THIS MONTH IN OUR PACKARD WORLD

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1 THIS MONTH IN OUR PACKARD WORLD ANSWERS TO THE FREE DINNER QUIZ Sadly, no one came up with the correct answer for this, so no free lunch. The hood ornament is an Argyll motorcar built in Scotland. See page 3 Answers to the mystery car in this issue. The automobile, driver and where he was going, find the answers in his issue and win a prize at the Christmas party. Don't miss our Christmas Party this Saturday December 4th; 12:00 noon at the Lazy H Restaurant in Valley Center. Contact Steve Ross ASAP if you haven't signed up yet. The tradition continues---new Years day brunch at "The Del". Page 7 Volume 84 Issue 12 December 2016 IN THIS ISSUE This Month in our Packard World..1 President's Message...2 Wash and Shine Show...4 New Years at the Del Palm Springs Spring Weekend....8 Gillespie Field...9 The Mystery Car...11 Fastest Man on Earth Membership Renewal...14 Annual Planning Meeting Calendar of Events Members of the Board of Directors, Officers, and Committee Chairs of the San Diego Region of Packards International Motor Car Club: President, Richard Schauer richard1934@sbcglobal.net Treasurer & Newsletter Editor: Steve Ross (619) inewsx@sbcglobal.net Vice President: Ron Steffey ccaptron@aol.com Secretary & Historian: Brian Wagner wagnerindy@sbcglobal.net Membership Chair: Karl Ramsing (760) kpramsing@sbcglobal.net Projects Chair: Paul Santy (760) pjsanty@sbcglobal.net Tours Chair: Richard Schauer (760) packard1934@sbcglobal.net Webmaster and Newsletter Publisher: Mark Burnside (619) markburnside@cox.net National: Web: info@packardsinternational.com San Diego Region: Web: info@packardsandiego.com ANNUAL PLANNNG MEETING JAN 14th TO PLAN A FUN FILLED EVENT CALENDAR FOR Page 15 Annual PI Membership Meet is Feb 17-19, 2017 at the DoubleTree in Orange, CA. Mark your calendar now. Packards International San Diego Region Page 1

2 President s Message Richard Schauer My term as president is nearing an end. Even now ballots are being sent in for next year s board. Soon we shall have an answer to the burning question that is on everyone s mind (well, a slight embellishment there). It has been an honor serving the membership this year. I only hope I have lived up to everyone s expectations. There is so much to talk about. November was a busy month for us Packard enthusiasts. On the 5 th I attended the Gillespie Field Allen Air Museum event (see the article later on in this issue). This is the second year Bill Allen has held the event, and it was huge this year (by Mr. Allen s measuring stick). In discussion Bill plans to do it again in 2017, targeting November again, but he may shift it to another month. If the date remains in a state of flux we may have to insert it into our schedule again as we did this year, i.e. spontaneously. I do recommend the event to our membership as a very worthwhile event. Last Saturday was the annual Leo Carrillo Park Wash & Shine show! Again it was a big hit. Our thanks go to Phil and Heather Pizzuto who spearheaded the event once again, and to Catherine Woolsey who arranged the good grub, and Karen Schauer for saving the day by driving with Catherine to pick up the meal from Boston Market (unplanned glitches do happen)(and thereby avoiding a revolution everyone was getting darned hungry). The day, including the cars, company, food, and weather was absolutely perfect, and a large crowd flocked to Leo Carrillo to admire and photograph the cars. For the second year in a row Mike Adams 1925 RR Silver Ghost ran away with first prize. We may have to pass a resolution banning that car from future Wash & Shine shows (just kidding, Mike). As I am want to do, it is time once again to brag about the great progress members are making on their cars. Last Thursday I visited Bowden s Autobody, where Gary Marchetti s 1931 Standard Eight Sedan is moving right along in its restoration. The coach was installed on the rolling chassis, a huge step. Cannot wait to see the finished product, you say? I wholeheartedly agree. Sorry, folks, but we will have to wait until April and the La Jolla Concours for the world premiere. Meantime, Scott Napora continues to progress with his 1930 Standard Eight. Will it be finished in time for the New Year s Day brunch at the Hotel Del Coronado? We shall see. No pressure Scott, none at all! Speaking of upcoming events, if you have not signed up yet for the December 4 Christmas Party at the Lazy H, I urge you to do so. It seems we have more fun each year. Please do not miss out. Steve has promised a free cocktail for everyone who brings their Packard. I throw out the taunt: let s brake Steve s bank account, okay? Gary's Packard in work Also on December 4 the National City Historical Society has extended an invitation to Packard members to attend their Christmas dinner. Hmm, a belt Scott's Packard just about ready for show time followed by a first rate dinner? I don t know if my waistline could stand the strain, but for those who are interested please contact Lady Janice Martinelli at She would be delighted to welcome us. Yet another event is scheduled for December 4, and that is the La Jolla Christmas parade. The Grand Marshall is Lou Scanlon, a Viet Nam war veteran and longtime service member. Also featured is Shelly Zimmerman, San Diego Chief of Police, and Sherri Lightner, Council President. As of this writing one member has already volunteered, and we are still searching for more Packard cars to support that event. Also in this issue you will see the flyer for the January 1 New Year s brunch at the Hotel Del Coronado. The vote was unanimous to return to this excellent, unmatched venue. Sign up without delay. Packards International San Diego Region Page 2

3 January 14, 2017 is our annual planning meeting, where the calendar of events is developed, voted on, and presented to the membership. Once again we are holding the meeting at the San Diego Police Museum, set for 10:00 am. As always, members are invited. If you cannot attend, please send your ideas for events to any board member. Lunch will follow the planning meeting. We are making a big push to support the La Jolla Concours D Elegance. Packard is the featured marque as you may have heard and what better place to showcase our wonderful cars to a throng of adoring guests? Next April there will be two options open to Packard owners. You can go on line at mailto: lajollaconcours@mcfarlanepromotions.com to sign up for the $275 real deal, which gets your car onto the grass. Or you can sign onto the car corral for $175. This gets you admission to the car corral (sized for cars), located at THE premier spot as you approach the Cove, a courtesy tent with tables, chairs, bottled water, and a prize for the best car in the corral. The price also gets you admission to the Saturday night gala dinner at the cove, where the Historical Association hopes corral cars will be present to greet guests as they arrive; spaces on Coastline Drive will be set aside for Packard cars only. Then owners may leave their car overnight in La Jolla at a secured underground parking garage 300 yards from the Cove. Sunday morning owners will drive their cars 150 feet to the Packard corral. Corral folks then have passes to the concours and the VIP luncheon. Sounds like a sweet deal. Ideally we want 20 or more Packard cars on the grass. The reason for that number is this: at 5 to 7 cars per category we are promised four dedicated judged Packard categories: pre-war open, pre-war closed, post-war open, and post-war closed. A number of us have suffered the pain in the past of having our Packard cars lumped in with others of a completely different nature, such as Bugatti! The way to forestall that is to make sure we populate the four categories with Packard. The concour is limited to 129 cars next April, so it is important members do not wait too long to apply. There will be more discussion as April approaches has been punctuated by spectacular highs, and some very sad lows. So important is it that we seize the day in all respects, and doing it with our Packard cars makes it all the much sweeter. Once again our year has flown by. I close the year with one of my favorite quotes, from Sir Walter Scott, Woodstock chapter 38. It can be taken sadly or with melancholy, but to me it cuts to the heart and is an impetus to action directing us to face each day with gratitude for our many blessings, joy, and purpose: Years rush by us like the wind. We see not whence the eddy comes, nor whitherward it is tending, and we seem ourselves to witness their flight without a sense that we are changed; and yet Time is beguiling man of his strength, as the winds rob the woods of their foliage. THE ARGYLL RADAIOR MASCOT This radiator mascot is on the Argyll automobile. The Argyll was made in Scotland until 1927 when the company ceased to make automobiles. This photo was taken in September 2016 at a collection of automobiles in Point Loma. Packards International San Diego Region Page 3

4 Wash N shine Car show Packard, Cadillac, Pierce-Arrows and Rolls Royce were represented at the historic Leo Carrillo Ranch for our Packard sponsored Car show. There were numerous visitors admiring the vintage and classic automobiles. The age range of the cars on display was from 1925 to As an added treat this year we were serenaded by music from the 40's and 50's. Before you ask: Yes there were young people there who may have never heard of some of the artists. So let's get on with the show. Row one of Packards and Pierce-Arrows, Gentleman with back to camera is Steve Halluska. His ' Packard Ivory Convertible is peeking out down the line of cars. Foreground is the Woolsey '35 Limo. The people are arriving to see the automobiles. On the right are two 1934 Packards that depict the range of, and utility that the Packard Motor Car Company offered during its history. The four door touring sedan on the left would typically be driven by a banker or successful business man. The Packard on the right on the other hand is a Convertible Roadster which would typically be driven by the single "sporting guy" as they were called back in the day or a guy who had made it big and wished he were single. Oddly enough these Packards fit that mold today. The sedan is driven by our president Richard Schauer a retired old curmudgeon and the roadster is driven by Tim Pestotnik a young single attorney and one must assume successful. Note Tim on the far right clutching his ever present dust rag at the ready. By the way Richard is not really a curmudgeon; he likes to have fun too! Packards International San Diego Region Page 4

5 Gary Marchetti's Cadillac, Steve Haluska's '41 convertible, Syd Harris's '30 Model A Pierce-Arrow, Larry Johnson's '49 Packard and Jack Heacock's '50 Cadillac. These cars are every bit as elegant as these photos depict and none of them received an award. Partially obscured by spectators is Todd Schonenberg's 1939 Super Eight Touring Sedan and on the right is Catherine Woolsey's 1930 Model B affectionately known as" Brown Betty". Todd is discussing the merits of restoration with Mike Adams, perhaps. Above is buttercup, Todd's Super Eight and Catherine's Pierce-Arrow. On the left Jim Woolsey and Ernie Follis discussing the best way to cook the Thanksgiving Turkey--NOT. I bet $11,000 they are talking about cars. Packards International San Diego Region Page 5

6 The trophies on display prior to the awards ceremony. The awardees were chosen by the people attending the show, both owners and specators. In my opinion the people almost never get it wrong. The center trophy is first place, on the left is second and the blue vase is third place. AND THE WINNERS ARE Third Place to Tim Pestotnik for his '34 Roadster Second place is Karl Ramsing and his "29" Convertible Mr. Mike Adams takes first place with his 1925 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost. Nothing unusual for Mike as he has won for the past two years. Not a Packard but an impressive automobile nonetheless. Packards International San Diego Region Page 6

7 NEW YEARS DAY AT THE HOTEL DEL CORONADO - THE TRADITION CONTINUES - Join us Sunday January 1, 2017 to kick off the New Year with brunch at the world famous Hotel Del Coronado in Coronado, Ca. The hotel Del opened for business in 1888 and at ThaT Time Was The largest resort hotel in The world and was declared a historical landmark in The celebrity guest list for the Del Coronado includes anyone who was ever a celebrity, the most siginificant being the San Diego PI REGION. Go to and check out the four page brunch menu. Packards from past years Do you recognize any of these people? Here is the deal: Cost per person for PI San Diego Region members and significant other is $ For non PI San Diego Region members and guests the cost is $97.00 per person (cost includes tip). Parking, Packard parking or other vintage automobile is $5.00 to be paid by driver upon arrival. These cars will be parked in the Valet parking in front of Hotel as in past years. All other cars may be parked in the regular parking lot for $5.00 Arrival time : Be there by 10:00 am. Get your reservation with check to Steve Fruitvale Rd, Valley Center by December 30, Also tell us what automobile you intend to drive to the event. Questons? Call or e- mail him at inewsx@sbcglobal.net Packards International San Diego Region Page 7

8 PALM SPRINGS, SPRING TOUR March 24-26, 2017 Join your friends in the Packard Club for a trip to Palm Springs March 24 (Friday) through March 26 (Sunday), 2017! Back by popular demand we will once again visit the Triada Hotel Palm Springs at a nightly rate of $200/night plus tax, with a two night minimum. Built in 1929 and formerly known as the Spanish Inn, Triada has historical significance because it was frequented by the rich and famous in Hollywood s hey-day and was once owned by actor Alan Ladd (you can visit Liz Taylor s room). Triada is located in the historical Movie Colony neighborhood. The room rate is held for Packard Club members for a limited number of rooms. Interested parties are urged to respond quickly. This weekend promises to be an excellent opportunity for all of us as it coincides with the Antique Car Club of America's Western Meet for Several hundred cars are expected in town for that Meet, according to their national office. More on that as the weekend approaches. The plan is for everyone to arrive at Triada Friday afternoon March 24, Check-in time is 4:00. Members wishing to go are urged to call Triada direct to secure a room. Caravans are encouraged, and are always enjoyable, but certainly not required. Triada has a secured underground garage to house our Packard cars, and owners once again will be allowed to park their cars. The weekend schedule is intentionally flexible, as it was last time. Everyone will receive a map of the Movie Colony section of Palm Springs, which is a self-guided walking tour commencing right outside the Triada Hotel or you can drive and take in more of the stars homes. After the walking tour lunch will be at Billy Reed s Restaurant, famous for its chicken pot pie and Boston Crème pie dessert. Dinner will be at Morton s, former home of the owner of the Pierce Arrow Automobile Company now a restaurant and conference facility. We see another fun weekend event! Checkout time is 11:00 Sunday. PLEASE DO NOT DELAY! To make reservations, please contact Weekend Coordinator Tim Pestotnik tim@pestotnik.com<mailto:tim@pestotnik.com> to let him know you are in and whether you will bring your Packard or other notable car, and make a reservation directly at the Triada by phone at: JESSICA RUIZ - SALES ASSOCIATE Triada Palm Springs, Autograph Collection 640 N. Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA D: (760) jruiz@pacificahost.com Be sure to ask for the Packard Club Room Rate of $200/night. Packards International San Diego Region Page 8

9 Gillespie Field - November 5, 2016 Allen Airways Flying Museum Richard Schauer If this sounds familiar, this is the event Scott Napora banged his head against the wall so hard to arrange for the club last August. Turned out it was not to be. Mr. Allen had other plans, specifically his annual Air Museum open house to be held in November. It all worked out just fine. When I arrived I was greeted by the president of the Model T Club, Greg Riser, and wife Cathy. Four dozen Fords turned out for the show! Everyone lined up on the frontage road in front of the museum, and at 9:45 we were escorted in. Cathy Riser rode in with me; what a delightful lady she is. Cars parked in areas where they were closely mingled with the many antique airplanes. Four members brought their Packard cars: Fred Puhn was there with his '50 sedan, Marjo Miller and Dion came in her 49 Woodie, and I came in my 34. Scott Napora and wife Kris attended for a time, but unfortunately I completely missed them. A dusting of other attendees included the T-Bird club, and an assortment of GM products. Cathy Risner Model A club member posing with Richard Schauer's '34 Packard Marjo and Dion with Marjo's '49 Woodie. Fred Puhn's 1950 Sedan. The Model A next door is getting a lot of attention. Maybe it has a big block Chevy! Larry and Arvilla Johnson drove down from Campo in their 1949 sedan. Larry Johnson and Fred Puhn felt their farmer roots and got into the spirit of the moment. Packards International San Diego Region Page 9

10 A fine display of tractors was on hand, and at noon they paraded around the hanger areas, to the delight of the crowd. One fellow brought his 1950 s ice cream truck, restored to perfection, complete with a full menu of frozen products to enjoy! What an enterprising fellow. Line forms on the right, folks. And then there were the airplanes. A fine display of smaller airplanes was on hand. A number of WWII trainer planes flew very low over the airfield and hangers, mostly in formation, offering rides to eager attendees. Mr. Allen s air museum is packed with memorabilia, including a fine display of pilot head pieces, mostly the old fur lined leather types. It also contained a wide variety of fuel company advertisement glass and plastic pieces, all in fine condition. I never met Bill Allen, but spoke with two of his lady organizers, telling them how much we appreciated their invitation and their fine show. Bill Allen owns a beautiful 1932 Packard Dual Cowl Phaeton, which was roped off in a dedicated room in his aircraft/museum hanger. In a side hanger was another 1932 Packard Standard Eight Coupe, missing engine, front end dismantled, painted a lovely two-tone moss green. The car looked awfully familiar to me. Larry Johnson solved the mystery. He spoke with a person who knew a little about that car. It was for years at Fred Perkins shop in Oceanside. It belonged to a fellow who is believed now to be dead. The light went on in my head. Yes, I recall the car from the days when my Packard was at Perkins shop. Fred invented the two-tone colors. The car was painted by Adan Contreras, who later painted my car. I do not know how the 32 came to be at Allen s hanger. Nor do I know the plan to restore the car, if there is one. Hopefully we will see that fine car on the road one day A 1929 Packard Dual Cowl Phaeton that Mr. Allen is storing for a friend I had the opportunity to thank Mr. Allen s representatives for the invitation. It was a wonderful show. In 2017 perhaps we will be invited to this auto/air show again. Packards International San Diego Region Page 10

11 THE MYSTERY CAR The gentleman lighting his pipe is Tom Fitch. He is driving a 1903 Packard model F on his way from San Francisco, California to New York City, New York. The Model F had been introduced in 1902 and continued into production to It was one of the last models built in the Warren, Ohio Factory. It took 61 days and 3,600 miles to get to New York. The Model F had a 138 cubic-inch one cylinder engine developing 12 HP with a top speed of 25 MPH and a cruising speed of 22 MPH. The cost new in 1903 was $2,300 ($59,330 in today's $$) After the first cross-continental trip it was named the "Old Pacific". Three of this model were built and the Model F that made the trip is in the Ford Museum in Dearborn Michigan. These Photo below are the original "Old Pacific" taken at the Ford Museum during our Lincoln Highway Henry B. Joy Tour in One of the other three Model F Packards is in the Packard Museum in Warren, Ohio and it made the same trip in 1983 and again in 2003 when it led the historic Transcontinental Tour of 2003, which celebrated the 100th anniversary of that original cross-country tour. "Old Pacific" is often given credit for being the first to cross the USA but there is controversy surrounding this claim. The first automobile to cross the USA was a 1903 Winton driven by a doctor named Horatio Jackson. He made the trip based on a $50 ($1,289 in today's $$) bet made at the San Francisco University Cub (rumors are that alcohol was involved). Horatio did not own a car and hardly knew how to drive one. He paid a Wells Fargo bank executive $3,000 ($77,391 in today's $$) for a used Winton and hired a mechanic named Sewell Crocker to accompany him on the trip. When Winton found out what Horatio was attempting, the factory began supporting his efforts by sending parts by rail along his route. Winton knew that Packard was attempting the same venture at almost the same time. Horatio took a longer route than Packard so--who knows who won time wise. In any case it was quite a feat for both teams. Packards International San Diego Region Page 11

12 Steve Halluska and his 1941 Convertible perform an important function in a wedding ceremony The Fastest Man on Earth Brian Wagner It is fitting that Daytona Beach in Florida is only 74 miles from Cape Canaveral. From 1903 to 1935, the sands of Ormond Daytona were home to the majority of the land speed records set in America. Back then, no one knew how the human body would react to such high speeds. It was unexplored territory for these pioneers of speed, just as the Mercury astronaut program was sixty years later. Ralph De Palma in his Packard 905 at Daytona Beach On February 12, 1919, Ralph De Palma drove a Packard to a world speed record of mph over a measured mile at Daytona Beach. He set all the American speed records from one to twenty miles from late January to mid-february of 1919 in his Packard 905 powered by a 905 cubic inch V-12 Packard Liberty aircraft engine. Packards International San Diego Region Page 12

13 Using a modified Packard passenger car chassis, the 905 had a three speed transmission and electric starter. The engine produced approximately 285 horsepower at 2000 rpm. Combining speed with reliability, De Palma bookended his competitive runs with a record of mph for twenty miles. The straight line airplane speed record was 127 mph set in War planes were about as fast as the 905, but going that fast on land was the height of bravery and made De Palma the fastest man on earth in 1919 and added to his reputation as one of the most successful drivers in America during those pioneer racing years. De Palma had a long and productive relationship from 1914 through 1923 with Packard and Jesse Vincent, their chief engineer. During World War I, De Palma and Vincent both served at McCook Airfield in Dayton, Ohio. Vincent was base commander for most of 1918 and De Palama was flight director during that year. It was there that the plan originated to take a 905 engine and build a special chassis to go after the land speed records. After the war, Vincent returned to his position of Vice President of Engineering and De Palma was employed by the racing department. Racing on the sand at Daytona After capturing headlines at Daytona Beach, the 905 crisscrossed the US for seven months with De Palma in the cockpit making exhibition runs at Denver, Indianapolis, New York, and Los Angles and many other cities. It showcased Packard s engineering and product development capabilities at a time when highway speed limits ranged from twelve to twenty miles per hour. And at the same time, the tour honored the courage of a man like Raffaele Ralph De Palma who was an astronaut of his time pushing the known boundaries. Below, we see Douglas Fairbanks standing next to the 905 and De Palma at the Santa Monica road race during its national tour Packards International San Diego Region Page 13

14 I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU In the most unlikely event you have not renewed your membership in our great club now is the time to get 'er done!!! The thought of not being a part of this great group of Packard enthusiasts is frightening and depressing to me. Not only will you not get the Predictor you will not receive the Packards International Magazine, nor will you be aware of the great tours and other events the club provides for you and your Packard to enjoy. In addition to all this you will be missed by all of us and we will wonder how you are and how your vintage Packard is getting along. Here is how you may stop all these bad things from happening. Send $45.00 to Packards International along with $15.00 for your local San Diego Region. Let's help out our membership chairman this year and renew on time so poor Karl doesn't have to call us 2 or 3 times. For your convenience a membership application/renewal form is on the next page Packards International San Diego Region Page 14

15 Yes this application does say 2015 but it is still good for 2017 Packards International San Diego Region Page 15

16 2017 Activities Calendar Planning Meeting Please join us on January 14, 2017 at the San Diego Police Museum to plan our fun filled 2017 calendar of events. If you can't make it just send your ideas to any board member and they will plan it for you. We are up for just about anything so long as it is legal, or perhaps even a gray area. We will start the meeting at 10:00 AM. ADDRESS IS : 4710 COLLEGE AVENUE, SAN DIEGO, CA Any club member is most welcome to attend this meeting. In fact we would love to have you. We know lots of people do not like meetings. In many cases they get enough of them at work. SO-- With our world of social media and you my get information to any board member quickly and easily. Why not set down and type out a short message to any or all board members with a short message perhaps saying " I liked that we did last year OR I would like to." Many of you can do that on your cell phone. We try to be like the Pizza Hut slogan "Makin' it Great again and again". DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO US Packards International San Diego Region Page 16

17 PI San Diego Region 2016/2017 Activities Calendar Listed below is the 2016/2017 calendar of officially sponsored events by the San Diego Region of Packards International Motor Car Club. Also included are National PI events sponsored by PI headquarters or one of its regions. You must be a member of Packards International Motor Car Club to attend officially sponsored events. The full calendar of events for 2017 will be developed at our activities planning meeting on January 14th. Click on any of the event descriptions shown in blue text to see more information about the location or setting of the tour. Month Date Event Name/Description City Tour Director Dec 4 Annual Region Christmas Lazy H Ranch Valley Center Steve Ross Jan 1 Brunch at Hotel del Coronado Coronado Steve Ross Feb Annual PI Membership Meet Orange Don Hull Mar Palm Springs Overnight Palm Springs Tim Pestotnik Apr 7-9 La Jolla Concours D Elegance La Jolla Richard Schauer Packards International San Diego Region Page 17