The May 2022 newsletter - Text Version
Updated 02-May-2022 ==== Copyright (c) 2022 Corvairs of New Mexico
======~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~======
May 2022 / VOLUME 48 / NUMBER 5 / ISSUE 560
======~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~======
First Place, Tony Fiore Memorial Chapter Newsletter Award, 2005 & 2012
Third Place, Tony Fiore Memorial Chapter Newsletter Award, 2010
EDITOR Jim Pittman
NEXT MEETING Regular Meeting: May 7th at 10:00 AM
Highland Senior Center 131 Monroe St NE, Albuquerque, NM 87108
THIS MONTH
Officers, Volunteers .......................... The Board
Dues Due Dates ............................... The Editor
From the President ....................... Gregory Nelson
Engine Photos ............................. David Huntoon
New Mexico Council of Car Clubs Report ...... Robert Gold
Birthdays & Anniversaries ................. Heula Pittman
Treasury Report ........................... Steve Gongora
Mystery Rock Adventure, Los Lunas N.M. .. Brenda Stickler
Photos from the Hiking Adventure .......... Steve Gongora
Our Next Hiking Adventure ............... Brenda Stickler
Alaska: The Malamute Saloon ................. Jim Pittman
Member Report: Curt Shimp ......... Editor, GROUP CORVAIR
Calendar of Coming Events ............ Board of Directors
May Issues, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 Years Ago .. Club Historian
Another Alaska Tale .......................... The Editor
COVER Thanks, Steve - The Unstoppable "House of Covers" Van
======~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~
~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~======
OFFICERS and VOLUNTEERS
President Greg Nelson 505-400-8670 fesedu @ comcast.net
Vice-President Brenda Stickler 505-856-6993 tounce66 @ msn.com
Secretary Lupe Arellanes 505-515-9897 ispeakmedicare505 @ gmail.com
Treasurer Steve Gongora 505-220-7401 stevegongora @ msn.com
Newsletter Jim Pittman 505-275-2195 jimp @ unm.edu
Birthdays Heula Pittman 505-275-2195 heula @ q.com
Past President Pat Hall 505-620-5574 patandvickiehall @ q.com
Past President Dave Allin 505-410-9668 dnjallin @ gmail.com
Past President David Huntoon 505-281-9616 corvair66 @ aol.com
MEETING: Regular Meeting - Saturday May 7th, 2022 at 10:00 AM
Highland Senior Center, 131 Monroe St NE, Albuquerque, NM 87108
INTERNET: CORSA's home page www.corvair.org/
CNM's newsletters www.unm.edu/~jimp/
New Mexico Council of Car Clubs www.nmcarcouncil.com/
SCHEDULE CNM: 12 months = $25.00 or 26 months = $ 50.00
OF CORSA: 12 months = $45.00 or 26 months = $ 90.00
DUES CNM & CORSA: 12 months = $70.00 or 26 months = $140.00
DUES DUE DATES MAY 2022
DUE LAST MONTH ====================== INACTIVE DATE
2022.04 Janet & Steve Johnson 25-MAY-2022
DUE THIS MONTH ====================== INACTIVE DATE
2022.05 NONE 25-JUL-2022
DUE NEXT MONTH ====================== INACTIVE DATE
2022.06 NONE 25-MAR-2021
DUE JUL 2022 ======================== INACTIVE DATE
2022.07 Anne Mae & Robert Gold 25-AUG-2022
2022.07 Mike R Hughes 25-AUG-2022
2022.07 Lloyd Piatt 25-AUG-2022
INACTIVE ============================ INACTIVE DATE
2021.04 Lesha Kitts 25-MAY-2021
2021.10 Sylvia & Ray Trujillo 25-NOV-2021
2021.12 Darlene Darcy 25-JAN-2022
2021.12 Lee Reider 25-JAN-2022
2021.12 Leroy Alderete 25-JAN-2022
2022.02 Linda Soukup & Tony Berbig 25-MAR-2022
2022.03 Elizabeth & Mark Domzalski 25-APR-2022
2022.03 Barbara & Gordon Johnson 25-APR-2022
2022.03 Sui-Fong Neale 25-APR-2022
Send your Dues to:
CNM Treasurer -- Steve Gongora
8419 Palo Duro NE
Albuquerque, NM 87111
Past due memberships become inactive after a one-month grace period.
The Club will mail in your National Dues if you send us the renewal
form from your Communique.
As of 30-Apr-2022 we have 42 active family memberships.
======~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~
~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~======
FROM THE PRESIDENT
GREG NELSON
Tri-State
This is the last meeting before the Tri-State Corvair Event, so we'll spend a
few minutes finalizing any last-minute details. Unfortunately, I won't be
attending. I'll be in Texas for my niece's high school graduation. That's three
down and three to go.
Kitts Potluck
Maggie and Bob Kitts have invited the members to a potluck lunch at their house
after the May meeting. Contact the Kitts or Brenda the VP to coordinate dishes
so that we all don't bring the same item. Haha. I'm bringing a fruit salad. And
please remember that due to recent medical procedures by multiple members we
should be vaccinated and boosted.
Corsa Monthly Zoom
This month's Zoom lecture was on the front suspension courtesy of Mike Dobie. A
timely lecture for me since that will be one of the next major upgrades for the
1964 Monza. And as usual the Corsa lectures are recorded and can be found on the
Corsa club's Facebook page.
It's About Time
Yes, it is. I finally installed new weather stripping around both doors on my
1964 Monza. I have the 1963 Spyder in the driveway and can finally put the 1964
in the middle of the garage. Next up is a redo of the engine hood weather
stripping. I made a mistake the first time.
To work on the turbo engine conversion for the 1963 Spyder I converted the porch
into a makeshift work area.
Adopt-A-Highway
For the May 14th cleanup session of Old Route 66 we will concentrate our efforts
at the Mile Marker 6 area. There is an intersection with Public School Rd where
you can turn around if you are coming from the west. There is a convenient
shoulder area to park just 100 meters or so west of this intersection. Hope to
see y'all there.
Cruise and Schmooze
or
Good News / Bad News
Good news: I made it to the car show. Bad news: Without my 1964 Monza, and I
could only stay a few minutes. Did something to my back that morning prepping
the '64. I swear all I did was stand up and that's all she wrote. I did get my
friend Steve Langdon to take a few photos for me. That's his 1965 Mustang. I've
also included my friend Talbot Smith's Olds 442. Seeing my friends' vehicles in
car shows year after year helped motivate me to get my own. I missed speaking to
the Heils by 5 minutes, but I did get to chat with members Tony and Linda. And
that's Robert Gold's car next to Linda and Tony's Red Yenko. So, fingers crossed
I make it to the next car show.
Cheers Y'all. See ya at the May 7th meeting.
Greg
======~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~
~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~======
REPORT OF THE CAR COUNCIL MEETING
APRIL 27, 2022 -- ROBERT GOLD
I should first mention that this is my first council report in several years.
This month I'm filling in for the regular Rep, Greg Nelson, who is reportedly
having a lot of back pain. I totally understand his need to stay home and since
I was the guy who chaired the meeting it isn't much of a stretch to report on
what happened.
The Car Council had to meet at an alternate site, since our usual host was
trying to dig themselves out of a massive pile of significant and insignificant
military memorabilia that was recently donated to the Military Vehicles Museum.
Our Secretary, Bill Lemon, bailed the Council out and let us meet in the
spacious lobby at One Executive Plaza, where he works.
The first major topic that was discussed was whether it was prudent anymore to
have a Council Facebook page. After a bit of discussion it was decided that the
Facebook universe would be a lot better without our presence. It was decided
that we would pull the plug on the page. It should be noted that Art Gold did a
fine job, but Facebook does not provided the type of information that our
membership requires.
With Facebook out of the way, discussion focused on the upcoming, May 15, Museum
Car Show. This year's version will feature a slimmed down approach, which means
that there will be no trophies awarded. The show will still feature a wonderful
group of classics as well as the return of the model car show. For those who
attend the event, free tickets to the Museum will be available. Volunteers are
desperately needed for the event. Let us know if you're interested. We promise
you won't have to work very hard.
We next talked about the July 8 Collector Car Appreciation day. J.D. and Joyce
Clement seem to have the event well in hand. We'll have a cruise from the east
part of town down Central to a place on Nine Mile Hill. The event will end with
ice cream, water, a food truck. Information will be available on the Council's
website, nmcarcouncil.com.
Next, there was a bit of talk about the Council Picnic in August at Oak Flats
Picnic Grounds off of NM 14. Again, more detailed information is available on
the Council's website.
Lastly, Sue Rymarz reported on how she saved the Swap Meet by finding a site in
Los Lunas not far from the original location of the meet. We'll be having the
Swap Meet on Sept 23-25 on the grounds of the Los Lunas church. Spaces will be
allotted on a first come first basis.
With that the Council called it a night. I appreciate the chance to give the
report this month. Greg should be back in this spot for the next write-up.
Robert Gold
======~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~
~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~======
Happy Birthday Wishes to May CNM'ers:
Irv Brock
Anne Mae Gold
Pat Hall
======~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~
~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~======
TREASURY REPORT FOR 03-28-2022 to 04-30-2022 ===============================================
DATE CHECK# AMOUNT PAYEE DESCRIPTION BALANCE = $ 5,357.42
========== ==== ========== =========== ========================================== ==========
2022.03.30 2553 -$ 96.85 J.Pittman Newsletter printing APR 2022 -$ 71.02 $ 5,286.40
2022.03.30 J.Pittman 30 Stamps @.70 each -$ 21.00 $ 5,265.40
2022.03.30 J.Pittman 30 Envelopes @ .161 each -$ 4.83 $ 5,260.57
2022.04.04 2161 +$ 25.00 Dues T.Hall 12 m CNM +$ 25.00 $ 5,285.57
2022.04.04 8785 +$ 81.90 Deposit Anne Mae Gold L. CNM Jacket +$ 81.90 $ 5,367.47
2022.04.11 1302 +$ 25.00 Dues J.Dinsdale 12 m CNM +$ 25.00 $ 5,392.47
2022.04.25 1761 +$ 70.00 Deposit M.Morgan 12 m CORSA, CNM +$ 70.00 $ 5,462.47
2022.04.27 2554 -$ 45.00 CORSA M.Morgan 12 m CORSA -$ 45.00 $ 5,417.47
2022.04.27 8415 +$ 50.00 Deposit J.Yelich 26 m CNM +$ 50.00 $ 5,467.47
========== ==== ========== =========== ========================================== ==========
2022.05.01 MAY NEWSLETTER ============================================ BALANCE = $ 5,467.47
========== ==== ========== =========== ========================================== ==========
======~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~
~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~======
MYSTERY ROCK ADVENTURE, LOS LUNAS N.M.
BRENDA STICKLER
We had a Health minded "half dozen" participants at our first hiking adventure
for 2022. Our group assembled at the Walmart at our Los Lunas turn off. It was
a brief ride to our Trail Parking spot. It was nice to hear the train horns off
to a distance. There were two cattle stop guard gates for us to enter in "Z"
shape entrances. The first part of the trail was very level and we were
surprised to see rock arrow markings in the sand on our trail to keep us on the
right path.
The path got rocky when we went through the second cattle guard entrance. Soon,
we had the final climb to get up to Mystery Rock. I would say this was a
"Medium" trail. For those who do not feel they are "sure footed" -- I would
recommend bringing a cane or walking stick. We were pleased that our "watering
hole" in Los Lunas was the Range Cage. We all had a great time and felt it was a
wonderful adventure for all.
We were all very pleased to have with us Dick Cochran, who traveled from Grants
and was our great guide for this hike. Hope to see more of you at our next
Hiking adventure in June.
Brenda Stickler
======~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~
~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~======
OUR NEXT HIKING ADVENTURE
BRENDA STICKLER
No Hiking adventure for May. We have several car shows and a Colorado Tri-State
that many of our members will be participating in. The next Trail will be the
Elena Gallegos Open Space. It is one of the easiest trails in the eastern
outskirts of Albuquerque. Please, read my article in the June's newsletter, for
exact location information. - thanks.
-- Brenda Stickler
======~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~
~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~======
THE MALAMUTE SALOON
JIM PITTMAN
If you google "Malamute Saloon" you will find that it is located in Ester,
Alaska a few miles northwest of Fairbanks. The town started out as Ester Gold
Camp and was one of the locales of the early 1900s gold rush in Alaska.
Prospectors panned for gold in the creeks and brought pokes of dust into the
town to be assayed. The news of riches to be picked up from creek bottoms
traveled far and wide. As more people flocked to Alaska and the Yukon Territory,
companies brought in heavy equipment such as dredges to extract gold from river
bottoms and hydraulic "water cannons" to wash gold-containing gravel down from
hillsides. But changes in the economy, government regulations and the price of
gold made mining operations less profitable and the boom eventually turned into
a bust. Mining operations at Ester Gold Camp wound down in the 1950s and
everything was sold off. New owners converted several buildings to create a
"Cripple Creek Resort" and included in the resort was the Malamute Saloon. The
building dated to 1906. The owners reportedly acquired the bar counter from the
Royal Alexandria Hotel in Dawson City, Yukon Territory. Half of it was installed
in the saloon and half was stored next door in a blacksmith shop. The saloon was
lost to a fire in 1969 but was eventually rebuilt. The other half of the bar
counter came in handy for the rebuilt saloon. Typical entertainment included
Alaska-themed music and readings of the gold-rush poetry of Robert Service.
In 1966 I was assigned to the Arctic Aeromedical Laboratory at Fort Wainwright
near Fairbanks. I drove my new Corvair from Dayton across country to Seattle and
thence into Canada and up the Alaska Highway. I arrived in Fairbanks on June 24,
the middle of Alaska summer. The days were long, it almost didn't get dark at
midnight, and the mosquitoes buzzed around like tiny bloodthirsty dive bombers.
In those days I liked to travel, and when I came to a new place I wanted to see
as much of the surroundings as I could. New experiences in Alaska included
watching bears visit the post trash dump, going gold panning in a frozen creek,
moose hunting by boat on a shallow lake, and boating to a remote fjord to try
bear hunting in the primordial wilderness. (I was the photographer on such
trips, not the hunter.) In the winter I tried autocrossing on a frozen lake with
the local sports car club. The turbocharger was not much help as I did not have
studded tires as some of the SAABs and Volvos did.
The Malamute Saloon was a place to go on weekends and it offered plenty of beer,
authentic Alaska gold rush lore, and a group of performers who sang gold rush
songs and recited gold rush poetry. "As I walked down the streets of Nenana, as
I walked along in Nenana one day, I spied two young cowboys dressed up in their
outfits, and as I drew near I heard one of them say: I see by your outfit that
you are a cowboy, I see by your outfit that you're a cowboy too, You see by our
outfits that we are both cowboys. Get yourself an outfit, you can be a cowboy
too." The highlight of the evening was usually either "The Cremation of Sam
McGee" or "The Shooting of Dan McGrew" by Robert Service, recited with
appropriate sound effects, lights out and gunshots at critical moments. "A bunch
of the boys were whooping it up in the Malamute Saloon..."
Occasionally our lab hosted seminars or training sessions or just sightseeing
visits by military officers, and in September there was a three-day seminar with
scientists interested in cold weather research. Papers were presented, the
scientists visited different areas of the lab, and research ideas were traded
back and fourth. Some of the researchers were well-known big names in their
field and some were from foreign countries. And some of us had to pull escort
duty to show these people around.
On the evening of the last day of the event someone thought it would be a great
idea to drive our visitors out to Ester Gold Camp and to the Malamute Saloon so
they could partake of the thrill of genuine Alaska lore. I and my car were
volunteered to take three of our eminent visitors, and one of the three was the
most eminent scientist of the group. He was from England and had never been to
Alaska and was keen on seeing a gold camp.
We all got into my Corvair coupe with three stuffed into the back seat and one
in the passenger seat. As we started out, the English scientist remarked to me,
"I say, this is a nice automobile. Is it perchance a Jaguar?"
I don't remember what I replied, but neither I nor my 1966 turbo Corsa ever
forgot the great scientist's remark.
======~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~
~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~======
REPRINTED FROM:
GROUP CORVAIR NEWSLETTER -- MARCH 2022
MEMBER REPORTS -- CURT SHIMP
WHY A CORVAIR?
Why indeed. Already as a teenager in the 1950's I was a car guy. Before I was 16
and could drive, I was pulling engines with a homemade A frame and taking them
apart. I was not so good at putting them back together. Every year there were
major changes in cars with ever bigger engines, multiple carbs, and fuel
injection of which I had two. Power and noise, that is what I wanted. Then off
to the service and when I got back it was a first year 409 strictly for the drag
strip.
My commute to work was fairly long and my new 400 CID Oldsmobile with a 3:89
gear got poor mileage and so I thought I would get an economical commuter car
for work. I found a guy who was willing to trade his 1962, 102 hp, 4-speed,
Monza coupe for a 1956 Corvette with a blown engine. I enjoyed this car beyond
the good gas mileage but did not really bond with it. That is, I kept my hands
off the engine, wheels/tires, exhaust, and suspension. After all it was supposed
to be just a commuter car. What I really did like about it was light steering
and maneuverability. In the winters in the Chicagoland area I would often
challenge my buddies to a drag race in the snow. I quickly took to over-steer
and thought that all cars should exhibit this type of handling. I even had my
favorite Corvair corner on a remote country road. I could get the rear end to
hang out a bit and kind of drift through the corners. Soon bored with my Olds
442 I bought a new 1967 Camaro with wide oval tires, quick steering (it was
manual, ugh) and positrac. Just for kicks I thought I would take it out to my
favorite Corvair corner. It had so much understeer that I plowed right off the
road and into the corn field. I kept the car less than a year.
And then my brother-in-law invited me to go to watch an autocross or Gymkhana. I
was hooked. This was a sport that I had to get into. There were a number of car
clubs in the area, usually marquee specific, that joined to host these events on
a rotating basis. There were usually one to two events each month from spring to
fall. But what kind of car to get? The British sports cars cost more than
$3,000, way too much for me. Besides, when they went around tight comers the
inside rear wheel would lift up, the tire would spin in the air, and the car
went nowhere. I did not want a car like that. Then one day I came across an
older British car magazine. In it they had a technical article about Chevrolet's
second generation Corvair. They were really impressed by the new suspension.
They went into details about the double-jointed half shafts, the, I think,
trapezoid movement of the rear suspension that kept the rear wheels vertical
during compression and rebound, and the width between the wheels compared to the
length of the car. They noted that Pontiac had a marketing term called "wide
track" and said the new Corvair for its length was even wider. But the one
feature that sold me was the roll center. They said the roll center, the
horizontal axis running lengthwise through the car around which the car wanted
to rotate (i.e., rollover), was so low that it was below ground. Impossible, I
thought. But I had to have this car.
So off to the dealers to get all the brochures I could. No Internet then on
which to do my research. I was pleasantly surprised at what Chevrolet offered on
this car. They had features like positrac, F41 suspension, 4-speed, quick
steering, and a 4-carb engine, wow! I never had a car before that had more than
3 carbs. So, I ordered a 500 with all the go-fast goodies. Back then you did not
have to buy from a couple of trim levels. You had a menu of every option
Chevrolet offered and you could check the boxes for the ones you wanted. No need
to get a vinyl roof if you wanted an FM radio. And best of all I got it for
about $2,200. Take that you Brits. Why a 500 instead of a Monza or CORSA? Well,
my girlfriend could not sit next to me if I had bucket seats. We had this
arrangement where I could keep my arm around her, I would work the pedals, and
she would do the shifting. Oh yea, this is about the Corvair.
Soon after I took delivery of my new Corvair I began to autocross with it. At
the very first event I was approached by a guy driving a Yenko Stinger, whatever
that was, who asked if I wanted to join a Corvair Club and so I did. So now I
had a not only a new venue in which to immerse myself but also a group of people
to share my enthusiasm and provide much wanted information about this rear
engine, 4-carb, flat-six powered car.
Okay, so that is how I got into Corvairs. But in 10 short years I had already
owned 15 different cars, a number of which, like Corvettes, that most would
consider more desirable. First, I really bonded with this car spending hours
working on it to make it more competitive at the autocross events. Things like
making sure the fan belt flew off on the first shift, lots of negative camber,
aftermarket quick steering arms on top of the quick steering box, stock looking
13" Corvair wheels that had been widened and the questionable practice of
rubbing sticky resin on the tires before each run. Then there was the uniqueness
of the car. But most of all it was the social life and friendship of fellow
Corvair owners that came along with ownership. And now, almost 60 years later
with continuous Corvair ownership, I still communicate with and visit those very
first club members.
I can't end this story without some closure on that first Corvair. Remember my
favorite Corvair corner? I took the new Corvair there with the expectation of
more of the same, that is, a graceful slide though the comer. But no, that did
not happen, and I was disappointed. So, three more times I entered this corner
each time upping the speed and still nothing until it dawned on me that the
Corvair was going through the comer right where I pointed it, no under-steer, no
over-steer and at a much higher speed. So how did the Corvair do at autocross
events? Mine and other Corvairs were very competitive in the late 1960's and
through the 1970's. Cars were separated into a number of classes and then by
street tires or racing tires. I often won best time of the day against all makes
and models that raced on street tires. It got to the point where the Corvair was
set up strictly for autocrossing, so I bought another late model for my everyday
driver. Eventually Illinois rust got to that first, new Corvair and I sold it.
So, what happened to the replacement Corvair I bought in 1975? I still have it
and can say that I have driven it to the four corners of the US and down into
Mexico. In addition to CORSA I have been a member of 7 different Corvair clubs.
And still, the Corvair experience has not ended for me. I currently have a
number of projects both active and planned for my Corvair. I also am planning on
attending 5 Corvair events this year in my Corvair that range from Colorado to
Georgia. So, in the words of Sonny & Cher, "And the Beat Goes on."
(Curt Ship would win the "long distance" award hands-down if he came
to one of our meetings. After a career with Mobil Oil in Virginia,
he retired and moved to Silver City, New Mexico. But he retains his
connection to the area and is a dues-paying member of GROUP CORVAIR.
He is a regular attendee of CORSA International Conventions. Among
his current projects is a "big bore" Corvair engine.)
======~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~
~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~======
============================================================================
| May 2022 | June 2022 | July 2022 |
| Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa | Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa | Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa |
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 | 1 2 3 4 | 1 2 |
| 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 | 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 | 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 |
| 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 | 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 | 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 |
| 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 | 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 | 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 |
| 29 30 31 | 26 27 28 29 30 | 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 |
| | | 31 |
============================================================================
SAT 07 MAY 10:00 AM Meeting: Highland Senior Center
131 Monroe St NE, Albuquerque, NM 87108 Phone: (505) 767-5210
After the meeting: Post Meeting Potluck!
Maggie and Bob Kitts have extended an invitation to join them at their
home after the May 7th meeting for a Potluck Lunch.
The meeting will be the Highland Senior Center as usual. Afterwards
we can head to their home at 1604 Narcisa Ct NW, Los Ranchos, NM.
Greg is bringing a fruit salad. We do ask that participants be
vaccinated and boosted. Looking forward to seeing everyone there.
SUN 15 MAY ..... AM Car Show / Albuquerque Museum / NMCCC
WED 18 MAY 7:00 PM Board Meeting: >>>>>>>> TO BE DETERMINED
FRI-SAT-SUN 20-21-22 MAY - Tri-State Meet - Glenwood Springs, Colorado
- Sponsored by Rocky Mountain CORSA
- https://TriStateCorvairs.com"
WED 25 MAY 7:00 PM NEW MEXICO CAR COUNCIL MEETING 1717 6th St NW
Location is the Military Vehicle Association's Collection
*** FRI 27 MAY 9:00 PM Deadline for items for the June 2022 newsletter
*** MON 30 MAY >> TARGET FOR PRINTING AND MAILING JUNE NEWSLETTER <<
============================================================================
SAT 04 JUN 10:00 AM Meeting: Highland Senior Center
131 Monroe St NE, Albuquerque, NM 87108 Phone: (505) 767-5210
WED 15 JUN 7:00 PM Board Meeting: >>>>>>>> TO BE DETERMINED
WED 22 JUN 7:00 PM NEW MEXICO CAR COUNCIL MEETING 1717 6th St NW
Location is the Military Vehicle Association's Collection
*** FRI 24 JUN 9:00 PM Deadline for items for the July 2022 newsletter
*** MON 27 JUN >> TARGET FOR PRINTING AND MAILING JULY NEWSLETTER <<
============================================================================
SAT 02 JUL 10:00 AM Meeting: Highland Senior Center
131 Monroe St NE, Albuquerque, NM 87108 Phone: (505) 767-5210
MON 04 JUL Early! Fourth of July on the Plaza in Santa Fe, with Classic Car Show
SAT 09 JUL ..... .. Collector Car Appreciation Day / NMCCC
WED 20 JUL 7:00 PM Board Meeting: >>>>>>>> TO BE DETERMINED
WED 27 JUL 7:00 PM NEW MEXICO CAR COUNCIL MEETING 1717 6th St NW
*** FRI 29 JUL 9:00 PM Deadline for items for the August 2022 newsletter
*** MON 01 AUG >> TARGET FOR PRINTING AND MAILING AUGUST NEWSLETTER <<
============================================================================
SAT 06 AUG 10:00 AM Meeting: Highland Senior Center
SUN 07 AUG ..... .. All-Clubs Picnic at Oak Flat / NMCCC
SAT 24 SEP SUN 25 .. Swap Meet in Moriarty / NMCCC
============================================================================
See the New Mexico Council of Car Clubs Web Site for more "NMCCC" activities
======================== http://www.nmcarcouncil.com/ ======================
SUGGESTION: A visit to the Telephone Museum on Fourth Street
SUGGESTION: A visit to the new WEATHER LAB at the Balloon Museum
SUGGESTION: A visit to the Soaring Museum in Moriarty
SUGGESTION: Activities with other clubs such as VMCCA.
======~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~
~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~======
SEVEN YEARS AGO [ MAY 2022 VOL 48 Nr 5 ISSUE 560 ] Jim Pittman
2015 V.41 Nr05 #476
COVER: A late model towed a late model trailer in Bakersfield, California. Jim
told about zero to $10,000 in several easy steps, an experience found by many.
Ray Trujillo reported on the drive to Grants and the Malpais national park.
Would we meet the Great American Race cars in Santa Fe? Tarmo described the 1969
Corvair (complete with original smog pump) driven by Tim Shortle from Durango
that we examined after the board meeting. Kudos to Tim! Robert Gold previewed
the Car Council swap meet. Fred Edeskuty speculated on a "crook" in certain late
headlight bezels and why it was there. Robert also told us of a tour of the very
interesting Fourney Museum in Denver. Bill Brown, a member of the Show Me
Corvair Club in Missouri, told about buying the car we raffled off at the
Albuquerque CORSA Convention in 1996.
2008 V.34 Nr05 #392
COVER: A slightly rusty 1968 Corvair on a lift with a smiling trio: Pat Hall,
Bill Reider and Jon Anderson. Chuck Vertrees provided a U.S. map showing the
location of all CORSA chapters. We had $2,459 in the bank. There was a
discussion of the club's financial health and a recommendation that we increase
our dues. LeRoy Rogers told the history of the club's Library Van, a 1961 8-door
with a 1964 engine. Mike Stickler and Ray Trujillo reported on the TUNA in Los
Lunas in which Pat showed how to lubricate rear wheel bearings. We had a tech
article by Bob Helt on Corvair cooling fans. At least five exotic old cars were
seen at the Spring Thaw event. Richard Finch reported on an expensive auto
accident blamed on fast-idle and weak breaking knee. Chuck reported on our April
5th rally with first place going to Ultra Van driver Dan Palmer and navigator
Jonathan Reider. Tech Tip: Geoff Johnson told how to add audio input to a stock
radio. A long 18-page newsletter this month!
2001 V.27 Nr05 #308
COVER: Larry Blair and his spectacular Spyder convertible. Inside, a photo of
Ilva Walker who died on March 28, 2001. Our April meeting at Galles was
conducted by President Hurley and Treasurer Wendell reported $5700 in the bank.
Mark Martinek reported on the Car Council meeting. The Museum Car Show was to be
May 20, yes, on Tri-State weekend. We traded in a Funkahna for a Progressive
Dinner. New name badges were available. Eight Corvairs participated in the first
drive over the high flyover bridge of the Big-I project. Photos of our tour of
the Big-I were on Jim's web page. President Hurley praised many "old reliable"
members who always do their parts to keep CNM running smoothly. Debbie Pleau
updated us on many details of the upcoming Tri-State at Manitou Springs, making
us all feel welcome. Anne Mae Gold reported on club Ladies' activities, in
particular, a meeting at Kay's home in Santa Fe. A tech tip from Virtual Vairs
told more than anyone could ever need to know about '66 turn signal wiring.
Finally, Larry Blair reported, with photos, on his visit to St. George, Utah, to
a gathering of the Bonneville folks. He wrapped up our issue with a quiz on what
we learned on the Big-I tour.
1994 V.20 Nr05 #224
COVER: A Rampside. President Del ran the meeting and Treasurer Will reported
$1075 in the bank. We planned details of our participation in the Museum Car
Show. We discussed several other events, trips and tech sessions. Debbie Pleau
reported on plans for the 1996 convention. We had our famous photo rally and we
all had lots of fun but encountered some frustration trying to count those "HILL
BLOCKS VIEW" and "35 MPH" signs. Del Patton's tech talk on replacing shroud
seals made it sound easy, at least if you make your own new staples out of
pieces of wire. Another tech tip told about a 68-cent space-age gasket for drain
plugs: GM number 24571185. Finally, from the North American MGA Register, a
claim that oil leaks on British sports cars were actually a feature, not a bug.
1987 V.13 Nr05 #140
COVER: A secret spy photo of the 1988 Corvair, said Bill Reider. Actually it was
a drawing produced by a new Apple III computer program. Tarmo ran our meeting.
Treasurer LeRoy reported $690 in the bank. Our auction made $75. Steve worked on
seats for the library van. Jerry told how to keep stray oil out of the engine
area when doing your annual oil change. President Clayborne encouraged us to
clean off those nasty oil deposits before showing our cars at the Tri-State,
coming up in Ouray, Colorado. A tip called "The Dime Test" revealed the secret
to tightening valve covers "just enough" to seal and not leak. A news item said
Don Yenko, father of the Stinger, had died in a plane crash. Bill Reider
previewed our Museum car show; we planned to treat it as a major concours event
following CORSA's rules.
1980 V.6 Nr05 #56
The cover showed how to position spark plug leads from the distributor. We had
31 members and guests. Secretary Mary Twilley donated a handsome handmade
billfold with a Corvair design. Bill Reider gave a talk on carburetor balancing.
Tech tips: Removing door trim. Building a special oil pressure tool. Restoring
rubber moulding. Connecting the condenser on the generator housing. Using a 3/4"
12-point socket to remove a 5/8" square plug, or an 11/16" 12-point socket on a
transmission filler plug. A new product called "Rain-X" was praised.
======~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~
~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~======
Someone asked for more on the F-111 Crew Module test in
Kodiak, Alaska. Here's the story as dredged up from my
memory. Parts of it may be true. No Corvair content.
F-111 CREW MODULE TEST
KODIAK, ALASKA, 1967
I was assigned to an Air Force research lab in 1966-1967 at Fort Wainwright near
Fairbanks, Alaska. Originally Ladd Field, the post had been in operation by the
Army since before the second world war. At some point the Army needed a
laboratory to test protective equipment and techniques for use by soldiers in
adverse weather conditions. During the war the post also served as a transfer
point for lend-lease materiel going to the Soviet Union. When I arrived in 1966
this history was fairly well known on the post and someone pointed out to me the
building that had been the Soviet headquarters during the war. Aircraft such as
the B-25 and the P-39 were flown from the lower 48 to Ladd Field and then
Russian pilots flew them from Fairbanks via a string of landing fields in
Siberia to the Eastern front in the war with Nazi Germany. The British and
Americans were not keen on the P-39 but the Russians, using them at low
altitudes, thought they were great ground support aircraft. I would not be
surprised to learn that there are Fairbanks residents or old soldiers still
alive who witnessed the USAAF insignia being painted over with red stars before
the planes were flown west to Siberia.
In 1966 the lab was still testing experimental survival equipment such as life
rafts. Back in the lower 48 the new F-111, formerly the TFX, was in late
development and the Air Force wanted to test its crew module for cold-weather
flotation and thermal protection. Our lab was picked to do it. The module had
already been tested in water tanks but they wanted a life-like test in the ocean
in a cold environment. Imagine floating ice floes and wind blowing at forty
knots over white-capped ocean waves, a chilly ten below zero.
My memory says that the F-111 was known to us Air Force types as "McNamara's
Folly" because it was originally planned as a do-everything airplane for the Air
Force, Navy and Marines that would be able to perform a variety of missions.
Building one airplane to do the work or three or four would obviously save a ton
of development money. Thus spake Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. People I
knew thought it was doomed to failure. It had two jet engines and a swing-wing
configuration and was large and heavy.
An innovative design feature of the F-111 was its crew module. Instead of the
airplane's two-man crew sitting in a conventional cockpit, they would sit in a
shirt-sleeve environment in a Volkswagen-sized module. In case of a severe
problem calling for the crew to bail out, the entire module would be ejected
from the aircraft and float down under parachutes while a series of flotation
bags would be inflated. Some of the bags would cushion the impact with the
ground or the water, while others would ensure, if the capsule landed on water,
that the module would float right-side-up. The module would be outfitted with
survival equipment and communication gear to keep the crew alive until they
could be rescued.
We made plans to instrument our test module with temperature probes and intercom
wiring. With our equipment packed up, we flew to Kodiak and were given quarters
on base. We'd be there running the tests for several days. The test module,
along with McDonnell technicians, was flown to Kodiak from Saint Louis in a
C-130. When the module was delivered we set it up on a movable dolly and rolled
it into a hangar and went to work. As problems developed, we'd work them out. It
amused us that the head McDonnell man apparently couldn't make even the most
minor decision without getting approval from headquarters via long-distance
phone calls to Saint Louis. He made a lot of calls.
When we'd knock off work for the day we'd go to the officers' club or the NCO
club for a fabulous meal of Alaska King Crab and then go to the base movie
theater. There really was not much else to do at the Coast Guard base on the
rather desolate island of Kodiak, still in the grip of winter.
A Navy ship was at our disposal and we set up what you could call a "radio
shack" to house our instrumentation. The module, as well prepared for its short
voyage as we could make it, was loaded on the deck of the ship and we sailed out
into the ocean. Well, actually out into an arm of the bay. This was supposed to
be a cold weather test but it was not very cold. Not an ice floe, not a frozen
white-cap could be seen anywhere. We packed all the test equipment, the two
sergeants acting as crew members got in their seats, the canopies were closed,
intercoms and temperature probes checked out, flotation bags were inflated, and
the ship's crane lifted the module and deposited - not dropped - it in the
water. So the test commenced. It was supposed to last twenty-four hours while we
checked out various procedures and systems for correct operation.
In just minutes one of the crew members reported water in the module. It was
rising in the bottom of the compartment, their boots were first wet and then
submerged and they could see no sign of the leak. The Navy personnel had to do
an emergency hookup of the crane and lift the module out of the water. It poured
water out the bottom as it was swung back on deck. We headed back to the docks,
the module was lifted back onto its dolly and we rolled it back into a hangar to
see what was the matter.
More long-distance phone calls to McDonnell finally revealed the problem. The
crew module was designed to be ejected from the aircraft in an emergency by a
rocket motor. But all the controls, mechanical or electrical, connecting the
module to the rest of the aircraft had to be severed to let the module separate
from the aircraft. These connections were routed through a series of square
junctions boxes, each equipped with an explosive "guillotine" device to
instantly sever these connections. If there was any sort of sealing mechanism to
keep sea water from flowing into the module through these now-severed control
connections, it had been omitted before the module was flown to Alaska!
The McDonnell engineers had to jury-rig seals for these square portals as best
they could so that we could resume our tests in the ocean. This took a while.
Finally the module was dried out, sealed and pronounced seaworthy and was lifted
back onto the deck of the ship. We again set sail for icy open water. The
weather was no more cooperative than it had been before. While the water was
chilly, there were no ice floes, no 10-knot wind, no foaming whitecaps.
Whatever. We ran the test anyway. The calm sea helped us a great deal! There was
no problem lowering the module into the water, no problems re-inflating the
flotation bags, no problems with the communication lines or the remote
temperature probes, and none of us airmen got even slightly seasick. We judged
all the data collected to be satisfactory, hauled the module on deck again and
set sail for the dock. We retrieved all of our instrumentation and packed it up
for our return to home base. What happened to the test module, I'm not sure.
Flown back to McDonnell in Saint Louis, I suppose.
None of us changed our minds about the value of the F-111 development program
after this experience. We thought, if the rest of the airplane performed like
our test module, any pilot trying to fly it would be in potentially big trouble.
Sure enough, the Navy pronounced their version of the F-111 too heavy to operate
from carriers. The Air Force and Navy decided it would be too big and clumsy to
operate as a fighter. The services began developing smaller, more nimble and
more specialized aircraft such as the F-16 Falcon and the F-14 Tomcat.
The F-111 faded from history. But you know what, it found a niche after all. It
could fly at supersonic speeds, could carry a big bomb load, and could be
refueled in flight. When it was time to bomb Gaddafi's forces in Libya in 1986
it was done by Air Force F-111s flying from England over the Atlantic, around
Spain and Portugal, with in-flight refueling along the way. By the time the
F-111 was decommissioned it had racked up a superb safety record. Maybe Mr.
McNamara was smarter than any of us gave him credit for.
======~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~======
======~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~======
Enchanted Corvairs Newsletter is published monthly by Corvairs of New Mexico,
chartered Chapter #871 of CORSA, the Corvair Society of America. Copyright by
the Authors and by Corvairs of New Mexico. Articles may be reprinted in any
CORSA publication as a service to CORSA members, provided credit to the Author
and this Newsletter is clearly stated. All opinions are those of the Author or
Editor and are not necessarily endorsed by Corvairs of New Mexico or CORSA.
Material for publication should reach the Editor by the 15th of the month. Send
material via e-mail ( jimp @ unm.edu ) or submit a readable manuscript. I prefer
ASCII TEXT, but MS Word or RTF are fine. Photographs are welcome. The newsletter
is composed using Apple computers. Software includes Mac OS-X, AppleWorks,
Photoshop CS, GraphicConverter, BBEdit and InDesign CS. If you care, ask for
more details. When I'm 64, I'll get by with a little help from my friends.
======~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~======
======~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~=====~======
=END=