LOWER COLUMBIA CLASSIC CAR CLUB 1 PRESIDENT FRED MESTRICH / VICE PRESIDENT DARRYL NIEMI /

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1 LOWER COLUMBIA CLASSIC CAR CLUB 1 FEBRUARY 2018 From the Prez Well, we got thru January without any major problems. The Swap Meet pre-registrations are coming in faster than last year. The Fairgrounds didn t offer a discount coupon again this year, so we will have to pay full bore. I feel like I have been going backwards the last few months. With the purchase of 3 non-running Model A Fords, I am learning more about 90 year old technology then I ever wanted to. Having to work with Breaker Point, Condensers, Carburetors and positive ground systems and systems that are repairable and you don t have to replace is backwards but fun. I hope all of you have a Happy Valentine s day. Judy Jordan has arranged for a no host lunch at Jim s Roadside grill in Warrenton next to Shilo. Time will be 1:00pm on Sunday February 18 th. Hope to see you all there. You should have received an from Steve Jordan. If you have any questions, give me a call at Well, enough rambling for this month, Hope to see all of you at the next Club Meeting at Steve s shop Thursday February 15 th at 7:00pm LCCC President Fred Mestrich

2 LOWER COLUMBIA CLASSIC CAR CLUB 2 Lower Columbia Classic minutes minutes of regular meeting January 18,2018 Steve Jordan's shop, Helligso lane,astoria,oregon The regular meeting of the Lower Columbia Classic Car Club was held January 18,2018 at 7:00p.m. At Steve Jordan's shop. President Fred Mestrich called the meeting to order. It was moved and seconded to accept the minutes as printed in the BACKFIRE the motion carried. The treasurer Burt Young, was not at the meeting, so Fred Mestrich distributed the reconciliation and profit and loss statements for review by members. Judy Jordan, the sunshine committee chair, reported that Jeff Penuel has not been feeling well. Polk Riley, and Marv Stunkard are both doing better. Dorothy Gillies will remain the membership committee chair. Fred Mestrich, the swap meet committee chair reported, registrations have been sent, they have already rented out 14 spaces. He ask for any donations for the club booth. The 26 th annual swap meet will be held March 10 th. Burt Young will remain the '50's cruise chairman. They have been working on the graphics for the shirts and the trophy's. Any raffle items are welcome. The web master will be Robbi Nelson. She has made some changes, so go check it out, and see what you think! Ross Getchell, the editor of the backfire, is still asking for articles. There will be no more mailed copies after February 1 st, unless otherwise requested. He also needs women to write for the backseat. Darryl Neimi, the education chair, reported that plans are in motion for the new auto class building at the Warrenton High School. Eric Williamson from Extreme Automotive has offered to help teach the class. Gail Penuel will remain the historical committee chair. Please send her any pictures from events you go to. The club is looking for a social activities coordinator. For job requirements get in contact with Fred Mestrich. Jim Wood needs ideas for articles. Any people, stories, etc. The new years day was a lot of fun. We had lunch at the Roadhouse Inn in Ocean Park. About 35 people attended. The meeting adjourned at 7:50 Jim Wood won the attendance drawing. Thank you Judy for the wonderful refreshments. Margot Gittins Secretary

3 LOWER COLUMBIA CLASSIC CAR CLUB 3 By Jim Wood I had the pleasure last Saturday to cruise out Hwy. 202 to Doug and Dorothy Gillies place on the river. Wow, what a nice spot. Great view and room out back for a nice big shop. The shop wasn't there when they bought the place, but it did not take long for it to appear. Two large doors with a lot of shop goodies, including a lift. I had been hearing about this Corvette that these two had was nearing completion. So I thought I would go see What They Were Working On. I have to say they because Dorothy is as involved with these cars as Doug. Generally speaking, most wives take more of an advisory and treasurer role in the project cars. Doug says she is pretty handy getting into those tight spots with hands 1/2 the size of his. Well anyway, back to the Corvette. I had and dependable power train with a 350/350 set up. I hope to see these guys out and about in this beauty this summer. The other car that Doug and Dorothy have is one that I actually came across a few months ago at Mark Gittins shop in Seaside. I was snooping around in the back section of his shop when I saw what looked like an old Chevy sitting on the ground with no wheels. Further inspection showed that it did indeed have wheels and was just really slammed. I said to Doug, "I bet you could knock over a pack of Camels". He replied, "you could lay 'em on their side and knock them over"! This thing is really a low-low rider. This low-rider is a '48 Chevy Coupe. 350/350 heard Doug talking about this old Corvette they had been working on and off for about fifteen years. They mentioned working on the seat frames and upholstery. Changing the tan upholstery out for black. Stuff like that. Anyway, I wasn't expecting the beautiful example of a '77 Corvette roadster that met my eyes. This thing was gorgeous. Paint is a nearly new burnt orange color that is subtle and elegant. Wheels are the correct slotted and polished mags. The crowning part is the removable T-tops. When the C-3 Mako-Shark looking Corvettes first came out, I was not a huge fan. I had never really got over my love affair with early Corvettes. You know, '55-'62 racy sports cars. However, fifty years later and my opinion has changed about those'70's Corvettes. They are pretty darn Cool. They look different to me now, like a fast piece of art. The Vette has a pretty mild for a power train. It has been made driveable with a Mustang II IFS suspension set-up. Dorothy redid the interior and it looks great. Paint is not black primer, it just looks like it. This ride is awesome and has somewhat of a gangsta vibe. Doug says they are thinking about selling the '48 and starting a new project. This would be a great deal for someone, the hard stuff is all done and it is ready to cruise. Doug and Dorothy have only been club members for a few years, but have they jumped up and joined right in. Of course everybody remembers the quilts that Dorothy made for the cruise-in raffle. She is also the membership chairwoman for the club. Doug is on the board for the '50's Cruise Car Show. This club got lucky when these two showed up. Thank you Doug and Dorothy for your dedication to the club.

4 LOWER COLUMBIA CLASSIC CAR CLUB 4 Ramblin `Round With Steve

5 LOWER COLUMBIA CLASSIC CAR CLUB 5 FROM THE BACK SEAT THE GAL S PAGE Club Members who need a little Sunshine The names below have been submitted by the Sunshine Committee. Those listed are our fellow members and need you. LINDA UPHOFF, FRANK KOSSAK Someone not up to speed let Judy Jordan, Sunshine Committee Chair know. Judy s Phone number is: (503) Friends forever Do you remember when you were in grammar school and how you interacted with your friends? Are you still in touch with any of them and have they changed (we know we have all aged)? I am happy to say that I am still in touch with my Amiga s Mary and Stacy. (I put them in alphabetical order so they wouldn t think I was taking sides.) Stacy and I met when we grew up on Annetta Avenue. She later moved across town but fortunately we kept our friendship alive at St. Helen s School; this is where we met up and glued Mary to our sides. By the way we also spent all our high school years in Junior Catholic Daughters in the St. Bernadette Troup. We went through ten years of school together (attended Pius X High School for a couple of years). Sporadically kept in touch over the past 50 years or so. After high school and when we turned 21 we partied and hung out (okay had hang overs); hopefully we are forgiven for our way too much fun times. I recently caught up with Mary at a high school reunion. Our paths reconnected on the flight from Sacramento to West Covina; I swear we didn t stop laughing or crying the whole hour and a half. Even though Stacy couldn t make it she said she would call me still waiting Stacy. She apologized for not calling and I said that BFF s are forever. But that is not the end of the story. We are meeting up in Las Vegas in May with four of our high school BFF s. Should be a hoot. Hopefully we won t wait as long to get together and get crazy again. Just saying call those friends and reconnect, you will be happy you did. Patty Getchell

6 LOWER COLUMBIA CLASSIC CAR CLUB 6 FOR SALE LOT & ANNOUCEMENTS This 1955 Buick Century owned and restored by Steve Jordan is For Sale. Spread the word. Questions, call For Sale 1954 Ford 1/2 ton SNB 312 V8-c.4 Trans. $ OBO Jon I have the following manuals available to any of our members. HAYNES, Ford pick-ups & Bronco WD & 4WD, Full size, F100-F350, Gasoline engines. CHILTON, Ford, pickups and Bronco PHONE JUL GRANDBOIS Eagle Open car trailer, 6ft X 14Ft deck 7,000 LP Tandem axels Electric brakes on ft. axel 5,000 LP capacity 2 X 6 pressure treated wood deck 2 5/16 ball & std. 7 prong plug 36 removable side boards for hauling debris Everything works. $ 2,000. John Santee jrscoast@hotmail.com

7 LOWER COLUMBIA CLASSIC CAR CLUB 7 BILL COOK 2/19 MARLENE VANDERPOOL 2/1 DAVID FRAUMENI 2/21 STEPHANIE WELSH 2/1 GRETCHEN GAYDOS 2/22 MIKE MATTHEWS 2/28 MELBA O BRYANT 2/20 VICKI REECE 2/21 JUDY TONTZ 2/24 ACORD 2/23 BRUNMEIER 2/23 DAWSON/GROVE 2/14 GAYDOS 2/16 *SUPPORT YOUR SPONSERS*

8 LOWER COLUMBIA CLASSIC CAR CLUB 8 My First Car By Fred Mestrich I never got to drive my very first car. It was a 1952 Chev. 2 door sedan with a 6 cylinder engine and 3 speed transmission. It was my first year at Oregon Tech. in K. Falls, in the Automotive repair program. Back home in Astoria for Christmas break, there was a Flying A station on the corner of 15 th and commercial, that was run by Ed Hanson. I would hang out there at times, as my folk s store, Chris News, was just around the corner. Ed kept mentioning the `52 Chevy he had in his basement garage that didn t run and I finally got enough nerve to ask him if the would sell it. He told me no but that I could have it. The next day, I called Astoria Auto Wrecking and they towed it to my folks house on 12 th street. Of course the folks didn t know anything about it and were a little surprised. I played with the chevy that vacation and spring term, but never got it running. Summer came and I was asked to find some place to put it. Working at Lovell Auto that summer, they let me store it in a waterfront warehouse. Unfortunately, the warehouse burned down, along with my first car. Thus - the reason that I never got it running. My first driver, was a 1956, Chevrolet 210, 2 door station wagon exactly like my current wagon. It was the same paint code, engine and transmission. Wagons were just then becoming in and I found one on a used car lot in Astoria for $100. and drove it home. It was white, had a 235 cid 6 cylinder engine with 3 speed overdrive transmission. I spent fall term at Clatsop Community College and used it thru Christmas vacation to deliver groceries from my folk s store during the first big snow storm of the year. I paid for a set of chains and was back off to Klamath Falls and Oregon Tech. Back at school, I talked Ann, my future bride, into buying a 1958 Alfa Romeo Spider roadster from a classmate. Big Mistake! We picked the Alfa up during spring break and the very next week it blew a piston. She was not happy, as it also caught fire and burned the hood. I was told to bring the `56 wagon back to Astoria so she could use that. I did, but she never drove it and it sat in the same spot as my `52 until summer. In order to get my wagon back, we got married that summer. Well there s a lot more to the story, but I don t want to be accused of writing a book! RECENT BUILD S

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10 LOWER COLUMBIA CLASSIC CAR CLUB 10 LOWER COLUMBIA CLASSIC S CAR CLUB P.O. BOX 1259 ASTORIA, OREGON BACKFIRE LOWER COLUMBIA CLASSIC S FEBRUARY 15TH CLUB MEETING AT STEVE & JUDY S SHOP HAPPY VALENTINES