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Running
Lights
January
2008
Chicago Auto Show
Once again we're organizing a one-day trip to the Chicago Auto
Show on Saturday, February 16. First staged in 1901, the Chicago
Auto Show has been held more times than any other auto exposition
on the continent. This year marks the 100th edition of the Chicago
Auto Show. In total, nearly 1,000 different vehicles plus numerous
accessories and auto-related exhibits, competition vehicles,
project, antique and collector cars will be on display. Manufacturers
use the show to gauge public opinion, often holding impromptu
market research beside prototype vehicles. Last year's show offered
attendees the first chance to see Chevrolet's Camaro concept
car.
Our charter bus will start in Des
Moines, make a pick-up in Iowa City and maybe even one at the
Quad Cities. We'll arrive at McCormick Place about noon and start
our return to Iowa at 4:30 pm which will get us home a little
earlier. The cost of the bus is $65 per person and you'll be
able to bring food and beverages on board. Admission to the show
is $10, $5 for those 62 and older or kids 7-12.
We'll take as many as we can fit
on the coach, but our minimum will be 35 passengers. It's first
come, first served, so call Gerry at 515/270-2128 or e-mail us
at MotorIoway@msn.com. Remember, MotorIoway is not a member-based
organization, so participation is open to all . . . so . . .
anyone paying the dough goes to the show!
Motoring Main Street
Iowa
Planning for the MotorIoway 500 continues with most of
the details now set. We'll be honoring Iowa's Main Street spirit
by visiting 9 of the 36 active Main Street communities. The Main
Street Approach was developed by the National Trust for Historic
Preservation's National Main Street Center with the goal of economic
development within the context of historic preservation.
We'll gather in Marshalltown on
June 4 with our ShineTime on the Courthouse square. Afterwards
we'll retreat down the block to the Tremont on Main where we've
reserved the restaurant for the evening. Motor-Memories is hosting
"Get Acquainted over Serious Nibbles", a time to renew
old acquaintances and meet our "first-timers".
Here's the complete itinerary:
MotorIoway
500 Route
1913 Spaulding Restoration
When you look at the pile of parts, you can tell that much has
already been done. But then you look at the other pile and, as
Restoration Supervisor Pat Brooks notes, "Once the individual
parts are done, the reassembly goes quite quickly." Funding
from an Iowa Historic Preservation grant plus individual sponsorship
of many components is bringing back the only known-to-exist Spaulding
automobile. The project is being sponsored by the Iowa Transportation
Museum, under development in Grinnell.
Motor vehicles from pre-World War
I era, especially those made by the smaller manufacturers were
often built from many random parts with little concern for standardization
other than their final appearance. For example, side-by-side
bolts might be of different lengths or thread gauge, so disassembly
must be done with a high degree of documentation and keeping
the correct parts together.
Currently the brass radiator is
being completely rebuilt in Maine (the closest vendor) and the
wood-spoke wheels are being remade by specialists in California.
However everything else is being done in Iowa. Jack O'Neel, a
member of Early Wheels of Iowa has been especially helpful sourcing
hard-to-find fasteners and seeing that other com-ponents are
correctly restored. To date, the carburetor, fuel and water pumps
plus several other brass and aluminum subassemblies have been
returned to their original functioning state.
Dale Benskin of Marshalltown is
overseeing the rebuild of the 4-cylinder Buda engine. Upon opening
it up it was discovered that it had been rebuilt once before
due to a thrown connecting rod. We'll be kind to the unknown
mechanic, but his repairs ultimately led to some badly scored
cylinder walls. However the good news is that there is enough
metal to "bore-out" the block and then install oversized
pistons. When done, the car will be in running condition, suitable
for parades and other limited uses. We won't push it to 84 mph
as was done during the "World Record River-to-River"
race against the Rock Island fast mail train in November of 1913.
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To Registration use
the application
form to register
for the MotorIoway 1000.
Hail to the 1000!
Work continues on the fall 2008 tour; the Presidential tour.
Of special note is our decision to move it up one day so we can
rendezvous with over 1000 other vintage vehicles at the International
Route 66 Mother Road Festival in Springfield. You can learn more
about this special event at their website www.route66fest.com.
The Festival runs from Friday to Sunday, September 26-28, with
Cruises, Swap Meets and Gasoline Alley demonstrations and workshops
throughout the weekend. All Classic and Collectible Vehicles
can participate at NO Cost. Last years Grand Marshall was Shirley
"Cha-Cha" Muldowney and Frankie Avalon's Beach Party
was the featured Saturday night entertainment.
So, we will now gather in Coralville
on Sunday, September 21, rather than on our traditional Saturday.
Here's the schedule as it now stands, some Shine Times and location
stops remain to be confirmed.
MotorIoway
1000 Route
Our
Registration fees and policies remain
unchanged from last year, except that 1983. vehicles now become
eligible to participate. The routes for both tours have been
tentatively set, and we're already working with the communities.
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