The Vapor Trail April 2016

Transcription

1 The Vapor Trail April 2016 Vapor Trail Vettes, P.O. Box 5241, Santa Maria, CA Presidents Message By Gale Haugen Due to the upcoming Autocross event we will devote the May meeting to preparation and assigning job details for those members that have offered to help. This will also eliminate the need for our Governor s to hold a separate meeting prior to the autocross. As always, your support is appreciated. Mike Williamson will continue with his series on car care at the June meeting where he will discuss How to dry your car and what to use. We value your presentations, Mike. Thank you to Chuck Robertson, Clay Beck, Frans Meyer and Nicole White for submitting pictures of the Pine Mountain Run. After they are published in the VTV Newsletter they are sent on for Chuck Robertson to post on our webpage. Cliff Erickson had the surgery on his knee and according to Bev the surgery went well and he was walking without a cane five days after. She also sent me a picture of his stitched black and blue knee but I decided after my horror I would not share it with you. LOL Hang in there big guy. Check out the For Sale items in the back of the newsletter this month. We have added a couple previously owned Corvettes and a lift for a garage. I would like to wish all the mothers in our club a very happy mother s day. I hope you are able to spend it with your loved ones. Make it a special day. Until next Month...Save the Wave, Gale Inside this Issue Presidents Message 1 Meeting Minutes 2-4 Pine Mountain Run 4 Tech Corner 5 For Sale/Members Business Cards 6 VTV Sponsors 7 For Sale 8-11 Calendar of Events May 11 Peggy Jacob May 12 Clay Beck May 13 Patty Santmyer May 20 Mary Carson June 02 Chuck Jenkins June 07 Chuck Robertson Board Members President Gale Haugen Vice President Clay Beck Treasurer Hector Paz Secretary Judy Fitzjarrell NCCC Governors: Charlie Perry Bill Santmyer Newsletter Gale Haugen Sunshine Dude Jerry White Web Master Chuck Robertson

2 April Meeting Minutes By Judy Fitzjarrell The VTV meeting at Giovanni s Pizza in Santa Maria was called to order at 6:31 pm by Gale Haugen. In attendance were: Hector Paz and Gale Haugen; Cliff and Bev Erickson; Nicole White and Frans Meyer; Jeff and Holly Palmer; Dave Schultz and Jan Webb; Charlie and Joan Perry; Clay Beck; Bill and Patty Santmyer; Judy Fitzjarrell; Michele Watson; Gerry White; Mike Williamson; Bruce Potter; Chuck Robertson; and, Brian Weber and Roberta Haylock. Gale wished happy birthday to the April VTV members: Holly Palmer (04-07); Gale Haugen (04-12); Gerry White (04-19); and Tom Dobyns (04-22). March Minutes were motioned for approval by Chuck and seconded by Nicole. Approved by all present. Treasurer s Report Hector Paz. Hector reviewed the VTV Operating Budget with members. The income for March 2016 came from NCCC Membership dues collected. Expenses were the monthly website fee of $12.95; VTV badges for new members was $42.13; TSA Badges was $50.00; and, Governors Meeting mileage was $ Mike made a motion to approve the 2016 budget and Cliff seconded the motion. The budget was approved by all present. Vice President s Report Clay Beck. Clay updated the members regarding upcoming events: April 2 nd Run to Pine Mountain. The Cobra Club event is also on this date but was cancelled. April 16th Annual Axes & Axles Car Show at the Santa Maria Elks Lodge. May 7 th Estrella Warbirds Museum Car Show at the Paso Robles Airport. May 8 th Corvette Track Days at Spring Mountain. There are four sanctioned events. May 13 th Porsche Club is having the DE Buttonwillow event. May 21 st VTV Autocross at the Santa Maria Airport. May 27 th - 29 th West Coast Kustoms Crusing at the Santa Maria Fair Park June 24 th 26 th Big Bear Bash Round Up at Big Bear. NCCC Governors Charlie Perry and Bill Santmyer. Charlie reminded members to register for the Corvette Pirates Cruise six days to the Mexican Riviera on a Carnival Miracle (Spirit Class ship). This is the annual Corvette cruise and will be leaving port of Long Beach on January 29, Charlie and Joan have taken this cruise for the past few years and really have enjoyed it. April Meeting Minutes By Judy Fitzjarrell Bill reported that the E Board reviewed the wireless timing equipment and that there are some questions we need to have answered before this issue comes before the members for approval. Bill also discussed the racing helmet rental program. It was decided that he should order two medium and one large SNELL approved 2015 helmets and is approved to spend $500 for the purchase. Motion was made by Bill and seconded by Clay and was approved by all present. Car Detailing Presentation How to Wash your Car the Smart Way & What to Use Mike Williamson. Mike continued with his presentation with the topic of Quick, Efficient, Simple, Water-Saving Exterior Car Washing. He explained that you do not have to have expensive tools and products. He uses a dish pan from a dollar store. He started with the wheels and tires and suggested that you have a soft-bristled brush for the wheels and a stiff-bristled brush for the tires. This way you do not cross-contaminate or scratch the wheels. He did stress that these two brushes should not be used anywhere else on the corvette. When washing the main body of the corvette, a small bucket, a microfiber cloth, car wash and The Absorber synthetic chamois is all you need. Clean one area at a time, starting from the top. Then use the damp chamois to dry the just cleaned area. Repeat the wash and dry until you have completely washed the car. Mike explained how to use the chamois properly and to keep it clean. Mike also recommended that you use a California duster between washes. Mike was asked what he uses for the leather seat and he suggested McGuire leather cleaner. He was then asked about removing tar from the corvette. Mike uses denatured alcohol as it does not damage the corvette s paint. Never, ever use rubbing alcohol on your car. Mike will be having a detail clinic in the near future. He will let everyone know when, where and time as soon as he has everything ready. Around the Table Roberta - They went to the Nascar Sprint Car race in Fontana. They watched the race in a free suite and meet with Kurt Busch. Charlie Just wanted to remind everyone about the Spring Mountain Corvette Track Days the weekend of May 7 th and 8 th. Cliff Wednesday, April 13 th, he is going in for left knee replacement. Bev Their grandson went to Fontana races. He even got to go to Brad Kewlowski s pit box. Clay Clay has two wheel covers for sale $ He will not be attending the May meeting or events as he is working at Diablo. He and Kathy have finished the kitchen remodel and are enjoying it. 2

3 April Meeting Minutes By Judy Fitzjarrell Nicole and Frans They drove to LA and visited the Peterson Museum for reconditioned cars. It cost between $10 and $15 and they would recommend the tour. Hector Thanked Clay and Mike for the run to Pine Mountain. They had 13 people in 10 cars for this run. Hector especially liked that Clay and Mike had a safety meeting before they left that included that on Highway 166, the speed limit is 55 and the road traffic pretty much keeps you at that speed. One you are on the fun road, take whatever speed you are comfortable with. Hector congratulated them for the great job. 50/50 Drawing of $45.00 w as w on by Mike. Name Tag Drawing of $5.00 w ent to Nicole. Door Prize Drawing w as w on by Judy. Meeting w as adjourned at 7:41 P M. Reminder May 5th Monthly Meeting CJ s in Arroyo Grande at 6:30 PM Minutes submitted by: Judy Fitzjarrell, VTV Secretary. Ladies...What do you think a fun social event would be? Clay has often told me that planning social events that are interesting to the ladies in the club is difficult. Of course, we all love our Corvettes and enjoy the runs and events but as the females in the club we also have interests other than cars or car related activities. Years ago I thought a trip to the Gilroy Outlets would be a blast. OK, the guys were not that thrilled about a shopping trip so I suggested that it could be a ladies trip only. Well, the bottom line was that the Corvettes were not that available for a female trip only. So the next alternative was to rent a limo for the day and shop till we dropped without the drive. OK, that did not work out either. Too many ladies were interested in going and there would not be enough room for our shopping bags. I was informed that the limo company would have to rent a small trailer, which they made available at a very high rate. Now this may sound like a feminist sharing this story but I can only say, in my defense, that this is the reason I have my own Corvette. I only shop enough to fill my luggage area and do not buy large items that won t fit with the hatch in the down closed position...until today! My neighbor and I were out shopping and she decided she needed a couple of lawn chairs that were such a great sale she could not refuse. We took them to my car and for a good 10 minutes worked on positioning them to fit. Bottom line is lets give Clay some ideas to help him. Maybe a trip to the luffa farm in Nipomo or one of the many historical museums in the area or how about touring a lighthouse. What are your thoughts ladies? Corvette Quiz Test your Corvette Knowledge! 1) What year was dual point distributors first used I in? (A)1956 (B)1957 (C)1958 2) What year was the last year exhaust was through the bumper? (A) 1959 (B) 1960(C)1961 3) What year were big block engines first available in? (A)1965 (B)1966 (C)1967 4) In 1956 what percent of Corvettes were painted a different color? Less then % 5) What year was the last year of the tooth grill? (A) 1959 (B) 1960 (C) ) What percent of Corvettes sold in 1972 were coupes? 7) What year was aluminum valve covers first available in? (A) 1956 (B) 1957 (C) ) How do you tell the difference between a 1960 and a 1959? 9) What year was telescopic steering column first available in? (A) 1965 (B) 1966 (C) ) What year was the last year of aluminum knock off wheels? (A)1964 (B)1965 (C) ) What year was the last year Corvette were built in St. Louis? (A)1967 (B)1972 (C) ) What was the top speed of the 1998 Corvette? (A) 175 MPH (B) 180 MPH (C)185 MPH Answer these questions to the best of your ability before checking the answers hidden in this newsletter. Have fun! 3

4 VTV Meeting & Events Schedule By Clay Beck May 5th 7th Monthly General Meeting CJ s, 611 E. Grand Ave, Arroyo Grande No Speaker Estrella Warbirds Museum, Paso Robles Airport - CANCELLED Pine Mountain Run By Gale Haugen On April 2nd members of Vapor Trail Vettes met at the junction of 101 and CA-166 for a run to Pine Mountain. We were told at the drivers meeting that we had to watch the speed limit on CA-166, which was the first 70 miles. We turned onto Cerro Noroeste Road (CA-33) to find a Corvette drivers dream of a road. 21st VTV Autocross Santa Maria Airport June 2nd Monthly General Meeting IHOP, 202 Nicholson Ave, Santa Maria July 2nd 9th July 4th BBQ/Meeting 119 Vista Del Mar, Shell Beach VTV Autocross Santa Maria Airport August 4th Monthly General Meeting Santa Maria Olive Garden S. Bradley Rd. It didn t take long for the lead cars to start testing their driving skills. We drove approximately 25 miles into Pine Mountain where we pulled off the road to collect everyone. It was a beautiful sight with snow capped mountains and a quaint village. This was my first time to Pine September 1st Monthly General Meeting 5-Cities No Speaker 23/24 Annual VTV Blast October 6th Monthly General Meeting Santa Maria No Speaker 22nd VTV Autocross Santa Maria Airport November 3rd Monthly General Meeting 5-Cities December XX Members Christmas Party If you have a social event idea please talk to Clay and he will be happy to assist you in planning, scheduling and getting the word out to all members. Pine Mountain Group Mountain and I was absolutely blown away that this gorgeous area was so close to Pismo Beach. It reminded me so much of many areas in Washington State where I grew up. Clay lead us to a cozy diner that was being run by two gentlemen. It took a little time to get our food but was well worth the wait. The return trip to the 101 seemed to go pretty fast, but then so were the lead Corvettes that included Clay, Mike, and Rich Austin. With the elevation and many switch backs I could see the three of them miles ahead on the mountain side. We finally saw them again at the junction of CA-33 and CA-166 where they were waiting for us. Thanks, Clay for planning such a fun day and to Frans, Clay and Chuck Robertson for sharing your pictures. 4

5 Tech Corner Quick, Efficient, Simple, Water-Saving Exterior Car Washing By Mike Williamson Few of us look forward to car washing, right? It s such a hassle to do it the way we all learned it. There is a better, faster, easier way, and I m going to share it with you. I have been using and refining this method for decades, with great results. I first developed it during the droughts of the 1970 s, and I have used it exclusively, on all of my cars, ever since. Because washing is so simple, I keep all of my cars clean all the time. By not allowing my cars to get very dirty, washing is quick. It goes back to the point I made in the introduction at the last meeting: A clean car (or anything else) is easy to keep clean. The Method Wheels and Tires Wheels and tires should be cleaned first. If you wash the body first, you ll mess it up when you clean the wheels and tires. The wheels and tires are the most labor-intensive part of the wash, and take about half the time you will spend on the entire project. Here s how I do it, with minimum effort and maximum results. What to use: polyethylene dish pan Armor All wheel and tire cleaner if the wheels have a lot of brake dust contamination and the tire sidewalls look more brown than black. Car wash liquid or dish detergent A soft-bristled brush for the wheels A stiff-bristled brush for the tires A washcloth-sized cloth (I use a red shop rag) Hose with shutoff nozzle This is the one part of the wash where I use a hose. The process: Fill the dishpan with water and whatever soap you are using Wash one wheel at a time Spray the wheel and inner fender with the hose Use the rag and soapy water to wash the plastic inner fender liner if it is not too nasty. If the inner fender is really dirty, use the Armor All wheel and tire cleaner first. Spray it on and brush it with a brush that you are not going to use for anything else. After it sits for a few minutes hose it off. Repeat if necessary. Rinse the rag well in the soapy water and then use the rag to clean the brake caliper, and the back side of the spokes and inner hoop of the alloy wheel. If these are nasty, use the Armor All wheel and tire cleaner here. A toothbrush will help get the caliper clean. Use the soft brush and soapy water to thoroughly clean the alloy wheel face. Get all the spokes, openings, nooks, crannies, crevices and lug-nut holes. If the face has been neglected, use the Armor All cleaner here. Use the stiff brush to clean the tire sidewall. If the sidewall is anything but dark black, use the Armor All cleaner here. Thoroughly rinse with hose and spray nozzle when satisfied. Tech Corner Quick, Efficient, Simple, Water-Saving Exterior Car Washing By Mike Williamson Repeat for the other three wheels and inner fenders Don t dry the wheels yet; they ll just get wet again. In general, don t use any of the wheel/tire c leaning tools for any other part of the wash. The Car Body This is the easy, fast part. What to use: Small, clean bucket Clean microfiber cloth Meguiar s car wash or equivalent The Absorber synthetic chamois The Process: Add a dollop of car wash goop and fill the bucket with cold, clean water Dip the cloth in the bucket and wring it well Wash half the top, half the front and rear windows and all of the side windows on that side of the car. Dip and rinse the cloth in the bucket as necessary, wringing well. Use The Absorber to dry the stuff you just washed. Repeat on the other half of the top. Dip and rinse the cloth. Use the cloth without wringing to clean the nose of the car. Spend some time here to get all the bugs and debris. Make sure the grille and license plate are clean. I sometimes use the soft wheel brush on the grille or license plate, since they are not painted surfaces. Dip, rinse and wring the cloth and make a final cleaning pass over the nose surfaces. Rinse and wring the cloth. Wipe down half the hood and the front fender on that side. If any of the bottom parts of the body are really dirty, I will use the red shop rag to clean the muck off before using the microfiber cloth on it. Dry the nose/hood/fender with The Absorber Work your way around the car in a similar manner, cleaning and drying discrete sections of the car body, wringing The Absorber lightly when necessary. This method produces a sparkling, spot-free finish, even in direct sun. Finito! Clean-up and Put-away: Thoroughly rinse The Absorber in clean water. Lightly wring, fold, roll and insert The Absorber in its storage tube. The Absorber will stay moist and ready for use for long periods, and will not mildew. Rinse all other cloths, brushes, buckets and pans in clean water. Put the bucket in the dishpan, the brushes and cloths in the bucket, and stow this very compact set of stuff for the next wash. HOT TIP: Dust daily with a California duster between washes. Keep a plastic spray bottle with water and a microfiber cloth in your car. Clean bird droppings and bugs off your car while you are out driving and when you return home. If you do these two things you won t have to wash your car very often, and it will look just-washed all the time. My daily driver Mazda tribute sits in the driveway because I don t have room in the garage. Using the methods described here it looks pretty amazing consistently. 5

6 For Sale/Club Members Business Cards 1991 Chevrolet Corvette L-98. Exterior color: White with blue/black flag trim. Interior color: black. 35,000 original miles. Engine: 5.7 L with modified exhaust system. Trans: 6 speed manual. Body style: Coupe/hatchback with removable roof panel. Options: AM/FM Radio with cassette player, CD player; Leather Seats. Power Options: Air Conditioners; Cruise Control; Power Locks; Power windows; Power Seats. Title: Clear. $10,000 or Best Offer. Call Steve Moore at

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12 2015 CALENDAR OF EVENTS NCCC, VTV & LOCAL EVENTS Day Date Event Location Sponsor Comments Monthly 2016 Every Saturday N/A Pismo Derelicts Car Meet Every Sunday N/A Orcutt Derelicts Car Meet OSH Parking Lot Oak Park Blvd. Golden Donuts Shopping Center Clark & Bradley April am-10am 8am-10am Saturday 2 Cobra Club BBQ Lake San Antonio Cobra Club Saturday 2 Pine Mountain Run Pine Mountain VTV Clay Beck Thursday 7 Vapor Trail Vettes General Meeting Giovanni's 1108 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt VTV Meeting starts at 6:30pm Saturday 9 41st Annual Vette Set Car Show RUBY S DINER 245 N. Harbor Dr. Redondo Beach Thu-Sat 16 Porsche Autocross Santa Maria Airport Porsche Club The Vette Set WC Saturday th Gambler's Classic. Car show, poker rallye, dinner show, raffles. Includes one T-shirt, goody bag and dash plaque. Saturday 16 25th Annual New Cuyama Car & Motorcycle Show Saturday 16 Cambria Car & Motorcycle Show & Chili Cookoff Riverside Casino, Laughlin, NV New Cuyama High School 8am Vets hall & Pinedorado Grounds Corvettes of Bakersfield Saturday 16 Annual Axes & Axles Car Show Santa Maria Elks Lodge Santa Maria Firefighters Fri-Sat NCCC National Meetings St. Louis, MO NCCC Allen Morris Fri, Sat, Sun 29-1 Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix Featuring the IMSA Weather Tech Sports Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca y.com 12

13 2016 CALENDAR OF EVENTS NCCC, VTV & LOCAL EVENTS Day Date Event Location Sponsor Comments April 2016 Fri, Sat, Sun 29-1 Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix Featuring the IMSA Weather Tech Sports Car Championship. Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca ay.com Saturday 30 1st St. Mary s School Car Show St. Mary s Catholic School, Santa Maria May 2016 Sunday 1 COTV Car Show Temecula Promenade Mall COTV Thursday 5 Vapor Trail Vettes General Meeting CJ s Arroyo Grande VTV Meeting starts at 6:30pm Saturday 7 West Coast Regional governors meeting Marie Callender's Restaurant, Corona Allan Morris Saturday 7 Estrella Warbirds Museum Paso Robles Airport VTV Clay Beck Sunday 8 Corvette Track Days Spring Mountain Corvette Super Sports 4 Sanctioned Events Saturday 13 DE Buttonwillow Buttonwillow Porsche Club Saturday 21 Autocross Santa Maria Airport VTV Two Sanctioned Events Saturday 21 All American Car Show Auto Club Speedway, Fontana Fri-Sunday W. Coast Kustoms Crusin Santa Maria Fair Park PVCA Paul Cope June 2016 Thursday 2 VTV General Meeting IHOP, Santa Maria VTV 6:30pm Sunday 5 Huntington Beach Concours D Elegance Huntington Beach Central Park OC Vettes Janet Cherry Saturday 18 Porsche Autocross Santa Maria Airport Porsche Club Fri-Sat Big Bear Bash Big Bear Corvettes West Fri-Sat Big Bear Bash Big Bear Corvettes West Details to be sent 13

14 2016 CALENDAR OF EVENTS NCCC, VTV & LOCAL EVENTS Day Date Event Location Sponsor Comments July 2016 Saturday 2 Vapor Trail Vettes 4th of July BBQ Shell Beach Hector & Gale Details to be sent Monday 4 Solvang 4th of July Parade Solvang Saturday 9 Autocross Santa Maria Airport VTV Two Sanctioned Events Saturday 9 5th Annual OC Vettes Poker Run Enderle Center, Tustin OC Vettes Janet Cherry Saturday 16 Bent Axles Car Show & BBQ Old Orcutt Bent Axles Sun-Fri NCCC national Convention in Car show, rallye, low speed autocross, etc. Omaha, NE National NCCC 2016 NCCC Convention web site August 2016 Thursday 4 Vapor Trail Vettes General Meeting Olive Garden, Santa Maria VTV Meeting starts at 6:30pm Saturday 6 Porsche Autocross Santa Maria Airport Porsche Club Sunday 14 Ronald McDonald Car Show Saturday 20 26th Annual Classic Car Show Pending Flyer Clocktower Park, 1400 Palisade Blvd. Dupont Vettes-R-US Classical Glass Corvette Club Saturday 27 Desert Breeze Rallye Victorville Victor Valley Vettes vvvettes@hotmail.c om September 2016 Thursday 1 Vapor Trail Vettes General Meeting No Speaker 5-Cities VTV Meeting starts at 6:30pm Fri-Sat 9-10 NCCC National Meeting Sheraton Westport Plaza, St. Louis, MO NCCC Allen Morris Saturday 10 Model A Annual Event Santa Maria Model A Club Saturday 17 Porsche Autocross Santa Maria Airport Porsche Club SLO Saturday 17 Cruzin for Life Santa Maria 14

15 2016 CALENDAR OF EVENTS NCCC, VTV & LOCAL EVENTS Day Date Event Location Sponsor Comments 1) What year was dual point distributors first used in? (A)1956 (B)1957 (C)1958 2) What year was the last year exhaust was through the bumper? (A) 1959 (B) 1960 (C)1961 3) What year were big block engines first available in? (A)1965 (B)1966 (C)1967 4) In 1956 what percent of coves were painted a different color? Less then 40% 5) What year was the last year of the tooth grill? (A) 1959 (B) 1960 (C) ) What percent of Corvette sold in 1972 were coupes? 75% 7) What year was aluminum valve covers first available in? (A) 1956 (B) 1957 (C) ) How do you tell the difference between a 1960 and a 1959? Seat stitching 1960 vertical 1959 was horizontal, 9) What year was telescopic steering column first available in? (A) 1965 (B) 1966 (C) ) What year was the last year of aluminum knock off wheels? (A)1964 (B)1965 (C) ) What year was the last year Corvette were built in St.Louis? (A)1967 (B)1972 (C) ) What was the top speed of the 1998 Corvette? (A)175 MPH (B) 180 MPH (C)185 MPH I am impressed...you do read the newsletter. :) 15

16 2016 CALENDAR OF EVENTS NCCC, VTV & LOCAL EVENTS Day Date Event Location Sponsor Comments September Saturday 17 West Coast Regional governors meeting Marie Callender's Restaurant, Mariposa Rd., Victorville, CA Allen Morris Friday Saturday Annual Corvette Blast Santa Maria VTV 6 Sanctioned events. Saturday 24 17th annual Cruisin' For A Cure for prostate cancer. Proceeds go to the City of Hope for prostate cancer research. Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, CA. Cruisin' For A Cure web site Sunday 25 Corvette Super Sports Car Show Pending Flyer Corvette Super Sports October 2016 Thursday 6 Vapor Trail Vettes General Meeting No Speaker Santa Maria VTV Meeting starts at 6:30pm Saturday 15 Pismo Beach Clam Festival Pismo Beach Chamber of Commerce Corvettes in Parade Saturday 22 Autocross Santa Maria Airport VTV Two Sanctioned Events November 2016 November 3 Vapor Trail Vettes General Meeting 5-Cities VTV Meeting starts at 6:30pm Saturday 11 DE Buttonwillow Buttonwillow Porsche Club SLO Saturday- Sunday Sheraton Westport Plaza St. Louis, MO NCCC Allen Morris December 2016 TBD TBD VTV Christmas Party 16