CHEVROLETTER March 2021

Vol 2021 Issue 03.0

Director’s Report March 2021

Getting old really stinks…….I don’t suppose that comes as a surprise to many of our members. I am reminded of this fact often as I attempt to do things now that I have previously done in my younger days. Recently I noticed the brake lights were not working on my 1968 Corvette. I started diagnosing the problem hoping for a bad fuse or loose ground but no such luck. The next step was going under the dash to check the stoplight switch. For anyone who has worked under the dash of a Corvette you know that being a contortionist is of great value. At the age of 70, I no longer bend like I used to, require glasses to see what I am doing and get claustrophobic in confined spaces! To make this ordeal work, I removed the driver’s seat, door sill plate, and disconnected the clutch pedal. After doing all of this I could see a bit of the switch….a one year only switch that is much harder to remove that the standard plunger style used in 1969! As of now, life took over…the snows came, the bedroom needed to be painted and the still sits waiting for someone younger, more flexible with smaller hands to remove and replace the switch from hell. Car show and cruise nights are slowly starting to be announced as we enter the 2021 car season. The President’s council will be held soon and we will get a better view of the show season. The Long Island Street Rod club will have their Show and Swap meet on April 25th, the day before that the Town of Oyster Bay is hosting their event at Tobay Beach. We have had a club spot at the spring for a few years now. The spot is run by members to help recruit new people to the Long Island region. We can do the club spot again if I get a few people willing to stay there and talk to people. I realize with Covid still around not everyone may be willing to expose themselves at the booth. Anyone interested can let me know as we get closer to the 25th. The national VCCA put out an email recently asking for help in taking archive G+D articles and pictures and making them available on line. The cost will be around $5,000.00 and they are asking members and clubs for donations. As of the email, they were ¼ of the way to their goal of 5K. I have many old G+Ds and they contain many great articles but it is such a pain trying to find the article I need. This service would collate all these articles and make it available to all club members. A suggestion was made for us to make a donation to the fund so I am putting it out there to you. We could donate $100.00 from the club treasury with approval of responding members. The VCCA is trying to expand its exposure on social media in an effort to increase our somewhat stagnant membership numbers. You can go on youtube.com and enter the key words VCCA Spotlight episode 01. Doing this will bring up episodes one thru five, each one explains about various aspects of the VCCA. This might be a good vehicle to direct prospective members to so they can better understand what the club is all about. The VCCA also has a presence on Facebook that anyone can join. I registered as the Long Island Region VCCA but you would sign on as yourselves and our local region FB page continues to get views and likes. Oyster Bay has still not opened the meeting hall so we will be looking to hold outside event as the weather warms. Let me know if you have an idea for a meeting location, even if it is just for a month or two. I will keep people informed thru emails about upcoming events. Hang in there and hopefully we can return to some degree of normal in the near future. See you all soon, Chris

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Meeting Highlights February 2021

Calendar Of Events March 2021

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, all Long Island Region meetings and activities are cancelled until further notice

Once the pandemic has subsided to safe levels, our club meetings will start again on the second Monday of the month and our club breakfasts will be the first Thursday of the month.

We thank everyone for staying with us during this difficult time and to reward our members and followers, we are offering free 2021 club membership to everyone who lives on Long island and owns a . Contact our membership chairman and he will send you a membership form.

Tentative Club Events 2021 All Dates are Tentative and may change or be cancelled April 25th- Long island Street Rod Show and Swap- Long Island Region will have a booth. Confirmed April 30th-May 2- Rhinebeck Car Show and Swap meet August 1st – Long Island Region Summer Party August 9th- Long Island Region Open meeting and car display at Oyster Bay meeting hall October 5-9- Hershey AACA swap meet and Saturday car show. Many members attend this event and the club has a booth in the red field for members to stop by and relax December- Club Holiday Party

Cruise Nights 2021 Thursday- Kings Park Key Food Shopping Center Indian Head Road, 5 pm-9pm Friday- Bohemia Old K Mart lot, west side Sunrise Highway, starts April 5th 5pm till dark see article As we move farther into 2021 dates will be added, moved or removed so feel free to contact the club Director for current information

New Friday Night Cruise Location in Bohemia I recently saw a posting on Facebook for A Friday Cruise night in Bohemia. The event is sponsored by the Pharaohs Car Club and is held at the old K Mart parking lot, 5151 Sunrise Highway on the west bound side in Bohemia. The cruises start on April 9th and go from 5 pm until dark. These cruise events come and go so don’t be surprised if it lasts for a few weeks until someone does something stupid and they are kicked out. Keeping Our Name Out There

Like the fate of many small businesses during the pandemic, some car clubs will likely not survive this long term of inactivity. It is important to stay in touch with our membership and also maintain our presence for others to see. We are lucky to have an excellent newsletter that keeps the members informed and assures them that we are still here. The club has a few internet locations where both members and non-members can check us out. One such site is hosted by Hemmings Motor News at clubs.hemmings.com/livvca/. I am the moderator of this site and it includes club history, officers, club , members’ stories and tech tips. All information has to go thru me to be added to this site. Take a look and see if you have anything to add to our club pages. This page comes up at the top of the search page when I google Chevrolet club Long Island. The Hemmings site is offered free to all clubs and gets quite a bit of views. We have an additional website that we pay for but when I went on it while writing this article; I could not access many of the pages. A number of years ago we established a club Facebook page which sort of got forgotten about. Over the last few years our page has been getting a steady flow “likes”. I know not everyone is “Facebook friendly”, but if you go on and search …Long Island Region VCCA…, you will see our page. You may have to click on a blue circle with our club logo to get to our club page. If you are a member of Facebook, you may respond and post on our page or add your own pictures or interesting Chevrolet information. Current postings let people know we are still alive and operating so feel free to comment or add a car picture or two for all to see.

--Chris

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Long Island Region VCCA Garage John Mahoney’s Woody Woodpecker in Chevrolet Wonderland

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Long Island Region VCCA Garage John Mahoney’s Woody Woodpecker in Chevrolet Wonderland - continued

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Long Island Region VCCA Garage John Mahoney’s Woody Woodpecker in Chevrolet Wonderland - continued

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Long Island Region VCCA Garage John Mahoney’s Woody Woodpecker in Chevrolet Wonderland - continued

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Long Island Region VCCA Garage John Mahoney’s Woody Woodpecker in Chevrolet Wonderland - continued

To be continued next month !!

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Long Island Region VCCA Garage

This is a quiz; I have 4 ornaments of different years the answers will be given later in this newsletter … this quiz was submitted by Chris Geiger

hood ornament #1 hood ornament #2

hood ornament #3 hood ornament #4

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Long Island Region VCCA Garage Nine nameplates used across multiple marques

By Brandan Gillogly - 18 February 2021

Even back in the good ol’ days when a car’s alphanumeric badging actually told you what was going on under the hood, we preferred when cars had actual names like Eldorado and Falcon. Style and soul are important, and a name is part of that identity. Our favorite monikers evoke a feeling that matches the car, so once a brand has staked its claim to a good one, it resonates with the public and has equity. Here are nine examples of names that were good enough that at least two brands made use of them.

Eagle

1933 While GM’s other brands got companion brands to widen their appeal starting in 1929, (-Lasalle, -, Oakland-, and -) Chevrolet instead created new models to cover more ground. In 1933 the car formerly known as Confederate became Eagle, the premiere Chevrolet model, above the slightly shorter and more affordable Chevrolet . By 1934, both names were replaced with Master and Standard.

AMC’s Eagle is a beloved precursor to the . Like today’s crossovers, it’s a tall, all-wheel-drive wagon built on a , but rather than the current trend of getting that height in a tall body, AMC chooses to lift a compact wagon. We’ll take ours with AMC’s stalwart 4.2-liter inline-six and wood paneling, please.

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Long Island Region VCCA Garage Nine nameplates used across multiple marques - continued

Diplomat

Diplomat was the top-of-the-line when it was launched in 1964, serving as the most luxurious of the Kapitän, Admiral, and Diplomat line that shared sheetmetal. The handsome , shown above, is a rarity, as most were four-door sedans. Just 347 of the were built from 1965–1967, all of them equipped with a Chevy 327 V-8. It’s decidedly GM, and does look like it would fit in well with Oldsmobile’s lineup of the time.

1978 Diplomat Dodge’s Diplomat, in contrast, was classified as a mid-size by American car standards, despite being slightly larger than the Opel with the same name that came before. The Dodge sedans were a staple of U.S. law enforcement, and if you’re a fan of the Blues Brothers you’ve seen plenty of them. While the Bluesmobile was a 1974 Monaco, plenty of the pursuing police were in later mid-size and full-size cars, including Diplomats. They deserve better than winding up in a 50-car pileup, but as fans of the movie, there’s no greater sacrifice a car can make in the name of cinema.

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Long Island Region VCCA Garage Nine nameplates used across multiple marques - continued

Ambassador

1968 Ambassador Speaking of cars named for envoys, here’s the Rambler/AMC Ambassador. It was offered as a four-door , wagon, or muscly coupe to suit all sorts of buyers. The coupes particularly, which were available in excellent colors and could be powered by potent V-8s, are criminally underappreciated.

Hindustan Ambassador Hindustan, an Indian carmaker, produced the Ambassador from 1958 until 2014. It was based on the series III, which ended production in 1959. Some of the Indian-built cars were even imported to England where the car originated. We’ve never been to , but we wonder if this is the subcontinent’s version of the VW Beetle.

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Long Island Region VCCA Garage Nine nameplates used across multiple marques - continued

Spirit

1983 AMC Spirit

A Sunday-comic superhero first, the name “Spirit’ was applied to AMC’s Gremlin replacement for 1979. AMC’s subcompact was available as a “sedan” that was really a hatchback and a rather handsome liftback, both of which were also sold as AMC Eagle when equipped with a transfer case and powered front axle. It’s unfortunate that these are such a rare sight, as the small, RWD cars seem like they’d be a lot of fun with AMC’s venerable inline-six or the 304 V-8, which was only available in 1979.

Dodge Spirit R/T

The Dodge Spirit shared its FWD platform with the last of the LeBaron sedans. Unlike its Chrysler counterpart sold in America, the Shadow was offered with a high-output, 2.2-liter turbocharged DOHC four-cylinder that was good for 242 hp. That was only available in the R/T with a five-speed manual and just 1208 total were built in 1991 and 1992, the only two years they were available in the United States. Shadow R/T did last a bit longer in Mexico, however, where it was marketed as a Chrysler. The R/T DOHC offered in Mexico had the same powerplant and was available in 1992 and 1993.

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Long Island Region VCCA Garage Nine nameplates used across multiple marques - continued

Citation

1958 Citation

When Ford launched the Edsel brand in 1958, Citation was the flagship model. While the styling of the 1958 and 1959 models was controversial and likely spelled the end of the brand by the time the beautiful 1960 models were unveiled, at least the names of most of the lived on.

Chevrolet Citation

Chevrolet picked up the Edsel scraps when it named its first front-wheel-drive car “Citation.” It took over the showroom real estate left vacant by the departure of the RWD Nova. While the Citation never had the power to live up to the Nova’s reputation, it did offer three body styles and the promise of decent fuel economy right when consumers needed it. Chevy sold more than 800,000 1980 Citations after getting an early release in April of 1979.

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Long Island Region VCCA Garage Nine nameplates used across multiple marques - continued

Villager

1958

Edsel’s mid-tier trim for its longroof people-mover was the Villager, it was also the only wagon trim to survive past 1958 as both the entry-level Roundup and more luxurious Bermuda were both axed by 1959.

1996-1998

Mercury looked back into the Ford company’s back catalog of names for its rebadged Quest and found Villager, still the perfect call for a vehicle that can move half a town in one trip.

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Long Island Region VCCA Garage Nine nameplates used across multiple marques - continued

Corsair

1959

Sharing the 124-inch with the range-topping Citation, the Corsair was the other big Edsel. It lasted just two years and didn’t see 1960, the final year of Edsel production. The 1959 model, pictured above, toned down the prominent vertical center portion of the grille and added some sleek body lines and Atomic Age trim. Not bad at all.

2020

Lincoln revived the Corsair moniker for its compact crossover that replaced the MKC. Definitely an improvement in our book.

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Long Island Region VCCA Garage Nine nameplates used across multiple marques - continued

Ranger

1958 Edsel

Along with the Villager wagon, Ranger survived into the 1960 model year. It was the entry-level Edsel model and rode on a shorter wheelbase than the Corsair or Citation.

2020

Ranger was first an appearance package on full-size pickups before becoming the outright name of Ford’s compact and now mid-size pickup. In truth, they’re not too far off in size from the ’60s F-100s that originally wore the name.

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Long Island Region VCCA Garage Nine nameplates used across multiple marques - continued

Pacer

1958

One step up the rung from the base model Ranger was the Edsel Pacer. It rode on the Ranger’s 118- inch-wheelbase chassis and offered the same sportier looks of the smaller model, including the , as shown above, and the sleek two-door .

AMC Pacer

We admit that this list is far from complete (we were going to have seven in this list but then we fell into the Edsel rabbit hole) so let us know your reincarnated car names in the comments.

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Long Island Region VCCA - CLASSIFIED AD

ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale

1955 Chevrolet Belair

 TWO DOOR HARDTOP - SHORELINE BEIGE AND GYPSY RED

 RESTORED TO ORIGINAL STOCK CONDITION

 VCCA SENIOR AND SENIOR RESTORATION AWARDS

THE CAR HAS THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS:

 CORRECT POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES.  SEEK AND SCAN RADIO (IN WORKING ORDER)  ROCKER PANEL AND DOOR FENDERS AND GAS TANK WITH SHIELDS  ORIGINAL FACTORY REAR SPEAKER AND FADE SWITCH ON DASH BOARD  REAR BUMPER ACCESSORY GUARDS AND FRONT ACCESSORY BUMPER GUARDS INCLUDING WHEEL GUARD.  POWER PACK ENGINE DUAL ALUMINIZED EXHAUST.  CHEVROLET RARE COVERS.  TINTED GLASS  ORIGINAL GM WINDSHIELD WASHERS IN PERFECT CONDITION  CIADELLA INTERIOR AND CARPET....ORIGINAL REPLACEMENT.

CAR COMES WITH TWO SETS OF TIRES:

 ON THE CAR NOW ORIGINAL FOUR PLY WIDE WHITE WALLS  SECOND SET OF WHEELS WITH COCA WIDE WHITE WALL RADIALS.

$38,500 - CAR IS IN PRESTINE CONDITION Contact: Robert Mcdonough ([email protected]) 516-554-7046

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Long Island Region VCCA - CLASSIFIED AD

ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale

1940 Chevrolet Sedan Delux – 4 Door Sedan

THE CAR HAS THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS:

 6 CYLINDER, 37,000 ORIGINAL MILES  ALWAYS GARAGED  ORIGINAL OWNERS BILL OF SALE

Contact: Anthony Contrino 516-902-8887

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Long Island Region VCCA - CLASSIFIED AD

ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale

Reproduction Fiberglas Mullins Style Trailer

This is a replica of a popular travel trailer from the 30's. This is reproduced in fiberglass with a hinged lid held open by gas struts. The interior is fully carpeted. The exterior shows flawless preparation for a gorgeous Ford Lazer Red paint job. The trailer has high end Weld Wheels with 60 series Radial GT tires. The trailer has fewer than 2000 miles since new. The license plate and taillights are recessed into the rear pan and used a standard trailer wiring plug, there is a stand on the tongue of trailer for easy storage. Trailer comes with a soft California Car Cover

$2,500.00

Contact: Chris Gieger at 631-757-5021 or [email protected]

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Long Island Region VCCA - CLASSIFIED AD

ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale - ForSale

1932 Chevy 2 Door Sedan

Original exterior body paint (4 fenders were repainted). All new chrome plating. 5 new white wall tires. Detailed engine. Gloss black detailed chassis. Immaculate, mohair original interior. Extremely low mileage - 17,355 original miles. Has been in storage for many years.

Asking $25,000 - negotiable.

If interested or for more information please call Jim at (203) 339-5590.

Answer to the hood ornament quiz

1934 Eagle 1940 Master 1947 Deluxe 1956 BelAir Deluxe with glass insert

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Long Island Region VCCA - Next Meeting – ******************** ************************************************

 Here are the directions to the Oyster Bay Community Center:

 Route 106 North to Oyster Bay. 106 Becomes Pine Hollow Road and then becomes South Street. Make a right on East Main Street at the traffic light.

 After the stop sign, make a right into Church Street. Meetings are in the community center straight ahead.

The Chevroletter is published by the Long Island Region of the VCCA,

 Send your photos, stories, or calendar items that you’ would like to contribute to the newsletter. For those that wish to have an article published but don’t have the time to polish it up, the editors of Chevroletter would be happy to help you out.

 If anyone sees a car that is interesting and wish to share with the members email your photos and a description - send to the editors to be included in the next publication

 All contributions are welcome and will help make the revived Chevroletter worth reading. Please contact the following with your story, interesting find, or your comments:

o Ken Michaels, Editor-In-Chief, please contact Ken at [email protected]

o Pat Iannone, Editor, Publisher, please contact Pat at [email protected]

One Last Thing! We all need a little merriment!

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