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January 2021Thunderbird Owners of New YorkThunderbird Owners of New YorkThunderbird Owners of New YorkWeb-page Classic Thunderbird Club International – Chap. 49723265792480 OFFICERS:PresidentStan Matusewicz – 631-231-3156curver@Vice PresidentDennis Benfante– 631-447-3847 tbirdden@SecretaryJohn Cattonar - 631-269-4705cattbird@TreasurerPete Cochrane - 631-363-6662pcochrane45@CTCI Advisory Council Rep.Bob Ceraso - 631-757-9476legendbirdbob@Tech Advisor: 1955’sBob Ceraso - 631-757-9476legendbirdbob@Tech Advisor: 1956’sStan Matusewicz -631-231-3156curver@Tech Advisor: 1957’s Lou Realmuto - 631-226-1733louebird@Computer Advisor & Newsletter Editor Sal Perrotta - 631-991-0306Salperrotta1951@00 OFFICERS:PresidentStan Matusewicz – 631-231-3156curver@Vice PresidentDennis Benfante– 631-447-3847 tbirdden@SecretaryJohn Cattonar - 631-269-4705cattbird@TreasurerPete Cochrane - 631-363-6662pcochrane45@CTCI Advisory Council Rep.Bob Ceraso - 631-757-9476legendbirdbob@Tech Advisor: 1955’sBob Ceraso - 631-757-9476legendbirdbob@Tech Advisor: 1956’sStan Matusewicz -631-231-3156curver@Tech Advisor: 1957’s Lou Realmuto - 631-226-1733louebird@Computer Advisor & Newsletter Editor Sal Perrotta - 631-991-0306Salperrotta1951@ Next Club Meeting Next Club Meeting 350520013335Thunderbird Owners of New YorkAt this time there is no meeting scheduled pending a final decision from Stan. I will notify you by e mail if a meeting is scheduled the location 00Thunderbird Owners of New YorkAt this time there is no meeting scheduled pending a final decision from Stan. I will notify you by e mail if a meeting is scheduled the location Newsletter Message fromSal PerrottaJanuary 2021 2020 is behind us and I am relieved as I could be. A friend asked if I would want to relive any part of 2020 and I told him that would be like getting a bonus track on a Yoko Ono album. No one wants that.I remain hopeful that 2021 will be a better year for our families and our club. Getting together at car shows, cruises and enjoying the company of good friends is something I missed this year and I look forward to your company next season.It is very important that club business continues. Clearly the 2020 season was not what any of us expected and it has limited our club participation. Based on the current restrictions that we have had to contend with throughout 2020 a decision has been made to have the current Board of directors continue to support the club without change in their positions and one adjustment that has to be made.It should be noted, that if any member wants to take on a broader roll in the club leadership you should contact Stan Matusewicz or Dennis Benfante as soon as possible. Your request with be given appropriate consideration.With no nominations or changes to our Board of Directors positions in the 2021 consist of the following club members as follows:President Stan Matusewicz(631) 231-3156 Email: curver@Vice PresidentDennis Benfante(631) 447-3847Email: tbirdden@SecretaryJohn Cattonar (631)269-4705Email: cattbird@TreasurerPete Cochrane(631) 363-6662Email:pcochrane45@* Newsletter EditorTo Be DeterminedTech Advisor: 1955’sBob Ceraso (631) 757-9476 Email: legendbirdbob@Tech Advisor: 1956’sStan Matusewicz (631) 231-3156Email: curver@Tech Advisor: 1957’s Lou Realmuto (631) 226-1733Email:louebird@ Computer Advisor Sal Perrotta (631) 991-0306 Email: salperrotta1951@CTCI Advisory Council Rep. Bob Ceraso(631) 757-9476 Email: legendbirdbob@Please be aware that at this time the Board of Directors is seeking a replacement for me as the Newsletter Editor.Due to a number of personal obligations, I simply cannot continue to give the monthly newsletter the amount of time that is required.I want you to know that I have enjoyed putting the newsletter together for the last 3 years and I hope to do it again sometime in the future but for now I really must hand it off to someone else who can devote the amount of time it requires. If you would like to take this on, I advise contacting Stan as soon as possible.I do not know how long I will need to step away from the Newsletter Editor position. At this time personal obligations are very demanding. Again, I just do not have the time to continue engage at the level needed to put out the kind of work product you deserve as a club.When I am able to resume the newsletter or a broader in our club I will reach out to our leadership and ask what I can do to help the club. Over the past 3 years I have received a great deal of encouragement from our membership and other clubs on the content and the format of our newsletter I want to thank you all.I know my replacement will put together a great document that will be both informative and entertaining. I am looking forward to getting it each monthRespectfully,SalSECRETARIES REPORT Meeting Recap January 2021 JOHN CATTONAR, Thunderbird Owners of New York Secretary? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?CATTONAR'S CORNERCATTONAR'S CORNER??COOLING SYSTEM TIPS -- When was the last time you changed your anti-freeze? ?can't remember? ?Then its time, if you can, before hitting the road this spring.??THIS ITEM SHOULD BE DONE FIRST BEFORE DRAINING THE ANTIFREEZE.??Check both hoses.IMPORTANT---Make sure there is a spring in the lower hose.??When a hose is new, it's very rigid and works fine?but as it gets older it softens up.??If there is no spring inside the hose, it can collapse cutting off the water flow to the radiator. ?Check by squeezing?the hose…you should feel the spring inside. ?Also, you can rev the engine up to 2,500 rpm and check if there is a movement (collapse) in the hoses. ?Be sure to run the engine so the temperature gets hot enough to determine the rigidity of the hoses (Remember an old hose with no spring left in it will eventually start collapsing and chock off coolant flow through the system.Use a high-quality brand name when selecting the anti-freeze, you will put into your engine cooling system and be sure it is a pre-mix to ensure 50/50. This is the best and recommended coolant.??Drain out as much as you can (petcock on bottom of radiator)?Fill it back up with only water and run the engine up to running temperature to flush out the radiator and engine block.Drain the system a second time and refill with new 50/50 anti-freeze. NOTE: Do not fill to the top coolant should cover the radiator core but not fill the expansion tank.General Maintenance: Now would be a good time to check your fan for any kind of wobble. Check that the four (4) bolts supporting the fan to ensure they are tight. If you still see the fan has rotation wobble it could indicate that the water pump bearing is failing and may require a water pump replacement. Remember penetrative maintenance is a much safer option then a failure on the road.Last but not least, give a quick check of the freeze out plugs on both sides of the engine block for corrosion/leakage.And that should cover your cooling system for another few years of Happy T-Birding!? John Cattonar T.O.N.Y. Club Secretary?? News from the ClubNews from the ClubFrom: Sal Perrotta: Some Vintage Club Photos INCLUDEPICTURE "cid:3B5BF0F2-F842-4777-87A1-A84E6E39AE35" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "cid:3B5BF0F2-F842-4777-87A1-A84E6E39AE35" \* MERGEFORMATINET From: Arlene Swenson Please remember your club dues for 2021. Please submit payment to our club Treasurer, Pete Cochrane as soon as possible. The goal is to have all dues paid by December 31st.Thunderbird Owners of New YorkDUES are DUE –?? All membership dues for 2021 are due by December 31, 2020 Please your check, payable to T.O.N.Y. to:Peter Cochrane41 Arthur AvenueBlue Point, NY? 117152021 Dues????????????????????????? Please circle type of Membership:? ???? Individual - $20.????????????????????? Family - $25.??????????????????? Business Advertiser - $36.Name: ________________________________________________________________????? Address: ______________________________________________________________????? * Board members: ?FREE – spouse of Board Member:? $5.00From: Sal Perrotta * Reprinted from Hemmings a Great Feature Thunderbird Story 1955 Ford Thunderbird Ford’s first halo car has held its value and continues to gain By?David Conwill?from April 2020 issue of?Hemmings Motor News Was there a more desirable new car in 1955 than the two-seat Ford Thunderbird? It's doubtful. Dowdy Mopar was only just getting into the styling-and-performance game with its "100 Million Dollar Look." Chevrolet still had its screen-headlamp Corvette, but it had overestimated the public's reaction to spartan accommodations and hopped-up six-cylinder power. Not even the addition of the new V-8 for 1955 could buoy its slow sales, and it was close to being canceled entirely.Ford, however, had hit a home run with the T-Bird. It wasn't a serious sporting effort, but it was sporty enough thanks to a 193-hp (198-hp when coupled with the automatic transmission), 292-cu.in. V-8. Plus, it came with creature comforts like roll-up windows and a lift-off hardtop. Perhaps better, from a marketing standpoint, the Thunderbird's styling evoked that of regular Ford passenger cars and vice versa. At a base price of $2,444, it was the most expensive Ford-badged passenger car offering for the 1955 model year, short of a Country Squire wagon—and that was before adding in options like overdrive, automatic, or the soft-top.The magic of Ford's first halo car barely faded, too. Like the 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air, the T-Bird was in high demand as a used car throughout the 1960s. Nobody seriously thinks the young woman mentioned in the 1964 Beach Boys hit?"Fun, Fun, Fun"?had actually borrowed her father's Bullet 'Bird to blow off the library in favor of the hamburger stand, do they? In later decades, the two-seat Thunderbird, like the '57 Chevy and the '59 Cadillac, was easy shorthand to evoke "The Fifties" and thus it became one of the first collector cars of that decade.Such early and strong support for the Thunderbird made us wonder how they had fared from a value standpoint. Our initial speculation, based on casual observation of the market, was that values had plateaued in the 1990s and remained fairly constant, but to confirm or refute that guess, we turned to our trusty value guides.The most recent pegs an average value of around $46,000 before factoring in those aforementioned options—overdrive adds a little over $400 to the overall value and the soft-top almost $2,000. We then looked backward to the end of 2009 to see how they had done in the intervening decade: $20,000 for the same car. Back in 1999, the value is a little higher: $24,000.Was '09 a fluke? After all, it was right after the economy collapsed from the whole mortgage-backed securities fiasco. To split the difference, we pulled out our old guides from 2004 and 2014. The 2004 value turned out to be $27,500 and, in 2014, the same '55 Thunderbird, without any value-changing options, had a reported average value of $36,000.That reflects a steady, but not outrageous gain in value for one of the most recognizable automobiles of the mid-20th century. It suggests to us that interest in these cars remains strong and while you're not going to get rich buying and flipping 1955 Thunderbirds, you're also highly unlikely to lose money at resale time. Best of all, you'll have a competent and handsome 1950s grand tourer in your garage.From: Sal Perrotta Newsletter Car QUIZNewsletter Car QUIZBottom of Form1Which was Henry Ford's first vehicle?AModel B BModel A CModel T DQuadricycle ?2Which Ford model was produced for the most years?ATaurus BF-Series Trucks CMustang DE-Series Vans 3Which car has the fastest 0-60 time?A2001 Ford F-150 Lightning B1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 C2010 Ford Taurus SHO D2013 Ford Focus ST ?4Which of the following is NOT a Ford model?AWindstar BPinoneer CCrestliner DEXP ?5Which model has the most horsepower?A2014 Ford Shelby GT500 Convertible B1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 C2006 Ford GT D2013 Ford F-550 XLT Truck 6Which 4 years did Ford win the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the GT40?A1963-1966 B1964-1967 C1966-1969 D1968-1971 ?7How many Ford GT supercars were produced between 2003 and 2006?A1,974B9,401C748D4,0388In which year was the Ford Motor Company founded?A1906B1910C1898D1903 ?9Top of FormFord Motor Company filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection in 2009Bottom of FormATRUEBFALSE ?10Which of the following has NOT been a Ford slogan?ABuilt Ford tough! BEverything We Do is Driven by You. CHave you driven a Ford? lately? DFord. Inspiration comes standard ?11Who was Henry Ford's only child?AEdsel Ford BWilliam Clay Ford CJosephine Clay Ford DBenson Ford 12Which Ford model was NOT sold during the 1990's?AFive Hundred BTempo CEscort DProbe ?13Which Ford Thunderbird generation was the 2002-2005 body style?AEleventh BNinth CEighth DSixth 14Who was one of the main designers of the original Boss 302 Mustang?AGeorge W. Walker BJ Mays CLarry Shinoda DLee Iacocca Question NumberAnswer1D8D2B9B3A10D4B11A5A12A6C13A7D14CQuiz AnswersFrom: Sal Perrotta: Reprinted from, Gils Garage, CTCI Tips and Answers to Frequently Asked QuestionsBrakes are 1950’s original style and they are good, but not as responsive as modern brakes. Use caution until you become familiar with their stopping power. Radial tire pressure must be maintained at 35 PSI. Starting the engine cold requires the accelerator pedal to be pumped while the engine starter is engaged. After the engine is started cold it will have a fast idle until it warms up. If equipped with an automatic transmission, the engine starts in neutral only. When the engine is started and before a gear is selected, you should always place your foot on the brake. If you must drive in the rain, you should know that one of the characteristics of the early Thunderbirds, in spite of all new seals, is; they will leak. In 1956 models, try not to use the spare tire in the continental kit, it is difficult to remove and the paint will more than likely be damaged. Carry a spare wheel/tire (Mini) and jack in the trunk. Carry a mini-spare in a 1955 also, as it requires much less trunk space. It is recommended that the battery have a quick disconnect. It should be used when the vehicle is not in use or for emergency disconnect. Engines run ok on regular gasoline, but run better on higher octane. It is recommended that a fire extinguisher be carried in all older vehicles. Tops, both hard and convertible are not user friendly. They are difficult to remove and more difficult to properly latch when reinstalling. If the hard top is removed for extended periods, it has a tendency to widen between the rear side latches making it very difficult to engage the side alignment pins in the receptacles at the end of the rear garnish. When folding the convertible top especially the first time get help from someone familiar with the procedure. It is easy to damage the convertible top especially if the material is not pushed away from the side scissors and latch arms. Always use two people when folding the convertible top. Expect some small oil leaks; it is next to impossible to prevent some seepage from the engine, transmission and power steering components. Rear main seal leaks can be expected especially on the 312 engines. Automatic transmission leaks can be expected if the vehicle is not frequently used. It is recommended that a drip pan be placed under the engine and transmission when the T’Bird is parked in the garage. The more the vehicle is used the better it performs. The automatic transmission normally shifts one time, under normal driving conditions the transmission starts off in second and shifts into third gear. It can be manually down shifted into first when necessary to accelerate from a low speed. It can automatically be shifted into first at low speeds by flooring the accelerator pedal. This procedure is not recommended because it places undue stress on the drive train. After a rebuild, check the level of the brake fluid weekly at least for the first month of use and monthly thereafter. These cars were not originally equipped with air conditioning if the air-conditioning is used in slow traffic install an electric fan to augment the mechanical fan. The original temperature and Fuel gauges are not always accurate. Installation of aftermarket gauges is recommended if you desire more accurate readings. From: Sal Perrotta The Classic Thunderbird was produced in 1955, 1956 & 1957.Some interesting fun facts as to what else was happening!1955AD TAGLINES: Enchantment unlimited...the new Ford THUNDERBIRDNEWS EVENTS AND TRIVIA:RCA Victor offered a $35,000 recording contract to Elvis PresleyThe first McDonald's Restaurant openedLee Merriwether from California was Miss AmericaJames Dean died in a single car crash at the age of 26 It cost $0.03 to mail a letter first classPeople were going to the movies to see "Picnic," "Rebel Without A Cause," and "East of Eden."1956 INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET Even dreamier - even newerFord THUNDERBIRD for '561956 is generally regarded as the year rock and roll music began, and the song "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley and The Comets is credited for starting itElvis Presley appears on the charts for the first time with "Heartbreak Hotel;" Grace Metalious's book "Peyton Place" hits the best sellers listThe DNA molecule is photographed for the first timeThe population of the United States was 168,903,031.1957 INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET Adventures in motion:the Ford Family of Fine CarsLeave It to Beaver" premieres on CBS television; On October 31, 1957 Toyota exports its first automobiles to the United States; Oklahoma celebrates its 50th anniversary since statehood in part by burying a brand new 1957 Plymouth Belvedere in an underground concrete vault in Tulsa...it is to be unearthed as part of the 100th anniversary celebrations in 2007; Cadillac debutes the Eldorado Brougham, priced at $13,074 it was the most expensive production car to dateThe baby boom climaxed in 1957 with 4.2 million American babies born.?From: CTCI: ARE YOU A MEMBER "NOW WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TOClassic Thunderbird Club InternationalToll Free 800.488.2709 ? PO Box 7393, North Kansas City, MO 64116 USA? ? Email: ctcioffice@ Web site: MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION PLEASE TYPE OR PRINT:Name____________________________________________________Spouse’s Name______________________________________Mailing Address_______________________________________________________________________________________City_______________________________________________ State/Province______________ Zip/Mail Code___________________Telephone (______) _____________________________ Email Address__________________________________________________CTCI Chapter Affiliation (if any) _________________________________________________________________? New members please fill out application and send payment (in U.S. funds ONLY*) to the address below.? Make checks payable to CTCI, or pay by credit card by email, fax or phone.? Mail to: CLASSIC THUNDERBIRD CLUB INT., PO Box 7393, North Kansas City, MO 64116Please select one of the following prorated amounts:Month Joining One Time Initiation Fee + Dues = TotalJanuary thru March $15.00 + $37.50 = $52.50 April thru June $15.00 + $29.00 = $44.00 July thru September $15.00 + $19.00 = $34.00 October thru December $15.00 + $10.00 = $25.00NOTE: Add $18.00 to select Premium Packet with CTCI Grill Emblem.Annual dues renewal will be $37.50, payable January 1 of each year.Signature _______________________________Date ______ Check here ? if you wish to be listed in the CTCI roster, as of April 1st.I give permission for my ? phone number and/or ? email address to be listed in the CTCI roster.(NOTE: Phone numbers & email are for office use only, or for the roster if you choose to have it published. Roster addresses may be sold only to T-Bird vendors to be used only for catalog purposes.Are you a former member of CTCI? ? Yes ? No If Yes, what is your former CTCI membership number? ________________Sponsored or Referred by _______________________________________________ CTCI # (if known) ________________From: From: Sal Perrotta Reprinted from, Gils Garage, CTCI The reason this article is being written is because of the ease of installing these ornaments upside down as observed in various pictures that appear in the Early bird as well as other places. FoMoCo referred to these parts as ornaments part number 16228-A right side and 16229-A left side. Thunderbird owners sometimes refer to them as louvers or hash marks. They are not interchangeable from left to right fenders, but they can be installed upside down on each fender because of the casting and alignment of the mount studs. Think of these ornaments as being louvers that exit toward the rear of the car. Photo #1 is from an original FoMoCo Trim and Sealer manual page 7-3556 showing the correct position for installation on the right front fender, the right side is the only drawing in the trim and sealer manual. Photo #2 ornament part number 16228 right side correctly installed on a right front fender Photo #3 ornament part number 16229 left side correctly installed on a left front fender. Photo #4 ornament part number 16228 being held below a correctly installed right side, it flipped end for end which is very easy to do, if bolted in place it would be incorrectly installed.Another way to determine proper installation is the top of the louvers have a straight connecting casting between the louvers.Gil BaumgartnerThunderbird TriviaThunderbird Trivia1955 or 1957 Thunderbirds were not supplied from the factory with continental kitsAll 1955’s was 6 volt and were positive groundAll 1956 and 1957’s was 12 volt and installed with negative groundsThe battery on all Thunderbirds were installed with the positive terminal forwardAll classic Thunderbirds with Automatic Transmissions will start in neutral only; they will not start in parkAll classic Thunderbirds were supplied with Holley carburetors. All 55 & 56’s had 4-barrel carburetors. The 1957 offered a 2-barrel optionBackup lights will only work when the lights are onOriginally the doors and the ignition were operated by the same key. The trunk and the glove box used the same keyThe front license plate bracket for the 1955 & the 1956 mounts to the lower bolt on the passenger side bumperetteThe glass in a Thunderbird was either all clear or all tinted, including the hardtopThe flat glass was made by Ford and carried the FoMoCo logo. The curved glass windshield and hardtop back glass was supplied by PPG and supported the PPG logoAll 1955 Thunderbirds had power seatsDeck mounted antennas were an option in 1957 onlyPorthole hardtops were not available in 1955A crest emblem was used on each side of the 1955 hardtop and a round T-Bird emblem was used on the non-porthole 57 hardtops. No emblems were used on the 1956 tops or any porthole top213590325368Second ChanceNewsletter Car QUIZSecond ChanceNewsletter Car QUIZFrom: Sal Perrotta Bottom of FormTop of FormThe car in the 1977 movie Smokey and the Bandit was which of these models? 1978 Pontiac Trans Am1978 Pontiac Firebird1977 Chevrolet Camaro 1977 Ford Mustang Fastback GTIn what year did the Ford Mustang make its debut? 1957196019641968What is not true about the Chevrolet Corvette? It was first manufactured in 1953It is built exclusively in Bowling Green, KentuckyIt was the first American sports car built by an American manufacturer It made its debut at the 1953 World's FairWhat was the last year that the classic Pontiac GTO was manufactured? 1972197419781980What is true about the 1971 Plymouth Hemi Barracuda convertible? The highest price ever paid for one at auction was $120,000 There was only 7 madeThe Plymouth Barracuda never came with a HemiThe engine was known to overheat and explodeWhat color was the last (as of 2002) Chevrolet Camaro to roll off the production line? RedBlackGreenWhiteIn what year did the Plymouth Fury first come available as a convertible? 1957195819591960The Chevelle Malibu SS came with one of the most powerful engines in muscle car history, the 454 in LS6. How much horsepower did it have? 372 Hp402 Hp450 Hp822 HpWhat year did the Ford Thunderbolt make its debut?1957195919641966 How many Dodge Chargers were used in the original Dukes of Hazard television show? 573095701009Question Answer1A2C3D4B5B6A7D8C9C10B MemberDateEllen Bruckner 1/4Lou Realmuto?????????????????????????? 1/5Sonni Paci1/5Betty Pickios1/6Joe Nolan1/9Robert Groen1/17Benjamin Volpicello1/18John Fink1/20Jim Mezey? 1/26Linda Faust1/26Lynne Van Name1/27Lynn Van Name1/27Joseph Ciervo1/31 ................
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