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2009 National SACC Convention
Ventura, California
The 2009 National SACC Convention
was held on July 17 – 20, 2009 in Ventura, California.
Participation included 43 C-1 cars and approximately
160 people. The
events during the weekend included a Friday evening Welcome
Reception (hosted by Corvette Mike), a Free continental
breakfast hosted by Jeff Reade, a Saturday Technical
Session, a spouse visit to nearby Old Town Ventura, an
evening Dinner Cruise around Ventura Harbor, another Free
continental breakfast hosted by Ron Lefler and Steve Lu Visi, a Road
Trip and lunch experience north of Santa Barbara and
the final Banquet, General Meeting, Guest Speaker
(Dick Guldstrand) and 70 of Raffle Prizes.
With much of
Southern California basking in a heat wave
inland (90 to 100 degrees of “Dry Heat”),
locating our Convention Headquarters right
next to the ocean (Ventura Harbor) was shear
genius.
Ventura, CA is an old California
Mission town and includes one of the early
California Mission’s that were built from
San Diego to San Francisco.
The
Ventura temperature remains very
constant over the year and is usually only
affected by a “more or less breeze” off the
ocean.
The So. California SACC Chapter (SoCalSACC)
selected this area almost 2 years earlier
because of its weather and “somewhat less”
traffic congestion.
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The National SACC Convention
for 2009 was hosted by the Southern California Chapter of the
SACC. Above is Bob Brown's '59 sitting in front of the
chosen hotel in Ventura, CA. The hotel is the Four Points
by Shearton. |
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Four Convention
Events were held through the generosity of several
Chapter members.
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Convention Registration runs smooth when a lot of prior
organization is done. Above Dorothy McCloskey and Jenni
Weinstein hand out pre-packaged envelopes with each attendee's
tickets, and convention information. |
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Convention Parking Lot
The 4-Points allowed us
to rope off a section of the front parking lot for C-1 only
parking. “Other”
Corvettes were allowed along side but the C-1’s had their
own space.
Additionally, from 6PM till dawn each night a paid security
individual was present to watch the cars.
The guard was allowed to check your convention badge
and ask to show your identification if departing in your car
after 10PM.
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Saturday Tech Sessions
SoCal member Chip
Werstein is the Chapter Tech Session Coordinator, and he
is used to large crowds of attendance.
Chip selected 4-Topics for this Convention
session: C-1 clutch linkage (Doug Prince), T-10 and
Muncie Transmission’s (Jeff Reade), C-1 Generators
(Larry Pearson) and Special C-1 Restoration Tools (Chip
Werstein and Mike McCloskey).
All presenters are members and technical advisors
for the SoCal Chapter.
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Chip (left) began by
welcoming the Saturday morning crowd in the Schooner
Room for our 3-hour session.
The presenters did a
thorough job with their identified subject matter.
It is extremely difficult to cover the topics in
such a short time period and also the short space of
this Newsletter.
Pictures will have to be used to indicate the in depth
preparation these speakers went to prior to presenting
their subject.
They are to be commended.
Short discussion sessions followed each
presentation and many questions were answered.
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The first Speaker was
Doug Prince and his “props” are seen to the left.
Any C-1 owner who has ever worked on a C-1 clutch
linkage can identify the parts.
Furthermore, Doug passed out a illustrated parts
breakdown identifying each part.
The C-1 clutch
linkage system works well, when not worn and properly
lubed. All of the
displayed parts were extremely worn and this is common
on most C-1’s that are driven and original to these
cars. The primary
problem appears that no method ever existed originally
that “properly” lubed the clutch system.
To quote from the repair manual, “squirt engine
oil on the moveable parts every 1000 miles”.
Doug went on further to explain that replaceable
parts fit good but the hardening characteristics of many
replaceable parts are poor and will wear quicker than
the originals.
For additional cost, these parts can be further heat
treated and will perform very well over time.
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When Jeff Reade comes
to the table to address a subject, he literally brings
his shop. Jeff
operates a Corvette shop in Culver City and his C-1
knowledge for these sessions seem endless.
Several of Jeff’s past tech talks are found on
the Chapter Web Site, www.socalsacc.com.
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Larry Pearson, our
SoCal Chapter forever hobbyist, tinkerer, and all-around
source for an opinion on all C-1 subjects, was today
conveying information about C-1 Generators.
Larry proceeded to provide an overview of the
generators used on the C-1’s, the several sizes
(amperage output) of each generator, and identifying
each generator.
The information
provided was extremely valuable providing a good
“workable” understanding of a generator operation and
care.
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Yes, the table to the
left is the necessary items for C-1 surgical procedures.
The final 2 speakers are both skilled “Doc’s” on
the C-1 car. Our
own Chip Werstein and Mike McCloskey have for years
developed special tools which mostly are obtainable and
each tool contains the uniqueness for some operation on
the car.
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- Harbor Dinner Cruise in Ventura Harbor -
One Event that most
land-locked convention attendee’s wanted to participate
was the Harbor Dinner Cruise and experience the ocean.
The Island Packers Co., in Ventura Harbor, offers
several cruise events within the harbor, to the nearby
islands and up the coast.
The Island Packers ship was full and left the
dock at 6:30 Saturday evening.
We sailed for a few hours while we ate dinner,
watched the sun set, pelicans gliding by and enjoyed the
company of fellow convention attendee’s.
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- The Convention Driving Tour -
Larry Pearson, SoCal
member #5C, coordinated our Sunday drive through the
beautiful countryside north of Ventura, to the town of
Goleta, CA. Our
tour began in the Convention Hotel (Four Points) parking
lot with a Driver’s Meeting and Photo Op as we left the
parking lot.
SoCal member Jerry Norton, #156, “shot” us as we left
and all the drivers received their pictures that evening
at the banquet.
Approximately
45 C-1’s participated in our drive which drove
out toward Ojai, around Lake Casitas and up
toward the higher elevations for some
spectacular views.
The roads we drove where 2-lane and less
traveled.
Approaching
Santa Barbara from the south the highway
traveled through some spectacular flowers inland
from the ocean in Carpinteria.
The drive continued along the back roads
to a section know as Montecito, very exclusive.
A detour occurred further up the road and
all were pleasantly surprised when the road
allowed us to view the Santa Barbara Mission,
one of the most spectacular of the surviving
missions.
An impromptu
stop was made at a local town esplanade.
People drinking coffee in the area gave
us many high signs of appreciation.
The break was well needed by some after
almost an hour of driving.
Then it was back on the road for more
hilly curving roads.
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Almost an hour later
we began descending into the town of Goleta, north of
Santa Barbara.
About noontime Randy & Diane Solle drive in front of the
Santa Barbara Mission.
Our luncheon experience
will be at the Timber’s
Restaurant. Most
everyone arrived at the Timber’s about the same time and
overwhelmed the servers.
But the restaurant recovered and easily seated
our entire crowd numbering over 100.
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Parking was initially
easy and expansive at the Timbers, and provided quite a
C-1 car show.
Most cars then moved a short time later when it was
determined we occupied a nearby gas station property.
Our pre-paid meal was a Mexican food Buffet.
The line was somewhat long but when all were done
no “hunger” complaints were heard.
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Sunday evening was
the National Convention Banquet.
Everyone was given a choice of 3 entrée’s and
each made their decision at the time of Registration
Check-in. Due to
the larger attendance the 4-Points moved our event to
the Banquet Room.
Very good facilities!
After a few Greetings
to the attendee’s, the waiters hit the floor moving the
food. Very
generous portions and very good service.
After dinner Max Brockhouse, the National SACC
President, chaired a short General Business Meeting were
Bruce Fuhrman, the National SACC Secretary, read the
previous minutes.
Next, the Guest
speaker was introduced, Dick Guldstrand.
Dick proceeded to entertain everyone with his
recall of early Corvette Racing and how he entered this
arena working for Roger Penske.
Very enjoyable presentation.
The final event of
the evening was the
drawing of 70+ Raffle Prize winners which was
expedited as quick as possible.
Jim Lundal (page 8) did win a Harry Mann (local
early Corvette dealer) T-Shirt with (hard to obtain)
window decal.
Probably not an impressive win to eastern folks, but
big-time for LA people.
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(Top Right) SACC President Max Brockhouse welcoming the
Convention Dinner Attendee's. (Below, RtoL) Dick
Guldstrand and Noland Adams at the podium. Bruce Fuhrman,
Convention Chairman and SoCalSACC member, addresses the dinner
guests. Bruce is National Secretary. |
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Below are several
attending the pre-banquet mixer.
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Random Pictures |
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