Belltown Antique Car Club - P.O. Box 211, East Hampton, CT 06424 August, 2017

NEXT MEETING

Wednesday, August 2, 2017 at Haddam Neck Fairgrounds at 6:30 p.m.

On the Agenda: - Schedule and work assignments for our 51st Annual Vintage Motorcar Meet

- Judging seminar in preparation for the show

FUEL FOR THOUGHT

“When you are asked if you can do a job, tell ’em, ‘Certainly I can.’

Then get busy and find out how to do it.”

- Teddy Roosevelt, statesman, soldier, explorer, author, and naturalist (1858-1919)

CLUB NOTES

At the July 5th Club meeting, Jon Grant announced that he had printed up “business cards” members could pass to owners of antique cars we’d like to see at our August show, similar to the cards we used last year for

our 50th show. A supply of flyers and posters were also made available and members were asked to take some

and post them at local establishments to publicize the show. He thanked Ralph Phil for designing the poster.

Our next meeting will be held at the fairgrounds on August 2nd, beginning at 6:30. If you want to volunteer at

the show - and we need as many members as possible on hand to staff the gate, direct traffic, register show

cars, park show cars, serve as class judges and help with clean up - please try to make this meeting or speak

with a fellow member you know is attending. Note: A judging seminar will be offered at the meeting.

Richard Beckwith will look into borrowing the “train” for use as the announcer’s stand as was done in 2016.

Jon Grant will contact Steve Rossi to see if he is interested in serving as the announcer this year.

As yet no member has stepped forward with an idea for a fall tour, although Jon Grant said he is cooking one

up (east of the Conn. River this time). He was not ready to announce details. One suggestion was made at the

meeting to revisit the East Haddam Museum and follow it up with a picnic at Gillette Castle.

This year BACC’s post-car show picnic will be held at the home of Richard & Polly Beckwith at 48 Camp

Bethel Rd. in Haddam (between Rte. 154 and the river). The date will be Saturday, August 12, beginning at

11:30 a.m. Contact Polly Beckwith if you plan on attending so she can gauge the expected head count.

Jon confirmed that next month’s Club meeting (Wednesday, September 6th) will include a pot luck supper

starting at 6:30 p.m., followed by our normal business meeting.

Jim Way explained that he recently brought two of his Model A’s to Show

and Tell at his granddaughter’s grade school in Norwich. Jim reported that

the kids were fascinated by the old Fords, especially enjoying climbing in and out of the rumble seat and operating the manual cranks for the wind-up

windows, something they were not accustomed to seeing in these times of

pushbutton everything.

Credit: Walt Disney Productions

P. 2 of 8 The Belltown Bulletin August, 2017

MEMBER MILESTONES

Happy Birthday to: Scott Macgregor August 3rd Rickey Edman August 26th

Gerry Rossi August 3rd Cliff Baker August 30th

Jim Way August 7th (80) Ron Miller August 30th

Jean Johnson August 8th Phil Guertin August 31st (75)

Dudley Diebold August 12th

Happy Anniversary to: Rick & Sue Reale August 5th (50)

Alan & Kathy Miller August 10th

Phil & Linda LaRose August 17th

Chris & Jennifer Beckwith August 23rd

Ray & Betty Lichota August 23rd

Richard & Patty Skinner August 26th

HOBBY HEADLINES & HISTORY

Legendary hot rodder and speed parts manufacturer Vic Edelbrock Jr. passed away on June 9th at the age of 80 after a

short illness. He built an internationally known performance reputation from a business started in 1934 by his father,

Vic Edelbrock Sr., who died in 1959. If you look under the hoods of the street machines and hot rods you see at the

cruise nights and car shows you attend, you won’t have to look long to find at least one with the “Edelbrock” script on

a V-8 intake manifold casting or stamped into a chromed engine dress-up item. Today

Edelbrock LLC has six locations, five in California and one in North Carolina, totaling over

500,000 square feet. It is well known for proudly advertising its namesake’s commitment

to “Made in the USA.”

The Early Ford V-8 Museum in Auburn, Ind. recently got a boost from the donation

of a 17-car collection of 1936 Fords from collector Joe Floyd of Sioux Falls, S.D.

Included is a stainless steel-bodied 1936 Tudor* originally built as part of a series of

Fords used to showcase the material by Allegheny Steel Corp. The Early Ford V-8

Museum is also on track to expand its facility, a project which includes the building

of a replica “Ford Rotunda” to serve as the main entrance to the museum. More

donations to the Foundation are needed to fund the next phase of planned expansion.

The Antique Automobile Club of America announced last year that

it had decided to award a new trophy called the AACA Zenith

Award to the finest restored motor vehicle of the year. An elite

judging team selected the top twenty restorations from over 3,300

cars and trucks entered at the AACA National events during 2016,

and, after a thorough deliberation, selected one of them to receive

the Zenith Award at the AACA’s Annual Grand National Meet held

on June 16, 2017 in Independence, Missouri. The eligible finalists

ranged in age from a 1903 Holley Motorette to a 1967 Chevrolet

Chevelle SS396 convertible, and included such classics as a 1934 Duesenberg SJ Convertible Victoria by Rollston and

a 1937 Packard 1507 by Dietrich. The Zenith Award went to a 1928 Auburn 8-88 Speedster** owned by Mr. and Mrs.

Richard Harding of Ohio. This stunning automobile was meticulously restored by the owner himself, other than the

paint and upholstery work. A 1942 Cadillac Series 62 Sedanet was designated as the runner up by the AACA judges.

*) Photo credit: Early Ford V-8 Museum

**) Photo credit: AACA

P. 3 of 8 The Belltown Bulletin August, 2017

THREE STORY GARAGE

The Bulletin interviewed Bernie Getty of Salem, Conn., the proud owner of a beautifully preserved Milano Ivory over Laurel Green 1953 Pontiac “Custom Catalina” 2-dr. hardtop.

Story 1 - Mr. Getty, what’s the story behind how you came to own your Pontiac? Bernie: When I was just 18 years old I had a 1950 Pontiac Catalina hardtop. I had to work my butt off to get that Pontiac. I’ve liked this kind of car ever since. Eighteen years ago I was looking for one and I saw an ad from a museum in Virginia that was selling a number of its cars, including this 1953 Custom Catalina hardtop, in the normal course of changing over its collection. I bought it sight unseen and it was then delivered here in a box trailer. For once I didn’t regret not seeing something in person before paying for it! Story 2 - How did the car get to be in the shape it’s in today? Bernie: I haven’t had to do anything to it except maintain it. When I got it, it had just 17,000 miles. The paint, the interior, everything is original. Now it has just 24,000 miles on it. The Straight-8 engine has never been rebuilt. The chrome plating is as it came from the factory. I keep it covered in a garage. This is a well-equipped, top-of-the-line model that came with leather upholstery. It’s even got a windshield washer that still has the original glass reservoir. Story 3 - What do you like to do with it? Bernie: Mostly I just like to drive it to shows here in Connecticut. I didn’t join any clubs [like the Pontiac-Oakland Club] because before I retired I never had time to go to the meetings. I’ve been to the Belltown show with it and I intend to go again this year. I only wish there was a preservation class that I could show it in. Probably the most unusual experience I’ve had with my car came when a guy from Hemmings called me up one day a couple of years ago and asked if they could come down and do an article on it, which they did.

Photos taken by Dan David at the weekly Misfit Cruisers

Cruise Night in Haddam, Conn. on 7-18-17

P. 4 of 8 The Belltown Bulletin August, 2017

UPCOMING EVENTS (Club participation events in bold)

Saturday, July 29 - Old Lyme car show (rain delayed). See www.http://lymeoldlymelions.org/memorial-day-car-show/. Note: the show will now be held in conjunction with the Old Lyme Midsummer Festival and the show venue will be the grounds of the Bee & Thistle Inn at 100 Lyme St. (Rte. 1), next to the location of the festival.

Wednesday, August 2 - BACC special monthly meeting at the Haddam Neck Fairgrounds off Rte. 151, 6:30 p.m.; car show and judging assignments will be made. Members are strongly encouraged to attend so we can be prepared and sufficiently staffed to put on a good show the following Sunday.

Saturday, August 5 - Morning set up at Haddam Neck Fairgrounds for Sunday’s car show. Details at Aug. 2nd mtg.

Saturday, August 5 - 3rd Annual Antique & Classic Car Show presented by Conn. Seaport Car Club, Fairfield Univ., N. Benson Rd. (take exit 22 off I-95), Fairfield, Conn., 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; info at www.ctseaportcarclub.com.

Sunday, August 6 - 51st Annual Belltown Vintage Motorcar Meet, Haddam Neck Fairgrounds, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., rain or shine. Club member participation needed - plan to arrive by 7:30 a.m. (or by 11:45 if you are only judging).

Saturday, August 12 - BACC Annual After-Show Picnic at the home of Richard & Polly Beckwith, 48 Camp Bethel Rd., Haddam. Arrivals to begin at 11:30 a.m. Call Polly with head count and what-to-bring questions at 860-345-4256.

Sunday, August 20 - Litchfield Hills Historical Automobile Club’s 42nd Annual Auto Show & Swap Meet at the Go-shen Fairgrounds, Rte. 63, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (flea market opens 8 a.m.). Glenn or John Royals, 860-482-4500.

Sunday, August 20 - Yankee Chapter of Buick Club of America’s All Buick Show, Wallingford Buick-GMC, 1122 Old North Colony Rd., Wallingford, Conn., 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. See http://www.yankeechapterbca.org/.

Saturday, August 26 - Hebron Day Car Show at Burnt Hill Park, 148 East St., Hebron, Conn., 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Hebron Day event also includes a 5K race, crafters, food vendors, a flea market and more. Contact: Richard Marzi, 860-368-7104.

Saturday, August 26 - “Air-Cooled at the Orchard” show for cars with air-cooled engines, Lyman Orchards farm market in Middlefield, Conn., 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; hosted by CT C.O.R.S.A. (Corvair) and C.V.A. (VW). Rain date: Sunday, Aug. 27. Information at www.ctvwa.org under “Calendar.”

Friday - Monday, Sept. 1 - 4 - Historic Festival 35 at Lime Rock Park incl. a Concours & Gathering of the Marques on Sunday, Sept. 3. (followed by a Dragone-sponsored auction); Lakeville, Conn. Go to www.limerockhistorics.com.

Wednesday, Sept. 6 - BACC monthly meeting at the East Hampton Library, beginning with a pot-luck supper at 6:30 p.m. Consult Polly Beckwith (860-345-4256) with questions regarding what to bring.

Sunday, Sept. 10 - 58th Annual Yankee Yesteryear Car Club’s Antique Car Show & Swap Meet, Brooklyn Fairgrounds, Rte. 169, Brooklyn, Conn. Contact: Randy Long, 860-230-7888 or go to www.YYCC.org to see the show flyer.

Sunday, Sept. 10 - 4th Annual Antique Automobile Extravaganza sponsored by the Deep River Fire Dept., 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Devitt Field (off Rte. 154 south of town center), Deep River, Conn. Info: https://www.facebook.com/events/404083359944545.

Sunday, Sept. 10 - AACA Central Conn. Region’s 43rd Annual Antique Auto & Truck Meet at Glastonbury Elks Club, 98 Woodland St., South Glastonbury, Conn., 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Details at: http://www.cenconnaaca.org/.

Report from Chestelm - The informal car show and cookout held on the evening of July 20th was a great success! Again, many thanks go to BACC’s Charlie Hnilicka and the staff at Chestelm Health and Rehabilitation Center in Moodus for organizing the event, and to the enthusiast owners of the 22+ antique vehicles that attended, many of them BACC members. Residents and visitors alike enjoyed seeing the wide variety of old cars and trucks.

Photos: Dan David

P. 5 of 8 The Belltown Bulletin August, 2017

CONNECTICUT AUTOMOBILIA

Submitted by Steven Rossi

Roosevelt Rides in an Electric Car – Today in History: August 22 On August 22, 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt rode through the streets of Hartford in an electric automobile. Automobile production was in its early stages of development at the turn of the twentieth century and about half of America’s vehicles were electric. Although Roosevelt was not the first president to ride in an automobile (that honor goes to William McKinley), he was the first to do so publicly. Accompanied by Colonel J.L. Greene of Hartford, and followed by an entourage of men on horseback, Columbia bicycles, and in cars, President Roosevelt greeted men, women, and children who lined the streets to witness what would become a familiar sight: the first presidential motorcade. The model in which Roosevelt rode was the Columbia Electric Victoria Phaeton. Like other Columbia models, the Victoria Phaeton had an external box for the driver, located at the rear of the car (one can imag-ine that this was a design choice left over from the days of the horse-drawn carriage). It had two 20-volt batteries that totaled approximately 800 pounds, about 40 percent of the vehicle’s total weight. The tires were made of rubber and the driver had his choice of four speeds, the maximum speed a whopping thirteen miles an hour. The Columbia Electric Vehicle Company was located in Hartford, and made both electric and gasoline-run automobiles. The electric car was a product created by Columbia bicycle magnate Alfred Pope, one of a few successful automobile makers in Connecticut at the time. Source: www.ConnecticutHistory.org

P. 6 of 8 The Belltown Bulletin August, 2017

ELECTRIC BLUES

Unmuffled Exhaust from the Editor

On Father’s Day weekend I skipped the Citroen Rendezvous in Saratoga, N.Y. to attend the 25th Anniversary Klingberg Vintage Motorcar Festival held in New Britain, Conn. As you might expect, there were several unusual early automo-biles on display at the Saturday event, one of which was a fine example of a 1922 Detroit Electric (see my one and only photo of it). The owner left the show just before I did, unbeknownst to me, and I caught up with him on the feeder highway just before it merges into the left lane of Route 9 (a busy divided high-way to say the least), just west of the interchanges with Route 15 and Interstate 91 in rapid succession. Needless to say, that old Detroit Electric was far from rapid and I feared for the occupants as it quickly became small in the rearview mirror of my modern day machine.

One could call the Detroit’s operator either brave or foolish, but he was definitely an intrepid soul to drive a 95 year old electric car to and from the Klingberg show in such traffic and then, presumably, drive it again the following day to the New England Concours d’Elegance held at the Mohegan Sun over in Norwich. Although I did not go to that show, I was emailed a photo file of the cars on display - and, much to my surprise, there was the very same blue Detroit Electric. No doubt, the owner knew the range of his batteries and had a high degree of confidence in the car.

In the beginning, the motive power for the horseless carriage was apt to be a noisy, smelly and cantankerous internal combustion engine fueled by gasoline. There were proponents of steam power, but they were in the minority and they found it hard to convince a sufficient customer base that the fussiness of running a mobile steam boiler, especially the patience required to get underway, was worth the effort. Then along came the anti-dote to the displacement engine - the relatively silent and unassuming electric motor powered by batteries. A game changer with built-in appeal to the less mechanically-inclined, right? Unfortunately, early electric cars with their lead-acid batteries couldn’t go very far without recharging, and the more batteries they carried on board the heavier they were. Thusly limited, early electric cars were only marginally useful in the city and mostly unsuitable for rural America at the time. They were expensive, as well.

As roads improved, range became ever more important, highlighting the inherent disadvantage of electric cars. Gasoline powered cars became cheaper still (credit Henry Ford) as well as more convenient for the driver with the invention of the electric starter (credit Charles Kettering). Unable to compete, the electric car all but disappeared from the American market by the early 1930’s. For more than four decades, until the days of “cheap gas” looked to be over, the electric car was a thing of the past. Since the mid-1970’s, however, the idea has slowly taken hold once again, with limited range and cost still being the main obstacles to achieving a competitive product.

The first mass-produced hybrid gas-electric cars, the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight, arrived at the turn of the century (meaning Y2K), and since then electric propulsion technology has advanced on many fronts. Fully electric, plug-in cars are now considered feasible even if prices still need to come down more and range could use further improvement. The newly-launched Chevrolet Bolt EV is leading the charge toward affordability and practicality, with the Tesla3 poised to follow in what is promised to be a “volume production” assault on the market.

While their net environmental impact may be debatable, plug-in electric cars have the potential to significantly reduce our country’s dependence on foreign oil, which is not a bad thing. The performance capability of today’s electrics may even signal an end to the second coming of the V-8 Muscle Car, though Baby Boomers may prove hard to convince.

Perhaps the industry is on the verge of a tipping point in power unit technology, just as we were a few years ago in terms of safety-systems technology. It’s difficult for me to get the image of following that wobbly old blue Detroit Electric out of my mind’s eye, but I’ll admit that it’s no longer hard to envision electric cars becoming widely accepted.

BELLTOWN CLASSIFIEDS

Send your sell/wanted ads for cars, parts and hobby-related services to dan12david@yahoo.com

Help Wanted – Social media-savvy car enthusiast to take charge of BACC’s presence on Facebook. Great opportunity for a young person to get involved in the old car hobby and help our club in an impactful way. Call Jon Grant to discuss, 860-267-7507.

AD-DENDUM

Challenge your brand recognition IQ

Which car’s unusual front end styling was once described as looking

like “an Oldsmobile sucking a lemon”?

a.) 1967 Pontiac Bonneville

b.) 1961 Rambler Ambassador

c.) 1958 Edsel

The correct answer to last month’s Ad-Dendum, “Which of the following cars was used by ‘007’ in a James

Bond movie as part of a product placement deal paid for by the manufacturer?”:

d.) All of the above: the 1974 AMC Hornet X, 1967 Toyota 2000 GT and

1995 BMW Z3 each had an on-screen role in different Bond films.

NEXT ISSUE

The copy and classified ad deadline for the September, 2017 issue of The Belltown Bulletin is Friday, August

25th. Monday, August 28th is the planned printing date. E-delivery is scheduled to take place on August 31st.

Send your newsletter suggestions, comments, classified ads and other contributions to dan12david@yahoo.com

(or call 860-526-3189). Your input is always welcome - it’s your Club and your newsletter!

BELLTOWN ANTIQUE CAR CLUB

President - Jon Grant Elected Directors* - Lee Harris & Mark Aldieri

Vice President - Karl Helming Sunshine Chairperson - Polly Beckwith (860-345-4256)

Secretary - Peter Christianson Newsletter Editor - Dan David (dan12david@yahoo.com, 860-526-3189)

Treasurer - Scott Macgregor Editor Emeritus - Bob Hellstrom

*) Plus previous president, Bob Sutton, as an ex-officio board member

Club web site - www.belltownantiquecarclub.org

Club e-mail address - belltowncarclub@gmail.com

Club mailing address - BACC, P.O. Box 211, East Hampton, CT 06424

Facebook - www.facebook.com/BACC-Belltown-Antique-Car-Club-116729245345421/

P. 7 of 8 The Belltown Bulletin August, 2017

Disclaimers and Words to the Wise: The opinions expressed by the authors of the content of this newsletter are theirs and are not intended

to represent a position taken by the Belltown Antique Car Club or its officers. Reproduction of this newsletter in whole or in part is subject

to prior approval by the editor. Information presented herein is for the edification and entertainment of antique automobile enthusiasts who

should use their experience, prudence and good judgment in applying it.

A note of appreciation from the editor - Thanks again to Stan Mirecki for shooting me an email and sharing a few of his

photographs from his recent visit to the Bahre collection in Paris Hill, Maine. See “News in Passing…” on the last page.

Thanks also to Bernie Getty, the interview subject of this month’s “Three Story Garage,” for being such a good sport and

for suggesting that I photograph his Pontiac’s “Indian Chief” hood ornament against the late afternoon sky.

News in Passing...

• From the “We’ll always have Paris (Hill)” file - Member Stan Mirecki attended the annual Founder’s Day Celebration and Classic Car Exhibit held July 15th in Paris Hill, Maine. The event benefits the Hamlin Memorial Library and Museum and offers an exclusive look at the extensive classic car collection of Robert and Sandra Bahre. Stan reports that this special collection is a “must see.” He said he counted something like 85 cars including several Packards and Duesenbergs, plus horse-drawn carriages such as an early Studebaker (used in the filming of Gone with the Wind). The private collection is only open to the public this one Saturday in July, so take note. Jon Grant, Karl Helming and Jon Foote made the trek last year. Like Stan, they were favorably impressed with what they saw.

• At press time the Conn. General Assembly had not passed a budget and the governor is running the state by executive order on an interim basis. As for the status of the antique car qualification and tax proposals floated earlier this year, well, they seem forgotten in the face of the budget challenge that lies ahead. Whether they resurface as part of the revenue mix is anybody’s guess.

• Advice from “Miss Manners” - When discussing a well-preserved, all-original 1969 Mercury Cougar XR7 with its proud owner, it is polite to say, “She’s in such good physical shape... Beautiful!” On the other hand, when meeting the First Lady of France for the first time, it is downright rude and embarrassingly inappropriate to make such comments about Le

Cougar to her younger husband (in front of the TV cameras, no less). Moreover, you surely remember from the 8th grade that France is America’s oldest ally, right? Fake scoops? “Nyet!”

E-Delivery Bonus*

Did the mention of the name Studebaker at the top of this page whet your appetite for information about the history of the company? Here is a two part PBS documentary from the 1980’s entitled “Studebaker: Less Than They Promised” that is sure to please fans of the marque from South Bend:

Part 1 - https://youtu.be/C9QQQy1h8bQ Part 2 - https://youtu.be/3P3zUN8HFWE

The links to this video duo were posted on the Hemmings Daily news blog on 7/2/17 and we thank them for that.

To read more about the AACA Zenith Award (see “Hobby Headlines & History”) follow this link to the story that appeared in Old Cars Weekly:

http://www.oldcarsweekly.com/news/aaca-crowns-first-zenith-award-winner

At the end of the story is a link to an AACA Zenith Award Program document that describes each of the 20 outstanding restorations chosen as finalists for the award. It is well worth reading!

Enjoy!

*) The E-Delivery Bonus is a feature not found in printed copies of the newsletter that are distributed via the USPS. A reminder: all links in the electronic version of the newsletter are “clickable” as long as your browser is open.