Note: The Berthoud meeting will be a road tour starting from the Cracker Barrel at 120^th & 25 at 10:00AM. If you want to join us for breakfast, meet at the Cracker Barrel at 8:00 to 8:30AM. Will drive north on 25 to Berthoud. After the meeting we plan to drive to Estes for a late lunch at the Stanley. Please call me if you wish to join this late year event. Corvettes are the choice but a four wheeler may be a prudent choice. We can talk about Corvettes.

I’m beginning this newsletter from my basement office overlooking several feet of snow from our recent October blizzard. Needless to say the Corvette’s are in the garage for protection. This snow is not Corvette friendly, especially at 35 inches. We have had exceptionally great weather the past several months. Every outing we’ve had for the Chapter has turned out great because of the clear sky and sunny warm temperatures.

This past month we had our last regular board meeting of 1997, with the majority in attendance. Committees were setup for next year’s activities with Bill Bell as Chairman, nomination committee and newsletter with Lisa Racz as the new Editor and board member. The newsletter will now be published six times per year with a post card in the off months. This is being done to reduce cost. This subject will be reviewed in detail in another article.

Do you...do some or all of the work on your Corvette? Live in Jefferson County? Care about your environment? If you periodically accumulate the hazardous chemicals in your garage that are common by-products of DIYers (oil, coolant flushes, paints, solvents, etc.), there is a resource available to Jeffco residents for environmentally sound disposal of these chemicals.

The Jefferson County Household Chemical Collection Center, located on Rooney Rd. just south of West Colfax (near the gambling bus depot) is a state-of -the-art collection facility operated as a joint project by Jefferson County and the communities of Arvada, Edgewater, Golden, Lakeside, Lakewood, Morrison, Mountain View, Westminster and Wheat Ridge. If you live in one of these communities, you may use the facility. The facility is only open on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. as primarily volunteers staff it. Reservations are needed.

WHAT YOU CAN BRING- products labeled "Use with Caution" or "Flammable" or "Keep away from Children" are probably hazardous household chemicals. The list of accepted household chemicals is quite extensive. A call to the facility would probably verify whether a particular chemical would be accepted.

WHAT NOT TO BRING- No hazardous waste from commercial and/or industrial businesses. No biological wastes. No radioactive materials. No compressed gas cylinders.

No PCBs (oil filled transformers or capacitors). No citizen outside of Jefferson County and the City of Westminster.

HOW TO USE THE FACILITY- reservations are needed to control the type and amount of household chemicals being brought in. Proof of residency is required and there is a $5 per household charge. (There is a separate charge of $3 for each tire brought to the facility.) To make a reservation, call 584-4646. You will initially receive a recorded announcement providing information, directions, etc., and then an operator will come on to make an appointment for you. You can cut straight to the operator by hitting "0".

I have used this facility a couple times this year to dispose of old oil, antifreeze, house paints and stains, brake fluid, solvents and old gasoline. You generally need to plan 2-4 Saturdays in advance for your appointment. So far I found the operation well run and I felt good that I had removed these unwanted hazardous chemicals from my house and disposed of them in an environmentally sound fashion. Those of you living in the appropriate jurisdictions may want to consider this facility if you don’t have an alternative disposal mechanism available to you. (The sewer and the dirt behind the garage are no longer considered environmentally, morally or legally correct alternatives!!)

Writing an article for our newsletter is something of a different task for me that I am a bit uncomfortable in. How do I say I had a great time in Steamboat without "gloating" and to keep it interesting? Well, here’s my attempt at telling you all what a great time I had in Steamboat during our Regional Convention held this past Labor Day weekend.

I had been busy since mid 1996 assisting other Steamboat Committee Chairpersons getting ready for "Corvette Heaven in ‘97" after I had volunteered to chair the administrative side of our event (Gary Nesmith was our Chairperson--great job Gary--you kept us in line most of the time!). Then in July, with the help of Gary and Bob Steffens at Corvette City, I took the plunge of getting a motor and transmission out of and into my ‘64 L84. Jim Lennartz assisted me (he did the work- I watched) in re-riveting the ball joints to the A-arms and getting the front end disassembled, and Dennis Kazmierzak assisted me (once again I watched-he did the work!) in the transmission rebuilding. Boy, without their help I would have never got this far in getting things back together properly--one great reason why we have such a great organization. Thanks guys for all you did for me.

Saturday before Steamboat I break a starter bolt off in the block. I figure I will work on it Sunday, but get called into work because of a "mad bomber" who decided to make a minefield of his front and back yards. Oh well, no car for the Founders Award I had signed up for. Maybe Albuquerque in April 1998.

On the way up to Steamboat I blow a rear tire on the motor home. What next?? I get up to Steamboat and prepare for the rest of you Corvette enthusiast to come up and enjoy the "BIG SHOW". Out of ink on my printer and no software loaded for Jack Humphrey’s printer, we cruise downtown Steamboat with Puie Uto (I butchered his name I am sure), the local Steamboat Springs Police Officer that assisted Jack in the PV course. Jack gets what we are looking for, and back to the registration area. All goes well Wednesday, except for some last minute no shows and fill-ins (Ralph and Sharon Ridge, Lynn and Glenn Reiff, Lisa Racz and Dirk Gaddis, Bob Davis, and Fred Koenig-Thanks all for your help!!)

Friday night and its "party time" again at Glenn and Lynn’s place. Another great time with some wonderful people. Thanks for the hospitality Lynn and Glenn--we all had a great time (and that garage isn’t too bad either!!)

I leave the pits and take off, going down the backstretch all by myself. The short throw 4 speed is crisp and sweet. WHAT POWER. Shift into second and step on the gas a bit--its all there. Up the hill and I meet with all the other Corvettes. We cruise the course for 3 (count ‘em) three laps, then all the other cars peel off as I return to the pits and drive alone down in front of the grandstand. What a way to end the event!!. I am happy.

Just a short story of one guy, with the help of many others, who had a great time at a wonderful Corvette event. The companionship and help from all of you guys and gals made it happen. It speaks well of our members, and I hope I can reciprocate in the same fashion to others someday.

This could happen to you too, but you got to get involved to make it happen. Volunteer to help the club in some way, as your reward may be worth much more than what you initially put out. It is a good feeling, for sure.

A 1963 fuelie Corvette coupe is the focus of the Salon feature in the November 1997 issue of Road & Track. I thought the photograph on the opening pages of the article was quite unusual. This issue should still be on the newsstands - check it out.

They say what can go wrong will. I’ve experienced this more than once on the concourse campaign trail. Even the best laid plans and most thorough preparation is subject to "oops" factors.

It was this past August, about one and half weeks before Steamboat ‘97. I needed to drop off some materials Dennis Kazmierzak needed to fill registration envelopes. It was a sweet warm day; perfect to cruise the mountains in my ‘71 that was ear marked for a Founder’s Operations Check.

I got to Dennis’ house, made the drop off and started home. A curious "tinkling" noise came from the engine compartment sporadically. Sounded like a metal foil tag randomly making contact with the fan blade. I pulled over, popped the hood and looked. I looked and looked and couldn’t see a darn thing. The noise went away and I drove on.

On a curvy winding 2-lane going into Evergreen, the noise came back. I disengaged the clutch -- was this engine or drive train RPM related. The engine DIED!

It wouldn’t restart for love or money. Coasting downhill fighting the lack of power steering, I made it "almost" into town. When momentum gave up the ghost, I pulled over and looked around. What luck! This is the turn off to Jim Lennartz’ subdivision.

I borrow a phone. They don’t believe my explanation but the cavalry is on the way! Jimmy arrives with tools, a spare distributor, two cold refreshments and we proceed to diagnose. The sun goes down and we’re still diagnosing.

Why doesn’t the distributor rotor point to either the number one or number six plug firing position when timing marks line up with top dead center? Not a good sign, fella....

A flat bed tow is summoned and the ‘71 is off to Corvette City. They’re busy as a one-armed paperhanger readying vintage racers for the "real" action at Steamboat. I’m concerned. Gary and Bobby Steffens are concerned with what they see.

I’m told don’t worry, we did your restoration and rebuilt the engine. If the engine failed due to a fault in components or workmanship, you’re not out one dime.

Hold on their, Lone Ranger, your engine rebuild was four years ago and there’s almost 20,000 miles on that engine now. Even GM didn’t give that kind of warranty. They don’t care -- a reputation is at stake and high quality restorations don’t "bite the dust" that fast!

The pan comes off. Metal shavings and "chunks" can be seen swimming and sinking in sea of black oil. Valve covers are removed and things don’t look bad. Hum, what gives?

The timing cover is removed; "Gee whiz, look at that" is heard. Appears the lower (crank) timing gear has shrunk. Gaps between teeth are REALLY DEEP. There’s enough slack in the timing chain to hang a hammock. Could the lower gear have escaped heat treat hardening at the factory?

She gets new timing gears, a timing chain, and a fresh oil pump then buttoned up. Set the timing and crank ‘er up. Smoke blows and she runs rough enough to try and tear loose from the motor mounts. Not good!

We’re only a week away from Steamboat now and the heads come off. Every piston has been "introduced" to every valve, but no domes are punched. Intake and exhaust valves on both heads have a "lunar surface" appearance. VALVE JOB!

Both heads go out to a Corvette City favored machine shop. Bad news continues. Both heads tank OK (no major cracks/leaks), but one shows the beginning of a hairline crack under magnetic inspection. Toast!

We scramble and find a cylinder head core with correct casting number. Heads are rebuild with fresh-hardened valve seats and new valves. During the machine shop cycle, I grab the opportunity to repaint valve covers and the intake manifold. At least the engine’s top surface will look fresh for Steamboat!

It’s the day before we gotta pack up and leave for Steamboat. I get the anticipated call from Corvette City, "Come and get ‘er". I do. She runs like a top!

My father-in-law flys in from Michigan to drive the ‘71. Per NCRS rules, Founder cars must be driven both ways to/from Regional and National meets AND the NCRS owner or a family member must drive them. I can’t drive the ‘71 because I’m stuck hauling the ‘65 Duntov display in its cozy trailer.

I work until midnight checking/fixing things on the ‘71 in preparation for its Founders Operations Check. Make sure the seats run smoothly in their adjustment tracks, check all light bulbs and switches, put final touches on wiper and headlight door limit adjustments.

Dawn comes altogether too early. The "team" gathers. I brief the in-laws (father and mother) on the "care and feeding" of a 1971 Corvette. We start ‘er up and shut ‘er down a few times, discuss roadway caravan etiquette, climb inside and start the trek to Steamboat where we’ll cross the Continental Divide twice enroute. (To be continued).

By D.J.Kazmierzak

The newsletter is sent to all paid members, NCRS Chapters and NCRS Officers. We also send copies to LGCA and other Corvette clubs in the area. This amounts to about 150 copies per month. The cost is between $150 & $180 per month. The board approved a suggestion to reduce cost by sending the newsletter ever other month and a post card with the activity reminder on the non-newsletter month. The post card will only be sent to members. This will reduce the cost by 40-45% over the year. We will also be E-mailing the newsletter to those chapters that have the service, especially our friends in the UK.

If you would like to comment on this subject please call E-mail DJKazmierzak@worldnet.att.net or me (697-8428). I would appreciate your input and comments.

By Reed Merritt rmerrit1@ix.netcom.com

All shirts and jackets add $2.00 for XXL. All new members get a cap and nametag at no cost with payment of the initial $30.00 membership fee.

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