January 2018 Mass Cruisers Newsletter

Mass Cruisers Auto Club Crusin’ at the speed of fun

January 2018 INSIDE: “mesh new england” magazine Publisher and technical editor guest speakers at our November monthly meeting. Pages 6 & 7 NEWS FLASH: FOR BREAKING NEWS ON THE UPCOMING 2018 MASS CRUISERS EVENTS SEASON See Pages 3, 4 & 5

INSIDE: MAAC Massachusetts Legislative updates see Page 11

UPDATE: Texas DMV Dune Buggy Ban Halted Page 8 We’re on the Web

Celebrating 27 Years of Cruisin’ Volume 27 Issue 1

January 2018

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. 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.

Club Officers

Directory

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From The Shotgun Seat

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President– Ed Beatty

Bass Pro Shops Cruise

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Vice President—Diane Thornton

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Secretary—Patrick Touhey Asst. Secretary—OPEN

2018 Club Events Mesh New England

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Mesh New England

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guest speakers guest speakers

Treasurer—Wayne Lestan Asst. Treasurer- Kevin Rushlow At Large Board Member: Steve Huntington

Texas Dune Buggy Part 2

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Support our Advertisers

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Webmaster—Steve Vining

Wreaths Across America

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Newsletter Editor— John Buchanan

MAAC Legislative Update

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Facebook – Patrick Touhey

Special Assignments

New Member Liaison—Don Cole

Due to limited Newsletter space, advertising is only available for club member businesses and Cruise Night sponsors.

For details contact:

SSgts. at Arms—Rick Lawlor & John Sturniolo

newseditor@masscruisers.com

MAAC Rep — John Buchanan

Charity Coord. – Frank Bryant

By-Laws – Roy Rossman

Cruise Nights—Steve Huntington Sponsors – John Buchanan & Fred Tierney Club Events – Rich Armando

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Monthly Cruisin

From The Shotgun Seat Vice President Diane Thornton

Times have changed Club members voted at the December 12 Business meeting to concentrate exclusively on our 15 bi-weekly Thursday Bass Pro Shop cruises at Patriot Place. Before the vote, an information session for the members in attendance outlined the opportunity of running a flea market using the May date that the SSAAC Trading Bee used after formally ending their 60-year run, our club’s 26 year history of running an annual car show, and the financial picture as a car club operating only the bi-weekly cruises. Of course, the outcome of this vote meant that the club, while deciding not to do a flea market, also decided to end our own annual August Car Show for 2018.

The club committee that reviewed the finances of the club indicated that with some increase in cruise flyer advertising, that the club could carefully adjust budgets and go forward with just the cruise nights. Our annual car show began 26 years ago as the primary way to raise funds for the club, and in recent years seen quite an increase in competition from other car events held on the same day. We also experimented with different formats when the show was moved to the Wrentham Development Center Fairgrounds. Unquestionably, the Mass Cruisers’ Car Show (Autofest) is a well-known and respected grand event nurtured and fine-tuned all these years…the members never questioned the value of the car show at all. As a matter of fact, I am sure it was a somewhat sad choice (or outcome) for some.

Change can be a good thing I believe the majority of our members wanted to pursue a more streamlined club where more time can be spent cruising as a club and experiencing other events. The value and reputation of the Bass Pro Shops cruise nights appears to satisfy our club members’ participation/volunteer quotas. All other weekday nights and weekends are now free to fill with new adventures, as well as continuing to participate and support annual events like the Seekonk Speedway opening race weekend Show & Go in April and the Annual South Attleboro Lions Club Car Show at LaSalette in Attleboro in August. This will also allow us to expand member participation at weekend events at the Adirondack Nationals in Lake George, NY; Old Orchard Beach Maine Cruise Weekend, NSRA Northeast Nationals in Burlington, VT; and the October Provincetown, MA. Cruise Weekend. In other words, continue to put more CRUISIN back into the Mass Cruisers! Just like the going back to 1991, the beginning ideals of the start of the club…get together and play with our cars!

Adventures are queuing!

I’d also like to happily point out that more monthly club member events like poker runs, destination cruises and car show events are already being planned! Members present at the meeting on Dec. 19 voted past Car Show Chairman Richie Armando to the long vacant post of Event Coordinator …and since the car show has been retired, Richie indicated his willingness to continue his contributions.

I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge and bestow kudos and thanks to Richie and all the club members that worked every year on all the details for running our successful annual car shows. There’s a lot of work and time that go into many aspects of the show. Our annual car show team of club members developed a well calibrated engine that was tuned up and evaluated every year and was a lot of fun for everyone to be a part of! The goal was always to grow and be better – and it was! I want thank everyone that made our car shows a success. Thanks for everything!

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2018 Club Events Future Events Co-Ordinator Richie Armando

As you all know by now, the club has decided not run our annual auto show this year. During the past few months many members have stated that they would like to do more fun things with and without our cars during the course of the year. To accomplish this we must be organized in getting the word out and actually scheduling the things you members would like to do. At the December membership meeting I volunteered to coordinate the clubs events. What I am looking for is members to come up with ideas that they think the club would be interested in doing. At that point we can assign a date to run this cruise. It will be your responsibility to pick a departure time and location then map out a route to take ending up at the destination. If you feel like getting something to eat after our visit then you should find a restaurant on the way home that we could stop at. If you have an idea of something you think the members would like to do but don’t know how to organize it, I would be more than willing to help you. I will not run it but will help you by walking you through what it takes to run a successful cruise that everyone will enjoy. Here is a perfect opportunity to be active and enjoy other activities other than working our successful cruise night.

Here is what I came away with from the meeting on some things we plan to do: 1) Fred Tierney has set the date of the clubs annual anniversary party to be on Saturday May 12, 2018. Dinner at The Old Colonial in Norwood (4 to 6:30pm) followed at 7:30 PM by “The Everly Brothers Experience” at the Norwood Theater.

2) John Buchanan will plan a cruise to the Newport Car Museum, starting with morning coffee at the Audrain Museum’s Newport Mansion Cars & Coffee and ending with a seaside lunch in Bristol (Times & Date To Be Determined) 3) Rose & Zeke Sawayer will plan a cruise to the New England Wireless & Steam Museum (Time & Date To Follow) 4) Rich Armando will plan another of his fun poker runs (Time & Date To Be Determined) We do not have to limit things to the cruise season as we should plan activities that we can attend during the winter months. Doing something during the dead of winter will make it more tolerable.

Also, if the Lady Cruisers want to do something that they would be interested in, similar to what was done in previous years, we can also organize that and add it to the list.

Since we are not running an auto show the club should take advantage of the situation and use the Wrentham Development Center for our own use. For example we could hold a “car rodeo” where we can participate in car games and a picnic after.

Another idea is to move our October cruise night trunk or treat /costume night to a Sunday afternoon where we don’t have to worry about the early sun set.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. I hope this has triggered some of your own ideas. Let me know what you can come up with and let’s make it happen.

Richie

JANUARY 2018 Area Auto Shows & Events Page Always verify before attending

Events of interest that MASS CRUISERS Club members regularly support and attend are asterisked * SEE M.A.A.C. WEBSITE http://clubs.hemmings.com/maynardaac/events.html for additional up-to-date listings *JAN 6: HUDSON: 14th ANNUAL HOT ROD/DRAG RACING NOSTALGIA-FEST,,1-6PM; HUDSON ELKS, 99 PARK ST. FRED,,978 618-8077 JAN 7: ENFIELD CT: AUTO FLEA MARKET; POWDER MILL BARN, 32 SOUTH MAPLE ST—1st SUNDAY—413 786-6318 JAN 11-15: BOSTON; NE INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW; BOSTON CONVENTION CTR,,,,www.paragonexpo.com ,,x103,,800 258-8912 *JAN 20-21: SPRINGFIELD; 40th ANNUAL AUTO PARTS SWAP & SELL,,INDOORS/BETTER LIVNG CTR,,www.thebige.com,,860 871-6376 JAN 20,,FREETOWN,,DOWNSHIFTERS BIRTHDAY BASH FOR ALL CLUBS,,FREETOWN VFW,FREE-BRING A DISH NOON—4 PM FEB 4,,,,,,ENFIELD CT,,AUTO FLEA MARKET,,POWDER MILL BARN,,32 SOUTH MAPLE ST,,,1ST SUNDAY,,,,,,,,,,,413 786-6318 FEB 9-11,,,PROVIDENCE,,NE INTRNATNL AUTO SHO-CONVNTN CTR-SABIN ST providenceautoshow.com/show-info,,401 846-1115 FEB 16-18,,WORCESTER,,USHRA MONSTER JAM,,COMPETITIVE MONSTER TRUCKS,,DCU CENTER,,www.dcucenter.com,,508 755-6800 FEB 17,,WALTHAM,NEW ENGLAND MODEL ENGINE SHOW,,,CHARLES RIVER MUSEUM,,PINE ST,,978 256-9268 *FEB 24: STURBRIDGE; 3rd ANNUAL GATHERING OF THE CLUBS,,STURBRIDGE HOST HOTEL,366 Main St.,2 PM,,Justin,,617-233-4919 *MAR 4,,,,NORFOLK,,,,MODEL A CLUB MARCOM FLEA MKT,,7:30-11,,HOLMES TRANSP CO,,MYRTLE ST,,,,,,,,DEAN,,508 285-3211 MAR 4,,,,,,ENFIELD CT,,AUTO FLEA MARKET,,POWDER MILL BARN,,32 SOUTH MAPLE ST,,,1st SUNDAY,,,,,,,,,, 413 786-6318 MAR 11,,,,,EVERYWHERE,,DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME BEGINS AT 2AM,,,TURN THE CLOCKS FORWARD,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,978 555-1212 MAR 18,,MILFORD NH,,30TH ANN MILITARY FLEA MKT,,NATIONAL GUARD ARMORY,,9-3PM,,www.mvmvc.org,,TONY2,,603 239-7225 *MAR 23-25,,BOSTON,,,,,2018 WORLD OF WHEELS,,SEAPORT WORLD TRADE CTR,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,www.autorama.com,,248 373-1700 *MAR 25,,,,MAYNARD,,,,WINTER BLAHS AUTO PARTS SWAP'N SELL,,MAYNARD ELKS ON RT 62,,7:30-11:30,,CRAIG,,978 562-2390 APR 5-8,,,,THOMPSON CT,,OPENER,,SPEEDWAY ICEBREAKER RACES,,NASCAR & MORE,,www.thompsonspeedway.com,,860 923-2280 APR 8,,,SEEKONK,,,FLEA MARKET SEASON OPENER AT THE SPEEDWAY, CHECK IT OUT AT,,,seekonkspeedway.com,,508 336-9959 *APR 15,,STAFFORD CT,,TY-RODS ANNUAL SPRING SWAP MEET @ SPEEDWAY,,RAIN/SHINE,,,staffordspeedway.com,,860 684-2783 *APR 22,,FITCHBURG,,,FORD V-8 CLUB-46TH ANNUAL FLEA MKT/CAR SHOW,,,,FITCHBURG AIRPORT,,8-1,,,,BRIAN,,978 263-7256 APR 22,,,,,BRISTOL CT,,49TH CSRA SHOW/SWAP MEET-LAKE COMPOUNCE PARK-EX 31 OFF 84,,,,,,www.csra.org,,203 697-9113 APR 27-29,,NANTUCKET,,,DAFFODIL FESTIVAL & ANTIQUE CAR PARADE,,,,,,,,,,,,,www.daffodilfestival.com,,508 228-1700 APR 29,,,E HAMPTON CT,,ANNUAL GAS/STEAM ENGINE/TRACTOR SHOW,,SALMON RIVER ST PARK,,,,,last sun apr,,860 267-8394

MASS CRUISERS Club Events

JAN 23: FOXBORO; ANNUAL MEETING,,BASS PRO SHOPS CONSERVATION ROOM,,6:30 PM..MEMBERS RSVP..(LIGHT BUFFET) APR 12 & 26: FOXBORO;,,BASS PRO SHOPS CRUISE SEASON BEGINS,,3:30 PM. MAY 5: SEEKONK; 7TH ANNUAL CUSTOM CAR SHOW & GO,,SET UP FOR 8 AM—1 PM CAR SHOW MAY 12 NORWOOD; 27TH ANNUAL ANNIVERSARY PARTY AT THE OLD COLONIAL CAFÉ 4 PM & NORWOOD THEATER 7:30 PM

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mesh New England Guest Speakers

By John Buchanan

Club President Ed Beatty invited “mesh New England” magazine publisher Russ Rocknak and Technical Editor Mark Hurwitz to be the November 21 monthly meeting guest speakers. Many club members were already familiar with Mark who was regularly trailering one of his rare vintage automobiles to our Bass Pro Shops cruises from his central Massachusetts home. Mark was finally able to attend our October 12 cruise and experience the volume and range of vehicles that regularly attend our bi-weekly Thursday cruise nights. Their “mesh New England” magazine covers what we hot rodders would classify as the higher end motoring events and collections in New England, not the shade tree build or street racing spectrum of the automotive hobby. Needless to say, our cruise does attract enthusiasts from all aspects of this great hobby and that is what first caught the attention of Mark and Russ.

Because we were all in process of prepping our own vehicles for a long winter’s nap, Mark decided to share much of the knowledge and experience he has gained over the years building and maintaining his own vehicle collection, which is extensive. It soon became apparent why Mark is the technical editor as he covered four important areas for servicing and maintaining valuable collector vehicles; gasoline, engine oil, batteries & tires. Some important take-away notes we may or may not have known about in detail are noted below.

GASOLINE: Mark started out with the technical basics, that all gasolines generate about 120,000 BTU’s of energy for each liquid gallon and the distinctions of octane ratings, with high octane being the anti-knock solution for engines with 10:5—1 or higher compression ratios or for super or turbo charged engines. Unleaded gasoline with ethanol is the big problem for collector car owners, particularly if the it is parked or garaged mostly rather than regularly driven. Because the alcohol will absorb moisture in the air resulting in phase-separation with the ethanol -rich moisture layer not supporting combustion and the gasoline rich layer resulting in engine knock. Gasoline additive treatments like Gold Eagle Sta-Bil are a recommended preventative to counter the water absorbing properties of ethanol gas blends. He also talked about Tier 1 gas from Sunoco & BP as well as custom blended gases of 20 or so varieties, primarily for race cars including aviation gas (AV), of 110—130 octane, requiring advance timing. One important point is that the winter blend of gasoline the industry switches to when we typically fill our tanks for winter storage will boil in the summer heat. Mark recommends to the fill tank before storage to reduce the air headspace and potential for condensation buildup. But he also warned to use it up before July or August.

Continued on page 7

MARK HURWITZ

RUSS ROCKNAK

Left Above: Mesh Technical Editor Mark Hurwitch reviews E10 gas additives with Mesh Publisher Russ Rocknak listening.

Below Left: Mark Hurwitz with his dad seated in the 1931 Marmon Sport Coupe that was selected for the Vintage Motorsports sponsored September 14 Bass Pro Shops cruise award at Patriot Place.

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ENGINE OIL: The EPA mandated reduction of zinc & phosphorous based lubricant enhancers in motor oils from 1600 ppm to 600 ppm for Zn due to the shortened life they were causing for catalytic converters. Today’s newer engines are fine with these modern oils but that leaves us in a tight spot with vintage engines that do not have hardened seats and flat tappet cams & valves. There are higher zinc additive oils available for performance and for antiques, Mark recommends AACA Classic Car Motor Oil which he uses for his own vehicles.

BATTERIES: Because most of us store our cars over the winter some remove the batteries and bring them indoors while others use the newer smart trickle chargers from CTEK which diagnose voltage and amperage requirements of the battery and bring it up to its proper operating voltage level. They also disulfate the lead acid batteries which will extend their lives to 9 or 10 years, thus paying for themselves. In fact these smart chargers can recondition a dead battery.

TIRES: Mark also recommends using Race Ramps FlatStoppers when storing the car for more than 30 days. The curved cradle design prevents the tires from developing flat spots reminiscent in the old days when nylon belted tires would flat set in the cold weather overnight. No one misses that familiar thump thumping feeling with these newer radial tires but even the newest low profile high performance tires are at risk for coming off the rim when flat spotted.

Mesh Publisher Russ Rocknak followed Mark by going through the history of “mesh� magazine headquartered in Bath, Maine which started as a quarterly in 2011 and has grown to a circulation of 7,000. In 2018 it will be published as a bi-monthly as they found New England has a wealth of events and enthusiast interest for their indepth articles from experts like Mark. Copies of both the Fall 2017 & Winter 2017 editions of Mesh were passed out to members in attendance and I signed up online for an annual subscription, circulation now 7,001. http:// www.meshnewengland.com/ Thank you Russ and Mark for a very informative and timely presentation.

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TEXAS DMV HALTS DUNE BUGGY BAN John Buchanan

Lobbying efforts by Texas dune buggy and kit car owners has resulted in the Texas DMV putting a halt to revoking dune buggy titles while they evaluate the complex state and federal regulations regarding assembled vehicles.

We need to follow their efforts. The Director of vehicle titles and registration for the DMV, Jerimiah Kuntz, reported to the Board of Directors at its quarterly meeting that the complexity of what actually constitutes a dune buggy is far more complex than it initially seems and that how and when it was built results in each and every case needing to be taken on its own merit. Hemmings Blog 2017 Dec 8 Texas halts revocation of dune buggy titles As reported in last month’s article, Texas began halting registrations of newly built dune buggies as far back as 2013, however previously built and registered dune buggies were grandfathered. Many kit rebodied buggies built on VW chassis & drivetrains were registered under the donor vehicle identity, however the DMV adopted a Texas Administrative Rule in 2015 which explicitly made any vehicle designed or determined by the department to be a dune buggy ineligible for title regardless of the vehicle’s previous title and/or registration. This action placed dune buggies in the same ineligible title category as race cars, off-road vehicles and flooded cars. All dune buggy and sand rail owners in Texas were sent letters alerting them that their titles have been revoked and they have to surrender the vehicle’s original title, windshield sticker and license plates to the DMV. DMV Director Kuntz also said he and his staff are further researching the titling of custom vehicles including street rods and replica vehicles having contended with dozens of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) interpretations and opinion in response to individuals seeking clarity on dune buggy legality as far back as 1968. These interpretations changed over time and they build up on each other. One opinion stated any vehicle manufactured for use on public roads must meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, while another would apply those safety standards to any person installing an engine and transmission in a kit car. Largely, he said, “the NHTSA is very concerned with the vehicle’s chassis and brakes and less concerned with the vehicle’s original body. If somebody were to chop a chassis in half and weld it back together to shorten it, the NHSTA is concerned, but if the body and chassis were separated, then the chassis were united with some other body, then the NHSTA seems to have no problem.”

Kuntz also surveyed individual state DMV approaches to dune buggies and received responses from 28 states. Three states, Texas, Alabama & Oregon, specifically make dune buggies ineligible for title and registration; 13 states only issue titles and registration if the individual vehicle meets FMVSS; 2 only issue titles to dune buggies; 4 only title dune buggies for off-road use, and 6 allow dune buggies to be titled and registered for on-road use.

The process of states moving their vehicle titling, registration and inspection systems to computers result in DMV administrators regularly adding new vehicle make and models into their department’s computer system and they review those new submissions to meet their safety standards to be operated on public roads.

This seems to be the first time in my recollection that a state has taken a pro active role in correcting an obvious overreach and where the entire hobby is watching with interest. Thanks to the efforts of Texas dune buggy enthusiasts and their lobbyist Ron Hinkle we here in New England can also learn from their grass roots action.

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Wreaths Across America Update

By John Buchanan

December 16, 2017 marked the 26th Annual National Wreaths Across America Day. Over 75,000 volunteers laid wreaths on over 230,000 graves at Arlington National Cemetery. There were 1,422 locations nation wide that received 500 truckloads filled with 1,565,000 veterans’ remembrance wreaths and this was the first year that all of Arlington’s graves were so honored. The Mass Cruisers donate 10 wreaths each year to this effort that was originated by the Worcester Wreath Company in Maine. Perhaps other car clubs might consider joining in this annual Christmas/Hanukah holiday season remembrance.

The forecasted snow during the December 12 early morning I-495 commute to Fitchburg prevented me from risking the drive up to the Montachusett Regional Technical High School for their planned reception of the Wreaths Across America escort to Arlington National Cemetery arrival.

The unexpected and overwhelming display of patriotism shown by students and teachers at Monte Tech was heartwarming. We should all take pride in this coming generation of kids and teachers for their enthusiastic welcome shown for this year’s escort participants in less than ideal weather.

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MAAC LEGISLATIVE Update

By John Buchanan

Your MAAC representatives, MAAC President William Ellis, fellow MAAC Board Member Jonathan Rabin and yours truly along with MAAC’s lobbyist Martin Gambichler attended the December 6 Joint Transportation Committee (JTC) public hearing at the State House. These following bills MAAC is following were on the agenda: H1805: An act relative to antique automobiles, boats and motorcycles H1818: An act relative to license plates.

H4022: An act designating U.S. Route 20 as a state historic highway S1920;: An act allowing restoration of Year of Manufacture Plates.

S2148: An act relative to street rods and customs

MAAC President William Ellis and Jonathan Rabin speak for passage of House Bill 1818 which will allow for restoration of Year of Manufacture plates which currently treated as illegal alteration under law.

State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Historic U.S. Route 20 Assoc. President Bryan Farr and Nancy Fitzpatrick, who walked the entire 3,365 miles length from Newport, OR to Boston, speak for passage of House Bill 4022 designating U.S. Route 20 as a state historic route.

AND ON ANOTHER NOTE: MAAC has updated their website using a brand new format that will allow more timely and informative hobby news affecting Massachusetts car owners. Give it a test drive: Sarah and Dave Robson presented their position paper supporthttp://massautoclubs.org/ ing passage of Senate Bill 2148,.an act that would allow vehicles registered as hot rods and customs to retain their original VIN numbers rather than be assigned Mass VIN numbers under current law.

Also, if you use Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MassAutoClubs/ or Twitter https://twitter.com/MA_Auto_Clubs and not following the posts, you are missing some of the most interesting news and posts gleaned from the internet that are worth viewing. In addition you will learn what’s happening on Beacon Hill with the 20 Bills of Interest that affect our hobby being proposed for the 190th General Court If you car club is not currently a member of MAAC, the organization responsible for proposed legislation that allows agreed valued insurance to be sold in Massachusetts, make a New Year’s resolution to join the 40,000 Massachusetts automotive hobbyists that is a potent political force protecting our interests. The $20 per year membership fee is the best insurance available to collector car hobbyists and their supporting businesses .

MAAC will also be at the World of Wheels in Boston on March 23-25 to answer any questions you may have, so stop by and show your support.

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

P.O. Box 217 Wrentham, MA 02093