August 2016 Mass Cruisers Auto Club Newsletter

Mass Cruisers Auto Club Crusin’ at the speed of fun

We’re on the Web

Celebrating 25 years of Cruisin’ August 2016

Volume 26 Issue 8

www.masscruisers.com And Facebook

MONTHLY CRUISIN

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Contact us by snail mail: P.O. Box 217, Wrentham, MA 02093 Or by email: HO350@comcast.net

We’re on the Web! www.masscruisers.com

Our clubhouse is located at 124 Main Street, Norfolk, behind the Dunkin Donuts shop and across the street from the police station. For more information please call: 781 551-0520. Visitors, guests and those interested in joining the

Mass Cruisers Auto Club are welcome to attend one of our monthly meetings held on the third Tuesday of each month in Norfolk.

Directory

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Presidential Emissions

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July 7th Cruise winner: 1964 FIA Cobra Replica June 21st Cruise winner: 1939 Chevy Master Deluxe Sedan

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Club Officers President– John Buchanan Vice President—Diane Thornton Secretary—Patrick Touhey Treasurer—Wayne Lestan

Wausakum Live Steamers

By Diane Thornton

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Wausakum Live Steamers (continued)

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Newsletter Editor—Paul Saulnier

Medfield on the Charles (formerly Elm Bank)

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Facebook Admin. – Patrick Touhey

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-Auto Shows & Events Page

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----------------August Cruisin Massachusetts

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contact the newseditor@masscruicers.com for information about newsletter advertising options

Webmaster—Steve Vining

New Member Liaison—Don Cole Sgts. at Arms—Rick Lawlor & John Sturniolo Charity Coordination – Frank Bryant By-Laws – Roy Rossman MAAC Representative— John Buchanan

Special Events Cruise Night—Steve Huntington Car Show—Rich Armando Club Events Calendar – (open)

Monthly Cruisin

Presidental Emissions

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Sunday August 14 is the Car Show Goodie Bag Stuffing BBQ get together at Rick & Paula Lawlor‟s garage in Walpole. This year there will be no parking cars on the grass as the yard was under construction. The club will provide grilled burgers & hot dogs but you can bring your pot luck offerings, side dishes and folding chairs to relax and enjoy the company of your fellow car members after experiencing the Henry Ford like production line precision that Rick and Mike Rabbitt cobble together each year to fill over 300 Goodie Bags with all the free stuff that UPS & FedEx trucks have been delivering to David Circle over the past six months.

The following Saturday, August 20 is when club members set up the show field under Zeke Sawayer‟s capable direction at the Wrentham Fairgrounds for the 25th Annual AutoFest Car Show on Sunday August 21.

Go figure; the past few years when we did our show on Saturday, the State also declared that to be the Sales Tax free weekend which had an impact on show attendance. So, we move the show back to its traditional 3 rd Sunday in August, which we‟ve done for about 20 years, and Charlie Baker says no Sales Tax Free weekend this year, the state can‟t afford to lose that revenue.

Our annual car show is the one event where we would like to see all hands on deck to help make this, our 25th Annual Show, the best one yet. Our Car Show Chairman Rich Armando has said that his job is made easy because so many members have always stepped up and taken on the responsibility of running our annual show like a well-tuned engine. If you haven‟t yet signed up for a job assignment at one of the monthly meetings, email Rich to let him know what time and how long you will be able to attend. The show will be open from 6 am for the early birds until we cleanup until after 3 pm when later arriving members can really help us wrap up another successful Autofest. The show food vendor will have breakfasts available for those early birds..

I‟m sure there may be a hiccup or two our members could experience due to the layout changes that Zeke Sawayer had to work out for the Fireman‟s Muster, but to the show car owners, vendors and spectators that attend, these will hardly be noticed because the cars and events always overshadow any miscues. Our show is always better than most car shows around and is always looked forward to each year by a loyal group of car owners and spectators. As always, it is a rain or shine event so you don‟t have to call anyone to know if we will be there. We will be there even if it is snowing in August. I would also suggest that you bring a cooler with your favorite beverage although we will have water available in coolers for our club members to stay cool and hydrated.

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July 7th Cruise Winner Unique Motorcars 1964 289 FIA Cobra Replica

We see Bill Traut driving his son Joe‟s Unique Motors 289 FIA Cobra 1964 replica to our cruise almost every other Thursday and what stands out is its unique and rare LeMans racing hardtop with an unmistakable driver‟s side bubble. That bubble was molded into the aerodynamic low profile hardtop to allow headroom for Dan Gurney‟s racing helmet. The original Shelby FIA Cobras were campaigned from 1963 to 1965 until the Ford Daytona Coupes were available in 1964. Originally based upon the AC Bristol chassis and body design, Carroll Shelby built them to compete in Europe racing against Ferrari‟s.

These Unique Motors replicas are as close to the original design as possible as racers and this particular Cobra was time trial raced for three years on the New Hampshire International, Pocono, Bridgehampton and Sainte-Croix, Quebec road courses. This model has the venerable 289 Cobra V8 engine with four dual-Webber carburetors coupled to a top loader 4 speed tranny. It has the Salisbury Jaguar independent rear suspension with Dana 44 gears.

The front suspension uses a unique design tubular Arm with Carrera adjustable coilover springs/shocks, and Wilwood disk brakes. It also utilizes Mustang spindles with anti-sway bar and original style rack & pinon steering. Other unique features are the molded trunk, sized for the mandatory FIA equipment suitcase, held closed with a bungee cord, a front braced roll bar and the fuel filler through the canopy to the rear turtle deck. It is unique, iconic and fun to drive according to Bill and Bass Pro Shops Events Coordinator Bob Berkowitz agrees.

Monthly Cruisin

July 21 Cruise Winner

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1939 Chevrolet Master Deluxe Sedan Bob & Kathy MacDonald were former members of the Mass Cruisers for quite a few years but, after retiring from Verizon, they moved up to New Hampshire five years ago to be closer to their adult children and their families who had put down their roots in the Granite State. Every year since that move they do make it down to our Bass Pro Shops cruise in Foxborough for a kind of reunion visit driving their cool looking navy blue & white 1939 Chevrolet Master Deluxe resto street rod cruiser. Bob Berkowitz, the Bass Pro Shops Events coordinator and grill meister for the Uncle Buck‟s outside burger & hot dog setup at our cruise, spotted the Chevy driving in and quickly went over to talk to Bob & Kathy about the car which he fell in love with.

The more he saw up close the more he liked it and he came back and announced, “I found the cruiser of the night pick for the Vintage Motorsports sponsored cruise award plaque.” Well, not exactly in those words.

Bob has had the Chevy for 6 years and all he had to do is upgrade some of the mechanicals and wiring using the Ron Francis kit. It has the popular Chevy 350 V8 engine coupled to a 350 tranny with a 10 bolt rear. It has a Mustang II independent front suspension with disc brakes with drum brakes in the rear which has a Chassis Engineering leaf rear suspension. Inside the cockpit are Bronco front bucket seats with the stock rear upholstered in Navy blue suede. This is a comfortable highway cruiser that gets thumbs up and is instantly eye catching with its unique Navy blue over white color scheme. Along with the award plaque, they also get 2 adult passes to The Hall at Patriot Place, 2 entrees with beverages at the Blue Fin Lounge, a fudge sampler from Uncle Buck‟s in the Bass Pro Shops and a Menchie‟s Frozen Yogurt Cake to take back home in a cooler the next time the visit us.

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Monthly Cruisin

Wausakum Live Steamers July 17,2016

By Diane Thornton A day full of meeting enthusiastic train-builder hobbyists is a day full of lessons about craftsmanship and genuine commitment to keeping a hobby alive. Our morning arrival had 6 or 7 of the scale model, working engines all fired-up with their “engineers” very willing to talk and explain the engine‟s systems and answer any questions. Many of the “engineers” had built their model from scratch! Every Waushakum member was gracious, talented, and wonderfully enthusiastic.

The president of the Waushakum Live Steamers club is Jim O‟Neil who was my contact for arranging the day.

Jim had a designated parking spot for our cars, so as we arrived he directed us to our spot and we could rest easy for our visit that our cars were safe. That parking arrangement also allowed other attendees a chance to view our vehicles – much like a mini-car show…

Probably the highlight of the visit was the train rides you could take as a passenger sitting behind one of these model engines.

The club has miles of track through their acreage. There are bridges you go over and under and even a tunnel to go through! There are whimsical decorations here and there. Hobo graffiti. Water silos for filling the steam engines. Small buildings as other train depots. The main train station has a circular hub that the trains are brought down from their prep area and easily rolled onto the proper track.

Our group of 6 cars included Steve and Annie Huntington and their granddaughter, Bridget; Bob and Ann Hines and their granddaughters, Avery and Mackenzie; John Buchanan; Patrick Tuohey; Wayne and his friend, Mike; and me! My daughter, Kelsey, and her boyfriend, Jared, arrived even before our car group! Larry Nyborn‟s daughter, son-in-law, and twin grandchildren were also spotted later in the day!

After lunch time, some of us headed to have an ice cream at the Black Cow in Millis.

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Wausakum Live Steamers July 17,2016

Above. Diane, Kelsey and Jared talk with a very enthusiastic Waushakum Live Steamers member, Joe. He was an engaging talker and was very willing to share his stories and fun. He‟s also a model airplane builder!

Above. Wayne and I both thought the Budweiser car behind the engine would be a cooler for beer! We were allowed to look inside to find two propane tanks and two car batteries. This engine is propane powered – only finished being built the week before! I happened to luck out and be a passenger on it‟s inaugural ride pulling passengers!

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Monthly Cruisin

Medfield on the Charles Formerly Elm Bank

Wayne Lestan (that’s him with Marilyn Monroe) won first place 68 through 82 Corvettes at the Medfield on the Charles Show (formally Elm Bank).

John Buchannan trophy awards were; a 5 ft. tall “Tony Jarvis Red Line Award” for his 1961 Impala SS because 1961 Impala SS was the first year Chevrolet introduced a limited number of their Super Sport series of muscle cars. as well as a 3rd Place Class Award trophy. That‟s Marilyn with John‟s „61(he was too shy to stand next to her).

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2016 July Cruising Massachusetts

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Monthly Cruisin

August 2016

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Member meetings are held the 3rd Tuesday of each month at the Norfolk MA clubhouse.

The quickest way to get the contempt of strangers is to drive at or below the speed limit.

P.O. Box 217 Wrentham, MA 02093