I was luck enough to bring the Hornet to the nationals
in Kenosha back in 2002.
I say brought, because I towed my car to Minnesota to
Brads house. Friday the 1st day of the trip we
discovered that 3 of the rental trailer tires were
bald. So the next day a guy from Uhaul showed up and
changed them. Also showed us how to hook up the ground
for the lights, people said our lights were flashing.
Half way through New York we pulled into a service
stop and my F150 was squealing more than usual. I got
out to see a huge puddle of power steering fluid on
the pavement.
Long story short I found a dealer still open and they
said the would fit me in that Monday. So Brad and I
were stuck in Canadaigua (did I spell it right) for
the weekend cruising around in my Sportabout.
So after getting the steering box rebuilt we were off
again and Brad missed afew extra days of work and
arrived late Tuesday night.
The
rest of the trip want ok, except for the Hornet
running hot and a little sag to one side. Now I know
why it ran hot and the rear springs sagged. I got alot
of looks. I wish I stayed by my car, but was too busy
checking out the vendors. I think I had the only car
from Maine there. One guy had a sweet '75 hatchback
with a v8 he wanted to swap for my car. As you can see
I declined.I am glad I did. Just thought I'd reminis
about that trip. Thanks for reading Luke
---
AMC74HORNET@webtv.net wrote:
> Terry I would bring some oil, maybe some tranny
> fluid, antifreeze,
> elect. & duct tape and the hoses and belts you
> mentioned and a small
> road service tool box with enough tools to change a
> hose or belt. This
> may seem like a lot but it will all fit into a small
> box. On the A/C I
> am not sure which gas your car takes. If it is
the
> old R-12 that is not
> available over the counter any more. You have to
> gave a license to buy
> it and it is very expensive. They do make kits to
> convert the old R-12
> to I think the new freon is R-134 or something like
> that. The A/C didn't
> work in my orange Hornet when I bought it. A
> mechanic friend who is also
> the AMC guy that got me the car and puts on the
> Ardsley show had a case
> of the old R-12 and put in a can of sealer/dye and 1
> 1/2 cans of R-12 2
> years ago and the A/C still works fine. Pick the
> items you will need for
> minor repairs and make up your road kit. Also a can
> of flat fix would be
> good to have too. For anything else I hope you have
> some kind of road
> assistance plan. I have 2 one with the AARP and a
> free one with my
> classic car insurance. Have a good trip. You will
> find that
when you are
> with people who appreciate our brand of cars you
> will not be able not to
> engage in conversation and make friends.
> "Doc"
>
> > To:
BaadAssGremlins@yahoogroups.com> From: <
twa1950@yahoo.com>
> Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2006 17:52:53 -0700 (PDT)
> Subject: Re: [BaadAssGremlins] Nationals
>
> Thanks that is what I wanted to know. I know it is
> hard to believe but I am not a big talker. I won't
> know anyone there and since my lovely better half
> isn't going didn't want to sit in the back of this
> thing while they give out awards. This might be OK.
> Oh I decided just to put it in the display class. I
> didn't get anything done to it and I know I won't in
> the next few weeks. I know I worry too much. I was
> telling that guy at
work that has the Mustang that I
> meet at the car shows that I thought I would take a
> set of belts, radiator hoses, heater hose and I was
> thinking even of bringing an oil filter and oil with
> me along with my tool box tape wire brake fluid etc.
> he said I was nuts. He told me to forget most of
> that stuff and stick a can of freon in the A/C and
> see if it would work. He is probably right.
> Terry
>
> Eddie Stakes <
eddiestakes@planethoustonamx.com>
> wrote:
> Terry, this depends. I can however tell
> you whether you think you will win something or not
> it is fun. I go especially if the host club has a
> Guest Speaker. This is usually someone associated
> with American Motors.
>
> The most memorable banquet (AMO) I can recall? In
> Kenosha in 1998, the banquet was going to be
held at
> the Italina American club, possibly one of the
> larger places that could hold 300-400 AMCers up
> there. It was sold out and filled to capacity.
> Everyone had showered, some had napped, some were
> wound up from the days.....and weeks....activities
,
> this was the final curtain call. It was a great
> place to see friends and other AMCers you had met in
> a more relaxed atmosphere.
>
> We (Houston chapter) sat near the drunks of the
> Ohio chapter who obviously had been imbibing the
> whole day, but were a great group. There was also a
> bar which was doing good business too. When the
> guest speaker sat up his show projector and
> paperwork, I joked with Paige that these guys won't
> shut up so we would have to move to hear the
> speaker.
>
> The speaker was Chuck Chamakian, who was one of
> the leaders on the design team for AMCm
especially
> for the 71 AMX and Javelin. The AMO officers shushed
> the crowd several times, giggles and other little
> noises broke out. When chuck tookt he mike and
> started talking the whole place was so quiet you
> could hear a pin drop. No one got up to order a
> beer, no one coughed, no one giggled, no one did
> shit. This was a living piece of American Motors
> history who had a hand in just about every person's
> car that was in that room. He brought out stunning
> xrays, drawings, sketches and so forth, most of
> whihc had never been seen. He talked about the
> difficulty and complexicity of desiging, and
> marketing a 'new' Javelin and AMX (for 1971) when
> sales for 1970 had been in the toilet and
> disappointing.
>
> It was simply spellbinding to sit there and listen
> to this fellow. Even the drunks at the Ohio table
> were quiet. He got a
standing ovation, and a number
> of people went up to congratulate him, thank him,
> for showing up and even more got his autograph. He
> is dead now.
>
> When the awards came later, a good friend of mine,
> Dennis Raffensperger of Lawton, OK had taken his 68
> Javelin up to Kenosha. Dennis had first brought his
> pice of shit six color Javelin to the first Regional
> here in Houston in 1991 and I met him for the first
> time face to face, quite a really nice fellow. I
> told him to go park his Javelin in the field over at
> Bear Creek as I thought it had gangrene or herpes
> and could infect other cars, it was really, and I
> mean REALLY sunblistered paint. He busted his ass
> restorting that car himself in OK for the next
> several years. I saw it at the Regionals here in
> Houston in 98 and could not believe it was same car!
> Well, he also in that time frame had
went from a 250
> big burly boy to a thin sickly looking man, as he
> had been diagnosed with esophagus cancer even though
> a non smoker.
>
> At the Nationals, he was on even ground with
> everyone else, and won a Bronze, quite a feat if
> anyone had seen that car before. I took his photo
> getting his trophy at the Nationals, and it is in
> one of my scrapbooks. Paige and I congratulated him
> and he told me that 'the doctor urged him to go'
> which he did. It was his finest moment, but his
> last.
>
> Him and his two brothers drove back to OK and
> Dennis died three days later after this great
> accomplishment. He was in his 30s. Dennis was the
> kind of AMCer who would be first to show up at a
> meet location, set up tent, trash barrels, park
> cars, sell sodas, anything and would usually be last
> with me to leave. Some of you who are in
AMO
> remember my article I wrote about this fellow after
> the Nationals, and also on the amxfiles in 1998. It
> is a real tear jerker, but when a person crosses
> your path that makes a real difference, a positive
> influence, in your life, I guess a small mention of
> them is fine?
>
> I still give out Dennis Raffensperger Memorial
> Awards 8 years later at meets and also tell the
> people what it represents. It represents the best
> that is in all of us, even under duress. Dennis
> never complained, never whined, he just continued
> restoreing his car best he could under the
> circumstances and when he was not weak. And what a
> job he did.
>
> Point is this. There was someone on here (and I
> don't remembe who) wanted to know whether they
> shuold go to a show a month or so ago, they did, and
> had fun. The people are what make the meets
and
> unfortunately, you don't know if you will ever see
> them face to face again. Yes, you can email them, or
> talk on phone, but nothing like seeing a AMC friend
> at a meet. And the memories of these meets, big or
> small, and the paths you cross and friendships you
> forge.....to borrow a credit card line....are
> priceless. Hope you enjoy the meet, and if any
> tickets, hope you enjoy the banquet.
> Eddie Stakes'
> Planet Houston AMX
> 713.464.8825
> eddiestakes@planethoustonamx.com
> *email is currently HEAVY
> Call if important*
> www.planethoustonamx.com
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: twa1950@yahoo.com
> To: BaadAssGremlins@yahoogroups.com
> Sent:
Monday, June 26, 2006 1:07 PM
> Subject: [BaadAssGremlins] Nationals
>
>
>
> Do you guys go to the banquet on Saturday night. I
> am not going to win anything is there any since in
> going.
> Thanks
> Terry
>
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