Mass Cruisers Auto Club Crusin’ at the speed of fun
Inside this issue Buchanan takes us along as he Drives Home II:The Heritage Run (page 4), we celebrate 26 years of cruising (page 6) and nostalgia is king on page 10 with our 2016 Memory Lane Events list and The Big E’s Mid-Winter Swap & Sell Meet review on page 11.
We’re on the Web
Celebrating 25 years of Cruisin’ January 2017 Volume 27 Issue 1
www.masscruisers.com And Facebook
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Contact us by snail mail: P.O. Box 217, Wrentham, MA 02093 Or by email: HO350@comcast.net
We’re on the Web! www.masscruisers.com
Our clubhouse is located at 124 Main Street, Norfolk, behind the Dunkin Donuts shop and across the street from the police station. For more information please call: 781 551-0520. Visitors, guests and those interested in joining the
Mass Cruisers Auto Club are welcome to attend one of our monthly meetings held on the third Tuesday of each month in Norfolk. Directory
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Presidential Emissions
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The Drive Home II: The Heritage Run By John Buchanan The Drive Home II: The Heritage Run (continued)
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Club Officers President– Ed Beatty Vice President—Diane Thornton Secretary—Patrick Touhey Asst. Lesley Corda
26th Annual Recognition Awards & Introduction of Officers
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Treasurer—Wayne Lestan Asst. Kevin Rushlow
26th Annual Recognition Awards (continued)
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Webmaster—Steve Vining
February Shows & Events
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Support our Advertisers
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2016 Memory Lane Events By John Buchanan
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----------------Mid-winter Swap & Sell @ The Big E
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contact the newseditor@masscruicers.com for information about newsletter advertising options
Newsletter Editor—Paul Saulnier Facebook Admin. – Patrick Touhey New Member Liaison—Don Cole Sgts. at Arms—Rick Lawlor & John Sturniolo Charity Coordination – Frank Bryant By-Laws – Roy Rossman MAAC Rep — John Buchanan
Special Events Cruise Night—Steve Huntington Car Show—Rich Armando Club Events Calendar – (open)
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Presidental Emissions
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tarting off the New year in 2017 as President of the Mass Cruisers Auto Club, and with my cover photo filling the January newsletter cover, some members were commenting it looked like a MUG SHOT. I thought it looked Presidential or at least General Patten worthy.
The 26th Annual meeting held in the Conservation Room at the Bass Pro Shops with catering by the Blue Fin Lounge was a great way to see everyone and enjoy socializing with one another. There was an excellent turnout despite the bad weather and I hope everyone had enough to eat. I want to thank outgoing President John Buchanan for pulling this meeting together. I would also like to thank our Mass Cruisers sponsors and supporters for their help with our successful 2016 Bass Pro Shops cruise nights at Patriot Place and our 25th Annual Car Show at the Wrentham Development Center. Car Show Chairman Rich Armando‟s announcement that six area trade schools have been invited to compete in motor build-off and body repair competitions at this year‟s August 20 26th Annual AutoFest Car Show. It is an exciting addition to an already successful event. Also, Lou Valentine has arranged for the MassCar Model Club to host a model build off at our show with Harry‟s Hobby Shop in Norton providing the kits. And, the Wrentham Fire Dept. will once again be participating with an antique Fire Apparatus parade, display and competition within the show. The Feb 21 monthly meeting at the clubhouse will feature Lou Valentine‟s invited guest speaker Len Carroll. Len was the former Norwood Airport Operations Manager when the Mass Cruisers held their car shows there more than 20 years ago after leaving the Wrentham VFW venue. Len was also instrumental in bringing the Collings Museum Collection of WWII Military Aircraft to Norwood Airport. Like our own Steve V. & John B.,
Len likes to take car pictures of old hulks abandoned in the woods of New England, especially Maine. After meeting up with wary land owners with their guns and dogs, we can only hope he has finally learned to get permission first before shooting. I would like to know where that flathead midget is. (Photos contributed by Len Carroll). Hope to see everyone at the meeting.
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The Drive Home II:The Heritage Run
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by John Buchanan
ack in 2015 the LeMay America‟s Car Museum (ACM) in Tacoma Washington took three cars from its 3,000 car collection that were representative of the Big 3, GM, Ford & Chrysler; a 1957 Chevrolet Nomad, 1961 Chrysler 300G and 1966 Mustang and drove them home to Detroit through 10 states, some 3,149 miles in 11 days to the 2016 North American International Car in January 2016. Neither snow, sleet nor rain deterred these hardy drivers for their first “Ride Home” back to Detroit. If Hollywood can have a sequel, why not Detroit? So “The Ride Home II” – Heritage Rally was targeted to begin this year‟s 12 day journey in Boston on December 27, 2016 with planned stops along its 2,150 mile road though 15 cities in 8 states and Washington, DC to Detroit and ultimately the January 8 – 22, 2017 Auto Show.
Only this year they‟ve added a Brewster bodied 1917 Crane-Simplex Model 5, once owned by John D. Rockefeller, to their caravan. The Simplex was trailered of course, but was pulled out at each of the planned stops to be driven and displayed.
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The Drive Home II:The Heritage Run (continued) Thanks to the heads up by Steve Huntington about this year‟s Heritage Rally, I decided to go, but not to tackle Boston‟s commuter traffic on a Tuesday evening for their planned No Name Restaurant dinner gathering on the Boston Fish Pier. The better of the two New England options for me was to attend their planned lunch stop at Chopmist Charlie‟s in Jamestown, R.I.. My U.S. Route 6 buddy Don Doucette, who was having coffee at our usual weekday morning Dunkin Donut get together, agreed to ride shotgun in the ‟61 Chevy down to Jamestown as long as I could get him back home before 3:30 pm to pick up his wife Nancy at work. We arrived at Chopmist Charlie‟s around 11 am to find a 1954 Chevy pickup and 1960 Cadillac Coupe DeVille already parked on the street away from the restaurant because daily drivers were parked in front of the restaurant. With patience and perseverance I was able to grab a prime spot in front of Chopmist Charlie‟s when it became free and the Caddy was able also to follow as well when another spot became available. We were now ready for the Rally cars to arrive at 11:30 AM but they were delayed until 2:00 PM, so we all hunkered down inside the restaurant, had lunch and got to know one another. Rather than repeat the Day 2 drive to Jamestown, you can click on the following links to see the YouTube video and reported story. The YouTube video leads to others taken during their unplanned stop at the Audrain Museum in Newport and the emergency brake shoes repair on the 1961 Chrysler done later in Jamestown. The fun didn‟t stop there for the Rally cars. The Mustang puked all its tranny fluid in NYC and had to be trailered to Harrisburg, PA for repairs, rejoining the Rally in Carlisle. The Philadelphia stop was cancelled due to the repair delays to make their planned Washington, DC & VA stops. We were fortunate to catch their brief visit in Jamestown because this annual ACM event is on track to try a different route to Detroit every year. https://www.youtube.com/playlist? list=PLVjxdcNBHiFzFSx1Isfc2uHoa-wfXZqVO https://www.facebook.com/AmericasCarMuseum/
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26th Annual Recognition Awards & Introduction of Officers
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he 26th Annual Introduction of officers, new clubmembers and recognition awards was held January 17 at the Bass Pro Shops Conservation Room with a light buffet supplied by the Blue Fin Lounge. Fifty members were able to attend despite the weather conditions of rain, sleet and slippery road conditions. Newly elected President Ed Beatty handled the hosting duties, introducing returning Vice President Diane Thornton, Secretary Patrick Touhey, Treasurer Wayne Lestan and Board of Directors member representative Steve Huntington. Also introduced in newly created positions were Assist. Secretary Lesley Corda and Assist. Treasurer Kevin Rushlow. Prior to the start of the Meeting Pres. Beatty & Cruise Director Steve Huntington presented a 2016 Thank You Plaque to Bass Pro Shops Operations Manager Jeff Moschella.
Other recognition awards included custom made trophies by Bob & Ann Hines and Diane Thorton presented to 25 year members Steve Huntington and Larry Nyborn. Also included were 4-day tickets to the June 21 -24 Barret-Jackson Northeast Auction at the Mohegan Sun.
Last year‟s 2015 Cruiser of the Year selection, Patrick Touhey presented the 2106 Cruiser of the Year Award to a surprised Ralph Beatty in recognition for the highly successful and well received “Lend a Hand, Bring a Can” food drives for the local area food pantries held at our Bass Pro Shops Cruise Nights. Ralph noted that the success of this effort wouldn‟t have happened without the helping hands of the dozen other club members that worked the front entrance gate at the cruises.
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26th Annual Recognition Awards (continued) Cruise Director Steve Huntington presented the Thursday bi-weekly 2017 Bass Pro Shops Cruise season beginning April 13 through to October 26. Early word from Bass Pro Shops Promotions Mgr. Bob Berkowitz, who got a peek at 2017 NFL pre-season schedule indicted there are no Thursday night games scheduled for Gillette Stadium. Car Show Director Rich Armando, shared new activities for the August 20 AutoFest Car Show that his committee has been working on. First, the Wrentham Fire Department will again be hosting an antique fire apparatus parade, show and muster at our show. New events in the works are, an area trade school engine tear down and rebuild competition that Bob Hines will be judging, a trade school body repair competition that friend of the club Joe Ouellette will be judging and Lou Valentine has made arrangements with the MassCar Model Club to conduct a model building competition for the youngsters with models supplied by Harry‟s Hobbies & Collectibles shop in Norton. These three new events, in addition to the annual show favorite valve cover racing that Mike & Lorna Rabbitt conduct for the kids each year, should continue to make our show a popular destination for families in addition to auto enthusiasts.
During the meeting, Fred Tierney was inquiring of all present their plans to attend the 26th Annual Anniversary celebration on Saturday April 29 at the Old Colonial Café and Norwood Theater. Those not able to attend this January 17 meeting should reply to Fred‟s email link by Feb. 11. John Buchanan provided copies of 2016 Memory Lane Mass Cruiser Events that appears on page 10 noting that the 58 club events throughout the year make it impossible for anyone to attend every event John also closed the meeting with a eulogy for our late member Sarojit Malik, whose name will be added to the other eight club members who are no longer with us.
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February Shows & Events
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Support Our Advertisers
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2016 Memory Lane Events By John Buchanan
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Mid-Winter Swap & Sell @ the Big E erfect CRUIZN weather to hop out to the Big E in West Springfield to take in StartFinish Production‟s annual AutoParts Swap „n Sell on Jan. 21 & 22. Everything from vendors selling sandpaper to impressive muscle cars filled the Better Living Center building. Concurrent with the Swap „n Sell event this year was the annual Springfield Motorcycle Show held being held next door inside the Young Building. Although there is a significant vendor presence in support of the race car hobbyists along with numerous model car vendors that keep youngsters, both old and young, busy looking for their favorite marques, and tools and hardware galore. I found buried in one of the literature booths a treasure trove of old highway maps from the 1920‟s & „30‟s which I have been collecting recently to aid in the verification of historic U.S. Route alignments for both U.S. Route 1, 6 & 20.
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I find these old maps take up less room than spare parts for my cars and are relatively inexpensive and can make an excellent addition to the period glove compartment in this era of travel dominated by GPS and WAZE. A couple of the more interesting maps I found was a 1940‟s era Howard Johnson‟s Road Map that not only showed where all their ice cream shops & restaurants across the U.S.A., it also had a photo of Howard Johnson along with his pledge to the motoring public. Another unusual and rare find was a folding linen cloth road map of all the roads and points of interest in the Boston District that was stamped from The Old Corner Book Store map collection. I haven‟t been able to date this map, but it predates the route numbering of roads in 1922 and predates 1833 which clearly shows South Bay with its wharves which was filled in then to become an intermodal train/sea station as part of the Boston & Worcester RR to the Fort Channel connection. So it is not only rare and valuable engine parts that can be found at swap meets.
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Member meetings are held the 3rd Tuesday of each month at the Norfolk MA clubhouse.
P.O. Box 217 Wrentham, MA 02093