HAPPY HALLOWEEN everyone!!
I always get a little sad when this beautiful time of year comes around because it means that school is on again and the car season is getting short. Growing up I always looked forward to the reverse! I couldn’t wait for the warm weather to start, school to end, baseball, and the beginning of “car season” as I like to call it.
What kid looked forward to the end of summer vacation and going back to school? Not many except for a few girls I knew. (It seems that some members of the female species actually enjoy getting new fall outfits and going back to the drudgery of school work. But then again, those of us of the male persuasion could never understand them anyway.)
Hey car owners: WE ARE NOT DONE YET!
Fall is a fun time! Not only for pumpkin picking, Octoberfest, and the harvest; but also for car cruises, shows, and more!
I for one plan on attending as many events as possible this month. Cool nights make for great cruising!
Speaking of Cruise Nights; there is one that sprang up a little while back on Thursday nights in Suffolk County. They are getting between 75 and 100 cars each night with room for over 200 or more vehicles! FREE admission. It was started by the folks at Still Cruisin’ Car Club. Check it out. It is on Main Street (27A) across from the LaSalle Academy in Oakdale.
Another Cruise night has been starting up in Freeport. It is held at the Cow Meadow Park Marina with room for 300 cars. There is a food concession on site and a park for the kids. This is an experiment that hopefully will turn into something nice for next season! E-Mail Tony for more information. 35plym@optonline.net It is held on Friday nights.
If any of you have black and orange cars (I know Dodge, Plymouth, Chevy, and Pontiac had some) - take them out on Halloween! They are naturals! This way you can use your car to the very last day of the month!
Wouldn’t that be cool? An automotive trick or treat cruise!
Maybe next year someone will
organize one. (hint hint)
Don’t forget to check out a short story I wrote at the end of this Newsletter. It’s a descriptive little ditty about a thrill ride
I had a couple of days ago. I think you will enjoy it.
Well, enough chit chat. I am going to wrap this up and go take my car out.
Enjoy the Newsletter.
See Ya’!
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Cruise Night location
updates:
TUESDAYS: McDonald's. 98-01 Metropolitan Ave. Forest Hills, NY.
TUESDAYS: Audrey Ave. Oyster Bay, NY
WEDNESDAYS: Long John Silver's/A&W. Union Blvd, South of Sunrise Hwy. West Islip, NY.
THURSDAYS: North Wind Shopping Center. Main Street (RT 27A), Oakdale, NY
FRIDAYS: Huntington Shopping Center. (Toys R Us) Route 110. South of Jericho Tpk. Huntington, NY.
FRIDAYS: Cow Meadow Park Marina. Henry Street, South of Sunrise Hwy. Freeport, NY.
SATURDAYS: Sonomax Station. 278 Greenpoint Ave. Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NY.
SATURDAYS: Kohl’s. Corner Grand Blvd and Commack Rd. Deer Park, NY.
More Cruise Night updates as they develop in the next Newsletter.
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We would also like you to take notice of these new advertisers on Long Island Classic Cars.com. They can certainly help you with your vehicles and provide services that you may need. In addition they have great hobby and gift items!
Long Island Raceway & Hobby. Here is a store that has a wide variety of automotive, boating, radio controlled, aero and rocketry supplies and items. They also have Long Island’s only indoor radio control OFFROAD raceway!
Check them out now! Just in time for Christmas and the holiday season, and, all year long for your needs.
Automotive Unlimited. With two locations, the folks at Automotive Unlimited have convenient places for you to get what you need for your late model or classic car and truck. They are a full service parts dealer! Call them for fast, friendly, and knowledgeable service. Tell them Long Island Classic Cars.com sent you!
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GUEST WRITER(S) COLUMN(S)
Tom Sebastian is back! Tom has
written another great article for us! He actually had it ready last month and I
overlooked getting it into September’s edition. 
Sorry to deprive all you fans! Enjoy his
latest informative hilarity.
I
think this article ranks right up there with the “Morgan” story!
You
can send comments to him at tmoore3us@yahoo.com
He can also get you into a classic car!
This
time out in “Rich’s Tech Tips”, Mr. Fiore gives some advice to all of us
who at one time or another have, or will be, searching for a specialty car.
These basic questions and answers can save tons of time, money, and headaches.
In
the “My Car Story” feature, Jim Marino relates how he came to be the
owner of a ’60 Impala Convertible. I saw this car at a show this summer and it
was gorgeous! What a beauty! Color, detail, finish, style! All wrapped up in
one!
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Tom Sebastian
Tom goes from this…
…. to
this! 
Street Fighter
(The
Quintessential ‘Cult Car’)
Cult: An instance of
great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing,
especially as manifested by a peculiar
body of admirers.
OK, so you're
Detective Steve McQueen. (Or, as your
wife knows you, Walter Mitty...)
It’s early
Sunday morning and you’re in your favorite City by the Bay.
You are feeling
good about yourself. You’ve solved the
city’s most infamous murder mystery – but you know too well that notoriety
carries its own dangers.
You look in your
mirror and you notice that Charger bearing down on you. Just before you dip into one of those
innumerable troughs in this peculiar city's streets, you notice that eminence gris behind you slip on his
drivers gloves. "So," you
surmise instantly, "He's a Pro… Not only is he sitting on some 425 HP of
Hemi Muscle, but looks as though he knows what to do with it...”
But you're Steve
Frickin’ McQueen...!! And your Mustang 390 GT Fastback with the
Shelby options is none too shabby, either.
So, let the
chase begin!
Well... go rent
the movie.
We’re not going
over this again... You remember the gist.
Steve holds his own in the city and, out there on Highway 101, Mr. Evil
and his Dodge are out raked by a car and a guy with his own outlaw maneuvers.
OK... Rule
Change.
This time we
stay in the city so that flat-out, unbridled horsepower cannot dominate the
proceedings. But road holding, ground
hugging, cornering, visual acuity, and ergonomic response does dominate -- especially in a city as haphazardly put together as
San Francisco.
Now you look in
your mirror.
At first you
miss it entirely.
You take a couple of wide, left turns; first at the bottom of Taylor St. and again on Powell. You are pushing your Mustang... really exercising it. (Don't worry, it's early Sunday morning -- the Japanese could still do a number on us at this time of the week; seems no one is ever awake on Sunday mornings. Just you and what’s-his-name behind you are the only ones on the road.)
You check your
mirror: He's right on your ass.
Now you take
heed.
A squarish,
squishy car with some rather large windows -- a rather bad Euro-design of some
kind. But still, you can't help but
notice: He's still on you. You take a quick left on Sutter and then a
quick right up one of those god-awful hills (-- Hill, my ass! On Long Island, this would be a K-2-Class
Mountain!!) You take the turn a bit wide
and your curb weight is already working against you as you try to aim it back
uphill.
While you're
struggling through the apex at the lower range of 2nd gear, that little boxy
thing has braked into the turn much deeper than you, cut to your inside, and is
now on the uphill straight -- and looking for 3rd gear. Meanwhile, your mighty struggle against the
centrifugal forces of your top-heavy coupe is teaching you everything you
didn't want to know about ‘yaw’, ‘pitch’, and ‘roll’.
When you finally
are looking up hill, the little guy is leading by a nose and a half.
“Now I have you
where I want you!" ...you mutter à
la Bill Murray in Caddy Shack.
“...All right you little Marshall Plan toaster-oven... Here
I come!"
And as you punch
the throttle, the sudden thunder of that push rod, American Muscle stirs your
brain... The patriotic juices begin to
flow. You suddenly belt out a stanza
from Sgt. Saddler's 'Green Beret' ... {“Put silver wings on my son's chest...”}
Scenes of George Bush landing on an aircraft carrier... John Wayne beating up
on little brown people in some Asian Jungle... and now -- especially now
-- George C. Scott getting the jump on Rommel... Yes!!
Rommel & Patton...That's exactly the thought you want as your
pedal hits the metal!
Now what!!?
Your engine --
despite all that power -- displays too much of that annoying, dieseling sound
just when you don't want to hear it… And
you know what that means… Inefficient power now means you stay in second gear.
The incline gets
worse – and so does the dieseling -- forcing you to reach back for 1st… And that little &^%$#! is pulling
ahead-- Good god! ...Can't be... CAN’T
BE!!
But the truth is, if this little scongeli in front wants to, he can now careen straight into your flight path and throw you spinning through the gelato store window. In dogfight, Top-Gun terminology, he's "locked on" to you -- and there's nothing you can do about it.
But even through
your shock you can still hear his engine... All fears Confirmed: A mere
4-banger. And it is hardly
breathing... all 140 horses pumping that little box up towards the summit -- or at you, if the pilot so chooses -- at
an efficient, low RPM that makes your V8 look and sound, well, severely
limited. You are a belching dragon minus
the fire going for 2nd-- and he's already thinking 4th.
At the summit,
his quick uplift from the accelerator is just enough to get the little wagon
under control, while the flat-bottom and shock-tower suspension hold him
earthbound for a minimum of airtime.
Lickety-split, he's now back on the power, in fourth gear, and on the
windward side of the hill -- going all-out, great balls, for Ghirardelli
Square.
You can no
longer see him; at the summit all you see is blue sky. You take a chance, hold your nerve and punch
it. Your engine catches up with its
revs, you glide into 3rd and WHOOSH!!... You're airborne!!
The arc of your flight path is tremendous! Your hang-time is amazing! That old lady on the corner was there when they made the original movie and claps like mad as she watches -- and she thought her hormones were dead!
But for all the
guy in the Beemer knows, you’ve stopped for breakfast: He's half way around the harbor and heading
back into town.
Mr. McQueen...
Meet the BMW 2002tii.
….....
It not only
saved a company, it started a frenzy.
When being a
Yuppie actually meant something -- the late 60's -- Bavarian Motor Works
came up with this most unlikely charmer to woo their hearts – and pull BMW out
from near extinction.
But why? Why has this -- this shoebox! -- of all
their models, taken on the true cult status that missed the more glamorous
models, such as the 507 ('The Elvis Car' -- Mr. Presley's choice for gallivanting
through the German countryside in his G.I. days.) or the magical first 6
Series? And why does almost every middle-aged fan of
public radio hearken wistfully to thoughts of their first-ever, fun-loving
European road car?
Becaaaaause... Four
seats + cheap transport = more people to 'remember' the experience!!
A VW with
‘Thump’!
You could have
fun -- and still be married, for god's sake...!!
Now I can hear
the owners of the original Mini Cooper shifting their narrow buns... 'Now look
here, gov'nor...'
But,
common! The Coop was, well, cooped! I mean you could, theoretically, shoehorn
your wife in there for a night at the opera... But then she really would
resemble Lon Chaney before the night was over.
For other than Mr. Bean and his Teddy, the Mini was no grand tourer.
And while you
might resist the label of 'GT' for the 02 as well, this car more than made
up for it in downtown savvy.
Consider:
I've sat in nearly every major sports car there is. Plus an F16. Aside from convertibles, never have I had such great visibility as I did in both the 02 -- and the jet. It's virtually all window! -- No thick posts where they are not wanted. No ducking or peering for better vision during a quick-strike maneuver.
As for
performance, the car had 3 (well, 4*) options.
The standard 02 was fun enough. If you
were living in Europe, you had the option of the souped-up ti version, with its
high-strung, twin carbs. And here as
well as in Europe, you could acquire the next, and by far (except for #4), the
best package: The fuel injected tii,
with the high-performance, Kügelfischer injection system -- a rare enough item
by itself. (The only other time BMW used
it, other than their beloved Bosch system, was with their
SuperCar of the late 70's, the infamous M1.) My own ’74 had a 5-speed
gearbox – rarer than weapons grade plutonium.
And of these, the car of choice seems to be the 1972, ID'd by its use of
round (as opposed to the more attractive -- in this writer's opinion anyway --
'squared') taillights. Also, the '72
model is a good 200 lb. lighter than the others.
Now, what I
absolutely love about this car is its good old, Deutch reliability.
Reliability and then some.
Today, just as in 1974 when my car was manufactured, you can actually drive this to the track in the morning, race competitively in the afternoon, and drive it home at sunset. While other cars in its class need the added expense of trailers, tagalong mechanics, and have an absolutely horrible ratio of prep time to track time, the 02 stands head and shoulders above them for being the ultimate, one-man show. And remember this: It came stock with a racing chassis. So, there's no need for the road-to-track transition expense the other guys go through -- and then reverse the process when a second, domestic car is needed.
And this thing
is still
competitive! -- And not just at the vintage car races -- but up against the
best in the west or Japan in its class today.
There are a
still a good many out there, they're a kick in the pants to drive, and they're
bulletproof -- you can leave it out the snow.
So what are you
waiting for...!?
Oh, that... That
4th option... Almost forgot…
Between 1973 and 1974 -- and for one year only -- Bavarian Motor Works hit perfection when the fabulous turbo version of the 02 hit the streets. (Right car, wrong year: The year of the, infamous, ‘Gas Crunch’.)
Holy Jumpin'
Catfish!! ZAP!! POW!! ZING!! Batman would go bonkers with this.
Never before had
170 horses been put to such efficient use so that not even one of them
was ever wasted on wheel-spin. I would
venture that this was the only sedan you could drive at the time -- and the
three other passengers in there with you -- that could put you in a genuine
racetrack mode. The kind of drive that
made going through town and back for quart of milk before breakfast... well, a
bit more like taking the final lap at Monaco… so that when the garage door
finally closed, you just couldn't resist just shaking that low-fat milk for all
it was worth, holding it up to the crowds...
…And, of course,
who else but your wife would see you acting like a retard, wait for you to get
out and ask something painful like, ‘Mind if we chill the Moët before pouring it on
the cereal?'
Want to give it
a try? Guess who knows where all the
good ones are…?
Next time out: Grand Tourismo for the working stiff !
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“SEARCHING FOR THAT RIDE”
By
Rich Fiore
Looking
for the perfect ride may not be an easy task, but knowing ahead of time what
questions to ask can save a lot of time, money, and heartache. What I
personally do is have a checklist ready before I get on the phone.
The top of the checklist starts with the owner’s name, phone #, and a clipping
of the ad.
Being a Chrysler guy, the next critical area
is that of validating the authenticity of the car through its documentation. Is
there a broadcast (build) sheet, Data plate (fender tag(s)), door jamb decal or
VIN plate, and if real lucky - a window sticker or dealer invoice? What
about body stampings? Are they correct?
The next question I want answered is that of
the Engine/ Transmission. Are they number matching? If yes, did he
personally look and see the numbers, or was he informed it was? If not,
can he check it for you before you get there? Is the car the
original color combination (paint-interior-top)? Has anything else been changed
from original? You may want him to e-mail or fax you copies of any critical
documents or the fender tag.
After feeling comfortable with the
authenticity, I like to start with the basics of the cars condition. I start
from the ground up. The condition of the rails front and rear. Any splices,
rot-through or major surface rust? Next would be the sheet metal. Are the trunk
and floor pans original or replacements? Any holes or bad surface rust?
The exterior sheet metal is pretty much the same. Any patch panels on the quarters,
doors or fenders? The condition of paint and body? Any waves,
bubbling, dings/scratches in the paint? How old is the paint and is it
basecoat/clear coat?
Next I ask about the chrome and trim.
Bumpers, trim, tail lights, and grill work ok? (Tough to find some of these
parts). If the car has a convertible top what is the condition and how old?
Glass or plastic back window?
Now I move on to the interior. The critical
things here are the seats, dash pad and headliner. These are big dollar items.
Other items would be the console, carpets, and door panels. As far as the dash
goes; is it the standard or Rallye? Do all gages work? How are the trim and
faces?
Next would be the engine. Does it smoke or
knock? Use much oil? Any major leaks? If it has an idiot light, does it
work? Does it come on any time after engine has reached normal operating
temperature? Does the engine and compartment need to be painted? The
transmission is another big concern. If automatic does it shift
ok? Any slippage and is it ok when cold? Any leaks? For the 4 speeds how
old is the clutch? Does it shift freely and stay in gear? The rear can be
another question for most. What is the ratio and are any ID tags present? Is it
original? Any chatter or noise?
Other questions I would ask are with regard
to any vehicle options. The usual would be PS, PB, PW, Cruise, AM-FM, or 8
Track. Do they all work? Does it have buckets and console?
A final question I would have would be if the
car is missing any parts or if it needs anything. Questions like
these sometimes jog the memory of the seller into revealing something that
might be overlooked.
So to wrap it up; if you have yourself a
checklist ahead of time and simply fill in the blanks, it can truly save a lot
of time, money and possible disappointment prior to trekking out to see
the car.
QUICK AND DIRTY: Have you made a copy of
all of your car’s original documentation and put all the originals in a
fireproof safe?
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James
Marino: 1960 Chevrolet Impala Convertible
My affection for the 1960 Impala Convertible began when I was fifteen years old as my sisters’ brand new convertible was
delivered from Bay Chevrolet. Three years later on my eighteenth birthday I bought my own 1960 Impala convertible with
the high performance 348 tri-power engine and a four-speed transmission. It was Aztec Copper with a white top.
Over the years I’ve had Corvettes, Camaros, ’64 409SS, Road Runners, El Caminos, Novas, and even an XKE v12 Jaguar.
Of all these classics, I always liked my 1960 Convertible best.
Last year I decided to search for a nicely restored ’60 Impala Convertible. My wife and I searched the internet and found this
car in a museum out in Illinois. A buddy of mine and I jumped on a plane to check it out.
The car underwent a complete frame-off restoration seven years earlier and only 300 miles were driven since its restoration.
This car has the 348 tri-power, 280 horsepower engine, all numbers match, turbo-glide transmission, tinted glass, deluxe AM
radio AND a tissue dispenser. The color is Crocus Cream with a Cascade Green interior and white top.
I
love this car because the color is so different!
When I saw it, I bought it and had it trucked back to New York.
I am thoroughly enjoying this car; hitting the local car shows and taking a few trophies
along the way.
(A few trophies? I am sure this baby gets many!)
Pete
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Here is where you can access previous editions of the Long Island
Classic Cars Online Newsletter.
October 2003 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Oct03.html
November
2003 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Nov03.html
December
2003 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Dec03.html
January 2004 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Jan04.html
February 2004 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Feb04.html
March 2004 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Mar04.html
April 2004 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Apr04.html
May
2004 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/May04.html
June 2004 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Jun04.html
July 2004 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Jul04.html
August 2004 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Aug04.html
September 2004 http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/Sep04.html
You can also access the previous
Newsletters through a link on the main page of the website.
___________________________________________________
A few days ago I had the pleasure of attending a Chrysler/Jeep Fall Tour at Giants Stadium in the Meadowlands. I work for a Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge dealer (If any of you are car shopping let me know and I’ll get you a discount!) and this was part of our new product introduction training. They run several of these a year, and let me tell you, they are quite a presentation!
Not only do we get to see all the new models and upcoming changes in the vehicles, but we get to drive them! And drive them we do! On road courses that resemble, slaloms, hairpin turns, skid pads, off-roading conditions, and slick weather situations. We also get to do head to head comparisons with other makes and models that they bring in. I drove Fords, GMs, Toyotas, and Hondas. Suffice to say, in the SUV category, none of the others came close to what the new 05 Grand Cherokee is capable of! The Explorer had to twice be taken off various parts of the off-road course because it couldn’t hack it! Same for the Chevy truck!
But what made the day memorable was the driving by no less than half a dozen professional race car drivers who took us out on what could be called life or death drive situations! These guys were incredible drivers and really squeezed the cars to their limits and beyond! They have driven all types of race machines and been in the Indy 500, Road Rallyes, IMSA, CART, Open Wheel, etc, etc. Of the 200+ of us that were there, a handful of people declined to get into the cars after seeing what was being done! I of course, enjoyed it immensely! It was unbelievable that the trucks didn’t roll over with what these guys did!
The new Grand Cherokee has an ESP driving system that modulates your throttle and brake controls based on your intended driving course and what the yaw sensors detect is the actual vehicle path. Without going into all the techno jargon and explanations here, in a nutshell, the system keeps the vehicle traveling on its intended path despite the road conditions and driver malfeasance! It literally amazed me what this truck can do!
The driving experience was fantastic, and at the end of the day when we were all seated and standing near the grandstand, one of the race drivers pulled up in a hot new Mustang while another two were piloting the new ’05 Grand Cherokee with the 5.7L HEMI engine. It was obvious they were going to race! They called out for a volunteer and before their sentence was ended I was up out of my seat waving and yelling “ME! ME!”
The announcer called me - come to think of it; I may have been the only one standing and volunteering, and I happily bounded over to get into the ‘Stang. I thought I was going to get to drive, but alas, I would just be the passenger. The rest of the 200+ people laughed as they heard me ask if I was driving, and the resounding “no” from the announcer. I got into the car and tried to strap in as the driver proceeded to do a 360 in front of the stands.
The race was going to be down to one end of the parking lot, around a 360 circle, and back towards the stands.
The announcer yelled “go!” and as the throttles were mashed, the Mustang instantly lit the tires, the engine roared, and we spun for about 2 seconds before we got moving. All that time, out of the corner of my right eye I saw the Grand Cherokee’s front end lift up as the Hemi roared, and with no tire spin save a brief instant, the 4400lb SUV launched straight away and took off like a banshee! (340 horsepower and 375 lbft of torque will do that)
As the Mustang finally bit and rocketed forward, we tried playing catch up with the truck. By the time we got close to him, we both had to enter the 360 turn. The truck effortlessly (even with its higher center of gravity) negotiated the turn with its ESP and traction control systems working overtime, while the ‘Stang driver put us through an impressive rotation with the back end swinging around us as we tried to manage the same turn.
By the time we emerged from ours, the Grand Cherokee was flying back towards the crowd. The Mustang took off in a straight line and I wondered if we’d stop in time before hitting the bleachers like the “Death Mobile” in Animal House. It all happened in a flash as my thoughts danced between watching innocents get plastered by this Ford Missile with me as the co-pilot, and the wonder if we’d survive the impending wreck as the driver tried to avoid a newspaper headline story.
I felt the momentary pulsating of the Mustang’s ABS system as the driver stomped the brakes, he then lifted off and swung the car right, then left, and we did another 360 to end up perfectly sideways to the grandstand with me smiling and waving to the admiring throng!!
What a visceral experience! Even though I was in the car that came in second, the thrill of that ride will stay with me for a long time! My appreciation and admiration goes out to those drivers! WHAT A RUSH!!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Once again, enjoy the fall season and shows. It’s been a pleasurable summer with more events than ever and I look forward to the same for next year! All of you Clubs and Organizations out there, send us your 2005 event schedules as soon as you have them so we can get them up on the site ASAP.
To everyone: we are accepting articles for the “My Car Story” feature that we do monthly. So, now is your chance to see your car in print and in full color on the screen, and sent out world-wide for all to see!
It’s a great keepsake for you to always refer to, and to send out to all your friends and family.
Just write a quick little article (you don’t have to be an English Professor), and send it on in!
Also, if any of you out there have ideas for a column or feature you’d like to contribute, we welcome that as well.
And as always, stop by and say “Hi” if you see us at the shows and cruise nights!
Pete Giordano
Long Island Classic Cars.com