2019 FALL | WESTERN MICHIGAN SECTION | WWW.WMBCA.ORG

SHORELINE STARA PUBLICATION OF THE WESTERN MICHIGAN SECTION

MERCEDES-BENZ CLUB OF AMERICA

2019 FALL 2

President:

Paul Swope; diana3001@charter.net(269) 382-5075

Vice President

Open

Membership Chairman:

Open

Treasurer:

Ron Harshman; rharshman1943@gmail.com

Secretary & Newsletter Editor:

Cyndi Vander Horn; cyndivh@toast.net

Web & Social Media Director:

Wilhelm Rumpf; (269) 352-4321

Director:

Marv Berkowitz; (269) 323-9578

Director:

Jim Lawson; 320-266-3010, curlyshemp@mac.com

Director:

Joe Prihoda; joelindapro@att.net

November 9 Holiday Party. See page 3 for details!

Would you like to help plan an event? We would love any help you could offer. Please contact Paul Swope (269) 382-5075 or at

diana3001@charter.net if you have any questions.

2019 SECTION OFFICERS

2019 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

FOR SALELong-time Western Michigan section member Ed Koops is downsizing his collection.

The following cars are currently available:

1973 450 SL. Runs strong and hard, 96K Miles. Both tops. Needs exhaust and some TLC.

Excellent winter project or starter SL. $3,995.

1984 380 SL. Excellent body and interior. Runs well, always garaged, known history.

Owner’s manual packet included. More photos available. Priced to sell fast at $7,995.

For more information, or to view, contact Jim Luikens at (616) 450-5659.

Cover photo courtesy of Jim Lawson. It shows all of the attendees of the Pumpkin Train event.

Annual Holiday Party

Saturday, November 9, 20196:00 pm - ?

Martell’s 3501 Greenleaf Blvd.,

Parkview Hills, Kalamazoo, MI 49008

www.millenniumrestaurants.com

Please plan to join the Western Michigan Section onSaturday, November 9, for our annual Holiday Party.

We, once again, have a spacious private room reserved just for us at Martell’s,located in Parkview Hills in Kalamazoo.

Our dinner menu is $28.95 per person, excluding tax and tip.(We will have separate checks.)

After light appetizers, we will start with the House Salad, and then we will move on to the following choices of dinner entrees:

• Three Cheese Ravioli • Grilled Chicken • Prime Rib of Beef • Pan Seared Salmon

Dessert is Chocolate Mousse

Our brief program following dinner will include: A speaker from the Gilmore Car Museum, highlighting the history of the Museum,

Introduction of the new Western Michigan Section President, membership recognitions, and gift distribution.

Advanced reservations are needed, but payment is not.

Please contact Paul Swope by Friday, November 1, for your reservation or with any questions.You may either call 269-382-5075 or e-mail diana3001@charter.net.

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As our 2019 activity calendar draws to a close, I would

like to thank the Western Michigan Section Board

of Directors for putting together an excellent array

of club activities this last year. They added several

activities and social opportunities that were not

always totally automobile related. There was some-

thing included for everyone.

Your board will soon be developing the 2020 activi-

ty calendar. As always, we would like input from the

membership on activities you would like to see in

2020. Please feel free to contact any Board Member

listed in this Newsletter with suggestions or questions.

Our November 9 Holiday Party will wrap up the

formal 2019 calendar. Martell’s always does a very nice

job, has good food, and a comfortable setting. Our

speaker from the Gilmore Car Museum should be very

interesting, and your Board is securing some fun gifts

for those in attendance!

At the Holiday Party you will also have the opportunity

PRESIDENT’S CORNER to meet your new Club Officers and Board of Directors

for 2020.

After 6 years as your Club President, I am stepping

aside. Our new President will be introduced at the Hol-

iday Party. I hope we have a good turnout to meet with

him. Our new President has great enthusiasm for the

Mercedes-Benz brand, and for the Club. I am looking

forward to working along side of him, and our Board in

2020, as I will be your Vice-President.

Since joining our Club in 2009, Diana and I have

made many new friends, and belonging to the Club

has greatly enhanced our Mercedes-Benz ownership

enjoyment.

I hope to meet many new friends in the next chapter

of our Club, and urge you to join me in support of our

new President and Board of Directors.

Paul Swope

West Michigan Section President

WELCOME!

We would like to welcome the following new member

to our section of the MBCA. We encourage you to find

out what the section has to offer by attending one of

our activities. We’re glad that you decided to join us.

Name(s) City

Mark Celmer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Saint Joseph

Kent & Diane Gerberding . . . . . . . . . . .Traverse City

Rob Lawson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Allegan

Shirley Sprague. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Portage

Kelley & Scott Wheelock. . . . . . . . . . . .Williamsburg

Michael & Lou Ann Ambro . . . . . . . . . .Richland

You can join the Mercedes-Benz Club of America

($55/yr) by calling 800-637-2360 or join online at

www.mbca.org.

Ted Vogt and Carol Dehen LPL REGISTERED PRINCIPALS

(616) 949-0900(866) 949-0907

4764 Fulton Street East, Suite 201Ada, MI 49301

www.mosaicwealthmanagement.com

Securities offered through LPL FinancialMember FINRA/SIPC

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Western Michigan Section Hats...

They’re Here!!

Fantastic embroidered hats are available in four colors

with the MBCA logo embroidered on the front with our

section name embroidered on the back. Unstructured

Low Profile Twill Cap. 100% cotton twill. Hook and loop

adjustable closure.

Hats will be available for sale at our Holiday Party in

November and at future Section events!

National Teen Driver Safety Week is October 20-26, 2019

This week - and every week, parents should have con-

versations with their teens about the important rules

they need to follow to stay safe behind the wheel of a

motor vehicle. These rules address the greatest dan-

gers for teen drivers: alcohol, inconsistent or no seat

belt use, distracted and drowsy driving, speeding, and

number of passengers.

Facts about Teen Driver Fatalities

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death

for teens (15-18 years old) in the United States, ahead

of all other types of injury, disease, or violence.

In 2017, there were 2,247 people killed in crashes in-

volving a teen driver, of which 755 deaths were the

teen driver - a 3% decrease from 2016.

Parents can be the biggest inSluencers on teens’ choic-

es behind the wheel if they take the time to talk with

their teens about some of the biggest driving risks.

Contact me to set up “no texting while driving pro-

gram” at your school.

Marv Berkowitz, President FADD

www.fadd.info; 269-323-9578

NATIONAL TEEN DRIVER SAFETY WEEK

Only$15!

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PUMPKIN TRAIN

We all had a great time on the Pumpkin Train, Sunday,

October 13! It was a beautiful, sunny day. Some of us met

up at the Blue Hat Coffee for a cup of coffee to start our

day. We then headed over to the train station to meet up

with everyone else and hop aboard the caboose.

After a relaxing ride to Quincy, we were able to step off

the train and enjoy a walk in the park before getting back

on the train for our ride back to Coldwater.

After our train ride we drove up to Marshall to enjoy a

fantastic lunch at Shuler’s Restaurant & Pub. A perfect

ending to a fun day!

Scan code with phone (bar code reader app)

and like uS on Facebook!

Stay up-to-date on all of our events and local

car happenings by liking our Facebook page.

Find us at: www.facebook.com/wmmbca

MBCA Member #

Member NameAddressCity, State, Zip

ENTER FOR ACHANCE TO WIN!

1st Prize2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE

MSRP: $56,200

2nd Prize2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC

MSRP: $44,500

3rd Prize2020 German Trip

MSRP: $10,500

TICKET PURCHASES (including your Official Order Form and payment) MUST BE RECEIVED BY December 4, 2019. If purchasing by credit or debit card you may call 800.637.2360

(Mon-Thurs 8am - 4:30pm; Fri 8am - 4pm Mountain Time)or fax this completed Order Form to 719.633.9283

Make your check/money order payable to: MBCA, International Stars SectionMail to: Raffle, 1907 Lelaray Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80909

Home Ph. # ( ____ ) _____________________________Cell Ph. # ( ____ ) _______________________________Email Address __________________________________Ticket Quantity____ x $50 each = Total Due $__________Paying by (select one): Check # _______ Money Order # _________ Credit or Debit Card**(MUST complete credit/debit card information on reverse side)

No limit to the number of tickets you can buy. At least one phone number is required.

Image in contest promotional materials does not entirely represent actual prize being won.Photo Credit: Mercedes-Benz USA

facebook.com/MercedesBenzClubofAmericainstagram.com/mercedesbenzclubamerica

To purchase tickets, go to raffle.mbca.org and log-in with your user name and password to purchase tickets or to print a raffle order form.

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THANK YOU!

We would like to thank the following members for

renewing their membership in the MBCA. We hope to

see you at an upcoming event!

Name(s). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . City

Kim Erickson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bellaire

Ted Kuball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SaintJoseph

Chris Martin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kalamazoo

Kenneth Hoexum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Spring Lake

Dan Wheeler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kalamazoo

Robert Buffham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Grand Rapids

Philip Keller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rockford

Steve Edelen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Battle Creek

Wayne Hunter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alanson

Karl Ogilvie. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kalamazoo

Alan Stine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kalamazoo

Tim Knapper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Richland

Nancy Shreve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lake Ann

Marv Berkowitz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Portage

Rea Corcoran. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Saginag

Cyndi Vander Horn. . . . . . . . . . . . . Hopkins

Scott Richardson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . East Grand Rapids

Alfred Opas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . St. Joseph

Lester Beld. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hudsonville

We are happy you are here and hope to see you at an

event this year!

NEW SECTION PRESIDENT!Who is the new Western Michigan Section President?

Come to the Holiday Party for the formal introduction

and a chance to get to know this person better. Below

are a few hints to help you get you started.

????Was classically trained in piano, guitar, and French

cuisine.Every gia

nt breed

dog that this

person has ever

owned knows

commands solely in

Italian.

??Knows hundreds of

lines of poetry,

particularly from the

18 & 19th centuries.

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MY CAR: 1980 450 SLCRon Harshman, Coloma

I had been looking for a 107 Roadster for some time

when I read a review stating that the coupe version,

SLC, is a more desirable road vehicle. I expanded my

search and found an ad in the STAR for a blue 1980

SLC. The car was located in Montana and I hatched

an idea for an adventure: fly to Montana, purchase the

car, tour Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks,

and drive back to Michigan. Only half sold on the idea, I

mentioned it to my wife. She liked the idea but insisted

we also find a spot to view the solar eclipse which was

occurring that August.

I was now committed, but did not know if the car was

mechanically capable of the trip. I called the owner

and she provided contact information for mechanics

who knew the car. Satisfied that the car was mechani-

cally sound, I insisted that the air conditioning (always

a weak spot) be in operating condition. The owner

agreed to have the air conditioning operational and I

agreed to the purchase.

My wife and I flew to Bozeman, Montana where the

owner met us with the car. The next day we began our

adventure; driving a car completely new to us to Ida-

ho, where I had reserved an Air B & B, and then making

daily trips on mountain drives to Yellowstone and the

Grand Tetons. Following our visit to the National Parks,

we drove over a mountain pass, the highest of all, and

on to Mount Rushmore. We then drove into Nebraska

for a prime view of the August 2017 solar eclipse. The

adventure through the mountains was a success.

After viewing the eclipse, we headed back to Michi-

gan. In Iowa the alternator quit and we had to call for

a tow. Luckily, the tow operator was sympathetic and

towed us to Cedar Rapids and a repair facility that spe-

cialized in German cars. We used the day’s delay to

rest, continued home to Michigan, and have enjoyed

the SLC since. With a longer wheel base, it provides

a more comfortable ride than the shorter SL roadster.

The 4.5 liter engine is not as fast as the larger 5.6 of

the next generation, but it cruises at interstate speeds

with no issues.

The odometer in my car was broken, a common prob-

lem with older Mercedes. I sent the speedometer in for

repair and it was returned in operating condition at a

minimal cost. The advice given at that time is important

for anyone owning an older Mercedes; DO NOT push

the reset button unless the car is at a complete stop.

If the trip meter does not reset properly, drive a short

distance, stop completely, and push the button again.

Repeat until all the zeroes are centered in the box.

As a post script to the adventure, I twisted my ankle

getting on a train to Chicago enroute to our flight. My

wife insisted that I have the ankle checked in Bozeman.

I stopped at a walk-in clinic and the woman admitting

me mentioned that she had been in Michigan recently.

I asked where? She replied, “Hickory Corners, I was

visiting a friend there.” People who live in Michigan

don’t know Hickory Corners unless they have visited

the Gilmore Car Museum, where I volunteer, so I asked

more questions. The friend she visited is the grand

daughter of another member of the education com-

mittee at the museum. A few months later I received a

post on my phone of him dancing with the same girl.

Small world!

MEMBERS AND THEIR CARS!

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HOT RODS, HOT DOGS, AND WATERFALLSWednesday, August 28

Great Lakes Pondscapes in Paw Paw.

Photos courtesy of Joe Prihoda and Wilhelm Rumpf.