Photo © by Don Spiro Photography
O
pe
9
n
A ir – 1
Founded 1957
Nineteen-time Old Cars Weekly Golden Quill Award winner
March - April, 2011
307
Volume 52 Number 3
pe
49
1949 convertibles
n A r – 19
i
Photo by Mark J. McCourt
O
Tom Mulligan’s 1949 Special Deluxe convertible
49
Founded 1957
Richard Wahrendorff’s 1949 Special Deluxe convertible
formerly owned by Dan Kilpatrick
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TECHNICAL SUPERVISORS
Plymouth® Owners Club, Inc.
®Plymouth is a registered trademark of Chrysler Group LLC and is used by special permission.
MEMBERSHIP
The PLYMOUTH BULLETIN is published bi-monthly by the Plymouth Owners Club, Inc.,
PO Box 416, Cavalier, North Dakota 58220. Periodicals postage paid at Grafton, ND.
Membership is open to all persons genuinely interested in Plymouth or Fargo vehicles.
Ownership of a club recognized vehicle is not a prerequisite for club membership. Club
dues entitle members to receive all BULLETIN issues published within the 12 month period following establishment or renewal of membership. Membership in the Plymouth
Owners Club is a prerequisite for membership in one of its regions.
DUES
Dues for first-time members are $32 per year payable in US funds. Renewals are $30
per year payable in US funds. Payment can be made by VISA or MasterCard. No personal checks outside of USA please. Overseas members may get airmail delivery for $45
per year.
MEETS
National meets are sponsored by the Plymouth Owners Club. Such meets are held on a
rotating basis with location of the meets determined by local regions upon application to
the Officers and Board of Directors. Notice of the dates and locations of such meets will
be announced in the PLYMOUTH BULLETIN. At least one meet will be held east of the
Mississippi River and one meet west of the Mississippi with meets held in the Spring,
Summer and/or Fall. On years ending in "8" a single Grand National Meet is held in the
Detroit area in honor of Plymouth's 1928 beginning.
AWARDS &TROPHIES
MAYFLOWER AWARD is awarded to the highest scoring 4dr sedan not winning Best of
Show at each national meet.
EDITOR’S AWARDS are presented annually by the Editor for outstanding contributions by
the members to the PLYMOUTH BULLETIN.
JUDGING CLASSES
Class 8 -- 1960-61 full size; 1965-77 C-body
Class 1 -- 1928-1932
Class 9 -- 1964-1974 Barracuda
Class 10 - Commercial (pickup, sdn del, stn wgn)
Class 2 -- 1933-1939
Class 3 -- 1940-1948
Class 11 - 1976-80 F-, 78-89 M-, ‘80-81 R-bodies
Class 4 -- 1949-1954
Class 12 - 1978-2001 FWD
Class 5 -- 1955-1959
Class 13 - 1997-2001 Prowler
Class 6 -- 1960-76 Val.
Class 14 - 1971-1994 imports
Class 7 -- 1962-78 B-body Senior -- Best of Show cars since1996
JUDGING GROUPS: Group I: 1928-39 / Group II: 1940-59 / Group III:1960-89 RWD /
Group IV:1971-2001 FWD & imports
MEMBERSHIP ROSTER
A complete listings of all current members along with their address and Plymouth and/or
Fargo vehicles roster can be downloaded at any time via e-mail or member can obtain a
disc with the information. Contact Membership Secretary Jim Benjaminson.
ADDRESS CHANGES
The PLYMOUTH BULLETIN is mailed by periodicals postage. The postal service WILL
NOT FORWARD YOUR COPIES IF YOU CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS. If you plan
to move, use the postal address change form on the cover and send it to the Membership
Secretary BEFORE you move. The Plymouth Owners Club WILL NOT replace issues
not received because of an address change.
NON-DELIVERY OF THE BULLETIN
If you have any questions or problems, direct your inquiries to the Membership
Secretary.
BULLETIN DEADLINE DATES for ads, articles, photographs, etc.
Jan-Feb -- Dec. 10
Jul-Aug -- Jun. 10
Mar-Apr -- Feb. 10
Spt-Oct -- Aug. 10
May-Jun -- Apr. 10
Nov-Dec -- Oct. 10
Articles, etc., submitted to the BULLETIN CANNOT be returned to the author for review
prior to publication. ALL submissions are subject to editing.
RETURN OF PHOTOS AND ARTICLES
All items sent to the BULLETIN will be returned if requested with a SASE (please DO
NOT affix US stamps to the return envelope--as it will be mailed from Canada--but
enclose within envelope).
MAIL DATE
The BULLETIN is to be mailed by the last week of the even numbered month of the cover
date (i.e. the Jan-Feb issue is to be mailed in February, etc.).
ADVERTISING POLICY
Please refer to the complete advertising policy printed in the Marketplace section.
TECHNICAL ADVICE
Technical questions may be submitted to the individual advisor for each model.
Technical questions should be brief and specific. A SASE should be included with your
enquiry (please do not affix stamps if mailed out-of-country but enclose within envelope).
GROUP I
Earl Buton, Jr.
GROUP II
Dave Geise
Woodstock, NY
12498-1013
08015-5664
2366 Glasco Trnpk.
GROUP III
417 Tennessee Tr.
Browns Mills, NJ
GROUP IV
Merrill Berkheimer Chris Suminski
36640 Hawk Rd.
27090 Jean Rd
Hazard, NE
Warren, MI
68844
48093
TECHNICAL ADVISORS
1928 Q
Earl Buton, Jr.
(see address above)
(845) 679-6185
earlbuton@yahoo.com
1929 U
Jeff C. Buton
275 Dutchtown Road
Saugerties, NY 12477
(845) 247-3158
jbuton57@yahoo.com
1930 30U - 1931 PA
Robert McMulkin
Box 40
1950 P19, P20
David Pollock
Box 196
Shawnigan Lake, BC
VOR 2W0 CANADA
dnpollock@shaw.ca
1951-53
Neil Riddle
20303 8th Ave NW,
Shoreline,WA 98177-2107
seaplym@hotmail.com
1965-66 C-Body
William D. Coble, Jr.
331 N. Roosevelt St.
Shawnee, OK 74801
(405) 275-4004
1966-67 B-Body
Art Schlachter
2056 Cardinal Dr.
Danville, KY40422-9732
(859) 236-9487
aschlachter@roadrunner.com
1954
Darrell Davis
100 Tech Drive
Sanford, FL 32771
1967 C-Body
Bill Gallop, Jr.
201 Park St.
Woodstock, NY12498-1076
1955
Jason Rogers
123 Carterwoods Drive
bbuton@verizon.net
(478) 953-4760
Mark E. Olson
707 4th Street
Proctor, MN 55810-1722
(218) 624-4482
Lemon Springs, NC 28355
rmcmulkin@aol.com
1932 PB
Bruce E. Buton
2366 Glasco Tnpk.
(845) 657-6287
1933
Robert Davis
1870 Eldon Rd, RR1
Woodville, ON KOM 2T0
(705) 374-5059
bobpat@nexicom.net
CANADA
1934
Edward R. Peterson
32 Crane Road
Walpole, MA 02081
plymouth34@hotmail
1935 - 1936
Wayne Brandon
5715 Forest Green Dr.
Perry, MI 48872-9197
(517) 675-5717
plymdr@aol.com
1937
Robert L. Semichy
18220 Daves Ave.
Monte Sereno, CA 95030
(408) 395-4968
1938
John Sbardella
11 Heritage Path
Millis, MA 02054
misunstd@world.std.com
1939
Roy G. Kidwell;
9 St. Andrews Garth;
Severna Park, MD 21146
(410) 987-6081
patriciakidwell@msn.com
1940
Jim Benjaminson
Box 345
Walhalla, ND 58282-0345
1941
Larry W. Jenkins
Rt. 1, Box 127
Belleville, WV 26133-9728
ljenkins@castinternet.net
1942
William Leonhardt
10100 Fletcher Ave.
Lincoln, NE 68527-9735
(402) 467-2222
1946-49 P15
Frank J. Marescalco
2610 D Street
New Bedford, MA 02740
(407) 330-9100, 701-4493cell (508) 993-0619
ddavis8839@aol.com
1968 C-Body
Warner Robins, GA 31088
jasonrogers@windstream.net
1956
Chris Suminski
27090 Jean Rd
Warren, MI 48093
(586) 933-7404, cell
cjsuminski@yahoo.com
1956-58 Fury
Tom VanBeek
3006 Emerald Street
WestBend, WI 53095
(262) 338-8986
tvanbeek@milwpc.com
1957-58
Wally Breer
66 Stanway Bay
Mitchell, MB R5G 1H5
CANADA
wbreer@mts.net
1959
Robert Hinds
1292 Daventry Court
Birmingham, AL 35243
bobjanehinds@bellsouth.net
1960 Sav/Belv/Fury
Randy Wilson
PO Box 647
Maxwell, CA 95955
(430) 438-2376
1960-76 A-body
Bruce Pine
1458 Nunneley Road
Paradise, CA 95969
(530) 876-7463
pinepp@sbcglobal.net
1961 Sav/Belv/Fury
John Thurman Wiggins
677 Winklers Road
Red Boiling Springs, TN
37150 (615) 504-3746
oldshaven@yahoo.com
1962 B-Body
Gerald Klinger
1027 N.W. 1st
Gresham, OR 97030
(503) 665-8330
austin54@comcast.net
1963 B-Body
Darrell Davis (see 1954)
1964-65 B-Body
Rob Elliott
307 - 30 Ave. NE
Calgary, AB T2E 2E2
Omaha, NE 68107-1622
(402) 733-3153fmsr@cox.net CANADA elliotro@telus.net
mark@turbinecar.com
1968-70 B-Body
Clif Nelson
7038 117th Ave. NE
Adams,ND 58210
clifn01@gmail.com
1969-71 C-Body
Edwin C. Hill
412 West Temple St.
Lenox, IA 50851-1228
edwinhill@webtv.net
1971-01 4-cylinder; FWD
Chris Suminski (see 1955-56)
1971-72 B-Body
Edward F. Weingart
334 Creekview Dr
Hampstead, NC 28443
edweingart@att.net
1974-77 C-body
Wally Breer (see 1957-58)
1975-78 B-body
Ed Lanfer
6201 Wade Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63139-3108
Ed.Lanfer@federalmogul.com
1976-80 F-body
Wayne & Karen Fowler
6902 Ruckles Road
Mt. Airy, MD 21771
(301) 831-7150
wiffer@worldnet.att.net
1978-89 M-body
Michael Bonadonna
455 North Cherry Pop Drive
Inverness, FL 34453-7975
(352) 341-1019
mlb5355@hotmail.com
1980-81 R-body
Chris Suminski (see 1955-56)
Plymouth Commercial
Bob Manke
6037 E. Canal Rd.
Lockport NY 14094
(716) 625-4048
bobantqplys@aol.com
Fargo Commercial
Cam D. Clayton
Box 725, Kaslo, BC
V0G1M0 CANADA
dook@netidea.com
Advisors wanted: 1949; 1970-74 E-body; 1972-73 C-body; 1973-74 B-body
V
4/15/11
7:36 AM
u th
n er s Cl ub
Pl y m oou
t h Ow
Own
ub
HS format video cassettes are available
to club members on a rental basis.
Rental fees: Plymouth Club regional meetings: no charge / Individual member for personal viewing: $5 / Member or non-member
for group showing to car clubs, fraternal
organizations, schools, etc: $10.
Only one cassette will be mailed at one
time. You must make advance reservation
requests (at least three weeks in advance).
Cassettes must be returned via 1st Class mail
within 24 hours following showdate.
Cassettes cannot be mailed outside the
U.S.
CANADIAN ORDERS can be placed with:
Rita Green, ritagreen@pacificcoast.net;
(250) 383-2034. Rental: $8, plus $7 postage,
Cdn funds. Renter responsible for return
postage.
Detailed descriptions of each cassette are
listed in BULLETIN No. 187 and 1994 Roster.
Video Library
Larry Nuesch,
77 Meadowbrook Lane
Chalfont, PA 18914-2822
(215) 822-9584
LNuesch@aol.com
Please order by number:
R1 - Pan-American Hwy Expedition,1940-41
R2 - Dodge Power Wagon
R3 - The Airflow
R4 - Plymouth: The Early Years
R5 - 1935-36 Plymouths
R6 - Chrysler's Turbine-powered cars
R7 - 1937-38 Plymouths
R8 - 1939-41 Plymouths
R9 - Dodge: The Early Years
R10- Sales Comparison:
1937,'38 Plymouth, Ford, Chevrolet
R11- Jeep
R12- 1955-56 Plymouths
PLYMOUTH BULLETIN back issues:
102 - Jan/Feb '77
111 - Jul/Aug '78
113 - Nov/Dec '78
116 - May/Jun '79
117 - Jul/Aug '79
119 - Nov/Dec '79
142 - Sep/Oct ‘83
146 - May/Jun '84
147 -Jul/Aug ‘84
149 - Nov/Dec '84
151 - Mar/Apr '85
158 - Mar/Apr ‘86
163 - Mar/Apr '87
187 - Mar/Apr ‘91
192 - Jan/Feb '92
194 - May/Jun '92
195 - Jul/Aug '92
196 - Sep/Oct '92
197 - Nov/Dec '92
201 - Jul/Aug '93
202 - Sep/Oct '93
204 - Jan/Feb '94
205 - Mar/Apr '94
207 - Jul/Aug '94
208 - Sep/Oct '94
209 - Nov/Dec '94
210 - Jan/Feb '95
211 - Mar/Apr ‘95
212 - May/Jun '95
214 - Sep/Oct '95
215 - Nov/Dec'95
216 - Jan/Feb '96
217 - Mar/Apr '96
218 - May/Jun '96
219 - Jul/Aug ‘96
220 - Sep/Oct '96
221- Nov/Dec '96
222 - Jan/Feb '97
223 - Mar/Apr '97
224 - May/Jun '97
225 - Jul/Aug '97
226 - Sep/Oct '97
227- Nov/Dec '97
229 - Mar/Apr ‘98
231 - Jul/Aug '98
232 - Sep/Oct '98
233 - Nov/Dec '98
234 - Jan/Feb ‘99
235 - Mar/Apr ‘99
236 - May/Jun ‘99
237 - Jul/Aug ‘99
238 - Sep/Oct ‘99
239 - Nov/Dec ‘99
241 - Mar/Apr ‘00
242 - May/Jun ‘00
Page 1
Spotlight Sketches, 1928-35
50th Anniversary Plymouth Meet
1978 Fall Meet
Old Cars Price Guide; 1953-54 ads
Retail sales bulletins
1979 Fall Meet
Life of Walter P. Chrysler
Plymouth in Australia
Fargo commercial vehicles
Plymouth in Norway, Sweden, Denmark
Plymouth-bodied Dodges, DeSotos
Turbine cars
1962 Plymouths; Chrysler Engineering Bldg.
1958 Plymouth
1960 Plymouth
1938 Plymouth
1932 PB Plymouth; '92 Denver Spring Meet
1967 Plymouths; '92 Indy Summer Meet
1942 Plymouth; Richard Petty tribute
1961 Plymouth; '93 Kansas City Spring Meet
1968 Plym.; '93 Plymouth (MA) Summer Meet
1928-30 Plymouth Models Q & U
Plymouth miscellany
Maxwell history; Ellis (KS) meet
1930-31 30U Plym.; '94 Faribault Spring Meet
1994 Newark (DE) Fall Meet
1969 Plymouths
1949 Plymouths
Mayflower mascots; Petty '49
1955 Plymouth; '95 Frederick (MD) Summer Mt.
1995 Nebr. City Fall Meet
WWII Plymouths
Plymouth dealerships
Plymouth miscellany
1954 Plymouth
Des Moines Spring Meet; '54 Plymouth
Newark Fall Meet; '54 accessories
1970-71-72 Plymouths
1957-63 Australian Chrysler Royals
1970 Superbird
1997 Kansas City Spring Meet
1997 Annapolis Fall Meet
40th Anniversary issue
First Valiants; Mayflower winners
1973 Plymouths
1998 Grand National Meet
1998 Great Race ‘32 PB; GN Meet revisited
1946-49 P15 50th Anniversary
1960-74 Plymouth A-, B-, C-bodies
1974 Plymouths
1999 Springfield (IL) Spring Meet
1999 Hancock (MA) Summer Meet
1949 P17/18 50th Anniversary
1999 Doylestown (PA) Fall Meet
1966 Valiants; 74-81 Trail Duster
243 - Jul/Aug ‘00
244 - Sep/Oct ‘00
245 - Nov/Dec ‘00
247 - Mar/Apr ‘01
248 - May/Jun ‘01
249 - Jul/Aug ‘01
252 - Jan/Feb ‘02
253 - Mar/Apr ‘02
254 - May/Jun ‘02
255 - Jul/Aug‘02
256 - Sep/Oct‘02
257 - Nov/Dec 02
258 - Jan/Feb 03
259 - Mar/Apr‘03
262 - Sept/Oct ‘03
264 - Jan/Feb ‘04
266 - May/Jun ‘04
267 - Jul/Aug ‘04
268 - Sept/Oct ‘04
269 - Nov/Dec ‘04
270 - Jan/Feb ‘05
271- Mar/Apr ‘05
272- May/Jun ‘05
273 - Jul/Aug ‘05
274 - Sep/Oct ‘05
275 - Nov/Dec ‘05
276 - Jan/Feb ‘06
277 - Mar/Apr ‘06
280-Sep/Oct ‘06
282-Jan/Feb ‘07
283-Mar/Apr ‘07
286-Sep/Oct ‘07
287-Nov/Dec ‘07
288-Jan/Feb ‘08
289-Mar-Apr ‘08
290- May/Jun ‘08
291-Jul-Aug ‘08
294-Jan/Feb ‘09
295-Mar/Apr ‘09
296-May/Jun ‘09
297-Jul/Aug ‘09
298 - Sep/Oct ‘09
299 - Nov/Dec ‘09
300 - Jan/Feb ‘10
301 - Mar/Apr ‘10
302 - May/Jun ‘10
303 - Jul/Aug ‘10
304 - Sep/Oct ‘10
305 - Nov/Dec ‘10
306 - Jan/Feb ‘11
R13- Performance Comparisons:
1962,'63,'64 Plymouth, Ford, Chevrolet
R14- Land Speed attempts, 1960
R15- Thrill Shows & Hell Driving
R16- Ford Motor Company
R17- Pierce-Arrow & Studebaker
R18- Miscellaneous Marques
R19- Armand Denis Expedition, #1
R20- Armand Denis Expedition, #2
R21- Armand Denis Expedition, #3
R22- Dodge: The Forties
R23- Dodge Trucks
R24- 1937-38 Dodge
R25- 1994 rebuild of 1894 Springfield Duryea
National Meet Videos: '85 Moberly Spring; '85
Hershey Fall; '86 Hershey Fall; '87 Newark Fall;
'88 Detroit Grand National; '89 DesMoines Spring;
'89 Sturbridge Summer; '90 Calgary Spring; '90
Newark Fall; '91 Hastings Spring; '92 Denver
Spring; '92 Indy Summer; '92 Newark Fall; '93
Kansas City Spring; '93 Plymouth, MA, Summer;
'94 Ellis Chrysler Home parade; '94 Newark Fall.
1956 Plymouths
2000 Rapid City (SD) Spring Meet, ‘56 Ply, cont
1950 P19/20 50th Anniversary
Plymouth at races; ‘75 Ply; ‘74-83 Voyager
Ply Down Under, ‘56 Miniatures, ‘32 PB sequels
2001 Reedsburg (WI) Spring Meet
2001 Newark (DE) Fall Meet
Plymouth voyages; Arrow pickup; ‘51 sequels
1960-61 Plymouths; Stretched Plymouths
1976-77 Plymouths (Volaré)
2002 Hollywood (MD) Spring Meet
2002 Grand Rapids (MN) Summer Meet;‘52 50th
Touring with Plymouths; ‘83 Scamp pickup
1928-29: Plymouth’s first years
1953 Plymouth 50th Anniversary
Most Significant Plymouths
1954 Plymouth 50th Anniversary
1964-74 Barracuda Anniversary; Ont. 4cyl. meet
Plymouths at Iola ‘04; Maxwell Centennial Tour
2004 Battle Creek Summer Meet; ME 4 cyl meet
Plymouth Travels with P10 cnv; P15 wgn
Finding Mrs. Miller, ower of milestone Plys.
Valiant history; Yellow Rose ‘40; Swedish ‘49
‘55 Plymouth 50th Anniversary
2005 Peoria Spring Meet; Woodies
2005 Vermont Summer Meet; 4cyl, Ont/Ohio
Plymouths in Alaska, Hawaii; Fargo tanker
Plymouth Belmont; Valiant convertibles
2006 Indy Spring Meeet; Ont. 4cyl Meet
Club history-1; ‘29-31 Fargo trucks
Club history-2; Fargo at Work, northern roads
Club history-5; ‘07 Tulsarama; ‘57 Plymouths
Club history-6; ‘07 Carolina Nat Fall Meet
Ply deuces:‘32,‘42,‘52,‘62,‘72; Econ Run Plys
Ply Memories: long-term owners; Econ Run Plys
Ply Memories: Petty; Aust. utes; Econ Run Plys
‘57 Again; Ont 4cyl meet; Dempster Hwy
50th of the ‘58s
Plymouths of the Southern Hemisphere
Plymouth Things, Movies; ‘36, ‘50, ‘63 Plys
‘59 50th Anniv; Ont. 4cyl tour
2009 Wisconsin Summer Meet; ‘66 Sport Fury
2009 Maryland Fall Meet
Reprise: Tüscher; Plainsman; Berkheimer
Memorials; Italian ‘28-9; ‘71 police Fury
Ply weddings; ‘31 PA travels; NZ Plys
‘60 Plymouth 50th anniversary
2010 Portland Summer Meet; oldest Ply
4 cyl tour Vermont; Tüscher PJ; driving P15s
Peking to Paris ‘32; ‘31, ‘54, ‘60 Plys
All back issues: $3 ea. Postage: to USA,1 BULLETIN $2; 2-3 $4.95; 4 or more
$8; to Canada: $2.50/BULLETIN; Overseas: $4/BULLETIN Please make all
checks payable to the Plymouth Owners Club, Inc. Payment may be made by
VISA or Master Card. Please list second choices as many issues are in short
supply. Plymouth Club Store is in the process of being reor-
ganized; please await annoucement of reopening.
307-FULL ISSUE
4/19/11
4:12 PM
Page 1
Plymouth ®
Owne rs C lub
Box 416
Cavalier, ND 58220-0416
Phone: (701) 549-3746
Fax: (701) 549-3744
e-mail: benji@utma.com
plymouthbulletin.com
The Plymouth Bulletin
No. 307
March-April, 2011
LANNY D. KNUTSON, editor
(204) 889-8008
288 Strathmillan Road, Winnipeg, MB R3J 2V5 CANADA
editor@plymouthbulletin.com or plybul@mts.net
FOUNDER-DIRECTOR
Jay M. Fisher
Acken Drive 4-B
Clark, NJ 07066-2902
(732) 388-6442
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
Earl Buton, Jr.
2366 Glasco Turnpike
Woodstock, NY 12498-1076
(845) 679-6185 earlbuton@yahoo.com
OFFICERS 2010-11
PRESIDENT
Nick DeSimone
1423 Pecan Grove Dr.
Diamond Bar, CA 91765-2536
(909) 861-4950 ndesimone@verizon.net
VICE PRESIDENT
Bobbi Berkheimer
36640 Hawk Road
Hazard, NE 68844
(308) 452-3980 bobbib@nctc.net
MEMBERSHIP
SECRETARY-TREASURER
Jim Benjaminson
Box 345
Walhalla, ND 58282-0345
(701) 549-3746 benji@utma.com
CORRESPONDING SEC.
Tom Nachand
5215 NW Cavalier Ave.
Lincoln City, OR 97367
(541) 764-2011 33plym@centurytel.net
B ULLETIN EDITOR
Lanny D. Knutson
288 Strathmillan Road
Winnipeg MB R3J 2V5 CANADA
(204) 889-8008 plybul@mts.net
(586) 752-3140 jsuminski2@yahoo.com
DIRECTO R 2 0 1 0 - 1 5
Robert S. Kerico
4640 Boardwalk
Smithton , IL 62285-3662
(618) 444-6966
Bobkool344@wmconnect.com
1949 convertibles
pe
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i
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DIRECTOR 2008-13 (Judging)
Joe Suminski
68226 Winchester Court
Washington, MI 48095-1244
-1-
MARK MCCORD PHOTO
(218) 326-5965 cwegner2@msn.com
49
DIRECTO R 2 0 0 6 - 11
Carl D. Wegner
19600 Cardinal Drive
Grand Rapids, MN 55744-6189
307-FULL ISSUE
4:12 PM
Page 2
From the Editor
THORSTEN LARSSON PHOTO
49
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pe
4/19/11
Open Air ‘49
T
his BULLETIN’s theme didn’’t
develop in the usual way. There
was no long-range plan to
devote an issue soley to convertibles
from 1949. Nobody suggested, “Hey,
let’s do an issue on ‘49 ragtops.”
Of all things, this issue’s theme
began with an ad, a rather persistent ad,
at that. Some of you may have been
aware of the recurring ad in the CARS
WANTED section, placed by one Dallas
Wiese of Toledo, Iowa, for a driveable
‘49 convertible, preferably blue like
the one he had when he and his
wife, Joyce, were married (now,
60 years ago). I figured that
there had to be a story in this
and so I inquired. Sure
enough, there is… and this
issue has it.
I then checked through my
computer files and found a couple ‘49 convertible stories I had
saved from regional newsletters,
namely Larry Stanton’s and Tom
Mulligan’s. Not much later, I
received Bob Drown’s account of
meeting Richard Wahrendorff and his
‘49 convertible. Checking further, I
discovered that Richard had recently
purchased his car from fellow member
Dan Kilpatrick and that when it was in
Dan’s possession, the convertible had
been the subject of a Hemmings
Classic Car article. Not only that, but
Tom Mulligan’s ‘49 “droptop” had also
been featured in an HCC article two
years earlier. Contacting Jim Donnelly
of HCC, I was able to receive permission to reprint the two articles and to
contact the photographers for their pictures and permission to use them.
Thus, this issue took shape.
What I did not do was contact all
of the 40-some ‘49 convertible owners
on our roster, requesting their contributions. With longer-range planning,
that would have been possible, but
there was little long-range planning
with this particular issue. It simply
began with material available, an idea
and it went from there.
For this issue’s logo, I went to my
cigar box full of dash plaques and
pulled out the one from the meet
which I was involved in hosting, the
1990 Spring Meet in Calgary.
For that logo, I had “commissioned” a good friend, Ray Yauk, an
erstwhile newspaper sports cartoonist,
who had become a Lutheran minister,
who was then working amongst the
down-and-out street people in one of
Canada’s richest cities.
-2-
Ray wasn’t really a car guy. For
him cars were, at best, a necessity for
getting from Point A to Point B, but
he was very much a people-guy, as the
people on the fringes of downtown
Calgary would attest. In that, and as a
friend, he was interested in my life too,
including my car life, and was happy
to do some cartooning work for our
upcoming meet. He took the ‘49 convertible from a Plymouth ad and put a
friendly guy behind the wheel, waving
his cowboy hat. We had our logo,
thanks to Ray. Sadly, Ray died
in 1997.
THE NEXT BULLETIN is taking shape much the way this
one has. Beginning with
some ‘56 Fury material
mailed to me and what I’ve
had on file, I’ve contacted
owners for their stories on
Plymouth’s first Fury. It will
be a celebration, of sorts, marking the car’s 55th anniversary.
Plans are in the works for a 50th
anniversary celebration, this time of
the 1961 models. Owners of ‘61s, I
hope to be hearing from you.
I’ve also been planning to do
issues on the first Valiants (1960-62)
and E-body Barracudas (1970-74), but I
haven’t yet received enough material to
proceed. I’m still hoping to hear from
owners of these Plymouths.
But now for some open air, ‘49
style.
– Lanny Knutson
The Plymouth Bulletin
No. 307 Mar-Apr 2 0 11
LANNY D. KNUTSON, editor
LEEANN LUCAS, asst. editor
307-FULL ISSUE
4/19/11
4:12 PM
Page 3
T he
CLUB NEWS
Plymouth Press
Plymouth Owners Club
No. 307
The Great Roster Update is on!
M
embers have begun
receiving the Great
Roster Update card with their
dues renewal notices. The
first members getting the card
are those with an April 30,
2011, renewal date. Roster
Update cards will be included
with each mailing of renewal
notices. The project will take
an entire year to complete, as
the cards will be included
with renewal notices for June
30, August 31, October 31,
December 31 and February
2012. Members who do not
return the card with their
renewal will be asked a second time for their updated
information. Please: Do not
write “same as before” on the
cards. List your cars, address,
phone number and email
address on the card. Cards
returned, to date, indicate
there have been many
changes!
One last cautionary note:
PLEASE DO NOT RENEW
AHEAD OF TIME! Please
wait until you receive your
renewal notice envelope to
send in your dues. Renewing
ahead of time only helps to
screw up the system. If you
are going to be away during
the time period of your
renewal, drop me a note with
your renewal so I can specialhandle it. If you are uncertain as to your renewal date,
simply look at your mailing
label: 22811 means your
membership expires February
28, 2011; 43011 means your
membership expires April 30,
2011, and so on.
Please notice a change on
the renewal envelopes.
Directly above your mailing
label are two messages: one
reading “Yes, please send me
a new membership card” and
the other reading “No, do not
send me a new membership
card.”
If you wish to receive a
new card, check the “yes”
box. If you do not want a
new card, check the “no” box.
If neither box is checked, I
will assume you do not wish
to receive a membership card
and your cancelled check will
act a proof of payment for
your dues.
Thank you for your cooperation!
– Jim Benjaminson,
Membership Secretary
Speed limits posted
T
od Fitch, of California and the Golden State Region has
added a speed limit chart to his “Plymouth – The First
Decade” website http://ply33.com/ Misc/speed based on
the contents of Benj’s Page in BULLETIN 306.
The Plymouth Bulletin (ISSN 0032-1737) is published bi-monthly. Subscription
through annual dues: $32 new; $30 renewal. Published by the Plymouth
Owners Club, PO Box 345, 603 Central Ave, Walhalla, ND 58282-0345.
Periodical postage paid at Grafton, ND 58237. POSTMASTER: Send address
Club Video Library to be shut down
W
ith the waning of VHS
technology and the rising costs of postage, the
POC Video Library has fallen
into disuse.
The videos have been
kept in two libraries: one,
maintained by Larry Nuesch
in New Jersey and a second,
managed by Rita Green of
Victoria, BC, for Canadian
members. The videos were
loaned to members who paid
a rental fee and postage costs.
Larry Nuesch reports that
he has sent out only one or
so videos this past year. His
Canadian counterpart reports
she hasn’t sent out a video to
a Canadian member for several years.
Membership secretary
Jim Benjaminson will gather
the remaining videos and
store them until a decision is
made as to what to do with
them.
Some or all videos could
be copied onto DVD disks
and kept for posterity, depending on the costs of doing so
and the quality of reproduction. Copies could then be
made, on demand, for members wishing to purchase a
disk.
The videos could also be
simply disposed of. Contact
a board member if you have
suggestions concerning the
videos listed on the inside
back cover of each BULLETIN.
Members Remembered
Stuart Riddell, Williamstown, Vermont, died on December
15, 2011, at age 62. An owner of a 1932 PB sport roadster, he
had been a member since 1981. He is survived by his wife,
Linda.
Walter T. Trittipoe, Shady Side, Maryland, died on January
12, 2011. The owner of a 1947 P15 Special Deluxe business
coupe, he had been a member since 1993. He is survived by his
wife, Janette.
Opal Crowe, Minden, Ontario, died on March 19, 2011, at
the age of 70. She and her husband of 51 years, Don, attended
nearly all four-cylinder tours with their ‘31 PAs, a coupe and a
sport roadster.
P h i l Volpe, New Castle, Delaware, died on March 31, 2011,
at the age of 66. The former national president of the POC
(2002-03) also served three terms as vice-president and five
years as a director. He was the owner of two ‘67s, a Belvedere
II sedan and a Satellite convertible, and a ‘69 Fury II two-door.
-3-
307-FULL ISSUE
4/19/11
4:12 PM
Page 4
From the President’s wife
Teach them while
they’re young
car shows since shortly after being
born. They show a wonderful enthusiasm and appreciation for old cars.
They have learned car show etiquette DO NOT TOUCH. But Papa’s garage
is another thing. They are allowed to
sit in Papa’s old cars, and pretend they
are going on trips to the store or
another car show. They also help Papa
by handing him tools, asking questions, and holding the flashlight. It is
my hope that this love and care of
what is old will stay with them and
I asked my wife to put on her thinking
cap and write the president's message
for Issue 307.
My
appreciation of cars
began when I was
young, growing up in
the fifties. My older brother and I
would sit in our front window and watch
the cars passing by. He would teach me
the names of the cars and give specific
details about each that would help me
remember. When I gave an incorrect
answer, he responded with a smack at
the back of my head. And so I learned
the names and years of many of the
models of the 1950s.
On Papa’s
Papa’s running board: three DeSimone grandchildren Justin, Gianna and Christian
Unfortunately, I never learned about
Grant.
anything under the hood. But my love
to take the Model A, so it was sold to a
that they will be fixing up their own old
for the cars of those years, when I was a
friend. My husband, however, did not
cars, someday.
preteen, has stayed with me. At car
lose his yearning for another “old car.”
My thing is sewing. I noticed that
shows, those are the ones I still graviHe maintained his love for fixing by
when
my children were little they wanttate toward.
doing the maintenance on the cars we
ed
to
do
what I was doing. They wanted
When I met my husband he
did have. As our children
to
sew.
Instead
of getting them toy
had a ‘31 Model A. He
grew, he shared that love
sewing
machines,
they learned on the
drove the Model A
and skill with the
real
thing.
They
learned
to thread, sew,
when we got marboys. Car shows
clean
and
maintain
the
machine.
To this
ried, and we
became an inteday
they
have
an
appreciation
of
the
brought our first
gral part of our
machine, what it can do and the joy of
child home
lives, as did the
the results. Not all of them sew anyfrom the hospiawareness of
more, but they are giving their children
tal in it. The
the many clasopportunities to learn.
nurse was hesisic “old timers”
It is my belief that when a child is
tant to release us
we enjoyed in
given
hands-on experiences with the real
at curbside to
our daily travels.
thing,
they learn respect as well as love
“that noisy old car.”
Today we
for
it.
It becomes a real part of them,
And my appreciation
have several grandchiland
through
this deep-seeded love and
of old cars grew.
dren. A couple
respect,
they
naturally want to pass it
A few years Changing oil: “In the red shirt is Christian, age 10,
of them have
on
to
future
generations.
in the brown shirt is Justin, age 8, and the old man is
later, we moved
been going to
-- Charmaine DeSimone
and were unable ‘ageless.’ Directly behind us is my 1940 P10 coupe.”
-4-
307-FULL ISSUE
4/19/11
4:12 PM
Page 5
2009 PLYMOUTH BULLETIN Awards
Selected by Jan Peel and Bob Van Buskirk
Column:
Personal Car Stories:
“When Plymouth was the car to beat” by Clif Nelson, Issue 294
“The Lesser ‘Bees’ ” by Clif Nelson, Issue 295
“Atomic Plymouth Found!” by Jim Benjaminson, Issue 299
“Cuda man” by Clif Nelson, Issue 299
“Confessions of a Fury nut” by Wally Breer, Issue 294
“50 years of ownership” by Dave Burkart, Issue 294
“My Granddad’s Plymouth” – a parable by Kan Norton as
written by Harold Norton, Issue 296
“Error in Judgment” by Greg Rager – Photos by Brad Bowling,
Issue 297
“A very special wedding anniversary with Jay Leno”
by Mark Olson, Issue 298
Feature Article:
“Plymouth of the Southern Hemisphere” – Various authors:
Phil Gander, John Goldsmith, Lanny Knutson, Brenton and
Norma Hamilton, John and Carmel Kelly, Nelson Lipinski,
Lars Sorensen, Adrian Stern, and Roberto Marenzi
And thanks to all the photographers, Issue 295
“21st Annual 4-cylinder Plymouth Tour” by George and
Sylvia Bahro, Issue 297
“Plymouths Cover the World” by Ed Wilkinson, Issue 298
“First Restoration” by Les and Marie Bennett, Issue 298
“Warning: fuel pumps for six-cylinder engines” by Cam Clayton,
Issue 298
“Plymouths Shine in ‘09” by David B. Young and Dianne E.
Taylor, Meet Coordinators, with photos by Mike Perlberg,
Paul Connolly, and Tom Kenney, Issue 299
Plymouth Movies:
“The Book” / “The movie” / “The car” / “Driving Christine”
by Michael Morelli, Issue 294
“Christine the car” by Martin Sanchez, Issue 294
“Our PJ’s Movie Adventure” by Ed Hovorka, Issue 296
“Member in the Movies” by Paul Horch, Issue 296
Road Trip Feature:
“Good Company” by Lanny Knutson, Issue 298
Series:
Historical Feature:
“Swedish 1935 Plymouth Memphis Bound” by Thorsten Larsson,
Issue 295
“An encore in refinement” by Lanny Knutson, Issue 294
“Mid-year trim changes & series addition: 1958 Plymouth”
by Jeffrey I Godshall, Issue 294
“Plymouth body plates” by Jim Benjaminson, Issue 295
“The Little Owner’s Manual” by Andy Weimann, Issue 296
“Plymouth by name” by Larry LaBrack, Issue 296
“Chrysler Factory Employee Badges” by Rob Elliott, Issue 296
“Another Diesel Plymouth” by Jim Benjaminson – Photos
by Michael Noe, Issue 297
Short Feature:
“Member assists Jay Len’s purchase of a Chrysler Turbine”
by Mark Olson, Issue 296
Technical Article:
“Earl’s parts bag” and “Sparkplug study” by Earl Buton, Issue 294
“Setting the timing on your flathead engine” by Ken Bartz,
Issue 297
Letter / Photo:
“And another” by John Robertson, Issue 294
2009 Best B ULLETIN Cover
Letter to the Editor:
Photo by Mike Perlberg of David Steed’s
original 1928 Q Sedan, Issue 299
“Today is 24th December” by Gary Thorpe, Issue 294
Not awards
but special thanks…
Photo:
Plymouth Wagon, page 35, Issue 297
‘Plymouth-Dodge’ Harley-Davidson at the Harley-Davidson
Museum, by Paul Curtis, Issue 298
for all the great tributes for the many that
passed away in 2009. My special thanks to Lanny Knutson, Bob
and Judy Kerico (Issue 295) and Bob Van Buskirk (Issue 298) for
their tributes to Stan Peel. All loved ones are missed even after all
this time, as that’s the way Plymouth people are. – Jan Peel
Photography of Minis:
“A Collector’s Collection” by Wally Breer, Issue 294 – Photos
by Larry Schau
-5-
307-FULL ISSUE
4/19/11
4:12 PM
Page 6
Benji's Page
Dwight Cervin
chased it from the original owner. The
other part of the story dealt with two
young lads in a shoe-box Ford sedan
who kept harassing him on the road,
catching up to him, then passing, then
slowing down so he would have to pass
them. I suppose they couldn’t figure
out what that “old man” (Dad was 46 at
the time) was doing driving such a hot
rod as a ‘57 Bel Air convertible with
fuel injection. Anyway, after several
W
hen I joined the Plymouth
Club in February of 1967,
the member closest to me
was in Fergus Falls, Minnesota –
Marlin Aagenes, who later became a
good friend.
In 1968 my folks and I took a trip
to the west coast to visit relatives in
Arizona and California. We planned it
so we could coordinate with the Harrah
Swap Meet in Reno, Nevada. While
walking the swap meet grounds with
Dad, I spotted a ‘33 Plymouth flying
lady radiator cap on the ground at a vendors stand. As I reached down for it,
someone else reached in and grabbed the
‘32 flying lady that was alongside it.
The two of us almost knocked each
other over. The “someone else” turned
out to be Dwight Cervin. He was the
first club member I ever met in person.
He was after the ‘32 PA-PB radiator cap
(I don’t remember if it was for a friend
or for his touring car). I wanted the ‘33
cap for the car my dad used to have, a
‘33 PD business coupe, from which I
still have the body.
In later years, Dwight and his
wife came and visited us in North
Dakota and looked at our cars. They
were driving his ‘54 Imperial at the
time. Dwight and I kept in touch
over the years and he shared WWII
photos he had taken of some of the
cars he had seen while in India:
Indian versions of U.S. makes, all
GM models.
Dad was service manager for the
local Chevrolet dealership, and in
1957 the boss’ son took delivery of a
‘57 Bel Air convertible with the 283horsepower, 283 cubic-inch fuel-
Dwight Cervin with his ‘28 Plymouth Q. Photo taken at the Motion Picture Country
Home, June 1988; first place trophy
injected V8. The 283-horse version was
a very rare car (if we had only known it
then!). But the thing never ran right.
Dad took the car to the GM Training
Center in Golden Valley, Minnesota, to
see if the GM techs could fix it (they
couldn’t).
On the trip down, two things happened: Dad came across a 1931 PA
Plymouth touring car puttsing down the
road. Dad said he followed it for miles
just to look at it, until it finally turned
off onto a side road. That had to have
been Dwight’s car before he had pur-
passes, Dad said he simply pulled into
the passing lane, waved “bye-bye” to the
boys and floored the Chevy, never to see
the Ford again.
And Dad did later find a cure for the
miss in the fuel-injected engine… by
accident. He was leaning under the
hood working on the thing when a customer came by and asked him a question. Rather than pull himself out from
under the hood completely, Dad balanced
himself by placing his hand on the
plenum chamber and turned around to
talk to the guy. The car suddenly ran
perfectly. Realizing the change, Dad
pulled his hand away and it started to
run rough again. He placed his hand
back on the same spot and it settled
right down. The plenum chamber
had a naked-to-the-eye flaw in it that
allowed air to enter the chamber
where it wasn't supposed to… problem solved after many miles and trials. I still have Dad’s service manual
for that fuel injection system.
Hurrah Swap Meet, 1968: Sig Benjaminson, Jim
Benjaminson (wearing that “goofy Harrah's straw
hat!”), Dwight Cervin
-6-
-- Jim Benjaminson
307-FULL ISSUE
4/19/11
4:12 PM
Page 7
Letters
The rest of the
honeymoon stor y
From the Cervin family
GRANDPA ( DWIGHT C ERVIN) would have felt so honored
having such a large article printed about him. These magazines (copies of BULLETIN 306) will be treasured by the family members that I will sending them out to. On behalf of
all of us, the Cervin family, we want to thank you for
remembering our father, grandfather and brother.
HERE’ S THE REST of the
story from “A New Life for
the Honeymoon Car” in the
BULLETIN 305. We sent a
copy to Mike, and he was
more than happy to give us
an update. He is still doing
a major renovation and says
“I have pictures of the
progress so far. I will get
them sent to you soon.
Ginnie and I are planning on
being married in Hawaii in
June. The honeymoon will
take place another day. We
are looking at taking all kids
and their spouses and just
having a grand time on the
islands. More coming as we
tie up the details.”
As for our Plym 2, it is
running very well and attended our Lone Star Region
meeting in Austin the end of
January.
Richard Robertson
Austin, Texas
some fantastic cars from all
over the country. There
weren’t many oldies, though,
that weren’t all tricked out
and rodded. It’s surprising
how much traffic that trailer
gets. If you’ve seen photos
of the trailer before, note that
it now has diamond plate
trim around the frame and
‘32 Ford pickup fenders.
Can’t wait for cruising and
camping season.
Here’s a photo of Betty
and me at the show – we’re
still kickin’.
Betty and Bill Ward
Sandy, Utah
Coupe’s coop
Wood wouldn’t
GREETINGS FROM U TAH!
We participated in Autorama
this year with “Boop’s
Coupe” (the car) and “Boop’s
Coop” (the trailer). The old
Plymouth got a best-in-class
award and the trailer got an
outstanding-in-class award.
It was quite a show with
John and Jean Cervin - son and daughter-in-law
Christy Cervin - daughter
Kristina Cervin - granddaughter
Nicole Cervin Tuttle - granddaughter
Mrs. Melba Cervin Smith - Dwight's 93-year-old sister
that story before, but I am
familiar with Chevrolet’s
counte- advertising. GM
countered the claims of the
superior safety of the “allsteel body” with a simple
test: take a round, metal tube
(like a straw) and try to bend
it. No problem. Put a piece
of wood (like a dowel) inside
of it and then try to bend it.
Impossible. Therefore a
wood framed body is safer
that an an steel body! (They
claimed.) If you think the
accident photos of the allsteel Plymouths I provided in
BULLETIN 306 look bad, you
ought to see the ones I have
of wood-framed Chevrolets!
Jim Benjaminson
Walhalla, North Dakota
R EGARDING Andy
Weimann’s column item
about the recalled issue of
the Plymouth Sales
Promoter magazine with the
ad about cars with wooden
framework in the body: they
didn’t all get recalled; I have
a copy of it! I hadn’t heard
Fur y surprise
WE JUST RECEIVED
P LYMOUTH BULLETIN 306.
What a pleasant surprise to
see our 1967 Fury III on the
back cover. Thank you for
the recognition.
Looking forward to seeing you in Rochester,
Minnesota, this summer.
Dean and Ardith Skinner
Eureka, Illinois
Speed limits
I’VE LOOKED FOR YEARS
for references for speed limits
“back in the day” and had
only gotten information for
Ohio and California. Thank
you (Jim Benjaminson) so
much for your article in the
January-February issue of the
P LYMOUTH BULLETIN. One
question: Maryland appears
to be missing from the list.
Do you have the 1941 speed
limit for that state?
Tod Fitch
Sunnyvale, California
Hi Tod: Maryland 50 - dual
lane highways 55.
I was really surprised at the
speeds in relation to the
types of cars still on the road
back then and as for the condition of the roads there was
not that much pavement -- at
least in this part of the country (North Dakota)! – JB
Toyland video
As mentioned in BULLETIN
306, a video of the Soukup
Toyland & Museum was
made last fall but not by the
myantique.com website as
stated but by the
iantique.com website where
it is available for viewing. I
found the site and joined, in
order to watch the video
which is titled “toy museum.” It is about 1 1/4 hour
long and contains a lot of
detail about what is in the
museum. A lot of MOPARs
along with other stuff is represented. I especially enjoyed
seeing a toy garage which
Harold had found. It was
made in 1938 or 1939 and
has a poster on the side
which is a copy of the fullsized Chrysler dealership
poster which we have.
Terry Hoeman
Columbus, Nebraska
The direct link to the Soukup Toyland video is:
http://www.iantique.com/vid.php?user=News&video_id=356
-7-
307-FULL ISSUE
4/19/11
4:12 PM
Page 8
Coil polarity?
I READ WITH INTEREST Donald Russell’s
article on proper connection of ignition coils.
Of course, I immediately ran out to check my
own two ‘39 Plymouths and found that both
coils have only one low-voltage terminal,
which is connected to the distributor in the
engine compartment. Of course, Chrysler
coils of that vintage extend through the firewall, and I found the other terminal at the
other end in the passenger compartment, making incorrect connection impossible.
Someone once told me that Chrysler adopted
this configuration to make their cars more
difficult to hot-wire. Thanks for the tip,
though!
Bob Brown
Tallahassee, Florida
The wiring diagram from the Plymouth Service Manual, 1946-1954, shows
the coil wiring to be opposite of that shown in BULLETIN 306.
I JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE with Dennis
Cutshall. He read the article about ignition coils by Donald
Russell, in the BULLETIN 306. He said the sketch showing
the correct way to connect them up is inaccurate, and he even
found some documentation in his service manuals. He was
wondering if you had any other feedback on this. He’s just
afraid people will be hooking these coils up wrong.
Lee Lape
Papillion, Nebraska
and also on my friend's ‘46 Dodge D25. I'm sure they are
both connected wrong. I'll see if it makes a difference.
LATER, AFTER BEING TOLD OF THE DISCREPANCY:
I was out in the garage yesterday and checked the replacement
coil on my Ford truck. I had it wired with the + side to the
battery. It has been running great that way. I checked my
friend's '46 Dodge and I had the coil with the - connected to
the ignition. It has always been hard to start. I reversed the
wiring and it fired up almost instantly. NOW I don't know
what to think. I'd like to find out more about the coil thing.
Right now I'm happy with the + going to the battery.
Paul Horch
Winnipeg, Manitoba
TODAY I RECEIVED the latest P LYMOUTH BULLETIN. It’s
another great issue. I have briefly checked it out and I was
glad to find the article on the ignition coil. Who knew that all
these years I've been connecting those things backward? I
need to check out the ignition system on my ‘52 Ford truck
‘60 supplement
M AY I SUPPLEMENT Rudy
Kraut’s nice article,
“Plymouth ‘60: On the track
and in the classroom”
(BULLETIN 306)?
The article speaks of
some 1/64th-scale ‘60 miniatures of Petty Plymouths.
While I don’t have the
1/64th-scale Number 42 of
Lee Petty, I do have the 43
of Richard. It was produced
by Racing Champions:
www.racingchampions.com
I also have a Toolbox
Treasures 1/24th-scale
Number 42, autographed by
Richard. The “model” for
this model may be the ‘60
Plymouth restored by Kim
Haynes of Gastonia, North
Carolina, that is pictured and
described in a book entitled
Classic Stock Cars. The
Haynes car very likely is not
Richard’s actual 1960 racer,
as it appears to be a “SkyHi” rear-window Fury.
Every photo I
have seen of
Nos. 42 and
43 in action
back in 1960
shows them to
be low-rearwindow
Belvedere twodoor hardtops.
Still, it is a
neat model and
I like it not
only for its
autograph but
also because of
its resemblance to my BigTailed Beast, with its interior
being remarkably similar.
A company by the name
of Sun Star may release a
convertible in 1/18th-scale
this year, along about
October or so. I have been
able to supply some information to a representative of the
firm about the SonoRamic
Commando engine, so I
assume it will have that mill
under the hood. I just hope
Valiant domination: The NASCAR 1960 Compact Race
-8-
307-FULL ISSUE
4/19/11
4:12 PM
it doesn’t have wire wheels
which, while very popular
with restorers of ‘60
Plymouths today, were virtually unknown on them back
in the early 1960s. At any
rate, I am looking forward to
seeing what will come out.
It is interesting that the
‘60 Plymouths with their
325-horse 383s fared better
on the tracks than did the
‘'61s with the 350/413s.
However, those “flippedon-their-side” fins lead me
to suspect that this feature tended to generate an
aerodynamic lift over the
rear, thus reducing traction, especially on turns.
And both Richard and Lee
had terrible crashes coming out of turns with
their ‘61s. On the other
hand, the “stabilizers”
(Plymouth's official name
for them… honest!) supposedly improved their stability.
Incidentally, as a preliminary to the 1960 Daytona
500, NASCAR introduced a
“small-car race” for the compact cars (Corvair, Falcon,
and Valiant) that were new
for that model year. This
was televised on CBS’s
“Sports Spectacular,” and it
was dominated by the
Valiants (and I do mean dominated, because there were
seven of them in the race and
they finished 1 through 7!).
These cars had the “dealerinstalled” 148-horsepower
Hyper-Pac engines with a
four-barrel carburetor, headers, high-lift cam, special
distributor, and a larger
capacity radiator. One advantage to being an old fudd like
me is that I can remember
watching Marvin Panch, the
first-place finisher, and the
others show their heels to
the rest of the field. Since
Bill France was somewhat
anti-Chrysler, he canceled
compact car races after the
Page 9
1961 race was won by Lee
Petty’s Valiant. It was a
trick similar to the one he
pulled in 1965 when
NASCAR banned the 426
Hemi after the ‘64s blew
away their competition.
Joe Godec
Colorado Springs,
Colorado
‘40 coupe meets ‘49 conver tible
THE HEATER S TA RTED LEAKING in my 1940 P10 business
coupe, so I took the heater out, and sure enough the core
was bad.
I posted on both the POC forum and P15-D24 forum
about my quest for another serviceable MOPAR heater. I had
replies from both sites, but since Richard Wahrendorff of the
Hudson Valley Region lives about 50 miles from me and
said that he had one he would sell, I bought the one he had.
I drove my Plymouth, or
“Wayback Machine” as I like to call
her, to Kerhonkson, New York,
about 24 miles northeast of
Neversink, to meet Richard and
pay for and pick up my new-tome heater. Richard drove his
1949 Plymouth convertible about
the same distance to
meet me as I drove
to meet him. We had a nice visit
over a cup of coffee and a bagel,
I took some photos, paid him
for the heater and we both left
for home.
I want to publicly thank Rich
for the heater, the visit, and him
showing me his beautiful Plymouth
convertible.
Old Plymouth owners are the best – yes they are!
Bob Drown
Neversink, New York
Another PlySign
ON A RECENT TRIP to
Atlanta, my wife and I were
passing through a small
town in North Carolina
called Hayesville. I noticed
the Chrysler dealership’s sign
still bore the Plymouth
name. They were remodeling and are planning to
replace the dealership sign.
The new one won’t include
“Plymouth.” Not all
changes are for the good!
Woody Poor
Valsese, North Carolina
Captive impor ts
preferably older ones. I was
hoping that your club could
help find some of these models. Among the Plymouths
that I’d like to feature are the
Arrow, Champ, Saporro,
Conquest, Vista and Cricket.
Knowing how car fans are,
perhaps some of your members would know where to
find any of these or a reardrive Dodge or any pre-1980
captive import.
M Y NAME is Sam Fiorani
and I write for Automotive
Traveler magazine. My editor and I were discussing
possible articles for future
issues, and one of my jokes
on the subject was taken
seriously. Now my joke has
required me to do the
research.
For this article, I'm
looking for captive imports,
-9-
Because we're looking to
photograph the cars in
Philadelphia, I’d prefer to
find cars owned in that
region (eastern Pennsylvania,
southern New Jersey,
Delaware, northeastern
Maryland), but we’ll work
with any owner.
Sam Fiorani
fiorani@ptd.net
(484) 410-4132
automotivetraveler. c o m
307-FULL ISSUE
4/19/11
4:12 PM
Page 10
Brake and speed limits
C ONCERNING THE RECENT A RTICLE, “P15 Driving
Impressions,” I should like to enter the following comments.
First, I feel highly honored to receive such genuinely positive comments from two very distinguished persons: Frank
Marescalco, our P15 Technical Advisor, and Jim Benjaminson,
our membership secretary and columnist, and in two different
issues. For the most part, both acknowledged my impressions as being much as their own would be; perhaps in my
senior years my thoughts are not too far out of whack.
Yet, I still feel that I must respond to both. First, in reference to Frank’s note about the brakes of the Plymouth being
better than the other two in the low-priced field: they are. My
impressions are drawn from my own vehicle, and I do feel that
these brakes do work quite well – even though I’ve not had to
use them very harshly! And, I did not properly state that
item. All of my comments were prefaced by the advice that
one should not do anything fast! I am writing about a vintage
vehicle and definitely not a vehicle of the last thirty years.
This means that one cannot drive these vehicles in the same
manner as one would the newer cars (with ABS, let alone antiskid control). It is unfortunate that I don’t have a copy of the
road test done by Tom McCahill for Mechanix Illustrated, as I
might have been able to relate the brakes directly to the “other
two.”
And to the comments of Jim as to the speed limits of
some seventy years past, the following might be considered. It
was interesting to read of the various speed limits throughout
the United States in 1941. Please note that, in most cases,
the cars of 1946 to 1948 were very much warmed-over 1942
models! My comments noted specifically that the prior owner
of my car told me that in a majority of the areas the speed
limit was only 35 MPH. [This was my typographical error as
it should have read, “45 MPH.”] I noted that he was with the
Maryland State Police back then; I did not give a maximum
speed limit for any state. But the column from Jim matched
up with quite a few of our eastern states; they did not change
much till the 1950s. Part of our conversation was of the
many rural roads that were built during the 1930s: narrow,
two-lane roads that were not capable of much higher speeds,
safely, due to design and construction. The maximum speed
limit was not the point in my article. This was indirectly
pointed out by Jim’s three pictures, captioned, “Speed
Limits?”
However, most of the roads after WWII were in rural
areas, and many had been built in the 1930s under the CCC
and the WPA (tune in to PBS.) There were no expressways,
nor Interstates, nor turnpikes in 1948, as they were a development of the Eisenhower era in the mid-1950s. (Okay, there
were some four-lane roads in, around and near cities.) If one
wanted to drive from Detroit to Miami, one would take US
25, with most of the trip on a two-lane road (with a berm),
and even though the speed limit may have been 50 to 60 MPH,
there wasn’t that much opportunity to travel that fast; other,
slower, traffic resulted in rear-end collisions (see pictures noted
above). In fact, Interstate 75 (replacing US 25) was not fully
completed until 1969 or even 1970. (I know, as I lived just
south of Knoxville and would travel to my parents’ and inlaws’ homes in Toledo quite often.) For my early days of
driving in Ohio in the mid-1950s, I seem to recall that the
speed limit was 55 day and 50 night. Today, April 2011,
most of the roads in Ohio are still rural, where the posted
speed limit is 55 mph; on the expressways and the Interstates,
it varies from 55 to 65 MPH. And it was just last weekend
that the speed limit on the Ohio Turnpike was raised to 70
MPH!
And while speaking of ‘speed limits,’ it may be worth
while to open another can of worms. I believe that many senior members will remember certain motoring comments made
by their fathers, be it back in the 1940s, 1950s, or the 1960s.
I can remember my father saying many times that a person’s
car was either being junked way too soon or had to have an
expensive engine job (valves and/or rings) because the driver
had been consistently driving too fast! Yes, lubricants have
since improved, but so have the engineering tolerances of current engines. He’d say to just slow down a bit, have regular
service and oil changes, and “add Bardahl Top Oil!” And he
just loved his big Buick (ooops, sorry) until I obtained a new
1969 Chrysler for him (while I was working for Chrysler);
my grandparents drove Dodge Brothers and Dodges.
The other item about the speed (or cruising ability) of the
older cars is that of the options of overdrive and rear axle gear
ratio. Overdrive would allow one to drive at a higher speed
while keeping the engine speed (RPM) lower. One could also
order/install a different rear-axle gear ratio (the ring and pinion
gear) to permit this. I am at a loss right now as to where I
read it – either in a WPC News article, which, by the way,
was co-authored by our Tech Adviser a few years ago, or in
the Technical Service Manual or Parts Manual – and I cannot
now find the article. I seem to remember that the three gear
ratios for the P15 were 3.9, 4.0 and 4.1. I do not know the
ratio in my P15, but per the tachometer (Westach of
California), at 2,000 RPM the speed is about 40-41 MPH. So,
if the maximum horsepower (95) is developed at 3,600 RPM,
then it should top out at around 75 miles per hour! It was
surprising to see (in the above-mentioned WPC article) that
on the P15 there was another option, which I think would
have had very few takers, being a device that limited the maximum speed to 45 MPH – and one had to pay for that! Lower
RPM and lower gear ratios would help in achieving better gas
mileage in many cases, provided that the foot was not otherwise too heavy. (What is the price of “regular” gas in your
area? On March 31st, it went to $3.79.9/gallon! Shades of
that $4/gallon of just a few years ago, eh? And our economy
is no better today.)
Okay, folks, I am still pleased to have had my articles
accepted, and highly honored for the positive comments from
Frank and Jim. As they said before, it would be nice if a few
other P15 owners would contribute. One member read my
articles, then drove over 200 miles to meet me and to see the
“Maroon Balloon.” THANKS, “Blue Goose.” As a wise old
bird said once, “When you’re in a hole, quit diggin’!” Think
I’m in deep enough. Thank you for the patience required in
reading this letter.
Nicholas Essinger
-10-
Troy, Ohio
307-FULL ISSUE
4/19/11
4:12 PM
Page 11
Model Plymouth kit covers
A S FA R A S I CAN JUDGE, the article on the 1960 models in BULLETIN 303 has unleashed quite some enthusiasm! I was very
pleased as well.
Yesterday I received the BULLETIN 306, and its cover made me do today what was long overdue: to send you copies of covers
of Plymouth model car kits.
As a kid I bought a 1/32-scale model of the ‘32 roadster. The model I built didn’t survive (only a few pieces remain) but a
part of the box did, as I would always save the front or side of a box. Maybe it is a well-known kit, but I haven’t seen one
since I was about 10, and that’s about 40 years ago now.
Here are the details of the covers I sent you:
1932 Plymouth roadster
1960 Plymouth Fury wagon
1960 Plymouth emergency wagon
1962 Plymouth Fury hardtop
Life-Like 1/32 Collector’s Series, no. C-336
Jo-Han 1/25, no. C-4560
Jo-Han 1/25, no. C-5100 – this should be a “Belvedere”
Jo-Han 1/25, no number – one of the pictures as found on the side of model kit boxes
to make you aware of other kits
1963 Plymouth Fury hardtop
Jo-Han 1/25, no. C-5263 – this kit could be built in two versions: stock or custom.
The box has a picture of the stock model on its side.
1968 Plymouth Fury police
Jo-Han 1/25, no. GC-1300 – three police versions could be build; a very fine kit
1977 Plymouth Fury
Yodel 1/24, no. YPM-7-1000 – I bought this actual Fury kit in Germany in the
mid-eighties on a car show but I never could lay my hands on another
one. For the purists: I converted my kit to a “plain Jane” stock Fury,
as this is what most Furys were.
1977-78 Plymouth Fury / Dodge Monaco Yodel 1/24 – The Japanese company Yodel had the “American Police Series,” a range
of kits in scale 1/24, whereby one could build this model either as a
Plymouth Fury or a Dodge Monaco (only the grille and rear lights
would make the difference). These kits were not for the demanding
modeller but merely meant as toys (electric motor included). Still,
with a bit of love, a reasonable car model could be the result.
Best regards from the Netherlands,
Ewald Stein
Oosterhout, The Netherlands
-11-
307-FULL ISSUE
4/19/11
4:12 PM
Page 12
The Oddball
Road Runner
I
had just gotten my issue of the
BULLETIN, and couldn’t have been
happier with my first Odd Ball column. I’m looking forward to staying
with two pages. The Oddball will work
out of the box as far as theme stories go;
I won’t have duplications that way.
Look for more pictures than text. Last
issue’s picture of “Variations...” shows a
“dealer only” complete packet of a mailer. My bad for not labeling each shot
better.
I started on my next article when
the above-mentioned issue arrived.
Looking at page three of Issue 305 with
Jack Smith holding on to the Road
Runner by the neck, I knew that the
Plymouth Road Runner needed to be my
next story. That showroom item is the
quintessential Road Runner collectible
item. The Road Runner was introduced
in 1968. One of the first items that was
given to the customer was the “Catch a
GREAT! Plymouth,” with the Road
Runner in front of the “Win you over”
heart.
For the purist, I will address
Chrysler Corporation’s Road Runner
promotional stuff, but will also include a
few pictures of some of the myriad fun
collectibles. This is the tip of the iceberg: hopefully enough to have you
looking for more.
So until next issue, keep looking for
the “Oddball.”
– Andy Weimann
weimann@snet.net
1. Bumper sticker, holographic card and lapel pin
2 . The same holographic card and the two
dealer postcards
3. Non-Chrysler Corporation stuffed toys, mugs, banks, Christmas items, pens, baby bottles
and jam and mustard containers to name a few
-12-
307-FULL ISSUE
4/19/11
4:12 PM
Page 13
4, 5. 1969 dealer promo items
6, 7. Chrysler
Corporation
Times Vol. 8 #3
March 1968:
Petty and Road
Runner article
11. Dealer model promos which were sold to the dealers to give away
to the “kids” (the dealer cost was about $2.00 each)
8. 1971 Rapid
Transit System
color catalog
10. Non-Chrysler Corporation model kits
-13-
9. 1973 dealer
proof ad sheet
for magazines
307-FULL ISSUE
4/19/11
4:12 PM
Page 14
Regional Report
NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT
(responsible for regions)
Bobbi Berkheimer
(308) 452-3980 bobbib@nctc.net
Carolina Region
GREETINGS from Winston-Salem! I
hope all members and their families are
healthy and are getting ready for spring.
On February 26, we held our second
meeting of the year, this time at
Punchy’s Diner in Concord, NC, one
of the club’s favorite places to meet
and eat. Seventeen members came out
to participate in the meeting and share
their ideas. Of course, we discussed the
officer elections and the Charlotte Auto
Fair, but we also continued to plan
ahead for other future club activities.
We reviewed the club’s 2011 calendar
of activities and agreed on having a fall
tour in October.
-- Greg Errett
P UNCHY’ S is a very good 50s/60s-
style diner. The decor is true to the
time period with a 1970 Dodge
Challenger T/A, and a mid-1950s Ford
F100 in the show area along with many
pedal cars and other time-period items.
They have the best ‘Bang For Your
Buck’ food! This place really knows
how to fix a plate! If you leave hungry,
it's your own fault! The service is good,
the food great, and the price excellent!
-- Dean Yates
Cascade Pacific Region
Jim Philips who has been a member for
three years. Visitors from Milwaukie,
Tom and Bonnie Short, were introduced.
Upcoming activities and tours were
announced, including “Allure of the
Auto,” an event at the art museum. A
group is planning to retrace the route
taken by the Golden State Region on
their way north to the 2010 National
Meet in Portland, this time going south
to attend the 2011 National Meet in
Pacific Grove, California.
– Donna Bade
AT OUR F EBRUARY MEETING, Mike
Bade, president, presided with 37 people
in attendance.
Following reports, Mike welcomed
new members Gerry Peterson and his
fiancée Kena Jacobs. He also recognized
THE TECH C OMMITTEE MET at Gary
Rusher’s shop to help him put some of
his ‘30 coupe back together. But, as
things would have it, they found themselves lacking some parts. The head
was not back from being boiled out and
BUCKEYE REGION
FLORIDA SUNSHINE REGION
LONE STAR REGION
R O C K Y MOUNTAIN REGION
Ron Thomann
8001 Schott Rd.
Westerville, OH 43081 (614) 895-2319
airflow1@earthlink.net
Michael Bonadonna
455 North Cherry Pop Drive
Inverness, FL 34453-7975
(352) 341-1019
mlb5355@hotmail.com
Van Massirer
124 Canaan Church Rd.
Crawford, TX 76638
(254) 486?2366
vmassirer@yahoo.com
Wayne Kreps
8911 Ithaca Way
Westminster, CO 80031
(303) 427-5543
teenyjeanne@hotmail.com
GOLDEN STATE REGION
LONG ISLAND REGION
CAROLINA REGION
Greg Errett
PO Box 2511
Winston-Salem, NC 27102
(336) 747-6871
GREGE@cityofws.org
CASCADE PACIFIC REGION
Mike Bade
15149 SE Pebble Beach Drive
Happy Valley, OR 97086
(503) 206-4652 mdscbade@msn.com
COLONIAL REGION
Betty Kibbe
456 Holyoke St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
(413) 589-9854 winmil456@charter.net
DAIRYLAND REGION
Tom Wagner
4913 Foxwood Blvd.
Lakeland, FL 33810 (Dec 1-May 1)
(920) 285-2660, cell tgwkiw@yahoo.com
Kenneth Wilson
312 Bagshaw Court
San Jose, CA 95123
(408) 227-1837
jblken@pacbell.net
MID-IOWA REGION
Jim Dooley
29341 US Hwy 69
Huxley, IA 50124
Mike Schaefer
12221 NE 136th
Kearney, MO 64060
(816) 781-7117 schaeferfam@hotmail.com
www.plymouthclub.com
HOOSIER REGION
Kevin Reeves, President
5268 W. 500 S.
Westpoint, IN 47992 / (765) 714-0255
Jan Peel, Editor, JPeel83719@aol.com
Russ Nardi, pres: (586) 566-5838
rpnardi@hotmail.com
(410) 876-0702 detaylor@towson.edu
HEART OF AMERICA REGION
Bill Tropia
52 Breece Dr.
Yardley, PA 19067-1513
DETROIT REGION
(612) 759 2103 ajorrj@aol.com
Winter: R.Ramberg rar1082@gmail.com
tx12@cox.net
kevin.50plymouth@yahoo.com
Joseph B. Lewis, editor
9145 Hazelton
Redford, MI 48239
(631) 772-2270 liplymouths@aol.com
Dianne E. Taylor
407 E. Nicodemus Rd.
Westminster, MD 21157
Tony Tricoci
10206 South 43rd Court
Phoenix, AZ 85044 (480) 893-8687
DELAWARE VALLEY REGION
seehaas@snip.net
Richard Tetzlaff
23383 Malanie Trail North
Scandia, MN 55073-9745
MID-ATLANTIC REGION
GRAND CANYON REGION
(515) 597-3244
eeyore@huxcomm.net
UNITED KINGDOM REGION
Barry Reece
“The Meadows” Cookley Halesworth,
Suffolk IP19 0LU, ENGLAND.
tel/fax: 01986-784305
WESTERN CANADA
furyon66@earthlink.net
groshong@socket.net (Loyd Groshong)
bjjstoudt@zoominternet.net
PRAIRIE REGION
Ed Lanfer
6201 Wade Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63139 (314) 704-5608
Frank Shemek
11901 South 34th St.
Bellevue, NE 68123
(402) 291-4834
Ed.Lanfer@federalmogul.com
f.e.shemek@cox.net
-14-
jerryburch@cox.net
jillnbarry@reecejill.orangehome.co.uk
(845) 338-7871 rwwmds@hvc.rr.com
LINCOLN LAND REGION
Jerry Burch
1111 South Florence Ave.
Tulsa, OK 74104-4104
Tommy G. Pike
1602 East Dale
Springfield, MO 65803
Jim Stoudt
1290 Bankson Rd.
Oil City, PA 16301 (814) 676-6678
Richard Wahrendorff
1471 Rt. 213
Ulster Park, NY 12487
TULSA REGION
MISSOURI "Show Me” REGION
PA OIL VALLEY REGION
HUDSON VALLEY REGION
TA L L PINES REGION
Peter Marks
47 Flintlock Drive
Shirley, NY 11967
Rob Elliot
307 - 30th Avenue NE
Calgary, AB T2E 2E2 CANADA
(403) 277-1956
elliott.r@telus.net
307-FULL ISSUE
4/19/11
4:12 PM
Page 15
resurfaced and the water pump’s rebuild
was not finished.
There was a lot of discussion about
the things that could be checked out
while the engine was partially down.
Pat Brost suggested that we check the
valves while they were visible. They
all checked out to be good. Tim
McCarthy helped time the engine while
a dial indicator could be used on top of a
piston.
A good part of the day was spent
trying to alleviate headlight concerns
that Tim had regarding his recently purchased ‘36 coupe and the problems
Marlo Edmon was having in getting the
lenses to fit into the headlight buckets
on his pickup. (We won’t mention the
brand, as it is other than a Chrysler
product.)
All-in-all, it was a very helpful and
informative day.
– Gary Rusher
Colonial Region
WHAT I S THE LONGEST WORD in the
dictionary?
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious?
Or, is it even in the dictionary? That is
the best word I can use to describe our
dinner meeting at the Oliver Wight
Tavern in Sturbridge, Massachusetts,
attended by 20 members. Every possible food item was available on the
Sunday brunch menu, and there was no
way anyone went home hungry! We
were each greeted with a mimosa drink
and a table with coffee, a vast tea selection and hot chocolate that was set up in
our private dining room. Oh yes, did I
mention the roaring fire in the huge fireplace that made us all feel warm and
toasty? Our February dinner meeting is
proving to be one of our most popular
events of the Plymouth season.
We are off to a great Plymouth start
for the season. We tossed around some
ideas for tours and meetings. Now that
the weather is cooperating and the
humongous piles of snirt (a combo of
snow and dirt) are starting to recede, we
can get moving on our activities.
– Betty Kibbe
Dairyland Region
WINTER IN THE D AIRYLAND R EGION
is our slow time. Our last meeting of
the year is the November Banquet with
the next get-together in February. The
weather in Wisconsin and northern
Illinois is often iffy at best with the
usual mix of snow, sleet, rain and of
course, the “Dark of Night.” Also, we
have several members who, as snowbirds, begin to head south after the
November meeting. All combine to
make it better for us to wait until
February to begin our new year.
A change in the way we have our
meetings was introduced at our 2010
banquet. It was decided to limit our
business meetings to three per year and
make all others social meetings with
whatever activity or trip the host wants
to set up. The thought behind this is
twofold: one, the amount of actual business conducted at each meeting is usually small and, as such, can be done in a
few real business meetings per year;
two, the hope that more actual fun time
will improve the quality of our gettogethers.
With this in mind, our first meeting
this year was held at members Rob and
Kris Borman’s house in rural Elizabeth,
Illinois (near Galena). Going to the
Bormans’ house must be what a trip was
like for many of our old Plymouths
when they were new. A lot of two-lane
roads with the last few miles through
somewhat hilly country near their home
almost makes you think that you should
be in a 1930s Plymouth. This was a
social meeting which had a great
potluck (sadly, circumstances did not
allow for Rob’s excellent homemade
pizza to put in its usual appearance, but
there is always next year). We had a
very good turnout of members (15 in
attendance), great for that time of year.
Lots of good times and conversations
ensued as we caught up on the last couple of months. We hope to do it again
next year.
OU R M ARCH MEETING was held at
Ron and Shari Leibley’s home in
Oconocmowoc, Wisconsin. A St.
Patrick’s day lunch was prepared by
Shari, with the able assistance of other
members with their delicious dishes.
After the lunch was consumed, the
ladies decided to visit a large Ben
Franklin Craft store in town while the
menfolk proceeded to discuss many topics of great interest to all of them, especially Plymouths. Sixteen members
attended.
-15-
Dairyland has several activities
planned for the coming months including a possible Dairyland Reunion in
July for all members of Dairyland past
and present. Ken and Vickie Bartz are
working on this, and we hope it is a
great success. It would be great to see
some of the past members again.
Dairyland also welcomes two new
members: Bob and Cris Haddad. They
are from Freeport, Illinois, and have two
Plymouths: a 1949 P-18 four-door sedan
and a 1949 P18 convertible.
– Jeff Tarwood
Delaware Valley Region
BILL TROPIA BROUGHT our January
meeting to order with seven members
present.
Business as usual included planning
for our May 14 show at Mt. Ephraim
Dodge and our annual spring banquet
scheduled for April 10.
We were informed that fellow members Ed Ober and Fred Brown had undergone surgeries, Ed on his lung and Fred,
a quadruple by-pass heart surgery. We
wish them well.
For Tech Talk, Bill Barrett expressed
concern about the alcohol content in
gasoline. He distributed brochures from
Star Tron, a company that sells a fuel
treatment designed to prevent ethanol
problems. startron.com
OU R F EBRUARY MEETING was cancelled due to a snow warning (and the
forecasters were right). Warren Nelson
had a knee-replacement in January and is
mending well.
– Hank DeMayo
Detroit Region
WELL, OLD M A N WINTER refused to
release his grip on the Midwest in general and the Detroit metropolitan area in
particular. We had so much snow that
we cancelled our February meeting.
THE WEATHER, HOWEVER, did not
deter Gwen and me from taking a weekend train trip to the Chicago Auto
Show. We met a couple friends there
who took us to the show. I have to
admit that the Chicago show is much
larger than the one in Detroit.
We had a very enjoyable train ride both
ways, although several delays pushed
our return to Dearborn back three and a
307-FULL ISSUE
4/19/11
4:12 PM
Page 16
half hours. To our surprise, as we
stepped off the train, we saw six to
seven inches of snow on the ground.
Thank goodness for our Dodge Nitro’s
four-wheel-drive, which enabled us to
traverse through the snow with no problem.
-- Joe Lewis
P RESIDENT R U S S N ARDI called our
March meeting to order at the home of
Ron and Jan Irvin. Ten members were
present, including new member Tom
Neil.
President Nardi distributed the
results of the survey regarding a proposed national meet which show a
majority being in favor of hosting a
meet. He then reported on a conversation with a national director regarding
our decision to host the 2013 meet.
The national club needs a decision soon,
as there is interest in having a coast-tocoast tour in 2013. Our membership
agreed to move the regional meet to
2014.
Paul Curtis reported on the status of
Dave Cleavinger’s remaining five cars.
Paul has been in contact with Dave’s
brother and sister-in-law, who are helping with the sale of the estate. Anyone
interested in one of the cars should call
Mel or Sylvia at 517-882-5881.
Dennis Oleksiak reported that he and
Vicki had visited Woody at St Joes in
Pontiac. Woody is recovering from the
surgery he had earlier this year but still
has a long way to go in therapy.
During Tech Time, Tom Neil asked
for information on steering wheel interchange.
– Paul Curtis
Grand Canyon Region
S IX MEMBERS AND ONE GUEST gathered for our February meeting. After a
sumptuous meal at My Big Fat Greek
Restaurant, Harold and Kay Norton led
our group through a portion of Saguaro
National Park and on to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. This museum
is a world-renowned zoo, natural history
museum and botanical garden, all in one
place. Unfortunately, the weather was
on the cool and breezy side and eventually turned to a light rain. While a shower is a generally welcome event in this
desert region, much of the museum is
outdoors, so the precipitation caused us
to cut our visit short.
Grand Canyon Region’s
Region’s new banner
Our primary discussion during the
meeting concerned our regional banner
being created by Bob Bickel.
OU R M ARCH MEETING was a potluck
BBQ held at the home of Bob and
Donna Bickle in San Tan Valley
Arizona, with ten members attending.
After the meeting Bob showed a
DVD of the unearthing of Ms Belvedere,
the 1957 Plymouth buried in 1957 and
unearthed in 2007 along with a time
capsule from the period.
The meeting was called to order by
Tony Tricoci. Following some discussion, we decided to purchase a banner
ten feet long with grommet holes and a
white background with fairly large letters.
Tech Time: Frank Johnston talked
about how vehicles that have been
stored for long periods of time sometimes smoke badly when started, but
that doesn’t necessarily mean the
engines is in need of a rebuild, so don’t
panic. Frank recently purchased an old
MOPAR and it was smoking quite badly
when it was first started but he decided
to drive it home “as is.” The smoking
gradually decreased and when he got to
about 70 MPH the smoke quit completely as the rings loosened up in their
grooves and became reseated!
-- Donna Bickel
Heart of America Region
IT WA S COLD IN KA N S A S C ITY this
January. The Chiefs being in the playoffs helped heat us up…briefly. We had
22 members and one guest at our
January meeting. We talked about the
Christmas party which had been held at
the Eden Heights Church and was
attended by 29 of our members with two
guests. We arranged to have our 2011
Christmas party committee provide
some options so we could lock in a
place early for our party. We also agreed
-16-
to have a silent auction at our February
meeting. Members were to bring any
parts, books, gifts or food items for the
auction. The last time we had an auction we took in a great deal of money
for the club.
January’s cruise was at the Corner
Café in Riverside with 19 members and
one guest attending. The lunch was
great in spite of the mountains of snow
outside.
In January, we mourned the loss of
Don Wood, who died in his sleep on
January 1, 2011, four days short of his
54th wedding anniversary to his wife
Geraldine. Don was one of the founding
members of the Heart of America
Region Plymouth Club, known and
admired by many in both regional and
national clubs. He will be missed.
Bill Krenzer won the 2010 Points
Competition which consists of earning
the most points for attending meetings,
cruises, tours, car shows and any other
activities that benefit the club.
AT OUR F EBRUARY MEETING we had
27 members and one guest attending.
Our silent auction was held after our
regular meeting, garnering over $300 for
our club. During our February meeting
we usually begin to plan for the year’s
swap meets, cruises, tours and car
shows. Lots of suggestions were made,
many by Jerry Elwood, and plans are
beginning to form. Our Christmas
committee began providing suggestions
for locations and we had a good discussion and even more suggestions. At our
March meeting, we hope to choose a
location and lock in a date and time.
Every March we have a potluck
lunch and meeting at the Eden Heights
Church. Plans are coming together for
this March.
Finally, Mike Welsh wrote a story
about his experiences with a 1976
Lincoln Continental. Mike, who had
acquired this car from the family of a
307-FULL ISSUE
4/19/11
4:12 PM
Page 17
25 members present. Discussion included distributing our Mid-Atlantic
Mayflower newsletter as a pdf file and
our club website. A review of our club
by-laws also took place.
– Karen Fowler
friend who had passed away, wrote about
his experience getting it ready for and
driving on a 2000-mile tour. Quite
exciting.
– Gene Bellet
Hoosier Region
OU R M ARCH MEETING at Murphy’s
Steak House was well attended with 22
members present. While receiving our
usual good service of excellent food
there was a lot of both serious and fun
chattering going on. (I should have had
my recorder. [Or the Unknown Mouse in
your pocket – asst. ed.])
Kristen Reeves made an apology for
an error that was made in her secretary
report for the February
meeting: She reported that the 1942
Plymouth had a similar style to the new
300. It was actually a 1942 Chrysler.
Her apologies to Chrysler.
President Kevin Reeves then
brought the meeting to order. He had
brought the 1956 Plymouth model cars
to the meeting and six were sold. These
are to be sold for $8.00 each. If members of other Plymouth Owner Clubs
want to purchase, the shipping cost
would have to be added to the price.
Tours were then discussed with two
possibilities being offered and several
others announced. No one mentioned
going to the Golden State Region’s
National Summer Meet in Pacific
Grove, California. Eight are planning
on going to the Tour with the Tall Pines
in Rochester, Minnesota,
Jan Peel reminded members that she
is starting the Member Profile in the
newsletter and that Bob Van Buskirk
had agreed to be first.
– Jan Peel
Lone Star Region
WE HAD A GOOD TURNOUT of 15
members for our March meeting held in
conjunction with the car show in
Hamilton, Texas. The folks at
Hamilton put on a good show and
even reserved a space with a table
under the trees for our business meeting. They handed out lots of door
prizes and had a good feed at noon.
Well over 200 cars were entered in
this year’s show. One of the participants at Hamilton was
our own Chris Brandon, who drove
his 1974 Valiant Brougham four-door
Prairie Region
Hamilton show: Judy Honey sits between
her and Marc’s ‘50 coupe and Van and Mary
Massirer’s ‘56 Fury.
sedan) to the show. Chris is stationed
at nearby Ft. Hood but will soon
depart for an assignment in Iraq.
Please keep him and his family, and
indeed all of our military people, in
your thoughts and prayers as they
serve our country in hostile areas.
– Van Massirer
Mid-Atlantic Region
OU R JANUARY MEETING was held at
the Golden Corral Restaurant in
Frederick, Maryland, with 20 members
present. Discussion, led by President
Dianne Taylor, included setting goals for
2011, reviewing our bylaws and
announcements of upcoming events.
WE HELD OUR F EBRUARY MEETING
at Ledo’s Pizza, Severna Park,
Maryland, with 24 members attending.
Following dinner, President Dianne
Taylor called the meeting to order.
Following reports, David Young spoke
to the members regarding the possibility
of distributing the Mayflower electronically to those with email capabilities.
Roy Kidwell said that there is proposed legislation for Maryland to go to
a single tag on all cars. This would
enable members to have other type tags,
e.g., POC tags, on the fronts of their
vehicles. Sandy Resch reported that
Clayton Miller had recently been hospitalized but was at home and doing okay.
Discussion on other items followed.
Following the meeting, the members were entertained by the MidAtlantic Crooner, Al Herold, with an
appropriate Valentine’s Day song, Rose
are Red, My Love.
WE HELD OUR M ARCH MEETING at
Salernos in Eldersburg, Maryland, with
-17-
OU R ANNUAL Y ORK GET- AWAY weekend was held on February 10, with 28
people attending.
Introductions where given by everyone present and all of us got a little
more information on one another: our
favorite car, hobbies, where or how we
met their significant others, all kinds of
good stuff.
Frank Shemek then brought the
meeting to order, and reports were given
and the thank-yous we received for our
yearly donations were read and noted.
It was noted that pioneer member
Ardene Bartlett was in the hospital. She
had surgery on her frontal artery which
was 99% blocked. They ballooned it
and put in a stint. She is now going to
a nursing home to get physical therapy,
and everyone is hoping she continues to
get better and will be able to come
home.
Frank stated that the web site was
done and up and running. Everyone
commented on how well it looks. The
website address:
prairieregionplymouthclub.club.officelive.com
OU R M ARCH 6 TH MEETING at the
Lincoln Swap Meet, attended by ten
members, was called to order by Vicepresident, Denny Cutshall. Our president
Frank Shemek was absent, due to the
death of his mother.. Discussion took
place regarding our annual swap meet
and future meetings, trips and events.
– Pam Fleming
Rocky Mountain Region
WE HELD OUR ANNUAL New Year’s
lunch at Johnson’s Corner Restaurant on
January 15. We had a great turnout due
to our remarkable white elephant gift
exchange.
Welcomed were new members Pete
and Renee Haldiman and returning
regional members Greg and Rita
Berkheimer who were attending with
their daughter Darchanna and her little
daughter Kiahna.
307-FULL ISSUE
4/19/11
4:12 PM
Page 18
After an enjoyable meal with lots of
conversation, Wayne Kreps conducted
our meeting and then dismissed us so
we could get started on the real fun.
Bill Sullivan picked a large gift that
turned out to be a LARGE coffee table
book on muscle cars--so cool that someone offered to buy it from him. Sandra
Hicks picked a really neat music box
with a little car that comes out of its
garage and makes its rounds. There
were other great gifts and some not-sogreat, but everyone had fun, and that’s
the point, after all.
IN F EBRUARY, we met at the
Guadalajara Restaurant in Windsor,
Colorado.
Dan and MIllie Leopard were our
guests. Dan, who does auto upholstering, brought lots of samples and some
pictures of his work. We had a time of
questions and answers. Member Chuck
Putnam brought a set for Dan to work
over.
Stan and Sandra Hicks, our hosts,
brought some tools and a miniature rose
bush for door prizes.
Our meetings can be very profitable,
as we make wonderful friends, share
information and ideas, enjoy good food
and win an occasional 50/50 drawing or
door/old car prize. It just pays to come
to meetings!
-- Sandra Hicks
Tall Pines Region
OU R M ARCH MEETING was held at the
home of Howard and Cookie Cassidy
near Forest Lake, Minnesota. We had a
nice turnout of 18 members. No old
Plymouths yet, but it was warming up;
maybe next month. We had a good time
visiting and sharing pictures and stories
until it was time for our business meeting. Our vice-president, Jeff Juneau,
called the meeting to order. Business,
again, primarily concerned planning for
our Fall National Meet.
HEMMINGS CLASSIC CAR, A PUBLICATION
OF
HEMMINGS MOTOR NEWS
WE HAD OUR FIRST MEETING of the
year on January 30th at the home of
Jack and Virginia Schultz near Medford,
Minnesota. We had a nice turnout of 24,
considering it was a chilly, mid-winter
day. At the beginning of our event, the
ladies met in the house, while the men
met in Jack’s garage. In the garage, nearing completion and a trip to the upholsterer, was the 1937 P4 sedan that
belongs to members John & Leslie
Watschke. It will be a very sharp vehicle
when finished.
After some time for visiting and
inspecting Jack’s car collection, we
joined the ladies in the house. Since we
are planning the 2011 Fall National
Touring Meet to be hosted by our
region, we thought it best to gather and
meet where everyone could hear and participate. In the absence of our president,
Rich Tetzlaff, our vice-president, Jeff
Juneau, conducted the meeting. Lengthy
discussion, mostly concerning the
national meet, followed.
We then enjoyed our usual late-afternoon potluck dinner. Thanks to Jack and
Virginia for hosting our meeting.
-18-
Tulsa DVD viewed by the Grand Canyon
Region. It is available for $25 at:
http://www.tulsaramastore.com/servlet/StoreFront
After some more time for visiting,
we enjoyed our customary potluck afternoon dinner. Most people left for home
not long after that, but a few stayed
around to see the progress made on
Howard’s 1936 Terraplane four-door, and
to take a tour of his transportation minimuseum in the barn behind his house.
Thanks to Howard & Cookie for hosting our meeting.
– Happy Plymouthing,
Rog & Jean Ramberg
307-FULL ISSUE 4/19/11 4:12 PM Page 19
305-FULL ISSUE 1/7/11 12:02 AM Page 19
306-FULL ISSUE 2/20/11 4:03 AM Page 17
Please
PleaseJoin
Joinusus
usin…
in…
Please
Join
in…
GRANDBEND,
BEND, ONTARIO,
ONTARIO, CANADA
CANADA
GRAND
GRAND
BEND,
ONTARIO,
CANADA
MAY26,
26,27,
27,28,
28,&
&29
292011
2011
MAY
MAY
26,
27,
28,
&
29
2011
Thurs. May
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Thurs.
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27
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28
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Sat.May
May2828
Sun.
May
29
Sun.
May
29
Sun. May 29
}}}
Mon. May
30
Mon.
Mon.May
May3030
REGISTRATION FORM
REGISTRATION
REGISTRATIONFORM
FORM
23rdAnnual
Annual
23rd
23rd
Annual
4-Cylinder
Plymouth
Registry
4-Cylinder
4-CylinderPlymouth
PlymouthRegistry
Registry
1928-1932
FOUR
CYLINDER
1928-1932
1928-1932FOUR
FOURCYLINDER
CYLINDER
PLYMOUTH
MEET
andDRIVING
DRIVINGTOUR
TOUR
PLYMOUTH
MEET
PLYMOUTH MEETand
and
DRIVING
TOUR
Check-in, DinnerononOwn
Own & ShortDriving
Driving Tour
Check-in,
Check-in,Dinner
Dinner on Own&&Short
Short DrivingTour
Tour
Morning
Driving
Tours,
Lunch,
Afternoon
Tour, Dinner&&Running
Running BoardFlea
Flea Market
Morning
MorningDriving
DrivingTours,
Tours,Lunch,
Lunch,Afternoon
AfternoonTour,
Tour,Dinner
Dinner & RunningBoard
Board Flea Market
Market
Schedule&&allallthe
thefun
funstuff
stuffwill
willbebefinalized
finalizedininthe
thespring
spring
~~~Schedule
Schedule & all the fun stuff will be finalized in the spring
Breakfast & TourtotoLarge
Large AntiqueFlea
Flea Market
Breakfast
Breakfast&&Tour
Tour to LargeAntique
Antique FleaMarket
Market
*Ifnot
notstaying
stayingover
overtotoMonday,
Monday,check-out
check-out of motel&&depart
depart atyour
your leisure
*If
*If not staying over to Monday, check-outofofmotel
motel & departat
at your leisure
leisure
Memorial
Day
USA
Memorial
MemorialDay
DayUSA
USA
No plannedevents
events butlots
lots to doand
and seeininthis
this popularLakeside
Lakeside ResortArea
Area
No
Noplanned
planned eventsbut
but lotstotodo
do andsee
see in thispopular
popular LakesideResort
Resort Area
Please use the pdf
useSpouse&/Or
the pdf
Name______________________________________________________
Spouse&/Or
Guest _____________________________________
from thePlease
last issue
(304)
Name______________________________________________________
Guest
Name______________________________________________________
Spouse&/Or
Guest_____________________________________
_____________________________________
from the last issue (306)
Address_____________________________________________________ City________________________Postal/Zip
Postal/Zip Code___________
Address_____________________________________________________
Address_____________________________________________________City________________________
City________________________ Postal/Zip Code___________
Code___________
E-Mail__________________________________________________________________ Phone( ( )______________________________
)______________________________
E-Mail__________________________________________________________________
E-Mail__________________________________________________________________Phone
Phone (
)______________________________
Please use the pdf
Plymouth: Year___________Model
Model__________________________
__________________________Body__________________________
Body__________________________
Plymouth:
from
the last issue (304)
Plymouth:Year___________
Year___________ Model
__________________________
Body__________________________
Fee: $25.00
Fee:
Fee:$25.00
$25.00
E-Mail: warner@hay.net
E-Mail:
E-Mail:warner@hay.net
warner@hay.net
Send RegistrationForm
Form & Chequeto:
to: PeterWarner
Warner
Send
SendRegistration
Registration Form&&Cheque
Cheque to:Peter
Peter Warner
P.O. Box 1089
P.O.
P.O.Box
Box1089
1089
Grand Bend, ON N0M 1T0
Grand
GrandBend,
Bend,ON
ON N0M
N0M 1T0
1T0
Canada
Canada
Canada
Telephone: (519) 238-2473
Telephone:
Telephone:(519)
(519)238-2473
238-2473
ACCOMMODATION (Book on your own)
(Bookononyour
yourown)
own)
ACCOMMODATION(Book
ACCOMMODATION
It is very important to book prior to March 31, 2011 to guarantee space. This is a popular Vacation Area and this is a holiday weekend.
guaranteespace.
space.This
Thisisisaapopular
popularVacation
VacationArea
Areaand
and this
this isis aa holiday
holiday weekend.
weekend.
veryimportant
importanttotobook
bookprior
priortotoMarch
March31,
31,2011
2011totoguarantee
ItItisisvery
We have the entire motel blocked until this date ~ Don’t miss out! After March 31, 2011 rooms will not be held exclusively for our group!
Wehave
havethe
theentire
entiremotel
motelblocked
blockeduntil
untilthis
thisdate
date~~Don’t
Don’tmiss
missout!
out!After
AfterMarch
March31,
31,2011
2011rooms
roomswill
willnot
notbe
be held
held exclusively
exclusively for
for our
our group!
group!
We
HOST MOTEL: Bluewater Motel (519) 238-2014
RV PARKING: Townsite RV Park (519) 238-5625
HOSTMOTEL:
MOTEL:Bluewater
BluewaterMotel
Motel(519)
(519)238-2014
238-2014
RVPARKING:
PARKING:Townsite
TownsiteRV
RVPark
Park(519)
(519) 238-5625
238-5625
HOST
RV
Rates from: $92.00
Full Service Sites—Reserve Early
Ratesfrom:
from:$92.00
$92.00
FullService
ServiceSites—Reserve
Sites—Reserve Early
Early
Rates
Full
www.grandbend.com/bluewatermotel/
*Primitive (no service) sites ~ No charge at our farm
www.grandbend.com/bluewatermotel/
*Primitive(no
(noservice)
service)sites
sites ~~ No
No charge
charge at
at our
our farm
farm
www.grandbend.com/bluewatermotel/
*Primitive
*Mention Plymouth Car Tour
*MentionPlymouth
PlymouthCar
CarTour
Tour
*Mention
FEATURES
FEATURES
FEATURES
• All paved roads
• No Judging…just fun!
• Allpaved
pavedroads
roads
NoJudging…just
Judging…justfun!
fun!
• All
••No
• Long Distance award
• Food and Admission…you pay at establishment
• LongDistance
Distanceaward
award
Foodand
andAdmission…you
Admission…you pay
pay at
at establishment
establishment
• Long
••Food
• First 25 cars registered receive dash plaque
• Border Crossing is E-Z
• First2525cars
carsregistered
registeredreceive
receivedash
dashplaque
plaque
BorderCrossing
CrossingisisE-Z
E-Z
• First
••Border
• Running Board Flea Market…bring those surplus Plymouth items
~Passport or enhanced drivers license is all that
• RunningBoard
BoardFlea
FleaMarket…bring
Market…bringthose
thosesurplus
surplusPlymouth
Plymouthitems
items
~Passportor
orenhanced
enhanced drivers
drivers license
license is
is all
all that
that
• Running
~Passport
is required! Canada welcomes tourists!
required!Canada
Canada welcomes
welcomes tourists!
tourists!
isisrequired!
-19-19-19-17-17-19-
307-FULL ISSUE
4/19/11
4:12 PM
Page 20
2011 National Summer Meet
hosted by the Golden State Region
Pacific Grove, California - July 13 through July 16, 2011
Pacific Grove, offering an
unparalleled quality of life, shares its
borders with the Monterey Bay, the
City of Monterey, the Pacific Ocean
and the Del Monte Forest
with breathtaking views.
The host hotel is the Sea Breeze Inn & Lodge, 1100 Lighthouse Avenue, Pacific Grove, CA. 93950
(800) 575-1805 / Fax: (831) 643-0235
Arrival Date: Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Departure Date: Sunday, July 17, 2011
R o o m B l o c k : Variety of 1 & 2 beds – modifying counts is contingent upon specific guest bookings.
20 rooms for Wednesday 7/13; 25 rooms for Thursday 7/14; 40 rooms for Friday & Saturday 7/15 & 7/16
Rates: Standard 1- Queen Room = $89.95 + tax 7/13&14 and $109.95 + Tax 7/15&16
Standard 2- Queen Room = $95.95 + Tax 7/13&14 and $119.95 + Tax 7/15&16
Reservation Procedure : Guests to call individually to reserve, mention the Plymouth Owners Club for preferred rates and availability. B i l l i n g : On own, all charges. Cancellation Policy: Guests will be held to a 30-day cancellation policy and a 2-night minimum. Cut-off Dates: Guests will be able to reserve at preferred rates until April 20, 2011; afterwards standard hotel rates will apply.
Inclusive: AM Coffee & Muffin Social, use of onsite amenities, wireless Internet, local calling.
The Pacific Grove/Monterey area is very popular in July.
Please call the Seabreeze Inn and book your room as soon as possible.
SCHEDULED ACTIVITIES Tour information, signup sheets and maps will be available in the Hospitality Room
Thursday, July 14th: Driving tour to Big Sur – Tour Guide Tod Fitch. Depart the meet hotel at 10:30 AM for an hour long
36 mile drive along scenic California Hwy 1 over to the Nepenthe Restaurant in Big Sur. www.nepenthebigsur.com Along the
way we will stop for photographs at the famous and photogenic Bixby Creek Bridge. The restaurant has fabulous views down
the rugged coastline. After lunch we will return along the same route. The group size limit is 40 guests so make your decision
as soon as possible.
Friday, July 15th: Driving tour to several wineries – Tour Guide Tod Fitch. There is a $12 fee per person to cover the winery tour. Depart the meet hotel at 10:00 AM for a short drive to the Chateau Julien Winery where we will tour the facilities with
an explanation of the wine making process and an opportunity to taste some of the vineyard’s wines. Then we will continue on
to the village of Carmel Valley for lunch and visit several wine tasting rooms or, for those who prefer, visit some shops and
galleries. The return route to the meet hotel will show off some quintessential California landscape. We should be back at the
meet hotel by 3:00 PM. (Note: This tour was changed from an all-day trip to San Juan Bautista Mission to allow time for participants to wash and prepare their cars for Saturday’s judged show.)
Saturday, July 16th: Ladies/spouse bus tour for lunch and shopping in Carmel – Tour Guides, Leslie Fitch and Kim Hunt.
SELF-GUIDED TOURS At your leisure, these tours are available every day.
Wi n e Tro l l e y Tours of Montere y – $59 per Pepson (Includes 5-hour guided tour & wine tasting at one venue). A box lunch ($15.00)
and additional wine tasting ($7.50 each) can be purchase while enroute. A Plymouth Owners Club special $89.00 per person,
includes the box lunch and wine tasting at all 6 wineries.To make reservations/purchase tickets, please call 831-624-1700.
Experience an unforgettable journey wine tasting in the aesthetic beauty of Carmel Valley aboard “Hattie the Magnificent Trolley.” For
more details: www.toursmonterey.com
Montere y M o v i e Tour – Daily boarding near Fisherman's Wharf (Monterey, CA) at 1:00 PM. Cost $55 per person, seniors $50, children 15 years and under $35. To make reservation/purchase tickets, please call 800-343-6437. Winding through Monterey, Pacific
Grove and Carmel, this scenic tour also stops along the stunning 17-MILE DRIVE® in Pebble Beach. The three-hour adventure takes
place aboard the multimedia Theater-On-Wheels®, a customized luxury motor coach with high-back seats, overhead video screens and
personal headsets. As you glide past sites made famous on the big screen, you’ll hear behind-the-scenes stories of Hollywood glamour.
For more details: www.montereymovietours.com/index.htm
Summer and Fall Whale Watch: Humpback Whales, Blue Whales, Dolphins, Killer Whales Reservations can be made by calling
(831) 375-4658 with a credit card to hold your spot. Departure is from Monterey Bay Whale Watch Center located on Fisherman’s Wharf.
For more details: www.montereybaywhalewatch.com/trips.htm Morning trips: 4 to 5-hour trips every day, departing at 9:00 AM and
returning between 1:00 and 2:00 PM. Cost for morning trips: Adults $45, children 12 and under $35, children 3 and under free
Afternoon trips: 3 to 4-hour afternoon trips every day Trips depart at 2:00 PM and return between 5:00 and 6:00 PM. Cost for afternoon trips: Adults $36, children 12 and under $25, children 3 and under free
Monterey Bay Aquarium, located in Monterey at the west end of historic Cannery Row. Tickets can be ordered by phone (866) 9639645 from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Mon. through Fri. Tickets prices: Adults, $29.95, Child (3 thru 12) $19.95, Student $27.95, Seniors
(65+) $27.95. For more details: www.montereybayaquarium.org /
John Steinbeck's Pacific Grove - Driving Tour: This is a self-guided driving tour of John Steinbeck's Pacific Grove. It features
local sites relating to the lives and work of John Steinbeck and Edward F. Ricketts. There are 20 places to visit on the tour. For more
details: www.93950.com/steinbeck/
-20-
307-FULL ISSUE
4/19/11
4:12 PM
Page 21
July 13-16,
2011
Pacific Grove,
California
REGISTRATION: $ 1 5 per person or $ 2 5 per couple by June 1st; After June 1st $ 2 0 per person or $ 3 0 per couple
(Includes: name tags, meet program, goody bag, hospitality room, Thursday complimentary dinner)
$______________
Participant’s Name _________________________________ Spouse/Passenger _____________________________________
Address __________________________________________City _______________________________Zip ______________
Phone (h) ________________________ (c) ________________________ Email __________________________________
I’ll be a Judge ___________ Which Category or Class or Year _____________
VEHICLE REGISTRATION: POC Region______________________________
Car to be Judged: ______ number of cars @ $ 25.00 by June 1st or @ $ 30.00 after June 1st
$______________
Year _______ Model __________________ Body Style ________________________
Car, Non-judged: ______ number of cars @ $ 25.00 by June 1st or @ $ 30.00 after June 1st
$______________
Year ________ Model _____________________ Body Style _________________________
SELF-GUIDED TOURS Available all days – Pay as you go Wine Trolley Tours of Monterey; Monterey Movie Tour;
Monterey Summer and Fall Whale Watch; Monterey Bay Aquarium; John Steinbeck's Pacific Grove - Driving Tour
SCHEDULED ACTIVITIES (See Activity Descriptions on accompanying page)
Thursday , July 14: Guided tour down the Big Sur coastline to a lunch at Nepenthe Restaurant. Tour Guide Tod Fitch.
Note: Limited to 40 people so register early. Number ______ Pay as you go
Friday, July 15: Guided tour to several wineries; lunch at Carmel Valley Tour Guide Tod Fitch
Number ______ Pay as you go
Saturday, July 16: GSR POC Ladies Lunch & Shopping in Carmel – Transportation provided
Tour Guides, Leslie Fitch and Kim Hunt Number ______ Pay as you go
6 : 0 0 P M Awards Banquet & Awards Program Buffet Menu make your selection
Grilled Chicken Alfredo_____ / Grilled Carmel Style Tri-Tip_____ / Carved Ham_____ / Vegetarian Pasta Dish _____
Total Banquet Number ________ @ $ 40.00
$______________
T-Shirt Order: S____ / M____ / L____ / XL____ @ $15 / XXL____@ $17 / XXXL____ @ $18 Total $______________
Make checks payable to: Golden State Region, POC 2011 National Meet MEET TOTAL $______________
Mail completed registration to: 2 0 11Summer National Meet, c/o Nick DeSimone, 1423 Pecan Gro v e
Drive, Diamond Bar, C A 91765-2536
For additional Meet Information, call or email: home phone (909) 861-4950 or cell phone (714) 864-0658
Email: ndesimone@verizon.net
-21-
307-FULL ISSUE
4/19/11
4:12 PM
Page 22
Tour with the Tall Pines
Plymouth Owners Club Inc.
2011 National Fall Touring Meet
August 31, September 1-3, Rochester, Minnesota
Tall Pines Region, hosts
Tour Overview
Beginning on Wednesday, August 31, there will be organized daily driving tours throughout beautiful Southeastern Minnesota’s bluff
country and the Mississippi River, Lake Pepin area, from the host hotel: LaQuinta Inn and Suites, 1625 So. Broadway, Rochester MN.
55902. Special room rates of $75 can be reserved by calling 507-281-2211 and asking for the Plymouth Owners Club rate which ends
August 10th, 2011. Includes free hot breakfast buffet, wireless internet, indoor pool, onsite restaurant, fridge and microwave. All tours
leaving Rochester will be approximately 120 miles round-trip, and because of limited parking we will be offering a bus tour on Friday.
We strongly encourage the use of GPS devices, cell phones and handheld walkie talkies so people can complete the tours with minimal
confusion. We will be providing complete addresses and phone numbers for each tour stop. We are urging early registration as some tour
and events are limited. We will attempt to tour on rural, less-traveled roads where possible.
Wednesday, August 31:
The plan for Wednesday is to tour to Harmony, Minnesota, where participants will board smaller vans and begin an Old Order Amish
tour. Guides will explain Amish culture and history stopping at 5 - 6 working farms. Most stops offer retail opportunities to purchase
Amish quilts and crafts. Driving back toward Rochester, we will visit Historic Lanesboro, the Bed and Breakfast Capital of Minnesota.
Lunch is on your own and a tour of Lanesboro will provide viewing of the beautifully restored homes and mansions or visits of the many
unique shops. This is a fun town, especially for the ladies.
Thursday, September 1 s t :
Thursday will be a driving tour to the National Eagle Center located on the banks of the Mississippi River.
The center has many exhibits providing insight into the life of the eagle. We hope to be participants in an
interactive program where we can see eagles feeding and bathing and learn about the eagles’ significance in
the environment and their importance in Native American culture. Hopefully, we will
be able to view wild birds from the observation deck, and learn about injured eagles and how they can be returned
into the environment. Lunch is on your own, but we have arranged for box lunches to be available at Nelson’s
Cheese Factory, Nelson,Wisconsin. Nelson’s is known for their super ice cream cones. Following lunch we will be
visiting one of the largest private Franklin automobile collections in existence, and it has a Plymouth also.
Heading back to Rochester, we will stop and visit Lark Toys. Lark Toys is one of the largest independent toy stores
in the United States. It has a huge hand carved wooden carousel and for a buck you get a ride. There’s an old time toy
museum and toy exhibits. If you need a souvenir of the trip for the grandkids this is the place to get it. The evening
begins with a Tall Pines Region build-it-yourself Burger Buffet at the hotel. Be sure to check this on the registration form. If you’re still not tired, drive to downtown Rochester for the Street Fair with shopping and music.
Friday, September 2nd:
On Friday we will offer a bus tour. We will tour into Western Wisconsin and visit Elmer’s Auto and To y
Museum. The museum includes antique, classic and muscle cars along with motorcycles, bicycles, over 200 pedal tractors and over 600 pedal cars on display. In
addition there are 1000s of auto-related toys. This is a fascinating museum and
includes one of the most beautiful views of the Mississippi River valley. Also we
will visit The Pickwick Mill. Built in the 1850s, it is one of the oldest waterpowered gristmills in Southeastern Minn. It was built with locally quarried limestone with a timber frame that was so closely fit that nails were not used. This
will be an extremely educational and interesting stop.
E lmer ’s
Saturday September 3rd:
Saturday will be a day for touring around the Rochester area. We will be visiting the Mayowood Mansion. Mayowood
The Mayowood estate was created between 1910 and 1938 by Dr. Charles Mayo, co-founder of the internationally known Mayo Clinic. The centerpiece of the 3000-acre estate is the 38-room Mayowood
Mansion and gardens. The Olmstead County Historical Center is another interesting stop with numerous
exhibits including five historic buildings on the grounds. Following lunch on your own, we recommend
a tour to Assisi Heights and home of the Sisters of Saint Francis. There will be a one-hour tour of the
buildings and grounds. The view of Rochester is very picturesque from Assisi Heights. On the way back
to the hotel we will stop at the Plummer House, the former residence of Dr. Henry Plummer, a Mayo Clinic partner and founder. The
Plummer House is located on Pill Hill as it became known because of all the doctors’ residences located there. Again there will be spectacular views of Rochester. The day will conclude with the banquet, membership meeting and awards at the host hotel.
Sunday, September 4 t h : breakfast and farewells
Contact: Carl Wegner cwegner2@msn.com
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Tour with the Tall Pines
Plymouth Owners Club Inc.
2011 National Fall Touring Meet
August 31, September 1-3, Rochester, Minnesota
Tall Pines Region, hosts
Member’s name__________________________________ Spouse / Passenger_____________________
Address_____________________________________ City_____________________ Zip____________
Phones (home)_____________________(cell)___________________ Email_______________________
Ve h i c l e R e g i s t r a t i o n :
Year _________ Model_____________________ Body style__________________
(We strongly recommend the use of GPS tools, cell phones and walkie talkies for all tours)
---- Registration desk opens, beginning Tuesday August 30th, at 5:00 PM -----
Registration: $20.00 per vehicle/member before August 10th –– $25.00 after August 10th $_____________
Activity Registration
( See descriptions of activities on the accompanying page.)
Wednesday August 31, 2011
Driving tour to Harmony, MN. There, experience Old Order Amish culture, with a 2 hr.
guided van tour, visiting working farms.
(Limit 70)
Number @ $25_____
$______________
Visit Historic Lanesboro, lunch on your own and shop before returning to Rochester.
Thursday, September 1 s t , 2 0 11 Driving tour to the National Eagle Center, Wabasha MN. (Admission)
Box lunch available at Nelson’s Cheese factory. Nelson WI. (Lunch on your own) Visit one of the largest collections of
Franklin automobiles in the country, then on to Lark Toys.
Thursday evening, Special “Burger Buffet” dinner.
Number @ $ 11 _ _ _ _ _
$______________
Evening Street fair, Downtown Rochester, food, shopping and music.
Friday, September 2nd, 2011 Because of limited parking, today we offer an all day bus tour. We will be visiting the historic Pickwick Mill, Pickwick, MN, and Elmer‘s Auto and Toy Museum, Alma, WI. Cost will include the Bus ride and all
admissions. Lunch on your own.
Number @ $ 2 5 _ _ _ _ _
$______________
Saturday, September 3rd, 2011 Participation pictures. Visit the Olmstead County Historical Center
and Mayowood Mansion.
Number @ $ 1 0 _ _ _ _ _
$______________
Tour to Assisi Heights, Sisters of St. Francis and historic Plummer House. (Admission)
Evening dinner buffet, membership meeting and awards. Number @ $ 2 4 _ _ _ _ _
$______________
T Shirt Order: S_____ M_____ L_____ XL_____ XXL_____ XXXL_____
(All T shirts have pockets) Total T Shirts @ $15.00 ea. ______
Registration Total
$______________
Make checks payable to: Tall Pines Region POC
Grand Total $______________
Mail completed registration to: Don Rohweder, 2 6 1 1 s t Ave SE, New Brighton, MN 5511 2
Fall Meet Information: Richard Tetzlaff 651-433-2707 or cell 612-759-2103, ajorrj@aol.com / Carl Wegner 218-326-5965
cwegner2@msn.com / Don Rohweder 651-636-2506,cell 612-817-6135 don.rohweder@gmail.com
Meet Hotel: LaQuinta Inns and Suites, 1625 S. Broadway, Rochester, MN 55902 507-281-2211
Information on alternative self-guided tours for people with other interests available at the registration desk.
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Plymouth Owners Club sponsors ...
1st Western New York (Niagara) Tour
1928 - 1932 4 Cylinder Plymouths
September 15 - 17 2011
Thursday, September 15th: Registration 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Holiday Inn Lockport
, 515 Transit Rd. (Rt 78), Lockport, NY 14904
For reservations call 716-434-6151 or 1-800-HOLIDAY or www.holidayinn.com
Room rate is $91.00 plus tax (mention Plymouth Owners Club)
Reservations must be made before August 15, 2011. Includes Continental Breakfast
Trailer and motor home parking on premises
• 5:30 pm There will be a short tour and stop for dinner (pay on your own)
Friday, September 16th:
Tour 8:30 am
• To the Historic Lockport Locks and Erie Canal Boat Cruise
Includes 2 hour cruise on the Erie Canal through 2 locks cost: $13.00 each
• After a stop for lunch we will tour to the Niagara Power Project to see how
water is turned into electricity (free of charge)
• Then we will tour to the Herschel Carousel Factory and Museum and
enjoy a ride on a restored carousel (cost: $3.00 each)
• Return to hotel
Saturday, September 17th: Tour 8:30 am
• Buffalo Waterfront, Naval and Servicemen’s Park (cost: $5.00 each)
• Pierce Arrow Car Museum (cost $7.00 each)
• Then lunch at the Anchor Bar, Original Home of the Buffalo Chicken Wing
• Return to hotel
• 6:30 pm Banquet at Holiday Inn
If you are interested in seeing Niagara Falls, come a day early.
I will arrange a tour on Wednesday, September 14, 2011. Call for details.
Registration
Name __________________________________________ Spouse/Guests _______________________
Address __________________________________________ City ______________________________
State/Province_______________ ZIP/Code _________ Phone ________________________
Your Plymouth
Year __________ Model _________________
Registration
Dinner
Total
Mail to:
$18.00 per car
$25.00 x _______
________
________
________
Robert Manke, 6037 E Canal Rd, Lockport, NY 14094
Phone: 716-925-4048
e-mail: bobantqpyls@aol.com
Dash Plaques
Running Board Flea Market
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Tour 50 - 70 miles per day
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Use pdf
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Things …and our brothers John and Horace Dodge
Plymouth
by Rob Elliott
Calgary, Alberta
At
the age of 27, Horace Dodge
invented a four-point dirtproof adjustable ball-bearing
race for use in bicycles. A patent
application was made on July 20,
1895, and the bearing was first used in
Maple Leaf bicycles manufactured in
Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
In 1897 John and Horace Dodge were involved in
the manufacture of “Evans and Dodge” bicycles in
Windsor. Sources of information vary on the dates,
mergers and sales events that followed. EvansDodge was purchased by National Cycle of
Hamilton Ontario in 1899. National Cycle and
four other bicycle manufactures were purchased in
1900 to form Canada Cycle and Motor Company.
The Dodge brothers sold their shares for $7500
and moved Dodge Cycles and Machine back to
Detroit.
Bicycle manufacturing in Syracuse, New York,
was booming in 1896. Over 40 different manufacturers were producing bicycles there, including one firm
called Dodge Cycles. I cannot find any ties to the
Dodge Brothers. I believe this headset badge and
pin are from the Syracuse plant.
Canada Cycle and Motor Company (CCM) produced bicycles in Canada until declaring bankruptcy
in 1983. Procycle of Quebec bought the assets.
Some sources indicate that the Dodge brothers
brought their asset value in machinery to Detroit
from the Windsor plant. Ransom Olds approached
the Dodges in 1901 with a request to produce 2000
engines. Henry Ford followed with a need of production parts for his cars. The Dodges were contracted
and the Dodge dynasty began.
This Plymouth headset
badge is another mystery. The badge is
stamped on very
thin copper and
then enameled. I
have found limited
information on the
Plymouth Cycle
Company. The
Evans and Dodge bicycle owned by the Detroit Historical
Museum (supposedly John Dodge’s own bike) and deposited
in the Chrysler archives PHOTO COURTESY OF CHARLES HYDE
Evans and Dodge headset badge
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHARLES HYDE
Dodge Cycle headset badge
Plymouth Cycle Company headset badge
“Our Defender” Dodge Bicycle badge also has a
sailing ship theme
Wheelman webpage lists Plymouth Cycle in
Plymouth, Indiana, 1895 to 1896, and Plymouth
Cycle by Lindsay Brothers of Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
also during 1895 to 1896. 1 bicycle production began
in 1895.
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C ALGARY has 550 kilometres of paved pathways
and 260 kilometres of onstreet bicycle routes within
the city.
As an avid cyclist, I
have purchased a few
Plymouth cycling jerseys
online. At one time I
found myself bidding
against a fellow Plymouth
Owners Club member
from California who
shares the same interests.
His cycling and vintage car
season would be longer
than mine here in Canada.
Plymouth cycling jersey worn by Rob Elliott on a tour through Calgary’s Edworthy Park
Plymouth Reebook cycling jerseys – two styles – front and back, probably from a British team.
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P(Plymouth
ine Wood
Wood)
the next week, I studied pictures of my car
and my Franklin Mint model of it (BULLETIN
279), and I marked up the block of wood
with a pencil on how it should look.
The following Saturday, we jumped in the
car and drove over to my shop in
Springfield, Nebraska, and I cut out the
shape on the bandsaw. Once we got home,
I worked with him using the coping saw to
cut out the trunk between the fins, and we
did a lot of sanding. Between Saturday and
Sunday, we applied the sanding sealer, did
more sanding, then clear coat and final sanding.
While that was drying, I chucked up the
axles (actually nails) in my cordless drill and
used some emery cloth to smooth them out.
I read in my Google searches that some people use polish on those axles, so I broke out
the Simi-Chrome and polished them. He
came over on Tuesday, and we then sprayed
on the black paint. I suggested “wide
whites,” so we painted the outside of the wheels. And all the
while, I was thinking about how to add the trim.
I kind of remembered some shiny duct tape I once had, so
I searched the basement and came up with it. Next I cut a
pattern out of some construction paper and made the two side
pieces. And then I thought, why not make shiny bumpers
and a windshield? So I cut out those pieces as well.
Thursday night Logan was back over again, so we applied
the “chrome” pieces and installed the wheels. We dosed the
axles with liberal amounts of powered graphite. Logan was
looking through the craft supplies grandma always has
around, and we found the head and tail lights. We were ready
for Saturday, and “race day.” Oh, and Logan got his cast off
on Tuesday.
The races were held Saturday night after the scouts’ Blue
and Gold Banquet. The car was weighed, and found to be
light (just over 3.5 ounces). The car can weigh no more than
5 ounces. Another parent had some weights and a hot glue
gun, so some weight was added to the bottom to bring the car
up to 5 ounces.
Now the track is a lot different than when I
was in scouts 50+ years ago. The track is
all-aluminum and each of the four lanes is
on a timer. My dad built a track out of
wood that our pack used when I was in
scouts. We had a scoutmaster at the end of
the track to determine which car was first,
second, etc. The winners were raced against
the other winners, until, through the process
of elimination, you had the fastest cars. In
Logan’s case, four cars were put on the track
and raced and the times were recorded. This
was repeated four times, once for each of the
four lanes. Then the times were averaged.
It didn’t take too long to figure out who the
winners were.
Logan won third place in the Tiger
Derby
by Lee Lape
Papillion, Nebraska
In
February, my daughter and son-in-law asked if I
would be interested in helping my grandson Logan
build his Pinewood Derby car for Cub Scouts. My
son-in-law is a partner in his CPA firm and was in tax mode,
working long hours seven days a week. And you should also
know Logan broke his thumb by having it between the legs
of a folding chair when he was folding it up. So he had a
cast from his elbow to the tips of his fingers on his right
hand.
I said, “Sure, I’d be glad to work with him,” and began
thinking about how to build it. I looked at Pinewood Derby
cars on Google and found hints to make them faster, etc. But
I kept thinking how cool would it be to make it look like my
‘58 Belvedere convertible. So, the next time they were over
for Sunday dinner, they brought the kit and I bounced my idea
off him. He thought it sounded great. During the course of
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Page 29
Cubs class (his first year in scouts). I wasn’t sure how fast it
was going to be, but I was hoping he at least would get
something for originality – best design, something like that.
I was as thrilled as he was that he actually placed!
My grandson David has his Pinewood Derby race coming
up in a couple of months. I’m thinking of my ‘41 coupe for
this one. Stay tuned!
PB
Racing license
Polishing an axle
Applying
sealer
Race!
Applying
paint
Trophy, car and Grandpa!
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Anniversary Plymouth
by Dallas Wiese
Toledo, Iowa
T
his story starts more than 60
years ago when my dad presented
my older brother and me with a
1930 Model A Ford. I was a junior in
high school in the little town of
Montour, Iowa; population 353.
My first contact with a girlfriend
was going for a ride in the Model A
after a basketball game with a cute cheerleader. I was just 15
years old. The older guys in town had filled me in on how
things should go. I parked the Model A down by the schoolhouse, just a block from where my girlfriend lived. When I
decided to check things out (according to the older boys directions), she slapped me and jumped out of my Model A and ran
home – very confusing for me at the time.
Fast forward to the summer of 1949: I was working for
my father, who was doing roadside erosion work for the DOT.
Dad sent me from Davenport, Iowa, to our home town of
Montour with a truck
and instructions to bring
back a cultipacker which
was used in the seed bed
preparation.
I happened to stop at
the local ChryslerPlymouth dealer, owned
by Bill Devins and a
man named Clark. There
on the showroom floor
sat a new blue 1949
Plymouth convertible.
Since one of the jobs
my dad had me doing
was being the timekeeper
and handling the payroll, I was permitted to write checks on
his account. I decided to make out a check for around $2300
for that blue convertible.
In order to get the truck and cultipacker back to
Davenport, I needed a driver. Our neighbor, only 15 and big
for his age, was recruited. I knew Dad would hire him, so I
recruited him to be the driver of the one-ton pickup with a flat
bed that was loaded with the cultipacker. I followed with the
new convertible. We had gone about ten miles from home
when the pickup driver came upon a sharp curve and rolled the
pickup and cultipacker, parts flying in every direction.
Needless to say the pickup and cultipacker were totaled, but
the driver was not hurt.
Now I was faced with the task of showing up in
Davenport, less truck and cultipacker, but with a new convertible. Next came the explosion (my dad). However, he let me
keep the convertible and make weekly payments.
During 1950 I lived at home in Montour and worked in
nearby Marshalltown. Two young gals rode back and forth to
work with me, one happening to be the cheerleader named
Joyce from the Model A experience. By New Year’s Eve I had
convinced her I was now a gentleman, and we celebrated New
Year’s Eve together.
From there on we dated
steadily. She began to
slide over closer and
closer to my side of the
car so I felt it was time
to pop the question. We
were engaged in March
and were married on
April 6, 1951.
We rented a tworoom apartment, where
an older lady lived,
which we later bought
for $1200. It was quite
primitive, with an outhouse and no running water, etc. We carried water in a bucket
from the town pump. One day when I was up by the pump
washing my convertible, my brother and his pals drove by,
throwing a cherry bomb in my bucket. So much for that
bucket!
By late 1951, I sold the convertible to my brother, as I
was trying to raise money to start a farm machinery business.
My dad was a silent partner (brave man). A couple of years
later my brother decided to sell the convertible and asked for
my help. In those years I did not have very good judgment in
driving and drove like a wild man. In demonstrating the ‘49
to the buyer, I performed by taking the guy for a ride through
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"Dead Man's Curve" at 80 MPH, slipping a little
as we went through the bridge. All survived, and
I’m still alive – a little smarter, though. Now,
being age 83, I find it pretty hard to believe what
a fool I was.
Fast forwarding through the years: I spent 35
years as a diesel engineer at the power plant
while my dear wife and I ran a grocery
store/restaurant, raised four children, bought and
moved to an 80-acre farm (and did the farming),
and ran a Yamaha motorcycle shop for eighteen
years. My wife took the day shift and I took the
evening shift.
Sometime in the ‘80s I began a search for a
‘49 Plymouth convertible (blue preferably).
Having saved the registration of the original, I
had it traced and discovered it went to salvage and
was crushed. Over the years I have looked at
‘49s but failed to find one in good shape and fairly priced. One of the saddest things happening
during my search was calling a man near
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who had a red ‘49.
I called from Madison, Wisconsin, to see
if he still had the car. The next day, I
made the 100-mile trip to see the car,
only to find he had sold it the year
before. I have never figured that one
out.
One of the near misses I had in
my hunt was a blue ‘49 that was
sold at auction in Chicago in
October 2001. This car was previously owned by Mickey Mantle, the
famous baseball player. I learned of
the sale just three days after the auction
took place. Checking with the auction
house, I found that the car only brought
$12,000. I finally bought a yellow 49 which
needed a lot of work. I have had new floors put
in it and done some other work but am unable
to complete it.
Joyce and I elebrated our 60th wedding anniversary on April 23, 2011, in
Toledo, Iowa. I extended an invitation
to any club member who would care
to attend our celebration and offered
to give a $100 reward to anyone who
showed up at our celebration driving
a 1949 Plymouth convertible.
PB
April 6, 1951
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Bill Devins, from whom I purchased the
‘49, later moved to California and
became famous for building sport cars.
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Special Deluxe Droptop
Feature article from Hemmings Classic Car, July, 2005
by Jim Donnelly
P HOTOS © BY DON S PIRO P HOTOGRAPHY
Above all, however, Americans craved new cars, and the
auto industry was only too happy to accommodate them.
Kaiser-Frazer, Studebaker and Hudson were actually the first
into the marketplace with “new” post-war cars as early as
1947. But by 1949, the biggies had finally reverted from
wartime production and had caught up with the independents,
and then some. In years to come, 1949 would be noteworthy
for advances in technology and style that occurred across the
board.
The biggest came from Ford, which radically redesigned
virtually its entire lineup, including both Lincoln and
Mercury, producing more than 1.2 million cars in all.
General Motors unleashed a broad array of changes, including
new high-compression OHV V8 engines for both Cadillac and
Oldsmobile, and extensive restyling that gave all its divisions
T
he shooting was over, the green-glowing mushroom
clouds had finally dissipated and, at least in America,
society was eager for a return to optimism and normalcy after being mired in economic collapse, and then global
war, for two consecutive decades. The auto manufacturers –
most of them – were well into rolling out their 1949 models
on the 20th anniversary of the day when the Wall Street bubble popped with the concussive force of Zeus’s thunderclap.
After the long period of stagnation in the consumer marketplace, the great race of acquisition was on in earnest.
Where the Hempstead Plains stretched out of sight on Long
Island, a community of little homes called Levittown sprang
up, and veterans streamed east from New York City to build
their families there. The world was still a tumultuous, disorderly place, with the Communists forcing the Nationalists
into offshore exile in China, the Berlin airlift circumventing
the Soviet blockade of that city, the partitioning of Germany
and the unsettling revelation that the comrades in Moscow
now had the bomb, too. Regardless, war-weary Americans
were ready to rock. Broadcast television was in its infancy,
but you could catch Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis on Ed
Sullivan’s Toast of the Town. Film-goers were stunned by
the Oscar-sweeping All the King's Men, inspired by the demagogic Louisiana populist Huey Long, and they cowered when
James Cagney, as the demonic Cody Jarrett, raised his face to
a flaming sky and shrieked, “Made it, Ma! Top of the world!”
in Raoul Walsh's riveting White Heat.
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distinct appearances and personalities, a
case in point being the dramatic Cadillac
Coupe de Ville and Buick Roadmaster
Riviera, both novel hardtops. This task
force of new products propelled GM to
sell more than 2.7 million vehicles in
1949. And then there was Chrysler.
In 1949, the captain of Chrysler was
board chairman Kaufman Thuma Keller.
Mr. Keller had enjoyed a remarkable rise
through the industry’s ranks, starting out
as a clerk before eventually becoming a
master mechanic at Buick, led at the time
by Walter P. Chrysler. After Chrysler
reorganized doddering Maxwell-Chalmers
as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925,
Keller accepted a personal invitation to
join the firm as vice president of manufacturing. He was particularly instrumental
in integrating Dodge into the company’s lineup of brands, after
Chrysler purchased it in 1928 from
New York investment bankers
Dillon, Reed, which had in turn
bought out the company three years
earlier. Keller was named
Chrysler’s president in 1935, and
was elevated to chairman after
Walter P. Chrysler died in 1940.
In drag racing parlance,
Chrysler got gate-jobbed, left
snoozing at the starting line. It
“introduced” its 1949 models in late 1948, but because the
1948s had been selling strongly, they were simply issued registration numbers re-identifying them as 1949 cars – there was
little corporate urgency to get the “real” 1949s out in a hurry,
and Chrysler wanted no launch-related
glitches. The genuine new 1949 models
didn’t first appear until March 1949, and
the production start of some body styles
didn’t commence until July. At
Plymouth, the changeover meant that, for
the first time since 1934, Plymouths
would be built on two distinct wheelbases. The shorter model, dubbed P17, measured 111 inches between the wheel centers
and was used by the likes of a business
coupe and new, all-steel Suburban wagon.
The P18’s wheelbase was 118.5 inches,
and it could be ordered as a Deluxe club
coupe or four-door sedan, or for a few
extra dollars, as a Special Deluxe with a
broader body variety: Club coupe, sedan,
Suburban, or as Plymouth’s sole convertible model. Regardless of wheelbase,
Plymouth’s sole engine was its
217.8-CU. IN. L-head straight-six. A
compression nudge to 7.0 from
1948’s ratio of 6.6:1 yielded a corresponding horsepower increase to
97 for 1949, over the previous
year’s 95 HP.
Under Keller’s tutelage, Chrysler
product philosophy favored copious
interior space – indeed, the 1949
Plymouths had more interior room
by every dimension than the cars
they replaced – and that meant the
new designs approved by Keller were generally taller and boxier than the more aggressively styled offerings from most of
the competition. Critics chastised this sort of conservatism,
but the combination of fresh sheetmetal and Plymouth’s well-33-
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Optional spare tire inflator has a hose that connects an external
valve (shown below the taillight in the left photo) to the spare tire
valve. Also shown, above, is the electrical hydraulic power convertible top pump.
established reputation of durability and affordability resonated
forcefully with the buying public. Despite the late arrival of
the “real” 1949 cars, hurrahed as “The Great New Plymouth”
in national advertising, Plymouth produced 574,734 cars that
year, of which some 508,000 were actual 1949 models built
from March forward. That represented a sales increase of more
than 47 percent over 1948’s total.
Included in the output quantities were 15,240 Special
Deluxe convertibles, including this restored, award-winning
Plymouth Cream example owned and driven by Tom
Mulligan of Tucson, Arizona. Perhaps better than any other
bodystyle that Plymouth built in 1949, the Special Deluxe
convertible presents the styling changes that were so long in
gestation. It’s blocky, to be sure, though markedly more
svelte than the 1948’s coats of steel. Plymouth kept the horizontal-bar grille treatment, but the bars used in 1949 were
more delicately proportioned. Contrastingly, the brightwork
spears running rearward along the front fenders and quarter
panel look comparatively more aggressive; they’re significantly longer than the 1948 pieces.
As Plymouth’s premium model range, the Special Deluxe
series was treated to hearty cosmetic burnishing, including a
chrome windshield frame and trim moldings, mahogany-toned
dashboard graining with matching garnish moldings, rear fender stone guards and S PECIAL DELUXE front-fender scripts. The
convertible added a standard power top with boot and full
leather upholstery. Tom’s car adds more still – by searching
through Hemmings Motor News, swap meets and websites,
he has located and installed every available dealer-installed
accessory offered for the 1949 Plymouths. A partial list
includes a trunk-mounted MOPAR spare-tire inflator that he
located with its original box, full wheel covers, a complete
tool kit, bumper guards, an exhaust extension, and auxiliary
interior lamps, such as a parking brake warning lamp.
“I guess I’ve just got a thing for accessories,” he said.
“Go grab the MOPAR accessory book from that year, and if it’s
in there, I’ve got it. I’d have to say that the grille guards
were probably the toughest pieces to find.”
This is Tom’s second encounter with a 1949 Plymouth
convertible. The first began in high school and lasted for
years until he sold the car. Eventually becoming wistful, he
set out on a hunt for another convertible, and enlisted the help
of a local Plymouth buff in the search. More than four years
ago, he learned that a professionally restored 1949 Special
Specifications
1949 P18 Special Deluxe convertible coupe
Base price: $1,982
Options on this car: Various dealerinstalled; owner-installed overdrive
Engine
Type: L-head, straight-six, cast-iron
Displacement: 217.8 cubic inches
Bore x Stroke: 3.250 x 4.375 inches
Compression ratio: 7.0:1
Horsepower @ RPM: 97 @ 3,600
Torque @ RPM: 175-lbs.ft. @ 1,200
Valvetrain: Solid valve lifters
Main bearings: 4
Fuel system: Single Carter BB
D6H1 1-bbl. carburetor, cast-iron
intake manifold, mechanical pump
Lubrication system: Pressure,
mechanical pump
Electrical system: 6-volt
Exhaust system: Single exhaust
Transmission
Type: Three-speed manual, column
shift, synchronized 2nd and 3rd
gears; 28 percent electrical overdrive
Ratios: 1st 2.57:1; 2nd: 1.83:1; 3rd:
1.00:1; Reverse: 3.48:1
Differential
Type: Hypoid, semi-floating axles
Ratio: 3.90:1
Steering
Type: Worm and roller
Ratio: 18.2:1
Turns, lock-to-lock: 4.25
Turning circle: 40.0 feet
Brakes
Type: Four-wheel hydraulic,manual
Front: 10-inch drum
Rear: 10-inch drum
Chassis & Body
Construction: All-steel body on
box-section steel frame
Body style: Two-door, five-passenger convertible
Layout: Front engine, rear-wheel
drive
Suspension
Front: Independent, coil springs,
tubular hydraulic shocks
Rear: Live axle, longitudinal leaf
springs, tubular hydraulic shocks
Wheels & Tires
Wheels: Pressed steel discs
Front: 15 x 4.5 inches
Rear: 15 x 4.5 inches
Tires: Goodyear Power Cushion
bias-ply
Front: 6.70 x 15 inches
Rear: 6.70 x 15 inches
Weights & Measures
Wheelbase: 118.5 inches
Overall length: 191.5 inches
Overall width: 72.0 inches
Overall height: 64.0 inches
Front track: 55.0 inches
Rear track: 56.0 inches
Shipping weight: 3,323 pounds
Capacities
Crankcase: 5 quarts w/o filter
Cooling system: 15 quarts
Fuel tank: 17 gallons
Calculated Data
BHP per CID: 0.44
Weight per BHP: 34.25 pounds
Weight per CID: 15.25 pounds
Production
Special Deluxe convs.: 15,240
Total 1949 Plymouths: 508,600
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brake linings were bonded to the shoes, not riveted.”
Not a few MOPAR fans also appreciated Fords, and Tom is
no exception: For years, he was a regional officer with the
Early Ford V8 Club of America, and he freely acknowledges
that even though Plymouth convertibles typically sell for significantly less than comparable Fords, they can hold their own
against them in practically every driving element.
“I really like Fords, but if you live out here where in
summer it’s hotter than the hinges of hell, the Fords are prone
to overheating,” he said. “The Plymouths aren’t intimidated
at all when it’s really hot. Horsepower-wise, they’re about the
same, and the Plymouths are cheaper to buy up front. It
doesn’t make sense to me to pay $18,000 or so for a 1940
Ford that’s going to need another $20,000 or $25,000 worth
of work to get it where I want it.”
Deluxe convertible might be offered for sale to the right
buyer. Tom contacted the owner, based in Huntington Beach,
California, and decided to make the long westbound run across
Interstate 10 to check it out.
“Normally, before I decide to buy a car, I go check it out
at least four or five times, ask to drive it for awhile,” he said.
“This time, the guy pulled it out of his garage, I walked
around it once, looked at the interior for a minute, and wrote a
check. And I've never regretted it.”
Small wonder: This 1949 Special Deluxe convertible had
won Best in Show for two straight years at the national meet
of the Plymouth Owners Club. With a near-concours example now in hand, Tom started out on his hunt for MOPAR
accessories. One of them was a MOPAR factory heater, in this
case out of another 1949 Plymouth, which Tom had powdercoated, re-cored and then bolted in place himself. Given the
vast expanses of southern Arizona, he made one decidedly
non-stock modification to the Special Deluxe: He went out
and bought a 1952 Plymouth parts car, for one specific reason: To extract its MOPAR overdrive unit, which was a new
option that year and was priced at $102. As Tom put it, “It
bolts right into the 1949 transmission with no modifications
at all; you only have to drop the transmission to install it.
You don’t have to cut the driveshaft down or anything. It’s
electrically operated off a solenoid and relay with a push-pull
(dashboard) cable, and it overdrives (the 1949 three-speed manual transmission’s top gear) at 28 percent. I just bolted it in,
and it works perfectly.”
The add-on overdrive is justified by the fact that while
Tom drives the Plymouth only about 750 miles annually on
weekends, he drives it, with a capital “D,” including freeway
and mountain motoring. The Arizona speed limit on interstates is 75 MPH, and Tom knew immediately that the stock
powertrain was inadequate. Explaining why, he said, “When
these cars were new, most highway speed limits were set at
50 MPH. As it was, the Plymouth was perfectly competent at
50, but today, especially on the freeways, if you’re just puttering along in your little ‘49 Plymouth, everybody else is
just going to run right over you. Now, with the overdrive, if
I’m doing 70, I’m right around 2,000 RPM.”
Unlike many collector-car owners, Tom has opted to stay
with bias-ply tires for authenticity instead of switching to
radials; in his case, they’re Goodyear Power Cushions. Nonradials notwithstanding, he assures that, “Plymouths had a
really strong chassis that year, with new shocks (dubbed “SeaLeg” by the manufacturer), and even at 70 MPH, on bias tires,
it really handles well. I’d say the brakes are excellent. In
1949, Plymouth went with two wheel cylinders on the front
drum brakes instead of the industry’s standard of one, and the
Owner’s View
Retired
Tucson
police sergeant Tom
Mulligan is
a captain of
security in
that city’s
school district, but
his recreational hours are consumed with promoting the virtues of
post-war Plymouths. He’s adamant that it’s a smart, affordable
way to get into the hobby.
“Being that I’ve also got Fords, I think a lot of their
appeal comes from brand loyalty. A lot of people think the
Plymouths are tough to do, but they’re really not. There are
a lot of suppliers out there. Look, I just bought an NOS
front grille guard for $80. For a 1940 Ford, you can only get
a reproduction, and its going to cost you $250, probably.
‘Remember that Lee Petty ran a 1949 Plymouth coupe in
NASCAR's first season, and finished second in the season
championship. These were the Little Cars that Could.
They'd didn’t out-speed everyone, but they sure outlasted
them.”
REPRINT COURTESY OF HEMMINGS CLASSIC CAR MAGAZINE,
A PUBLICATION FROM HEMMINGS MOTOR NEWS
PHOTOS, COPYRIGHT DON SPIRO PHOTOGRAPHY
Pros
• Lots cheaper than similar Fords/Mercurys
• Less frequently seen than similar Fords/Mercurys
• Like cockroaches, L-head straight-six is tough to kill
Cons
• Parts-hunting requires a little effort
• Lacks macho panache to some onlookers
• Without O/D, it’s weak in today’s traffic
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A 50-year-long love af fair
with Plymouth's 1949 Special Deluxe convertible coupe
This article was written when the car was owned by Dan
Kilpatrick. He has since sold it to fellow POC member
Richard Wahrendorff.
ber was my dad’s 1941 DeSoto. MOPAR history is in my
blood.”
The second-series Plymouths have maintained their appeal
to Dan for more than fifty years: “I remember when the 1949
models came out – I always liked the Plymouth convertible’s
rippled bumpers, exposed chrome trunk lid hinges, the great
dashboard and raised taillamps. Now I’m lucky enough to
own one.”
Dan found our featured long-wheelbase P18 Special
Deluxe for sale at a car show in Chatham, New York, back in
2000. “The car’s restoration was completed just before the
show where I first saw it,” he recalls. “The restorer was a fellow from Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and he sells all the cars he
restores. He put a lot of money into it, and he’s told me that
this is the one car he’s sorry that he sold.”
When he took delivery of
the convertible, Dan received a
stack of receipts for the restoration parts, as well as photographs of the car before it was
restored. “It was a basket case,
in an odd shade of green. The
body was surprisingly solid and
complete, though, and he indicated that the car had come from
an estate sale around Lake
George, New York. The only
rust he repaired was a bit in the
floor pan and trunk pan. He re-
Feature article from Hemmings Classic Car, September, 2007
by Mark J. McCourt
P HOTOS BY MARK J. MCC OURT
R
omantic types point out that cars like this eye-catching 1949 Plymouth Special Deluxe convertible coupe
conjure up images of innocence, gingham dresses and
picnic baskets. Few would argue that there is something
optimistic and prosperous about a late 1940s American convertible, especially one from the “Low-Priced Three,” which
was new in a time when the country held big possibilities for
everyone, and everybody felt
they had the opportunity to
move up in the world.
The pull towards owning a
Plymouth convertible was
strong for retired IBMer and
Rhinebeck, New York, resident
Dan Kilpatrick. “I shared a 1948
Plymouth five-passenger coupe
with my brother – it was my
first car,” he reminisces.
“Going back to my childhood,
my family always had Chrysler
products. The first car I remem-36-
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Page 37
required constant
steering corrections.
The
Plymouth’s
tube shocks
offer an
extremely
comfortable ride
compared to knee-action
shocks, and the brakes – big 10-inch
drums with dual wheel cylinders – are surprisingly good. The 1949’s chair-height
seats are so comfortable that I’ve driven
more than 200 miles to a meet in
Killington, Vermont, and have gotten out
of the car feeling like I’d just started out.
“I don't think that MOPARS, and
Plymouths in particular, are comparable
in quality to equivalent Fords and Chevys
– notice the way this car's doors close,
their sound, the way the expensive-looking dashboard is put together,” Dan
opines. “You'll see that, all over, the
engineering is superior.”
He’s justifiably proud of his latemodel ‘49 Plymouth, and it attracts a
crowd everywhere he takes it. “I have
shown the car many times and it always
wins a first or second place. It’s also
won a National Plymouth Owners Club
first place award; I’m planning to take it
to the AACA show in Binghamton, New
York, for judging this summer.”
If our hunch is correct, he’ll bring
home another trophy.
plated all of the chrome, and polished the
stainless steel trim; whoever rebuilt the
engine did an outstanding job, as it runs
and drives beautifully.”
A big part of this convertible coupe’s
enduring appeal is its handsome tan-overSalvador Blue color scheme. “I don't
think I would have picked this exterior
color, had I restored the car myself,” he
admits. “Looking at the color chip, it
doesn’t look appropriate for a convertible,
and I might have done a maroon. Now,
in my opinion, when you see it with the
tan top up, it’s the best.”
The optional combination Bedford
Cord cloth and vinyl bolster upholstery is
another special touch on this Plymouth,
as it replaced the standard leather seating
and brings welcome coolness for the driver's legs after a top-down afternoon in the
hot summer sun.
A die-hard convertible aficionado, Dan
finds that his 1949 Plymouth provides an
interesting contrast to his handsome navy
blue 1940 Plymouth convertible coupe
and the perfectly restored 1940 Ford convertible that he used to own. “The column shifter in the ‘49 shifts a bit easier,
with a high clutch, and it’s so torquey and
well-geared that it will easily pull from 20
MPH in third. The 97 HP from the 217.8CU IN L-head straight-six is very comparable to the power of the Ford’s flathead V8,
and it easily cruises along at comfortable
highway speeds of 50 to 55 MPH.
“My Plymouth has bias ply tires, and
as with all old cars on bias plies, it has a
tendency to wander a bit going down the
road, but nothing like my Ford… that car
REPRINT COURTESY OF
HEMMINGS CLASSIC CAR MAGAZINE,
A PUBLICATION FROM HEMMINGS MOTOR NEWS
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49
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Just Waiting for a Queen
by Pat Stanton
Ft. Calhoun, Nebraska
At the 1989 Spring Meet in Des Moines, Iowa
Plymouth Spring National
meet held in Owatonna,
Minnesota, in 1981.
The six-cylinder engine
purred quietly and was able to
pull the family pop-up camper
through the Rocky Mountains
to the Plymouth National Meet
held in Golden, Colorado.
Since the car is a red convertible, it was requested to
transport the Nebraska Pork
Queen through the Seward
Fourth of July parade. It also
carried the 1993 Fort Calhoun
High School homecoming king
and queen to the football game.
The ‘49 is now retired to
the back of the barn while other
projects get all the attention,
but it is still all together and
ready for a come back… just
waiting for a king or queen
who needs a ride.
PB
W
hen Larry Stanton from the Prairie Region joined
the Plymouth Owners Club in 1976, he didn’t own
a Plymouth, so he began looking for a project car.
In 1980, he found what he was looking for, a 1949 P18
convertible that he bought from fellow Prairie Region member, Wayne Page. The car came with all its parts.
The Nebraska Pork Queen rides in Larry and Pat’s convertible
through the Seward 4th of July Parade.
Daughter Rachel waits while Daddy works on the car.
At that time,
Larry didn’t own a
building to store the
car, so he spent
about a year
reassembling it in
the family driveway.
He repainted it to
the original color
called Mexico Red
and had it ready to
enter in the
A 1959 Sport Fury,
Fury
Larry’s current driver,
as pictured at the 2000
National Spring Meet in
Rapid City, South
Dakota. He is presently
working on a 1963
Sport Fury convertible
and a 1970 GTX clone.
Ready to go: car, camper and family departing for the 1987 Spring Meet in Colorado
-38-
by Richard Wahrendorff
Ulster Park, New York
PHOTO
Unforgettable
ast November I bought my ‘49
Plymouth P18 convertible from
fellow club member Dan
Kilpatrick.
The first time I rode in it was on
our last tour to Olana, New York, in
2009. Unlike today’s cars, it is comfortable and roomy, and the ride is
smooth and quiet. The car was meticulously restored and looks brand new, inside
and out. It was an experience that I would
never forget.
There was no rust anywhere, and the engine compartment
was just as clean. During the summer, Dan decided to sell
the ‘49 convertible. After some thought, I told him I wanted
to buy it. I told him I wanted something to drive while my
PJ Deluxe touring sedan was being restored.
Since it was late in the year I only got to drive it twice
after I bought it. The first was on the day I brought it home
and the second was on the day I made a trip to Hoffman’s
Barn in Redhook (about 10 miles from my home). The rest
of the year was devoted to getting the car in better running
condition and finding other things that might need attention.
I noticed that the engine had some fuel/choke issues. So I
had the carburetor rebuilt
and reset the
Sisson choke.
That made a
dramatic
improvement.
After making
a few other
adjustments, I
was ready for the road, but snow had come and I had to put off
driving the Plymouth until spring.
When I purchased the car, the former owner gave me a
copy of the car’s original build sheet from the Chrysler
Historical Collection. The car was built in Detroit on June
2, 1949, and shipped June 3, 1949, to Syracuse, New York,
and delivered to H. L. Johnson Sales, Inc., in Troy, New
York. The car was painted Salvador Blue and had a Bedford
Cord and Blue Leathercloth interior. The car also came with
an eight-tube radio and an All Weather Comfort System
Model 550 heater, both of which still work very well. The
car still has the original engine.
Other Plymouth accessories were added later by the previous owners. These include fender skirts, a clock, a door mir-
ror, a trunk light, fog lights, door handle guards and an
exhaust deflector. Directional signals were also added at some
point. The car has had a meticulous restoration and has won
several awards in the past. The car and the previous owner
Dan Kilpatrick were in a featured story in the September 2007
issue of Hemmings Classic Car magazine.
One day while I was viewing one of the POC Forum ads
I saw that a fellow club regional member, Bob Drown, was
looking for a heater for his 1940 Plymouth coupe. I emailed
him and said that I had one, and we decided to meet at the
Rainbow Diner in Kerhonkson, New York. On March 15 the
weather was nice, the snow was melted, and I decided to drive
the Plymouth for the first time this year. The car started right
up and soon settled to a quiet idle. The diner is about 20
miles away. Most of the roads driven were back roads, and
the traffic was light. My average cruising speed was between
45 and 55 MPH. When I arrived at the diner, Bob met me in
the parking lot.
After I sold him my heater, we went inside and had coffee
and talked a bit. Afterwards, we departed, and I arrived back
home about a half-hour later. The car ran very well the whole
time.
I'm looking forward to my next outing with the
Plymouth.
PB
MARK J. MCCOURT PHOTO
MARK J. MCCOURT PHOTO
L
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The second
in a series
about a Plymouth
and a family
The 1954 Plymouth
by Phil Hall
Roseburg, Oregon
Sometime ago, Mike Bade, president of the Cascade Pacific
Region of the Plymouth Owners
Club, encouraged me to write the
story of our 1954 Plymouth. Mike
said that the story of our car was
– at least somewhat – the story of
our family, and that club members
could get to know a little something of us through the story of
our car. So, Mike, thank you for
the invitation and encouragement to
write this story.
of Phil and Rose Ann Hall
with a five-dollar permit, head to the mountains to cut firewood with our hand bow saw. As before, we would load the
Plymouth with as much wood as we could possibly cram into
it.
I have mentioned that the Hy-Drive system on the
Plymouth
enabled it to go almost anywhere without getting
1976 I had graduated with a degree in forestry, and in
stuck.
One weekend I took the family for a drive way
the fall I landed a job as a forester with the
up in the mountains where I worked during the
Bureau of Land Management in Medford,
week to show them the beautiful forests and
Oregon. Rose Ann and I had never been
the great looking country. We took the
out west before and we looked forward
Plymouth up an unsurfaced roller-coastto the new adventure. We hooked the
er, an up-and-down jeep road which
Plymouth to the back of a U-Haul
was quite steep in many places. We
truck, drove to Delaware to say
had a lovely outing, and the
good-bye to family and headed
Plymouth took us safely home.
west.
Later, at work I took a
We kept our Irish Setter in
two-wheel-drive
pickup truck on
the Plymouth during the move,
that
same
jeep
road
and got stuck in
and one night he got bored and
a
saddle.
There
was
a
steep pitch
tore down (and ate most of) the
into
the
saddle
and
a
steep
pitch out of
headliner. To this day, the car does
it.
Once
into
the
saddle,
the
truck was
not have a headliner. Arriving in
unable
to
go
forward
up
the
steep
grade
Medford, we unhitched the Plymouth and
out
of
the
saddle
and
unable
to
get
back
up
started our search for a house to begin our
the
steep
grade
into
the
saddle.
It
new life in Oregon.
This
is
in
1976
as
we
arrive
in
eastern
Oregon
on
our
took
me
about
four
hours
to
slowly
I drove the Plymouth to work
way to accept a job as a forester and begin our new life. jack that truck out of its predicamy first day on the new job and
Because
I know he is there, I can see our Irish Setter in the ment. I had simply assumed that
would drive it to work thirty years
back seat. Quite an adventure for a new family. How many the modern two-wheel-drive truck
later on the day of my retirement.
people would have just sold the Plymouth and left it behind
should traverse the jeep road since
Although I was starting a prorather than take a $150 used car across country. Never a
fessional job, the entry salary was
regret in that department. our 1954 Plymouth had driven it
with no problem. Silly me.
quite modest, and we found ourIn February 1978, with me at the
selves eating more than our share
wheel,
the
Plymouth
took
Rose Ann to the hospital in
of peanut butter sandwiches and pancakes. Once again, we
Ashland
for
the
birth
of
our
third child. I can be taught;
occasionally found ourselves short of fuel oil money. Once
while
taking
Rose
Ann
to
the
hospital, it was not necessary
again, we would take the rear seat out of the Plymouth and,
4. Moving west
In
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On one of our annual trips to the mountains to get a Christmas
tree: Vince, Christina and Rose Ann, pregnant with our son
Nathaniel, who would be born in February
1978.
To the left, our son
Nathaniel, bundled up
in a blanket, is
being held by Rose
Ann. The year is
1978 at Crater
Lake.
Rose Ann and Vince
Vince on a 1977 visit to Crater Lake
National Park, which is about two hours east of where we
lived in Medford, Oregon.
enough clearance to get
for me to be reminded to drive at a speed appropriate to
over obstathe urgency of the situation. Later the Plymouth carried
cles. This partwo proud parents and a fine baby boy, Nathaniel, safely
ticular trip was
home.
quite tough on the
Plymouth. The
exhaust system got
ruined going over the boulders and gullies on the jeep road.
ne more story of the Plymouth and jeep roads: I had been
Then, on the way home, while the Plymouth was on the
shown, by the archeologist at work, an old Shasta Indian
Medford viaduct, the thermostat froze up and the car immediencampment way down the Klamath River Canyon. It is a
ately and seriously overheated. There was no place to pull
wonderful site, with shelter depressions on a high ridge overover for some miles. By the time I was able to stop, the
looking the river hundreds of feet below. The site is in the
engine and radiator were making fearsome noises. I tried to
middle of nowhere, many miles down a very difficult jeep
add water, but the engine stalled. When I tried to restart it, I
road. At that time I was serving as a Scoutmaster, as I would
found the engine was so hot that it
for many years. I would load the
had locked up. I waited a while and
Plymouth full of young Scouts with
after the engine cooled, it freed up
packs in the trunk and packs piled
and started. Although the engine
high on an old detachable roof rack
was badly damaged with the temper
which we had inherited from Rose
having been taken out of the piston
Ann’s dad. Once a month, the
rings, the Plymouth took us safely
Plymouth would take the boys
home. The engine at this point had
camping.
gone 70,000 miles since I had
On one occasion, I thought it
rebuilt it in North Carolina. Once
would be fun to take the boys campagain, we decided to put money into
ing at the site of the old Indian
the Plymouth.
camp. The jeep road into the site
This time we had enough money to
was extremely rough, with big gulOne of our many camping trips: Note that the do all that was necessary to make the
lies and large boulders. On several
detachable roof rack is still being used. This is about engine right in every respect. As a
occasions, I had to have the boys get
1980 and the old tent had just about had it by this result of scoring and the overheating,
out so that the Plymouth would gain
point, and we retired it not long after, as it was falling
two of the cylinders required sleeves.
5. Second rebuild
O
apart.
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Page 42
Because it took a while for the shop work to get done, the
Plymouth was down for about two or three weeks. By then,
we had purchased our first home, and it had a garage in which
I was able to disassemble and re-assemble the engine. That
was the good news. The bad news was that there were no
large trees to use for pulling the engine, so I had to rent a
cherry picker. Our young children, Vince, Christina and
Nathaniel, along with their neighborhood friends, gathered
around the Plymouth as I prepared to start the car for the first
time. They had been closely supervising my work throughout the entire process. When the Plymouth fired up, the children were jumping up and down, running around shouting, “It
works! It works! It works!” They were entirely too cute for
me to find their lack of faith disturbing.
The Plymouth has rolled about 120,000 miles since that
event. Although it suffered a burned valve once about 50,000
miles ago, it runs and sounds as good as it did the day back in
1981 when the children celebrated it being restored to life.
After one particular little vacation to the Redwoods in the
early ‘80s, we were returning home late at night on Highway
199, which is very crooked and windy along the steep Smith
River Canyon. The children were asleep in the back while
Rose Ann and I were talking quietly up front. Rounding a
bend, we were all of a sudden confronted with a large rock that
had rolled off the mountain into the middle of our lane. There
was no way to avoid the rock, and so we took it head on.
The rock went under the car, banging, crashing and bouncing
the car up and down. What an event! The children didn’t
wake up but Rose Ann and I were certainly wide awake after
that. To this day, the cross member for the transmission and
places on the frame are bent where the Plymouth rolled over
that rock. The front end, oil pan, aluminum bell housing,
transmission, brake lines and rear end all somehow survived.
The Plymouth brought our family safely home.
taken us up to the mountains to play in the snow, taken us
up to the mountains to get Christmas trees, taken us up and
down the full length of the Oregon coast, the Redwoods and
northern California, Crater Lake, central Oregon, Mount
Hood, Columbia Gorge, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington,
Chelan, Mount Rainier and that list also goes on. Back east
it had taken us to Skyline Drive, Great Smokey Mountains,
Kitty Hawk, Atlantic beaches, and the list goes on. It has
hauled firewood, lumber, engine blocks, concrete, bricks,
trash, groceries continues the list. During these years, the car
also continued to carry Boy Scouts on camping trips. The
Plymouth was one of the cars in which our children learned to
drive. Teenagers are tough duty for any car, but the Plymouth
always brought them safely home.
6. Snow adventure
My
oldest son, Vince, and I drove the Plymouth to
Mount Rainier National Park for a backpacking
trip. It was September, and the weather was grand. At least
it started out as such. On one of our multiple backpacking
trips, we were a two-day hike into the back country off the
north flank of the mountain when we were hit by an unpredicted and fierce snowstorm. Vince and I got up about an
hour before sunup to hike out before the storm closed us in.
We hiked the distance out in about eight hours or so. The
temperature was frigid, at times the wind was fierce and the
snow piled up very quickly. What had been bare ground and
sunny skies two days previously were now whiteout conditions with drifts of waist-deep snow. Vince and I were both
well-prepared with gear and we were both strong hikers.
When we had left the Plymouth to do the hike, there were
signs warning hikers that in the event of a storm the buildings and roads would be closed without warning. The park
personnel were true to their word, so when we got back we
found the place deserted and all of the buildings boarded up.
At first we did not see the Plymouth and feared it had been
towed away. We soon found the car, however. It looked like
a large mound of snow. Vince and I were tired and cold, but
we quickly uncovered the car, pulling the snow off with our
hands. The park service rangers had left us a note under one
of the wiper blades telling us that they were aware of us and
in the event we made it out they provided us the combination
5. A new home
In
1984, we transferred to Roseburg, where we still live.
The house we bought in Roseburg did not have a
garage, a lack which I finally remedied in 2000 by building a
fully insulated and finished four-car garage. Although it now
resides in that garage, most of our Plymouth’s life has been
spent in the elements.
Not long ago I was thinking out loud that I would like to
take a drive in the Plymouth, but that it was raining.
Hearing this, Rose Ann laughed and asked what was I thinking, since the car had sat out for years and had always been
driven in any kind of weather. Meekly and somewhat defensively, I replied that the car was clean and that I hated to get it
dirty and have to clean it up again. Rose Ann was right,
however. After all the years of constantly being exposed to
the elements and being in constant tough and dirty duty, what,
indeed was I thinking? The weather has never had much of an
effect on the Plymouth. The Plymouth has always started and
run fine regardless of the weather. It even started that winter
here in Roseburg when it got down below zero. It has driven
us through the occasional snow storms here in the valley. It
has run errands, taken kids to school, taken us to church,
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4:13 PM
Page 43
because of the high position of the radiator in relation to the
engine. Model T Fords, having been designed without water
pumps, rely entirely on thermo-siphon.) After the Plymouth
had cooled off and I had reinstalled the generator, it fired up
with no apparent ill effects from its seven-mile drive without
a fan belt. The Plymouth had brought Rose Ann safely
home.
7. Staying in shape
W
e’ve always spent whatever money was required to keep
the Plymouth in good mechanical shape. Because it
has been in good and reliable mechanical shape, we’ve always
felt we could get in the Plymouth and go anywhere, and we
have. Cosmetics, or making the Plymouth presentable, however, was never able to make it to the list of family financial
priorities. By the late 1990s the Plymouth looked the part of
a car that had been ridden hard for many years.
You don’t drive a car for so many years and for so many
miles while doing all the repairs and maintenance yourself –
without becoming very familiar with just about everything on
the car. You know how things go on, how they come off,
how they are taken apart, how they are put together, you
know what is in good shape and you know what is not in
good shape. I have enjoyed working on the Plymouth to
keep it on the road. I can remember so many little jobs over
the years on the Plymouth, such as putting bushings and
brushes in the starter, adjusting the voltage regulator, putting
I don’t know how many sets of brushes in the generator,
relining the brakes, rebuilding the master cylinder and wheel
cylinders, adjusting valves, replacing water pumps, points,
plugs, condenser, rebuilding the carburetor, replacing wheel
bearings, fixing worn-out wiring, and the list goes on.
I have enlisted Rose Ann, Vince, Christina and Nathaniel
to provide assistance on many different tasks on many different occasions. I already have told of Vince helping at an early
age. I remember putting Christina under the hood, and sitting
her, at about 5 years of age, on the engine to have her use the
tool to spin the valves on their seats to lap them in with
valve grinding compound. Over the years, every member of
the family has, at some time or another, helped me bleed the
brakes. Christina tells me that she thinks she was about
eleven or twelve years old when she was old enough to reach
the brake pedal and help with brake bleeding. If the family
was not in there getting greasy and dirty along with me, they
were nevertheless always available as spectators and ready to
provide moral support.
There are not all that many things on the Plymouth that I
have not worked on at some time or another. Some things
on the Plymouth seem remarkable because I have not had to
do anything with them. The transmission and differential are
two big examples. One small example I thought of the other
day, when under the hood, is the directional light flasher
which was on the car in 1973 and is still working after so
much use.
I have said that the Plymouth has always started and
always brought us safely home. This is not to say that a
1954 automobile with such constant rugged use would be
without the need of occasional work.
Different
Different snow,
snow, different
different time: These pictures were taken either
in late October or early November 1976 in the Southern Oregon
Cascade Mountains.
to the lock on the gate located at the bottom of the mountain
road. We got in and hoped the car would start. I was afraid
the snow had blown under the hood and had wet the ignition
wires. The old six-volt cranked slowly in the cold, but after
just a little hesitation the Plymouth fired up. The snow was
about two feet deep in the parking lot but it was fairly light
and fluffy. That was the good news. The bad news was that
although we were very well-prepared for backpacking, I did
not have tire chains in the car. I put the Plymouth in gear,
but at first the engine was not warmed up enough to push
through the snow. Once we got moving we headed down the
mountain. The road down was steep and winding. Although
I was coming down in low gear, the Plymouth would pick up
enough speed that I would have to touch the brakes from time
to time. On two different occasions, as the Plymouth
approached extremely steep precipices with ninety degree turns
in the road with no guard rail, I touched the brakes, and could
feel the tires break traction and the car begin to slide. I turned
the wheel as we entered the curve, but the car did not respond;
it just kept going straight ahead, when, at the last moment,
the tires bit the road and the Plymouth safely swung through
the curve. It was a white knuckle ride all the way down and
one in which I think both Vince and I forgot how cold and
tired we were. As we descended the mountain, the snow
became less and less, until finally at the bottom it was all
rain. The Plymouth brought us safely home. Plymouth
truly did build great cars.
There are so many little stories I could tell that illustrate
the ruggedness of our Plymouth. Another such story is from
the time Rose Ann was attending Umpqua Community
College about seven miles from where we live. One day she
called me from school to tell me the car was not generating.
I drove out to the college, removed the generator and took it
home for repair. About an hour or two later, Rose Ann came
up the drive way in the Plymouth. She had assumed that I
had come out to the school and had fixed the car. At the time
the temperature gauge was not working. (The engine did not
get extremely hot, as in the incident with the Boy Scouts; in
this case the thermostat was open, and some cooling took
place though a thermo-siphon effect, which is possible
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To be continued in the nex t i s s u e …
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Page 44
Clif ’ s Notes
Something
for everyone
I
t’s time to pound out another story
from the yester-yore of Plymouth
land, somewhere out beyond the
Land of Oz.
We had lots of fun at Bill’s (see the
last issue) for years, but all good things
come to an end. He moved and we tried
the same things out at his lake place.
Well, we really didn’t; he was afraid the
neighbors would complain. Not many
lake people are car guys, you know.
Bill, being a true car guy, does not live
by the lake anymore for that reason.
Elaine thought they’d live out there happily, but car guys “gotta let loose” once
in a while, don’t they?
It turns out that Bill and our buddy
George, who loves Dodge Challengers
and AAR ‘Cudas, decided to go drag racing on a big scale. George has had a
number of drag racing cars from 12-second cars up to an 8-second Challenger
drag car, which is still a door-slammer,
not a fliptop. I know Challengers are
not Plymouths, but a close cousin to
Barracudas, right?
Bill fielded a brand new Dodge
Stratus with a Ray Barton Hemi engine
until the urge for drag racing left him.
He is still into Plymouths, owning a
Plymouth Prowler in a yellow color, I
believe. He may still have the two
Road Runner convertibles too; I sure
hope so. No Plymouth guy who is true
blue could ever let those two go. I’m
hoping he still has the Vitamin C
Orange six-pack Runner that I also mentioned in the last article. I will check.
Yes, I know I promised I’d write
more about Plymouth C-bodies and will
do that in the next issue. There is a
1970 Fury III four-door hardtop, a 1972
Fury II two-door hardtop and a 1968
Fury VIP two-door hardtop on my June
11th auction sale if you’d like one of
these for a project. The 1972 is an easy
restoration, very complete; the 1970 is
not too bad either, but the VIP has most
of the glass out of it. It is great for
parts or an ambitious restoration.
Getting back to Bill’s and our fun in
those days. We had everything from ‘68
Hemi Road Runners and 1970 ‘Cuda
Hemi cars with elastomeric bumpers to
basic Plymouths like a 1967 Satellite
318 hardtop doing those burnouts and
having fun. I’m wishing I had some of
the pictures from those days, but they
are prints and not digital. If I live long
enough, I will get some scanned and
publish them in a future P LYMOUTH
BULLETIN.
Speaking of the BULLETIN, our
buddy Jim Benjaminson in my home
state here of North Dakota tells me of a
guy from Australia who is looking for a
Plymouth Scamp or Dodge Rampage. I
have an ‘83 Plymouth Scamp (only year
they built the Plymouth version) in
white with a topper and two Dodge
Rampages to pick from. One is an
-44-
automatic and the other a five-speed
model that I drove for over a year, after
purchasing it. It has tranny trouble now
but it still runs well.
There is another auction of interest
for Plymouth lovers coming up besides
my own on June 11th. Yvette
VanDerBrink tells me that the ‘73 340
Cuda in the Soukup auction is really
cherry. I would love to have it, but, as
you all know, I am cutting back on my
collection.
My fiancée would love to have me
keep my 1928 Dodge coupe. Maybe
she will buy it, you never know. At the
very least, since she loves it so much I
will try, sometime before the sale, to
take her for a ride in it. It will be so
neat, the two of us driving down the
two-lane in a 1928 Dodge. I just had a
wild thought. We are getting married on
April 20th. Maybe I can bring the car
here to Mandan and we could drive the
1928 from the church to the reception
and dinner. MAYBE!
My auction has those three ‘28
Dodges and a set of ‘29 Dodge fenders
plus a 1948 Dodge coupe minus the
front clip. That’s about it for ‘20s
through the ‘40s MOPARS. There’s not
much in the ‘50s either, except a 1955
Dodge four-door project car and a 1957
Plaza four-door for lots of good parts.
Once you get into 1960 and beyond,
there are oodles of Plymouth and Dodge
parts and cars. Hope to see you there
on June 11th at Adams, North Dakota.
There is a little something for everyone!
That should be quite a sale in
Nebraska, too; mostly Plymouth items
there. Yvette VanDerBrink is doing the
Soukup sale, too; same as mine.
If you have questions about my sale
or items there, look it up on
vanderbrinkauctions.com or you can call
me at 701-944-2729, home at Adams;
701-331-9092, cell; our Bismarck home
number is 701-258-2142.
Thank you and best of motoring to
you! It is April 2nd as I write this and
there’s talk of another winter storm here
this weekend. Yuk!
-- CLIF NELSON
clifn01@gmail.com
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4:13 PM
Page 45
Plymouth Miniatures
Plymouth calling
W
hat would you think if, out of
the blue, I just up and called
you on the phone? You'd
probably first check the incoming number on your machine and, not recognizing
it, hesitate prior to answering. It could
be a crank call or someone wanting to
sell you something you don’t want. I
couldn’t blame you for not picking up
the receiver. I'd likely do the same.
Now, what might happen if you knew
beforehand that it was me, your
P LYMOUTH BULLETIN columnist?
Although most Plymouth owners do
enjoy a chance to “talk Plymouth,” only
few of you might recognize my name
(nor would I expect you to).
What if, however, I first
told you that I was calling you
on an honest-to-goodness
“Plymouth” calling card.
That’s right, a phone card paying homage to one of our
own, in this case a 1947 P15
Plymouth, just like the one
you see in the picture attached
to this article. My guess
would be: instant connection.
This calling card was
issued in the early ‘90s by a
Brazilian telephone company
called Telemar, and was valid
for 60 minutes of chat time
(obviously not limited to
“Plymouth-speak”). According to the
license plate on the Plymouth, it is a ‘47
model and the car was originally from
the city of Sao Paulo. The card further
states (in Portuguese) that this vehicle is
currently on display in the Antique Car
Museum in the State of Ceara, which is
in the northeast of Brazil. The street
location of the museum is Avenida
Manuel Sales de Andrade in the capital
city of Fortaleza, in case you are in the
area or planning a trip to Brazil and
might want to visit. But you might
want to call first. By the way, calling
cards (not ones featuring Plymouths!)
were popularly used in Brazil prior to the
cell phone era and at a time when fixedline phone communications were costly
and still somewhat unreliable.
Okay, so now I’ve picqued your
interest and you’re ready and willing to
pick up the phone. How about if I
sweeten my little offer of calling you on
a Plymouth-decorated phone card and
invite you to a beach where you are
assured of seeing a Plymouth or two?
Sound to good to pass up? Probably
does, especially if you live in the northern climes and are fed up with snow and
cold right about now. Take a long, slow
look at the beach scene in the postcard
(attached as a picture) and it won't be difficult for you to envision standing by the
phone or reaching for your cell with the
hope that it doesn’t take long for my call
to come through.
The very inviting beach that you see
is called Castanheiras (broadly translated
to “Nut Tree Beach”) and is located in the
municipality of Guarapari, a seaside town
in the Brazilian state of Espirito Santo.
From the writing on the reverse side of
this card, one can establish that it was
mailed in 1976. I suspect, however, that
the senders used a postcard printed in an
earlier time. My guess is that the postcard scene is of a mid-‘60s vintage, judging from the lineup of automobiles that
appear to be overlooking the calm ocean
waters and thoroughly enjoying the
scene.
While I am in the process of phoning to invite you for an afternoon at the
beach, what really interests most of us,
aside from the sunshine, blue skies and
-45-
placid sea, are the cars that brought the
sunbathers to this destination. Like you,
I first glanced at the antique vehicles
(which is really why I bought this postcard in the first place) and only afterwards
at the beach and its occupants. The third
car from the right, and without doubt the
one we most want to set our sights on,
is a medium-blue ‘51 Plymouth
Cranbrook sedan with matching interior
and whitewall tires. A closer view of the
wheels tells me that this Plymouth wears
the smaller, dog dish hubcaps and not the
full wheel covers. Our
Plymouth is also the oldest
vehicle among those at the
beach this day. It strikes me
as being very well-maintained
and preserved for the already
15-or-so-year-old vehicle it
was when the picture was
shot. In contrast, I can see
quite a bit of rust on the rear
quarter panels of the Willys
Rural Wagon to the right of
our rust-free and dent-free
Plymouth.
Under the shade trees to
the right of the scene are
numerous of other vehicles, but it is
impossible to make out which brands
might be present. It wouldn't surprise
me a bit, though, to find another
Plymouth or two at this beach outing.
In case you are as curious as I am, I cannot fail to mention the other vintage
vehicles that are keeping our ‘51
Plymouth company on this gorgeous
day. Starting from the left: a white
DKW sedan (these little German compacts were actually manufactured in
Brazil for awhile in the ‘60s), two Willys
Rural Wagons (also made in Brazil) sandwiching our Cranbrook, a VW Beetle, a
Renault Dauphine and, lastly, the only
other American car representative I can
make out, a ‘59 or ‘60 Pontiac or Olds,
painted red with a white roof and also
307-FULL ISSUE
4/19/11
4:13 PM
Page 46
AT T E N T I O N C O L L E C T O R S ! ! ! !
NO E
ERV
RES
Collector Vehicles, Parts, Vintage
Snowmobiles At Auction!
The Clif Nelson Collection
ww
On-Bid
line
x
w.p
ro
ibid
.co
m
Saturday - June 11th, 2011 At 10:00am
7038 117th Ave. NE, Adams, North Dakota 58210
Directions: From Grafton, N.D.- Follow Hwy 17, Approx. 45 miles, past Adams,
ND to North on 117th Ave. NE to auction site. Follow signs!
sporting whitewalls with small hubcaps. If
you think about it for a minute, this group
would not fail to cause a buzz at any cruise-in
or car show held nowadays, even if not assembled on a tropical beach.
As I hang up the phone on this little
Plymouth adventure, I am not suggesting that
you cease filtering all your incoming calls
before picking up the receiver or pushing the
green button on your cell phone, but you
might want to give second thoughts to that
habit of not picking up or answering the telephone. There just might be an honest-togoodness Plymouth calling card on the other
end and you might be receiving an invitation
to a beach party with a bunch of vintage cars.
By the way, if you really aren’t home
when your phone does ring, or if you dropped
your cell in the tub by mistake and it won’t
power up, I hope that you were at the least
out and about scouting for old postcards and
other Plymouth memorabilia to bring along to
the beach to show us the next time around.
Pssssst… is that your phone? I hear ringing
once again!
-- Bill Brisbane
williamb@helicon.net
VanDerBrink Auctions is pleased to bring you this assortment of
Collector Vehicles from Original Drivers to for project and parts along
with HUNDREDS of MOPAR COLLECTOR PARTS and even vintage
snowmobiles. Clif Nelson has been collecting cars for over 30 years
and has decided to start a new chapter of his life and will offer his
collection at No Reserve at auction to the highest bidder. There is
something for everyone from Corvettes, 1970 Roadrunner, 1966
Plymouth Drag Car to man, many MOPAR parts and more. You won’t
want to miss this auction!
HUNDREDS OF COLLECTOR CAR PARTS! 90% MOPARCHALLENGER, CHARGER & MORE!
Many late 1950’s to 60’s and MANY,MANY, Used MOPAR 1962-1974
parts! Chrome, Hubcaps, Rims, Speedo clusters, Clean Fenders,
doors, hoods, deck lids, Many Seats, taillights, headlights, steering
columns, some NOS small parts, Engines including 440 V-8’s, 383 V8’s, and 318’s. 6 PACK #’s Correct for Coronet, and MANY MORE!!!
SERVICE MANUALS FOR MOPAR, SOME SNOWMOBILE, AND
OTHER ADVERTISING, 2-OLD GAS PUMPS! …
COLLECTOR VEHICLES:
CHEVROLET- Fabulous 1963 Chevrolet Impala SS Convertible, 283,
AT, Fully Restored Driver! Wow- Original 1978 Chevrolet Corvette
Silver Anniversary Edition, L48 350 V-8, At, Low Miles! Shows-27,500
miles. Excellent Original 1978 Chevrolet Corvette Silver Anniversary
Indy Pace Car, L48 350 V-8 engine, AT, Low Miles, Shows- 18,000
miles, new tires, Eye Catcher! 1956 Chevrolet 4dr Sedan, Copper/
Cream, 6cyl, 3spd, Clean Driver, Cool! 1953 Chevrolet 210 4dr Sedan,
Black, Nice, 1978 Chevrolet Wrecker, Rebuilt 350 V-8 & TrannyCHEVROLET FOR PROJECT-PARTS-ROD:
1936 CHEVROLET 2DR SHELL, 1936 Chevrolet 2dr Sedan, 1947
Chevrolet 4dr Sedan, 1949 Chevrolet 4dr Sedan, 1952 Chevrolet 2dr
Sedan, and others for parts, some project, rod..
FORD- PROJECT, PARTS OR ROD:
1946 Ford 2dr Sedan, parts, 2-1949 FORD F-1 Pickups,1950 Ford
Custom 2dr Shell,1951 ford 2dr Black, parts, 2-1953 Ford Sedans,
parts, 3-1957 Ford Fairlanes, parts, 1958 Mercury 4dr Sedan, 383
V-8 , 3spd, project or parts, 1968 Ford LTD-DERBY!, 1952 Mercury
4dr, parts, 1976 Mustang II Fast Back, parts or project, and other for
mostly parts…
1950 Desoto 4dr Sedan, 1954 Olds 4dr, Complete Project or Parts,
There is also a variety of other late 1980’s to early 1990’s Vehicles
for parts, some Drivers including 1997 Sebring JXI Convertible, 1998
Chrysler Sebring JXI Special Edition Convertible- Bad Motor, 1983
Chrysler New Yorker, Bad Tranny, and Many Horizon Compact Cars..
PLYMOUTH:
WOW! 1970 Plymouth Roadrunner, working air Grabber Hood, 383, at,
blue, originally sublime green w/white top! Nice Driver! 1966 Plymouth
Belvedere II Drag Car! Roll Bars set up for racing, 380hp 360 CU V-8
Engines. 12:5 ¼ Mile! Coool! Ready To Rock! 1951 Plymouth 2dr
Coupe, Rolling Project, 1953 Plymouth 2dr ht, Project, 1957 Plymouth
Plaza 4dr, V-8, Manual, Project, more Plymouths for Projects or PartsDODGE:
Restored 1928 Dodge Coupe, cream/brown, Beautiful!, 1976 Dodge
Charger, 440 Magnum V-8, at, Nice Driver, Dodge for Project-parts:
1928 Dodge 4dr Sedan, 1928 Dodge 4dr Sedan, Rough For Parts,
1948 Dodge Coupe, 1955 Dodge Custom 4dr Sedan, V8, Manual,
1963 Dodge 4dr Sedan, 1965 Dodge Coronet 4dr Sedan, 1966 Dodge Coronet 2dr Ht, Rolled, 1967 Dodge
Coronet 500 4dr Sedan,2- 1968 Dodge Coronet 2dr Ht Shell, 2- 1967 Dodge Dart (1)gt 2dr ht, Parts, 1971
Dodge Demon 2dr Fastback, 1972 Dodge Dart 2dr Ht, 2-1970 Dodge Chargers, Shell and for Parts, and
More…
VINTAGE SNOWMOBILES-ORIGINALS & PROJECTS:
1972 Artic Cat Puma 340, 1977 Scorpion Sting 440, 1972 Scorpion Super Stinger III 440, 1973 Scorpion
Stinger 340, 1975 Scorpion Whip 400, 1976 Scorpion Whip 440..
Use pdf
Terms: Cash, Good Check/Letter of Available Funds preferred Credit Card w/limit. Payment in full Day of Sale. Removal Day
of Sale or within 10 days. Titles for CASH, others mailed certified. All items Sold AS IS NO WARRANTY and ALL SALES ARE
FINAL. ON-Line bidding available at www.proxibid.com and separate on-line terms apply. Driver’s License needed to get bidding
number. NO BUYER’s PREMIUM for on-site bidders. Loading available.
Plymouth Fireball 500 factory show car.
(see page 13, #7)
JIM BENJAMINSON PHOTO
Clif Nelson
Owner
Can’t come to the auction Bid ON-Line www.proxibid.com
For Pictures, Hotels, Trucking, Inventory, and More Auctions:
WWW.VANDERBRINKAUCTIONS.COM
Yvette VanDerBrink-Auctioneer ND #833
“The Lil’Nordstrom’s Gal”
Dale Pavlis - Auctioneer ND #896 • Aaron Williams - Auctioneer ND #903 507-673-2517 or 605-201-7005
VanDerBrink Auctions, LLC
-46-46-
Photo © by Don Spiro Photography
O
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9
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A ir – 1
Founded 1957
Nineteen-time Old Cars Weekly Golden Quill Award winner
March - April, 2011
307
Volume 52 Number 3
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49
1949 convertibles
n A r – 19
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Photo by Mark J. McCourt
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Tom Mulligan’s 1949 Special Deluxe convertible
49
Founded 1957
Richard Wahrendorff’s 1949 Special Deluxe convertible
formerly owned by Dan Kilpatrick