October - November, 2012

Presidents Messageby Mark Moody

In this issue:

Feature Articles

Spaßnacht Dates 6Calendar 16

ColumnsPresidents Message 1

Miscellaneous Rants, Raves and

RamblingsHow to Join MBCA 6Officers and Board 6Loyalty Rewards Program 9Logo Shop 9 Club Store Discount 9Uplift 9NTB Discount 9Tire Rack Rebate 9Advance Auto Rebate 9Request from NBO 9New Members 12The Star Issues Avail. 12

Coming UpOctober - January

www.kcmbca.org

Pebble Beach Concours 2,3Bobby D. Wins 3Oktoberfest Concours 3Ohio Backroads Adventure 5Election Results 5Larry Barnes 600,000 Miles 8Car Club Network 8Roadside Assist Policy 8Shine Your Benz 10,13My First German Friend 12A Thank-You 12Ozark Section Enjoys KC 15

GalaJanuary 12, 2013

Hallbrook Country Club

Greetings Benz friends! Fall has arrived, and with it cooler weather and shorter days. That means perfect weather to get out and shine up your Benz just in time for the Oktoberfest Concours d’Elegance. This event which KCMBCA has organized for several years now brings us together with our friends in the BMW, Porsche, Audi and VW clubs to show our cars and have a great time. This is also a great opportunity to share our passion for these great cars with others who come to see the cars and perhaps inspire them to join us. Last year at this event our section of the parking lot was overflowing with lots of great cars, I’m really looking forward to this year to see what new Benzes will be on display. Remember even if you don’t want to show your car, please join us, it’s a great time. (More details about the event are on page 3 of this Issue of der Benz!)

Over the past several weeks, we have brought you several events to help you prepare for our Concours. At the September breakfast meeting, our chief concours judge Rich Carlson described how cars are judged and scores determined. Also in September we held a Saturday Garage event to get practical hands on experience using a power buffer to really make your car shine. Then most recently, in conjunction with Spaßnacht, Wayne from Complete Garage hosted an open house where many of the products used are available. I especially want to thank Rich Carlson, Jeff Klepac, Kevin Arburn, John Ryan and everyone else who attended our Saturday Garage event, and worked hard while they were there!

Speaking of Jeff Klepac, I want to extend a very big thank you to him on behalf of myself and all of our members. As president of the Kansas City section for the last two years Jeff has devoted many, many hours of his time and hard work putting together many great events, as well as providing outstanding leadership for our club. Also, my thanks goes to Jeff’s wife Denise, for her help and most of all, her patience. As I begin to take on my new role as president, I look back at the accomplishments of my predecessors, and I am humbled. Jeff, and those before him have set the bar high, but I also know that they are there and ready to help when we need them.

Once again this November we will be dedicating our Saturday Breakfast meeting to Jim Schmidt. Jim, who is the shop manager at Aristocrat, and a good friend of our club, devotes much of his time to the Uplift Organization. This non-profit, all volunteer organization is dedicated to supporting the needs of the homeless in Kansas City. Uplift provides hot meals twice a week, delivered to those in need, along with other items they may need. In November Jim will tell us about the work they do, and his role in the organization. Several of our section members have taken turns as volunteers and seen first hand the need, and the good they can do. Please plan to bring with you to the November Saturday Breakfast any donations you can provide. Men’s clothing, toiletries, and bicycles are just some of the things they can use. For a complete list be sure to visit their website, www.uplift.org.

Annual Election of Officers and DirectorsSee page 5 for the results of the election of officers and directors for 2012-2013

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On behalf of the National Business Office of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America, The Kansas City Section was awarded a Grand Prize second place award out of five Grand prize winners for being a winner of the “Hang on to Homer” Contest .This award was for successfully retaining 92.31% of Members in the Kansas City Section from August 1 - January 31, 2012.

Your Board of Directors nominated me and a guest (spouse Barbara) to attend the event and represent our section as the Director of Membership. We accepted graciously and were elated at this once-in-a-life-time opportunity.The Grand Prize winners in order were: Central Georgia, Kansas City, British Columbia, Texas Hill Country, and Ottawa.

The days of events were from August 16-20 with each day having many opportunities to attend events. Sunday was the big day on the 18th hole at Pebble Beach. That day concluded with 15,000 spectators and $300 million worth of Automobiles to shine and show on the 18th hole in front of The Pebble Beach Lodge. The Best of Show automobile, of course was a 1928 Mercedes-Benz 680S Coachwork by Saoutchik Torpedo owned by Paul and Judy Andrews of Fort Worth, TX.

The show was first held in 1950. It is considered one of the world’s premier automobile events and this year’s show was no exception. The show’s annually shifting focus was on several unique categories of cars: AC and AC Cobra models, Sport Custom Cars, German Motorcycles and models of historical significance from Fiat and Mercer. Several products of legendary Parisian coach builder Saoutchik were displayed alongside fantastic bespoke cars commissioned by India’s Maharajahs, all passionately restored through the ages.

Within those 15,000 people who frequented the show, was a strong celebrity presence. The obligatory appearance of Jay Leno and Arnold Schwarzenegger largely played second fiddle to the fascinating and extraordinary display of automobiles .The earlier evening, Jay auctioned off one of his Fiat 500 Prima Edizione (valued at $35,000) from his collection, for $600,000 to the events charities.

The November/December 2012 issue of The Star will feature the events of the day with discussions with the Homer contest winners. Margaret Dunning of Plymouth, Michigan, at a young age of 102, was honored where she showed her 1930 Grand

Pebble Beach Concours d‘Elegance 2012By Bob Del Popolo

Tourer Packard, a cream-color 740 roadster with an in line 8- cylinder was one of 240 vehicles from 33 states and 15 countries which raised over $1 million for charities. She has owned the Packard for 63 years. Ms. Dunning still drives and chatted with Henry Ford III and Edsel Ford II.

Other venues included a visit to the August 17, Legends of the Autobahn 2012 at the Rancho Canada Golf Club, Carmel Valley, CA. The MBCA Venue Tent was set up and Laura Simonds, Josie Lesler, Lisa Juhl, spouses and Concours judges worked very hard to obtain new members and held

discussions on the Club’s benefits. Also, we attended the Legends of the Autobahn, which was a show of BMW , Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Audi cars.

With many racing events going on, and auctions, we chose to sightsee on Hwy. 1 past the Big Sur with John and Judy Fisher (Ottawa Section) and spend a day at the Hearst Castle. Awesome experience and that would take chapters of text and pictures, to discuss. A must visit to all.

Also, the MBCA -San Francisco Section hosted a wonderful dinner party at the Monterrey Country Club.There were about 60 members in attendance and the venue and view were memorable. We made some lifelong friendships.

Well this could go on and on, but if you want to see “my pictorial and verbal road show”, come to our December 1, 2012 monthly breakfast at the First Watch restaurant.

Again, thank you making us a part of the 2012 World Class Pebble Beach Concours d ’Elegance.

Best of Show. 1928 Mercedes Benz 680S Saoutchik Torpedo.

Photo by Bob Del Popolo

January 12, 2013Hallbrook Country Club

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Bob Del Popolo wins trip to Pebble Beach

My fellow car crazies... thank you so much for the honor to represent the KCMBCA at the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours d ‘Elegance.It is the Kansas City Section’s Award and I carried it proudly to the 18th hole. They have a 19th Hole (for sure).Without the Board leadership, fantastic website, newsletter, member breakfast and events, this membership surge would not have been a recognized success.Again thank you for starting out my year with Hope for a better one. PS: Barbara and I celebrated our 45th wedding anniversary that week.As always,Bobby D. with the new knee !!!

 It’s time to shine up that German beauty of yours and head over to Hawthorne Plaza for our annual

Oktoberfest Concours d’Elegance.

Once again, we’ve invited other area German Car Clubs

to showcase their cars along with us.

Please join us on Sunday, October 21st, 9am-2pmand show the public why we’re so proud of our

automobiles.

For more info. contact: Rich Carlson at rich@kcmbca.org

Left: Bob Del Popolo and his wife Barbara (back row on right) with the other Section winners of the Hang on to Homer Con-test.

Right:Among these classic M-B’s on display was a classic ac-tor body builder and gover-nor. Photos by Bob Del Popolo

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When we first read about the Ohio Backroads Adventure Tour in STAR magazine, we wondered what there was to see in eastern Ohio for five days. We had been on three other tours that various sections of MBCA had sponsored. We toured national parks in Utah. We drove all the way around Lake Michigan. We explored the western mountains of Colorado. We had such a good time on those trips that we decided to go and we are so glad that we did. Don and Carol Velcio of the Western Reserve Section designed this amazing five days of various adventures. Fifty-two people in various makes and models of Mercedes-Benz automobiles were joined by four Porsches on highways with more twists and turns and ups and downs than you can imagine.

We gathered at a German restaurant in Cleveland on Sunday evening to meet other members of the adventure. We greeted friends that we had become acquainted with on other trips and made new friends. On Monday morning we departed for a day of exploring Amish country. That day was the only time we were on interstate highway for about an hour. On the backroads, hills and valleys, twists and turns, we saw many beautiful farms and lots of buggies. We shopped and ate our way south to Cambridge, Ohio. We traveled at our own pace but usually 4-8 cars would stay together and stop together to sightsee, shop or dine.

Tuesday morning we were up and off on another adventure. We drove on similar roads to Dresden, Ohio, where we toured the Longaberger Basket factory and the Longaberger Homestead. What a shopping mecca! As we traveled on we saw a bridge with a Y in the middle. We went to Miners Memorial Park where we saw the biggest steam shovel bucket in the world. For a change of pace, we finished the day at “The Wilds”, a 10,000 acre wild animal park. We left the Mercedes in the parking lot and climbed aboard open busses and got up close to giraffes, rhinos, zebras, camels, capybara and many other animals on a sunset safari.

Wednesday was yet another change of pace. We headed south and east toward the Ohio river. None of the roads we were on were straight for more that a few yards. We arrived in Marietta, Ohio, at the 100+ year old Lafayette Hotel right on the banks of the river. The day ended with a dessert cruise on a paddle boat .

Our final day was once again filled with new experiences that included a stop at Hocking Hills State park to explore some caves. The stop at the Hopewell Culture Center National Historic Park and Indian burial mounds was a learning experience for all of us. The mounds were put there by various tribes of native Americans sometime between 200 B.C. and 500 A.D. The day ended with a farewell dinner in Germantown in Columbus, Ohio.

It was an amazing, educational, beautiful and fun trip. Dudley had a hard time driving straight down I-70 after four days of twists and turns. The next adventure is planned for the summer of 2013 with a tour around Lake Erie.

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Ohio Backroads Adventure by Dudley and Joyce Smith

Frank and Mary Alice Cozza get a Point-By on the straight-away. Photo by Joyce Smith

We are delighted to announce the newly elected Officers and Board of Directors for the Mercedes-Benz Club of America|Kansas City Section. Please join us in welcoming this energetic group, and thanking them in advance for their hard work. Their 2012 / 2013 term begins October 1st. Congratulations!

OfficersPresident: Mark Moody Vice President: Kevin ArburnSecretary: Helen HullTreasurer: Joyce Smith

Board of Directors Bob Smith, Bob Del Popolo, Bob Poduch, Dudley Smith, Lisle Kauffman, Steve Chase, Donna Ryan, Jeff Klepac, Rich Carlson, Ian Harns, John Ryan

Annual Election of Officers and Directors

SpaßnachtFind out more:

www.kcmbca.orgClick on “Club Info”

________________

October 15, 7:00 PM

Gordon Biersch11672 Ash,

Leawood, Ks.________________

November 19, 7:00 PMRumor’s Steakhouse

4835 Lakewood Way, Lee’s Summit, Mo.

_________________

December 17, 7:00 PMRC’s Chicken

330 E 135th St.Martin City, Mo.

_________________

January 21, 7:00 PM

Paulo & Bill16501 Midland Dr.

Shawnee, Ks.________________

JoinMercedes-Benz Club of America

Kansas City Section• Bi-monthly issues of our award-win-ning, full-color national magazine, The Star, and bi-monthly issues of our award-winning section newslet-ter, der Benz!

• Owner Loyalty Program with a $1,000.00 Discount Certificate good on the purchase of certain M-B ve-hicles.

• 15% discount on parts, labor and accessories at Aristocrat Motors and Mercedes-Benz of Kansas City.

• National events with a wide variety of driving and social events, techni-cal information and active discussion forums.

• Local events: Monthly breakfast meetings and pub nights, tech ses-sions, dining events, historic and driving tours, autocross and driver education events, rallyes, track events, picnics, annual holiday party, charitable events, concours, and more. Your membership includes an asso-ciate membership for another person in your household in the Mercedes-Benz Club of America and the Kan-sas City Section. Ownership of a Mercedes-Benz not a prerequisite. 1 year $49, 2 years $95, 3 years $139.

JOIN NOW!Call

Bob Del Popolocell 913-269-4498

email bob.d@kcmbca.org

or go towww.mbca.org

1-800-637-2360

2013 MBCA Kansas City Section Officers and Board Members

Officers Phone E-mailMark Moody, president (913) 685-8573 mark@kcmbca.orgKevin Arburn, vice president (913) 648-7675 kevin@kcmbca.orgHelen Hull, secretary (913) 568-3310 helen@kcmbca.orgJoyce Smith, treasurer (913) 338-0766 joyce@kcmbca.orgJeff Klepac, past president (913) 782-5865 jeff@kcmbca.org

Board of Directors Bob Del Popolo (913) 888-2617 bob.d@kcmbca.orgDonna Ryan (913) 268-1252 donna@kcmbca.orgBob Poduch (913) 327-1632 bob.p@kc.rr.comRich Carlson (913) 897-0260 rich@kcmbca.orgBob Smith (913) 268-8984 newsletter@kcmbca.orgDudley Smith (913) 338-0766 dudley@kcmbca.orgIan Harns (816) 812-9495 ian@kcmbca.orgJohn Ryan (913) 543-1252 grownup@kcmbca.orgLisle Kauffman (701) 728-6329 lisle@kcmbca.orgJeff Klepac (913) 782-5865 jeff@kcmbca.orgSteve Chase (913) 322-3106 steve@kcmbca.org

Newsletter EditorBob Smith (913) 268-8984 newsletter@kcmbca.orgWebmeister-Administrator John Ryan (913) 268-1252 grownup@kcmbca.orgMembership Director Bob Del Popolo (913) 888-2617 membership@kcmbca.orgMidwest Regional Director Bill Denton (Oak Brook, IL) (603) 734-3200 regional.director@kcmbca.org

Page 6 kcmbca.org

Eveland Bros. Collision Repair

• Vehicles restored to pre-accident condition• Expert color matching• Foreign and domestic

Call for an appointment

7200 W. Frontage Road, Shawnee Mission, KS 66203 www.evelandbros.com

Certified Mercedes-Benz Collision Repair Center• Insurance claims assistance• Environmentally safe• Written limited lifetime warranty

• Factory trained technicians• State of-the-art equipment• Rental cars available

913-262-6050

Bosch Authorized Service

Kansas City’s independent Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Porsche, Jaguar, Lexus,

Land Rover and Audi repair shop.

5400 Antioch Rd.Merriam, Kansas

66202

913-432-7800

Not just your average garage...

Page 7kcmbca.org

In our effort to bring value to members and increase participation in our club, we are pleased to announce that the Kansas City Section has joined forces with the Car Club Network. The Car Club Network is a customized video player that we’ve added to our club website. The network has a variety of channels updated constantly with content designed just for automotive enthusiasts like us… Think of it as YouTube just for car guys. Included in the playlist is our own customized channel, Kansas City MBCA TV, where we can add videos from our events, recaps of our meetings and anything else we want to add. We’re excited about Car Club Network because it will help us increase traffic to our site, and help get the word out about our great club. And to top it all off, it’s completely free to us with no maintenance or other fees. So check it out on the home page of our site http://www.kcmbca.org and let us know what you think. And, if you have suitable YouTube videos of our events and happenings, please forward their YouTube addresses for review to webmaster@kcmbca.org

August 31, 2012 Hey Jeff and John, Well, I did it. My car turned 600,000 miles tonight on my trip back home. I wanted to share this with you because I will be out of town again tomorrow, imagine that, therefore I will not be able to attend the breakfast. I have some other pictures I can send you, but I wanted to at least get one to you tonight. See you guys soon if I stay in town long enough.

Summer, 2008, Larry Barnes and his 1997 S320after it’s rolled up 450,000 miles. Larry’s feat was featured in The Star magazine.

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Larry Barnes’ 1997 S320 logs 600,000 Miles

Larry Barnes odometer shows 600 K on his “97 S320. August 31, 2012.

Effective October 10, Mercedes-Benz dealers will be dispatched for all Sign & Drive roadside calls, regardless of the customer’s Roadside eligibility. The process will remain the same for Roadside technicians; however, there will be an “ineligible” indicator on the pager after the customer’s information.

Please note that customers who are not eligible for Roadside Assistance do have to pay for the Sign & Drive service. Eligibility and collection of the fee will be handled by the CAC Roadside Representative. Should a technician perform any services beyond the Sign & Drive (e.g. – battery change, emergency service, etc.), the dealership technician will make arrangements with the customer for payment of these additional services.

As a reminder, a customer’s vehicle is Roadside eligible by meeting at least one of the following criteria:

• Under any Mercedes-Benz warranty (New Vehicle Limited, Extended Limited, Certified Preowned)

• Purchased from a Mercedes-Benz dealership prior to 1/4/11 and the customer still owns that vehicle

• Service at a Mercedes-Benz dealership for more than $100 in the 18 months prior to the call.

Changes to M-B’s Roadside Assistance Policy

By Rob Lewis, Queen City Star, Cincinnati SectionKC Section and CAR CLUB NETWORK

by John Ryan

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Uplift Organization, Inc. accepts donations of goods and funds. See the Uplift website at www.uplift.org for a list of needed items and how to donate them.

There is a link to TireRack on the Kansas City Section’s website, www.kcmbca.org. Click the link, which is the logo shown above, to enter the TireRack website to buy their products. The K.C. Section receives a small re-bate when you purchase their products through our website.

NTB National Tire & Battery is of-fering a discount for KCMBCA members. Our friend, Brandon Ebert, the manager at the 119th & Metcalf store arranged for that gen-erous discount for our members. Mention account #913-660-8439 and your club membership to the salesman/service writer.

NTB Offers Discount to KCMBCA Members

Request from the NBOWith every email and address update that we receive at the NBO, (either by website, phone, email or snail mail), we will send a 10 % Off Coupon for one item in the Club Store. One coupon per member will be sent electroni-cally (so it must include a valid email address). Please send these updates to Geni at geni@mbca.org. Remember, incorrectly mailed items cost the club money!

Advance Auto Parts offers many online-only specials and rebates to our section with 8% of the sale being returned to the KC Section. You can have your order shipped to your home, or pick it up at your neighborhood Advance Auto Parts store.Just click on the Advance Auto Parts banner ad on our website, www.kcmbca.org, and you will be taken to their websites to shop.

www.Complete-Garage.com

For all your detailing needs, visit us at the Complete Garage. We have Griot’s full line of car care products. Save the shipping and

get it today.

For the best in

Car Care

Complete Garage

15209 W. 87th Street Lenexa, KS 66219

913-322-9175

2012 Loyalty Rewards Program (U.S.)

Get $1,000 off the price of your next Mercedes-Benz. Being and staying a member of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America has its privileges. Members of the Club who have enjoyed 12 consecutive months of membership or longer without lapse, and who are current members today, qualify for the NEW Loyalty Rewards Program offered by Mercedes-Benz USA to Mercedes-Benz Club of America members only. See complete details, terms and conditions at the MBCA website mbca.org

At the encouragement of its Board of Directors, MBCA|Kansas City has opened its own online Logo and Apparel Shop. Working with The Queensboro Shirt Company of Wilmington, North Carolina our section can now offer the Club Logo and special events graphics to be embroidered onto hundreds of different items ranging from T-Shirts to Polos, Jackets to Jerseys, and everything in between. No longer does the club have to predict, purchase and inventory numerous styles and sizes of logo apparel. Our new store will allow a much wider variety of items with no “up front” costs to the club. There’s no minimum

MBCA|KC Logo Shop Now Open!

purchase requirement, and the item(s) will be delivered to your mailbox or doorstep. And, every item purchased provides additional revenue to the section’s treasury, to help fund the great events where you’ll be wearing your new “duds”. So, what are you waiting for? Head over to our website, www.kcmbca.org and click on the graphic/link for our new Logo Shop. And, if you want to know what to get me, there’s a nice NIKE polo with the section logo on it. Size medium, please.

by John Ryan

Most of those scratches can be removed with an application of swirl remover or a fine polish. Don’t panic. I know these products contain abrasives, but they’re designed specifically for the fine automotive finishes such as yours. These are not your father’s rubbing compounds. They work gently, safely and very effectively to eliminate or mask most swirl marks. Many have proprietary polishing oils that reward your efforts with an incredibly smooth and glossy surface. It is not unusual for swirl removers and polishes to be designed for one specific method of application, i.e., either by hand or by machine. Others can be applied using either method. If the label so states, you should pay attention.

Carnauba is the hardest wax known in nature. When collected from the plant and distilled into blocks, carnauba wax has a consistency of a candle. You wouldn’t dream of rubbing a candle on your car and buffing it, and the same goes for 100-percent carnauba wax. So it’s blended with petroleum distillates and other proprietary ingredients to give it desirable properties such as ease of application, short drying time, and minimal dusting. Fragrance and coloring are added in most cases. There seems to be a practical limit to the maximum percentage of carnauba wax in most brands, and it appears to run about 30 percent; occasionally a little more.

Shine Your Benz for the Winterby Rich Carlson

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Editors Note: This timely article was originally written for spring-cleaning projects, but your time will be equally well spent during these autumn days to get the Benz ready for another winter season. It is reprinted from the March-April, 2007 issue of der Benz! Also, next spring, we plan to reprint another of Rich’s articles – “Beauty and the Benz” which is a comprehensive explanation of the tools and car-care products available for restoring your cars paint surface.

Well, we made it through another winter, intact, hopefully. The ice, slush sand and chemicals are gone for another season but their toll lingers.

Good news – you can return the gloss to our vehicle with just a few hours of effort. There have never been more and better products than now.

Before prying open the wax, however, surface preparation is a must. It’s a virtual certainty that your car’s finish needs to be clayed. We extolled the virtues of a semi-annual clay job in our May/June 2006 issue. But in case you misplaced it, here are the essential elements:

Clay removes the fine particulate matter embedded in your paint. Brake dust, rail dust, industrial particulates – it doesn’t matter. It’s there and it’s stuck in your paint. Cleaner waxes, polishes or glaze can’t remove them, but clay can.

Wash your car first, of course. Dry it with a synthetic “waffle pattern” towel, On the horizontal surfaces, apply a quick spritz of a detailing spray to cover a 2-foot by 2-foot square. Form a small pad from your automotive clay and rub it over the paint. You don’t have to press hard at all – about two to three dozen fast passes over the wetted paint should do it. Use a linear motion, not circular. Now dry the area with a micro-fiber cloth and admire your handiwork. You’ve removed the surface contaminants and your paint will be smoother than you’ve ever felt it before. Now continue on an adjoining section.

If you really want a first-class job you can clay the entire vehicle, but at least do the horizontal surfaces. Detailing spray shouldn’t be allowed to self-dry on your paint, so make sure the finished area is dry before you move on. Clay does not remove scratches, just embedded particulate matter. We’ll get to the scratches next.

When you view your paint critically in bright daylight or strong fluorescent light you’ll note an extremely fine mesh of near microscopic scratches (often called swirl marks) just about everywhere you look. Those scratches came from failing to frequently rinse out your wash sponge or mitt; drying your car with old bath towels; brush-type car washes; not using the proper technique for dust removal; or even just brushing against the car as you walk past. Continued, page 13

Kevin Arburn, gently wipes the surface using a clay pad and Griot’s Speed Shine. It’s John Ryan’s SL. “Thanks Kevin” , says John. Photo by Jeff Klepac

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Willkommen New Members !

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The Star Magazine Issues Available

Interested in issues of The Star magazine from Jan/Feb 1976 thru Jan/Feb 1988? Contact B. Paul Roper at email p.roper@att.net.

We look forward to meeting you soon

at one of our events.

As a young boy, about 13, my sights were already aimed at being a car crazy. Around the corner from my childhood home on the Westside of Buffalo, NY (I can see Canada from there) I would frequently visit an old garage used by neighbors to reconstruct cars for stock car racing. I was hooked on being an auto mechanic, ideal for the blue collar Buffalo I remember. After being exposed to that regularly I started building oddly shaped cars out of scraps of anything and eventually worked my way to Soap Box racers. The boxes were built more for style than speed in my case.

My First German Friendby Bob Del Popolo

Bob Del Popolo and a museum version of his 1965 Mercedes-Benz 190C Fin Back. Photo by Barbara Del Popolo

Eventually my sights turned to Architecture, a cleaner but similar challenging career. This career change was inspired by my 8th grade Art teacher at PS 19.

Now fast forward to 1971 when after selling my 1965 Mustang Fastback 2+2 (why) and bought a 1965 Benz 190C Fin Back. Our family was beginning to blossom and we needed more safety than style at this point in our life. This Benz survived a move from Buffalo thru Iowa and then to Kansas City. The 190 surpassed 250,000 miles and eventually threw a rod and after exposed to the rust belt of Buffalo became unsafe during a collision. It was a sad day in 1978 when I had to say good-bye to my First German Best friend. It was an emotional moment but knew that the car was bought for its perfect interior and would be recycled. Everyone should have a best friend and my first was a German Mercedes Benz 190C and was the start of a beautiful friendship. I believe it found a good home and that the frame and exterior is now a coffee table. My only physical remembrance is the Classic grill STAR which I have turned into a trophy.

Today I have a 1999 SL 500 Sport (my Nellybelle, from Roy Roger’s TV fame) and continue to remember those early days that that Benz kept me warm and safe until it was on life support.

I have only one picture that I could find that shows the vanity plate RGD-49. I will continue to search, for I know there are more. For now I have found its sibling at the Kemp Museum in St, Louis. I was a great reunion, just like I found my father’s birth home (1910) in 2007 in Sicily.Hug your best friend everyday!!

Joyce,

Just wanted to thank you and your section for the $100 donation to the MBCAEF in memory of Werner Fehlauer. I am the Treasurer of the CT./Westchester section and also MBCAEF. Werner got me involved in the club and I have very good memories of the times he came up to CT to help re-start our section and participate in our events. Have a great day, Ted

Editors Note: Werner was Director of the MBCA Educational Foundation. He also was the Mid-Atlantic Regional Director. He passed away June 27, 2012.

A Thank-You Note From MBCAEF

Mary Borck, Manhattan, Ks.Meredith Bowie, Kansas City, Mo.Samuel Doerhoff, Columbia, Mo.Damian Domanski, Merriam, Ks.Jeffrey Goldstein, Mission Woods, Ks.Zafir Hawa, Leawood, Ks.

Duncan Knight, Ft. Riley, Ks.Mary Ellen Miller, Lake Tapawingo, Mo.Mark Miltenberger, Lee’s Summit, Mo.Michael O’Dell, Kansas City, Mo.Lynn Rasmussen, Olathe, Ks.

Page 13kcmbca.org

Carnauba wax has a deep, rich gloss. The depth is most apparent on darker colors, and to a lesser extent on whites and brilliant silvers. Water beads up like crazy on the fresh carnauba wax. Just applied on a carefully prepared finish, the gloss is stunning – it’s like a mirror. In sunlight it literally dazzles.

All is not perfect in carnauba land, however. Carnauba wax has a melting point of only about 180 degrees, and it offers minimal resistance to detergents and solvents. The benefits of a carnauba wax job are pretty much gone after about 90 days for a daily driver. As a general rule, carnauba wax finds the most favor among car enthusiast, particularly those with darker colored vehicles, who want a stunning gloss and don’t mind applying wax several times a year. Despite the drawbacks, carnauba waxes without cleaners or other glossing agents are frequently sought after by enthusiasts for use on carefully prepared finishes.

At the opposite end of the wax spectrum are sealants that really aren’t waxes at all in the natural sense; they’re synthetic formulations right out of the chemistry lab. Automotive folklore says they don’t quite have the depth of gloss of pure carnauba, and maybe that was true at some time in the past. But the new stuff is so good it’s hard to tell. On my brilliant silver cars I am unable to tell the difference even when compared side-by-side. It is more apparent on a black, red, or other dark color, however.

So why use a sealant? It’s a matter of time and convenience. Sealants tend to be slightly easier to apply and last significantly longer than pure carnauba waxes. Sealant formulations are proprietary, and offer protection that may extend up to a year, according to some manufacturers. They are more resistant to detergents and solvents. But you won’t find water beading on a sealant to the same extent as pure carnauba. There is a readily apparent effect, but the beading is not as extreme. Water tends to run off in a sheet. (Never underestimate the value of this feature when drying a freshly washed car!)

A careful study of the labels reveals that most of the waxes available today are either synthetic polymers or blends of carnaubas and synthetic ingredients. Hey, what’s not to like? It’s the best of both worlds. Pure carnaubas are still available, but they seem to be an ever-decreasing percentage of the waxes on the market. Some all-carnauba waxes, like the venerable Meguiar’s No. 16, have been discontinued due to environmental regulations governing atmospheric discharge of VOC’s.

To add to the variety of products is the presence (or absence) of a cleaner or polish on the list of ingredients. Unless your vehicle is near new, use of a cleaner of polish is virtually a requirement before an application of wax.

Following a clay treatment, if you’re going to make a single product application, a one-step cleaner/wax is the way to go. If working on your car is a hobby, consider two product applications: a polish or paint cleaner, and an application of a non-cleaner wax. Really want to spend some quality time with your Benz? Try three applications: paint cleaner, polish, and non-cleaner wax.

Shine Your Benz for the WinterContinued from page 10

Reflections on Lisle Kauffman’s 1961 M-B Adenauer, at the Art of the Machine event. Kansas City River Market. August, 2012. Photo by Bob Smith

butlerbody.com

TM

Butler’s C & D Body Shop5747 Kessler • Merriam, KS 66203 • Tel: (913) 262-9109 • Fax: (913) 262-2828

Web: www.butlerbody,com

Butler’s C & D Body Shop

5747 KesslerMerriam, Kansas 66203

Tel: (913) 262-9109Fax: (913 262-2828

Web: www.butlerbody.com

CoreFirst Bank & Trust was a major sponsor of the Mid-America Caravan in 2009

Refinishing Straightening

Remanufacturing

Page 14 kcmbca.org

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kcmbca.org

kcmbca.org

It’s always been a pleasurable experience when we invite another section to join us for an event. Such was the case when our friends from the Ozark Section joined us on Saturday and Sunday, August 18th & 19th for a weekend adventure.

We began by meeting Saturday night for dinner on the Country Club Plaza in downtown Kansas City. The restaurant of choice was an old favorite, Buca di Beppo, an excellent choice for Italian cuisine. No one in the large group went away hungry, and during the evening we were able to celebrate two Ozark members’ recent birthdays with cheers and singing from the restaurant staff.

Ozark Section Enjoys KC Section and KC Sights.By Jeff Klepac

Friends from the Ozark Section enjoy dinner with KC Section members at Buca Di Beppo Photo by Jeff Klepac

Early Sunday morning several of us met for breakfast at the Hilton President Hotel before meeting in a nearby parking lot to line up our Mercedes-Benz vehicles and caravan over to the nearby City Market area. On Sundays during the summer, the historic KC City Market hosts “Art of the Machine” inviting a different car club to shine up their rides and proudly show them for all to see. Twenty-one beautiful Mercedes-Benz vehicles were on display and both sections enjoyed meeting new friends and answering car related questions from the public. 2012 marked the 13th annual gathering of this event and for once, the weather cooperated beautifully. We could not have asked for a more pleasant day. Around noon, a small group of us wandered across the parking lot to tour the Museum of The Steamboat Arabia. The Arabia was among many steamboats that traveled the Missouri river bringing frontier-bound goods and supplies. Her last passage was cut short on September 5, 1856 when the Arabia met disaster; her hull damaged by a snag, the vessel and her valuable cargo would quickly and silently vanish from sight. During 1988, after 132 years, the Arabia and her buried treasures would become the discovery of a lifetime. The museum houses many goods that were recovered from the wreckage and most items restored from an earlier generation. The museum is very interesting indeed.

After the museum tour we returned to our cherished autos and began to “close up shop” about 2pm. As KC Section folks headed home, the Ozark members turned south, led by Jeff & Denise Klepac. Delivering on an earlier promise, Jeff wanted his Ozark friends to experience the finest fried chicken in southeast Kansas. So, after our fill at ‘Food Wars’ famous ‘Chicken Annie’s, we said our good-byes until next time.

Al & Mary Marks, from the Ozark Section, drove their beau-tiful E350 Convertible to the Art of the Machine Concours at the Kansas City River Market. Photo by Bob Smith

Some of the thousands of household goods retrieved from the 1856 sinking of the Steamboat Arabia. Photo by Jeff Klepac

FIRST-CLASS MAILU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDSHAWNEE MISSION, KS

PERMIT NO. 11316532 W 134th St.Overland Park, KS 66209

Breakfast is at 9 AM the first Saturday of each month at the First Watch, Shawnee Mission Pkwy. at Nieman Rd., Shawnee, KS. Order your favorites from the menu. Individual checks.

What activities would you like to do with your Benz friends in 2012 and 2013? Contact a board member and let them know.

Smart Phone Users, click this QR Code and our website will magically appear on your phone.

For the latest list of events, visit our Web site at:

www.kcmbca.org

Dec. 1 Breakfast Meeting, First Watch, Shawnee, Ks. 9 AMDec. 2 First Sunday Drive US Bank, 119th & Roe, Leawood, Ks.Dec. 17 Spaßnacht, 7 PM, RC’s Chicken, 330 E 135th St. Martin City, Mo.

Jan. 5 Breakfast Meeting, First Watch, Shawnee, Ks. 9 AM. Jan. 6 First Sunday Drive. Jan. 12 Annual Winter Gala, Hallbrook Country Club, Leawood, Ks.Jan. 21 Spaßnacht, 7 PM, Paulo & Bill, 16501 Midland Dr. Shawnee, Ks.

October

November

December

January

Oct. 6 Breakfast Meeting, First Watch, Shawnee, Ks. 9 AM. Speaker, Alison Fikejs, Sandra Burroughs - Decorating Den.Oct. 7 First Sunday Drive. Oct. 15 Spaßnacht, 7 PM, Gordon Biersch, 11652 Ash, Leawood, Ks.Oct. 21 Oktoberfest Car Show, Hawthorne Plaza.

Nov. 3 Breakfast Meeting, First Watch, Shawnee, Ks. 9 AM. Speaker, Jim Schmidt, Uplift.Nov. 4 First Sunday Drive. Nov. 19 Spaßnacht, 7 PM, Rumor’s Steakhouse, 4835 Lakewood Way, Lee’s Summit, Mo.

GalaJanuary 12, 2013

Hallbrook Country Club