Director’s Thoughts, JULY 2020

Well, today, most counties in Pennsylvania are in the “Green.”   At this point, I have moved on from missing the cars and events to truly missing the people. You, the members, are what really make this club great. You are the real reason we all love belonging to the “Free Spirit” Chapter, BCA.  So far, this year has not turned out at all like we had expected it to. (I think that may be the understatement of the year!!) So yes, I’m going to say them! All of them. And by “them” I am referring to every cliché I can think of for this current situation…

• Always look on the bright side. Make the best of a bad situation.  
• What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.  
• Better safe than sorry.  
• Absence makes the heart grow fonder.  
• All dressed up and nowhere to go.  
• All in due time.
• An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  
• Between a rock and a hard place.  
• Better the Devil you know than the Devil you don’t.  
• Bite the bullet.  
• Can’t please everyone.  
• That’s the way the ball bounces.  
• That’s the way the cookie crumbles.  
• The road less travelled.  
• Throw a monkey wrench into the works.  
• To hell in a hand basket.  
• When it rains, it pours.  
• When push comes to shove.  
• Every dark cloud has a silver lining. 
• If the shoe fits, wear it.  
• If you can’t beat them, join them.  
• Don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today.   

No matter what cliché fits how you’re feeling about the current situation, we are all in this together. And, there is no roadmap to guide us in the right direction. No instruction manual to show us how to deal with this. In fact, a brand new playbook is being written as we speak. Everyone is having a tough time adjusting and figuring out what is the right thing to do — the safe thing to do. We may not agree with everything the decision-makers and those in charge are telling us, but I personally choose to believe that they have our best interests at heart.

So, on another note, let’s think positive and stay strong!

Can you believe it?!  We are finished with  1/2 of this year already!  For many of all car enthusiasts, this year surely is not a good year for car shows and related events.  For big events such as;  Carlisle, Hershey, National Buick Club Meet, Das Awkscht Fescht,  AACA Meets, etc, they ALL took a hit not being held.  One can say that, well they will just be held next year, no problem.  That’s all well and fine, however, it leaves a huge void of which can never be gotten back. 

All we can do is help to support one another and look into the future.  Hopefully next year will bring us a brighter future from a fellow car enthusiast point of view!       

                                                                             Your Elected Director, Sally  

July 20, 2020: “UGLY” Truck Day

Beyond a doubt, Ugly Truck Day is a “guy thing”. Every guy can appreciate the importance of this day. Not to be left out, a fair number of the ladies appreciate (their) ugly truck, too! Ugly trucks are loved and cherished by their owners. 

Pick-Up Truck Trivia: Do you know the most popular state for pick-up trucks? If you guessed Texas, you are right! 

Sure, a brand new, shiny truck with all of the gadgets and features still working, is a great thing. But, an old, ugly truck is something to cherish with pride. It has character that a new truck sorely lacks. It has a long history of dents, bangs, and scratches, each with their own tale of how it was proudly earned. Most guys can tell you exactly how and where every dent and scratch occurred, making your ugly truck a walking history book. 

On Ugly Truck Day, go out and take a drive around with a big, broad smile on your face. You can, and should, hold an Ugly Truck contest today.

But, whatever you do, don’t wash or wax your truck today!

Second Notice!!!

“FREE SPIRIT” Chapter – 6/1/2020-5/31/2021 RENEWAL DUES

Please fill in the following information and include a check for $12.00, made payable to “FREE SPIRIT” Chapter.  Submit to:   Dolores Kennedy, 2620 Ambassador Drive, Bethlehem, Pa 18017 610-867-8962

MEMBER NAME________________________________________

 SPOUSE’S NAME  __________________________________________

 STREET ADDRESS  ________________________________________

 TOWN, STATE, ZIP CODE  _________________________________

 TELEPHONE  _(____)_______________________________________

 CELL PHONE  (OPTIONAL)  ________________________________

 EMAIL ADDRESS  (OPTIONAL)  ____________________________

BUICK(S) OWNED____________________________________________________________      

Submit completed form with $$$$ to Dolores Kennedy by  JULY 31, 2020

“Sally’s Take”, Correction Amended

The following is an amended correction from last month’s newsletter:

‘As most of you remember, back when “Buick” was the marque during DAF 2013 under the tent, the “Free Spirit” Chapter acquired paper products (napkins, plates, cups) with the “ Buick Bird” and logo from Helen Hutchings, at that time, from California.  Ms. Hutchings had the fun and privilege of working as an outside contractor “TO” Buick providing public relations services over a wide area of the country. Buick termed it the Western Region and geographically that meant just about everywhere (except Michigan and sometimes Chicago) west of the Mississippi River.

Her time with Buick coincided with when Ed Mertz led the division and public relations was an independent branch or arm. A year or so after Ed retired public relations was moved into and under marketing and advertising and she chose not to renew her contract because she didn’t believe (and still doesn’t) that public relations is either subservient to a part of the paid advertising function.

Bedsides her work as stated above, Helen, at one time, was the National BCA President.  Since her term, she has served and worn multiple “Hats,” if you will with the BCA.  Now retired and living in Topeka, Kansas, Helen continues to be an avid asset with the National BCA as a member, but from the side lines!  Helen and I have kept in contact with one another via the Internet email over the years.  You may remember reading her article just recently printed in the Bugle!  Furthermore, she just had another article in the June issue of the “Bugle!”                 I stand corrected, Thank you.          Sally Getz 

The 10 Best Performance Cars of the 1980s

After the automotive funk of the 1970s, everyone was ready for some decent cars. No one was expecting a return to the automotive bliss of the 1960s, not yet, but the baby boomers were now in their 40s and had money to spend. They again wanted vehicles with image and some horsepower. And their children, the Gen Xers, were becoming teenagers. Both generations wanted cool cars.

As the economy improved, so did the cars, which were slowly emerging from the early emissions rules horsepower handicap. The 1979 Mustang 5.0 showed the way for contemporary style and performance, and by the middle of the decade things were happening. The media began calling it the second muscle car era, and terms like “modern muscle cars” were invented to describe Detroit’s new wave of rear-wheel-drive performance cars like the Chevy Monte Carlo SS and Buick Grand National.

But this was a global resurgence. Both the European car companies and Japanese brands were joining the party this time around with cars like the BMW M3, the Mitsubishi Starion TSi, and hot hatches, which were already a thing in Europe when the Volkswagen GTI came to our shores.

Many of the cars from the 1980s are special machines from the decade that have not only stood the test of time, but are now considered classics. These cars were desirable then, and remain so today. Cutting the list down to 10 is no easy task, but all of these are worthy. Think something else deserves a spot? 

• 1983 Volkswagen GTI
• 1984 Ferrari Testarossa
• 1985 Chevrolet Corvette
• 1986 Porsche 959
• 1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
• 1987 RUF CTR
• 1987 Ford Mustang 5.0
• 1987 BMW M5
• 1987 Ferrari F40
• 1987 Buick Grand National/GNX

Fact is, you never saw a Porsche 959 on the road or at the local hang out. Or a RUF Yellowbird. Or an F40. Or a Testarossa. These were cars we only saw in magazines and fantasies. If you wanted to own the street in the 1980s, you went out and bought a turbocharged 1987 Buick Grand National or, if you had the scratch, a GNX. It was the quickest and coolest car around. When one pulled into the cruise spot or street racing scene, everyone noticed. The guy behind the wheel always knew he was the one to beat. The Buick was the king. And most wore a license plate frame that read, “We Brake for Corvettes.”

Buick’s turbo V-6 Regal had been around since the early ’80s, and the black Grand National version actually launched in 1984. But it got an intercooler in 1986 and power jumped from 200 to 235 hp. That was more than a Corvette. Then, in 1987, it jumped again to 245 hp. A good running example would smash the quarter-mile in the low 14-second range, but a few tweaks easily put these cars into the 13s. Then Buick took it a step further and created the GNX as “The Grand National to end all Grand Nationals.” Only 547 were built. They cost about $30,000, packed 276 hp and were low 13-second cars at the drag strip. Today it remains the most iconic American performance car of the 1980s.

Future Buick National Dates

• 2021 – Concord, North Carolina, June 30 – July 3
• 2021 – Strongsville, Ohio, July 7 – 10 (postponed from July 2020)
• 2022 – Lisle, Illinois, June 21 – 26
• 2023 – Spokane, Washington, July 11 – 15
• 2024 – Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, June 12 – 15

How have you spent your time during the Pandemic?

(Here is how Wayne & Leah Kieffer have been spending their time)

Wayne has been building a model train layout starting when he retired 10 years ago.  He has accomplished more in the last couple of months than the last couple of years completing all the ballasting of the track, electrified the buildings, added the town park and finished all the grass and now completing some hills and bushes. 

      As for me, several years ago, a friend of ours was moving into assisted living and selling his house.  We found that he had started the framework of 2 miniature dollhouses but had lost interest and was going to throw them out.  We brought them home and we had built one last year but had set aside the second house.  So, during the stay at home orders, I not only built the second house but did all the interior designing.  I have attached pictures of the exterior and all the rooms for your enjoyment. 

Hope someday soon that maybe some of the car activities can resume.   

If you would like to share what you have been busy doing with others, please write to Sally to be printed in next months’ newsletter.  Share so others may enjoy what you’ve been up to!

Calendar of Events

JULY 2020                    “Happy 4^th of July”     

AUGUST 2020                “Dog Days of Summer”

• 21-22 – AACA Grand Nationals, Bulgari Complex, Allentown, Pa

SEPTEMBER 2020            HAPPY LABOR DAY!!

• 1 – TENTATIVE  Monthly chapter dinner meeting, Starlite Diner & Lounge, Allentown, Pa.  Dinner @ 6 pm, business meeting @ 7:30 pm.  TENTATIVE.  

CARS/PARTS “FOR SALE”

1967 Buick Skylark 4 Dr Sedan 340 2-barrel, ST 300 Switch Pitch, PS, manual brakes, cassette player, no air.  70,100 original miles.  Maroon color Exterior, cloth maroon interior.  $10,00.00.  610-377-6130.

1967 Buick Special Deluxe Sport Coupe 2 dr, 300 2-barrel.  Spruce Green exterior w/ vinyl top, black interior.  68,305 original miles.  Power steering, manual brakes.  RH mirror, AM/FM radio.   Spinner wire wheel covers.  UNRESTORED.  Garage kept! $8,000.  610-377-6130

Heater Core, NORS made in USA, fits 1982-87  Buick Regal/Olds Cutlass
Supreme $25.00
Heater Core NORS made in USA , fits large Buick 1978-1988 $25.00
Heater Core Good Used  Circular under seat fits 1954-57 Buick  Century $20.00.    Contact H. Kriebel..Sauenohr1@gmail.com