Potomac Chapter The Commander Drivers Club Volume 47 Issue 6 June 2015 Route 66 Reunion

(Left to Right) Paul and Karen Johnson, Dorothy Thrush (Paul Thrush deceased) Nadine Farris (Dave Farris deceased) Pat and Larry Merhaut, Bob and Donna Johnstone, Faye and Frank Fuller, (Norris Edmonds (deceased)

The ruby-throated hummingbird flies 500 miles nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico during both its spring and fall migrations.

Hummingbirds primarily eat flower nectar, tree sap, insects and pollen.

The hummingbird’s fast breathing rate, fast heartbeat and high body temperature require that they eat often. They also require an enormous amount of food each day. Hummingbirds have a long tongue which they use to lick their food at a rate of up to 13 licks per second.

President Vice President Treasurer Secretary Activities Director Karl Veit Steve Geiger Mike Farris Stephen Walter Paul and Karen Johnson 3703 7th Street South 2010 Kings Forest Trail 4313 Landgreen Street 7401 Westlake Terrace #1504 4166 Golf Course Road Arlington, VA 22204 Mount Airy, MD 21771 Rockville, MD 20853 Bethesda, MD 20817 Martinsburg, WV 25405 703-979-4763 301-829-5155 301-460-4341 301-767-9416 304-267-2911 [email protected] [email protected] david.farris @verizon.net [email protected] [email protected]

Membership Historian Web Master Editor Nadine & Mike Farris Ed Lemanski Bob Johnstone Lynda Welsh 4313 Landgreen Street 7875 Red Jacket Way 12161 Holly Knoll Circle 24121 Ridge Road Rockville, MD 20853 Jessup, MD 20794 Great Falls, VA 22066 Germantown, MD 20876 301-460-4341 301-776-9893 703-450-0754 301-253-3723 ndfarris [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Steering Column Karl Veit

PSDC membership has declined between 2011 and 2015 by about 20% (from about 70 households to 57, as counted in the club roster); we have lost at a rate of about 5% per year. If the club is to continue, it must undertake to recruit new members soon or reach a tipping point where it will no longer have the energy and resources to do recruiting. Even maintaining (without growth) the current number will require more focus. Our Membership Director, now charged with recruiting, has a challenging task in keeping dues and roster information current. Recruiting is needed beyond the scale of a minor duty; it must be a club-wide activity. I believe we need a person to focus just on growing PSDC and engaging our whole club (perhaps including some members who do not now attend activities). At the spring picnic meeting I moved to amend the PSDC By-Laws to designate a new appointed officer position with- in the Board (defined in Article III), a "Club Recruiter." The motion would remove the recruiting part of the Member- ship Director's tasks, enlarge the scope, and give it to a Club Recruiter. After questions and discussion, it was decided to table voting on the motion until the fall picnic, to give members time to consider the proposed change. The motion wording is as follows (additions underlined, deletions in red): "… Article III .... Nominating committee...Treasurer of the Executive Board." [this change is cleanup to our current text, removing an undefined/unused term]

"… The Board of Directors shall consist of six elected and one two appointed officer s ." … elected officers shall be: …. The Editor and the Club Recruiter shall be appointed ...ex-officio member s of the Board … The Membership Direc- tor shall have the duty of seeking new members andascertaining the qualifications of such new members …." [creates the Club Recruiter and moves recruiting responsibility from Membership Director] "The By-Laws shall be further revised by adding a new paragraph, to follow the paragraph defining the duties of EDI- TOR, as follows: CLUB RECRUITER shall have the duties of planning and conducting efforts to recruit new members, including: developing an annual Recruiting Plan for Board approval; Club promotion, advertising, and marketing; and non-newsletter communications. ….” [defines the new position] While discussing the motion, we touched on the fact that PSDC does not have in its by-laws procedures or require- ments for modifying the by-laws. [Some of you will be noting the logic circularity; how do you approve by-laws when there is no procedure to do so?] Local clubs like ours are "considered as extensions or subsidiaries of SDC for insurance and other legal purposes, and their charters must conform to Club regulations to be approved." Pending creation and voting on our by-law revision, I propose we mirror the change criteria of the national SDC (which can be found at http://www.studebakerdriversclub.com/documents/Final%20approved%20bylaws%2020130805.pdf) “B Bylaws - Amendments 1. These Bylaws may be amended only by a two thirds (2/3) vote of the Board or by a two thirds (2/3) vote of the Membership voting. Amendments to these Bylaws may be proposed either by any member of the Board of Directors …." At this point I would welcome a volunteer to write proposed updates to our by-laws, to also be voted at our fall picnic meeting (for amendments and other needed changes that may be noted during the drafting). If interested, give me a call. Karl

The Commander is the monthly publication of the Potomac Chapter, Studebaker Drivers Club. Subscription is by membership to the Potomac Chapter at $15.00 yearly. Canada/Mexico $20.00, all other countries $25.00. Direct all membership correspondence to the Membership Director. Direct all correspondence relating to The Commander to the Editor, who retains the right to edit or modify any contribution. Deadline date is the 15th of the month for the following month’s issue. The Commander is also an internet publication. The Potomac Chapter is an officially chartered chapter of the Studebaker Drivers Club, Inc.; its by-laws were approved, and charter granted by SDC in June 1967. Membership is recruited from the States of Maryland, West Virginia, Northern Virginia and Washington, DC. And those from other areas wishing to join the chapter are welcome.

2 Potomac Chapter, SDC Activities 2015 Event Date Contact

Sully Plantation, Chantilly, VA June 21 non-SDC

51st SDC International Meet, Aug 16 – Aug 22 Paul Johnson

Rose Hill Manor show, Frederick, MD Aug 16 (not confirmed) non-SDC

*International Drive Your Studebaker Day Sept 12 Paul Johnson

Fall Picnic, Washington County Agricultural Center, Boonsboro, MD Sept 13 Paul Johnson

Fall Tour, Culpepper, Virginia weekend Sept 18 – 20 Shirley and Terry McDaniel

Hershey Fall Meet, Hershey, PA Oct 7 - 10 AACA

Bradfield Show, Bridgewater, VA Oct 11 Paul Johnson

Antique and Classic Car Show, Rockville, MD Oct 17 Bill Morgan (Potomac Chapter is one sponsor) Ron Salen

Reedsville Swap Meet, Reedsville, PA Oct 15-17 Max Corkins

Chapter Planning Meeting Nov 7 Paul Johnson

Chapter Holiday Party Dec 20 Paul Johnson

* Firm date- will always be the second

Listing of (mostly VA) gas stations that offer no-ethanol gas: http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=VA

Also, a site to get a weekly listing of cruise-ins: http://www.cruisein.us/WEEKLY_BROADCAST.html

3 Minutes of Potomac Chapter SDC Membership Meeting, June 7, 2015 Washington County Agricultural Center, Boonsboro, MD

President Karl Veit called the meeting to order at 2:45 PM. Board members present were: Karl Veit, President; Mike Farris, Treasurer; Steve Walter, Secretary; Paul Johnson, Activities Director; Nadine Farris, Membership; Bob Johnstone, Webmaster; and Lynda Welsh, Newsletter Editor. President’s Report: Since there were some new faces and a few we hadn’t see for a while, Karl had us go around and introduce ourselves. Later in the meeting Karl introduced the idea of cre- ating a new board position called “Club Recruiter.” This person would focus on new ideas for increasing membership. Such a proposal would require a change in the bylaws. After some dis- cussion it was decided by vote to table the motion till the Fall Picnic, so people would have time to think about the proposal. He also suggested that there should be a go-to point-of-contact per- son for questions and guidance for new members. Steve White suggested Cruise-Ins for looking for new members. Vice President’s Report: Not present. Secretary’s Report: No report. Treasurer’s Report: Mike said we have $1,809 in the treasury. Membership Report: No report. Historian: Not present. Web Master: Secretaries Note (Bob is still doing a great job keeping the website up-to-date) Newsletter Report: Lynda encouraged people to send in information for the newsletter. Activities Report: 4th July Shepherdstown Parade - Parade is only two blocks long, but is fun and has a picnic at the end - Contact Steve White for information. Spring Tour, Mary Walter did an excellent job writing the tour report. Thanks, Mary. Fall Tour, Culpeper, Virginia (Sep 18, 19 & 20). Contact Terry McDaniel ([email protected], 304-671-6704 or 304-263-3915) for additional info. Rockville Car Show, October 17th. The special display this year will be wood-bodied . Con- tact Bill Morgan for details. Other reports: Someone mentioned that it was Karl Veit’s birthday and there was a chorus of Happy Birthday. The meeting adjoined 3:25 PM Respectfully submitted– Stephen Walter, Secretary

4 HISTORIAN CORNER TECH TIP By Ed Lemanski by Ed Lemanski

Looking Back - Lucketts 2002 IS YOUR CAR UP TO A PARADE? Recently I was at the boardwalk parade of classic cars and was surprised at how many of the se cars over- heated, some to the point of blowing out a head gasket. Low-speed running (3 or 4 mph) means there is minimal air moving through the radiator or the engine compartment, overheating and/or vapor lock can result. Here's how to keep it cool.

Tips to Avoid Overheating: Before the parade, scraping off any caked-on layers of grease will remove some unwanted "insulation" from the September 29th, 2002, the Potomac Chapter of engine block. A recent tune-up is a must, an en- SDC proudly presented "An Antique and gine with poor ignition timing or fouled Classic Auto Show for the Whole Family" on plugs will run hot. Maintain the belts and hoses. route 15 in downtown Lucketts, Virginia. The Squeeze hoses to see if they're spongy or cracked, picture is Bob Johnstone posing along side his and check the tightness of all the hose clamps. Be 1955 Classic. sure the coolant is topped off, and that the cool- In the background to the left is the historic ing system is filled with a 50-50 mix of coolant Lucketts Community Center. This show was and water. If the coolant looks brown or rusty, very successful in that we did another in 2003. flush and refill. Clean any leaves, dead bugs or debris off the radiator.

June Birthday During the parade, leave a gap between vehicles Nadine Farris 6/12 so that you can occasionally accelerate a bit to Lynda Welsh 614 cool down the radiator. Enjoy those Pete Rutledge 6/19 Joanne Bullock 6/22 For Sale – Karen Johnson 6/28 1964 – 289 2 barrel intake manifold with attached 2 barrel Stromberg carburetor Model WW-132 and standard Studebaker air cleaner. Complete $100.00 Bob DeVore 304-274 1150

"I wonder what it would be like to live in a world where it was always June." - L. M. Montgomery

5 Eye candy: 1963 Studebaker Hawk Gran Tourismo Ted and Carol Brown’s wedding car was a 1955 . One Lark and six decades later, they’ve moved up to a Hawk. http://www.thestar.com/autos/2015/05/22/eye-candy-1963-studebaker-hawk-grand-tourismo.html Note: Spelling must be kept as is for the link to work

STUDE SPOTTER - Reminisce - Motoring Memories "I DROVE INTO A CREEK" Page 69 of the June/July issue of Reminisce magazine has a 1/3 page article (no photo) of a man from Ocean Park, WA, Mr. Jonathan Cox, remembering an old story about 1951 Starlight and telling how he owns one now. A nice article to read.

STUDE SPOTTER - GUNNER'S GARAGE - Old Cars e-mail A John Gunnell report on the spring meeting of the Wisconsin Chapter, SDC, meet. Emphasis on a '50 Studebaker. One photo and a "plug" for that chapter of SDC. http://www.oldcarsweekly.com/blogs/gunners-garage/winner-by-a-nose? et_mid=756793&rid=241899873

Free Studebaker Parts and More The following parts are available free, but you will have to pick them up from me at my house in Woodbridge, VA. I can’t use them, but maybe another Potomac Chapter member can. A few more parts may become available shortly. Friendly Studebaker chat and garage tour (old Corvettes and ’54 Commander Starlight coupe project) available with free parts, any or all, most any time. I can confirm current availability and email pictures to you on request. Email me at: [email protected] 1. Headlight surrounds, Lark ’64-66,1356216 R, 1356217 L, (used) 2. Hood ornament, 1956-61 Hawk, 1312185, (used), 2 available 3. Backup switch, 1552190, ’62-66 w/std trans on column, exc. Hawk, NOS 4. “President” chrome nameplate, used, very good 5. Pressure plate, ’61-64, 6 cylinder, NOS, surface rust, in original box 6. Gas filler tube, 1561053, ’64-66 Lark, NOS, w/vent pipe/hose 7. Ash tray bases, used, Lark? Hawk?, 3 available 8. Mufflers (NOS), Stude 1555448 and 1555446 NOS (they are same length but have different size pipes on one end and same size on the other end) 9. Silver Hawk horn button, used(?), nice plastic, some visible spotting in paint 10. 1952 Studebaker 232 , used, mostly complete engine (except carb, distributor, oil filler pipe, and fuel pump, some of which may be available for purchase) (I can hoist engine into your pickup bed and I might be willing to deliver locally if you can remove it from my pickup bed)

Pete Rutledge Woodbridge, VA 703-590-2468 (hm) 703-853-8209 (cell)

7 Orphan Car Tour 6/6/15 Ho Co Fairgrounds MD

7 2015 Orphan Car Tour – 6-16-15

Fifty cars participated in the 2015 Orphan Car Tour, held on Saturday, June 6 in Howard County, Maryland. This year's Tour, nicknamed “The Howard County Haycation”, was the 26th annual version of the event, which gives owners of “orphan” (discontinued-make) cars the chance to drive their vehicles over rural, low-speed roads in the company of oth- er orphan enthusiasts. Despite the prediction of showers, the day was dry and partly sunny, and temperatures reached the high seventies by mid-afternoon. Drivers gathered at the Howard County Fairgrounds near West Friendship at 9:00 AM in the morning, and the tour got underway an hour later. As cars left the Fairgrounds they were photographed for a keepsake photos (subsequently e-mailed to each car owner). Then, drivers were handed printed directions and were dispatched, alternately, onto one of three routes ranging from 46 to 54 miles in length. The routes generally covered the same territory but sometimes cars were sent in opposite direc- tions, assuring that many cars encountered one another during the course of the day. Six stops were included on the tour. They included Gene and Betty Sauter's private collection of antique cars, theBenja- min Banneker Historical Park and Museum in Catonsville, Frank's Garage outside Ellicott City (an auto repair facility now in its 73rd year), Breezy Hill Farm in Woodbine (home to alpaca, peacocks, ostriches and a host of other animals), the Howard County Living Farm Heritage Museum, and Alex's Ice Cream Stand in Lisbon. The Tour included the traditional (and infamous!) “quiz”: a printed list of questions given to each driver, designed to test one's perceptive abilities regarding sights observed at each of the stops along the way. Test sheets were tabulated later and a prize was awarded to the team giving the most correct answers. Cars began returning to the Fairgrounds at 2:00 P.M. and at 3:00 a buffet dinner was served to 104 participants. Photos of all cars on the tour were projected onto the wall during dinner. Afterwards, the “quiz” award was presented to the winners, John and Judy Boksz of Parkville, Md., driving a 1966 AMC Marlin. Gary and Janice Masie won the “long distance” award; they drove 239 miles to the Tour from their home in Clinton, New Jersey. Also recognized were Ed and Ann Hilbush of West Chester, Pa., whose 1912 Flanders Model 20 roadster was the oldest car driven on the tour. Participants or tour staff drove cars representing 14 defunct companies, motor divisions or nameplates. American Mo- tors Corporation was the most heavily represented, with nine cars; the , Studebaker, Hudson (including Essex and Terraplane) and DeSoto marques were next, with four cars each. Brand names represented by one or two cars each, included Flanders, MG, Mercury, Morris, Oldsmobile, Plymouth and Pontiac. A pre-War Wolseley (British) was driven to dinner at the end of the tour. In addition there were two Thunderbirds (Ford), two Corvairs (Chevy) and a Imperial Airflow, and though their manufacturers are still very much “alive”, the models themselves are discontinued. (A couple of the cars on the tour were modern “Brand-X's”, driven by owners whose vintage “orphans” were under re- pair.) This year's event was put together and run by the DeSoto Owners Club of Maryland, whose members had worked on the tour since January. Tom and Anne Kenney acted as Tour Directors and they were assisted by fellow DeSoto club members Bob and Kathy Baer, Mike and Jonathan Bianco, Willis and Janice Terrett, and Bill Wurzell. Bill and Susan Johnson (from Mid-Atlantic ), and Jon Battle (from the Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the Hudson club) assisted also. Harley Smith (of the Potomac Ramblers chapter of the AMC / Club) is the Tour's Treasurer. This year's event was different from previous tours in that all drivers had to pre-register not only for the meal, but for the tour as well. This was necessitated by the logistics of moving dozens of cars in and out of the many stops along the route. The Orphan Car Tour takes place in a different geographical location in the Baltimore / Washington region each year. It is designed to encourage the driving enjoyment of antique “orphan” (discontinued-make) automobiles. Sponsors in- clude Mid-Atlantic Packards (a region of the Packard Club), the Potomac Chapter of the Studebaker Drivers' Club, the Keystone Region Chapter of the SDC, the DeSoto Owners Club of Maryland, the Potomac Ramblers Chapter of the AMC/Rambler Club, and the Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the Hudson-Essex-Terraplane Club. The Tour maintains a website at www.orphancartour.org .

(Continued on page 9)

8

Listing of cars, by make or manufacturer, that were at the Tour (either driven on it, or owned by the tour “staff”):

AMC Henry & Donna Rae Smith, 1960 John and Phyllis Cherry, 1960 Metropolitan John Zampino and Luke Rodell, 1974 Jeep Cherokee (AMC) Buster Zimmerman, ChrIsty, Leo and Melissa Cherry, AMC Metropolitan John & Judy Boksz, 1966 AMC Marlin Kevin & Jane Shenberger, 1972 AMC Hornet SST Cheryl and Lee Shenberger, 1970 AMC AMX Harley and Carol Smith, 1970 AMC AMX Ken Prentice and Peggy Dern-Prentice, 1965 AMC Marlin

Packards Keith Vail and Evelyn Seals, 1954 Packard Pacific Jim Vines, 1951 Packard 200 Murray Cole, Pat Zeman, Willis & Janice Terrett, 1951 Packard 200 Deluxe Bill & Sue Johnson, 1956 George Hamlin (not signed up for tour) drove a '61 Studebaker Lark.

Studebakers Bob Wilson and Valerie Deely, 1952 Stude. Commander Conv. Bob, and Phyllis Godwin, Joan Spear, 1964 Stude GT Hawk Robert and Jadzia Wilson, 1953 Stude. Commander Joe and Jane Prechtel, 1964 Studebaker GT George Hamlin (not signed up for tour) drove a '61 Studebaker Lark.

DeSotos Jim Turner and John Gismo, 1953 DeSoto Bill Wurzell, 1954 DeSoto Firedome Bob and Cathy Baer, 1948 DeSoto Deluxe Tom and Anne Kenney, 1960 DeSoto Adventurer

Hudsons Lewis Mendenhall and Lee Anderson, 1929 Essex Jon Battle, 1937 Terraplane Carl Wennberg and Rhonda Frey, 1941 Hudson Super Six Milton Stern, 1954 Jet Liner

Cars pictured are representative of the makes but are not actual cars on the Orphan Tour.

10 2015 Potomac Chapter SDC Membership Application or Renewal

Please complete this form and mail a check for $15.00, payable to POTOMAC CHAPTER SDC. Send the completed form and check to: Nadine & Mike Farris, 4313 Landgreen Street, Rockville, MD 20853 email [email protected] Phone: 301-460-4341

Yearly dues apply from Jan 1st to Dec 31st of each year

I am a member of I am joining SDC International at this time- SDC International National Upon receipt of your national membership #, Membership # Please send information to the address to email above.

This is a NEW Application Renewal/Update

Name: Spouse:

Address: Phone:

City/ST/ZIP: Cell:

E-Mail:

Birthday: Month Day Spouse: Month Day

I own the following Studebakers (including , , EMF, Avanti)

Year Make Model Body Style

YOU MUST BE A MEMBER OF NATIONAL SDC IN ORDER TO JOIN ANY SDC CHAPTER The Commander 24121 Ridge Road Germantown, MD 20876

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"If a June night could talk, it would probably boast it invented romance." - Bern Williams

Birthstone: Moonstone or Pearl "Roses are red, Violets are blue; But they don't get around Flower: Rose or Like the dandelions do." - Slim Acres Honeysuckle

First Weekend in June: National Doughnut Weekend "Spring being a tough act to follow, Accordian Awareness Month God created June." Adopt A Cat Month - Al Bernstein Candy Month Dairy Month "June brings tulips, lilies, roses, Fight The Filthy Fly Month Fills the children's hands with posies." - Sara Coleridge Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month

Great Outdoors Month Iced Tea Month Potomac Chapter SDC web site: http://potomacsdc.org

June 2015