Regarding the e-mail blast that I sent last month asking for some feedback, input, and details about Long Island’s cruise night spots; the response was great! Thanks to everyone who sent in something. A special thanks to Arlene Swenson who provided quite a nice list with tons of information about each spot!

Some of the info we are still sifting through to find out the viability of certain spots before we list them and get you all revved up to go out there. Thanks to all of you and keep the updates coming!

There have been some changes - deletions and new additions for 2011 – see the Cruise Night section below for full details!

We have Cruises every day of the week now on Long Island! Monday finally has one, and there are a couple of AM and afternoon cruises on Sunday as well. All I can say is – take advantage of them folks! I don’t think there is anywhere else in the country that has near as many as we do here on the Island!

(Still haven’t heard much about Brooklyn. They are part of Long Island. If you know any locations hosting Cruise nights – send us all the details and contact info.) ( A few folks mentioned a couple of spots – but I can’t get confirmation from those running it… if you have been there and know details – let me know)

What a job it was trying to put this together! I have been getting conflicting information on some places and big changes regarding additions and deletions of locations. Whew!!

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** Apologies for the lateness of this “June” edition. My e-mail – Outlook 2000 has given up the ghost for the most part for the last 6 weeks, and it has been a real problem. Couldn’t even open e-mails for quite a while.

I need a new email program – one that can transfer over the 2,000+ contacts I have in my list of all you wonderful folks out there that have subscribed to this Newsletter. Any ideas? A few friends have recommended “Thunderbird” – I am looking into it.

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One more thing – we need your help in the PICTURE CAPTION CONTEST this month – check it out below and you’ll see why.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1 Editor’s Introduction

2 Picture Caption Contest

3 Cruise Night Information & Updates

4 Guest Writer’s Columns

Tom Sebastian

Marty Himes

Rich’s Tech Tips

My Car Story

5 The Archive

6 Editor’s Closing

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Long Island Classic Cars’

AUTOMOTIVE PICTURE CAPTION CONTEST

Submit your entry along with your name and e-mail address to: newsletter@liclassiccars.com

This contest is open to everyone! (LI Classic Cars.com paid personnel, regular column writers, and business advertisers are not eligible.)

Winners will be notified by e-mail and/or phone.

Please submit all entries by the 20th of the next month. (Ex: for February’s contest the entries are due by March 20th)

No substitutions of prizes will be allowed.

In the event of prize choices, winner will be given the opportunity to select the one they want.

All decisions are final and are made by the paid personnel of Long Island Classic Cars.com

Winners must claim their prizes within 30 days of contest end or forfeit the prize to the runner up.

If there are multiple correct entries on puzzle, matching, fill-in, or Q&A contests - winner will be randomly selected from all correct entries.

A few simple rules:

1) Be funny and creative!

2) Keep it somewhat clean!

This one from last issue was tough to decide at the end – got a bunch of good ones!

So – in a first – we are going to let the public decide!!

Please send in your vote for who you think should win the contest.

We will send out an e-mail in one week with the winners name!!

Below are a few of the best ones we got…..

Note the guys in the picture talking….

“Yes sir, I'm quite sure the plans show the garage on the other side of the house.” (Jim Lennon)

“Won't Start? I think you might have flooded it.”(Kevin Flanagan)

"100% Brushless Car Wash." (Michelle Watson)

"You all got flood insurance?" (Jim Wood)

Here is this month’s picture….

Go to it! Send in your funniest creative captions by 7/30/11 and win the prize!

And don’t forget – your vote counts for this past issues winner!!

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“EXTRA EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!!”

25 Big Locations now!!

Any others in Queens or Brooklyn that we don’t know about??? TELL US!

2011 Cruise Night location updates:

MONDAYS: Richie Ray’s Pizza. 540 Commack Rd. (Corner LI Ave) Deer Park, NY

Sponsored by L.I. Plymouth Club. FREE

SATURDAYS: Meyer Auto Group. Fresh Pond Rd & Metropolitan Ave. Queens, NY (Don’t have the city name)

Sponsored by the East Coast Car Association. $3 – proceeds to local Children’s Hospital.

SUNDAYS: *AM Cruise* Ocean Pkwy, Captree Beach thru May, then at OBI. Babylon, NY

Public Gathering. FREE

SUNDAYS: *AM Cruise* Bob’s/McDonalds Shopping Center. Sunrise Highway, West Islip, NY

Sponsored by the Long Island Road Gents. FREE

SUNDAYS: *Afternoon Cruise* KC O’Malley’s. Gardiner’s Avenue, Levittown, NY

Public Gathering. FREE

**** I have “heard tell” of Mineola on Jericho Tpk by Herricks Rd at a bank parking lot – anyone been there and know specifics??

Riverhead on Thursdays – anyone with info and been there?

Brooklyn – Caesars Bay Bazaar on Fridays and Canarsie Pier on Sundays. Who has been there and can give me info?

Also the Yaphank FD is holding one on Tuesdays. I would like to know if they are charging – how much if so, and room for how many cars before I list.

If anyone knows of any other cruise locations that are fully up and running and not in danger of being cancelled please let us know so we can post them for all to see - here and in the EVENTS section of the website. Minimum 40 cars attending.

Thanks again for the input folks!

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GUEST WRITERS’ COLUMNS

Tom Sebastian returns with a story about the pure and simple fun it is to drive a car that is not pompous or arrogant in its ways.

Yes, Tom is all about motoring in style, but not to impress – he does it for the true enjoyment of it all. Put on a pair of driving gloves and go along for a nice trip with him – Italian style.

We are very happy to once again present an article from Marty Himes. This time out, he talks about the Polo Grounds.

Yes, the Polo Grounds! Not many of you know that there was once oval track racing at the old stadium where the Giants played baseball. Did you?! Be honest now! But, not only was Marty there back in the day – he took part in it!!

Rich’s Tech Tips helps you in the evaluation and selection of the proper cam for your engine. Think twice before you put that bumpstick in your rocket. Too much and you might lope around popping and jumping, install it wrong – oh well, Rich will eventually have a column on engine replacement.

In the My Car Story section, Mitch Hackett tells quite a tale of his love affair with MGs over the last few decades. The current car he has sounds like a keeper. It’s a 1967 version. We may have to talk Mitch into a writing gig! He has a nice flair for it.

Enjoy this amusing story – I did!

Enjoy…

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Tom Sebastian

Tom goes from this …. to this!

“THE SWEET SPOT”

1991 Alfa Romeo 164L

I had no idea that Alfa even made a car like this. I mean - to compete with the big Beemers.

My first and only Alfa was the sprinting GT Junior, a pocket rocket if there ever was one. If you ever learned to drive it correctly – not the easiest of chores – it could make your hair stand on end for as long you were in it. You were not interested in iPods or radios. Your sole mission was to achieve, maintain – and, ultimately, survive – a run at the limit of that thing’s surprising capacity. In fact, I would venture to say that most Americans would not recognize that kind of motoring. As passengers, they would more than likely ask to be let out. The GT was pure, raw and adventurous. (Yet, for all that, it was still comfortable enough to go interstate. Not overly comfortable, but nicely balanced between proper feed back and sore back.)

The 164L, however, was much closer to my Mercedes than to the Junior. I felt less like the Italian racer of old than it did an Italian fashionista cruising the streets of Milan. It is powered by a 3.0 liter V6

Before I continue in the vein, I’ll let you in on a strange secret. I rarely, if ever, go out of my way to look at a car before I buy it… I mean, beyond the photos and descriptions, that is. I have neither the time nor $$ to traipse about the country looking for odd cars. People think I’m the odd one in that regard, but with technology as it is, you can do quite a bit with a digital camera to qualm even your most judicious concerns. (Ok, so you have to trust the seller when it comes to how it runs… but, know what? Collector car folk are different. They’re honest! Anyhow, proof's in the pudding. I believe I’ve looked at only 1/5 of all my many vehicles -- and they all turned out fine.)

Well, the point of that spiel is to let you know, that the great photos I requested and received aside, this time I didn’t really grasp the reality of this vehicle. The sum was different than the parts. I wasn't gypped by any means. In some ways I got far more than I paid for. And, if it weren't for my experience in the GT Junior, this would have been the defining Alfa for me. I would have felt that Alfa can certainly produce an interesting alternative for the “Bobos in Paradise”. You could easily slip into a dinner party among the elite of Charlottesville, VA, gather the admiring glances of the savoir faire -- and get on with your upscale, superannuated lifestyle. In other words, as per any non-AMG Mercedes, or the middle-sex world of the standard 5-Series Beemer -- or just about any Volvo -- your kudos would be bereft of any sense at all of what a high performance lifestyle is all about!

Arrive with the 164L and your discussions are likely to be about the PTA, the budget crunch, and your wife's favorite Korean toenail detailer.

Arrive with the Junior -- Webers humming, pipes smoking hot -- and the discussion almost automatically turns to Monaco, Le Mans and Sterling Moss!

So much for physical impressions as it sits in someone's driveway or on a boring jaunt up the Interstate.

But then I turned it on.

There's something about an Alfa engine that wants to scream. And it's a primal scream. Some cars have engine bays that look as exciting as a Stanley Steamer. (Despite all its other charms, my Morgan +8 was like that: just a misshapen block of aluminum). But the Alfa V-6 actually looks hot sitting in the engine bay; pretty. Next to an E-Type, Pantera, M5 (or any Ferrari), this one actually holds its own at the show. Open the hood and you know there's a secret here.

But the back road drive is, as per the Junior, where this thing sings. Strange to see something this large doing the tricks it can do. Although BMW gets the credit for initiating smoking sedans, Alfa was producing them in the 1960’s. Not quite the B1-B Bomber my M5 was, it was much prettier than that tanker. Yet it would still lose out to my older, 60’s era GT for the ‘Fun Quotient’ -- and for sure the 164 cannot compare in design. But then, as I head into the “deep 60’s” myself, there’s something to say about living on the edge only when you want to.

And a little know fact: this was the last true Alfa before Fiat took command.

And, let’s face it, no symbol on an Italian car carries as much historical weight as does Alfa. Regarding their logo and badge:

---The red cross is the symbol of the Crusades, a Christian symbol adopted throughout Italy during medieval times. Almost all cities had a red cross on their crests, including Milan. The Serpent was an honorary motif awarded to the prominent Sforza family of Milan for their Coat of Arms as well as the Viscontis of Milan. The Serpent is said to be devouring the Muslim Saracen and together these symbols depict the Crusader's defeat of the "infidels." Not to be confused with today's infidels (us, apparently!). During the Crusades the infidels were the nonbelievers in God, Christ, The Virgin Mary, The Holy Ghost and the Pope.

In other words, no simple prancing horse here!

..NEXT TIME! -- ÜBER ALLES!!

(Sounds like a lot of fun Tom! Hmmm…make some bucks, and maybe I’ll just buy me one.) Pete

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Polo Grounds: A Giant Home for Auto Racing

By Marty Himes

Can you believe that in the 1940’s, a portable wooden 1/5^th mile racetrack designed for Midget auto racing surrounded the baseball diamond used by the New York Giants? The Midgets ran on Wednesday and Saturday evenings. The promotion was handled by Small Car Enterprises – Alexis Thompson & Walter Stebbins. Early in 1947 the designs were unveiled on the drawing board and immediately the question began to rumble through the midget auto racing circles: “Can it be done?” So, with all the determination in the world and $200,000 construction money, they went to work to prove they were right.

A small scale model was built first, to prove the design. Everyone involved was satisfied, and they set about building full scale sections of track. Test after test was done, it was pronounced a success, and the safety consultants gave the product the green light. Then came the race for completion in time for the opening day. They made it with time to spare. The first race was held on June 5, 1948, to a sell-out crowd. The starting time was 8:45 PM, with tickets offered from $1.50 - $3.50.

The track, which covered the Polo Grounds from end to end, consisted of 2,200 sections, each with an aluminum alloy base. It weighed 650,000 pounds and was constructed so that it could be erected for each of the fifteen nights of racing and dismantled when the event was over. Each operation consumed twelve hours and required the services of about 200 men. The racing surface was built using Douglas Fir and Pine woods with interlocking sections and measured 1/5 mile on the inside, and ¼ mile on the outside. The boards used on teh corners were steam bent. The track was extremeley thick and had an aluminum guard rail at the top. It was 44 feet wide on the turns with an 8 foot banking and 36 feet wide with a 3 foot bank on the straight-aways. This width permitted four cars to drive side by side all the way around the track. There was also a 12 foot apron on the inside of the track for disabled cars to pull out of harm’s way. This Polo Ground’s track proved to be the finest and the safest midget track anywhere in the world. No expense was spared to make it that way.

The ARDC sanctioned all midget racing events at the Polo Gpounds. This wooden surface speedway was the fourth in the history of outdoor midget racing to use a board surface. The others were Coney Island, Nutley, NJ, and Soldier Field in Chicago. The first two were originally built for bike racing and when the two-wheeler sport dwindled in popularity, the steep banked speed strips were put to use for midget car racing. The Polo Grounds track was the first in history to be demountable and use an aluminum base. It was also the widest of all the tracks made for this purpose.

Looking at this track, you realized that it took many months of planning, preparation, and precision construction to make this engineering masterpice a reality. You could understand too, what potential problems of the possible damage to the baseball diamond due to the erection and dismantling of the track within the 12-hour period presented to the promoter. Fortunately, no damage was ever done to the baseball diamond.

This track attracted some of the best drivers in the USA, including Lloyd Christopher from Miami, Johnny Ritter from NJ, Cotton Musick from Kansas, Shorty McAndrew from PA, Bud Tatro from MA, and Bill Schindler from right here in Freeport, LI. The track was closed down at the end of 1948 and the wooden track was sold to the Rose Bowl in California. In 1958, after the Giants had moved to California, Ed Otto who was one of the original founders of NASCAR, was once again taking on the promotion of auto racing. This time, the track was paved and constructed of asphalt, it also featured stock car racing. Johnny Zeke, a Levittown, NY nidget racer, became the racing starter for these events. Most of the drivers came from the surrounding areas and states, but others came from farther away. Once such driver was Lee Petty, the father of famed racer Richard Petty. Lee traveled all the way up from North Carolina. This track only lasted two years – 1958 and 1959. This is one track that I never attended, but certainly wish I had. Racing was very exciting here for both the drivers and the fans!

Polo Grounds memorabilia such as photos, programs, tickets, and more, are on display at the Himes Museum of Motor Racing. Come visit us!

(Who knew? Thank you Marty for preserving all this history for us, and for teaching us about it!) Pete

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RICH’S TECH TIPS

By Rich Fiore

PICK A CAM … ANY CAM

Upgrading your camshaft can be a popular choice for spicing up your ride’s performance. There are many choices available and choosing what is correct for your needs can be difficult. So let’s see if I can help with understanding the numbers and add performance without sacrificing a smooth idle or the vacuum required for accessories.

The first thing to determine is exactly what you expect. Of course we all want more performance but are you looking for more torque or horsepower? Also, in what part of the RPM curve do you want it ? Would you be looking to improve the curve so the engine functions better at higher RPM?

Are you going to the dragstrip? You must also consider what the rear axle ratio is and if you are running oversized tires. Taller rear axle gears can use a larger cam … but shorter gears need a cam with more power in the lower RPM range. Tall tires will affect the final drive ratio and should factor into your cam choice. Another consideration is that of the transmission. An auto trans cannot use an aggressive lobe profile as opposed to a manual trans. Automatics must function in a broader RPM range to accommodate low RPM operation. In automatic cars, the camshaft should produce a power curve which works with the stall speed of the torque converter, while in a manual shift, the cam should match the RPM rating of the shift points.

Another consideration is that of the vehicle weight. Lighter cars require less low-end torque to get them moving so a larger cam can be used. A smaller displacement engine will obviously behave differently than a larger one. The larger the displacement the less impact aggressive valve timing will have. So a cam that makes a choppy idle on a small block will be tamer on a big block. Again you must look at if it is mostly street driving or do you intend on taking it to the track. Never over-cam since it might be great at top end at the track but will have poor vacuum, less low end power and a rough idle.

So let’s look at some of the terms associated with choosing a camshaft. The first would be that of lift. This is the distance between the base circle ( smallest diameter ) and the highest point of the lobe. Valve lift also consists of additional lift provided by the rocker arms. This is calculated by multiplying the cam lift by the rocker ratio. Duration is the amount of time ( in degrees ) the camshaft lobe holds the valve off of its seat. Lift is an indicator of how the power curve will be shaped over the RPM range. Shorter duration cams are good for low speed power while longer duration cam’s function more effectively in the higher RPM’s. When you see two different durations for a particular cam, they are known as dual pattern. This simply means intake and exhaust patterns vary. Duration may also be expressed as “advertised duration” and duration at “.050 inch lift”. Both are different though each describe the same cam lobe. Some manufacturers start measuring degrees from the first .004” of movement of the lifter past the lobe and down to the same .004 till the lifter stops. Others may use .006” - .008”. For this reason it is better to compare profiles at .050” of lift rather than the advertised figure. Duration at .050” of lift is measured in degrees the same way except starting at .050”. Another figure to consider - Lobe separation angle ( LSA ) is the number of degrees between max. intake lobe lift and max. exhaust lobe lift as expressed in degrees. It indicates the amount of valve overlap. Small LSA’s favor high RPM power and lower LSA’s favor low end torque.

Another type of cam is that of the roller type. They have been around many years and are used on most of today’s cars. For those not familiar with them, the lifter ( tappet) base uses a small roller to ride against the cam. This reduces friction since there is less surface to surface contact area. They can utilize more of an aggressive cam profile since the lifter can ride up a “ steeper “ lobe. With this you would get to max. lift much quicker and hold it longer. Break in would also be minimal. This is almost always intended for a higher performance build than a standard street engine.

So a little understanding of camshafts can go a long way for improved performance. If it still appears to be a bit confusing don’t hesitate to call the tech line at one of the major camshaft companies. They can dial in your specifics and give you the best cam for your needs.

Quick and Dirty : Are you playing it safe and using a Zinc Phosphate additive in your oil or using a motor oil with the C1 - 4 rating ( has Zinc Phosphate ) to protect your flat tappet cam?

(Doing the old bump and grind just took on new meaning! Thanks Rich.) Pete

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My Car Story

Mitch Hackett: '67 MGB MG

It all started with my brother. It’s his fault. Completely.

My brother bought a used 1964 pull handle MGB back in 1968. I let my neighbor take it for a test ride with myself in the passenger seat. Unfortunately my neighbor, not realizing that MG’s handle very well and very quickly, overcompensated for a cat that crossed our path. We spun across someone’s lawn and driveway, more lawn, a bush or two, and finally a tree. Both seats were bent back to the battery boxes. No injuries, thankfully. The MG didn’t fare as well, now sporting a deep v shape in the rear bumper, bodywork and boot. (trunk). My brother was sufficiently unimpressed with my loaning the car to my neighbor, and insisted I buy the “piece of junk”.

I used this car to go to college in 1969-1971. I had pieces of 4x 4 lumber to hold the seats upright, as the seat frames were bent. I had no money to fix them. One particularly memorable road trip, I drove this car from Boston to Erie, Pennsylvania, picked up my high school buddy from his college, and headed south to Knoxville, Tenn. to meet up with another high school bud at the University of Tenn. Although not having a back window during this jaunt in the dead of winter, the heater did yeoman’s work - considering I only had an army blanket to keep water from sloshing up through the floorboards. The return trip three days later proved an adventure, considering the muffler fell off half a block from our starting point. I planted the muffler in the ground like a parking meter and set off for Erie.

With just the header pipe, it’s amazing how loud that little four-banger can be! We had two 8-track tapes for our listening pleasure. Frank Sinatra’s ”The Summer Wind”, and Led Zeppelin. Go figure. Dropped my buddy at Erie and I continued alone back to Boston. I got pulled over by a Mass.State trooper within 5 miles of my destination in a nice little snowstorm. He said he heard me 5 minutes before he saw, me. I guess when he saw the flame of the header pipe he figured he got his man. He let me go, which may have been out of pity for my bug-eyed look and my lack of hearing after the jaunt from Knoxville. The car made its way back to Long Island where it finally gave up the ghost. Floor boards gone, engine dead, smashed in rear end, etc etc. it resided at a friends house for some time. Eventually my friend decided I needed to get rid of the car because he was paving the driveway. They did have a bulldozer available, so it seemed the most dignified way to put the old “B” away was to dig a hole and bury it, which we did. Still, it was my first MGB, and I will remember my adventures with it always.

The second MGB was a 1968 pillow dash in British Racing Green. I wangled a deal with Sportique Motors in Huntington that if I painted the dealership, they would give me a decent price on the car. I had just started working for Pan Am back in 1972 when I bought the car. I used to travel a bit, and would park at JFK. My security system for the car was a large nut holding on the aftermarket wood steering wheel. I simply unscrewed the wheel from the car, threw the wheel in my suitcase, and off I went. This car and I had a minor altercation with a fire hydrant later in its life. Having rounded a long sweeping corner at speed only to find two people walking a dog in the middle of the road, the only option was them, or the hydrant. I removed the damaged front bumper and had the frame straightened, and back on the road again! Believe it or not, I re-connected with my friend from school that “straightened out the frame” on the first MGB after 40 years, just this past week. He recalled I told him the car was rock steady and tracked true at 80 MPH! This car gave me many miles of pleasure. It was my daily driver for years. Eventually the engine succumbed, and I had to borrow the money to fix it. I then sold the car to pay for the engine repair.

Now here is the kicker: I used to deliver newspapers at night for my parents delivery service. We always had piles of NY Times and Daily News in the garage yet to be recycled. It had been what - 30 years since I had the last MGB? Every five years or so I had this re-occurring dream that I opened my parents garage, finding it packed floor to ceiling with newspapers. I start pulling the papers out, and slowly the image of my old MGB (the second one) begins to appear. I uncover the car, crank it up, and it starts right away. It may take a shrink to tell me why I had the dream, but I figured I wasn’t done with MG’s yet, and started to look for one.

I found my third MGB right here on Long Island five years ago. It is a survivor since the previous owner had a hot tub put in his yard so he had to shorten the garage. Guess which was the only car that fit? The MG. It was a Mineral Blue 1967 chrome bumper roadster with a black interior. The only option was a radio. It has power assisted nothing. Front discs and drums in the rear. Hydraulic brakes are assisted by ever increasing pressure from your foot! It has a 1800CC four cylinder engine and a four speed transmission. First gear is non synchro. It was an original owner car for 39 years! It had one re-spray in its life, and an engine rebuild at some point. Mileage is around 110,000 but with these cars, you never know. The bottom and frame are in excellent condition. The paint has a few dings and scratches that a driver car gets. Since the car changed hands I’ve replaced the tires, Universal Joint, all the rubber seals, installed a rear shock absorber system vs. the original lever arms. New springs in the rear, had the distributor rebuilt to the exact specs for the build date. Added a new wood repro steering wheel, even though the original Bakelite wheel is perfect. The original steel wheels and round silver hubcaps were replaced with Minilite Knock-offs. I am keeping the originals. The engine has been repainted as have the air filters and heater box. I just received a brand new Abarth exhaust system from California that hasn’t been made in decades, brand new in its original packaging! That will go on after I work out some engine issues with oil consumption. Valve guides and seals is my bet for the culprits! A thermostatically controlled fan was added to control engine compartment heat during the hotter months. This car has been to two competitive shows, and won awards at both. Last year at the “British Are Coming” show in Oakdale, I actually met the salesman who sold the car to its original owner! He remembered his name, and the fact the he lived in East Islip and was a police officer!

I have no intention of selling this car. It has been a great project to restore as money allows. MG’s are great fun to drive. There is tremendous online support for parts and expertise, especially sites like The MG experience”. The MG Car Club Long Island Centre is an active local MG club. These cars are reliable as long as you maintain them, so go out and find a decent car. They are reasonable to buy and restore compared to many classic cars.

Good luck!

(Some great MGB history and memories there Mitch! Thanks for sharing them.) Pete

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The

Pete Giordano

Editor

Long Island Classic Cars.com