JANUARY, 2021 OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF RICHMOND REGION ANTIQUE AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF AMERICA.

INSIDE FRONT COVER

NEXT MEETING JANUARY 7, 7:30 PM ALL VIRTUAL

JANUARY, 2021 -

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF RICHMOND REGION, AACA

C O N T E N T S

JOE GUCKERT FROM THE PRESIDENT ...... 3 President WELCOME, New Members ...... 4 [email protected] (Pictured on cover) DARKNESS & SUSPENSE...... 5

ANDY FUHRMAN AMC DEALERSHIP Vice-President STILL OPERATING ...... 6—7 [email protected]

CAR SHOW UPDATE ...... 7 “The Tuk-Tuks are coming” DEBBIE NOLEN Secretary 51st ANNUAL CAR SHOW ...... 8-9

THE DEMISE OF THE MERT FOWLKES PACKARD ...... 10-12 Treasurer [email protected] FROM THE EDITOR ...... 13

YES, VIRGINIA BRUCE WOODSON THE CAR IS REAL ...... 13 Director NATIONALS & TOURS ...... 13

TECH COLUMN JOHN SMITH The 1966 Director Corvair Corsa ...... 14 [email protected] MINUTES ...... 15

KENNY BAKER SURPRISES KIDS Director FIND IN [email protected] OLD CARS ...... 16

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rallies in March and May, an Independence Day Picnic at A New Year! (Finally!) Osborne Boat Landing and the opportunity to meet in By Debbie Nolen person at Belmont August – December.  Even though we had to cancel this year’s car show and S I look back on 2020, I reflect on how our lives have swap meet, we were still able to be of service to our com- A changed. The global COVID-19 pandemic brought munity, and were successful in raising $3,025 to support pain and loss to many of us. And for almost all of us, our daily St. Joseph’s Villa which included a $1000 club donation. lives, family time, and work also radically changed this year - The car show committee is already at work on our up- the world came to a grinding halt as COVID-19 took over. coming show scheduled for June 19, 2021. Richmond Re- Over the past ten months we have learned to meet on Zoom, gion was also able to make a $1000 donation to the wear a mask as an everyday piece of clothing, socially distance AACA Headquarters and Library Research Center. while watching as our auto events were cancelled. Our hearts  Due to recent mandates by the Governor of Pennsylvania, go out to all of you and the more than 317,000 families around the 2021 AACA Annual Convention has been resched- the country that have been touched by this horrible pandem- uled to April 15-17, 2021 at the Sheraton Downtown Hotel ic. As the numbers continue to surge and the vaccine being in Philadelphia, PA. The Annual Convention is planned released, we've made it to the end of this difficult year, not on to remain true to past gatherings with seminars, the trade our own but by reaching out to one another, as we always do show, and, of course, the National Awards Banquet & in our families, communities and the AACA. Ceremony. The Nationals planned for Puerto Rico have This month’s president’s message is meaningful for me as been pushed back to 2022. Due to the Virginia Gover- this will be my last as your Club President. Much as I would nor’s recent COVID restriction on the size of public gath- like to recount my contributions to the club, humility hinders erings, we cannot hold our club meetings at Belmont un- me from doing so. I can only count my blessings as shown til the restrictions are lifted. However, on January 7, 2021 through your cooperation and support - for without you, the we will have an all-virtual club meeting at 7:30 pm and Club cannot function at all while I merely helped us navigate the connection links will be distributed closer to the the waters of change. Within Richmond Region, we draw our meeting after the holidays. strength from the friendships and camaraderie that we have built throughout all these years, the joy and satisfaction of Finally, I consider myself very fortunate to have had the working together and the spirit of concern for each other and privilege of leading Richmond Region 2019-2020 and as your to move us to help others. outgoing president I want to thank you all for the honor and I will choose to remember 2020 as a year of great change privilege you entrusted to me. I’m also very grateful for the and strength for us - AACA and our region didn't stop, despite support of our Officers and members during my tenure. As we the pandemic. We removed obstacles, found new ways to go into our next Presidential cycle, I have no doubts in the connect, and embraced new approaches to connect with each ability of Joe Guckert as our leader and I have no doubt that other, including: he and our new board will exceed the expectations of all  Smaller in-person masked and socially distanced club RRAACA members. As Ex Officio and secretary, I am rallying meetings at Belmont, with the establishment and use behind to support Joe and our new team as we move forward WebEx virtual meetings. into another potentially challenging two-year period.  An initial four months of a mailed printed Gaslight news- As we move forward STAY connected and here’s a friend- letter. Recently the RR Board voted to extend the mailing ly reminder to frequently check your club connection re- of a printed copy of the Gaslight through April 2021 to all sources - the club website for Richmond Region show and current and up to date members as of December 31, 2020. event updates. Check in with our social media and the club’s It is true that the hardcopies are helping to keep us all Facebook page, for event information and event pictures. On connected during these times until most of our club our group Facebook page, you can add pictures and stories on members are comfortable attending in-person meetings/ that site. And, as always, send your stories to Clif Edwards for events. inclusion in the club’s Gaslight newsletter. Enjoy all these  The Board also approved that we will not present the resources to stay connected. Pick up the phone and call, text Richmond Region Annual Awards for the 2020 year to or messenger. Stay safe by maintaining social distance, wear honor both the history and the spirit of each award. Since a mask in public, and wash your hands often. Vaccinate. the club has had few public events this year due to Friends, we are all stronger than the pandemic. I look for-

COVID-19, the usual parameters for our annual awards ward to being together soon and a brighter 2021! are simply unable to be applied. This did not mean activi- ties did not take place – we had two successful fun run Debbie

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N my senior I year at Tucker, I started my automotive career by washing cars at Frick Motor Company on Broad Street. By the time I graduated in 1981, I got hired as full time. I was in heaven: driving Jaguars, Mercedes, and Porsches in between errands, tasks, and food runs. Since every request started with “hey, boy . . .” I thought was my official title. Frick expanded, and hired a mechanic that taught me a lot about cars, in between by errands. One errand stands out: meeting Carol Groom Woodson at Napa. I met Bruce not much later. By the time Frick opened a second location on Midlothian, I was the service manager. We had the first Maserati franchise in Richmond, but the economy eventually Dennis & put Frick out of business. Cindi Urick I caught the British car fever from Bruce and acquired an MG Midget. From jobs at Richmond BMW to Brown’s Jaguar, I worked my way up the ranks in the British Car Collecting hobby. With Bruce as a mentor, and his position as the Show Chairman, we hosted shows at Brown’s Island and in New Kent Winery. Since he was the chair, I was once again held the title “Hey, boy” and I relished the opportunity. I could not limit myself to British cars, so I acquired a 1978 Smokey and the Bandit model Trans Am while I was managing the service department at Pearson Hyundai. It was well worn and quite faded, but still a beauty. As a devoted father, I could not ignore my daughter Meredith’s interest in horseback riding. The Trans Am was put on hold, and I bought a truck, trailer, and a horse. I still had an MGA and an MGB, so I was still in the game. On a stroke of professional luck, I got a position as a manager of Parts and Service for Hyundai. That involved travel, and I leveraged my connections up and down the east coast. Of course, all that travel meant that I could not be as active in the car clubs. Along the way, I stumbled upon a 1932 Ford High Boy. To me, it is the coolest Hot Rod around. That top-notch car had been built by Page Customs in Oilville. I had a great uncle out in St Louis who supposedly bought a 1956 Corvette new. I had never seen it, but I was sure the story was true. It was not until his widow left it to me in her will that I found it had been garaged and covered for decades. Since it was not properly prepped for storage, the engine had seized, and it took all of Bruce’s expertise to recommission the car. He did a great job, and now I have the car plus the bill of sale, the actual payment book with one coupon left, and the original owner’s manual from Chevrolet. My wife Cindi and I look forward to meeting you all. She works as the manager of the Pathology lab at MCV. Cindi is always up for a ride out to any of the Virginia’s many vineyards. --Denis Urick

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The Diehl-Psycho Short Story . . . Darkness & Suspense in Nash’s Nash at Battersea

N Dec 5, 2020 I was asked to bring the 1941 Nash to ting dizzy. O Battersea Plantation; the home was built in 1768 by I asked, does anyone know how to shift a 3 speed on the Colonel John Banister. The brick home was later covered column? My answer was “We only have a short distance to with stucco by another owner. The movie is being made for drive and it will be at slow speed.” the Travel Channel on TV to be aired sometime between I told them the starter was under the clutch. They then mid-February and March. This channel has a lot of weird asked “where is the clutch?” things as this production also is. They were going to pick up After these discussions, we made a deal that I would my car at 11am and finish by 11pm. After some discussions, I bring the car to them and stay until finished. If I was bring- understood they knew “JACK” about old cars. Now know- ing the car, it would only be necessary to get there by 4pm ing “JACK” about old cars can really be a problem, sort of and stay till 11pm. like “MURPHY” working with you in double time!! At 7pm scenes with the car started. Lovers were pic- I was asked how much did the car weigh and how tured in the car in a deserted area. Then later boxes of bones much did the car and trailer weigh, how long is the car and were removed from the trunk, another scene depicted a trailer, how much did both weighs. They were thinking body being dragged out of the trunk. how they were going to haul it to the site. Can you imagine The finale for me was to drive the car slowly up the drive hauling this car and trailer on a rollback? What happens in the dark with headlights on and stop at a point as di- when the trailer and car are unloaded from the rollback and rected. I was to do this twice. On the second run, a car pulled the car is backed out? The trailer front goes up in the air and in from the main road and followed me down the drive with “MURPHY” laughs, as the trailer moves around and the guy his blue light blinking. It was the police. He saw this suspi- inside the car and trailer thinks he is on a carnival ride get- cious action and wanted to investigate. The director quickly came to my rescue, explaining that I was not guilty and had nothing to do with the hole in the ground, with the bones or skeleton. I had to make one more take down the drive and it was all over for me. In the movie this scene is when the “Psy-cho” is pulling up in the graveyard. I do not give autographs, but you can make a tax exempt do- nation to St Joseph’s Villa,. Reggie Nash.

Reggie Nash’s 1941 Nash. Battersea Plantation. JANUARY, 2021 - 5

AMC Dealership Still Operating

JAMES GILBOY, The Drive

U.S. Route 117 in Pikeville, North Carolina

T’’S easy to mistake the overgrown ny. In 1955, Collier bailed on Chevy to out. "It didn't measure up to the Nash I lot along U.S. Route 117 in Pikeville, open his own AMC dealer franchise, engines, Nash anything," Collier North Carolina for abandoned proper- where he reportedly earned a reputa- told Hot Rod. ty—or a junkyard. Scattered across its tion as an upright businessman and a By the time Collier lost his AMC premises are over 100 rusting cars, skilled mechanic. franchise in the mid-1980s, as his son's many of them products of AMC's vari- His business' good name, howev- comment recalls, AMC was already a ous makes including , Nash and er, suffered a black eye around 1979, sinking ship, and when it foundered, its . But they're not some reposi- when the first imported cars from dealership network was forced to tory of burned-out old beaters. They're AMC's new partner landed switch brands or die off. Not Collier the leftover stock of AMC's last dealer- on his lot. According to comments left Motors though, as it had already mi- ship, Collier Motors. And it's still open by Collier's son Kevin on an archived grated to selling the best and rarest for business. 2006 blog post, Collier Motors "lost a used AMCs, Nashes, and Ramblers customer each time" it sold a Renault. money could buy. Among his stocks at COLLIER’S MOTORS Rather than sell what old man Collier various times were rare Rambler Rebel called "sorry cars" in a 2012 highlight , Nash-Healey sports cars, Collier Motors' roots can be by Hot Rod, the AMC aficionado let his surplus Javelin interceptors from the traced back to the early 1950s when Renault inventory dry up and or- Alabama Department of Public Safety Robert "Bobby" Collier was learning dered no more. and even Barry Goldwater's 1969 AMX. the ropes at a Chevrolet dealer. His loy- But as AMC's glory days became alty, however, lay not with GM's bow- AMC FROM HERE ON more distant, so did those of Collier tie brand but with the likes of Nash, Motors. In 1992, the dealer lost its lead Hudson and the conglomerate the two He would only sell cars built by mechanic and over time, good AMCs formed, the American Motor Compa- AMC or its forerunners from here on became harder to source. Health prob-

6 - JANUARY, 2021 lems in Collier's family forced him to take a step back from the business and, at some point, the neglected show- room's roof began to collapse. Collier then sold off his most pristine AMCs and moved the rest outside, into the elements. As of 2012, Collier Motors was still doing good business as a bro- ker for restorables and hadn't resorted to parting out its aging inventory, rusty though it may be. "At the time [of the roof's failure], we had some other [cars] inside. There's no way to keep them all inside," As Collier’s Motors looks today. recalled Robbie, one of Bobby's other sons, to Hot Rod. "We basically [buy] them for someone else to restore. We Car Show and Swap Meet Update! try to sell them whole. To date, we haven't parted out many of them." S the year is wrapping up, work is picking up on our Car Show. "We're limited in what we can do. A Here are some the highlights from the last month: There are just so many projects you can • The show website www.RichmondCarShow.com has been updat- do," he continued. ed – using the new poster! • A winery, Quievremont Vineyards, will be serving SURGE OF ATTENTION their wines at the show (www.quievremont.com). • RVA TukTuk’s will be providing on-site transporta- Collier Motors enjoyed a surge of tion – from the parking lots and around the show attention in the spring of 2015, when field in their electric powered tuktuk’s. two History Channel shows aired epi- While there is much work to do in the next six sodes focusing on the still AMC-loyal months, we are making good progress on our plans. dealer, which was still selling cars and Hoping for a much better 2021!! parts despite the state of its stock. Since then, Collier Motors has largely faded back into obscurity, and in early 2018, its founder passed away, reportedly leaving behind over 100 unsold vehicles. But the Collier dynasty doesn't end there. Though Collier AMC's website hasn't been updated since 2015, and its social media since 2018, a skeleton crew consisting of Col- lier's sons Robbie and Ryan keep the business running, with a Facebook review dated May 1 proving sales are ongoing. Indeed, when we pinged the dealer's listed number asking for Collier Motors, they responded promptly. So yes, American Motors Corporation's last dealer is still technically open for business—as open as an overgrown lot stocked with rusting AMCs can be during a pandemic, anyway.

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51st Annual Richmond Collector Car Show and Swap Meet

St. Joseph’s Villa, December, 2020

“Car Show” at St. Joseph’s Villa.

By Bruce Woodson

HE Richmond Region AACA’s fifty-first annual car in our old cars after parading thru the Villa. We even had the T show and swap meet is now in the history books and, ACCA Temple Shriners go kart brigade on board to join us, by all accounts, it was a big success! along with KOS horns to play Christmas Carols as the an- Yes, 2020 was the year of COVID, and early in the year, tique cars passed by the students and faculty. And Bill Bev- our June show faced postponement and cancellation. Ulti- ins would announce it all! Then, new COVID restrictions mately the “normal” show was not to be. But the Car Show put an end to this idea as any outdoor gatherings larger than steering team found an alternative way to raise funds and twenty-five people were not to be allowed. awareness for the Villa. The idea was to create an old- Once again, our fifty-year car-show streak was in jeop- fashioned Christmas Drive, in which the old car community ardy, but more importantly, our club would have to find yet would be invited to donate money and/or gifts for the St. Jo- another path if we wanted to raise money for the Villa. And seph’s Villa and its students. We would then deliver the gifts another path is just what we found.

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On Thanksgiving weekend, an e-mail was sent to every- for his two-year old MGA. Virginia Woodson would drive one on our car-show mailing list, asking for donations to be that 1956 MGA for many years until a mechanical made directly to St. Joseph’s Villa, and we provided a link to failure, combined with rusting sheet metal, caused the little the Villa website. Simultaneously, a request was made to MG to be parked. A few years later, the car was to be sold Richmond Region club members as well as members of the for $50. But the Woodson’s ten-year-old daughter asked Central VA British Car Club to donate Kroger and/or that the car be saved for her to fix up some day. Barbara Walmart Gift Cards, and they could be brought to the De- Woodson-Andres kept her promise and brought out that cember club meeting or dropped off at Mercer & Woodson restored MGA for all to see at the 51st annual car show! Automotive. Under the direction of club president Debbie While the St. Joseph’s Villa staff spent time enjoying the Nolen, the Richmond Region Board voted to make an official show cars, Bruce and Joe found success in the swap meet club donation to enhance the fundraiser. At last, a date was and each took home a new treasure. Debbie Nolen headed set to meet with Villa officials to present our donation. Thus, Friday, December 11, 2020 would become the day we would hold our 51st annual Collector Car Show and Swap Meet! “Show Day” arrived with warm temperatures and clear skies. Because we were now limited to only twenty-five people in a gathering, even outdoors, it was to be a small show. Right on time, both show cars arrived, and Carol Woodson got them through regis- tration with no delay. Joe Guckert directed them to the Show Field parking and soon the cars were beauti- fully displayed. This year’s feature display was, “The cars of Bruce and Virginia Woodson.” Back in 1952, Bruce & Virginia Woodson helped found the Richmond Region Club. But their 1937 su- percharged Cord was not considered an antique car. So, Bruce and Virginia went out and bought a 1922 Bruce Woodson and incoming president Joe Guckert trade model T parts. Ford Model T Roadster to have an eligible car. This car still remains in the Woodson family and Bruce Jr. was up the judging team and in no time, had all the show cars proud to display it in the 2020 show. judged. It was ultimately determined that the top two cars In 1958, the Woodson’s traded a spare Model T parts in the show had tied! An awards presentation was made car and a few dollars with former club member, Tom Wood, with Bruce and Barbara sharing the top award for their cars! Following the awards ceremony, the proceeds were tallied. From direct donations to the Villa during our cam- paign, plus additional donations by club members, gift cards, and a $1,000.00 check from the Richmond Region AACA, we raised a total of $3,025.00. Drew Melson, direc- tor of Marketing Communications for St. Joseph’s Villa gra- ciously accepted the donation and gave a heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed. While our 51st annual show wasn’t a normal show, it did bring a little normalcy to a very abnormal year. And in the end, we did what we do best with our cars. We brought people together to enjoy antique cars and each oth- er’s company while raising funds and awareness for a great local charity. Thank you for your support. You helped make someone’s Christmas a little brighter. God bless and a Merry Christmas to all. Bruce Woodson, Jr. – on behalf of the entire Richmond Bruce and Barbara sharing the top award for their cars! Region Car Show & Swap Meet team

JANUARY, 2021 - 9

The Demise of Packard

1949 Packard Custom Touring Car

ACKARD was a premier luxury content car - the 120 - which sold well front suspension and - later in the dec- P car maker and was very success- enough to keep the company afloat. ade, with Oldsmobile - launching mod- ful in that niche through the 1920s. However, the trade-off was to bring ern automatic transmissions. Over However, in the shakeout of the U.S. down the image of all Packard auto- time, Cadillac - with the scale benefits automotive industry that occurred dur- mobiles. In effect, Packard degraded of GM and a brand image untarnished ing the 1930s Packard was at a major its own brand image among luxury —-surpassed Packard in sales. disadvantage due to the inherent lack car buyers to create greater volume Packard’s brand image was further of scale by reason of being an apex production. damaged by the poor styling of post- competitor only. Packard had no com- war models, their lack of modern V8 panion brands to underpin it, unlike Meantime Packard’s key luxury engines, and generally outdated de- GM and other high volume produc- car competitor, Cadillac, made great signs. Efforts to turn this situation ers. Packard addressed this lack of scale strides during the 1930s, pioneering around were weak and ultimately des- by introducing a lower cost and lower such technologies as independent tined to fail in the disastrous merger

10 - JANUARY, 2021 with Studebaker during the 1950s. By solidation in the industry, pursuing stood for: high-end luxury image, clas- then Cadillac had become established various diversifications and diversions sic styling, and modern powertrains. as the iconic luxury car brand in North that were not productive. Alt- Underlying this reality, of course, was America (and elsewhere) and stood for hough Packard played an important the financial condition of the Compa- modern luxury car design where- role as a manufacturer in the ‘Arsenal ny, which simply could no longer com- as Packard was seen as stodgy and out- of Democracy’ its principle product - pete on the basis of either having ade- dated. the Packard-Merlin aircraft engine - quate capital to invest or having varia- Had Packard created a companion was of course designed by a compet- ble costs low enough to insure sustain- brand for the medium priced market in ing luxury car maker (Rolls- able margins. Packard was in a death the 1920s, when it had the market open- Royce). Packard technology - such as spiral. ing and resources to do it was - was no longer competitive. For Packard adherents this is very so, Packard might have survived. Alter- When successful Packard’s main regrettable, but one cannot change his- natively, had a consortium of invest- strength was styling and internal de- tory. From this remove it appears that ment bankers acquired Packard, Hud- sign and manufacture of a wide variety the management of Packard was living son, and Studebaker during the early of luxury car bodies. At one in a fantasy land during the period of 1930s and merged them into a new cor- time Packard was also known for its 1925–34, when there were opportuni- poration, this rationalized firm may engines. By 1948 - when Cadillac ties to see the challenges ahead and have had the chance to succeed on a launched stylish new cars with new create plans to meet them. They scale similar to that of . Obvi- V8 engines and automatic transmis- failed to do so. ously neither of these scenarios actually sions - Packard had lost all it had once Continued on page 12 occurred. Packard management failed to see the realities of the forces of con-

The Glory Years of Packard

Dave Tarrant, Avia- tion Historian, Pilot, and Consultant

Continued on page 12

JANUARY, 2021 - 11

Continued from page 11 Designed by Amadeo Leiona, this behemoth of a plant started as a small appliance factory, owned by Corp. founded in 1916. The original building, built in 1927 included a three-story factory, an office complex, and a power plant in the rear. During WWII, the company aided in the war effort by being brought on as a contractor for the Skorsky Air- craft Corp. The company carried out final assembly on the helicopters for the Arm and during the span of the war, 262 helicopters were assem- bled at the factory. In January 1937 the company merged with , an American Automobile manufacturer based in Kenosha, , which gave the joint company the name Nash-Kelvinator. To keep up with production, the company expanded the plant to 1.46 million square feet in 1940. Eventually all the appliance manu- facturing was moved toother facto- ries and the entire factory was used exclusively as a research and design center for automobiles. In 1987 the auto company Chrysler bought to the entire facility and called I the Jeep and Truck Engineering Center. Chrysler filed for Chapter 11 bank- ruptcy on April 30, 2009, and the plant was sold in 2010. In 2013 the owner ended up scrap- ping as much as he cold inside the building, as well as the metal roofing, leaving it exposed to the elements. In doing so, it released harmful asbestos particles into the surrounding area and the man re- sponsible was sentenced to two years and three months in prison for Packard Factory violating the clean air act. 12 - JANUARY, 2021

2021 Nationals & Tours

From the Editor April 8-10 ● Southeastern Spring ● Charlotte, NC The of Board of Directors voted in December to April 15-17 ● Annual Convention ● Philadelphia, continue mailing the Gaslight to all members for an PA additional four months. There will be a slight de- April 19-22 ● Southeastern Divisional Tour ● crease in paper quality and mailing will be in a re- Central FL duced sized envelope to save postal costs. During May 6-8 ● Central Spring ● Auburn, IN this pandemic period it is important to keep all com- May 20-25 ● Founders Tour ● Davis, WV munications open between club members. June 2-5 ● Eastern Divisional Tour ● East Shore of We will be limited to 16 page editions. There is Maryland still plenty of room for your ideas and comments. Use June 17-19 ● Eastern Spring ● Saratoga Springs, either email address for fast communications. The NY deadline is always the 25th of the month. July 22-24 ● Grand National ● New Ulm, MN

[email protected]. August 13-14 ● Western Fall ● Loveland, CO September 9-11 ● Southeastern Fall ● Greenville, Or [email protected] SC For snail mail: October 6-9 ● Eastern Fall ● Hershey, PA Clifton Edwards, October 11-16 ● Southeastern Divisional Tour ● 10429 Farm Meadow Dr. Mt. Airy, NC

Glen Allen, VA 23060. October 18-22 ● Central Divisional Tour ● Broken

Without the annual Christmas Party, Awards Arrow, OK Banquet and regular meetings, news has to be of November 4-6 ● Special Western Fall ● Phoenix, the history and memory type. Old pictures, old AZ articles, old Gas Lights, bring them on. The November 6-11 ● Western Divisional Tour ● younger members will find them interesting. Phoenix & Central AZ Thanks for your continue contributions and sup- How to fill-out National Meet registration cars, Print out online registration and 2020 Vehicle port to the Gaslight. Classifications can be found at: Clif Edwards, Editor

Yes, Virginia, The Car is Real In the December issue of Gaslight we had a lengthy article about the Virginian, a car manufactured in Virginia in 1910 by Richmond Iron Works. Some thought it was a joke or not a true article. To the right is an ad for the 1910 Virginian. It was a very expensive car at $3,000 fully equipped. Yes, Virginia it is real!

JANUARY, 2021 - 13

What’s Wrong With This Car?

HE car: In the 1970s, while in college, I bought a sec- T ond car. I still owned my 1965 Lotus Super 7 (my first car). It was a 1966 Chevrolet Corvair Corsa. The Corsa was the sporty model with more instruments than a standard Corvair. These instruments included a , a reset odometer with a 140 mph speedometer, vacuum/pressure gauge and a cylinder head temperature gauge. The pressure By Michael Phillips side of the vacuum pressure gauge was for the optional tur- Chevrolet bo engine. My car had the standard Corsa engine, 140 horse- Corvair Corsa power with 4 , and the optional 4 speed trans- mission with positraction. The car was fun to drive. When ANSWER: The contact breaker plate pivot point had worn Corvairs were resigned for the 1965 model year the rear sus- pension was changed to be the same basic design as a Cor- out. When vacuum was applied to the vacuum advance unit on the dis- vette Sting Ray except with coil springs. tributer the points moved sideways instead of pivoting. This prevented One day the car started hesitating and surging at steady the points from making and breaking. Thus "killing" the ignition and speeds. When doing this it would completely loose power sending no pulses to the tachometer. The zero reading on the tachometer for what felt like a second or so. Power would return before was finally clued me in. There was no way the engine was actually turn- the car would slow down enough to show on the speedom- ing zero rpm with the clutch engaged. Plugging the vacuum line with a eter. When hesitating the tachometer would drop to ze- golf tee stopped the hesitation and surging. With the distributor ro. Then the tachometer would return to a normal reading cap off and vacuum applied to the advance unit I could see the as the power returned. The car started, idled, accelerated points moving sideways. I was somewhat surprised that the and went uphill with no hesitation or lose of power or unu- dealer stocked the part. I assume that meant that they sold sual changes in tachometer readings. I finally found the enough of the breaker plates to make it a stock item. It was the problem and the local Chevrolet dealer had the part(s) in stock. I have never seen the problem that I corrected listed same part as used on inline Chevrolet six cylinder engines of in a shop manual. What do you think it was? that era.

AACA National Dues were due on Decem- ber 31, 2020. It is required that you pay National dues prior to paying local dues ($20.00) which are due January 31, 2021. This year National has asked to receive our list of members by Jan- uary 31, 2021. To help with this report please forward your dues by January 15. You may pay with PayPal on the website. [email protected] (above) Engine Compartment (right) Instrument panel

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Andy Fuhrman reported that a regulations we can only have 25 Chapter at Alfred College in NY people at each of our meetings at is pursuing doing videos of col- the Belmont. lections of different folks. If Reggie Nash reported the Car Club interested see Andy. Council of Virginia has not met. Debbie Nolen welcomed eve- Debbie Nolen asked members to get in ryone again since we have contact with Brian and Lisa Mun- been experiencing some sey to schedule Fun Runs for 2021. sound difficulty. Debbie Nolen gave a report on why Joe Guckert gave Hershey was canceled and then power point AACA was able to hold Fall Meet update on Car at Gettysburg. The Richmond Re- Show and gion had in attendance Andy Fuhr- Swap Meet to be held on man and Family, Reggie and Cindi June 19th at St. Joseph’s Villa. Nash, Robert Street and Tommy Mark your calendars. Joe said we and Debbie Nolen. Reggie Nash have already had one meeting reported a great show. Only one Richmond Region AACA with Show Committee. way in and out of show field. Every- Monthly Meeting We will need more help for the Front one wore their mask. Hotel was December 3, 2020 Gate and Spectator Parking. We very nice with all the Covid-19 rules will have more room for Cruise- in place. Our meeting was called to order by our In Parking since Scot Hawthorne Debbie Nolen reported lots of AACA President Debbie Nolen and she has leveled corner field. We feel events in the coming year. Need to also welcomed our on-line mem- we can move ahead since AACA sign up early. bers. has held 2 shows and local show ODMA Show at Natural Bridge on Treasurer’s report was given by Mert at Maymont. We feel we can June 12. More information to fol- Fowlkes. learn from them. We may need to low. You need to check the Car Alice Cameron, secretary reported a limit number of cars and specta- Club Council of Central Virginia to correction to the November tors. The Jaguar Club plans to see local upcoming events. minutes. She had left out one of our work with us. Bruce Woodson is Debbie presented a video on the Presi- Board Members, Kenny Baker. busy lining up Ferrari’s for our dential Limousine nickname” The Reggie Nash then made a motion show. Page Auto Group will Beast”. to approve the November minutes, again be one of our sponsors. It It was reported Mary Penn Hawthorne Mert Fowlkes made a second. has been decided to charge $7.50 is home, Bob Richmon recuperat- Clif Edwards, Gaslight Editor reported each to come in gate as spectator ing at home, and Dayton Leadbet- he received a picture of The Virgin- if you buy your ticket online, ter taking treatments and Peggy in ian today in the mail. The picture $10.00 at the gate day of the the hospital. will be in a future Gaslight. show. Morris Cameron offered prayer to close Mike Jones, Webmaster explained We will have another meeting in Jan- meeting. how PayPal works. We can use for uary. Debbie Nolen thanked Brian Munsey our dues and in many ways that Joe Guckert reported on capturing for slate of officers. Congrat’s to we collect money. data that folks have from years new officers. Bruce Woodson reported our parade at past. We need to gather up what Reggie Nash pulled door prize winner St Joseph’s Villa has been canceled we have. Tommy Nolen. due to Covid -19 state regulations. Debbie Nolen thanked Clif for anoth- Meeting adjourned. Bruce reported that an e-mail was er great Gaslight. sent to Car Show participates to Debbie Nolen thanked Bruce Wood- donate to St Joseph’s for the son for presiding over last Alice Cameron Christmas Season. You may also month’s meeting since both she Secretary donate Gift Cards. The committee and Joe Guckert were out of plans to meet with St. Joseph’s on town. Friday, December 11th. Debbie Nolen explained with new

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Surprises Kids find in Old Cars

EATURES we find in old cars can be a new discovery for kids. I still F laugh to myself every time I think about the time my youngest grandson came out to the garage for a visit with grandad. I was working on my 1952 Hudson at the time and put him in the front seat. The first thing he noticed was the size of the steering wheel. I’m sure he had never seen a car without . This was a new discovery for him. He was even more surprised with the window crank handles. How many kids Wayne Tuck today have never seen crank down windows? Not only a crank down Executive window, but crank open vent windows. Most of today’s youth have never Vice president seen a vent window. He spent the next half hour working his way around the interior cranking windows up and down. We found an entire new world of things he never knew existed. A cigar lighter? That is known as a power outlet today. You mean you need to push down the buttons individually to lock the car? You need a key to unlock it? Ash trays? Turn the knobs to change the radio station? Where are the seat belts? What is that button on the floor? No padding on the dashboard? Now let’s take a look at an even older car. A tassel on the string that pulls the shade down over the back window? You mean you need to put your arm out the window to signal a turn? That lever on the left controls the spark advance? What is a spark advance anyway? Step on a floor pedal to start it? All you need to do to get their attention is show it to them. Kids are even more thrilled if you take them for a ride. Let’s all do something to pique their interest. The future of the old car hobby depends on it! 1952

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