2008 Convention in Review
From a Newbie

It has been a close to a month now since the Midwest Chapter hosted the 2008 Convention here in the Quad Cities.  I promised Tim Tenold (Webmaster) that I’d put my thoughts down to share from the convention.  Here we go, right or wrong.  Since I’m shy, this is a good outlet for my thoughts.  These are my thoughts and opinions, not supporting any one issue. 

It was a great event!  It was like a car Show & Shine on steroids.  I got my first real taste [Inliners style] of being able to interact with a great group on really knowledgeable people.  I met a lot of new acquaintances outside of our local chapter.  You had to be there at the banquet to appreciate the coming together of people from many regions of the country bound by the common thread - called Inliners.

I worked on the committee for this year’s event, and, if you ever worked at the setup and behind the scenes of one of these events, you’ll have an appreciation for the amount of work it took to prepare for this.  I was part of a great group led by Lamar “Luke” Lucas and his wife Karen.  They should give her a distinguished medal for keeping Luke in tow.  Mike Higgins has a bad stump that slowed him, but he never waivered with his enthusiasm to help make sure people were where they needed to be and along with other Midwest Chapter members who worked tirelessly behind the scenes.  I could list all the people, but you know who you are and how important you were to make this year’s convention a success.

Sit back, read on, here are my observations of the 2008 Convention....

• Look up the work “Dude” on-line sometime.  When your in a dimly lit banquet hall and the Inliners President stands up to give his comments, and he’s decked out like a Beach Boy from Hawthorne, CA with shades, either one of two things are going on.  Too much jungle juice the night before, or he’s been hanging out in California way too long.  Gary Cope will always be “Dude”.  It just fits so well!
• I looked out over the banquet hall at the silver foxes.  A comment [observation] was given as I looked at all the shiny scalps.  With the scalps glistening off the lights, I pondered what this group of men may have looked like in the sixties/seventies with a full head of hair, wild, brash, semi-delinquent with - I would assume some great cars?  Sitting right next to the podium was Jerry Weigt.  He stated San Francisco [Haight-Ashbury, time sensitive for older teens again] was great during those days.  Close your eyes and imagine him with a pony tail, beads, and smoking ............  whatever.  Got a visual yet?
• To salvage myself here, I hear both his and Tom Langdon’s Tech sessions were great!  Didn’t get a chance to see/hear them as I was off running.  We also had a regional icon that does pinstripping and he graciously presented for us.  I would be remiss if I didn’t mention John Berry by name.  He had a great toilet seat pinstriped that you’d like to sit on, showed some great art and generally talked about what goes into good pinstriping design.  John also does gauge restoration for any of you out there looking to bring your dash back to that original look.
• Still wondering how well it went?  Answer, where can you have the likes of Leo Santucci and Tom Langdon in the same room at the same time?  Both are gentlemen in the best sense of the word.  The years of knowledge between them, they were very approachable, and are what I expected for the Inliners to be about.  I encourage you to seek them out as needed, either at the next Convention (San Antonio in 2010), or write them on the bulletin boards. 
• [News Flash] - We are still looking for Ken Loomis.  Ken, if you got back from the Poker Run safely and found your way back to CA, please post on the Bulletin Board that you’re home safe.  Just kidding!  Happy Anniversary again.
• We also sang “Happy Birthday” to Freddie Behrens wife Sheila, who’s 39 yrs young.  Never ask a lady her age...
• With older iron comes challenges.  Bill McCoy broke a shock tower.  The roads were just a tad bit rough due to the winter we had in the Midwest this past year.  Alan Samuraa from CO, had a trailer hitch issue –fixed.  Really neat trailer built by Gary Light, from Aurora, CO.  You could balance the railer that Alan had on it with one hand.  Ken Loomis boiled a tire – fixed.  Brian Davis from Madison, WI, fuel pump and I think bad gas.  Never did hear if he made it back to WI – [cheese head] country okay.
• Banquet [News FLASH] – will lead me into DRAG RACING.  Tom Lowe has one UGLY set of legs.  Hairy, boney, and just not pretty.  My flashback as he was assisting Darrell Kraft with the Live Auction.  He couldn’t use enough makeup for those legs; Vana White he wasn’t.  Please send him one dollar donations to help with his wardrobe.
• They mummified the remains of a Pork Chop served at dinner; we were deciding whether to use it as a hockey puck.  If you were there, this comment makes sense.
• Mike Higgins or someone will share their experiences on the drive to Chassis Engineering [West Branch, IA], Yogi’s [Calamus, IA], and Bill Lindle’s private car collection.  Really sweet stuff!

 

Okay – Drag Racing!! (Gear Head Stuff)

• Item one – Tom Lowe is still looking for two of his missing torque converter bolts.  Loosened up on a dyno test early Friday.  Tightened them, spun them out on Sunday’s run at Cordova.
• Harry Stirnemann’s beautiful ’38 Chevy from MO, shelled something on a run on Sunday at about the 600 – 700 foot mark.  The picture is on the Web.
• Twin-engine rail from Gary Light and his son Ken.  They paired off against Bob Corbett & Co.  All of the crews from both Bob and Gary were really super people to get to know.
• Two car team from the family of Chris & Mike Burile, from FL.  Leo Santucci was crewing and tech[ing] for them as well as others.  Chris had a ’67 Camaro; Mike had a ’23 T-Roadster.  Both were injected, ran hard.  Mike’s Roadster dropped a valve, which in turn took out the top of the piston.  Picture should be coming soon. 
• Again - here to say thank you for a great experience.  Chris, Mike, Leo and Chris’/Mike’s crew were awesome people along with Leo’s wife.  Burile’s had the Chicago mafia there, man don’t p.... - off this crew.  You ate Chicago style beef, no questions asked.  It was sooooo good! 

 

I know I forgot someone/something here.  Thanks Jean, it was my pleasure to get to know you.  Carol Corbett, the same goes for you.  I realize I couldn’t get Bob’s trailer in my drive without a lot of jockeying.  That’s trailer home is the way to travel...

Much thanks to all of you who left a lot of indelible memories with me.  I am humbled to be a part of this group and look forward to Texas in two more years.  I hope I can speak for the Midwest Chapter and say “well done, let’s do it again” in two years.

With that it’s time to sign-off. 
Don Schnauber alias dschnaub
dschnaub@mchsi.com