March 2019 Newsletter! MCC web site: www.msclassiccruisers.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/mississippiclassiccruisers

Upcoming MCC Events… MCC February Cruise-In – Saturday, March 9th – Main Street - Madison, MS – 3pm MCC Garage Tour – Saturday, June 1st – more details coming soon! More Dates In The Upcoming Events and Show Flyers below!

Robert Atherley, Jr. Florence, MS 1962 Oldsmobile Super 88 1970 Chevrolet El Camino 1996 LT1

Jim and Renee Bowman Madison, MS 1968 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle

Charle Carnaghie Brandon, MS 1986 Chevrolet El Camino

Mel and Dairath Headley Madison, MS 2016 Chevrolet Corvette

Ricky and Cindy Phillips Brandon, MS 1956 Chevrolet 3100

Jim and Jo Carol Stone Madison, MS 2014 Chevrolet Corvette

Spring is coming! Trust me on this, it WILL be here and hopefully we will see some sunshine with it. So if you haven’t already done so, now would be a good time to get that vehicle serviced and ready for the upcoming year. Your Board has been busy lining up some excellent shows and opportunities for you to get that car or truck out and enjoy it. In my first input last month I failed to thank Mike Martin for the work he has done as your President last year and so many years before. Mike is a true “Car Guy” and has expertly guided this club for so many years.

Remember we will have a cruise in at the Scarecrow site on the second Saturday of each month from 3-5pm (4-6 pm after daylight savings time kicks in). By now you should have received info on the upcoming “Cars Under the Stars” Car Show at the Mississippi Trade Mart on March 1 and 2. It will be an excellent show to kick off our car show year so let’s all get out and support MAMA (Mississippi Automobile Manufacturing Association) for this exciting event. In spite of the threat of rain and some pretty cool temperatures we had a good showing at the Dixie National Rodeo Parade on Saturday, February 9th. We even had a couple of souls brave enough to put their tops down for the parade.

Your Board is already working on the poster for the upcoming Scarecrow Show this year and Lonnie Keys is doing another outstanding job as the first proofs are out and it is gorgeous! You will know what I mean when you see it. We want to welcome any new members this month. It is the appreciation and interest in these vehicles that bring us together and provide the basis for some life-long friendships not to mention the contacts and references these friendships provide for improving and maintaining these treasures. So get ready to strap in and enjoy the ride! Tom White

A Couple of Funnies!

THE STORY OF THE MID YEAR CORVETTES Story by MCC Member Mike Martin

General Motors Corporation, Chevrolet Division, is now producing the Seventh generation of the iconic two seat sports car. The Second generation of the Corvette, known as the “Mid- Year” Corvettes, were produced for four years (1963 through 1967). These cars have become some of the most desired and collectable of all of the Corvettes ever manufactured. The Second Generation (C2) Corvette continued with fiberglass body panels. The new 1963 model was called the “Sting Ray” and was a bit smaller than the C1’s (1953- 1962). The car’s unique styling was designed by the famous designer Larry Shinoda with major inspiration from a previous concept car called the “Q Corvette’ which was created by Peter Brock and Chuck Pohlman under the direction of styling director Bill Mitchell. Earlier, Mitchell had sponsored a Corvette called the “Mitchell Sting Ray” which was a racer. This vehicle had a major impact on what became the 1963 Sting Ray. The car had no top and did not give away what the final design of the C2 would look like. The third inspiration of the ’63 model was a that Bill Mitchell had caught while deep sea fishing. This also became a concept car.

Production started in 1962 for the 1963 model year. In that year 21,513 cars would be produced all in the St. Louis car plant which was exclusively used for Corvette production. The hardtop coupe featured a distinctive tapering of the rear deck to a point in the rear (this feature would later reappear on the 1971 Buick Riviera). For the 1963 model only, the rear window had a panel splitting the glass: the “split window coupe”. The new model featured hidden headlights, non-functioning hood vents and independent rear suspension. Corvette Chief Engineer Zora Arkus Duntov did not like the split window concept because he said it hindered rear visibility. Bill Mitchell thought it was integral to the overall design of the car. Maximum power in 1963 was 360 horsepower from a 327 cubic inch and this was raised in 1964 to 375HP. Options in 1964 included transistorized ignition (the breakerless magnetic pulse triggered ignition first seen on some Pontiac cars in 1963). In 1964, the hood vents were eliminated and Duntov got his way with the removal of the rear split window design concept. From that point on, the window would not be split. Production in 1964 was 22,229 cars.

For 1965, 4 wheel disc brakes were standard equipment for the first time. An optional ‘big block’ engine of 396 cubic inch with 425HP was available. Side pipe exhausts were optional and would be through the end of the production run. The introduction of the big block engine spelled the demise of the Rochester fuel injection systems available since 1963. Fuel injection on the small block engines cost $538 whereas the big block 396 with 425HP cost only $292. Buyers were not willing to pay more for less horsepower even though the Rochester fuel injection could (sometimes) provide up to 20 MPG and could keep delivering fuel even during hard cornering at racing speeds, something a regular carburetor has trouble with. Only 771 fuel injected cars were built in 1965 and Chevrolet discontinued the fuel injected option at the end of the year. They had sold some 2,000 big block 425HP cars. Another rare option for the ’63 and ’64 cars was the Z06 option which offered stiffer suspension, bigger brakes with finned drums and more. Only a couple hundred coupes and a single convertible were equipped in this manner. Total sales in 1965 were 23,562.

For 1966, Chevrolet introduced an even larger 427 cubic inch engine. Total units sold for that year was 27,720. In 1967, the final year of the mid-year production the model featured restyled front fender vents, less ornamentation and backup lights moved to the center of the rear valance. The year 1967 had the first L88 engine option. These engines were basically race engine rated at 430HP but which were closer to having 560HP or more. Only 20 such equipped vehicles were produced by the factory. These cars now command prices exceeding $1 million. A Holley triple two barrel carbureted engine was available in the L89 option adding a cost of $368. Sales slipped some in 1967 to 22,940.

So that is a brief history of the mid-year Corvettes. These were well built sports cars much loved by car lovers everywhere.

MCC February Cruise-In – Saturday, March 9th – Main Street - Madison, MS – 3pm 41st Dixie Rod Run – March 15th – 16th – Trustmark Park – Pearl, MS (flyer attached) Motor Madness Car Show – Saturday, May 4th – Florence, MS (flyer attached) Swinging Bridge Car Show – Saturday, May 11th – Byram, MS Mother’s Day Antique Car Show – Saturday, May 11th – 2pm – 5pm (flyer attached) MCC Garage Tour – Saturday, June 1st – more details coming soon!

1966 Mustang Coupe – Pony Interior, Full Console, Deluxe Steering Wheel, Rebuilt 302 Engine – Contact Vicky Bennett at 601-953- 7617. Asking price: $19,000 *

Pre-Registration $20/car – Registration Day of Show $25/car Located at Hemphill Park in Florence, Mississippi

To place a free ad or to change/cancel your current ad, please contact Burton Doss at 601- 940-1282 or by E-Mail at [email protected]. You can also send a letter to MCC, P. O. BOX 592, MADISON, MS 39130. Submission deadline for changes, deletions, and/or additions for the April 2019 newsletter will be March 19th. Please don’t be late!

All ads will be canceled after three (3) months unless canceled by you earlier and are limited to five lines and must be automotive related. Photos are welcome but must be sent by email along with your ad.

Automotive services available from some of our great MCC Sponsors:

Complete auto/boat upholstery, Juan’s Upholstery in Raymond. Call Juan or Maribel Melo at 601-376-0005 or email [email protected]. Specializing in repairs and upgrades to your classic car or truck. Tyer’s Professional Auto Service in Clinton at 601-924-4165. Glass for home or auto, Venable Glass Services. Ridgeland and Brandon locations. Call owner Roger Venable at 601-605-4443. T-shirts, banners, signs, mugs, pens, hats, printing, business cards and all kinds of marketing / promotional items. Printables & More, 101-B First Choice Drive, Madison, MS (located in Gluckstadt). Contact owners Debra and Mike Gallaway at 601-898-1790. Paint and body work, all classic and late model vehicles. Contact your local Capitol Body Shop Manager. Contact Richard Newman at Storage Depot for all your storage needs. 601-856-5650 or visit his web site at www.storagedepotms.com. Be sure to tell Richard that you are a member of the Mississippi Classic Cruisers. Check out White Rhino Fabrication for all your specialty designs and fabrication needs for your current and future projects. Contract Chris Brown at 601-397-1118. If you are searching for replacement parts for your current daily driver or a hard to find project car, contact Pull-A-Part at (601) 949-8490 or visit their website www.pullapart.com