Director’s Thoughts-SEPTEMBER, 2014

SEPTEMBER! Who can believe it! Where did the summer go? It seems like we were just meeting @ the Starlite Diner for our last spring meeting. Since then, we, as a club have done so many things over the summer. We started off w/ the picnic in June. In July, we toured the Turkey Hill Experience & National Watch & Clock Museum in Columbia, PA. We started off August w/ DAF, where many of our members met to show off their treasured BUICKS; not to mention the good fellowship! This was followed by a weekend tour to Huntington, PA where members toured the Isett Acres Museum, the Swigart Auto Museum, & the Rockhill Trolley Museum. Then, I am sure that other members have participated in other car shows in their areas. All-in-all, I would say we have been quite busy. I am very proud to be part of such an active club. Now it is time to switch gears & think about Autumn & the change of season. It is time to begin by saying good bye to the “Dog Days of Summer” & welcome in the beautiful fall weather. I love this time of year, when you can open the windows to let the fresh air into your home. There is nothing better than taking my Buick out for a leisurely ride in the country, just to take in the beautiful fall colors. It just doesn’t get any better than that! I’d like to welcome everyone back to our 2014-15 season & look forward to seeing all of you on September 2nd @ the Statlite Diner, where we can all trade our “summer stories”. Any members out there that haven’t been to our meetings, please come out & join us. I can guarantee you won’t be sorry!

“Free Spirit” Meeting Minutes, August, 2014

No meeting this month. Happy August!
December 13, 2014
SAVE THIS DATE to be taken on a tour to “AMERICA ON WHEELS” with tourmaster Kathleen Duckett. There we will view their Christmas venue. Watch for more information in the upcoming newsletters. SAVE THIS DATE ON YOUR CALENDARS!!
Signs of the Times
-A guided missile office in the Pentagon is reported to have this sign on the door: “Out to launch.”
-A state department official has taken down the sign in his office that said, “Smile,” & replaced it w/ a new one that says “Smile anyhow.”
-In San Diego, a loan firm window sign reads: “Ask About Our Plans for Owning Your Home.”
-A sign on a fence alongside the Southern Pacific RR tracks @ Millbrae, California reads: “Millbrae Nursery School, Please Wave.”
-Sign seen in suburban Philadelphia: “Children Playing, Drive Tenderly.”
-Sign on a canary’s cage in pet shop: “For Sale—Cheep!”
-Sign on a newly painted wall in a public building: “This is a partition – Not A petition. No Signatures Required.”

Sometimes There Isn’t Anymore

I grew up in the 50’s w/ very practical parents. A mother, God love her, who washed aluminum foil after she cooked in it, then reused it. She was the original recycle queen, before they had a name for it. My father was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones. Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barely a wave away. I can see them now. Dad in trousers, old shirt & a hat & mom in a house dress, lawn mower in one hand, dish towel in the other.

It was the time for fixing things. A curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress. Things we keep. It was a way of life, & sometimes it made me crazy. All that re-fixing, eating leftovers, renewing, I wanted just once to be wasteful. Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant you knew there’d always be more. But then my mother died, & on that clear summer’s night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn’t any more. Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up & goes away….never to return. So, while we have it….& fix it when it’s broken….& heal it when it’s sick.
This is true for marriage….& old cars….& children w/ bad report cards….& dogs w/ bad hips….& aging parents….& grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it & because we are worth it.

The Secret Life of Your Automobile Battery

If you could go undercover, under your hood, you might come away w/ a new respect for your battery. But do it soon. Growing energy requirements mean the average life expectancy of a battery is getting shorter. Depending upon usage, a battery’s life span can range from 24-60 months—w/ only about 30% actually lasting the full 5 years.
Automotive batteries last longer when maintained @ or near a full state of charge. However, when it comes to charging batteries, you can have too much—or too little—of a good thing. A malfunctioning component in the charging system, usually the voltage regulator, can lead to overcharging & a slow death for your battery.

Too many accessories are another big turn-off. When batteries mysteriously drain, add-on accessories like your mobile device should be the prime suspects. Unplug your phone & charger when you don’t need them, & any other electrical device before you shut down the engine. Under-use can also result in a premature death. Your battery will drain faster if you regularly drive for 20 minutes or less, because it won’t allow your battery to fully charge. Even the tiny amount of power required to maintain computer memories, will gradually discharge a battery over time.
Winter may be over but few people realize that hot weather even be even harder on your car battery. Heat can weaken internal components, evaporate critical fluids, & accelerate the corrosion on your battery terminals. This can lead to insufficient electrical power being available & leave you stranded without warning. Another item that stands out as a battery’s worst enemy is vibration. Unnecessary vibration damages the delicate plates inside, so your battery needs to be firmly anchored. They will also do better if they are covered by a protective casing.

The inside story on battery longevity comes down to care & cleaning. Most modern batteries are “maintenance free” which means motorists no longer needed to check or top off the electrolyte levels. In fact, forcing or prying these caps open may destroy or permanently damage your battery. You still need to check the terminals for corrosion & battery cables to ensure they are securely attached to the terminals. Corroded terminals can be cleaned w/ a brush (such as a discarded toothbrush) & a light paste of household baking soda & water. A thin coating of petroleum jelly on the cables & battery terminals helps to minimize future corrosion. Keeping the terminals bright & tight will help ensure that your battery performs through its entire service life.

Taking Care of Your Automatic Transmission

Auto Industry is Rapidly Shifting Gears on Maintenance.
Most people know that a transmission is a complex assembly of gears enclosed in a metal case somewhere under their car. They also know that a malfunctioning transmission can cost them a lot of money. Today’s automatic transmissions are quite reliable & built to last the lifetime of your vehicle. Modern automatic transmission fluids have also undergone significant evolution. Part of the reason is that the transmissions themselves have changed. In addition to conventional automatics as used in the past, many modern vehicles come w/ alternative designs, such as automated manual, dual-clutch & continuously variable automatic transmissions.

Depending on the application, these transmission types can have very unique fluid requirements, & use of the wrong product can quickly result in transmission damage or destruction. Your owner’s manual is the definitive source for information on the specific fluids required by any given vehicle. Checking the fluid level on a newer automatic transmission can be challenging because a growing number of gearboxes no longer have a dipstick. Modern automatics are increasingly being filled w/ “lifetime” fluids that do not need to be changed until the vehicle has traveled 100,000 miles or more.

These transmissions offer no easy way to check or adjust the fluid level, & in many cases they are “factory sealed” w/ durable paint markings on the fill, check, & drain plugs that will indicate if they have ever been removed. The fluid level was correct when the car left the factory &, so long as no leaks are visible, the level is assumed to remain unchanged. When fluid replacement or level adjustment does become necessary, the procedure for many sealed transmissions is quite involved & may require the use of special tools to monitor fluid temperatures. For example, the process required to check the transmission fluid level on a 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid is 14 pages long!!

Vehicles that are not equipped w/ sealed transmissions & “lifetime” fluids may require periodic fluid 7 filter changes to remove contaminants & maintain proper performance. Transmission fluids are also are susceptible to contamination by fiber & metallic particles created by internal wear. These should be done in accordance w/ the factory recommendations in the owner’s manual.

There are 2 types of automatic transmission fluid changes. A traditional service involved draining & replacing the fluid (& sometimes a filter) in the transmission pan. Typically this replaces only about 1/3 to ½ of the total transmission & cooler fluid capacity. Some shops offer a full fluid replacement service in which a special flushing machine circulates new fluid throughout the system until all of the old fluid has been removed. Regardless of the procedure used, transmission servicing requires special care to ensure that no contaminants are allowed to enter the transmission where that can wreak havoc w/ precision machined hydraulic control components.

DAS AWKSCHT FESCHT, 2014

WHEW! Another DAF event under the belt of many of us. There were 40 big & beautiful BUICKS on the show field on Sunday during the FESCHT! Many belonged to the “Free Spirit” chapter, BCA. Despite the “iffy” clouds, I believe everyone should have been home before any raindrops fell. For a report on the “Ways-n-Means” department, during the 3-day event, 5 BUICK blankets had been sold along w/ a yardstick, etc. On Sunday, club day, a few application for membership forms had been distributed to perspective BUICK enthusiasts. The following are the award recipients of this year’s awards given by the “Free Spirit” chapter, presented by the Director, Don Sterner.

Buick Club of America award – Pre War
Dave & Debbie Brady
Emmaus, PA 1932 Series 60 5-p Convertible Phaeton, 68C

J.C.Taylor – Post War
Martin Zimmerman
Denver, PA 1956 Special 2-Dr Convertible, 46C

In Memory of Deceased Members, Best Unrestored
Tom and Kathleen Duckett
Slatington, PA 1950 Buick Super 2-Dr Riviera, 56R

All-in-all, the event was a success for the borough park and the Ontelaunee Region AACA chapter. Kudos to all of you!!

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

SEPTEMBER 2014
2 – Monthly chapter meeting, Starlite Diner & Lounge, Rts. 100/78, supper @ 6:00pm, meeting @ 7:30pm. Guest speaker is Mr. Tremba, AAA representative, to talk on “Aggressive Driving”.
20 – Carbon County Shrine Show, mmickey@mvnrc.com
21 – Star Buick/Oldsmobile/Pontiac Show, Easton, Pa.

OCTOBER 2014
1-5 – Carlisle Show, Carlisle, Pa
4 – 3rd Annual NCPD’s Fallen Heroes Car Show, Pottstown, Pa
5 – Becky’s Drive-In Car show, Berlinsville, Pa
6 – !! NOTE DAY CHANGE !! Monthly chapter meeting, Starlite Diner & Lounge, Rts. 78/100, supper @ 6:00 pm, meeting @ 7:30 pm. Guest speaker is Bob Bohnenberger to share w/ us some very informative & updated information on “Retirement Issues”. Hope you can join us for this presentation. Also, nominations will be taken for secretary, treasurer, membership chairman, & 2 board of director members.
8-11 – Hershey Fall Meet, Hershey, Pa
26 – KEMPTON CAR SHOW. Members are encouraged to attend!

NOVEMBER 2014
4 – Monthly chapter meeting, Starlite Diner & Lounge, Rts 100/78, supper @ 6:00pm, meeting @ 7:30pm. Guest speaker is a representative from Miller-Keystone Blood Center.

CARS/PARTS “FOR SALE”

1917 Buick Roadster All restored. $25,000.00, Bill Rettberg, 860-982-3001. jarett@yahoo.com
1927 Buick Sport Roadster (54) 3p, very rare car. Jack Bennett, representative for Rose Nemeth, (Erno’s wife,) Ringoes, NJ 908-303-5391
1955 Buick Century Riviera 2-dr htp, maroon/white, 122,000 miles. Is a daily driver, not a show car. $9750. Howard Kriebel 610-489-1253 after 6 pm.
1956 Buick Century Riviera Series 60 – 4 dr htp. Original 322 “Nail Head” V8 Road Master engine (255hp) w/ “Dyna Flow” A/T & factory dual exhaust. PS, PB, PW & S. Sonomatic push button radio, factory deluxe lighting pkg. 72,700 original mi. Frame/body solid. Garage kept. Pics available. $15,000.00/negotiable. 570-309-2367, Robert.stavish@gmail.com
1964 Buick LeSabre 4-dr, original interior, repainted once. 98K miles. $7,700 Rein Brueggeman, 864-882-8079 rbbrueg@bellsouth.net
1968 Buick Skylark Custom Conv – garage kept, Artic white w/ red int. 117K miles, original 350 2b, $15,750. 610-770-0532, info@auto-motives.com
1969 Skylark Convertible – kimberly.pavlick@scranton.edu
1981 Buick Regal – 4 dr dark green in color. Garage kept in Berks County. 75,000 mi. 717-576-7588, dgetz101@hotmail.com
1937-38-39-40 Buick Straight 8 Engine Motor, $1500 OBO,
610-349-7760, robinbrumfield@rcn.com

In Search Of

1951-52 Buick Roadmaster RH grille bar extension. C. Wenger @ 443-710-6624, crewzn@broadstripe.net
Late 1980’-Early 1990’s Buick LeSabre/Electra – In good running condition for daily driver use in local town driving, reasonably priced. Does not have to be in perfect condition. Harold, 610-826-2639.