We have had one of the best summers in recent memory weather-wise! Except
for that one August week of rain and clouds, it has been spectacular! Car show
and cruise night attendance has been high and Long Island’s car crazy people
have had a banner year!
Personally, I
did not attend nearly as many shows and cruise nights this year as I normally
do in a summer season. But I did drive my cars quite a bit and enjoy them! I
love the shows and in the past – got to two or three a weekend! I didn’t attend
as many this year for several reasons (that have nothing to do with lack of
interest): First and foremost – Church and family. I have two little boys and a
pretty hot wife that I wanted to spend more time with. Also, I work Saturdays
and miss out on car club functions due to that unreasonable burden. { How
dare they take away my car-time and half my weekend!! } And lastly, it has
been such incredible weather, that after the last four summers of hitting up
almost every car show on every Sunday, I decided to spend some time at the
beach!
So, I felt
good this year. Missed out on some shows and car things, but hey, that’s all
right! I led a more balanced life and feel better for it.
Now the
little guys are in school, and I can honestly say that I can sleep well knowing
that I gave them a great summer and spent important time with them! My wife,
well, she is happy either way. I am blessed with a woman who likes cars,
doesn’t mind if I go to shows and club events, will go with me as well (never
rushes me around and actually enjoys the events), and is fun to spend time with
too!
Hope you all
had a great summer! There are many car things left to do this month and into
the autumn season.
Enjoy this
double issue of the Newsletter, and enjoy your time wisely as well.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1 Editor’s Introduction
2 Picture Caption Contest
3 Cruise Night Information
4 Guest Writer’s Columns
Lou
Refano
Tom Sebastian
Dan Dombal
Rich’s Tech Tips
5 My Car Story x 2.5
6 The Archive
7 Editor’s Closing
___________________________________________________
Long Island Classic Cars.Com’s
Our contest will return next issue!
Here is last
month’s winning entry from Ronald Ferante:
“I thought that
‘points on your license’ was a good thing so I kept count your honor!”
Ronald
wins a California Dash Mini Duster! Congratulations!!
___________________________________________________
“EXTRA EXTRA!
READ ALL ABOUT IT!!”
The Cruise Nights are still going strong!! Here’s the latest on them…
2007 Cruise Night location
updates:
TUESDAYS: McDonald's. Metropolitan Ave. & 69th Road, Forest Hills, NY.
Sponsored by East Coast Car Association/Toys For Tots
TUESDAYS: Audrey Ave. Oyster Bay, NY
Sponsored by Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce
TUESDAYS: Bald Hill Cultural Center. North Ocean Ave. Farmingville, NY
Sponsored by the Farmingville Fire Department
TUESDAYS: Old K-Mart Center. Dogwood Avenue, Franklin Square, NY
Public gathering.
WEDNESDAYS: KFC. William Floyd Pkwy & Montauk Hwy. Shirley, NY
Sponsored by Bow Tie Boulevard Camaro Club
THURSDAYS: Wendy’s Shopping Center. Montauk Hwy and Locust Ave, Oakdale, NY
Sponsored by Still Cruisin’ Car Club
FRIDAYS: Bellmore Train Station. Sunrise Highway. Bellmore, NY
Public Gathering
FRIDAYS: Massapequa Train Station. Sunrise Highway, Massapequa, NY
Sponsored by Town of Oyster Bay Parks Dept.
SATURDAYS: *AM Cruise* Steve’s Collision. 618 North Bicycle Path. Port Jefferson Station, NY.
Sponsored by Steve’s Collision.
SATURDAYS: Sonomax Station. 278 Greenpoint Ave. Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NY.
Sponsored by East Coast Car Association/Toys for Tots
SATURDAYS: Kohl’s. Corner Grand Blvd and Commack Rd. Deer Park, NY.
Public gathering.
SATURDAYS: KFC. William Floyd Pkwy & Montauk Hwy. Shirley, NY.
Sponsored by Bow Tie Boulevard Camaro Club
SUNDAYS: *AM Cruise* Ocean Pkwy, Captree Beach Parking Lot through May, then at OBI.
Public gathering.
If you know of any not
listed here that are currently running – let us know.
HEY! - What about Nathan’s in Oceanside? Is that active, who sponsors
it, and do they charge to get in? Anybody know about it?
___________________________________________________
GUEST WRITER(S)
COLUMN(S)
Lou Refano takes
a detour from his “Fave’s” series to write about a certain car who’s
“plain and simple” charms can make for classic status without having to impress
or amaze by it’s power, speed, or option list.
Tom Sebastian travels the world for a living. During his “assignments” he usually finds
something automotive that piques his interest! He found something this time all
right! Read on to see what he writes about one of the world’s most engaging and
grand automotive events! Leave it to Italy to be the home for this spectacle!
Dan
Dombal is a first time writer
and we welcome him! Danny has a poignant tale of how family relationships can
be built, enhanced, and remembered through the love of cars and the automotive
hobby.
Rich’s Tech Tips has great timing (pun intended) as usual. Hmmm….wonder what this piece
will be about?
I can assure you though,
it has some great hints to keep away the ping!
In this month’s “My Car Story” there are a couple of features
for your enjoyment!
We offer a story that follows up to an
article by one of our guest columnists this month. A first time for this!
AND, we have a story that incorporates two
“sister” vehicles into one feature! A first time for that!
From this to that, there
is plenty of reading here boys and girls!!
Enjoy it all! ………….
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IT'S
REALLY SPECIAL
by Louis
Refano
This article is dedicated
to all those car nuts (including myself) who believe that less is more; who
think that great rides of yesteryear do not need to be super-plush and
luxurious, or produced in limited quantities, or be able to cause massive
cracks in pavement to be desirable. I’ve previously done articles on Rambler
Americans, Nash Metropolitans and Crosleys; I’ve always loved oddball
underdogs, so trust me on this one. That’s not to say that those owners of
super custom, metal-flaked, chrome-hearted hot rods should not feel immensely
proud of their hard work and sacrifice; they absolutely should. It’s America,
and there will always be a parking place for you guys. My idea of a “dream car”
has always been more modest. I favor originality and purity of design. I’ve
always felt that what defines a “classic” is an intrinsic beauty that is
timeless and has truth. To me a great car doesn’t have to shout at the top of
its carburetors, or be bathed in iridescent paint, or be able to burn rubber
like a dragster to be appreciated. Again, I realize that there are differences
of opinion on this…beauty is in the eye of the beholder, after all…and each of
you good folks reading this certainly have your personal taste in brand,
components, and style. And this diversity of opinion makes cruise nights and
car shows a lot more fun!
So when I first came across Jerry McCrystal’s 1955 Buick Special
at an Oyster Bay Cruise Night, I was interested in profiling it right off the
bat. Here is a car that, well, you wouldn’t expect to find at the best Las
Vegas auctions. It’s not a car that you would figure to be named “Best of Show”
at most Buick Club meets. It’s a 2-door post sedan. It was part of the
entry-level Special series. In fact this sedan was Buick’s lowest-priced model
in 1955…starting at only $2,233. It wasn’t exclusive when produced…61,879 of
them left Buick dealerships. So what makes this car so “special”?
It’s a real statement of those times that even the lowest-priced,
most basic model of Buick in 1955 possessed a timeless grace and dignity that
was worthy of the brand (you could not say that, for example, about a 1981
X-Body Skylark!). Heavy chrome bumpers up front with “Dagmars” made the driver
feel very self-assured, and looked great in the bright sun. These surrounded a
new-for-’55 mesh grille, replacing the ‘54’s thick vertical lines. A new
horizontal spear was attached to the center of the grille, topped with a circle
with three spokes and arcs of red, white, and blue. The three-spoke motif was
also repeated on the turn signals, fender portholes, and optional full wheel
covers (Jerry’s car has the standard hub caps). The sides were adorned
with the traditional Buick "sweepspear" which, in addition to the
portholes, was another Buick trademark which began with the '49's.
Although the car looks massive (and is, by today’s
standards) it was also Buick’s lightest model at 3,715 pounds. The engine is a
264-inch V-8 rated at 188 hp. It featured a newly designed cam, ported
manifolds and a larger 4-barrel carburetor. This was the only engine available
in the Specials. One of the few options this car does possess is the Dynaflow
automatic transmission, which was improved in ‘55 to eliminate the sluggishness
that plagued earlier versions. Dynaflow was a significant achievement for
Buick…and for those looking for an easier way to drive. Even though it made for
cars that were competitively slower off the line, there was no smoother tranny
than Dynaflow.
The dynamic ‘55 Buick lineup was a sensation in the sales charts.
When all the models were tallied up, a then-record 738,814 cars were built,
putting Buick solidly into third place…pushing it farther ahead of Plymouth in
the sales race. The Buick division was in its heyday, thanks to the vision of
designers Ned Nickles and Bill Mitchell, and the higher-ups at GM.
Jerry McCrystal (aka “Jerry Roma” because he owns Roma 2000
Furniture in Farmingdale…tell him Lou sent ya) bought his beautiful Buick eight
years ago, at an auction called “Dutch Wonderland” near Hershey, PA (unfortunately
the auction no longer exists). It had 52,000 miles on the clock and currently
has 54,000, so this car has been quite pampered. It is in original condition,
except for the paint job…the Cascade Blue over Dover White two-tone was redone
by Van’s Auto Body in Lynbrook.
I couldn’t resist stepping back in time and taking the 52-year-old
car for a little spin, for which I thank Jerry very much. I knew it would be
different than the modern iron I was used to, but I didn’t realize how
different. First of all, on modern cars, the hood drops severely so you can see
a lot of road ahead. On these older cars, all you see is hood! A big expanse of
metal, including the ends of both fenders, with the long hood topped off by the
signature “bombsight” hood ornament. A Mini Cooper driver would get a little
antsy seeing this car filling up his rearview mirror. Seat belt? Forget it,
ain’t none here. Turn the key? No need, just push the accelerator to the floor
and it rumbles to life. Nice big diameter steering wheel with horn ring, thin
circumference…no leather padding. I also like the aircraft-type switches for
the ventilation system in the middle of the dash. Move the column shifter and
you’re under way. Turn that big wheel…keep turning…and turning…and eventually
you go in the direction you want. No power assist, so a nice workout for the
biceps. Brakes nice and heavy too. Who needs a gym membership? A half-hour
morning commute and you just worked off breakfast. Actually, a nice comfortable
cruiser once you get underway. Just pretend you were back in the fifties when
Long Island parkways were a genuine pleasure, and you weren’t accustomed to
driving like NASCAR, and you really can enjoy this. Just make sure you
telegraph your steering and braking movements early.
Jerry’s ‘55 Special is proof positive that even an entry-level
classic car, with few frills and options, can be a real looker and offer tons
of pride of ownership. One of the best things about the fifties was, just about
every car that came off the assembly line was “special”.
Sources: Seventy Years of Buick by George H. Dammann, Cars of the
Fabulous Fifties by James M. Flammang and the Auto Editors of Consumer Guide,
www.55buick.com
(Luigi,
your love for all things Buick is evident! Makes for great articles! Thanks!) Pete
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
…And Then There’s The Mille
Tom Sebastian
There are car shows and vintage car races galore throughout
the U.S., Canada and Western Europe. And
then there’s this one: The Mille
Miglia.
The
only other country half as mad as the Italians regarding cars and the ‘Cultura dell’Automobile’ is
Britain. However, the one ingredient
missing there is that old, ‘Latin Magic’.
No, only here -- in the heart of Ferrari/Lamborghini/Maserati Land -- can such an event take place. And what an event it is.
Now I am used to cheering locals who, with their rare Ferrari, Aston-Martin or Alfa, are willing (and able - this is not a cheap hobby) to race them to full glory at Watkins-Glen, Portland International Raceway, or a host of other such venues. What I am not used to is seeing half the collector car value on the entire planet all at once and in one place, bumper to bumper, with their ‘pilots’ racing off into the night some 1,000 miles down and back up the Italian Peninsula – as fast as they dare go! (only in Italy!)
When it ran for real, it was over hill and dale, flat-out,
and through the tiniest towns with the narrowest roads you ever did see. When the bodies started piling up (being
killed by a Ferrari in Italy can pass for one of the three required miracles
for Sainthood) the Pope himself stepped in at the end of the 1957 race and said
something like… ‘Eh! Whats-a-matta- you?! -- You craze’?!’
Thus ended the ‘official’ running of the fabulous Mille.
But lucky for you, me, and every other car nut in the world, it was revived in the early 80’s. While, technically speaking, they are not supposed to be actually racing -- you watch them and tell me what’s going on. It’s pretty wild stuff: racing through perilous mountain passes by day and into the night around trucks that block any possible view of what’s ahead. And, of course, there are the half-mad Italians who won’t budge an inch as you careen towards them for the next turn with your 1940’s -- and earlier -- vintage drum brakes.
When you see it, you won’t believe it. And when I asked the owner of a 1957 Ferrari Testa Rossa factory racer valued at 1.2 million pounds (that’s 2 ¾ million US dollars!) why he would even consider racing such a jewel, his answer put me in my place: ‘If you had a car worth close to 3 million dollars, what would you care if you come back with a repair bill for a hundred grand or so?
O-k-aaaay. So some of us live in a parallel universe…
It only lasts one day and a night for spectators. (Those who think they can follow these so-called ‘antiques’ for the full 3-day jaunt with their brand-new, rented Volvos/Fiats are in for a stunning surprise: A factory racecar from the first part of the last century is lethally quick. Unless you take shortcuts known only to the locals, you are unlikely ever see these cars again.)
The best way to see this spectacle is to arrive the day before the race. (Which means leaving the U.S. two days before as you, typically, will arrive early on the morning after your departure day. As the race is always on a Thursday in May, you would have to leave U.S. soil no later than the Tuesday night prior, getting you there on Wednesday morning). Then plan to spend Wednesday and Thursday nights in the town of Brescia – the official starting point --- some two hours east of Milan.
When you wake up on Thursday morning, take a stroll downtown. Even if you are only a tepid car nut at best – be prepared for a soul-altering event. If you are a total goner like me, you will have reached Valhalla. (And you thought there was only one Bugatti Royal!)
Lucky me with my press pass, I could actually go find an
answer to the question on every tourist’s mind that day: Who
the hell ARE these people, anyway!?!?
So, since I am writing for a Seattle paper at the time, I attempt to see what sort of human-interest story the first car bearing Washington plates had to offer…[1]
“Excuse, me…” I ask the men guarding the rather spectacular Alfa. Turns out to be the driver’s personal mechanic and body man. (No one shows up here without personal staff.)
“It says here”, I say, holding up my official program, “that the owner of this is one, Jon Shirley, from Seattle. Now, that wouldn’t be… the former CEO of Microsoft now, would it?”
Why, of course!
O-K-ay!!…Glad we got that one settled.
“Now comes the dark side… the inevitable, self-flagellation, the nagging questions such as: “Why Am I So !*&^%! Poor?!” You go have a cold beer and, eventually, get over it. You stand up, regain your composure, and go back out there and face reality: These people don’t have to work – and, probably, never did!!
Now where was I…
Oh, yes… Me walking among the cars of my collective dreams with nary enough $$$ to buy an original inner tube for the Aston Martin factory racer. Everything is original here. (Remind me to tell you the one about the German aristocrat who went on a worldwide hunt for the exact Louis Vuitton bag that came with his 1936 Mercedes roadster when new) Get the feeling that Fitzgerald was right… that the rich are different than we are…? [2]
Sitting above it all and gazing down on the spectacle from a 2nd level restaurant reveals the utter insanity of what it is you are witnessing. I actually saw a traffic jam that stretched for a quarter of a mile! -- And with no car under $500 grand!! [3]
There now, look… the heat and the slowness of the registration process is getting to the owner of a Jaguar SSK and he is giving the bird to the owner of the Jimmy Dean Porsche!! A bit of road rage à la riche goin’ on down there. I must confess: I am feeling a lot better now about this whole affair… They may be different but, hey, I just gave the bird myself at JFK not too many hours before. Could it be… that we actually share common genetic material?! -- And that there is some hope that I, too, could frolic among these folks with the bottomless pockets some day soon??
Who Can Play, Who
Can’t.
So, you’re ready for some real fun. You are ready to skip the mortgage payment (They can handle one omission), let the eldest male work his own way through college (Hell… you did it!) and forget about that plan to refurbish the den (Who wants to look under that rug, anyway!?).
But… better to deal with the 2nd part of the above heading first.
You can’t play if:
1) You’re the nervous type. Your million-dollar investment will get dirty -- and probably worse. Count on some hefty (read: expensive) post-race garage time.
2) You don’t fancy tomato products. (Welcome to Italy.)
3) You are too low-key a personality to be able to enjoy 1000 miles and 3 days of fanatics cheering you on to certain victory (even if you are losing).
Well, the best thing to do if you passed the above preliminaries is to take a look at the official site: http://www.millemiglia.it. First, click ‘English Version’ in the upper right hand corner, and then ‘Participants List’ on the left side. (Then, for some reason, you will be presented with another one beneath, hit that one, too.)
You will see the list of cars that showed up for the 2006 running of the event. Take down a few names of the ones that sound familiar. Now, go out to your garage and check what is in there against the list. Nothing? Too bad. Now you have to go out and buy one. Check the Pennysaver first. There’s always someone who doesn’t know what it is they have in the garage and just wants to clear things out. (If that one works, let me know… I’ll call Ripley’s.)
If nothing there, let’s get real: Forget all mortgage payments. In fact, consider taking the biggest loan you can against the equity. Then, announce to all the kiddies that, hey, what’s good for one of them is good for all. Keep that paper route! That roof that leaks? Hey! Move the plants closer!! Who needs a den, anyway? Let’s rent it out to the kids for extra cash!
For about $7,500 you get… Two nights room & board on the road (they don’t do it all at once any more, they stretch it out into a real party), more fame than you probably deserve, and no worries! They actually follow you with mechanics and trucks to get you going again – or pick you up if your ride ends ignominiously.
Well, yes, you have to get your car over there… Last I heard, Al Italia can do that one with their specially prepared 747 – a flying garage – for some $5000,[4] depending upon which coast you are flying out from!
And remember – you need a co-pilot. So, if you go through all of the above, decide the $$, the car, the repairs – and all that pasta -- present no problems:
I respectfully
volunteer my services!!
NEXT TIME: Who says the Japanese don’t do classics!?
(Tom that must have been one hell of a sight to
behold! You are indeed fortunate!) Pete
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A Family’s Generational Automotive History
By Dan Dombal
My Grandfather was the first family mechanic and the first to have a car back around 1915. He got the car for free because he fixed the car on a back road when a Doctor on a house call got stuck. He repaired some wiring, got him on his way and the Doctor saved a wealthy woman’s life. So the woman gave my grandfather the car. It was a Maxwell. The Doctor got a new car from the lady. My dad started his automotive repair shop when he bought a vacant piece of property and had a building put up to have room for a 9 car facility. This was in 1948 after he came out of the army. He opened it with his brother John. It was originally called D& D Motors. It was on Jericho Turnpike in Garden City Park, N.Y. My Dad sold his half to his brother John after 22 years in 1967 when I was 7 Years old. My brother Mike was serving his country in the Vietnam war. My cousin Ron turned the shop into a collision shop and did well for himself and my uncle.
The reason for that introduction is
important to me and is a part of my story. Of any and all of the cars that I
have owned, my favorite had to be when I was 4 1/2 years old and my Dad put me
into a Quarter Midget Race car that I club raced until I was about 17. I did
this almost every week at Mitchell Field Runways and in Roosevelt Field parking
lots. The Club Name was the NQMA (Nassau Quarter Midget Assoc.) I always ran in
the top three in my class throughout the years due to my Father’s unbelievable
old-school mechanical and technical background. He was a certified ASE Master
Mechanic in all fields including automatic transmissions, as well as being a
Chief instructor at Delahantey Mechanical school in Hempstead. He was always
keeping up with GM training in Tarrytown Plants, and was a licensed NYS DMV
automotive inspector till 1992 at the age of 68. He then spent the rest of his
years working as a master manager at Clearview Golf Course in Douglaston, for
The American Golf Corporation. My Dad “handed down” to me a lot of his
knowledge, work habits, and general common sense when it came to mechanics. I
will be grateful to him always for that.
I entered the Auto Collision
Business at my cousin’s shop which my Dad had sold to them 13 years prior. The
years I spent learning, and training about auto collision and restoration
included 12-16 days. I worked at the shop from age 17 through 25, then I
realized the industry takes a heavy toll on your body, as well as your health.
I liked the field, but wanted something different so I went into office
managing and collision estimating I
worked at large collision repair facilities like Scappy Auto Body in
Hicksville, (owned by Eugene Scapatura a legend in the collision repair
industry on Long Island for years), and Phil's Body Works in Hewlett, (owned by
Dominic Valenti a true pioneer in high class upper end collision repairs). I
worked in those places for 5 and 11 years respectively. For 5 years now I have
been working with The National Collision Co. U.S.A. in Baldwin. I am a junior
partner there.
Automotive involvement is something
that I was brought up with, enjoy, and will always be a part of. Thanks in
great part to my Dad.
(Dan, there is nothing as nice as when Dads and kids do things together.) Pete
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By Rich Fiore
TIMING IS
EVERYTHING !!!!
Many of our older classic rides came with a factory spec on
what should be the correct ignition timing. After many miles, carbon build up,
burnouts ( eh hmm ) and all sorts of history, things may be a-changin’.
Specifically the factory spec may not be adequate for optimum performance
and mileage. If you want to be politically correct ( don’t ask for my
vote on that ) pollutants might be on your list too. The factory spec after
many moons may just not be adequate for bangin’ through the gears.
First off lets look at exactly what ignition timing
really is. It is simply firing the spark plug prior to the piston reaching the
top of its travel ... otherwise known as Top Dead center ( TDC ). It is
measured in degrees of crankshaft rotation. Many factors enter into the
equation for an ideal setting of your timing. For example: Cam spec's, the
carb, driving habits, altitude, air/engine temperatures and fuel
characteristics ( namely octane rating ). Carbon build up in the combustion
chamber can effect detonation too.
In most of our rides there were two ways in which the
timing was adjusted. The first is centrifugal ( which is based on engine
speed ) and the second is vacuum ( which is technically based on throttle
position ). As a general rule; the more the advance - the better the power and
fuel economy .... up to a certain point. Between the centrifugal and
vacuum advance a general rule for most vehicles is no more than 36
degrees. Anything more than that you should re-curve the distributor via
replacement of the Centrifugal advance springs or replacement ( in some cases
adjustment ) of the vacuum advance.
So lets look at how you would try and find the ideal timing
setting for your car. Keep in mind if your car's engine was of the
low compression variety and has many miles on it, assume there is probably
much carbon build up and it might be time to switch over to high test.
First off, make sure if you have ignition points the dwell
is set according to spec. Look at the plugs and check for good burning. If plug
colors ( deposits ) are not looking good, you may want to change the heat range
accordingly. As far as setting the timing now it’s best to start with the OEM
setting and advance it conservatively 2 degree's at a time. Generally speaking
if you have a high performance cam, it would warrant more advance for the
initial setting.
Run the car
when hot and under heavy load ( that usually means when you are having fun lead
foot ) . If no ping is found keep advancing until you hear ping. After ping is
found, retard the timing slightly and retest. Keep in mind that too much
advance will not only encourage ping but will cause your ride to run hotter.
Speaking of temperatures, keep in mind that hotter incoming
air will always promote detonation. With cooler spring and fall temperatures
you may want to adjust timing accordingly. Plus, always keep that cooling
system in shape to keep engine temperatures down. Another thing to
discourage detonation is a larger spark plug gap. If you have a high-powered
ignition system you can increase the gap slightly. If factory gap was lets say
.035, try increasing to.037 and see what happens.
So that’s pretty much the long and short of timing your
engine. It can take a lot in the way of trial and error but I'm sure eventually
you can find a happy medium. Detonation can be serious business.
Smoke ‘em if
you got em!
Quick and Dirty: When was the last time you checked your
centrifugal advance weights and tested your vacuum advance?
(I didn’t
know you could widen the plug gap with a hi-po ignition! Thanks Dr Rich!)
Pete
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Dan Dombal: 1964 AMC
Rambler American 330
This 1964 Rambler American 330 2
Door is my current cruiser and it does a great job at that, here is some
history on the car:
It was November of 2006 and I was
driving down a street 3 blocks from me when I saw this teal green, square two
door car on a driveway. It had a for sale sign saying “ALL ORIGINAL $2,200”. So
I called the # and talked with the young man who owned the car. He told me it
drives and runs and he had got it from the original owner. It raised my
interest in this square -UGLY- car . This fellow said that he buys complete
estates and this car was in the garage of the car’s original owner. He paid $1,200 for the car. He said he had
it running, except the master cylinder was empty, he told me that he had a
mechanic check it out and the brake system was good. We tried for about one
hour to get it started and the only way it would run is if you poured gas down
the 1-barrel carter Carb, then it would stall.
Boy I have been around lots of cars
that have had stale gas but this was beyond stale. The woman that owned the car
filled up the gas tank and parked it in a garage in 1995, and that’s where the
car would stay for the next 12 years until I came across it. I finally was
walking away from the young guy who owned the car and told him “Don't worry you
will find an ass for the seat”! By then I knew the brake system was shot, the
fuel system was shot, and maybe the 2 speed automatic tranny was shot. I had offered him $900.00, he laughed and
said “No way! There is no rust on the car, except the rear surface of the rear
bumper because that was closest to the garage door which was not fully shut”
This car was in Richmond Hill N.Y. As the radiator was pouring water out and
the smell of strong varnish was permeating the area at least 3 houses away, I
told the young man “I will give you $700.00 bucks right now and I will push it
home.” (3 blocks) He hesitated and said “Right now?” and I said “Yes Now!!” The
deal was confirmed and paid and I pushed the car home.
My wife Janet and my father thought
I was crazy because it was not a shiny old car. I explained that it had only
49,675 original miles on the car and that was equipped with a Flathead 6 cyl
that runs so smooth that you can put a glass of water on the air cleaner while
its running. I told them it has a two-speed automatic tranny and it was from
the original owner and it was sitting for 12 years. My wife said “Well in that case
I guess its pretty good.” My Dad said “OH BOY, there is a lot of work to get
this thing running, hope you have time.” Who me TIME? I only work 12-13 hrs a
day, and have three daughters, a house, bla bla bla ..
My brother and I removed the fuel
tank and had Huntington Radiator on 25a, boil out, clean and reseal it. They
did an excellent job and they said it was the worst case of stale gas he ever
saw. They did a great job and I recommend them. My brother Mike and I continued
to work on the car in the front of my house during January. We had it up on
horses, and while there, we also redid fuel lines, hoses, inline fuel filters,
homemade fuel tank float (parts from a Chrysler mini van). We had my Dad
rebuild the Carter RBS carb back to specs, and he installed a Vacuum diaphragm
fuel pump. Now that it was running, I could not get it to stop! So I brought it
to my shop where my Dad (God rest his soul ) freed up the master cylinder and
brake lines, and the frozen wheel cylinders (which needed replacing). I had to
mold one brake line with double flares and install. I took a compound wheel
over the rusting paint and missing body parts car. It took 4 hrs but it came
out better than what it was.
It has been 7 months and I have
clocked about 900 miles on this SURVIVOR car so far. In Newsday on September
10th, they had a article about entry level car collecting, and sure as
anything, they named a 1964 Rambler! They said you can pick up a runner in
shabby to fair shape for $4000 - 5000. I have had offers to buy the car and my
answer is always “NO”. When people tell me to get a body shop and restore it, I
tell them I have a body shop and I may be Polish, but that through the years I
have learned how to appreciate a car for what it is worth. And that for this
1964 American 330, it’s worth taking out this “old reliable” to any distance at
anytime! It’s great sitting down in the car and having tons of people flock
over to say things like:
“I had one of those!”
“You don’t see these anymore!”
“Wow is this the model that the
seats fold down into a bed?”
“ Look no radio and a sign that says
fasten seat belts!”
And many other phrases including one
from the editor of this Newsletter that most of you know! “Hi, my name is Pete
and I would love to have this survivor car as a featured car of the month in
the Long Island Classic Cars.Com. Newsletter!” I agreed to do it and already
knew what I would write about!
So there you have it. Oh by the way, it has a set of bias ply Goodyears on it with no dry rot! Just a few flat spots that even out after a few miles. The only downside to this car is that it has a 2-speed auto tranny with a high final drive gear. So when you go about 50 mph your engine is running at about 3200 rpm's! But, I still get 20-22 mpg!!
( Dan, like I said when I met you ..”Don’t
ever restore this car! Leave it as it is!”!) Pete
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Rockin’ & Rollin’
- 1955 Chevrolets
ROCKN 55 by Dennis Dowling
My first encounter with the love of cars and hot rods started in the fall of 1962 in the library at Glen Cove High School. That was the day I picked up my first copy of Hot Rod magazine. The magazine did an article on a 1963 Plymouth with a 426 cu in cross-ram, it was love at first sight! Dual four barrels, hot cam, big compression and an exhaust system that had cut outs! What a package! But being a senior in high school and working part time in a paint store, I could hardly afford such a car.
I started looking for my first car. I went to my cousin who owned a Chrysler-Plymouth dealership on Post Avenue in Westbury and I asked him if he could find me a 1957 Chevy! A few weeks later he called me to let me know he had taken a ’57 Ford Fairlane 500 in trade. Off I went to Westbury with money in hand! It was a great car – hardtop with a 312 cu in Y block. The only thing I did not like was that it was an automatic (which I changed to stick at a later date.) I kept it until February of ’64. At that time my yearning for the Mopar was too strong to resist. I heard it calling me!
Back to Westbury and cousin John for a 1964 Plymouth Belvedere with a 383, 4 speed, and Mopar pedigree! I was now 19 years old and had a new Plymouth during the heyday of cars! Life was great!
I enjoyed that car immensely! Drive-ins, burger stands, especially the Wetson’s on Northern Blvd in Port Washington! And, of course, a lot of cruising! Everything was fine until September 1965 when I received a letter from the local draft board saying “greetings!” So for the next two years all I could do was read car magazines and dream of what would be next when I got out of the Army.
When I got out, the new Plymouths were just being released. When I looked at the brochures, the Plymouth GTX looked fabulous! So, back to cousin John for a B5 Blue ’69 GTX! It had black interior, black vinyl roof, and a torqueflight tranny. I did some work on that car including headers, dual coil distributor, and 4.10:1 gears. It ran great and very strong! Unfortunately in October ’68 the car was totaled. (Not my fault – I was rear-ended). By that time the ’69 models were out and my new car would be a ’69 Plymouth GTX in metallic silver, black vinyl roof, 4 speed and the “Super Track Pack” option. THIS was a VERY sharp looking car!
I sold it in 1972 – what a mistake!
After seven years of “nothing” cars, I located another ’69 GTX – the twin of the one I previously owned. I took it home and brought it back to like new condition. I kept it until 1989 and then did the unthinkable again – I sold it. (Still cant believe I did that twice)
In the summer of 2003, I found myself where I started back in ’62; looking for a ’57 Chevy.
After
searching the internet for a car, (my how times have changed), my friend advised
me of a ’55 Chevy Bel Air that was for sale on his block in Franklin Square.
After seeing pictures sent to me via e-mail, I went to see the car. It was love
at first sight, a Regal Turquoise/India Ivory two-tone paint job with Cragar
S/S Wheels. The came from Douglasville, PA, the original owned had it until
1987 and the car only had 16,000 miles on it! The car was a Blue Flame 6
cylinder with a three speed manual transmission. It now has a 350 small block
Chevy, a 400 TH transmission, power disc brakes, ceramic-coated headers, and a
605 power steering unit. I also installed a Ron Francis wiring harnesses and an
ATO fuse panel. It also runs with a Griffin aluminum radiator. Future plans
call for a Tremec 5-speed transmission and a new bucket seat interior. I have
the vanity plate ROCKN 55 and it certainly represents the spirit of the
car!
It has been a lot of fun going to cruise nights and car shows with my ‘55, and I have met a lot of great people. I have also seen many outrageous cars. My ’55 and I belong to a great car club as well; the Centurion Cruisers.
ROLLN 55 by Bill Kruse
I had been going to cruise nights and car shows admiring all the old Hot Rods. I was thinking back to high school days when these cars were everywhere!
My friend Dennis (who you just read about – a fellow member of the Centurion Cruisers Car Club), had a ’55 Chevy Bel Air and it really reminded me of the days gone by. I longed for something like that for my own. I am “into cars” as they say, and I currently have a 2003 Mercury Marauder that is fast and is quite a cool car in its own right, but it wasn’t quenching my desire for an “Old-School Hot Rod.”
As luck would have it, Dennis was going to sell another ’55 Chevy that he owned at the time. A 210 Model with a 350 small block Chevy engine. It also was sporting a 4-speed Saginaw transmission and a 3.73:1 12-bolt rear end unit. I jumped at the chance! Since I bought it from Dennis, I have installed a 605 power steering box, an Ididit tilt steering wheel, ceramic-coated headers, and a Tremec “TKO 600” 5-speed. Dennis also helped me install a completely new wiring harness with a modern fuse panel. We replaced all the old wiring in the car. What a job it was! But it was worth the effort it in both reliability and safety.
Future plans call for a 383-stroker engine, dual-quads, and a four-link rear suspension to name just a few. I also have a vanity plate that reads “ROLLN 55”.
If you come to the Oyster Bay cruise nights on Tuesdays, you will usually find Dennis’ car and mine parked adjacent to each other. There is nothing like old friends and “OLD SCHOOL HOT RODS!!”
(Two nice examples of the popular breed fellas! Great historical pieces too!) Pete
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Here is where you can access previous editions of the Long
Island Classic Cars Online Newsletter.
http://www.liclassiccars.com/Newsletter/
You can also access the previous Newsletters through a
link on the main page of the website.
___________________________________________________
In closing……
Phew! I am tired! This Newsletter took more proofreading
and editing than any other edition ever did! My hands are still cramping!
All in all though, I think the writers churned out some
great articles!! Thanks to everyone involved for their contributions!
We have gone to a bi-monthly format now. Our writers
will be continuing with us, and as always we welcome new contributors.
Come January 1st 2008 we hope to have the
new website in place and bring you more features than ever before!
Any suggestions on what you would like to see?
Send them in to newsletter@liclassiccars.com
Have a great autumn season!
Pete Giordano
Editor
Long Island Classic Cars.com