into the saddle and a steep pitch out of<br />
it. Once into the saddle, the truck was<br />
unable to go forward up the steep grade<br />
out of the saddle and unable to get back up<br />
the steep grade into the saddle. It<br />
took me about four hours to slowly<br />
jack that truck out of its predicament.<br />
I had simply assumed that<br />
the modern two-wheel-drive truck<br />
should traverse the jeep road since<br />
our 1954 <strong>Plymouth</strong> had driven it<br />
with no problem. Silly me.<br />
In February 1978, with me at the<br />
wheel, the <strong>Plymouth</strong> took Rose Ann to the hospital in<br />
Ashland for the birth of our third child. I can be taught;<br />
while taking Rose Ann to the hospital, it was not necessary
Rose Ann and Vince Vince<br />
on a 1977 visit to Crater Lake<br />
National Park, which is about two hours east of where we<br />
lived in Medford, Oregon.<br />
for me to be reminded to drive at a speed appropriate to<br />
the urgency of the situation. Later the <strong>Plymouth</strong> carried<br />
two proud parents and a fine baby boy, Nathaniel, safely<br />
home.<br />
5. Second rebuild rebuild<br />
One more story of the <strong>Plymouth</strong> and jeep roads: I had been<br />
shown, by the archeologist at work, an old Shasta Indian<br />
encampment way down the Klamath River Canyon. It is a<br />
wonderful site, with shelter depressions on a high ridge overlooking<br />
the river hundreds of feet below. The site is in the<br />
middle of nowhere, many miles down a very difficult jeep<br />
road. At that time I was serving as a Scoutmaster, as I would<br />
for many years. I would load the<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> full of young Scouts with<br />
packs in the trunk and packs piled<br />
high on an old detachable roof rack<br />
which we had inherited from Rose<br />
Ann’s dad. Once a month, the<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> would take the boys<br />
camping.<br />
On one occasion, I thought it<br />
would be fun to take the boys camping<br />
at the site of the old Indian<br />
camp. The jeep road into the site<br />
was extremely rough, with big gullies<br />
and large boulders. On several<br />
occasions, I had to have the boys get<br />
out so that the <strong>Plymouth</strong> would gain<br />
One of our many camping trips: Note that the<br />
detachable roof rack is still being used. This is about<br />
1980 and the old tent had just about had it by this<br />
point, and we retired it not long after, as it was falling<br />
apart.<br />
-41-<br />
On one of our annual trips to the mountains to get a Christmas<br />
tree: Vince, Christina and Rose Ann, pregnant with our son<br />
Nathaniel, who would be born in February<br />
1978.<br />
To o the left, our son<br />
Nathaniel, bundled up<br />
in a blanket, is<br />
being held by Rose<br />
Ann. The year is<br />
1978 at Crater<br />
Lake.<br />
enough clearance<br />
to get<br />
over obstacles.<br />
This particular<br />
trip was<br />
quite tough on the<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong>. The<br />
exhaust system got<br />
ruined going over the boulders<br />
and gullies on the jeep road.<br />
Then, on the way home, while the <strong>Plymouth</strong> was on the<br />
Medford viaduct, the thermostat froze up and the car immediately<br />
and seriously overheated. There was no place to pull<br />
over for some miles. By the time I was able to stop, the<br />
engine and radiator were making fearsome noises. I tried to<br />
add water, but the engine stalled. When I tried to restart it, I<br />
found the engine was so hot that it<br />
had locked up. I waited a while and<br />
after the engine cooled, it freed up<br />
and started. Although the engine<br />
was badly damaged with the temper<br />
having been taken out of the piston<br />
rings, the <strong>Plymouth</strong> took us safely<br />
home. The engine at this point had<br />
gone 70,000 miles since I had<br />
rebuilt it in North Carolina. Once<br />
again, we decided to put money into<br />
the <strong>Plymouth</strong>.<br />
This time we had enough money to<br />
do all that was necessary to make the<br />
engine right in every respect. As a<br />
result of scoring and the overheating,<br />
two of the cylinders required sleeves.
Because it took a while for the shop work to get done, the<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> was down for about two or three weeks. By then,<br />
we had purchased our first home, and it had a garage in which<br />
I was able to disassemble and re-assemble the engine. That<br />
was the good <strong>new</strong>s. The bad <strong>new</strong>s was that there were no<br />
large trees to use for pulling the engine, so I had to rent a<br />
cherry picker. Our young children, Vince, Christina and<br />
Nathaniel, along with their neighborhood friends, gathered<br />
around the <strong>Plymouth</strong> as I prepared to start the car for the first<br />
time. They had been closely supervising my work throughout<br />
the entire process. When the <strong>Plymouth</strong> fired up, the children<br />
were jumping up and down, running around shouting, “It<br />
works! It works! It works!” They were entirely too cute for<br />
me to find their lack of faith disturbing.<br />
The <strong>Plymouth</strong> has rolled about 120,000 miles since that<br />
event. Although it suffered a burned valve once about 50,000<br />
miles ago, it runs and sounds as good as it did the day back in<br />
1981 when the children celebrated it being restored to life.<br />
After one particular little vacation to the Redwoods in the<br />
early ‘80s, we were returning home late at night on Highway<br />
199, which is very crooked and windy along the steep Smith<br />
River Canyon. The children were asleep in the back while<br />
Rose Ann and I were talking quietly up front. Rounding a<br />
bend, we were all of a sudden confronted with a large rock that<br />
had rolled off the mountain into the middle of our lane. There<br />
was no way to avoid the rock, and so we took it head on.<br />
The rock went under the car, banging, crashing and bouncing<br />
the car up and down. What an event! The children didn’t<br />
wake up but Rose Ann and I were certainly wide awake after<br />
that. To this day, the cross member for the transmission and<br />
places on the frame are bent where the <strong>Plymouth</strong> rolled over<br />
that rock. The front end, oil pan, aluminum bell housing,<br />
transmission, brake lines and rear end all somehow survived.<br />
The <strong>Plymouth</strong> brought our family safely home.<br />
In<br />
5. A <strong>new</strong> <strong>new</strong><br />
home<br />
1984, we transferred to Roseburg, where we still live.<br />
InThe house we bought in Roseburg did not have a<br />
garage, a lack which I finally remedied in 2000 by building a<br />
fully insulated and finished four-car garage. Although it now<br />
resides in that garage, most of our <strong>Plymouth</strong>’s life has been<br />
spent in the elements.<br />
Not long ago I was thinking out loud that I would like to<br />
take a drive in the <strong>Plymouth</strong>, but that it was raining.<br />
Hearing this, Rose Ann laughed and asked what was I thinking,<br />
since the car had sat out for years and had always been<br />
driven in any kind of weather. Meekly and somewhat defensively,<br />
I replied that the car was clean and that I hated to get it<br />
dirty and have to clean it up again. Rose Ann was right,<br />
however. After all the years of constantly being exposed to<br />
the elements and being in constant tough and dirty duty, what,<br />
indeed was I thinking? The weather has never had much of an<br />
effect on the <strong>Plymouth</strong>. The <strong>Plymouth</strong> has always started and<br />
run fine regardless of the weather. It even started that winter<br />
here in Roseburg when it got down below zero. It has driven<br />
us through the occasional snow storms here in the valley. It<br />
has run errands, taken kids to school, taken us to church,<br />
-42-<br />
taken us up to the mountains to play in the snow, taken us<br />
up to the mountains to get Christmas trees, taken us up and<br />
down the full length of the Oregon coast, the Redwoods and<br />
northern California, Crater Lake, central Oregon, Mount<br />
Hood, Columbia Gorge, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington,<br />
Chelan, Mount Rainier and that list also goes on. Back east<br />
it had taken us to Skyline Drive, Great Smokey Mountains,<br />
Kitty Hawk, Atlantic beaches, and the list goes on. It has<br />
hauled firewood, lumber, engine blocks, concrete, bricks,<br />
trash, groceries continues the list. During these years, the car<br />
also continued to carry Boy Scouts on camping trips. The<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> was one of the cars in which our children learned to<br />
drive. Teenagers are tough duty for any car, but the <strong>Plymouth</strong><br />
always brought them safely home.<br />
6. Snow Snow<br />
adventur<br />
adventure<br />
oldest son, Vince, and I drove the <strong>Plymouth</strong> to<br />
My Mount Rainier National Park for a backpacking<br />
trip. It was September, and the weather was grand. At least<br />
it started out as such. On one of our multiple backpacking<br />
trips, we were a two-day hike into the back country off the<br />
north flank of the mountain when we were hit by an unpredicted<br />
and fierce snowstorm. Vince and I got up about an<br />
hour before sunup to hike out before the storm closed us in.<br />
We hiked the distance out in about eight hours or so. The<br />
temperature was frigid, at times the wind was fierce and the<br />
snow piled up very quickly. What had been bare ground and<br />
sunny skies two days previously were now whiteout conditions<br />
with drifts of waist-deep snow. Vince and I were both<br />
well-prepared with gear and we were both strong hikers.<br />
When we had left the <strong>Plymouth</strong> to do the hike, there were<br />
signs warning hikers that in the event of a storm the buildings<br />
and roads would be closed without warning. The park<br />
personnel were true to their word, so when we got back we<br />
found the place deserted and all of the buildings boarded up.<br />
At first we did not see the <strong>Plymouth</strong> and feared it had been<br />
towed away. We soon found the car, however. It looked like<br />
a large mound of snow. Vince and I were tired and cold, but<br />
we quickly uncovered the car, pulling the snow off with our<br />
hands. The park service rangers had left us a note under one<br />
of the wiper blades telling us that they were aware of us and<br />
in the event we made it out they provided us the combination
Different Different<br />
snow, snow,<br />
different different<br />
time: These pictures were taken either<br />
in late October or early November 1976 in the Southern Oregon<br />
Cascade Mountains.<br />
to the lock on the gate located at the bottom of the mountain<br />
road. We got in and hoped the car would start. I was afraid<br />
the snow had blown under the hood and had wet the ignition<br />
wires. The old six-volt cranked slowly in the cold, but after<br />
just a little hesitation the <strong>Plymouth</strong> fired up. The snow was<br />
about two feet deep in the parking lot but it was fairly light<br />
and fluffy. That was the good <strong>new</strong>s. The bad <strong>new</strong>s was that<br />
although we were very well-prepared for backpacking, I did<br />
not have tire chains in the car. I put the <strong>Plymouth</strong> in gear,<br />
but at first the engine was not warmed up enough to push<br />
through the snow. Once we got moving we headed down the<br />
mountain. The road down was steep and winding. Although<br />
I was coming down in low gear, the <strong>Plymouth</strong> would pick up<br />
enough speed that I would have to touch the brakes from time<br />
to time. On two different occasions, as the <strong>Plymouth</strong><br />
approached extremely steep precipices with ninety degree turns<br />
in the road with no guard rail, I touched the brakes, and could<br />
feel the tires break traction and the car begin to slide. I turned<br />
the wheel as we entered the curve, but the car did not respond;<br />
it just kept going straight ahead, when, at the last moment,<br />
the tires bit the road and the <strong>Plymouth</strong> safely swung through<br />
the curve. It was a white knuckle ride all the way down and<br />
one in which I think both Vince and I forgot how cold and<br />
tired we were. As we descended the mountain, the snow<br />
became less and less, until finally at the bottom it was all<br />
rain. The <strong>Plymouth</strong> brought us safely home. <strong>Plymouth</strong><br />
truly did build great cars.<br />
There are so many little stories I could tell that illustrate<br />
the ruggedness of our <strong>Plymouth</strong>. Another such story is from<br />
the time Rose Ann was attending Umpqua Community<br />
College about seven miles from where we live. One day she<br />
called me from school to tell me the car was not generating.<br />
I drove out to the college, removed the generator and took it<br />
home for repair. About an hour or two later, Rose Ann came<br />
up the drive way in the <strong>Plymouth</strong>. She had assumed that I<br />
had come out to the school and had fixed the car. At the time<br />
the temperature gauge was not working. (The engine did not<br />
get extremely hot, as in the incident with the Boy Scouts; in<br />
this case the thermostat was open, and some cooling took<br />
place though a thermo-siphon effect, which is possible<br />
-43-<br />
because of the high position of the radiator in relation to the<br />
engine. Model T Fords, having been designed without water<br />
pumps, rely entirely on thermo-siphon.) After the <strong>Plymouth</strong><br />
had cooled off and I had reinstalled the generator, it fired up<br />
with no apparent ill effects from its seven-mile drive without<br />
a fan belt. The <strong>Plymouth</strong> had brought Rose Ann safely<br />
home.<br />
7. . Staying S ying in shape<br />
We’ve always spent whatever money was required to keep<br />
the <strong>Plymouth</strong> in good mechanical shape. Because it<br />
has been in good and reliable mechanical shape, we’ve always<br />
felt we could get in the <strong>Plymouth</strong> and go anywhere, and we<br />
have. Cosmetics, or making the <strong>Plymouth</strong> presentable, however,<br />
was never able to make it to the list of family financial<br />
priorities. By the late 1990s the <strong>Plymouth</strong> looked the part of<br />
a car that had been ridden hard for many years.<br />
You don’t drive a car for so many years and for so many<br />
miles while doing all the repairs and maintenance yourself –<br />
without becoming very familiar with just about everything on<br />
the car. You know how things go on, how they come off,<br />
how they are taken apart, how they are put together, you<br />
know what is in good shape and you know what is not in<br />
good shape. I have enjoyed working on the <strong>Plymouth</strong> to<br />
keep it on the road. I can remember so many little jobs over<br />
the years on the <strong>Plymouth</strong>, such as putting bushings and<br />
brushes in the starter, adjusting the voltage regulator, putting<br />
I don’t know how many sets of brushes in the generator,<br />
relining the brakes, rebuilding the master cylinder and wheel<br />
cylinders, adjusting valves, replacing water pumps, points,<br />
plugs, condenser, rebuilding the carburetor, replacing wheel<br />
bearings, fixing worn-out wiring, and the list goes on.<br />
I have enlisted Rose Ann, Vince, Christina and Nathaniel<br />
to provide assistance on many different tasks on many different<br />
occasions. I already have told of Vince helping at an early<br />
age. I remember putting Christina under the hood, and sitting<br />
her, at about 5 years of age, on the engine to have her use the<br />
tool to spin the valves on their seats to lap them in with<br />
valve grinding compound. Over the years, every member of<br />
the family has, at some time or another, helped me bleed the<br />
brakes. Christina tells me that she thinks she was about<br />
eleven or twelve years old when she was old enough to reach<br />
the brake pedal and help with brake bleeding. If the family<br />
was not in there getting greasy and dirty along with me, they<br />
were nevertheless always available as spectators and ready to<br />
provide moral support.<br />
There are not all that many things on the <strong>Plymouth</strong> that I<br />
have not worked on at some time or another. Some things<br />
on the <strong>Plymouth</strong> seem remarkable because I have not had to<br />
do anything with them. The transmission and differential are<br />
two big examples. One small example I thought of the other<br />
day, when under the hood, is the directional light flasher<br />
which was on the car in 1973 and is still working after so<br />
much use.<br />
I have said that the <strong>Plymouth</strong> has always started and<br />
always brought us safely home. This is not to say that a<br />
1954 automobile with such constant rugged use would be<br />
without the need of occasional work.<br />
To o be continued continued in the the<br />
next issue…
It’s time to pound out another story<br />
from the yester-yore of <strong>Plymouth</strong><br />
land, somewhere out beyond the<br />
Land of Oz.<br />
We had lots of fun at Bill’s (see the<br />
last issue) for years, but all good things<br />
come to an end. He moved and we tried<br />
the same things out at his lake place.<br />
Well, we really didn’t; he was afraid the<br />
neighbors would complain. Not many<br />
lake people are car guys, you know.<br />
Bill, being a true car guy, does not live<br />
by the lake anymore for that reason.<br />
Elaine thought they’d live out there happily,<br />
but car guys “gotta let loose” once<br />
in a while, don’t they?<br />
It turns out that Bill and our buddy<br />
George, who loves Dodge Challengers<br />
and AAR ‘Cudas, decided to go drag racing<br />
on a big scale. George has had a<br />
number of drag racing cars from 12-second<br />
cars up to an 8-second Challenger<br />
drag car, which is still a door-slammer,<br />
not a fliptop. I know Challengers are<br />
not <strong>Plymouth</strong>s, but a close cousin to<br />
Barracudas, right?<br />
Bill fielded a brand <strong>new</strong> Dodge<br />
Stratus with a Ray Barton Hemi engine<br />
until the urge for drag racing left him.<br />
He is still into <strong>Plymouth</strong>s, owning a<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> Prowler in a yellow color, I<br />
believe. He may still have the two<br />
Road Runner convertibles too; I sure<br />
hope so. No <strong>Plymouth</strong> guy who is true<br />
blue could ever let those two go. I’m<br />
hoping he still has the Vitamin C<br />
Orange six-pack Runner that I also mentioned<br />
in the last article. I will check.<br />
Yes, I know I promised I’d write<br />
more about <strong>Plymouth</strong> C-bodies and will<br />
do that in the next issue. There is a<br />
1970 Fury III four-door hardtop, a 1972<br />
Fury II two-door hardtop and a 1968<br />
Clif’s Clif s Notes<br />
Something<br />
for everyone<br />
Fury VIP two-door hardtop on my June<br />
11th auction sale if you’d like one of<br />
these for a project. The 1972 is an easy<br />
restoration, very complete; the 1970 is<br />
not too bad either, but the VIP has most<br />
of the glass out of it. It is great for<br />
parts or an ambitious restoration.<br />
Getting back to Bill’s and our fun in<br />
those days. We had everything from ‘68<br />
Hemi Road Runners and 1970 ‘Cuda<br />
Hemi cars with elastomeric bumpers to<br />
basic <strong>Plymouth</strong>s like a 1967 Satellite<br />
318 hardtop doing those burnouts and<br />
having fun. I’m wishing I had some of<br />
the pictures from those days, but they<br />
are prints and not digital. If I live long<br />
enough, I will get some scanned and<br />
publish them in a future PLYMOUTH<br />
BULLETIN.<br />
Speaking of the BULLETIN, our<br />
buddy Jim Benjaminson in my home<br />
state here of North Dakota tells me of a<br />
guy from Australia who is looking for a<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> Scamp or Dodge Ram<strong>page</strong>. I<br />
have an ‘83 <strong>Plymouth</strong> Scamp (only year<br />
they built the <strong>Plymouth</strong> version) in<br />
white with a topper and two Dodge<br />
Ram<strong>page</strong>s to pick from. One is an<br />
-44-<br />
automatic and the other a five-speed<br />
model that I drove for over a year, after<br />
purchasing it. It has tranny trouble now<br />
but it still runs well.<br />
There is another auction of interest<br />
for <strong>Plymouth</strong> lovers coming up besides<br />
my own on June 11th. Yvette<br />
VanDerBrink tells me that the ‘73 340<br />
Cuda in the Soukup auction is really<br />
cherry. I would love to have it, but, as<br />
you all know, I am cutting back on my<br />
collection.<br />
My fiancée would love to have me<br />
keep my 1928 Dodge coupe. Maybe<br />
she will buy it, you never know. At the<br />
very least, since she loves it so much I<br />
will try, sometime before the sale, to<br />
take her for a ride in it. It will be so<br />
neat, the two of us driving down the<br />
two-lane in a 1928 Dodge. I just had a<br />
wild thought. We are getting married on<br />
April 20th. Maybe I can bring the car<br />
here to Mandan and we could drive the<br />
1928 from the church to the reception<br />
and dinner. MAYBE!<br />
My auction has those three ‘28<br />
Dodges and a set of ‘29 Dodge fenders<br />
plus a 1948 Dodge coupe minus the<br />
front clip. That’s about it for ‘20s<br />
through the ‘40s MOPARS. There’s not<br />
much in the ‘50s either, except a 1955<br />
Dodge four-door project car and a 1957<br />
Plaza four-door for lots of good parts.<br />
Once you get into 1960 and beyond,<br />
there are oodles of <strong>Plymouth</strong> and Dodge<br />
parts and cars. Hope to see you there<br />
on June 11th at Adams, North Dakota.<br />
There is a little something for everyone!<br />
That should be quite a sale in<br />
Nebraska, too; mostly <strong>Plymouth</strong> items<br />
there. Yvette VanDerBrink is doing the<br />
Soukup sale, too; same as mine.<br />
If you have questions about my sale<br />
or items there, look it up on<br />
vanderbrinkauctions.com or you can call<br />
me at 701-944-2729, home at Adams;<br />
701-331-9092, cell; our Bismarck home<br />
number is 701-258-2142.<br />
Thank you and best of motoring to<br />
you! It is April 2nd as I write this and<br />
there’s talk of another winter storm here<br />
this weekend. Yuk!<br />
-- CLIF CLIF NELSON<br />
clifn01@gmail.com
<strong>Plymouth</strong> Miniatures<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> calling<br />
What would you think if, out of<br />
the blue, I just up and called<br />
you on the phone? You'd<br />
probably first check the incoming number<br />
on your machine and, not recognizing<br />
it, hesitate prior to answering. It could<br />
be a crank call or someone wanting to<br />
sell you something you don’t want. I<br />
couldn’t blame you for not picking up<br />
the receiver. I'd likely do the same.<br />
Now, what might happen if you k<strong>new</strong><br />
beforehand that it was me, your<br />
PLYMOUTH BULLETIN columnist?<br />
Although most <strong>Plymouth</strong> owners do<br />
enjoy a chance to “talk <strong>Plymouth</strong>,” only<br />
few of you might recognize my name<br />
(nor would I expect you to).<br />
What if, however, I first<br />
told you that I was calling you<br />
on an honest-to-goodness<br />
“<strong>Plymouth</strong>” calling card.<br />
That’s right, a phone card paying<br />
homage to one of our<br />
own, in this case a 1947 P15<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong>, just like the one<br />
you see in the picture attached<br />
to this article. My guess<br />
would be: instant connection.<br />
This calling card was<br />
issued in the early ‘90s by a<br />
Brazilian telephone company<br />
called Telemar, and was valid<br />
for 60 minutes of chat time<br />
(obviously not limited to<br />
“<strong>Plymouth</strong>-speak”). According to the<br />
license plate on the <strong>Plymouth</strong>, it is a ‘47<br />
model and the car was originally from<br />
the city of Sao Paulo. The card further<br />
states (in Portuguese) that this vehicle is<br />
currently on display in the Antique Car<br />
Museum in the State of Ceara, which is<br />
in the northeast of Brazil. The street<br />
location of the museum is Avenida<br />
Manuel Sales de Andrade in the capital<br />
city of Fortaleza, in case you are in the<br />
area or planning a trip to Brazil and<br />
might want to visit. But you might<br />
want to call first. By the way, calling<br />
cards (not ones featuring <strong>Plymouth</strong>s!)<br />
were popularly used in Brazil prior to the<br />
cell phone era and at a time when fixedline<br />
phone communications were costly<br />
and still somewhat unreliable.<br />
Okay, so now I’ve picqued your<br />
interest and you’re ready and willing to<br />
pick up the phone. How about if I<br />
sweeten my little offer of calling you on<br />
a <strong>Plymouth</strong>-decorated phone card and<br />
invite you to a beach where you are<br />
assured of seeing a <strong>Plymouth</strong> or two?<br />
Sound to good to pass up? Probably<br />
does, especially if you live in the northern<br />
climes and are fed up with snow and<br />
cold right about now. Take a long, slow<br />
look at the beach scene in the postcard<br />
(attached as a picture) and it won't be difficult<br />
for you to envision standing by the<br />
phone or reaching for your cell with the<br />
hope that it doesn’t take long for my call<br />
to come through.<br />
The very inviting beach that you see<br />
is called Castanheiras (broadly translated<br />
to “Nut Tree Beach”) and is located in the<br />
municipality of Guarapari, a seaside town<br />
in the Brazilian state of Espirito Santo.<br />
From the writing on the reverse side of<br />
this card, one can establish that it was<br />
mailed in 1976. I suspect, however, that<br />
the senders used a postcard printed in an<br />
earlier time. My guess is that the postcard<br />
scene is of a mid-‘60s vintage, judging<br />
from the lineup of automobiles that<br />
appear to be overlooking the calm ocean<br />
waters and thoroughly enjoying the<br />
scene.<br />
While I am in the process of phoning<br />
to invite you for an afternoon at the<br />
beach, what really interests most of us,<br />
aside from the sunshine, blue skies and<br />
-45-<br />
placid sea, are the cars that brought the<br />
sunbathers to this destination. Like you,<br />
I first glanced at the antique vehicles<br />
(which is really why I bought this postcard<br />
in the first place) and only afterwards<br />
at the beach and its occupants. The third<br />
car from the right, and without doubt the<br />
one we most want to set our sights on,<br />
is a medium-blue ‘51 <strong>Plymouth</strong><br />
Cranbrook sedan with matching interior<br />
and whitewall tires. A closer view of the<br />
wheels tells me that this <strong>Plymouth</strong> wears<br />
the smaller, dog dish hubcaps and not the<br />
full wheel covers. Our<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> is also the oldest<br />
vehicle among those at the<br />
beach this day. It strikes me<br />
as being very well-maintained<br />
and preserved for the already<br />
15-or-so-year-old vehicle it<br />
was when the picture was<br />
shot. In contrast, I can see<br />
quite a bit of rust on the rear<br />
quarter panels of the Willys<br />
Rural Wagon to the right of<br />
our rust-free and dent-free<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong>.<br />
Under the shade trees to<br />
the right of the scene are<br />
numerous of other vehicles, but it is<br />
impossible to make out which brands<br />
might be present. It wouldn't surprise<br />
me a bit, though, to find another<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> or two at this beach outing.<br />
In case you are as curious as I am, I cannot<br />
fail to mention the other vintage<br />
vehicles that are keeping our ‘51<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> company on this gorgeous<br />
day. Starting from the left: a white<br />
DKW sedan (these little German compacts<br />
were actually manufactured in<br />
Brazil for awhile in the ‘60s), two Willys<br />
Rural Wagons (also made in Brazil) sandwiching<br />
our Cranbrook, a VW Beetle, a<br />
Renault Dauphine and, lastly, the only<br />
other American car representative I can<br />
make out, a ‘59 or ‘60 Pontiac or Olds,<br />
painted red with a white roof and also
sporting whitewalls with small hubcaps. If<br />
you think about it for a minute, this group<br />
would not fail to cause a buzz at any cruise-in<br />
or car show held nowadays, even if not assembled<br />
on a tropical beach.<br />
As I hang up the phone on this little<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> adventure, I am not suggesting that<br />
you cease filtering all your incoming calls<br />
before picking up the receiver or pushing the<br />
green button on your cell phone, but you<br />
might want to give second thoughts to that<br />
habit of not picking up or answering the telephone.<br />
There just might be an honest-togoodness<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> calling card on the other<br />
end and you might be receiving an invitation<br />
to a beach party with a bunch of vintage cars.<br />
By the way, if you really aren’t home<br />
when your phone does ring, or if you dropped<br />
your cell in the tub by mistake and it won’t<br />
power up, I hope that you were at the least<br />
out and about scouting for old postcards and<br />
other <strong>Plymouth</strong> memorabilia to bring along to<br />
the beach to show us the next time around.<br />
Pssssst… is that your phone? I hear ringing<br />
once again!<br />
-- Bill Brisbane<br />
williamb@helicon.net<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> Fireball 500 factory show car.<br />
(see <strong>page</strong> 13, #7)<br />
JIM BENJAMINSON PHOTO<br />
A T T E N T I O N C O L L E C T O R S ! ! ! !<br />
NO<br />
RESERVE<br />
Collector Vehicles, Parts, Vintage<br />
Snowmobiles At Auction!<br />
The Clif Nelson Collection<br />
Saturday - June 11th, 2011 At 10:00am<br />
7038 117th Ave. NE, Adams, North Dakota 58210<br />
Directions: From Grafton, N.D.- Follow Hwy 17, Approx. 45 miles, past Adams,<br />
ND to North on 117th Ave. NE to auction site. Follow signs!<br />
VanDerBrink Auctions is pleased to bring you this assortment of<br />
Collector Vehicles from Original Drivers to for project and parts along<br />
with HUNDREDS of MOPAR COLLECTOR PARTS and even vintage<br />
snowmobiles. Clif Nelson has been collecting cars for over 30 years<br />
and has decided to start a <strong>new</strong> chapter of his life and will offer his<br />
collection at No Reserve at auction to the highest bidder. There is<br />
something for everyone from Corvettes, 1970 Roadrunner, 1966<br />
<strong>Plymouth</strong> Drag Car to man, many MOPAR parts and more. You won’t<br />
want to miss this auction!<br />
HUNDREDS OF COLLECTOR CAR PARTS! 90% MOPAR-<br />
CHALLENGER, CHARGER & MORE!<br />
Many late 1950’s to 60’s and MANY,MANY, Used MOPAR 1962-1974<br />
parts! Chrome, Hubcaps, Rims, Speedo clusters, Clean Fenders,<br />
doors, hoods, deck lids, Many Seats, taillights, headlights, steering<br />
columns, some NOS small parts, Engines including 440 V-8’s, 383 V-<br />
8’s, and 318’s. 6 PACK #’s Correct for Coronet, and MANY MORE!!!<br />
SERVICE MANUALS FOR MOPAR, SOME SNOWMOBILE, AND<br />
OTHER ADVERTISING, 2-OLD GAS PUMPS! …<br />
COLLECTOR VEHICLES:<br />
CHEVROLET- Fabulous 1963 Chevrolet Impala SS Convertible, 283,<br />
AT, Fully Restored Driver! Wow- Original 1978 Chevrolet Corvette<br />
Silver Anniversary Edition, L48 350 V-8, At, Low Miles! Shows-27,500<br />
miles. Excellent Original 1978 Chevrolet Corvette Silver Anniversary<br />
Indy Pace Car, L48 350 V-8 engine, AT, Low Miles, Shows- 18,000<br />
miles, <strong>new</strong> tires, Eye Catcher! 1956 Chevrolet 4dr Sedan, Copper/<br />
Cream, 6cyl, 3spd, Clean Driver, Cool! 1953 Chevrolet 210 4dr Sedan,<br />
Black, Nice, 1978 Chevrolet Wrecker, Rebuilt 350 V-8 & Tranny-<br />
CHEVROLET FOR PROJECT-PARTS-ROD:<br />
1936 CHEVROLET 2DR SHELL, 1936 Chevrolet 2dr Sedan, 1947<br />
Chevrolet 4dr Sedan, 1949 Chevrolet 4dr Sedan, 1952 Chevrolet 2dr<br />
Sedan, and others for parts, some project, rod..<br />
FORD- PROJECT, PARTS OR ROD:<br />
1946 Ford 2dr Sedan, parts, 2-1949 FORD F-1 Pickups,1950 Ford<br />
Custom 2dr Shell,1951 ford 2dr Black, parts, 2-1953 Ford Sedans,<br />
parts, 3-1957 Ford Use Fairlanes, parts, pdf 1958 Mercury 4dr Sedan, 383<br />
V-8 , 3spd, project or parts, 1968 Ford LTD-DERBY!, 1952 Mercury<br />
4dr, parts, 1976 Mustang II Fast Back, parts or project, and other for<br />
mostly parts…<br />
1950 Desoto 4dr Sedan, 1954 Olds 4dr, Complete Project or Parts,<br />
There is also a variety of other late 1980’s to early 1990’s Vehicles<br />
for parts, some Drivers including 1997 Sebring JXI Convertible, 1998<br />
Chrysler Sebring JXI Special Edition Convertible- Bad Motor, 1983<br />
Chrysler New Yorker, Bad Tranny, and Many Horizon Compact Cars..<br />
PLYMOUTH:<br />
WOW! 1970 <strong>Plymouth</strong> Roadrunner, working air Grabber Hood, 383, at,<br />
blue, originally sublime green w/white top! Nice Driver! 1966 <strong>Plymouth</strong><br />
Belvedere II Drag Car! Roll Bars set up for racing, 380hp 360 CU V-8<br />
Engines. 12:5 ¼ Mile! Coool! Ready To Rock! 1951 <strong>Plymouth</strong> 2dr<br />
Coupe, Rolling Project, 1953 <strong>Plymouth</strong> 2dr ht, Project, 1957 <strong>Plymouth</strong><br />
Plaza 4dr, V-8, Manual, Project, more <strong>Plymouth</strong>s for Projects or Parts-<br />
DODGE:<br />
Restored 1928 Dodge Coupe, cream/brown, Beautiful!, 1976 Dodge<br />
Charger, 440 Magnum V-8, at, Nice Driver, Dodge for Project-parts:<br />
1928 Dodge 4dr Sedan, 1928 Dodge 4dr Sedan, Rough For Parts,<br />
1948 Dodge Coupe, 1955 Dodge Custom 4dr Sedan, V8, Manual,<br />
1963 Dodge 4dr Sedan, 1965 Dodge Coronet 4dr Sedan, 1966 Dodge Coronet 2dr Ht, Rolled, 1967 Dodge<br />
Coronet 500 4dr Sedan,2- 1968 Dodge Coronet 2dr Ht Shell, 2- 1967 Dodge Dart (1)gt 2dr ht, Parts, 1971<br />
Dodge Demon 2dr Fastback, 1972 Dodge Dart 2dr Ht, 2-1970 Dodge Chargers, Shell and for Parts, and<br />
More…<br />
VINTAGE SNOWMOBILES-ORIGINALS & PROJECTS:<br />
1972 Artic Cat Puma 340, 1977 Scorpion Sting 440, 1972 Scorpion Super Stinger III 440, 1973 Scorpion<br />
Stinger 340, 1975 Scorpion Whip 400, 1976 Scorpion Whip 440..<br />
Terms: Cash, Good Check/Letter of Available Funds preferred Credit Card w/limit. Payment in full Day of Sale. Removal Day<br />
of Sale or within 10 days. Titles for CASH, others mailed certified. All items Sold AS IS NO WARRANTY and ALL SALES ARE<br />
FINAL. ON-Line bidding available at www.proxibid.com and separate on-line terms apply. Driver’s License needed to get bidding<br />
number. NO BUYER’s PREMIUM for on-site bidders. Loading available.<br />
Can’t come to the auction Bid ON-Line www.proxibid.com<br />
Clif Nelson<br />
For Pictures, Hotels, Trucking, Inventory, and More Auctions:<br />
Owner WWW.VANDERBRINKAUCTIONS.COM<br />
Yvette VanDerBrink-Auctioneer ND #833<br />
VanDerBrink Auctions, LLC “The Lil’Nordstrom’s Gal”<br />
Dale Pavlis - Auctioneer ND #896 • Aaron Williams - Auctioneer ND #903 507-673-2517 or 605-201-7005<br />
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Bid<br />
On-line<br />
www.proxibid.com
Tom Mulligan’s 1949 Special Deluxe convertible<br />
Photo © By Don sPiro PhotograPhy<br />
Open Air<br />
– 1949<br />
Founded 1957