PACKARDS INTERNATIONAL MOTOR CAR CLUB

VOLUME 16 NOVEMBER 1990 SAN DIEGO REGION

Region Members attending with Packards: George Cataline - 1936 V12 Roadster James Dahmann- 1953 eight, Mayfair Ginger McLean - 1949 eight, station sedan Case Groenendal - 1937 six 115c Fred & Carol Yunt - 1954 Convertible Craig Pearson - 1931 Eight, Coupe, 5Pass Rick and Linda Bittner - 1951 200 Sedan Fred Spector - 1954 eight, Cavalier

ALL CAL TOUR 90

The San Diego region came out in force for this tour. We met in Carlsbad and left with 8 Packards and 3 Others loaded with eager participants.

Everyone indeed had a grand time in a beautiful setting. The scenery was a little parched from the draught, but the fellowship won out.

The line-up of S.D. Region Packards at the start of the tour in Carlsbad.

BOARD FOR 1990

President: Vice President: Secretary:

B. J. Hill Tony Acierno Claudia Acierno

and Theresa Groenendal

530-1414 561-4443 561-4443 465-6742 277-5659 560-5114 583-2369 743-1395

Treasurer: Membership: Projectsffechnical Publications/

Museum Rep Tours/Activities

National Board Rep

Ken Yankee Ginger McLean Mark Rothermich James Dahmann

or 693-5658 Casey Groenendal 465-6742 Tony Acierno 561-4443 Ginger McLean 560-5114 Rick Bittner 566-8618

SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS

Monthly meeting, first Wednesday evening at 7:00 pm. We meet at the S.D. Automotive Museum in Balboa Park. The meeting room is open and is now our regular meeting place. Assorted topics will be discussed as required. We will try to highlight things of interest to all, and have guests from time to time.

November 7 February 6, 1991 March 6, 1991 April 3, 1991

No meeting in December or January at Museum

ATTEND CHRISTMAS party and Installation Brunch

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS:

We have another new member to add to our ever-growing roster. They are Mark and Joyce Hilbert. Mark and Joyce have been members of P.L Santa Ana, but liked us well enough to join our Region too! We're getting quite a few members from P.L, and are very happy to welcome them too! Mark and Joyce own a 1952 Convertible, a 1939 Model 1703 Super 8 Touring Sedan, a 1946 2103 Touring Sedan, a 1954 Caribbean, and a 1941 Model 120 Convertible. Their address is: Mark & Joyce Hilbert, 918 E. Balboa Avenue, Newport Beach, CA. 92661. Phones: Home (714) 723-0146, Office (714) 476-0104.

PRESIDENT'S NOTES:

The Great Gatsby Annual Grand Salon 1990 is now past history, but the accolades and congratulations for San Diego Region are a matter of superior record.

What can we say but "OUTSTANDING"! CAROL AND FRED YUNT'S 1940 160 CONVERTIBLE SEDAN brought home a First Place in the Pre-War Senior Open 1935 -1942 with 226 points. You gave us a goal to shoot for.

A first time for MARK BALLERINI AND HIROKO DONALDSON in the 1935 to 1942 Pre­War Closed Division, a 3rd place with 212 points. His Business Coupe was judged with some pretty stiff competition, and we are very proud of you Mark. Nice going! I remember the day I was in your shop and you uncrated the engine you had purchased. Birds'nests in the cylinders! You've come a long way. Congratulations!

Certainly not a stranger in the winning circle, TOM AND VALERIE THURSTON'S 1933 Club Sedan won a rightful place in the Pre-War Closed 1900-1934, with 213 points and another 3rd place! Stupendous, do it again !

Another first in the area of judging was the participation of JUDGE CASEY GROENENDAL. WE ARE PROUD TO HAVE A NEW QUALIFIED JUDGE IN THE SAN DIEGO REGION. You see how all this started, Casey's car was judged at another rally, and he didn't really know what he neeQ€Q-to h"'11pro¥c, so he bagan- -asking--questicns. See what happens when you show an interest. First he attended a training seminar in Orange County, and then spent the major portion of his time at Gatsby in rigorous and demanding judging. I have asked -Casey to present the program at the November meeting "JUDGING THE GREAT GATS BY'. Don't miss it. We all know that Casey is very thorough and we will learn a lot.

San Diego Region members were seen at Gatsby in good numbers, including; Casey and Teresa Groenendal, Lance "Dutch" Parker, Chris and Doris Rinker, Tom and Valerie Thurston, Carol and Fred Yunt, Mark Bal1erini and Hiroko Donaldson, Mario and Barbara Ballerini, Ron Crampton, Fred Perkins, Thomas Yoki and Alan Acosta, and Carol and Fred Mauck. If we missed anyone we apologize, it's hard to see in a crowd.

Around 100 cars were in evidence at the Lyon's Ranch. There were 29 Pre-War and 27 Post-War Packards that were there for judging. Approximately 40 additional Packards arrived for display, many of them new to the Region. Congratulations to everyone!

The San Diego Region continues to grow in participation and enthusiasm, which was our first goal this year. We've done it again!

BJ

•

ALL CAL TOUR 90

Stopped to at a photo opportunity

A scene at the Zaca Mesa Winery

At Mattei's Tavern

ALL CAL TOUR 90

The Long Collection included a 1931 Packard Coupe and a 1937 Super Eight under construction.

PACKARD HISTORY: By Ginger McLean

One design idea that didn't make it appeared on a special 1955 show car Packard called the Request, the result of many letters from customers asking for a return to Packard's classic vertical grille. Nance commissioned a number of clays in which Teague explored possibilities; finally Teague built such a car for the spring 1955 round of auto shows. He took one of the first Four Hundred hardtops, and had Creative Industries in Detroit accomplish the transformation. Aside from the tall grille, the Request also employed Caribbean side treatment, wire wheels and twin antennas, and a special bronze and white color scheme.

The Request was a success in its early appearances, and sales vice-president Clare Briggs suggested that production car styling move in its direction. Product Planning's Roger Bremer noted to Nance in February that, "We intend going over the implications of this survey (of public reaction) to reach a conclusion as to whether or not the classic front end should have any part in our Program for future models." Ultimately the idea was dropped. (Although a future show car and the proposed 1957 line did have vertical grilles, they were not the classic variety, and those close to Nance had their doubts that the public would really take to an idea twenty years old. Had it been 1965 instead of 1955, perhaps the notion would have been better received.)

Various authoritative and non­authoritative reports have circulated for years as to the Request's ultimate fate. The facts are that it was taken out of the company on a property pass during the confusion late 1956, and was involved in a front-end collision by its taker-out. The front end was partially reworked and the vehicle, after lengthy _outside storage.~ was purchased by a collector in 1974 and restored to its 1955 state.

Taken from "Packard- A History of the Motor Car and the Company"

November's MEMORY LANE

November 3, 1861 William Doud Packard born in Warren, Ohio

November 4, 1902 Packard receives patent on 'H-slot' gear selector

November 5, 1863 J ames Ward Packard born in Warren, Ohio

November 5, 1895 Automotive stylist Raymond F. Loewy born in Paris, France

November 6, 1899 First Packard completed

International

I... SAN DIEGO ~ REGION

BEING POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE

There is very little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. The little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative. Let me illustrate this principle in a story of a young bride from the east, who during World War II followed her husband to an army camp on the edge of the desert in California. Living conditions were primitive at best and he had advised against it, but she wanted to be with him. The only housing they could find was a run down shack near an Indian village. The heat was unbearable -- 1150 in the shade and the wind blew constantly, spreading dust and sand all over. The days were long and boring. Her only neighbors were the non-English speaking Indians. When her husband was ordered farther into the desert for two weeks of maneuvers, loneliness and the wretched living conditions got the best of her. She wrote her mother that she was coming home; she just couldn't take it any more. In no time she received a reply with these two lines:

Two men looked out from prison bars; one saw mud, the other saw the stars.

She read the lines over and over again. Finally, she began to feel ashamed of herself. All right -- she'd look for the stars. In the following days she set out to make friends with the Indians. She asked them to teach her weaving and pottery. At first they were distant, but as soon as they sensed her interest was genuine, they returned her friendship. She became fascinated witli thai; CUltui6, history, arid everything about them. She began to study the desert as well. She studied the forms of the cacti, the yuccas and the Joshua tree. Soon it. too, changed from a desolate, forbidding place to a marvelous thing of beauty. She collected sea shells that had been left there millions of years ago when the sands had been an ocean floor. Later she became such an expert on the area that she wrote a book about it. What had changed? Not the desert, nor the Indians. Simply by changing her own attitude from negative to positive she had transformed a miserable experience into a highly rewarding one. A negative person can always find fault with anybody and everything. They find fault with the government, the clubs, yes, even their wives. I've heard many negative men complain about their frigid wives. They don't know that there is no such thing as a frigid wife.

r--.. only clumsy husbands! They complain about our government, always negative. But only 51 % bother to vote at our last national election two years ago. What happened with the other 49%? Yes! You guessed it -- they complain! It is your God given right to vote, become

involved, change things, VOTE!! Some members have negative feelings toward the Packard Club. The same tour, the same show, the same outings. They complain when the membership dues go up. But are they ever involved in the club? Then how do they know? You all know that the cost of paper, envelopes, printing, the stamps and also insurance keep going up. I am surprised our region and the P.I. have held the line for so long. Do we have to lower our standards of excellence, or the code of ethics, or professionalism? God forbid!! If we can't afford $10 per year more, that is a little over 2.5 pennies per day, or one cup of coffee per week, to maintain our high standards -- if you can't afford that, then you have my deepest sympathy. I feel that our club is a cut above all others. Nothing is easier for a negative person than fault finding; it takes no talent, no self denial, no brains, and no character to set up the grumbling business. There are few negative members, if any, in which ability alone is sufficient. Needed also are loyalty, sincerity, enthusiasm, and cooperation.

Back in the early sixty's when I was a drill instructor at Fort Custer for the officers candidate school, I had to take my platoon our for an endurance test, with full field packs weighing about 70 pounds. We came across an abandoned section of railroad track. Each in turn tried walking the rails, but eventually each lost his balance and tumbled off (including myself). Suddenly two soldiers, after considerable whispering, offered to bet me that they could both walk the entire length of the track without falling off. Their positive attitude intrigued me, so I took them on. Challenged to make good their boast, the two soldiers jumped up on opposite railS, extended a hand to balance each other, and walked the entire section of track with no difficulty whatsoever. Needless to say I was dumfounded. But more important -- there in a nutshell is the principle of a positive attitude. The day of the negative and the individualistic person is gone forever. We do things better, produce more and live better by helping each other. The club member who lends a helping hand benefits himself at the same time he helps the other club member. The reverse is also true. When we don't help each other or cooperate with each other, the whole system starts to rattle and shake.

The difference between a positive club member and a negative club member, an effective club and a poor club, is often reflected in the cooperation, or lack of it, among the club members who belong. When club members help each other freely and voluntarily, there's a spirit of team work that makes a club and a club member really go -- a pleasure to be associated with. When there's no cooperation, no spirit of the helping hand freely given, what might have been a pleasant duty has become a grudging chore.

Sometimes there are rivalries within the clubs regarding who the credit belongs to. But, do you recall when Edmund Hillary and his native guide, Tenzing, made their historic climb of Mt. Everest? Coming down from the peak Hillary suddenly lost his footing. Tenzing held the line taut and kept them both from falli"a by digging his ax into the ice. Later Tenzing refused any special credit for saving Hillary's life; he considered it a routine part of the job. As he put it, "Mountain climbers always help each other."

Should the rest of us be any different?

As always,

Case Groenendal

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Cec. 1st. ---- 6:30 PM

Ballerini's "EL FARMO"

1753 Sunset Dr., Vista

758 0127

Good Food -- Drink -- Door Prizes -- All Provided

Party Hosts: Mario & Barbara Ballerini

Fred & Carol Yunt

YOU BRING: GIF~ marked Male or Female for

gift exchange priced up to $10.00

From 2 - East onto 78 - From 12 - West onto Emerald turnoff - Emerald turnoff -Right onto Emerald Left onto

\ ____ ------------ bridge~~ ____ ~ ____ ~~-f~~~~=:~~~~~ EMERALD approx. 3/4 mile. ~ Split in road -- stay Left -­becomes Sunset. Bad curve -­bottom of curve, Ballerini house alone on Left hand side. Driveway just before intersection with Melrose ~vay.

N

1 i

MUSEUM NOTES

October 10, 1990, Car Club Council Old Business and new: Minutes from last meeting read and approved. Secy Gene Hartzler called meeting to order. 16 members present. Guest Ben McKesson, Exec. Dir. of museum was there. ,

Air conditioner scheduled to be installed in the meeting room soon. Museum wants roster of each car club. Two cars needed for 18 Oct Starlight Bowl event at civic theater. Costumes and free tickets. There was some conflict in the meeting room schedule when one club neglected to call in to confirm room. New BANQUET Room with divider will help, when no paid event scheduled. Dates for Vintage Race and the Coronado Show were disccussed. FRAMING of the TV/vcr in the comer of the room will start soon. Need to paint weathered chairs to match new ones given by AACA. Some Clubs Looking for grass area to have small car show. City fickle on Park grass.

PACKARD PARTS WANTED

115 C 1937 Packard, Model 1082. 1. A headlight reflector,'" a.ny condition (I'm missing one). 2. A,~orn button, any condition '(center of , steering wheel, I have none) 3., ,Front license plate holder bracket, any condition (I have none) 4. Exterior curved door handles (4), any condition (need two back ones the most, or could use two straight front ones) 5. Fuel gage sensor, any condition (I have none) Ervin W. Aronhalt, Route 3, Box 32B, Fairmont, W.V. 26554 Phone: (304) 366-3228.

t(iJi;;;~) ANTIQUE • DOMESTIC • IMPORT I MARIO'S TIRE CENTER

2027 S, HILL. OCEANSIDE, CALIF 92054

(619) 433-5901 MARK MARIO

At the October Harvest Tour: Tony Acierno - 1940 six, coupe James Dahmann - 1953 eight, Mayfair Ginger Mclean - 1949 eight, station sedan George Cataline - 1936 V12, coupe roadster Leonard Lacaze - 1936 V12 sedan Earnest Auerbach - 1935 V12 Conv. Sedan Ron Crampton, 1955 V8 Caribbean Mario Ballerini - 1937 eight, 120 Ken Yankee - 1955 V8, Four Hundred Joe Whitaker - 1956 V8, Executive

PACKARD PARTS FOR SALE

Beauty Rings - 4, 16 inch. $150. Ed Brooks 619-272-6831

CARS FOR SALE

1956 Packard Patrician, NC Maltese gray, $9000. 1954 Packard Cavalier, runs good, needs little,

cosmetics $2400. 1949 Packard Deluxe 8, 3 spd/OD, runs well, looks

awful, $11 00 1950 Packard Deluxe 8, Automatic, runs better, looks

worse, $1100. 1951 Packard 200 Deluxe 4-door, barely runs,

interior excellent, body so-so $900. 1956 Executive 2-dr w/good running parts car­executive 4:.door (youll need it) $850.

1957 Clipper 4-dr w/good running parts car (you'il really need it!) $400.

1955 Clipper Constellation. $450. 1953 Mayfair, needs everything, including re- II

assembly $2000. Second 1953 Mayfair, needs even more! $1000.

PLUS 18 more non-Packards: Studes, Chrysler Products Hudson, etc. ON THE BLOCK to get the county off my case. CALL Dick Benjamin (714) 676-2232

R~production P ~rt5 1935 ' 1942

Us~d Parts 1935 . 1942

JUNIOR MODELS 8< SENIOR

WALLACE WALMSLEY (619) 283·3063

4732 BANCROFT ST. 1f7 SAN DII!:GO. CA 92116

LEMON GROVE PLATING 1400 CLEVELAND

NATIONAL CITY, CALIFORNIA 92050

To Packards International Members:

Over the years we have established a reputation for quality plating, and a quality car deserves quality

plating . I own a 1928 PACKARD Roadster and

know the value you place on your parts . If you

have a plating need, come in and ....

Ask The Man Who Owns One

President (619) 474 - 4424

International Motor Car Club San Diego Region

Looking for a new horne for your PACKARDs?

(p.s. and yourself?)

As a PACKARD owner and Realtor, I understand your needs both for good affordable housing and ample garage space for your car(s). My real estate background extends back to 1964, and for over 12 years now I have been a full time realtor serving all of San Diego County. If you need to sell your present home, and/or purchase another, please call me. I can help you in an honest and professional way with all your real estate needs. My computer has the ability to pinpoint your exact requirements.

Ask the woman who owns one

Ginger McLean Great Western Real Estate

(619) 560-5114 276-1234

..... ~-~ 3835 Mt. Brundage Avenue. San DIego, CA 92111 NOVEMBER 1990

International

I.. SAN DIEGO ~ REGION

Address Correction Requested

Lloyd King 3267 Mohican Ave. San Diego, CA 92117

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