This page contains material from the October 2002 newsletter

EDITOR Jim Pittman NEXT MEETING: Wednesday October 2nd 7:30 PM Galles Chevrolet, Lomas & University THIS MONTH: Dues Due Sylvan Zuercher September Meeting, Board Notes Chuck Vertrees The Driver's Seat Robert Gold August NMCCC Meeting Notes Mark Martinek Calendar of Coming Events Everybody October Meeting Preview Sylvan Zuercher October Election Sylvan Zuercher CNM Ladies Anne Mae Gold Christmas Party Plans Rita Gongora Seven Years Ago Jim Pittman Get Ready for Summer aolsvc.carguides.aol.com For Sale, Trade or Wanted Everybody Photos: Corvairs going to the New Mexico State Fair COVER: Let's all go to the New Mexico State Fair! Are you ready for the International Balloon Fiesta? === The tusks that clashed in mighty brawls Of mastodons, are billiard balls. The sword of Charlemagne the Just Is ferric oxide, known as rust. The grizzly bear whose potent hug Was feared by all, is now a rug. Great Caesar's bust is on the shelf, And I don't feel so well myself. -- Arthur Guiterman Dues Expired or Due or Approaching Due: John Mattern 2002-Jul Debbie Deck 2002-Sep Robert McBreen 2002-Sep Lee Olsen 2002-Sep Jon Anderson 2002-Oct John Topp 2002-Oct Wendell Walker 2002-Oct David Huntoon 2002-Dec Walter Huntoon 2002-Dec If your membership is due or has expired, please send your dues to: Wendell Walker, CNM Treasurer, 301 Utah Meadow, Rio Rancho, NM 87124 Note: the Club will mail in your National dues when you renew, but only if you send us the renewal form from CORSA Communique! === SEPTEMBER MEETING NOTES - Chuck Vertrees The meeting was called to order at 19:33 on 9/04/02 at Galles Chevrolet. All officers were present. Brian Zolna was introduced as a guest. Some of us older members remember Brian since he used to be a member of CNM about 10 or 15 years ago before he moved. He is here right now on vacation, but as anyone who has ever lived here, he is considering moving back. We would be very glad to have him back. Joel Nash wanted the minutes amended to show that he has had some discussions with the zoning people and no violations. The car mentioned has been moved inside his lot and he is trying to find out who owned it before anything is done to it. Joel also wanted it known that the last time he sent a car to the crusher was in 1964 and that there is a long story that goes with that happening. Joel regards any car, with or without an engine, as a moving hollow sculpture. The minutes were changed to reflect this and were approved as amended. Treasurer Wendell Walker reported that we have $738.64 in the Wells Fargo Account and $4,798.65 in the GMAC Account for a total worth of $5,537.29. CAR COUNCIL REPORT Car Council representative Mark Martinek was not at the meeting since he was out of town. His minutes of the C.C. meeting are on line. These are some excerpts from his report. Several presentations were made concerning future car shows. (All of the future events can be found on line at the CNM web site.) The Museum car show is scheduled for 5/18/03. A five-person committee was formed to negotiate with the city. Los Lunas is still under consideration for the 2003 car show. Southwest Motor Sports want the C.C. to hold the 2003 swap meet and car show at their facilities. Individual clubs will be surveyed. The 2002 Swap Meet will be September 29th in Los Lunas. Clubs need to volunteer at least 2 members to work 2 hours each, as gate guards, etc. Mark will also be out of town at the time of the next C.C. meeting. Jerry Goffe will cover if he is in town. OLD BUSINESS: Robert Gold reminded the CNM members about the State Fair Car Show on the 29th. He has all the ribbons and they made a lot of 2nd and 3rd place ribbons, so there will be at least three awards in the 16 novelty classes. Everyone will win something! Election of officers will be in October. Everyone can run for an office. If anyone wants to contest for secretary, that is OK. The slate of proposed officers will be printed elsewhere in this newsletter. NEW BUSINESS: Mark Domzalski reported that Oregon has finally appointed a chairperson for the 2005 convention in Portland. Steve Gongora has Mark's old red F.C. and it is in the shop right now to have the suspension worked over. This is the truck that Mark and Elizabeth brought here from Oregon when they moved here. Larry Blair got a call from a possible member who had just moved here from Arkansas and his 1968 110 Powerglide doesn't like 5000 feet altitude. Larry referred him to Dave Langlois and offered to help him get there if necessary. It was also reported that Dave has gotten the films and manuals on Powerglide transmissions and may start to work on them. It was also reported that our sponsor, Joe Trujillo, has gotten his car running again. He was planning to try and make this meeting but was unable to do so. Mark Domzalski said that if you are planning on going to the GWFBT&SM you should try to stay at the Ocotillo Hotel. It is an older place but has been kept up very well. This is where the stars used to stay. A future event that you should put on your calendar is the Annual (?) Potluck and Auction at House of Covers on November 2nd at 18:00. Bring your white elephants and other items that you would like to get rid of. Also bring small bills and change. Proceeds will go to CNM. More later! The meeting was adjourned at 20:08. === SEPTEMBER BOARD MEETING by Chuck Vertrees The meeting was called to order at 17:18 on the 18th at House of Covers. Present at the meeting were Robert Gold, Steve Gongora, Jim Pittman, Sylvan Zuercher, Larry Blair, Wendell Walker and Chuck Vertrees. Wendell reported that the CNM had $637.37 in the checking account and $4,798.65 in the GMAC account for a total worth of $5,436.02. The minutes of the last board meeting were approved as printed in the newsletter. The first item discussed was the State Fair Car Show on next Sunday the 22nd. There are 15 cars committed to come, including an Ultravan. Robert has 38 ribbons to award so everyone should get several. All cars can leave around 16:00 and should leave together. The next Car Council meeting is on the 25th, which is a week from tonight. Mark will be out of town but Larry Blair has agreed to go if at all possible. The Car Council swap meet is on the 29th of this month and they need 3 to 5 CNM members to work the gates. Robert will check Steve's E-mail to get the person to contact and try to get some volunteers at the show. The election is scheduled for the October meeting. All of the current officers have agreed to run for one more year. It was unanimously agreed that it would be great if other members would contest some or all of the offices. It is rumored that Joel Nash might be interested in the vice-president position, however this is a several times removed rumor. It was also suggested that the board might stir up some interest if we moved to impeach the president, possibly on he charge of moral turpitude. This fell through when the only grounds we could find was that at one time he owned a Mustang. There was no discussion of the 2003 Tri-State. If we remembered right, the crew was supposed to go to Raton on the 19th, tomorrow. When Joe Trujillo became our sponsor, CNM gave him a membership in CORSA. This has now expired. Steve will see if he enjoyed the membership and receiving CORSA Communique each month. If so we will set up an automatic renewal of his membership. Joe has his Corvair running now but it still needs a lot of work. Sylvan is getting ready to send in the Chapter renewal and will hold it until Steve checks with Joe. It is reported that our former sponsor and member, Milton Sanchez, has sold his Corvair (a nice early convertible) to an out of state buyer. The meeting was adjourned at 18:00. === FROM THE DRIVERS SEAT Robert Gold It's hard to for me to believe that my term as President of CNM is coming to an end. I'd like to believe I have made a positive contribution to the club during the past year. You, the members, are the ones who will decide that. I know for sure my work as president made me appreciate the efforts of the presidents who served before me. One of my great fears was not realized - that the club would end its existence during my term. I feel that the reason any president is successful is in large part due to the great support of the membership and that the main job of the president is to make sure everyone receives proper recognition for their hard work. I therefore want to thank the current slate of officers for their help -- Larry Blair, Chuck Vertrees and Wendy Walker. Jim Pittman deserves thanks on a monthly basis for his work on the CNM newsletter. Thanks also to Mark Martinek for his steady work as our Car Council Rep. This in spite of my best efforts to make his job a hard one! Finally, and most importantly, I need to recognize all the CNM members who made our numerous activities possible. I can't overstate their importance. These activities are an important part of my family's social schedule. I can't imagine not having a chance to participate in the varied things this club does on a monthly basis. Oh yes, I need to make special note of the contributions made by the CNM Ladies to the club. The family friendly atmosphere we have is in large part due to the work of the Ladies. Also, their work has been noted on the national level and serves as an example to other clubs to emulate. With all that said, after pondering all the good times I've had in the past year I've decided to run again for President of CNM. Please don't let this fact prevent any of you from running for President or any of the other officer positions. The only way the club will progress is to have new people contributing to our operation. I'm pleased to recognize Joel Nash for his willingness to run for the position of Vice-President. Joel has previously been President and VP of the club. Now that he is retired he feels he has the time now to contribute his energy to the club. I hope he will serve as an example to other members to run for club office. Since I've spent most of this column recognizing the good deeds of our club members I'd like to now take this opportunity to recognize something that is central to our club -- THE CORVAIR! I learned when I first joined the club 20 years ago that owning a Corvair was not an absolute requirement. All the club asked was that you have an interest in the car. But among the club members who have Corvairs and drive them there have been several that I have "lusted after in my heart" (to quote a former President). There was George Morin's Lakewood from the 1980's that now graces my driveway and is my wife's daily driver. There was Jon Anderson's 500 that I wanted to steal, but he left town too soon! Well, for quite another reason I would like to recognize a car currently owned by a CNM member that has made quite an impression on me. It's the early model coup owned by Geoff Johnson. Geoff is a second generation club member who has demonstrated a dedication to the Corvair that is an inspiration to me. He started with a giveaway car and through hard work and inspiration has created a car to be proud of. It's one thing to simply pour money into a car, it's quite another to invest pure enthusiasm into a car project. This, I feel, is what Corvair ownership is really about. Keep up the good work Geoff! Well, I've finally run out of steam. I just want to thank you all again for putting up with me during the last year. Let's see what wonderful things we can do in the next year. -- Robert Gold === August 2nd, 2002 NMCCC Report 1. The meeting was called to order at 7:34 PM. 2. The treasurer reported $6228.38 in the checking account and over $12,000.00 in CD (actual CD totals not available). 3. Several speakers talked on upcoming events: -o Bill Callihan, T or C, told of the 2002 Veteran's Day Car Show in T or C on 9th November to benefit the residents of the New Mexico Veteran's Home. -o Jeanine Otera told of the Aug 31 & Sep 1 car show at Traditions. -o Representatives from the Rainbow Roadrunner Car Club told of the 2nd Annual Balloon Fiesta Car Show to be held on 6 Oct (Free admission to the fiesta for participants). -o Tom Willers told of the Orphan Car Show to be held at Tires Plus, NE corner of Eubank & Manuel (not Rio Rancho) on 14 Sep. 4. The Museum Car Show is scheduled for 18 May 2003. A five person volunteer committee was formed to negotiate with the city. 5. A car show in Los Lunas is still under consideration for 2003. 6. Mike Gonzales reported that the Southwest Motor Sports people wants an answer as to holding the 2003 Swap Meet and a car show at their complex. After some discussion it was decided that individual clubs should be surveyed to see if there was support for events at the site. SWMS would provide advertisement. The results of the club survey would be consolidated at the September meeting and a decision based on the survey would be made. 7. The 2002 Swap Meet planning and organization, 29 September in Los Lunas, is well under way. Clubs are asked to volunteer at least 2 members to work 2 hours as gate guards. (I did not commit CNM to any times as I would not be at the CNM, NMCCC Meetings or the swap meet. I did ask Steve Gongora to help coordinate support). Two free spaces will be given to car clubs providing support for club use (not for sale of items). It was mentioned that Jerry Goffe had not let the organizers known of PSAs coordinated. 8. The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 PM. Mark Martinek -- CNM Representative === SEVEN YEARS AGO -by- Jim Pittman One Year Ago - October 2001 - Volume 27 - Number 10 The cover showed a pre-9/11 view of York City's twin towers of the World Trade Center, reminding us of another day that will live in infamy. Do you remember what you were thinking in October a year ago? I thought it was the end of the world as we knew it -- was I mistaken? Just what has changed during the last year? Maybe by now we all have a different and more realistic view of our place in the world. Or, maybe not. Seven Years Ago - October 1995 - Volume 21 - Number 10 The cover depicted a California Corvair van with five open doors on the passenger side. The illustration was not Photoshop-enhanced, but showed a van that was built by surgically joining a front two-thirds section with a back two-thirds section on a lengthened Buick frame. Power was by a 325-HP Buick V-8 and gas mileage was in the 12-14 MPG range. In September Larry invited us to meet at the AMAFCA office as Casa Chevrolet was still being remodeled. We had $1,068.64 in the bank. Bill Reider reported that the NMCCC swap meet and the State Fair car show were on the same weekend. Corvair belt buckles were here, $16 each. We were planning an auction, a photo rally, a group visit to the Marine Corps Band and our annual Christmas party. Monthly committee meetings for the convention were continuing. Larry Blair wrote his "swan song" as president and reviewed our accomplishment during the last year. Our board decided we would not accept paid advertising in the Newsletter. Bill Reider was working on the third edition of the Care & Feeding booklet. Tech tips included a report on Rush Limbaugh's analysis of the career of our friend Ralph Nader (no, he did not like him), cleaning your old steering box, fixing dim tail lights and the world's best concrete driveway cleaner. And Kay Sutt FAXed a report on the State Fair Car Show as experienced by Kay and Tarmo; their '64 convertible took first place. Fourteen Years Ago - October 1988 - Volume 14 - Number 10 The cover was a Mark Morgan drawing of a Corvair-visaged hot air balloon. (We adopted this theme for our 1996 convention.) We had $562 to spend. We planned our participation at the NMCCC swap meet. Bill Lawless asked for member input to plan for the Aspencade next month. Richard Twilley announced he would be auctioning off all his Corvair tools and parts. Sylvan reported on meeting the Dare-Vair in Clines Corners. Steve Gongora reported on the trip to Las Vegas and a tour of Montezuma Castle. Twenty-one Years Ago - October 1981 - Volume 7 Number 10 Mark Morgan's popular series of articles on driving in various foreign countries took us to Italy this month; the cover showed Lieutenant Mark and his Avis Greenbrier being passed by a tiny Fiat. Robert "Bob" Gold was a new member this month. Robert "Bob" Phillips gave another interesting talk on body work. The "Dummy of the Month" told about buttoning up an engine, complete with sheet metal, carbs, fuel lines and throttle linkage, only to realize that the fan belt could not be installed because the fan bearing, the fan and the fan pulley were still sitting on a shelf, not on the engine. Tech tips included: using the correct short bolts to install door hinges (long ones WILL dimple the door skin), a tire-pressure table, correct lubricant for positraction, preventing thermostat breakage and fixing early model water leaks. Twenty-eight Years Ago - October 1974 At our eighth meeting we planned our first Winrock Car Show, which turned out to be a big success. === ============================================================================ C O R V A I R S o f N E W M E X I C O C O M I N G E V E N T S ============================================================================ | | | | | O c t o b e r | N o v e m b e r | D e c e m b e r | | | | | | : : 1 2 3 4 5 | : : : : : 1 2 | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 | | 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 | 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 | 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 | | 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 | 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 | 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 | | 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 | 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 | 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 | | 27 28 29 30 31 : : | 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 | 29 30 31 : : : : | | : : : : : : : | : : : : : : : | : : : : : : : | ============================================================================ Wed 2nd Oct 7:30 PM Regular Meeting - GALLES CHEVROLET 1601 Lomas NE Sat 12th Oct 1:00-4:00 CNM Ladies - Balloon Fiesta at the Golds' residence Wed 16th Oct 5:00 PM Board Meeting - House of Covers Fri 25th Oct 9:00 PM Newsletter Deadline - Jim Pittman Sat 2nd Nov 6:00 PM Pot luck / Auction - held at House of Covers Wed 6th Nov 7:30 PM Regular Meeting - GALLES CHEVROLET 1601 Lomas NE Fri 8th Nov ....... Great Western Fan Belt Toss and Swap Meet - California Sat 9th Nov 1:00-4:00 CNM Ladies -- The Goffs' residence Wed 20th Nov 5:00 PM Board Meeting - House of Covers Fri 22nd Nov 9:00 PM Newsletter Deadline - Jim Pittman Sun 1st Dec 11:00 AM Christmas Brunch at Kirtland AFB. Rita: 292-5570 Wed 4th Dec 7:30 PM Regular Meeting - GALLES CHEVROLET 1601 Lomas NE Sat 14th Dec 1:00-4:00 CNM Ladies - TBA Wed 18th Dec 5:00 PM Board Meeting - House of Covers Fri 20th Dec 9:00 PM Newsletter Deadline - Jim Pittman =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=++=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= Election in October -by- Sylvan Zuercher We have the following slate of candidates for office: President: Robert Gold Vice-president: Larry Blair and Joel Nash Secretary: Chuck Vertrees Treasurer: Wendell Walker Anyone who wants to run for office should contact the Nominations Committee (that's Sylvan) at 299-7577 in order to be listed as a candidate. Nominations from the floor before the election will also be accepted, with the caveat that the Club allows no railroading. When nominations are closed we will vote. New officers assume their duties at the start of the November meeting. Vote early and vote often! October Program Note -by- Sylvan Zuercher Our October speaker will be Sy Feldman who will have an approximately 45 minute slide and talk presentation relating his experience as an American pilot flying for the RAF during WWII. This presentation is NOT TO MISSED. CNM Ladies -by- Anne Mae Gold Greetings to one and all! I'm sorry to say that due to very busy schedules, trips and prior committments, the September gathering had to be canceled. Thank you to Brenda Stickler for being so understanding! She has offered the use of her cabin for a gathering later in 2003, sometime in the spring... maybe May? Let me know how you all feel about meeting on Mother's Day weekend... Yes, No? October will find us here at the Gold Abode. It will be an open type meeting. I've scheduled a Pampered Chef party... it is one of the Balloon Fiesta week- ends... bring friends, relatives, heck bring strangers you meet on the corner! It also happens to be the due date for our Chef so bring rubber gloves, we might have a real exciting time! On November 2nd we will be having a White Elephant Auction at House of Covers. It will also be a pot-luck. Doors will be open for us around 6:00 (although Robert insists it's 5:58). Bring what you like to eat, bring enough to share, plates and cutlery will be provided. There is a coke machine there, but if you are picky... bring your own beverage. Also bring lots of small bills! We don't make change easily when everyone brings their high-roller wads of money!! November 9th, the second Saturday of the month, we are scheduled to meet at the Goffs' home. Time is still from 1-4 pm. If you need any added info or want to set up a carpool, give me a call at 268-6878. Thank you all for your support! -- Anne Mae Will we have a December meeting, or is the Christmas party our December meeting? Stay tuned. Christmas Corvair Brunch -by- Rita Gongora We are getting ready early this year: the Christmas Corvair Brunch is on track! It will be on Sunday December 1, 2002 at 11:00 AM at the Kirtland AFB Officers' Club, the same location as last year. It will be okay if you need to arrive after 12:00 noon. When you go to the Wyoming gate to KAFB be sure to have your driver's license, proof of vehicle insurance and the vehicle registration. For more information, call Rita at 292-5570 or 256-0551. Aspencade 2002 - Jim Pittman At the board meeting someone said, What about this year's Aspencade? We all looked at each other and realized we had all forgotten about it. So we decided to call Tarmo for ideas - after all, Tarmo and Kay have put together many spectacular and enjoyable trips for us over the years! Some ideas: A repeat of the drive to the Salman Ranch and return through Mora. A drive up to the Santa Fe Ski Area where we could ride to the top on the ski lift. A drive to Santa Fe, then take the train to Lamy. A drive to Santa Fe, then take in some of the many museums or look at the arts along Canyon Road. So, members, what would you like to do? Bring your ideas to the October meeting or contact Tarmo (505-471-1153 or tarmo@juno.com) or one of the CNM officers. === Chapter Five - The Final Chapter (or so I Hope) Mark J Martinek mjmartinek AT juno DOT com (505) 275-3271 Dave called on Tuesday the 6th of August that the Corvair was ready for pickup. He had done some additional work not specified in our original agreement at no extra charge. He had repainted the engine compartment and installed a new clutch cable. On Friday, 9 August Mary Lou and I went to get the Corvair. I took a couple of pictures of the engine and compartment before I started it up and got it dirty. It looked great and after starting it I could tell that it had never run so great before. After paying Dave and getting instructions on the care, upkeep, and warranty and getting information on what was done and old parts reused, I took off. The Corvair ran like a champ so I went driving around town showing it off and conducting some business. After leaving the House of Covers while proceeding east on Central the Corvair started to stall like from a lack of gas. I was able to push it off Central to the corner of Hermosa and Copper where I sat in the hot sun for about an hour or so waiting for Mary Lou to bring me a can of gas. I tried restarting the Corvair by priming the carburetors to no avail. I disconnected the fuel line into the pump to check for gas flow, which there was. I tried again to prime the carburetors and restart the car again with no luck. By now I am frustrated and decide that the fuel pump is not working. I called Dave and made arrangements to get a used pump. While waiting for it, it dawned on me that the fuel flow was rather weak, so I once again disconnected the fuel line. This time there was no apparent flow of gas so I blew hard into the line. I felt something give like a plug was removed. When I applied suction the fuel flowed rapidly. I reconnected the line, primed the carburetors, and started the car. I had no trouble driving home. After letting the car sit for about an hour I decided to drive back to Dave's and discuss the problem with him. After driving three blocks to the intersection of Candelaria and Eubank it again stalled. I was able to coast into the Mac Donald's parking lot. Being smarter now, I immediately disconnected the fuel line, blew it out, applied suction, reconnected the line, primed the carburetors and started the car. Not wanting to risk another stall in heavy traffic I returned home. After discussing the problem with Dave and being advised to install an electric fuel pump, preferable an Autozone OEM type for a 1985 Honda Accord, I decided to drain the tank and pull the fuel outlet/sending unit to make sure the screen was not dirty and getting plugged. After draining the tank and pulling the unit I found there was no screen on the end of the pickup tube. Feeling the best I could inside the tank, I was unable to find a loose screen or any sign of rust, corrosion or debris that could have blocked the fuel line. After refueling, actually filling the tank, I decided that the problem must have been vapor lock and that an electric fuel pump would solve it. Since the tank is now full of gas the installation of the pump will have to wait till most of it is used up. If the pump works this is the end of my sad tale. If it doesn't there will be more to come. === Note: Larry asked me if I remembered an article on how to "wake up" a Corvair that had not been driven for a long time. I remember reading several discussions over the year but off course, I could not remember a specific article. So I tried Google on the web and came up with the following. Maybe it will help: http://aolsvc.carguides.aol.com/cars/articles/46351_edmunds.html How to Get Your Car Ready for Summer If you live where the summer months get hot, you'll want to take a few things into consideration regarding your car, truck or SUV. It's important to remember that hot weather can be tough on mechanical components. For example, your cooling system has to work harder to keep the engine from overheating, tires have to perform under hotter conditions, and if you have a breakdown, you should be prepared to subsist in hot weather until some form of assistance arrives, or you're able to repair the vehicle yourself. While there are many similarities between getting your vehicle ready for summer and getting it ready for winter, a couple of differences do exist. These are covered below in the following numerated subjects and corresponding photos. Let's take a look. 1. Remove snow tires. While snow tires work great in the winter, they're not much good in the summer months when there's no snow on the ground. Plus, you'll wear them out much faster by using them on dry pavement. It's a good idea to have two sets of wheels: one mounted with snow tires and one with summer or all-season tires. You can even swap the wheels yourself since you won't have to go to a tire shop to have two sets of tires removed and remounted on one set of wheels, which could run $40 to $50 each time you do it. (continued on page 10) 2. Check the tire pressure. Tire pressure is important at all times. It's critical to have properly inflated tires, as this assures the best possible contact between the tire and the road. Read your owner's manual to find the correct tire pressures, and, if necessary, adjust pressures to compensate for the hotter operating conditions -- especially if you're doing lots of high-speed driving on a summer-vacation road trip. Properly inflated tires will also last longer and improve gas mileage. Because of summertime's higher temperatures, the air pressure in a warm tire rises. Why? Because air is a gas, and gas expands when it heats up. Keep this in mind if you are checking tire pressures. Generally, for every 10-degree Fahrenheit rise in ambient temperature, your tire's inflation pressure will go up by about 1 psi. Also, an improperly inflated tire can heat excessively, potentially leading to a blow-out on the highway. 3. Change the engine oil and adjust the viscosity grade. This isn't as hard as it sounds. Viscosity refers to the thickness of the oil. For example, maple syrup has a higher viscosity than water. Engine oils are sold with different levels of viscosity, and many of them are also multi-viscous, which means the oil's thickness can change depending on its temperature. Generally speaking, the warmer the oil is, the thinner it will be. If the oil is too thin, the engine might not get the proper lubrication. To solve this summertime issue, you can change your vehicle's engine oil to one that is a little thicker. Even when the thicker oil is cold, it is still not too thick for proper engine lubrication. Determining what type of oil your car should have during the summer is easy. Simply read your vehicle's owner's manual. The manual will list the manufacturer's oil recommendations for different climates. If you have a dealership or local garage perform the oil change, you can ask the manager what type and viscosity of oil they are putting into your vehicle. Most modern cars have recommended oil grades of 5W-30, 10W-30 or 10W-40 which are all multi-viscous grades. 4. Inspect the belts and hoses. The belts and hoses in modern cars last a long time. But that doesn't mean they don't have the potential to fail. Before summer begins, have the belts and hoses inspected on your vehicle. And if you're not sure when they were last replaced, consider having them changed, especially before commencing on a long road trip. 5. Inspect the wipers and wiper fluid. Visibility is always important and our experience tells us that summer storms can be quite severe in some parts of the country. The life expectancy of a wiper blade is one year. If your car's blades are dried out and not making full contact with the windshield, replace them. Also check and fill your wiper fluid reservoir. A summertime thunderstorm isn't the best time to run out of wiper fluid or to discover your blades aren't performing properly. 6. Check the battery. A battery gives little warning before it goes dead. And it'll likely do so when you least expect it. Hot weather can put additional strain on a battery similar to what is experienced in cold weather. If your vehicle battery is more than three years old, have it tested at a certified automotive repair facility. Also, make sure the posts and connections are free of corrosion. If you're embarking on a long trip, consider replacing the battery if you don't know how old it is. These days, batteries are not very expensive, and it's cheap insurance when you're out on the open road. We also recommend that you always carry jumper cables, as mentioned below in the emergency kit section. 7. Check coolant/antifreeze mixture. The ideal mixture of coolant and water inside your vehicle's radiator is 50:50. If the mixture deviates from this norm, then hot-weather performance (and cold) can be compromised. If you were to put pure water in your vehicle's radiator, it would boil at 212 degrees Fahrenheit. But if you combine the water with an equal amount of antifreeze, the new mixture boils at a much higher temperature. You can check the composition of a radiator's mixture by using an antifreeze tester. You can find these at all auto parts stores, and they are inexpensive and easy to use. If the mixture's balance is off, adjust it by adding either coolant or water. 8. Carry an emergency kit inside your car. Things you might consider carrying include the following: a. A flashlight, flares and a first-aid kit. b. Jumper cables. c. Extra clothes and gloves. d. Paper towels. e. Extra washer fluid. f. Food and water. g. Basic tools like wrenches, a ratchet and sockets, screwdrivers and pliers or Vise-Grips. 9. Things to Consider When Removing a Vehicle from Long-Term Storage Those of you who live in an area of the country where the winters are tough might store a car on a long-term basis to protect it from the elements. If you do that, you'll want to think about a few things before pulling the car out of the garage and hitting the road. If you changed the oil before putting the car away, then you'll be in good shape when it's time to start it up after a long winter in storage. Before starting the car, though, check the oil level on the dipstick first. Recheck it once the car has been idling for a few minutes. If you have relatively easy access to the spark plugs, consider removing them and pouring two to three small drops of oil in the cylinders to prelube the cylinder walls before startup. This isn't absolutely critical (we know that plug access on some vehicles is very difficult) but would certainly be helpful in prolonging engine life. In addition to engine oil, check all vital fluid levels. This includes the brake system's master cylinder, the coolant level, the power-steering fluid and the transmission fluid if the vehicle has an automatic transmission. Gasoline stabilizer poured into the tank before the long-storage is begun is also a good idea. If this was done, you'll be in good shape during startup after the term ends. If getting the vehicle started is a problem and you didn't use any stabilizer, you might need to drain the old fuel and pour in new gas. Replacing the fuel filter might also be a solution to any problems related to getting the vehicle started after long-term storage. After parking the vehicle for storage, it's a good idea to disconnect the battery. It's also a good idea to remove it from the vehicle, too, if you can. Obviously, if you disconnected the battery, you'll need to reconnect it before starting. As mentioned earlier, you'll also want to check tire pressure before hitting the road after long-term storage. Finally, before moving the vehicle at all, thoroughly check underneath it to determine if there are any leaks that might need attention. Tending to this and the other basic concerns noted above will ensure that you'll be set to go after your car has been stored for a long period of time. === * * * * * * * * * * * FOR SALE, TRADE OR WANTED * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * FOR SALE: Set of seats (front & back) for 1965 Monza blue. Good condition. Asking $50 OBO Robert Gold 268-6878 FOR SALE: Early sedan fender skirts, new, painted white. Asking $25. Geoff Johnson 344-3178 FOR SALE: RB block with freshly ground crank .010, .010 with distributor gear, eccentric for fuel pump, spacer, and slinger. Clevite 77 bearings rod & main .010, .010, has 891 cam. Will install bell housing with new seal for either automatic or standard. Block ready to install pistons and jugs. $400 FOR SALE: Two 110 heads with valve job. Heads have been cc'ed. Comes with copper head gaskets. $350 FOR SALE: One Dale rebuilt Harmonic Balancer. $100 FOR SALE: Black Clark's carpet for late coupe. $90 FOR SALE: Padded dash Clarks 65-66 installed on metal support, black. $140 FOR SALE: One NOS late model front bumper. $175 FOR SALE: One rebuilt idler pulley w/new bearing. $40 FOR SALE: Tow hitch for 65-69 Corvair with 2" ball has been power coated black. $25 Call Bill Reider 299-4597 * * * * * CNM ADS ARE FREE TO CNM MEMBERS, $5.00 TO NON-CNM MEMBERS * * * * * === Go to the State Fair meeting place. Windy weather. Beautiful light for photos before the sun comes up. A lot of nice Corvairs - and an Ultravan! Take a lot of photos. Home to put them in the newsletter. How to decide which to include? Well, here they are. Enjoy them! -- Jim =end= =end=