November 2013 Newsletter

Transcription

1 Visit: November 2013 Newsletter OFFICERS: President: Bob Macek Vice President: Peter Sarkis Secretary: Betty Macek Treasurer: Jerry Longstreth RECENT EVENTS: Forks of Cheat Winery / Distillery, Morgantown, WV Saturday, October 12, 2013 Twenty two members congregated for coffee and socializing at McDonalds in Bridgeville. Our caravan of Thunderbirds traveled south on I-79 to the Cheat Lake area of West Virginia, and the Forks of Cheat Winery / Distillery. Prior to lunch we quenched our pallets with glasses of wine. Next we enjoyed a delicious Mediterranean buffet. After lunch we toured the winery and distillery. The tour concluded with an educational session in the wine tasting room. Our next destination was the Coopers Rock State Forest where we planned to view the overlook at the Cheat River Gorge. We experienced a beautiful drive through the tree lined roads of the park only to find the parking lots were full with other visitors. We exited the park and decided to take a longer and very scenic drive back to Pennsylvania. The Pitt Birds want to thank Pete and Karen Sarkis for organizing this great tour.

2 UPCOMING EVENTS: Autumn Meeting: Thursday, November 7, 2013 The Pitt Bird members will meet at 6:30 PM at Kings Restaurant in Wexford, which is located at the intersection of I-79 and Route 910. GPS: 105 VIP Drive, Wexford, PA Agenda items for discussion are: Nomination of Officers: The Pitt Birds are soliciting nomination suggestions for the following offices in this club: President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Positions are also open for Historian and Newsletter Editor. If you are interested or know of someone that is interested, please contact Bob Macek at Holiday Dinner Plans: Peters Place Restaurant, January 18, 2014 Suggested activities and tours for 2014: Please bring your new tour ideas so that we may begin early planning for new adventures in Lunch menu for the club picnic: We are looking for suggestions for the 2014 picnic menu. Newsletter and Web Site: We are looking for suggestions to improve the newsletter and web site. Any interest in viewing other Thunderbird Club newsletters? The Pitt Birds exchange copies of newsletters with other Thunderbird clubs. If you would like to view these newsletters, contact Jerry Longstreth. Communications: The Pitt Birds would like to update its membership listing with your current information. If there has been any changes to your name, address, phones or , please let us know. 2.UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL EVENTS: VTCI Vintage Thunderbird Club International Convention May 28-31, 2014 New Orleans, LA TBN Thunderbirdnest Bluegrass Cruising June 11-15, 2014 Lexington, KY CTCI Classic Thunderbird Club International Convention July 1-6, 2014 Springfield/Branson, MO Each year the various CTCI chapters in Tennessee host the annual Mockingbird Run event that typically draws about 150 Thunderbird Enthusiasts to a location within Tennessee for a fun weekend.

3 MEMBERSHIP: Current Membership: 65 Member Families Wishing a rapid recovery to: TREASURY: Ann Augustine Lou and Fran Franceschina Current Balance as of November 1, 2013: $3, PITT BIRDS CLUB DEMOGRAPHICS: Membership: 65 Member Families Membership by Area: 60 in Pennsylvania 3 in Ohio 1 in Florida 1 in Tennessee 37 in Allegheny County 1 in Clearfield County 3 in Armstrong County 1 in Fayette County 4 in Beaver County 1 in Lycoming County 7 in Butler County 4 in Washington County 1 in Cambria County 1 in Westmoreland County 2014 Dues Payment: If you have not paid your 2014 dues, please plan to submit your $20.00 dues payment by December 31, Please make the dues payment of $20.00 to: Pitt Birds 1723 Pleasant Avenue West Mifflin, PA Types of Thunderbirds: (Some members have more than one Thunderbird) 30 Members have Members have Members have Members participated in twelve events and two meetings in 2013: Holiday Dinner Mardi Gras Celebration Winter Meeting La Casa Narcisi Winery Garage Tour North Hills Historic Car Show Hot Air Balloon Event Victory in Da Ville Festival Car Cruise, Cascade Park Pitt Birds Picnic at the PVGP Bushy Run Battlefield and Hanna's Town North East Wine Festival Forks of Cheat Winery/Distillery Autumn Meeting 44 Members participated in at least one event in Members did not participate in any events in 2013.

4 FOR SALE: 2011 Corvette Convertible: 2LT equipment package, 6.2 Liter 430 HP Transmission with 6- Speed Paddle Shift. Black exterior, Black leather interior with red crossed flags embroidery on headrest and Red floor mats. 6-way passenger power seat adjust, Power convertible top, Chrome aluminum wheels, Caliper covers. Bluetooth for phone, Radar detector, Back-up safety sensor and Corvette car cover. Mint condition. only 1,350 miles. Asking $50,000. Contact Lou Franceschina (724) or Rhonda Wing (513) Serious Enquires Only Thunderbird: Great condition. Red, Hardtop, 351 Windsor engine with 300 horsepower. New 4-barrel Holley carburetor, stainless steel brake lines, and stainless steel exhaust system with Thrush mufflers. $18,000 or best offer. Contact Don at: Cell: Golf Shirts: If you would like to purchase a Turquoise / Thunderbird blue golf shirt with the Pitt Birds logo, contact Wayne and Dolly Bane at: The price is $30.00 ($32.00 for XXL). Tee Shirts: With the Pitt Birds club logo are for sale for $15.00 each. Shipping and handling to your address is an additional $3.00. Limited supply remaining, sizes available; 6 large and 6 medium. Contact Carol Vivaldi at: To advertise in the newsletter, please contact Jerry Longstreth at: gll1231@msn.com or The Thunderbird Becomes a Family Car Reprinted from: Motor Life, September 1957 Since the introduction of the Thunderbird in the fall of 1954, many potential sales have surely been lost due to the fact that seating is limited to two or three people. However the top brass at Ford never intended the personal car to be an all-purpose vehicle, so no provision was made, even as an option for extra seating. Bill Colgan, an auto upholsterer of Burbank CA, felt something could be done about the situation. The Colgan rumble seat, is now being marketed under the name Birdsnest, and at present is available only for the 1957 Thunderbird. Plans call for introductions of a kit for the models at a later date. (Continued on Page 5)

5 The Thunderbird Becomes a Family Car Reprinted from: Motor Life, September 1957 (Continued from Page 4) Almost coincidentally with the announcement by Colgan of his new rumble seat, reliable word from Detroit is that the long awaited four-passenger Thunderbird would be introduced as a 1958 model. The seating arrangement of the 1958 Thunderbird is not known, but it is highly unlikely that it will be in the form of a rumble seat. It would appear at first thought, that the introduction by Ford of a four-passenger model might spell the end for an accessory of this type before it gets started. And, some Ford sales agencies will be quick to predict a loss of sales of their new fourpassenger model because the owners of 1957 models can convert their present Thunderbird into a four seater. All this is speculation, of course, because so much will depend on the appearance, and cost of the new model. The advance report indicates the body of the 1958 Thunderbird will be all new, and may be of unit construction. If the designers come up with an attractive package, sales will be good, if they miss the boat, sales will be down, four seats or not. The quality of the Birdsnest kit is excellent, and to someone who didn t know the difference, it could be mistaken for a factoryinstalled unit. Thus, sales should be good because it does not look like something Just tacked on. The novelty feature is present and no rumble seat has been seen in the country, on a U.S. production car, since 1939, a time span of some eighteen years. While not affording as much room for the passenger s legs as might be desired, it will certainly be adequate, and for children it is more than adequate. Wind, one of the most common faults of a rumble seat, or the back seat of any convertible for that matter, is not much worse than the wind disturbance in the front seat of a Thunderbird with the top down. And, for those who are really concerned about it, a wrap-around windshield is offered as an extra, for $ This rear windshield can only be used when the top is removed, as the windshield attaches to the holes which normally position the rear of the top. A rubber molding is attached to the lower edge of the windshield to prevent damage to the body panel. 5