6/30/09
CONNECTING R.O.D.S. NEWSLETTER
MEMBER CLUB
Jan-June 2009 NSRA - GOODGUYS - SSRA
The Connecting R.O.D.S. Newsletter, is sponsored by the Ramblin' Oldies of Denham Springs, Inc. to promote street rodding, and the construction and preservation of pre 1949 street rods. Articles do not reflect the opinions of the R.O.D.S. members or its officers. Classified ads are free of charge: R.O.D.S., P.O. Box #61, Denham Springs, La. 70727 or call (club secretary) Bobby Spann at (225)275-9868/E-mail: bobbyspann@AOL.com
- NEWS -
This is the first newsletter we’ve put out in a while, and a lot has happened while I’ve been away from the keyboard! How about Benny Spann has a running street rod?! That’s right after 24+ years his Model Y Ford sedan is now on the road! Ronnie D’Armond did some fab work and wiring, and when the license plate comes in he will be able to drive it out of the subdivision!
Also at Ronnie’s was Ken Valverde’s ‘39 Ford sedan getting a new heart transplant in the form of a Chevy crate ZZ4 motor. More power! ARH ARH ARH I just wonder how the General Motors bankruptcy will affect crate motor availability?!
I heard something about Jimmy Meyers working at Noah Kennedy’s rod shop down in New Orleans?! Can’t wait to see what comes out of that place! I think every car Jimmy has ever worked on has turned my crank. Starting with the tall Black T sedan with Boranni wire wheels, 4-cylinder, and AC back when nobody was running air.
News Flash ~ Doug Schaubhut took 6 RODS members down to the shop last Saturday to check out Norm Grabowski’s “Fish Truck,” and Norm himself was there!!! For pics go to www.normsnews.com
More good stuff? Bruce Broussard’s ‘32 Ford pickup is coming along nicely. Wayne Foy has been reworking the cab while Bruce is getting the chassis ready with a fuel injected V6 motor. He’s hoping for 30+ mpg in his “River City Rod Shop” hauler.
Welcome to our newest club members, Ed Jenkins and Jason Hoeks. Ed has a number of cars but usually cruises around in his 1936 Chevy coupe. Jason is building a rat rod Model A coupe and that baby is LOW! It’s nice to have both of them on board, and that brings our membership to 35!
Unfortunately there’s a down side this time. Long time RODS member and club treasurer Doug Schaubhut recently dropped out of the club. We all miss him, and everyone hopes he will be back in the ranks real soon!
“ROD RUNNING”
Calcasieu this year was pretty much rained out. Bruce, Dale, Louie and Steve drove over... and on its first real outing in 2 years Steve’s gold Model A coupe won a Top 10 trophy! Rumor has it Steve now carries a long garden hose in his trunk - to wet his car down at car shows!
Marvin “Best Paint” Miller and Tom “Best Engine” Morgan went to the Lamar Dixon BBQ Cook-off & Car Show, but reported that after the judging THEY DIDN’T GIVE OUT ANY BBQ?! What’s up with that? Good luck getting anybody out there again!!
The Pensacola Rod-Tiques “Sunny Beaches” Rod Run this past May was great. Back on the beach; the hotel was only $69 a night!!! Walking distance to the boardwalk, gulf, restaurants and shops made it really convenient too. Supper Friday night was your choice of bbq pork or a BIG sausage po-boy, and all the cake you could eat. About 50 cars enjoyed the beautiful rain free weekend, and Lee Laurent won a Chevy 350 transmission! I’ll definitely be back next year. Out of 6 cars from our club, Danny Frederic, Louie Galy, Roger Lambert and Marvin Miller were in the Top 10.
The following weekend a group of RODS members went to Hammond for the Coon Ass / Redneck Nationals. Couple hundred rods, customs and muscle cars, vendors, pinstriping, and more of Randy Wilson’s wacky goings on! That is worth the trip!
At the same time another group (yeah, we have a big club) went to the Corvette Club’s benefit show at the Historic Plaquemine Locks. Beautiful grounds and C.G. won Best Truck…
Most of the RODS club members will be attending what looks to be the LAST NSRA Street Rod Nationals, going on in Louisville next month. It is so sad to see the passing of an era like this, but NSRA’s decision to open their ranks and events to pre-1980 vehicles in 2010 effectively ends their promotion of pre 1949 street rods. The whole reason for the association in the first place. -yeah, WHAT were they thinking?!-
-31st Annual RODS Run Recap -
Wow; 150 STREET RODS in Baton Rouge this year! Beautiful weather, a nice swap meet, vendors, food, live band, 100+ door prizes, $500 cash grand prize... a great time was had by all. In addition we raised over $1,400.00 for the Hospice Foundation of Baton Rouge!
This year we gave out Top 10 trophies to: Al Cravens, 48 Chevy P.U.; Kevin Breaux (Best Engine) 41 Willys Coupe; Jerry Buchicchio, 39 Ford Convert; Jerry Mowers, 30 Ford P.U.; L.J.Werner, 39 Chevy Sedan; Henry Locklar, 36 Ford Coupe; Renee Cravens, 36 Chevy Coupe; Gary Green, 33 Ford Coupe; Robert Morrison (Best Paint) 31 Ford Coupe and Lyle Kuhlmann, 1934 Ford Coupe!
Best Interior went to Jim Riche, 39 Chevy and Best Engineered James Baker in a 1920 Ford T - he drove to the run from Oklahoma! With the successful 2009 run under our belt we plan on building on that for 2010. Geeze, 2010!?! That sounds like something out of a Star Trek movie! Well back on earth you can expect more vendors, more cars and more fun! In addition to a bigger (free) swap meet, Joey Hutson will be at the run doing custom pinstriping!
Check out our website www.streetrods.org for the 2009 pictures.
- SAFETY MATTERS -
I’ve mentioned this before: make sure your tail lights are “aimed” correctly. Those ‘39 teardrops won’t do much good if they point toward the moon! A good idea would be to follow your car sometime on a dark road to see what everyone behind you is looking at... A lot of rodders are going LED now and they are bright - the display at CTC like to have blinded me!
I’m sure we’ve all heard someone exclaim “It’s impossible for my car to start in gear.” Well let me tell you a true story:
Once upon a time the late Butch Bonney was working on his ‘34 Plymouth in the shop behind his house and reached through the window to crank it up. For whatever reason it started in reverse! Exiting the garage with Butch hanging from the door trying to reach the brake pedal must have been a sight. Anyway the car backed all the way across the yard and right through the bedroom wall of his brick house! A testament to Mopar iron - his car just had a few scratches on it!
Make sure you get your street rod inspected by an NSRA Safety Team member! They can spot problems (like unadjusted neutral safety switches) that may just save your life. You don’t have to belong to a club, and it’s FREE. I repeat, FREE!
JUST CRUISIN' by Bobby
I overheard something at a British car show the other day that sums it all up; “The trick is to build a “100 point” car, then drive it down to 90!” I mean that guy really hit the nail on the head, and he could have been talking about a lot of street rodders I know.
I’m constantly amazed at the craftsmanship that RODS club members put into their custom vehicles. It is a good case of “lead by example” and I know it really inspires myself and others to go that extra mile with our rides.
While a lot of people build “show cars” and trailer them to runs, others brag about their ‘daily drivers’ (which I think is often just an excuse not to do the finish work). But the guys that show up on Saturday mornings at Rick’s, and at our monthly club meetings go one step further. Any one of them could win a Top 10 or 25 award at a major rod run yet these guys get more out of driving to shows, usually at 75-80 mph!
I have to admit that due to wind noise and lack of seat belts, my comfort level in the Model A is quite a bit lower than that. But I recently bought a 4.3 liter V6 that I plan on putting in my car - along with seat belts! Some new tires and I’ll be set…
Cruise Safe
-SO, LETS CRUISE!-
July 24-26 = 25th Annual Catfish Run. Sardis, MS pre-49
Mississippi Delta Street Rods 662-429-7265
Aug 6-9 = The LAST NSRA Pre-49 Rod Nationals! Louisville Ky; an event that they will be talking about for years. (And the last time you’ll be able to distinguish the show from the parking lot)
Aug 7-9 = Hot Summer Nights, Beaumont Texas
Sept 4-6 = Houma Rod Run, hosted by Mardi Gras Street Rods, Houma, La. For info call 985-532-2777
Sept 19 = Rock & Roll Revival, Meridian Miss.
Oct 4-11 = Cruisin The Coast www.cruisinthecoast.com
Every Saturday Morning: R.O.D.S. Cruise Breakfast at Rick’s Burgers - Florida Blvd at Flannery Rd, Baton Rouge. 7:00am till about 9:00am. Good, inexpensive food and free coffee!
Other Cruise nights (March - December)
Classic Chevy Club Cruise Night:
First SUNDAY, Sonic Drive In, Sherwood Forest Blvd. @ Old Hammond Hwy in B.R., 4:00-7:00
Third SUNDAY at the Sonic on Coursey Blvd. 4:00-7:00
Golden Oldies Cruise Night: Second Saturdays, Hobby Lobby parking lot on Hwy 190 in Hammond. 5:00 till
Gerry Lane Enterprises Super Cruise Night: Third Saturdays at the Tanger Outlet Center in Gonzales. Music, soft drinks and popcorn! Come early for a parking space! $1 entry 5:00-8:00
.060 OVER
A sign of the times - seems we have been starting our club meetings recently with reports on who’s sick or passed away (like NSRA’s Joe Mayall) or more hopefully, recovering.
I’m sorry to report that ex-RODS member Jerry Ramsey’s wife Judy passed away in 2008. Back when we were doing the RODS Run at the Quality Suites she and her daughter Jackie threw the best Friday night party we ever had. They did a Hawaiian theme, serving chili dogs off a surfboard! She will be truly missed.
In November Bruce Broussard’s dad also passed away, in December Danny Fredric’s sister died and more recently Leo Bouquet’s mother in law. Please keep their families in your thoughts and prayers.
The R.O.D.S. officer elections were a couple month’s back and the slate of guys “in charge” of things this year include:
Danny Frederic President, Harry Jenkins Vice President, Kenny Allen Treasurer and Bobby Spann Secretary. In addition Lee Laurent is the R.O.D.S Run Co-coordinator and Bruce Broussard Sgt. At Arms / Web Master. Please, no autographs!
Ever hear of blinker fluid? How about replacement filaments for burned out light bulbs?! Well according to rod expert Doug Schaubhut these and other imaginary goodies are available from several sources! Man he had us in stitches with his daily online “thoughts” a while back... Got any more Doug?!
Till next time!
Bobby
The next R.O.D.S. club meeting will be Tuesday July 7th at Danny Frederic’s shop in Gonzales. Visitors are welcome; we usually gather about 6:00 for supper, with the meeting starting at 7:00. For more info call Danny Frederic (225)622-2403.