clubs.hemmings.comclubs.hemmings.com/tony/Newsletter Dec 2019-W.docx  · Web...

29
December 2019 Thunderbird Owners of New York Web-page http://clubs.hemmings.com/tony/index.html Member, Classic Thunderbird Club International – Chap. 49 1

Transcript of clubs.hemmings.comclubs.hemmings.com/tony/Newsletter Dec 2019-W.docx  · Web...

Page 1: clubs.hemmings.comclubs.hemmings.com/tony/Newsletter Dec 2019-W.docx  · Web viewOFFICERS:PresidentStan Matusewicz – 631-231-3156curver@optonline.netVice PresidentDennis Benfante–

December 2019

Thunderbird Owners of New YorkWeb-page

httpclubshemmingscomtonyindexhtml

Member Classic Thunderbird Club International ndash Chap 49

1

Newsletter Message

2

OFFICERS

PresidentStan Matusewicz ndash 631-231-3156curveroptonlinenet

Vice PresidentDennis Benfantendash 631-447-3847 tbirddenoptonlinenet

SecretaryJohn Cattonar - 631-269-4705cattbirdhotmailcom

TreasurerPete Cochrane - 631-363-6662pcochrane45outlookcom

CTCI Advisory Council RepBob Ceraso - 631-757-9476legendbirdbobhotmailcom

Tech Advisor 1955rsquosBob Ceraso - 631-757-9476legendbirdbobhotmailcom

Tech Advisor 1956rsquosStan Matusewicz -631-231-3156curveroptonlinenet

Tech Advisor 1957rsquos

Lou Realmuto - 631-226-1733louebirdoptonlinenet

Computer Advisor amp Newsletter Editor Sal Perrotta - 631-991-0306Salperrotta1951gmailcom

Thunderbird Owners of New York

Monday December 2nd

At 700 PMBethpage Public Library

47 Powell Avenue Bethpage NY

Newsletter Message Sal Perrotta

As it happens every year the holidays are almost here and I am sure you are all planning to spend the holidays with friends and family

The holidays are a time to embrace family traditions and breakout recipes that have been handed down through the generations of our families I know I have enjoyed not only eating many of the holiday foods my family have always prepared but the real enjoyment is putting them together with other family members in attendance

However you chose to spend your holiday I hope it is a joyous one for you and your family

In about a month Phyllis and I will be going to Florida for the winter and I will miss several TONY meetings I would like to ask that you stay in touch with me and sent me information that you would like to include in the newsletter

I am still driving my Thunderbird but I will winterize it soon and storing it away for the winter I have a number of projects I would like to get done next season and hope that you will be considering some updates you want to get done to resolve issues or just make the ride more fun Please be sure to tell me about your project plans so I can include some information about your effort Please be sure to include pictures you would like to share with the club I sure you would agree it is the journey we all find interesting

Al and Eileen Continelli did a great job for the club finding a terrific location for the annual holiday party

As in the past the holiday party cost is very reasonable however getting it organized is quite a bit of work We are asking that you commit early and please reach out to Pete to let him know if you plan to attend Send Pete your check The information about the Holiday party is in this monthrsquos newsletter

Arlene Swenson sent me a reminder about the Christmas event at the Veterans Home I hope you can attend that event Additionally she reminded us that our club dues are due Please renew as soon as you can

Last night Phyllis and I went to the movies to see the new movie ldquoFord vs Ferrarirdquo We both enjoyed the movie and it was interesting to get a glimpse of some of the inside Ford challenges Carroll Shelby had to deal with Overall I think if you want a night out it is worth seeing

With Christmas on December 25th and Chanukah on December 23rd I am sure it will be a busy and joyous holiday week

Warm wishes and happy holidays to you all

Respectfully Sal

3

SECRETARIES REPORT Meeting Recap November 4th 2019

JOHN CATTONAR Thunderbird Owners of New York Secretary

OLD BUSINESS

As we have done with most of our meetings we started late again 715 After the Pledge of Allegiance Pete Cochrane our treasurer reported we now have $203750 in our bank account

The club thanked Pete for setting up this years Pumpkin Run which was more like a Railroad Run than a Pumpkin Run Pete put allot of effort to pull together a great event and a fun day for the members who were able to attend It goes without saying that those of us who attended really appreciated

Next up Dennis Benfante reported that the company that does our club shirts and jackets has gone out of business If any members who know of a good company who could make up new shirts and jackets please contact Dennis with their contact information

It was good to see Steve Murray back at our meeting after a tough stint in the hospital Welcome back Steve

Bob Ceraso discussed that our club will be getting several new members It was hoped that they would be in attendance however they were unavailable to attend as hoped

NEW BUSINESS THIS MONTHS MEETING IS WHEN WE NOMINATE CLUB OFFICERS THE CURRENT 2019 SLATE OF OFFICERS WAS NOMINATED AS A GROUP AND WAS APPROVED BY VOICE VOTE BY THE CLUB MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE TO BE THE OFFICERS IN 2020 Sal Perrotta our award winning Editor will print up more info in the newsletter giving all the particulars

Mark your calendars Al and Eileen Continelli did a great deal of research to find a new venue for our annual Holiday Party Al presented a menu and information about a restaurant (Sophias) located on Merrick Road in Amityville

After some discussion and Alrsquos presentation a vote was taken and approved by the members in attendance at our November meeting

Our Holiday party will be help on Sunday January 12th 2020 The menu looks excellent and the cost per person will include beer wine and sodas The cost per person will be $5000 PP

4

Next Stan Matusewicz our club President reminded everyone about the upcoming charity Car show at Brookhaven Town Hall on Sunday the 10th Toys and food donations get you in for freeOur yearly visit to the Veterans living out at the Yaphank facility will be on Sunday Dec 8th this year Dont forget to bring something that they can use

Dennis Benfante then discussed the annual Patchogue Meet Santa Claus Parade which will be held on Nov 30th Please contact Dennis if you plan to attend this parade It was suggested that after the parade we all go to the California Diner on Sunrise Hwy for coffee and diner food

Our meeting closed at 805 with the 5050 being won by Joe Marchione $5700 (PS Steve didnt win yet)

From Al Continelli Re Holiday Party

PLEASE advance payment to PETER COCHRANE 41 ARTHUR AVE BLUE POINT NY 11715 or please bring your payment to the December TONY Meeting

5

From Sal Perrotta

These are what Thunderbirds dreams are made of

If you can have your pickthey are the cream of the crop Youve admired them for years longed for one dreamed of owning oneand if you were to buy the ultimate the very best of the best the pick of the litter these are the Thunderbirds youd be searching for

Models and equipment are listed in order of priority andor rarity1955 1956 1957

1 Early production number 1 Hard and Soft Tops 1 Supercharged V-8 Engine (F Code)2 Hard and Soft Tops 2 V-8 Engine wDual 4 bbl Carburetors

(E Code) Rare Paint Colors Buckskin

Tan Thunderbird Gray Sunset Coral

3 Dial-O-Matic Power Seat

Rare Paint Colors Goldenrod Yellow

4 All-White Interior Trim (XK code)

5 Hard and Soft Tops Rare Paint Colors Thunderbird Bronze

Coral Sand Dusk Rose1958 1959 1960

1 Convertible with factory air conditioning

1 Convertible with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

1 Sun Roof Hardtop with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

2 Convertible (rare due to production delays)

2 Hardtop with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

2 Convertible with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

3 Hardtop with factory air conditioning

3 Convertible 3 Hardtop with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

4 Power Passenger SeatRare Paint Colors Platinum Cameo Rose Monarch Blue

Rare Paint Colors Tahitian Bronze Steel Blue Flamingo Cordovan Casino Cream Tamarack Green

Rare Paint Colors Sultana Turquoise Springdale Rose Palm Springs Rose Gunpowder Gray

Factory air conditioning is preferred

Factory air conditioning is preferred

From Jeff Barlow 6

From Al Continelli Part of a series to be published in the newsletter Engine Tune-Up and General Maintenance Tiprsquos Part 2

7

From Arlene Swenson

8

Sunday December 8 2019 ndash 7th Annual Christmas for the Homeless Veterans - 10 am to 2 pm - The Veterans Place 32 Mill Road Yaphank NY 11980 ndash

The Veterans Place 32 Mill Road in Yaphank - all classic car clubs invited - drive your classic cars weather permitting

There will be a DJ amp food for all What we ask you to bring is canned food ndash non-perishable food

Toiletries bedding bath towels bath mats over-the-door hook for towels Clothing of different sizeshellipsweatshirts sizes L to XL-2 socks menrsquos womanrsquos hats gloves

Please put anything you bring in unwrapped boxes (or bags) and label contents and sizes on boxes Santa arrives at Noon No Admission Fee Hosted by Tom Driscoll Impressive amp Aggressive Car Club - any questions contact Tom Driscoll

tdriscol54gmailcom 631-902-1522

Directions Click here for DIRECTIONS to The Veteranrsquos Place or httpswwwnewsdaycomentertainmentlong-island-venuesview=standalonemapamplng=-729406666ampdaddr=32+Mill+Rd2C+Yaphank2C+NY+11980-1112amplat=408407397

For our TONY Members DUES ARE DUE

Club dues for 2020 are due by December 31 2019 Family membership $2500 SingleRegular membership $2000 Board members FREE ndash spouse of Board Member $500

Newsletter Advertisers $3600 annual fee for advertising in the Newsletter

Send your check made out to TONY and mail toPeter Cochrane 41 Arthur Avenue Blue Point NY 11715

From John Cattonar (CATTONARS CORNER)With the falling of leaves and temperatures so will the air pressure in your tires drop This is a good time to check your tire pressure Its also a good time to check that spare in the trunk which you havent looked at for years (Right Pat)

I recommend you put 38-40 lbs in the spare since you probably wont look at it for another few years If you have radials you should put in 32-35 lbs and for bias ply 27-30 lbs Also if your tires are more than 12-15 years old its highly recommended that you change them even if they look like new ESPECIALLY if youre going to be buzzing along at 70-75 MPH on the highway

Keep in mind that all tires are dated on the side of the tire with a DOT number How to decipher the numbers requires going on your computer and looking up the coding for when the tire was manufactured

HAPPY CRUIZIN JOHN CFrom Sal Perrotta (Re-Printed from Hagerty Web Site A Great Article by Donald W LeGoullon)

Step-by-step guide to winterizing your car9

Before storageSelect a dry dark location for storage mdash preferably with limited access Concrete flooring is best at keeping away moisture If you must store your car on a dirt floor place a plastic barrier under the vehicle and place carpet pieces or plywood under the tires Give the vehicle a good washwax Putting on and removing a vehicle cover will lead to unwanted scratches if the car is dirty Fill the fuel tank (preferably with premium) and add fuel stabilizer Be sure to run the vehicle to move fuel stabilizer into the carburetor fuel rails injectors etc The fuller the tank the less room there will be for air which carries moisture that can lead to fuel contamination and possibly rust within the tank Change the oil and filter right before putting away the vehicle The clean oil will reduce the risk of harmful contaminants working away at your engine during hibernation mdash and yoursquoll be ready to go in spring Check the antifreeze Add air to the tires If youre storing your car offsite some insurance companies require you to report the address of the offsite location Check with your insurer to determine your policys requirements

When storing

Place baking soda refrigerator packages in the interior and trunk areas To keep insects and vermin out of the car put a plastic bag over the air cleanerair inlet and exhaust pipe(s) You also can cover these with aluminum foil and tape securely Place mothballs in the tailpipe and around the outside of the car or insert steel wool in the tailpipe Place the vehicle on jack stands This step avoids tire flat spots and adds longevity to the suspension because it is not supporting the vehiclersquos weight during storage For your battery take one of the following actions Unhook the battery by removing the negative cable first and store it separately mdash never on a concrete floor and preferably where it will not freeze or leave the battery in the car and put a battery tender on it if there is power available That way if you want to start it a few times in the winter you donrsquot have to put the battery in and out Close all of the windows If the vehicle will be exposed to freezing temperatures be certain no personal items that may freeze or burst are left in the vehicle There are varying theories about periodically starting the vehicle This writer feels unless you get the engine up to operating temperature for a good 10-plus minute to burn off the water vapors that initially develop at startup-cold operation starting is not a good idea Anything less will leave water in the combustion chamber and all exhaust components

Bringing your baby back to life

Charge the battery for a solid 24 hours When returning the battery to the vehicle attach the positive cable first Once your car is uncovered inspect it for any signs of insect or vermin damage Remove the baking soda units If you forget them they may spill during driving Itrsquos a good idea to check for floor leaks check all fluid levels and check the tire pressures Remove plastic bag (aluminum foil) from over air cleanerair inlet and exhaust pipe(s) Apply the brakes ensure they work and that you have a good pedal The steel brake lines can rust out and leak and vermin can chew through the rubber brake hoses Start the vehicle and check for any fluid leaks

10

Give it some extra time to warm up and check the lights horn etc while the temperature begins to rise Drive it slowly for a mile or so Some components such as transmissions and rear-ends require movement for fullproper lubrication After driving a bit check it again for leaks etc Your car cover may have become dusty over the long winter months mdash give it a good cleaning according to the manufacturerrsquos instructions

From Dennis Benfante (Copy of an article sent to CTCI written by Dennis)

To CTCI (Jim Spawn)

Im sending you an article about Sayville Summer Fest I will send you several pics to accompany the article

Thank you for the article about our Annual Show for Building Homes for Heroes I received so many compliments you did a great job including it in the current issue On August 11th 2019 the Town of Sayville located in New York on Long Islands south shore held its 40th Annual

Sayville Summer Fest The local streets are closed for the entire weekend with scores of vendors selling everything from soup to nuts and I do mean this literally You could get soup and or nuts and crafts of all kinds Hundreds of vendors on Saturday amp Sunday The only difference is that on Sunday the main street is filled with over 400 cars

This is a great day for spectators to enjoy the hundreds of fine vehicles lining both sides of the street This year there were five Little Birds from Thunderbird Owners of New York ( TONY Chapter 49 of CTCI)

We just so happened to be parked in front of the local Bridal Shop (Ivory amp Main) There was some picture activity by the store window so I went over to look and there in the window was a young lady modeling dresses well me being me offered her to model with our cars Her reply was Can I model in the car But of course So check out Roxy in my car and with me on the rear deck

I guess one of the perks of having a TBird is the opportunity to have a beautiful woman like Roxy to enjoy them too I certainly did

Dennis BenfanteEast Patchogue NY CTCI 30603

11

12

From Sal Perrotta

This is an easy one

1 The nuts that hold the rim onto the car are called

a Wheel nuts b Nuts c Lug nuts d Wheel Fasteners

2 Lock-in hubs are used to engage

a Limited slip differential b Posi-trac c Four wheel drive d Theft protection

3 Three on the tree refers to the shifting gear being located on what part of the vehicle

a Center Console b Steering column c Steering wheel d Floor

4 M+S combination tires are intended for

a Off Roading b Mud and snow use c Messy and slippery situation use d General use

5 The headers are part of which vehicle system

a Exhaust b Drive train c Seating d Wheel assembly

6 The distributor cap controls what function

a Lubrication distribution13

b Cooling distribution c Spark distribution d Power distribution

7 Coupe vehicles have how many doors

a Three b Four c Two d One

8 Spoilers are used to perform what function

a Increase fuel economy b Look cool c Add down force d Add up force

9 Ram air forces air into what part of the vehicle

a Into the Cab b Into the engine compartment c Over the Car d Into the air conditioning unit

10 Halo headlights are controversial because of their

a Brightness b Color c Shape d Fragile nature

From Classic Auto Supply Company CASCOrdquo

14

December Quiz Answers1 ndashA 4 ndash B 7 ndash C

2 ndash C 5 ndashA 8 ndashC

3 ndash B 6 ndash C 9 ndash B

10 -A

1955 1956 1957

Price new $2944 $3163 $3408 Production 16155 15631 21380Wheel base 102 102 102

Overall length 1752 1852 1852Overall height 522 522 516Overall width 702 702 728

Ground Clearance 55 59 59Tread 56 56 56

Turning Diameter 36 36 36Curb Weight 3232 lbs 3315 lbs 3324 lbs

Crankcase capacity 6 quart 6 quart 6 quartCooling system capacity 21 quart 21 quart 21 quart

Fuel tank capacity 17 gal 17 gal 20 gal

Engines available

DispCarbHP 2924v198

2924v202

3124v225

2922v212

3124v245

3128v270

312SC300

From CTCI

15

ARE YOU A MEMBER NOW WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO JOIN

Classic Thunderbird Club InternationalToll Free 8004882709 bull PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116 USA1048579 bull Email ctciofficectciorg

Web site wwwctciorg

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONPLEASE TYPE OR PRINTName____________________________________________________Spousersquos Name______________________________________Mailing Address______________________________________________________________________________________________City_______________________________________________ StateProvince______________ ZipMail Code___________________Telephone (______)_____________________________ Email Address__________________________________________________CTCI Chapter Affiliation (if any) _________________________________________________________________________________

bull New members please fill out application and send payment (in US funds ONLY) to the address below

bull Make checks payable to CTCI or pay by credit card by email fax or phone

bull Mail to CLASSIC THUNDERBIRD CLUB INT PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116

Please select one of the following prorated amounts Month Joining One Time Initiation Fee + Dues = Total January thru March $1500 + $3750 = $5250 April thru June $1500 + $2900 = $4400 July thru September $1500 + $1900 = $3400 October thru December $1500 + $1000 = $2500 NOTE Add $1800 to select Premium Packet with CTCI Grill Emblem

Annual dues renewal will be $3750 payable January 1 of each yearSignature _______________________________Date ______ Check here 1048658 if you wish to be listed in the CTCI roster as of April 1st

I give permission for my 1048658 phone number andor 1048658 email address to be listed in the CTCI roster(NOTE Phone numbers amp email are for office use only or for the roster if you choose to have it published Roster addresses may be sold only to T-Bird vendors to be used only for catalog purposesAre you a former member of CTCI 1048658 Yes 1048658 No If Yes what is your former CTCI membership number ________________________

Sponsored or Referred by _______________________________________________ CTCI (if known) ________________

16

From Sal Perrotta (Reprint from Newsday)

What You Must Do If Your Cars Headlights Run All Day The Two Truths Every Modern Car Owner Must KnowApril 16 2019

Closely inspect your insurance bill before you pay it

Because 260 million US drivers need insurance its no surprise this startup is being used by millions In September many drivers used this startup to potentially claim extreme insurance discounts

After much research and feedback here is a list of the potential discounts Following these steps may save the average driver up to $53600 a year

First if your car has anti-lock brakes day-time running lights or air bags ndash you may qualify for a discount If you qualify for 2 or 3 of these discounts the savings are often significant

Next to max out your savings youll want to claim specific driving record discounts There are a few insurers that will give a discount for no traffic tickets within 3 years Secondly having no car accidents in the last 3 years shows an insurer that youre skilled at avoiding accidents and your care while driving

Additionally if you live in a qualified postal code or neighborhood with minimal thefts you may save even more

Not everyone claims these discounts ndash heres why In 2015 only 13 of drivers switched insurers This is a low number It has been such a hassle because you had to check one site and then go to another And do the work to input your information several times Now this exciting tool has gained popularity Its an independent comparison shopping marketplace In 2017 the parent company of this project was listed on Inc 5000 as one of

17

fastest growing companies Clearly customers are using them and finding what theyre looking for ndash lower quotes

Whats the next step Unknown too many drivers agents make commission from your premiums The higher your current rate the more the agent receives The rule to beat this system and get fair quotes is simple To get the biggest savings compare discounted rates from a vast network of insurers (licensed in your area)

Even if you compared quotes recently most services leave insurers unchecked You may feel you have a low rate but if you could shave off another hundred or two what could you do with those savings

From Sal Perrotta Reprinted from Hagerty (by Brendan McAleer)

The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird

Back in rsquo55 came my first rsquoBird coupe the headlights had hoods and the hood had a scoopldquorsquo55 rsquoBirdrdquo mdash The AstronautsOn May 12 2013 Commander Chris Hadfield became the first person to record a music video in space His cover of David Bowiersquos ldquoSpace Oddityrdquo was an instant hit garnering millions of views Bowie himself was impressed calling the video ldquothe most poignant version of the song ever createdrdquo While the fate of the songrsquos Major Tom remains a mystery Commander Hadfieldrsquos fate doesnrsquot He would return safely to Earth and then hersquod drive home in his 1955 Ford ThunderbirdFreshly restored in Snowshoe White that same T-Bird was on display at the 2019 Cobble Beach Concours DrsquoElegance in Owen Bay Ontario Driving interviewed Commander Hadfield about his T-bird and about his car history growing up on a farm in Milton OntarioHadfield learned to drive tractors at age 12 before graduating to a 1962 Oldsmobile Delta 88 with (what else) a Rocket 88 V-8 under hood He owned a rsquo62 Oldsmobile then a rsquo64 VW Bug in university Then came marriage and family and the very John Glenn choice of a 1983 Mercury Marquis woody wagon But the boy who became the first Canadian to walk in space and command the International Space Station had always had a differently wheeled dream We caught up with him by phone en route to an astronaut conference in Montreal

18

ldquoAbsolutely I wanted to hold out for a rsquo55rdquo Hadfield says ldquoThe rsquo57 was bigger and the rsquo56 with the Continental back and opera windows was different too Basically my whole life Irsquove thought the rsquo55 was the perfect combination of design power and sizerdquo

Elliot Alder

The Ford Thunderbird debuted in 1955 not as a direct rival to the Chevrolet Corvette but instead as a slightly different take on a two-seater Inspired by a 1952 Ferrari Barchetta gifted to Henry Ford IImdashin the days before the two companies went to warmdashthe Thunderbird was sleek low and powerful for its day However it was intended as a personal car luxurious and convenient to drive The engine was a 192-cubic-inch V-8 which made 193 hp with the three-speed manual or 198 hp with a Ford-O-Matic three-speed autoHadfield had to wait until 2001 but he finally got his rsquo55 He bought the car over the phone from Star City Russia where he was working as Director of Operations of NASA A couple of years later he and his father Roger had repaired the T-Birdrsquos flaws and a new job at NASArsquos Johnson Space Center in Houston beckoned A normal person might have shipped the car down to live in a garage Hadfield and his then-16-year-old son Evan loaded the T-Bird to the gills and made a road trip out of itldquoWe hit every worldrsquos biggest ball of string on the way even stopped off at Graceland and got Elvis glasses The car was pretty fullmdashmaybe we could have used the Continental back that triprdquo Hadfield laughsThen between 2003 and 2013 NASArsquos Chief of Robotics and later Chief of the International Space Station Operations daily-drove a 50-year-old Ford to work every day

ldquoMy commute was only about 10 minutes and no highwaysrdquo Hadfield says ldquoI didnrsquot drive it if the weather was bad But they dont really have winter down there Every single time I drove it I was delighted It was funrdquo

19

ldquoYou donrsquot want to risk a car unnecessarilyrdquo he adds ldquoBut you do want to honor it Everything about it is within my ability to fix and I bought the car to be involved in itrdquoAccording to the Commander his Thunderbird wasnrsquot a unicorn in the NASA parking lot Astronauts have a tradition of being interested in cars with most of the Apollo teams driving Corvettes But itrsquos not just about speedldquoAll astronauts are pretty hands-on kinds of peoplerdquo Hadfield says ldquoYou have to be pretty self-sufficientmdashtherersquos nobody to call in spacerdquoNow retired at the age of 60 Commander Hadfield seems busier than ever Hersquos written several books including one for children and is a popular speaker at events Hersquos also very active on Twitter Pressed on whether hersquod like to add anything to his garage Hadfield responds with a laugh

ldquoAt this point I feel like I only have the time to be faithful to one carrdquo he saysHowever his father Roger has a varied collection that includes Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts and McLaughlin-Buicks And Chris is interested to see whether his children will share a generational interest spurred by the Thunderbird The car is something of a bridge across the years worked on by Hadfield with his dad and shared with his sons and daughterNow restored by Dave Harrison of Straffordville Ontario over 14 months Hadfieldrsquos rsquo55 T-Bird stands ready for years of faithful service It is a dream come to life grounded to the earth ready for the next sortie Commencing countdown engines on 1 16

20

3

21

22

23

Member DateFran Paci 121Mary Benfante 121Jeffrey Heilig 124Robert McMinn 127Al Continelli 1210Dennis Blinder 1211Joe Marchione 1219Miguel (Mike) Borrero 1220Lucille Marchione 1221Andrew Signoriello 1222

  • The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird
Page 2: clubs.hemmings.comclubs.hemmings.com/tony/Newsletter Dec 2019-W.docx  · Web viewOFFICERS:PresidentStan Matusewicz – 631-231-3156curver@optonline.netVice PresidentDennis Benfante–

Newsletter Message

2

OFFICERS

PresidentStan Matusewicz ndash 631-231-3156curveroptonlinenet

Vice PresidentDennis Benfantendash 631-447-3847 tbirddenoptonlinenet

SecretaryJohn Cattonar - 631-269-4705cattbirdhotmailcom

TreasurerPete Cochrane - 631-363-6662pcochrane45outlookcom

CTCI Advisory Council RepBob Ceraso - 631-757-9476legendbirdbobhotmailcom

Tech Advisor 1955rsquosBob Ceraso - 631-757-9476legendbirdbobhotmailcom

Tech Advisor 1956rsquosStan Matusewicz -631-231-3156curveroptonlinenet

Tech Advisor 1957rsquos

Lou Realmuto - 631-226-1733louebirdoptonlinenet

Computer Advisor amp Newsletter Editor Sal Perrotta - 631-991-0306Salperrotta1951gmailcom

Thunderbird Owners of New York

Monday December 2nd

At 700 PMBethpage Public Library

47 Powell Avenue Bethpage NY

Newsletter Message Sal Perrotta

As it happens every year the holidays are almost here and I am sure you are all planning to spend the holidays with friends and family

The holidays are a time to embrace family traditions and breakout recipes that have been handed down through the generations of our families I know I have enjoyed not only eating many of the holiday foods my family have always prepared but the real enjoyment is putting them together with other family members in attendance

However you chose to spend your holiday I hope it is a joyous one for you and your family

In about a month Phyllis and I will be going to Florida for the winter and I will miss several TONY meetings I would like to ask that you stay in touch with me and sent me information that you would like to include in the newsletter

I am still driving my Thunderbird but I will winterize it soon and storing it away for the winter I have a number of projects I would like to get done next season and hope that you will be considering some updates you want to get done to resolve issues or just make the ride more fun Please be sure to tell me about your project plans so I can include some information about your effort Please be sure to include pictures you would like to share with the club I sure you would agree it is the journey we all find interesting

Al and Eileen Continelli did a great job for the club finding a terrific location for the annual holiday party

As in the past the holiday party cost is very reasonable however getting it organized is quite a bit of work We are asking that you commit early and please reach out to Pete to let him know if you plan to attend Send Pete your check The information about the Holiday party is in this monthrsquos newsletter

Arlene Swenson sent me a reminder about the Christmas event at the Veterans Home I hope you can attend that event Additionally she reminded us that our club dues are due Please renew as soon as you can

Last night Phyllis and I went to the movies to see the new movie ldquoFord vs Ferrarirdquo We both enjoyed the movie and it was interesting to get a glimpse of some of the inside Ford challenges Carroll Shelby had to deal with Overall I think if you want a night out it is worth seeing

With Christmas on December 25th and Chanukah on December 23rd I am sure it will be a busy and joyous holiday week

Warm wishes and happy holidays to you all

Respectfully Sal

3

SECRETARIES REPORT Meeting Recap November 4th 2019

JOHN CATTONAR Thunderbird Owners of New York Secretary

OLD BUSINESS

As we have done with most of our meetings we started late again 715 After the Pledge of Allegiance Pete Cochrane our treasurer reported we now have $203750 in our bank account

The club thanked Pete for setting up this years Pumpkin Run which was more like a Railroad Run than a Pumpkin Run Pete put allot of effort to pull together a great event and a fun day for the members who were able to attend It goes without saying that those of us who attended really appreciated

Next up Dennis Benfante reported that the company that does our club shirts and jackets has gone out of business If any members who know of a good company who could make up new shirts and jackets please contact Dennis with their contact information

It was good to see Steve Murray back at our meeting after a tough stint in the hospital Welcome back Steve

Bob Ceraso discussed that our club will be getting several new members It was hoped that they would be in attendance however they were unavailable to attend as hoped

NEW BUSINESS THIS MONTHS MEETING IS WHEN WE NOMINATE CLUB OFFICERS THE CURRENT 2019 SLATE OF OFFICERS WAS NOMINATED AS A GROUP AND WAS APPROVED BY VOICE VOTE BY THE CLUB MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE TO BE THE OFFICERS IN 2020 Sal Perrotta our award winning Editor will print up more info in the newsletter giving all the particulars

Mark your calendars Al and Eileen Continelli did a great deal of research to find a new venue for our annual Holiday Party Al presented a menu and information about a restaurant (Sophias) located on Merrick Road in Amityville

After some discussion and Alrsquos presentation a vote was taken and approved by the members in attendance at our November meeting

Our Holiday party will be help on Sunday January 12th 2020 The menu looks excellent and the cost per person will include beer wine and sodas The cost per person will be $5000 PP

4

Next Stan Matusewicz our club President reminded everyone about the upcoming charity Car show at Brookhaven Town Hall on Sunday the 10th Toys and food donations get you in for freeOur yearly visit to the Veterans living out at the Yaphank facility will be on Sunday Dec 8th this year Dont forget to bring something that they can use

Dennis Benfante then discussed the annual Patchogue Meet Santa Claus Parade which will be held on Nov 30th Please contact Dennis if you plan to attend this parade It was suggested that after the parade we all go to the California Diner on Sunrise Hwy for coffee and diner food

Our meeting closed at 805 with the 5050 being won by Joe Marchione $5700 (PS Steve didnt win yet)

From Al Continelli Re Holiday Party

PLEASE advance payment to PETER COCHRANE 41 ARTHUR AVE BLUE POINT NY 11715 or please bring your payment to the December TONY Meeting

5

From Sal Perrotta

These are what Thunderbirds dreams are made of

If you can have your pickthey are the cream of the crop Youve admired them for years longed for one dreamed of owning oneand if you were to buy the ultimate the very best of the best the pick of the litter these are the Thunderbirds youd be searching for

Models and equipment are listed in order of priority andor rarity1955 1956 1957

1 Early production number 1 Hard and Soft Tops 1 Supercharged V-8 Engine (F Code)2 Hard and Soft Tops 2 V-8 Engine wDual 4 bbl Carburetors

(E Code) Rare Paint Colors Buckskin

Tan Thunderbird Gray Sunset Coral

3 Dial-O-Matic Power Seat

Rare Paint Colors Goldenrod Yellow

4 All-White Interior Trim (XK code)

5 Hard and Soft Tops Rare Paint Colors Thunderbird Bronze

Coral Sand Dusk Rose1958 1959 1960

1 Convertible with factory air conditioning

1 Convertible with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

1 Sun Roof Hardtop with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

2 Convertible (rare due to production delays)

2 Hardtop with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

2 Convertible with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

3 Hardtop with factory air conditioning

3 Convertible 3 Hardtop with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

4 Power Passenger SeatRare Paint Colors Platinum Cameo Rose Monarch Blue

Rare Paint Colors Tahitian Bronze Steel Blue Flamingo Cordovan Casino Cream Tamarack Green

Rare Paint Colors Sultana Turquoise Springdale Rose Palm Springs Rose Gunpowder Gray

Factory air conditioning is preferred

Factory air conditioning is preferred

From Jeff Barlow 6

From Al Continelli Part of a series to be published in the newsletter Engine Tune-Up and General Maintenance Tiprsquos Part 2

7

From Arlene Swenson

8

Sunday December 8 2019 ndash 7th Annual Christmas for the Homeless Veterans - 10 am to 2 pm - The Veterans Place 32 Mill Road Yaphank NY 11980 ndash

The Veterans Place 32 Mill Road in Yaphank - all classic car clubs invited - drive your classic cars weather permitting

There will be a DJ amp food for all What we ask you to bring is canned food ndash non-perishable food

Toiletries bedding bath towels bath mats over-the-door hook for towels Clothing of different sizeshellipsweatshirts sizes L to XL-2 socks menrsquos womanrsquos hats gloves

Please put anything you bring in unwrapped boxes (or bags) and label contents and sizes on boxes Santa arrives at Noon No Admission Fee Hosted by Tom Driscoll Impressive amp Aggressive Car Club - any questions contact Tom Driscoll

tdriscol54gmailcom 631-902-1522

Directions Click here for DIRECTIONS to The Veteranrsquos Place or httpswwwnewsdaycomentertainmentlong-island-venuesview=standalonemapamplng=-729406666ampdaddr=32+Mill+Rd2C+Yaphank2C+NY+11980-1112amplat=408407397

For our TONY Members DUES ARE DUE

Club dues for 2020 are due by December 31 2019 Family membership $2500 SingleRegular membership $2000 Board members FREE ndash spouse of Board Member $500

Newsletter Advertisers $3600 annual fee for advertising in the Newsletter

Send your check made out to TONY and mail toPeter Cochrane 41 Arthur Avenue Blue Point NY 11715

From John Cattonar (CATTONARS CORNER)With the falling of leaves and temperatures so will the air pressure in your tires drop This is a good time to check your tire pressure Its also a good time to check that spare in the trunk which you havent looked at for years (Right Pat)

I recommend you put 38-40 lbs in the spare since you probably wont look at it for another few years If you have radials you should put in 32-35 lbs and for bias ply 27-30 lbs Also if your tires are more than 12-15 years old its highly recommended that you change them even if they look like new ESPECIALLY if youre going to be buzzing along at 70-75 MPH on the highway

Keep in mind that all tires are dated on the side of the tire with a DOT number How to decipher the numbers requires going on your computer and looking up the coding for when the tire was manufactured

HAPPY CRUIZIN JOHN CFrom Sal Perrotta (Re-Printed from Hagerty Web Site A Great Article by Donald W LeGoullon)

Step-by-step guide to winterizing your car9

Before storageSelect a dry dark location for storage mdash preferably with limited access Concrete flooring is best at keeping away moisture If you must store your car on a dirt floor place a plastic barrier under the vehicle and place carpet pieces or plywood under the tires Give the vehicle a good washwax Putting on and removing a vehicle cover will lead to unwanted scratches if the car is dirty Fill the fuel tank (preferably with premium) and add fuel stabilizer Be sure to run the vehicle to move fuel stabilizer into the carburetor fuel rails injectors etc The fuller the tank the less room there will be for air which carries moisture that can lead to fuel contamination and possibly rust within the tank Change the oil and filter right before putting away the vehicle The clean oil will reduce the risk of harmful contaminants working away at your engine during hibernation mdash and yoursquoll be ready to go in spring Check the antifreeze Add air to the tires If youre storing your car offsite some insurance companies require you to report the address of the offsite location Check with your insurer to determine your policys requirements

When storing

Place baking soda refrigerator packages in the interior and trunk areas To keep insects and vermin out of the car put a plastic bag over the air cleanerair inlet and exhaust pipe(s) You also can cover these with aluminum foil and tape securely Place mothballs in the tailpipe and around the outside of the car or insert steel wool in the tailpipe Place the vehicle on jack stands This step avoids tire flat spots and adds longevity to the suspension because it is not supporting the vehiclersquos weight during storage For your battery take one of the following actions Unhook the battery by removing the negative cable first and store it separately mdash never on a concrete floor and preferably where it will not freeze or leave the battery in the car and put a battery tender on it if there is power available That way if you want to start it a few times in the winter you donrsquot have to put the battery in and out Close all of the windows If the vehicle will be exposed to freezing temperatures be certain no personal items that may freeze or burst are left in the vehicle There are varying theories about periodically starting the vehicle This writer feels unless you get the engine up to operating temperature for a good 10-plus minute to burn off the water vapors that initially develop at startup-cold operation starting is not a good idea Anything less will leave water in the combustion chamber and all exhaust components

Bringing your baby back to life

Charge the battery for a solid 24 hours When returning the battery to the vehicle attach the positive cable first Once your car is uncovered inspect it for any signs of insect or vermin damage Remove the baking soda units If you forget them they may spill during driving Itrsquos a good idea to check for floor leaks check all fluid levels and check the tire pressures Remove plastic bag (aluminum foil) from over air cleanerair inlet and exhaust pipe(s) Apply the brakes ensure they work and that you have a good pedal The steel brake lines can rust out and leak and vermin can chew through the rubber brake hoses Start the vehicle and check for any fluid leaks

10

Give it some extra time to warm up and check the lights horn etc while the temperature begins to rise Drive it slowly for a mile or so Some components such as transmissions and rear-ends require movement for fullproper lubrication After driving a bit check it again for leaks etc Your car cover may have become dusty over the long winter months mdash give it a good cleaning according to the manufacturerrsquos instructions

From Dennis Benfante (Copy of an article sent to CTCI written by Dennis)

To CTCI (Jim Spawn)

Im sending you an article about Sayville Summer Fest I will send you several pics to accompany the article

Thank you for the article about our Annual Show for Building Homes for Heroes I received so many compliments you did a great job including it in the current issue On August 11th 2019 the Town of Sayville located in New York on Long Islands south shore held its 40th Annual

Sayville Summer Fest The local streets are closed for the entire weekend with scores of vendors selling everything from soup to nuts and I do mean this literally You could get soup and or nuts and crafts of all kinds Hundreds of vendors on Saturday amp Sunday The only difference is that on Sunday the main street is filled with over 400 cars

This is a great day for spectators to enjoy the hundreds of fine vehicles lining both sides of the street This year there were five Little Birds from Thunderbird Owners of New York ( TONY Chapter 49 of CTCI)

We just so happened to be parked in front of the local Bridal Shop (Ivory amp Main) There was some picture activity by the store window so I went over to look and there in the window was a young lady modeling dresses well me being me offered her to model with our cars Her reply was Can I model in the car But of course So check out Roxy in my car and with me on the rear deck

I guess one of the perks of having a TBird is the opportunity to have a beautiful woman like Roxy to enjoy them too I certainly did

Dennis BenfanteEast Patchogue NY CTCI 30603

11

12

From Sal Perrotta

This is an easy one

1 The nuts that hold the rim onto the car are called

a Wheel nuts b Nuts c Lug nuts d Wheel Fasteners

2 Lock-in hubs are used to engage

a Limited slip differential b Posi-trac c Four wheel drive d Theft protection

3 Three on the tree refers to the shifting gear being located on what part of the vehicle

a Center Console b Steering column c Steering wheel d Floor

4 M+S combination tires are intended for

a Off Roading b Mud and snow use c Messy and slippery situation use d General use

5 The headers are part of which vehicle system

a Exhaust b Drive train c Seating d Wheel assembly

6 The distributor cap controls what function

a Lubrication distribution13

b Cooling distribution c Spark distribution d Power distribution

7 Coupe vehicles have how many doors

a Three b Four c Two d One

8 Spoilers are used to perform what function

a Increase fuel economy b Look cool c Add down force d Add up force

9 Ram air forces air into what part of the vehicle

a Into the Cab b Into the engine compartment c Over the Car d Into the air conditioning unit

10 Halo headlights are controversial because of their

a Brightness b Color c Shape d Fragile nature

From Classic Auto Supply Company CASCOrdquo

14

December Quiz Answers1 ndashA 4 ndash B 7 ndash C

2 ndash C 5 ndashA 8 ndashC

3 ndash B 6 ndash C 9 ndash B

10 -A

1955 1956 1957

Price new $2944 $3163 $3408 Production 16155 15631 21380Wheel base 102 102 102

Overall length 1752 1852 1852Overall height 522 522 516Overall width 702 702 728

Ground Clearance 55 59 59Tread 56 56 56

Turning Diameter 36 36 36Curb Weight 3232 lbs 3315 lbs 3324 lbs

Crankcase capacity 6 quart 6 quart 6 quartCooling system capacity 21 quart 21 quart 21 quart

Fuel tank capacity 17 gal 17 gal 20 gal

Engines available

DispCarbHP 2924v198

2924v202

3124v225

2922v212

3124v245

3128v270

312SC300

From CTCI

15

ARE YOU A MEMBER NOW WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO JOIN

Classic Thunderbird Club InternationalToll Free 8004882709 bull PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116 USA1048579 bull Email ctciofficectciorg

Web site wwwctciorg

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONPLEASE TYPE OR PRINTName____________________________________________________Spousersquos Name______________________________________Mailing Address______________________________________________________________________________________________City_______________________________________________ StateProvince______________ ZipMail Code___________________Telephone (______)_____________________________ Email Address__________________________________________________CTCI Chapter Affiliation (if any) _________________________________________________________________________________

bull New members please fill out application and send payment (in US funds ONLY) to the address below

bull Make checks payable to CTCI or pay by credit card by email fax or phone

bull Mail to CLASSIC THUNDERBIRD CLUB INT PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116

Please select one of the following prorated amounts Month Joining One Time Initiation Fee + Dues = Total January thru March $1500 + $3750 = $5250 April thru June $1500 + $2900 = $4400 July thru September $1500 + $1900 = $3400 October thru December $1500 + $1000 = $2500 NOTE Add $1800 to select Premium Packet with CTCI Grill Emblem

Annual dues renewal will be $3750 payable January 1 of each yearSignature _______________________________Date ______ Check here 1048658 if you wish to be listed in the CTCI roster as of April 1st

I give permission for my 1048658 phone number andor 1048658 email address to be listed in the CTCI roster(NOTE Phone numbers amp email are for office use only or for the roster if you choose to have it published Roster addresses may be sold only to T-Bird vendors to be used only for catalog purposesAre you a former member of CTCI 1048658 Yes 1048658 No If Yes what is your former CTCI membership number ________________________

Sponsored or Referred by _______________________________________________ CTCI (if known) ________________

16

From Sal Perrotta (Reprint from Newsday)

What You Must Do If Your Cars Headlights Run All Day The Two Truths Every Modern Car Owner Must KnowApril 16 2019

Closely inspect your insurance bill before you pay it

Because 260 million US drivers need insurance its no surprise this startup is being used by millions In September many drivers used this startup to potentially claim extreme insurance discounts

After much research and feedback here is a list of the potential discounts Following these steps may save the average driver up to $53600 a year

First if your car has anti-lock brakes day-time running lights or air bags ndash you may qualify for a discount If you qualify for 2 or 3 of these discounts the savings are often significant

Next to max out your savings youll want to claim specific driving record discounts There are a few insurers that will give a discount for no traffic tickets within 3 years Secondly having no car accidents in the last 3 years shows an insurer that youre skilled at avoiding accidents and your care while driving

Additionally if you live in a qualified postal code or neighborhood with minimal thefts you may save even more

Not everyone claims these discounts ndash heres why In 2015 only 13 of drivers switched insurers This is a low number It has been such a hassle because you had to check one site and then go to another And do the work to input your information several times Now this exciting tool has gained popularity Its an independent comparison shopping marketplace In 2017 the parent company of this project was listed on Inc 5000 as one of

17

fastest growing companies Clearly customers are using them and finding what theyre looking for ndash lower quotes

Whats the next step Unknown too many drivers agents make commission from your premiums The higher your current rate the more the agent receives The rule to beat this system and get fair quotes is simple To get the biggest savings compare discounted rates from a vast network of insurers (licensed in your area)

Even if you compared quotes recently most services leave insurers unchecked You may feel you have a low rate but if you could shave off another hundred or two what could you do with those savings

From Sal Perrotta Reprinted from Hagerty (by Brendan McAleer)

The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird

Back in rsquo55 came my first rsquoBird coupe the headlights had hoods and the hood had a scoopldquorsquo55 rsquoBirdrdquo mdash The AstronautsOn May 12 2013 Commander Chris Hadfield became the first person to record a music video in space His cover of David Bowiersquos ldquoSpace Oddityrdquo was an instant hit garnering millions of views Bowie himself was impressed calling the video ldquothe most poignant version of the song ever createdrdquo While the fate of the songrsquos Major Tom remains a mystery Commander Hadfieldrsquos fate doesnrsquot He would return safely to Earth and then hersquod drive home in his 1955 Ford ThunderbirdFreshly restored in Snowshoe White that same T-Bird was on display at the 2019 Cobble Beach Concours DrsquoElegance in Owen Bay Ontario Driving interviewed Commander Hadfield about his T-bird and about his car history growing up on a farm in Milton OntarioHadfield learned to drive tractors at age 12 before graduating to a 1962 Oldsmobile Delta 88 with (what else) a Rocket 88 V-8 under hood He owned a rsquo62 Oldsmobile then a rsquo64 VW Bug in university Then came marriage and family and the very John Glenn choice of a 1983 Mercury Marquis woody wagon But the boy who became the first Canadian to walk in space and command the International Space Station had always had a differently wheeled dream We caught up with him by phone en route to an astronaut conference in Montreal

18

ldquoAbsolutely I wanted to hold out for a rsquo55rdquo Hadfield says ldquoThe rsquo57 was bigger and the rsquo56 with the Continental back and opera windows was different too Basically my whole life Irsquove thought the rsquo55 was the perfect combination of design power and sizerdquo

Elliot Alder

The Ford Thunderbird debuted in 1955 not as a direct rival to the Chevrolet Corvette but instead as a slightly different take on a two-seater Inspired by a 1952 Ferrari Barchetta gifted to Henry Ford IImdashin the days before the two companies went to warmdashthe Thunderbird was sleek low and powerful for its day However it was intended as a personal car luxurious and convenient to drive The engine was a 192-cubic-inch V-8 which made 193 hp with the three-speed manual or 198 hp with a Ford-O-Matic three-speed autoHadfield had to wait until 2001 but he finally got his rsquo55 He bought the car over the phone from Star City Russia where he was working as Director of Operations of NASA A couple of years later he and his father Roger had repaired the T-Birdrsquos flaws and a new job at NASArsquos Johnson Space Center in Houston beckoned A normal person might have shipped the car down to live in a garage Hadfield and his then-16-year-old son Evan loaded the T-Bird to the gills and made a road trip out of itldquoWe hit every worldrsquos biggest ball of string on the way even stopped off at Graceland and got Elvis glasses The car was pretty fullmdashmaybe we could have used the Continental back that triprdquo Hadfield laughsThen between 2003 and 2013 NASArsquos Chief of Robotics and later Chief of the International Space Station Operations daily-drove a 50-year-old Ford to work every day

ldquoMy commute was only about 10 minutes and no highwaysrdquo Hadfield says ldquoI didnrsquot drive it if the weather was bad But they dont really have winter down there Every single time I drove it I was delighted It was funrdquo

19

ldquoYou donrsquot want to risk a car unnecessarilyrdquo he adds ldquoBut you do want to honor it Everything about it is within my ability to fix and I bought the car to be involved in itrdquoAccording to the Commander his Thunderbird wasnrsquot a unicorn in the NASA parking lot Astronauts have a tradition of being interested in cars with most of the Apollo teams driving Corvettes But itrsquos not just about speedldquoAll astronauts are pretty hands-on kinds of peoplerdquo Hadfield says ldquoYou have to be pretty self-sufficientmdashtherersquos nobody to call in spacerdquoNow retired at the age of 60 Commander Hadfield seems busier than ever Hersquos written several books including one for children and is a popular speaker at events Hersquos also very active on Twitter Pressed on whether hersquod like to add anything to his garage Hadfield responds with a laugh

ldquoAt this point I feel like I only have the time to be faithful to one carrdquo he saysHowever his father Roger has a varied collection that includes Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts and McLaughlin-Buicks And Chris is interested to see whether his children will share a generational interest spurred by the Thunderbird The car is something of a bridge across the years worked on by Hadfield with his dad and shared with his sons and daughterNow restored by Dave Harrison of Straffordville Ontario over 14 months Hadfieldrsquos rsquo55 T-Bird stands ready for years of faithful service It is a dream come to life grounded to the earth ready for the next sortie Commencing countdown engines on 1 16

20

3

21

22

23

Member DateFran Paci 121Mary Benfante 121Jeffrey Heilig 124Robert McMinn 127Al Continelli 1210Dennis Blinder 1211Joe Marchione 1219Miguel (Mike) Borrero 1220Lucille Marchione 1221Andrew Signoriello 1222

  • The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird
Page 3: clubs.hemmings.comclubs.hemmings.com/tony/Newsletter Dec 2019-W.docx  · Web viewOFFICERS:PresidentStan Matusewicz – 631-231-3156curver@optonline.netVice PresidentDennis Benfante–

Newsletter Message Sal Perrotta

As it happens every year the holidays are almost here and I am sure you are all planning to spend the holidays with friends and family

The holidays are a time to embrace family traditions and breakout recipes that have been handed down through the generations of our families I know I have enjoyed not only eating many of the holiday foods my family have always prepared but the real enjoyment is putting them together with other family members in attendance

However you chose to spend your holiday I hope it is a joyous one for you and your family

In about a month Phyllis and I will be going to Florida for the winter and I will miss several TONY meetings I would like to ask that you stay in touch with me and sent me information that you would like to include in the newsletter

I am still driving my Thunderbird but I will winterize it soon and storing it away for the winter I have a number of projects I would like to get done next season and hope that you will be considering some updates you want to get done to resolve issues or just make the ride more fun Please be sure to tell me about your project plans so I can include some information about your effort Please be sure to include pictures you would like to share with the club I sure you would agree it is the journey we all find interesting

Al and Eileen Continelli did a great job for the club finding a terrific location for the annual holiday party

As in the past the holiday party cost is very reasonable however getting it organized is quite a bit of work We are asking that you commit early and please reach out to Pete to let him know if you plan to attend Send Pete your check The information about the Holiday party is in this monthrsquos newsletter

Arlene Swenson sent me a reminder about the Christmas event at the Veterans Home I hope you can attend that event Additionally she reminded us that our club dues are due Please renew as soon as you can

Last night Phyllis and I went to the movies to see the new movie ldquoFord vs Ferrarirdquo We both enjoyed the movie and it was interesting to get a glimpse of some of the inside Ford challenges Carroll Shelby had to deal with Overall I think if you want a night out it is worth seeing

With Christmas on December 25th and Chanukah on December 23rd I am sure it will be a busy and joyous holiday week

Warm wishes and happy holidays to you all

Respectfully Sal

3

SECRETARIES REPORT Meeting Recap November 4th 2019

JOHN CATTONAR Thunderbird Owners of New York Secretary

OLD BUSINESS

As we have done with most of our meetings we started late again 715 After the Pledge of Allegiance Pete Cochrane our treasurer reported we now have $203750 in our bank account

The club thanked Pete for setting up this years Pumpkin Run which was more like a Railroad Run than a Pumpkin Run Pete put allot of effort to pull together a great event and a fun day for the members who were able to attend It goes without saying that those of us who attended really appreciated

Next up Dennis Benfante reported that the company that does our club shirts and jackets has gone out of business If any members who know of a good company who could make up new shirts and jackets please contact Dennis with their contact information

It was good to see Steve Murray back at our meeting after a tough stint in the hospital Welcome back Steve

Bob Ceraso discussed that our club will be getting several new members It was hoped that they would be in attendance however they were unavailable to attend as hoped

NEW BUSINESS THIS MONTHS MEETING IS WHEN WE NOMINATE CLUB OFFICERS THE CURRENT 2019 SLATE OF OFFICERS WAS NOMINATED AS A GROUP AND WAS APPROVED BY VOICE VOTE BY THE CLUB MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE TO BE THE OFFICERS IN 2020 Sal Perrotta our award winning Editor will print up more info in the newsletter giving all the particulars

Mark your calendars Al and Eileen Continelli did a great deal of research to find a new venue for our annual Holiday Party Al presented a menu and information about a restaurant (Sophias) located on Merrick Road in Amityville

After some discussion and Alrsquos presentation a vote was taken and approved by the members in attendance at our November meeting

Our Holiday party will be help on Sunday January 12th 2020 The menu looks excellent and the cost per person will include beer wine and sodas The cost per person will be $5000 PP

4

Next Stan Matusewicz our club President reminded everyone about the upcoming charity Car show at Brookhaven Town Hall on Sunday the 10th Toys and food donations get you in for freeOur yearly visit to the Veterans living out at the Yaphank facility will be on Sunday Dec 8th this year Dont forget to bring something that they can use

Dennis Benfante then discussed the annual Patchogue Meet Santa Claus Parade which will be held on Nov 30th Please contact Dennis if you plan to attend this parade It was suggested that after the parade we all go to the California Diner on Sunrise Hwy for coffee and diner food

Our meeting closed at 805 with the 5050 being won by Joe Marchione $5700 (PS Steve didnt win yet)

From Al Continelli Re Holiday Party

PLEASE advance payment to PETER COCHRANE 41 ARTHUR AVE BLUE POINT NY 11715 or please bring your payment to the December TONY Meeting

5

From Sal Perrotta

These are what Thunderbirds dreams are made of

If you can have your pickthey are the cream of the crop Youve admired them for years longed for one dreamed of owning oneand if you were to buy the ultimate the very best of the best the pick of the litter these are the Thunderbirds youd be searching for

Models and equipment are listed in order of priority andor rarity1955 1956 1957

1 Early production number 1 Hard and Soft Tops 1 Supercharged V-8 Engine (F Code)2 Hard and Soft Tops 2 V-8 Engine wDual 4 bbl Carburetors

(E Code) Rare Paint Colors Buckskin

Tan Thunderbird Gray Sunset Coral

3 Dial-O-Matic Power Seat

Rare Paint Colors Goldenrod Yellow

4 All-White Interior Trim (XK code)

5 Hard and Soft Tops Rare Paint Colors Thunderbird Bronze

Coral Sand Dusk Rose1958 1959 1960

1 Convertible with factory air conditioning

1 Convertible with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

1 Sun Roof Hardtop with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

2 Convertible (rare due to production delays)

2 Hardtop with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

2 Convertible with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

3 Hardtop with factory air conditioning

3 Convertible 3 Hardtop with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

4 Power Passenger SeatRare Paint Colors Platinum Cameo Rose Monarch Blue

Rare Paint Colors Tahitian Bronze Steel Blue Flamingo Cordovan Casino Cream Tamarack Green

Rare Paint Colors Sultana Turquoise Springdale Rose Palm Springs Rose Gunpowder Gray

Factory air conditioning is preferred

Factory air conditioning is preferred

From Jeff Barlow 6

From Al Continelli Part of a series to be published in the newsletter Engine Tune-Up and General Maintenance Tiprsquos Part 2

7

From Arlene Swenson

8

Sunday December 8 2019 ndash 7th Annual Christmas for the Homeless Veterans - 10 am to 2 pm - The Veterans Place 32 Mill Road Yaphank NY 11980 ndash

The Veterans Place 32 Mill Road in Yaphank - all classic car clubs invited - drive your classic cars weather permitting

There will be a DJ amp food for all What we ask you to bring is canned food ndash non-perishable food

Toiletries bedding bath towels bath mats over-the-door hook for towels Clothing of different sizeshellipsweatshirts sizes L to XL-2 socks menrsquos womanrsquos hats gloves

Please put anything you bring in unwrapped boxes (or bags) and label contents and sizes on boxes Santa arrives at Noon No Admission Fee Hosted by Tom Driscoll Impressive amp Aggressive Car Club - any questions contact Tom Driscoll

tdriscol54gmailcom 631-902-1522

Directions Click here for DIRECTIONS to The Veteranrsquos Place or httpswwwnewsdaycomentertainmentlong-island-venuesview=standalonemapamplng=-729406666ampdaddr=32+Mill+Rd2C+Yaphank2C+NY+11980-1112amplat=408407397

For our TONY Members DUES ARE DUE

Club dues for 2020 are due by December 31 2019 Family membership $2500 SingleRegular membership $2000 Board members FREE ndash spouse of Board Member $500

Newsletter Advertisers $3600 annual fee for advertising in the Newsletter

Send your check made out to TONY and mail toPeter Cochrane 41 Arthur Avenue Blue Point NY 11715

From John Cattonar (CATTONARS CORNER)With the falling of leaves and temperatures so will the air pressure in your tires drop This is a good time to check your tire pressure Its also a good time to check that spare in the trunk which you havent looked at for years (Right Pat)

I recommend you put 38-40 lbs in the spare since you probably wont look at it for another few years If you have radials you should put in 32-35 lbs and for bias ply 27-30 lbs Also if your tires are more than 12-15 years old its highly recommended that you change them even if they look like new ESPECIALLY if youre going to be buzzing along at 70-75 MPH on the highway

Keep in mind that all tires are dated on the side of the tire with a DOT number How to decipher the numbers requires going on your computer and looking up the coding for when the tire was manufactured

HAPPY CRUIZIN JOHN CFrom Sal Perrotta (Re-Printed from Hagerty Web Site A Great Article by Donald W LeGoullon)

Step-by-step guide to winterizing your car9

Before storageSelect a dry dark location for storage mdash preferably with limited access Concrete flooring is best at keeping away moisture If you must store your car on a dirt floor place a plastic barrier under the vehicle and place carpet pieces or plywood under the tires Give the vehicle a good washwax Putting on and removing a vehicle cover will lead to unwanted scratches if the car is dirty Fill the fuel tank (preferably with premium) and add fuel stabilizer Be sure to run the vehicle to move fuel stabilizer into the carburetor fuel rails injectors etc The fuller the tank the less room there will be for air which carries moisture that can lead to fuel contamination and possibly rust within the tank Change the oil and filter right before putting away the vehicle The clean oil will reduce the risk of harmful contaminants working away at your engine during hibernation mdash and yoursquoll be ready to go in spring Check the antifreeze Add air to the tires If youre storing your car offsite some insurance companies require you to report the address of the offsite location Check with your insurer to determine your policys requirements

When storing

Place baking soda refrigerator packages in the interior and trunk areas To keep insects and vermin out of the car put a plastic bag over the air cleanerair inlet and exhaust pipe(s) You also can cover these with aluminum foil and tape securely Place mothballs in the tailpipe and around the outside of the car or insert steel wool in the tailpipe Place the vehicle on jack stands This step avoids tire flat spots and adds longevity to the suspension because it is not supporting the vehiclersquos weight during storage For your battery take one of the following actions Unhook the battery by removing the negative cable first and store it separately mdash never on a concrete floor and preferably where it will not freeze or leave the battery in the car and put a battery tender on it if there is power available That way if you want to start it a few times in the winter you donrsquot have to put the battery in and out Close all of the windows If the vehicle will be exposed to freezing temperatures be certain no personal items that may freeze or burst are left in the vehicle There are varying theories about periodically starting the vehicle This writer feels unless you get the engine up to operating temperature for a good 10-plus minute to burn off the water vapors that initially develop at startup-cold operation starting is not a good idea Anything less will leave water in the combustion chamber and all exhaust components

Bringing your baby back to life

Charge the battery for a solid 24 hours When returning the battery to the vehicle attach the positive cable first Once your car is uncovered inspect it for any signs of insect or vermin damage Remove the baking soda units If you forget them they may spill during driving Itrsquos a good idea to check for floor leaks check all fluid levels and check the tire pressures Remove plastic bag (aluminum foil) from over air cleanerair inlet and exhaust pipe(s) Apply the brakes ensure they work and that you have a good pedal The steel brake lines can rust out and leak and vermin can chew through the rubber brake hoses Start the vehicle and check for any fluid leaks

10

Give it some extra time to warm up and check the lights horn etc while the temperature begins to rise Drive it slowly for a mile or so Some components such as transmissions and rear-ends require movement for fullproper lubrication After driving a bit check it again for leaks etc Your car cover may have become dusty over the long winter months mdash give it a good cleaning according to the manufacturerrsquos instructions

From Dennis Benfante (Copy of an article sent to CTCI written by Dennis)

To CTCI (Jim Spawn)

Im sending you an article about Sayville Summer Fest I will send you several pics to accompany the article

Thank you for the article about our Annual Show for Building Homes for Heroes I received so many compliments you did a great job including it in the current issue On August 11th 2019 the Town of Sayville located in New York on Long Islands south shore held its 40th Annual

Sayville Summer Fest The local streets are closed for the entire weekend with scores of vendors selling everything from soup to nuts and I do mean this literally You could get soup and or nuts and crafts of all kinds Hundreds of vendors on Saturday amp Sunday The only difference is that on Sunday the main street is filled with over 400 cars

This is a great day for spectators to enjoy the hundreds of fine vehicles lining both sides of the street This year there were five Little Birds from Thunderbird Owners of New York ( TONY Chapter 49 of CTCI)

We just so happened to be parked in front of the local Bridal Shop (Ivory amp Main) There was some picture activity by the store window so I went over to look and there in the window was a young lady modeling dresses well me being me offered her to model with our cars Her reply was Can I model in the car But of course So check out Roxy in my car and with me on the rear deck

I guess one of the perks of having a TBird is the opportunity to have a beautiful woman like Roxy to enjoy them too I certainly did

Dennis BenfanteEast Patchogue NY CTCI 30603

11

12

From Sal Perrotta

This is an easy one

1 The nuts that hold the rim onto the car are called

a Wheel nuts b Nuts c Lug nuts d Wheel Fasteners

2 Lock-in hubs are used to engage

a Limited slip differential b Posi-trac c Four wheel drive d Theft protection

3 Three on the tree refers to the shifting gear being located on what part of the vehicle

a Center Console b Steering column c Steering wheel d Floor

4 M+S combination tires are intended for

a Off Roading b Mud and snow use c Messy and slippery situation use d General use

5 The headers are part of which vehicle system

a Exhaust b Drive train c Seating d Wheel assembly

6 The distributor cap controls what function

a Lubrication distribution13

b Cooling distribution c Spark distribution d Power distribution

7 Coupe vehicles have how many doors

a Three b Four c Two d One

8 Spoilers are used to perform what function

a Increase fuel economy b Look cool c Add down force d Add up force

9 Ram air forces air into what part of the vehicle

a Into the Cab b Into the engine compartment c Over the Car d Into the air conditioning unit

10 Halo headlights are controversial because of their

a Brightness b Color c Shape d Fragile nature

From Classic Auto Supply Company CASCOrdquo

14

December Quiz Answers1 ndashA 4 ndash B 7 ndash C

2 ndash C 5 ndashA 8 ndashC

3 ndash B 6 ndash C 9 ndash B

10 -A

1955 1956 1957

Price new $2944 $3163 $3408 Production 16155 15631 21380Wheel base 102 102 102

Overall length 1752 1852 1852Overall height 522 522 516Overall width 702 702 728

Ground Clearance 55 59 59Tread 56 56 56

Turning Diameter 36 36 36Curb Weight 3232 lbs 3315 lbs 3324 lbs

Crankcase capacity 6 quart 6 quart 6 quartCooling system capacity 21 quart 21 quart 21 quart

Fuel tank capacity 17 gal 17 gal 20 gal

Engines available

DispCarbHP 2924v198

2924v202

3124v225

2922v212

3124v245

3128v270

312SC300

From CTCI

15

ARE YOU A MEMBER NOW WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO JOIN

Classic Thunderbird Club InternationalToll Free 8004882709 bull PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116 USA1048579 bull Email ctciofficectciorg

Web site wwwctciorg

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONPLEASE TYPE OR PRINTName____________________________________________________Spousersquos Name______________________________________Mailing Address______________________________________________________________________________________________City_______________________________________________ StateProvince______________ ZipMail Code___________________Telephone (______)_____________________________ Email Address__________________________________________________CTCI Chapter Affiliation (if any) _________________________________________________________________________________

bull New members please fill out application and send payment (in US funds ONLY) to the address below

bull Make checks payable to CTCI or pay by credit card by email fax or phone

bull Mail to CLASSIC THUNDERBIRD CLUB INT PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116

Please select one of the following prorated amounts Month Joining One Time Initiation Fee + Dues = Total January thru March $1500 + $3750 = $5250 April thru June $1500 + $2900 = $4400 July thru September $1500 + $1900 = $3400 October thru December $1500 + $1000 = $2500 NOTE Add $1800 to select Premium Packet with CTCI Grill Emblem

Annual dues renewal will be $3750 payable January 1 of each yearSignature _______________________________Date ______ Check here 1048658 if you wish to be listed in the CTCI roster as of April 1st

I give permission for my 1048658 phone number andor 1048658 email address to be listed in the CTCI roster(NOTE Phone numbers amp email are for office use only or for the roster if you choose to have it published Roster addresses may be sold only to T-Bird vendors to be used only for catalog purposesAre you a former member of CTCI 1048658 Yes 1048658 No If Yes what is your former CTCI membership number ________________________

Sponsored or Referred by _______________________________________________ CTCI (if known) ________________

16

From Sal Perrotta (Reprint from Newsday)

What You Must Do If Your Cars Headlights Run All Day The Two Truths Every Modern Car Owner Must KnowApril 16 2019

Closely inspect your insurance bill before you pay it

Because 260 million US drivers need insurance its no surprise this startup is being used by millions In September many drivers used this startup to potentially claim extreme insurance discounts

After much research and feedback here is a list of the potential discounts Following these steps may save the average driver up to $53600 a year

First if your car has anti-lock brakes day-time running lights or air bags ndash you may qualify for a discount If you qualify for 2 or 3 of these discounts the savings are often significant

Next to max out your savings youll want to claim specific driving record discounts There are a few insurers that will give a discount for no traffic tickets within 3 years Secondly having no car accidents in the last 3 years shows an insurer that youre skilled at avoiding accidents and your care while driving

Additionally if you live in a qualified postal code or neighborhood with minimal thefts you may save even more

Not everyone claims these discounts ndash heres why In 2015 only 13 of drivers switched insurers This is a low number It has been such a hassle because you had to check one site and then go to another And do the work to input your information several times Now this exciting tool has gained popularity Its an independent comparison shopping marketplace In 2017 the parent company of this project was listed on Inc 5000 as one of

17

fastest growing companies Clearly customers are using them and finding what theyre looking for ndash lower quotes

Whats the next step Unknown too many drivers agents make commission from your premiums The higher your current rate the more the agent receives The rule to beat this system and get fair quotes is simple To get the biggest savings compare discounted rates from a vast network of insurers (licensed in your area)

Even if you compared quotes recently most services leave insurers unchecked You may feel you have a low rate but if you could shave off another hundred or two what could you do with those savings

From Sal Perrotta Reprinted from Hagerty (by Brendan McAleer)

The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird

Back in rsquo55 came my first rsquoBird coupe the headlights had hoods and the hood had a scoopldquorsquo55 rsquoBirdrdquo mdash The AstronautsOn May 12 2013 Commander Chris Hadfield became the first person to record a music video in space His cover of David Bowiersquos ldquoSpace Oddityrdquo was an instant hit garnering millions of views Bowie himself was impressed calling the video ldquothe most poignant version of the song ever createdrdquo While the fate of the songrsquos Major Tom remains a mystery Commander Hadfieldrsquos fate doesnrsquot He would return safely to Earth and then hersquod drive home in his 1955 Ford ThunderbirdFreshly restored in Snowshoe White that same T-Bird was on display at the 2019 Cobble Beach Concours DrsquoElegance in Owen Bay Ontario Driving interviewed Commander Hadfield about his T-bird and about his car history growing up on a farm in Milton OntarioHadfield learned to drive tractors at age 12 before graduating to a 1962 Oldsmobile Delta 88 with (what else) a Rocket 88 V-8 under hood He owned a rsquo62 Oldsmobile then a rsquo64 VW Bug in university Then came marriage and family and the very John Glenn choice of a 1983 Mercury Marquis woody wagon But the boy who became the first Canadian to walk in space and command the International Space Station had always had a differently wheeled dream We caught up with him by phone en route to an astronaut conference in Montreal

18

ldquoAbsolutely I wanted to hold out for a rsquo55rdquo Hadfield says ldquoThe rsquo57 was bigger and the rsquo56 with the Continental back and opera windows was different too Basically my whole life Irsquove thought the rsquo55 was the perfect combination of design power and sizerdquo

Elliot Alder

The Ford Thunderbird debuted in 1955 not as a direct rival to the Chevrolet Corvette but instead as a slightly different take on a two-seater Inspired by a 1952 Ferrari Barchetta gifted to Henry Ford IImdashin the days before the two companies went to warmdashthe Thunderbird was sleek low and powerful for its day However it was intended as a personal car luxurious and convenient to drive The engine was a 192-cubic-inch V-8 which made 193 hp with the three-speed manual or 198 hp with a Ford-O-Matic three-speed autoHadfield had to wait until 2001 but he finally got his rsquo55 He bought the car over the phone from Star City Russia where he was working as Director of Operations of NASA A couple of years later he and his father Roger had repaired the T-Birdrsquos flaws and a new job at NASArsquos Johnson Space Center in Houston beckoned A normal person might have shipped the car down to live in a garage Hadfield and his then-16-year-old son Evan loaded the T-Bird to the gills and made a road trip out of itldquoWe hit every worldrsquos biggest ball of string on the way even stopped off at Graceland and got Elvis glasses The car was pretty fullmdashmaybe we could have used the Continental back that triprdquo Hadfield laughsThen between 2003 and 2013 NASArsquos Chief of Robotics and later Chief of the International Space Station Operations daily-drove a 50-year-old Ford to work every day

ldquoMy commute was only about 10 minutes and no highwaysrdquo Hadfield says ldquoI didnrsquot drive it if the weather was bad But they dont really have winter down there Every single time I drove it I was delighted It was funrdquo

19

ldquoYou donrsquot want to risk a car unnecessarilyrdquo he adds ldquoBut you do want to honor it Everything about it is within my ability to fix and I bought the car to be involved in itrdquoAccording to the Commander his Thunderbird wasnrsquot a unicorn in the NASA parking lot Astronauts have a tradition of being interested in cars with most of the Apollo teams driving Corvettes But itrsquos not just about speedldquoAll astronauts are pretty hands-on kinds of peoplerdquo Hadfield says ldquoYou have to be pretty self-sufficientmdashtherersquos nobody to call in spacerdquoNow retired at the age of 60 Commander Hadfield seems busier than ever Hersquos written several books including one for children and is a popular speaker at events Hersquos also very active on Twitter Pressed on whether hersquod like to add anything to his garage Hadfield responds with a laugh

ldquoAt this point I feel like I only have the time to be faithful to one carrdquo he saysHowever his father Roger has a varied collection that includes Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts and McLaughlin-Buicks And Chris is interested to see whether his children will share a generational interest spurred by the Thunderbird The car is something of a bridge across the years worked on by Hadfield with his dad and shared with his sons and daughterNow restored by Dave Harrison of Straffordville Ontario over 14 months Hadfieldrsquos rsquo55 T-Bird stands ready for years of faithful service It is a dream come to life grounded to the earth ready for the next sortie Commencing countdown engines on 1 16

20

3

21

22

23

Member DateFran Paci 121Mary Benfante 121Jeffrey Heilig 124Robert McMinn 127Al Continelli 1210Dennis Blinder 1211Joe Marchione 1219Miguel (Mike) Borrero 1220Lucille Marchione 1221Andrew Signoriello 1222

  • The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird
Page 4: clubs.hemmings.comclubs.hemmings.com/tony/Newsletter Dec 2019-W.docx  · Web viewOFFICERS:PresidentStan Matusewicz – 631-231-3156curver@optonline.netVice PresidentDennis Benfante–

SECRETARIES REPORT Meeting Recap November 4th 2019

JOHN CATTONAR Thunderbird Owners of New York Secretary

OLD BUSINESS

As we have done with most of our meetings we started late again 715 After the Pledge of Allegiance Pete Cochrane our treasurer reported we now have $203750 in our bank account

The club thanked Pete for setting up this years Pumpkin Run which was more like a Railroad Run than a Pumpkin Run Pete put allot of effort to pull together a great event and a fun day for the members who were able to attend It goes without saying that those of us who attended really appreciated

Next up Dennis Benfante reported that the company that does our club shirts and jackets has gone out of business If any members who know of a good company who could make up new shirts and jackets please contact Dennis with their contact information

It was good to see Steve Murray back at our meeting after a tough stint in the hospital Welcome back Steve

Bob Ceraso discussed that our club will be getting several new members It was hoped that they would be in attendance however they were unavailable to attend as hoped

NEW BUSINESS THIS MONTHS MEETING IS WHEN WE NOMINATE CLUB OFFICERS THE CURRENT 2019 SLATE OF OFFICERS WAS NOMINATED AS A GROUP AND WAS APPROVED BY VOICE VOTE BY THE CLUB MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE TO BE THE OFFICERS IN 2020 Sal Perrotta our award winning Editor will print up more info in the newsletter giving all the particulars

Mark your calendars Al and Eileen Continelli did a great deal of research to find a new venue for our annual Holiday Party Al presented a menu and information about a restaurant (Sophias) located on Merrick Road in Amityville

After some discussion and Alrsquos presentation a vote was taken and approved by the members in attendance at our November meeting

Our Holiday party will be help on Sunday January 12th 2020 The menu looks excellent and the cost per person will include beer wine and sodas The cost per person will be $5000 PP

4

Next Stan Matusewicz our club President reminded everyone about the upcoming charity Car show at Brookhaven Town Hall on Sunday the 10th Toys and food donations get you in for freeOur yearly visit to the Veterans living out at the Yaphank facility will be on Sunday Dec 8th this year Dont forget to bring something that they can use

Dennis Benfante then discussed the annual Patchogue Meet Santa Claus Parade which will be held on Nov 30th Please contact Dennis if you plan to attend this parade It was suggested that after the parade we all go to the California Diner on Sunrise Hwy for coffee and diner food

Our meeting closed at 805 with the 5050 being won by Joe Marchione $5700 (PS Steve didnt win yet)

From Al Continelli Re Holiday Party

PLEASE advance payment to PETER COCHRANE 41 ARTHUR AVE BLUE POINT NY 11715 or please bring your payment to the December TONY Meeting

5

From Sal Perrotta

These are what Thunderbirds dreams are made of

If you can have your pickthey are the cream of the crop Youve admired them for years longed for one dreamed of owning oneand if you were to buy the ultimate the very best of the best the pick of the litter these are the Thunderbirds youd be searching for

Models and equipment are listed in order of priority andor rarity1955 1956 1957

1 Early production number 1 Hard and Soft Tops 1 Supercharged V-8 Engine (F Code)2 Hard and Soft Tops 2 V-8 Engine wDual 4 bbl Carburetors

(E Code) Rare Paint Colors Buckskin

Tan Thunderbird Gray Sunset Coral

3 Dial-O-Matic Power Seat

Rare Paint Colors Goldenrod Yellow

4 All-White Interior Trim (XK code)

5 Hard and Soft Tops Rare Paint Colors Thunderbird Bronze

Coral Sand Dusk Rose1958 1959 1960

1 Convertible with factory air conditioning

1 Convertible with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

1 Sun Roof Hardtop with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

2 Convertible (rare due to production delays)

2 Hardtop with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

2 Convertible with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

3 Hardtop with factory air conditioning

3 Convertible 3 Hardtop with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

4 Power Passenger SeatRare Paint Colors Platinum Cameo Rose Monarch Blue

Rare Paint Colors Tahitian Bronze Steel Blue Flamingo Cordovan Casino Cream Tamarack Green

Rare Paint Colors Sultana Turquoise Springdale Rose Palm Springs Rose Gunpowder Gray

Factory air conditioning is preferred

Factory air conditioning is preferred

From Jeff Barlow 6

From Al Continelli Part of a series to be published in the newsletter Engine Tune-Up and General Maintenance Tiprsquos Part 2

7

From Arlene Swenson

8

Sunday December 8 2019 ndash 7th Annual Christmas for the Homeless Veterans - 10 am to 2 pm - The Veterans Place 32 Mill Road Yaphank NY 11980 ndash

The Veterans Place 32 Mill Road in Yaphank - all classic car clubs invited - drive your classic cars weather permitting

There will be a DJ amp food for all What we ask you to bring is canned food ndash non-perishable food

Toiletries bedding bath towels bath mats over-the-door hook for towels Clothing of different sizeshellipsweatshirts sizes L to XL-2 socks menrsquos womanrsquos hats gloves

Please put anything you bring in unwrapped boxes (or bags) and label contents and sizes on boxes Santa arrives at Noon No Admission Fee Hosted by Tom Driscoll Impressive amp Aggressive Car Club - any questions contact Tom Driscoll

tdriscol54gmailcom 631-902-1522

Directions Click here for DIRECTIONS to The Veteranrsquos Place or httpswwwnewsdaycomentertainmentlong-island-venuesview=standalonemapamplng=-729406666ampdaddr=32+Mill+Rd2C+Yaphank2C+NY+11980-1112amplat=408407397

For our TONY Members DUES ARE DUE

Club dues for 2020 are due by December 31 2019 Family membership $2500 SingleRegular membership $2000 Board members FREE ndash spouse of Board Member $500

Newsletter Advertisers $3600 annual fee for advertising in the Newsletter

Send your check made out to TONY and mail toPeter Cochrane 41 Arthur Avenue Blue Point NY 11715

From John Cattonar (CATTONARS CORNER)With the falling of leaves and temperatures so will the air pressure in your tires drop This is a good time to check your tire pressure Its also a good time to check that spare in the trunk which you havent looked at for years (Right Pat)

I recommend you put 38-40 lbs in the spare since you probably wont look at it for another few years If you have radials you should put in 32-35 lbs and for bias ply 27-30 lbs Also if your tires are more than 12-15 years old its highly recommended that you change them even if they look like new ESPECIALLY if youre going to be buzzing along at 70-75 MPH on the highway

Keep in mind that all tires are dated on the side of the tire with a DOT number How to decipher the numbers requires going on your computer and looking up the coding for when the tire was manufactured

HAPPY CRUIZIN JOHN CFrom Sal Perrotta (Re-Printed from Hagerty Web Site A Great Article by Donald W LeGoullon)

Step-by-step guide to winterizing your car9

Before storageSelect a dry dark location for storage mdash preferably with limited access Concrete flooring is best at keeping away moisture If you must store your car on a dirt floor place a plastic barrier under the vehicle and place carpet pieces or plywood under the tires Give the vehicle a good washwax Putting on and removing a vehicle cover will lead to unwanted scratches if the car is dirty Fill the fuel tank (preferably with premium) and add fuel stabilizer Be sure to run the vehicle to move fuel stabilizer into the carburetor fuel rails injectors etc The fuller the tank the less room there will be for air which carries moisture that can lead to fuel contamination and possibly rust within the tank Change the oil and filter right before putting away the vehicle The clean oil will reduce the risk of harmful contaminants working away at your engine during hibernation mdash and yoursquoll be ready to go in spring Check the antifreeze Add air to the tires If youre storing your car offsite some insurance companies require you to report the address of the offsite location Check with your insurer to determine your policys requirements

When storing

Place baking soda refrigerator packages in the interior and trunk areas To keep insects and vermin out of the car put a plastic bag over the air cleanerair inlet and exhaust pipe(s) You also can cover these with aluminum foil and tape securely Place mothballs in the tailpipe and around the outside of the car or insert steel wool in the tailpipe Place the vehicle on jack stands This step avoids tire flat spots and adds longevity to the suspension because it is not supporting the vehiclersquos weight during storage For your battery take one of the following actions Unhook the battery by removing the negative cable first and store it separately mdash never on a concrete floor and preferably where it will not freeze or leave the battery in the car and put a battery tender on it if there is power available That way if you want to start it a few times in the winter you donrsquot have to put the battery in and out Close all of the windows If the vehicle will be exposed to freezing temperatures be certain no personal items that may freeze or burst are left in the vehicle There are varying theories about periodically starting the vehicle This writer feels unless you get the engine up to operating temperature for a good 10-plus minute to burn off the water vapors that initially develop at startup-cold operation starting is not a good idea Anything less will leave water in the combustion chamber and all exhaust components

Bringing your baby back to life

Charge the battery for a solid 24 hours When returning the battery to the vehicle attach the positive cable first Once your car is uncovered inspect it for any signs of insect or vermin damage Remove the baking soda units If you forget them they may spill during driving Itrsquos a good idea to check for floor leaks check all fluid levels and check the tire pressures Remove plastic bag (aluminum foil) from over air cleanerair inlet and exhaust pipe(s) Apply the brakes ensure they work and that you have a good pedal The steel brake lines can rust out and leak and vermin can chew through the rubber brake hoses Start the vehicle and check for any fluid leaks

10

Give it some extra time to warm up and check the lights horn etc while the temperature begins to rise Drive it slowly for a mile or so Some components such as transmissions and rear-ends require movement for fullproper lubrication After driving a bit check it again for leaks etc Your car cover may have become dusty over the long winter months mdash give it a good cleaning according to the manufacturerrsquos instructions

From Dennis Benfante (Copy of an article sent to CTCI written by Dennis)

To CTCI (Jim Spawn)

Im sending you an article about Sayville Summer Fest I will send you several pics to accompany the article

Thank you for the article about our Annual Show for Building Homes for Heroes I received so many compliments you did a great job including it in the current issue On August 11th 2019 the Town of Sayville located in New York on Long Islands south shore held its 40th Annual

Sayville Summer Fest The local streets are closed for the entire weekend with scores of vendors selling everything from soup to nuts and I do mean this literally You could get soup and or nuts and crafts of all kinds Hundreds of vendors on Saturday amp Sunday The only difference is that on Sunday the main street is filled with over 400 cars

This is a great day for spectators to enjoy the hundreds of fine vehicles lining both sides of the street This year there were five Little Birds from Thunderbird Owners of New York ( TONY Chapter 49 of CTCI)

We just so happened to be parked in front of the local Bridal Shop (Ivory amp Main) There was some picture activity by the store window so I went over to look and there in the window was a young lady modeling dresses well me being me offered her to model with our cars Her reply was Can I model in the car But of course So check out Roxy in my car and with me on the rear deck

I guess one of the perks of having a TBird is the opportunity to have a beautiful woman like Roxy to enjoy them too I certainly did

Dennis BenfanteEast Patchogue NY CTCI 30603

11

12

From Sal Perrotta

This is an easy one

1 The nuts that hold the rim onto the car are called

a Wheel nuts b Nuts c Lug nuts d Wheel Fasteners

2 Lock-in hubs are used to engage

a Limited slip differential b Posi-trac c Four wheel drive d Theft protection

3 Three on the tree refers to the shifting gear being located on what part of the vehicle

a Center Console b Steering column c Steering wheel d Floor

4 M+S combination tires are intended for

a Off Roading b Mud and snow use c Messy and slippery situation use d General use

5 The headers are part of which vehicle system

a Exhaust b Drive train c Seating d Wheel assembly

6 The distributor cap controls what function

a Lubrication distribution13

b Cooling distribution c Spark distribution d Power distribution

7 Coupe vehicles have how many doors

a Three b Four c Two d One

8 Spoilers are used to perform what function

a Increase fuel economy b Look cool c Add down force d Add up force

9 Ram air forces air into what part of the vehicle

a Into the Cab b Into the engine compartment c Over the Car d Into the air conditioning unit

10 Halo headlights are controversial because of their

a Brightness b Color c Shape d Fragile nature

From Classic Auto Supply Company CASCOrdquo

14

December Quiz Answers1 ndashA 4 ndash B 7 ndash C

2 ndash C 5 ndashA 8 ndashC

3 ndash B 6 ndash C 9 ndash B

10 -A

1955 1956 1957

Price new $2944 $3163 $3408 Production 16155 15631 21380Wheel base 102 102 102

Overall length 1752 1852 1852Overall height 522 522 516Overall width 702 702 728

Ground Clearance 55 59 59Tread 56 56 56

Turning Diameter 36 36 36Curb Weight 3232 lbs 3315 lbs 3324 lbs

Crankcase capacity 6 quart 6 quart 6 quartCooling system capacity 21 quart 21 quart 21 quart

Fuel tank capacity 17 gal 17 gal 20 gal

Engines available

DispCarbHP 2924v198

2924v202

3124v225

2922v212

3124v245

3128v270

312SC300

From CTCI

15

ARE YOU A MEMBER NOW WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO JOIN

Classic Thunderbird Club InternationalToll Free 8004882709 bull PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116 USA1048579 bull Email ctciofficectciorg

Web site wwwctciorg

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONPLEASE TYPE OR PRINTName____________________________________________________Spousersquos Name______________________________________Mailing Address______________________________________________________________________________________________City_______________________________________________ StateProvince______________ ZipMail Code___________________Telephone (______)_____________________________ Email Address__________________________________________________CTCI Chapter Affiliation (if any) _________________________________________________________________________________

bull New members please fill out application and send payment (in US funds ONLY) to the address below

bull Make checks payable to CTCI or pay by credit card by email fax or phone

bull Mail to CLASSIC THUNDERBIRD CLUB INT PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116

Please select one of the following prorated amounts Month Joining One Time Initiation Fee + Dues = Total January thru March $1500 + $3750 = $5250 April thru June $1500 + $2900 = $4400 July thru September $1500 + $1900 = $3400 October thru December $1500 + $1000 = $2500 NOTE Add $1800 to select Premium Packet with CTCI Grill Emblem

Annual dues renewal will be $3750 payable January 1 of each yearSignature _______________________________Date ______ Check here 1048658 if you wish to be listed in the CTCI roster as of April 1st

I give permission for my 1048658 phone number andor 1048658 email address to be listed in the CTCI roster(NOTE Phone numbers amp email are for office use only or for the roster if you choose to have it published Roster addresses may be sold only to T-Bird vendors to be used only for catalog purposesAre you a former member of CTCI 1048658 Yes 1048658 No If Yes what is your former CTCI membership number ________________________

Sponsored or Referred by _______________________________________________ CTCI (if known) ________________

16

From Sal Perrotta (Reprint from Newsday)

What You Must Do If Your Cars Headlights Run All Day The Two Truths Every Modern Car Owner Must KnowApril 16 2019

Closely inspect your insurance bill before you pay it

Because 260 million US drivers need insurance its no surprise this startup is being used by millions In September many drivers used this startup to potentially claim extreme insurance discounts

After much research and feedback here is a list of the potential discounts Following these steps may save the average driver up to $53600 a year

First if your car has anti-lock brakes day-time running lights or air bags ndash you may qualify for a discount If you qualify for 2 or 3 of these discounts the savings are often significant

Next to max out your savings youll want to claim specific driving record discounts There are a few insurers that will give a discount for no traffic tickets within 3 years Secondly having no car accidents in the last 3 years shows an insurer that youre skilled at avoiding accidents and your care while driving

Additionally if you live in a qualified postal code or neighborhood with minimal thefts you may save even more

Not everyone claims these discounts ndash heres why In 2015 only 13 of drivers switched insurers This is a low number It has been such a hassle because you had to check one site and then go to another And do the work to input your information several times Now this exciting tool has gained popularity Its an independent comparison shopping marketplace In 2017 the parent company of this project was listed on Inc 5000 as one of

17

fastest growing companies Clearly customers are using them and finding what theyre looking for ndash lower quotes

Whats the next step Unknown too many drivers agents make commission from your premiums The higher your current rate the more the agent receives The rule to beat this system and get fair quotes is simple To get the biggest savings compare discounted rates from a vast network of insurers (licensed in your area)

Even if you compared quotes recently most services leave insurers unchecked You may feel you have a low rate but if you could shave off another hundred or two what could you do with those savings

From Sal Perrotta Reprinted from Hagerty (by Brendan McAleer)

The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird

Back in rsquo55 came my first rsquoBird coupe the headlights had hoods and the hood had a scoopldquorsquo55 rsquoBirdrdquo mdash The AstronautsOn May 12 2013 Commander Chris Hadfield became the first person to record a music video in space His cover of David Bowiersquos ldquoSpace Oddityrdquo was an instant hit garnering millions of views Bowie himself was impressed calling the video ldquothe most poignant version of the song ever createdrdquo While the fate of the songrsquos Major Tom remains a mystery Commander Hadfieldrsquos fate doesnrsquot He would return safely to Earth and then hersquod drive home in his 1955 Ford ThunderbirdFreshly restored in Snowshoe White that same T-Bird was on display at the 2019 Cobble Beach Concours DrsquoElegance in Owen Bay Ontario Driving interviewed Commander Hadfield about his T-bird and about his car history growing up on a farm in Milton OntarioHadfield learned to drive tractors at age 12 before graduating to a 1962 Oldsmobile Delta 88 with (what else) a Rocket 88 V-8 under hood He owned a rsquo62 Oldsmobile then a rsquo64 VW Bug in university Then came marriage and family and the very John Glenn choice of a 1983 Mercury Marquis woody wagon But the boy who became the first Canadian to walk in space and command the International Space Station had always had a differently wheeled dream We caught up with him by phone en route to an astronaut conference in Montreal

18

ldquoAbsolutely I wanted to hold out for a rsquo55rdquo Hadfield says ldquoThe rsquo57 was bigger and the rsquo56 with the Continental back and opera windows was different too Basically my whole life Irsquove thought the rsquo55 was the perfect combination of design power and sizerdquo

Elliot Alder

The Ford Thunderbird debuted in 1955 not as a direct rival to the Chevrolet Corvette but instead as a slightly different take on a two-seater Inspired by a 1952 Ferrari Barchetta gifted to Henry Ford IImdashin the days before the two companies went to warmdashthe Thunderbird was sleek low and powerful for its day However it was intended as a personal car luxurious and convenient to drive The engine was a 192-cubic-inch V-8 which made 193 hp with the three-speed manual or 198 hp with a Ford-O-Matic three-speed autoHadfield had to wait until 2001 but he finally got his rsquo55 He bought the car over the phone from Star City Russia where he was working as Director of Operations of NASA A couple of years later he and his father Roger had repaired the T-Birdrsquos flaws and a new job at NASArsquos Johnson Space Center in Houston beckoned A normal person might have shipped the car down to live in a garage Hadfield and his then-16-year-old son Evan loaded the T-Bird to the gills and made a road trip out of itldquoWe hit every worldrsquos biggest ball of string on the way even stopped off at Graceland and got Elvis glasses The car was pretty fullmdashmaybe we could have used the Continental back that triprdquo Hadfield laughsThen between 2003 and 2013 NASArsquos Chief of Robotics and later Chief of the International Space Station Operations daily-drove a 50-year-old Ford to work every day

ldquoMy commute was only about 10 minutes and no highwaysrdquo Hadfield says ldquoI didnrsquot drive it if the weather was bad But they dont really have winter down there Every single time I drove it I was delighted It was funrdquo

19

ldquoYou donrsquot want to risk a car unnecessarilyrdquo he adds ldquoBut you do want to honor it Everything about it is within my ability to fix and I bought the car to be involved in itrdquoAccording to the Commander his Thunderbird wasnrsquot a unicorn in the NASA parking lot Astronauts have a tradition of being interested in cars with most of the Apollo teams driving Corvettes But itrsquos not just about speedldquoAll astronauts are pretty hands-on kinds of peoplerdquo Hadfield says ldquoYou have to be pretty self-sufficientmdashtherersquos nobody to call in spacerdquoNow retired at the age of 60 Commander Hadfield seems busier than ever Hersquos written several books including one for children and is a popular speaker at events Hersquos also very active on Twitter Pressed on whether hersquod like to add anything to his garage Hadfield responds with a laugh

ldquoAt this point I feel like I only have the time to be faithful to one carrdquo he saysHowever his father Roger has a varied collection that includes Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts and McLaughlin-Buicks And Chris is interested to see whether his children will share a generational interest spurred by the Thunderbird The car is something of a bridge across the years worked on by Hadfield with his dad and shared with his sons and daughterNow restored by Dave Harrison of Straffordville Ontario over 14 months Hadfieldrsquos rsquo55 T-Bird stands ready for years of faithful service It is a dream come to life grounded to the earth ready for the next sortie Commencing countdown engines on 1 16

20

3

21

22

23

Member DateFran Paci 121Mary Benfante 121Jeffrey Heilig 124Robert McMinn 127Al Continelli 1210Dennis Blinder 1211Joe Marchione 1219Miguel (Mike) Borrero 1220Lucille Marchione 1221Andrew Signoriello 1222

  • The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird
Page 5: clubs.hemmings.comclubs.hemmings.com/tony/Newsletter Dec 2019-W.docx  · Web viewOFFICERS:PresidentStan Matusewicz – 631-231-3156curver@optonline.netVice PresidentDennis Benfante–

Next Stan Matusewicz our club President reminded everyone about the upcoming charity Car show at Brookhaven Town Hall on Sunday the 10th Toys and food donations get you in for freeOur yearly visit to the Veterans living out at the Yaphank facility will be on Sunday Dec 8th this year Dont forget to bring something that they can use

Dennis Benfante then discussed the annual Patchogue Meet Santa Claus Parade which will be held on Nov 30th Please contact Dennis if you plan to attend this parade It was suggested that after the parade we all go to the California Diner on Sunrise Hwy for coffee and diner food

Our meeting closed at 805 with the 5050 being won by Joe Marchione $5700 (PS Steve didnt win yet)

From Al Continelli Re Holiday Party

PLEASE advance payment to PETER COCHRANE 41 ARTHUR AVE BLUE POINT NY 11715 or please bring your payment to the December TONY Meeting

5

From Sal Perrotta

These are what Thunderbirds dreams are made of

If you can have your pickthey are the cream of the crop Youve admired them for years longed for one dreamed of owning oneand if you were to buy the ultimate the very best of the best the pick of the litter these are the Thunderbirds youd be searching for

Models and equipment are listed in order of priority andor rarity1955 1956 1957

1 Early production number 1 Hard and Soft Tops 1 Supercharged V-8 Engine (F Code)2 Hard and Soft Tops 2 V-8 Engine wDual 4 bbl Carburetors

(E Code) Rare Paint Colors Buckskin

Tan Thunderbird Gray Sunset Coral

3 Dial-O-Matic Power Seat

Rare Paint Colors Goldenrod Yellow

4 All-White Interior Trim (XK code)

5 Hard and Soft Tops Rare Paint Colors Thunderbird Bronze

Coral Sand Dusk Rose1958 1959 1960

1 Convertible with factory air conditioning

1 Convertible with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

1 Sun Roof Hardtop with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

2 Convertible (rare due to production delays)

2 Hardtop with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

2 Convertible with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

3 Hardtop with factory air conditioning

3 Convertible 3 Hardtop with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

4 Power Passenger SeatRare Paint Colors Platinum Cameo Rose Monarch Blue

Rare Paint Colors Tahitian Bronze Steel Blue Flamingo Cordovan Casino Cream Tamarack Green

Rare Paint Colors Sultana Turquoise Springdale Rose Palm Springs Rose Gunpowder Gray

Factory air conditioning is preferred

Factory air conditioning is preferred

From Jeff Barlow 6

From Al Continelli Part of a series to be published in the newsletter Engine Tune-Up and General Maintenance Tiprsquos Part 2

7

From Arlene Swenson

8

Sunday December 8 2019 ndash 7th Annual Christmas for the Homeless Veterans - 10 am to 2 pm - The Veterans Place 32 Mill Road Yaphank NY 11980 ndash

The Veterans Place 32 Mill Road in Yaphank - all classic car clubs invited - drive your classic cars weather permitting

There will be a DJ amp food for all What we ask you to bring is canned food ndash non-perishable food

Toiletries bedding bath towels bath mats over-the-door hook for towels Clothing of different sizeshellipsweatshirts sizes L to XL-2 socks menrsquos womanrsquos hats gloves

Please put anything you bring in unwrapped boxes (or bags) and label contents and sizes on boxes Santa arrives at Noon No Admission Fee Hosted by Tom Driscoll Impressive amp Aggressive Car Club - any questions contact Tom Driscoll

tdriscol54gmailcom 631-902-1522

Directions Click here for DIRECTIONS to The Veteranrsquos Place or httpswwwnewsdaycomentertainmentlong-island-venuesview=standalonemapamplng=-729406666ampdaddr=32+Mill+Rd2C+Yaphank2C+NY+11980-1112amplat=408407397

For our TONY Members DUES ARE DUE

Club dues for 2020 are due by December 31 2019 Family membership $2500 SingleRegular membership $2000 Board members FREE ndash spouse of Board Member $500

Newsletter Advertisers $3600 annual fee for advertising in the Newsletter

Send your check made out to TONY and mail toPeter Cochrane 41 Arthur Avenue Blue Point NY 11715

From John Cattonar (CATTONARS CORNER)With the falling of leaves and temperatures so will the air pressure in your tires drop This is a good time to check your tire pressure Its also a good time to check that spare in the trunk which you havent looked at for years (Right Pat)

I recommend you put 38-40 lbs in the spare since you probably wont look at it for another few years If you have radials you should put in 32-35 lbs and for bias ply 27-30 lbs Also if your tires are more than 12-15 years old its highly recommended that you change them even if they look like new ESPECIALLY if youre going to be buzzing along at 70-75 MPH on the highway

Keep in mind that all tires are dated on the side of the tire with a DOT number How to decipher the numbers requires going on your computer and looking up the coding for when the tire was manufactured

HAPPY CRUIZIN JOHN CFrom Sal Perrotta (Re-Printed from Hagerty Web Site A Great Article by Donald W LeGoullon)

Step-by-step guide to winterizing your car9

Before storageSelect a dry dark location for storage mdash preferably with limited access Concrete flooring is best at keeping away moisture If you must store your car on a dirt floor place a plastic barrier under the vehicle and place carpet pieces or plywood under the tires Give the vehicle a good washwax Putting on and removing a vehicle cover will lead to unwanted scratches if the car is dirty Fill the fuel tank (preferably with premium) and add fuel stabilizer Be sure to run the vehicle to move fuel stabilizer into the carburetor fuel rails injectors etc The fuller the tank the less room there will be for air which carries moisture that can lead to fuel contamination and possibly rust within the tank Change the oil and filter right before putting away the vehicle The clean oil will reduce the risk of harmful contaminants working away at your engine during hibernation mdash and yoursquoll be ready to go in spring Check the antifreeze Add air to the tires If youre storing your car offsite some insurance companies require you to report the address of the offsite location Check with your insurer to determine your policys requirements

When storing

Place baking soda refrigerator packages in the interior and trunk areas To keep insects and vermin out of the car put a plastic bag over the air cleanerair inlet and exhaust pipe(s) You also can cover these with aluminum foil and tape securely Place mothballs in the tailpipe and around the outside of the car or insert steel wool in the tailpipe Place the vehicle on jack stands This step avoids tire flat spots and adds longevity to the suspension because it is not supporting the vehiclersquos weight during storage For your battery take one of the following actions Unhook the battery by removing the negative cable first and store it separately mdash never on a concrete floor and preferably where it will not freeze or leave the battery in the car and put a battery tender on it if there is power available That way if you want to start it a few times in the winter you donrsquot have to put the battery in and out Close all of the windows If the vehicle will be exposed to freezing temperatures be certain no personal items that may freeze or burst are left in the vehicle There are varying theories about periodically starting the vehicle This writer feels unless you get the engine up to operating temperature for a good 10-plus minute to burn off the water vapors that initially develop at startup-cold operation starting is not a good idea Anything less will leave water in the combustion chamber and all exhaust components

Bringing your baby back to life

Charge the battery for a solid 24 hours When returning the battery to the vehicle attach the positive cable first Once your car is uncovered inspect it for any signs of insect or vermin damage Remove the baking soda units If you forget them they may spill during driving Itrsquos a good idea to check for floor leaks check all fluid levels and check the tire pressures Remove plastic bag (aluminum foil) from over air cleanerair inlet and exhaust pipe(s) Apply the brakes ensure they work and that you have a good pedal The steel brake lines can rust out and leak and vermin can chew through the rubber brake hoses Start the vehicle and check for any fluid leaks

10

Give it some extra time to warm up and check the lights horn etc while the temperature begins to rise Drive it slowly for a mile or so Some components such as transmissions and rear-ends require movement for fullproper lubrication After driving a bit check it again for leaks etc Your car cover may have become dusty over the long winter months mdash give it a good cleaning according to the manufacturerrsquos instructions

From Dennis Benfante (Copy of an article sent to CTCI written by Dennis)

To CTCI (Jim Spawn)

Im sending you an article about Sayville Summer Fest I will send you several pics to accompany the article

Thank you for the article about our Annual Show for Building Homes for Heroes I received so many compliments you did a great job including it in the current issue On August 11th 2019 the Town of Sayville located in New York on Long Islands south shore held its 40th Annual

Sayville Summer Fest The local streets are closed for the entire weekend with scores of vendors selling everything from soup to nuts and I do mean this literally You could get soup and or nuts and crafts of all kinds Hundreds of vendors on Saturday amp Sunday The only difference is that on Sunday the main street is filled with over 400 cars

This is a great day for spectators to enjoy the hundreds of fine vehicles lining both sides of the street This year there were five Little Birds from Thunderbird Owners of New York ( TONY Chapter 49 of CTCI)

We just so happened to be parked in front of the local Bridal Shop (Ivory amp Main) There was some picture activity by the store window so I went over to look and there in the window was a young lady modeling dresses well me being me offered her to model with our cars Her reply was Can I model in the car But of course So check out Roxy in my car and with me on the rear deck

I guess one of the perks of having a TBird is the opportunity to have a beautiful woman like Roxy to enjoy them too I certainly did

Dennis BenfanteEast Patchogue NY CTCI 30603

11

12

From Sal Perrotta

This is an easy one

1 The nuts that hold the rim onto the car are called

a Wheel nuts b Nuts c Lug nuts d Wheel Fasteners

2 Lock-in hubs are used to engage

a Limited slip differential b Posi-trac c Four wheel drive d Theft protection

3 Three on the tree refers to the shifting gear being located on what part of the vehicle

a Center Console b Steering column c Steering wheel d Floor

4 M+S combination tires are intended for

a Off Roading b Mud and snow use c Messy and slippery situation use d General use

5 The headers are part of which vehicle system

a Exhaust b Drive train c Seating d Wheel assembly

6 The distributor cap controls what function

a Lubrication distribution13

b Cooling distribution c Spark distribution d Power distribution

7 Coupe vehicles have how many doors

a Three b Four c Two d One

8 Spoilers are used to perform what function

a Increase fuel economy b Look cool c Add down force d Add up force

9 Ram air forces air into what part of the vehicle

a Into the Cab b Into the engine compartment c Over the Car d Into the air conditioning unit

10 Halo headlights are controversial because of their

a Brightness b Color c Shape d Fragile nature

From Classic Auto Supply Company CASCOrdquo

14

December Quiz Answers1 ndashA 4 ndash B 7 ndash C

2 ndash C 5 ndashA 8 ndashC

3 ndash B 6 ndash C 9 ndash B

10 -A

1955 1956 1957

Price new $2944 $3163 $3408 Production 16155 15631 21380Wheel base 102 102 102

Overall length 1752 1852 1852Overall height 522 522 516Overall width 702 702 728

Ground Clearance 55 59 59Tread 56 56 56

Turning Diameter 36 36 36Curb Weight 3232 lbs 3315 lbs 3324 lbs

Crankcase capacity 6 quart 6 quart 6 quartCooling system capacity 21 quart 21 quart 21 quart

Fuel tank capacity 17 gal 17 gal 20 gal

Engines available

DispCarbHP 2924v198

2924v202

3124v225

2922v212

3124v245

3128v270

312SC300

From CTCI

15

ARE YOU A MEMBER NOW WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO JOIN

Classic Thunderbird Club InternationalToll Free 8004882709 bull PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116 USA1048579 bull Email ctciofficectciorg

Web site wwwctciorg

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONPLEASE TYPE OR PRINTName____________________________________________________Spousersquos Name______________________________________Mailing Address______________________________________________________________________________________________City_______________________________________________ StateProvince______________ ZipMail Code___________________Telephone (______)_____________________________ Email Address__________________________________________________CTCI Chapter Affiliation (if any) _________________________________________________________________________________

bull New members please fill out application and send payment (in US funds ONLY) to the address below

bull Make checks payable to CTCI or pay by credit card by email fax or phone

bull Mail to CLASSIC THUNDERBIRD CLUB INT PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116

Please select one of the following prorated amounts Month Joining One Time Initiation Fee + Dues = Total January thru March $1500 + $3750 = $5250 April thru June $1500 + $2900 = $4400 July thru September $1500 + $1900 = $3400 October thru December $1500 + $1000 = $2500 NOTE Add $1800 to select Premium Packet with CTCI Grill Emblem

Annual dues renewal will be $3750 payable January 1 of each yearSignature _______________________________Date ______ Check here 1048658 if you wish to be listed in the CTCI roster as of April 1st

I give permission for my 1048658 phone number andor 1048658 email address to be listed in the CTCI roster(NOTE Phone numbers amp email are for office use only or for the roster if you choose to have it published Roster addresses may be sold only to T-Bird vendors to be used only for catalog purposesAre you a former member of CTCI 1048658 Yes 1048658 No If Yes what is your former CTCI membership number ________________________

Sponsored or Referred by _______________________________________________ CTCI (if known) ________________

16

From Sal Perrotta (Reprint from Newsday)

What You Must Do If Your Cars Headlights Run All Day The Two Truths Every Modern Car Owner Must KnowApril 16 2019

Closely inspect your insurance bill before you pay it

Because 260 million US drivers need insurance its no surprise this startup is being used by millions In September many drivers used this startup to potentially claim extreme insurance discounts

After much research and feedback here is a list of the potential discounts Following these steps may save the average driver up to $53600 a year

First if your car has anti-lock brakes day-time running lights or air bags ndash you may qualify for a discount If you qualify for 2 or 3 of these discounts the savings are often significant

Next to max out your savings youll want to claim specific driving record discounts There are a few insurers that will give a discount for no traffic tickets within 3 years Secondly having no car accidents in the last 3 years shows an insurer that youre skilled at avoiding accidents and your care while driving

Additionally if you live in a qualified postal code or neighborhood with minimal thefts you may save even more

Not everyone claims these discounts ndash heres why In 2015 only 13 of drivers switched insurers This is a low number It has been such a hassle because you had to check one site and then go to another And do the work to input your information several times Now this exciting tool has gained popularity Its an independent comparison shopping marketplace In 2017 the parent company of this project was listed on Inc 5000 as one of

17

fastest growing companies Clearly customers are using them and finding what theyre looking for ndash lower quotes

Whats the next step Unknown too many drivers agents make commission from your premiums The higher your current rate the more the agent receives The rule to beat this system and get fair quotes is simple To get the biggest savings compare discounted rates from a vast network of insurers (licensed in your area)

Even if you compared quotes recently most services leave insurers unchecked You may feel you have a low rate but if you could shave off another hundred or two what could you do with those savings

From Sal Perrotta Reprinted from Hagerty (by Brendan McAleer)

The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird

Back in rsquo55 came my first rsquoBird coupe the headlights had hoods and the hood had a scoopldquorsquo55 rsquoBirdrdquo mdash The AstronautsOn May 12 2013 Commander Chris Hadfield became the first person to record a music video in space His cover of David Bowiersquos ldquoSpace Oddityrdquo was an instant hit garnering millions of views Bowie himself was impressed calling the video ldquothe most poignant version of the song ever createdrdquo While the fate of the songrsquos Major Tom remains a mystery Commander Hadfieldrsquos fate doesnrsquot He would return safely to Earth and then hersquod drive home in his 1955 Ford ThunderbirdFreshly restored in Snowshoe White that same T-Bird was on display at the 2019 Cobble Beach Concours DrsquoElegance in Owen Bay Ontario Driving interviewed Commander Hadfield about his T-bird and about his car history growing up on a farm in Milton OntarioHadfield learned to drive tractors at age 12 before graduating to a 1962 Oldsmobile Delta 88 with (what else) a Rocket 88 V-8 under hood He owned a rsquo62 Oldsmobile then a rsquo64 VW Bug in university Then came marriage and family and the very John Glenn choice of a 1983 Mercury Marquis woody wagon But the boy who became the first Canadian to walk in space and command the International Space Station had always had a differently wheeled dream We caught up with him by phone en route to an astronaut conference in Montreal

18

ldquoAbsolutely I wanted to hold out for a rsquo55rdquo Hadfield says ldquoThe rsquo57 was bigger and the rsquo56 with the Continental back and opera windows was different too Basically my whole life Irsquove thought the rsquo55 was the perfect combination of design power and sizerdquo

Elliot Alder

The Ford Thunderbird debuted in 1955 not as a direct rival to the Chevrolet Corvette but instead as a slightly different take on a two-seater Inspired by a 1952 Ferrari Barchetta gifted to Henry Ford IImdashin the days before the two companies went to warmdashthe Thunderbird was sleek low and powerful for its day However it was intended as a personal car luxurious and convenient to drive The engine was a 192-cubic-inch V-8 which made 193 hp with the three-speed manual or 198 hp with a Ford-O-Matic three-speed autoHadfield had to wait until 2001 but he finally got his rsquo55 He bought the car over the phone from Star City Russia where he was working as Director of Operations of NASA A couple of years later he and his father Roger had repaired the T-Birdrsquos flaws and a new job at NASArsquos Johnson Space Center in Houston beckoned A normal person might have shipped the car down to live in a garage Hadfield and his then-16-year-old son Evan loaded the T-Bird to the gills and made a road trip out of itldquoWe hit every worldrsquos biggest ball of string on the way even stopped off at Graceland and got Elvis glasses The car was pretty fullmdashmaybe we could have used the Continental back that triprdquo Hadfield laughsThen between 2003 and 2013 NASArsquos Chief of Robotics and later Chief of the International Space Station Operations daily-drove a 50-year-old Ford to work every day

ldquoMy commute was only about 10 minutes and no highwaysrdquo Hadfield says ldquoI didnrsquot drive it if the weather was bad But they dont really have winter down there Every single time I drove it I was delighted It was funrdquo

19

ldquoYou donrsquot want to risk a car unnecessarilyrdquo he adds ldquoBut you do want to honor it Everything about it is within my ability to fix and I bought the car to be involved in itrdquoAccording to the Commander his Thunderbird wasnrsquot a unicorn in the NASA parking lot Astronauts have a tradition of being interested in cars with most of the Apollo teams driving Corvettes But itrsquos not just about speedldquoAll astronauts are pretty hands-on kinds of peoplerdquo Hadfield says ldquoYou have to be pretty self-sufficientmdashtherersquos nobody to call in spacerdquoNow retired at the age of 60 Commander Hadfield seems busier than ever Hersquos written several books including one for children and is a popular speaker at events Hersquos also very active on Twitter Pressed on whether hersquod like to add anything to his garage Hadfield responds with a laugh

ldquoAt this point I feel like I only have the time to be faithful to one carrdquo he saysHowever his father Roger has a varied collection that includes Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts and McLaughlin-Buicks And Chris is interested to see whether his children will share a generational interest spurred by the Thunderbird The car is something of a bridge across the years worked on by Hadfield with his dad and shared with his sons and daughterNow restored by Dave Harrison of Straffordville Ontario over 14 months Hadfieldrsquos rsquo55 T-Bird stands ready for years of faithful service It is a dream come to life grounded to the earth ready for the next sortie Commencing countdown engines on 1 16

20

3

21

22

23

Member DateFran Paci 121Mary Benfante 121Jeffrey Heilig 124Robert McMinn 127Al Continelli 1210Dennis Blinder 1211Joe Marchione 1219Miguel (Mike) Borrero 1220Lucille Marchione 1221Andrew Signoriello 1222

  • The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird
Page 6: clubs.hemmings.comclubs.hemmings.com/tony/Newsletter Dec 2019-W.docx  · Web viewOFFICERS:PresidentStan Matusewicz – 631-231-3156curver@optonline.netVice PresidentDennis Benfante–

From Sal Perrotta

These are what Thunderbirds dreams are made of

If you can have your pickthey are the cream of the crop Youve admired them for years longed for one dreamed of owning oneand if you were to buy the ultimate the very best of the best the pick of the litter these are the Thunderbirds youd be searching for

Models and equipment are listed in order of priority andor rarity1955 1956 1957

1 Early production number 1 Hard and Soft Tops 1 Supercharged V-8 Engine (F Code)2 Hard and Soft Tops 2 V-8 Engine wDual 4 bbl Carburetors

(E Code) Rare Paint Colors Buckskin

Tan Thunderbird Gray Sunset Coral

3 Dial-O-Matic Power Seat

Rare Paint Colors Goldenrod Yellow

4 All-White Interior Trim (XK code)

5 Hard and Soft Tops Rare Paint Colors Thunderbird Bronze

Coral Sand Dusk Rose1958 1959 1960

1 Convertible with factory air conditioning

1 Convertible with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

1 Sun Roof Hardtop with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

2 Convertible (rare due to production delays)

2 Hardtop with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

2 Convertible with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

3 Hardtop with factory air conditioning

3 Convertible 3 Hardtop with 430 V-8 Engine (J Code)

4 Power Passenger SeatRare Paint Colors Platinum Cameo Rose Monarch Blue

Rare Paint Colors Tahitian Bronze Steel Blue Flamingo Cordovan Casino Cream Tamarack Green

Rare Paint Colors Sultana Turquoise Springdale Rose Palm Springs Rose Gunpowder Gray

Factory air conditioning is preferred

Factory air conditioning is preferred

From Jeff Barlow 6

From Al Continelli Part of a series to be published in the newsletter Engine Tune-Up and General Maintenance Tiprsquos Part 2

7

From Arlene Swenson

8

Sunday December 8 2019 ndash 7th Annual Christmas for the Homeless Veterans - 10 am to 2 pm - The Veterans Place 32 Mill Road Yaphank NY 11980 ndash

The Veterans Place 32 Mill Road in Yaphank - all classic car clubs invited - drive your classic cars weather permitting

There will be a DJ amp food for all What we ask you to bring is canned food ndash non-perishable food

Toiletries bedding bath towels bath mats over-the-door hook for towels Clothing of different sizeshellipsweatshirts sizes L to XL-2 socks menrsquos womanrsquos hats gloves

Please put anything you bring in unwrapped boxes (or bags) and label contents and sizes on boxes Santa arrives at Noon No Admission Fee Hosted by Tom Driscoll Impressive amp Aggressive Car Club - any questions contact Tom Driscoll

tdriscol54gmailcom 631-902-1522

Directions Click here for DIRECTIONS to The Veteranrsquos Place or httpswwwnewsdaycomentertainmentlong-island-venuesview=standalonemapamplng=-729406666ampdaddr=32+Mill+Rd2C+Yaphank2C+NY+11980-1112amplat=408407397

For our TONY Members DUES ARE DUE

Club dues for 2020 are due by December 31 2019 Family membership $2500 SingleRegular membership $2000 Board members FREE ndash spouse of Board Member $500

Newsletter Advertisers $3600 annual fee for advertising in the Newsletter

Send your check made out to TONY and mail toPeter Cochrane 41 Arthur Avenue Blue Point NY 11715

From John Cattonar (CATTONARS CORNER)With the falling of leaves and temperatures so will the air pressure in your tires drop This is a good time to check your tire pressure Its also a good time to check that spare in the trunk which you havent looked at for years (Right Pat)

I recommend you put 38-40 lbs in the spare since you probably wont look at it for another few years If you have radials you should put in 32-35 lbs and for bias ply 27-30 lbs Also if your tires are more than 12-15 years old its highly recommended that you change them even if they look like new ESPECIALLY if youre going to be buzzing along at 70-75 MPH on the highway

Keep in mind that all tires are dated on the side of the tire with a DOT number How to decipher the numbers requires going on your computer and looking up the coding for when the tire was manufactured

HAPPY CRUIZIN JOHN CFrom Sal Perrotta (Re-Printed from Hagerty Web Site A Great Article by Donald W LeGoullon)

Step-by-step guide to winterizing your car9

Before storageSelect a dry dark location for storage mdash preferably with limited access Concrete flooring is best at keeping away moisture If you must store your car on a dirt floor place a plastic barrier under the vehicle and place carpet pieces or plywood under the tires Give the vehicle a good washwax Putting on and removing a vehicle cover will lead to unwanted scratches if the car is dirty Fill the fuel tank (preferably with premium) and add fuel stabilizer Be sure to run the vehicle to move fuel stabilizer into the carburetor fuel rails injectors etc The fuller the tank the less room there will be for air which carries moisture that can lead to fuel contamination and possibly rust within the tank Change the oil and filter right before putting away the vehicle The clean oil will reduce the risk of harmful contaminants working away at your engine during hibernation mdash and yoursquoll be ready to go in spring Check the antifreeze Add air to the tires If youre storing your car offsite some insurance companies require you to report the address of the offsite location Check with your insurer to determine your policys requirements

When storing

Place baking soda refrigerator packages in the interior and trunk areas To keep insects and vermin out of the car put a plastic bag over the air cleanerair inlet and exhaust pipe(s) You also can cover these with aluminum foil and tape securely Place mothballs in the tailpipe and around the outside of the car or insert steel wool in the tailpipe Place the vehicle on jack stands This step avoids tire flat spots and adds longevity to the suspension because it is not supporting the vehiclersquos weight during storage For your battery take one of the following actions Unhook the battery by removing the negative cable first and store it separately mdash never on a concrete floor and preferably where it will not freeze or leave the battery in the car and put a battery tender on it if there is power available That way if you want to start it a few times in the winter you donrsquot have to put the battery in and out Close all of the windows If the vehicle will be exposed to freezing temperatures be certain no personal items that may freeze or burst are left in the vehicle There are varying theories about periodically starting the vehicle This writer feels unless you get the engine up to operating temperature for a good 10-plus minute to burn off the water vapors that initially develop at startup-cold operation starting is not a good idea Anything less will leave water in the combustion chamber and all exhaust components

Bringing your baby back to life

Charge the battery for a solid 24 hours When returning the battery to the vehicle attach the positive cable first Once your car is uncovered inspect it for any signs of insect or vermin damage Remove the baking soda units If you forget them they may spill during driving Itrsquos a good idea to check for floor leaks check all fluid levels and check the tire pressures Remove plastic bag (aluminum foil) from over air cleanerair inlet and exhaust pipe(s) Apply the brakes ensure they work and that you have a good pedal The steel brake lines can rust out and leak and vermin can chew through the rubber brake hoses Start the vehicle and check for any fluid leaks

10

Give it some extra time to warm up and check the lights horn etc while the temperature begins to rise Drive it slowly for a mile or so Some components such as transmissions and rear-ends require movement for fullproper lubrication After driving a bit check it again for leaks etc Your car cover may have become dusty over the long winter months mdash give it a good cleaning according to the manufacturerrsquos instructions

From Dennis Benfante (Copy of an article sent to CTCI written by Dennis)

To CTCI (Jim Spawn)

Im sending you an article about Sayville Summer Fest I will send you several pics to accompany the article

Thank you for the article about our Annual Show for Building Homes for Heroes I received so many compliments you did a great job including it in the current issue On August 11th 2019 the Town of Sayville located in New York on Long Islands south shore held its 40th Annual

Sayville Summer Fest The local streets are closed for the entire weekend with scores of vendors selling everything from soup to nuts and I do mean this literally You could get soup and or nuts and crafts of all kinds Hundreds of vendors on Saturday amp Sunday The only difference is that on Sunday the main street is filled with over 400 cars

This is a great day for spectators to enjoy the hundreds of fine vehicles lining both sides of the street This year there were five Little Birds from Thunderbird Owners of New York ( TONY Chapter 49 of CTCI)

We just so happened to be parked in front of the local Bridal Shop (Ivory amp Main) There was some picture activity by the store window so I went over to look and there in the window was a young lady modeling dresses well me being me offered her to model with our cars Her reply was Can I model in the car But of course So check out Roxy in my car and with me on the rear deck

I guess one of the perks of having a TBird is the opportunity to have a beautiful woman like Roxy to enjoy them too I certainly did

Dennis BenfanteEast Patchogue NY CTCI 30603

11

12

From Sal Perrotta

This is an easy one

1 The nuts that hold the rim onto the car are called

a Wheel nuts b Nuts c Lug nuts d Wheel Fasteners

2 Lock-in hubs are used to engage

a Limited slip differential b Posi-trac c Four wheel drive d Theft protection

3 Three on the tree refers to the shifting gear being located on what part of the vehicle

a Center Console b Steering column c Steering wheel d Floor

4 M+S combination tires are intended for

a Off Roading b Mud and snow use c Messy and slippery situation use d General use

5 The headers are part of which vehicle system

a Exhaust b Drive train c Seating d Wheel assembly

6 The distributor cap controls what function

a Lubrication distribution13

b Cooling distribution c Spark distribution d Power distribution

7 Coupe vehicles have how many doors

a Three b Four c Two d One

8 Spoilers are used to perform what function

a Increase fuel economy b Look cool c Add down force d Add up force

9 Ram air forces air into what part of the vehicle

a Into the Cab b Into the engine compartment c Over the Car d Into the air conditioning unit

10 Halo headlights are controversial because of their

a Brightness b Color c Shape d Fragile nature

From Classic Auto Supply Company CASCOrdquo

14

December Quiz Answers1 ndashA 4 ndash B 7 ndash C

2 ndash C 5 ndashA 8 ndashC

3 ndash B 6 ndash C 9 ndash B

10 -A

1955 1956 1957

Price new $2944 $3163 $3408 Production 16155 15631 21380Wheel base 102 102 102

Overall length 1752 1852 1852Overall height 522 522 516Overall width 702 702 728

Ground Clearance 55 59 59Tread 56 56 56

Turning Diameter 36 36 36Curb Weight 3232 lbs 3315 lbs 3324 lbs

Crankcase capacity 6 quart 6 quart 6 quartCooling system capacity 21 quart 21 quart 21 quart

Fuel tank capacity 17 gal 17 gal 20 gal

Engines available

DispCarbHP 2924v198

2924v202

3124v225

2922v212

3124v245

3128v270

312SC300

From CTCI

15

ARE YOU A MEMBER NOW WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO JOIN

Classic Thunderbird Club InternationalToll Free 8004882709 bull PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116 USA1048579 bull Email ctciofficectciorg

Web site wwwctciorg

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONPLEASE TYPE OR PRINTName____________________________________________________Spousersquos Name______________________________________Mailing Address______________________________________________________________________________________________City_______________________________________________ StateProvince______________ ZipMail Code___________________Telephone (______)_____________________________ Email Address__________________________________________________CTCI Chapter Affiliation (if any) _________________________________________________________________________________

bull New members please fill out application and send payment (in US funds ONLY) to the address below

bull Make checks payable to CTCI or pay by credit card by email fax or phone

bull Mail to CLASSIC THUNDERBIRD CLUB INT PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116

Please select one of the following prorated amounts Month Joining One Time Initiation Fee + Dues = Total January thru March $1500 + $3750 = $5250 April thru June $1500 + $2900 = $4400 July thru September $1500 + $1900 = $3400 October thru December $1500 + $1000 = $2500 NOTE Add $1800 to select Premium Packet with CTCI Grill Emblem

Annual dues renewal will be $3750 payable January 1 of each yearSignature _______________________________Date ______ Check here 1048658 if you wish to be listed in the CTCI roster as of April 1st

I give permission for my 1048658 phone number andor 1048658 email address to be listed in the CTCI roster(NOTE Phone numbers amp email are for office use only or for the roster if you choose to have it published Roster addresses may be sold only to T-Bird vendors to be used only for catalog purposesAre you a former member of CTCI 1048658 Yes 1048658 No If Yes what is your former CTCI membership number ________________________

Sponsored or Referred by _______________________________________________ CTCI (if known) ________________

16

From Sal Perrotta (Reprint from Newsday)

What You Must Do If Your Cars Headlights Run All Day The Two Truths Every Modern Car Owner Must KnowApril 16 2019

Closely inspect your insurance bill before you pay it

Because 260 million US drivers need insurance its no surprise this startup is being used by millions In September many drivers used this startup to potentially claim extreme insurance discounts

After much research and feedback here is a list of the potential discounts Following these steps may save the average driver up to $53600 a year

First if your car has anti-lock brakes day-time running lights or air bags ndash you may qualify for a discount If you qualify for 2 or 3 of these discounts the savings are often significant

Next to max out your savings youll want to claim specific driving record discounts There are a few insurers that will give a discount for no traffic tickets within 3 years Secondly having no car accidents in the last 3 years shows an insurer that youre skilled at avoiding accidents and your care while driving

Additionally if you live in a qualified postal code or neighborhood with minimal thefts you may save even more

Not everyone claims these discounts ndash heres why In 2015 only 13 of drivers switched insurers This is a low number It has been such a hassle because you had to check one site and then go to another And do the work to input your information several times Now this exciting tool has gained popularity Its an independent comparison shopping marketplace In 2017 the parent company of this project was listed on Inc 5000 as one of

17

fastest growing companies Clearly customers are using them and finding what theyre looking for ndash lower quotes

Whats the next step Unknown too many drivers agents make commission from your premiums The higher your current rate the more the agent receives The rule to beat this system and get fair quotes is simple To get the biggest savings compare discounted rates from a vast network of insurers (licensed in your area)

Even if you compared quotes recently most services leave insurers unchecked You may feel you have a low rate but if you could shave off another hundred or two what could you do with those savings

From Sal Perrotta Reprinted from Hagerty (by Brendan McAleer)

The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird

Back in rsquo55 came my first rsquoBird coupe the headlights had hoods and the hood had a scoopldquorsquo55 rsquoBirdrdquo mdash The AstronautsOn May 12 2013 Commander Chris Hadfield became the first person to record a music video in space His cover of David Bowiersquos ldquoSpace Oddityrdquo was an instant hit garnering millions of views Bowie himself was impressed calling the video ldquothe most poignant version of the song ever createdrdquo While the fate of the songrsquos Major Tom remains a mystery Commander Hadfieldrsquos fate doesnrsquot He would return safely to Earth and then hersquod drive home in his 1955 Ford ThunderbirdFreshly restored in Snowshoe White that same T-Bird was on display at the 2019 Cobble Beach Concours DrsquoElegance in Owen Bay Ontario Driving interviewed Commander Hadfield about his T-bird and about his car history growing up on a farm in Milton OntarioHadfield learned to drive tractors at age 12 before graduating to a 1962 Oldsmobile Delta 88 with (what else) a Rocket 88 V-8 under hood He owned a rsquo62 Oldsmobile then a rsquo64 VW Bug in university Then came marriage and family and the very John Glenn choice of a 1983 Mercury Marquis woody wagon But the boy who became the first Canadian to walk in space and command the International Space Station had always had a differently wheeled dream We caught up with him by phone en route to an astronaut conference in Montreal

18

ldquoAbsolutely I wanted to hold out for a rsquo55rdquo Hadfield says ldquoThe rsquo57 was bigger and the rsquo56 with the Continental back and opera windows was different too Basically my whole life Irsquove thought the rsquo55 was the perfect combination of design power and sizerdquo

Elliot Alder

The Ford Thunderbird debuted in 1955 not as a direct rival to the Chevrolet Corvette but instead as a slightly different take on a two-seater Inspired by a 1952 Ferrari Barchetta gifted to Henry Ford IImdashin the days before the two companies went to warmdashthe Thunderbird was sleek low and powerful for its day However it was intended as a personal car luxurious and convenient to drive The engine was a 192-cubic-inch V-8 which made 193 hp with the three-speed manual or 198 hp with a Ford-O-Matic three-speed autoHadfield had to wait until 2001 but he finally got his rsquo55 He bought the car over the phone from Star City Russia where he was working as Director of Operations of NASA A couple of years later he and his father Roger had repaired the T-Birdrsquos flaws and a new job at NASArsquos Johnson Space Center in Houston beckoned A normal person might have shipped the car down to live in a garage Hadfield and his then-16-year-old son Evan loaded the T-Bird to the gills and made a road trip out of itldquoWe hit every worldrsquos biggest ball of string on the way even stopped off at Graceland and got Elvis glasses The car was pretty fullmdashmaybe we could have used the Continental back that triprdquo Hadfield laughsThen between 2003 and 2013 NASArsquos Chief of Robotics and later Chief of the International Space Station Operations daily-drove a 50-year-old Ford to work every day

ldquoMy commute was only about 10 minutes and no highwaysrdquo Hadfield says ldquoI didnrsquot drive it if the weather was bad But they dont really have winter down there Every single time I drove it I was delighted It was funrdquo

19

ldquoYou donrsquot want to risk a car unnecessarilyrdquo he adds ldquoBut you do want to honor it Everything about it is within my ability to fix and I bought the car to be involved in itrdquoAccording to the Commander his Thunderbird wasnrsquot a unicorn in the NASA parking lot Astronauts have a tradition of being interested in cars with most of the Apollo teams driving Corvettes But itrsquos not just about speedldquoAll astronauts are pretty hands-on kinds of peoplerdquo Hadfield says ldquoYou have to be pretty self-sufficientmdashtherersquos nobody to call in spacerdquoNow retired at the age of 60 Commander Hadfield seems busier than ever Hersquos written several books including one for children and is a popular speaker at events Hersquos also very active on Twitter Pressed on whether hersquod like to add anything to his garage Hadfield responds with a laugh

ldquoAt this point I feel like I only have the time to be faithful to one carrdquo he saysHowever his father Roger has a varied collection that includes Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts and McLaughlin-Buicks And Chris is interested to see whether his children will share a generational interest spurred by the Thunderbird The car is something of a bridge across the years worked on by Hadfield with his dad and shared with his sons and daughterNow restored by Dave Harrison of Straffordville Ontario over 14 months Hadfieldrsquos rsquo55 T-Bird stands ready for years of faithful service It is a dream come to life grounded to the earth ready for the next sortie Commencing countdown engines on 1 16

20

3

21

22

23

Member DateFran Paci 121Mary Benfante 121Jeffrey Heilig 124Robert McMinn 127Al Continelli 1210Dennis Blinder 1211Joe Marchione 1219Miguel (Mike) Borrero 1220Lucille Marchione 1221Andrew Signoriello 1222

  • The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird
Page 7: clubs.hemmings.comclubs.hemmings.com/tony/Newsletter Dec 2019-W.docx  · Web viewOFFICERS:PresidentStan Matusewicz – 631-231-3156curver@optonline.netVice PresidentDennis Benfante–

From Al Continelli Part of a series to be published in the newsletter Engine Tune-Up and General Maintenance Tiprsquos Part 2

7

From Arlene Swenson

8

Sunday December 8 2019 ndash 7th Annual Christmas for the Homeless Veterans - 10 am to 2 pm - The Veterans Place 32 Mill Road Yaphank NY 11980 ndash

The Veterans Place 32 Mill Road in Yaphank - all classic car clubs invited - drive your classic cars weather permitting

There will be a DJ amp food for all What we ask you to bring is canned food ndash non-perishable food

Toiletries bedding bath towels bath mats over-the-door hook for towels Clothing of different sizeshellipsweatshirts sizes L to XL-2 socks menrsquos womanrsquos hats gloves

Please put anything you bring in unwrapped boxes (or bags) and label contents and sizes on boxes Santa arrives at Noon No Admission Fee Hosted by Tom Driscoll Impressive amp Aggressive Car Club - any questions contact Tom Driscoll

tdriscol54gmailcom 631-902-1522

Directions Click here for DIRECTIONS to The Veteranrsquos Place or httpswwwnewsdaycomentertainmentlong-island-venuesview=standalonemapamplng=-729406666ampdaddr=32+Mill+Rd2C+Yaphank2C+NY+11980-1112amplat=408407397

For our TONY Members DUES ARE DUE

Club dues for 2020 are due by December 31 2019 Family membership $2500 SingleRegular membership $2000 Board members FREE ndash spouse of Board Member $500

Newsletter Advertisers $3600 annual fee for advertising in the Newsletter

Send your check made out to TONY and mail toPeter Cochrane 41 Arthur Avenue Blue Point NY 11715

From John Cattonar (CATTONARS CORNER)With the falling of leaves and temperatures so will the air pressure in your tires drop This is a good time to check your tire pressure Its also a good time to check that spare in the trunk which you havent looked at for years (Right Pat)

I recommend you put 38-40 lbs in the spare since you probably wont look at it for another few years If you have radials you should put in 32-35 lbs and for bias ply 27-30 lbs Also if your tires are more than 12-15 years old its highly recommended that you change them even if they look like new ESPECIALLY if youre going to be buzzing along at 70-75 MPH on the highway

Keep in mind that all tires are dated on the side of the tire with a DOT number How to decipher the numbers requires going on your computer and looking up the coding for when the tire was manufactured

HAPPY CRUIZIN JOHN CFrom Sal Perrotta (Re-Printed from Hagerty Web Site A Great Article by Donald W LeGoullon)

Step-by-step guide to winterizing your car9

Before storageSelect a dry dark location for storage mdash preferably with limited access Concrete flooring is best at keeping away moisture If you must store your car on a dirt floor place a plastic barrier under the vehicle and place carpet pieces or plywood under the tires Give the vehicle a good washwax Putting on and removing a vehicle cover will lead to unwanted scratches if the car is dirty Fill the fuel tank (preferably with premium) and add fuel stabilizer Be sure to run the vehicle to move fuel stabilizer into the carburetor fuel rails injectors etc The fuller the tank the less room there will be for air which carries moisture that can lead to fuel contamination and possibly rust within the tank Change the oil and filter right before putting away the vehicle The clean oil will reduce the risk of harmful contaminants working away at your engine during hibernation mdash and yoursquoll be ready to go in spring Check the antifreeze Add air to the tires If youre storing your car offsite some insurance companies require you to report the address of the offsite location Check with your insurer to determine your policys requirements

When storing

Place baking soda refrigerator packages in the interior and trunk areas To keep insects and vermin out of the car put a plastic bag over the air cleanerair inlet and exhaust pipe(s) You also can cover these with aluminum foil and tape securely Place mothballs in the tailpipe and around the outside of the car or insert steel wool in the tailpipe Place the vehicle on jack stands This step avoids tire flat spots and adds longevity to the suspension because it is not supporting the vehiclersquos weight during storage For your battery take one of the following actions Unhook the battery by removing the negative cable first and store it separately mdash never on a concrete floor and preferably where it will not freeze or leave the battery in the car and put a battery tender on it if there is power available That way if you want to start it a few times in the winter you donrsquot have to put the battery in and out Close all of the windows If the vehicle will be exposed to freezing temperatures be certain no personal items that may freeze or burst are left in the vehicle There are varying theories about periodically starting the vehicle This writer feels unless you get the engine up to operating temperature for a good 10-plus minute to burn off the water vapors that initially develop at startup-cold operation starting is not a good idea Anything less will leave water in the combustion chamber and all exhaust components

Bringing your baby back to life

Charge the battery for a solid 24 hours When returning the battery to the vehicle attach the positive cable first Once your car is uncovered inspect it for any signs of insect or vermin damage Remove the baking soda units If you forget them they may spill during driving Itrsquos a good idea to check for floor leaks check all fluid levels and check the tire pressures Remove plastic bag (aluminum foil) from over air cleanerair inlet and exhaust pipe(s) Apply the brakes ensure they work and that you have a good pedal The steel brake lines can rust out and leak and vermin can chew through the rubber brake hoses Start the vehicle and check for any fluid leaks

10

Give it some extra time to warm up and check the lights horn etc while the temperature begins to rise Drive it slowly for a mile or so Some components such as transmissions and rear-ends require movement for fullproper lubrication After driving a bit check it again for leaks etc Your car cover may have become dusty over the long winter months mdash give it a good cleaning according to the manufacturerrsquos instructions

From Dennis Benfante (Copy of an article sent to CTCI written by Dennis)

To CTCI (Jim Spawn)

Im sending you an article about Sayville Summer Fest I will send you several pics to accompany the article

Thank you for the article about our Annual Show for Building Homes for Heroes I received so many compliments you did a great job including it in the current issue On August 11th 2019 the Town of Sayville located in New York on Long Islands south shore held its 40th Annual

Sayville Summer Fest The local streets are closed for the entire weekend with scores of vendors selling everything from soup to nuts and I do mean this literally You could get soup and or nuts and crafts of all kinds Hundreds of vendors on Saturday amp Sunday The only difference is that on Sunday the main street is filled with over 400 cars

This is a great day for spectators to enjoy the hundreds of fine vehicles lining both sides of the street This year there were five Little Birds from Thunderbird Owners of New York ( TONY Chapter 49 of CTCI)

We just so happened to be parked in front of the local Bridal Shop (Ivory amp Main) There was some picture activity by the store window so I went over to look and there in the window was a young lady modeling dresses well me being me offered her to model with our cars Her reply was Can I model in the car But of course So check out Roxy in my car and with me on the rear deck

I guess one of the perks of having a TBird is the opportunity to have a beautiful woman like Roxy to enjoy them too I certainly did

Dennis BenfanteEast Patchogue NY CTCI 30603

11

12

From Sal Perrotta

This is an easy one

1 The nuts that hold the rim onto the car are called

a Wheel nuts b Nuts c Lug nuts d Wheel Fasteners

2 Lock-in hubs are used to engage

a Limited slip differential b Posi-trac c Four wheel drive d Theft protection

3 Three on the tree refers to the shifting gear being located on what part of the vehicle

a Center Console b Steering column c Steering wheel d Floor

4 M+S combination tires are intended for

a Off Roading b Mud and snow use c Messy and slippery situation use d General use

5 The headers are part of which vehicle system

a Exhaust b Drive train c Seating d Wheel assembly

6 The distributor cap controls what function

a Lubrication distribution13

b Cooling distribution c Spark distribution d Power distribution

7 Coupe vehicles have how many doors

a Three b Four c Two d One

8 Spoilers are used to perform what function

a Increase fuel economy b Look cool c Add down force d Add up force

9 Ram air forces air into what part of the vehicle

a Into the Cab b Into the engine compartment c Over the Car d Into the air conditioning unit

10 Halo headlights are controversial because of their

a Brightness b Color c Shape d Fragile nature

From Classic Auto Supply Company CASCOrdquo

14

December Quiz Answers1 ndashA 4 ndash B 7 ndash C

2 ndash C 5 ndashA 8 ndashC

3 ndash B 6 ndash C 9 ndash B

10 -A

1955 1956 1957

Price new $2944 $3163 $3408 Production 16155 15631 21380Wheel base 102 102 102

Overall length 1752 1852 1852Overall height 522 522 516Overall width 702 702 728

Ground Clearance 55 59 59Tread 56 56 56

Turning Diameter 36 36 36Curb Weight 3232 lbs 3315 lbs 3324 lbs

Crankcase capacity 6 quart 6 quart 6 quartCooling system capacity 21 quart 21 quart 21 quart

Fuel tank capacity 17 gal 17 gal 20 gal

Engines available

DispCarbHP 2924v198

2924v202

3124v225

2922v212

3124v245

3128v270

312SC300

From CTCI

15

ARE YOU A MEMBER NOW WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO JOIN

Classic Thunderbird Club InternationalToll Free 8004882709 bull PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116 USA1048579 bull Email ctciofficectciorg

Web site wwwctciorg

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONPLEASE TYPE OR PRINTName____________________________________________________Spousersquos Name______________________________________Mailing Address______________________________________________________________________________________________City_______________________________________________ StateProvince______________ ZipMail Code___________________Telephone (______)_____________________________ Email Address__________________________________________________CTCI Chapter Affiliation (if any) _________________________________________________________________________________

bull New members please fill out application and send payment (in US funds ONLY) to the address below

bull Make checks payable to CTCI or pay by credit card by email fax or phone

bull Mail to CLASSIC THUNDERBIRD CLUB INT PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116

Please select one of the following prorated amounts Month Joining One Time Initiation Fee + Dues = Total January thru March $1500 + $3750 = $5250 April thru June $1500 + $2900 = $4400 July thru September $1500 + $1900 = $3400 October thru December $1500 + $1000 = $2500 NOTE Add $1800 to select Premium Packet with CTCI Grill Emblem

Annual dues renewal will be $3750 payable January 1 of each yearSignature _______________________________Date ______ Check here 1048658 if you wish to be listed in the CTCI roster as of April 1st

I give permission for my 1048658 phone number andor 1048658 email address to be listed in the CTCI roster(NOTE Phone numbers amp email are for office use only or for the roster if you choose to have it published Roster addresses may be sold only to T-Bird vendors to be used only for catalog purposesAre you a former member of CTCI 1048658 Yes 1048658 No If Yes what is your former CTCI membership number ________________________

Sponsored or Referred by _______________________________________________ CTCI (if known) ________________

16

From Sal Perrotta (Reprint from Newsday)

What You Must Do If Your Cars Headlights Run All Day The Two Truths Every Modern Car Owner Must KnowApril 16 2019

Closely inspect your insurance bill before you pay it

Because 260 million US drivers need insurance its no surprise this startup is being used by millions In September many drivers used this startup to potentially claim extreme insurance discounts

After much research and feedback here is a list of the potential discounts Following these steps may save the average driver up to $53600 a year

First if your car has anti-lock brakes day-time running lights or air bags ndash you may qualify for a discount If you qualify for 2 or 3 of these discounts the savings are often significant

Next to max out your savings youll want to claim specific driving record discounts There are a few insurers that will give a discount for no traffic tickets within 3 years Secondly having no car accidents in the last 3 years shows an insurer that youre skilled at avoiding accidents and your care while driving

Additionally if you live in a qualified postal code or neighborhood with minimal thefts you may save even more

Not everyone claims these discounts ndash heres why In 2015 only 13 of drivers switched insurers This is a low number It has been such a hassle because you had to check one site and then go to another And do the work to input your information several times Now this exciting tool has gained popularity Its an independent comparison shopping marketplace In 2017 the parent company of this project was listed on Inc 5000 as one of

17

fastest growing companies Clearly customers are using them and finding what theyre looking for ndash lower quotes

Whats the next step Unknown too many drivers agents make commission from your premiums The higher your current rate the more the agent receives The rule to beat this system and get fair quotes is simple To get the biggest savings compare discounted rates from a vast network of insurers (licensed in your area)

Even if you compared quotes recently most services leave insurers unchecked You may feel you have a low rate but if you could shave off another hundred or two what could you do with those savings

From Sal Perrotta Reprinted from Hagerty (by Brendan McAleer)

The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird

Back in rsquo55 came my first rsquoBird coupe the headlights had hoods and the hood had a scoopldquorsquo55 rsquoBirdrdquo mdash The AstronautsOn May 12 2013 Commander Chris Hadfield became the first person to record a music video in space His cover of David Bowiersquos ldquoSpace Oddityrdquo was an instant hit garnering millions of views Bowie himself was impressed calling the video ldquothe most poignant version of the song ever createdrdquo While the fate of the songrsquos Major Tom remains a mystery Commander Hadfieldrsquos fate doesnrsquot He would return safely to Earth and then hersquod drive home in his 1955 Ford ThunderbirdFreshly restored in Snowshoe White that same T-Bird was on display at the 2019 Cobble Beach Concours DrsquoElegance in Owen Bay Ontario Driving interviewed Commander Hadfield about his T-bird and about his car history growing up on a farm in Milton OntarioHadfield learned to drive tractors at age 12 before graduating to a 1962 Oldsmobile Delta 88 with (what else) a Rocket 88 V-8 under hood He owned a rsquo62 Oldsmobile then a rsquo64 VW Bug in university Then came marriage and family and the very John Glenn choice of a 1983 Mercury Marquis woody wagon But the boy who became the first Canadian to walk in space and command the International Space Station had always had a differently wheeled dream We caught up with him by phone en route to an astronaut conference in Montreal

18

ldquoAbsolutely I wanted to hold out for a rsquo55rdquo Hadfield says ldquoThe rsquo57 was bigger and the rsquo56 with the Continental back and opera windows was different too Basically my whole life Irsquove thought the rsquo55 was the perfect combination of design power and sizerdquo

Elliot Alder

The Ford Thunderbird debuted in 1955 not as a direct rival to the Chevrolet Corvette but instead as a slightly different take on a two-seater Inspired by a 1952 Ferrari Barchetta gifted to Henry Ford IImdashin the days before the two companies went to warmdashthe Thunderbird was sleek low and powerful for its day However it was intended as a personal car luxurious and convenient to drive The engine was a 192-cubic-inch V-8 which made 193 hp with the three-speed manual or 198 hp with a Ford-O-Matic three-speed autoHadfield had to wait until 2001 but he finally got his rsquo55 He bought the car over the phone from Star City Russia where he was working as Director of Operations of NASA A couple of years later he and his father Roger had repaired the T-Birdrsquos flaws and a new job at NASArsquos Johnson Space Center in Houston beckoned A normal person might have shipped the car down to live in a garage Hadfield and his then-16-year-old son Evan loaded the T-Bird to the gills and made a road trip out of itldquoWe hit every worldrsquos biggest ball of string on the way even stopped off at Graceland and got Elvis glasses The car was pretty fullmdashmaybe we could have used the Continental back that triprdquo Hadfield laughsThen between 2003 and 2013 NASArsquos Chief of Robotics and later Chief of the International Space Station Operations daily-drove a 50-year-old Ford to work every day

ldquoMy commute was only about 10 minutes and no highwaysrdquo Hadfield says ldquoI didnrsquot drive it if the weather was bad But they dont really have winter down there Every single time I drove it I was delighted It was funrdquo

19

ldquoYou donrsquot want to risk a car unnecessarilyrdquo he adds ldquoBut you do want to honor it Everything about it is within my ability to fix and I bought the car to be involved in itrdquoAccording to the Commander his Thunderbird wasnrsquot a unicorn in the NASA parking lot Astronauts have a tradition of being interested in cars with most of the Apollo teams driving Corvettes But itrsquos not just about speedldquoAll astronauts are pretty hands-on kinds of peoplerdquo Hadfield says ldquoYou have to be pretty self-sufficientmdashtherersquos nobody to call in spacerdquoNow retired at the age of 60 Commander Hadfield seems busier than ever Hersquos written several books including one for children and is a popular speaker at events Hersquos also very active on Twitter Pressed on whether hersquod like to add anything to his garage Hadfield responds with a laugh

ldquoAt this point I feel like I only have the time to be faithful to one carrdquo he saysHowever his father Roger has a varied collection that includes Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts and McLaughlin-Buicks And Chris is interested to see whether his children will share a generational interest spurred by the Thunderbird The car is something of a bridge across the years worked on by Hadfield with his dad and shared with his sons and daughterNow restored by Dave Harrison of Straffordville Ontario over 14 months Hadfieldrsquos rsquo55 T-Bird stands ready for years of faithful service It is a dream come to life grounded to the earth ready for the next sortie Commencing countdown engines on 1 16

20

3

21

22

23

Member DateFran Paci 121Mary Benfante 121Jeffrey Heilig 124Robert McMinn 127Al Continelli 1210Dennis Blinder 1211Joe Marchione 1219Miguel (Mike) Borrero 1220Lucille Marchione 1221Andrew Signoriello 1222

  • The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird
Page 8: clubs.hemmings.comclubs.hemmings.com/tony/Newsletter Dec 2019-W.docx  · Web viewOFFICERS:PresidentStan Matusewicz – 631-231-3156curver@optonline.netVice PresidentDennis Benfante–

From Arlene Swenson

8

Sunday December 8 2019 ndash 7th Annual Christmas for the Homeless Veterans - 10 am to 2 pm - The Veterans Place 32 Mill Road Yaphank NY 11980 ndash

The Veterans Place 32 Mill Road in Yaphank - all classic car clubs invited - drive your classic cars weather permitting

There will be a DJ amp food for all What we ask you to bring is canned food ndash non-perishable food

Toiletries bedding bath towels bath mats over-the-door hook for towels Clothing of different sizeshellipsweatshirts sizes L to XL-2 socks menrsquos womanrsquos hats gloves

Please put anything you bring in unwrapped boxes (or bags) and label contents and sizes on boxes Santa arrives at Noon No Admission Fee Hosted by Tom Driscoll Impressive amp Aggressive Car Club - any questions contact Tom Driscoll

tdriscol54gmailcom 631-902-1522

Directions Click here for DIRECTIONS to The Veteranrsquos Place or httpswwwnewsdaycomentertainmentlong-island-venuesview=standalonemapamplng=-729406666ampdaddr=32+Mill+Rd2C+Yaphank2C+NY+11980-1112amplat=408407397

For our TONY Members DUES ARE DUE

Club dues for 2020 are due by December 31 2019 Family membership $2500 SingleRegular membership $2000 Board members FREE ndash spouse of Board Member $500

Newsletter Advertisers $3600 annual fee for advertising in the Newsletter

Send your check made out to TONY and mail toPeter Cochrane 41 Arthur Avenue Blue Point NY 11715

From John Cattonar (CATTONARS CORNER)With the falling of leaves and temperatures so will the air pressure in your tires drop This is a good time to check your tire pressure Its also a good time to check that spare in the trunk which you havent looked at for years (Right Pat)

I recommend you put 38-40 lbs in the spare since you probably wont look at it for another few years If you have radials you should put in 32-35 lbs and for bias ply 27-30 lbs Also if your tires are more than 12-15 years old its highly recommended that you change them even if they look like new ESPECIALLY if youre going to be buzzing along at 70-75 MPH on the highway

Keep in mind that all tires are dated on the side of the tire with a DOT number How to decipher the numbers requires going on your computer and looking up the coding for when the tire was manufactured

HAPPY CRUIZIN JOHN CFrom Sal Perrotta (Re-Printed from Hagerty Web Site A Great Article by Donald W LeGoullon)

Step-by-step guide to winterizing your car9

Before storageSelect a dry dark location for storage mdash preferably with limited access Concrete flooring is best at keeping away moisture If you must store your car on a dirt floor place a plastic barrier under the vehicle and place carpet pieces or plywood under the tires Give the vehicle a good washwax Putting on and removing a vehicle cover will lead to unwanted scratches if the car is dirty Fill the fuel tank (preferably with premium) and add fuel stabilizer Be sure to run the vehicle to move fuel stabilizer into the carburetor fuel rails injectors etc The fuller the tank the less room there will be for air which carries moisture that can lead to fuel contamination and possibly rust within the tank Change the oil and filter right before putting away the vehicle The clean oil will reduce the risk of harmful contaminants working away at your engine during hibernation mdash and yoursquoll be ready to go in spring Check the antifreeze Add air to the tires If youre storing your car offsite some insurance companies require you to report the address of the offsite location Check with your insurer to determine your policys requirements

When storing

Place baking soda refrigerator packages in the interior and trunk areas To keep insects and vermin out of the car put a plastic bag over the air cleanerair inlet and exhaust pipe(s) You also can cover these with aluminum foil and tape securely Place mothballs in the tailpipe and around the outside of the car or insert steel wool in the tailpipe Place the vehicle on jack stands This step avoids tire flat spots and adds longevity to the suspension because it is not supporting the vehiclersquos weight during storage For your battery take one of the following actions Unhook the battery by removing the negative cable first and store it separately mdash never on a concrete floor and preferably where it will not freeze or leave the battery in the car and put a battery tender on it if there is power available That way if you want to start it a few times in the winter you donrsquot have to put the battery in and out Close all of the windows If the vehicle will be exposed to freezing temperatures be certain no personal items that may freeze or burst are left in the vehicle There are varying theories about periodically starting the vehicle This writer feels unless you get the engine up to operating temperature for a good 10-plus minute to burn off the water vapors that initially develop at startup-cold operation starting is not a good idea Anything less will leave water in the combustion chamber and all exhaust components

Bringing your baby back to life

Charge the battery for a solid 24 hours When returning the battery to the vehicle attach the positive cable first Once your car is uncovered inspect it for any signs of insect or vermin damage Remove the baking soda units If you forget them they may spill during driving Itrsquos a good idea to check for floor leaks check all fluid levels and check the tire pressures Remove plastic bag (aluminum foil) from over air cleanerair inlet and exhaust pipe(s) Apply the brakes ensure they work and that you have a good pedal The steel brake lines can rust out and leak and vermin can chew through the rubber brake hoses Start the vehicle and check for any fluid leaks

10

Give it some extra time to warm up and check the lights horn etc while the temperature begins to rise Drive it slowly for a mile or so Some components such as transmissions and rear-ends require movement for fullproper lubrication After driving a bit check it again for leaks etc Your car cover may have become dusty over the long winter months mdash give it a good cleaning according to the manufacturerrsquos instructions

From Dennis Benfante (Copy of an article sent to CTCI written by Dennis)

To CTCI (Jim Spawn)

Im sending you an article about Sayville Summer Fest I will send you several pics to accompany the article

Thank you for the article about our Annual Show for Building Homes for Heroes I received so many compliments you did a great job including it in the current issue On August 11th 2019 the Town of Sayville located in New York on Long Islands south shore held its 40th Annual

Sayville Summer Fest The local streets are closed for the entire weekend with scores of vendors selling everything from soup to nuts and I do mean this literally You could get soup and or nuts and crafts of all kinds Hundreds of vendors on Saturday amp Sunday The only difference is that on Sunday the main street is filled with over 400 cars

This is a great day for spectators to enjoy the hundreds of fine vehicles lining both sides of the street This year there were five Little Birds from Thunderbird Owners of New York ( TONY Chapter 49 of CTCI)

We just so happened to be parked in front of the local Bridal Shop (Ivory amp Main) There was some picture activity by the store window so I went over to look and there in the window was a young lady modeling dresses well me being me offered her to model with our cars Her reply was Can I model in the car But of course So check out Roxy in my car and with me on the rear deck

I guess one of the perks of having a TBird is the opportunity to have a beautiful woman like Roxy to enjoy them too I certainly did

Dennis BenfanteEast Patchogue NY CTCI 30603

11

12

From Sal Perrotta

This is an easy one

1 The nuts that hold the rim onto the car are called

a Wheel nuts b Nuts c Lug nuts d Wheel Fasteners

2 Lock-in hubs are used to engage

a Limited slip differential b Posi-trac c Four wheel drive d Theft protection

3 Three on the tree refers to the shifting gear being located on what part of the vehicle

a Center Console b Steering column c Steering wheel d Floor

4 M+S combination tires are intended for

a Off Roading b Mud and snow use c Messy and slippery situation use d General use

5 The headers are part of which vehicle system

a Exhaust b Drive train c Seating d Wheel assembly

6 The distributor cap controls what function

a Lubrication distribution13

b Cooling distribution c Spark distribution d Power distribution

7 Coupe vehicles have how many doors

a Three b Four c Two d One

8 Spoilers are used to perform what function

a Increase fuel economy b Look cool c Add down force d Add up force

9 Ram air forces air into what part of the vehicle

a Into the Cab b Into the engine compartment c Over the Car d Into the air conditioning unit

10 Halo headlights are controversial because of their

a Brightness b Color c Shape d Fragile nature

From Classic Auto Supply Company CASCOrdquo

14

December Quiz Answers1 ndashA 4 ndash B 7 ndash C

2 ndash C 5 ndashA 8 ndashC

3 ndash B 6 ndash C 9 ndash B

10 -A

1955 1956 1957

Price new $2944 $3163 $3408 Production 16155 15631 21380Wheel base 102 102 102

Overall length 1752 1852 1852Overall height 522 522 516Overall width 702 702 728

Ground Clearance 55 59 59Tread 56 56 56

Turning Diameter 36 36 36Curb Weight 3232 lbs 3315 lbs 3324 lbs

Crankcase capacity 6 quart 6 quart 6 quartCooling system capacity 21 quart 21 quart 21 quart

Fuel tank capacity 17 gal 17 gal 20 gal

Engines available

DispCarbHP 2924v198

2924v202

3124v225

2922v212

3124v245

3128v270

312SC300

From CTCI

15

ARE YOU A MEMBER NOW WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO JOIN

Classic Thunderbird Club InternationalToll Free 8004882709 bull PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116 USA1048579 bull Email ctciofficectciorg

Web site wwwctciorg

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONPLEASE TYPE OR PRINTName____________________________________________________Spousersquos Name______________________________________Mailing Address______________________________________________________________________________________________City_______________________________________________ StateProvince______________ ZipMail Code___________________Telephone (______)_____________________________ Email Address__________________________________________________CTCI Chapter Affiliation (if any) _________________________________________________________________________________

bull New members please fill out application and send payment (in US funds ONLY) to the address below

bull Make checks payable to CTCI or pay by credit card by email fax or phone

bull Mail to CLASSIC THUNDERBIRD CLUB INT PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116

Please select one of the following prorated amounts Month Joining One Time Initiation Fee + Dues = Total January thru March $1500 + $3750 = $5250 April thru June $1500 + $2900 = $4400 July thru September $1500 + $1900 = $3400 October thru December $1500 + $1000 = $2500 NOTE Add $1800 to select Premium Packet with CTCI Grill Emblem

Annual dues renewal will be $3750 payable January 1 of each yearSignature _______________________________Date ______ Check here 1048658 if you wish to be listed in the CTCI roster as of April 1st

I give permission for my 1048658 phone number andor 1048658 email address to be listed in the CTCI roster(NOTE Phone numbers amp email are for office use only or for the roster if you choose to have it published Roster addresses may be sold only to T-Bird vendors to be used only for catalog purposesAre you a former member of CTCI 1048658 Yes 1048658 No If Yes what is your former CTCI membership number ________________________

Sponsored or Referred by _______________________________________________ CTCI (if known) ________________

16

From Sal Perrotta (Reprint from Newsday)

What You Must Do If Your Cars Headlights Run All Day The Two Truths Every Modern Car Owner Must KnowApril 16 2019

Closely inspect your insurance bill before you pay it

Because 260 million US drivers need insurance its no surprise this startup is being used by millions In September many drivers used this startup to potentially claim extreme insurance discounts

After much research and feedback here is a list of the potential discounts Following these steps may save the average driver up to $53600 a year

First if your car has anti-lock brakes day-time running lights or air bags ndash you may qualify for a discount If you qualify for 2 or 3 of these discounts the savings are often significant

Next to max out your savings youll want to claim specific driving record discounts There are a few insurers that will give a discount for no traffic tickets within 3 years Secondly having no car accidents in the last 3 years shows an insurer that youre skilled at avoiding accidents and your care while driving

Additionally if you live in a qualified postal code or neighborhood with minimal thefts you may save even more

Not everyone claims these discounts ndash heres why In 2015 only 13 of drivers switched insurers This is a low number It has been such a hassle because you had to check one site and then go to another And do the work to input your information several times Now this exciting tool has gained popularity Its an independent comparison shopping marketplace In 2017 the parent company of this project was listed on Inc 5000 as one of

17

fastest growing companies Clearly customers are using them and finding what theyre looking for ndash lower quotes

Whats the next step Unknown too many drivers agents make commission from your premiums The higher your current rate the more the agent receives The rule to beat this system and get fair quotes is simple To get the biggest savings compare discounted rates from a vast network of insurers (licensed in your area)

Even if you compared quotes recently most services leave insurers unchecked You may feel you have a low rate but if you could shave off another hundred or two what could you do with those savings

From Sal Perrotta Reprinted from Hagerty (by Brendan McAleer)

The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird

Back in rsquo55 came my first rsquoBird coupe the headlights had hoods and the hood had a scoopldquorsquo55 rsquoBirdrdquo mdash The AstronautsOn May 12 2013 Commander Chris Hadfield became the first person to record a music video in space His cover of David Bowiersquos ldquoSpace Oddityrdquo was an instant hit garnering millions of views Bowie himself was impressed calling the video ldquothe most poignant version of the song ever createdrdquo While the fate of the songrsquos Major Tom remains a mystery Commander Hadfieldrsquos fate doesnrsquot He would return safely to Earth and then hersquod drive home in his 1955 Ford ThunderbirdFreshly restored in Snowshoe White that same T-Bird was on display at the 2019 Cobble Beach Concours DrsquoElegance in Owen Bay Ontario Driving interviewed Commander Hadfield about his T-bird and about his car history growing up on a farm in Milton OntarioHadfield learned to drive tractors at age 12 before graduating to a 1962 Oldsmobile Delta 88 with (what else) a Rocket 88 V-8 under hood He owned a rsquo62 Oldsmobile then a rsquo64 VW Bug in university Then came marriage and family and the very John Glenn choice of a 1983 Mercury Marquis woody wagon But the boy who became the first Canadian to walk in space and command the International Space Station had always had a differently wheeled dream We caught up with him by phone en route to an astronaut conference in Montreal

18

ldquoAbsolutely I wanted to hold out for a rsquo55rdquo Hadfield says ldquoThe rsquo57 was bigger and the rsquo56 with the Continental back and opera windows was different too Basically my whole life Irsquove thought the rsquo55 was the perfect combination of design power and sizerdquo

Elliot Alder

The Ford Thunderbird debuted in 1955 not as a direct rival to the Chevrolet Corvette but instead as a slightly different take on a two-seater Inspired by a 1952 Ferrari Barchetta gifted to Henry Ford IImdashin the days before the two companies went to warmdashthe Thunderbird was sleek low and powerful for its day However it was intended as a personal car luxurious and convenient to drive The engine was a 192-cubic-inch V-8 which made 193 hp with the three-speed manual or 198 hp with a Ford-O-Matic three-speed autoHadfield had to wait until 2001 but he finally got his rsquo55 He bought the car over the phone from Star City Russia where he was working as Director of Operations of NASA A couple of years later he and his father Roger had repaired the T-Birdrsquos flaws and a new job at NASArsquos Johnson Space Center in Houston beckoned A normal person might have shipped the car down to live in a garage Hadfield and his then-16-year-old son Evan loaded the T-Bird to the gills and made a road trip out of itldquoWe hit every worldrsquos biggest ball of string on the way even stopped off at Graceland and got Elvis glasses The car was pretty fullmdashmaybe we could have used the Continental back that triprdquo Hadfield laughsThen between 2003 and 2013 NASArsquos Chief of Robotics and later Chief of the International Space Station Operations daily-drove a 50-year-old Ford to work every day

ldquoMy commute was only about 10 minutes and no highwaysrdquo Hadfield says ldquoI didnrsquot drive it if the weather was bad But they dont really have winter down there Every single time I drove it I was delighted It was funrdquo

19

ldquoYou donrsquot want to risk a car unnecessarilyrdquo he adds ldquoBut you do want to honor it Everything about it is within my ability to fix and I bought the car to be involved in itrdquoAccording to the Commander his Thunderbird wasnrsquot a unicorn in the NASA parking lot Astronauts have a tradition of being interested in cars with most of the Apollo teams driving Corvettes But itrsquos not just about speedldquoAll astronauts are pretty hands-on kinds of peoplerdquo Hadfield says ldquoYou have to be pretty self-sufficientmdashtherersquos nobody to call in spacerdquoNow retired at the age of 60 Commander Hadfield seems busier than ever Hersquos written several books including one for children and is a popular speaker at events Hersquos also very active on Twitter Pressed on whether hersquod like to add anything to his garage Hadfield responds with a laugh

ldquoAt this point I feel like I only have the time to be faithful to one carrdquo he saysHowever his father Roger has a varied collection that includes Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts and McLaughlin-Buicks And Chris is interested to see whether his children will share a generational interest spurred by the Thunderbird The car is something of a bridge across the years worked on by Hadfield with his dad and shared with his sons and daughterNow restored by Dave Harrison of Straffordville Ontario over 14 months Hadfieldrsquos rsquo55 T-Bird stands ready for years of faithful service It is a dream come to life grounded to the earth ready for the next sortie Commencing countdown engines on 1 16

20

3

21

22

23

Member DateFran Paci 121Mary Benfante 121Jeffrey Heilig 124Robert McMinn 127Al Continelli 1210Dennis Blinder 1211Joe Marchione 1219Miguel (Mike) Borrero 1220Lucille Marchione 1221Andrew Signoriello 1222

  • The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird
Page 9: clubs.hemmings.comclubs.hemmings.com/tony/Newsletter Dec 2019-W.docx  · Web viewOFFICERS:PresidentStan Matusewicz – 631-231-3156curver@optonline.netVice PresidentDennis Benfante–

Sunday December 8 2019 ndash 7th Annual Christmas for the Homeless Veterans - 10 am to 2 pm - The Veterans Place 32 Mill Road Yaphank NY 11980 ndash

The Veterans Place 32 Mill Road in Yaphank - all classic car clubs invited - drive your classic cars weather permitting

There will be a DJ amp food for all What we ask you to bring is canned food ndash non-perishable food

Toiletries bedding bath towels bath mats over-the-door hook for towels Clothing of different sizeshellipsweatshirts sizes L to XL-2 socks menrsquos womanrsquos hats gloves

Please put anything you bring in unwrapped boxes (or bags) and label contents and sizes on boxes Santa arrives at Noon No Admission Fee Hosted by Tom Driscoll Impressive amp Aggressive Car Club - any questions contact Tom Driscoll

tdriscol54gmailcom 631-902-1522

Directions Click here for DIRECTIONS to The Veteranrsquos Place or httpswwwnewsdaycomentertainmentlong-island-venuesview=standalonemapamplng=-729406666ampdaddr=32+Mill+Rd2C+Yaphank2C+NY+11980-1112amplat=408407397

For our TONY Members DUES ARE DUE

Club dues for 2020 are due by December 31 2019 Family membership $2500 SingleRegular membership $2000 Board members FREE ndash spouse of Board Member $500

Newsletter Advertisers $3600 annual fee for advertising in the Newsletter

Send your check made out to TONY and mail toPeter Cochrane 41 Arthur Avenue Blue Point NY 11715

From John Cattonar (CATTONARS CORNER)With the falling of leaves and temperatures so will the air pressure in your tires drop This is a good time to check your tire pressure Its also a good time to check that spare in the trunk which you havent looked at for years (Right Pat)

I recommend you put 38-40 lbs in the spare since you probably wont look at it for another few years If you have radials you should put in 32-35 lbs and for bias ply 27-30 lbs Also if your tires are more than 12-15 years old its highly recommended that you change them even if they look like new ESPECIALLY if youre going to be buzzing along at 70-75 MPH on the highway

Keep in mind that all tires are dated on the side of the tire with a DOT number How to decipher the numbers requires going on your computer and looking up the coding for when the tire was manufactured

HAPPY CRUIZIN JOHN CFrom Sal Perrotta (Re-Printed from Hagerty Web Site A Great Article by Donald W LeGoullon)

Step-by-step guide to winterizing your car9

Before storageSelect a dry dark location for storage mdash preferably with limited access Concrete flooring is best at keeping away moisture If you must store your car on a dirt floor place a plastic barrier under the vehicle and place carpet pieces or plywood under the tires Give the vehicle a good washwax Putting on and removing a vehicle cover will lead to unwanted scratches if the car is dirty Fill the fuel tank (preferably with premium) and add fuel stabilizer Be sure to run the vehicle to move fuel stabilizer into the carburetor fuel rails injectors etc The fuller the tank the less room there will be for air which carries moisture that can lead to fuel contamination and possibly rust within the tank Change the oil and filter right before putting away the vehicle The clean oil will reduce the risk of harmful contaminants working away at your engine during hibernation mdash and yoursquoll be ready to go in spring Check the antifreeze Add air to the tires If youre storing your car offsite some insurance companies require you to report the address of the offsite location Check with your insurer to determine your policys requirements

When storing

Place baking soda refrigerator packages in the interior and trunk areas To keep insects and vermin out of the car put a plastic bag over the air cleanerair inlet and exhaust pipe(s) You also can cover these with aluminum foil and tape securely Place mothballs in the tailpipe and around the outside of the car or insert steel wool in the tailpipe Place the vehicle on jack stands This step avoids tire flat spots and adds longevity to the suspension because it is not supporting the vehiclersquos weight during storage For your battery take one of the following actions Unhook the battery by removing the negative cable first and store it separately mdash never on a concrete floor and preferably where it will not freeze or leave the battery in the car and put a battery tender on it if there is power available That way if you want to start it a few times in the winter you donrsquot have to put the battery in and out Close all of the windows If the vehicle will be exposed to freezing temperatures be certain no personal items that may freeze or burst are left in the vehicle There are varying theories about periodically starting the vehicle This writer feels unless you get the engine up to operating temperature for a good 10-plus minute to burn off the water vapors that initially develop at startup-cold operation starting is not a good idea Anything less will leave water in the combustion chamber and all exhaust components

Bringing your baby back to life

Charge the battery for a solid 24 hours When returning the battery to the vehicle attach the positive cable first Once your car is uncovered inspect it for any signs of insect or vermin damage Remove the baking soda units If you forget them they may spill during driving Itrsquos a good idea to check for floor leaks check all fluid levels and check the tire pressures Remove plastic bag (aluminum foil) from over air cleanerair inlet and exhaust pipe(s) Apply the brakes ensure they work and that you have a good pedal The steel brake lines can rust out and leak and vermin can chew through the rubber brake hoses Start the vehicle and check for any fluid leaks

10

Give it some extra time to warm up and check the lights horn etc while the temperature begins to rise Drive it slowly for a mile or so Some components such as transmissions and rear-ends require movement for fullproper lubrication After driving a bit check it again for leaks etc Your car cover may have become dusty over the long winter months mdash give it a good cleaning according to the manufacturerrsquos instructions

From Dennis Benfante (Copy of an article sent to CTCI written by Dennis)

To CTCI (Jim Spawn)

Im sending you an article about Sayville Summer Fest I will send you several pics to accompany the article

Thank you for the article about our Annual Show for Building Homes for Heroes I received so many compliments you did a great job including it in the current issue On August 11th 2019 the Town of Sayville located in New York on Long Islands south shore held its 40th Annual

Sayville Summer Fest The local streets are closed for the entire weekend with scores of vendors selling everything from soup to nuts and I do mean this literally You could get soup and or nuts and crafts of all kinds Hundreds of vendors on Saturday amp Sunday The only difference is that on Sunday the main street is filled with over 400 cars

This is a great day for spectators to enjoy the hundreds of fine vehicles lining both sides of the street This year there were five Little Birds from Thunderbird Owners of New York ( TONY Chapter 49 of CTCI)

We just so happened to be parked in front of the local Bridal Shop (Ivory amp Main) There was some picture activity by the store window so I went over to look and there in the window was a young lady modeling dresses well me being me offered her to model with our cars Her reply was Can I model in the car But of course So check out Roxy in my car and with me on the rear deck

I guess one of the perks of having a TBird is the opportunity to have a beautiful woman like Roxy to enjoy them too I certainly did

Dennis BenfanteEast Patchogue NY CTCI 30603

11

12

From Sal Perrotta

This is an easy one

1 The nuts that hold the rim onto the car are called

a Wheel nuts b Nuts c Lug nuts d Wheel Fasteners

2 Lock-in hubs are used to engage

a Limited slip differential b Posi-trac c Four wheel drive d Theft protection

3 Three on the tree refers to the shifting gear being located on what part of the vehicle

a Center Console b Steering column c Steering wheel d Floor

4 M+S combination tires are intended for

a Off Roading b Mud and snow use c Messy and slippery situation use d General use

5 The headers are part of which vehicle system

a Exhaust b Drive train c Seating d Wheel assembly

6 The distributor cap controls what function

a Lubrication distribution13

b Cooling distribution c Spark distribution d Power distribution

7 Coupe vehicles have how many doors

a Three b Four c Two d One

8 Spoilers are used to perform what function

a Increase fuel economy b Look cool c Add down force d Add up force

9 Ram air forces air into what part of the vehicle

a Into the Cab b Into the engine compartment c Over the Car d Into the air conditioning unit

10 Halo headlights are controversial because of their

a Brightness b Color c Shape d Fragile nature

From Classic Auto Supply Company CASCOrdquo

14

December Quiz Answers1 ndashA 4 ndash B 7 ndash C

2 ndash C 5 ndashA 8 ndashC

3 ndash B 6 ndash C 9 ndash B

10 -A

1955 1956 1957

Price new $2944 $3163 $3408 Production 16155 15631 21380Wheel base 102 102 102

Overall length 1752 1852 1852Overall height 522 522 516Overall width 702 702 728

Ground Clearance 55 59 59Tread 56 56 56

Turning Diameter 36 36 36Curb Weight 3232 lbs 3315 lbs 3324 lbs

Crankcase capacity 6 quart 6 quart 6 quartCooling system capacity 21 quart 21 quart 21 quart

Fuel tank capacity 17 gal 17 gal 20 gal

Engines available

DispCarbHP 2924v198

2924v202

3124v225

2922v212

3124v245

3128v270

312SC300

From CTCI

15

ARE YOU A MEMBER NOW WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO JOIN

Classic Thunderbird Club InternationalToll Free 8004882709 bull PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116 USA1048579 bull Email ctciofficectciorg

Web site wwwctciorg

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONPLEASE TYPE OR PRINTName____________________________________________________Spousersquos Name______________________________________Mailing Address______________________________________________________________________________________________City_______________________________________________ StateProvince______________ ZipMail Code___________________Telephone (______)_____________________________ Email Address__________________________________________________CTCI Chapter Affiliation (if any) _________________________________________________________________________________

bull New members please fill out application and send payment (in US funds ONLY) to the address below

bull Make checks payable to CTCI or pay by credit card by email fax or phone

bull Mail to CLASSIC THUNDERBIRD CLUB INT PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116

Please select one of the following prorated amounts Month Joining One Time Initiation Fee + Dues = Total January thru March $1500 + $3750 = $5250 April thru June $1500 + $2900 = $4400 July thru September $1500 + $1900 = $3400 October thru December $1500 + $1000 = $2500 NOTE Add $1800 to select Premium Packet with CTCI Grill Emblem

Annual dues renewal will be $3750 payable January 1 of each yearSignature _______________________________Date ______ Check here 1048658 if you wish to be listed in the CTCI roster as of April 1st

I give permission for my 1048658 phone number andor 1048658 email address to be listed in the CTCI roster(NOTE Phone numbers amp email are for office use only or for the roster if you choose to have it published Roster addresses may be sold only to T-Bird vendors to be used only for catalog purposesAre you a former member of CTCI 1048658 Yes 1048658 No If Yes what is your former CTCI membership number ________________________

Sponsored or Referred by _______________________________________________ CTCI (if known) ________________

16

From Sal Perrotta (Reprint from Newsday)

What You Must Do If Your Cars Headlights Run All Day The Two Truths Every Modern Car Owner Must KnowApril 16 2019

Closely inspect your insurance bill before you pay it

Because 260 million US drivers need insurance its no surprise this startup is being used by millions In September many drivers used this startup to potentially claim extreme insurance discounts

After much research and feedback here is a list of the potential discounts Following these steps may save the average driver up to $53600 a year

First if your car has anti-lock brakes day-time running lights or air bags ndash you may qualify for a discount If you qualify for 2 or 3 of these discounts the savings are often significant

Next to max out your savings youll want to claim specific driving record discounts There are a few insurers that will give a discount for no traffic tickets within 3 years Secondly having no car accidents in the last 3 years shows an insurer that youre skilled at avoiding accidents and your care while driving

Additionally if you live in a qualified postal code or neighborhood with minimal thefts you may save even more

Not everyone claims these discounts ndash heres why In 2015 only 13 of drivers switched insurers This is a low number It has been such a hassle because you had to check one site and then go to another And do the work to input your information several times Now this exciting tool has gained popularity Its an independent comparison shopping marketplace In 2017 the parent company of this project was listed on Inc 5000 as one of

17

fastest growing companies Clearly customers are using them and finding what theyre looking for ndash lower quotes

Whats the next step Unknown too many drivers agents make commission from your premiums The higher your current rate the more the agent receives The rule to beat this system and get fair quotes is simple To get the biggest savings compare discounted rates from a vast network of insurers (licensed in your area)

Even if you compared quotes recently most services leave insurers unchecked You may feel you have a low rate but if you could shave off another hundred or two what could you do with those savings

From Sal Perrotta Reprinted from Hagerty (by Brendan McAleer)

The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird

Back in rsquo55 came my first rsquoBird coupe the headlights had hoods and the hood had a scoopldquorsquo55 rsquoBirdrdquo mdash The AstronautsOn May 12 2013 Commander Chris Hadfield became the first person to record a music video in space His cover of David Bowiersquos ldquoSpace Oddityrdquo was an instant hit garnering millions of views Bowie himself was impressed calling the video ldquothe most poignant version of the song ever createdrdquo While the fate of the songrsquos Major Tom remains a mystery Commander Hadfieldrsquos fate doesnrsquot He would return safely to Earth and then hersquod drive home in his 1955 Ford ThunderbirdFreshly restored in Snowshoe White that same T-Bird was on display at the 2019 Cobble Beach Concours DrsquoElegance in Owen Bay Ontario Driving interviewed Commander Hadfield about his T-bird and about his car history growing up on a farm in Milton OntarioHadfield learned to drive tractors at age 12 before graduating to a 1962 Oldsmobile Delta 88 with (what else) a Rocket 88 V-8 under hood He owned a rsquo62 Oldsmobile then a rsquo64 VW Bug in university Then came marriage and family and the very John Glenn choice of a 1983 Mercury Marquis woody wagon But the boy who became the first Canadian to walk in space and command the International Space Station had always had a differently wheeled dream We caught up with him by phone en route to an astronaut conference in Montreal

18

ldquoAbsolutely I wanted to hold out for a rsquo55rdquo Hadfield says ldquoThe rsquo57 was bigger and the rsquo56 with the Continental back and opera windows was different too Basically my whole life Irsquove thought the rsquo55 was the perfect combination of design power and sizerdquo

Elliot Alder

The Ford Thunderbird debuted in 1955 not as a direct rival to the Chevrolet Corvette but instead as a slightly different take on a two-seater Inspired by a 1952 Ferrari Barchetta gifted to Henry Ford IImdashin the days before the two companies went to warmdashthe Thunderbird was sleek low and powerful for its day However it was intended as a personal car luxurious and convenient to drive The engine was a 192-cubic-inch V-8 which made 193 hp with the three-speed manual or 198 hp with a Ford-O-Matic three-speed autoHadfield had to wait until 2001 but he finally got his rsquo55 He bought the car over the phone from Star City Russia where he was working as Director of Operations of NASA A couple of years later he and his father Roger had repaired the T-Birdrsquos flaws and a new job at NASArsquos Johnson Space Center in Houston beckoned A normal person might have shipped the car down to live in a garage Hadfield and his then-16-year-old son Evan loaded the T-Bird to the gills and made a road trip out of itldquoWe hit every worldrsquos biggest ball of string on the way even stopped off at Graceland and got Elvis glasses The car was pretty fullmdashmaybe we could have used the Continental back that triprdquo Hadfield laughsThen between 2003 and 2013 NASArsquos Chief of Robotics and later Chief of the International Space Station Operations daily-drove a 50-year-old Ford to work every day

ldquoMy commute was only about 10 minutes and no highwaysrdquo Hadfield says ldquoI didnrsquot drive it if the weather was bad But they dont really have winter down there Every single time I drove it I was delighted It was funrdquo

19

ldquoYou donrsquot want to risk a car unnecessarilyrdquo he adds ldquoBut you do want to honor it Everything about it is within my ability to fix and I bought the car to be involved in itrdquoAccording to the Commander his Thunderbird wasnrsquot a unicorn in the NASA parking lot Astronauts have a tradition of being interested in cars with most of the Apollo teams driving Corvettes But itrsquos not just about speedldquoAll astronauts are pretty hands-on kinds of peoplerdquo Hadfield says ldquoYou have to be pretty self-sufficientmdashtherersquos nobody to call in spacerdquoNow retired at the age of 60 Commander Hadfield seems busier than ever Hersquos written several books including one for children and is a popular speaker at events Hersquos also very active on Twitter Pressed on whether hersquod like to add anything to his garage Hadfield responds with a laugh

ldquoAt this point I feel like I only have the time to be faithful to one carrdquo he saysHowever his father Roger has a varied collection that includes Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts and McLaughlin-Buicks And Chris is interested to see whether his children will share a generational interest spurred by the Thunderbird The car is something of a bridge across the years worked on by Hadfield with his dad and shared with his sons and daughterNow restored by Dave Harrison of Straffordville Ontario over 14 months Hadfieldrsquos rsquo55 T-Bird stands ready for years of faithful service It is a dream come to life grounded to the earth ready for the next sortie Commencing countdown engines on 1 16

20

3

21

22

23

Member DateFran Paci 121Mary Benfante 121Jeffrey Heilig 124Robert McMinn 127Al Continelli 1210Dennis Blinder 1211Joe Marchione 1219Miguel (Mike) Borrero 1220Lucille Marchione 1221Andrew Signoriello 1222

  • The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird
Page 10: clubs.hemmings.comclubs.hemmings.com/tony/Newsletter Dec 2019-W.docx  · Web viewOFFICERS:PresidentStan Matusewicz – 631-231-3156curver@optonline.netVice PresidentDennis Benfante–

Before storageSelect a dry dark location for storage mdash preferably with limited access Concrete flooring is best at keeping away moisture If you must store your car on a dirt floor place a plastic barrier under the vehicle and place carpet pieces or plywood under the tires Give the vehicle a good washwax Putting on and removing a vehicle cover will lead to unwanted scratches if the car is dirty Fill the fuel tank (preferably with premium) and add fuel stabilizer Be sure to run the vehicle to move fuel stabilizer into the carburetor fuel rails injectors etc The fuller the tank the less room there will be for air which carries moisture that can lead to fuel contamination and possibly rust within the tank Change the oil and filter right before putting away the vehicle The clean oil will reduce the risk of harmful contaminants working away at your engine during hibernation mdash and yoursquoll be ready to go in spring Check the antifreeze Add air to the tires If youre storing your car offsite some insurance companies require you to report the address of the offsite location Check with your insurer to determine your policys requirements

When storing

Place baking soda refrigerator packages in the interior and trunk areas To keep insects and vermin out of the car put a plastic bag over the air cleanerair inlet and exhaust pipe(s) You also can cover these with aluminum foil and tape securely Place mothballs in the tailpipe and around the outside of the car or insert steel wool in the tailpipe Place the vehicle on jack stands This step avoids tire flat spots and adds longevity to the suspension because it is not supporting the vehiclersquos weight during storage For your battery take one of the following actions Unhook the battery by removing the negative cable first and store it separately mdash never on a concrete floor and preferably where it will not freeze or leave the battery in the car and put a battery tender on it if there is power available That way if you want to start it a few times in the winter you donrsquot have to put the battery in and out Close all of the windows If the vehicle will be exposed to freezing temperatures be certain no personal items that may freeze or burst are left in the vehicle There are varying theories about periodically starting the vehicle This writer feels unless you get the engine up to operating temperature for a good 10-plus minute to burn off the water vapors that initially develop at startup-cold operation starting is not a good idea Anything less will leave water in the combustion chamber and all exhaust components

Bringing your baby back to life

Charge the battery for a solid 24 hours When returning the battery to the vehicle attach the positive cable first Once your car is uncovered inspect it for any signs of insect or vermin damage Remove the baking soda units If you forget them they may spill during driving Itrsquos a good idea to check for floor leaks check all fluid levels and check the tire pressures Remove plastic bag (aluminum foil) from over air cleanerair inlet and exhaust pipe(s) Apply the brakes ensure they work and that you have a good pedal The steel brake lines can rust out and leak and vermin can chew through the rubber brake hoses Start the vehicle and check for any fluid leaks

10

Give it some extra time to warm up and check the lights horn etc while the temperature begins to rise Drive it slowly for a mile or so Some components such as transmissions and rear-ends require movement for fullproper lubrication After driving a bit check it again for leaks etc Your car cover may have become dusty over the long winter months mdash give it a good cleaning according to the manufacturerrsquos instructions

From Dennis Benfante (Copy of an article sent to CTCI written by Dennis)

To CTCI (Jim Spawn)

Im sending you an article about Sayville Summer Fest I will send you several pics to accompany the article

Thank you for the article about our Annual Show for Building Homes for Heroes I received so many compliments you did a great job including it in the current issue On August 11th 2019 the Town of Sayville located in New York on Long Islands south shore held its 40th Annual

Sayville Summer Fest The local streets are closed for the entire weekend with scores of vendors selling everything from soup to nuts and I do mean this literally You could get soup and or nuts and crafts of all kinds Hundreds of vendors on Saturday amp Sunday The only difference is that on Sunday the main street is filled with over 400 cars

This is a great day for spectators to enjoy the hundreds of fine vehicles lining both sides of the street This year there were five Little Birds from Thunderbird Owners of New York ( TONY Chapter 49 of CTCI)

We just so happened to be parked in front of the local Bridal Shop (Ivory amp Main) There was some picture activity by the store window so I went over to look and there in the window was a young lady modeling dresses well me being me offered her to model with our cars Her reply was Can I model in the car But of course So check out Roxy in my car and with me on the rear deck

I guess one of the perks of having a TBird is the opportunity to have a beautiful woman like Roxy to enjoy them too I certainly did

Dennis BenfanteEast Patchogue NY CTCI 30603

11

12

From Sal Perrotta

This is an easy one

1 The nuts that hold the rim onto the car are called

a Wheel nuts b Nuts c Lug nuts d Wheel Fasteners

2 Lock-in hubs are used to engage

a Limited slip differential b Posi-trac c Four wheel drive d Theft protection

3 Three on the tree refers to the shifting gear being located on what part of the vehicle

a Center Console b Steering column c Steering wheel d Floor

4 M+S combination tires are intended for

a Off Roading b Mud and snow use c Messy and slippery situation use d General use

5 The headers are part of which vehicle system

a Exhaust b Drive train c Seating d Wheel assembly

6 The distributor cap controls what function

a Lubrication distribution13

b Cooling distribution c Spark distribution d Power distribution

7 Coupe vehicles have how many doors

a Three b Four c Two d One

8 Spoilers are used to perform what function

a Increase fuel economy b Look cool c Add down force d Add up force

9 Ram air forces air into what part of the vehicle

a Into the Cab b Into the engine compartment c Over the Car d Into the air conditioning unit

10 Halo headlights are controversial because of their

a Brightness b Color c Shape d Fragile nature

From Classic Auto Supply Company CASCOrdquo

14

December Quiz Answers1 ndashA 4 ndash B 7 ndash C

2 ndash C 5 ndashA 8 ndashC

3 ndash B 6 ndash C 9 ndash B

10 -A

1955 1956 1957

Price new $2944 $3163 $3408 Production 16155 15631 21380Wheel base 102 102 102

Overall length 1752 1852 1852Overall height 522 522 516Overall width 702 702 728

Ground Clearance 55 59 59Tread 56 56 56

Turning Diameter 36 36 36Curb Weight 3232 lbs 3315 lbs 3324 lbs

Crankcase capacity 6 quart 6 quart 6 quartCooling system capacity 21 quart 21 quart 21 quart

Fuel tank capacity 17 gal 17 gal 20 gal

Engines available

DispCarbHP 2924v198

2924v202

3124v225

2922v212

3124v245

3128v270

312SC300

From CTCI

15

ARE YOU A MEMBER NOW WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO JOIN

Classic Thunderbird Club InternationalToll Free 8004882709 bull PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116 USA1048579 bull Email ctciofficectciorg

Web site wwwctciorg

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONPLEASE TYPE OR PRINTName____________________________________________________Spousersquos Name______________________________________Mailing Address______________________________________________________________________________________________City_______________________________________________ StateProvince______________ ZipMail Code___________________Telephone (______)_____________________________ Email Address__________________________________________________CTCI Chapter Affiliation (if any) _________________________________________________________________________________

bull New members please fill out application and send payment (in US funds ONLY) to the address below

bull Make checks payable to CTCI or pay by credit card by email fax or phone

bull Mail to CLASSIC THUNDERBIRD CLUB INT PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116

Please select one of the following prorated amounts Month Joining One Time Initiation Fee + Dues = Total January thru March $1500 + $3750 = $5250 April thru June $1500 + $2900 = $4400 July thru September $1500 + $1900 = $3400 October thru December $1500 + $1000 = $2500 NOTE Add $1800 to select Premium Packet with CTCI Grill Emblem

Annual dues renewal will be $3750 payable January 1 of each yearSignature _______________________________Date ______ Check here 1048658 if you wish to be listed in the CTCI roster as of April 1st

I give permission for my 1048658 phone number andor 1048658 email address to be listed in the CTCI roster(NOTE Phone numbers amp email are for office use only or for the roster if you choose to have it published Roster addresses may be sold only to T-Bird vendors to be used only for catalog purposesAre you a former member of CTCI 1048658 Yes 1048658 No If Yes what is your former CTCI membership number ________________________

Sponsored or Referred by _______________________________________________ CTCI (if known) ________________

16

From Sal Perrotta (Reprint from Newsday)

What You Must Do If Your Cars Headlights Run All Day The Two Truths Every Modern Car Owner Must KnowApril 16 2019

Closely inspect your insurance bill before you pay it

Because 260 million US drivers need insurance its no surprise this startup is being used by millions In September many drivers used this startup to potentially claim extreme insurance discounts

After much research and feedback here is a list of the potential discounts Following these steps may save the average driver up to $53600 a year

First if your car has anti-lock brakes day-time running lights or air bags ndash you may qualify for a discount If you qualify for 2 or 3 of these discounts the savings are often significant

Next to max out your savings youll want to claim specific driving record discounts There are a few insurers that will give a discount for no traffic tickets within 3 years Secondly having no car accidents in the last 3 years shows an insurer that youre skilled at avoiding accidents and your care while driving

Additionally if you live in a qualified postal code or neighborhood with minimal thefts you may save even more

Not everyone claims these discounts ndash heres why In 2015 only 13 of drivers switched insurers This is a low number It has been such a hassle because you had to check one site and then go to another And do the work to input your information several times Now this exciting tool has gained popularity Its an independent comparison shopping marketplace In 2017 the parent company of this project was listed on Inc 5000 as one of

17

fastest growing companies Clearly customers are using them and finding what theyre looking for ndash lower quotes

Whats the next step Unknown too many drivers agents make commission from your premiums The higher your current rate the more the agent receives The rule to beat this system and get fair quotes is simple To get the biggest savings compare discounted rates from a vast network of insurers (licensed in your area)

Even if you compared quotes recently most services leave insurers unchecked You may feel you have a low rate but if you could shave off another hundred or two what could you do with those savings

From Sal Perrotta Reprinted from Hagerty (by Brendan McAleer)

The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird

Back in rsquo55 came my first rsquoBird coupe the headlights had hoods and the hood had a scoopldquorsquo55 rsquoBirdrdquo mdash The AstronautsOn May 12 2013 Commander Chris Hadfield became the first person to record a music video in space His cover of David Bowiersquos ldquoSpace Oddityrdquo was an instant hit garnering millions of views Bowie himself was impressed calling the video ldquothe most poignant version of the song ever createdrdquo While the fate of the songrsquos Major Tom remains a mystery Commander Hadfieldrsquos fate doesnrsquot He would return safely to Earth and then hersquod drive home in his 1955 Ford ThunderbirdFreshly restored in Snowshoe White that same T-Bird was on display at the 2019 Cobble Beach Concours DrsquoElegance in Owen Bay Ontario Driving interviewed Commander Hadfield about his T-bird and about his car history growing up on a farm in Milton OntarioHadfield learned to drive tractors at age 12 before graduating to a 1962 Oldsmobile Delta 88 with (what else) a Rocket 88 V-8 under hood He owned a rsquo62 Oldsmobile then a rsquo64 VW Bug in university Then came marriage and family and the very John Glenn choice of a 1983 Mercury Marquis woody wagon But the boy who became the first Canadian to walk in space and command the International Space Station had always had a differently wheeled dream We caught up with him by phone en route to an astronaut conference in Montreal

18

ldquoAbsolutely I wanted to hold out for a rsquo55rdquo Hadfield says ldquoThe rsquo57 was bigger and the rsquo56 with the Continental back and opera windows was different too Basically my whole life Irsquove thought the rsquo55 was the perfect combination of design power and sizerdquo

Elliot Alder

The Ford Thunderbird debuted in 1955 not as a direct rival to the Chevrolet Corvette but instead as a slightly different take on a two-seater Inspired by a 1952 Ferrari Barchetta gifted to Henry Ford IImdashin the days before the two companies went to warmdashthe Thunderbird was sleek low and powerful for its day However it was intended as a personal car luxurious and convenient to drive The engine was a 192-cubic-inch V-8 which made 193 hp with the three-speed manual or 198 hp with a Ford-O-Matic three-speed autoHadfield had to wait until 2001 but he finally got his rsquo55 He bought the car over the phone from Star City Russia where he was working as Director of Operations of NASA A couple of years later he and his father Roger had repaired the T-Birdrsquos flaws and a new job at NASArsquos Johnson Space Center in Houston beckoned A normal person might have shipped the car down to live in a garage Hadfield and his then-16-year-old son Evan loaded the T-Bird to the gills and made a road trip out of itldquoWe hit every worldrsquos biggest ball of string on the way even stopped off at Graceland and got Elvis glasses The car was pretty fullmdashmaybe we could have used the Continental back that triprdquo Hadfield laughsThen between 2003 and 2013 NASArsquos Chief of Robotics and later Chief of the International Space Station Operations daily-drove a 50-year-old Ford to work every day

ldquoMy commute was only about 10 minutes and no highwaysrdquo Hadfield says ldquoI didnrsquot drive it if the weather was bad But they dont really have winter down there Every single time I drove it I was delighted It was funrdquo

19

ldquoYou donrsquot want to risk a car unnecessarilyrdquo he adds ldquoBut you do want to honor it Everything about it is within my ability to fix and I bought the car to be involved in itrdquoAccording to the Commander his Thunderbird wasnrsquot a unicorn in the NASA parking lot Astronauts have a tradition of being interested in cars with most of the Apollo teams driving Corvettes But itrsquos not just about speedldquoAll astronauts are pretty hands-on kinds of peoplerdquo Hadfield says ldquoYou have to be pretty self-sufficientmdashtherersquos nobody to call in spacerdquoNow retired at the age of 60 Commander Hadfield seems busier than ever Hersquos written several books including one for children and is a popular speaker at events Hersquos also very active on Twitter Pressed on whether hersquod like to add anything to his garage Hadfield responds with a laugh

ldquoAt this point I feel like I only have the time to be faithful to one carrdquo he saysHowever his father Roger has a varied collection that includes Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts and McLaughlin-Buicks And Chris is interested to see whether his children will share a generational interest spurred by the Thunderbird The car is something of a bridge across the years worked on by Hadfield with his dad and shared with his sons and daughterNow restored by Dave Harrison of Straffordville Ontario over 14 months Hadfieldrsquos rsquo55 T-Bird stands ready for years of faithful service It is a dream come to life grounded to the earth ready for the next sortie Commencing countdown engines on 1 16

20

3

21

22

23

Member DateFran Paci 121Mary Benfante 121Jeffrey Heilig 124Robert McMinn 127Al Continelli 1210Dennis Blinder 1211Joe Marchione 1219Miguel (Mike) Borrero 1220Lucille Marchione 1221Andrew Signoriello 1222

  • The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird
Page 11: clubs.hemmings.comclubs.hemmings.com/tony/Newsletter Dec 2019-W.docx  · Web viewOFFICERS:PresidentStan Matusewicz – 631-231-3156curver@optonline.netVice PresidentDennis Benfante–

Give it some extra time to warm up and check the lights horn etc while the temperature begins to rise Drive it slowly for a mile or so Some components such as transmissions and rear-ends require movement for fullproper lubrication After driving a bit check it again for leaks etc Your car cover may have become dusty over the long winter months mdash give it a good cleaning according to the manufacturerrsquos instructions

From Dennis Benfante (Copy of an article sent to CTCI written by Dennis)

To CTCI (Jim Spawn)

Im sending you an article about Sayville Summer Fest I will send you several pics to accompany the article

Thank you for the article about our Annual Show for Building Homes for Heroes I received so many compliments you did a great job including it in the current issue On August 11th 2019 the Town of Sayville located in New York on Long Islands south shore held its 40th Annual

Sayville Summer Fest The local streets are closed for the entire weekend with scores of vendors selling everything from soup to nuts and I do mean this literally You could get soup and or nuts and crafts of all kinds Hundreds of vendors on Saturday amp Sunday The only difference is that on Sunday the main street is filled with over 400 cars

This is a great day for spectators to enjoy the hundreds of fine vehicles lining both sides of the street This year there were five Little Birds from Thunderbird Owners of New York ( TONY Chapter 49 of CTCI)

We just so happened to be parked in front of the local Bridal Shop (Ivory amp Main) There was some picture activity by the store window so I went over to look and there in the window was a young lady modeling dresses well me being me offered her to model with our cars Her reply was Can I model in the car But of course So check out Roxy in my car and with me on the rear deck

I guess one of the perks of having a TBird is the opportunity to have a beautiful woman like Roxy to enjoy them too I certainly did

Dennis BenfanteEast Patchogue NY CTCI 30603

11

12

From Sal Perrotta

This is an easy one

1 The nuts that hold the rim onto the car are called

a Wheel nuts b Nuts c Lug nuts d Wheel Fasteners

2 Lock-in hubs are used to engage

a Limited slip differential b Posi-trac c Four wheel drive d Theft protection

3 Three on the tree refers to the shifting gear being located on what part of the vehicle

a Center Console b Steering column c Steering wheel d Floor

4 M+S combination tires are intended for

a Off Roading b Mud and snow use c Messy and slippery situation use d General use

5 The headers are part of which vehicle system

a Exhaust b Drive train c Seating d Wheel assembly

6 The distributor cap controls what function

a Lubrication distribution13

b Cooling distribution c Spark distribution d Power distribution

7 Coupe vehicles have how many doors

a Three b Four c Two d One

8 Spoilers are used to perform what function

a Increase fuel economy b Look cool c Add down force d Add up force

9 Ram air forces air into what part of the vehicle

a Into the Cab b Into the engine compartment c Over the Car d Into the air conditioning unit

10 Halo headlights are controversial because of their

a Brightness b Color c Shape d Fragile nature

From Classic Auto Supply Company CASCOrdquo

14

December Quiz Answers1 ndashA 4 ndash B 7 ndash C

2 ndash C 5 ndashA 8 ndashC

3 ndash B 6 ndash C 9 ndash B

10 -A

1955 1956 1957

Price new $2944 $3163 $3408 Production 16155 15631 21380Wheel base 102 102 102

Overall length 1752 1852 1852Overall height 522 522 516Overall width 702 702 728

Ground Clearance 55 59 59Tread 56 56 56

Turning Diameter 36 36 36Curb Weight 3232 lbs 3315 lbs 3324 lbs

Crankcase capacity 6 quart 6 quart 6 quartCooling system capacity 21 quart 21 quart 21 quart

Fuel tank capacity 17 gal 17 gal 20 gal

Engines available

DispCarbHP 2924v198

2924v202

3124v225

2922v212

3124v245

3128v270

312SC300

From CTCI

15

ARE YOU A MEMBER NOW WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO JOIN

Classic Thunderbird Club InternationalToll Free 8004882709 bull PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116 USA1048579 bull Email ctciofficectciorg

Web site wwwctciorg

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONPLEASE TYPE OR PRINTName____________________________________________________Spousersquos Name______________________________________Mailing Address______________________________________________________________________________________________City_______________________________________________ StateProvince______________ ZipMail Code___________________Telephone (______)_____________________________ Email Address__________________________________________________CTCI Chapter Affiliation (if any) _________________________________________________________________________________

bull New members please fill out application and send payment (in US funds ONLY) to the address below

bull Make checks payable to CTCI or pay by credit card by email fax or phone

bull Mail to CLASSIC THUNDERBIRD CLUB INT PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116

Please select one of the following prorated amounts Month Joining One Time Initiation Fee + Dues = Total January thru March $1500 + $3750 = $5250 April thru June $1500 + $2900 = $4400 July thru September $1500 + $1900 = $3400 October thru December $1500 + $1000 = $2500 NOTE Add $1800 to select Premium Packet with CTCI Grill Emblem

Annual dues renewal will be $3750 payable January 1 of each yearSignature _______________________________Date ______ Check here 1048658 if you wish to be listed in the CTCI roster as of April 1st

I give permission for my 1048658 phone number andor 1048658 email address to be listed in the CTCI roster(NOTE Phone numbers amp email are for office use only or for the roster if you choose to have it published Roster addresses may be sold only to T-Bird vendors to be used only for catalog purposesAre you a former member of CTCI 1048658 Yes 1048658 No If Yes what is your former CTCI membership number ________________________

Sponsored or Referred by _______________________________________________ CTCI (if known) ________________

16

From Sal Perrotta (Reprint from Newsday)

What You Must Do If Your Cars Headlights Run All Day The Two Truths Every Modern Car Owner Must KnowApril 16 2019

Closely inspect your insurance bill before you pay it

Because 260 million US drivers need insurance its no surprise this startup is being used by millions In September many drivers used this startup to potentially claim extreme insurance discounts

After much research and feedback here is a list of the potential discounts Following these steps may save the average driver up to $53600 a year

First if your car has anti-lock brakes day-time running lights or air bags ndash you may qualify for a discount If you qualify for 2 or 3 of these discounts the savings are often significant

Next to max out your savings youll want to claim specific driving record discounts There are a few insurers that will give a discount for no traffic tickets within 3 years Secondly having no car accidents in the last 3 years shows an insurer that youre skilled at avoiding accidents and your care while driving

Additionally if you live in a qualified postal code or neighborhood with minimal thefts you may save even more

Not everyone claims these discounts ndash heres why In 2015 only 13 of drivers switched insurers This is a low number It has been such a hassle because you had to check one site and then go to another And do the work to input your information several times Now this exciting tool has gained popularity Its an independent comparison shopping marketplace In 2017 the parent company of this project was listed on Inc 5000 as one of

17

fastest growing companies Clearly customers are using them and finding what theyre looking for ndash lower quotes

Whats the next step Unknown too many drivers agents make commission from your premiums The higher your current rate the more the agent receives The rule to beat this system and get fair quotes is simple To get the biggest savings compare discounted rates from a vast network of insurers (licensed in your area)

Even if you compared quotes recently most services leave insurers unchecked You may feel you have a low rate but if you could shave off another hundred or two what could you do with those savings

From Sal Perrotta Reprinted from Hagerty (by Brendan McAleer)

The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird

Back in rsquo55 came my first rsquoBird coupe the headlights had hoods and the hood had a scoopldquorsquo55 rsquoBirdrdquo mdash The AstronautsOn May 12 2013 Commander Chris Hadfield became the first person to record a music video in space His cover of David Bowiersquos ldquoSpace Oddityrdquo was an instant hit garnering millions of views Bowie himself was impressed calling the video ldquothe most poignant version of the song ever createdrdquo While the fate of the songrsquos Major Tom remains a mystery Commander Hadfieldrsquos fate doesnrsquot He would return safely to Earth and then hersquod drive home in his 1955 Ford ThunderbirdFreshly restored in Snowshoe White that same T-Bird was on display at the 2019 Cobble Beach Concours DrsquoElegance in Owen Bay Ontario Driving interviewed Commander Hadfield about his T-bird and about his car history growing up on a farm in Milton OntarioHadfield learned to drive tractors at age 12 before graduating to a 1962 Oldsmobile Delta 88 with (what else) a Rocket 88 V-8 under hood He owned a rsquo62 Oldsmobile then a rsquo64 VW Bug in university Then came marriage and family and the very John Glenn choice of a 1983 Mercury Marquis woody wagon But the boy who became the first Canadian to walk in space and command the International Space Station had always had a differently wheeled dream We caught up with him by phone en route to an astronaut conference in Montreal

18

ldquoAbsolutely I wanted to hold out for a rsquo55rdquo Hadfield says ldquoThe rsquo57 was bigger and the rsquo56 with the Continental back and opera windows was different too Basically my whole life Irsquove thought the rsquo55 was the perfect combination of design power and sizerdquo

Elliot Alder

The Ford Thunderbird debuted in 1955 not as a direct rival to the Chevrolet Corvette but instead as a slightly different take on a two-seater Inspired by a 1952 Ferrari Barchetta gifted to Henry Ford IImdashin the days before the two companies went to warmdashthe Thunderbird was sleek low and powerful for its day However it was intended as a personal car luxurious and convenient to drive The engine was a 192-cubic-inch V-8 which made 193 hp with the three-speed manual or 198 hp with a Ford-O-Matic three-speed autoHadfield had to wait until 2001 but he finally got his rsquo55 He bought the car over the phone from Star City Russia where he was working as Director of Operations of NASA A couple of years later he and his father Roger had repaired the T-Birdrsquos flaws and a new job at NASArsquos Johnson Space Center in Houston beckoned A normal person might have shipped the car down to live in a garage Hadfield and his then-16-year-old son Evan loaded the T-Bird to the gills and made a road trip out of itldquoWe hit every worldrsquos biggest ball of string on the way even stopped off at Graceland and got Elvis glasses The car was pretty fullmdashmaybe we could have used the Continental back that triprdquo Hadfield laughsThen between 2003 and 2013 NASArsquos Chief of Robotics and later Chief of the International Space Station Operations daily-drove a 50-year-old Ford to work every day

ldquoMy commute was only about 10 minutes and no highwaysrdquo Hadfield says ldquoI didnrsquot drive it if the weather was bad But they dont really have winter down there Every single time I drove it I was delighted It was funrdquo

19

ldquoYou donrsquot want to risk a car unnecessarilyrdquo he adds ldquoBut you do want to honor it Everything about it is within my ability to fix and I bought the car to be involved in itrdquoAccording to the Commander his Thunderbird wasnrsquot a unicorn in the NASA parking lot Astronauts have a tradition of being interested in cars with most of the Apollo teams driving Corvettes But itrsquos not just about speedldquoAll astronauts are pretty hands-on kinds of peoplerdquo Hadfield says ldquoYou have to be pretty self-sufficientmdashtherersquos nobody to call in spacerdquoNow retired at the age of 60 Commander Hadfield seems busier than ever Hersquos written several books including one for children and is a popular speaker at events Hersquos also very active on Twitter Pressed on whether hersquod like to add anything to his garage Hadfield responds with a laugh

ldquoAt this point I feel like I only have the time to be faithful to one carrdquo he saysHowever his father Roger has a varied collection that includes Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts and McLaughlin-Buicks And Chris is interested to see whether his children will share a generational interest spurred by the Thunderbird The car is something of a bridge across the years worked on by Hadfield with his dad and shared with his sons and daughterNow restored by Dave Harrison of Straffordville Ontario over 14 months Hadfieldrsquos rsquo55 T-Bird stands ready for years of faithful service It is a dream come to life grounded to the earth ready for the next sortie Commencing countdown engines on 1 16

20

3

21

22

23

Member DateFran Paci 121Mary Benfante 121Jeffrey Heilig 124Robert McMinn 127Al Continelli 1210Dennis Blinder 1211Joe Marchione 1219Miguel (Mike) Borrero 1220Lucille Marchione 1221Andrew Signoriello 1222

  • The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird
Page 12: clubs.hemmings.comclubs.hemmings.com/tony/Newsletter Dec 2019-W.docx  · Web viewOFFICERS:PresidentStan Matusewicz – 631-231-3156curver@optonline.netVice PresidentDennis Benfante–

12

From Sal Perrotta

This is an easy one

1 The nuts that hold the rim onto the car are called

a Wheel nuts b Nuts c Lug nuts d Wheel Fasteners

2 Lock-in hubs are used to engage

a Limited slip differential b Posi-trac c Four wheel drive d Theft protection

3 Three on the tree refers to the shifting gear being located on what part of the vehicle

a Center Console b Steering column c Steering wheel d Floor

4 M+S combination tires are intended for

a Off Roading b Mud and snow use c Messy and slippery situation use d General use

5 The headers are part of which vehicle system

a Exhaust b Drive train c Seating d Wheel assembly

6 The distributor cap controls what function

a Lubrication distribution13

b Cooling distribution c Spark distribution d Power distribution

7 Coupe vehicles have how many doors

a Three b Four c Two d One

8 Spoilers are used to perform what function

a Increase fuel economy b Look cool c Add down force d Add up force

9 Ram air forces air into what part of the vehicle

a Into the Cab b Into the engine compartment c Over the Car d Into the air conditioning unit

10 Halo headlights are controversial because of their

a Brightness b Color c Shape d Fragile nature

From Classic Auto Supply Company CASCOrdquo

14

December Quiz Answers1 ndashA 4 ndash B 7 ndash C

2 ndash C 5 ndashA 8 ndashC

3 ndash B 6 ndash C 9 ndash B

10 -A

1955 1956 1957

Price new $2944 $3163 $3408 Production 16155 15631 21380Wheel base 102 102 102

Overall length 1752 1852 1852Overall height 522 522 516Overall width 702 702 728

Ground Clearance 55 59 59Tread 56 56 56

Turning Diameter 36 36 36Curb Weight 3232 lbs 3315 lbs 3324 lbs

Crankcase capacity 6 quart 6 quart 6 quartCooling system capacity 21 quart 21 quart 21 quart

Fuel tank capacity 17 gal 17 gal 20 gal

Engines available

DispCarbHP 2924v198

2924v202

3124v225

2922v212

3124v245

3128v270

312SC300

From CTCI

15

ARE YOU A MEMBER NOW WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO JOIN

Classic Thunderbird Club InternationalToll Free 8004882709 bull PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116 USA1048579 bull Email ctciofficectciorg

Web site wwwctciorg

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONPLEASE TYPE OR PRINTName____________________________________________________Spousersquos Name______________________________________Mailing Address______________________________________________________________________________________________City_______________________________________________ StateProvince______________ ZipMail Code___________________Telephone (______)_____________________________ Email Address__________________________________________________CTCI Chapter Affiliation (if any) _________________________________________________________________________________

bull New members please fill out application and send payment (in US funds ONLY) to the address below

bull Make checks payable to CTCI or pay by credit card by email fax or phone

bull Mail to CLASSIC THUNDERBIRD CLUB INT PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116

Please select one of the following prorated amounts Month Joining One Time Initiation Fee + Dues = Total January thru March $1500 + $3750 = $5250 April thru June $1500 + $2900 = $4400 July thru September $1500 + $1900 = $3400 October thru December $1500 + $1000 = $2500 NOTE Add $1800 to select Premium Packet with CTCI Grill Emblem

Annual dues renewal will be $3750 payable January 1 of each yearSignature _______________________________Date ______ Check here 1048658 if you wish to be listed in the CTCI roster as of April 1st

I give permission for my 1048658 phone number andor 1048658 email address to be listed in the CTCI roster(NOTE Phone numbers amp email are for office use only or for the roster if you choose to have it published Roster addresses may be sold only to T-Bird vendors to be used only for catalog purposesAre you a former member of CTCI 1048658 Yes 1048658 No If Yes what is your former CTCI membership number ________________________

Sponsored or Referred by _______________________________________________ CTCI (if known) ________________

16

From Sal Perrotta (Reprint from Newsday)

What You Must Do If Your Cars Headlights Run All Day The Two Truths Every Modern Car Owner Must KnowApril 16 2019

Closely inspect your insurance bill before you pay it

Because 260 million US drivers need insurance its no surprise this startup is being used by millions In September many drivers used this startup to potentially claim extreme insurance discounts

After much research and feedback here is a list of the potential discounts Following these steps may save the average driver up to $53600 a year

First if your car has anti-lock brakes day-time running lights or air bags ndash you may qualify for a discount If you qualify for 2 or 3 of these discounts the savings are often significant

Next to max out your savings youll want to claim specific driving record discounts There are a few insurers that will give a discount for no traffic tickets within 3 years Secondly having no car accidents in the last 3 years shows an insurer that youre skilled at avoiding accidents and your care while driving

Additionally if you live in a qualified postal code or neighborhood with minimal thefts you may save even more

Not everyone claims these discounts ndash heres why In 2015 only 13 of drivers switched insurers This is a low number It has been such a hassle because you had to check one site and then go to another And do the work to input your information several times Now this exciting tool has gained popularity Its an independent comparison shopping marketplace In 2017 the parent company of this project was listed on Inc 5000 as one of

17

fastest growing companies Clearly customers are using them and finding what theyre looking for ndash lower quotes

Whats the next step Unknown too many drivers agents make commission from your premiums The higher your current rate the more the agent receives The rule to beat this system and get fair quotes is simple To get the biggest savings compare discounted rates from a vast network of insurers (licensed in your area)

Even if you compared quotes recently most services leave insurers unchecked You may feel you have a low rate but if you could shave off another hundred or two what could you do with those savings

From Sal Perrotta Reprinted from Hagerty (by Brendan McAleer)

The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird

Back in rsquo55 came my first rsquoBird coupe the headlights had hoods and the hood had a scoopldquorsquo55 rsquoBirdrdquo mdash The AstronautsOn May 12 2013 Commander Chris Hadfield became the first person to record a music video in space His cover of David Bowiersquos ldquoSpace Oddityrdquo was an instant hit garnering millions of views Bowie himself was impressed calling the video ldquothe most poignant version of the song ever createdrdquo While the fate of the songrsquos Major Tom remains a mystery Commander Hadfieldrsquos fate doesnrsquot He would return safely to Earth and then hersquod drive home in his 1955 Ford ThunderbirdFreshly restored in Snowshoe White that same T-Bird was on display at the 2019 Cobble Beach Concours DrsquoElegance in Owen Bay Ontario Driving interviewed Commander Hadfield about his T-bird and about his car history growing up on a farm in Milton OntarioHadfield learned to drive tractors at age 12 before graduating to a 1962 Oldsmobile Delta 88 with (what else) a Rocket 88 V-8 under hood He owned a rsquo62 Oldsmobile then a rsquo64 VW Bug in university Then came marriage and family and the very John Glenn choice of a 1983 Mercury Marquis woody wagon But the boy who became the first Canadian to walk in space and command the International Space Station had always had a differently wheeled dream We caught up with him by phone en route to an astronaut conference in Montreal

18

ldquoAbsolutely I wanted to hold out for a rsquo55rdquo Hadfield says ldquoThe rsquo57 was bigger and the rsquo56 with the Continental back and opera windows was different too Basically my whole life Irsquove thought the rsquo55 was the perfect combination of design power and sizerdquo

Elliot Alder

The Ford Thunderbird debuted in 1955 not as a direct rival to the Chevrolet Corvette but instead as a slightly different take on a two-seater Inspired by a 1952 Ferrari Barchetta gifted to Henry Ford IImdashin the days before the two companies went to warmdashthe Thunderbird was sleek low and powerful for its day However it was intended as a personal car luxurious and convenient to drive The engine was a 192-cubic-inch V-8 which made 193 hp with the three-speed manual or 198 hp with a Ford-O-Matic three-speed autoHadfield had to wait until 2001 but he finally got his rsquo55 He bought the car over the phone from Star City Russia where he was working as Director of Operations of NASA A couple of years later he and his father Roger had repaired the T-Birdrsquos flaws and a new job at NASArsquos Johnson Space Center in Houston beckoned A normal person might have shipped the car down to live in a garage Hadfield and his then-16-year-old son Evan loaded the T-Bird to the gills and made a road trip out of itldquoWe hit every worldrsquos biggest ball of string on the way even stopped off at Graceland and got Elvis glasses The car was pretty fullmdashmaybe we could have used the Continental back that triprdquo Hadfield laughsThen between 2003 and 2013 NASArsquos Chief of Robotics and later Chief of the International Space Station Operations daily-drove a 50-year-old Ford to work every day

ldquoMy commute was only about 10 minutes and no highwaysrdquo Hadfield says ldquoI didnrsquot drive it if the weather was bad But they dont really have winter down there Every single time I drove it I was delighted It was funrdquo

19

ldquoYou donrsquot want to risk a car unnecessarilyrdquo he adds ldquoBut you do want to honor it Everything about it is within my ability to fix and I bought the car to be involved in itrdquoAccording to the Commander his Thunderbird wasnrsquot a unicorn in the NASA parking lot Astronauts have a tradition of being interested in cars with most of the Apollo teams driving Corvettes But itrsquos not just about speedldquoAll astronauts are pretty hands-on kinds of peoplerdquo Hadfield says ldquoYou have to be pretty self-sufficientmdashtherersquos nobody to call in spacerdquoNow retired at the age of 60 Commander Hadfield seems busier than ever Hersquos written several books including one for children and is a popular speaker at events Hersquos also very active on Twitter Pressed on whether hersquod like to add anything to his garage Hadfield responds with a laugh

ldquoAt this point I feel like I only have the time to be faithful to one carrdquo he saysHowever his father Roger has a varied collection that includes Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts and McLaughlin-Buicks And Chris is interested to see whether his children will share a generational interest spurred by the Thunderbird The car is something of a bridge across the years worked on by Hadfield with his dad and shared with his sons and daughterNow restored by Dave Harrison of Straffordville Ontario over 14 months Hadfieldrsquos rsquo55 T-Bird stands ready for years of faithful service It is a dream come to life grounded to the earth ready for the next sortie Commencing countdown engines on 1 16

20

3

21

22

23

Member DateFran Paci 121Mary Benfante 121Jeffrey Heilig 124Robert McMinn 127Al Continelli 1210Dennis Blinder 1211Joe Marchione 1219Miguel (Mike) Borrero 1220Lucille Marchione 1221Andrew Signoriello 1222

  • The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird
Page 13: clubs.hemmings.comclubs.hemmings.com/tony/Newsletter Dec 2019-W.docx  · Web viewOFFICERS:PresidentStan Matusewicz – 631-231-3156curver@optonline.netVice PresidentDennis Benfante–

From Sal Perrotta

This is an easy one

1 The nuts that hold the rim onto the car are called

a Wheel nuts b Nuts c Lug nuts d Wheel Fasteners

2 Lock-in hubs are used to engage

a Limited slip differential b Posi-trac c Four wheel drive d Theft protection

3 Three on the tree refers to the shifting gear being located on what part of the vehicle

a Center Console b Steering column c Steering wheel d Floor

4 M+S combination tires are intended for

a Off Roading b Mud and snow use c Messy and slippery situation use d General use

5 The headers are part of which vehicle system

a Exhaust b Drive train c Seating d Wheel assembly

6 The distributor cap controls what function

a Lubrication distribution13

b Cooling distribution c Spark distribution d Power distribution

7 Coupe vehicles have how many doors

a Three b Four c Two d One

8 Spoilers are used to perform what function

a Increase fuel economy b Look cool c Add down force d Add up force

9 Ram air forces air into what part of the vehicle

a Into the Cab b Into the engine compartment c Over the Car d Into the air conditioning unit

10 Halo headlights are controversial because of their

a Brightness b Color c Shape d Fragile nature

From Classic Auto Supply Company CASCOrdquo

14

December Quiz Answers1 ndashA 4 ndash B 7 ndash C

2 ndash C 5 ndashA 8 ndashC

3 ndash B 6 ndash C 9 ndash B

10 -A

1955 1956 1957

Price new $2944 $3163 $3408 Production 16155 15631 21380Wheel base 102 102 102

Overall length 1752 1852 1852Overall height 522 522 516Overall width 702 702 728

Ground Clearance 55 59 59Tread 56 56 56

Turning Diameter 36 36 36Curb Weight 3232 lbs 3315 lbs 3324 lbs

Crankcase capacity 6 quart 6 quart 6 quartCooling system capacity 21 quart 21 quart 21 quart

Fuel tank capacity 17 gal 17 gal 20 gal

Engines available

DispCarbHP 2924v198

2924v202

3124v225

2922v212

3124v245

3128v270

312SC300

From CTCI

15

ARE YOU A MEMBER NOW WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO JOIN

Classic Thunderbird Club InternationalToll Free 8004882709 bull PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116 USA1048579 bull Email ctciofficectciorg

Web site wwwctciorg

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONPLEASE TYPE OR PRINTName____________________________________________________Spousersquos Name______________________________________Mailing Address______________________________________________________________________________________________City_______________________________________________ StateProvince______________ ZipMail Code___________________Telephone (______)_____________________________ Email Address__________________________________________________CTCI Chapter Affiliation (if any) _________________________________________________________________________________

bull New members please fill out application and send payment (in US funds ONLY) to the address below

bull Make checks payable to CTCI or pay by credit card by email fax or phone

bull Mail to CLASSIC THUNDERBIRD CLUB INT PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116

Please select one of the following prorated amounts Month Joining One Time Initiation Fee + Dues = Total January thru March $1500 + $3750 = $5250 April thru June $1500 + $2900 = $4400 July thru September $1500 + $1900 = $3400 October thru December $1500 + $1000 = $2500 NOTE Add $1800 to select Premium Packet with CTCI Grill Emblem

Annual dues renewal will be $3750 payable January 1 of each yearSignature _______________________________Date ______ Check here 1048658 if you wish to be listed in the CTCI roster as of April 1st

I give permission for my 1048658 phone number andor 1048658 email address to be listed in the CTCI roster(NOTE Phone numbers amp email are for office use only or for the roster if you choose to have it published Roster addresses may be sold only to T-Bird vendors to be used only for catalog purposesAre you a former member of CTCI 1048658 Yes 1048658 No If Yes what is your former CTCI membership number ________________________

Sponsored or Referred by _______________________________________________ CTCI (if known) ________________

16

From Sal Perrotta (Reprint from Newsday)

What You Must Do If Your Cars Headlights Run All Day The Two Truths Every Modern Car Owner Must KnowApril 16 2019

Closely inspect your insurance bill before you pay it

Because 260 million US drivers need insurance its no surprise this startup is being used by millions In September many drivers used this startup to potentially claim extreme insurance discounts

After much research and feedback here is a list of the potential discounts Following these steps may save the average driver up to $53600 a year

First if your car has anti-lock brakes day-time running lights or air bags ndash you may qualify for a discount If you qualify for 2 or 3 of these discounts the savings are often significant

Next to max out your savings youll want to claim specific driving record discounts There are a few insurers that will give a discount for no traffic tickets within 3 years Secondly having no car accidents in the last 3 years shows an insurer that youre skilled at avoiding accidents and your care while driving

Additionally if you live in a qualified postal code or neighborhood with minimal thefts you may save even more

Not everyone claims these discounts ndash heres why In 2015 only 13 of drivers switched insurers This is a low number It has been such a hassle because you had to check one site and then go to another And do the work to input your information several times Now this exciting tool has gained popularity Its an independent comparison shopping marketplace In 2017 the parent company of this project was listed on Inc 5000 as one of

17

fastest growing companies Clearly customers are using them and finding what theyre looking for ndash lower quotes

Whats the next step Unknown too many drivers agents make commission from your premiums The higher your current rate the more the agent receives The rule to beat this system and get fair quotes is simple To get the biggest savings compare discounted rates from a vast network of insurers (licensed in your area)

Even if you compared quotes recently most services leave insurers unchecked You may feel you have a low rate but if you could shave off another hundred or two what could you do with those savings

From Sal Perrotta Reprinted from Hagerty (by Brendan McAleer)

The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird

Back in rsquo55 came my first rsquoBird coupe the headlights had hoods and the hood had a scoopldquorsquo55 rsquoBirdrdquo mdash The AstronautsOn May 12 2013 Commander Chris Hadfield became the first person to record a music video in space His cover of David Bowiersquos ldquoSpace Oddityrdquo was an instant hit garnering millions of views Bowie himself was impressed calling the video ldquothe most poignant version of the song ever createdrdquo While the fate of the songrsquos Major Tom remains a mystery Commander Hadfieldrsquos fate doesnrsquot He would return safely to Earth and then hersquod drive home in his 1955 Ford ThunderbirdFreshly restored in Snowshoe White that same T-Bird was on display at the 2019 Cobble Beach Concours DrsquoElegance in Owen Bay Ontario Driving interviewed Commander Hadfield about his T-bird and about his car history growing up on a farm in Milton OntarioHadfield learned to drive tractors at age 12 before graduating to a 1962 Oldsmobile Delta 88 with (what else) a Rocket 88 V-8 under hood He owned a rsquo62 Oldsmobile then a rsquo64 VW Bug in university Then came marriage and family and the very John Glenn choice of a 1983 Mercury Marquis woody wagon But the boy who became the first Canadian to walk in space and command the International Space Station had always had a differently wheeled dream We caught up with him by phone en route to an astronaut conference in Montreal

18

ldquoAbsolutely I wanted to hold out for a rsquo55rdquo Hadfield says ldquoThe rsquo57 was bigger and the rsquo56 with the Continental back and opera windows was different too Basically my whole life Irsquove thought the rsquo55 was the perfect combination of design power and sizerdquo

Elliot Alder

The Ford Thunderbird debuted in 1955 not as a direct rival to the Chevrolet Corvette but instead as a slightly different take on a two-seater Inspired by a 1952 Ferrari Barchetta gifted to Henry Ford IImdashin the days before the two companies went to warmdashthe Thunderbird was sleek low and powerful for its day However it was intended as a personal car luxurious and convenient to drive The engine was a 192-cubic-inch V-8 which made 193 hp with the three-speed manual or 198 hp with a Ford-O-Matic three-speed autoHadfield had to wait until 2001 but he finally got his rsquo55 He bought the car over the phone from Star City Russia where he was working as Director of Operations of NASA A couple of years later he and his father Roger had repaired the T-Birdrsquos flaws and a new job at NASArsquos Johnson Space Center in Houston beckoned A normal person might have shipped the car down to live in a garage Hadfield and his then-16-year-old son Evan loaded the T-Bird to the gills and made a road trip out of itldquoWe hit every worldrsquos biggest ball of string on the way even stopped off at Graceland and got Elvis glasses The car was pretty fullmdashmaybe we could have used the Continental back that triprdquo Hadfield laughsThen between 2003 and 2013 NASArsquos Chief of Robotics and later Chief of the International Space Station Operations daily-drove a 50-year-old Ford to work every day

ldquoMy commute was only about 10 minutes and no highwaysrdquo Hadfield says ldquoI didnrsquot drive it if the weather was bad But they dont really have winter down there Every single time I drove it I was delighted It was funrdquo

19

ldquoYou donrsquot want to risk a car unnecessarilyrdquo he adds ldquoBut you do want to honor it Everything about it is within my ability to fix and I bought the car to be involved in itrdquoAccording to the Commander his Thunderbird wasnrsquot a unicorn in the NASA parking lot Astronauts have a tradition of being interested in cars with most of the Apollo teams driving Corvettes But itrsquos not just about speedldquoAll astronauts are pretty hands-on kinds of peoplerdquo Hadfield says ldquoYou have to be pretty self-sufficientmdashtherersquos nobody to call in spacerdquoNow retired at the age of 60 Commander Hadfield seems busier than ever Hersquos written several books including one for children and is a popular speaker at events Hersquos also very active on Twitter Pressed on whether hersquod like to add anything to his garage Hadfield responds with a laugh

ldquoAt this point I feel like I only have the time to be faithful to one carrdquo he saysHowever his father Roger has a varied collection that includes Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts and McLaughlin-Buicks And Chris is interested to see whether his children will share a generational interest spurred by the Thunderbird The car is something of a bridge across the years worked on by Hadfield with his dad and shared with his sons and daughterNow restored by Dave Harrison of Straffordville Ontario over 14 months Hadfieldrsquos rsquo55 T-Bird stands ready for years of faithful service It is a dream come to life grounded to the earth ready for the next sortie Commencing countdown engines on 1 16

20

3

21

22

23

Member DateFran Paci 121Mary Benfante 121Jeffrey Heilig 124Robert McMinn 127Al Continelli 1210Dennis Blinder 1211Joe Marchione 1219Miguel (Mike) Borrero 1220Lucille Marchione 1221Andrew Signoriello 1222

  • The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird
Page 14: clubs.hemmings.comclubs.hemmings.com/tony/Newsletter Dec 2019-W.docx  · Web viewOFFICERS:PresidentStan Matusewicz – 631-231-3156curver@optonline.netVice PresidentDennis Benfante–

b Cooling distribution c Spark distribution d Power distribution

7 Coupe vehicles have how many doors

a Three b Four c Two d One

8 Spoilers are used to perform what function

a Increase fuel economy b Look cool c Add down force d Add up force

9 Ram air forces air into what part of the vehicle

a Into the Cab b Into the engine compartment c Over the Car d Into the air conditioning unit

10 Halo headlights are controversial because of their

a Brightness b Color c Shape d Fragile nature

From Classic Auto Supply Company CASCOrdquo

14

December Quiz Answers1 ndashA 4 ndash B 7 ndash C

2 ndash C 5 ndashA 8 ndashC

3 ndash B 6 ndash C 9 ndash B

10 -A

1955 1956 1957

Price new $2944 $3163 $3408 Production 16155 15631 21380Wheel base 102 102 102

Overall length 1752 1852 1852Overall height 522 522 516Overall width 702 702 728

Ground Clearance 55 59 59Tread 56 56 56

Turning Diameter 36 36 36Curb Weight 3232 lbs 3315 lbs 3324 lbs

Crankcase capacity 6 quart 6 quart 6 quartCooling system capacity 21 quart 21 quart 21 quart

Fuel tank capacity 17 gal 17 gal 20 gal

Engines available

DispCarbHP 2924v198

2924v202

3124v225

2922v212

3124v245

3128v270

312SC300

From CTCI

15

ARE YOU A MEMBER NOW WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO JOIN

Classic Thunderbird Club InternationalToll Free 8004882709 bull PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116 USA1048579 bull Email ctciofficectciorg

Web site wwwctciorg

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONPLEASE TYPE OR PRINTName____________________________________________________Spousersquos Name______________________________________Mailing Address______________________________________________________________________________________________City_______________________________________________ StateProvince______________ ZipMail Code___________________Telephone (______)_____________________________ Email Address__________________________________________________CTCI Chapter Affiliation (if any) _________________________________________________________________________________

bull New members please fill out application and send payment (in US funds ONLY) to the address below

bull Make checks payable to CTCI or pay by credit card by email fax or phone

bull Mail to CLASSIC THUNDERBIRD CLUB INT PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116

Please select one of the following prorated amounts Month Joining One Time Initiation Fee + Dues = Total January thru March $1500 + $3750 = $5250 April thru June $1500 + $2900 = $4400 July thru September $1500 + $1900 = $3400 October thru December $1500 + $1000 = $2500 NOTE Add $1800 to select Premium Packet with CTCI Grill Emblem

Annual dues renewal will be $3750 payable January 1 of each yearSignature _______________________________Date ______ Check here 1048658 if you wish to be listed in the CTCI roster as of April 1st

I give permission for my 1048658 phone number andor 1048658 email address to be listed in the CTCI roster(NOTE Phone numbers amp email are for office use only or for the roster if you choose to have it published Roster addresses may be sold only to T-Bird vendors to be used only for catalog purposesAre you a former member of CTCI 1048658 Yes 1048658 No If Yes what is your former CTCI membership number ________________________

Sponsored or Referred by _______________________________________________ CTCI (if known) ________________

16

From Sal Perrotta (Reprint from Newsday)

What You Must Do If Your Cars Headlights Run All Day The Two Truths Every Modern Car Owner Must KnowApril 16 2019

Closely inspect your insurance bill before you pay it

Because 260 million US drivers need insurance its no surprise this startup is being used by millions In September many drivers used this startup to potentially claim extreme insurance discounts

After much research and feedback here is a list of the potential discounts Following these steps may save the average driver up to $53600 a year

First if your car has anti-lock brakes day-time running lights or air bags ndash you may qualify for a discount If you qualify for 2 or 3 of these discounts the savings are often significant

Next to max out your savings youll want to claim specific driving record discounts There are a few insurers that will give a discount for no traffic tickets within 3 years Secondly having no car accidents in the last 3 years shows an insurer that youre skilled at avoiding accidents and your care while driving

Additionally if you live in a qualified postal code or neighborhood with minimal thefts you may save even more

Not everyone claims these discounts ndash heres why In 2015 only 13 of drivers switched insurers This is a low number It has been such a hassle because you had to check one site and then go to another And do the work to input your information several times Now this exciting tool has gained popularity Its an independent comparison shopping marketplace In 2017 the parent company of this project was listed on Inc 5000 as one of

17

fastest growing companies Clearly customers are using them and finding what theyre looking for ndash lower quotes

Whats the next step Unknown too many drivers agents make commission from your premiums The higher your current rate the more the agent receives The rule to beat this system and get fair quotes is simple To get the biggest savings compare discounted rates from a vast network of insurers (licensed in your area)

Even if you compared quotes recently most services leave insurers unchecked You may feel you have a low rate but if you could shave off another hundred or two what could you do with those savings

From Sal Perrotta Reprinted from Hagerty (by Brendan McAleer)

The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird

Back in rsquo55 came my first rsquoBird coupe the headlights had hoods and the hood had a scoopldquorsquo55 rsquoBirdrdquo mdash The AstronautsOn May 12 2013 Commander Chris Hadfield became the first person to record a music video in space His cover of David Bowiersquos ldquoSpace Oddityrdquo was an instant hit garnering millions of views Bowie himself was impressed calling the video ldquothe most poignant version of the song ever createdrdquo While the fate of the songrsquos Major Tom remains a mystery Commander Hadfieldrsquos fate doesnrsquot He would return safely to Earth and then hersquod drive home in his 1955 Ford ThunderbirdFreshly restored in Snowshoe White that same T-Bird was on display at the 2019 Cobble Beach Concours DrsquoElegance in Owen Bay Ontario Driving interviewed Commander Hadfield about his T-bird and about his car history growing up on a farm in Milton OntarioHadfield learned to drive tractors at age 12 before graduating to a 1962 Oldsmobile Delta 88 with (what else) a Rocket 88 V-8 under hood He owned a rsquo62 Oldsmobile then a rsquo64 VW Bug in university Then came marriage and family and the very John Glenn choice of a 1983 Mercury Marquis woody wagon But the boy who became the first Canadian to walk in space and command the International Space Station had always had a differently wheeled dream We caught up with him by phone en route to an astronaut conference in Montreal

18

ldquoAbsolutely I wanted to hold out for a rsquo55rdquo Hadfield says ldquoThe rsquo57 was bigger and the rsquo56 with the Continental back and opera windows was different too Basically my whole life Irsquove thought the rsquo55 was the perfect combination of design power and sizerdquo

Elliot Alder

The Ford Thunderbird debuted in 1955 not as a direct rival to the Chevrolet Corvette but instead as a slightly different take on a two-seater Inspired by a 1952 Ferrari Barchetta gifted to Henry Ford IImdashin the days before the two companies went to warmdashthe Thunderbird was sleek low and powerful for its day However it was intended as a personal car luxurious and convenient to drive The engine was a 192-cubic-inch V-8 which made 193 hp with the three-speed manual or 198 hp with a Ford-O-Matic three-speed autoHadfield had to wait until 2001 but he finally got his rsquo55 He bought the car over the phone from Star City Russia where he was working as Director of Operations of NASA A couple of years later he and his father Roger had repaired the T-Birdrsquos flaws and a new job at NASArsquos Johnson Space Center in Houston beckoned A normal person might have shipped the car down to live in a garage Hadfield and his then-16-year-old son Evan loaded the T-Bird to the gills and made a road trip out of itldquoWe hit every worldrsquos biggest ball of string on the way even stopped off at Graceland and got Elvis glasses The car was pretty fullmdashmaybe we could have used the Continental back that triprdquo Hadfield laughsThen between 2003 and 2013 NASArsquos Chief of Robotics and later Chief of the International Space Station Operations daily-drove a 50-year-old Ford to work every day

ldquoMy commute was only about 10 minutes and no highwaysrdquo Hadfield says ldquoI didnrsquot drive it if the weather was bad But they dont really have winter down there Every single time I drove it I was delighted It was funrdquo

19

ldquoYou donrsquot want to risk a car unnecessarilyrdquo he adds ldquoBut you do want to honor it Everything about it is within my ability to fix and I bought the car to be involved in itrdquoAccording to the Commander his Thunderbird wasnrsquot a unicorn in the NASA parking lot Astronauts have a tradition of being interested in cars with most of the Apollo teams driving Corvettes But itrsquos not just about speedldquoAll astronauts are pretty hands-on kinds of peoplerdquo Hadfield says ldquoYou have to be pretty self-sufficientmdashtherersquos nobody to call in spacerdquoNow retired at the age of 60 Commander Hadfield seems busier than ever Hersquos written several books including one for children and is a popular speaker at events Hersquos also very active on Twitter Pressed on whether hersquod like to add anything to his garage Hadfield responds with a laugh

ldquoAt this point I feel like I only have the time to be faithful to one carrdquo he saysHowever his father Roger has a varied collection that includes Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts and McLaughlin-Buicks And Chris is interested to see whether his children will share a generational interest spurred by the Thunderbird The car is something of a bridge across the years worked on by Hadfield with his dad and shared with his sons and daughterNow restored by Dave Harrison of Straffordville Ontario over 14 months Hadfieldrsquos rsquo55 T-Bird stands ready for years of faithful service It is a dream come to life grounded to the earth ready for the next sortie Commencing countdown engines on 1 16

20

3

21

22

23

Member DateFran Paci 121Mary Benfante 121Jeffrey Heilig 124Robert McMinn 127Al Continelli 1210Dennis Blinder 1211Joe Marchione 1219Miguel (Mike) Borrero 1220Lucille Marchione 1221Andrew Signoriello 1222

  • The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird
Page 15: clubs.hemmings.comclubs.hemmings.com/tony/Newsletter Dec 2019-W.docx  · Web viewOFFICERS:PresidentStan Matusewicz – 631-231-3156curver@optonline.netVice PresidentDennis Benfante–

1955 1956 1957

Price new $2944 $3163 $3408 Production 16155 15631 21380Wheel base 102 102 102

Overall length 1752 1852 1852Overall height 522 522 516Overall width 702 702 728

Ground Clearance 55 59 59Tread 56 56 56

Turning Diameter 36 36 36Curb Weight 3232 lbs 3315 lbs 3324 lbs

Crankcase capacity 6 quart 6 quart 6 quartCooling system capacity 21 quart 21 quart 21 quart

Fuel tank capacity 17 gal 17 gal 20 gal

Engines available

DispCarbHP 2924v198

2924v202

3124v225

2922v212

3124v245

3128v270

312SC300

From CTCI

15

ARE YOU A MEMBER NOW WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO JOIN

Classic Thunderbird Club InternationalToll Free 8004882709 bull PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116 USA1048579 bull Email ctciofficectciorg

Web site wwwctciorg

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONPLEASE TYPE OR PRINTName____________________________________________________Spousersquos Name______________________________________Mailing Address______________________________________________________________________________________________City_______________________________________________ StateProvince______________ ZipMail Code___________________Telephone (______)_____________________________ Email Address__________________________________________________CTCI Chapter Affiliation (if any) _________________________________________________________________________________

bull New members please fill out application and send payment (in US funds ONLY) to the address below

bull Make checks payable to CTCI or pay by credit card by email fax or phone

bull Mail to CLASSIC THUNDERBIRD CLUB INT PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116

Please select one of the following prorated amounts Month Joining One Time Initiation Fee + Dues = Total January thru March $1500 + $3750 = $5250 April thru June $1500 + $2900 = $4400 July thru September $1500 + $1900 = $3400 October thru December $1500 + $1000 = $2500 NOTE Add $1800 to select Premium Packet with CTCI Grill Emblem

Annual dues renewal will be $3750 payable January 1 of each yearSignature _______________________________Date ______ Check here 1048658 if you wish to be listed in the CTCI roster as of April 1st

I give permission for my 1048658 phone number andor 1048658 email address to be listed in the CTCI roster(NOTE Phone numbers amp email are for office use only or for the roster if you choose to have it published Roster addresses may be sold only to T-Bird vendors to be used only for catalog purposesAre you a former member of CTCI 1048658 Yes 1048658 No If Yes what is your former CTCI membership number ________________________

Sponsored or Referred by _______________________________________________ CTCI (if known) ________________

16

From Sal Perrotta (Reprint from Newsday)

What You Must Do If Your Cars Headlights Run All Day The Two Truths Every Modern Car Owner Must KnowApril 16 2019

Closely inspect your insurance bill before you pay it

Because 260 million US drivers need insurance its no surprise this startup is being used by millions In September many drivers used this startup to potentially claim extreme insurance discounts

After much research and feedback here is a list of the potential discounts Following these steps may save the average driver up to $53600 a year

First if your car has anti-lock brakes day-time running lights or air bags ndash you may qualify for a discount If you qualify for 2 or 3 of these discounts the savings are often significant

Next to max out your savings youll want to claim specific driving record discounts There are a few insurers that will give a discount for no traffic tickets within 3 years Secondly having no car accidents in the last 3 years shows an insurer that youre skilled at avoiding accidents and your care while driving

Additionally if you live in a qualified postal code or neighborhood with minimal thefts you may save even more

Not everyone claims these discounts ndash heres why In 2015 only 13 of drivers switched insurers This is a low number It has been such a hassle because you had to check one site and then go to another And do the work to input your information several times Now this exciting tool has gained popularity Its an independent comparison shopping marketplace In 2017 the parent company of this project was listed on Inc 5000 as one of

17

fastest growing companies Clearly customers are using them and finding what theyre looking for ndash lower quotes

Whats the next step Unknown too many drivers agents make commission from your premiums The higher your current rate the more the agent receives The rule to beat this system and get fair quotes is simple To get the biggest savings compare discounted rates from a vast network of insurers (licensed in your area)

Even if you compared quotes recently most services leave insurers unchecked You may feel you have a low rate but if you could shave off another hundred or two what could you do with those savings

From Sal Perrotta Reprinted from Hagerty (by Brendan McAleer)

The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird

Back in rsquo55 came my first rsquoBird coupe the headlights had hoods and the hood had a scoopldquorsquo55 rsquoBirdrdquo mdash The AstronautsOn May 12 2013 Commander Chris Hadfield became the first person to record a music video in space His cover of David Bowiersquos ldquoSpace Oddityrdquo was an instant hit garnering millions of views Bowie himself was impressed calling the video ldquothe most poignant version of the song ever createdrdquo While the fate of the songrsquos Major Tom remains a mystery Commander Hadfieldrsquos fate doesnrsquot He would return safely to Earth and then hersquod drive home in his 1955 Ford ThunderbirdFreshly restored in Snowshoe White that same T-Bird was on display at the 2019 Cobble Beach Concours DrsquoElegance in Owen Bay Ontario Driving interviewed Commander Hadfield about his T-bird and about his car history growing up on a farm in Milton OntarioHadfield learned to drive tractors at age 12 before graduating to a 1962 Oldsmobile Delta 88 with (what else) a Rocket 88 V-8 under hood He owned a rsquo62 Oldsmobile then a rsquo64 VW Bug in university Then came marriage and family and the very John Glenn choice of a 1983 Mercury Marquis woody wagon But the boy who became the first Canadian to walk in space and command the International Space Station had always had a differently wheeled dream We caught up with him by phone en route to an astronaut conference in Montreal

18

ldquoAbsolutely I wanted to hold out for a rsquo55rdquo Hadfield says ldquoThe rsquo57 was bigger and the rsquo56 with the Continental back and opera windows was different too Basically my whole life Irsquove thought the rsquo55 was the perfect combination of design power and sizerdquo

Elliot Alder

The Ford Thunderbird debuted in 1955 not as a direct rival to the Chevrolet Corvette but instead as a slightly different take on a two-seater Inspired by a 1952 Ferrari Barchetta gifted to Henry Ford IImdashin the days before the two companies went to warmdashthe Thunderbird was sleek low and powerful for its day However it was intended as a personal car luxurious and convenient to drive The engine was a 192-cubic-inch V-8 which made 193 hp with the three-speed manual or 198 hp with a Ford-O-Matic three-speed autoHadfield had to wait until 2001 but he finally got his rsquo55 He bought the car over the phone from Star City Russia where he was working as Director of Operations of NASA A couple of years later he and his father Roger had repaired the T-Birdrsquos flaws and a new job at NASArsquos Johnson Space Center in Houston beckoned A normal person might have shipped the car down to live in a garage Hadfield and his then-16-year-old son Evan loaded the T-Bird to the gills and made a road trip out of itldquoWe hit every worldrsquos biggest ball of string on the way even stopped off at Graceland and got Elvis glasses The car was pretty fullmdashmaybe we could have used the Continental back that triprdquo Hadfield laughsThen between 2003 and 2013 NASArsquos Chief of Robotics and later Chief of the International Space Station Operations daily-drove a 50-year-old Ford to work every day

ldquoMy commute was only about 10 minutes and no highwaysrdquo Hadfield says ldquoI didnrsquot drive it if the weather was bad But they dont really have winter down there Every single time I drove it I was delighted It was funrdquo

19

ldquoYou donrsquot want to risk a car unnecessarilyrdquo he adds ldquoBut you do want to honor it Everything about it is within my ability to fix and I bought the car to be involved in itrdquoAccording to the Commander his Thunderbird wasnrsquot a unicorn in the NASA parking lot Astronauts have a tradition of being interested in cars with most of the Apollo teams driving Corvettes But itrsquos not just about speedldquoAll astronauts are pretty hands-on kinds of peoplerdquo Hadfield says ldquoYou have to be pretty self-sufficientmdashtherersquos nobody to call in spacerdquoNow retired at the age of 60 Commander Hadfield seems busier than ever Hersquos written several books including one for children and is a popular speaker at events Hersquos also very active on Twitter Pressed on whether hersquod like to add anything to his garage Hadfield responds with a laugh

ldquoAt this point I feel like I only have the time to be faithful to one carrdquo he saysHowever his father Roger has a varied collection that includes Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts and McLaughlin-Buicks And Chris is interested to see whether his children will share a generational interest spurred by the Thunderbird The car is something of a bridge across the years worked on by Hadfield with his dad and shared with his sons and daughterNow restored by Dave Harrison of Straffordville Ontario over 14 months Hadfieldrsquos rsquo55 T-Bird stands ready for years of faithful service It is a dream come to life grounded to the earth ready for the next sortie Commencing countdown engines on 1 16

20

3

21

22

23

Member DateFran Paci 121Mary Benfante 121Jeffrey Heilig 124Robert McMinn 127Al Continelli 1210Dennis Blinder 1211Joe Marchione 1219Miguel (Mike) Borrero 1220Lucille Marchione 1221Andrew Signoriello 1222

  • The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird
Page 16: clubs.hemmings.comclubs.hemmings.com/tony/Newsletter Dec 2019-W.docx  · Web viewOFFICERS:PresidentStan Matusewicz – 631-231-3156curver@optonline.netVice PresidentDennis Benfante–

ARE YOU A MEMBER NOW WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO JOIN

Classic Thunderbird Club InternationalToll Free 8004882709 bull PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116 USA1048579 bull Email ctciofficectciorg

Web site wwwctciorg

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONPLEASE TYPE OR PRINTName____________________________________________________Spousersquos Name______________________________________Mailing Address______________________________________________________________________________________________City_______________________________________________ StateProvince______________ ZipMail Code___________________Telephone (______)_____________________________ Email Address__________________________________________________CTCI Chapter Affiliation (if any) _________________________________________________________________________________

bull New members please fill out application and send payment (in US funds ONLY) to the address below

bull Make checks payable to CTCI or pay by credit card by email fax or phone

bull Mail to CLASSIC THUNDERBIRD CLUB INT PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116

Please select one of the following prorated amounts Month Joining One Time Initiation Fee + Dues = Total January thru March $1500 + $3750 = $5250 April thru June $1500 + $2900 = $4400 July thru September $1500 + $1900 = $3400 October thru December $1500 + $1000 = $2500 NOTE Add $1800 to select Premium Packet with CTCI Grill Emblem

Annual dues renewal will be $3750 payable January 1 of each yearSignature _______________________________Date ______ Check here 1048658 if you wish to be listed in the CTCI roster as of April 1st

I give permission for my 1048658 phone number andor 1048658 email address to be listed in the CTCI roster(NOTE Phone numbers amp email are for office use only or for the roster if you choose to have it published Roster addresses may be sold only to T-Bird vendors to be used only for catalog purposesAre you a former member of CTCI 1048658 Yes 1048658 No If Yes what is your former CTCI membership number ________________________

Sponsored or Referred by _______________________________________________ CTCI (if known) ________________

16

From Sal Perrotta (Reprint from Newsday)

What You Must Do If Your Cars Headlights Run All Day The Two Truths Every Modern Car Owner Must KnowApril 16 2019

Closely inspect your insurance bill before you pay it

Because 260 million US drivers need insurance its no surprise this startup is being used by millions In September many drivers used this startup to potentially claim extreme insurance discounts

After much research and feedback here is a list of the potential discounts Following these steps may save the average driver up to $53600 a year

First if your car has anti-lock brakes day-time running lights or air bags ndash you may qualify for a discount If you qualify for 2 or 3 of these discounts the savings are often significant

Next to max out your savings youll want to claim specific driving record discounts There are a few insurers that will give a discount for no traffic tickets within 3 years Secondly having no car accidents in the last 3 years shows an insurer that youre skilled at avoiding accidents and your care while driving

Additionally if you live in a qualified postal code or neighborhood with minimal thefts you may save even more

Not everyone claims these discounts ndash heres why In 2015 only 13 of drivers switched insurers This is a low number It has been such a hassle because you had to check one site and then go to another And do the work to input your information several times Now this exciting tool has gained popularity Its an independent comparison shopping marketplace In 2017 the parent company of this project was listed on Inc 5000 as one of

17

fastest growing companies Clearly customers are using them and finding what theyre looking for ndash lower quotes

Whats the next step Unknown too many drivers agents make commission from your premiums The higher your current rate the more the agent receives The rule to beat this system and get fair quotes is simple To get the biggest savings compare discounted rates from a vast network of insurers (licensed in your area)

Even if you compared quotes recently most services leave insurers unchecked You may feel you have a low rate but if you could shave off another hundred or two what could you do with those savings

From Sal Perrotta Reprinted from Hagerty (by Brendan McAleer)

The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird

Back in rsquo55 came my first rsquoBird coupe the headlights had hoods and the hood had a scoopldquorsquo55 rsquoBirdrdquo mdash The AstronautsOn May 12 2013 Commander Chris Hadfield became the first person to record a music video in space His cover of David Bowiersquos ldquoSpace Oddityrdquo was an instant hit garnering millions of views Bowie himself was impressed calling the video ldquothe most poignant version of the song ever createdrdquo While the fate of the songrsquos Major Tom remains a mystery Commander Hadfieldrsquos fate doesnrsquot He would return safely to Earth and then hersquod drive home in his 1955 Ford ThunderbirdFreshly restored in Snowshoe White that same T-Bird was on display at the 2019 Cobble Beach Concours DrsquoElegance in Owen Bay Ontario Driving interviewed Commander Hadfield about his T-bird and about his car history growing up on a farm in Milton OntarioHadfield learned to drive tractors at age 12 before graduating to a 1962 Oldsmobile Delta 88 with (what else) a Rocket 88 V-8 under hood He owned a rsquo62 Oldsmobile then a rsquo64 VW Bug in university Then came marriage and family and the very John Glenn choice of a 1983 Mercury Marquis woody wagon But the boy who became the first Canadian to walk in space and command the International Space Station had always had a differently wheeled dream We caught up with him by phone en route to an astronaut conference in Montreal

18

ldquoAbsolutely I wanted to hold out for a rsquo55rdquo Hadfield says ldquoThe rsquo57 was bigger and the rsquo56 with the Continental back and opera windows was different too Basically my whole life Irsquove thought the rsquo55 was the perfect combination of design power and sizerdquo

Elliot Alder

The Ford Thunderbird debuted in 1955 not as a direct rival to the Chevrolet Corvette but instead as a slightly different take on a two-seater Inspired by a 1952 Ferrari Barchetta gifted to Henry Ford IImdashin the days before the two companies went to warmdashthe Thunderbird was sleek low and powerful for its day However it was intended as a personal car luxurious and convenient to drive The engine was a 192-cubic-inch V-8 which made 193 hp with the three-speed manual or 198 hp with a Ford-O-Matic three-speed autoHadfield had to wait until 2001 but he finally got his rsquo55 He bought the car over the phone from Star City Russia where he was working as Director of Operations of NASA A couple of years later he and his father Roger had repaired the T-Birdrsquos flaws and a new job at NASArsquos Johnson Space Center in Houston beckoned A normal person might have shipped the car down to live in a garage Hadfield and his then-16-year-old son Evan loaded the T-Bird to the gills and made a road trip out of itldquoWe hit every worldrsquos biggest ball of string on the way even stopped off at Graceland and got Elvis glasses The car was pretty fullmdashmaybe we could have used the Continental back that triprdquo Hadfield laughsThen between 2003 and 2013 NASArsquos Chief of Robotics and later Chief of the International Space Station Operations daily-drove a 50-year-old Ford to work every day

ldquoMy commute was only about 10 minutes and no highwaysrdquo Hadfield says ldquoI didnrsquot drive it if the weather was bad But they dont really have winter down there Every single time I drove it I was delighted It was funrdquo

19

ldquoYou donrsquot want to risk a car unnecessarilyrdquo he adds ldquoBut you do want to honor it Everything about it is within my ability to fix and I bought the car to be involved in itrdquoAccording to the Commander his Thunderbird wasnrsquot a unicorn in the NASA parking lot Astronauts have a tradition of being interested in cars with most of the Apollo teams driving Corvettes But itrsquos not just about speedldquoAll astronauts are pretty hands-on kinds of peoplerdquo Hadfield says ldquoYou have to be pretty self-sufficientmdashtherersquos nobody to call in spacerdquoNow retired at the age of 60 Commander Hadfield seems busier than ever Hersquos written several books including one for children and is a popular speaker at events Hersquos also very active on Twitter Pressed on whether hersquod like to add anything to his garage Hadfield responds with a laugh

ldquoAt this point I feel like I only have the time to be faithful to one carrdquo he saysHowever his father Roger has a varied collection that includes Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts and McLaughlin-Buicks And Chris is interested to see whether his children will share a generational interest spurred by the Thunderbird The car is something of a bridge across the years worked on by Hadfield with his dad and shared with his sons and daughterNow restored by Dave Harrison of Straffordville Ontario over 14 months Hadfieldrsquos rsquo55 T-Bird stands ready for years of faithful service It is a dream come to life grounded to the earth ready for the next sortie Commencing countdown engines on 1 16

20

3

21

22

23

Member DateFran Paci 121Mary Benfante 121Jeffrey Heilig 124Robert McMinn 127Al Continelli 1210Dennis Blinder 1211Joe Marchione 1219Miguel (Mike) Borrero 1220Lucille Marchione 1221Andrew Signoriello 1222

  • The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird
Page 17: clubs.hemmings.comclubs.hemmings.com/tony/Newsletter Dec 2019-W.docx  · Web viewOFFICERS:PresidentStan Matusewicz – 631-231-3156curver@optonline.netVice PresidentDennis Benfante–

From Sal Perrotta (Reprint from Newsday)

What You Must Do If Your Cars Headlights Run All Day The Two Truths Every Modern Car Owner Must KnowApril 16 2019

Closely inspect your insurance bill before you pay it

Because 260 million US drivers need insurance its no surprise this startup is being used by millions In September many drivers used this startup to potentially claim extreme insurance discounts

After much research and feedback here is a list of the potential discounts Following these steps may save the average driver up to $53600 a year

First if your car has anti-lock brakes day-time running lights or air bags ndash you may qualify for a discount If you qualify for 2 or 3 of these discounts the savings are often significant

Next to max out your savings youll want to claim specific driving record discounts There are a few insurers that will give a discount for no traffic tickets within 3 years Secondly having no car accidents in the last 3 years shows an insurer that youre skilled at avoiding accidents and your care while driving

Additionally if you live in a qualified postal code or neighborhood with minimal thefts you may save even more

Not everyone claims these discounts ndash heres why In 2015 only 13 of drivers switched insurers This is a low number It has been such a hassle because you had to check one site and then go to another And do the work to input your information several times Now this exciting tool has gained popularity Its an independent comparison shopping marketplace In 2017 the parent company of this project was listed on Inc 5000 as one of

17

fastest growing companies Clearly customers are using them and finding what theyre looking for ndash lower quotes

Whats the next step Unknown too many drivers agents make commission from your premiums The higher your current rate the more the agent receives The rule to beat this system and get fair quotes is simple To get the biggest savings compare discounted rates from a vast network of insurers (licensed in your area)

Even if you compared quotes recently most services leave insurers unchecked You may feel you have a low rate but if you could shave off another hundred or two what could you do with those savings

From Sal Perrotta Reprinted from Hagerty (by Brendan McAleer)

The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird

Back in rsquo55 came my first rsquoBird coupe the headlights had hoods and the hood had a scoopldquorsquo55 rsquoBirdrdquo mdash The AstronautsOn May 12 2013 Commander Chris Hadfield became the first person to record a music video in space His cover of David Bowiersquos ldquoSpace Oddityrdquo was an instant hit garnering millions of views Bowie himself was impressed calling the video ldquothe most poignant version of the song ever createdrdquo While the fate of the songrsquos Major Tom remains a mystery Commander Hadfieldrsquos fate doesnrsquot He would return safely to Earth and then hersquod drive home in his 1955 Ford ThunderbirdFreshly restored in Snowshoe White that same T-Bird was on display at the 2019 Cobble Beach Concours DrsquoElegance in Owen Bay Ontario Driving interviewed Commander Hadfield about his T-bird and about his car history growing up on a farm in Milton OntarioHadfield learned to drive tractors at age 12 before graduating to a 1962 Oldsmobile Delta 88 with (what else) a Rocket 88 V-8 under hood He owned a rsquo62 Oldsmobile then a rsquo64 VW Bug in university Then came marriage and family and the very John Glenn choice of a 1983 Mercury Marquis woody wagon But the boy who became the first Canadian to walk in space and command the International Space Station had always had a differently wheeled dream We caught up with him by phone en route to an astronaut conference in Montreal

18

ldquoAbsolutely I wanted to hold out for a rsquo55rdquo Hadfield says ldquoThe rsquo57 was bigger and the rsquo56 with the Continental back and opera windows was different too Basically my whole life Irsquove thought the rsquo55 was the perfect combination of design power and sizerdquo

Elliot Alder

The Ford Thunderbird debuted in 1955 not as a direct rival to the Chevrolet Corvette but instead as a slightly different take on a two-seater Inspired by a 1952 Ferrari Barchetta gifted to Henry Ford IImdashin the days before the two companies went to warmdashthe Thunderbird was sleek low and powerful for its day However it was intended as a personal car luxurious and convenient to drive The engine was a 192-cubic-inch V-8 which made 193 hp with the three-speed manual or 198 hp with a Ford-O-Matic three-speed autoHadfield had to wait until 2001 but he finally got his rsquo55 He bought the car over the phone from Star City Russia where he was working as Director of Operations of NASA A couple of years later he and his father Roger had repaired the T-Birdrsquos flaws and a new job at NASArsquos Johnson Space Center in Houston beckoned A normal person might have shipped the car down to live in a garage Hadfield and his then-16-year-old son Evan loaded the T-Bird to the gills and made a road trip out of itldquoWe hit every worldrsquos biggest ball of string on the way even stopped off at Graceland and got Elvis glasses The car was pretty fullmdashmaybe we could have used the Continental back that triprdquo Hadfield laughsThen between 2003 and 2013 NASArsquos Chief of Robotics and later Chief of the International Space Station Operations daily-drove a 50-year-old Ford to work every day

ldquoMy commute was only about 10 minutes and no highwaysrdquo Hadfield says ldquoI didnrsquot drive it if the weather was bad But they dont really have winter down there Every single time I drove it I was delighted It was funrdquo

19

ldquoYou donrsquot want to risk a car unnecessarilyrdquo he adds ldquoBut you do want to honor it Everything about it is within my ability to fix and I bought the car to be involved in itrdquoAccording to the Commander his Thunderbird wasnrsquot a unicorn in the NASA parking lot Astronauts have a tradition of being interested in cars with most of the Apollo teams driving Corvettes But itrsquos not just about speedldquoAll astronauts are pretty hands-on kinds of peoplerdquo Hadfield says ldquoYou have to be pretty self-sufficientmdashtherersquos nobody to call in spacerdquoNow retired at the age of 60 Commander Hadfield seems busier than ever Hersquos written several books including one for children and is a popular speaker at events Hersquos also very active on Twitter Pressed on whether hersquod like to add anything to his garage Hadfield responds with a laugh

ldquoAt this point I feel like I only have the time to be faithful to one carrdquo he saysHowever his father Roger has a varied collection that includes Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts and McLaughlin-Buicks And Chris is interested to see whether his children will share a generational interest spurred by the Thunderbird The car is something of a bridge across the years worked on by Hadfield with his dad and shared with his sons and daughterNow restored by Dave Harrison of Straffordville Ontario over 14 months Hadfieldrsquos rsquo55 T-Bird stands ready for years of faithful service It is a dream come to life grounded to the earth ready for the next sortie Commencing countdown engines on 1 16

20

3

21

22

23

Member DateFran Paci 121Mary Benfante 121Jeffrey Heilig 124Robert McMinn 127Al Continelli 1210Dennis Blinder 1211Joe Marchione 1219Miguel (Mike) Borrero 1220Lucille Marchione 1221Andrew Signoriello 1222

  • The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird
Page 18: clubs.hemmings.comclubs.hemmings.com/tony/Newsletter Dec 2019-W.docx  · Web viewOFFICERS:PresidentStan Matusewicz – 631-231-3156curver@optonline.netVice PresidentDennis Benfante–

fastest growing companies Clearly customers are using them and finding what theyre looking for ndash lower quotes

Whats the next step Unknown too many drivers agents make commission from your premiums The higher your current rate the more the agent receives The rule to beat this system and get fair quotes is simple To get the biggest savings compare discounted rates from a vast network of insurers (licensed in your area)

Even if you compared quotes recently most services leave insurers unchecked You may feel you have a low rate but if you could shave off another hundred or two what could you do with those savings

From Sal Perrotta Reprinted from Hagerty (by Brendan McAleer)

The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird

Back in rsquo55 came my first rsquoBird coupe the headlights had hoods and the hood had a scoopldquorsquo55 rsquoBirdrdquo mdash The AstronautsOn May 12 2013 Commander Chris Hadfield became the first person to record a music video in space His cover of David Bowiersquos ldquoSpace Oddityrdquo was an instant hit garnering millions of views Bowie himself was impressed calling the video ldquothe most poignant version of the song ever createdrdquo While the fate of the songrsquos Major Tom remains a mystery Commander Hadfieldrsquos fate doesnrsquot He would return safely to Earth and then hersquod drive home in his 1955 Ford ThunderbirdFreshly restored in Snowshoe White that same T-Bird was on display at the 2019 Cobble Beach Concours DrsquoElegance in Owen Bay Ontario Driving interviewed Commander Hadfield about his T-bird and about his car history growing up on a farm in Milton OntarioHadfield learned to drive tractors at age 12 before graduating to a 1962 Oldsmobile Delta 88 with (what else) a Rocket 88 V-8 under hood He owned a rsquo62 Oldsmobile then a rsquo64 VW Bug in university Then came marriage and family and the very John Glenn choice of a 1983 Mercury Marquis woody wagon But the boy who became the first Canadian to walk in space and command the International Space Station had always had a differently wheeled dream We caught up with him by phone en route to an astronaut conference in Montreal

18

ldquoAbsolutely I wanted to hold out for a rsquo55rdquo Hadfield says ldquoThe rsquo57 was bigger and the rsquo56 with the Continental back and opera windows was different too Basically my whole life Irsquove thought the rsquo55 was the perfect combination of design power and sizerdquo

Elliot Alder

The Ford Thunderbird debuted in 1955 not as a direct rival to the Chevrolet Corvette but instead as a slightly different take on a two-seater Inspired by a 1952 Ferrari Barchetta gifted to Henry Ford IImdashin the days before the two companies went to warmdashthe Thunderbird was sleek low and powerful for its day However it was intended as a personal car luxurious and convenient to drive The engine was a 192-cubic-inch V-8 which made 193 hp with the three-speed manual or 198 hp with a Ford-O-Matic three-speed autoHadfield had to wait until 2001 but he finally got his rsquo55 He bought the car over the phone from Star City Russia where he was working as Director of Operations of NASA A couple of years later he and his father Roger had repaired the T-Birdrsquos flaws and a new job at NASArsquos Johnson Space Center in Houston beckoned A normal person might have shipped the car down to live in a garage Hadfield and his then-16-year-old son Evan loaded the T-Bird to the gills and made a road trip out of itldquoWe hit every worldrsquos biggest ball of string on the way even stopped off at Graceland and got Elvis glasses The car was pretty fullmdashmaybe we could have used the Continental back that triprdquo Hadfield laughsThen between 2003 and 2013 NASArsquos Chief of Robotics and later Chief of the International Space Station Operations daily-drove a 50-year-old Ford to work every day

ldquoMy commute was only about 10 minutes and no highwaysrdquo Hadfield says ldquoI didnrsquot drive it if the weather was bad But they dont really have winter down there Every single time I drove it I was delighted It was funrdquo

19

ldquoYou donrsquot want to risk a car unnecessarilyrdquo he adds ldquoBut you do want to honor it Everything about it is within my ability to fix and I bought the car to be involved in itrdquoAccording to the Commander his Thunderbird wasnrsquot a unicorn in the NASA parking lot Astronauts have a tradition of being interested in cars with most of the Apollo teams driving Corvettes But itrsquos not just about speedldquoAll astronauts are pretty hands-on kinds of peoplerdquo Hadfield says ldquoYou have to be pretty self-sufficientmdashtherersquos nobody to call in spacerdquoNow retired at the age of 60 Commander Hadfield seems busier than ever Hersquos written several books including one for children and is a popular speaker at events Hersquos also very active on Twitter Pressed on whether hersquod like to add anything to his garage Hadfield responds with a laugh

ldquoAt this point I feel like I only have the time to be faithful to one carrdquo he saysHowever his father Roger has a varied collection that includes Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts and McLaughlin-Buicks And Chris is interested to see whether his children will share a generational interest spurred by the Thunderbird The car is something of a bridge across the years worked on by Hadfield with his dad and shared with his sons and daughterNow restored by Dave Harrison of Straffordville Ontario over 14 months Hadfieldrsquos rsquo55 T-Bird stands ready for years of faithful service It is a dream come to life grounded to the earth ready for the next sortie Commencing countdown engines on 1 16

20

3

21

22

23

Member DateFran Paci 121Mary Benfante 121Jeffrey Heilig 124Robert McMinn 127Al Continelli 1210Dennis Blinder 1211Joe Marchione 1219Miguel (Mike) Borrero 1220Lucille Marchione 1221Andrew Signoriello 1222

  • The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird
Page 19: clubs.hemmings.comclubs.hemmings.com/tony/Newsletter Dec 2019-W.docx  · Web viewOFFICERS:PresidentStan Matusewicz – 631-231-3156curver@optonline.netVice PresidentDennis Benfante–

ldquoAbsolutely I wanted to hold out for a rsquo55rdquo Hadfield says ldquoThe rsquo57 was bigger and the rsquo56 with the Continental back and opera windows was different too Basically my whole life Irsquove thought the rsquo55 was the perfect combination of design power and sizerdquo

Elliot Alder

The Ford Thunderbird debuted in 1955 not as a direct rival to the Chevrolet Corvette but instead as a slightly different take on a two-seater Inspired by a 1952 Ferrari Barchetta gifted to Henry Ford IImdashin the days before the two companies went to warmdashthe Thunderbird was sleek low and powerful for its day However it was intended as a personal car luxurious and convenient to drive The engine was a 192-cubic-inch V-8 which made 193 hp with the three-speed manual or 198 hp with a Ford-O-Matic three-speed autoHadfield had to wait until 2001 but he finally got his rsquo55 He bought the car over the phone from Star City Russia where he was working as Director of Operations of NASA A couple of years later he and his father Roger had repaired the T-Birdrsquos flaws and a new job at NASArsquos Johnson Space Center in Houston beckoned A normal person might have shipped the car down to live in a garage Hadfield and his then-16-year-old son Evan loaded the T-Bird to the gills and made a road trip out of itldquoWe hit every worldrsquos biggest ball of string on the way even stopped off at Graceland and got Elvis glasses The car was pretty fullmdashmaybe we could have used the Continental back that triprdquo Hadfield laughsThen between 2003 and 2013 NASArsquos Chief of Robotics and later Chief of the International Space Station Operations daily-drove a 50-year-old Ford to work every day

ldquoMy commute was only about 10 minutes and no highwaysrdquo Hadfield says ldquoI didnrsquot drive it if the weather was bad But they dont really have winter down there Every single time I drove it I was delighted It was funrdquo

19

ldquoYou donrsquot want to risk a car unnecessarilyrdquo he adds ldquoBut you do want to honor it Everything about it is within my ability to fix and I bought the car to be involved in itrdquoAccording to the Commander his Thunderbird wasnrsquot a unicorn in the NASA parking lot Astronauts have a tradition of being interested in cars with most of the Apollo teams driving Corvettes But itrsquos not just about speedldquoAll astronauts are pretty hands-on kinds of peoplerdquo Hadfield says ldquoYou have to be pretty self-sufficientmdashtherersquos nobody to call in spacerdquoNow retired at the age of 60 Commander Hadfield seems busier than ever Hersquos written several books including one for children and is a popular speaker at events Hersquos also very active on Twitter Pressed on whether hersquod like to add anything to his garage Hadfield responds with a laugh

ldquoAt this point I feel like I only have the time to be faithful to one carrdquo he saysHowever his father Roger has a varied collection that includes Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts and McLaughlin-Buicks And Chris is interested to see whether his children will share a generational interest spurred by the Thunderbird The car is something of a bridge across the years worked on by Hadfield with his dad and shared with his sons and daughterNow restored by Dave Harrison of Straffordville Ontario over 14 months Hadfieldrsquos rsquo55 T-Bird stands ready for years of faithful service It is a dream come to life grounded to the earth ready for the next sortie Commencing countdown engines on 1 16

20

3

21

22

23

Member DateFran Paci 121Mary Benfante 121Jeffrey Heilig 124Robert McMinn 127Al Continelli 1210Dennis Blinder 1211Joe Marchione 1219Miguel (Mike) Borrero 1220Lucille Marchione 1221Andrew Signoriello 1222

  • The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird
Page 20: clubs.hemmings.comclubs.hemmings.com/tony/Newsletter Dec 2019-W.docx  · Web viewOFFICERS:PresidentStan Matusewicz – 631-231-3156curver@optonline.netVice PresidentDennis Benfante–

ldquoYou donrsquot want to risk a car unnecessarilyrdquo he adds ldquoBut you do want to honor it Everything about it is within my ability to fix and I bought the car to be involved in itrdquoAccording to the Commander his Thunderbird wasnrsquot a unicorn in the NASA parking lot Astronauts have a tradition of being interested in cars with most of the Apollo teams driving Corvettes But itrsquos not just about speedldquoAll astronauts are pretty hands-on kinds of peoplerdquo Hadfield says ldquoYou have to be pretty self-sufficientmdashtherersquos nobody to call in spacerdquoNow retired at the age of 60 Commander Hadfield seems busier than ever Hersquos written several books including one for children and is a popular speaker at events Hersquos also very active on Twitter Pressed on whether hersquod like to add anything to his garage Hadfield responds with a laugh

ldquoAt this point I feel like I only have the time to be faithful to one carrdquo he saysHowever his father Roger has a varied collection that includes Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts and McLaughlin-Buicks And Chris is interested to see whether his children will share a generational interest spurred by the Thunderbird The car is something of a bridge across the years worked on by Hadfield with his dad and shared with his sons and daughterNow restored by Dave Harrison of Straffordville Ontario over 14 months Hadfieldrsquos rsquo55 T-Bird stands ready for years of faithful service It is a dream come to life grounded to the earth ready for the next sortie Commencing countdown engines on 1 16

20

3

21

22

23

Member DateFran Paci 121Mary Benfante 121Jeffrey Heilig 124Robert McMinn 127Al Continelli 1210Dennis Blinder 1211Joe Marchione 1219Miguel (Mike) Borrero 1220Lucille Marchione 1221Andrew Signoriello 1222

  • The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird
Page 21: clubs.hemmings.comclubs.hemmings.com/tony/Newsletter Dec 2019-W.docx  · Web viewOFFICERS:PresidentStan Matusewicz – 631-231-3156curver@optonline.netVice PresidentDennis Benfante–

3

21

22

23

Member DateFran Paci 121Mary Benfante 121Jeffrey Heilig 124Robert McMinn 127Al Continelli 1210Dennis Blinder 1211Joe Marchione 1219Miguel (Mike) Borrero 1220Lucille Marchione 1221Andrew Signoriello 1222

  • The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird
Page 22: clubs.hemmings.comclubs.hemmings.com/tony/Newsletter Dec 2019-W.docx  · Web viewOFFICERS:PresidentStan Matusewicz – 631-231-3156curver@optonline.netVice PresidentDennis Benfante–

22

23

Member DateFran Paci 121Mary Benfante 121Jeffrey Heilig 124Robert McMinn 127Al Continelli 1210Dennis Blinder 1211Joe Marchione 1219Miguel (Mike) Borrero 1220Lucille Marchione 1221Andrew Signoriello 1222

  • The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird
Page 23: clubs.hemmings.comclubs.hemmings.com/tony/Newsletter Dec 2019-W.docx  · Web viewOFFICERS:PresidentStan Matusewicz – 631-231-3156curver@optonline.netVice PresidentDennis Benfante–

23

Member DateFran Paci 121Mary Benfante 121Jeffrey Heilig 124Robert McMinn 127Al Continelli 1210Dennis Blinder 1211Joe Marchione 1219Miguel (Mike) Borrero 1220Lucille Marchione 1221Andrew Signoriello 1222

  • The Astronaut amp The rsquo55 T-Bird