“The Star Letter” of the Virginia Section, MBCA

Nar/Apr 2017

Event Reminder

Mar 11 … Swap Meet

Mar 12 - Adopt-A-Spot

Apr 1 … Driveway Gathering

May 14 . Mothers’ Day Brunch

In This Issue

Page 3 …. High Gear

Page 4…. Pack’s car Pictures

Page 7.....................Masthead New Members

Classifieds

Back Page ……… Calendar of Events

Club Web Sites

National...........www.mbca.org

Virginia Section ...................... http://mbca.org/virginia

Adopt-a-Street - Sunday, Mar 12, 2017 This will be our first 2017 cleaning up of the portion of Virginia Beach Boulevard near the Mercedes-Benz dealership as part of the Adopt-A-Street Program sponsored by the City of Virginia Beach. Please contact Windsor L. Brabson at 408-3560 or wlbrab@gmail.com with questions.

Driveway Mechanics Gathering -Saturday, April 1 (new date) This will be our first Driveway Mechanic Gathering of the year and the opportunity to get out and join fellow club members for coffee, donuts and a little car work.

It is now time to begin thinking about your spring car projects that you can bring to the gathering and share with your fellow club members. There is always plenty time for looking into other problems or to just "kick-the-tires" . That is the way these sessions work, it is really an openforum for what ever drives in.

Mechanic activities will start around 9:30 a.m. We normally finish up by 1:00. For those needing advice on a problem, or needing a bit of en-couragement to troubleshoot a problem, come to this event.

If you would like to put your project on the schedule or desire informa-tion contact Jim Villers at 757-481-6398 or by email at 190SLJim@cox.net.

Swap Meet & Pizza Saturday, March 11 The Annual Swap Meet is a flea market of automobile parts and collect-ables staged at the Aviation Museum in Pungo on Saturday March 11. This is local Antique Auto Club of America’s annual kick-off to the car year and is one of the more interesting events with lots of old, antique

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and interesting items on display and for sale. The Military Aviation Museum has expanded over the past couple of years to include a World War I control tower, hanger and additional aircraft. The museum admission is NOT included as part of this event.

We will meet at Pungo Pizza and Ice Cream at 11:00 AM, have lunch and then drive a short distance to the Swap Meet. Please call Don LaBar 757 620-6772 to reserve your spot or email to dlabar3@verizon.net.

Mothers’ Day Brunch - Sunday May 14Mark your calendar for the MBCA Mothers’ Day Brunch at the Cedar Point Country Club in Suffolk. The event will be hosted by Jerry Schonfeld, addi-tional information will be in the May Stern Blatt.

Drive Out to the Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond - Sunday June 4Mark your calendar with this tour to Richmond. We will drive to Richmond, have lunch in an Irish pub and then take a trolley tour of the very historic Hol-lywood Cemetery. The event will be hosted by Jerry Schonfeld, additional information will be in the May Stern Blatt.

High Gear"How I Came to Terms With

the Future"by John Kuhn Bleimaier

Who's afraid of autonomous vehicles? Not me. Sure, I am a car enthusiast to the core. Sure. there is no joy in sitting in a conveyance which drives you to your chosen destination with no input from you. No steer-ing wheel, no accelerator, no brake pedal. no clutch. But there is also no hassle... if you are facing stop and go rush hour traffic or a boring stint down the interstate. There is space for an autonomous vehicle

in my driveway. But it will never take the place of my classic Mercedes 190D, my Mercedes C230K sports coupe or my Porsche Boxster in my barn.

When the motorcar first came down the track at the end of the 19th Century it did not put equestrian sport out of business. It simply rendered the family horse and buggy redundant. Similarly. the autono-mous vehicle will never replace the sports car with direct steering feel. crisp linkages and three pedals on the floor. But today's ho-hum minivan is on the way to the scrap heap. To put it bluntly. a thor-oughbred stallion and a pur sang granturismo will always command a high tariff in the marketplace.

Now. if I were a German carmaker with a trunk load of sporting heritage, as well as an army of engineers. craftsmen and a ton of production capacity, I would be scampering to establish a new product strategy right this minute. I would launch new lines of sport-ing motorcars with road feel. taut suspension, sensi-tive steering and manual transmission. I would si-multaneously develop a fleet of autonomous vehicles with sybaritic perquisites. cushy seating and infotain-ment. I would come to the brave new world of the automobile industry armed with a new- speak ve-hicular vernacular.

In the future there will be an enthusiast market of string back driving gloves, heal-and:-toe downshifts and swirling autumn leaves on the back roads. There will also be an individualized transportation market with interior design and leisure time distractions. Driving will be driving while commuting will be commuting. and never the twain shall~. Automotive manufacturers: Divide or be conquered. Recognize the bifurcated future or be hoisted with your own put-put petard.

As for me, while I am whisked to work in my autonomous vehicle, I will be daydreaming about the coming weekend behind the wheel of my sports car in the twisty bits.

October 1.2016

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STAY COOL!

10% OFF A/C Special All Parts and Labor on ANY A/C Service

Offer expires 8/31/16. Not valid on previous charges or purchases. Coupon must be present at time order is written. Coupons not valid on any specials or discounts. All prices plus applicable

sales tax.

Super Polish $69.99 (regular $89.99)

Super Polish includes soft cloth wash, plus vacuum inte-rior, clean widows, dress tires and apply wax protection

with our state-of-the-art cloth polishing machine.

Mercedes-Benz Service Teams - Direct Lines -

LaDonna Staton ~Orange Team Manager ~ (757) 251-2078 Marie Tominich ~ Gray Team Manager ~ (757) 251-2010

Delano Bowens ~ Green Team Manager ~ (757) 251-2079 Andy Trowbridge ~ Blue Team Manager ~ (757) 251-2011

Brett Whitney ~ Sprinter/Gold Team Manager ~ (757) 251-1256

Come check out our newly renovated Service and Sales Facilities! Call for Appointment 251.APPT (2778)

**Lease Special $699/36 month** *Based on approved credit, $5,407 due at signing, based on a 10,000 mile per year. Tax, tags, license fees not included. Add must be present, see Sales Manager for Details.

2712 Magruder Boulevard Hampton, Virginia 23666

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STAY COOL!

10% OFF A/C Special All Parts and Labor on ANY A/C Service

Offer expires 8/31/16. Not valid on previous charges or purchases. Coupon must be present at time order is written. Coupons not valid on any specials or discounts. All prices plus applicable

sales tax.

Super Polish $69.99 (regular $89.99)

Super Polish includes soft cloth wash, plus vacuum inte-rior, clean widows, dress tires and apply wax protection

with our state-of-the-art cloth polishing machine.

Mercedes-Benz Service Teams - Direct Lines -

LaDonna Staton ~Orange Team Manager ~ (757) 251-2078 Marie Tominich ~ Gray Team Manager ~ (757) 251-2010

Delano Bowens ~ Green Team Manager ~ (757) 251-2079 Andy Trowbridge ~ Blue Team Manager ~ (757) 251-2011

Brett Whitney ~ Sprinter/Gold Team Manager ~ (757) 251-1256

Come check out our newly renovated Service and Sales Facilities! Call for Appointment 251.APPT (2778)

**Lease Special $699/36 month** *Based on approved credit, $5,407 due at signing, based on a 10,000 mile per year. Tax, tags, license fees not included. Add must be present, see Sales Manager for Details.

2712 Magruder Boulevard Hampton, Virginia 23666

*Actual time may vary based on certain external circumstances.

Visit our website where you can shop our new car inventory anytime:MBVaBeach.com

Service 757.499.3773 | Parts 757.499.3775

4949 Virginia Beach Boulevard Virginia Beach, VA 23462

Get routine vehicle service maintenance while you wait, without having to make an appointment.*

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15% OFFAny scheduled maintenance

*Excludes Express Oil Change Service. Must have coupon. Not valid with any other discounts. Expires February 28, 2018.

Maintenance Special

Complete Detail

Tire SpecialsFour Wheel Tire Balancing(with authorized Mercedes-Benz

wheel weights)

$1000 OFF*Excludes Diagnostic Charges. Must have coupon.

Not valid with any other discounts. Expires February 28, 2018.

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We’ve won the Best of the Best Award for the second year in a row.

For the Second Year in a Row

CBMB415 MBClubNewsletterUpdateFeb2017rv3.indd 1 2/20/17 4:31 PM

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and interesting items on display and for sale. The Military Aviation Museum has expanded over the past couple of years to include a World War I control tower, hanger and additional aircraft. The museum admission is NOT included as part of this event.

We will meet at Pungo Pizza and Ice Cream at 11:00 AM, have lunch and then drive a short distance to the Swap Meet. Please call Don LaBar 757 620-6772 to reserve your spot or email to dlabar3@verizon.net.

Mothers’ Day Brunch - Sunday May 14Mark your calendar for the MBCA Mothers’ Day Brunch at the Cedar Point Country Club in Suffolk. The event will be hosted by Jerry Schonfeld, addi-tional information will be in the May Stern Blatt.

Drive Out to the Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond - Sunday June 4Mark your calendar with this tour to Richmond. We will drive to Richmond, have lunch in an Irish pub and then take a trolley tour of the very historic Hol-lywood Cemetery. The event will be hosted by Jerry Schonfeld, additional information will be in the May Stern Blatt.

High Gear"How I Came to Terms With

the Future"by John Kuhn Bleimaier

Who's afraid of autonomous vehicles? Not me. Sure, I am a car enthusiast to the core. Sure. there is no joy in sitting in a conveyance which drives you to your chosen destination with no input from you. No steer-ing wheel, no accelerator, no brake pedal. no clutch. But there is also no hassle... if you are facing stop and go rush hour traffic or a boring stint down the interstate. There is space for an autonomous vehicle

in my driveway. But it will never take the place of my classic Mercedes 190D, my Mercedes C230K sports coupe or my Porsche Boxster in my barn.

When the motorcar first came down the track at the end of the 19th Century it did not put equestrian sport out of business. It simply rendered the family horse and buggy redundant. Similarly. the autono-mous vehicle will never replace the sports car with direct steering feel. crisp linkages and three pedals on the floor. But today's ho-hum minivan is on the way to the scrap heap. To put it bluntly. a thor-oughbred stallion and a pur sang granturismo will always command a high tariff in the marketplace.

Now. if I were a German carmaker with a trunk load of sporting heritage, as well as an army of engineers. craftsmen and a ton of production capacity, I would be scampering to establish a new product strategy right this minute. I would launch new lines of sport-ing motorcars with road feel. taut suspension, sensi-tive steering and manual transmission. I would si-multaneously develop a fleet of autonomous vehicles with sybaritic perquisites. cushy seating and infotain-ment. I would come to the brave new world of the automobile industry armed with a new- speak ve-hicular vernacular.

In the future there will be an enthusiast market of string back driving gloves, heal-and:-toe downshifts and swirling autumn leaves on the back roads. There will also be an individualized transportation market with interior design and leisure time distractions. Driving will be driving while commuting will be commuting. and never the twain shall~. Automotive manufacturers: Divide or be conquered. Recognize the bifurcated future or be hoisted with your own put-put petard.

As for me, while I am whisked to work in my autonomous vehicle, I will be daydreaming about the coming weekend behind the wheel of my sports car in the twisty bits.

October 1.2016

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Left - Ron Pack and Jim Villers with Ron’s 280SL engine. The engine has been overhauled and is ready to be put back into the car.

Top - Jim Villers, Ron Pack and Bob Hyatt installing the engine into Ron’s car.

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For Sale: 1980280SL – Rare Euro Spec R107 6cyl DOHC 4spd a/c both tops – original plaid interior – Nardi wheel Silver Star Preserva-tion featured in the Nov-Dec 2016 issue of the Star 120,000 miles – no rust – new tires and battery $22,500. Contact Bob Vann, 757-963-8307

1322 Transylvania Ave.Chesapeake, VA 23324

757.545.9394Service@sportsandimports.net

www.sportsandimports.net

757.545.9394Same Service – Better Price

ASE CertifiedBOSCH Certified

Factory DiagnosticsFinancing Available

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nection between the Hermitage House and the Chrys-ler Museum.

After our heads filled with American and Old World Culture we followed up our day with a short drive to the O'Connor Brewing Company for some beer tasting

.Bulbs and Brew Tour Re-port - March 26 We began our adventures on a slightly windy morning in Norfolk Virginia with a tour of the Hermitage House main gardens. Don Labar drove in with his rather interesting 250 C. Unfortunately we did get to see a lot of bulbs and not a lot of blooming, but still very beautiful.

After our guided tour of the grounds and shore-line we then toured of the house itself. There we fell in love with the beautiful wood cravings throughout the Sloane family's residence and mu-seum. Our guide took us back to a much simpler time in history and regaled the generous events that the Sloane family would host in their home for the servicemen stationed in the local area. It was easy to see Mrs. Sloan's passion for art and all things of beauty, from the gardens to wood carvings on the dinning room doors. I won't give away all of the secrets, but be sure to listen care-fully to your guide if you should visit for the con-

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nection between the Hermitage House and the Chrys-ler Museum.

After our heads filled with American and Old World Culture we followed up our day with a short drive to the O'Connor Brewing Company for some beer tasting

.Bulbs and Brew Tour Re-port - March 26 We began our adventures on a slightly windy morning in Norfolk Virginia with a tour of the Hermitage House main gardens. Don Labar drove in with his rather interesting 250 C. Unfortunately we did get to see a lot of bulbs and not a lot of blooming, but still very beautiful.

After our guided tour of the grounds and shore-line we then toured of the house itself. There we fell in love with the beautiful wood cravings throughout the Sloane family's residence and mu-seum. Our guide took us back to a much simpler time in history and regaled the generous events that the Sloane family would host in their home for the servicemen stationed in the local area. It was easy to see Mrs. Sloan's passion for art and all things of beauty, from the gardens to wood carvings on the dinning room doors. I won't give away all of the secrets, but be sure to listen care-fully to your guide if you should visit for the con-

SUPER POLISH – includes exterior car wash, vacuum interior, clean windows, dress tires, and apply wax protection with our state of the art soft cloth polishing machine.

ONLY $79.95! A $60 savings! For club members only good through 1-02-2018

OR Choose

DELUXE WORKS FULL DETAIL – includes hand wash, vacuum and shampoo interior, clean dash, console, seats. Condition vinyl and leather, treat interior to remove odors, clean windows, dress tires, remove bugs and tar, clean engine compartment, clean door jams and apply wax protection.

ONLY $179.95! A $70 savings

10% off Parts, Accessories, and Any Service or Repair for Club members only

Why would you go anywhere else when you can trust your vehicle to the experts that have been serving Hampton Roads for years?

2712 Magruder BoulevardHampton, Virginia757.865.8000www.tysinger.com

2712 Magruder Boulevard, Hampton, Virginia 757.865.8000 www.tysinger.com

MEMBERS ONLY

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Virginia Section MBCA Officers

PRESIDENT Don LaBar

1274 Christian Court Virginia Beach 23464

757 620-6772 dlabar3@verizon.net

VICE-PRESIDENTJerry Schonfeld

5000 Portsmouth Blvd Portsmouth, VA 23701

757 488-7786 jerryschonfeld@yahoo.com

SECRETARY Tom Dawson 125 Brittany Ln

Suffolk, VA 23435 757-434-1587

TDawson50@aol.com

TREASURERDwight Finnie

301 Hope Ct Newport News, VA 23602

757-303-0950 therednsx@aol.com

DIRECTORS

Bobby Ross 757 291-8550Don LaBar 757-620-6772 Jim Villers 757 481-6398 Pat Evans 757 238-2824

COMMITTEESMembership Windsor Brabsom757-408-3560 ramonamac1@verizon.net

Marketing Peter Spring757-274-7423 prspring@me.com

NEWSLETTER EDITORJim Villers

3133 Inlet Road Virginia Beach 23454

757 481-6398 190SLJim@cox.net

Eastern Regional DirectorJames Roberts 205-529-0071

jertoothsaver@gmail.com

Donovan Boyd … Williamsburg Karl Schlenkermann …………. …………...….....Virginia BeachJimmie White …Virginia Beach

Welcome! It is always our pleasure to meet new members. We encourage you to attend one of our Virginia Section events.

Section Discounts:Mercedes-Benz of Virginia Beach,10%Discount on parts and labor charges. See our ad in this issue.757 499-3771

Tysinger Mercedes-Benz – Hampton, VirginiaDiscounts are limited to the first $250 of TOTAL parts and labor charges. SENIOR CITIZENS RECEIVE AN UNLIMITED 10% DISCOUNT. See our ad in this issue. 757 865-8000

Ten Percent on Labor OnlyAuto Haus – Yorktown, Virginia See our ad in this issue 757 898-7121

Trading Post 1986 190E 2.3 Sedan, one owner since 1987, 130K miles, regularly maintained, rebuilt transmission, rebuilt head and new timing chain, new exhaust, new radiator, new alternator, updated air conditioner, almost new Michelin MXV4 tires. Uses Regular Gas - $3,900David Ostrom - 757-874-8962

1987 560SL, gray on gray, recently painted, never wrecked, no mechanical issues, 79.5K miles, asking $6,500. Bob Hyatt - 757-206-8736

Multiple Section Membership AvailableThe MBCA National Business Office is setup so that it is possible for members to have membership in an additional section or sections. The membership cost is $15 per additional section. Members will receive newsletters from additional sections and membership in the additional section(s) must run concurrent with the member’s existing membership expiration date. To take advantage of this new benefit contact the National Business Office at the address and phone number to the right.

Das Stern Blatt is the official newsletter of the Virginia Section of the Mercedes-Benz Club America, Inc. Publication is bi-monthly. Copyright © 2016 by the Virginia Section, MBCA. Articles may be reprinted in newsletters for members of MBCA, giving credit. Other use without written permission is prohibited.

Membership questions? Address change?

Renewing? All the above and more can be

done at www.mbca.org Don’t want to use the web?

Don’t have a computer? Call 800-637-2360

MBCA1907 LeLaray Street

Colorado Springs, CO 80909

Please remember to support our advertisers -

they support our club and Das Stern Blatt

SUPER POLISH – includes exterior car wash, vacuum interior, clean windows, dress tires, and apply wax protection with our state of the art soft cloth polishing machine.

ONLY $79.95! A $60 savings! For club members only good through 1-02-2018

OR Choose

DELUXE WORKS FULL DETAIL – includes hand wash, vacuum and shampoo interior, clean dash, console, seats. Condition vinyl and leather, treat interior to remove odors, clean windows, dress tires, remove bugs and tar, clean engine compartment, clean door jams and apply wax protection.

ONLY $179.95! A $70 savings

10% off Parts, Accessories, and Any Service or Repair for Club members only

Why would you go anywhere else when you can trust your vehicle to the experts that have been serving Hampton Roads for years?

2712 Magruder BoulevardHampton, Virginia757.865.8000www.tysinger.com

2712 Magruder Boulevard, Hampton, Virginia 757.865.8000 www.tysinger.com

MEMBERS ONLY

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Das Stern Blatt 3133 Inlet Road Virginia Beach, VA 23454

First Class

VIRGINIA SECTION, MERCEDES-BENZ CLUB AMERICACALENDAR OF EVENTS - 2017

Virginia Section Events

Mar 11 - Swap Meet & Pizza Contact: Don LaBar

Mar 12 - Adopt-A-Street Clean-Up Contact: Windsor Brabson

April 1 - Driveway Mechanics Gathering Contact: Jim Villers

May 14 - Mothers’ Day Brunch Contact: Jerry Schonfield

June 4 - Drive out to Hollywood Cemetery Contact: Jerry Schonfield

MBCA National - Regional Events Aug 18 - Legends of the Autobahn 2017

Monterey CA