Communications – February 2017

ORIGINS OF THE HOBBY

I read with interest Dennis Spence’s note in the June 2016 issue of the MV Magazine about the founder of the first historic MV club.

I would like to add – and give credit where credit is due – that Dennis Spence was the founder of the first MV club in the eastern USA. That club, after much club politics, finally morphed into the present day MVPA. Membership numbers start at 100 and Dennis’ MVPA number is 101C

The C as part of the number indicates that the member contributed funds – I believe that it was $20 – to the club treasury to get the club off the ground.

– Harold Ratzburg

MVPA #126C

OTHER FLYING FLEAS?

I have a 1945 Royal Enfield Flying Flea MC. I’m currently working on getting it going. Does anyone have one who is willing to compare, share info, etc.?

—Wayne Kaneen

ftwayne2050@att.net

Lets Do It! Route 66 in 2017 Convoy

To all fellow Cross-Country Convoy participants:

As we have asked before, are YOU ready for another Convoy? If you are, read on!

My wife Janine and I have enjoyed the last three convoys driving our 1964 Dodge M43 Ambulance. On TMC’09, we joined the convoy in Fallon, Nevada, and drove on the Lincoln Highway to San Francisco, CA. We drove the entire AC’12. The Alcan was an amazing trip to the Arctic Circle.On BH’15, I was part of the convoy core team working closely with Terry Shelswell, MVPA Convoy Projects Leader and Convoy Commander.

Following BH’15, Terry asked me to step up as Convoy Commander for RT 66’17 to allow Terry and Muriel time to enjoy driving “in” the convoy, and time for Terry to devote planning for TMC’19 convoy.

We are proud to introduce the 2017 MVPA Route 66 Convoy, from Chicago, IL to Santa Monica, CA. This convoy – the Rt66’17 Convoy – retraces the original 1926 route when the Bureau of Public Roads launched the nation’s first Federal highway system.

This 29-day / 2,500-mile Convoy is planned to leave from the Chicago on Saturday, September 16, 2017 and travel through the Midwest, ending up in Santa Monica, Calif. on October 14.

FIRST GEAR is September 16, 2017, @ 0700 hrs, somewhere in downtown Chicago, IL.

You will likely see a similar looking article in the next Supply Line issue introducing the RT 66 ‘17 Convoy. You will notice some small differences in the content – because we’ve made a couple of changes between the time I sent the article to Supply Line and now. What you read here is the most up-to-date. I am sure that there will be a few more changes before first gear.

So, I’ll finish this note as I started it … are YOU ready for another Convoy? There’s only about 300 or so days until “First Gear.”

– Dan McCluskey

RT 66 ‘17 Convoy Commanding Officer

Cell: 805-501-8979

mccluskey@sbcglobal.net

WHY DON’T THEY JOIN?

I have put a lot of thought into this stuff. Just looking at the MVMVC, I am the youngest member that is not in it because their dad is – and I am not that young anymore!

I did the club’s website in hopes of attracting more people to the club. We get hundreds of people to the Weare Rally. A lot of them are a lot younger than me, but we cannot get them to join.

The young guys are really into the big trucks, which is great, but as the club ages, it gets harder to put on a large rally like Weare. Not only have I noticed this in the military vehicle side of things, but in all clubs and organizations.

How can we promote people getting involved in the local club so things like the Weare Rally can continue well into the future? My fear is without any new people it is only a matter of time before things such as the Weare Rally no longer are around.

– Bill Falconer

This is the problem facing all hobbies as we have known them. I have worked with a few groups to address this. Changing events from “Show my jeep and sit in my lawn chair” to “Tractor-pull-type events” complete with driving courses and skills tests seems to be a path that gets younger folks excited. 

Also, demonstrating that they can have this fun for $5-10K is important. HMVs have never been a rich person’s hobby, but in the last few years, many have has tried to make it that. – JAG

VAPOR LOCK LED US TO MVM

I recently was on The Great Race from San Rafael to Moline Ill,as part of Team Alabama’s support crew and also covering the media for the team. It is a rally that tests both man and machine for 9 days over 2,400 miles.

The race isa timed event where getting from point A to point B in an exact amount of time on an exact course on public roads is the goal. All vehicles must be older than 1972, so we took our 1964 ½ Mustang. When we reached the higher and warmer parts of Nevada until we got to the plains of South Dakota we experienced “vapor lock” in the higher elevations and after filling the gas tank.

With that said I am also the editor of our car club’s newsletter.We are the Deep South Region of AACA (Antique Automobile Club of America). I came across an article on Military Vehicles Magazine’s web titled, “Notes from the Field: Ethanol Vapor Lock and Other Gas Woes” by Bob Muller.It is very well written and explains our problem. Thank you for serving the entire antique automobile hobby with your fine articles!

– Charlotte Dahlenburg

Military Vehicles Magazine welcomes correspondence from readers. Letters and e-mail must include a name and regular mail return address. Published letters reflect the opinions of the writers. Military Vehicles Magazine reserves the right to edit all letters for clarity, brevity, and other purposes. Address all correspondence to: Editor, Military Vehicles Magazine, 700 East State Street, Iola, WI 54990-0001, or e-mail to: john.adams-graf@fwcommunity.com.