Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising – July 7th

ISSUE 7VOLUME 54

Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising – July 7th

JULY 2018

Winner: 1st Place Concours, Silver Cloud I and Bentley S-I SeriesOwners: Michael and Rosemary Tobin

1957 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I, Saloon (LSFE183)

JULY 2018

2018 Regional OfficersChairman Lou Oddo lou@oddos.net Home: 714 522-5909 Vice Chairperson Rick CarronTreasurer Howard Green howbetgren@aol.com 10216 Wilmington Lane Apple Valley, CA 92308Secretary Carolyn Quadt 562 598-7028

Appointed PositionsChief Judge Robert RatinoffTechnical Chairperson Ronny Shaver Membership Chairperson Karen PerraultAwards Chairperson Diane Cerveny Newsletter Editor Dori OisenHospitality Chairperson Joan Hugron Cell: 949 439-0465Marketing/Advertising Gene TowIeEmail: upstreetnews@aol.com Home: 562 596-5049 Cell: 714 642-5001 Directory Editor Karen Perrault Webmaster Steve Power-Fardy Archivist Diane Cerveny Liaison to Dealerships Dr. Donald W. Wise

2018 Board of DirectorsJoel Cutler Dr. Donald W. Wise Harvey Moyses Bill SundinWilly Hugron Ronny ShaverAnne Vogel John LevyStuart Olesker

Editorial StaffEditor: Dori Olsen

Cell Phone: (424) 644-5987 dorianolsen@earthlink.net

Please reference RROC in the subject line when sending an email to the editor. Do not send any material or photos that carry a copyright. It is our policy not to publish copyrighted material.

The Spirit of Ecstasy is published monthly, approximately two weeks after the meet. Articles and notices should be received no later than the 15th of the month prior. Please identify cars (with chassis numbers) and individuals in all photographs. Private party advertisements for Rolls-Royce/Bentley sales, wanted items, parts, lost and found will be published for members at no charge. For car sales, include chassis number and asking price. Photos will be published at a nominal charge. Non-member advertising will be accepted at published rates. Display advertising is accepted, at the discretion of the Editor, for business card, 1/4, 1/2, or full page insertions in increments of three, six or twelve months. Advertisements are published as a courtesy to the membership. The Southern California Region and its Editor(s) do not assume responsibility in the event of a claim of loss or damage resulting from publication. Members are responsible for investigating any advertising claims prior to entering into an agreement with an advertiser. Please contact the Advertising Chairman for information or published rates. Articles reflect the opinion of the authors and do not necessarily reflect national or regional policy. The Southern California Region and its Editor(s) seek to publish accurate material but neither assumes responsibility in the event of a claim of loss or damage resulting from publication. The organization is under the control of the National RROC.

July

High Fashion, Vintage Architecture, Sightseeing, & Fun! July 7th

By Jim Davidson

Who can guess what has become the trendiest Southern California destination—so hot it’s totally cool? Hint: You’ve probably never been there. Another hint: It’s the destination of our RROC tour on July 7th. Of course I’m speaking of Downtown Los Angeles and in particular, the FIDM. Those initials stand for the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising.

The FIDM is a prestigious private design school, in its 50th year, offering 20 majors in fashion design, costume design, interior design, and more. Virtually every product has to be designed—shoes, jewelry, even fragrances and FIDM teaches talented young people how to become these designers. Over the years several of the Academy Award nominees and winners have been FIDM graduates. In fact, every year the studios loan the FIDM’s museum costumes from Oscar nominated movies to display prior to Hollywood’s big event. That’s how much standing they have in the industry. Think of Art Center College, which turns out automobile and industrial designers, only for a different set of products.

We’ll tour that museum and its new exhibition “Capturing the Catwalk” which showcases fashion and photography from the 1970s, ‘80s, and ’90s. Additionally, in the history gallery, we’ll see “Acquiring Beauty” that includes some of the museum’s best artifacts from the 18th century to the present. Plus we’ll get a glimpse of the school itself and a look inside the vault where some of the most valuable pieces are kept. Our docent will be the museum’s curator and we can tell you his tour is both informative and entertaining. You can even expect a look at some items which will be part of an exhibit scheduled for 2020 and includes some rare early 1900’s sports andmotoring apparel.

We’ll meet at 10:00 a.m. in the rotunda lobby of FIDM’s building at 919 S. Grand Ave. Enter their parking garage on the south side of 9th Street just west of Grand Ave. Parking is usually $5 but often it’s free on Saturdays (which may be the biggest bargain in Los Angeles). Then take the elevator up to the lobby, which is where we’ll meet. Since our cars will not be the focus of the day’s schedule, you may just want to bring your daily driver. Since space is limited, advance registration is mandatory for this event!

After our tour we’ll head over to Smeraldi’s Restaurant at the historic Millennium Biltmore Hotel, 506 S. Grand Avenue for lunch. If you appreciate a bargain as much as we do, and if you’re feeling frisky, you can leave your car in the museum garage until 5:00 p.m. and walk the 5 blocks to the Biltmore. That’s about a 15 minute walk. Or you can drive to lunch and park in the hotel’s valet parking lot for $10 (up to 3 hours) with validation). If you plan to stay longer (for reasons to stay longer, just keep reading) you can park across the street from the hotel in the garage under Pershing Square Park for a flat rate of $8.

While you’re in the Biltmore, take time to explore. This famous landmark was restored in the early ‘80s by the late Anthony Heinsbergen, son of the original designer. It has been the site of many movies and Hollywood royalty used to attend Academy Award banquets here. Don’t miss the historic 1930’s star studded photos of such events in the side hallway, leading to the Health Club and restrooms, just off the grand corridor.

Continued on Page 4

JULY 2018

2018

Summer ishereand it’stheseasonofgraduations,summertravelandrelaxation. Mycongratulationstoallofyourfamilymemberswhograduatedthisyear.

TheNationalRROCAnnualMeetiscomingsoontoLakeTahoeand a number ofRROCmembers, includingmany of our regionmembers,attendedtheNationalJudgingSeminarhostedbyourTechnicalChairmanRonnyShaver.TherewereattendeesfrommanydifferentstatesandmythankstoRonnyforhostingthisimportantevent.

Iwant toagain thankourmanymemberswhoarehostsofourevents.PlanningandexecutinganeventtakesagreatdealoftimeandeffortandIhopethatallofyouwilljoinusatourexcitingandentertainingevents.Whenyoudo,takeamomenttosayahuge“Thanks”tothehost.Wecouldn’tdoitwithoutthemandIreallyappreciatetheirefforts.

AugustbringsusafabulousluncheonatthehistoricJonathanClub,hostedbyTomMerrill andAnneVogel. Thisevent isonAugust4thandyoumaynotreceiveyourAugustnewsletterintime, so be sure to send in your reservation thismonth. TheRSVPdeadline isJuly25thsotakeamomenttomakeoutandmailyourchecknow.Thiseventhasalimitof40attendeesandyouwon’twanttomissit! EnjoyyoursummerandhappydayswithyourPMC.Regards,Lou

Chairman’s Corner

July4 HAPPY 4TH OF JULY7 Los Angeles Fashion Institute $55 Host: Jim Davidson7 Tech Meet Host: Ronny Shaver

August4 Tech Meet Host: Ronny Shaver

4 Lunch at the Historic Jonathan Club $45 Parking (paid directly to attendant) $12 Hosts: Tom Merrill and Anne Vogel

25 Board of Directors Meeting

September8 Tech Meet Host: Ronny Shaver

22 Cold War Museum Hosts: John and Caryl Levy

October6 Tech Meet Host: Ronny Shaver

November3 Tech Meet Host: Ronny Shaver

December 1 Tech Meet Host: Ronny Shaver

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING EVENT REFUNDS At the board meeting on January 27, 2018 the Board of Directors voted to implement the following policy on refunds for event payments and defined what constitutes an event reservation:

• Arefundmaybeprocessediftherefundrequestismadeinwriting,byemailorbywrittencommunication,andRECEIVEDbytheTreasurerbytheRSVPdateoftheeventaspublishedinTheSpiritofEcstasy.

• RefundrequestsmaybesenttoHowardGreen,Treasurerbyemailathowbetgren@aol.comorbymailtoHowardGreen,RROCSo-CalTreasurer,10216WilmingtonLane,AppleValley,CA92308.

• TheeventarticleformatinTheSpiritofEcstasywillbeupdatedtoincludethefinaldateforrefund.

• AcompletedreservationrequiresthatthemoneybeRECEIVEDbytheTreasurerbytheRSVPdeadline.

• Paymentforaneventwillnotbeacceptedthedayoftheevent.

Thomas Craveiro Santa Barbara

Chris Hannon

Redlands

Richard PescatoreSan Luis Obispo

Michael Shannon

Ontario

JULY 2018

Continued from Page 2

Downtown is enjoying a long overdue renaissance. Upscale apartments, lofts, and condominiums can barely meet the demand. Younger, well educated professionals tired of commuting from the suburbs are moving here. Great new restaurants have sprung up and restoration of historic landmarks, theaters, and hotels are underway. While you’re in the neighborhood, there are many other things you’ll want to see and do, if not this time, then very soon. The Disney Concert Hall, The new Broad Museum, MOCA museum of contemporary art, and many others are within short walking distance. (Don’t forget to make advance reservations!) There’s even a tantalizing French bakery just 2 doors south of the hotel. If we had enough space in this article we could go on and on but why bother? Join us and see for yourself. 10:00 a.m. July 7th at 919 S. Spring Street in the rotunda lobby. If you’re not already totally cool, you will be after this RROC tour. PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED FOR THIS EVENT because space is limited. Don’t wait for the July 1st newsletter because the event is July 7th with a July 2nd deadline! Help us plan efficiently and make this tour go smoothly by reserving today while you are thinking about it. What: FIDM Tour and lunch at the historic Biltmore HotelDate: July 7, 2018Time: 10:00 a.m.Location: Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising 919 S. Grand Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90071Lunch: Smeraldi’s Restaurant at the historic Millennium Biltmore Hotel 506 S. Grand Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90071 Host: Jim Davidson Cost: $55.00 Lunch choices: (#1) Seared Ahi tuna Mediterranean salad; (#2) Biltmore Waygu Beef Burger; (#3) Pumpkin ravioli. Coffee, tea, or soft drinks plus tax and tip are all included. Please indicate your lunch choice from the above list on your registration envelope when you enclose your check. Parking ranges from free to $10.00, depending upon your location preference. Payment: Mail your check to Howard Green, Treasurer 10216 Wilmington Lane Apple Valley, CA 92308 RSVP Deadline: July 2, 2018 PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED FOR THIS EVENT. YOUR RSVP MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE DEADLINE DATE OF JULY 2nd. No refunds will be processed after the RSVP deadline. Payment will not be accepted the day of the event. Directions: From the north: Take the 110 (Harbor) Freeway, “ 8th/9th St. exit” and go east on 9th to the parking garage entrance on the south side of the street (on your right), just before Grand Ave. From the west and south: Take the 110 Freeway, “6th/9th St. exit” and go east on 9th St. to the parking garage on your right, just before Grand Ave.

Our 1957 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I (LSF183) was one of 500 made. The first owner was Sheik Duaij Alsalman Alsaban of Kuwait. The Kuwait Ambassador to Lebanon, Khalid M. Jaffar, was the second owner. He used the car as an embassy car for the Kuwait Embassy in Lebanon. After its tour in the Middle East it was sent to Rolls Royce Limited in England where it was given a complete service and over check before it was sold. The next owner was J.J. Kohen of South Bend, Indiana who purchased the car April 23, 1968 for $4,800 US. Mr. Kohen owned the automobile until his death in 1975. His son lived in the San Fernando Valley and had the car shipped to California. This is where I met the fine lady. She was having a new muffler installed at a muffler shop on Ventura Boulevard in Encino.

It was love at first sight. She became the love of my life. We joined the Southern California Rolls-Royce Club 43 years ago in 1975. This is when our family adventures began. My two daughters were very small at the time and there were no children safety locks on the back door of the car. We would put a bungee cord across the back seat from door handle to door handle so the girls could not accidentally open the doors and fall out when the car was on the road.

I drove the car as my daily driver. It turned heads on the road wherever I went. One night we were dining in the city at a restaurant on Melrose Avenue. The parking valet moved a brand new Mercedes Benz from the choice parking space in front of the establishment to park my grand old lady for all to see. We found this very amusing.

We named our treasure Lady Guinevere. We were asked to be in a Grey Poupon commercial. We were paid $30 for the day with a chicken lunch included.

Our family took many trips together. Our adventures continued with amazing trips with the Rolls-Royce Owners’ Club of Southern California. She has been driven to Yosemite Valley and back and then on a road trip to Sequoia National Park with all our Rolls-Royce Club friends. We have participated in the annual Fox Hunt many times and we have won the event.

I have had her painted and the interior wood refinished. She starts up and her engine just purrs. I have owned the car for 43 years and every time I go to the garage to start her up and take her out it brings me great joy.

The Cover StoryBy Michael Tobin

JULY 2018 5

Lunch at the Historic Jonathan Club

Club members Tom Merrill and Anne Vogel will be hosting luncheon on Saturday, August 4th at the historic Jonathan Club and hope you will join the limited group of 40 RROC members and guests. We will be privileged to enjoy some of the highlights of the downtown Jonathan Club and view the ornately carved, painted ceilings done in Italian Renaissance style by craftsmen. This building was planned and constructed in the early 20’s by the club members. The Jonathan Club was founded in 1895, and has survived a number of economic booms and busts.

We will be able to see one of the finest collections of “plein air” art created in California. The art movement, inspired by the French impressionist, Claude Monet, was carried to California in a different form by Monet’s neighbor. Mostly painted outdoors (hence the French term “plein air”), this art has been accumulated for the past seventy years through donations to the Jonathan Art Foundation.

We will meet in the Jonathan Club Lobby at 10:45 a.m. and plan to go up to our meeting room where we will break into two groups of maximum 20 people each. One group will tour the art and magnificent interior architecture while the other group will hear the club history and inside stories from club members. The groups then switch, so that everyone has both experiences. Lunch. will follow: Lunch Choices are (#1) Sautéed Atlantic Salmon or (#2) Chief Ancient Grains Salad. Berry Crumble with Crème Fraiche is included along with coffee, iced or hot tea.

Please be aware that the Jonathan Club has a strict dress code. The appropriate dress is business casual. No jeans, shorts or sandals are allowed. Be sure to get your reservations in right away because space is limited. Be sure to indicate your lunch choice on the reply envelope.

Date: August 4, 2018Time: 10:45 a.m.Lunch Cost: $45 per person Payment: Mail your check to: Howard Green, RROC So Cal Treasurer. 10216 Wilmington Lane, Apple Valley, CA 92308

PARKING: PAID SEPARATELY AT THE JONATHAN CLUB. DO NOT REMIT TO THE TREASURER. The $12 parking fee can be made only by credit card and no tipping is allowed. Parking for Bentleys and Rolls has been made available at The Garage Valet at Jonathan Club that is located at 545 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA.

RSVP DEADLINE: Payment must be received by the Treasurer by Wednesday, JULY 25, 2018. No refunds will be processed after the RSVP deadline. Payment will not be accepted the day of the event.

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What Is That Hydraulic Leak Under the Middle of My Car?

by Ronny Shaver The hydraulic systems on RR/Bentley automobiles starting with the Shadow/T series all the way up to the last of the Spirit/Spur and Bentley Turbos is are complicated and extensive. The systems were licensed to use from Citroen and have baffled owners and mechanics alike for many years. Two types of systems were used, first the brake fluid based one on Shadows and derivatives, second the mineral oil one on Spirits and derivatives. Both work on the same basic principles of mechanical pumps that build and maintain high-pressure reserves in accumulators which operate the brakes and rear suspensions. The biggest difference being in the rear suspension operation. These complex hydraulic systems are cause for many service and repair woes that include: warning lights, brake assist issues, noises, rear suspension performance and leaks. One particular area of leakage will be the focus of this article. Directly under the driver’s seat (under the car that is) is a complex series of hydraulic pipes, valves and linkages that distribute the high-pressure brake fluid to the wheels and, also the rear suspension. This area is called the distribution box or “rat-trap” by old timers such as me. The rat-trap has an aluminum cover that protects and, also holds seepage from the distribution valves. It holds the seepage until it fills and finally drips out wherever it can. The distribution valves send high pressure brake fluid to the brake calipers at each wheel by way of linkages attached to the brake pedal. These valves are machined to very tight clearances and have no seals to keep the fluid contained. In fact, in my opinion, to allow slight seepage that lubricates the valve pistons. I have replaced these valves in the past to pacify customers who could not accept the fact that new valves will also seep. None of the valves used in replacement, either new or “rebuilt” stayed dry. In fact, the only time I have recommended replacing any of the distribution valves is when they won’t maintain system pressure for an extended period of time. Many times, the leak from the distribution box will not be apparent until the car needs to be flat-bedded on a tow truck for any reason. What happens is when the car is pulled up on the bed at a steep angle caused the accumulated fluid to run out. Then the owner is informed of a big hydraulic leak under the car. Note the following two photos of the distribution valves and the cover. This is a brake fluid Shadow.

Since the distribution valves cannot be effectively sealed, we use a “band-aid” repair or service to deal with this problem. What we do is remove the rat-trap cover, clean it out thoroughly, and place an absorbent pad directly under the distribution valves at the bottom of the cover, then reinstall it. The pad will absorb more fluid than the cover can normally hold, so the capacity is increased. With the early brake fluid, the wicking action of the pad will allow more of the brake fluid to evaporate too. After installing the band-aid, it is just a matter of “servicing” the distribution box occasionally. Note the following photo with the absorbent pad, we typically use felt but any dense pad about ½” thick can work.

We place the pad directly under the two distribution valves with an inch or two over-lap beyond the valves to maximize effectiveness. By the way, sorry for the last photo quality, too much coffee this morning.

Thank you for the questions and keep them coming. Please send your questions to Ronny at ronnyshaver@ronnysgarage.com. Happy Motoring!Ronny

THOMAS H. WARDENLAW CORPORATION

THOMAS H. WARDENAttorney At Law

5850 CANOGA AVENUESUITE 204

WOODLAND HILLS, CA 91367

thomaswarden@att.net Tel: (818) 710-8131Fax: (818) 710-8130

Serving Ventura and Los Angeles Counties

7JULY 2018

Rolls-Royce Bentley Exclusive Expert Service

By appointment only please

Repair-Inspection-Restoration

1111 West 1st St

Santa Ana, CA 92703

714-953-0896 ronnysgarage@gmail.com

Ronny Shaver

RROC-SOCAL.COM8 JULY 2018

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