Jan/Feb 2016
Be Seen And Heard In The Spokes
For Art’s sake, gun your engines Around The Hub Art Fitzpatrick
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Events
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My 2 Cents
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Web Site Highlight
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Ames Addition
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Motor City Club News 7-9 Advertising
Proudly Sponsored By:
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By Logan Jenkins
“Freedom,” my grandmother told me long ago, “is a Chevrolet.” Art “Fitz” Fitzpatrick would have brought illustrious genius to that All-American caption. One of San Diego’s greatest artists, certainly our most internally combusted one, died last month, just days short of his 97th birthday. Fitzpatrick was to American cars what Norman Rockwell was to American culture, a creator of evocative scenes that make you yearn for the freedom of the open road. For Art’s sake, eight-cylinder engines should be gunned the length of Highway 101. If you’re of a certain age and you love classic American cars (and how could you not?), then take a moment to appreciate a visual master who turned that love you feel into the imagery with which you grew up. “He had a magic touch,” says Michelle Cousineau, a Los Angeles writer who’s working on a biography of the Carlsbad artist. (The working title, based on a series of Fitzpatrick’s columns: “Design Wise.”) In the Mad Men era of the ’50s and ’60s, Fitzpatrick was a graphic god in the auto industry, producing hundreds of eye-watering depictions of our mobile desires. In New York, Fitzpatrick painted Nashes, Chryslers, Plymouths and Kaisers. Partnering with Van Kaufman, Fitzpatrick developed a revolutionary method to stage cars within seductive scenes, including a legendary campaign for widetrack Pontiacs, including the iconic GTO. Continued on page 4
Group outing to the Back to the Bricks event Chrome and Ice at the Dort Federal Event Center in Flint, MI. February 13th.
Events
MARCH 2016
Schedule of Events 3/3-Motor City Car Show Meeting
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3/17-Motor City POCI Monthly Meeting. 3/20-16th Annual Spring Auto Parts Swap Meet, Fairfield County Fairgrounds. Lancaster, OH
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Just in case you did not know...Motor City POCI monthly meetings are being held at Bakers of Milford. Same great location as the Sunday Cruises and the home of the Pontiac Summer Roundup Car Show. See you there every Third Thursday of the month!
APRIL 2016 Sun
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www.motorcitypoci.com
4/7-Motor City Car Show Meeting 4/21-Motor City POCI Monthly Meeting
4/24-Peckerhead Swap Meet. Springfield Oaks. Davisburg, MI 4/30-Walleye Festival and Car Show. 6790 Midland Rd. Freeland, MI
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My
Cents… By: John Berzsenyi
I want to predict that 2016 is going to be a banner year for Motor City POCI… A bold statement to be sure. True? Not sure. Would I like it to be...Yes! Our hobby, our passion , our Pontiac’s, GMC’s and Oakland’s are thriving, the passion will not die and it seems to me the number of our cars are growing. Sure we are not building them anymore but we seem to be resurrecting what is around and treasuring them more than ever. Our group has the task of holding that interest and recruiting the like minded. We must keep it interesting and fresh. Our new home at Bakers is one of items that hit the fresh list. Chris Baker and his family have opened their facility to our group and so far, so good. We need to work out a couple of little bugs but nothing serious. Mostly it has to do with the fact that you can enjoy a nice dinner while at the meeting, it’s really great to have this option. We just need to find a happy medium between eating and holding the meeting. (It’s all new to us, we will figure it out!) Leadership positions are another TBD (to be determined), We have not had an election in quite some time and there is a need to freshen up the ranks. The current leadership has gladly continued their positions up to this point and it’s time for some new faces in these positions. If you have a desire, please let your voice be heard! I look forward to the changes and new directions. 2016 brings a new year and our ninth as a chapter of the POCI. Our third Pontiac Summer Roundup is due to happen on July 23rd this year and is shaping up to be another great show. Provided we have an event coordinator this coming year, we hope to fill the year with events for the club members to enjoy. (Do you have what it takes to fill this position?) My Spring and Fall Cruises are open to all members and if you have not been on one, you should join us for the day of fun. As we pass from 2015 to 2016 let us remember some of the Pontiac greats that we lost and try to keep their accomplishments alive by honoring them. Art Fiztpartick, Schneider Lowell 10/12/2014, Harrison Benjamin Wills 11/5/2014, Freyermuth William 11/2/2014 Asher James 12/6/2014 , Jeffery James 12/22/2014, Aldikacti Hulki 3/4/2015 , Brancheau Glenn 4/23/2015, Hall Robert William 6/30/2015
Motor City Chapter Executive Board & Chairpersons President : Gains McDonald - gains.m.mcdonald@gm.com
Vice President: John Berzsenyi - wyldgoat65@aol.com
Secretary: Lori Woods - snowbaby48356@yahoo.com
Treasurer: Lori Woods - snowbaby48356@yahoo.com
Director: Jeff Denison - transamgto@aol.com
Director: John Berzsenyi - wyldgoat65@aol.com
Webmaster: Mike Erickson - merickson29@wowway.com
Activity Coordinator Chair: Dan Aldrich -(248) 681-9025
Please submit stories, ideas and recipes to the Editor: John Berzsenyi - wyldgoat65@aol.com or call (248) 467-9476
This newsletter is ours, the Motor City Chapter of the POCI. Lets make this the best newsletter we can by all of us contributing to its content.
www.motorcitypoci.com
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“We came up with a different way of rendering the paintings,” Fitzpatrick told a reporter. “I started cropping part of the car out of the picture, making it too large to fit the page. They had impact.” But just like that, photography took over the ad world of the ’70s and, like an actor from the silent era, Fitzpatrick stepped away from his art career to develop property around the region, bringing his artistic eye to promotions. And then, like an aging movie star with a talent that blasted from the past, he became cool again. He was commissioned to create two lines of stamps, one in 2005 and the other in 2008. Vroom vroom. Fitzpatrick was a craftsman born and bred. His grandfather was an architectural artist. His father painted backgrounds for Disney. Growing up in Detroit, he studied at the Society of Arts and Crafts and the Detroit School of Art. But he also worked the night shift for Chrysler and later toiled for Packard, creating custom designs for Howard “Dutch” Darrin. During World War II, he produced training manuals of all kinds, a perfect blend of his engineering and artistic training. Art Fitzpatrick’s partner, Van Kaufman The 2005 stamp series featured a 1952 Nash-Healey, 1953 (left), John DeLorean and Fitzpatrick pose with Chevrolet Corvette, 1953 Studebaker Starliner, 1954 Kaithe GTO snow scene. Courtesy Betty Fitzpatrick ser Darrin and a 1955 Ford Thunderbird. The Postal Service printed 640 million of the renderings, about 12 times more than a typical run. In 2008, Fitzpatrick created another series, “Fins and Chrome,” with scenes that starred the 1959 Cadillac Eldorado, 1957 Studebaker Golden Hawk, 1957 Pontiac Safari station wagon, 1957 Lincoln Premier and a 1957 Chrysler 300C. In 2012, Fitzpatrick received a lifetime achievement award from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, where he’d lectured since 1965. The Automotive Fine Art Society has a perpetual award named for him given annually at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. He gave his last presentation to the Automobile Driving Museum in El Segundo on Oct. 31, just days before he died. He’s survived by wife Betty Fitzpatrick, and his archives are housed at the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, Mich., which is currently showing a mid-century car exhibit featuring his art. I ran into Fitz in 2012 when the “Surfing Madonna” appeared out of nowhere at a train trestle in Encinitas. I’d expressed my support for exhibiting in a public place the rendering of Our Lady of Guadalupe riding a wave. Eventually, the Madonna’s artist came forward and revealed that he was a raw rookie, a level of expertise Fitz had discerned immediately. Though 93 at the time, Fitz was not inclined to be charitable. Art, he suggested, is hard work and there are no shortcuts. “In my opinion, it’s a woefully bad attempt at art,” he said of the mosaic. “How about teaching someone how to use a loom and calling whatever they make a Persian carpet?” Well, Fitzpatrick was given his loom practically in the cradle. And man, the carpets he made were magic. Note: there is a great video on Youtube of Art giving a talk to students at the Academy of Art Institute. It’s about 1-1/2 hours long and very interesting. See link below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jri0JSXUn6k Page 4
Jill Reger Fine Art Jill Reger e-mailed me and I took her prompt to investigate her web site. This is a wonderful site for car lovers of all brands. Pontiac and GMC are prominently represented and believe many of her photos have been seen on various sites on the internet. Her eye for photography is exquisite and are very worthy of a look. You can purchase prints form her web site as well. Her web site is listed below.
http://jill-reger.artistwebsites.com/index.html
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From Ames Performance Newsletter... An exciting addition!
Now, more than 40 years later, most of us are aware that the 1971 GTO convertibles were discontinued mid year, but this came as a surprise to one certain customer. Placing his order, for what he thought would be a GTO in Jan. 1971, he was notified two months later that they were no longer in production. In addition, the dealership stated they may be able to pull some strings and order the LeMans with similar options. On April 2nd 1971, the 455 H.O., LeMans sport convertible with a Muncie 4-speed was delivered. For many years, and for 66,000 miles, the owner enjoyed shifting through the gears of the M22, coupled to the exhilarating H.O. power plant. This summer, the rare 1 of 11 built LeMans's found it's second home with Ames Performance. Here, we will finish the restoration that was started and use it as an R & D resource as well as enjoying it on those warm New England days with the top down. No need to turn on the radio, the sound of the M22 whine and the roar of the round port 455 HO going through the gears will be better than any song out there.
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Motor City Club News
November 2015 Monthly Meeting Highlights Present: John Berzsenyi, Art Bonkoski, Kevin Yash, William Klausing. Les Gyori-visitor with Kevin Yash, Ray Santo, Marge Sawruk, Bill Harper-Visitor with Kirk, Kirk BrandtOutstanding winner for Class U 1964 Pontiac Catalina, Chuck Brash-Best of Class winner for Class C 1957 Pontiac Chieftain, Ray Golota, and Brian Dougherty John announced that we have moved our meeting venue, but he has spoken with LaFontaine to let them know. This location makes it closer for some regular attendees and we are not required to vacate the premises by 9 pm as at LaFontaine. John announced that the car show next July would have some changes. In general it has been deemed that the attempt to make it family friendly by having children’s activities such as the bounce house, hot wheels racing and face painting has been extremely lightly attended for the expenses involved. These will be eliminated for 2016. Registration will be moved inside the building due to weather issues.
Chuck Basch for Class C. Outstanding award for a 1957 Pontiac Chieftain
Instead of a speaker as we have had in the past with Ben Harrison 2014 and Tim Dye 2015 it was thought that a static display of automotive artwork/memorabilia by John Sawruk, Jr. might be a better choice. John has done these for several national conventions recently. It is still our hope to invite former PMD engineering employees to our event and offer lunch to them as an incentive to attend. The Children’s Miracle Network will most likely be the chosen charity for 2016. Bill Harper wanted to get to know people better so asked if we could go around the table and tell the group what cars we own. That certainly opened a can of worms as the stories flew fast and furious with lots of laughs and a “meeting” that ended at 9:15. Several days after the meeting Marge suggested that perhaps we might consider having our car show meeting the same night as our general meeting at 6 pm, prior to our 7 pm general meeting. To be decided.
Kirk Brandt for Class U. Best of Class for a 1964
ATTENTION! Also attending the meeting was Les Gyor i, Les was a visitor and has since joined or club. Welcome to Motor City POCI Les!
December 2015 Monthly Meeting Highlights
Present: John Berzsenyi, Brian Dougherty, Lori Woods, Marge Sawruk, Dave Woods, Barb Woods, Ray Golota, Ray Santo, Kenny Galdes, Bill Klausing, Al Houtman, Les Gyori John opened the meeting by welcoming our newest member: Les Gyori Old Business: There was ZERO response to the request for volunteers for office. Dave Woods said “you can’t improve on perfection” and the current officers should continue. Suggested that we have a club outing to the Back to the Bricks new Chrome and Ice event on February 13, 2016. Plan to meet at Mega Coney Island for breakfast prior to the event. Details to follow. Treasurer’s report: Balance $4619.14 Our holiday party will be held at the regular membership meeting at 6:00 PM at Baker’s of Milford. Everyone welcome, you will be able to order from the menu. General Membership and Car Show meetings will be combined with the dinner. The meeting will include the infamous “Show & Tell” so get your items out and ready to share!
www.motorcitypoci.com
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Motor City POCI Pontiac Summer Roundup Car Show Committee Meeting – December 17, 2015 6:00 PM at Baker’s of Milford Present: John Berzsenyi, Brian Dougherty, Lori Woods, Marge Sawruk, Dave Woods, Barb Woods, Ray Golota, Ray Santo, Kenny Galdes John provided copy of this year’s flyer and classification sheet for discussion and approval. Need to get the flyers printed soon so they are ready to distribute for Autorama and Back to the Bricks new Chrome and Ice event in February. Ken suggested stickers be provided so the guys at “check-in” can determine class prior to registration. John provided statistics regarding the Children’s Miracle Network, this year’s chosen charity showing what percentage of monies collected actually go toward the charity, supporting our choice. Plan to contact last year’s sponsors and vendors/swap meet participants to request continued involvement. Remind membership we need additional contacts and assistance in these areas. Would like to have a sponsor for every trophy this year and additional contributions toward goodie bags. It was noted that ours was one of the best goodie bags compared to other shows our members attended last year. The committee agreed previously to keep focus on the car show aspect and eliminate the children’s activities from the event this year. Registration will be inside this year in the same room where we have our meetings (and where we stuff goodie bags prior to the show). Hoping this will eliminate the “nature” factor (wind, weather, etc.), as well as save time and energy since we won’t have to move the goodie bags in the morning. Ken suggested we consider paying for a spot at Autorama as a club event next year. Brian advised his trailer needed considerable work to be usable and the group suggested the club look for alternative options such as purchasing a UHaul or horse trailer. Ken suggested our show this year include a “corral” for 1966 vehicles to commemorate the anniversary year. We are looking into being able to set up a Paypal account and a form online so participants can register and pay online this year. Committee would like to again have an ad in the Cruisin’ News Car Show Edition and will get with Gains to help facilitate this activity.
www.motorcitypoci.com
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Member Stories...
1965 Chevy
By: John Saulnier
In 1966 I bought a 1965 Chevrolet Impala two door hardtop from Jerry who had before he was married a 1963 SS 409/425 convertible. This 65 came from Florida and he only had it a short while and offered it to me for $1200.00. It had a 350/375 horse, wild cam, two Carter 4 barrels carbs, solid lifters, dual point distributor, exhaust cut outs and loud mufflers, four speed close ratio with a 4/11 rear post-traction. This was the fastest car I had driven so far at that time in my life. It also attracted most of the law enforcement in Oakland County as it was dark red in color. The first weekend I had this beauty I was on Woodward on a Sunday afternoon about 2 PM, south bound at the Northwood Blvd Michigan left turn light which is about 1/8 mile from the 12 Mile Road light. There was a girl in yellow Mustang in the right center lane, and I was in the left center lane, as the light changed we both were still in 1st gear and after a glance and a quick smile we were off. Well the low end with this drive train combination was exhilarating to say the least, when I hit second she was toast, and I was far ahead of her when all of a sudden I heard a snap followed by a grinding sound and she went speeding by me. The snap was the axle shafts breaking loose from the rear end allowing the drive shaft to follow and raise the angle of it to be along the transmission tunnel which caused the grinding sound. I found this out as I limped to the local gas station at 12 and Woodward and we put it up on the lift. I called Jerry and told him of my dilemma. He said we would take it to his father’s garage on Monday and remedy the situation. Jerry’s dad lived on a road in Birmingham that dead ended on the south side of the campus of Marian High School, the Catholic girls school. That is another story for another day also and will be covered later…. Anyway, his dad, Al, was an automobile designer with Buick by trade and worked at the Tech Center in Warren, MI. He was responsible for the Rivera clam shell headlights among many other neat products that GM was producing in that era. His garage was like a service station, an in the floor hoist and all things necessary to build a car. In fact he had a collection of Crossly cars that he had modified over the years. To fix this one he jacked the rear end back in to alignment, welded pins in the axle shafts, welded the rear end in place and installed a custom made set of traction bars in place. This baby would not move from this location again. And it was tested many times after that night in 1966. From that night I learned several things about cars. Jerry had been my go to person for cars for a few years since we met in the Big Boy Drive in, I would always hand him the tools and act as his assistant as I lacked many of the skills he had. That night in Birmingham I saw Jerry hand the tools to his dad and learned from both of them from that day forward much of the information I still remember today about cars. The shifter had a reverse lookout that was controlled by a cable and a trigger on the shifter, guess when that cable broke, both times? In the garage facing forward, during the winter with snow on the ground. After the second repair was made, I began the practice of backing in the driveway, which I still do today, even though all of our cars are automatics. I kept the car until 1967 when Uncle Sam was almost at my front door with an offer I just couldn’t refuse. The insurance was high, I had more than my share of tickets and points on my driving record, my gas bill (bear in mind gas was only .32/gallon at the time), was more that the car payment of $48.00/month so I sold it to Terry the fall of 1967. I had lots of memories of that car and all the fun times I had in it, both in the front and back seats…..
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MOTOR CITY POCI Dedicated to the Preservation, Restoration, and Enjoyment of Oakland, Pontiac & GMC Vehicles Today’s Date____________________ Primary Member:________________________________ Birth Date:______________ Spouse or Associate Member:____________________________ Birth Date:_____________ Address:_____________________________________________ Phone #_________________________ City & State__________________________________ Zip Code__________ E-Mail:_________________________@___________________________ POCI# (optional)____________________________ Signature:_______________________________________________ Children:___________________________________________________________________ Birth Date:______________Birth Date: ________________Birth Date:_________________ Classic Cars Owned: Year, Make, *Style #, # of Cylinders 1. _________________________________________________________________________ 2. _________________________________________________________________________ 3. _________________________________________________________________________ *Located on firewall Body Tag. If unavailable give description of model. Membership dues due for The Motor City Chapter are $20.00 per year. Dues are to be paid the first day of each May. If joining for the first time, dues will be pro rated at $1.70 per month if not during the month of May. Please pay by cash or check made out to: THE MOTOR CITY CHAPTER Return This Application and Dues to: MOTOR CITY POCI 3005 Beaumont Dr. Highland, MI 48356 E-mail: snowbaby48356@yahoo.com Below for office use only YEAR:____________________ New Member______________ Renewal_______________
1919-2015