Upload
others
View
2
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
T he first few weeks of 2018 brought what I
thought was some unwarranted attention to
drivers in the great state of Oregon. An
article in January’s newsletter told you that
drivers in less populous and rural areas of the state
would be able to pump gas into their own vehicles.
When the rest of the country realized that Orego-
nians had, up till this time, had gas station attend-
ants pumping gas, a barrage of cutting and deroga-
tory memes, photos and comments pervaded the
internet. I know you saw some of these and if not a
friend that lives out of state probably sent you
something.
As a Washingtonian, I still get out of my car when
fueling up in Oregon, remembering only when the
attendant appears from around the pump to remind
me that I’m about to do his job. Force of habit I
guess since I am a Northwest transplant. I’m just
used to doing this simple act that used to be a ser-
vice provided to the customer.
Service and customer. Two words that seem to
have changed quite a bit over the decades.
In the early days of motoring, gas station pumps
were manually operated. Gasoline was hand
pumped from a large tank into a calibrated glass
container. The station attendant would dispense this
gas, noting how much was sold by the drop in the
glass container. The container was then refilled in
preparation for the next customer. When manual
pumps were replaced by electrical/mechanical ones
though station attendants were not. Attendants
started to offer other services for the customer like
oil, fluid and air checks or cleaning windshields. It
was all part of the service that gasoline companies
offered to customers to attract business. There was
a reason companies like Texaco told people that
they could “trust their car to the man with a star!”
As vehicles and drivers increased though, these
services slowed how many customers could be
handled resulting in decreased sales. Thus was
born a new way to fuel up; self-serve. For a fewer
pennies drivers could skip the services of the at-
tendant, fuel up on their own and be on their way in
less time. Other companies noticed that this was
being accepted by the driving population and imple-
mented it at their stations. For some time in the
60’s and 70’s there were still stations across the
country that displayed “Full Serve” and “Self Serve”
signs. Not having to pump your own gas in full
service allowed you the opportunity to ask other
full service patrons if they had any Grey Poupon.
By the late 80’s it would have been hard to find any
gas station that offered full service. And if a station
did, it would be fuel dispensing only. No one would
look at oil level or clean a window.
This would also be the time when we started to
see other “self-serve” areas at businesses. Folks
could scan their own groceries, create travel itiner-
aries or print their own pictures. The idea of
“customer service” has definitely changed.
Which brings me back to the unfair mocking that
Oregonians received over pumping their own gas.
I believe that Oregon (and New Jersey which also
restricts drivers pumping their own gas) have it
right! Gasoline is a hazardous material and re-
quires special training to handle. Gasoline’s toxicity
affects health. Meanwhile, the cleanliness of the
pumps and the area around them leaves a lot to be
desired. Factor in heat, cold and rain and I think
we all would agree it is desirable to have someone
else pumping gas while we remain in the comfort
of our car.
So, you Oregonians, stand proud that you (and
New Jersey drivers) still get to experience a little of
what customer service was like years ago. You are
unique compared to the rest of us who have to
grab a dirty pump handle, standing in the cold on
greasy pavement while a little drip of gasoline
plops on our shoes.
Seems the ones who should be tossing the jokes
are you.
Tom
No Respect!
I N S I D E T H I S
I S S U E :
The SVE Thun-
derbird
2
Lovin’ Your Car 3
Don’t Get
Soaked On the
Deal
4
Install a Hose
the Right Way
5
Meeting Minutes 6
Calendar of
Events
7
Passing Lane 8
E X E C U T I V E B O A R D Thunderbird Flyer F E B R U A R Y , 2 0 1 8 V O L U M E 3 9 , I S S U E 2
Newsletter of the Northwest Vintage Thunderbird Club
P A G E 2
T H U N D E R B I R D F L Y E R
Their creation,
the Thunder-
bird SVE,
would have
almost certain-
ly become a
classic.
The SVE Thunderbird
O nce a thorn in the side of the almighty Chev-
rolet Corvette, the Ford Thunderbird was a
corpulent, lethargic land schooner by the
time it reached its tenth generation in 1989.
To the chagrin of anyone who hoped that that the T-
Bird would become a sports car by the 1990s, the cor-
nering limits MN12-bodied Thunderbird were pretty
much restricted to a KFC drive-thru in Tennessee. As a
result, the 10th-gen absolutely earned its Thunder-
Chicken
badge.
As the age of
two-door
road boats
reached its
twilight, Ford
tried a couple
of different
ideas to get
the T-Bird in
shape. Their
best attempt was the fan-favourite SuperCoupe, which
packed the supercharged 3.8-litre Essex V6 from the
original Taurus SHO. This actually made the Thunder-
Chicken a properly quick coupe, though it was far from
a sports car. Unfortunately, Ford discontinued the
SuperCoupe in favour of the new 4.6-litre Modular V8
from the Mustang GT. This engine proved to be consid-
erably slower and thirstier than the SuperCoupe, and it
soon became clear that buyers were staying away from
the Thunderbird in droves.
What many people did not know was that the mad geni-
uses at Ford’s Special Vehicle Engineering (SVE) divi-
sion had some big ideas for the MN12 T-Bird. Their
creation, the Thunderbird SVE, would have almost cer-
tainly become a classic. Visually, it was differentiable
from other T-Birds by its unique combination of MN12
fascia from previous years; most notably the front
bumper and the wheels from the Cobra Mustang.
However, the
SVE Thunderbird
was perhaps
most easily iden-
tified by what
was under the
hood. Along with
its 5-speed man-
ual transmission,
Ford outfitted the
SVE T-Bird with the same supercharged 4.6-litre V8
from the SN95 Mustang Cobra. With power in ex-
cess of 300bhp, the SVE was no ThunderChicken.
It was a legit GT car.
Sadly, the Thunderbird SVE would never really
come to pass. Instead of sending it to mass-
production, Ford decided to ditch the Thunderbird
altogether after the 1997 model year. After 42 years
of continuous production, the car that was once
destined to bring the fight to the legendary Corvette
was no more. Of the four SVE prototypes produced,
three were sent to the crusher. The surviving proto-
type allegedly resurfaced in 2009 after being put up
for sale on Craigslist. If you ask me, that car was
the greatest Thunderbird that never was.
Kyle Ashdown is Car Throttle's
Community Manager and the creator
of #ecarnomics! Currently driving a
2002 Nissan Stagea 250 RX FOUR
(yes, I know it looks like a Volvo). He
lives in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan,
Canada.
Original article can be found here.
This SVT Cobra-engined, manual transmis-
sion prototype of the last original Ford Thun-
derbird has petrolheads dreaming about
what could have been.
A picture from the 2009 Craigslist ad of what was alleg-
edly the last surviving SVE Thunderbird.
P A G E 3 V O L U M E 3 9 , I S S U E 2
Lovin’ Your Car
Most everyone has a floor jack in the garage. A useful tool that can be used on any vehicle and is much safer than the jack that came with the car. A most unfortunate problem with this tool is the long metal handle usually flops down only when it is close to your vehicle and denting metal or chipping paint.
If your floor jack did not come with a protective rubber or urethane sleeve to prevent these problems several companies make them for around $25. Something that is just as effective is to slip a pool noodle over the handle.
These noodles are about three inches in diameter and should slide over the handle on your jack. If it is a tight fit or too long, the foam can be easily cut with a knife or scis-sors. Some duct tape around the top, middle and bottom should secure it in place.
For only a couple dollars per noodle, you can prevent a dreaded door ding in your own garage!
Hagerty Insurance ran a survey back in 2005 asking how much car enthusiasts really loved their “other” significant other – their classic vehicles.
More than 7,000 car enthusiasts participated in the first “Love in the Fast Lane” online survey and revealed some fascinating in-sights. “What amazed us the most was finding that nearly a third of those surveyed said that they actually bought a gift for their classic car on Valentine’s Day,” says McKeel Hagerty, president of Hagerty Insurance. “We also asked how much enthusiasts spent on their classic’s Valentine’s gift, and over half admitted that they spent more than $250. Now that’s true love!”
Some of the interesting statistics the survey revealed include:
• 60% spent more in the last year on their classic car than on their signifi-cant other
• 62% talk to their classic on a regular basis
• 67% remember the date they bought their first classic
• 42% named their classic car
• 29% bought their “other” significant other a Valentine’s Day present last year and of those respondents, 57% spent more than $250 on the presents
• 64% would reacquire their first car given the opportunity
• 73% remember the year, make and model of every car they have owned
Molded rubber
handle toppers
can cost as
much as $25!
We want to know your thoughts on changing when
club meetings are held. Dates and times, loca-
tions, frequency...everything is open for sugges-
tions. Let Tom or Eric know what you think. We
want to see what works best for the members!
P A G E 4
T H U N D E R B I R D F L Y E R
Don’t Get Soaked On the Deal
A few months have passed since the massive hurricanes
moved through the south and eastern portions of the US.
Most people that were affected by these storms have start-
ed to put their lives back in order by repairing or replacing
items that were damaged or lost. Of the estimated half million vehi-
cles damaged by debris or inundated by water, about 8,000 to
10,000
of them
are col-
lector
vehicles.
Although
most of
these
dam-
aged
vehicles
will never
see the
road
again,
there are
some that will be cleaned, repaired and offered for sale. These are
the ones that buyers need to be aware of.
Steve Linden, writing for Newsday about collector cars that were
subjected to Hurricane Sandy in 2013, said
I’ve received an extraordinary number of e-mails and
telephone calls regarding “Hurricane Sandy” cars. Many
were general inquiries about how to avoid buying one of
these cars. But you would be surprised at how people all
over the country are seeking to buy classic cars that were
damaged by Hurricane Sandy. In the aftermath of this
hurricane I’ve worked on behalf of both classic car own-
ers as well as the insurance companies, and I simply
can’t understand why anyone would want to buy one of
these damaged cars on purpose.
Most people interested in a collector vehicle would understand why it
is best to steer clear of one that has been flooded. Simply put, if a
car has been under water, whole or in part, it is going to have prob-
lems. As Mr. Linden states “That’s why submarines are constructed
differently than automobiles. They are meant to go under water. Cars
are not.”
While a car will keep the occupants dry when it is wet outside, a ve-
hicle can not go “underwater”. Reputable automotive repair facilities
will explain how steel frames and bodies, internal components of the
engine and transmission, seat upholstery and fabric carpets and
electrical wiring are all affected negatively by submersion in water.
Throw in salt water from ocean surges and a bad situation gets
worse. Repairing this type of damage correctly costs more than
most vehicles are worth.
Johnathan Klinger, spokesperson for collector car insurer Hagerty,
says that there will invariably be hurricane damaged
vehicles appearing for sale or for auction. Most owners
of insured vehicles will receive a check for their vehicle
and the insurance company will dispose of the vehicle.
Even if this vehicle is sold by the insurer later, the title
will reflect the vehicles status as a “salvage” or “flood”
vehicle. The uninsured vehicles are the ones that pose
problems with a potential buyer. These vehicles will be
cleaned and repaired to a sellable condition. The title
and other paperwork will not indicate any water damage
to the vehicle. Even if the title looks clear, the vehicle
title may have moved through several states attempting
to muddy (pun intended) its history.
Steve Linden says “I’ve seen a lot of these “flood cars,”
and while some look as if they were used for an under-
water scene in a James Bond movie, the truth is that
some don’t look bad at all.” It is these cars that many
buyers think they are getting a great deal on.
Knowing that these vehicles will be out there how
should you as a buyer protect yourself? Bob Golfen,
editor at ClassicCars.com Journal, provides these sim-
ple things to keep in mind:
• Sit in the car with the doors and windows
closed and take a good sniff, which could reveal
the scent of moisture or mold. Also look and
smell for any air freshener that could be mask-
ing the musty odor.
• Look for obvious signs of dirty water being
present in the interior, such as on rugs and up-
holstery (beware of recent replacements), or silt
under the seats and behind the dashboard.
• Examine under the hood for signs of water.
Use a flashlight to check behind mechanical
parts and in crevasses for signs of silt or debris
accumulation. Do the same in the hidden areas
of the trunk.
• Check any exposed metal parts, such as screw
heads, for unusual signs of rust as well as under
doors, body sills and wheel wells. Once a car
has been under water, it can rust unseen from
the inside out.
• Look for droplets of condensation inside head-
lights and taillights, dashboard gauges and inte-
rior lights.
It is always exciting to locate a collector vehicle that you have been looking for. And for an unbelievable price as well. Just don’t get soaked in the deal as well.
By Tom Przedwojewski
Some of the half million storm damaged vehicles parked at the Texas
World Speedway. Photo courtesy of Brazos Drones
P A G E 5 V O L U M E 3 9 , I S S U E 2
Install A Hose the Right Way
C oolant hoses are very much like the blood vessels of a car. If a heater hose or radiator hose fails you only have a few minutes to stop the engine, after which it's often too late. Hoses fatigue and wear out, of course, but another mode of fail-ure is improper installation or removal. Unfortunately, when failure occurs in the latter case it's usually an associated (often expensive) component to which the hose is attached.
Two common installation mistakes are: 1 - choosing the wrong size hose, and 2 - clamping it too tight. Another common mistake occurs when someone wrestles the hose onto its connection with too much force, thereby cracking or breaking the connection. This happens most often while installing heater hose on the [relatively] delicate core, and sometimes while removing hoses from copper radiators.
That brings us to the removal process and RULE # 1:Never pull or twist a hose off a connection if it has been installed longer than a few minutes! Always cut the hose off!
Hoses that have spent any time on the car become "cemented" to whatever they are clamped. They don't readily slip off, so uninitiated persons tend to try to twist them to break the seal between the hose and the metal. Damage (requiring replacement) occurs as often as not, so don't let your radiator or heater core be added to the scrap heap before it needs to go there.
Use a utility knife or razor blade to cut the hose linearly where it is connected. Cut through until you feel metal on the inside and then gently pry up the edges and peel the hose end off. Once the hose is removed take the time to clean the surface of the metal before in-stalling the new hose. Use fine sandpaper, steel wool, etc.
Putting It On
You can just as easily break a radiator or heater core bib (that's what the connection is called) by twisting a new hose on, so STOP! Go get some Armor All or liquid dish deter-gent (don't use oil or grease!) to use as a lubricant. Spread some on the inside of the hose and then push it onto the bib. You won't believe how much easier it is when you lubricate the hose.
Don't forget also to slip the clamps over the hose before installation. It's much easier to do it beforehand than trying to snake a clamp end around later.
This brings us to Rule #2: Don't over-tighten the clamp! Tighten the clamp just until the hose bulges slightly in the area next to the clamp's metal banding.
Tightening a clamp too much causes the rubber to split and break down internally. This leads to premature failure of the inner cords and then shock and vibration will take its toll on the hose, leading to total failure.
This article was used with permission from Second Chance Garage website. You may read the original article and others here.
You may not know who Denny McLain is but that only means you weren’t a Detroit Tigers
fan back in the 60’s. During the 1968 season, Denny McLain pitched for a 31-6 record.
Not only was he the last pitcher in the 20th century to win 30 games in one season, this
helped propel the Tigers into the playoffs and eventually to win the 1968 World Series.
In appreciation of this achievement, Ford Division head John Naughton awarded Denny
with this 1969 Thunderbird on September 27th, 1968. A special license plate on the car
displays his initials and win/loss record.
Though there is no mention of what kind of options the Thunderbird
had perhaps it came with an eight-track player for Denny to listen to the
music he created as he was an amateur organ player. Click the picture to
listen to his music!
Replacement hoses typically come with
preformed bends for the particular vehicle.
You may find these at your local parts store
for around $30 for upper and lower hose.
Specialty Thunderbird parts businesses like
Bird Nest here in West Linn can provide
quality hoses that will also be stamped with
the correct Ford part numbers to make your
restoration as correct as possible.
P A G E 6
T H U N D E R B I R D F L Y E R
Meeting Minutes Attendance: Tom Przedwojewski, Eric Johansson, Matt Truax, Mike and Yan Connors, Mike Hinsch, Dave
Coles, Joe Engert, Blake Boyles, Mark Haworth, Lou Williams, Bill Biggs,
Meeting was called to order at 7:00 President Tom Przedwojewski welcomed 14 current members and two
guests Including new Member Bill with 66 Landau.
Agenda Topics: Discussion of renewing club memberships and all are encouraged to see that the yearly
dues of $20 be sent to Vicki Wimsatt, 30408 S Wall St. Colton, Or 97017 503-824-2034
the dues are due at this time!
Tom expressed encouragement for all to join the national club and indicated that he will
be having a drawing from current paid members for a free national club membership.
Discussion of various upcoming events, shows, cruises etc. of note was the upcoming
Kelowna cruise show and shine in Canada where Eric and perhaps others will be attend
ing. There is discussion of leaving Portland on Thurs 5/24. Anyone interested should
contact Eric Johansson 503-760-8366 to get all details;
Additional events: Spring Cruise for the club: Date, time and place to be determined
when a host member takes on the event to coordinate.
Sizzlin Summer Car show sponsored by us will be Sat June 30, in North Plains like last
year. Many volunteers are required so everyone is asked to considered being part of our
largest event, 200 cars expected.
Summer picnic this year is volunteered to be held at Mike & Nancy Hinsch’s home in
Charbonneau Or. with tentative date of August 26. Details to follow.
Fall Cruise will be held tentatively in Sept and host volunteers Mark and Debbie Haworth
will coordinate the event. They indicate this will be drive through SW Washington’s farm
country with at lunch stop.
(Other events mentioned: Portland swap meet, Wed nite cruises to Portland Raceway, Hillsboro all Ford
Show June 9th and possible visit to Lemay car museum in Tacoma, Veteran’s Swap meet and show at WA
fairgrounds Aug 11, attendance is great and we are encourage to be there.)
Thunderbird International convention 8/15-8/18 in Oklahoma City, still being put together
with some trouble however we are offering to assist with trophies, Tom working with them.
Tom will be working to reward club participation using his point system 1-5 to bring fair
ness to all who contribute to the club, last years 1st place award went to Joe Engert with
a close 2nd place to Blake Boyles. Congratulations to both!!
Club gear was brought up with the opportunity for all to acquire a club antennae flag,
contact Tom to order.
Treasurer’s report not avail this night but club in the black, enough said!!
New and existing members will be contacted by Mark Haworth to encourage club participation. All those we
are aware of via phone and email will be considered as part of a phone campaign to welcome them back.
Tom and Mark also discussed the creation of an attractive post card type piece for current members to place
on the windshield of all thunderbirds we see in the public as a way to encourage them to “check us out”.
The idea of moving the regularly scheduled meeting which is held the THIRD TUESDAY of each month to a
new day of the THIRD THURSDAY of each month. All in attendance felt this could be “workable” Tom to
take up and consider.
Meeting adjourned 8:25 PM
Calendar of Events
P A G E 7 V O L U M E 3 9 , I S S U E 2
Club Meetings
• February 20th (Tue) Regular club meeting, details on page 8 of the newsletter
VTCI Events http://vintagethunderbirdclub.net/events.htm
• June 7th-10th (Thur-Sun) VTCI North Central Regional, Shoreview, MN
ITC Events http://www.intl-thunderbirdclub.com/index.html
• August 7th-12th (Tue-Sun) ITC Silver Anniversary Convention, Buffalo, NY
Car Shows and Events
• February 3rd (Sat) Portland Cars & Coffee, Wilsonville, OR (event occurrs every Saturday throughout the year)
Further information at portlandcarsandcoffee.com
• February 3rd (Sat) Petersen Collector Car Auction, Salem, OR
Further information at www.petersencollectorcars.com
• January 28th (Sun) 42nd Annual NWDRA Hi-Performance Automotive Swap Meet, Ridgefield, WA
Further information at 503-644-5707
These are not all the events in the area. If I have missed any that you think the club members would like to know about send in the information and I’ll put it in the list! If you attend an event snap a picture or two and write up
something for the newsletter. Each event has a certain flavor and we all like to find a fun and interesting event.
What famous auto maker turned down the opportuni-
ty to have their automobile star alongside other fu-
turistic vehicles in the 2004 movie “Thunderbirds”, a
live action movie based on the British television pro-
gram that aired in 1965 and starred marionettes and
models?
Answer on page 8
Passing Lane fun and funny stuff from the road
2018 Executive Board
President Tom Przedwojewski
VP Eric Johansson
Secretary Mark Haworth
Treasurer Vicky Wimsatt
Web site/ Tom Przedwojewski
Newsletter
Find us on the web at
www.nwtbirds.org
The next club meeting will be February 20th, 2018 at 7:00pm at Bird Nest.
Snacks and drinks will be available around 6:30. Come early, grab a bite to
eat and get to know your fellow club members!
New club cards should be available at the meeting.
Club Meeting Times
For your entire club apparel needs; hats, shirts, jackets or even back-
packs, go to Stitch-n-Embroidery. Order on-line, over the phone or in
person. Delivery to the next club meeting is available. Tell them you
want the NW Vintage Thunderbird Club logo!
stitchnembroidery.com/index.html
Rolls Royce. Producers for the movie said that the long time automaker would
only participate if a current model was used for Lady Penelope’s FAB 1. This was
not what the producers of a futuristic show wanted. Ford Europe was then ap-
proached and they jumped at the chance to create a futuristic Thunderbird.
The FAB 1 of 2004 (right)
stayed true to form of the
1965 version (left).
1967 Two Door Thunderbird
428 V8, A/C, Good Condition
$5000.00
Call Don Stroeber
541-676-5824 H
541-490-7616 C
Well, I guess
they aren't
lying!