Push RodsWaltham MA

Est. 1957

Fall 2009 A Publication For Push Rod Club Members & Interested Verwers

T I M E SIn thisIssuepg 1. Back in the Saddle

pg 2. Holiday Party

Gene’s Truck

TY-Rod Reumion

pg 3. Good Guys

1931 Buick Coup

pg 4. Club Outing

pg 5. Missing Out

pg.6 Terry Gauthier

pg 7. The Expert

pg 8. Hot Rod

Push RodIssue no.6

Well, here it is, the 6th installment of the Pushrod times. This time, I’m reluctantly thinking of what lies ahead…the winter. It will be a different winter for me. My projects are all done. My Chevelle restoration is complete, the hot rod only requires general maintenance, I fi nished restor-ing my boat and trailer this spring and they are winterized and tucked away for the winter, and I just fi nished insulating, sheet rocking, and painting my garage. I have no idea what I’m going to do this winter. Can I possibly sit idle and just enjoy it? ---- We’ll see, it certainly will be different for me….

One “car” event each winter I would look forward to each year was the “World of wheels” in Boston, MA. This typically would occur the sec-ond weekend in January. I found it to be a good break in the winter. How-ever, I have recently learned that this show is being moved to March 12th -14th of 2010. There is also the Nostalgia Fest at the Elks lodge in Hudson, MA (site where the old Ty-Rods show used to be). This is happening on January 16th with doors opening at 2PM.

Maybe I’ll go on a trip to an exotic island? --- No, I couldn’t do that, I rather spend the money on speed parts, at least those are tangible, right?

Well, if anyone has any ideas, clue me in! If anyone is working on a project that they’d like featured here in the newsletter, let me know. I’ll have plenty of time on my hands this winter looking for something to do. Maybe someone will get the “club drag car project” rolling and need a helping hand (hint – hint)….

Speaking of projects, in this issue you’ll see Terry’s nearly fi nished ’32 5 window as the member feature car of the month. In addition, you’ll see an update on Bill’s ’31 Buick project. I know at least 3 other member that are knee deep in projects, so let us know about them…I fi nd it very encouraging to see guys putting together new cars year after year.

Anyway, If you have anything you’d like to share with the club, please contact me and I’ll be sure to get it in print.

Until then, take it easy. Pete Dayotas Jr.

Back in the Saddle

Just another reminder for those guys with more than one car, we still have a limited supply of plaques on hand at $22.00 a piece. These are available for pickup (or delivery at a club event) at Jim Grillo’s house, or can be mailed to members for $5.00.

Pushrod’s Holiday Party

Plaques

Well this was my third time at the Orange Harvest Car Show. The fi rst year was great, a full show, great weather and people, but no trophy. I was out classed by some big dollar pickups where money was no object when they were built. When 2008 came around and I went back it was different, I won second place in the Modifi ed Truck, and the Favorite Modifi ed Truck classes. This was a great day for my little blue truck and me. Now we get to this year, so cold that I sat in the truck most of the day, only to go get food when it was lunchtime. When it came time for the trophies, I had to stand out in the cold with no coat and shaking. Orange MA this time of year is real cold. I had the number 13 on my registration papers for the show, not by choice, after parking my truck I noticed that I was parked in the number 13 spot, “just my luck”.

Then when it came to class S, Modifi ed 3rd place was given to one participant, then second to another. Well, I was about to leave when they called my name for the fi rst place award…sweet. So I stayed for the rest of the awards, then getting my second one for Best Modifi ed Truck for a second year. I was again going to leave when the special choice awards sponsored by different companies came up. Once again, a ma-jor surprise, my third trophy in one day by the company owner. I guess there’s a fi rst time for everything. I don’t know what people were looking at, but it sure felt good to drive home with a smile on my face.Written by Gene Rano

T he 2009 Ty-rods event couldn’t have been a better day weath-er wise. It was attended by 20 PushRodders with 18 Cars exhibited (Two members Don Mauchan and Butch Trotto brought two cars). It was prob-ally the best club turn-out at the OTR in recent years high-lighted by Pe-ter Dayotas’ 1935 Chevrolet four door Chevy powered drag car. This car drew a lot of intrest and sounded great. After Several years of absence, it was great to see Dick Ekwall with his bright Yellow Model A Tudor from Pike, NH.

The Ty-rods reserved a great spot for the club to park together this year. We could arrive “whenever”. It wasn’t necessary to all arrive at the same time in order to park together. It was a great time had by all.Written by Fred Hire

Gene’s TruckWins 3 Trophy’s at One Show!

TY-Rods Old Timers Reunion

This year’s Holiday Party will be on a Saterday Night, Dec. 26 6:30 pm. at Butch Trottos Garage at 18 Fruit St. Shrewsbury off of Rte. 9 West bound near the Wag-ner Motors BMW Dealership. The fun starts around 6:30 PM, please bring some “goodies “ of your choice and also bring chairs.My father has hosted it for the last two years, but I’m glad that another member is getting the chance to host it. If anyone else is interested in the future the requirements are something along the lines of a heated garage or workshop, plenty of parking, and a place to lay-out some food for everyone to enjoy. If you’d like the opportunity to host next year’s party, please contact any member of the steering com-mittee, or contact Jim Grillo at 978 562 7484.

On September 24th several guys grouped together for a trip to the Pocono Speedway sponsored by the Good Guys. Seven cars cruised along the Mass Pike and Taconic Parkway to the Pocono Mountains Raceway for a 4 day weekend getaway. As you can imagine the high-light of the show was the Speedway from parking our cars right on Pit Row to driving the raceway. There were only 2 dare devils in our group to meet the challenge of driving the raceway. Stories are that Bobby Rhode’s car reached a good 90 miles while Bill Chaplis reached 100 miles per hour. Two laps around the raceway on Friday and Saturday was offered to anyone willing to wait in the long lines. More was of-fered during the weekend with a gym khan (a contest for any driver in-terested in beating the clock racing in a parking lot set up with pylons). All the garages and pit rows were open for us to tour. It was a good thing that the go cart was “trapped” in the parking garage or else Icy (Dave Weldon) would have probably had that on the raceway too, but that was not Icy’s highlight of the show. During his cruise around the vendors, Icy spotted a new toy – a pipe bending tool for bending metals and pipes. I am sure he will put that to good use on all his projects he has going in his shop. Everyone enjoyed the trip including area Hot rod-ders and Pushrodders: Snowman, Ribby, Bob, Steve, Icy, Dennis, Jim, John, Bump, Pepper, Paul, Wes, Bill, Harold, and Jim.Written by Doris Rhodes

GoodguysCar Show, Poccono, PA

Istarted this project in January 2008. By the end of last year I had the rolling chassis completed, includ-ing reinforced frame, Fatman Fabrication front suspension with big brakes and power rack & pinion, and Cor-vette rear suspension. I also installed a running 401 cid Nailhead Buick engine, Turbo 400 trans, and stainless exhaust system.

This year I hit the fl ea markets, magazine ads, and vendor catalogs big time for a better grill shell, (Wisconsin) re-chromed headlights (Pittsburgh), A/C condenser, power steering pump and tilt steering column, electric fan and shroud, and dual 4-bbl carb setup. With the body back on the frame I have been repairing/re-placing the interior wood structure that supports the body panels. The wood fl oor structure is now all metal and the front and rear door posts repaired. The body is now solidly fastened to the frame and the doors are aligned and fi t properly. I am now in the process of replacing the top wood pieces ----- and this required cutting off part of the metal roof panels for access. I am also trying to locate a late 70’s/early 80’s station wagon roof to replace the original fabric insert.

If all goes according to plan, by the end of the year all of the interior body supporting structure will be completed and all body panels --- including hood, trunk lid, dash, fenders, etc will be soda blasted back to bear metal....

1931 Buick Coupe Project Up Date

Next year I will concentrate on completing the rest of the major fabrication including installation of the pedals and brake booster, steering column and shafts, front and rear seats, fuel tank, heat/AC unit, dash and instruments. While that is going on I plan to send out the doors, hood, trunk lid and other miscellaneous panels for body work prior to fi nish painting. Final body work, fi nish paint, chrome, and wheels and tires are still way off in the future.Written by Bill Chaplis

Buick Coupe Con.

Pushrods 2nd Club Outing

Members in attendance (left to right top row to bottom row, bottom left picture) Jim Grillo, Dennis Conolle, Peter Dayo-tas Sr., Spence Sawdo, Pete Dayotas Jr., John Connelly, Carl Carpenter, Tom Lynch, Ray Butler, Dave Weldon, Fred Hire, Bob Conley, and Bob Rhodes. (Not pictured that attended were Pete Ingersol and Whitey Burgess. The ladies are Rays Wife and Hostess Jane Conley).

The second Pushrods club outing was held at new member, John Conley’s home in Hudson, MA on August 8th, 2009. Bob and his wife Jane made us all feel very welcome. In addition there was a wonderfull dis-play of hot air balloons hovering over the neighborhood from the “balloon festival” held at the Elks park down the street. The club had a “mini car show” on the lawn that was enjoyed by members and neighbors. Pete Dayo-tas Jr. debuted his recent Chevelle restoration. Great food, Great neighborhood, Great friends, Great time. If you were not there, you missed a real good time. Written by Fred Hire

You Are Really MISSING OUT ON ALL THE FUN!!!

This year, while attending shows at Syracuse, York, Rhinebeck, and Pocono Raceway, I looked for old friends and acquaintances from New England and Pennsylvania. After all, I belong to two car clubs ---- Push Rods and Over The Hill Gang ---- plus many people that I have met during the last 50 years in the hobby. All told, there must be several hundred guys and gals that I would stop and talk to, have a meal or a beer together, if we meet at a show. However, recently all I’m seeing is a handful at each event ----- often the same people. Where is everyone else?

I expect there are many reasons for this including the increase in number of shows in the last 10 years. The bad economy is certainly a contributing factor and health issues may be slowing some of us down. I hate to think that the reason is an increasing lack of interest or the dreaded “been there, done that” syndrome. Maybe it’s the shows themselves that are failing to provide enough attractions. I really wish one of the national asso-ciations (Goodguys, Right Coast, NSRA, etc.) would sponsor a major survey to fi nd out why people don’t go to some shows, but do go to others. Obviously NSRA’s recent decision to accept car entries 30 years or older refl ects their thinking.

My responses to some possible reasons for not attending more shows are as follows:

1) MY CAR ISN”T FINISHED/ NEEDS WORK/ WON’T MAKE IT ---- Go with someone else. I see lots of rods and customs arrive at shows with only the driver. If you need a ride, ask around for someone else to ride with. If your going by yourself in your own car, ask around for others to might want to go with you. Some coupes and roadsters barely have room for the driver and luggage. Fine, you drive out in your street car and then go with him/her after the luggage is unloaded at the hotel. Maybe all of the luggage can fi t into someone else’s trunk.

2) TOO EXPENSIVE, I CAN’T AFFORD IT ----- Team up with others to share a room. Most hotel/motels have roll-away beds and 3 guys to a room really brings the price down. Most show registrations include 2 tickets and might even offer an additional discount ticket if you ask. Why not split the entry fee with one or two passen-gers? Let’s face it, traveling with someone else is always more enjoyable than driving long distances alone.

3) THERE ISN’T NOT MUCH TO DO AT THAT SHOW. ----- Fair enough, but are you walking around meet-ing old friends and making new friends? Are you taking part in all of the activities being offered, i.e. side trips to local attractions, poker runs, technical seminars. etc. or do you just sit in a folding chair next to your car? My experiences are that you have the best time when more of your friends also attend. That’s why we belong to a club in the fi rst place. If we resolve 1) and 2) above, 3) should take care of itself.

Come on and get out there YOU ARE REALLY MISSING OUT ON ALL THE FUN!!! Written by Bill Chaplis

Terry Gauthier’s 1932 Ford 5 Window Coupe

This news-letter’s featured car has been a long time coming. Perhaps the root of some friendly jokes, or the car that no-one ever thought would be fi nished. Well, to those who were in doubt, all Terry can do now is grin and wave while driving by. You see, Good things REALLY DO come to those who wait!

Terry bought the car about 15 years ago. He responded to an ad in the now defunct Want-AD on a 1932 ford 5 window body. Terry started off with a real Henry Ford body and a set of ’32 rails. Terry (being a seasoned sheet metal worker) massaged the body quite thoroughly. He chopped the car 3”, boxed the frame, and did some very nice custom sheet metal work (seat risers with draws built into them, rear window tray, etc). The Deuce has a ’40 ford dash, ’40 ford heater box, ’40 ford steering column (mated to a vega steering box), ’39 ford banjo steering wheel, Super bell I beam front axle (with disc brakes), Guide head lights, ’46 Ford tail-lights, and beautiful “Pepsi-blue paint accented with white scallops trimmed out with Black Cherry pin-stripping. Terry fabbed up his own fuel tank out of .060 type 304 Stainless steel.

Power comes from a warmed over 350 Chevrolet bored 30 over connected to a Borg- Warner 4 speed putting the power to the asphalt via a set of Silvertown bias plys through a 9” ford with 3:50 gears originally from a ’75 ford bronco. The motor sports a trip setup with 3 rochesters 2G carbs. The “thump” comes from a Mellings cam, Keith Black pistons, Manley S/S valves, and Crane pushrods and connecting rods. The engine was balanced by Lindskog, Bedford, MA (now based in Ayer) and Blue printed by MCS out of Marlborough, MA.

This fi ne hot rod features a lot of very nice details including original Cal- Custom valve covers, modifi ed sbc ram horn exhaust manifolds, a ’36 plymouth dome light and many other odds and ends.

I’m very happy for Terry. A year ago, I saw the car disassembled in his garage. I always heard about the car, but had no idea what to expect. I spent over an hour studying the car in awe. Terry’s attention to detail is impeccable. The car is the real deal – a real honest to goodness Henry Ford Hot Rod that joins the fi ne stable of ’32 Windows in the club.