Director’s Thoughts, FEBRUARY, 2017

WOW, we are already into the 2nd month of 2017!  Whew, where is the time going?  Follow along in your newsletter for this chapters membership is planning & organizing its 2017 adventures for you all to join in on!  Of the many types of tours being discussed & planned, there has to be something that will catch your eye!!  One way of which you, as a member of this chapter, can participate in if the meetings are held when you have other scheduled events, is to come out on the tours & chapter events to show your support for those who plan & organize for everyone to enjoy the finer things in life, if you will!  I am sure you just did not join the chapter because you own a Buick.  I am sure you have a bit more interest than that.  So, come on out & join in on the adventures being planned for you during 2017!

Even more so, the 2018 North East Buick Regional will be held in your backyards, Lehighton, Pa, sort of speak come September 2018!  Guess who is hosting it?  You are right, the “Free Spirit” Chapter, BCA.  This is “YOU”.  You do not want to miss out on helping w/ this event!!  This chapter has held many previous Regionals (Bethlehem, Reading, and Allentown) & has had huge successes!  These Regionals can be a lot of fun because you get to meet a lot of the local Buick enthusiasts in the area, not only of Pa, but of the surrounding states too: NY, NJ, MD, Virginia, Ohio, Delaware, & the New England states.  You really want to keep this date on your calendar & stay informed.

Now, to talk about the SWEETEST DAY during the month of February, VALENTINE’S DAY!  Don’t forget about that certain someone who makes your heart go pitter/patter, or a flutter.  Not only is Valentine’s Day all about her, but also him.  The wishes go both ways!  Truly, if you both have the respect & love for one another, the day is for both of you.  So celebrate together!
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!!

Your elected Director, Sally Getz

“Free Spirit” Chapter Meeting Minutes, January 3, 2017

Director Sally Getz called the meeting to order @ 7:31 pm.  There were 16 members present.  She “WELCOMED” everyone back from their holidays & asked for the sharing of any very exciting gifts gotten or events attended, no response.

Treasurer’s report – Motion to accept December’s report, Don Atwood, seconded by Isabel Lenny, so carried.  Meeting minutes: no December meeting held.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:
A. Historian – Koziars/Holiday Gathering pictures on web site.  Another 1 year contract has been signed with Al Rosenberger, webmaster.
B. Kempton – Sunday, October 29, 2017 has been secured w/ the KCRC.  The chapter has received back the security deposit from 2016 show.
C. Membership – the 2017 Membership Roster has been printed & mailed to each member.  Please let Sally know if you did not receive yours yet in the mail.  $3.00 was collected from 3 members who forgot to wear their membership badges during January’s meeting.  Sally received an e-mail from a Buick owner, Richard Belardi, from Scranton, Pa about his interest in joining our chapter, or a chapter near him.  Information was sent to him on our chapter, plus the BCA.
D. Newsletter – have you noticed something different in the January newsletter?  There is a new advertiser, America on Wheels (AOW)!  Many “THANKS” to Dennis for this!  8 of 13 present advertisers have renewed.
E. Programs –If you would like to hear from a specific organization or person for 2017 meetings, please let Sally Getz know.
F. Publicity – no report
G. Ways and Means – sold 3 blankets during the holidays:  Ohio, Maryland & ILL.  Sally has a perspective buyer from Australia, BCA member, Ross Summerell, who will be visiting in the states come April-May.  She will see he gets it before he returns home.
I.  OLD BUSINESS:
2017 Upstate NY Regional: Upstate NY Chapter will be holding a 2017 Northeast Buick Regional, September 29-October 1, 2017 @ Clifton Park, NY.  (approx. 3hrs 45 minutes from Allentown, Pa, or roughly 235 mi.).  Their itinerary was shared by the group.  Look further on in this newsletter for it.
II. NEW BUSINESS
BCA BOD meeting minutes approved 12/13/2016, final Allentown Meet financial results.  This is made public to all BCA members.  Please venture on the BCA site.
Received “THANKS YOU’S” from the following:
Dream Come True, Blue Ridge Chapter, 2016 charitable contribution
Christ Lutheran Church, Hellertown, Pa memorial donation on the passing of Dons mother.
Don/Stacy Sterner on the passing of Don’s mother.
Future BCA National Meets:
2017 = Brookfield, Wisconsin
2018 = Denver, Colorado, June 19-23
2019 = Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, May
2020 = North East Ohio

Brief discussion held on the AACA pulling away from the Museum, Hershey, Pa, & researching for an area to build a bigger Library.

Dave Brady discussed a cute but true story with the group.  1 day a gentleman came into his shop asking if Dave could make a golf club sock with the presidential logo on it.  Well, Dave sat & thought about this & pondered, thinking, what made this guy ask me?  Here, it’s for President Elect Trump!  If Dave can make this & the gentleman approves it, Dave & Debbie have a chance to present this to President Elect Trump sometime in the very near future!!  Who would have thought!  Good luck to Dave & Debbie.

Motion to adjourn, Isabel Lenny, seconded, Stacy Sterner, so carried @ 8:03 pm.

Respectfully submitted, Thomas Duckett, Secretary

BOD Meeting Minutes, January 3, 2017

Director Sally Getz called BOD Meeting to order @ 5:30 pm.  9 of 10 officers/BOD were present.  Sally “WELCOMED” everyone back from after their holidays.  Picnic date = Sunday, June 4th

• Kempton date = Sunday, October 29th
• Holiday Gathering date = Tuesday, December 5th

Tours tentatively for 2017:

•            Musical Memories Museum, Allentown, Pa.  March 25th, Stacy Sterner
•            Kraemer’s Textiles, Nazareth, Pa, April 24th, Stacy Sterner
•               Allied Air Force Museum, Allentown, Pa.  Sally Getz
•               Eastern Museum of Motor Racing, York Springs, Pa.  Thomas Duckett
•               Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia, Pa.  Thomas Duckett
•               Farm Show in Harrisburg, Pa.  January of 2018, Clarence Getz
•               Lake Tobias Wildlife Park, Halifax, Pa.  Donald Sterner
•               Thomas Edison Museum, NJ.  Kathleen Duckett
•               Vintage Automobile Museum, Pt. Pleasant Beach, NJ.  Thomas Duckett

Once weather breaks, there will be meetings on 2018 NE Buick Regional, Lehighton, Pa.

Motion to adjourn, John Moore, seconded, Thomas Sylvester, so carried @ 6:00 pm.

Thomas Duckett, Secretary

The Most Unusual Car Doors In History

Over the years, vehicles have changed greatly. If you look at the cars produced 30 or even 40 years ago, you’ll notice just how much they have evolved. Back in the day, vehicles looked much more unusual. Each had its own, unique appearance and although they all shared similar elements, somehow they all managed to look different. As time progressed and we began to understand what works and what doesn’t, all vehicles became rather similar. If you look at the majority of modern cars, you’ll see that they all feature similar elements, ones that have been proven to work.

Although a lot has changed, car doors have remained pretty much the same. The majority of production cars feature the same, standard doors, which swing away towards the front of the car horizontally. This is the most popular design as its practical and it works.  Regardless, a great number of manufacturers have experimented with different designs over the years resulting in a lot of interesting car doors coming into existence.  We’ve decided to take a look back at some of the most unique non-standard car door designs and the fantastic vehicles that featured them throughout the years.

Scissor doors are probably the most recognizable out of all unique car doors in existence as they have been featured on a great number of cars over the years. What makes scissor doors special you might ask? It’s the fact that they rotate vertically at a fixed hinge, which is located at the front of the door. They open by rotating on a horizontal axis, which is why they’re so unique.  The first vehicle ever to feature scissor doors was the 1968 Alfa Romeo Carabo concept car. Although the car never went into production, the unique doors later appeared on the 1973 Lamborghini Countach and became a trademark for the brand. It was the first production car to ever feature scissor doors and is often regarded as the car that made them popular.

Scissor doors are more expensive than standard doors, which is why many manufacturers choose not to implement them. You might also experience issues when trying to get out of the vehicle whilst parked inside a garage or an enclosed car park as the height of the celling might be insufficient.

Butterfly doors are another unusual door design that has made occasional appearances throughout the years. They’re a little more unique than scissor doors as they move on hinges along the A-pillar. Alfa Romeo 33 Stradle was the first ever vehicle to include butterfly doors, also known as dihedral doors. This particular type of doors is rather similar to scissor doors, which is why the two share several disadvantages.

Gullwing doors might look familiar to people, this is because they have been featured on the DeLorean, famous for appearing in the beloved Back to the Future films. These doors are hinged to the roof and open upward on a horizontal axis. Mercedes-Benz 300 SL was the vehicle to introduce gullwing doors to the world. Originally released as a racing car in 1952, the road-legal production version became available in 1954. Although the doors on the 300 SL looked the part, when it came to functionality they failed miserably. The vehicle was really hard to enter and exit due to the lack of space and an unusually high sill.

Bricklin SV-1 was another vehicle that had gullwing doors however it was the only car in the history to have powered gullwing doors that could be open with the touch of a button.

Perhaps the most popular vehicle to feature gullwing doors is the previously mentioned DeLorean. It is now considered an icon as many people associate it with the Back to the Future films.

Suicide doors, which are basically doors that are hinged at the rear, have made their first appearance on horse-drawn carriages. They were also rather common in the early 20th Century however, if the name didn’t already give it away, they weren’t very safe. Back when seatbelts weren’t required and suicide doors were common, if a person accidently opened the door whilst the car was moving they were likely to fall out. Out of all the unusual car doors in history, suicide doors are the most popular. They still make the occasional appearance on the odd concept car however, it’s very unlikely they’ll ever regain their popularity due to all the safety issues associated with them.

The next unusual doors on our list are probably the most unique. Canopy doors involve the car’s roof, windscreen and side to be a single unit that moves upwards to let the driver in. The Messerschmitt KR175 microcar, which launched in 1953, was the first production vehicle to ever include canopy doors. Other cars that featured canopy doors include the Ferrari Modulo and the 1985 Buick Wildcat concept cars. Canopy doors are not practical, which is part of the reason we don’t see them on our roads often. If the weather is bad and it’s raining outside, for example, it’s impossible to enter a car with canopy doors without getting the interior wet unless you are parked inside.

Sliding doors have also been included on vehicles in the past. They open by sliding into the vehicle wall or by sliding alongside it. To this day many vans feature sliding doors however when it comes to cars, they’re not as popular. The vehicle that managed to look aesthetically pleasing whilst sporting a pair of sliding pocket doors was the Kaiser Darrin.

The last doors on our list are the swan doors which, similarly to standard and suicide doors, open outward but on an axis slightly tilted vertically. For many years they have been featured on numerous, mostly concept, cars.

Overall, it’s fantastic to see how vehicles have evolved over the years. Although vehicles today aren’t as exciting as the vehicles of the past, we’re satisfied that everything we see on our roads today works whilst remaining functional.

As much as we’d love to see cars with suicide or canopy doors, safety should always remain a priority. Thinking about selling your car and buy one with fancy doors?

January 2, 2017

As of January 2, 2017, when attending the monthly chapter meetings, be sure to wear your BADGE!  When you became a “Free Spirit” Chapter member, you received a badge with your name on it.  Be sure to find it to wear to each & every meeting.  If you are a recent new member & you did not receive your badge yet, please ask Dolores Kennedy for one.  If you are a member & your spouse does not have a badge, please see Dolores Kennedy.

Dolores Kennedy will be collecting a dollar from anyone who attends the meeting NOT wearing their badge.

Musical Memories Museum Tour, March 25, 2017

Ray Scheffy knows a thing or two about player pianos.  “I can’t play it, but I can turn it on,” he said.  When Ray wasn’t catching on quick enough as a young boy, his piano teacher asked him to quit. He did, but his love of the instrument stayed & he found another way to make beautiful music.  If you have an appointment, Ray will take you on a tour of his Lehigh Valley home, which also acts as the third largest museum of its kind in Pennsylvania.

Ray built his home, known as the Musical Memories Museum, around his private collection. The ceiling upstairs was designed to be flat until a pipe organ came along. He switched the design to cathedral ceilings to accommodate it.  He gives tours, because, as Scheffy said, “Just to have people around & see what mostly people haven’t even heard of this stuff to begin with & here they can actually see it & hear it.”  There’s more than 3,000 square feet of musical machines, & to add to the charm, there are quirky odds & ends from the same eras scattered in between.
If you ask Ray who the folks are in the photos that adorn the tops of the pianos, he’ll tell you there’s no relation, but they do go with the decor.  He’s been collecting since he was 10. An antique wooden kitchen clock was his first piece.  Ray is an electrician by trade, & he couldn’t play piano, but he could figure out how to fix most anything.

“Almost all my life I was in business for myself & I got into a lot of houses & that’s, you know, people had stuff they wanted to get rid of & I didn’t know what to do with it,” he said.  Ray would take pieces home &, more often than not, restore them to their original glory.  Pianos, organs, Victrola’s, jukeboxes, music boxes, radios, and old TVs. There’s a lot of joy as you follow Ray around. They are treasured pieces from an era gone by when listening to a little music was enough.

Time:  Meet @ the Starlight Diner at 9:30 am, leave @ 9:45, & arrive @ 10:00 am to our destination.
Member Cost (any age): $3.00 per person.
Non-member Cost (any age): $5.00 per person.
Lunch (pay your own):  Following the tour at, “Ringer’s Roost”!
Send check, made payable to “Free Spirit” Chapter, BCA, to Stacy Sterner, 121 Pheasant Drive, Kutztown, Pa 19530.  Please R.S.V.P. by March 22, 2017.

Ten Fun Facts About Buick

Fact 1 – The Company was established in the year 1903 as Buick & in 1899 as the Buick Auto-Vim & Power Company. It is headquartered in Detroit, Michigan.
Fact 2 – Sharing make & style with some of the other General Motors brands, Buick continues to be the oldest existing & active car brand of the true American make &d one of the oldest in the world.
Fact 3 – The year 1953 saw the 50th anniversary of the Buick brand with the Buick V8 engine being introduced at the same time.
Fact 4 – The 75th anniversary was in the year 1978 & the Regal Sport Coupe saw the turbocharged V6 engine’s introduction.
Fact 5 – Buick cars are sold in the United States of America, China, Canada, Israel & Mexico. The domestic sales of the brand within the United States skyrocketed in the year 1984 & by that time Buick had an expansive model line.
Fact 6 – The dawn of the space age with Sputnik I’s launch in 1957 marked the introduction of the 1958 Buick model which was also known as the ‘king of chrome’.
Fact 7 – The Buick was sold in New Zealand before the World War II but production & distribution was not revived after the War.
Fact 8 – China sells more Buick cars than the United States & makes up to 35 per cent of overall Buick global sales.
Fact 9 – Buick saw its best times in motorsport in the late eighties but it was phased out by GM for the same in the 1990s.
Fact 10 – The first ever Buick car that was manufactured to be sold in the market was the 1904 Model B.

Upstate NY NE Buick Regional, September29-October 1, 2017,   Clifton Park, New York

Meet Itinerary:

• Friday: self-driving tour to the Saratoga Auto Museum.
• Saturday: car show 9AM – 3 PM & banquet
• Sunday:  An after tour of historic sites is being developed. The plan will be to start and return to the Host Hotel. Several stops are being considered along with a luncheon.

HOTEL INFORMATION We have contracted with Homewood Suites & the Hilton Garden Inn for special show rates.  The hotels are located at Exit 9, Rt 87 (the Northway) with easy off/on availability.  The hotels are adjacent to the Clifton Park Center Mall, with vibrant shopping, & are close to many regional historical sites, plus multiple dinner & entertainment venues.  There are other major chain hotels in the immediate area.  This will be prime leaf peeping season!  We recommend making room reservations as soon as possible, due to several ongoing local events.

NOTE: Both hotels will honor the special rates from Thursday night, September 28, 2017 through Sunday night, October 1, 2017.

HOST HOTEL:  Homewood Suites, Clifton Park Center, 42 Clifton Country Rd, Clifton Park, NY 12065. Rates 135+ tax per nite includes breakfast.  Call 518-371-2000 or 1-800-HILTONS.   Mention room code BCA.
Hilton Garden Inn, Clifton Park Center, 30 Clifton Country Rd, Clifton Park, NY 12065. Rates $125 + tax, dbl Queen, King. No breakfast included but available on premises. 1-800-HILTONS. Mention room code BCA.

Northeast Buick Regional, September, 2018, Lehighton, Pa

A Northeast Buick Regional will be held @ Lehighton, Pa @ a place called Pfeiffers Ice Dams.  This is a community park with pavilions, ball field, grass, macadam, playground, & plenty of space for a nice show!  There are 2 local hotels, 1 within walking distance & 1 just 1000 ft away.  There are fine dining restaurants as well as fast food restaurants.  The PA turnpike is only 1000 ft away for those who travel!  Please keep abreast of the future newsletters to be kept in the loop about this exciting event!

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

FEBRUARY 2017                 HAPPY VALENTINE’s DAY!
7 – Monthly chapter meeting, Starlite Diner & Lounge, Allentown, Pa.  Supper @ 6 pm, business meeting @ 7: 30 pm.  Remember, wear your BADGE!
9-11 – 81st AACA Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, Pa
MARCH 2017                           HAPPY ST. PATRICK’s DAY!
5 – Hamburg Swap Meet, Hamburg, PA.  Sponsored: Ontelaunee Region AACA.
7 – Chapter meeting, Starlite Diner & Lounge, Rts. 78/100, Allentown, Pa.  Supper @ 6 pm, business meeting @7:30 pm.  Remember, wear your BADGE!  Guest speaker is Mr. Gregory Cunningham, Director of Goodwill Keystone area, Allentown, Pa facility.
10-12 – Atlantic City Convention Center show, Atlantic City, NJ
25 – Musical Memories Museum Tour w/ Stacy Sterner.
APRIL 2017
4 – Monthly chapter meeting, Starlite Diner & Lounge, Allentown, Pa.  Dinner @ 6 pm, business meeting @ 7:30 pm.  REMEMBER TO WEAR YOUR BADGE!  Guest speaker is Mr. Daniel Dillard, Executive Director/CEO of Burn Prevention Network, Allentown, Pa.
19-23 – Carlisle Spring Meet, Carlisle, Pa
24 – Kraemer’s Textiles Tour, Nazareth, PA.  Stacy Sterner

CARS/PARTS “FOR SALE”

1939 Buick Special (41) 4-DR Trunk back Sedan, unrestored original car, Straight 8, manual transmission.  Runs well!  Rebuilt engine & components, brake system, drive train, transmission.  Upgraded carb, electronic ignition, oil filter, NEW exhaust system.  WW tires.  Pics available.  $16,500/negotiable.  Ken Davis, 610-489-1649. kwmcdavis@verizon.net.

1951-52 Buick Mustache Bar to be rehomed, very hard to find!  $400.00.  William, 610-970-7183, 484-948-6213.

1962 Buick Skylark Conv. Overall GOOD condition.  Various NOS chrome installed.  Runs/drives nice!  Transmission, rear, top & rear window good.  Dave’s Int. restorations, 525 Chestnut St., Emmaus, Pa 18049

1966 Buick Skylark GS 2 dr HDT, red/white top.  $16,500.00.  610-582-3758

1979 Buick Riviera 32,000 miles call Michael Spitzer at 215-255-5768

1981 Buick Regal 4 DR dark green, garage kept.  75K mi. 717-576-7588

1987 Buick GN, T-Top blk with grey/blk int., orig parts, EXCELLENT condition, 3200 ORIGINAL miles.  Stored in heat controlled garage.  $28,500 (OBO), gbrentano@verizon.net

1996 Buick Riviera Diamond White w/ excellent burgundy leather interior. 106K miles. Supercharged, chrome wheels, Astor roof. Garaged kept. New tires 9,000 miles ago. Super clean; not driven in winters; used for BDE Tours. Cold AC. Well maintained Buick. $7000. Ed Lenny BCA # 7534 Allentown, PA. lugnuts36@icloud.com, 610-751-7700

1958 Super/Limited Chrome & stainless trim, rear Ltd. Bumper end.  610-509-2061.

1964 Buick 300 V-8 w/ factory aluminum heads, complete w/ fan, carb, air cleaner, etc.  TH 400 auto trans #BU-64-23582. Eng. #4K5029219, $700.00.  610-509-2061.

In Search Of

OPEL Manual, 717-201-1660.

1948 Buick Special 2 door back chrome.  Doug @ 570-573-0948.

1951-52 Buick Roadmaster RH grille bar extension.  C. Wenger, 433-710-6624, crewzn@broadstripe.net

1967 Buick Electra Conv. 610-730-4599, dwebster80@gmail.com