President s Message. San Diego Region. Volume 47 Issue 5 June 2010

Transcription

1 San Diego Region President s Message Volume 47 Issue 5 June 2010 If you were not at Cruisin' Grand and/or the Road Rally held on May 14 & 15, you missed a couple of terrific events. Friday Night was Packard Night at Cruisin' Grand and once again we wowed 'em with our fine classic motorcars. As with every Packard Night, the public was out in droves to get an up close & personal look at America's Rolls-Royce. Congratulations to Ralph & Connie McNeil and Larry & Arvie Johnson who each took home one of the seven awards presented by the Cruisin' Grand Committee that evening. The McNeil's car is a gorgeous Phaeton sedan (also the oldest car among the 99 Packards owned by the members of the San Diego Region). The Johnsons' Packard is a beautifully restored Deluxe Eight Sedan. Larry painstakingly restored the car himself with no detail left untouched. Both cars richly deserved the awards they won that night. Saturday morning the Road Rally participants met at the Hampton Inn in San Marcos to begin what turned into a day of good ol' fashion fun. The rally was planned and laid out by our very own (Mercedes Benz) Road Rallye expert Steve Ross. After Steve gave us our instructions, we were off like a herd of Packards - looking for clues everywhere: street names, names of churches, fruit stands along the way, contents of greenhouses, and on and on. You never saw so many Packards making so many u-turns to get back on the right road or go back & get the next clue the navigator forgot to read off before it showed up in the rear view mirror. The rally ended at the Deer Park Winery & Car Museum north of Escondido where Steve and Carol had a wonderful lunch waiting for the by now famished rally-goers. All agreed that the rally ranked way up there on the fun scale and the most frequently asked question was "When do we get to do this again?" ANSWER: At our overnight tour on the way to Borrego Springs Resort in late October. Steve has promised to lay out another rally on the way to Borrego Springs that will have all participants' eyes glued to the road looking for an amazing variety of clues, landmarks, and tons of other useless stuff that you would never notice (unless you were in a road rally, that is). Please note that we have a number of very nice tours planned for the months between now and the Borrego Springs Resort Tour: June 19 (BBQ at the Costanzo's), July 10 (Grand Salon at the Bernardo Winery), August 14 (Tour of the Olympic Training Center), and September (National Tour to Lone Pine), September 26 (Coronado Speed Festival). The Board has worked very hard to put on this year's calendar tours that are interesting, new and fun. In view of this, I fervently hope that every member of the San Diego Region will make a serious effort to significantly increase participation in tours for the balance of the 2010 activities calendar. Your participative support is confirmation that the Board achieved its goal.. Happy Tours, Mark Burnside Inside this issue President s Message 1 Ads 2 Packard Club BBQ June 3 Olympic Training Center August 4 Foundry Tour Story 5-6 Cruisin Grand Photo Page 7 Cruisin Grand Winners Photos 8-9 Packard Rallye Story Packard Rallye Award Photos 12 Job Description: Secretary 13 Club History Page Packard Shoes & Bikes/Calendar President Mark Burnside (760) markburnside@cox.net V.P. Scott Napora scottnapora@yahoo.com Treasurer Steve Ross (619) inewsx@sbcglobal.net Secretary/Historian Brian Wagner wagnerindy@sbcglobal.net Membership Karl Ramsing kpramsing@sbcglobal.net (760) Projects Paul Santy pjsanty@sbcglobal.net (760) Webmaster Mark Burnside markburnside@cox.net Tour Director Richard Schauer packard1934@sbcglobal.net (760) Newsletter Gary Wysong (619) gwysong@cox.net Website: packardsandiego.org Find P.I. San Diego information, links to P.I. Chapters & P.I. National Events

2 FOR SALE CARS AND PARTS 41Packard Clipper, Saratoga Beige, restored, location: Mentor, OH $ bestofshowautomotive.com 6/10 38 Packard 110 Sedan, new chrome, blue, $25,200, , autotraderclassics.com 5/10 Losing garage space, must sell: 55 Super Clipper Constellation 55 Super Clipper Constellation 56 Clipper Deluxe (not complete) 57 57L-P8 Clipper Donald Smith, rd St., San Diego, CA For P.I. San Diego Members: Do you have a collector car or parts for sale? To place an ad in our newsletter, Gary Wysong at gwysong@cox.net or call If you have an address at home or work, but get your newsletter by regular mail, Gary Wysong to be placed on our list. 41 Packard 110 Coupe, excellent condition, $22,990, , autotraderclassics.com 5/10 Members: Your Board needs your Recommended Services/Parts persons or firms that you have had favorable dealings with during restoration and preservation of your Packards. Please send person/firm (name/address/phone number) to Mark Burnside at markburnside@cox.net where he will post this on our updated website. We are also accumulating a list to publish for your use Karl Ramsing 53 Packard Cavalier, unrestored, unbelievable condition, $18,500, , jackheacock@yahoo.com 58 Packard Hawk Coupe, restored, red and white, $35,900, , autotraderclassics.com 5/10 34 Packard Standard 8, brown & tan, very nice car, location: [ Smithfield, RI, $64, tom@gen33.com 6/10 40 Packard 120 Convertible Coupe, runs smooth and strong, burgundy, , autotraderclassics.com 5/10 32 Packard 902 Club Sedan former AACA 1 st place, location: Smithfield, RI $64, tom@gen33.com 6/10 41 Packard 120 Convertible Coupe chocolate brown & tan, CA car, location: Sebastopol, CA hemmings.com/classified 6/10 49 Packard Deluxe Sedan, original, blue, runs and drives great, , autrotraderclassics.com, 5/10 41 Packard 1603, 160 Convertible Coupe, fully restored, silver and blue, $69,900, , autotraderclassics.com 5/ Packard parts for sale: parting out a 56 Patrician, including rebuilt engine, overdrive transmission, etc. Also parts from 55 Patrician, 56 Executive, and 56 Clipper; trunk lock assembly, two 352 c.i. engines, one 374 c.i. engine, rebuilt Chrysler 727 transmission-fits Ultra-torque for V-8 s, V-8 senior tail lights, load leveling motors, 4-barrel carb, instrument panel with gauges-probably from Executive, third member for 55 Patrician-missing left axle, plus other misc. parts. Robert Dougherty, , P.O. Box 337, Poway, CA Packard Cavalier, $11,500, good driver, driven regularly on tours, new www tires, Bob Williams, pckrdbob@internet49.com, , Nor Cal Region 38 Packard 120 Sedan, blue, rebuilt 40 engine & brakes, location: Coquille, OR $12,500 hemmings.com/classifieds 6/10 56 Packard 400 Hardtop, 45K miles, wire wheels, $30,000 firm, , americandreamcars.com See McLellan s Automotive History for Packard Sales Literature, Dealer Literature, Magazines, Out-of-Print Books, Manuals & Memorabilia or mclellansautomotive.com Buy Packard parts at the packardsandiego.org website Check these two websites for Packard Information: Packardinfo.com yesterdays-cars.com/packard_clubs.htm Have you done any work on your Packard? Send Gary Wysong a note about any improvements you have made.

3 Putt on over to San Marcos for the Packard Club BBQ When: Saturday, June 19 Time: Where: 1:00 P.M. 515 Parsons Lane San Marcos, CA (760) Tri Tip Steak Green Salad Baked Potatoes Santa Maria Beans Rolls Dessert Beverages FREE for members - Please RSVP by June 11 (so we know how much food & drink for the club to purchase) Dale or Debbi Costanzo (760) / deejaacee@cox.net

4 Olympic Training Center Tour Saturday - August 14, 2010 Save this date for a walking tour of the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista at 10:30 a.m. We ll gather in the parking area for snacks before we walk to the Copley Visitor Center (pictured) and see a 12 minute video in the theater. You ll have a chance to buy official USOC and Olympic merchandise and memorabilia in the Olympic Spirit Store. We ll walk on the mile-long Conrad Hilton Olympic Path to see training venues and elite athletes training in different sports. Golf cart rides may be available for people with disabilities. Bring comfortable walking shoes, a hat, sunscreen, mid-walk snack and water. Arrive at 10:30 a.m. and plan to return to the cars about 1:00 p.m. The OTC has the following facilities on the campus we may see or visit: Athlete Center Athlete check-in building, administrative offices, medical facilities, Boswell dining hall, and 34 two-bedroom suites for their home-away-from-home. (View from a distance) Easton Aluminum Archery Range the 50 lane archery range has movable targets allowing for training at distances up to 90 meters. Emily Hunte Black Athletics Complex 400 meter, 8-lane running track, separate 6-acre throwing area, support building and tower. Alex Spanos Field Hockey Complex artificial surface facility with support building and observation tower. Kyocera Soccer Complex four grass soccer fields measuring 115 by 75 meters with two support buildings and locker rooms. Lane/Kuhn Tennis Complex four hard-surfaced tennis courts, support building and observation tower. Douglas Manchester Family Cycling Criterium criterium course nine-tenths of a mile in distance provides a venue for speed work. The Boathouse 3,000 meter rowing course on Otay Lake with submersible lane markers for sweeps, sculls, rowers, and canoe/kayak athletes. Olympic Trials have been held at this facility. (View from a distance) Softball main playing field, practice infield, batting and pitching cages, and an equipment storage unit. We will caravan to a restaurant, TBA, after the tour and on the return route to the I-805 freeway. Directions: Drive south on I-805 into Chula Vista, exit at Olympic Parkway, drive EAST approximately 8 miles and turn right into the Copley Visitor Center. Tour Leader: Gary Wysong, (619) or gwysong@cox.net

5 Foundry Tour by Richard Schauer Life can be counted on to deliver surprises and twists from time to time. Those of us who remember Fred Perkins of Bryan Packard Repair recall several years ago when he hit upon hard times and closed his shop. I was one of the customers caught up in that sad event. The Packard was removed for safekeeping but in the melee some parts were lost. A snipe hunt ensued, a thin trail followed, which led to Ken Owens and then to a foundry where the rare and precious parts were molded and might still be located. I got a company name and the name of an individual: National City Foundry, Jimmy O Toole. Odd, I thought, when I discovered the foundry was not in National City but on Point Loma. I got a phone number, called, got hold of Mr. O Toole, who I mistakenly thought was the owner, and sure enough he had a box of 20 sets of 1932 through 1934 Packard horn elbows, cast in silicone bronze. I drove down, met Jimmy O Toole, who I found to be a delightful man with beard, long hair, and a motorcycle he loved beyond almost everything on this earth. Yes, the cast parts were there and I bought them on the spot. He took me out back and I saw the furnace heating up more raw metal for yet another custom product. I went away impressed with the quality and character of people one meets in this crazy hobby of ours. Now fast forward to 2007, when Paul Santy and I collaborated to reproduce a coil mount for his 1936 Packard Senior. Originally cast in pot metal these mounts are quite simply not durable. Paul s was cracked, and through his own investigation of others found that nearly all of them were cracked in exactly the same way. It was time to come up with a modern replica of this part in a more durable material. I contracted Harold Jackson, a retire machinist living in Mira Mesa, who took on the job and went to a casting house on Point Loma. They used an inexpensive temporary mold to reproduce 6 silicone bronze replicas, which Mr. Jackson machined, and were later polished, and are now offered up as a part for sale in our Predictor. You guessed it. Once again National City Foundry got the job done. Please be patient with me; the stories do come together. Fast forward to early 2010 when our very own Karl Ramsing contacted a man who owned a 1958 Packard Golden Hawk, which he had bought at an estate sale and restored to a beautiful state. A conversation was struck and Karl charmed the man into joining our club. The man was John Rickards, and he mentioned to Karl he was owner of a foundry on Point Loma. You guessed it. Same place. Mr. Rickards generously welcomed the Packard Club to come visit his shop last Saturday. We were surprised and pleased to see not only the Golden Hawk, but a stunning 1929 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost, with wood boat tail coach and polished aluminum hood a double delight for club members to feast their eyes and ask questions. Not surprisingly National City Foundry has reverse engineered and cast replacement parts for the Rolls, including a water pump housing! No job appears to be too tough for that team of craftsman. Five crewmen came to work that day and were prepared to show us how parts are cast. The in-ground furnace heated up the bronze material to 1800 degrees F. In the shed were approx. 24 molds stacked in double layers and primed and ready for the molten bronze. Preparation included forming molds out of fine grained sand trucked all the way from Michigan. Foundry experts have a keen eye and know where to find the highest quality sand which can be shaped and compacted to provide the best possible parts. That day the job was to cast slide anchors for polished marble slabs in order to hang those slabs on the walls of mausoleums. A very specialized part you say? No problem for the National City team, consisting of Ramsey Cotton, Steve Free, Johan Reveles, Jasiri Harrison, and James O Toole, son of the aforementioned Jimmy O Toole. At the appointed time we gathered around as the furnace lid was removed and two of the craftsmen lifted the pot of molten metal using a specialized lift bar designed to grip the round cauldron. We then quickly moved inside to watch the men scoop off the surface slag from the pot and then position the pot to pour the bronze into the molds quickly and efficiently in order to take advantage of the optimum temperature. In just a couple of minutes all the molds were filled. Everyone was curious and threw questions at the crew, which they were more than happy to answer. Everyone was impressed by the professionalism of the crew, the great pride they took in their work, and their openness in sharing their enthusiasm with us strangers. Because of California s business-unfriendly atmosphere it is becoming increasingly difficult for businesses of this type to continue operating. The men are aware of how rare their profession is and are unquestioningly masters of their trade. We thank them all and express our deep appreciation for taking time on their weekend to show us how real manufacturing is done. In no time at all the guys were breaking apart the 2-part molds and picking up the (now) hardened parts sandwiched therein. Each mold contained 16 parts, so this one batch comprised hundreds of cast parts. Sand was shaken out to be used again, and molds were stacked. The next step, which we did not see, was to separate the individual parts and finish polish them. On display were a variety of fine parts cast at the Foundry, including a hood ornament, cap, housing, plaque, etc. This was just a small representation of their products. We left impressed, grateful, and knowledgeable after our quickie course in casting metal. So, how do all these stories weave together? The boys at NCF do indeed know Ken Owens, and they remember doing the casting job on his horn elbows. It was a stretch to remember the coil mounting base. But, they grinned and proudly said they welcome the challenging, interesting, unusual, and rare jobs, especially if that part goes on one of our beautiful cars. Folks, we have a rare and wonderful opportunity right here in our club, should we choose to explore it. And what of Jimmy O Toole? Sadly, Mr. O Toole passed away a few years ago, a victim of cancer, and he took his last

6 breath at the place he loved alongside the people he loved at the National City Foundry. To me that speaks volumes. His son carries on the tradition. We left the Foundry and drove to the tip of Point Loma, a casual drive on a fine Saturday to the Cabrillo National Monument. Parking was abundant and all the Packard cars had no problem gathering side by side, much to the delight of many passers-by who came to admire and photograph the cars. It is our duty to expose our rare and beautiful cars to the public, but it seems a sin to have so much fun doing it!!! After a short while we drove back down to Point Loma Seafood, which does NOT seem to be suffering any recession. Long lines and barking out food orders was the norm, and we did not mind; the food was excellent. We sat at a table beside the harbor where it felt more than a little bit like Heaven. Everyone parted at that point, mind filled with memories of another excellent Packard tour. Mark presents a plaque to John Rickards John Rickards 1958 Packard Golden Hawk Foundry Crew Transfer of molten brass to molding room Pouring molten brass into mold Sample of brass products at Foundry

7 Cruisin Grand 2010 Photo Page

8 Cruisin Grand 2010 Winner Photos Mark Burnside with Ralph & Connie McNeil Ralph receiving the award 1927 Packard 336 Phaeton

9 Cruisin Grand 2010 Winner Photos Larry & Arvie Johnson Larry receiving the award 1949 Packard 2262 Deluxe Eight Sedan

10 RESULTS OF OUR FIRST EVER PACKARD RALLYE by Steve Ross Bright and early Saturday morning at the Hampton in San Marcos, Packards began arriving in many vintages ranging from a 1927 Phaeton driven by Ralph and Connie Mc Neil to a 1954 Caribbean Convertible driven by Jay and Dee Johnson of the SOCAL Region. Nervous laughter prevailed as the drivers and navigators readied themselves for the Rallye Masters meeting. The Drivers meeting began a bit later than scheduled due to late arrivals and folks getting coffee and going to a final pit stop at the hotel restroom. The Rallye Master passed the rallye sheets and gave the crews a sketchy yet detailed briefing on the rallye route. I have never seen a more perfect day for a rallye! It was absolutely beautiful with a perfect temperature. Top down weather yet not too warm. The gods smiled on the Packard this day. The first Packard was out at approximately 1035 A.M. followed in 3 to 5 minute intervals by the rest of the Packards. The rallye master was the last to leave in the Yellow Peril AKA Buttercup. I caught up with one of the slower Packards and witnessed them making the first wrong turn! Stepping totally out of character for a Rallye master I gave them a heads up. I hope my Rallye Master buddies never find out that I did this. I followed the route for a bit of the way and saw Packards scattered throughout the Valley Center area. The rallye route took our brave souls through the back routes in Escondido and then departed into the rural wild regions of Valley Center with stops at a fruit and vegetable stand and Bates Nut Farm before reaching their final destination of Deer Park. Of course a lot of things happened along the route to keep the drivers and crew alert. The rallye covered about 37 miles and 2 and a half hours was allotted for our drivers to finish. Most accomplished this. Status of other Packards began to come as crews arrived with reports of sightings of Packards going the wrong way and some maybe lost. It was much like a squadron commander getting reports back on an airstrike. Some of the drivers chose to take a short detour on Anthony road which was not on the course but Packard folks are rugged individuals, I guess. Slowly but surely the Packards started coming in safe and sound. At the 2½ hour point one Packard was still out. The 1929 Coupe Convertible had been sighted going up Paradise Mountain Road which is totally wrong and is steep and a bit scary. We all nervously waited watching the road for the Blue Goose to appear. Speaking of the road to Deer Park, several of our drivers blew right past the park and had to turn around. The sign is only 5X6 so it is understandable how one could miss it. At about the 3 hour mark the Blue Goose was sighted careening down the road to the turn off. Karl had arrived!! Not only had he arrived but had done fairly well considering he was driving alone and went up the Mountain. The McNeil s ran the rallye without a speedometer and guessed at the miles pretty darn close. Every Packard finished the Rallye without incident, except wrong turns, and all the drivers and navigators did exceptionally well for a first time rallye. I am sure it was far too easy. Rallye Masters do not like it when people do well on their Rallyes. A nice picnic lunch and cold drinks were provided for the weary drivers and navigators. A wide assortment of sandwiches, drinks, chips, potato salad, bean salad and cookies were served. When the results were tabulated the competition was very close. As I said before, everyone did well. The little detour down Anthony Road was the deciding factor between number 2 and number 3 winners. After the correct rallye clue answers, mileage became the next discriminator. The results of the rallye were: Number 1 went to Brian Wagner, Driver and Scott Napora Navigator driving a 1940 Packard 120 sedan. The award was a very nice stand up Pendulum World Time clock. These boys won thanks to getting the bonus questions correct and use of a Blackberry. Number 2 went to Mark Burnside, Driver and Syd Kirkland, Navigator driving a 1949 Packard Limo AKA Miss Daisy. They won a beautiful blue lead Chrystal Vase engraved with the Packard Crest. They went down Anthony Road and still did well. No blackberry I guess. Mark did a u-turn on Anthony in the Looooong Miss Daisy which must have been really interesting to see. The roads in Valley Center are not very wide. Number 3 with a close run at number 2 was Phil Pizzuto, Driver and Paul Santy, Navigator driving a 1939 Packard 120 sedan, the Blue Bomb. These guys were awarded a lead Chrystal Vase also engraved with the Packard Crest. Rumor has it that Phil yelled at Paul once during the rallye. Again the Rallye Master went soft and presented a Rallye Masters award to that crew who had performed well, tried hard but came up a bit short. In true Naval Aviator Attack Pilot fashion Karl Ramsing went it alone and completed the mission, mostly. Karl was awarded a trophy from the Rallye Master without the use of club funds. Karl was awarded a wood carved 3-D trophy depicting the scenery he saw going up Pa-

11 radise Mountain Road. The center piece is a small clock to remind us that time, sometimes, is of the essence. The rallye was completed without incident; none of the crews came back not speaking to each other. Everyone appeared to have a good time. I know I did. If you are interested in joining us for a rallye, one is planned for October. Watch the Predictor.

12 Packard Rallye Awards Scott Napora, Master Steve Ross, Brian Wagner Mark Burnside, Master Steve Ross, Sydney Kirkland Rallye Master Steve Ross, Phil Pizzuto, Paul Santy

13 Job Description: Secretary by Brian Wagner In the corporate world, when you think of a secretary position on a board of directors, you think of a nice yearly stipend (that you and I could live on for the year), corporate jet travel to New York City, top floor accommodations at the Waldorf-Astoria, drinks at Per Se, and dinner at 21. But at the risk of bursting a bubble, (asset or otherwise), and challenging an exuberant view of reality, being the secretary of the board of directors of the San Diego chapter of Packards Club International is not an exact mirror of life on Park Avenue (or Boardwalk for that matter). For example, the pay well truth be told, this is actually a plus since that means there is one less item that has to be added to the income tax form and less of a payment to the CPA. We all know how those line items add up, and before you know it, you are on a first name basis with the cabin personnel on the Cayman Islands flights. Travel to the board meetings - that is by one s own initiative in this day and age of the growth of the nanny state, it is good to be able to exercise some self-determination. And accommodations, well they do not get any better your own bed. And the cuisine what can I say. I am not sure where they stand on the Zagat s list of best restaurants, but dinner at Keith s Family Restaurant is a gastronomical adventure not to be missed. Since Packard owners are by inclination and temperament, adventurous and brave to a fault, we usually have the special of the day. Some would call it comfort food, but those of us use to putting a premium on honesty would say that on the quantity vs. quality continuum, quantity is a virtue. So we all congregate around our usual table at Keith s. (Kind of like Cheers where everyone knows your name and our hardworking waitress is glad to see us). We meet for an hour or two, depending on topics to be discussed, the amount of c ommiseration needed for the latest sagas of How The Restoration Turns, and world problems to be solved. I write down as much as I can of what is going on a legal pad in between bites of the Blue Plate Special and trying to juggle pen, paper, and knife while applying butter to a dinner roll (why are those pre-wrapped pads of butter always one swipe short of being enough to do a roll?). And since I have a handwriting that leaves much to be desired if analyzed, probably would say that I should have been an ax murderer or a doctor I go home and a week or two later, try to decipher what I wrote. To be honest, the grease and butter stains don t help much either, but eventually by osmosis, hook and crook and some ginkgo biloba, I am able to type up the minutes and have them ready for review and approval at the next meeting. With all that being said, I have to say that the camaraderie is first class, the board members top notch, and their dedication is second to none. It is an honor to serve on the board, and besides, the insides of those Gulfstreams are never as commodious as they look in the pictures. (Ed.): Most of us desire to own the kinds of beautiful cars we saw drive by when we were in our youth. Maybe You Were That Boy watching a red Packard drive by. The desire doesn t change when we reach adulthood and it can cost us a lot of money!

14 San Diego Region: July 12, 1975 Charter Page from 1975 San Diego Region letter to members

15 Packard Shoe Advertisement Packard bicycle built by Schwinn with Packard crest 1941 Schwinn BA-107 Bike CALENDAR June 19: July 10: Aug 14: Sep Sep 26: Oct 23-24: Nov 13: Dec 4: BBQ at Dale and Debbi Costanzo s Home, San Marcos, 1:00 P.M. Packard Mini-Concours Olympic Training Center, Chula Vista P.I. National Driving Tour to Lone Pine, CA Coronado Speed Festival Overnight Driving Tour and Road Rally, Destination TBA Visit to California Veterans Home, Chula Vista 11:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m., *complimentary lunch in dining hall with veterans* Holiday Party