September 2012 - Clubs

1972-2012

2012 Officers Gail Wilfing—President (574) 232-6521 [email protected] Diane Kopscick-Vice President (740) 427-2637 [email protected] Ken Shaw-Treasurer (812) 294-4898 [email protected] Duane Johnson-Adv. Council Rep. (765) 628-7668 [email protected] Ron Marchand-Two-Year Director (574) 967-3640 [email protected] Dottie Pierce-Secretary (317) 849-6868 [email protected] Bev Lucas-Newsletter Editor (317) 748-7599 [email protected]

September Weekend Meeting September 14th ,15th & 16th Overnight —Vevay, Indiana. Friday night—Cruse In— Saturday - “On the River Car Show” - dinner at Ridge Winery Tasting Room! FUN! RSVP : For dinner to Joe & Jan Baker (765) 759-2289 or email [email protected] (details on Page 8)

Vice President’s Note

Inside this issue:

Dispatch from the front... Front Street in Memphis, TN, that is, for Bird on Beale, the just-concluded 2012 CTCI convention. EBOH was well represented with 25 members attending. We did well in the judging, too: Bev Lucas - gold, newsletter; Jenny Frisbee - gold, 1957 primary original division; Greg Pierce - gold, 1957 primary nonoriginal division; Ken Shaw - first place in hoods-up touring; Brad Nogar - 2nd place and Bill Bishop - 3rd place in 1957 touring subclass A; Bobby Carroll - 3rd place in 1957 touring subclass B; Jim Moe - first place in 1957 touring subclass C. Convention events included a welcome party with barbecue and live music, visits to museums in Memphis, and a riverboat dinner cruise on the mighty Mississippi River. For many members, the best tour was the CTCI private evening at Graceland, Elvis Presley’s home. On Saturday morning a police escort led Thunderbirds to the visitor center at Graceland. Jim Moe was one of the lucky few drivers whose names were drawn to park their cars in front of the mansion for a photo. Coincidentally, Jim’s car was built on Elvis’s birthday, January 8! After the Graceland caravan, participants drove to Beale Street in downtown Memphis and parked for the public’s enjoyment. Beale Street, famous for music clubs, claims to be home of the blues and birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll. Rick Miller, president of the Memphis Classic Thunderbird Club, which organized the convention, said displaying the cars on Beale was his dream when the club began thinking about hosting the event more than two years ago. The Memphis club knocked themselves out to make this a most memorable convention for the more than 800 folks who were there. We cannot thank them enough for all their hard work. Those of us who drove with Bill and Sherrel Bishop extend our appreciation to the Bishop’s for organizing our route and accommodations. It’s hard to believe summer is just about over, but we still have some great EBOH events ahead of us in 2012. Up next - outing to Vevay, September 15-16. Please let Jan Baker know if you are attending so she can order your dinner. Have a great Labor Day by not laboring! Diane Kopscick

Early Birds of Hoosierland CTCI Region 2, Chapter 45 Volume 3, Issue 8 September 2012 http://clubs.hemmings.com/ earlybirdshoosierland/ Gold Medallion Award Winner 2011 2011--Gold Award Winner 2012

http://www.ctci.org Club Officers & Vice President’s Note

1

Photos from CTCI Convention—Memphis, TN 2-7 Club News & Classifieds

8

September & October Meeting Info

9

Calendar of Events

10

The T-Bird From Hell

11

October Weekend Meeting Auburn, Indiana Auburn Cord Museum Optional Overnight Trip— Saturday & Sunday October 6th & 7th RSVP: Greg & Gail Wilfing (574) 2326521 or email [email protected] (details on Page 9)

Volume 3, Issue 8

Photos from CTCI Convention—Memphis

Page 2

Page 3

Hoosier Bird News


ELVIS ?

Volume 3, Issue 8


Page 4

Page 5

Hoosier Bird News


ELVIS HAS LEFT THE BUILDING!

Volume 3, Issue 8


Page 6

Page 7

Hoosier Bird News


Volume 3, Issue 8

Page 8

SEPTEMBER MEETING—VEVAY, INDIANA September Meeting—Friday—Saturday & Sunday—14th -15th & 16th—Overnight —Vevay, Indiana. Please bring your lawn chairs!! You are responsible for making your own reservations for overnight accommodations along with registering your car for the show, if you plan to participate. You do not have to participate in the car show, you could visit Madison, Indiana and do some shopping or you can visit the Belterra Casino for some gambling fun (just 7 miles away), or just hang out at the Baker’s (located right next to the winery)! Friday evening —Cruise In! 7:00-11:00PM Live 50’s & 60’s music by The Makeshifts, food , cars & fun at the Ogle Riverfront Park. The Ogle Haus Inn & Swiss Inn have a special $49 overnight with one free car entry to the show. For more information call (800) 435-5688. Saturday—”On The River Car Show” at the Paul Ogle Riverfront Park Registration $20.00 Registration 8:00 AM - 12:30 PM . Trophies to top 100 entries begins at 4:30pm, dash plaques to first 200 entries, NSAA Safety Check, Open Show. Food and music, emergency vehicles on display. For more information regarding the car show check out this website http://ontherivercarshow.com/ or contact Mike at (812) 427-2789 or Floyd (812) 427-2659. Saturday evening—we will have a steak dinner at The Ridge Winery located at 11048 E. Hwy. 156, Vevay, IN 47043 (812) 427-3380 at 6:00pm. Please RSVP Joe & Jan Baker (765) 759-2289 or email [email protected] also, if you prefer something other than steak, please let Jan know that as well! The cost for the steak dinner is $22.00/person. Also note the Ohio Valley Thunderbird Club has also been invited to join us too! FUN! September Birthdays & Anniversaries

1 3 15 16 16 17 18 20 22 22 23 24 26 26 30

Les Freed John Gibbs Marvin Davis Jim Caylor Marcia Powers Patty Mickel Richard Timmons Pam Graves Jim Moe Greg Wilfing Melissa Miles-Gardner Frieda Howell Karol Bartlett Faith Casey Sandy McShane

4 Bud & Ann Slagle 15 John & Judy Feistritzer 21 Ken & Martha Shaw

CLASSIFIEDS! For Sale: 1956 Chevrolet Bel-Air 2 door hardtop, V8, power pack, 3 speed manual transmission with over-drive. AACA National 1st place Senior. Older restoration, still very nice. Needs nothing. Great driver. $35,000. Contact: John Larch (765) 474-3155 For Sale: 1959 Ford Skyliner Retractable 100,708 Miles, Fairlane 500 ExtRed & White, Int-Red, blk, silver PS,PB,PS, Fordomatic 352. New paint, new interior carpet, in 2010-California car top retracts into the trunk, luggage pan. $33,000. Contact: Duane Johnson (765) 434-6544. For Sale: 1956 Fairlane Victoria, green and white exterior, 51,000 miles, 4 door, hard top, new wire wheels, new tires and new paint. $18,000. Contact: Delmas Stapleton (765) 675-4998

Page 9

Hoosier Bird News OCTOBER MEETING—AUBURN, INDIANA

Volume 3, Issue 8

Page 10

EBOH Calendar of Events 2012 January—Saturday, January 21, 2012 - @ 12:00pm—EBOH Planning Meeting — MCL Restaurant & Bakery located at 5520 Castle Corner Lane, Indianapolis. February—No Meeting March Meeting — Drive & Dine—Saturday, March 24th @ 11:30 Tour the Athenaeum followed by lunch at The Rathskeller, Indianapolis, IN—RSVP Bev Lucas (317) 748-7599 or email [email protected] by March 17th. April Meeting — Drive & Dine—Saturday, April 21st—11:30 AM—Guided tour of the Scottish Rite Cathedral followed by lunch at the Elbow Room—Indianapolis, Indiana. RSVP Bev Lucas (317) 748-7599 or email [email protected] by April 15th. May Meeting —Sunday, May 20th—EBOH 40th Anniversary— Brown County State Park– Nashville, Indiana –10:00AM Caravan from south side of Indy—Meet at the Abe Martin Lodge at 12:00 Noon— Buffet at 12:30—$10-$11per person. Followed by fun & games. RSVP: Ken & Martha Shaw (812) 294-4898 or email [email protected] ASAP. June Meeting—Sunday, June 24th—Wallace, Indiana Trip — Meet in Lebanon, IN at 10:00 AM at McDonald’s at Exit 140 at I-65 & 32. Caravan to Wallace, Indiana and tour the Model T Museum owned by Mick & Thelma Ellingwood and tour additional warehouse parts buildings owned by Kevin Cork. We will cross the main drag and have lunch at the Highway 341 Country Café owned by Tony & Linda Shuman at 12:00 Noon. After lunch we will motor back to Lebanon for a refreshments at the Caylor’s. RSVP Bill Bishop & Bobby Carroll (765) 453-2358. July Meeting—Saturday, July 14th—8:30 AM—Tour Carmel Farmers Market– 10:00 AM Tour Palladium located at One Center Green, Carmel, IN 46032 and at 11:00-11:30 AM walk up Monon Trail for lunch at Bub’s Burgers & Ice Cream located at 210 W. Main Street—Carmel, Indiana, 1:00 PM possible view the Museum of Miniature Houses. RSVP: John & Judy Gersting (317) 253-6965 August Meeting —”Birds on Beale”—Memphis, Tennessee—CTCI Convention August 21-25th, 2012. September Meeting—Saturday & Sunday—14th-15th & 16th— Overnight —Vevay, Indiana—Friday night Cruise-In and Saturday Car Show. RSVP Joe & Jan Baker (765) 759-2289 or email [email protected]. October Meeting — Auburn, Indiana - Auburn Museum Overnight Trip—Saturday & Sunday— October 6th & 7th RSVP: Greg & Gail Wilfing (574) 232-6521 or email [email protected]. November Meeting—Saturday, November 10th —Thanksgiving at the Baker’s— Arrive at Noon—Eat as soon as possible! RSVP Joe & Jan Baker RSVP Joe & Jan Baker (765) 759-2289 or email [email protected]. December Meeting—Saturday, December 1st —EBOH Christmas Party— Hillcrest Country Club—RSVP Diane & George Kopscick (740) 427-2637 or email [email protected]. (Further clarification of meetings, schedule of times, and any further information will be in each Newsletter and on email and discussed at monthly meetings).

Volume 3, Issue 8

Page 11

Judi Keeney and the T-Bird From Hell It was late fall of 1963. Rob and I were looking for a second car for me to drive back and forth to work. One evening, we spotted a sad little 1955 red T-Bird sitting in a used car lot called “Corvette Corner” in Indianapolis. Fools that we were, we stopped to look it over and with rocks in our heads and stars in our eyes, plunked down $475.00 and drove it home. After cleaning it up, we discovered a serious rust problem. I cannot, in this short amount of space, stress the amount of rust that was discovered. Our first clue should have been the fact that when the driver’s door opened most of the left front fender came with it! Not to worry said Rob, just don’t open the door too far! (What?) I did dutifully drive the little beast….uh.. Bird to work each day. Now, you must pay strict attention to the next couple of paragraphs. Rob started the car for me each morning, and waved me off with a cheery “good luck!” Sweet…you say? Did I mention that he also had to tie the doors together inside the car so they wouldn’t fall off? Am I kidding? Keep reading. It wasn’t too bad in warm weather with the top off, just jump in and out, but when the snow started, I noticed…somewhat anxiously, that I was starting to see a lot of the street through the floor under my feet….and the wind whistled ominously from every rusty hole and conceivable crevice. Okay….so big deal you say? Keep reading. Every day after work, rain or snow, before I could start for home, this was my ritual to start the car: (1) Take the extra battery out of the car (conveniently stored by my left leg inside the car); (2) Place the battery in (not on) the hole in the left front fender (cut out especially for this purpose); (3) Raise the hood. (Did I mention that the front of the car was so rusty that the hood brackets could not be trusted to hold the hood, so Rob provided me with a broomstick to prop the hood open); (4) Attach jumper cable to both batteries. (I always got zapped on the first try); (5) Remove the air cleaner; (6) Retrieve the squeeze bottle full of gasoline from behind the seat; (7) Hold the carburetor flap open, and squeeze in some gas; (8) Reach around to the key while holding the flap open and start the car. ( This usually took four or five tries) and remember to unhook the jumper cable at the appropriate time; (9) Replace the battery inside the car by my left leg; (10) Replace the air cleaner; (11) Replace squeeze bottle of gas behind seat; (12) Get in car…tie doors together, and if I was lucky the car would not die. (In which case one would need to repeat steps (1) through (11). We finally sold the 55 Bird to some unsuspecting soul who, can you believe it, restored the little beast and offered to sell it back to us! Rob wanted to, but I threatened him with a life-long limp if he did. Still, there are days when I wax nostalgic remembering the misadventures of my youth. Would I return again to those thrilling days of yesteryear? Jeez, I don’t think I have the strength! To order EBOH gear, sweatshirts, jackets, t-shirts, sweaters, golf shirts, hats, patches, etc. Contact Laurie @ T&T Sales & Promotions - 15320 Herriman Blvd., Noblesville, IN 46060-4207 Phone (317) 774-7106 or [email protected] or www.tntsalespromo.com

Bev Lucas 10632 E. 79th Street Indianapolis, IN 46236

2012 CTCI International Convention

H

oosier Bird News is published monthly and is the official publication of the Early Birds of Hoosierland, a club dedicated to the preservation of the 1955, 1956, and 1957 Thunderbirds. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in the Classic Thunderbirds.