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JANUARY
2002, Volume 5, Issue 1
General
Meeting-January 8, 2002
The meeting was called to
order by Sgt at Arms, Dante’ Higgins,President, Ted Klein
presiding.
Guests for the evening were Sassy and Michael Guthrie.They
own a l968 Firebird 400.It has been in her family from
day one. That is a verylong time.
Ted asked if there were any corrections to last month’s
minutes.Frank made the motion to accept the minutes as
printed in the News Letter, Gary seconded, carried.
Old
Business:
Gary reported on the Christmas dinner held at Gingus Megee’s.He
said we were lucky to have a nice evening with no bad
weather.That made the drive up very pleasant. After a
nice dinner, we had our gift exchange.You know how it
goes – “open one or steal one”.Some gifts made several
rounds of the room.
Dave asked about the information on our Club in the Bee.We
need to change our meeting night as it is still showing
second Monday of the month.J.J. said the same about the
Web Site. Ted had already called Jim and it has been changed.
New
Business:
Treasurer’s report is in another section of this News
Letter.One very delightful aspect of the Treasurer’s report
is we ended 2001 with approximately $3000 more than we
started with.This is because of all the hard work we did
on Trans A Rama 2001 and it’s only six months down the
road and we will do it again.Gary said if we counted all
the hours that the Club put in on getting ready for this
event, and actually working the event,it would come out
to about .30 cents an hour.
Upcoming
events:
February,
Auto Rama:
There will be eight cars shown at Auto Rama.Each car will
have a blown up placard of the original add to place beside
the car.We will have a booth as we did last year.We will
have a sign up sheet for anyone who is interested in the
Trans Am or may own one.We will also have copies of our
Trans Script available and I’m sure J.J. will have some
of our “History In Pictures” books available for viewing.There
will be nineteen clubs displaying approximately 358 cars.That
is around 100 more than were shown last year.Our Club
cars will be some of the newest.
February
3rd, Super Bowl Party:
The party will be held at Arlyn and Cindy Steenbergen’s
home .It is located at 8501 Kenneth Ridge Court in Fair
Oaks.It is off Kenneth Ave. between Madison and Greenback.It
is down the street from the Round Table pizza parlor whereour
Club held meetings a couple of years ago.Just in case,the
phone number is – 989-9176. Be sure and bring a dish that
will serve about twenty people.
July,
Trans A Rama:
Coming along fine.Dates are July 19th, 20th, and 21st.The
run on Friday night will be to Jasper’s.They will have
a parking area for us and we will get discounts on food.Car
show and dinner is on Saturday.Auto Crossing on Sunday.Mather
Field is no longer allowing Auto Crossing so Dave is looking
for a place to hold this event.Possibly Cal Expo or McClellan.
February
17, Valentine’s Day Brunch:
We are going to the Sunset Whitney Club.We met there two
or three years ago and it was very nice.This will be a
buffet so we can eat what we want as much as we want.
The cost is $16.95 per person plus tax and tip.Children,
5 to 12 years is $9.95 plus Tax and Tip, under 5 years
will be free.Meet at Levitz on Watt Ave. at 9:30am.We
need to leave by 10:00am so we will arrive at Sunset Whitney
by 10:30am.TheClub will be taking $5 off the cost of the
meal.Thanks again to Trans A Rama.
March
17th, Chili Cook Off:
This event will be held at J.O. and Irene Raff’s house.The
same location as last year for St. Patrick’s Day progressive
dinner.Bring your chili, already cooked, in a crock pot
if you have one.There will be only four burners available
at the Raff’s.This is a competition day.Awards for best(1)
Red Chili, (2) Green Chili, (3) Wimpiest Chili, and (4)
People’s Choice.Meet at K- Mart on Sunrise and Coloma
Rd. offI-50 at 1:30pm.
March
23rd, Daffodil Hill:
Meet at K- Mart on Sunrise and Coloma Rd. offI-50 April
27th), Bush Nascar Simulators. Meet at Levitz’s at 1pm,
and travel all the way to Roseville.Everyone had a great
time last year so we thought we should do it again.
April
7th, Dyno Day, This is another repeat but worth
the time.
April
(no date), Cool August Nights in Redding.
May
(no date), Children’s Receiving Home.
May
(no date), The POCI car show in the Elk Grove
Park.
June
(no date), The Fulton Car Fest. June (no date),
Woodies.
August
(no date), Santa Cruz.This would be
an over nighter.
July,
Trans A Rama.
March,
May
and July,
WednesdayDrags at the Sacramento Raceway.
Ted talked to Smity at Kragen’s regarding their car shows
during the summer.He said they would start the 3rd Friday
in May and go through October.
If you have any articles for the Trans Script please get
them to Ted Bechtel. You can E-Mail them to him at thorendor2@msn.com.
Dead line is the 18th of the month.
Ted Bechtel presented Gary and Gayle Vollstedt a certificate
of appreciation for the time and effort put in this past
year on the activities.
With no further business Frank made a motion to adjourn,
seconded by Dante’, carried.
Respectfully submitted, Irene Raff, Secretary.
The
Starting Line
Hi everybody, I would like to start off this article by
saying congratulations to Leo Brown. Leo started the year
off right, with the purchase of a new 2002 WS-6 Trans
Am. The color is either Burnt Orange or Sunset Orange,
depending on who you talk to. I guess this means Leo can
run for President next year!
We are fast approaching one of my favorite holidays, Valentine’s
Day. The Day when you get to show that special someone
how much you care about them. It’s a chance you get once
a year to make up for the other 364 days of acting like
a schmuck!
Valentine’s Day, it conjures images of chocolate covered
strawberries, long stem roses, bottles of champagne, Super-models
wearing skimpy lingerie, Elmer Fudd wearing diapers, shooting
people in the butt with arrows!
It's your chance to make up for the Carbon Fiber Interior
Dress up kit, you gave her for Christmas, or suggesting
she might not need that second piece of pumpkin pie at
Thanksgiving.
Remember, when you go to buy her gift, that totally awesome
outfit you saw at Frederick’s of Hollywood, will probably
be the most tasteless and tacky thing that she has ever
seen, and although edible underwear comes in cherry flavor,
it is not one of the four basic food groups!
Some say that Valentines Day is a Holiday created by the
greeting card companies, so what if it is, you wouldn’t
think twice about spending $200.00 for that aluminum intake
manifold, that will lower your quarter-mile E.T. by a
tenth of a second! It might surprise her when she realizes,
that once a year, she is as important as your car!
And remember ladies, men are only slightly brighter that
chimps, when it comes to understanding what you mean when
you say "we don't have to do anything for Valentines
Day". To us this is a green light for that 200.00
intake manifold!
So let me close by wishing you all a Happy Valentine’s
Day and saying I hope I see you all at the Valentine’s
Day Brunch at the Sunset Whitney Country Club!
Until next month, Ted "Theo" Bechtel.
Attention
Club members!!!
It's that time of the year folks, let's get those dues
paid as soon as possible!
The Club meeting night has been changed to the first tuesday
of the month, see you there!
Leo
Brown Loves Lights
Leo Brown has a passion for lights.
He staples strands of twinkling lights and arranges motorized
mannequins for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Halloween,
St. Patrick’s Day, Easter and Independence Day. “I have
always been fascinated by lights,” he said.
“ I always help my neighbors put up lights and motivate
them so they can decorate too.”
This year a singing and dancing Pinocchio debuted, next
to the annual Christmas staples—Rudolph, Santa, and Frosty
the Snowman. The roof, walkway, steps, and bushes are
covered in sequential lights.
A few years ago, Brown expanded beyond the standard Christmas
decorations.
On the lawn, Sesame Street’s Big Bird lifts a pen to check
his gift list while Cookie Monster dunks cookies in a
glass of milk. Oscar the Grouch pops out of his trash
can. And an 8-foot inflatable figure of Dr. Seuss’s the
Grinch, stands near Brown’s lone redwood tree.
From November to January, Brown said, he cannot use his
driveway because it is covered with angels, decorative
white clouds and an electric train that he pilots every
weekend while dressed as Saint Nick.
Brown’s neighbor, Art Feasel, dressed as Frosty, and Feasel’s
daughter, Chantelle,12, dressed as Rudolph join Brown
on the weekends to hand out candy and collect donations
for the Elk grove food and clothes closets.
This year Wal-Mart, Target, and Pak-N-Save donated the
candy.
“I know that there are people out there who cannot afford
Christmas, per se, and they do not have much to offer
to their family. (Decorating my house) offers a way for
people to take their family out and make them smile,”
Brown said.
Brown said he works about a month—including weekends and
sometimes working until 2a.m.—setting up the Christmas
decorations.
He has received little help from his wife Susan, this
year, he said, because she is pregnant with triplets.
The triplets will join siblings Nick, 13, and Chris, 12.
For Five years he has put up his display, Brown said,
his utility bills have doubled, even quadrupled, during
the holiday season. “The kids just love it , though,”
he said.
Brown estimates he has spent between $3,000 and $5,000
on his decorations. He has installed a security system
to safeguard his collection.
Brown’s collection has spilled over into his neighbors’
yards. One house features a pink, plastic Nativity scene
and another sports a gingerbread house large enough for
a child to enter.
Across the street from Brown Keith Young said his house-decked
out in green garland and pine wreaths- seems ordinary
compared to those of his neighbors.
Different tastes result in different decorations, Young
said. He said he prefers a more conservative, simple style
for his home.
Regardless of the preferences, traffic on Village Tree
Drive is often bumper to bumper after dark, Brown said.
The 11 families on the street that have decorated their
homes are collecting food and clothing donations for the
Elk Grove food and clothes closets, which are housed behind
the Community Services District Building at 8820 Elk Grove
Blvd.
Feasel said delivering the donations to the food closet
took six trips in his Chevrolet Yukon last year. This
year, the residents of Village Tree Drive have placed
two barrels on the street with a banner that reads “Help
us fill Elk Grove Food Closet’s stocking."
So far, Brown said, he also has collected about a $100.00
in cash donations.
“If everyone who passes by gave one can of food we could
fill that food closet in a week! Feasel said.
Written by, Cameron Jahn
Neighbors Staff Writer
Contributed by: Dave Gershon
Final
Chapter Nears for Legendary Muscle Car
Jay
Leno to Pace Daytona 500 with Collector Edition Firebird
Trans Am
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., - Pontiac announced today that celebrity
comedian, auto enthusiast and Tonight Show host Jay Leno
will serve as the official pace car driver for the 2002
Daytona 500 on Feb. 17. Leno will drive the pace car version
of the highly sought after 2002 Collector Edition Firebird
Trans Am as part of Pontiac's ongoing celebration of the
American muscle car icon during its last year of production.
2002 is a special year for performance enthusiasts as
Pontiac celebrates the Firebird and Trans Am with a special
Collector Edition model, said Lynn C. Myers, Pontiac-GMC
general manager. Having Jay Leno behind the wheel at this
year's Daytona 500 adds yet another element of excitement
to this car's rich heritage.
According to Myers, the appearance of a Trans Am at 'the
great American race' is not unusual. In fact, this year's
Daytona 500 will be the 15th that has used a Trans Am
as its pace car and the 30th race in a row paced by a
Pontiac.
Leno Gets Help From Teacher Who's Been
Around The Track
A true racing and automotive enthusiast and avid car collector,
Leno has participated as a pace driver or guest in many
NASCAR events but has never driven at Daytona International
Speedway. To help him prepare, Pontiac asked its own NASCAR
Winston Cup Grand Prix driver Tony Stewart to take Leno
through the curves.
There's definitely a unique thrill that only American
muscle cars can deliver and Firebird is one of those classic
cars that's forever etched into American culture, said
Leno. Driving in this car at a track as legendary as Daytona
with Tony Stewart is an experience that I'm very much
looking forward to.
The Number 2 points scoring driver in the 2001 NASCAR
Winston Cup circuit, Stewart also drove a Trans Am in
'01 as part of the International Race of Champions (IROC)
race series.
It's really nice to see a Trans Am pace this race. I've
raced Trans Am bodies in the IROC series for a long time
and I really appreciate the significance it has as a great
American muscle car, said Stewart. And while it's sad
to see them go after 2002, it's great to see Pontiac celebrate
Firebird history.
Pace Car Will Excite On And Off The Track
According to Firebird Brand Manager Bob Kraut, the 2002
Trans Am Collector Edition's Ram Air WS6 performance and
handling package is so good that the pace car needed only
two changes to make it race ready: special Daytona 500
decals and a light bar.
When race fans see this car on the track at the Daytona
500 it will be one of the few times they can actually
go to their dealership and get the same car that paced
the race -the car is just that good, said Kraut. And with
the Collector Edition's LS1 V8 churning out 325 horsepower
at 350 lb-ft. of torque, it's bound to be just as much
fun on the street as it is leading the pack at Daytona
International Speedway.
Coupe or Convertible, Exterior Graphics Package Screams
Performance
Outfitted in its exclusive Pontiac Collector Yellow paint
scheme, the Collector Edition features a special screaming
chicken graphic package that puts a contemporary spin
on the eye-catching hood designs of the '70s and '80s
Firebird and Trans Am models. Two gold-tone designs adorn
the hood of the vehicle and continue on to wrap themselves
around the car's doors and rear quarter panels. The rear
fascia also gets special attention with a two-tone Collector
Yellow and black treatment while both Collector Edition
and Trans Am nameplates accent the lower doors.
The Collector Edition will be offered in Trans Am Coupe
with hatch tops and a black roof halo or Convertible with
a black top.
Staying true to the tradition of the WS6 performance and
handling package's exterior appointments, the Collector
Edition includes black painted WS6 wheels with a machined
face surface, black anodized front and rear brake calipers
and black painted axles. Goodyear Eagle F1 performance
tires are standard.
Interior
Details Celebrate Legendary Lineup
Inside the 2002 Collector Edition, owners will find exclusive
interior trim appointments that highlight the now famous
design cues of Firebird and Trans Am through the years.
Seats are wrapped in ebony leather with headrests featuring
embroidered Collector Edition logos. Also sporting the
Collector Edition logo are front floor mats and a trophy/shelf
mat. A special issue Collector Edition owner's portfolio
provides the finishing touch to the vehicle's interior.
Ram Air WS6 Performance and Handling Package - Need We
Say More?
The Ram Air WS6 performance and handling package is standard
on the Collector Edition. Highlighting the features is
the LS1 5.7L V8, which produces 325 horsepower at 350
lb-ft. of torque (with WS6 package refinements).
The 5.7L LS1 introduced leading-edge technologies to the
grand tradition of the GM small-block V8, including all-aluminum
construction and a thermoplastic intake manifold. Measured
by mass, package size, performance or cost to the customer,
the 5.7L LS1 matches the world's best overhead cam V8s.
With this new small block, those who claimed cam-in-block
engines could not meet the demands of a new decade - or
increasingly stringent emissions standards - were proven
patently wrong.
Available transmissions for the LS1 include a six-speed
manual or four-speed automatic.
Pontiac's exclusive WS6 Ram Air performance and handling
package features functional air scoops, ram-air induction,
low restriction dual outlet exhaust, and a suspension
specifically tuned for maximum handling performance.
Standard
and Optional Equipment
Standard equipment on the Collector Edition includes:
- Power antenna
- Power windows
- Power door locks
- Remote keyless entry
- Theft-deterrent alarm system
- Driver 6-way power seat
- Monsoon Series AM/FM radio
with CD player
- Hatch roof (T-Tops) on coupe
model
Optional equipment on the Collector Edition includes:
Traction control
Trunk-mounted 12-CD changer
Hurst Short-Throw shifter (six-speed manual transmission
only)
Editor's Note: Photography is available online at http://media.gm.com.
B-roll footage of Tony Stewart teaching Jay Leno how to
drive at Daytona International Speedway can be obtained
by contacting Tony Sapienza of Pontiac-GMC communications
at 313-667-4125.
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