Monthly Newsletter of the Early Ford V8 Club of AmericaEast Tennessee Regional Group

January 6, 2014

When member Walt Haga died in January 1995 the club posted a picture of Walt with his favorite car and a copy of his obituary on the wall of the clubhouse entrance where the plaques identifying win-ners of the outstanding member awards, the name of regional group presidents and other awards hung.

That posting established a tra-dition and Bob Baskerville with his computer-driven wood carving laser created a handsome “In Memoriam” heading for a section of the wall where President Phil Vinson hung similar photos and obituaries of members who died while active in the club.

When Baskerville died shortly before Christmas, Phil found the me-moriam space filled, so he created a new Memorial Wall Display for the left wall of the main meeting room. The new display contains photos and obituaries of nine members, Walt Haga, Earl Martin, Jack Trinkle, Bill Clifton, Gary Pippin, Pete Henderson, Charlie Greene, Kyle Reedy and Bob Baskerville.

Bob Scales writes about his new home Bob Scales and Carol have moved

to 351 Cold Springs Church Road, about ten miles east of Bristol.

Bob writes, “We went for broke (literally) and bought this log cabin. It is located on six and one half acres ten miles east of Bristol, TN. The house is very remote, but it still has city water and under-ground cable. We have neighbors, just can’t see them. It’s like living on another planet, compared to our old house, which is sold. We are building a second log garage for the antique cars.”

Bob and Carol have four antique cars, a 1924 Model T truck, a 1930 Model A roadster and two 1940 Ford convertibles. Bob plans to sell one of the ‘40 convertibles.

Bob Scales new home, front view (lower image) rear view (upper image.)

Deceased members listed on memorial wall

Members are reminded that club by-laws require that local dues be paid by the first meeting in Janu-ary.

Any member who has not paid his dues by the end of the meeting next week, Thursday, Jan. 9, will be required to reapply for member-ship, receive a favorable vote of the membership and pay the $100 ini-tiation fee to be readmitted to the regional group.

Local dues are $30. National dues are $15 or $35 with subscrip-tion to the V8 Times. Members of the regional group must be mem-bers of the national club, but not necessarily subscribers to the V8 Times. Members may pay national dues to the club and they will be forwarded.

Members reminded of deadline for dues

Bill Watson’s family reports Bill has no good news. His medical re-ports are negative. He is not tak-ing additional medication or treat-ments and he is very depressed.

He is not in condition to receive visitors.

Sick Call Bill Watson is in poor condition

Projected by new digital equip-ment using a 6,500 watt light, the shows will go on next year at both drive-in theaters in the area.

Dave Shmidt likes to help other antique car fans enjoy the hobby. Cheryl Morgan, the daughter of Paul Lovin, the aged ‘36 Ford fan whose 80th birthday the club celebrated last year, contacted the club for infor-mation about sources of 6.00 x 16 tires. She reported her father, who had not been able to find a ‘36 Ford to restore, had acquired a ‘41 Chevy but he needed some 6.00 x 16 tires to bring it home where he could work on it.

A picture of Lovin and his ‘41 Chevy appeared in the (November) Ford Words with a short story about his need for tires. Dave indicated that he had some used tires he had recently removed from the ‘41 Chevy panel truck he had been showing recently. He had replaced the tires on his truck because they were weather checked and no longer suitable for a show vehicle.

Cheryl and Dave were put in contact and when he offered her the tires, she and her son Aric and daughter Catie make a flying trip to Bristol to pick them up in time to make them a Christmas present for her father.

Drive-in theaters adddigital projectors with 6,500 watt light bulbs

Dave Shmidt provides fellow car fan tires

Paul Lovin, left, and Dave Shmidt, right, with the tires for Lovin’s car.

Ford Words, January 6, 2014Page 2

Danny Warden, owner of the Twin City drive in theater in Bris-tol installed $75,000 worth of new equipment and showed four week-ends of movies at the end of the 2013 season.

Elizabethton’s State-Line Drive in won one of nine digital projec-tors awarded in a national lottery of theaters last summer. The new equipment was made necessary because movie companies were discontinuing to offer 35milimeter film prints of new attractions.

Warden said the brightness of the Picture projected by the new equipment was amazing. He pre-dicted that the new brightness may enable him to open the sea-son earlier next spring and move show starting times earlier in the evening.

He predicted ticket and conces-sion sales proceeds will pay for the new equipment because admission prices at indoor theaters remain relatively high.

Drive-in shot in the 1950s.

Cars these days use less gasoline, so the revenue from gas taxes no longer provides funds enough to repair and maintain roads. A simple increase in fuel taxes is considered unfair because hybrid and electric autos don’t pay as much to maintain the road they use as those that run on gasoline, and politicians find it difficult to raise taxes. (Federal taxes take 18.4 cents per gallon. New York adds 50.6 for a total tax of 69 cents per gallon. Wyoming adds 14.0 for a total of 32.4 cents per gallon. )

Oregon is experimenting with imposing a tax on automobiles based on the mileage driven. In a pilot program, the state is recruiting 5,000 drivers to be taxed at a rate of 1.5 cents per mile in place of the 31 cent per gallon state tax. That’s break even for a car averaging 20 miles per gallon and a discount for cars thirstier than that.

Oregon experiments with mileage tax

John Bartley of Watertown, MA, has owned a 1937 Ford Tudor de-luxe touring sedan since 1942 when his mother gave it to him be-cause she was having trouble with the rationing board over a tire it needed. Serving in the Navy,he left it in his grandfather’s garage until he finished college in 1950.

‘37 Ford owned 70 years

The Flathead Times, newslet-ter of the Oklahoma City Regional Group had these classified ads:

1948 Ford Deluxe Fordor, running condition, needs general restoration, $3250, Steve Davis, 405-232-1972.

1951 Ford Custom Tudor, no rust, original Sheridan Blue paint, 58,000 actual miles, V8 with straight stick, radio, heater, pur-chased new at Purcell, OK. Not running, but garage kept since new, original all the way and un-touched, $7,500. Steve Davis, 405-232-19972 anytime.

Early Ford V8s for sale

In 1946, Ford cars got the Mercury 239.4 engine with 6.8:1 compression rated at 100 horsepower at 3,600 rpm. It had pressurized cooling. The rod journal size was increased and silver alloy bearings were added for longer life. Aluminum pistons were used. The angle between the valves

in the center of the block was decreased slightly, from 101.5 degrees to 100 degrees to reduce crack-ing. The distributor got a new one-piece cap and the fan was moved to just above the distributor to reduce water spraying on the distributor in wet weather. No significant changes were introduced in 1947 or ‘48. In1949 there were both major and minor mechanical changes to the flathead. Ford listed 21 revisions to improve idling, reduce noise,

valve and cam wear and cylinder head stress. The bellhousing was cast separately from the block. A new oil pump, shorter with straight cut gears provided increased oil pressure. Valve guides were redesigned, as were intake and exhaust manifolds. The floating connecting rod bear-ings serving two connecting rods on the same journal were replaced by locked in single bearings for each rod. A modern design distributor with a shaft and gear drive system was mounted on the right side, in front of the cylinder bank. Main bearing webs and caps were made stronger. The holes in for coolant circulation were relocated in the block and heads to insure water from the radiator flowed directly to the back of the block. The return outlets to the radiator were moved to the front of the heads. Pitch of the fan blades was modified to make less noise.

The Mercury version of the flathead was stroked one fourth inch to 4.0, increasing the displacement to 2.55.4 cubic inches. With 6.8:1 com-pression ratio, it was rated at 112 horsepower at 3,800 rpn.

In mid-1949 a more aggressive cam was introduced and used until 1951.

In 1950, the 255.4 cid Mercury was made available in a Police Inter-ceptor package for the Ford car. Both engines got a composition timing gear, revised pistons to cut cold start piston slap, a new cam to reduce tappet noise, and a 3 blade fan that was driven slower than the old 4 blade fan.

For 1951, Ford engines got a new water pump, cam, offset piston pins, and valve rotators. The 7lb pressure radiator cap was introduced, rais-ing the boiling point of the cooling system from 212F to 230F. One engine improvement was listed. Ford called it the Automatic Mileage Maker, it “Matches timing to fuel charges so every drop of gasoline is used - none wasted.” A new waterproof ignition system could not be shorted out by moisture.”

For 1952, the Mercury 255.4 cid engine was given higher compression, 7.2:1, boosting power to 125 HP. The mechanically unchanged 239.4 Ford V8 was called the “Strato-Star” and was rated at 110 HP. In F se-ries trucks, a higher lift cam raised the truck horsepower to 106.

The 1949 to ‘53 engine blocks were all essentially the same. The pri-mary difference being that Ford installed replaceable hardened valve seat inserts (exhaust side only) on the 1949 to ‘51 engines. The 1952-’53 models did not come from the factory with hardened valve seat inserts.

Ford’s 50th anniversary year 1953 was the last year for the flathead in the U.S. The 336.7 cid motor is in F7 and F8 trucks. The smaller F series trucks get the passenger car 110 HP engine.

After 1953 Ford blesses Canadian and Australian customers with one more year of flathead fun, they don’t get the y-block until 1955.

Ford continued flatheads until 1953 Early Ford V8 Foundationadds land for expansion of museum in Auburn, IN

Ford Words, January 6, 2014 Page 3

Meals for Wheels Meals for Wheels for the meet-

ing on Thursday, January 9 will be served by Freddie King, Mike Gifford and Josh Williams.

The Early Ford V8 Foundation has added 8.73 acres to its origi-nal 2.5 acres at Auburn, IN, where the first stage of the Early Ford V8 Foundation Museum is located.

It was done with only $3500 af-ter negotiating a price of $13,000 per acre and obtaining a large do-nation and a Grant-in-Aid with a combined total of $110,000.

Now the foundation plans to fo-cus on building a rotunda shaped main building. Having more land to host meets will increase rev-enues, making the dream of the rotunda plausible.

The Foundation reports that it did not have to borrow money to make this purchase. Thanks to the donation and grant, it is still debt free.

Acquiring the additional prop-erty will enable the Foundation to expand its outdoor activities to include car shows and swap meets as well as provide additional park-ing for the museum. The place is expected to be a great spot for na-tional meets.

‘37 Ford owned 70 years

EARLY FORD V8 CLUB OF AMERICAEast Tennessee Regional Group

Minutes of the meeting of December 12, 2013The meeting was convened by President Phil

Vinson at 7:00 p.m.Minutes of the meeting of December 5 were

read by Secretary Murv Perry and approved as read on motion by T Brown, seconded by Ron Harkleroad.

Treasurer’s report, presented by John Senek-er, was approved on motion by Ron Harkleroad, seconded by T Brown.

Bob Scales and Gary Williams who provided the evening meal were given an enthusiastic round of applause.

Tom Sweeney’s number was drawn for the Ford Fund. Since he was not present, the $21 was deposited in the Building Maintenance Fund,

The meeting was adjourned at 7:15 p.m. Minutes submitted by Murv Perry

Ford Words, January 6, 2014Page 4

EARLY FORD V8 CLUB OF AMERICAEast Tennessee Regional Group

Minutes of meeting held January 2, 2014. The meeting was called to order by President

Phil Vinson at 7:05 p.m.Minutes of the meeting of December 12 were

read by President Phil Vinson in the absence of Secretary Murv Perry and approved as read on motion of David Shmidt and seconded by Gerald Tart.

In the absence of Treasurer John Seneker, Phil Vinson read the treasurer’s report that was approved as read on motion of Freddie King and seconded by Tom Collins.

A thank you was received from Children’s Box Fund for the donation of $150.00.

A motion was made by Tom Collins to pur-chase a dusk to dawn light for the front of the clubhouse building, seconded by David Shmidt.

Meals for wheels on January 9 will be by Fred-die King, Mike Gifford and Josh Williams.

Murv Perrys’ number was drawn for the Ford Fund. Since he was not present, $14.00 was de-posited in the Building Maintenance Fund.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 p.m.Minutes submitted by Phil Vinson

A mishap with a ‘32 Ford V8 led to the end of the life and career of Charles “Pretty Boy” Floyd in 1934.

Floyd and his partner, Adam Richetti, with their female companions, sisters Beulah and Rose Baird, had been hiding out in Buffalo, NY, for a year, but Floyd panicked when he heard that he and Richetti had been indicted for the murders of four law enforce-ment officers and gangster Frank Nash in the Kansas City Massacre, while attempting to free Nash from custody on June 17, 1933.

He made plans to return to his home in Oklahoma. From there they could flee to Mexico. He gave Rose Baird cash and sent her to a Ford dealer for a service-able used car. She bought a two year old 1932 Ford V-8 Tudor and the four headed west.

Speeding down Ohio Highway 7 just before reach-ing Wellsville, Ohio, on the rainy Saturday night of, October 20, 1934, Floyd felt the tires of his Ford slide on the wet pavement and skidded into a telephone pole. As he attempted to proceed it was clear that the car would need repairs if it were to take him across the county as he had planned. The two men decided the women should take the car into town for repairs and return to pick them up afterwards.

Floyd and Richetti took some blankets and guns, and sat down on a hill near a brick factory. They were noticed by an area resident who called the chief of police at Wellsville. Chief John H. Fultz, with two deputies, located Floyd and Richetti on the hill. Floyd pulled his gun. After an exchange of gun fire the out-laws then ran in opposite directions but Richetti was quickly captured. Floyd escaped after hitting one of the deputies with his machine gun fire.

Making his way on foot he offered teenager George McMillen $10.00 to drive him to Youngstown, but Mc-Millen’s Model T ran out of gas near James Baum’s greenhouse. Forcing Baum to drive him in his 1929 Nash, Floyd was spotted when they avoided a road block, Police gave chase and Floyd jumped from the car and ran into a wooded area.

After spending a full night on the run Floyd emerged from the woods and approached the farm house of widow Ellen Conkle who served him a meal. He offered to pay her brother in law, Steward Dyke for a ride to Youngstown in his Model A. As the old Ford pulled out a police car full of officers and a se-dan driven by Special Agent Melvin Purvis of the FBI pulled into the Conkle Farm. Floyd sprinted across an open field toward a c lump of woods and was cut down by the lawmen’s rifle fire.

Beulah and Rose Baird were able to get the 1932

Pretty Boy” Floyd’s Fatal V-8 Mishap

Condensed from a story by John Emmering in Road Chatter ot the Northern Illinois Regional Group.

Ford fixed. The repaired Ford V-8 carried them all the way to Oklahoma in time for them to attend Pretty Boy Floyd’s funeral.