Thunderbird Owners of New York - Hemmingsclubs.hemmings.com/tony/Sept 2019-W.docx · Web viewNearly a full day had gone by before national news outlets got word that automotive legend

September 2019

Thunderbird Owners of New YorkWeb-page

httpclubshemmingscomtonyindexhtml

Member Classic Thunderbird Club International ndash Chap 49

1955 1956 1957

OFFICERS

PresidentStan Matusewicz ndash 631-231-3156curveroptonlinenet

Vice PresidentDennis Benfantendash 631-447-3847 tbirddenoptonlinenet

SecretaryJohn Cattonar - 631-269-4705cattbirdhotmailcom

TreasurerPete Cochrane - 631-363-6662pcochrane45outlookcom

CTCI Advisory Council RepBob Ceraso - 631-757-9476legendbirdbobhotmailcom

Tech Advisor 1955rsquosBob Ceraso - 631-757-9476legendbirdbobhotmailcom

Tech Advisor 1956rsquosStan Matusewicz -631-231-3156curveroptonlinenet

Tech Advisor 1957rsquos

Lou Realmuto - 631-226-1733louebirdoptonlinenet

Computer Advisor amp Newsletter Editor Sal Perrotta - 631-991-0306Salperrotta1951gmailcom

Thunderbird Owners of New York

Saturday September 7th Rain Date Sunday September 8thCome Early and Spend the Day

Bethpage State Park Picnic Grounds

Newsletter Message

We are running out of summer here on Long Island and I am sure we are all looking forward to our next club event The Annual Mini-Concourse and picnic

The picnic will be held at Bethpage State Park on Saturday September 7th

It was discussed at our last club meeting that food beverages and other assorted items and desserts would be brought by our members The plan is to simply bring what you brought last year

John Cattonar will be hosting the last summer cruise ldquoA drive along the South Shorerdquo I am asking for pictures so please take some and be sure to send them to me

I attended the Sayville Car Show last week and it was very nice I took some picture which I will highlight in the next Newsletter I am running a little short on space for this monthrsquos release

As we have done in the past the September Picnic will be our meeting for the month so there will not be any meeting

I am looking forward to see you all on September 7th

SECRETARIES REPORT Meeting Recap August 2019

JOHN CATTONAR Thunderbird Owners of New York Secretary

As it has been our custom for the last few years our August meeting was held outdoors in the beautiful Long Island sunshine Our club gathered at Burger King in Bay Shore

Our meeting started at 710 with more than a half dozen T-Birds in attendance and as he always does Pete Cochrane attended in his Ford convertible

The evening turned out to be very pleasant even though the weatherman predicted a chance of showers

Old Business Dennis Benfante and Stan Matusewicz discussed how successful our July All Ford Show was

The Thunderbird Owners of New York and the great cubs from Long Island were able to donate $4000 to Building Homes for Heroes

Dennis also noted that since 2012 when we first started generating donations for this worth-while cause we have raised more than $18500

Stan also noted that the winner of the shows 5050 walked away with $48700 It was a good show for everyone

Stan and I discussed bringing our Thunderbirds to the Bay Shore High School as part of a school event The students performed a production of the musical ldquoGreaserdquo The school asked for a few 50rsquos car for public viewing and photos with the cast members

Only Stan I and Lou Realmuto participated It would have been nice if a few more members had attended There are limited opportunities for us to participate in events like this so letrsquos see if we can get more club participation in the future

New Business Dennis discussed the Knights of Columbus Show on October 5th It is a great way to show Dennis how much we appreciate all that he does for this club so letrsquos have a good showing at this event from our club

Our next event is our yearly Mini-Concourse held at Bethpage State Park on Saturday September 7th I suggested changing the usual awards that we give out each year to an engraved mug Most members present decided to just make it a picnic with no judging of the cars

As we did last year our members brought items for last yearrsquos picnic for everyone to enjoy It was agreed that whatever you did last year please do again once again this year So please bring a side dish or desert etc to share

Finally Stan mentioned that this Sunday August 11th Sayville will once again close Main Street for their annual car show Anyone going should meet up at 830 AM in the Stop and Shop parking lot on Lincoln Ave just north of Main Street so we can all park as a group

Our outdoor meeting closed at 745 with once again Sal Perrotta winning the 5050 $4800 (I think hes putting glue on his tickets winning 4 out of the last five)

From Dennis Benfante

August 6 2019

Congratulations to you the Long Island Thunderbirds and the Thunderbirds of New York clubs on such a successful car show this year On behalf of Building Homes for Heroes we would like to thank you all for your generous donation in the amount of $4000 Your commitment to helping Building Homes for Heroes in your community is sincerely appreciated In 2018 Building Homes for Heroes attained a program percentage of 9264 This figure measures the percentage of the organizationrsquos expenditures that went toward program-related activities For more information on the organization including hero stories of all of the home recipients please visit the website at wwwbuildinghomesforheroesorg

Thank you again for your continued support of Building Homes for Heroes Together we will make a difference

Very truly yours

Carolyn Paszke DirectorSpecial Events amp Corporate Relations Office (516) 684-9220 Fax (516) 295-4860

65 Roosevelt Avenue Suite 105

Valley Stream NY 11581Tel (516) 684-9220Fax (516) 295-4860

Building Homesfor Heroes

From From Dennis Benfante

From Al Continelli (Tech Tip) Addition of a Third Brake Light for Safety

Third brake lights are also known as centre high mount stop lamps (CHMSL) because they are commonly installed high and smack at the center of a vehicles rear window or deck lid

Alrsquos attached his LED Light Bar to the rear license plate It is visible to tailing motorists and without question safety is definitely improved with this light in place

Pictured is Alrsquos car The addition of an LED Brake Light Bar is bracketed to the rear plate to allow for mounting without drilling any body parts

A wire was run from the brake light switch to the terminal that provides 12 volts to the brake lights Ground was established in the rear of the car

As you can see this addition does not really alter the car however the bright LED lights insures the driver behind you that you have applied your brakes

The cost for the light bar was under 5 dollars on E Bay

From Tony Cardone

On July 22nd Tony Cardone Al Continelli and Sal Perrotta drove up to visit a car restorer in Connecticut Bob and his wife Sue greeted us and spent the day showing us the progress underway on this frame-off restoration

Tonyrsquos 1957 Thunderbird is getting a full restoration every nut and bolt on this car has been removed inspected restored or replaced to insure Tonyrsquos car is like new when he Bob completes the project

I took quite a few pictures and we do plan another visit soon to update the story for our newsletter

From Sal Perrotta

There are two men I read about followed and admired One was Robert Moses and the other was Lee Iacocca Lee lived a long life and his contributions are without question unbelievable He will be remembered for years to come

MUSTANG NATION MOURNS PASSING OF INDUSTRY LEGEND LEE IACOCCA

DEARBORN MI ndash Nearly a full day had gone by before national news outlets got word that automotive legend Lee Iacocca had passed away at 730 am on July 2 2019 in suburban Los Angeles But news of his death had spread like wildfire in the Mustang enthusiast community almost instantly from top to bottom and for good reason While the many accomplishments in Lee Iacoccarsquos career range from being the rock-star CEO who saved Chrysler to the author of a bestselling autobiography to the presidential appointee who led the restoration of the Statue of Liberty -- Iacoccarsquos greatest feat for Ford fans was spearheading one of the worldrsquos most iconic cars the Mustang

In declining health since making a video appearance at the Mustangrsquos 50th birthday celebration in Charlotte North Carolina in April of 2014 Iacocca died in his Bel Air home due to complications from Parkinsonrsquos disease He was 94 Almost immediately tributes began pouring in from all over the world

ldquoLee Iacocca was truly bigger than life and he left an indelible mark on Ford the auto industry and our country said Bill Ford executive chairman of Ford Motor Company Lee played a central role in the creation of the Mustang On a personal note I will always appreciate how encouraging he was to me at the beginning of my career He was one of a kind and will be dearly missedrdquo

The Carroll Shelby International Board of Directors issued the following statement the day after Iacoccarsquos death ldquoWe were sad to learn that Lee Iacocca has passed America has lost one of its greatest patriots and the car industry one of its greatest leaders Leersquos indomitable spirit will be missed by everyone who enjoys fast fun cars and trucks We all owe him a great deal of gratituderdquo

For decades Iacocca had symbolized the drive resourcefulness and determination that powered the post-war American auto industry in Detroit Even after his retirement in 1992 and move to the West Coast he channeled his energy into a wide range of other initiatives including founding a company that makes olive-oil derived food products and donates its profits to diabetes research ndash an issue near and dear to him after his wife Mary had died from diabetes

He once said his secret for success was that ldquoI hire people brighter than me and then get out of their wayrdquo but those who knew him best told us that his success came from within

ldquoLee Iacocca was both a great warrior and a patriotrdquo longtime friend and product advisor Hal Sperlich told Ford Performance ldquoHe had uncanny leadership skills that were truly engaging He was also quite persuasive and the people who worked both with and for him were inspired by him Thatrsquos why we was such a great leaderrdquo

While it was Sperlichrsquos work that devised the ldquoPony Carrdquo concept which became the Mustang he credits Iacoccarsquos expert salesmanship with getting the Mustang program approved by Henry Ford II who wanted nothing to do with another new car idea in the wake of the demise of the Edsel

ldquoLee was a natural salesman like no other and could somehow come up with the right words to convince people to do what he suggestedrdquo Sperlich told us ldquoWhile we were great friends and worked closely together throughout our careers we also didnrsquot always agree Although he was a very demanding boss he was also respectful of differing opinions And he made working with him enjoyable He believed if you didnrsquot have fun doing what you do for a living you should do something else that drives yourdquo

Another of Iacoccarsquos Mustang insiders was Gale Halderman the Ford stylist who penned the original Mustangrsquos classic shape Gale often shares many of his Iacocca stories with Mustang enthusiasts who visit his Museum Barn near Dayton Ohio but he contacted Ford Performance after Iacoccarsquos death to share what he believes made Lee the automotive talent of the century

ldquoIacocca was like no one yoursquoll ever meet in this industryrdquo Halderman told Ford Performance ldquoIt was easy to see when you talked to him that despite his education in engineering he liked to figure out what would sell -- he liked working with people more than machines

ldquoHe was approachable one-on-one and always loved to come down to the Design Studio after hours to see the clay models we were working on Hersquod roll that cigar and offer his comments on some of the designs ndash but in a way that made you think he was speaking for the customer and what they would say about a particular design

ldquoI actually changed the way I designed cars after working with Iacoccardquo Halderman admitted ldquoI used to only draw cars that I thought were pretty But Lee got me to thinking what kinds of designs would draw people in ndash what would sell He got me to figure out how to design cars that would be universally loved by the public and pleasing to their eyes and not just in the eyes of the designer

ldquoIt was his leadership that was amazing to watch He got everyone excited about their jobs When he got done talking to us about something I couldnrsquot wait to get back to work on a project ndash he was that energizing Irsquom very proud to have worked under himrdquo

Both Sperlich and Halderman told us that Iacocca most remarkable skill was his understanding of what sort of vehicles to bring to market and what people would want to buy at a given time ndash even if it meant creating all new segments or revamping ones that were falling out of favor

Many auto analysts agree that therersquos likely not a single individual except for perhaps Henry Ford himself who had a bigger impact on the automotive world than Lee Iacocca had had in the upper echelon of the industry The

dynamic son of a hard-working Italian immigrant Iacocca grew up in Pennsylvania and got an engineering degree at Lehigh University and a Masters from Princeton before joining Ford Motor Company and completing an extensive business training program ndash all by his 22nd birthday Ford had offered him an engineering job but he passed on it after finding an available sales position within the company

Bold competitive and amazingly intuitive Iacocca came up with a successful ldquo$56 per month for a 56 Fordrdquo promotion that helped propel him though a series of truck and car marketing manager posts and finally the general managerrsquos job But because he knew that Ford product decisions were made only at the vice-president level and above he set a goal for himself to be a VP by time he was 35 He was less than a month past his 36th birthday when Henry Ford II made him VP of Ford Division in November of 1960

The young upstart Iacocca immediately set out to change Fordrsquos stodgy image among boomers who were entering the workforce in a strong economy To his credit he surrounded himself with other passionate ldquocar guysrdquo who soon became major players in the Mustang saga There was the chief product engineer Don Frey and his product- planning genius (as Iacocca often called him) Sperlich There was also special projects and racing manager Jacque Passino (who would be key to bringing in racer Carroll Shelby) Plus Don Petersen who headed up marketing (only later to become Fordrsquos president) and his research manager Bob Eggert

Also key was design chief Gene Bordinat and some of his top stylists Joe Oros Halderman and Charles Phaneuf There were also contributions from people like Phil Clark a young designer who was rumored to have actually toyed with the Mustang brand theme at General Motors before penning the famed Pony emblem and coming over to Ford Plus John Najjar who promoted the Mustang name and helped design the Mustang I Prototype ndash a mid-engined two-seat rear-drive sports car concept that won international acclaim in 1962 as a possible Corvette-fighter from Ford

But Iacocca knew that any production car he proposed would have to be a much more practical and less-complex-to-build four-seater if it were to ever see an assembly line So his team was tasked with turning that dream into a reality while he attempted to sell the idea to top management ndash which turned out to be quite a challenge in and of itself

Fordrsquos ldquoyouth marketrdquo car at that time was the reliable Falcon a strong-selling if somewhat uninspired economy car that Iacocca helped give more sporting pretensions by 1962 By then a dolled-up Falcon Futura model gained a V-8 bucket seats and a floor shifter but those additions did little to slow the interest that Chevyrsquos Monza version of the Corvair was enjoying Iacocca knew Ford needed a fresh new sporting entry ndash and soon ndash if he was going to be able to capitalize on this burgeoning market

Despite repeated attempts to gain the go-ahead to produce a stylish new ldquoyouth carrdquo Iacoccas proposals were regularly rejected Frey and the team had come up with a wonderfully clean design for the project codenamed T-5 in early 1962 An internal competition in the design studio produced a unanimous favorite in less than two weeks ndash a low sleek four-place compact with a long hood and short deck Mainly penned by Halderman 16

who had been working with Oros on what they dubbed the Cougar the basic design of this Special Falcon (as the early prototypes were called) would eventually reach production relatively unmolested ndash a hallmark of many timeless designs yes but truly a rarity in an auto industry long plagued with design by committee products

Iacocca believed it was uniquely appealing so he and Frey took it to top execs for yet another ldquoyouth carrdquo sales pitch in September of 62 Again concern over how much Iacoccas proposal would cut into Falcon sales led the discussion and the fact that the company had already set aside a whopping $250 million to revamp the entire Ford lineup for 1965 certainly didnt help his request for a quarter of that to experiment on a new model

The good news was that the most important person they needed to convince ndash Henry Ford II ndash had finally given in to the idea and decided hersquod approve the proposal against the advice of his top advisors The bad news was that Iacocca was given a budget of a paltry $40 million to develop and tool up the car and get it to market in less than two years ndash 18 months to be exact With the odds so stacked against them it was a risk few managers would ever take But Iacocca and Frey were thrilled just getting the chance

Unfazed Iacocca would go before the board to request more funding for tooling a second assembly plant in San Jose California which he assured them was needed in addition to production at the Dearborn assembly plant to meet demand for his new car It proved an incredibly astute move and a key enabler for the Mustang sales records that would follow

Even with todayrsquos advancements in technology and manufacturing an 18-month concept-to-production timetable for an all-new vehicle borders on the impossible And the Mustang faced other tough goals too such it had to offer a full range of equipment weigh less than 2500 pounds and cost less than $2500 But almost magically this Mustang project had deeply inspired Iacoccarsquos team and they had no time to worry about what might not work With the basic styling nailed down the challenge became pushing Fordrsquos stamping technology to its limit to achieve such things as the designrsquos complex front-end bodylines and the sweep of the rear quarters and lower valence The next order of business was to try and employ as many existing mechanical parts as possible so much of Mustangrsquos underpinnings were lifted directly from the Falcon What was different was Mustangrsquos unibody sporting a longer wheelbase wider track and lower overall height including the cowl floorpan and subsequent seating position

While lowering was important in helping to give Mustang a sportier feel stiffening the unitized body structure was also necessary to improve the carrsquos handling To do this engineers devised an innovative ldquotorque boxrdquo system into the carrsquos skeletal structure ndash an industry first The Falconrsquos suspension and steering components were modified to work in this new body as well the dashboard layout and optional drivetrains The standard engine for the first Mustang would be Falconrsquos optional 170-cubic-inch inline six-cylinder rated at 101 horsepower And the Mustangrsquos initial V-8 offering would be another Falcon option the 164 horsepower 260-cubic inch Windsor small-block

By October 1963 pre-production Mustang prototypes were running around Ford test facilities in a mad dash to gain engineering sign-off in order to make the carrsquos ldquoJob Onerdquo production date of March 9 1964 To help kick off the marketing and begin creating the carrsquos public identity Bordinat turned a Mustang prototype into show car that was called ldquoMustang IIrdquo mostly to indicate some product lineage with the two-seat mid-engined sports car that was shown the year before which was now renamed ldquoMustang Irdquo

Painted the same white with a blue tri-stripe down the middle just like the two-seater the Mustang II concept was revealed at Watkins Glen as a promotional teaser as Mustang I had been With its customized v-shaped nose and tail and chopped removable hardtop Iacocca knew that Mustang II was not going to have any impact on the real production Mustang no matter what the public reaction was Not surprisingly after being shown on CBS television and in newspapers and magazines around the world the overall response to the Mustang II concept car was favorable

Iacoccarsquos car-passionate niche group within Ford called the Fairlane Committee had clearly and correctly seen that boomer buyers wanted something truly different Their answer a fun-to-drive affordable car with a fresh clean design and sporting attributes was exactly the right car for the right time And because of their hard work and dedication Ford was able to launch the Mustang ndash unlike the Edsel ndash with many of the potential problems and concerns already ironed out

From the start Mustang has had a look all its own with proportions that express energy and an eagerness to be on the move There were sports cars and muscle cars before it but the first Mustang ldquonotchbackrdquo coupes and convertibles had unique appeal

In the parlance of the times the introduction of the Mustang in the spring of 1964 was a ldquohappeningrdquo What created such unbridled enthusiasm for this new car Simple Great design affordable performance and one of the most innovative and sustained marketing and public relations campaigns in history

The very fact that the Mustang was launched in spring was part of the strategy to gain attention for the new model Up until this time most American cars were revealed in the fall of each model year meaning typical production would begin at the end of summer But Iacoccarsquos team felt the need to break from tradition to assure that the car would have the attention of the automotive press all to itself so the plan was to officially unveil the all-new Ford Mustang at the New York Worldrsquos Fair on April 17 1964 The thinking was that nothing short of the Worldrsquos Fair would attract enough of the public spotlight so they set into motion a well-coordinated publicity plan leading up to that date

Part of the strategy was to have at least one new Mustang on display at each and every one of the 8100-plus Ford dealerships across the nation on the day of the official unveiling so cars had to be built and shipped in advance To that end the very first production Mustang was a white-over-red convertible that rolled off the Dearborn assembly line on March 9 1964 Ford Division had worked with dealers to arrange delivery of the first cars and coordinate their arrival in showrooms all over America18

In the meantime ndash between a series of embargoed press briefings on the design and engineering of the Mustang in January and the actual reveal at the Fair in New York in April ndash Ford Public Affairs slowly leaked details of the car and offered preview drives in an effort to build Mustang mania to a fever pitch The company even invited a number of editors from college newspapers to Dearborn and let them each drive a Mustang around for a while to ldquoget their opinionsrdquo There were a number of cases of these supposedly ldquotop-secretrdquo Mustangs being driven ldquoright out in public viewrdquo where they were likely to be seen by the media Naturally the sightings that resulted were reported in major news outlets A few days before the world reveal Ford demonstrated the carrsquos reliability by having 100 members of the press participate in massive Mustang rally from New York to Dearborn where all 70 cars that made the trip had arrived without a single problem

None of this however compared with the unprecedented media exposure the car received at its well-publicized unveiling

On the evening before the official introduction at the Worldrsquos Fair Ford ran commercials for the new Mustang on all three television networks simultaneously which were seen by an estimated 29 million viewers and then followed them up the next day with full-page ads placed in 2600 newspapers all across the United States Mustangs were put on display in the lobbies of 200 Holiday Inns and at 15 of the countryrsquos busiest airports Both Newsweek and Time magazines ran cover stories on Fordrsquos Iacocca and his Mustang Time went so far as to declare that Iacocca has ldquomade the Mustangrsquos design so flexible its price so reasonable and its options so numerous that its potential appeal reaches toward two-thirds of all US car buyers Priced as low as $2368 an able to accommodate a small family in its four seats the Mustang seems destined to be a sort of Model A of sports cars ndash for the masses as well as the buffsrdquo

At the fair itself Mustang was the star of Ford Motor Companyrsquos ldquoWonder Rotundardquo and the Disney-designed Magic Skyway exhibits Fairgoers seated in one of 12 Wimbledon white Mustang convertibles (with engines transmissions and fuel tanks removed) rode the Disney Magic Skyway through exhibits that displayed the Earthrsquos past from the age of dinosaurs (complete with ldquoanimatronic cavemenrdquo) to the glass-and-steel buildings of the City of Tomorrow The 22-story Rotunda itself was the size of three football fields and required enough steel to erect a skyscraper

It was the most successful product launch in automotive history and set off near-pandemonium at Ford dealers all over the continent Nearly 22000 orders were taken the day the car went on sale as interested customers swarmed their local dealerships sparking scenes that resembled Beatlemania which was sweeping the country at the same time Ford itself fanned the flames of the buying frenzy by issuing press releases about the showroom shenanigans with one more incredible than the next

One report had a Chicago Ford dealer being forced to lock his doors early and summon the police to try and evict Mustang prospects who had stormed his sales floor and refused to leave until they had seen the car Another had claimed a dealership in Pittsburgh was so overflowing with customers that the salesmen couldnrsquot

get their only Mustang down off the wash rack and into the showroom because so many people had crowded underneath it Then therersquos the one out of Garland Texas where 15 customers were said to have bid on the same Mustang the winner reportedly insisted on sleeping in the car overnight to guarantee that it wouldnt get sold from under him before his check cleared the bank the next day Still another news account had a passing cement truck driver so taken with trying to get a look at a new Mustang on display that he crashed his truck straight through the showroom window Some say it actually happened in Seattle while others claim it really took place in San Francisco

While not all such early sales stories have been substantiated one thing is certain Ford had many more customers for the Mustang than it had cars in April of 1964 Those initial shipments were immediately snapped up and orders for thousands more were placed on the very first day with an estimated four million people jamming into Ford showrooms that first weekend alone Demand was such that following the Worldrsquos Fair even some of the display cars were reclaimed and refurbished before being sold through Fordrsquos employee resale lot

Throughout its launch Mustang made full use of the ever-increasing popularity of commercial television Early Mustang television advertising portrayed the car as a life-transforming device In one ad a dowdy antique dealer is seen skipping his habitual lunch in a teashop for a romantic getaway with a beautiful young woman Not to miss out on the fun a normally staid scientist named Liz is transformed into a bon vivant with an entourage of adoring men once she starts driving a new Mustang

Print ads were in on the fun too One of them put a twist to the title of a contemporary book popular with young women in the hopes of selling them on the advantages of Mustangrsquos economical side Titled Six and the Single Girl the spot promoted the practicality and sporty style of the six-cylinder Mustang after the take-rate on the V-8 Mustangs outstripped the stockpile of available engines

The glamour of the movies also helped build the romance associated with Mustang The early Mustangs have figured prominently in hundreds of notable films to date beginning in 1964 with the popular James Bond film Goldfinger where Bondrsquos Aston Martin DB5 had chased after a white Mustang convertible The Mustang was appearing almost everywhere you looked ndash in your neighborsrsquo driveways on the street in the movies on television in magazines and even in toy stores Iacocca and his team had created for Ford an entire ldquoMustang Generationrdquo

Mustangrsquos impressive sales statistics do not include the millions of other Mustang-inspired products that were licensed by Ford Motor Company From model cars to slot car sets the Mustang soon became a plaything for children young and old That first year the least expensive Mustang you could buy was a pedal-powered car that became the hot Christmas gift of 1964 when more than 93000 of them were sold Another very affordable 1965 Mustang was the $537 Mustang Jr built for Ford by the Powercar Company of Mystic Conn This 70-

inch fun car could be ordered with a 2frac14-horsepower two-cycle gasoline engine good for 20 mph or as a battery-powered model that cruised at a more sedate 5 mph

All of this of course was driven by the amazing popularity of Fordrsquos own Mustang whose runaway sales success caught even Iacocca and his team by surprise Initial company estimates pegged annual Mustang sales at about 100000 units a year but it quickly became apparent that many more would be needed to meet demand when the backlog of orders forced a two-month wait for the typical delivery Ford quickly added a third assembly facility in Metuchen New Jersey and kept the factories going full-tilt in an effort to catch up By the end of 1964 the Mustang racked up over 120000 sales and an astounding 419000 in the carrsquos first 12 months on the market shattering all previous sales records of any one model in the history of the automobile (Ironically the record of just under 417000 had been held by none other than Fordrsquos own Falcon)

Iacoccarsquos uncanny marketing insight and salesmanship helped Ford deliver a unique and lasting formula for Mustangrsquos appeal and its success as an American automotive icon is nothing short of staggering His further green-lighting of Fordrsquos ldquoTotal Performancerdquo era of the 1960s the pushback against imports with the Maverick and the Pinto and the nod to luxury buyers with the Mercury Cougar the Continental Mark III and a series of Ford Thunderbirds all add to Iacoccarsquos product legacy at Ford

Iacoccarsquos time at Ford saw him develop into a charismatic business leader and an automotive celebrity with genuine star power Mustang fans see him as a hero Iacocca once told Hemmings ldquoI fell in love with cars early on especially Fords Our family liked Fords I always wanted to work for Fordrdquo

Fans of Fordrsquos famed Blue Oval around the world over are thankful he did

From Sal Perrotta

How Much Do You Know About 50s Cars

So you think you can cruise with the collectors Prove it by acing this quiz

1950s cars are among the most collectible in the world The 1957 Chevy Bel Air convertible still ranks as among the most popular collectors cars 50s Chevys in general remain popular So how do we know that 50s Chevys are still popular Well Don McLean drove his Chevy to the levy in American Pie Eric Clapton got off on 57 Chevys in the classic Rock and Roll Heart and Elton John remembered having an old gold Chevy and a place of his own in the iconic Crocodile Rock These are but a sampling of the songs that have memorialized 50s Chevys

But what made Chevys and other 50s vehicles so popular Was it style craftsmanship or culture Unlike many cars of today 50s cars were wellgorgeous Weve certainly lost something in todays models by paring them down in size Who couldnt help but be impressed as a 1957 red Ford Thunderbird convertible rolled by Its

hard to feel the same about most of todays cars And the craftsmanship was impeccable Weve all heard aficionados lament that they just dont build them like that anymore

So if you long for the days when cars where a bigger part of American culture take this quiz and show your friends just how much you know

1 What was the most popular foreign car company in the 50s

A Volkswagen B BMWC Hyundai

2 What was the Chrysler engine that was an innovation in power

A The Hemi engine B The Stallion engineC The Chrome engine

3 Who sold the most cars in the 50s

A Pontiac B Chevrolet C Oldsmobile

4 Who went out of business in the 50s

A Parts manufacturers B Small independent auto makers C Big manufacturers

5 Which of these describes design innovations in the 50s

A Wider B Longer C Lower D All of the above

6 What kept growing in size in the 50s

A Car headlights

B Car bumpersC Car fins

7 What stopped motor production in 1952

A Bankruptcy B Rubber shortage C Steel strike

8 What became commonplace in 1950s cars

A V-8 engine B Cruise control C Heated seats

9 Who did the US out-produce in terms of car production

A Great Britain B France C Germany D All of the above

10 Which of these was popular in the 50s

A The hardtop convertible B The mini sedanC The pickup truck D All of the above

September Quiz Answers

1 ndashA 4 ndash B 7 ndash C

2 ndash A 5 ndashD 8 ndashA

3 ndash B 6 ndash C 9 ndash D

From Al Continelli (Tech Tip)

INSTALLING A MANUAL CHOKE ON AHOLLEY 4-BARREL

By Dave Campbell

When I purchased my 1957 I found many non-original modifications had been made to the car Among these was a 1965 Mustang Carburetor I have through the years tried to get the car back basically to original and that included changing to the correct Holley 4-barrel carburetor The choke tube had seen better days and unfortunately I never had a fully functioning automatic choke To stop the engine paint from burning the paint off of the intake manifold shims were installed to block the crossover heat transfer Life was good when the weather was warm but cold weather made driving a hazardous experience when the engine was cold and running lean I considered installing an electric or a manual choke to correct this problem The final answer was to install a manual choke The electric conversion kit seemed to be just another thing that could go bad

I contacted Holley and they indicated that a 14-225 universal kit would work on my car I ordered the parts from Jegscom as follows (1) 051045-225S Choke Conversion Kit Zinc (1) 051045-229 Choke Mounting Bracket and (1) 055515830 Black Choke Cable The total purchase came to $6296 (including shipping) The choke mounting bracket mounts under the dash holding the choke handle

It is an unpainted ldquoLrdquo-shaped bracket with 3 holes and 2 bolts with nuts For $1799 this seemed like a bit much But after priming and painting it installed easily I ran the choke cable through the firewall using the hole behind the radio Now came the fun part It would appear that this should be an easy job

However the kit came with cryptic instructions no illustrations and extraneous parts without description Like most projects I get involved in there were parts left over at the end of the day

It is an unpainted ldquoLrdquo-shaped bracket with 3 holes and 2 bolts with nuts For $1799 this seemed like a bit much But after priming and painting it installed easily I ran the choke cable through the firewall using the hole behind the radio Now came the fun part It would appear that this should be an easy job However the kit came with cryptic instructions no illustrations and extraneous parts without description Like most projects I get involved in there were parts left over at the end of the day

You start by removing the 3 screws holding the old choke Next you insert a small lead ball into the choke vacuum passage and flatten it with a punch until it is flush with the surface Then the 2 parts of the stamping assembly are installed with 3 screws utilizing the same holes from the old choke The choke rod is installed through the hole and attached to the choke plate Next the choke cable is attached First install the cable bracket on the diaphragm using the 2 diaphragm screws Then install the cable end into the bracket on the stamping assembly

The assembly was made difficult when the cable end bracket hit the bottom of the air cleaner Much bending had to be done to the bracket and cable end to fit Eventually I bent the cable inboard to fit into the cavity under the air cleaner assembly Also there did not appear to be any way to attach the unit to the fast idle cam To me this was not a problem as the car idles fine when cold It appeared to be a case of the wrong parts in the kit or a lack of instructions on how to use what was supplied The time to install the kit was minimal

The time required to shape and fabricate parts along with trying to figure out the Holley installation instructions was excruciating

In the end I have a functional manual choke and for some strange reason I look forward to colder weather to try it out The picture above is what it looks like when it is done

From CTCI

ARE YOU A MEMBER NOW WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO JOIN

Classic Thunderbird Club InternationalToll Free 8004882709 bull PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116 USA1048579 bull Email ctciofficectciorg

Web site wwwctciorg

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONPLEASE TYPE OR PRINTName____________________________________________________Spousersquos Name______________________________________Mailing Address______________________________________________________________________________________________City_______________________________________________ StateProvince______________ ZipMail Code___________________Telephone (______)_____________________________ Email Address__________________________________________________CTCI Chapter Affiliation (if any) _________________________________________________________________________________

bull New members please fill out application and send payment (in US funds ONLY) to the address below

bull Make checks payable to CTCI or pay by credit card by email fax or phone

bull Mail to CLASSIC THUNDERBIRD CLUB INT PO Box 7393 North Kansas City MO 64116

Please select one of the following prorated amounts Month Joining One Time Initiation Fee + Dues = Total January thru March $1500 + $3750 = $5250 April thru June $1500 + $2900 = $4400 July thru September $1500 + $1900 = $3400 October thru December $1500 + $1000 = $2500 NOTE Add $1800 to select Premium Packet with CTCI Grill Emblem

Annual dues renewal will be $3750 payable January 1 of each yearSignature _______________________________Date ______ Check here 1048658 if you wish to be listed in the CTCI roster as of April 1st

I give permission for my 1048658 phone number andor 1048658 email address to be listed in the CTCI roster(NOTE Phone numbers amp email are for office use only or for the roster if you choose to have it published Roster addresses may be sold only to T-Bird vendors to be used only for catalog purposesAre you a former member of CTCI 1048658 Yes 1048658 No If Yes what is your former CTCI membership number ________________________

Sponsored or Referred by _______________________________________________ CTCI (if known) ________________

CAR DATA26

This section is optional but will help us to complete our historical data base registry Your ownership information will be keptconfidential and will be used only for statistical purposes This data will be found on the fire wall inside the engine compartment left handside by the heater box Please fill in the number and letters as stamped on the data plate If you have more than one T-Bird please copy this form and submit each carrsquos data How many Thunderbirds do you own_______55rsquos_______56rsquos_______57rsquosYear______________ Serial Number ___________________________________________

For 1955 1956 and early 1957rsquos (see example)Body ________ Color _________ Trim __________ Production Code _________________

For late 1957rsquosBody ________ Color ________ Trim _________ Date _______ Trans ______ Axle ______

Registered Owner (if other than member) _______________________________________Address ________________________________________________________________________________________________

License Number ____________________________ StateProvince _____________

Is your T-Bird primarily Original or 1048658 Modified

Color (if not per data plate) ____________________ Mileage __________________ Condition (rate from 1-5 1 is best) __________

Special Features or Remarks _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Premium Packet with Grill Emblem = Add $1800 to totalTOTAL ENCLOSED ($US)_____________________________

NOTE Members outside the US may pay dues by credit cardYou may send credit card information by email fax or phoneUS Mexico and Canada First Class Additional $1500yearOther Foreign Countries AO Rate Additional $3500year(not including Mexico and Canada)rev 012019

From Sal Perrotta Thunderbird Owners of New York

August Meeting Photos

Our August was in Bay Shore and as in the past it was a well attended event There were plenty of cars and quite a few people stopped by to check out our Thunderbirds

Enjoy the pictures

Member DateJoseph Brown 92Florence Dick 98Eileen Shaffer 99Lydia Correa 914Michael P Vorisek 921Russ Lauper 921Renee Moriarty 923

OFFICERS

PresidentStan Matusewicz ndash 631-231-3156curveroptonlinenet

Vice PresidentDennis Benfantendash 631-447-3847 tbirddenoptonlinenet

SecretaryJohn Cattonar - 631-269-4705cattbirdhotmailcom

TreasurerPete Cochrane - 631-363-6662pcochrane45outlookcom

CTCI Advisory Council RepBob Ceraso - 631-757-9476legendbirdbobhotmailcom

Tech Advisor 1955rsquosBob Ceraso - 631-757-9476legendbirdbobhotmailcom

Tech Advisor 1956rsquosStan Matusewicz -631-231-3156curveroptonlinenet

Tech Advisor 1957rsquos

Lou Realmuto - 631-226-1733louebirdoptonlinenet

Computer Advisor amp Newsletter Editor Sal Perrotta - 631-991-0306Salperrotta1951gmailcom

Saturday September 7th Rain Date Sunday September 8thCome Early and Spend the Day

Bethpage State Park Picnic Grounds

Newsletter Message

August 6 2019

Very truly yours

From Tony Cardone

From Sal Perrotta

A Car headlights

By Dave Campbell

From CTCI

Web site wwwctciorg

CAR DATA26

Enjoy the pictures

Newsletter Message

August 6 2019

Very truly yours

From Tony Cardone

From Sal Perrotta

A Car headlights

By Dave Campbell

From CTCI

Web site wwwctciorg

CAR DATA26

Enjoy the pictures

August 6 2019

Very truly yours

From Tony Cardone

From Sal Perrotta

A Car headlights

By Dave Campbell

From CTCI

Web site wwwctciorg

CAR DATA26

Enjoy the pictures

August 6 2019

Very truly yours

From Tony Cardone

From Sal Perrotta

A Car headlights

By Dave Campbell

From CTCI

Web site wwwctciorg

CAR DATA26

Enjoy the pictures

From Tony Cardone

From Sal Perrotta

A Car headlights

By Dave Campbell

From CTCI

Web site wwwctciorg

CAR DATA26

Enjoy the pictures

From Tony Cardone

From Sal Perrotta

A Car headlights

By Dave Campbell

From CTCI

Web site wwwctciorg

CAR DATA26

Enjoy the pictures

From Tony Cardone

From Sal Perrotta

A Car headlights

By Dave Campbell

From CTCI

Web site wwwctciorg

CAR DATA26

Enjoy the pictures

From Sal Perrotta

A Car headlights

By Dave Campbell

From CTCI

Web site wwwctciorg

CAR DATA26

Enjoy the pictures

From Sal Perrotta

A Car headlights

By Dave Campbell

From CTCI

Web site wwwctciorg

CAR DATA26

Enjoy the pictures

From Sal Perrotta

A Car headlights

By Dave Campbell

From CTCI

Web site wwwctciorg

CAR DATA26

Enjoy the pictures

From Sal Perrotta

A Car headlights

By Dave Campbell

From CTCI

Web site wwwctciorg

CAR DATA26

Enjoy the pictures

From Sal Perrotta

A Car headlights

By Dave Campbell

From CTCI

Web site wwwctciorg

CAR DATA26

Enjoy the pictures

From Sal Perrotta

A Car headlights

By Dave Campbell

From CTCI

Web site wwwctciorg

CAR DATA26

Enjoy the pictures

From Sal Perrotta

A Car headlights

By Dave Campbell

From CTCI

Web site wwwctciorg

CAR DATA26

Enjoy the pictures

From Sal Perrotta

A Car headlights

By Dave Campbell

From CTCI

Web site wwwctciorg

CAR DATA26

Enjoy the pictures

From Sal Perrotta

A Car headlights

By Dave Campbell

From CTCI

Web site wwwctciorg

CAR DATA26

Enjoy the pictures

From Sal Perrotta

A Car headlights

By Dave Campbell

From CTCI

Web site wwwctciorg

CAR DATA26

Enjoy the pictures

From Sal Perrotta

A Car headlights

By Dave Campbell

From CTCI

Web site wwwctciorg

CAR DATA26

Enjoy the pictures

From Sal Perrotta

A Car headlights

By Dave Campbell

From CTCI

Web site wwwctciorg

CAR DATA26

Enjoy the pictures

From Sal Perrotta

A Car headlights

By Dave Campbell

From CTCI

Web site wwwctciorg

CAR DATA26

Enjoy the pictures

A Car headlights

By Dave Campbell

From CTCI

Web site wwwctciorg

CAR DATA26

Enjoy the pictures

By Dave Campbell

From CTCI

Web site wwwctciorg

CAR DATA26

Enjoy the pictures

By Dave Campbell

From CTCI

Web site wwwctciorg

CAR DATA26

Enjoy the pictures

From CTCI

Web site wwwctciorg

CAR DATA26

Enjoy the pictures

Web site wwwctciorg

CAR DATA26

Enjoy the pictures

Documents

Thunderbird Owners of New York - Hemmingsclubs.hemmings.com/tony/Sept 2019-W.docx · Web viewNearly a full day had gone by before national news outlets got word that automotive legend