kruz10_2 - The Foothills Street Rod Association

Volume 10 Issue 2 April 2010
Kruisin’ News – April 2010
Bill Matheson
Hey, Colonel, Darryl Onia talked me into putting a
312 in the Merc, and it’s running real good. But, the
valve guides are loose and – can you fix them for
me?
Gasp! Wheeze! Loud swearin’.
Geez, Kenny, relax man. It’s April 1 st .
***
Flames vs. Colorado, St. Patrick’s Day: Well, players
other than the good captain score, and the Flames
win one, against a tough team. Hey, there’s a
concept.
***
Canadian hockey teams should have Canadian
hockey players. American hockey teams should have
American players. Russian hockey teams should
have Russian hockey players, and so on and so on.
Otherwise, where’s the patriotism, or rivalry? What
are you cheering or playing for? Oh yeah, money.
And that’s another game.
***
Stripping small time f-up, Steve Fonyo, of his Order
of Canada medal, is pretty chickenshit. Why not go
after Conrad Black? He’s a real criminal. No guts,
Madame Jean?
***
Now some moron scientist wants to reflect the sun’s
rays back into space to halt global warning. That’ll go
over with birds and pilots.
***
Great movie lines: “Have you put on weight? A
picture of your ass would weigh three pounds.” Good
Morning, Vietnam.
***
Pizza news: It’s fun for me to watch Domino’s
apologetic “We promise to do better” commercials
(Papa John’s knocking them over). I called on
Domino’s several years ago and found them
arrogant, money-obsessed and claimed they would
“put all those old Greeks out of business”. Want a
good pizza? Call an old Greek, or Papa John.
Adios, Dominos.
***
Dion Phaneuf says, “If Wayne Gretzky can be traded,
anyone can get traded.” Sorry, monsieur, but you’re
not in Wayne’s world, who, for the record, wasn’t
traded; he was sold. You were traded.
***
Anyone who blabs out their guts on the Internet is, to
use an old boxing phrase, “leading with their chin”. Or
ass, or money, or i.d., or whatever someone else is
hunting.
***

2 Foothills Kruizin'
It’s True! You can rub Tims belly for luck!
***
Imperial Oil profits tumble 19% and CEO Bruce Mack
whines, “Lower oil and gas prices and lower demand
for energy products create challenging business
condition.” My answer to Bruce would be, “For you,
maybe. The rest of us who pay $5 a gallon for gas
and $300 a month for home heating would like to see
your suffering increased, significantly.”
***
When Fats Domino and his band toured the South in
the early ‘50s, service stations would sell them gas
but not allow them use of the restrooms. Small
wonder they didn’t care much for whitey.
***
911 Terrorists didn’t need weapons of mass
destruction; they used ours. Pretty good fake. We’re
still chasing them. Tough tracking in the sand, eh
Sam?
***
In Rick Coleman’s book Blue Monday (Fats Domino
bio), it says Tab Hunter sang his number one hit,
“Young Love”, on the Perry Como show. Tab might
have done that, I don’t know, but as I recall it was a
Sonny James number one hit. Tab’s hit parade try
was “Red Sails in the Sunset”, and far from number
one.
***
Ever since I had pockets, Pop used to tell me, “Billy,
it’s okay to go home while you still have money.” Boy,
if he could only see me now. Hell, there are Mondays
these days when I’ve still got twenty bucks.
***
Barry Klassen collared us at the car show and read
the new provincial out-of-province vehicle inspection
rules. Now I reckon it’s easier to emigrate from
Somalia than to register a car from Saskatchewan.
Barry says that these rules also apply to any Alberta
vehicle with lapsed registration. Advice? Keep up
your paperwork, and don’t talk to Klassen.
***
Can’t wait to see Keith Downey’s Fordy coupe. I hear
it’s righteous. Good Fordy cats know no other way.
***
In the February news I mentioned the cool stacks on
Russ Paquette’s ’58 Ford pickup, 300” six. I should
also have said that it was split, rapped off like a
rockslide, and was a going concern.
***
March 1 st , winter chores all caught up: new heads,
un-squawked speedo cable, un-squeaked gas tank
straps, Seal-All’d fan shroud from Jocko (soon), and
we’re summer time hauling. Fun Finder, first run to
Black Diamond, mid-May. Fort Nelson famous
Shirlee book tour mid-June. Zodiac, pickin’, critters,
Pils, cookin’, Alaska Highway. With any luck we’ll find
some fun.
***
Joannie Rochette, there’s class.
***
Hot curler Cheryl Bernard might have won Olympic
gold if she hadn’t changed her hairstyle.
***
Dave Ness told me a sad story about his pal Mike
Bishop, American Rodder writer and builder of a
swell “A” roadster. Dave said the roadster was dealt
off in a business deal. I remember Mike’s
inspirational words when the car came out: “Some
dreams burn brighter the longer they’re held.” He
must be heartbroken.
***

Foothills Kruizin' 3
***
Early March ’10 roadster run: The “J” to
Tsawwassen, ferry country. For me, no trip to the
coast is right without rolling through the Fraser
Canyon, and coming home needs a twist up the
Okanagan Valley. Had a great three-day stay at
Britt’s and Cam’s; watched g’kid Will score a hot goal
and nab game MVP. Meanwhile, little sister, other
g’kid Nicola, is pounding those 88s. These kids
compete musically, a great environment.
There is one reliable ever-repeating
occurrence I can count on whenever I go to
Vancouver. The instant I turn off Highway 1, I’m lost.
***
Great quotes: “Don’t be blinded by my brilliance,
boy.” Thomas Legg.
***
Norm Grabowski is vegan. Growing up on a chicken
farm will do that.
***
***
World of Wheels, Feb. 20 – what fun, and privilege to
join John Shubach’s orange ’52 Merc custom, Trevor
Landage’s red ’50 Ford pickup, Bryan Long’s blue
Fordy pickup, for this four-rig knockout gig. The Ford
Quartet was a big hit, lots of familiar faces, lots of
new rigs too. That’s a good sign. The Merc picked up
an “Outstanding in Class” award. Nice. But we
already knew that.
***
Ain’t no hood hinges like Jeep hood hinges. Ever see
a Jeep with a poor fitting hood? You won’t, neither.
They use industrial quality barn door jobs, big bolts,
no springs, fits like the lid on a tool box.
***
Our thanks to Dieter E., for the cool bumper rod
shots. Good fun.
***
So, Bob Meek has moved to the coast. Damn. Now
I’ll have to find a new advisor.
Happy trails, Bob and Karen. Stay afloat.
***
Gotta steer clear of Glen Montgomery now that he’s
a slippery Auto Maxx yard shark. For years he’s been
trying to do me out of my prized TJ, mumbling about
a channeled deuce five-window, four brand new
Hurst Syncro-loc shifters, a couple of 389 tri-power
Pontiac mills. Whew! He gets a guy to swoonin’.
***
***
I knew Trevor wouldn’t keep a red truck. He’s not
over that green Merc.
***
Got any zinc in your oil? Check it out if you’re running
flat tappets.
***

4 Foothills Kruizin'
Fun A&W run mid-March, but first I digress. The
previous Saturday at10:00 a.m., I’m cruising through
Penticton heading for buddy Russ’s excellent hidden
valley Lumby spread, cell phone rings, Dave Meyer,
social call, chat, put him on to the Foothills A&W deal
next Wednesday. Good visit, ten or so rusty rodders.
Dave’s busy building hotrods for his family. You’re a
good man, tin man. Too much aluminum? Nah, you
shoulda had more.
***
***
At the 2010 new car show in early March I saw a
Lamborghini for $460,000. Italian cars, here it is: if
someone gave me $460,000 cash on the condition I
had to buy a new Lamborghini to keep I’d put the
dough in a pail in their showroom, light it up and
fugetaboudit.
***
Great movie line: “You can’t play poker with a
Chinaman. You can’t tell what they’re thinking.” John
Wayne, True Grit.
***
On oil royalties mess, Premier Ed says, “We’re taking
a smaller slice of the pie, but we’re making a bigger
pie.” Where was that barnyard logic two years ago?
Geez Ed, speaking of pies, you’ve stepped in a lot of
them. Start paying attention.
***
Pickin’. A few years back I didn’t know a G-chord
from a jack-handle, and now I’m coaching Cadillac
Bob on strings. Changed from Martin mediums to
D’addario lights. Nice twangy tone, especially on the
J-50.
***
It’s good I never had a deuce coupe; couldn’t have
kept it and would have missed it my whole life. Poor
Bob Cantin, for example. A guy can always find
another ‘40 Ford, but a deuce three-window? That’s
another set of tracks, hey Wolfy? And who, except for
Falvo and LaRose, ever missed their ’55 Chev?
***
***
Big fun taking Fordy for a sunny Sunday blast, mid-
March. Heading over to Kenny’s shop, figured to
phone ahead to see if his alley was dry. But then I
thought, if I do that he’ll tell me to go home and get
the Subaru.
***

Foothills Kruizin' 5
I dig my friend Terry Murphy’s cool class: he’s flat out
over the top but always stops short of mayhem. I’ll
never forget meeting his wife Jan at a Didsbury run.
Fordy’s back door was open. She perched right up
on the rear seat, raised a hand upside her mouth,
and spoke out the door, “Next!”
Love ya, Taz. Fordy will never forget you.
***
Seal All: pretty cool stuff. Had a hairline crack in the
Merc’s stainless steel fuel tank (backed over a
stump, I think); last year’s JB weld fix was seeping.
Scraped it down, covered it with Seal All. Amazing
stuff. It chemically disperses the leaking fuel as it
cures (solvent reduction). It’s not cute, looks like a
wad of gum, but it seals all.
***
***
Bill Monroe was a founder of Bluegrass and Rock
and Roll, and had a hard time keeping players in his
Bluegrass Boys Band. He was strict: no drinking,
flirting, cussing, long hair, and you had to wear a suit
and hat. All that was just too much to ask of most
country boy pickers, who, by nature, are party stars.
Over the years spin-offs from Mr. Monroe’s band
were fabulous: Flatt and Scruggs, Mac Wiseman,
Jimmy Martin, Del McCoury, Peter Rowan, and
dozens more. Mr. Monroe was a college.
***
New Foothills prez Trevor says he’s not travelling
anywhere with me, because he isn’t into washing two
trucks. Geez, takes me to the car show and then
drops me. Who needs him? Us Foothills cats, that’s
who. You’re doing a good job, buddy.
***
The only thing I miss about Holley carbs is the
thrilling throaty roar of 700 cfm going down the air
horn. For all out go, you couldn’t beat them, but for
street use today, Vic’s AFBs got it worked out.
Somebody’s got to tell Geoff Carr.
***
I’ve got a 16-ounce bottle of Meguiar’s Mirror Glaze
Polish I bought in ‘93. The price tag reads Duncan
Automotive, $12.84. It’s full. I know! I’ll offer it to
Trevor for five bucks. He’ll grab it.
***
My best all time gasket scraping tool is a cut-down
(2” blade) bevel-sharpened hardwood handled Red
Devil, made in Union, New Jersey, USA. On a desert
island, you’d want one of these. Can’t buy them now.
***
I didn’t realize it at the time, but one of the coolest
things about Tommy Ivo’s T-bucket was the ’37 tube
axle. How I loved this car. I was just 17.
***
I prize the last pieces I got from Guy Tofsrud: a pair
of fenders and’56 Ford pickup doors, wrecker
crayoned in yellow, “Bill, ’56 Ford”. They’re in the
hallowed corner (under my back-up Fordy grill).
Maybe some day I’ll run them as is. Ratty? Nah, just
lazy.
***
America’s debt is how many trillion? To who? And
why? Who holds the paper, and what if they call it?
Oh yeah, they are. It’s called trade imbalance, or
printed money, or recession, or something like that.
***

6 Foothills Kruizin'
***
So, where have you been for hotrod fun?
Where did you go on a fast ramblin’ run?
I’ve been out in front of a dozen dead flatheads,
I watched a hundred straight sixes fall down in the
ditches,
I saw ten thousand nailheads lined up at the foundry,
And it’s hard … it’s hard …
‘Cause Mr. Duntov 1-2-3-4-5, killed ‘em all.
***
Get your cap beak flat, so you can see. Don’t like the
peering-out-of-a culvert look. That’s for bank robbers
and guys named Dallas.
***
Tired of your cool hotrod? Want a motor home?
Boat? Camper? PT Cruiser? You’re old. Me, I’m old
all right, but the rigs are staying. Might get more.
Need something windy.
***
***
No God in any religion ever instructed its followers to
kill people of other religions. That’s man’s work.
***
Great movie lines: “You’ve got breath like a hot
mince pie.” John Wayne to his tippling Irish sergeant,
in “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon”, 1950 duster.
***
In Calgary there’s always lots to talk about: weather
for example.
***
Heard Carl Perkins’ great cover of Roll Over
Beethoven. He made the beat his own, didn’t steal off
Chuck Berry.
***
“There needs to be a higher work ethic, and until the
team realizes that, understands that, you get what
you get.” Flames coach Brent Sutter, Calgary Herald,
March 28, 2010.
In the business world, any manager who said those
words would be fired before he could sit down.
What’s the hold up?
***

Foothills Kruizin' 7
Every day a lot of good folks do a lot of good work. I
hope somebody appreciates that.
***
Bob Dylan knew that the times they were a’changing,
because he thought about it.
***
Face what you must, pray for the strength to endure
and the balance to survive.
***
Without family and friends, you’re nothing. Look after
them, and yourself. Stay open minded, rust free, and
limber, even though it becomes difficult.
Learn something. We’ll talk about it.
Billy.
***
Will I Live To See 80?
I recently picked a new primary care
doctor. After two visits and exhaustive
Lab tests, he said I was doing 'fairly well'
for my age.
(I just turned 60.)
A little concerned about that comment, I
couldn't resist asking him,
'Do you think I'll live to be 80?'
He asked, 'Do you smoke tobacco, or
drink beer or wine?'
'Oh no,' I replied. 'I'm not doing drugs,
either!'
Then he asked, 'Do you eat rib-eye
steaks and barbecued ribs?
'I said, 'Not much... my former doctor said
that all red meat is very unhealthy!'
'Do you spend a lot of time in the sun, like
playing golf, sailing, hiking, or bicycling?'
'No, I don't,' I said.
He asked, 'Do you gamble, drive fast
cars, or have a lot of sex?'
'No,' I said.
He looked at me and
said,... 'Then why do you even give a
shit?
4504 12 th St. N.E. Bay 12 Ph:250-3861
Calgary, AB T2E 4R2 Fax: 291-4274
Dale, Ben, Mike, Ian
Award Winning Upholstery
Vans, Rods, Trucks, Boats, Commercial
Family Owned & Operated

8 Foothills Kruizin'
402 - 14 th Street N.W.
Calgary, Alberta T2N 1Z7
(403) 283-6615
Waymore Service & Auto Recyclers
Box 115, Didsbury, AB T0M 0W0
USED AUTO & TRUCK PARTS
TOWING • GENERAL REPAIRS
Rick Way 335 9525 MOBILE:
335 9526 1-555-0221

Foothills Kruizin' 9
Agapé Hospice
Trevor Landage and Doug Wozak present Elva Jolly with
FSRA’s 2009 donation
On February 8 2010 schedules aligned and Elva Jolly
of the Salvation Army’s Agapé Hospice was able to
join us at our club meeting and accept the FSRA’s
cheque for $5000. If schedules had allowed this
presentation would have taken place at Decembers
AGM.
Elva informed us that the funds Agapé receives from
FSRA go directly to their resident care program. Elva
also informed the club that we have so far donated in
excess of $30,000 to Agapé and that the hospice had
plans in the works to formally recognize the club for
it’s support.
Agapé Hospice honours many of the donors who
have contributed to Agape’s success and growth with
a uniquely beautiful butterfly plaque on their “Butterfly
Wall”. Recognition levels begin at $10,000
On March 15, 2010 the FSRA was officially
recognized as a patron of Agapé Hospice on their
sponsor “butterfly board”.
Upon arrival FSRA members were met by Elva Jolly
and Colleen Clancy and treated to coffee and
doughnuts.
Trevor Landage, Don Keith, Gary Savage and Doug
Wozak were in attendance for the Foothills club.
Elva and Colleen escorted us on a full tour of hospice
facilities and grounds.
We learned of hospice background and improvement
projects to date, plus future plans geared to heighten
hospice awareness.
As always, FSRA’s support continues to be
graciously appreciated by our friends at Agape!

10 Foothills Kruizin'
FSRA Voluntary Safety Inspection
April 17, 2010
Foothills will be holding a spring Safety Lane for club
members in April one day prior to Spring Thaw.
Inspectors: Jacques Berube and Chuck Dykstra
The FSRA safety Inspection event is a yearly
opportunity for club members to go over their cars
with an “extra set of eyes” to look for potential
problems. Chuck and Jacques base their inspections
on the NSRA’s “Safety 23″ program, in which they
are both fully qualified. The inspection is of an
advisory nature and is intended to allow owners to
participate and become more aware of their cars
build, wear, and performance, all with safety in mind.
FSRA Pot Luck Supper – April 24
Mark April 24 on your calendar
FSRA Pot Luck Supper at Meadowlark Park
Community Centre
623-58th. Ave. S.W.
Calgary, AB.
Contact Ida Hardstaff @ 403-259-4764 for details
and needs.
2010 Northwest Cruise Calander
The 2010 Northwest Cruise Calendar is out. Look for
hard copies at Sponsors stores and club meetings.
The online version of the calendar is accessible at
the Northwest Cruise Calendar website.
You can also download a full printable
copy of the calendar in PDF form from
the website.

Foothills Kruizin' 11

12 Foothills Kruizin'
FSRA.CA
Foothills Street Rod
Association is online in a
new format at a new location;
http://fsra.ca
If you’ve experienced
problems reaching our old
fsra.org website over the past
six to eight months you’re
not alone. This new site
should solve those issues
and present more up to date
information about the club
and its activities.
If you’re a club member and
interested in blogging, drop
Mike a line and become an
author.
Foothills Kruizin’ in your
Mailbox
We’ve been receiving requests
from folks to receive this
newsletter by post, so here’s
the deal;
For $XX per year we’ll mail you
your own personal copy of
Foothills Kruizin’. That’s six
issues per year, mailed the
week following the Second
Monday of each even
numbered month, (except for
the August Fun Run issue and
December’s AGM issue that
have special print schedules.
They will be mailed within a day
or two of printing.)
Rates (Canadian Funds);
Canada $10.00
U.S.A. $12.00
Overseas $18.00
If you’re interested send a
cheque payable to the Foothills
Street Rod Association to;
Foothills Kruizin’ 88 Galway
Crescent. S.W. Calgary, Alberta
Canada, T3E 4Y5
The newsletter is free off of our
web site.
Foothills Information Line
If you're in the Calgary area you
can call 235-7839 for FSRA
information.
Check out our Web Site at
http://www.fsra.ca
Next Issue June 2010!
Foothills Kruizin’
Vol.10, No 2 April 2010
FSRA President Trevor
Vice President
Landage
Don Keith
Past President Doug Wozak
Secretary Marilyn
Kerrison
Treasurer Ida Hardstaff
Director of
Deanna
Membership
Lammle
Director of
Leo
Inventory
Hartfelder
SVAA
Kevin
Representative Williamson
Lee Murray
Al Hardstaff
Myron
Petersen
Mike
Melanson
Sunshine Eleanor
Berube
Website Mike Siewert
Newsletter
Editor
Mike Siewert
Contributors....…. Bill Matheson
Mike Siewert
Printer...............……..... Staples
Advertising rate, 3 column inches
or Business card, $50 per year.
Half page, $150 per year Full
Page, $300 per year/ $50 per
Month
Contributions,
Inquiries to:
Advertising and
Michael Siewert 88 Galway
Crescent. SW Calgary, Alberta
Canada, T3E 4Y5
Telephone (403) 242-4159 Fax
(403) 289-9488 email
mdsiewer@ucalgary.ca
Foothills Kruizin’ is the bimonthly
newsletter of the Foothills Street Rod
Association, P.O. Box 30294, Chinook
P.O. Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2H
2V9. Distributed, at meetings, Free to
all members of the Foothills Street Rod
Association, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.