Mass Cruisers Auto Club Crusin’ at the speed of fun
We’re on the Web
Celebrating 25 years of Cruisin’
www.masscruisers.com
August 2016
Volume 26 Issue 8
And Facebook
MONTHLY CRUISIN
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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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August 4th Cruise winner: 1929 Cadillac Model 341B 7 Passenger Touring Car
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Autofest 2016 : 25th Annual Mass Cruisers Show
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Autofest 2016 (continued)
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Autofest 2016 (continued)
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Autofest 2016 (continued)
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Support our advertisers
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September Auto Shows & Events Page
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Club Officers President– John Buchanan Vice President—Diane Thornton Secretary—Patrick Touhey Treasurer—Wayne Lestan
-----------------------Ralph Chadsey’s “Lend a Hand, 11 Bring a Can” Drive
contact the newseditor@masscruicers.com for information about newsletter advertising options
Webmaster—Steve Vining 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 Representative— John Buchanan
Special Events Cruise Night—Steve Huntington Car Show—Rich Armando Club Events Calendar – (open)
Monthly Cruisin
Autofest Chairman Emissions
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This past Sunday’s Autofest 2016 was a huge success due to the hard work of the members who gave up their Sunday to do whatever had to be done. It started back in February when the show committee laid the foundation for what would become Autofest 2016. As the months passed, things started to fall into place as they finetuned old and new ideas. When the time came for the general membership to get involved you did. With passing out show fliers at other car clubs events to putting together goodie bags, setting up the show field a week later and then finally on the day of the show the help was there. Even though we can always use more help especially the day of the show the turnout was what was expected based on the past. For the goodie bags there was 39 people in attendance, 22 for the setup on Saturday and 52 to make it all happen on Sunday. Even with 52 people working the day of, more help would have been appreciated as most everyone’s day started around 6am and ended around 4pm. If you weren’t able to help this year, then maybe you can put it on your calendar for 2017. On behalf of the show committee and me we would like to thank everyone who worked the show. The commitment made by all the last few weeks proves once again why the Mass Cruisers has an excellent reputation in the collector car hobby. As I always say the job of the committee and myself is made easy with the help of others like you. Sincerely, Rich Armando, 2016 Autofest Show Chairman
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August 4th Cruise Winner
1929 Cadillac Model 341B 7 Passenger Touring Car CRUISE AWARD PLAQUE SPONSOR: Vintage Motorsports, 86 Washington St. (Rte. 16) in Holliston, MA
One of the two cars pictured on our 2016 Bass Pro Shops cruise flyer is Dick Graham’s yellow and black 1929 Cadillac Model 341B 7 Passenger Touring Car. Dick always parks his Cadillac up against the Route 1 embankment in the back of Lot 16 facing directly across from the Bass Pro Shops. Each time Dick has driven this perfectly maintained and detailed classic to our cruise, I stop by and admire the details that were prevalent on these older classics and hoping each time this Cadillac would be the one selected for the Vintage Motorsports cruise award plaque. Well, it finally happened and it turns out that Dick drives past the Vintage Motorsports garage on Route 16 on his way to our cruise in Foxboro. Now he’ll be able stop and show co-owners Neil Childress & Greg Pellegrino their sponsored plaque that he won at the August 4 cruise. Dick used to maintain this majestic car for its former owner for about 10 years until he died then was able to purchase it 17 years ago from the owner’s family. The owner would tell Dick all the history about the car while he worked on it, most of which he never really paid much attention to at the time. All he now recalls is it came from South America and the spark plugs had metric threads. Bass Pro Shops Events Manager Bob Berkowitz assigned this week’s judging task to Jeff Goldstein who is a knowledgeable car guy. Not an easy task with over 2,000 cars to choose from. Our webmaster and club photographer Steve Vining chauffeured Jeff around the cruise and, out of the four or five other excellent cars he selected, he finally settled on Dick’s 1929 Cadillac. A great choice in my mind. A few notable details about this Fisher bodied 341 cu. in powered V8 Cadillac worth noting; 1929 was the first year for the Synchro-mesh transmission and safety glass. The metric spark plugs were introduced mid-year. The original 1929 MSRP was $3,450 ($47,720 - 2016) with today’s NADA value for this car in the condition that Dick’s Cadillac is around $100,000. Now you know the rest of the story. Don’t be afraid to stop by and ask Dick questions about his Cadillac when you see it in Lot 16. Video slideshow : https://vimeo.com/178526065
Monthly Cruisin
Autofest 2016 25th Annual Mass Cruisers Show
What a way to celebrate our 25th AutoFest Annual Car Show, held on Sunday August 21, 2016 at the Wrentham Fairgrounds. It was the best one yet by all measures. We moved this year’s show back to a to Sunday from Saturday after experiencing several years of conflict with the Massachusetts sales tax free Saturday weekend.
Then Governor Baker cancelled it this year. Oh well, the weather was perfect and the addition of the Wrentham Fire Department hosting a muster and parade of antique fire trucks concurrently with the car show added a level of excitement and public interest that exceeded expectations. The vendor flea market area was rearranged again this year by Zeke Sawayer to integrate their display aisles with the show car aisles to increase foot traffic. It worked and the mix offered everyone an opportunity gawk and shop.
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Monthly Cruisin
Autofest 2016
There were 380 registered show cars, the highest number in 25 years, that participated in judged competition for two Best of Shows, two Super Wheels Top 100 Showdown picks, 10 superlative awards and 30 Best of Class award trophies. There were also more than 40 club member and sponsor show vehicles on display as well as 20 antique fire engines that competed for in judged competition for five trophies. Kids, in addition to getting a complimentary hot wheels car, again had a blast competing in double elimination valve cover racing and had their own ballots to vote for their favorite vehicle at the show. Special displays also included local drag racing legend “Tiger” Tom Dunn’s racing memorabilia tent, the return of the Lost In Space “Chariot” built by John Antonellis, President & CEO of Elevator Interior Design of Lynn, MA, the 2016 Detroit Autorama Pre-1935 Altered Rod Pickup Class winner and the Landry Racing dragster.
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Autofest 2016 25th Annual Mass Cruisers Show
Although there was a large pavilion tent with picnic table seating for 120 to get out from the sun and for eating, the Wrentham Fire Department erected a mist tent for anyone that wanted to cool off. Because there is a severe drought this summer with strict water bans being imposed, the normal muster firehose competition was cancelled. The WFD did have two junked autos on hand to demonstrate how their portable “Jaws of Life� are used to remove the car roofs in an accident. There is a lot of planning and work by club members to put on an annual car show each year and despite the few glitches that are bound to happen, this show seemed to be running well throughout the 8 am to 2 pm award presentations. Show Chairman Rich Armando and each of the event captains are to be congratulated for a fine effort.
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Monthly Cruisin
Autofest 2016 25th Annual Mass Cruisers Show
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Support Our Advertisers
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Auto Shows & Events Page
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Monthly Cruisin
”Lend A Hand, Bring a Can” Drive
Ralph Chadsey’s “Lend A Hand Bring A Can” drive to benefit five of the local area food pantries has been a success. Ralph augmented the delivery of 700 lbs. of non-perishable food donations to the Hebron Food Pantry in Attleboro following the August 4 Bass Pro Shops cruise along with a $300 check to purchase both perishable and non- perishable food which will augment their twice weekly food pantries. Director Michelle Burch noted that each $1 donation they receive translates into $20 worth of food they can be purchase from the Boston Food Bank. The Hebron Food Pantry which serves the needs of 275+ families and individuals each week is located in the basement of Centenary United Methodist Church on Sanford Street across from the Y.M.C.A. They conduct a Senior’s Food Pantry on Tuesday mornings from 10:30 – 11:30 AM and a Working Person’s Food Pantry on Thursday’s from 5 PM to 8 PM. Michelle explained that August is their slowest time of year for donations and also when low income working families have the greatest need as they prepare their children for the upcoming school year. Ralph also brought along $300 checks to deliver to the Norfolk, Wrentham, Walpole and Foxboro food pantries, from cash donations collected from car owners attending our bi-weekly Bass Pro Shops cruises.
Ralph Chadsey presents a $300 check to Norfolk Food Pantry Administrator Josh King.
Ralph Chadsey presents a $300 check to Attleboro’s Hebron Food Pantry Director Michelle Burch.
Just past the half way point through the cruise season at Patriot Place, Ralph and his front entrance team has collected close to 3,000 lbs. food and the $1,500 of cash donations they’ve collected translates to $30,000 worth of food these food pantries will be able to purchase. The food drive deliveries take place following each cruise to each of the food pantries on a rotating basis and there is planned to be a second round of cash donations made to each pantry in early November following our final October 27 cruise. Ralph deserves a HIGH FIVE for coming up with this “Lend A Hand – Bring A Can” drive that was originally intended to be a one -time effort last fall, that is now becoming a regular part of our Bass Pro Shops cruise experience.
Monthly Cruisin
September 2016
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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