T he first few weeks of 2018 brought what I

thought was some unwarranted attention to

drivers in the great state of Oregon. An

article in January’s newsletter told you that

drivers in less populous and rural areas of the state

would be able to pump gas into their own vehicles.

When the rest of the country realized that Orego-

nians had, up till this time, had gas station attend-

ants pumping gas, a barrage of cutting and deroga-

tory memes, photos and comments pervaded the

internet. I know you saw some of these and if not a

friend that lives out of state probably sent you

something.

As a Washingtonian, I still get out of my car when

fueling up in Oregon, remembering only when the

attendant appears from around the pump to remind

me that I’m about to do his job. Force of habit I

guess since I am a Northwest transplant. I’m just

used to doing this simple act that used to be a ser-

vice provided to the customer.

Service and customer. Two words that seem to

have changed quite a bit over the decades.

In the early days of motoring, gas station pumps

were manually operated. Gasoline was hand

pumped from a large tank into a calibrated glass

container. The station attendant would dispense this

gas, noting how much was sold by the drop in the

glass container. The container was then refilled in

preparation for the next customer. When manual

pumps were replaced by electrical/mechanical ones

though station attendants were not. Attendants

started to offer other services for the customer like

oil, fluid and air checks or cleaning windshields. It

was all part of the service that gasoline companies

offered to customers to attract business. There was

a reason companies like Texaco told people that

they could “trust their car to the man with a star!”

As vehicles and drivers increased though, these

services slowed how many customers could be

handled resulting in decreased sales. Thus was

born a new way to fuel up; self-serve. For a fewer

pennies drivers could skip the services of the at-

tendant, fuel up on their own and be on their way in

less time. Other companies noticed that this was

being accepted by the driving population and imple-

mented it at their stations. For some time in the

60’s and 70’s there were still stations across the

country that displayed “Full Serve” and “Self Serve”

signs. Not having to pump your own gas in full

service allowed you the opportunity to ask other

full service patrons if they had any Grey Poupon.

By the late 80’s it would have been hard to find any

gas station that offered full service. And if a station

did, it would be fuel dispensing only. No one would

look at oil level or clean a window.

This would also be the time when we started to

see other “self-serve” areas at businesses. Folks

could scan their own groceries, create travel itiner-

aries or print their own pictures. The idea of

“customer service” has definitely changed.

Which brings me back to the unfair mocking that

Oregonians received over pumping their own gas.

I believe that Oregon (and New Jersey which also

restricts drivers pumping their own gas) have it

right! Gasoline is a hazardous material and re-

quires special training to handle. Gasoline’s toxicity

affects health. Meanwhile, the cleanliness of the

pumps and the area around them leaves a lot to be

desired. Factor in heat, cold and rain and I think

we all would agree it is desirable to have someone

else pumping gas while we remain in the comfort

of our car.

So, you Oregonians, stand proud that you (and

New Jersey drivers) still get to experience a little of

what customer service was like years ago. You are

unique compared to the rest of us who have to

grab a dirty pump handle, standing in the cold on

greasy pavement while a little drip of gasoline

plops on our shoes.

Seems the ones who should be tossing the jokes

are you.

Tom

No Respect!

I N S I D E T H I S

I S S U E :

The SVE Thun-

derbird

2

Lovin’ Your Car 3

Don’t Get

Soaked On the

Deal

4

Install a Hose

the Right Way

5

Meeting Minutes 6

Calendar of

Events

7

Passing Lane 8

E X E C U T I V E B O A R D Thunderbird Flyer F E B R U A R Y , 2 0 1 8 V O L U M E 3 9 , I S S U E 2

Newsletter of the Northwest Vintage Thunderbird Club

P A G E 2

T H U N D E R B I R D F L Y E R

Their creation,

the Thunder-

bird SVE,

would have

almost certain-

ly become a

classic.

The SVE Thunderbird

O nce a thorn in the side of the almighty Chev-

rolet Corvette, the Ford Thunderbird was a

corpulent, lethargic land schooner by the

time it reached its tenth generation in 1989.

To the chagrin of anyone who hoped that that the T-

Bird would become a sports car by the 1990s, the cor-

nering limits MN12-bodied Thunderbird were pretty

much restricted to a KFC drive-thru in Tennessee. As a

result, the 10th-gen absolutely earned its Thunder-

Chicken

badge.

As the age of

two-door

road boats

reached its

twilight, Ford

tried a couple

of different

ideas to get

the T-Bird in

shape. Their

best attempt was the fan-favourite SuperCoupe, which

packed the supercharged 3.8-litre Essex V6 from the

original Taurus SHO. This actually made the Thunder-

Chicken a properly quick coupe, though it was far from

a sports car. Unfortunately, Ford discontinued the

SuperCoupe in favour of the new 4.6-litre Modular V8

from the Mustang GT. This engine proved to be consid-

erably slower and thirstier than the SuperCoupe, and it

soon became clear that buyers were staying away from

the Thunderbird in droves.

What many people did not know was that the mad geni-

uses at Ford’s Special Vehicle Engineering (SVE) divi-

sion had some big ideas for the MN12 T-Bird. Their

creation, the Thunderbird SVE, would have almost cer-

tainly become a classic. Visually, it was differentiable

from other T-Birds by its unique combination of MN12

fascia from previous years; most notably the front

bumper and the wheels from the Cobra Mustang.

However, the

SVE Thunderbird

was perhaps

most easily iden-

tified by what

was under the

hood. Along with

its 5-speed man-

ual transmission,

Ford outfitted the

SVE T-Bird with the same supercharged 4.6-litre V8

from the SN95 Mustang Cobra. With power in ex-

cess of 300bhp, the SVE was no ThunderChicken.

It was a legit GT car.

Sadly, the Thunderbird SVE would never really

come to pass. Instead of sending it to mass-

production, Ford decided to ditch the Thunderbird

altogether after the 1997 model year. After 42 years

of continuous production, the car that was once

destined to bring the fight to the legendary Corvette

was no more. Of the four SVE prototypes produced,

three were sent to the crusher. The surviving proto-

type allegedly resurfaced in 2009 after being put up

for sale on Craigslist. If you ask me, that car was

the greatest Thunderbird that never was.

Kyle Ashdown is Car Throttle's

Community Manager and the creator

of #ecarnomics! Currently driving a

2002 Nissan Stagea 250 RX FOUR

(yes, I know it looks like a Volvo). He

lives in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan,

Canada.

Original article can be found here.

This SVT Cobra-engined, manual transmis-

sion prototype of the last original Ford Thun-

derbird has petrolheads dreaming about

what could have been.

A picture from the 2009 Craigslist ad of what was alleg-

edly the last surviving SVE Thunderbird.

P A G E 3 V O L U M E 3 9 , I S S U E 2

Lovin’ Your Car

Most everyone has a floor jack in the garage. A useful tool that can be used on any vehicle and is much safer than the jack that came with the car. A most unfortunate problem with this tool is the long metal handle usually flops down only when it is close to your vehicle and denting metal or chipping paint.

If your floor jack did not come with a protective rubber or urethane sleeve to prevent these problems several companies make them for around $25. Something that is just as effective is to slip a pool noodle over the handle.

These noodles are about three inches in diameter and should slide over the handle on your jack. If it is a tight fit or too long, the foam can be easily cut with a knife or scis-sors. Some duct tape around the top, middle and bottom should secure it in place.

For only a couple dollars per noodle, you can prevent a dreaded door ding in your own garage!

Hagerty Insurance ran a survey back in 2005 asking how much car enthusiasts really loved their “other” significant other – their classic vehicles.

More than 7,000 car enthusiasts participated in the first “Love in the Fast Lane” online survey and revealed some fascinating in-sights. “What amazed us the most was finding that nearly a third of those surveyed said that they actually bought a gift for their classic car on Valentine’s Day,” says McKeel Hagerty, president of Hagerty Insurance. “We also asked how much enthusiasts spent on their classic’s Valentine’s gift, and over half admitted that they spent more than $250. Now that’s true love!”

Some of the interesting statistics the survey revealed include:

• 60% spent more in the last year on their classic car than on their signifi-cant other

• 62% talk to their classic on a regular basis

• 67% remember the date they bought their first classic

• 42% named their classic car

• 29% bought their “other” significant other a Valentine’s Day present last year and of those respondents, 57% spent more than $250 on the presents

• 64% would reacquire their first car given the opportunity

• 73% remember the year, make and model of every car they have owned

Molded rubber

handle toppers

can cost as

much as $25!

We want to know your thoughts on changing when

club meetings are held. Dates and times, loca-

tions, frequency...everything is open for sugges-

tions. Let Tom or Eric know what you think. We

want to see what works best for the members!

P A G E 4

T H U N D E R B I R D F L Y E R

Don’t Get Soaked On the Deal

A few months have passed since the massive hurricanes

moved through the south and eastern portions of the US.

Most people that were affected by these storms have start-

ed to put their lives back in order by repairing or replacing

items that were damaged or lost. Of the estimated half million vehi-

cles damaged by debris or inundated by water, about 8,000 to

10,000

of them

are col-

lector

vehicles.

Although

most of

these

dam-

aged

vehicles

will never

see the

road

again,

there are

some that will be cleaned, repaired and offered for sale. These are

the ones that buyers need to be aware of.

Steve Linden, writing for Newsday about collector cars that were

subjected to Hurricane Sandy in 2013, said

I’ve received an extraordinary number of e-mails and

telephone calls regarding “Hurricane Sandy” cars. Many

were general inquiries about how to avoid buying one of

these cars. But you would be surprised at how people all

over the country are seeking to buy classic cars that were

damaged by Hurricane Sandy. In the aftermath of this

hurricane I’ve worked on behalf of both classic car own-

ers as well as the insurance companies, and I simply

can’t understand why anyone would want to buy one of

these damaged cars on purpose.

Most people interested in a collector vehicle would understand why it

is best to steer clear of one that has been flooded. Simply put, if a

car has been under water, whole or in part, it is going to have prob-

lems. As Mr. Linden states “That’s why submarines are constructed

differently than automobiles. They are meant to go under water. Cars

are not.”

While a car will keep the occupants dry when it is wet outside, a ve-

hicle can not go “underwater”. Reputable automotive repair facilities

will explain how steel frames and bodies, internal components of the

engine and transmission, seat upholstery and fabric carpets and

electrical wiring are all affected negatively by submersion in water.

Throw in salt water from ocean surges and a bad situation gets

worse. Repairing this type of damage correctly costs more than

most vehicles are worth.

Johnathan Klinger, spokesperson for collector car insurer Hagerty,

says that there will invariably be hurricane damaged

vehicles appearing for sale or for auction. Most owners

of insured vehicles will receive a check for their vehicle

and the insurance company will dispose of the vehicle.

Even if this vehicle is sold by the insurer later, the title

will reflect the vehicles status as a “salvage” or “flood”

vehicle. The uninsured vehicles are the ones that pose

problems with a potential buyer. These vehicles will be

cleaned and repaired to a sellable condition. The title

and other paperwork will not indicate any water damage

to the vehicle. Even if the title looks clear, the vehicle

title may have moved through several states attempting

to muddy (pun intended) its history.

Steve Linden says “I’ve seen a lot of these “flood cars,”

and while some look as if they were used for an under-

water scene in a James Bond movie, the truth is that

some don’t look bad at all.” It is these cars that many

buyers think they are getting a great deal on.

Knowing that these vehicles will be out there how

should you as a buyer protect yourself? Bob Golfen,

editor at ClassicCars.com Journal, provides these sim-

ple things to keep in mind:

• Sit in the car with the doors and windows

closed and take a good sniff, which could reveal

the scent of moisture or mold. Also look and

smell for any air freshener that could be mask-

ing the musty odor.

• Look for obvious signs of dirty water being

present in the interior, such as on rugs and up-

holstery (beware of recent replacements), or silt

under the seats and behind the dashboard.

• Examine under the hood for signs of water.

Use a flashlight to check behind mechanical

parts and in crevasses for signs of silt or debris

accumulation. Do the same in the hidden areas

of the trunk.

• Check any exposed metal parts, such as screw

heads, for unusual signs of rust as well as under

doors, body sills and wheel wells. Once a car

has been under water, it can rust unseen from

the inside out.

• Look for droplets of condensation inside head-

lights and taillights, dashboard gauges and inte-

rior lights.

It is always exciting to locate a collector vehicle that you have been looking for. And for an unbelievable price as well. Just don’t get soaked in the deal as well.

By Tom Przedwojewski

Some of the half million storm damaged vehicles parked at the Texas

World Speedway. Photo courtesy of Brazos Drones

P A G E 5 V O L U M E 3 9 , I S S U E 2

Install A Hose the Right Way

C oolant hoses are very much like the blood vessels of a car. If a heater hose or radiator hose fails you only have a few minutes to stop the engine, after which it's often too late. Hoses fatigue and wear out, of course, but another mode of fail-ure is improper installation or removal. Unfortunately, when failure occurs in the latter case it's usually an associated (often expensive) component to which the hose is attached.

Two common installation mistakes are: 1 - choosing the wrong size hose, and 2 - clamping it too tight. Another common mistake occurs when someone wrestles the hose onto its connection with too much force, thereby cracking or breaking the connection. This happens most often while installing heater hose on the [relatively] delicate core, and sometimes while removing hoses from copper radiators.

That brings us to the removal process and RULE # 1:Never pull or twist a hose off a connection if it has been installed longer than a few minutes! Always cut the hose off!

Hoses that have spent any time on the car become "cemented" to whatever they are clamped. They don't readily slip off, so uninitiated persons tend to try to twist them to break the seal between the hose and the metal. Damage (requiring replacement) occurs as often as not, so don't let your radiator or heater core be added to the scrap heap before it needs to go there.

Use a utility knife or razor blade to cut the hose linearly where it is connected. Cut through until you feel metal on the inside and then gently pry up the edges and peel the hose end off. Once the hose is removed take the time to clean the surface of the metal before in-stalling the new hose. Use fine sandpaper, steel wool, etc.

Putting It On

You can just as easily break a radiator or heater core bib (that's what the connection is called) by twisting a new hose on, so STOP! Go get some Armor All or liquid dish deter-gent (don't use oil or grease!) to use as a lubricant. Spread some on the inside of the hose and then push it onto the bib. You won't believe how much easier it is when you lubricate the hose.

Don't forget also to slip the clamps over the hose before installation. It's much easier to do it beforehand than trying to snake a clamp end around later.

This brings us to Rule #2: Don't over-tighten the clamp! Tighten the clamp just until the hose bulges slightly in the area next to the clamp's metal banding.

Tightening a clamp too much causes the rubber to split and break down internally. This leads to premature failure of the inner cords and then shock and vibration will take its toll on the hose, leading to total failure.

This article was used with permission from Second Chance Garage website. You may read the original article and others here.

You may not know who Denny McLain is but that only means you weren’t a Detroit Tigers

fan back in the 60’s. During the 1968 season, Denny McLain pitched for a 31-6 record.

Not only was he the last pitcher in the 20th century to win 30 games in one season, this

helped propel the Tigers into the playoffs and eventually to win the 1968 World Series.

In appreciation of this achievement, Ford Division head John Naughton awarded Denny

with this 1969 Thunderbird on September 27th, 1968. A special license plate on the car

displays his initials and win/loss record.

Though there is no mention of what kind of options the Thunderbird

had perhaps it came with an eight-track player for Denny to listen to the

music he created as he was an amateur organ player. Click the picture to

listen to his music!

Replacement hoses typically come with

preformed bends for the particular vehicle.

You may find these at your local parts store

for around $30 for upper and lower hose.

Specialty Thunderbird parts businesses like

Bird Nest here in West Linn can provide

quality hoses that will also be stamped with

the correct Ford part numbers to make your

restoration as correct as possible.

P A G E 6

T H U N D E R B I R D F L Y E R

Meeting Minutes Attendance: Tom Przedwojewski, Eric Johansson, Matt Truax, Mike and Yan Connors, Mike Hinsch, Dave

Coles, Joe Engert, Blake Boyles, Mark Haworth, Lou Williams, Bill Biggs,

Meeting was called to order at 7:00 President Tom Przedwojewski welcomed 14 current members and two

guests Including new Member Bill with 66 Landau.

Agenda Topics: Discussion of renewing club memberships and all are encouraged to see that the yearly

dues of $20 be sent to Vicki Wimsatt, 30408 S Wall St. Colton, Or 97017 503-824-2034

the dues are due at this time!

Tom expressed encouragement for all to join the national club and indicated that he will

be having a drawing from current paid members for a free national club membership.

Discussion of various upcoming events, shows, cruises etc. of note was the upcoming

Kelowna cruise show and shine in Canada where Eric and perhaps others will be attend

ing. There is discussion of leaving Portland on Thurs 5/24. Anyone interested should

contact Eric Johansson 503-760-8366 to get all details;

Additional events: Spring Cruise for the club: Date, time and place to be determined

when a host member takes on the event to coordinate.

Sizzlin Summer Car show sponsored by us will be Sat June 30, in North Plains like last

year. Many volunteers are required so everyone is asked to considered being part of our

largest event, 200 cars expected.

Summer picnic this year is volunteered to be held at Mike & Nancy Hinsch’s home in

Charbonneau Or. with tentative date of August 26. Details to follow.

Fall Cruise will be held tentatively in Sept and host volunteers Mark and Debbie Haworth

will coordinate the event. They indicate this will be drive through SW Washington’s farm

country with at lunch stop.

(Other events mentioned: Portland swap meet, Wed nite cruises to Portland Raceway, Hillsboro all Ford

Show June 9th and possible visit to Lemay car museum in Tacoma, Veteran’s Swap meet and show at WA

fairgrounds Aug 11, attendance is great and we are encourage to be there.)

Thunderbird International convention 8/15-8/18 in Oklahoma City, still being put together

with some trouble however we are offering to assist with trophies, Tom working with them.

Tom will be working to reward club participation using his point system 1-5 to bring fair

ness to all who contribute to the club, last years 1st place award went to Joe Engert with

a close 2nd place to Blake Boyles. Congratulations to both!!

Club gear was brought up with the opportunity for all to acquire a club antennae flag,

contact Tom to order.

Treasurer’s report not avail this night but club in the black, enough said!!

New and existing members will be contacted by Mark Haworth to encourage club participation. All those we

are aware of via phone and email will be considered as part of a phone campaign to welcome them back.

Tom and Mark also discussed the creation of an attractive post card type piece for current members to place

on the windshield of all thunderbirds we see in the public as a way to encourage them to “check us out”.

The idea of moving the regularly scheduled meeting which is held the THIRD TUESDAY of each month to a

new day of the THIRD THURSDAY of each month. All in attendance felt this could be “workable” Tom to

take up and consider.

Meeting adjourned 8:25 PM

Calendar of Events

P A G E 7 V O L U M E 3 9 , I S S U E 2

Club Meetings

• February 20th (Tue) Regular club meeting, details on page 8 of the newsletter

VTCI Events http://vintagethunderbirdclub.net/events.htm

• June 7th-10th (Thur-Sun) VTCI North Central Regional, Shoreview, MN

ITC Events http://www.intl-thunderbirdclub.com/index.html

• August 7th-12th (Tue-Sun) ITC Silver Anniversary Convention, Buffalo, NY

Car Shows and Events

• February 3rd (Sat) Portland Cars & Coffee, Wilsonville, OR (event occurrs every Saturday throughout the year)

Further information at portlandcarsandcoffee.com

• February 3rd (Sat) Petersen Collector Car Auction, Salem, OR

Further information at www.petersencollectorcars.com

• January 28th (Sun) 42nd Annual NWDRA Hi-Performance Automotive Swap Meet, Ridgefield, WA

Further information at 503-644-5707

These are not all the events in the area. If I have missed any that you think the club members would like to know about send in the information and I’ll put it in the list! If you attend an event snap a picture or two and write up

something for the newsletter. Each event has a certain flavor and we all like to find a fun and interesting event.

What famous auto maker turned down the opportuni-

ty to have their automobile star alongside other fu-

turistic vehicles in the 2004 movie “Thunderbirds”, a

live action movie based on the British television pro-

gram that aired in 1965 and starred marionettes and

models?

Answer on page 8

Passing Lane fun and funny stuff from the road

2018 Executive Board

President Tom Przedwojewski

64skibird@gmail.com

VP Eric Johansson

ericlj66@gmail.com

Secretary Mark Haworth

Treasurer Vicky Wimsatt

Web site/ Tom Przedwojewski

Newsletter

Find us on the web at

www.nwtbirds.org

The next club meeting will be February 20th, 2018 at 7:00pm at Bird Nest.

Snacks and drinks will be available around 6:30. Come early, grab a bite to

eat and get to know your fellow club members!

New club cards should be available at the meeting.

Club Meeting Times

For your entire club apparel needs; hats, shirts, jackets or even back-

packs, go to Stitch-n-Embroidery. Order on-line, over the phone or in

person. Delivery to the next club meeting is available. Tell them you

want the NW Vintage Thunderbird Club logo!

stitchnembroidery.com/index.html

Rolls Royce. Producers for the movie said that the long time automaker would

only participate if a current model was used for Lady Penelope’s FAB 1. This was

not what the producers of a futuristic show wanted. Ford Europe was then ap-

proached and they jumped at the chance to create a futuristic Thunderbird.

The FAB 1 of 2004 (right)

stayed true to form of the

1965 version (left).

1967 Two Door Thunderbird

428 V8, A/C, Good Condition

$5000.00

Call Don Stroeber

541-676-5824 H

541-490-7616 C

Well, I guess

they aren't

lying!