Monday, January 28, 2013

ISSUE 123 HAS GONE POSTAL !

Monday, January 28, 2013:  I uploaded the club's mailing list to our printer early this morning.  Word is that they will bag, label and deliver the issues to the USPS no later than tomorrow morning.

How the post office works is that the magazines are directed from their drop off point to an Area Distribution Center (ADC), then shipped to major cities, then to your local post office where your neighborhood mail carrier transports it and slides it into your mailbox.  Not even the postal gods can tell me when they'll be delivered.  "They'll be there when they get there," was the answer given without a smile.  LOL

I just wanted you to know that they were on their way.

Ernest  

Monday, January 21, 2013

WINTER 2013 ~ ISSUE 123


January 21st:  Issue 123 was uploaded to the printer before sunrise this morning.  It should take about two weeks before this issue is in the hands of the post office.  It's jam-packed with your event and car articles.  I couldn't get every contribution into this issue, but if yours didn't make it, you'll see it in the Spring issue.   This issue's contents include:


  • FROM YOUR EDITOR by Ernest McIntyre
  • GASSER GOSSIP
  • A New Era for the EAST COAST GASSERS  by Dave Swiatek
  • 21st CALIFORNIA HOT ROD REUNION by Vic Young, So Cal Club Rep
  • MOONEYES XMAS PARTY by Vic Young, So Cal Club Rep
  • J.R. BLOOM:  Drag Racing Photographer by Ernest McIntyre
  • K.S. PITTMAN by J.R. Bloom
  • THE HAYMAKER by Wayne Stine
  • DREAMS DO COME TRUE by Derek Boyd
  • 1953 WILLYS by Steve Baldi
  • RED CARPET RUMBLE by Marc Augustine, Southern New England Club Rep
  • BUILDING THE ACME RACING COUPE ~ The Early Years by  Big Al Chernik
  • AMERICAN GASSER by John Shelton
  • SWAP MEET
  • GASSER RACING RULES & CLASSES by Don Moyer, RACE DIRECTOR


My thanks to J.R. Bloom for his historic drag racing photos from both Lions and Beeline.  When you get your copy, see if you can figure out who the guys/cars are in the cover photo.  Judging by the Isky shirt in the foreground, this shot is either from '65 or '66.  1965 is my guess.

I'll give you a heads-up when this issue is in the hands of the USPS. Thanks!
  Ernest 






Friday, January 4, 2013

My Road Trip in Spain

Just back from a 3-week vacation in Spain and Morocco.  We flew into Madrid and then rented Volkswagen's Spanish-manufactured SEAT.  A 5-speed with four doors, hatchback, more driver room than our Lexus and just narrow enough to squeeze through the tiny cobblestone streets of Spain's oldest cities.  They rent cars differently in Spain.  It comes with a full tank of gas and a request that you bring it back empty.  I did.

Driving in Spain:  The roads are as good as in the US and the road signs are far better.  Even if you spoke only Martian, you would be comfortable on Spain's highways.  One thing that surprised me was that whether you were driving in the cities or on their freeways, there was no roadside trash--none.   Surprise number two was that they gave pedestrians the right of way at all times and without any attitude or horn honking.  I never fully got the hang of the liter system.  Gas was about the same price everywhere and I wasn't about to spend my Spain-time shopping for a penny-saving deal.  I learned to give the attendant my credit card (pumps don't take them) and say, "Completo."  Which meant, "I'm going to fill it up."

Although I kept my eyes open for rods on the road and old cars behind farm houses, my only car-encounter was a Ferrari hooking it in the other lane in Granada (see above photo).   Although US news coverage is how poor Spain is, I never saw any signs of poverty.  The people dress well, drive decent cars and not a shack was in sight of major and minor roads.  Another unexpected surprise.

Cross the Strait of Gibraltar to Tangier and a different world awaits you.  Trash everywhere, extreme wealth and extreme poverty, and beat up cars.  I would have liked to have spent a night or two in Morocco to explore non-Tijuana-like Tangier.  However, we toured what we could and then hopped on the ferry back to Spain.

I'm a non-itinerary guy.  We had a list of towns we'd like to visit, but no hotel reservations and no schedule except the date/time we had to fly back home from the Madrid airport (which will blow you away in its modern design and scale).  We drove where we wanted, when we wanted and stayed where we wanted.  It was wonderful

Now I'm back at it.  Working on the next issue.  If you have photos, ads or articles you want in this issue, now is the time to get them to me.

Thanks!  Ernest