Hidden Valley Commutator Newsletter of the Hidden Valley Model T Club, March 2016 The Hidden Valley Commutator is the newsletter of the Hidden Valley Model T Club. The newsletter is published monthly and distributed on-line to all connected members. The 2012 thru 2014 members of the HVMTC Board of Directors are: President (in Perpetuity) Doug Lested Vice Pres Mac MacPherson Tours Stephanie Terrell Treasurer Diane McPherson Secretary Karen Pepe Editor Tony Bowker T Hidden Valley Model T Club PO Box 462314 Escondido, CA 92046-2314 Upcoming Events 2 March Wednesday Club Meeting Dinner at 6 PM, Meeting at 7 PM, Charley s Family Restaurant, Escondido 17-18 March Chickasha Pre-War Swap Meet - Grady County Fairgrounds, Chickasha, Oklahoma March 26 th HVMTC Tour to the Automotive Research Library Assembly Time: 9:00 (Donuts and coffee will be available) Departure Time: 9:30 Depart Location: California Center for the Arts, Escondido April 15 th and 16th, 2016 Bakersfield swap meet April 23, 2016 MTFCSD Tour up the Coast from Mission Bay, meet in the boat trailer parking lot at 9am, leave at 9:30am. We will stop at a home of a member for a coffee, maybe visit the Flower Fields and have lunch in Carlsbad. Everyone invited May 2-5, 2016 MTFCSD Tour on Rt 66 near Kingman, details to follow. The Death Valley tour has been postponed due to the flood damage in the Park May 14 th HVMTC Tour Temecula Driving Tour (with stop at John & Karen Pepe s home) Assembly Time: 9:00 (Donuts and coffee will be available) Departure Time: 9:30 Depart Location: California Center for the Arts, Escondido March 2016 Hidden Valley Model T Club Commutator Page 1
Minutes for HVMTC General Meeting February 2, 2016 Held at Charlie's, Escondido Attendees: Doug Lested, Mac & Diane MacPherson, John & Karen Pepe, Doug & Neta Anderson, Les & Barbara VonNordheim, Dale & Eleanor Stanfield, Virgil & Sharon White, Vic & Stephanie Terrell, Craig & Barbara French, Ken & Merleen Magers, (19) Start Time: 6:54 p.m. President Doug Lested opened the meeting and Doug led the Pledge of Allegiance Old Business: None to report. President s Report: Doug s engine is in the car! March tour is a go! Treasurer s Report: Diane reported we had $1,450.45 in the bank. Secretary s report: Tony made a nighttime test drive and decided not to attend tonight s meeting, maybe next month! Tour Chair: We had a great tour to the antique barn next to Betty Crocker s old home. Good job Stephanie on the route and tour! February 6 th & 7 th 2016 Overnight tour to the Holtville Carrot Festival, however, no one from Escondido will be attending February 26 th & 28 th 2016 Big 3 Swap Meet at Qualcomm March 17 th & 18 th 2016 Chickasha Swap Meet, Oklahoma March 26 th HVMTFC Tour to Borrego Springs to see the flowers or to the Automotive Library in La Mesa. TBD at the March 2 nd meeting, weather determining which tour for which month April 15 th and 16th 2016 Bakersfield swap meet April 23 rd HVMTFC Tour to whichever destination we do not go to in March May 14 th HVMTFC Tour/installation luncheon to John & Karen s home for a tour around/to Temecula maybe De Luz/Daly Ranch Rd. June?? - TBD to Aries by the Fish & Game Club Phil Ewing was going to check on this tour The Opportunity drawing of $23.00 was won by Craig. The meeting was adjourned about 7:30. Respectfully submitted, Karen March 2016 Hidden Valley Model T Club Commutator Page 2
Winter overnight Tour to El Centro Feb 6-7 The MTFCSD winter tour was out to the Holtville Carrot Festival. We had a reasonable number of Model Ts, unfortunately all from the Model T Club of San Diego even though all other local clubs were invited. Two MTFCSD members Kirby Pray and John Chapman, drove their Ts from San Diego to the start of the tour in Imperial. The rest trailered the cars including Tony Bowker, Greg Rising, Norm Kling and Ron Lambrecht. We were also joined by Jay Watkins jr and Eric Sayer, who both live in the El Centro area. On Saturday we all drove over to Holtville to watch the parade, show the cars and eat lunch. There was a little excitement in the morning as Johns crankshaft pulley broke and was replaced by Tony and Jay without too much delay.. After lunch, we returned to hotel for a quick nap and to work on Tony's Coupe. Initially it had a gas line problem, however the hood fell off, it hit the fan which immediately punched the radiator, losing all the water. Leaving the stricken Coupe at the hotel, we drove out to Seeley for a BBQ at the home of Eric and Jennifer Sayer. Several locals came over to see the cars so there were close to 20 people milling around while Eric ran the BBQ with great effect. We had fun driving back to the hotel in the dark, but we made it even though Greg, having lived in the area, found a shorter route. March 2016 Hidden Valley Model T Club Commutator Page 3
On Sunday morning we had a visit from a 1919 Fire Engine, very original with just enough maintenance to keep it running well. Then we were off for a run on quiet back roads up to Carpentaria for lunch at Archie's Place. During lunch we heard of a T for sale in Nileland so we all drove up the road to have a look. It is a 1920 Touring with quite solid metal, no serious rust but the motor has not been run for several years. The engine turned over but I only felt compression on three cylinders. The owner is open to offers, Greg has the contact info. The next planned stop was the Pioneer Museum east of Imperial, but Kirby managed to break a crankshaft about three miles from the hotel. After a little trailer juggling, we got the stricken T back to the hotel. On Monday John decided to drive back and try I-8 from Ocotillo up to the Watch Tower rather than the planned route thru Julian. It went great, he ran up all the way in Ford High running between 32 to 37 mph the whole way. At one point he overtook a (very) slow moving truck and used the FAST lane. Kirby got his stricken T back home and is thinking about a new SCAT crank. In spite of the mechanical problems, we had a good time and we all enjoyed each others company. TonyB Wanted Fixture to straighten Model T Exhaust manifolds. I would like to borrow or buy one. Tony Bowker 760 789 3954 tonybowker@aol/com By-laws The latest copy of the bylaws are now on the club web site www.hvmtc.org under the Members Only page. March 2016 Hidden Valley Model T Club Commutator Page 4
Tour to Valley Center 23 Jan 2016 The first tour of the year was organized by Stephanie and she was rewarded with a good turn out of eight Model Ts and a couple of Moderns. As usual we assembled at the Performing Arts Center in Escondido, with donuts provided by Mac Macpherson, much appreciated. Participant in Model Ts were Phil & Kim Ewing, Bob Millen, Greg & Cathy Rising, Dale & Eleanor Stanfield, John & Karen Pepe, Kirby Prey, Tony & Heather Bowker and Vic & Stephanie Terrell. In addition Craig & Barbara French were in a Model A, Ken & Merleen Magers in the V8 Coupe, Mac & Diane MacPherson with the trouble trailer, Jim McCleary and Doug Lested in moderns, a great group of 24 people for lunch... Doug trying to herd drivers (cats) at the start Some of the cars at the start. The first part of the run was up Washington St, then onto Valley Center Pkwy to the base of Lake Worford road. Then the major hill of the day which claimed a victim with Bob overheating and jumping on the Trouble Truck. We then crossed Valley Center Road and up Cole Grade, which was relatively flat, to an antique store. There was very little old car stuff, however there was a tube radio, but the ladies had a great time poking though all the household nick knacks, Disturbing that I remember seeing most of this stuff in my parents home... At least a of the couple of the ladies were spotted making treasured purchases... Then on the Valley Center Museum, were we found the references to Bear Valley. Originally the area was called Bear Valley due to a 1860's incident involving an eight foot giant California Bear making its presence known. There were over an estimated 70,000 such bears in California at the time, by 1922, they were extinct. The USPS then renamed the area to Valley Center when they opened a post office, to avoid confusion with a another Bear Valley in northern California. The wagon in the Museum is actually and original wagon built for ferrying wounded during the Civil War, traced by the serial number (40) stamped on the front axle. It was then repurposed as a stage coach during the shooting of many cowboy movies that were shot in the area. John and I deduce the axles and chassis were original, though some of the body has been replaced with plywood, probably during the movie career. The museum also contain many references to several rocket and space shuttle engineers who had homes in the area. March 2016 Hidden Valley Model T Club Commutator Page 5
Parking at the Antique store This organ was brought to Bear Valley in the back of a Covered wagon before 1900 from Chicago A 3000 pound sculpture of the 8 ft bear The wagon used in many cowboy movies shot in the area Following the museum we drove down into Valley Center to Fat Ivors Rib Rack for lunch. Heather and I had beef ribs, they were great. While the tour ended after lunch, some planned to drive down Lilac to visit Jim's home while others continued down the grade back to Escondido. It was a great day out, well planned, with many thanks to Stephanie for a super route and three great stops. Also thanks to Mac for the donuts and the reassuring trouble truck behind us all the way. TonyB March 2016 Hidden Valley Model T Club Commutator Page 6
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An Evening at Ragtime A month or so ago I was asked as to where the San Diego Musical Theater group could find a Model T for an important "prop" in the musical Ragtime to be played at the Spreckels Theater. In the end they choose our 1914 Touring. On Feb 19 there was a group attendance at the musical and I was presented with a picture of the vehicle in the iconic scene where the white fireman destroy the Model T of a black man. The picture was signed by the entire cast of the production. The group had a good evening. TonyB March 2016 Hidden Valley Model T Club Commutator Page 8