February 2008
1 President's message
2 Got EVENTS? The Board Wants To Hear From You
3 Want to LEARN?
Feature Articles
4 Rose: Auto-Biography of a ‘59 Dodge
5 Car of the Month
6 The Gentler Sex Sells
News Briefs
7 Worst and Most Improved Roads
8 Car Rental Tips
9 @utoRevenue Enhances @utoVoice ™
Recent Events
10 Washington Auto Show
Upcoming Events
11 Detroit Auto Show TALK
LCCI 2008 Grand Invitational http://www.lcc-
dogwood.org/
Classified CAR ADS AVAILABLE NOW
http://www.straight8s.net/member_cartalk_2008/classified/classified.htm
1
PRESIDENT'S BRIEFS
A constant flow of newsletter submissions (from first time contributors); members graciously
stepping forward to host activities at their homes; invitations from other groups for us to
participate in their events; an unprecedented number of suggestions for new activities … As a
member of the Straight Eights Board, all of this is a pleasure to see. For you, it will result in
the Club’s most exciting season of activities to-date. At our recently-held planning meeting, I
was amazed. I have no doubt you will find this year to be nothing less than thrilling.
Watch the online calendar closely, as the calendar is being rapidly filled in as plans are
confirmed. For example, we’ve just received confirmation that our annual Fluff-Up
(Saturday, April 19, 2008) will be returning after two years to Tri-Valley President Ron
Royston’s spacious homestead with the added bonus of a gorgeous driving route out to
Winchester, Virginia.
Having established a “home” for ourselves with our monthly “Cruise-Ins” at PW’s, we’re
expanding upon the success of our debut season by inviting other open-minded Car Clubs to
come and celebrate the hobby with us. The regional Citroen Club is excited to be invited to
join us for a “Cruise-In” this summer! We’re currently in discussions with several other
groups. If you know of additional, Gay-friendly car clubs that you think would enjoy
celebrating the hobby with us at our PW’s “home,” please contact a member of the Straight
Eights Board!
The above provides the perfect segue to remind us all – yes, once again – that your Club will
be as dynamic as you make it with your pro-active participation. Your involvement – as a
newsletter contributor, a volunteer, or by sharing your contacts to enhance our activities – is
welcome and essential to fulfilling the bright promise of 2008!
2
Straight Eights Board of Directors Wants to Hear from You
The Straight Eights Board of Directors are planning an exciting 2008, and with your help,
they want to customize the upcoming year’s events to members’ desires. So, think about
recommendations for the club or events and places you want the club to participate in or
visit.
If possible, provide links and as much information as you can then send your suggestions to
Vice President Howard “Smitty” Smith at SALVAGE04@aol.com.
3
Do You Want to Learn How to Perform
Body Work and Lube Jobs?
Do you know the difference between a rocker panel and a rocking chair? Do you know the
difference between spark plugs and hair plugs? Did you ever pay to have a water pump
replaced on your Corvair?
Are you interested in attending seminars, taught by Smitty, our own sexy mechanic
extraordinaire, on body work and mechanical repair?
Even if you have no intention of performing your own repairs, it is always helpful to be
knowledgeable, so you don’t get taken for a ride next time you leave your pride and joy at the
shop.
Never again will you hear, “We need to replace your Crawford arm as it is rubbing against
your Garland pin on the right front suspension below the Davis joint,” and then write a check
for parts that do not exist and repairs you do not need.
If the above interests you, email Smitty at SALVAGE04@aol.com.
4
Rose: Auto-Biography of a ‘59 Dodge
By Lou Vecchioni, Jr.
I bought my 1959 Dodge Coronet Lancer D-500, affectionately known as “Rose,” in the
spring of 2002. Since that day, I have been sitting on a sparse bit of paperwork that came
with the car, including a photocopy of a Certificate of Title dating back to 1968. I obtained
Rose from a dealer in Spokane, WA, who claimed it was from an estate sale, so I never
bothered trying to contact the former owner listed on the title. I simply filed away the
information, sales paperwork, etc.
Recently, I was going through that file and actually took the time to scrutinize it. I noticed
that the old title actually showed two previous owners between 1968 and 2001. The title was
signed over to Tony May, of Vernon, BC ( Canada) in January 2001, but the former owner’s
name was listed as Vernon LaCoursiere of Tuscon, AZ.
Using my trusty computer, I ran a Google search for the names and found a listing for Mr.
LaCoursiere, so I called, and he answered! It turned out that he is still alive and well in
Tuscon, although we believe that Mr. May, the subsequent owner, passed away shortly after
purchasing the car.
I had a wonderful chat with Mr. LaCoursiere, and he recounted this history of the car:
In 1958 or 1959, Bill Breck, formerly of Montana, started a new car dealership (Bill Breck
Dodge) in Tuscon, AZ. My car was ordered as a demonstrator for the dealership but actually
became the second car to be sold. It was purchased by a lady, about whom Mr. LaCoursiere
knew little, other than the fact that she brought the car in for service every 1,000 miles.
I have always been curious about the color scheme and the way the car is optioned: a lowly
Coronet model, yet having power windows, swivel seats, automatic headlight dimmer,
padded-center steering wheel, and the D-500 “performance” engine – a 383 cid four-barrel.
Even more unusual, the exterior colors are Rose Quartz and Coral (yes, two-tone pink), but
the interior is red and black! Mr. LaCoursiere confirmed that all the equipment and colors
were indeed original, and that most likely the extra accessories were specified, so this demo
would show off the available features for that model. It is unknown if this car was loaded up
in lieu of using a top-line Custom Royal or if it was in addition to the dealer having one of
those as a demo as well. An extra oddity revealed by Mr. LaCoursiere is that, despite the
other options, this car was originally equipped with simple “dog dish” center hubcaps! Also,
it had dealer-installed, under-dash air conditioning, which (sadly) he removed in more
recent years.
Mr. LaCoursiere worked at Bill Breck Dodge (now Tuscon Dodge) from 1965 until retiring in
the late 1990s. In 1968, the original owner brought the 22,000 mile car to the back to the
dealership to trade it in (for a new Monaco!) and Mr. LaCoursiere bought it for his wife. She
ended up driving it as her primary vehicle for nearly 22 years!
Finally, in 1989 or 1990, she said to him, “ Vernon, dear, I want a new car. And something
less conspicuous; I am tired of everyone knowing where I am!” They removed Rose from
daily service, and during the next eight years, Mr. LaCoursiere had some light “restification”
work performed: new upholstery (using custom materials, as he felt the original upholstery
was too plain and unattractive), new paint, and various mechanical work, including a partial
engine rebuild. The dog-dish hubcaps were ditched when a friend junked his 1968 Chrysler.
They swapped the whole wheel, tire, and wheel cover set with the Chrysler before it was
hauled away (now I know why the car came to me with the wrong wheel covers, and why the
authentic ones I bought would not fit the wheels). From that point onward, Rose was used as
an antique car should be – for FUN! By this time, Rose had registered a whopping 79,000
miles.
Over the years at car various events, Mr. LaCoursiere had met a man named Tony May, who
expressed interest in the car, once saying, “That car would be worth $10,000 to me!” At the
time, the LaCoursieres were not interested in selling. However, in late 2000, within a couple
years of Mr. LaCoursiere’s retirement at the spry age of 54, they did decide to sell, but chose
to consign it with Barrett-Jackson auctioneers for the January 2001 auction. Mr. LaCoursiere
told with a laugh of how the auctioneer tried to start the bidding at a ridiculously high
$30,000, which of course ended up actually starting at $3,000, then went to $4,000, and
that the very next bid was a sudden jump to $10,000! And of course, Tony May was that
bidder. He was speculating that if he bumped the price up quickly, he might scare the other
bidders away. In fact, the bidding went all the way up to $16,250, and Mr. May was the
winning bidder.
After the auction, he spoke to Mr. LaCoursiere and said, “I would have really paid as much as
$20,000!”
So, I suppose this is an example of how auctions bring out the “big spender” in many of us, or
perhaps shows the “true nature” of us.
Mr. May had the car shipped to Spokane, WA, where it was to be stored until the spring, at
which time he planned to drive it the rest of the way home. Unfortunately, Mr. May passed
away before that could happen. Mr. LaCoursiere told me that he had suspected that Mr. May
might have passed away, as he was in his elder years, and no longer appeared at any of the
auto-related events where they used to cross paths during the years prior to the sale of Rose.
The car was subsequently offered for sale by Gentle Touch Motorcars, of Spokane, so Rose
never left that city after the Barrett-Jackson sale. It is unclear if the car was consigned to that
dealer, or if they first acquired it from a previous estate sale.
I first saw Rose advertised online in the late fall 2001. During my search for an antique car, I
kept the dealership Website bookmarked in my Web browser and would occasionally go back
to see if the car was still available, although I was holding out for something a little cheaper, a
little closer, and a little … less pink! But, by the time spring was on its way in early 2002, I
hadn’t found anything that beat this car in looks, condition, price, and location.
I reached out to the Spokane Muscle MOPARs car club mailing list on Yahoo Groups, asking
if anyone was familiar with the dealer, or the car itself, and there were several responses
indicating a positive reputation of the business. Just a few days later, I received two
telephone calls and a few e-mails from members of that club who took it upon themselves to
go to G.T. Motorcars and look at the Dodge on my behalf. The detail some of these guys
provided was astonishing, including such things as the number and measured length of
scratches in the windshield!
Armed with this information, I was reasonably comfortable with making an offer on the car,
without going to see it first hand. It was still a bit of a gamble, but I was reeeeeeeeeeeeallly
ready to buy an antique car, and there are no cheap flights to Spokane. This was a few years
before buying a car sight-unseen via eBay was a routine thing for most people! So I took the
plunge and bought the car. The dealer split the cost of shipping with me, so as it turned out I
ended up paying only $250 more than the auction price paid by Mr. May.
Alas, when Rose arrived, there were some items that needed attention, most notably a
damaged exhaust system and oil pan during shipping, and a missing trunk lock. I was
disappointed that I could not go for a quick spin around the block, but fellow Straight Eights
member Smitty at Contemporary Automotive took care of those items, and within a few
weeks I was on the road! Naturally, since then there have been various other repairs and
improvements made, as well as more that needs to be done, but those are stories for another
day. In the meantime, I have put nearly 20,000 miles on the car (so far) and look forward to
enjoying it for many years to come.
5
February 2008 Car of the Month
He Searched for a Cheap Convertible and Did a Frame-up Restoration
Adapted from the questionnaire by Milton Stern
Keith Dunklee has owned his a 1965 Triumph TR 4 for 26 years. The car had been restored to
only running condition by a previous owner. Bodywork consisted of patching large holes in
the rocker panels and fenders with body putty and screen and then covering up the evidence
with a classy midnight-blue paint followed by six coats of lacquer. This probably saved the
car from becoming a rust victim and write-off as it slowed the decay.
Luckily, the Triumph roadsters had a full ladder style frame (two main beams tied at various
points by cross beams just like a ladder). This prevented the rusted body from failing as the
frame itself was very sturdy, and in the case of Keith’s car, the frame was rust free. MG and
Austin Healy roadsters from the same time period featured sub-frame assemblies, and it is
not unusual to find examples where you can no longer close the doors due to the fact that the
body sags in the middle.
Since the car can basically be taken completely apart, Keith did a frame-up restoration to
make it roadworthy. The body was removed, and he restored the rolling chassis (frame,
suspension, steering, engine, transmission, and exhaust). Keith transported the body tub to a
restoration shop that cut out the rust, replaced the floors and re-painted the car inside and
out. He then gave them the rolling chassis, and they mounted the body back on the frame just
as was done when the car was manufactured. At this point, he replaced the wiring harness,
installed the interior and finished the car with some new chrome or polished the old trim
(bumpers, tail lamps, front grille, and emblems).
The process took about six years from start to finish, but to be fair, there was a parts
collection search process that took Keith about two years.
Some of the suspension parts that were impossible to find in the 1980s are now reproduced
and are cheaper than the new old stock Keith had to find and buy. The time in the restoration
shop was only about eight months, and the car moved under its own power about two
months later.
Keith drives the Triumph once or twice a month on nice days.
Why did Keith purchase this car? In his own words: “I was searching for a cheap convertible
and was drawn to the description of this car as resembling a Porsche. Actually, it was the
hardtop option that Triumph introduced with this model called a ‘Surrey Top’ that drew the
comparison with the German model with their ‘Targa Top.’
“In the early 1960s, the decision-maker’s at Standard Triumph decided to turn the design of
their replacement for the Triumph TR 3 over to an Italian car designer who had designed
cars for some of the major Italian sports car companies. His name was Giovanni Michelotti,
and he completely redesigned the car. It doesn’t bear any resemblance to the earlier models
(TR 2 and 3) but shares the same basic engine, drive train and chassis underneath. The
Surrey top with its fixed rear window and surround, but open in the middle, was part of his
concept car and was carried into production although it was not a popular option as it was
too expensive when new.
“I was drawn to the unique styling of the body and the hardtop/convertible option on the car
is part of its appeal. In 1973, the publication Automotive Quarterly published an interview
with the Managing Director at Triumph who had Michelotti designing their cars. He said: ‘I
had a particular discussion with (Michellotti) because all the cars, which he designed, were
female in shape (that is they had nice graceful lines). I challenged him and told him that if he
could only put women aside for a little while and think of a male car, brutal and masculine,
he could produce what I wanted – hence the 4,’”
Keith did own another British convertible, however. He had a half-share interest in a 1958
Austin Healy Bugeye Sprite. He helped a neighbor finish his basement into an office, and he
owned the Healy at the time. The neighbor couldn’t convince Keith to take the car in payment
for the construction work. Keith was not sure that he thought it was an even trade. “I should
have taken the car as original Bugeyes are quite hard to find and worth owning,” Keith says
in retrospect.
Keith’s daily driver is a reliable 1998 Toyota Camry.
“Not long after I bought the [Triumph], I convinced a neighbor of mine who happened to be a
mechanic to drive the car and help me sort out some of the more serious problems that I had
with the noises in the suspension,” Keith says. “He and I took the car out for a drive, and I
didn’t mention that I already discovered that the freeze plug in the cylinder head was leaking.
Coolant dripped from the top of the engine, ran down the cylinder block and landed on the
hot exhaust pipe creating a little steam inside the car. On this particular ride, the steam was
really collecting in the car, and the mechanic started to panic thinking that the car was on
fire. I knew better than that. Even as he was attempting to make a quick exit out the car –
and couldn’t find the right handle to push to open the door – I was rolling down the window
to give us a clear view of the road. He never wanted to drive the car again, but he did agree to
help me repair the suspension.”
Keith says that if you are in the market for a British roadster, a Triumph in particular, search
for a good body, as most everything that bolts to the car or makes it go and stop is available
in reproduction. “If you are not familiar with how the body is constructed, take the time to
have a restoration shop look at any candidates you are looking to buy before you jump into a
purchase,” Keith says. “You really have to get the car up off the ground to look at what is
happening underneath. Replacement body panels are available new but still don’t have the
same shape as the originals.”
Keith plans on keeping the car forever, and although it does not have a nickname, he “called
it a few names in the course of the restoration.”
This is our last car of the month, unless someone goes to this link
(http://www.straight8s.net/member_center/member_center_1-main.htm),
downloads a questionnaire, and sends it to 8s_newseditor@prodigy.net.
6
The Gentler Sex Sells
By Milton Stern
Many years ago …
When I was just a little boy, I asked my mother, “What will I drive?
“Will I drive a Chevy? Will I drive a Dodge?”
Here’s what she said to me.
“Get the hell away from me.”
“Why do you bother me with such questions?”
“Who cares if it’s a Chevy or if it’s a Dodge?”
“What will be will be.”
And, people wonder why I’m in therapy.
Why did I ask her in the first place? After all, when it came to women in automobile
advertising, they were usually found exiting the passenger side of the car or looking sexy as
they were draped across the fender or hood. Rarely in the beginning, was the woman seen
driving the car. If a man bought the car, the ads implied a hot sexy woman came with the car
or at least in the back seat. Automakers believed the man decided what car to buy.
In my family’s case, my father chose the car, but my mother chose the color. When he
decided to buy a 1965 Corvair 500 coupe (three speed, radio delete), my mother said, “If we
have to get a cheap car, at least get a sporty color.” He chose bolero red. There was one
exception. My father wanted to buy an AMC Pacer, but my mother refused “to drive around
town in fishbowl.”
Early automobiles were play things for the rich, and even with the introduction of the Model
T, cars were considered “too complicated” for a woman to master. Women were usually
shown wearing a mink coat and standing in the doorway of a mansion as the car was parked
out front. However, one car company put a woman behind the wheel. Chevrolet was the first
to advertise their cars to women as drivers and not upper crust passengers as you can see in
this Chevrolet ad from 1924.
In 1925, they featured an ad with the woman behind the wheel, holding onto the gear shift
and smiling while she drove her Chevy. In the 1930s, women were seen more frequently
driving cars as is seen in this Mercury ad, which curiously features a business coupe. I found
this curious because business coupes were usually used by traveling salesmen.
But, women were still secondary to the car. I remember listening to a model tell of how she
was hired for a photo shoot for Cadillac, and the car received more attention than she did as
far as lighting and overall appearance, much like the woman posing for the artist in front of
this Pontiac. I can imagine him saying, “Move, you’re blocking the fender with your wide
butt.”
After the war, things didn’t change much, but even Chrysler showed a woman driving a Town
& Country convertible. Doesn’t the girl below look too young to drive? And, is that guy just a
dirty old man, trying to get into her pants? In the Packard ad below that, two old women are
shown admiring a 1947 Clipper. Maybe that is why Packard died – all their customers died of
old age.
Women became more prominent in advertising when cars starting offering automatic
transmissions, power steering, brakes and windows. Often, a high-heeled shoe was shown
depressing the brake pedal, or a gloved hand turned the wheel or pressed the buttons for the
transmission. Doesn’t the woman below in the Dodge ad look as if she is practicing her royal
wave? “Fluid drive is so easy, even a queen can master it.” I especially like the well-dressed
woman with perfectly applied make-up, hat and gloves, driving an air-conditioned Nash,
while her husband suffers outside.
Station wagons were marketed to women directly as they were the popular family haulers of
their time until the introduction of those dreaded minivans as is seen in this Ford ad, which
curiously features an early Econoline Falcon-based van as an alternative to a station wagon.
Of all the ads I found, and I found hundreds more, the two below were most intriguing. In
the Nash ad, there doesn’t seem to be a sexist bent. This is just a woman driving a full-sized
car down a hill. Maybe she just left her husband. But, the ad from 1966 is the most
progressive because not only is it a woman featured driving a Corvair 500 sedan with a three-
speed on the floor (the three-speed had a black knob, and the four speed had a white knob),
but also, it is important because she is a Black woman.
Have we really come along way? Nowadays, people are rarely seen in car ads the way they
were in the 1950s. Having a beautiful woman draped over the hood is just too sexist, and
suggesting the power steering is so light even Grandma can handle it would be so politically
incorrect. Even so, I do miss the ads from yesteryear.
Now, the above article should be an indication that I am scraping the bottom of the barrel for
story ideas. Wouldn’t you like to write a story for Car Talk? Send your story to
8s_newseditor@prodigy.net, and you won’t have to read any more fluff like the
preceding.
7
Louisiana Roads Voted Nation’s Worst for Second Year; Arkansas’ Most
Improved
While campaigning for the Republican presidential nomination, former Arkansas Gov. Mike
Huckabee touts his road improvement efforts that moved Arkansas from the state with the
worst roads to “the most improved road system in the country,” he says, in the annual
Highway Report Card survey conducted by Overdrive, the trucking industry’s leading
magazine for owner-operators.
Huckabee will be pleased to learn that Arkansas’ I-40 once again gains high marks for “Most
Improved Segment” – for the third year in a row.
Not faring so well is Louisiana, named the state with the nation’s worst roads for the second
consecutive year as it continues to recover from hurricanes Katrina and Rita. And all-time
worst offender Pennsylvania, which topped the Worst Roads category for 12 of the survey’s 17
years, ranks second on both the Worst Roads and Most Improved Road lists.
Texas tops more superlative lists than any other state, ranking first for Best Roads, most
available overnight truck parking, best truck stops and best four-wheelers. Tennessee’s 450-
mile segment of I-40 tops the best segment of road list for the second year in a row.
Other findings:
• Most respondents said road rage increased during the past year, with 31 percent
saying it increased significantly.
• New York beat out California for the honor of having the worst automobile drivers;
Texas again had the best drivers.
• Alabama continues to have the weakest truck inspections and law enforcement;
California has the toughest.
More than 375 owner-operators, most with at least 20 years in the industry, responded to
this year’s survey. Each category is based on a separate question. You can read the entire
article at www.overdrivedigital.com.
WORST ROADS
1. Louisiana
2. Pennsylvania
3. Oklahoma
4. California
5. Arkansas
BEST ROADS
1. Texas
2. Florida
3. Tennessee
4. Virginia
5. Ohio
WORST SEGMENT
1. I-10 Louisiana
2-3. (tie) I-40 Oklahoma and I-80 Pennsylvania
4. I-40 Arkansas
5. I-5 California
BEST SEGMENT
1. I-40 Tennessee
2. I-75 Florida
3. I-10 Texas
4. I-81 Virginia
5. I-80 Ohio
MOST IMPROVED SEGMENT
1. I-40 Arkansas
2. I-80 Pennsylvania
3-4. (tie) I-30 Arkansas and I-10 Louisiana
5-6. (tie) I-75 Georgia and I-44 Missouri
WORST FOUR-WHEELERS
1. New York
2. California
3. Illinois
4. Florida
5. Texas
BEST FOUR-WHEELERS
1. Texas
2. California
3-4. (tie) Wyoming and Tennessee
5. Minnesota
TOUGHEST TRUCK INSPECTIONS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
1. California
2. Ohio
3. Pennsylvania
4. Iowa
5. Connecticut
WEAKEST TRUCK INSPECTIONS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
1. Alabama
2. Texas
3. Oklahoma
4. West Virginia
5. South Carolina
8
Author Reveals Easy-to-Follow Tips to Save Time, Money and Frustration on
Car Rentals
Renting a car can be an overwhelming experience. Knowing the right questions to ask can
make the process run much smoother. From nine years experience working as an agency
operator for one of the largest car rental companies in the world, Bob Minelli reveals money-
saving techniques and strategies for renters in his new book How to Save Big Money on Car
Rentals: Uncovering the Secrets They Don’t Want You to Know, AuthorHouse
(www.authorhouse.com).
Written for the average person as well as corporations, How to Save Big Money on Car
Rentals demonstrates that saving money is only the beginning. Readers will find themselves
in control of the car rental process because they will know just what to expect every time they
need to rent a car. They will learn that “if you don’t ask, you don’t get,” along with tips on
what to ask for to save from getting charged for things that should be free, and how to get
money off every rental.
Minelli exposes the truth about car rental insurance in an easy-to-understand text,
explaining exactly what coverage it entails and why or why not users should consider adding
this service. He shows how to take advantage of the “Gas Service Option,” and reveals how to
get free upgrades every rental.
For more information: www.bobminelli.com.
9
@utoRevenue Enhances @utoVoice™
@utoRevenue™ , the automotive industry’s leading multi-channel communications company
and a division of Dominion Enterprises, announced that the company is adding a variety of
enhancements and special features to @utoVoice™, its voice messaging service for auto
dealerships. In addition @utoRevenue has named O. Keith Porter as the knowledge architect
to oversee @utoVoice and continue to grow the service’s customer base.
“Every dealer I talk with knows how important communicating with their customers is, yet
they admit that they don’t have time to call their customers to tell them about a safety recall
or to remind them to come in for an inspection or oil change, or even to wish them happy
birthday or happy anniversary,” said Porter. “With @utoVoice, we are going to make that
time possible.”
“@utoVoice, already one of the most feature-rich messaging services available to dealerships,
is now even more robust with the new features we have incorporated,” said John M. Miller,
@utoRevenue general manager. “Having someone with Keith Porter’s experience is a huge
bonus for our clients and our company,” he added. Porter, who has more than 30 years of
automotive and financial experience, came to @utoRevenue from Call Command, a
Cincinnati-based communications company.
“With Keith on our team we now have someone focused specifically on the voice messaging
segment of our multi-channel communications. Our dealers are hitting a home run with all
our marketing channels, but we need to do a better job at spreading the word about
integrating voice messaging and Keith will help us do that,” said Miller.
The newly enhanced @utoVoice integrates with the dealership’s database and offers very
focused and personalized messages to customers. @utoVoice automates calls, ensures all
calls are “Do Not Call” compliant, provides measured and guaranteed results, and offers
dealerships the choice of using a professional voice message or a message recorded by the
dealer or dealership personnel. The new robust @utoVoice will be showcased by
@utoRevenue at their exhibit, booth #5735N, at the National Automobile Dealership
Association Convention, February 9-12, in San Francisco.
For more information: www.autorevenue.com.
10
DC AUTO SHOW RECAP
Over 40 members turned out for the Straight Eights annual visit to the DC Auto Show at the
Washington Convention Center on Saturday, January 26, at 9:30 am, getting an early start to
beat the record crowds!
Seven lucky members won free passes to the show, courtesy of the Washington Convention
Center! While there weren’t many advance concept cars, there were several pre-production
cars, and by getting there early, we had the run of the place for the first hour or so!
Lunch was held in a new venue, Old Dominion Brewhouse, located right there in the
Convention Center on the 9 th Street side. Besides being convenient, the consensus was that
the food was better than our former location! Our thanks to ODB’s Managing Partner Mr.
Hanny Chan (and to Cynthia Pree of the Convention Center for putting us in contact with
him)!
Check out our photo album of a fun winter’s day of cars and good company!
http://www.dcbuddy.com/washautoshow2008album/index.htm
11
FEBRUARY EVENT:
Looking Ahead on the Auto Show Circuit
(Detroit, Chicago, New York, Geneva)
Another record number of Straight Eights ran the streets of Washington for the DC Auto
Show in January, but this month Member TAYLOR VINSON will again transport you to
some of the nation's top auto shows. You’ve seen the Detroit Show – replete with dozens of
show cars that don’t make it out to the hinterlands of DC! Enjoy the popular annual
DETROIT AUTO SHOW Review and Film Screening, on Saturday, February 23,
11:00 am . It will again occur at the Rosslyn Spectrum Theatre , 1611 North Kent Street,
Arlington, Virginia.
By the end of the Auto Show review, lunch (optional) will have magically appeared in the
Rosslyn Spectrum lobby – hot, knee-slappin’, tounge-ticklin’, finger-lickin’ BBQ and sides
from Red Hot & Blue! Each seat has a little folding table, so bring your food and beverages
back into the Theatre, and enjoy the afternoon’s movie. There is a Fee for Lunch (watch
upcoming emails for details). Please RSVP by Close of Business Wednesday, February 20, at
either strt8s@prodigy.net or by calling our Club Hotline – 703-624-0918.
Get a close-up look at the latest show vehicles and emerging trends in contemporary
automotive design with copious photographs projected onto the Rosslyn Spectrum’s large
movie-screen.
And speaking of the screen….
The feature film will be the acclaimed 2002 Universal film Far from Heaven! It’s a
gorgeous interpretation of Douglas Sirk’s fabulous-Fifties melodramas (including All That
Heaven Allows (1955) and Written on the Wind (1957)) that both celebrates and subverts
Sirk’s work by fully exploring themes that could only be alluded to in the fifties. Numerous
period cars and mid-century modern sets are complemented by lush cinematography, a
sweeping, perceptive score from Elmer Bernstein, and brilliant leading performances by
Julianne Moore, Dennis Haysbert, Dennis Quaid, and Patricia Clarkson.
For her portrayal of a seemingly perfect 1950s housewife, who discovers her husband (
Quaid) has … “a secret,” Moore earned numerous honors, including an Oscar
nomination for Best Actress. Director Todd Haynes, too, garnered a slew of critical prizes,
including an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Although Far From Heaven lost
out at the Oscars, Haynes won the last laugh, having demonstrated just how far a director
with an uncompromising, iconoclastic vision — not to mention a closetful of Barbie Dolls —
could go.
The Rosslyn Spectrum is located in the Rosslyn Plaza office complex beside the former
Newseum building (“The Dome”), just two blocks from the Rosslyn Metro Station
(Blue/Orange lines). There is free garage parking in the building’s PMI Parking Garage.
The garage is accessible from Arlington Ridge Rd (follow N. Kent St. all the way around
to the opposite side of the office complex, bordering Rt. 66). Click this link for
Directions:
http://www.arlingtonarts.org/cultural_affairs/RosslynSpectrum.htm#Directions
Weather Permitting, you are encouraged to “drive vintage” as we will again cordon off a
dedicated parking area in this 1964-era garage, suitable for full-figured vintage cars! See you
there!