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Wheel-EEverything on Wheels!

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Issue 2Spring, 2011

Mark Watson’s Beautiful Roadster

at the Bill Emerson

Memorial Bridge

AHauntedHay RIde

Roller Derby:A Love Story

Something Old Something New and Built to Be

Driven

Wheel-EMagazine

VOLUME 1 - ISSUE 2

PUBLISHERDean Whitlow

DESIGN & LAYOUTTerri Jestus

PUBLISHED BYThe Caress of Steel

Wheel-E is printed twice a year. All

contents copyright 2010 by Wheel-E

Magazine. All rights reserved. Reproduction

or use in whole or in part of the contents, without prior written

permission of the publisher, is

strictly prohibited.

Features

Tow Truck Drivers 11 Yellow Dune Buggy 14 In Search of the Past.... 20 One Man’s Junk 24

2

This issue is dedicated to the Graphic Designer’s Mom, Charlotte Petry who spent countless

hours proofing, offering suggestions and helping select the best looking designs for this magazine.

Mrs. Petry passed away on May 10, 2011.

Photography of front covercourtesy of Dan Buckenmyer.

I hope that you will enjoy Issue #2 of Wheel-E Magazine! We’ve had a great deal of fun assembling this issue and look forward to many more to come! AsIspokewithfolksaboutthefirstissueofthemagazine,thetopicofthesourceofinspirationfor starting the magazine often came up. This got me to thinking about what caused me to have such a passion for “everything on wheels”. For that matter, what inspired those featured in our magazine to be so passionate about their hobby with something on wheels. For so many of us, we take for granted the fact that we enjoy our hobby and have such a strong interestinit.Whatfirstgrabbedourattentionandhelditisoftenlongforgotten.Personally,Icanpointto one car that is clearly symbolic of the types of vehicles that I enjoy reading about, seeing, and dream tosomedayrestore.Buttherecouldbeanendlesslistofthingsthatinfluencedmyinterests. If you’ll allow me to reminisce a bit, I’ll try to pinpoint those experiences that were ultimately my inspiration. Growing up in the 1960’s meant being surrounded by what we now call muscle cars! It was a time when gasoline was cheap, and high performance American made cars were dominant. I clearly recall being about being 10 or 11 years old and seeing what are now famous cars (like the Plymouth Superbird) driving past my childhood home! Thehorsepowerinfluencedidn’tendwiththecarsonthestreetsinthosedays,butwasreflectedin the toys we played with and the shows we saw on television. The 1960’s brought us Hot Wheels (launched by Mattel in 1968), Saturday morning cartoons commonly including cars and racing, and even bicycles began to have hot rod/muscle car inspired themes. My favorite bicycle that I owned as a kid was a 5-speed Schwinn Stingray (now quite a collectible bike). Yes, as kids we were racing slot-cars in our bedroom, working on go karts after school, riding minibikes,attendinglocalstockcarraces…aconstantinfluenceofmotorizedmadness!Asithasbeensaid, those were fuel-crazed days! But somehow, all of that culminated in one particular car that grabbed my attention and never let go. That car is a 1934 Ford 3 window coupe that has become known as The California Kid. The name came from a made-for-TV movie in which the coupe was the star (some would say that Martin Sheen was the star, but I beg to differ). The California Kid coupe was constructed by Pete Chapouris who has now had a long career in the automotive hot rod after-market industry. Pete never intended for his car to take the spotlight, as it did, rather he started out to build a car similar to one that had inspired him (we’ll never get to the end of our search for the source of inspiration)! Pete’s California Kid was completed in 1973 and appeared on the cover of Rod & Custom magazine that year. A movie producer saw the car and knew in an instant that it would be perfect for the movie project he was working on. The movie appeared on ABC Television in the fall of 1974 and has become a milestone in the history of hot rodding. It made such an impression on me, that I’ve spent most of my adult life on a quest to duplicate the car. So, what has inspired others featured in this magazine to be so passionate about their hobby? What has inspired you to take an interest in something on wheels? Whatever it is, I certainly hope it is contagious! Enjoy Issue #2 of Wheel-E Magazine and be an inspiration for others that enjoy everything on wheels!

By Dean Whitlow

LE

T’S GO FOR A SPIN!

Something Old, Something New and Built to be Driven

By Dean Whitlow

The age-old dilemma for many restorers of antique vehicles is the reliability and safety when driving the vehicle in modern traffic. Some restorers will choose to install many modern components to make the vehicle operate like a new car. In most cases however, it is apparent to an observer that the car has been modified and some of the allure of the classic styling is often lost.

This is not the case with Dan Wishner’s 1934 Ford Roadster. Nothing outwardly on Dan’s car gives evidence to the fact that a number of modern additions have been made in order to improve performance, safety, and ease of maintenance.

Before running down a list of modern improvements that Dan has made, let’s take a moment to appreciate the magnificent restoration that Dan has completed. Dan’s car is the result of 6 years of work (90% of that being Dan’s skill and expertise). Dan said that the car is a combination of parts from all over the United States with many of the parts being located on eBay. Also, Dan said that he studied a number of books to make certain that his restoration was authentic.

The beautiful black body has a flawless finish that equals the polish and precision of the chrome plating on the bumpers, grill, and other bright work. All exterior components are era correct and some are the original pieces for this car. If judged only by the outward appearance, Dan’s car would be a top ranked restoration of an antique.

Dan’s goal was to keep the car’s appearance as exacting to original as could be while doing modifications that make driving the car less of a worry. Some of the modifications include:

Electronic Ignition.• Modern Alternator.• Electric Engine Cooling Fan.• Trunk Mounted Acid-Free Battery.• A Full Set of Stewart Warner Gauges (in place of the glove box).• Directional Signals (the cowl lights act as the front signal lights).• Dual Carburetors.• Performance Heads.• Exhaust Headers.•

Dan’s friend George Jann assisted with machining of components that had to be adapted to work with the original 1934 Ford pieces. George also machined some hard to find parts such as shafts for the door handles.

According to Dan and George, almost every nut, bolt, screw, and washer on the car are from 1934. Dan chose to stick with the mechanical brake systems as opposed to an upgrade to hydraulic brakes. Oh, and for those gauges in the glove box area, they allow Dan to keep a watchful eye on his engine. The original gauges from 1934 are still in place and Dan uses the restored original speedometer.

Dan’s roadster was only at its second car show when the accompanying photos were taken. It had been driven just over 4 blocks since completed! It was nearly impossible to find a moment to snap a photo when no one was looking at the car.

Many attempts have been made to blend old with new in antique and classic vehicles. Dan Wishner’s roadster seamlessly blends old and new with a result that leaves the beauty of the antique car while making it safer and more reliable to drive.

6

Rr

Cape Girardeau league, I have met a more diverse and talented group of people than I ever would have imagined. I go by my derby name almost more than

The day has become legendary for me -- The Day I First Saw Roller Derby. February 20, 2010, just over a year ago. Sitting in track-side at the Southern Illinois Roller Girls scrimmage, my head wasoverflowingwiththoughtsasI tried to grasp the complexities of the game. This is awesome! How can I get involved? How can I get others involved? How did I not have this in my life before? And mostly this is way better than Whip It. Since that day, that moment, my life has changed in countless ways. I have an ever-growing group of women to call my friends. I now know people -- derby sisters and brothers -- all across the Midwest. Even within

Queen Cobra anticipates the bout. Sylvia Smash and Shere Khantact wall up to hold back the opposition.

Roller Derby: A Love StoryBy Marcia Herring

my real one. This is a world that I didn’t know existed but now cannot imagine myself without. I hadn’t skated since I was middle-school aged, and during thosefirstmonthsIbruisedmyself more than I have in any of the subsequent bouts. Each mark was a badge of honor ... something to tell the world, “Look what I can do” and “Look what I am doing with my body, my mind, my spirit.”Thosefirstmonthswereanadventure for everyone involved. We learned to skate without a practice space, bouncing over rocks and sticks in Shawnee Park, banding together so that onlookers wouldn’t eye us strangely in our pads and helmets. We watched our big-sister league, Southern Illinois, to learn the game, how a jammer gets through a pack and doesn’t score until the second pass, how

a blocker can move effectively and keep those points from being scored. We combined our talents to put something marvelous together. Bobbie Soxxx and Mae Bury were experts at networking, Billie Lux a whiz at the technicalities of budgets and insurance, and JollyDodge-Her(ourfirstcoachand head ref) diving into ways to make us better at what we were passionate about. As the months passed, the Cape Girardeau Roller Girls became more than just word of mouth around Southeast Missouri. I met nurses, saleswomen, secretaries,body-modificationartists, newspaper editors, and mothers who strapped on skates, padding, helmets and mouth guards one or two nights a week andstood,wobblyatfirst,oneight wheels. How they came to be roller girls, the players they became, and what they did to get there; all those stories are as different as the girls themselves. “Every time I thought it was my last practice, the thought just killed me.” “It was like watching comic book heroes that had come to life.” “I did that ... BOOM.” “I thought I was going to be sonervous,butoncethefirstwhistle sounded, I didn’t even remember that the audience existed.” Women like Slobber Knocker, Mae Bury, Shere Khantact and Queen Cobra make up this league. Whatever the reason, they’re here. They’ve gone through injuries, worked against

self and public perception, come with skills and insights, and stayed. Sometimes I think back (as I think we all do) to the time before this. I was making my way through graduate school, unsure of my future. Things like depression and romantic relationships had a huge impact on my day-to-day life. I felt stagnant, even when exploring things that I loved. A lot of that hasn’t changed: I still have depression, I still do my best to learn every day, I answer phones andfilloutformsforaliving.What has changed, however, is that isn’t everything. Not only am I Marcia Herring, I am also Sylvia Smash, and I can do incredible things. We all have a February 20, 2010 moment in our lives. Itmighthavebeenyourfirstglimpse at roller derby, or the firsttimeyoufeltthehumofamotorcycle. It might have been pickingupyourfirstbookorsinkingyourfirstfree-throw,orevenbakingyourfirstcake.But when you have that moment (whatever it is) you know what you have to do and you do it. Because you CAN!

Slobber Knocker gets low around the corner in

preparation for Circle City.

Upcoming Events from the River City Rodders

May 20 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. RCR Cruise-In at Andy’s Frozen Custard, Cape Girardeau, MO

May 23 10:30 a.m. Ridin’ with Turkeys, NWTF Poker Run

May 29 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Cruise-in at McDonald’s (off Hwy61) Ste. Genevieve, MO

May 31 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Cans for Kids Car Show Harrisburg, IL

June 5 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Cruise-In Downtown Murphysboro, IL

June 5 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Cruise-In at Culver’s Restaurant Richardson Road, Arnold, MO

June 10 7:00 p.m. RCR Club Meeting June 11-13 8:00 a.m. 22nd Hot Rod Nationals Indianapolis, IN

June 12 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Cruise-In Uptown Jackson Courthouse Square, Jackson, MO

June 12 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Cruise-In at Culver’s Restaurant Cape Girardeau, MO

June 17 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. RCR Cruise-In at Andy’s Frozen Custard Cape Girardeau, MO

June 19 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Cruise-In at McDonald’s Festus, MO

June 26 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Cruise-In at McDonald’s (off Hwy 61) Ste. Genevieve, MO

July 8 7:00 p.m. RCR Club Meeting

July 10 6:00 to 9:00 pm. Cruise-In Uptown Jackson Courthouse Square, Jackson, MO

Aug 12 7:00 p.m. RCR Club Meeting

Aug 27-29 Opens at Noon Friday 36th Annual Frog Follies Evansville, IN

Sept 9 7:00 p.m. RCR Club Meeting

Sept 11 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Cruise-In Uptown Jackson Courthouse Square, Jackson, MO

Sept 19 Opens at 8:00 a.m. River Tales Classic Car Show Cape Girardeau, MO

Project UpdatesBy Dean Whitlow

Below are photos of project cars we featured in Issue #1 of Wheel-E Magazine. The owners of these cars have been hard at work since Issue #1, and we thought you would like to see the results.

We showed you Calvin Whitlow’s 1972 VW Super Beetle about mid-way through the restoration. In this recent photo, Calvin is 99% complete with the restoration. It is hard to believe from this photo, but the car required multiple patch panels, new fenders, running boards, and structural sections of the frame (pan) had to be replaced! Mechanically, the car is in showroom condition, and runs and drives perfectly!

Today, Calvin enjoys an occasional drive to work in his VW, as well as a cruising to the local burger joint. He has plans to attend area car shows with his wife Theresa.

In his article, “The Beginning”, Otto Zerk told of his MG Midget project car in Issue #1. Today, the little car has new paint and is in the reassembly stage. In this recent photo, I am shown with the car after we completed the windshield installation. Often stated to be one of the hardest jobs to complete on an MG, it took 3 guys, an assortment of tools, and a few busted knuckles to attach the windshield and frame assembly to the car’s cowl! We had to compress the new rubber gasket that runs along the bottom of the windshield in order to install the bolts attaching the windshield posts to the cowl. Looks like Otto will be on the road soon! We’ll keep you posted.

The Definition of a Hot RodBy Dean Whitlow

Wheel-E Magazine is thrilled to have the privilege of displaying Mark Watson’s black beauty in our second issue! Photos of Mark’s roadster were graciously provided by Dan Buckenmyer. Itisoftenstatedthatthe‘32FordRoadsteristhedefinitionofahotrod.Beitfull-fendered,highboy, low boy, lakes racer, dragster, street rod, there’s something about Henry’s Deuce that stands out from the crowd. You can spend a great deal of time searching for the meaning or origin of the term hot rod. The explanation I like best is that guys would refer to their cars as hot roadsters (as most of the earliest modifiedcarswere“open”cars).HotRoadstereventuallygotshortenedtohot rod. Inthiswriter’sopinion,MarkWatson’s1932FordRoadstercouldbethedefinitivehotrod.Fromits raked “bulldog” stance, to the big-n-little tire/wheel combination, the high performance engine, and perfect black paint… this car is one hot roadster! Mark’s car features a list of some of the best components that today’s aftermarket manufacturers have to offer.

We think that you’ll agree that Mark has a great car regardless of what you feel is the proper definitionofahotrod.

Just Wheelin’ Around

Tow Truck DriversBy Terri Jestus

oncomingtraffic),weimmediatelythinkofourown teenager or parent. There are definitelyalotofemotionsthathappenatthesescenes. Sometimes the TTD may be at the scene and has to comfort the victims of the accident.Or try to calm down irate drivers who are more concerned about their car than to realize that this was an accident.

Weather also plays a big part in the TTD’s job. Rainy days are some of the busiest for them. They may stay soaked all day because they go from one call to another and don’t have time to go home to change or eat. Another busy time is snowy and icy days. The TTD may have to crawl down an embankment to hook up a car that rolled. In the process, he may fall himself and hurt his back or leg. But he can’t stop, he has to continue to hook the vehicle up despite the pain he may be experiencing. ER has to wait.

So the next time you are unfortunate enough to have to call someone because you ran out of gas or broke down on the side of the road, remember TTDs are only out there trying to help you. Like I saidearlier,it’sdefinitelynotaneasyjob.

Tow truck drivers, most people don’t think much about them until they have to call one foraflatoriftheyhaveanaccident.Andmostpeople certainly don’t think about how hard of a job they have or how long their hours are.

A tow truck driver (TTD) may just get to sleep after being out all night working and get yet another call and have to head out again. Some days may consist of cat naps until a relief takes the calls. And then what happens if that relief quits? The driver may end up being the only one to take all the calls until another one is hired.

Andofcourse,thepersonwhohastheflatoraccident certainly isn’t planning on it. In this economy, a lot of people don’t have the extra money in their wallet. So, then the TTD has to patiently wait while those arrangements are made.

Speaking of accidents, the TTD unfortunately goes to the scene of many horrible accidents. ThepoliceofficerandEMT’swhoarealsothere are trained for these heart-wrenching scenes. But, the TTD learns to handle it as he goes. As many of us do when faced with these kind of scenarios (whether it be a teenager who hit a tree and didn’t make it or someone’s father who had a heart attack and went into

Life’s Destinations and the Cars that

made for an Exciting Journey

By Lisa Campbell

Standing in Mr. Whitlow’s officegazinguponhiscarmemorabilia sparked a con-versation inviting me to write a short story and dig out the old photographs from the archives.

My journey begins in Oklahoma City during the oil boom. I was a young girl sporting spandex, plenty of Aqua Net and I want to say a possible mullet might have beeninvolved.Myfirstvehicleswere a Dodge Challenger and Dodge L’il Red Express Truck. Unfortunately, that truck rests in pieces somewhere in Mopar heaven in Oklahoma.

Fast Forward to the end of my list, to my favorite of all, my ’73 Ford Mustang Mach I. When I found out I was going to have a baby in ’92, I sold her believing full well I would get another one at a later date.

It was a great dream! I now drive the family car -- Chevy Malibu but I’m always going to be a Muscle Car girl at heart and always a Shirley Muldowney wanna-be.

Dodge Challenger

Dodge L’il Red Express

True to her passion for muscle cars, this brawny Dodge Challenger

was a part of Lisa’s stable.

With a baby on the way, Lisa reluctantly soldthis gorgeous ‘73 Mustang Mach I.

One of approximately 3,000 produced in 1978, this L’il Red

Express was a real head-turner and a high performance vehicle.

Ford Mustang Mach I

Yellow Dune BuggyBy Scott Jones

I had reached the point in life where I decided it was time for me to purchase a mid-life crisis vehicle. Having been out of the two-wheeled market for the pastthirtyyears,Ifiguredthesmartthingtodowasto look for a ride with four wheels. That’s when it struck me; I have wanted a dune buggy every since I was a kid.

My search began by talking to family, friends, and neighbors. None of us had any familiarity with the dunebuggymarket.Ifinallythoughtaboutlookingon the internet. Since I had prior experience with eBay, that is where I decided to focus my efforts. I was not in a big hurry so I took my time, aware that when I came across the dune buggy built for me, I would know it. Six months later I found the one that seemed to be calling my name. I had the winning bid on eBay and pulled a trailer down to Waycross, Georgia to haul my little yellow buggy home to Jackson, Missouri.

Myprideandjoyhasafiberglassbody,whichsitsona1962Volkswagenmotorandframe.Tofitthecustomfiberglassbody,theoriginalframehasbeen shortened by 18 inches. The four cylinder mo-tor, which is part of the original equipment runs as smooth as a sewing machine and has less than 20 horse power. The 30 m.p.g. fuel mileage makes it economical to operate. Even though, most of the timeIfindmyselfjustputteringaroundtown,theoriginal Volkswagen 4-speed transmission will still move it along the highway at 70 m.p.h.

I liked the dune buggy because it has four wheels, removable canvas top, and a small back seat to haul an occasional friend around for a ride. My wife is always ready to join me for a spin around town. That’s a big plus, because I knew she wouldn’t be interested in enjoying much quality recreational time with me if I selected anything with less than four wheels.

Knowing the vehicle was 48 years old, I bought the buggy only to run around town and take it to the local pizza parlor or ice cream shop. We receive lots of thumbs up and smiles from pedestrians and other motorists when we are driving around town. I couldn’t be more pleased about my choice of a mid-life crisis vehicle.

Scott and Julie Jones and

their yellow dune buggy.

The Lil’ Green TractorBy Cyndi Sharrock

If you’ve ever heard the words “they don’t make them like they used to” -- well it’s true in the case of our antique pedal tractor. Try carrying it across a fieldandit’llfurtherprovethatitwaspurchasedinthe late sixties as a Christmas gift to my husband, Mark and his brother, Allen. It was from their Grandparent Myers. Actually, all the Myers cousins got one that Christmas.

I wasn’t there in the early years to see how much the tractor was played with, but I can only imagine what fun it brought to them. Over the years, my mother-in-law, Barbara has stored the tractor and brought it out when the kids visit. I don’t remember my girls playing with it, but I’m sure they did.

But oh, looking at my grandsons, Noah Allen and Kaydin Allen, I think it’s going to be a big hit with them when they visit Granny Barb’s house. It’s funny, with all the new fancy toys out on the market, I’m sure the tractor will be one that is fought over to play with time and time again.

Tragically, Allen was killed in a car accident in his twenties and never got to meet his nieces, nephews and now great nephews. But I believe he is their special angel in Heaven and is looking down on them and smiling as they play with the same tractor he did as a child.

So, as I purchase the cozy coupe as an Easter gift for Kaydin and Noah, I know they will have the coolest set of wheels at their Granny Barb’s house. For some reason, I don’t think the cozy coupe will be as special in thirty years as the Lil’ Green Tractor is. Guess we’ll have to wait and see!

May’s Jackson Cruise-In

The Most Fun I’ve had in Years!By Dean Whitlow

There are those times in life when you experience something completely unexpected. That happened to me recently when I joined some of my family for a day of go kart racing at the SEMO Raceway (near Sikeston, Missouri).

I had never been to this facility before, and hadn’t been involved with any form of a go kart in several years. To my surprise, the sport of go kart racing has become very structured and high tech! This totally shattered my memories of the little “lawn karts” that we toyed with as kids.

First of all I was very impressed by the SEMO Raceway facility and the way in which the staff managed the event. The track itself is well maintained, safe, and a superior place for the little cars to run on. In addition, the experienced staff keeps the action going and does a great job of supervising everything about the event.

Secondly, I could not believe the number of classes of karts that were racing, and the age range of the drivers. Boys, girls, and their parents were all out driving these little racecars!

Whatmadethedaythemostfunforuswasthatmygreat-nephew,Josh,wasracingfortheveryfirsttime.He had been to the track for some testing but had never raced in a sanctioned event. His dad was learning a great deal that day too, as there is so much involved with the setup of these little cars. The slightest change often means the difference between setting the top speed for the day and spinning out in a turn (which was a lesson learned on this particular day).

Once the kart’s setup was tuned to the track conditions, it appeared that Josh would have a good day of racing as long as he didn’t spin out in a turn. Ironically, a spin early in the day might have actually been in his favor (more on that later).

Good sportsmanship was in abundance at this race. Families cheered for each other’s drivers and everyone jumpedinandhelpedworkonthekartsandprovideadvicetothosewithlessexperience.Thetrackofficialsclosely inspected everything on the karts for both safety and fairness. Even the fuel octane was tested to prevent a racer from having an unfair advantage!

Timetrialsforthekartswerefascinatingtome.Allofthekartsinoneclassranfivelapsonthetrack…atthesame time!!! The lap time and track position was monitored by a computer, based on a signal from an electronic ankle bracelet that each driver wore. Not the simple stopwatch and notepad from days gone by.

It was during the time trial events that a spinout in one of the turns seemed to play in Josh’s favor. That is, the spin placed him behind some of the karts he had previously been leading around the track. In an effort to catch back up to them he set the fastest lap for his class! It was so exciting to hear the announcement that he had the quickest time.

Joshwentontoearnasecondplacefinishinthefeatureraceoftheday.Agreatresultforarookiedriver.Ileft with about 200 photos and the biggest smile on my face in years. I can’t wait for the next race!

In hot pursuit of the competition. This is REAL racing!

Shortly after this photo was taken, Josh ran the quickest lap speed in his class to earn

the pole starting position!

Troubleshooting a steer-ing issue. These cars have

countless adjustments that can be made.

Last minute instructionsfrom the track official.

A HAUNTED HAYRIDEBy Mandie Foltz

My birthday has always been a special time for me -- maybe because I love Fall or maybe because of all the memories that surround it through the years. My ninth birthday is when we started doing the hayride/bob for apples birthday party. I remember we had it up at my Grandma and Grandpa Burns’ house. We ran around on the farm and then went for the hayride. I think my whole third grade class was there along with some key friends and family members. Everyone had so much fun, that it just became a tradition.

We would try to change it up every year by adding a costume contest, making the hayride scary, dancing, etc. But having the hayride was always the part of the tradition and everyone looked forward to it. The “haunted hayride” that stands out the most is: there was an old house down the road, which was Grandma Dickerson’s house that had been empty for 20 years. It was scary, just by looking at it. We would always tell a story about the haunted house on the hayride and Grandpa would drive by really slowly, sometimes pretend that the tractor broke down, just to scare us more... One year my Aunt Carolyn was sitting on the front porch in a rocking chair with a shawl wrapped around her shoulders pretending to be Grandma Dickerson... cackling at us to go away... then my Uncle Victor runs out from behind the house and shoots blanks up in the air... scaring everyone on the hayride.

Now my birthday has been transformed more into just a celebration of fall, gathering with friends and family, and eating! Some of those third grade friends still make an appearance to what has progressed to what we call my birthday “Chilifest”. That means the most! Just sharing time with people that you don’t get to see all the time.

My mom, however, does not really get a chance to just sit and visit. She is always on her feet making sure that everyone has enough to eat and drink and is having a good time. Ironically, she actually starts preparing for the next Chilifest right after the last guest leaves. And every year she always says that “next year will be smaller.” I just laugh at her and say, “Okay, mom”, because I know… we have too many people that we care about to have a “small” Chilifest.

I hope this is a tradition that will keep going for many years. Looking back now, I really appreciate all the time and effort that is put into the event every year. It’s definitely one of my favorite events that we do as a “Burns’” family.

In Search of the Past… the Magic of Old Cars

By Dean Whitlow

R eaders of our online blog will be familiar with my buddy Chuck and the 1955 Chevys that the two of us had in the late 1970’s. Not too long ago, I asked Chuck to scan some photos of his orange four-door Belair and send them to me for use on Wheel-E.com. Those photos and my blog about our cars clearly got him to reminiscing. Now, Chuck is once again the owner of a 1955 Chevy four-door Belair. But along the road to purchasing his car, we both learned that some things have certainly changed.

It seemed like a simple plan. That is, Chuck had decided to seek out and purchase another 1955 Chevy with hopes of modifying the car to have the look of the one he owned all those years ago. What neither of us was prepared for was the change in the condition of the available cars, and the prices that they carried!

Chuck set out searching online, using several websitestoassistinfindingacar.Thiscertainlyallowed him to consider more cars than we could ever have dreamed of back in the 1970’s. However, we quickly learned that pictures and descriptions can be very deceptive.

One car that we made a long trip to view turned out to be a hunk of junk. I don’t see how the owner could have represented the car as he did. I can’t begin to describe its condition. I’ll simply say that it wouldn’t have made a good “parts car” for spare pieces, yet the owner was asking $8,000.00 for the car and told us it was roadworthy!

The hours spent online viewing cars and corresponding with owners began to add up for Chuck and his wife. I can’t imagine how many cars they considered as they made their way through the countless online listings of 1955 Chevys for sale. Sometimes he called me and sounded very discouraged.

At last I got the call I was hoping for. Chuck had found a car that had grown up in Texas, had always been garaged, and was 99% original. We were both skeptical after having looked at some heaps with huge price tags, but he had asked the owner all the right questions and felt somewhat confidentthatthiscouldbetheone!

We decided to make the trip to Alton, Illinois to see if this car was indeed what the owner had described to Chuck. To our relief, it was indeed an all-original, rust-free, Texas Chevy! We were giggling like a couple of kids as we test drove the car around a parking lot for a few minutes! I think that for a moment we were both 18 years old again.

Chuck has big plans for the old Chevy. Some would say that he shouldn’t modify the car, but his plans are to stay true to the period of his orange Chevy from the late 1970’s. Oh, and he was never crazy about the orange color (it was suggested to him by a relative who repainted the car for him). His car was originally black. That was a big part of the reason he searched for such a nice car to restore/upgrade, as we all know how perfect a car must be if it is to be painted black.

Chuck and his family are already having a blast with the old Chevy. I hope that the two of us get to take it on a trip to a national rod run some day. But honestly, the biggest thrill for me would be to once again be working alongside Chuck on his 1955 Chevy! I wonder if he still has that old 8-track tape player in his garage. Yes, the magic of old cars can indeed make you young again!

Chuck's '55 Chevy in the late 1970's.

Same garage, over 30 years later. Chuck's "new" '55 Chevy.

A bit tired from the trip, but one happy

Chevy owner!

L king Back on the First Big Screen

By Terri JestusI decided for this issue, I wanted to write about one of our favorite things we enjoyed doing as a family as my daughter was growing up. As the spring of every year would draw near, we would start anticipating going to the Calvert City Drive-In.

On the drive over, we would always be listening to the radio while enjoying the warm breeze coming in from theopencarwindows.Thesceneryinthecountrywasgreat.Wepassedbeautifultreesandflowersinbloomandanoccasionalhorseorcowinafield.Onestretchofroadhadacouplesmallhillsandwewouldspeedupto give us the feeling of a little roller coaster ride.

As we got closer to the drive-in, we would discuss what we were going to see. Going to the drive-in was something my husband and I both enjoyed when we were growing up and wanted to share with our daughter. However, one big difference in the one at Calvert City always showed current movies -- only cheaper than if we went to a regular theatre.

Drive-insareafadingpasttimeinourdaughter’sgeneration.Atfirstwhenshewouldgotoschoolandtalkabout going to a drive-in, kids wanted to know what was so unusual about that since they thought she was talking about a drive-through, like at McDonalds. Once she explained, they thought it sounded pretty cool.

And there were differences in going to a drive-in. The Calvert City Drive-In had a variety of foods like hamburgers,hotdogs,popcornandcandyatmorereasonablepricesthanyouwillfindatyourlocaltheatre.Also, there was no additional charge for watching the double feature. But my favorite difference was sitting out on a blanket in the fresh night air before the movie started and listening to the night sounds, looking up to see a zillion stars above your head and then having a dog aimlessly walk by. Even the nights when the local track had a race going on, the sound of the cars zooming around was hypnotic.

Ifwegotthereearly,wewouldslowlydriveupanddowntherowstofindthe“perfect”viewofthescreen.Of course, we were careful because an unsuspecting youngster might dart out from a car. Once we parked, we would reach out for the car speaker and get it settled on our car window and then adjust the volume. Sometimes we would be all settled only to realize the speaker had a lot of static, so we would either have to move to another spot or tune in to their local radio station ... that was posted on the advertisement on the screen.

Sitting there watching the kids running around laughing while playing tag until the movie started was fun in itself. It looked like kids out on a school playground minus the equipment. However, once the opening notes loudlyburstoutofthefirstpreview,allactivitywouldcometoastopandthekidswouldbecomeasfocusedat watching the big screen as everyone else.

Of course, just as the preview started, we would realize we needed a snack. So, off to the concession stand we would go to get yummy burgers and buttery popcorn to share while watching the movie. Inevitably, we would always get into a conversation with the other people in line that appeared to be as laid back and happy tobespendingtheeveningdoingsomethingthatyouimagineonlyhappeningintheAndyGriffithdays.Itisalways nice to reach back and think about a time when life was slower paced and was easier, even if it is only for a couple of hours (that is until the next time we wanted to go for a country drive.)

NEW for Fall 2011at the Cape Career and

Technology Center

In cooperation with Mineral Area College, a new

This comprehensive Automotive Technology program emphasizes Automotive Service Excellence certification.

For more information, or to set up an appointment for advising and enrollment, call the Career and Technology Center at (573) 334-0826 or go online at www.capectc.org.

Evening Automotive TechnologyCertificate/Degree Program

One Man’s Junk Becomes Another

Man’s Junk!By Dean Whitlow

We all love a treasure hunt, and to me there’s none more exciting than a swap meet! I typically attend swap meets that cater to antique and classic cars. And I’ve learned a few things along the way.

First and foremost is that you attend a swap meet with a couple of your buddies. As you make your way through the stacks of tires and wheels, engines, doors, fenders, hoods, seats, and the odd array of tools and automobilia, everything you see is a conversation starter for you and your buddies! Whether it is a discussion of what make and model of vehicle a hub cap came from, or why a certain change was made by the manufacturer to an engine part, the conversation never ends.

Second, make a mental list of the things you should be looking for. I won’t begin to presume that anyone can avoid the temptation of purchasing some obscure piece because it just looks so cool, but at least you’ll be more likely to spot

what you are looking for if you are thinking about it! Somehow, we still manage to arrive home with some bizarre stuff.

Third on my list of things learned deals with money. Maybethisshouldbefirston my list, but once you’ve finishedthisstoryIthinkyou’llsee why I didn’t make money number one! My advice here is to take along enough money to purchasethatfindofalifetime,but not enough that you’ll regret spending it all on stuff you already have at home! Which takes us to number four.

Fourth is a warning to not become a hoarder! Yes, we all like to refer to it as collecting, but how many 2-barrel Rochester carburetors do you really need (they are my greatest weakness). We are all drawn to things that we are familiar with. And since we value those items so much, we just can’t pass up a bargain when we see one! I’m sure that there’s some poor guy out there with a collection of curb feelers of every shape, size and manufacturer. We all have our weaknesses.

MyfifththingthatI’velearnedthroughout the years is the true reason these events are referred to as swap meets. For years, I thought it was odd that no one was actually swapping or exchanging car parts with one another. Instead, the events are

primarily guys purchasing parts from other guys. What I’ve learned is that we all buy stuff that we don’t need, only to hold on to it for a couple of years and then sell the stuff at a future swap meet to another guy that truly doesn’t need it (and he too will hold on to it for a couple of years… only to later sell it). Therefore, we are swapping parts if only over a period of a few years time. I once found myself considering whether or not to purchase an itemonlytofindthatitwasonce mine!!!

Number six on my list is the bewitching hour of the swap meet. Oh, what a horrible feeling it is that you are nearing the end of the day at the meet onlytofindthatyouhaven’tpurchased anything! Your heart races as you frantically search for that piece of treasure. If too much time elapses, you begin to backtrack to see if the guy with theflatbedtruckstillhasthatsetof dinged up wheel trim rings. Then the shock to discover that even those old trim rings (that were overpriced) have been sold! In a panic, you purchase something that will be tough to explain when you arrive home!!! Doesn’t everyone need anextraoilfilterwrench?

Last on my list is the thing thatwasfirstonmylist.Thatis,take along your best

of the Ford dealership in my home town. The Futura version of the Ford Falcon came from the factory with bucket seats, center console, special trim (inside and out), a T-Bird styled roof, and a chrome “hood scoop” (non-functional). I saw very few of these cars during the three years that I drove this one. One odd feature of the car was a set of V-8 emblems on the front fenders. They were made for the Falcon Sprint (very cool hard-top version of the Falcon), and were installed by the original owner. The car never had a V-8 engine! It came from the factory with a very small displacement 6-cylinder engine! I removed those emblems around 1976... and still have them!

Ithoughtaboutcreatingalistof“firsts”thathappened in my life in the years that I drove this car(firstrealdate,firstjob,firstdragrace,firstyear of college, etc.), but I think the list would be endless. So many memories attached to that old car.

buddies. The laughs, reminiscing, and the excitement of the treasure hunt is worth more than you’ll ever spend on that old carburetor.

Two of my friends from high school accompanied me to a recent swap meet and we had the time of our lives!

I must take a second to congratulate the Capha Antique Car Club for having one of the best run swap meets that I attend. I always enjoy myself at their event, even if there is a wind-chill of six degrees!

Your First CarBy Dean Whitlow

I think that everyone has memories attached totheirfirstsetofwheels.Ihadgrownupbeingmotorizedfromaveryyoungage(hadmyfirstgo kart at the age of 5). So, by the time I got my handsonmyfirstcar,Ihadplayedaroundwithmyfair share of bicycles, motorcycles, go karts, mini bikes, etc.

Myfirstcarwasahand-me-downfrommyolder sister. A 1962 Ford Futura (Falcon) that she drove throughout high school and college. My dad bought it for her as a used car around 1967.

Whenmysistergotherfirst“real”job,thelittlecar was parked out back and became a convenient storage locker for junk! I don’t think that anyone planned for the car to become mine... as it was well used and in need of a good deal of repair.

I started to tinker on the car almost two years before I got my driver’s license. My Dad and I made a lot of repairs to the car including the blue paintandstripes,Mustangseatsandfloorshifter,and a low-mile engine from a salvage yard car. My Mom helped me with the carpet, and I also added a set of new speakers (had a tube-type AM only radio!).

The little car was unique in a number of ways. It had originally been owned by the son of the owner

By Dean Whitlow

As a child, you might have been frightened by the thought that a monster was lurking under your bed! Horror movies reveal monsters as creatures to be feared by all!

So it would seem logical that a giant monster that roars, leaps, and bounds over huge obstacles in its path would frighten anyone. But that’s not the case with Monster Trucks!

At a recent event, I couldn’t believe the excitement that the children had for the monster trucks. Before the start of the event, some kids got the chance to meet their favorite driver, and have photos taken with the driver and the truck. The smiles were a mile wide and even very small children were giddy in the presence of the trucks.

Thensomethingunexpectedbymetookplace.Asthedriversfiredupthetruckengineswithdeafening roars, the excitement began to overtake everyone in the arena. That excitement continued to build as the trucks performed amazing stunts and demonstrated remarkable power and endurance.

As all of this unfolded, I couldn’t keep my eyes off of the little kids. They were so captivated by the wild action that they were entranced by the trucks and cheered wildly as the stunts were performed.

Then my attention shifted somewhat. I began to realize that the adults that only an hour or so before were doing their best to keep their children in line while waiting to enter the arena, were also becoming captivated by the trucks. Slowly, I could see the adults slipping back to a much more innocent and happy time. They too were kids… if only for a while.

It didn’t end there. See, I had planned to attend the Monster Truck event as an impartial observer, but somethingwashappeningtometoo.Ifounditdifficulttotakemyeyesofftheactionlongenoughto take photographs! My heart would pound as the drivers performed daring stunts with those giant and powerful machines. Before I knew it, I was on my feet cheering for my favorite truck as it raced around the arena.I know that there’s no such thing as a time machine. But based on my experience with the Monster Truck event, I feel that those trucks can somehow turn back the clock. That night, we were all taken back to a time of childhood wonder and excitement.

If you’ve never attended one of these shows, I encourage you to do so. If you are a parent or a grandparentyou’llfindthistobefamilyorientedentertainmentthatwilltrulytransportyoubacktoatime of your youth.

Roaring Giants are Monsters Loved by Kids of all Ages

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