Cruisin’ at the speed of fun
Monthly Crusin
Page 1
Mass Cruisers Auto Club January 2021 2020 Memory Lane page 4
1966 Mustang COVID-19 Project pages 6 & 7
Interstate Renumbering Project Underway page 10
1963 Corvette COVID-19 Project page 8
ALSO INSIDE: PRESIDENT’S MUSINGS COVID-19 MUSINGS COVID-19 PARTING SHOT We’re on the Web
Celebrating 30 Years of Cruisin’ Volume 30 Issue 1
www.masscruisers.com And Facebook
Cruisin’ at the speed of fun
Monthly Crusin Contact us by snail mail: P.O. Box 217, Wrentham, MA 02093 Or by email: HO350@comcast.net
Page 2
www.masscruisers.com
Monthly meetings in the Bass Pro Shops Conservation Room will be held in January and February under COVID-19 Phase 3 guidelines limiting in-person attendance to just 10 members. Business meetings Notify any of the seven member Board members if you have an agenda item or want to attend in person. All of our 2021 cruise and car show events have been verified and will be posted on the website.
2021 Board Members
DIRECTORY
Page 2
PRESIDENTIAL MUSING
Page 3
COVID-19 MUSING
Page 3
2020 MEMORY LANE
Pages 4
2021 EVENTS PAGE
Pages 5
Secretary: Lesley Corda-Majeski Asst. Secretary: Diane Thornton
COVID-19 PROJECT MODERNIZING MY MUSTANG
Pages 6 &7
Treasurer: Kevin Rushlow Asst. Treasurer: Rich Armando
COVID-19 PROJECT 1963 CORVETTE
Page 8
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS
Page 9
NEW HIGHWAY EXIT #’s
Pages 10
Digital Graphics Editor: Open
COVID-19 2020 PARTING SHOTS
Pages 11
Facebook: Patrick Touhey FB Admin: John Buchanan FB Admin: Sean Sullivan
Larry Nyborn Steve Huntington John Buchanan Diane Thornton Rich Armando John Sturniolo Kevin Rushlow
Special Assignments Webmaster: Scott Beer Asst: Steve Vining Managing Editor: John Buchanan News Editor: Open
New Members: Lou Valentine
Sgts. at Arms: Rick Lawlor John Sturniolo Charity Coordinator: Open Food Pantry: Steve Fernald Bob Okerholm By-Laws: Wayne Lestan MAAC Rep: John Buchanan MAAC Alt.: Glenn Brayman Cruise Director: Steve Huntington Asst. Cruise Director OPEN Sponsors: John Buchanan Fred Tierney Club Events: Rich Armando Photographer: Steve Vining
Monthly Crusin
Cruisin’ at the speed of fun
Page 3
Presidential Musings By Larry Nyborn
An Unprecedented Year! As 2020 closed on our 29 year history as the Mass Cruisers Auto Club and my own 4th two-year term as its President, we were faced with the unusual situation of not having any candidates to step up to take over a leadership role for the positions of President & Vice President in 2021 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. We had also worked on updating the club’s charter back in 2018 & 19 that included increasing our Board of Directors to seven members. This December, when we would normally vote for the slate of officers for the coming year, I had to take the extraordinary step as outgoing President to invoke the emergency measure by declaring the club will be run by a 7member Board. The proposed board members were: Steve Huntington, John Buchanan, Kevin Rushlow, John Sturniolo, Rich Armando, Diane Thornton and myself (Larry Nyborn). The proposed members were present at our December 15, 2020 monthly meeting and agreed to serve and were duly voted on. Both Kevin, Club Treasurer and Diane Thornton, Assistant Secretary to Leslie Corda– Majeski agreed to continue in those positions to insure a smooth transition into the new year.
COVID-19 Musing By John Buchanan EDITORIAL
The good news as we begin 2021 is that Cruise Director Steve Huntington has confirmed the Annual Bass Pro Shops Cruise Night Schedule shown below is a GO. Of course the April 8 start date could be delayed if state restrictions for outdoor gatherings continues into spring as the rollout of FDA approved vaccines from Pfizer, Modena, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson are monitored for their impact on reduction of COVID-19 transmission rates to acceptable levels are weighed. Rich Armando has also confirmed that the Newport Auto Museum in Portsmouth, R.I. is going forward with plans for our club to host their postponed 1st Annual Autofest, now scheduled for Sunday August 22, 2021. Also, plans have also been put in place for the Seekonk Speedway’s opening weekend Saturday May 1st Classic Show & Go Car Show and is posted on their website Event Schedules | Seekonk Speedway Event Flyer designs for both events are now in the works.
Stay safe, enjoy a bright New Year, after all 2021 is the Chinese year of the OX
Monthly Crusin
Cruisin’ at the speed of fun 2020 YEAR IN REVIEW By John Buchanan
Page 4
Monthly Crusin
Cruisin’ at the speed of fun 2021 HERE WE COME??? By John Buchanan
Page 5
Cruisin’ at the speed of fun
Monthly Crusin
Page 6
Modernizing My 1966 MUSTANG By Rich Armando
My story started one year ago at the Adirondack Nationals in Lake George. I was planning on rebuilding the engine in my Mustang over the winter as it was starting to get tired. Knowing my intentions fellow clubmember John Nunez spotted a complete Ford 302 engine for sale at a vendor’s spot in the flea market. The vendor owns a speed shop about an hour south of the lake and was selling it for a friend. The story behind it was that the create engine was bought from Blue Print Engines https://blueprintengines.com/ and was installed in his Ford Ranger pickup truck putting 800 miles on it. All his gear head friends were switching over to LS motors. He did not want to be left out, so he decided to try selling it at Lake George and put that money toward an LS. He was advised that selling a used motor that you cannot hear run would be a tough sell and would not bring what it’s worth. Understanding that he decided to move forward with selling it. After friend Joe Renaud and club members Hugh Leahy, Johnnie Sturniolo and John Nunez scrutinized the motor that came complete with a new McLeod clutch and pressure plate, a 1995 Mustang bell housing and Tremec T5 transmission, an HEI distributor, Holley 600 carburetor along with a Ford serpentine belt system with the alternator and power steering pump all bolted to it, it was unanimous that it was worth taking a risk for the price he was asking. Hugh told me his T Bucket engine is from Blue Print Engines and he has been very happy with his purchase. If you have heard him driving it, you know how nice it sounds. After sleeping on it I decided to buy the engine on Saturday as they would also be taking a chance with accepting payment with a personal check and let me take the engine right on the spot. Continued on Page 7
Rich Armando in his1966 Mustang follows fellow club members John Nunez & Johnny Sturniolo in Johnny’s 1972 into the lower Fort William Henry show field & swap/flea market area at the 2019 Adirondack Nationals where they found the subject BluePrint Ford 302 engine for sale.
Monthly Crusin
Cruisin’ at the speed of fun
Page 7
Modernizing My 1966 MUSTANG CONTINUED FROM Page 6
When I got home, on Monday I called Blue Print Engines with the serial number for that engine and they confirmed the motor is as advertised. They even transferred the balance of the warranty into my name. My plan was to have it installed over the spring and get it ready for this year’s Lake George return trip. Once the Pandemic hit and everything was being cancelled I decided to take my time and work on it into the summer. Of course, it wouldn’t be as simple as an engine swap. Being tired of trying to park a car without power steering I decided while I was at it I would install a “bolt in’ power rack and pinion conversion kit made by Uni-Steer along with adding a hydraulic clutch setup produced by McLeod. To let this engine breathe the way it should I installed a set of Hedman full length headers hooked up to a 2 ½” diameter exhaust pipes and muffler made by Pypes Performance Exhaust. I guess this is a classic example of when things start to “snow ball”. Thanks to Johnny Sturniolo for his help along with John Nunez who spent hours helping me with this update. Well this is how I spent the months keeping busy during the Pandemic. To keep busy during the winter months I will be installing a Ford 9” rear end with posi 3:50 gears. Hopefully it will go quicker than the rest of the project.
Richie debuted the finished install and work at the club’s October 4 monthly meeting held at the Wrentham Development Center Crackerbarrel Fairgrounds.
Monthly Crusin
Cruisin’ at the speed of fun
Page 8
COVID-19 PROJECT by John Buchanan
Last month’s newsletter featured Bob Walton’s “Garage? Museum? Man Cave?” On the opposite end of the garage spectrum is fellow club member Bruce Berry’s spacious 35 ft wide x 55 ft. deep free standing workshop-garage that was built with three lifts to store and work on his vehicles. And, when he isn’t working on one of his own, he will occasionally help a fellow lift-deficient club member like myself or a good friend with their own projects vehicles. During the COVID pandemic Bruce had a friend’s rare 1963 split window Corvette coupe, which showed evidence of enjoying a previous life as a modified race car, on his working lift. Bruce was refitting it with a modified small block Corvette engine and 4 speed tranny. After completing the install and getting the Vette running it has since been returned to a storage trailer for the winter. Bruce is now turning his attention to his 1934 Chevy coupe by rewelding the lower control arm position on the Total Cost Involved front end clip he previously installed to replace the old Mustang II setup. And, like all hot rod projects that run into problems with swaps, he
really enjoys these challenges over the winter when his garage workspace has a radiant heated floor, the right tools and the solution requires welding, one of the numerus skills he’s developed over the years as a mechanic and fabricator running his Babfar temporary heating business.
Monthly Crusin
Cruisin’ at the speed of fun
Support Our Advertisers
Page 9
Monthly Crusin
Cruisin’ at the speed of fun
Interstate Highway Exit Renumbering Project By John Buchanan
We've seen the Interstate highway exit number changes in states outside of New England on our way to national meets and really appreciated knowing how far the next state line is or was from the exit you’ve just passed. So, it really shouldn't be that hard for most of the long distance road warriors among us to adjust from the old system. Log onto the state’s website New MassDOT Exit Numbering (newmassexits.com)
to learn more.
Page 10
Monthly Crusin
Cruisin’ at the speed of fun
Page 11
COVID-19 2020 Parting Shot By John Buchanan
Thanks to MESH New England Technical Editor Mark Hurwitz who sent me the following photo that was being displayed in the lobby of the Harley Davidson Museum reopening during the current COVID-19 pandemic. This is a reminder to visitors that wearing masks are not only required today, they were also a necessary defense during the 1918—1919 flu epidemic. "In 1918 – 1919, the flu epidemic infected about 500 million people worldwide. Nearly 1/3 of the world’s population. The U.S. alone endured 675,000 deaths, approximately 7% of its total 1918 population. In an effort to protect citizens, many communities around the country implemented preventative measures, including wearing masks. Here, Harley-Davidson dealers can be seen taking this precaution during those challenging times as they attend a 1919 regional dealer conference in San Francisco."
This is what the original Plymouth Rock looked like in 1620 before tourists started chipping souvenir pieces off of it.
Cruisin’ at the speed of fun
Page 12
P.O. Box 217 Wrentham, MA 02093
Monthly Crusin
