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Wheel-E
Everything on Wheels!
MOM AND DAUGHTER GET THEIR KICKS ON ROUTE 66 Issue 4
Spring 2012
48 State Drive 40 State Old Car 16 Year Old Driver Vince Friese Pro Super Cross/ MotoCross Rider Pinewood Derby
Wheel-E Magazine VOLUME 1 - ISSUE 4 PUBLISHER Dean Whitlow DESIGN & LAYOUT Terri Jestus PUBLISHED BY The Caress of Steel
Features Street Rod Lane Visit to Grass Roots BMW A Visit with B&B Consignment Center
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Wheel-E is printed twice a year. All contents copyright 2012 by Wheel-E Magazine. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of the contents, in whole or in part without prior written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.
LE
By Dean Whitlow
N! PI
O FOR A G S ’ S T
I’ve heard it stated that small businesses are the cornerstone of our economy. We often hear references to Main Street versus Wall Street. Small businesses clearly play a critical role in most communities… especially in small and rural areas. This issue of Wheel-E Magazine is dedicated to the small businesses (most family owned) that are in one way or another connected with something on wheels. Whether it is the sales and service of cars or motorcycles, the restoration of classic and antiques vehicles, or providing salvage parts for most everything that moves, our region is fortunate to have many great examples of businesses providing such goods and services. As Terri and I went about interviewing the many folks that operate these small businesses, we were greeted with wonderful hospitality, and impressed by the passion and enthusiasm the business owners/operators exhibited. We were unsure of what we might discover as we ventured into this new topic for Wheel-E Magazine, but made some new friends along the way and got a behind the scenes look at what makes these businesses run. We find it very common for one story to lead us to yet another. For example, as we met with the Baker family at B & B Salvage, we learned a about their son Ryan’s truck, and about the family’s history of participating in the Boy Scout Pinewood Derby events (three generations have competed). As you’ll see in these pages, we were then presented with opportunities to provide our readers with additional stories-within-stories. So, here’s our salute to the small businesses of our region and the wonderful folks that provide us with goods and services for everything on wheels! A big thank you to the owners/operators for taking time from busy schedules to share stories with us.
STREET ROD LANE By Dean Whitlow
Street Rod Lane outside of Scott City, Missouri is one of the most unique businesses that we’ve visited. Founder and owner Keith Farmer took time to show us around and we were excited to learn about Keith’s talents and some of the vehicles that he has worked on over the years.
Visitors are greeted by this antique gas pump sign at Street Rod Lane.
To give you a bit of history on Keith, he worked during his college years at Southeast Missouri State University for a local body shop in exchange for getting his 1971 Challenger painted. He continued working at the body shop for 5 years and learned “old school techniques” (World War II era) from the owner. Another influence on Keith’s career was that he sold truck parts for fifteen years. During this time he learned driveline, air conditioning, and electrical skills. A major factor that influenced Keith to open Street Rod Lane was that he wanted more time with his son, who was in kindergarten at the time the business opened. When his son became active in sports, Keith could close the shop and take his son to games.
Street Rod Lane’s facility is well equipped with unique machines and tools.
Metal working equipment like this isn’t common to traditional “body shops”.
In most recent years, Keith has attended numerous schools on modern metal-shaping technology and has learned from renowned professionals such as Ron Covell (hands-on school) and Ken White’s school in California. Keith attends the annual Metal Meet in Illinois where approximately one hundred and fifty of the nation’s best metal workers come together to share their knowledge and skills with one another. It is clear that Keith’s passion is metalworking, however, he does not like to paint, but is such a perfectionist that he won’t leave this to anyone else. Keith’s shop is outfitted with AMAZING metalworking machinery to allow him to fabricate most any part of a vehicle. Services that he can provide include body, paint, chassis, suspension, brakes, etc. Keith’s first street rod was his 1936 Dodge pickup that features running boards and tailgate made by Keith. Proof that Keith and his family love everything on wheels, is that they have a “stable” of 4-wheelers and motorcycles that all started when his
daughter (who is now 28) wanted a 4-wheeler. They have a number of motocross bikes including one for his 7-year old grandson, who began riding when he was only 3. One important chapter in the history of Street Rod Lane involved Bill Sneathen who is famous for highend restored Mustangs. Bill relied on Keith for panel repair and replacement. This allowed Bill’s cars to have original panels on them instead of aftermarket replacements.
Street Rod Lane has a few future projects hidden away. Someday these could be a Wheel-E Magazine cover car!
Keith’s tremendous talents are clearly evident in the 1933 Roadster that he is building using a reproduction steel body made in Michigan as the foundation of the car. He said that with the downturn in auto stamping, many companies have ventured into stamping new steel bodies and panels that are replicas of antique cars! Keith’s ‘33 is an American Speed Company replica body that features a Corvette style roof that retracts into the trunk of the car. Keith’s ’33 is known as the "Speed 33" and was the 9th one produced by American Speed Company. Keith showed us examples of his craftsmanship including a dash extension for his ’33 roadster.
This sign piqued our curiosity and led us to this business.
Today, the business has transitioned to the repair of late-model cars due to the economic downturn. Some of those cars Keith’s wife sells at her business called Trax Edge, which is on Main Street in Scott City, Missouri. Keith has worked together with his son (who is now 16 years old) and has helped hone the skills that he has mastered. However, he isn’t pressuring his son to take over the business but respects the fact that sports are his son’s greatest interest. It was a privilege to meet Keith and to learn about his skills, his business, and his passion for metalworking.
Trax Edge Motors in Scott City is an outlet for completed projects from Street Rod Lane.
S W A P M E E CAPAHA ANTIQUE CAR CLUB
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Ryan as a little boy and then history repeating itself with his nephew, Hunter participating in the Pinewood Derby.
Block Moments By Joy Baker a.k.a. Hunter’s Grandma
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anuary 28, 2012 was Pack 112’s Pinewood Derby Race. For those of you who have not been involved in Cub Scouts, the Scout buys a Pinewood Derby Car Kit that consists of a 6 in. X 4 in. block of wood, axles and wheels. The boys, along with an adult carves, sands, paints, and add weights (5oz.) to make a car. The day of the race the boy’s cars are inspected to make sure all is legal. Then OFF TO THE RACES!!!!! The Pinewood Derby Race originated in 1953. However, this is our family’s third generation to race in the Derby. This year was our grandson, Hunter’s first year to race. What fun, Grandpa and Hunter had picking out a body style, color of car, and decals! The next steps were using saws, sand paper and spray paint. Oh, the dreams of having the FASTEST CAR! Hunter’s car didn’t win a trophy but the time Grandpa and grandson spent together was priceless. Plans are already in the works for next year’s car with high hopes of a trophy!
The kids goofing off.
Ryan Baker, Jimmy Sparks and Cory Bullard with their cars.
A Family Member with Four Wheels? Ryan Baker’s 1952 Chevy Truck has become a part of the family! By Terri Jestus IN THE BEGINNING As a ten-year old Ryan Baker and a friend started rebuilding a riding mower, making it into a go-cart. Ryan’s mom reminisced that Ryan would call his dad, Joe Bob Baker, at work and ask him to bring parts home from B&B Salvage. One time it was a seat. Another time, it was a radio! Joe Bob indeed brought a radio home, but Ryan complained that it didn’t work! At just fourteen years of age, Ryan started working on his first car, which was a Chevrolet Cavalier. However, his desire was to restore an old vehicle.
Ryan Baker with son Corran and nephew Hunter
was driving Ryan’s car), collided into the rear of the 1952 truck. The bumpers and grille were damaged in the accident and had to be repaired! Vehicle Features ● Make: 1952 Chevrolet ● Model: ¾ ton, long-bed ● Drivetrain: 235 in-line Chevy 6-cylinder, 4 speed transmission ● Color: Blue ● Owner: Ryan Baker ● Years Owned: Since 1995
THE SEARCH When Ryan first came up with the idea to restore a vehicle with his father, he found several vehicles that to a young, ambitious boy looked good but his experienced dad didn’t feel that they were what they were looking for. The vehicles either had too much rust or simply were not worth all the work that it would require to make them road-ready.
THE PROJECT Finally, Ryan and Joe Bob came across the 1952 Chevy truck that you see in the accompanying photos. The truck was a perfect restoration project. They started restoring the truck in 1995 when Ryan was still in high school, and took 3 years to complete all of the work. As with any restoration project, some parts proved difficult to locate. Eventually, Ryan and his Dad bought a couple other trucks for parts. Unfortunately, one event that happened during the project was related to us by Joe Bob. The story is that when Ryan was 16 years old, the glass shop called to say that the new glass had been installed in the 1952 truck. So, Ryan and a young friend drove over to pick it up. On the way back, Ryan collided into the rear of a Lincoln Continental, and his friend (who
Interesting Details ● Granny-low 4 speed transmission ● Converted from 6-volts to 12-volts ● Replaced the 216 poppet valve engine ● The Bakers are the truck’s 2nd owner When/Where is it Driven ● To work and back (months April – Nov) ● Otherwise, the truck is stored in the garage. When Ryan was asked if he would do something similar with his son, he responded that he already has a ’72 Ford Bronco that will most likely be their project! Ryan’s plans are to give the Chevy truck to one son and the Bronco to the other. Ryan and Joe Bob said that the best part of restoring the truck was the actual work that went into the restoration. When asked if there was something they might have chosen to do differently, the response was that they might not fix it up as nice if they had it to do again! Joy Baker, Ryan’s Mom said that if her Dad was still alive when they did the restoration, it would have been wonderful if he could have been involved in the project. We sincerely love Ryan Baker’s truck and it clearly has become a member of the Baker family!
Wheel-E Magazine’s VISIT TO Grass Roots BMW By Dean Whitlow and Terri Jestus
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Benka Pulko’s famed motorcycle on display at Grass Roots.
Adding to the ever expanding selection at Grass Roots, they now provide three-wheel conversions. The popularity of these bikes is growing.
hen we sat down with Herb C. Anderson at Grass Roots BMW, we got more than we bargained for. His passion for motorcycles, the motorcycle community, and just life in general is inspiring! Herb shared so much with us that this could easily be three or four installments! So, expect more in the future on Herb and his business. Grass Roots BMW was originally located in Carbondale, Illinois, and included the sale of lawn mowers. The business, however, quickly transitioned to motorcycles. It has now been in its Cape Girardeau location for over 19 years. Current owner, Herb C. Anderson has worked in motorcycles the past 15 years and has owned/operated Grass Roots for the past six years. Local businessman, Dave Hutson has a 25% ownership in the business and was involved with the relocation of Grass Roots from Carbondale, Illinois. Grass Roots BMW is a full service dealership with focus on BMW motorcycles… both new and used bikes, parts, accessories, apparel, etc. The business has ten employees. Recently, Husqvarna off road and dual-sport (BMW’s GS line) were added along with three-wheel conversions for BMW’s. Cape Girardeau is one of the smallest cities to have a BMW motorcycle dealership. Fifty percent of their business is from Illinois. As for other BMW dealerships, Memphis, St. Louis, and Nashville are the closest BMW shops to the Cape Girardeau area. There are 139 dealers nationwide and they get to know one another through the dealer’s meeting held each year in New Orleans.
Since 2007, the motorcycle market has dropped 60%. However, Grass Roots has grown during this time, and BMW has moved from a 5% share of the motorcycle market to 10%. Grass Roots just finished a record year. During the recession, the only maker that did not delay or postpone the introduction of a new model was BMW. They set goals for their dealers. Most dealerships don’t reach 100% of expectations. In the past year, Grass Roots achieved 206% of expectations. Herb credits his awesome staff for this achievement. Herb said that Grass Roots has a wonderful reputation all over the U.S. He said that this reputation was well established when he purchased the business. Herb has personally ridden BMW’s over ½ million miles. Spending a great deal of time onboard a BMW, Herb has met folks all over the United States… mostly long-distance riders. Herb enjoys sales and doing promotional events. Grass Roots is in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest parade of BMW’s. Earning this record took a great deal of planning and organization. Even the police escort was a BMW motorcycle. To achieve the record required a great deal of documentation and “rule following”. This was achieved on the 26th of September in 2009. On display at Grass Roots are some items that represent some of the most dedicated and well-known riders of motorcycles. For example, leathers hanging in Herb’s office belong to N8! Kern (Nate Kern) who is a professional BMW racer. Also Benka Pulko’s Motorcycle is on display at Grass Roots. It is the only bike to have been ridden on seven continents. Benka holds two world records for her riding. Originally from Slovenia, Benka now lives in the Park Hills, MO area. She rode her bike a total of 111,856 miles. BMW has certainly taken that invention to a level of sophistication like no other. BMW • has the most environmentally conscientious brand on the market • have full emissions control systems • offers anti-lock brakes, traction control, as well as other electronic controls on their bikes. • boasts of having the world’s most powerful yet safest super-bike. Looking to the future, Grass Roots will be adding scooters later in 2012. These will be fast and powerful BMW scooters. They are a bit higher in price than many of the little scooters we see in the U.S. today. BMW plans to send two models to U.S. dealerships in late 2012. Herb’s next big promotional event will be new to downtown Cape. In cooperation with Old Town Cape, Herb plans to host a Vintage Motorcycle show for all brands of bikes. Knowing the sincere passion that Herb has for all things motorcycle, we are confident that he will continue to have great success with his business. Herb’s favorite quote is that “Man’s greatest invention wasn’t the first wheel… it was the second!”
Husquavarna off-road motocross bikes are the latest addition to Grass Roots line of bikes.
Expanding their variety of bikes, this dualsport model offers a versatile motorcycle to Grass Root’s customers.
girlfriend was there. Overseas, we had to depend on his team manager, although Vince's girlfriend attended some of those. His Mom goes to all she can. The weekly travel gets very expensive! As a parent, what’s been the scariest thing to watch while he was racing? The starts are always the scariest. Every race, our hearts are pounding when he’s at the gate. Vince in Oakland
Wheel-E Magazine was fortunate enough to recently interview the parents of Vince Friese, Pro Super Cross/Motocross Rider and 10 Time Amateur MotoCross Champion How did Vince get started in Motocross? Vince started riding a motorcycle at age three and started racing at four. It began as a family hobby. His Dad raced as a teenager and continued riding and racing as an adult, then he introduced Vince and his brother, Max to motorcycles. They loved it and soon they were begging to race. Vince competed for the first time at the amateur race held at Loretta Lynn’s ranch in the four-to-six year old class. He finished 19th and that was his amateur number from then on. Where has he traveled to race? Vince has had the opportunity to do a lot of travelling. He has, of course, travelled all over the United States with the Super Cross series and the outdoor National Series which includes just about every major city in the U.S. and Toronto, Canada. He also has raced in Australia, Switzerland and Germany. This past fall, he was asked to do a riding school in Hawaii (tough assignment!). How often does your family go to his races? Vince’s Dad has attended just about every race from amateur through his pro-career. The very few he missed, his older brother was there or his
As far as a specific moment, it would probably have to be Steel City 2010, at an outdoor National. His bike locked up on the face of probably one of the biggest jumps on the entire circuit. As parents, we were standing there watching in horror as the nose of his bike went down and Vince took a horrific crash that sent him by ambulance to the Pittsburgh hospital where he was admitted with several injuries. Has it been fun watching him improve as time goes by? What was the biggest improvement that you noticed? As any parent would tell you, a racing career is full of highs and lows. Vince was always a pretty good racer but just did it for fun. We saw the big change in him when he took it to the next level as an amateur. He made up his own mind what his goals were and started working and training harder than ever before. Within two years, he won eight of the biggest amateur titles including two Loretta Lynn titles. By then, he knew he wanted a career at this. Colleen Millsaps, one of the trainers saw the potential in him and pushed and trained him to reach his goals. Family involvement: Dad has “coached” him every step of the way. However, he knows when to back off, too! His Dad can spot things and tell Vince about them, which he still does to this day and Vince listens to and respects his Dad. His brother Max raced along with him from the beginning. Max was a great rider, too, but didn’t take it to the level Vince did. Max went to college and studied Graphic Design. Ironically, now Max works at the company, Vince rides for and makes the teams graphics. You can see the work at MotoConcepts. com. Max and Doug, Vince’s dad, both continue to ride for fun.
Vince in San Diego
Vince on Press Day
What’s the next step for him? To continue to improve and keep a good ride. Rides are hard to come by as the economy has been very hard on the sport. Vince is currently riding for MotoConcepts and lives in Temecula, California.
Window at B&B was painted by Nancy Collier. The truck featured in this painting belongs to Ryan Baker.
A Visit with B&B Salvage By Wheel-E Magazine Staff
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heel-E Magazine dropped in on B&B Salvage owners Joe Bob Baker and Joy Baker. Their business is 50/50 new and used parts. Most of their customers are local repair and body shops along with some do-it-yourself mechanics. Salvage and new aftermarket replacement body parts and panels are the core of their business. B&B also does some repair work such as radiators and brakes. The business has a total of four employees. Joe Bob’s Dad, Bill Baker, started the business in 1960 along with Wib Bangert.Wib once operated the shop where Kosmetic Kar Doctor is currently located. Bill Baker bought out Wib in 1967, and Joe Bob joined his Dad in 1970. Their business has always been in the same location, in Jackson, Missouri.
In order to help Joe Bob and Joy take over B&B Salvage, Bill Baker recorded a tape of how he ran the business. That tape proved to be immeasurably helpful to the Bakers. Once Joe Bob retires, he’ll either close the business or sell it as his children most likely won’t have an interest in operating the salvage yard. However, owning businesses isn't anything new to this family. They also operated B&B Marine…which was in a building near the salvage business. Additionally, Joe Bob’s Grandfather once had a Mobilgas Station in Morley, MO. Owning the business allows more time with family… and pets! The Bakers told us that many years ago, a cat was living in an old car in the salvage yard at B&B. The cat came up to the shop area one day when she was about to have kittens. They kept one of the kittens and it lived at the salvage yard for 19 years. They currently have a cat that has been with them for 11 years. The 1956 Buick grille that is hanging in their lobby (see accompanying photo) was unearthed at the shop when Joe Bob moved a box one day and found the grille behind it.
Joe Bob Baker and grandson, Hunter at the counter in B&B Salvage. Hunter represents the 4th generation to be a part of the family business.
Lobby at B&B is filled with interesting parts of our motoring past.
Huge Mobilgas sign that hangs in the shop at B&B is the original from Joe Bob’s Grandfather’s station.
Photo of Joe Bob’s Grandfather’s Mobilgas station in Morley, Missouri.
Just Wheelin’ Around Special thanks to John Russell for Photography
Cape Girardeau Fire Dept. No. 1 and the Big Red Fire-Truck By Becky Englehart
The Cape Girardeau River Heritage Museum, located at 538 Independence Street, Cape Girardeau, MO constructed in 1909 and served as the Police Headquarters, Fire Station, and Courthouse Jail. Today there are bits and pieces of evidence left behind of what the building was once used for and the building houses many pieces of the Southeast Missouri's River Heritage.
Inside the museum sits a 1954 Hook 'n Ladder Truck (fire truck). Even I was excited about checking out the truck an
and all the past equipment and uniforms that those brave firefighters wore. Can you imagine how much the fire fighting has changed? Or imagine no lights, no sirens, and just a bell to ring to warn the people you are coming down the street? We, of course, tested out the bell and it still works well. A Hook and Ladder Truck (also known as a tiller ladder) has a special turntable ladder. This type of truck was primarily used in the United States especially in areas with narrow streets and taller buildings, as maneuvering around these cities became a problem for fire fighters.
Visit the Cape Girardeau Heritage Museum to get your up-close look at this hook and ladder truck, tour Cape Girardeau’s first actual fire station, and learn more about Cape Girardeau River Heritage. The Cape Girardeau River Heritage Museum is open mid-March through mid-December on certain days. Call for times or to arrange a personal tour at (573)-335-0405.
48 State Drive, 40 Year Old Car, 16 Year Old Driver By Julie and Mark Langenfeld
Over 40 years ago in 1969, our father/grandfather bought this 1968 250SE. He couldn’t have
imagined the adventure that he would inspire decades years later!
Julie, my daughter had a special fondness for this car beginning at an early age. She loved playing in the car, especially pretending to drive while holding the steering wheel. Once while “chauffeuring” her twin sister, she pulled the transmission selector lever, and the car started slowly rolling down the gently sloped driveway. Though I was just steps away from the car, and had made sure no key was in the ignition, and had been watching them as they played, there they went. The car never exceeded 3 mph, and came to a stop as the rear wheel hit the slope of the crown of the street, nonetheless, that was one scary moment for all of us! Old cars don’t have all the ignition interlock safeties that recent cars do! Julie’s enthusiasm for the car was not diminished. In fact, her fascination with it grew as she came to know the car’s history. After my father died, my mother kept the car. In 1984, I became the titled owner. Julie was always intrigued with how her grandpa and grandma had held this steering wheel and loved driving the car. When Julie was eight years old, she had the crazy idea to drive this car through all the lower 48 continental states. I, who also, love adventures was easy to convince! So the summer when Julie was 16 years old we left for a 27-day drive around our country.
The car has always been kept as a “driver car” rather than a show car. So it was ready to go…but giving it some loving attention prior to a continental drive was prudent! All belts and hoses were replaced. So was the steering coupling. Thus, the car was eager to go on this long road trip, and in the best condition in years. Some highlights from our trip included Old Route 66, the Grand Canyon, the Golden Gate Bridge, Yellowstone Park, the Beartooth Mountain Highway in Montana, a ferry boat across Lake Michigan, a day in New York City, and arriving home in Missouri across the Mississippi River. We travelled 10,000 miles total, averaging 400 miles a day. Our biggest mechanical concern was at Death Valley, when the motor ran extremely hot coming up the 4000 feet from sea level to exit that valley. Though the cooling system had been gone through, the cooling capacity of the system did not match the heat load of Death Valley and we had to stop several times to get things cooled down.
During our road trip our automobile became a “Time Machine,” a physical and emotional link to the past. As we journeyed, I recalled old memories of Grandpa and Grandma, as if those memories were emerging from the leather and wood they had touched years before. Since Julie had never met Grandpa, and her Grandma died when she was only five years old, she cherished hearing these new stories about her grandparents. Perhaps, a car is only a collection of metal and rubber, leather and wood. But for us, this collection of parts is a special member of our family. For Julie, it is a link to the past. Yet she also is inspired to seek new adventures in the future, such as repeating a 48 State Drive when she has a 16-year old daughter or son of her own. Let’s see, the car will be about 70 years old. What a perfect Time Machine!
The Trains of Union Station By Dean Whitlow
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f you have the opportunity to visit Union Station in St. Louis, Missouri, take a few minutes to look over their wonderful display of “large-scale” model trains. These are some of the most accurate and beautiful models in existence. My personal favorite is the A. H. Handlan.
This live-steam operating scale model was designed in about 1857 by Henry J. Williams, an employee of the Pacific Railroad of Missouri (later Missouri Pacific). It is modeled after a Rogers, Kethchum & Grosvenor locomotive of the 1850’s, with a Hunter smokestack, used by wood-burning engines. The exact locomotive this train is modeled after is unknown, but it is very similar to one built in 1852 for a line in New Jersey. The model was about 70% complete when LaRoy Bartlett came to work on the railroad in 1856, and was permitted to finish it. This model was exhibited at the 1866 St. Louis Fair. It was then purchased by Mr. A. H. Handlan, who started the first railway supply house west of the Mississippi, the Handlan Buck Co., in 1856. The model is 7’ 11” long and made to a scale of 2” = 1”. The track the train is resting on is a scale model of a 5” 6” gauge track, as railroads were first built to this broad gauge. The model was fired up from time to time by the Handlan family until the late 1920’s. In the 1950’s it was mounted in the display case seen in the photos, and exhibited in the lobby of the Missouri Pacific Building. The model was donated in 1986 by Mary T. Sutter.
This is a model of #1015 at Union Station.
History and photos of #1015 are from the St. Louis Museum of Transportation. For more information, visit their website at www.transportationmuseumassociation.org. The Chicago and Northwestern Railway #1015 was the first locomotive acquired by the Museum of Transportation. Purchased in 1946 by Museum founder and supporter, Dr. John Russell Smith, it is a 4-4-2 Atlantic-type steam locomotive built by the American Locomotive Company in 1900. It is the first locomotive in a new generation of steam locomotives that used steam extremely efficiently. This greater efficiency allowed the locomotives to develop significantly more horsepower, tractive effort and speed but did require taller drive wheels. The #1015 is equipped with 81� drive wheels and was used in high-speed passenger service, powering the Overland Limited along with other premiere trains. The #1015, which is said to have once set an unofficial speed record of 125 mph, was replaced by heavier steel passenger trains and was eventually relegated to Chicago area commuter runs. It was retired in 1946 when it was purchased for the Museum of Transportation.
A Great Way to Sell Your Wheels… Jackson’s Consignment Center By Dean Whitlow and Terri Jestus Have you ever endured the torture of selling a vehicle? Sometimes it can be quite an unpleasant experience. Dealing with guys that just want to take you vehicle for a “joy ride”, empty promises to purchase the vehicle from you, or simply all the negative comments that a prospective buyer will make in an attempt to get you to lower your asking price. There’s a great option out there for you in the form of the Consignment Center in Jackson, Missouri. Their service is to present your vehicle for sale in their showroom or on their large sales lot. Their sales staff will work with the prospective buyers on your behalf! The Consignment Center has the same owners as Kinder Motors in Jackson.There are eight employees dedicated to the Consignment Center and additional staff from Kinder Motors that can assist.
The business is on six acres and has two large buildings. Winter storage is available to those that aren’t looking to sell a vehicle but require storage. Boats and even small airplanes can be stored at their facility. If you are looking to purchase a vehicle, you’ll find a wide array offered for sale at the Consignment Center. On the day we visited there was a handmade wooden boat, limousine, a crane, and a couch made using the trunk section of a classic car! Now that is a variety to choose from! The Consignment Center’s business is growing, and they are striving to provide a quality experience for both the buyer and the seller. Jared Kinder, his dad, David Kinder and their business partner, Kenny Seabaugh are ready to serve you.
These photos clearly represent the Consignment Center’s slogan “Everything that Moves You.”
Jared Kinder with one of many unique vehicles available at the Consignment Center.
Engineer Dave takes riders young and old for a trip around the property of the old train depot (now a museum).
Huge display started as a donation of a personal display that has grown over the years to the impressive layout seen here. Indoor train engineer is Ron.
The layout includes a number of scale cars and trucks as well as some earth moving equipment. Mel's Diner is well illuminated with neon type signs. Auto dealership offers both new, used, and lease vehicles.
A closer view of Mel’s Diner.
Magnificent detail in the train trestle and supporting piers.
The train layout is housed in an addition that was built over the original train platform of the Foley Depot! Rail line is still operable and occasionally hosts a guest locomotive.
The Trains of Foley, Alabama By Dean Whitlow
Last year on a vacation trip to the Gulf Coast of Alabama, I stopped in and visited the magnificent train layout at the old train depot in Foley, Alabama. I had read about the museum and thought that I would pay a short visit. When I arrived, I was greeted by Engineer Dave who was shouting “All aboard!” before taking visitors for a ride around the depot’s beautifully landscaped property. Once inside, I was astonished at the amazing layout. The layout is so detailed that it would take several visits to see every feature. The original layout took 15 months to complete and much of the work was completed by retirees that are “snowbirds” staying in the area during the winter months. Six men worked exclusively on all of the landscaping! Some of the details that I saw included an arc coming from a welder in the repair shop, a fire being fought in a building, a hobo camp with audio of the hobos having a conversation, and a kiddie train running in the city park.
Drive-in movie! This layout features a working outdoor movie theater. An LCD display takes the place of a projection screen. The layout includes a number of scale cars and trucks as well as some earth moving equipment.
Sign informing visitors of the Museum and Model Train hours of operation. Pay them a visit if you are ever through Foley, Alabama.
Mom and Daughter Get Their Kicks on Route 66! By Jan Allen
My sister was living in St. Louis in the late 1970’s when she discovered Ted Drewes’ Frozen Custard. It quickly became a family favorite. We all still go there as often as we can. When my daughter, Cara, and I were living in northern Missouri in the late 80’s and early 90’s, we often stopped in St. Louis to rest and visit friends. My old college roommates lived just down the street from Ted Drewes on Chippewa. Once, while waiting in line for a famous concrete, we noticed a number of people taking pictures. When we asked if we could assist with a group picture, they started telling us this story about “The Mother Road,” and the journey they were making to California. Later, when Cara was in high school, she watched "The Grapes of Wrath", a movie based on Steinbeck’s famous novel. That sparked her interest in Route 66. As a teacher, I was assisting some students in a project about Route 66. We talked about a lot of stuff associated with “The Route” from time to time, always thinking someday we might get a chance to explore it personally.
In September 2009, I started working for Drury Hotels. While it may sound like it, this is NOT an ad for Drury Hotels. But one of the first things I noticed about the locations of Drury Hotels was that there were many locations along the route: Springfield, IL, St. Louis (9 or so locations depending on which way you go when you cross the Mississippi), Rolla, Springfield, MO, Joplin, Amarillo, TX, Albuquerque, NM, and Flagstaff, AZ. Soon I learned about the great rate for rooms that I would get as an employee of Drury Hotels. And, Drury has amazing breakfast and hot food at dinner!
Early on July 7, we ran into Gary Turner. He built this replica of the “Gay Parita Sinclair Station,” at the same location of the original, near Paris Springs, MO. Gary is amazing. He told us all the great places to visit on our way West. We were so grateful for all the information he shared that we stopped back by on the way home.
A souvenir from Gary's station.
I decided this was the time to go! We would have deluxe accommodations, (that were VERY inexpensive) with two meals each day. Our only expense would be one meal a day and gas. So, we picked some dates and started making plans. We were thinking about being gone about two weeks. I put in my request to be off from work at Drury and they laughed at me. I didn’t realize how crazy the hotel business is in the summer! Thankfully, I have great supervisors who were willing to work with me. I managed to get eight days off. We then condensed our trip from fourteen to eight days. (Not an easy task, especially since two weeks really doesn’t do the adventure justice.) To think that Route 66 had been a topic of conversation in our home for 10-15 years, and that the opportunity had finally presented itself in the summer of 2010. As I stated previously, we only had about eight days to complete our adventure. Most people I have talked with suggest at least two weeks or even a month to do the trip justice! Our plan had always been to start our 1st day at Ted Drewes … which we did. But instead of starting in the morning, we decided to travel to Springfield, MO when I got off from work, and begin our sight-seeing at Springfield the next day. Of course, we could always do a one or two day trip anytime to see the Missouri sections of Route 66.
It rained on us just a little, but that didn't keep Gary from taking pictures and inviting us in for a "Route 66" drink.
Another Lowell Davis original was the flying manure spreader, "a.k.a. crap duster".
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One of the places that Gary directed us to was Red Rock II, between Maxville and Carthage, Missouri. It’s a little village of vintage buildings that were rebuilt or restored by Lowell Davis. One of our favorites was this child care center.
It is no longer possible to travel the entire route as many parts of the original path of Route 66 have been destroyed, turned into Interstate highways or closed.
How could you not stop to be “Standing on the corner in Winslow, Arizona�?
West of Flagstaff is the small town of Seligman, AZ. This is a store there. Seligman is the home of Angel Delgadillo. Many believe Angel was instrumental in the rebirth of the Route.
The Angel's family still use this truck to drive to work. Of course, the route leads you to the Santa Monica Pier and you MUST get a picture of the Pier sign (since that's such a tradition). On the pier, we met Dan and Jessica. Wonderful people who shared so many interesting stories with us and headed us in the right direction for the trip back home.
Most of our evenings were spent in Drury Hotels, but the one night we didn't stay at Drury we spent in an authentic Route 66 attraction, "The Wig Wam Motel" in Rialto, California. Kumar was our host and shared stories with us too.
On our trip, we did a few offthe-route things too. We went to “Four Corners”, the only place in America where boundaries of four states come together in a point. It was closed! We were terribly upset, but moved on. We did visit the Hoover Dam and made a stop in Las Vegas. While in California we had to visit Newport Beach and Chino since we are such OC fans. And we drove down Sunset Boulevard, walked the sidewalk of the stars, and drove through Hollywood. Cara had never
Cara is standing at the official sign that marks the "End of the Trail". Dan and Jessica are responsible for the sign.
seen the mountains so that was a wonderful experience for both of us. On one day as we were driving through the desert, the temperature gauge in the car read 117 degrees! Of course with the lack of humidity that we are used to, it didn’t feel that hot. It had been unusually cold that spring and the ocean was really cold. So, we didn't spend much time in the water or on the beach.
Dan and Jessica run their business from this trailer on the pier. They got engaged at the Big Cross on the route.
For anyone considering this adventure, there are a couple of books that were extremely helpful in exploring the route… but the best information is gathered through the people along the road. EZ66 Guide for Travelers, 2nd edition, by Jerry McClanahan is one book we recommend. In it, there’s a great story about the author and how the book came to be. The book has general and specific maps from start to finish, with optional routes, things you don’t want to miss, when to get your camera ready, and who to talk along the way. The second book that we recommend is actually two books, Images of 66 Volumes 1 and 2, by David Wickline. Volume 1 is a picture guide from east to west. Volume 2, Images of Route 66 Digging Deeper, is a picture guide from west to east. Take these books on your trip and have them signed by the people you meet along the way. It’s great to look back at what they had to say, and they love doing it!