Arthur (Art) Hagaman longtime Regional Group member dies at home Monthly Newsletter of the Early Ford V8 Club of America Arthur Wayne Hagaman, 77. East Tennessee Regional Group passed away at his home on Fri- May 5, 2014 day, April 11, 2014. He was born May 26, 1936 in B r i s t o l , Tennessee and was Dirt track racing pioneer Tom Eorgan still likes racing the son of Excerpted from a story by Gary B. Gray in the JC Press the late Although he quit racing in 1969 Clyde and Tom Eorgan says he still attends J e a n e t t e races at the Bristol Motor Speed- Hagaman. way and watches NASCAR on A r t h u r television. At 86, he still gets fired was em- up when short track racing is dis- ployed at cussed. Central Glass Company on West Eorgan says he quit because State Street for several years and “My family was most important became co-owner of the company. and I felt I needed maintain a de- He retired in 2001. cent lifestyle.” His insurance car- He was a member of Tennessee rier had told him that his home Avenue Baptist Church, Bristol and personal automobile would no Host Lions Club, Bristol Home longer be covered if he continued Builders, and the V-8 Early Ford Photo by Ron Campbell to race. Tom Eorgan displays some keep- Club. Eorgan always liked speed. He sakes from his racing days. His favorite pastimes were was known as a fast driver when he drove a ‘37 Ford to high school in hanging out on his small farm in Pikeville, KY. Goose Pimple Junction, collecting He began racing in 1955 with a modified ‘34 Ford coupe at the Tri- antique items, and attending auc- Cities Speedway, five years before Bristol Motor Speedway was built. tions and yard sales. It wasn’t a good start. His car blew a water hose and he spun out. Al- He is survived by his wife of 57 though he was disappointed that he didn’t win the $12 purse for the fea- years Ruth; one son, Don and wife ture race, he continued to race at that quarter-mile track every Saturday Bernice; two daughters, Vicky night and built his racing skills. Hagaman Hall, and Sally Sykes He patterned his driving after . He drove Lund’s car at and husband Mike; three grand- Boyd Speedway in Chattanooga and led all 300 laps against drivers like children, Ben Booher, Rachael , and Curtis Turner. As racing was transitioning from Booher, and Seth Hall; two step- farmer’s fields to dusty oval dirt tracks there were few safety features. grandchildren, Chelsea and Tyler Although drivers had helmets and goggles, they used a single lap belt Sykes; one sister, Ellen Jane Bos- and hung on tight on the corners. tic of Lebanon ; and sev- By the late 50’s, he got into a regular pattern of races each week at eral nieces and nephews. (Continued on page 4, Column 2.) His body was interred in Glen- wood Cemetery in Bristol, Tennes- New cruise-in season at Lowe’s off to a good start see. Members of the Early Ford V8 The season’s weekly cruise-ins begun April 18 with between 50 and 60 Club and the Bristol Host Lions cars on Lowe’s parking lot. The second one on April 25 was nearly rained Club served as Honorary pallbear- out, but 30 cars showed up despite the drizzly evening. ers. Plans call for the cruise-ins to be held from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. every Friday night until the end of October. Members of the committee are Meals for Wheels enthusiastic about the prospect for the summer with sponsors signed up Charlie Fleenor, Ron Harkleroad for each week through the summer. and Mike Henty will serve the Meals A four by ten foot banner adjacent to the entrance to Lowe’s announces for Wheels on Thursday, May 8. the cruise-ins to motorists on Volunteer parkway. Page 2 Ford Words, May 5, 2014 From the observation deck of the Empire State Building: Ford marks 50 years of the Mustang and introduces its 2015 model To introduce the 2015 ver- sion of the Mustang and to cel- ebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the introduction of the original Mustang, repeated a stunt it had success- fully carried off when the first Mustang was introduced 50 years ago. It displayed a Mus- tang on the 86th floor observa- tion deck of the Enpire State Building. The car was dismantled into sections small enough to fit in the personal elevators, lifted to the upper floor and reassembled for display.

At left the 1964 vehicle Above pieces of a Mustang are loaded aboard the el- evators of the Empire State Building to be taken to the 86th floor. At left, workmen reassem- ble the car for display on the observation platform. Unofficial reports indicate that it took four workers four hours to reassemble the car on the upper floor. Ford has announced plans to produce 1,964 copies of a 50 year limited edition Mus- tang. It will come in only Kona blue and Wimbledon white. With a fastback body, it will be powered by a 5.0 li- ter V8, that will produce 420 horsepower. Ford Words, May 5, 2014 Page 3 Fleet of flathead Ford V8s carried sightseers over Sleeping Bear Dunes For 25 years, 1935 to 1960, Early Ford V8s played a prominent role in tourist industry of the Sleeping Bear sand dunes that stretch for 35 miles along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. Frank Hagerty, founder of Hagerty insurance recalls that in 1935 Louis C. Warnes equipped a car with spe- cial motor and giant tires for personal pleasure trips into the vast sand lands near hauled tourists over the sands. The Dunesmobile tours ended his home. Friends begged him to In 1960 the Fords were replaced when the Sleeping Bear Dunes take passengers. Soon he added with which were lat- National Lakeshore Park was es- other cars and tablished in trained drivers. 1978. For over 40 years The park the “Dunesmobiles” is named af- rode over one of the ter a Chip- most breathtak- pawa leg- ing landscapes in end about the world, bringing a mother those too young, bear, fright- old or lazy to walk ened by an closer to the beauty e n o r m o u s that dwells in the fire on the heart of the Sleep- w e s t e r n ing Bear. er replaced by pickup trucks that shore of the lake ,swam with her As a teenager, Hagerty was a driv- could carry a greater number of two cubs to escape the fire. Al- er of Warnes’ “Dunesmobiles”and passengers. though the mother bear reached the opposite shore and rested on a high bluff, waiting in hopes that her cubs would appear, the cubs lagged behind and drowned. The Great Spirit created North and South Manitou Islands to com- memorate the cubs, and the winds buried the sleeping bear under the sands of the dunes on a small tree- covered knoll that, from the water, had the appearance of a sleep- ing bear. Wind and erosion have caused the “bear” to disappear in before his death, this spring he recent years. searched out and restored one of the cars from Warnes fleet. He recalled Warnes started with a 1935 Ford, a 1934, a 1939, four 1937s and a ‘39 Mercury. By 1948 he had a fleet of ten 1948 Ford convertibles specially equipped with balloon tires that Page 4 Ford Words, May 5, 2014 EARLY FORD V8 CLUB OF AMERICA EARLY FORD V8 CLUB OF AMERICA East Tennessee Regional Group East Tennessee Regional Group Minutes of meeting held April 10, 2014 Minutes of meeting held May 1, 2014 The meeting was called to order by President The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Phil Vinson at 7:10 p.m. President Phil Vinson. Minutes of the meeting of April 3 were read Minutes of the meeting of April 10 were read by Secretary Murv Perry and approved as read by Secretary Murv Perry. After correction of Tom on motion by T Brown, seconded by Gerald Tart. Collins estimate of the price for a 1940 Tennes- Treasurer’s report was delivered by Phil Vin- see license plate that another regional group had son. It showed no change in the report deliv- asked for a museum collection from $400 to $200, ered by Treasurer John Seneker at the meeting the minutes were approved on motion by T Brown, on April 3. It was approved on motion by Ken seconded by George Helms. Bouck, seconded by Dave Shmidt. Treasurer’s report by John Seneker was ac- The membership was informed of a show and cepted on motion by Tom Collins, seconded by Jim shine event at Sears parking lot in the mall at Broyles. Abingdon on Sunday afternoon. Chief informed the group that the meal for May A motion of thanks for the evening meal to 8 will be provided by Charlie Fleenor, Ron Har- Jim Broyles, Jim Gose and Ken Bouck was ap- kleroad and Mike Henty. proved by applause. Earl Blankenbeckler’s number was drawn for A letter from the Palm Beach Regional Group the Ford Fund. Since he was not present, the $19 described a display of license plates they hoped pot was deposited in the Building Maintenance to develop for the Early Ford V8 Foundation Fund. and asked the East Tennessee Regional Group The meeting was adjourned at 7:14. to supply a 1940 Tennessee plate. No one knew Minutes reported by Murv Perry whether such a plate could be obtained, but Tom Collins responded that such a plate would be Eorgan Continued from Page 1. worth $400 if it could be found. three tracks, Newport Fairgrounds on Thursday, A letter from the committee sponsoring the Bristol Motor Speedway on Friday and Sportsman Central National Meet next August requested Speedway in Johnson City on Saturday, where he the East Tennessee Regional Group to make a could get $100 for winning a feature race. donation of something that could be offered in He added a 1954 Mercury and raced both it and his the groups raffle or cash to support the national ‘34 coupe, partnering with Joe George, who served as meet. Murv Perry reported that he would send mechanic. In early years of competition they ran stock them a copy of Murv’s Motoring Memories for engines and freshened them up halfway through the their raffle. year. Drivers soon began to add exhaust headers, tu- Jim Gose number was drawn for the Ford bular shock absorbers and beef up the springs. Fund of $19 and although he had participat- In the Mercury in 1968, he took a nasty hit. He was ed in getting the meal for the evening, he was leading the race at Sportsman Speedway and was not present so the money was deposited in the lapping another car when it spun into the infield and Building Maintenance Fund. came back on the track. Eorgan T-boned him at 98 The meeting was adjourned at 7:31 p.m. miles miles an hour. The steering gear broke from Minutes submitted by Murv Perry the frame and was pushed into the driver’s compart- ment. It hit him in the face and he lost a few teeth. During his career he beat some of NASCAR’s best. Kingsport club schedules two events In his best year, he won 21 of 29 feature races. The Kingsport Rod and Antique Club has scheduled After quitting racing, he held a job as pit steward at two events in May. Sportsman Speedway for three years. They will hold their annual Super Cruise and fund raiser for the Ronald McDonald House Friday night, May 23 at the Kingsport Town Center, 2101 Ft. Hen- FOR SALE: 1949 Mercury block, modified for ry Drive from 6:00 to 9:30 p.m. speed, polished intake ports, relieved, bored to 3 The Wilderness Trail Rod Run will be held Satur- 3/8, in. stroked to 4 1/8 in. completely balanced, day, May 24, on Main Street in Kingsport. Regis- chrome journals on crank, 1 7/8 in. intake valves, tration will be from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. Awards will be 1 5/8 in. exhaust valves, Potvin Eliminator billet presented at 8:00. There will be live entertainment. cam, Schaffer aluminum flywheel. Contact Nor- Pre-registration is $10 until May 19. Registration the man Litchfield (423) 534-1505. day of the show will be $15.