volume 7 issue 3 - susquehanna valley region...

Volume 7 Issue 3

Left: John and

Mary Etta Hershey

in their “new” 1914

Ford Model T.

Below: Betty

Swann in her and

Joe’s Model A.

“ZOOM!!!”

2

2016 Susquehanna Valley Region HCCA Calendar

October 5-8, 2016: AACA Hershey Flea Market and Car Show

October 9-10, 2016: Hershey Hangover

October 29, 2016: Susquehanna Valley Region Fall Foliage Tour

and Meeting

Details forthcoming

November 5-11, 2016: AACA Reliability Tour of the Low Country

Host Ralph Tolman

March 4, 2017: Susquehanna Valley Region Spring Meeting

April 6-8, 2017: National Bakersfield Tour and Swap Meet

May 21-25, 2017: 16th Annual BBC Flea Market and Tour

June 25-30, 2017: New England Brass and Gas Tour

President’s Message pg. 4

HCCA National News pg. 5 –6

The Train Always Wins pgs. 7-8

The Great American Road

Trip pgs. 9-10

Rough and Tumble pgs. 11-13

Just for Fun pg. 14

Announcements pg. 15

Classifieds and pgs. 16-17

Resources

Inside this Issue...

Sassy Brass a publication of the Susquehanna Valley Region HCCA

3

Susquehanna Valley Region HCCA Contact Page

Join the Susquehanna Valley Region

Horseless Carriage Club of America:

Contact: Mike Romano

Email: [email protected]

Home phone: 610-588-0757

Officers for 2015

President Jeff Lesher

Vice President Butch Arnold

Treasurer Don Barlup

Secretary Philip Jamison

Web Master &

Newsletter Tracy Lesher

Membership Chairperson Mike Romano

Check us out on Facebook at

Susquehanna Valley Region HCCA!

Upload pictures of your brass car adventures

and projects to our page.

Your Susquehanna Valley Region HCCA Editor can be reached

via email at: [email protected]


4

President’s Message Early Fall 2016

Susquehanna Valley Region HCCA Members-

I just finished the last update to the Hershey Hangover registrations and it

looks like we will have yet another successful little tour with 33 vehicles

registered! Kudos to Bob Ladd for his efforts in making a funny little idea

become a reality five years ago. I also want to thank Gil the Elder for his

efforts to make a Creepy Crawly happen for one and twos. Gil only got a few

vehicles for his “little” tours – but maybe Tracy and the boys and I will follow

his routes – as I know I’ll be recovering from Hershey.

Speaking of Hershey – everyone should have received their flea market

stickers by now and don’t forget to stop by the HCCA National tent at space

RWO 30. Bob and his committee do a great job of hosting the HCCA

membership with a cookout at noon on Friday and it is a great way to spend

some quality time with our national officers. Speaking of our officers, please

make sure you vote in this year’s national election. The ballot and return

envelope is in the latest edition of the Gazette as well as the biographies of the

candidates. Please take the time to read the bios and vote – it’s your club!

We also have our fall meeting quickly approaching the last weekend of October

so as to not interfere with anyone travelling to the Reliability Tour in

Savannah, Georgia. Pat Gamble has graciously offered to host the meeting at

a special venue in Hershey and to get there we will actually be doing a small

Fall Foliage mini-tour. We get one last weekend to get the cars out and do

some touring. The meeting flier should be out next week.

That’s about all I have to say, it’s been a fun and very busy summer and I

can’t wait for Hershey and the Hangover. Please vote and don’t hesitate to

offer a ride to or at least a front seat photo opportunity the next time someone

walks up and admires your Beautiful Brass Car!

Happy Cranking,

Jeff


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New Local Organizations – Who says

that there is no interest in Brass Era

Vehicles … In 2015 and 2016 the

following new Regional Groups and

Affiliated Registries were formed …

Great Plaines Brass Touring Reg-

istry, Founder Chris Paulsen

Chalmers / Chalmers Detroit

Registry , founder Bob Ladd

Southern Wisconsin Regional

Group, founder Thomas Edfors

For more information on the local

organizations visit the HCCA Web

Site. All of these clubs are new and

they are looking for new members…

2017 Tour Date Change – The dates

for the 2017 New England Brass and

Gas tour in Maine have changed / A

week later … Arrival will be on

Sunday June 25, 2017 and the clos-

ing Banquet will be June 30, 2017…

Keys to Success – Do you know that

your dues pay for more than just a

great magazine? Because of the high

standards that HCCA demands, the

organization’s insurance coverage is

designed to offer protection to all

officers, directors, event leaders and

all members of the organization for a

long list of different liability

situations. The HCCA has two policies

to protect the club and its members

from different type of situations

(personal liability, advertising, injury,

misrepresentation, improper

allocation of resources, contractual

mismanagement, conflicts of interest,

discrimination of membership criteria

and many others). Most members

are not concerned about insurance

until it is needed, and then it is too

late. To keep the liability insurance to

a level that is needed, the service

needs to be paid for and efforts need

to be taken by all members to

minimize unreasonable risks.

Hershey Reservations – The due date

for submission of registration forms

for display of a vehicle have to be

postmarked August 15, 2016.

Reservation by local car clubs to use

the HCCA Hershey tent for a meeting

or event will be reserved on a fist

come first service basis. For

reservations, contact the HCCA

executive secretary, Sharon Gooding.

Re: New Org, 2017 Tour Date Change, Keys to Success, Hershey Reservations, Publi-

cation Awards Notice, Business Resumption Plans, Next Board Meeting, New Century Plaque Address

Issue: 2016-08-26 #08

6

HCCA National News Continued-


New Century Plaque Address – In July 2016, the administrator of the pro-

gram, Carl Pate moved from CT to 26 Washington St, Rocky Hill, NJ

08553. During the August transition, there may be some delays in mailing out

of new Century Plaques.

Release delay of this issue was due to move to NJ and PC connections delays by

internet vendor.

Share, Educate and Pass It On…

Carlton Pate / [email protected]

HCCA National President

If you are attending any Brass

Car events I would very much

appreciate your willingness to

snap pictures and write an arti-

cle for the next newsletter. I am

always looking for material. Send

articles and pictures to Tracy

at: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

7


Strasburg 2016 Pictorial:

The Train Always Wins!

SVR Member cars on display at

Strasburg Railroad’s Antique Autos Event.

Nell Deardorff gives us a wave hello.

A Model T moving along

the tracks.

8


Top right: Lee and

Helen Turner with their

Reo.

Below: Jim and Barbara

Reinhold’s Model T.

Above: Two

of the three

Steamers that

drove up from

Auburn

Heights.

Above: A view from the dash.

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The Great American Road Trip From Walt Whitman to ‘Thelma and Louise,’ Amanda Foreman looks at the

history of the American road trip

In 1903, physician Horatio Nelson Jackson (at wheel) and his driving partner Sewall K. Crocker became the first

men to drive an automobile across the U.S. PHOTO: ISC IMAGES & ARCHIVES/GETTY IMAGES

By

AMANDA FOREMAN July 13, 2016 12:28 p.m. ET

The Great American Road Trip was born in 1856 with the publication of Walt Whitman’s poem “Song of

the Open Road.” Or at least that’s where the idea of such a journey came into being, since 160 years ago

there were no states between Texas and California, let alone cars, highways or motels.

A lone traveler’s creature comforts back then consisted of liberty and opportunity: “Afoot and lighthearted

I take to the open road, / Healthy, free, the world before me, / The long brown path before me leading

wherever I choose,” the poet wrote.


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Whitman saw the (future) American Road Trip as a

metaphor for democracy. In the new republic, a man

could go anywhere. But for decades after Whit-

man’s poem, America’s “long brown paths” went

nowhere. In 1903, when Dr. Horatio Nelson Jack-

son, his dog Bud and a mechanic named Sewall

Crocker set out in a red Winton touring car to claim

America for the automobile, barely 150 miles of

paved road existed in the entire country. A friend

had wagered Jackson $50 that it would take him at

least three months to drive from San Francisco to

New York. In the end, it took 62 days of hard slog.

Jackson’s feat quickly inspired imitators like the

Murdocks, the first family to drive across America.

In 1908, Jacob, Anna and their three children suc-

cessfully navigated the journey with the help of a

personal mechanic for the car and a Winchester rifle

for the coyotes. Not to be outdone, 22-year-

old Alice Ramsey led the first all-female road trip in

1909, tearing across the country at speeds of up to

42 miles an hour—when not being towed by horses.

The road situation remained a literal mess

when Dwight D. Eisenhower joined a military con-

voy on a trip across America in 1919. At times the

drivers averaged a mere 6 miles an hour. Those two

months on the road helped to convince the future

president that a complete overhaul was needed. His

answer was the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956

and the construction of the Interstate Highway Sys-

tem.

The law spurred millions of Americans to take to

the open road—and legions of filmmakers and nov-

elists to write about it. The Great American Road

Trip once again became a social metaphor—though

less, this time, as a Whitmanesque celebration of

democracy than as critique of the human condition

in general and America’s failings in particular.

Explaining the point of “On the Road” (1957), Jack

Kerouac wrote that the novel tried to recapture a

sense of meaning: Its protagonists “were embarked

on a tremendous journey through post-Whitman

America to FIND that America.” John Stein-

beck took on a similar quest of rediscovery and re-

connection—with his driving companion a poo-

dle—and wrote about it in “Travels With Charley in

Search of America” (1962). The author finished his

journey with his hopes dashed, feeing lost and wor-

ried about the rapid changes overtaking his country.

Still, Steinbeck fared better than most film charac-

ters who attempt the Great American Road Trip. In

“Easy Rider” (1969), Peter Fonda and Dennis Hop-

per are pursued by murderous bigots; in “Thelma

and Louise” (1991), the problem seems to be every

American male.

Fortunately, today’s family road trips don’t require

a confrontation with the moral abyss—just a full

tank of gas and a great playlist.

Reprinted from THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

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Not only did we have picture perfect

weather for a run down to Rough and

Tumble in Kinzers, we also had a

substantial group in attendance. Mike

Romano, John and Mary Etta Hershey,

Butch and Vicky Arnold, Ernie and

Rhonda Spittler, the Lesher family, and

a bunch of Model A’s ventured south to

Kinzers. Ernie and Rhonda recruited

some of their local Model A friends to

join us. We had a solid ten vehicles

leaving from Adamstown. David and

Nell Deardorff, Joe and Betty Swann, Pat Gamble and Jane Grove and Clay

Green met us at Rough and Tumble.

John and Mary Etta brought their new

1914 Model T (once belonging to

Stanley Groy) out on its inaugural

voyage. Along the first leg of the trip,

we passed several cycling clubs,

encountered numerous road apples

and spied an Amish phone booth. The

latter two should not come as surprises,

we were deep in Amish Country. The

only potentially detrimental event

was our 1913 Buick losing a washer. Ernie, Augie and Jeff all heard it ping

onto the macadam. Jeff still isn’t sure

which washer it was. (And, we did

manage to get to Kinzers).

John and Mary Etta drove in the T

without a hitch. The day at Kinzers was

a steam lovers paradise. We toured the

sheds with multiple displays of steam

engines, hit and miss engines, indulged

in all kinds of yummy treats, listened to

the steamers let their whistle go at noon, and socialized. The flea market

provided all types of treasure too.


A Rough and Tumble Good Time

President Jeff and Augie visiting with

David Deardorff fellow SVR member.

Passing on the right.

12

Pat Gamble drove Jane Grove’s EMF and

the Swann’s drove their Model A. Along

with Clay, all three vehicles had the best

parking spaces at Kinzers—in the shade!

When I first spied Clay Green and his

Pierce-Arrow, I thought, “Gee, there’s

Clay giving a mechanical lesson!”

Unfortunately, this was not the case.

His Pierce was having magneto issues.

The stress was cigarette inducing.

Most of the group left Kinzers around

two in the afternoon. Butch and Vicky

Arnold, John and Mary Etta Hershey,

and the Leshers followed Jeff’s route to

the all important ice cream stop. We

rattled along without incident—even

with the worry over that lost washer. En route through Brecknock township

we drove past Uncle Henry’s Pretzel

Factory. Uncle Henry’s is one the

traditional pretzel bakeries that call

Berks County home. It is nothing much

more than an Amish farmstead.


On this edition of Pierce-Arrows

behaving badly...

Top: Jane Grove’s EMF

Bottom: Joe & Betty Swann’s Model A

A scene from

Kinzers

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The end of the day’s tour included a stop at Boehringer’s Drive-in in Adamstown for some much

needed treats. John and Mary Etta showed off their Model T’s brass headlights with working “daytime running lamps.” A cho-rus of “OH's” and “AH’s” followed. An impressive ending to a great day of driving in brass cars.


Above: Parked at Boehringer’s Drive-in Below: Daytime running lamps

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Just for Fun…


Zits by Jerry Borgman and Jerry Scott

The Argyle Sweater by Scott Hilburn

15


Announcements

to Nell Deardorff

for your contribution to Sassy Brass!

I cannot do this job without your help.

Who will be the next contributor for

“My 100 Year-old Car”? It could be

you. Be ready.

16


Classifieds

WANTED: For a 1914 Model T

Stewart speedometer road gear # 1322 with three mounting holes Stewart swivel joint 2 1/2 to 1 model 1913 cast steel Jon Brown headlights, lens, burners, connectors

Contact John Hershey at (cell #) 717-371-9179

1954 Harley /Davidson Servi Car

with tow bar, all done.

Contact: Clay Green

[email protected]

215-313-2734

1955 Chevrolet Convertible for sale.

Contact: Clay Green

[email protected]

215-313-2734

Next classifieds submission deadline is November 1 to be included in the next

newsletter. Ads should be 25-30 words in length and can include photos. Ads

maybe submitted by via email to [email protected] or mailed to

Tracy Lesher—475 West Route 897, Reinholds, PA 17569.

tel:717-371-9179

mailto:[email protected]

tel:215-313-2734

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This link has an index of pure gas stations for Pennsylvania and all

50 states.

http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=PA

Brad-Penn Oil can be purchased at Cumberland Truck Equipment

Co.

Locations in Ephrata, Carlisle, Chambersburg & Nottingham

Resources

http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=PA

volume 7 issue 3 - susquehanna valley region...

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