2008 FEBRUARY
INSIDE: AHCO ACTIVITIES 2008 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE FIRST DRIVE-OUT MORE!
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2008 OFFICERS
Club of Oregon
PRESIDENT
MEMBERSHIP
Jeff Mach 503-364-6789 mach@toast.net
Skip Monaco 503-245-0174 tomsimport@ipinc.net
VICE PRESIDENT
ACTIVITIES
Mark Schneider 503-643-7208 mandmschneider@comcast.net
Tom Monaco 503-245-0174 tomsimport@ipinc.net
SECRETARY
ADVERTISING
Cecilia Magnuson 360-834-0136 magnusons4@comcast.net
Joe Laws 503-636-5817 jflaws@att.net
TREASURER
LIBRARIAN
Linda Adams 541-416-2347 ladams1284@aol.com
John Carter 503-579-6599 jc9821@msn.com
REGALIA
CLUB COORDINATOR
Jaci Koeber & Carole Trenko 503-244-3731 & 503-643-2387 koegeoja@hevanet.com
John Wilson 541-933-2016 johnhealeylane@worldnet.att.net
SUNSHINE PERSON
CLUB ADDRESS
Jan Whittlesey 503-538-8610 jwhitlc@hevanet.com
AHCO Box 875 Marcola, Or. 97454
HNW EDITOR Glen Enright 503-538-8610 britcar69@hevanet.com
Cover
Artwork of a 1960 BT7 by your new editor.
Contents
Random Mumblings by Jeff Mach Page 3 January Outing by Jack Jakobsen Page 4 Barrett-Jackson Observation by Jan Whittlesey Page 9 This month in AHCO History by Jeff Mach Back page Charity Report by Skip Monaco Page 6 Upcoming Activities by Tom Monaco Page 6 Thanks to Mark Schneider and Jeff Mach for photos 3
len Enright has offered to take over production of the newsletter for the remainder of 2008, and the Executive Board
Random Mumblings has accepted his offer. Welcome aboard Glen, and thank you, Wanda, very much, for producing the January issue. The difficulty in finding a permanent editor for Healey Northwest has encouraged the Board to undertake a significant overhaul of the Club’s website with the aim of moving Healey Northwest online for next year. While we’ll continue a print version of the newsletter for members who want or need it, an electronic version should be quicker to produce and will result in a considerable cost savings. Printing and postage for Healey Northwest cost us about $6,000 in 2007. The Board plans to meet soon and start planning for a new improved Club website. We’re looking for your ideas in this venture! Please call or email me or any other member of the Board and let us know if there are particular features you’d like to see in a redesigned Club website. We’ll make sure those ideas are considered as we move forward, and we’ll discuss these ideas further at future meetings. Other matters I’m interested in hearing from members on are ideas for Club activities. We need volunteers to host activities and meetings late in 2008. I’d like to see us hold more than one activity each month, like maybe starting periodic Saturday Random Mumblings continued on page 7
… Because no one should be hungry!
photos by Mark Schneider and Jeff Mach
Clark County Washington. These regional “Banks” then distribute emergency food to 900 hunger-relief program sites including food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and other assistance programs. This distribution helps our neighbors in need … children, elderly, disabled, working poor and other people who are hungry.
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ell this doesn’t sound
like the beginning of a report on the January meeting of the Austin Healey Club of Oregon, but that was the thrust of our meeting and is part of the Mission Statement for the Oregon Food Bank. On January 12th we met at the Oregon Food Bank in northeast Portland at 10:00 am and were greeted by our gracious host, Gina Taylor, the Major Gifts Manager for the Oregon Food Bank. No, Gina didn’t expect us to be major contributors, but she is familiar with our Club as we have contributed funds to the OFB for the past two years as part of our Club’s Charity Committee activities. Gina greeted us in the community meeting room, which served as a good gathering place prior to the tour of the facility. Before beginning the tour, we viewed a video which presented a background for the tour and gave information about the role of the OFB as well as an understanding of the clientele served by the Food Bank.
During the fiscal year ending June 30, 2007, the OFB Network distributed 55.8 million lbs. of food. The OFB, including its four directly operated regional food banks, distributes emergency food boxes to an estimated 192,000 people each month. In addition, soup kitchens and shelters serve four million emergency meals per year, while an additional 88,000 people receive food through other programs in the Network. This achievement is accomplished with a total of 1,587,000 hours of volunteer time, 763 full- time workers, for an estimated value of $25,566,500.
The OFB collects food from farmers, manufacturers, retailers, individuals and government sources. Those materials are then distributed to 20 regional Food Banks throughout the State of Oregon and in
OFB continued on page 5
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OFB continued from page 4
During our tour we observed that the Volunteer Action Center was alive with activity as Boy Scouts and others packaged food for inclusion in the emergency food boxes.
construction. Most important, the building was specifically built to operate as a food processing and distribution Food Bank and it was built entirely from donated funds. This facility was designed and built to support the mission of the Oregon Food Bank: “To eliminate hunger and its root cause …because no one should be hungry.” After our tour we returned to the meeting room and held our January business meeting. Following the business meeting, we adjourned to McMenamins Kennedy School about a mile from the Food Bank. Once there we had a no-host lunch followed by a tour of the Kennedy School hosted by Dametris Harrison, the Assistant Manager of the facility. What made this tour enjoyable is the fact that this old Portland Elementary School has been turned into a great brew pub, eating place, lodging facility, movie theater, and entertainment center; and yet, many of the aspects of a typical public school are still present.
Yes, I know, that is a lot of information to absorb and comprehend, but it is important to understand the extent of hunger in just our relatively small area before we can realize the valuable service the Oregon Food Bank provides for our community
Classrooms have been divided into two separate lodging rooms each with its own bath. All of the rooms have been given a special name. Some bear the name of the teacher who taught in the room many
Following our orientation, we toured the warehouse, the food processing and packaging area, the
OFB continued on page 6
huge walk-in freezer, the individual food donation processing and sorting area, and the shipping and receiving areas. In addition we saw the kitchen where food recipients are taught how to prepare healthy meals from the type of food provided. The OFB offices and other areas are light and bright with lots of windows and beautiful art work. Donated mosaics, murals, and fused glass pieces adorn all areas of this facility. The entire building was designed and built to meet the latest energy efficiency standards and in addition many recycled building materials and paint were used in the 5
OFB continued from page 5
years ago. Others have been named after the art in the room, for the trees on the property, for nearby street names, or after students who attended the school.
pictures of students and activities from days gone by. An overnight stay in the all non-smoking rooms, starts at $99, and includes use of the soaking pool, parking, and admission to the theater.
The facility has several bars, a brewery, gymnasium (concert room), soaking pool, outdoor patio eating areas, meeting rooms, the Courtyard Restaurant, and a gift shop. And of course don’t forget McMenamin’s great private label wines and brews. All of the walls contain numerous works of art and many
The Report from the Charity Chair We had good turnout & terrific results once again from our Christmas Charity Auction. This year, as in the past, members had lots of variety to choose from as well. We had beautiful hand woven kitchen towels, a hand knitted wool Christmas stocking, baby blanket which was crocheted, rare car books, Ruth's Chris Steakhouse cer-
All in all we had a good turn out of Club members as well as a fun and educational time. Sorry, we missed seeing any Healeys, but it is January after all. — Jack Jakobsen
tificates, 3 beautiful Ashley Avery Collectables items, hair salon certificates, beautiful water color of a Healey, a charcoal sketch of a 100-4, use of a new Mini for the weekend, use of a new BMW for the weekend, gorgeous gift baskets loaded with all sorts of goodies, & there were the very special items received from the Dutch Healey Club. The list could go on & on. At the end of the evening Club members exchanged their won items for a total of Charity Chair Report continued on page 12
Gots & Wants: Healey Style FOR SALE: Robbins Convertible Top (Tan) for Austin Healey BJ8 or BJ7. New, never been out of box – $600.00. Robbins Boot (Tan) for Austin Healey BJ8 or BJ7. New, never been out of box – $700.00. Hard Top for Austin Healey 4 seater. Needs new rubber and fasteners. Has wrap around rear Plexiglas window – $1,000.00 OBO. Contact Richard Breeden Phone:(541)923-9751 E-Mail: RSBreeden(a),aol.com
AHCO Activities 2008 Greetings: Here are the next TWO AHCO scheduled activities: The Febuary meeting is being hosted by Colin Powers on Feb. 9th. It will be held at the Evergreen Space and Aviation Museum Restoration Facility. Our tour will start at 10:30 A.M. Lunch will be served at this facility at approximately noon. Our meeting will be held at 1:00 P.M. for those wishing to attend. This will be exciting! How To Get There: Proceed west on Hwy 99 out of Portland towards McMinnville, bear left onto Hwy 18 toward the Coast. The facility is across the Highway from the muse-
um buildings. Coming from Portland, turn left (south) just past the F-15 airplane on the pylon and then turn right (west) on the second road. This puts you going behind the buildings. Continue all the way to the last building and park on the west side of it, past the missle bodies. Coffee will be waiting. This trip takes approximately one hour from downtown Portland. The March activity is scheduled at Portland Powder Coating on March 8th at 10:30 A.M. The tour will last prox. one hour. We will then proceed to Eastmoreland Golf Club for our lunch and meeting. The meeting is scheduled at 1:00 P.M. for those wishing to attend.
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How To Get There: From the West side of Portland, cross to the East side via the Ross Island bridge. Bear right onto Mcloughlin Blvd.(99E) heading South. Stay in the right lane and take the Holgate exit. Proceed to S.E. 26th st. and turn right. Take the next possible right onto Schiller and the next possible right into the parking lot. If you are coming in on Hwy. 205, you would take the Powell Blvd. West exit and proceed to 26th. Turn left (south) and go 2.2 miles to Schiller. The address is 4740 S.E. 25th Portland,97202. The Eastmoreland Golf Club is 1.5 miles to the South. Find 26th street and follow it to the right. Thank you ladies and gentlemen. Tom [...]
Random Mumblings continued from page 3
garage tech sessions and holding some impromptu tours if we have good weather the following weekend. A new user-friendly website could make scheduling some of those things easier. And remember – we have set up the Yahoo OregonHealeys group (http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/gr oup/OregonHealeys.) That can get the word out if you want to find some AHCO company for an outing. We’d like you to host an activity, please contact Tom Monaco, our activities director, at 503-245-0174 with your ideas. Because it seems many Club members enjoy the activities, but may not attend them because they don’t
want to sit through the Club business meeting afterward (and a quick meeting generally isn’t a very productive one), I’d like to hear your thoughts on changing from monthly business meetings to quarterly meetings. We’d continue to hold activities at least once a month, just without the business part. January’s meeting, which we held in a quiet room at the Oregon Food Bank, was one of the better business meeting venues I’ve seen in a long time. Finally, the 2010 Healey Rendezvous. Please do some research and come to the March meeting with some recommendations on where it should be held. I know that’s seems a long time away, but we need to make a decision on the location soon, so we
The Oregon 500/500
can secure a venue and block of hotel rooms. If you have an idea for a potential location, please do some homework and identify one or more hotels that can offer a block of overnight rooms, meeting rooms, and banquet facilities (of course amenities like pools, golf courses, and other attractions helps too), a park or other locale for a car show and lunch. Suggested tours or other activities that we can offer the assembled masses would also be good. The local convention and visitors bureau should be able to help you gather some information and send it to you so you can share it with us. I’m looking forward to hearing everyone’s ideas for Rendezvous 2010. Thanks, Jeff
The spirit of the event is to try and drive a $500 car 500 kilometers (or see prior caveat.) Those contravening will be dubbed toads, and acknowledged as such!
A new car event has hit the Northwest!! The Oregon 500/500. To explain: the first 500 of the title would be the number of kilometers that will be driven. The second 500 refers to the amount of money (in U.S dollars) that can be spent to purchase the car to be driven the 500 kilometers (or miles, distance increment to be determined.)
What if my car breaks down? Tough luck! You will have good stories. Other folks on the run will have multiple person vehicles. The organizer(s) is/are trying to find a tow vehicle manned by a knowledgeable wrencher. Stay turned. AAA is a good idea.
Sounds like fun?? (And how could it not be??) Consider the FAQs below:
When is this? Where do I find such a car? Saturday and Sunday May 31 and June 1. We'll drive 250 increments someplace, stay the night and return. Don't worry, we will avoid any mountains. (Wear and tear, you know.) There will be a route book with specific instructions.
Try Craig's List and type in whatever you want, like a brand and some max $ amount. What about parts and labor? Are they included in the $500?
How much is the entrance fee? If you already have parts and knowledge, no sweat! If you have to buy something, that would be included in the total price of $500. The presumption is that you will not hire labor to do this.
$10 unless you can substantiate a claim of poverty in which case it is free. Room and meals will be extra.
How strict is the $500? Will we have to produce receipts??
Who/what is running this event? ie: Whom should I call for further info or an entry form?
Stick the ad or some such thing to the window of your find.
Cam Sheahan (503) 590-4611 or camsheahan@juno.com
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Honored Guests: John Sprinzel Gerry Coker and others
For Complete info: Go to www.sdhealey.org
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Barrett-Jackson, et al — One Woman’s Perspective
photos by Glen Enright
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hat started as an innocent question (‘Where do you stay during the auctions in Phoenix?’) at a car club Christmas party turned into a 5 night stay, 2 auctions, 2 galas and 3
models were available for perusing and (for others) purchasing. We arrived Sunday afternoon and were off to Barrett-Jackson to pick up our packets and were soon armed with ‘All Access’ passes. (I was considered a
It’s a Crosley, Bob Not a lawn mower.
Bob said Jean wanted a farm truck
previews with a total of 1500 cars. With a place to stay solidified and free tickets courtesy of a credit card, we were set! Only the requisite letter from our financial advisor allowing us to be a bidder was left. (We assured him we would NOT be bidding and coming home with a $300K car much to his delight.)
‘bidder guest’ while Glen held the ability to raise his hand and go up on stage during the bidding.) We met up with Bob and Jean Bennett who have attended the various Phoenix auctions several times as well as a couple of times in Monterey.
Scottsdale is a hoot!! Cars cars and more cars! From Monster Garage ‘projects’ (Who would ever want to buy a car that is capable of splitting logs???) to what seemed like 5000 Chevys. Add to that cute little British cars (English Fords, Austin Healeys, Jaguars, even a couple of MGs) Superb examples of older cars (several over the top woodies, Dusies, and Packards), all levels of restoration and
This Healey came from Panama
Bob was only too happy to show us the ropes. Monday was spent previewing the 1200 cars for sale at B-J. Some were noteworthy, but the number has caused a blur in my memory. Suffice to say we were more drawn to
One of the many woodies on offer
the British cars and snored our way passed the (seemingly endless) Chevys and Fords. Chrome is my standard for a car that will rate a second look, so the purple and pink ’56 Dodge was worthy of study. Monday night was the B-J gala, which I found to be extremely loud until we found the secret stash of indoor cars. John Wilson managed to have both of his Healeys inside! They easily stood up and out against the Bel-Airs and Mustangs and even the Bertone Corvette (which sold for 1.6 million). Tuesday Jean and I bowed out and escaped to the Heard Museum, a fantastic place filled with Indian art. We oohed and aahed over baskets, weaving, masks, and pottery. A rather Barrett-Jackson continued on page 10 Just a few of the many at B-J
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Barret-Jackson continued from page 9 Bob got this little Ford for a song
This Singer Gazelle was pretty rough - it didn’t sell at R-S
wrenching area was the Indian schools where we were greeted with taped voices of the children’s experience. Jean warned me it would be a tough section, (Children were physically removed from their parents; their hair was cut and they were forbidden to speak their language.) but I found it to be mandatory viewing. We also went to the Desert Botanical Garden and walked around checking out the numerous types of cacti and other plants.
English before I saw the name! A lovely Jaguar, several woodies and the requisite Chevys and Fords rounded out the field. Nothing really got us excited, although Bob looked seriously at a very over-the-top Sunbeam Tiger that was drop dead gorgeous! Thursday we were on the go! First stop was Brighton Motors an up and coming local restoration shop with even more cars! Second stop was B-J (bedee bedee bedee), back to Russo-Steele to watch the bidding, and then into Phoenix to preview the RM cars. Oh my!!!! That auction takes place at the Phoenix Biltmore, built in the ‘30s from the architecture, (We declined to visit with the folks at the ‘Biltmore Lifestyles Real Estate’ office.) and is limited to around 100 cars. We chatted with a fellow offering a ’42 Chrysler Barrel Back woody, lovingly restored over many years. The expected auction amount??? $500K. (Each car had the normal info of year, model and style; but also included the auction estimate. The ‘cheapest’ one was $30K. The top end was (hold your breath!) $1.3K. More than several of the other cars were from the ‘30s and ‘40s, restored to the hilt and gorgeous!!!!!
Wednesday was Day 2 of the B-J auction. I realize that one or more of the auctioneers may have been admitted to the Auctioneers Hall of Fame (cogitate that honor!), but, honestly, most of them sounded like Porky Pig between the dollar amounts. (‘Who’ll give me 50 thousand for this car, bedee bedee bedee, 30 thousand, bedee bedee bedee, 10 thousand bedee bedee bedee, let’s start with 5 thousand.’) They also started each auction at a literally fantastic figure, lowered it several times until someone gave them a hand raise. There are several ‘auctioneer assistants’, which I’m sure you’ve seen on the Speed Channel. They wait until someone in a section raises their hand and then rush over to the bidder, encouraging him (we did see one woman buy a car.) to raise and answer a competing bid. Our poor guy didn’t have much to do! We were sitting in the middle of a group who were a lot like us: interested in watching, maybe some bidding, but our limit was exceeded even before we could raise our hands. Bob did bid on a ’57 English Ford Woody Wagon (see photo above.) I had had my eye on that one as well, but decided to be gracious and ‘let’ Bob have it. He ‘won’ the car!!!
We were ‘warned’ from Bob and Jean about the RM gala, held Thursday evening. We gussied up about as much as someone can who finds 90% of their clothing at L.L. Bean, but managed not to embarrass ourselves too much. The people watching was fun! Some furs, more than a few jungle print outfits (when will that style go away??), some ‘armpieces’ with 5 inch heels, and quite a lot of Clairol used by both genders. Remember this is a crowd of automobile collectors who are prepared to bid on the those aforementioned estimates.
Outside of the bidding arena is an enormous area filled with shopping opportunities. They seem to center on jewelry, memorabilia, garage makeovers, more jewelry and ‘art’. We made one grand purchase of wooden cars with interchangeable parts and eschewed the mechanism that lowers your car down into the garage.
We, unfortunately, left Friday morning; we had promised to baby-sit our grandson back in Oregon. We do plan to return. A fun FUN event not to be missed and remember, if you do plan to go, there is plenty to do when you reach your threshold of cars. (I have refrained from a sexist comment, but cannot resist: It is very nice going to a huge event with 1000s of people and not have to stand in line at the bathroom!!)
That afternoon we drove over to the Russo-Steele auction to check out their offerings. R-S have a smaller auction with maybe 150-200 cars, but some were gorgeous. An Allard, which was so cute and funny looking, I just knew it was
— Jan Whittlesey
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Healey Northwest 21150 Ornduff Road Hillsboro, OR 97123 Return Service Requested
Charity Chair Report continued form page 6
$2700.00 for the Charity fund. Lots of our great stuff came from our corporate donors: APT, Guy's Interior Restorations, Moss Motors, NAPA stores, Industrial Finishes, Magnum Opus, Rasmussen Mini, Kuni BMW, Polishing by Timothy, Ashley Avery"s Collectables,
British Auto Works, Columbia Sportswear, Lens Crafters, Mac's Radiator , Victoria British, The Portlander Inn, Tacoma Screw Products, Speedometer Service, Rose City Furniture, Perfect Fit McDonald, Oregon Hazelnut Store, Tom's Import, Budget Rent-a-space & U-Haul.
This Month in AHCO History Thirty Years Ago
by Jeff Mach
Jackson led a Pictionary game focusing on cars, and after the meeting, a potluck dinner closed things out.
The Club met at Ed Davis’ garage in Farmington. Over coffee and doughnuts, Ed discussed what to look for when buying a Healey. Bill Bolton then dismantled a fuel pump blindfolded (just kidding), explained problems that can befall them, and how to adjust them.
Ten Years Ago Terry and Stephanie Hellickson led a tour from Tigard to the Momokawa Sakéry (a saké brewery) in Forest Grove, then over to Cornelius for a tour of John Davis’ car collection, followed by another short drive in the country to the Rock Creek Tavern “for the meeting, grug, and grog.” No ill effects from all that, including the grug, were reported.
Twenty Years Ago Club members visited Springfield for a poker rally to Mark and Nancy Fromme’s house, where Gary 12