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“Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” - Henry Ford June 2019 - Volume 12 Issue 10

Where Friends & Model A’s Meet - Northern Tier PA & Southern Tier NY

________________

President Jim Morris

jim.morris2831@aol.com

Vice President Don Bushart

dbjb806@icloud.com

Treasurer Mark Harth

bearfarm14818@gmailcom

Secretary Gary Ford

gford5@stny.rr.com

Director At Large Bill Haag

fingers5n5@aol.com

Newsletter Editor Jim Morris

Website Liaison Jerry Wilcox

jerrywilcox55@gmail.com

Webmaster Nathan Reimer

nathan@reimerconsulting.com

--------------------

Sullivan Trail A’s Meetings: Monthly 2nd Tuesday Sept- June 7pm United Methodist Church

1034 W Broad St Horseheads, NY

http://sullivantrailas.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Sullivan-Trail-Model-A-Ford-Club-

456895717849225/

Summer Is Coming!

In This Issue From the President’s Garage

Meeting Minutes

Member Spotlight.. Steve Smith

Upcoming Events

Tech Tips.. Touring

For Sale & Wanted

Youth Outreach

Odds ‘n Ends

News From The Era.. Tires

Images Behind Us

Membership

SULLIVAN

TRAIL A’s

NEWS Newsletter of the Sullivan Trail A’s Model A Ford Club

- Founded 2008 -

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FROM THE PRESIDENT’S GARAGE Another season of meetings and events is behind us, but another chapter is just ahead.. that’s good news! July 20th in fact will bring a tour day for us to Hammondsport, NY, for the 2019 Wine Country Classic Car & Boat Show: 37th Annual Antique Boat Show hosted by Wine Country

Classic Boats, Inc., a chapter of ACBS. The event

features free admission and handicapped accessibility to a

display of antique and classic boats featuring Classic

Wooden and Fiberglass boats on beautiful Keuka Lake. This

year’s boat show will feature boats built in the 50s. There

will be a judged show and parade of boats Saturday. An

additional feature will be a great display of antique cars. On

Sunday we will have a Poker Run Regatta at 10:15 and a

chicken barbecue sponsored by the Boy Scouts at noon.

Source:: https://www.winecountryclassicboats.com/wccb-

show/

For this tour we will meet and leave from two locations: 1. Walmart parking lot in Watkins Glen meet at 8:30AM OR 2. Home Depot parking lot in Painted Post meet at 9AM. Based upon your home location and travel preferences you choose which meeting place is best for you. You can also choose to go it alone, but touring with other A’s is always the best if you ask me! We’ve been asked to please arrive in Hammondsport by 10AM to ensure we have parking that will be reserved for Sullivan Trail A’s so please be on time if not a tad bit early. Lunch is on your own, I suggest taking a picnic lunch. We can also plan a drive to another venue like the Curtis Museum or Taylor winery (or another one) in the afternoon. Call me if you have travel problems on or about the tour day 607-351-9348. NOTE: registration forms were given out at the picnic; if you don’t have one it’s on the last page of the Newsletter. The registration form must be mailed to the person named above the form. Please let me know if you’re going on this tour, which start point you’ll be at, and send me your cell phone number. I’ll share phone numbers with others on the tour to help coordinate and to stay in touch. If you recognize the illustration on the front cover it might be because it’s been there before. I like it. Have a great summer and remember that Sullivan Trail has again reserved two flea market spaces for the Fillmore Glen annual car show on Sunday, September 1, 2019. I’ll get a blast email out as a reminder in late August.

All for now, Jim [The Newsletter usually takes a vacation in July/August, see you in September!]

Annual Picnic In Place Of Meeting See photos in this issue!

https://www.winecountryclassicboats.com/wccb-show/https://www.winecountryclassicboats.com/wccb-show/

S u l l i v a n T r a i l A ’ s N e w s P a g e | 3

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

By Steve Smith

I grew up in Pine City and went to school with some fellow classmates that were into cars and trucks at an early

age. That wasn’t me and I never thought I would catch the bug to work on one either. But I always had an eye for

old truck. I was fortunate to grow up with great-grandparents and lots of stories of the old days -- like how many

flats you could get in a trip, stuffing grass in their tires to get home when you ran out of tubes or driving

backwards up a hill when the gas tank was low.

When my buddy Scott McGrain told me he was going

to sell his 1930 Ford Model A closed cab pickup truck

instead of restore it, I jumped at the chance. Scott had

bought it from Karen Harter (many of you may

remember that she and her husband Bob had been

members of the club).

I bought “Earl” (as Scott and his wife Jessica

affectionately called the truck) in January of 2017 and

joined the club shortly thereafter. My goal was to

totally restore every inch of the vehicle and I have

taken the truck completely apart. In addition to asking

lots of questions through the club, I watch everything I can find on YouTube and bought several DVD’s from

Diablo’s series of Model A how-to’s.

It took me about 6 months to dismantle the truck

while bagging, boxing, and labeling everything. Then

came the cleaning, the inspection of every piece, and

the replacement of the parts that were showing their

age after 87 years – like the bushings, bearings, and

races. I’m now in the process of powder coating

anything small enough to fit in the old oven I have in

my barn. I’ve prepped the larger pieces of the chassis

which will be painted by Tobeyco Manufacturing.

Steve Tobey has a machine shop in Corning NY and

has also done the machining work I’ve needed so far. I’ve just put the front brakes together using the Flathead

Ted’s system. I bought an overdrive from Ernie Williams and

plan to put in a higher compression head to be able to tour

and drive on Rt 86 back and forth to work.

Here’s an idea of what “Earl” might look like when he gets

out of rehab sometime next year – I’m only off schedule by a

year so far!

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Stitches In Time

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NATIONAL AND SULLIVAN TRAIL A’S EVENTS

July 20, 2019 Sullivan Trail A’s Tour to Hammondsport and the 37th Annual Antique and Classic Car & Boat Show August 4 – 10, 2019 MARC National Meet, Dearborn, Michigan [Jim & Julie, Doug & Bea, Jeff Barber(?) are attending] September 1, 2019 Fillmore Glen Car show, Moravia, NY; Sullivan Trail vendor spaces #51 & #52 October 6 – 10, 2019 MAFCA National Canyonlands Tour, Kanab, Utah December 5 – 8, 2019 MAFCA National Awards Banquet, Claremont, California September 2020? Sullivan Trail A’s is engaged in preliminary planning for a multiple Model A Ford club event for 2020.

Link to Comprehensive Upcoming Events thanks to Kevin Yaggie:

https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=yaggieke@gmail.com&ctz=America/New_York&fbclid=IwAR24

pks71b3mbq9xlLNj4twad_qWEudWAIzyl2Qlpdkhg3sk8ikA2BNAt8c&pli=1

In anticipation of our Hammondsport Tour on July 20th:

Following these Touring Tips should better assure everyone has a safe and enjoyable Model-A tour driving experience. 1. Do a quick car check before leaving home. (tire pressure, oil, water, wheel nuts, lights) 2. Fill gas tank before joining the tour. 3. Bring your cell phone, have phone numbers of Sullivan Trail A’s Club members. 4. Notify tour organizer if you signed up for a tour, but are not going. 5. Notify tour leader if an unscheduled stop is necessary. 6. Stay 5 to 8 car lengths behind the car in front of you, less in town. 7. Use turn signals when turning. 8. Make sure car behind you turns where you do. 9. Do not lag back. It’s more difficult for tour leader to monitor cars and it forces followers to slow down then speed up. The tour leader’s highway speed is normally around 45 MPH. 10. Only 1 or 2 cars should pull over when a Model-A stops with unexpected problems. Others should proceed to the next safe pull off area. 11. Notify tour leader of any car having problems. 12. Notify others if you plan to depart the tour early. 13. Modern cars on the tour should stay behind all Model-A’s. 14. Volunteer to lead all or part of a tour. It’s rewarding, educational, and fun. 15. Always be safe and enjoy that Model-A touring.………

Thanks to Marvin Mellage of the Tulsa Model A Club for most of these tips!

Model-A Touring Tips

https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=yaggieke@gmail.com&ctz=America/New_York&fbclid=IwAR24pks71b3mbq9xlLNj4twad_qWEudWAIzyl2Qlpdkhg3sk8ikA2BNAt8c&pli=1https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=yaggieke@gmail.com&ctz=America/New_York&fbclid=IwAR24pks71b3mbq9xlLNj4twad_qWEudWAIzyl2Qlpdkhg3sk8ikA2BNAt8c&pli=1

S u l l i v a n T r a i l A ’ s N e w s P a g e | 6

ODDS ‘n ENDS -From the “A” Era-

Youth Outreach

Looking for a car, selling a car? Have parts, want parts?

Have other ‘stuff’ you need or want to sell? Free

advertising right here. Contact your Editor for placing

your ad in next month’s Newsletter.

Youth Outreach is easy when

the youth comes to the Club! A

shout out welcome to soon-to-

be new members, the Schmitt’s,

Christopher/Andrea & to the

right we have Zach and Zoe.

Great looking 1931 “A” Pickup

that should be at their Spencer,

NY farm in July. They came to

our annual picnic and purchased

the truck in New Jersey.

WELCOME!

Taking your “A” to a show this summer? I’ve enjoyed letting children honk

my “A” horn and even sit in the car provided I give close supervision. This

is a great way to plant seeds of interest.... Editor

S u l l i v a n T r a i l A ’ s N e w s P a g e | 7

News From The Era

How about the history of tires, before/DURING/and after the “A” era?

Dateline 3500 B.C.--Today, man invented the greatest invention ever seen, THE WHEEL! Thousands of years later, the wheel has come a long way. For one thing it is no longer made of wood and it is guaranteed that the ride is much smoother. What hasn't changed is the fact that it is still one of man's greatest inventions. Could you imagine where we would be today without it? The early wheel was very simple: a solid curved piece of wood. Later, leather was added to soften the ride. As time progressed it became solid rubber which led to today's tire--the pneumatic, or air inflated, radial tire. The first wheels made of metal or wood were very durable but did not provide a very comfortable ride. The nearest thing to the first tire was a metal hoop. There were many individuals that made contributions in creating the tire as we think of it today. Vulcanization and Charles Goodyear Rubber was not always as useful as it is today. Early rubber did not hold shape; it would be sticky in hot weather and become inflexible in the cold. In 1839 Charles Goodyear was credited with the discovery of the vulcanization process. Vulcanization is the process of heating rubber with sulfur. This transforms sticky raw rubber to firm pliable material which makes rubber a perfect material for tires. The story of Charles Goodyear is a sad one. Although he dedicated his entire life to making rubber a better form, he would never profit from all his work. Charles Goodyear died bankrupt. Forty years later, a rubber company would honor his hard work by using his name for their new tire company. Solid Rubber Tires Soon after the discovery of vulcanization, tires were made out of solid rubber. These tires were strong, absorbed shocks and resisted cuts and abrasions. Although they were a vast improvement, these tires were very heavy and did not provide a smooth ride. Today there are still types of tires made of solid rubber.

Pneumatic Tires The pneumatic tire uses rubber and enclosed air to reduce vibration

and improve traction. Robert W. Thomson, a Scottish engineer, first

patented the air-filled tire. Unfortunately the idea was too early for its

time and was not a commercial success. In 1888 John Boyd Dunlop of

Belfast, Ireland, became the second inventor of the pneumatic tire.

Dunlop claimed to have no knowledge of Thomson's earlier invention.

The second time around, the pneumatic tire caught the public's

attention. The timing was perfect because bicycles were becoming

extremely popular and the lighter tire provided a much better ride.

Bias Ply Tires For the next fifty years, vehicle tires were made up of an inner tube that contained compressed air and an outer casing. This casing protected the inner tube and provided the tire with traction. Layers called plies reinforced the casing. The plies were made of rubberized fabric cords that were embedded in the rubber. These tires were known as bias ply tires. They were named bias ply because the cords in a single ply run diagonally from the beads on one inner rim to the beads on the other. However, the orientation of the cords is reversed from ply to ply so that the cords crisscross each other. Today you can still find bias-ply tires as authentic equipment for antique and collector cars, as well as for certain type of off-the-road tractor tires.

Source: https://jenningscarcare.com/blog/view/history-of-the-

passenger-tire

S u l l i v a n T r a i l A ’ s N e w s P a g e | 8

Annual Picnic June 11, 2019

Images Behind Us

S u l l i v a n T r a i l A ’ s N e w s P a g e | 9

Twin Tiers Vintage Car Show June 9, 2019

S u l l i v a n T r a i l A ’ s N e w s P a g e | 10

SULLIVAN TRAIL A’S:

http://sullivantrailas.com/membership/

MODEL A RESTORER’S CLUB [MARC]:

http://model-a-ford.org/join/

MODEL A FORD CLUB OF AMERICA:

[MAFCAhttps://mafca.com/cart/index.php?mafca_new_m

ember=yes

MODEL A FORD FOUNDATI0N [MAFFI]: MAFFI: http://www.maffi.org/WSContent/Membership.html

Benefits of membership in a car club:

New friends & fellowship

Increased knowledge

Activities like tours, picnics,

car shows

Great magazines &

newsletters

Tire kicking

Car Sales in 1929

Ford managed to elbow Chevrolet aside and briefly take over the top spot in sales in 1929. Meanwhile, Plymouth quickly rose through the ranks to claim third place in 1932, an impressive performance for a new brand. Here’s how the top eight in sales stacked up in 1929.

Ford 1,507,132 Chevrolet 1,328,605 Hudson/Essex 300,962 Willys-Overland 242,000 Pontiac/Oakland 211,054 Buick 196,104 Dodge 124,557 Nash 116,622

http://sullivantrailas.com/membership/http://sullivantrailas.com/membership/

S u l l i v a n T r a i l A ’ s N e w s P a g e | 11

S u l l i v a n T r a i l A ’ s N e w s P a g e | 12

This is the form for the Tour to Hammondsport on Saturday, July 20, 2019. There is no fee. Mail the registration to:

Wine Country Classic Boats, Inc. C/O Judy Withers

83 Sylvan Rd Rochester, New York 14618