Hail From the Chief

By Brian Novak

Well, the year has come and nearly left us. Now is the time the club can stand back and think on what we can be thankful for. We can be thankful for the friendship and fellowship we've shared this year on our many outings and get-togethers, for a successful "Wild West Vette Fest '99", for the volunteers who worked so hard to make the year a fun and eventful one, and for those willing to take office in the club. I know that my family considers the Corvette club to be an extended family, which is a great comfort to us since we are displaced Montanans. To this I say thank you all, good holidays, and a merry New Year.

We had a pretty good turnout at the November meeting at Frontier Pies. The food was quite good, even if limited in selection. Many things were discussed such as the Christmas for Families/Seniors program that we do, a possible scholarship fund at the EITC, a plea for willing candidates for next years officers and for Wild West Vette Fest Y2K volunteers.

We were partially successful on the officers and volunteers for next year, but we need more. Soon I will be calling you to find interested parties for next year. Please consider being an officer or a committee chairperson; it is a wonderful way to meet others and get involved.

Soon, our Christmas party will be at hand. It should be a fun event at the Mountain River Ranch. The party will be on Sunday, December 19^th and promises to be a great time. Because of the bigger expense for this year's party, we will forego the gift giving. I'm looking forward to seeing you all there!

As always... Save the Wave!!

A Look at The Past

By Ben Sanchez

 This past year has afforded me the opportunity to fulfill a 37-year dream. That is, to own a 1962 Corvette. I wanted one when they were brand new and my desire never faded. To me the '62 represents a real' Corvette. I'm not particularly a solid-axle fan, but the style just seems timeless.

While we were in the U.S. this past summer, I was able to drive the '62 for about 50 miles. Yes, I drove it from one storage unit to another where it will sit until we move back to the U.S. next year. However, that 50-mile jaunt aptly reminded me that technology has come a long way in the last 40 years. Thank goodness!

As you cruise down the road, the last thing you are concerned with is being stopped for a speeding ticket. Perhaps the first thing you should be concerned with is that you don't have to come to a "panic" stop. I don't think there is such a thing as a panic stop, a driving maneuver would place you in better position for safety.

There are some moments you experience that let you know you are driving something special. Truckers honk as they blast by at 75 mph, and when other cars pass they slow down to take a good look. It usually brings a smile to their faces and gets you a "thumbs-up" before they drive on. But, the real fun begins when you stop and get out. You get the inevitable, "What year Vette is it?" Or, "is that an old Thunderbird?" Geez, I hate that one.

I was perusing a 50^th anniversary special edition of Motor Trend magazine where they summed it up nicely in how far technology has come. Those of us who are old enough to remember the 50's and 60's performance cars have developed fantasies about just how fast these cars were and we all have a story of when. In reality though a '99 Honda minivan will blow the doors off most of the cars we hold in high esteem. That's technology.

Even though my entire '62 driving experience lasted for only about an hour, I was in a time warp. Thirty-seven years vanished as I was listening to the oldies in my Vintage Vette and I-15 was now Route 66. You see good dreams really can come true.

  A Woman's Guide to Holiday Shopping for Men!

By Santa Claus

Rule #1:

When in doubt - buy him a cordless drill. It does not matter if he already has one. I have a friend who owns 17 and he has yet to complain. As a man, you can never have too many cordless drills. No one knows why.

Rule #2:

If you cannot afford a cordless drill, buy him anything with the word ratchet or socket in it. Men love

saying those two words. "Hey George, can I borrow your ratchet?" "OK. "By-the-way, are you through with my 3/8-inch socket yet?" Again, no one knows why.

Rule #3:

If you are really, really broke, buy him anything for his car. A 99-cent ice scraper, a small bottle of deicer or something to hang from his rear view mirror. Men love gifts for their cars. No one knows why.

Rule #4:

Do not buy men socks. Do not buy men ties. And never buy men bathrobes. I was told that if God had wanted men to wear bathrobes, he wouldn't have invented Jockey shorts.

Rule #5:

You can buy men new remote controls to replace the ones they have worn out. If you have a lot of money buy your man a big-screen TV with the little picture in the corner. Watch him go wild as he flips, and flips, and flips.

Rule #6:

Do not buy a man any of those fancy liqueurs. If you do, it will sit in a cupboard for 23 years. Real men drink whiskey or beer.

Rule #7:

Do not buy any man industrial-sized canisters of aftershave or deodorant. I'm told they do not stink - they are earthy.

Rule #8:

Buy men label makers. Almost as good as cordless drills. Within a couple of weeks there will be labels absolutely everywhere. Socks. Shorts. Cups. Saucers. Door. Lock. Sink. You get the idea. No one knows why.

Rule #9:

Never buy a man anything that says "some assembly required" on the box. It will ruin his Special Day and he will always have parts left over.

Rule #10:

Good places to shop for men include Northwest Iron Works, Pratt Lumber, Home Depot, John Deere, Valley RV Center, and Les Schwab Tire. (NAPA Auto Parts and Sears' Clearance Centers are also excellent men's stores. It doesn't matter if he doesn't know what it is. "From NAPA Auto, eh? Must be something I need. Hey! Isn't this a starter for a '68 Ford Fairlane? Wow! Thanks.")

Rule #11:

Men enjoy danger. That's why they never cook - but they will barbecue. Get him a monster barbecue with a 100-pound propane tank. Tell him the gas line leaks. "Oh the thrill! The challenge! Who wants a hamburger?"

Rule #12:

Tickets to a Ranger /Jets/Knicks/Yankee game are a smart gift. However, he will not appreciate tickets to "A Retrospective of 19th Century Quilts." Everyone knows why.

Rule #13:

Men love chain saws. Never, ever, buy a man you love a chain saw. If you don't know why - please refer to Rule #8 and what happens when he gets a label maker.

Rule #14:

It's hard to beat a really good wheelbarrow or an aluminum extension ladder. Never buy a real man a stepladder. It must be an extension ladder. No one knows why.

Rule #15:

Rope. Men love rope. It takes us back to our cowboy origins, or at least The Boy Scouts. Nothing says love like a hundred feet of 3/8" manila rope. No one knows why.

Did You Know

By Egon Lamprecht

Let's discuss engine management systems. If you drive a Vette, or even a 1984 or newer car, chances are the emissions coming out the exhaust pipe are controlled by a computer that has a bunch of widely distributed sensors reporting what is going on "under the hood".

Now this is not as bad as you might think. It's only when the "check engine" light comes on that you really need to start worrying. In most cases, that's when the computer goes into a "limp home" mode. That means that you can still get to a shop or home and then get things checked. If the light comes on for a short time and then goes off, it generally means the computer has seen something it doesn't like but the problem corrected itself.

Sometimes when coming down a long steep hill, the computer will see an above normal condition in the exhaust emissions, but after you level out the condition will go away and the will light turn off. This is called a "soft code" in the computer. If the abnormal condition continues, the light stays on and this is then called a "hard code". With the "hard code" you can put an analyzer on the computer and find the trouble and then make necessary repairs.

This is good because the mechanic can pinpoint the trouble area without spending a lot of man-hours looking -- saving you money. Or you can ignore the red light, remove the light globe, place a little black tape over the light. Or you can get the problem fixed, as you should, and that will turn the light off. Or maybe you like RED LIGHTS.

December Birthdays

Marge Dilorellzo 5

Gene Farmer 5

Carol Merrill 10

Steve Hansen 11

Lynn McKinlay 15

Dorie Hiliker 21

Janet Miller 24

Bill Waters 27

 Hello Corvette Club Members

We at John's Corvette Care are excited to announce our newest item...1984-89 Upper Dash Pads for a low introductory price of $450.00...Just in time for Christmas!

Remember, just give us a call at 800-521-4774 or visit us at www.johnscorvettecare.com, and we can set your club up with discounts up to 25%

Happy Thanksgiving!

Consumer Question: Will my car run in 2000?

By Mitch Ratcliffe, ZiffDavis Y2K

 A: Yes. There is absolutely no hard evidence that any cars or trucks will suffer from systems failure due to the date rollover. None. All suggestions that the computers in your car will fail due to Y2K are speculation. The situation has been made worse by the auto industry's silence on the matter. We searched the major auto manufacturers' sites and found no information about Year 2000.

Here are the facts as we know them: Cars and trucks contain computers, but the systems are not date-dependent. Even if they were date-dependent, they wouldn't constitute a threat to your life. These computer control the engine timing, fuel mixtures, and brakes, among other functions. They calculate time based on the number of milliseconds between events, for the most part.

If the computers were to fail, it would not cause a life-threatening accident. For instance, power brakes would not fail because the computer stopped operating; these systems are power-assisted, not completely dependent on the computer for their operation.

If you still don't believe that the computers do not represent a serious threat, consider that cars have included computational devices for more than a decade. Computers, date-related or not, have not caused widespread problems with vehicle operation or safety.

There are two reports of problems based on embedded systems, neither that impact performance in any way. Some Ford Taurus models are reported to have a potential problem with the passenger compartment clock, which tracks the date. Some Oldsmobile models reportedly will display an oil warning light. Both will operate reliably.

Some manufacturers have stated that their vehicles are not at risk from Y2K, but most are still keeping quiet. Those that have made Y2K statements about their products are:

BMW: the project includes thorough checking of the electronics of the BMW automobiles. The result: on the basis of these examinations, it can be ruled out that any cars that have been delivered or that will be produced in the future will experience any sort of problems due to the millennium bug.

Saturn: The year 2000 will pose no difficulties for the computer or Powertrain Control Module (PCM) in your Saturn. The need to adapt to the turn of the century was taken into account by Saturn engineers.

Subaru: Thanks to careful forethought by Subaru engineers, the computer in your vehicle is not calendar dependent and will not be affected by the millennium change. There is no cause for concern.

Kia: None of the computers used in our vehicles rely on date-based software, so the dawning of a new millennium will be just one more day in the life of all of our models.

Stephen Burkett has offered a $100 reward to anyone who could provide concrete evidence that cars will suffer from Y2K problems. The bounty for this proof now stands at $700. I've got $50 in the pot. Go ahead, make my

November Club Meeting

Minutes

By Sam and Janet Miller

Twenty-eight people attended the November 12 meeting at Frontier Pies in Idaho Falls. Brian urged everyone to fill out and return the information forms for the Club. The P.O. box number was wrong on the form sent out earlier. It should be P.O. Box 3519, Idaho Falls, ID 83403.

Brian also urged us to get hand-held CB radios. They come in handy when traveling together. Check out the sales for a good price.

Please be thinking about officers for the club for 2000. Please consider running for an office or be ready to nominate someone. It really is a lot of fun!

It is time to be thinking about next year's show. Vette Fest 2000 needs a co-chaircouple to help make 2000 the best Vette Fest yet. It will be held in West Yellowstone, MT, August 25, 26, and 27 of 2000. Also be thinking of a logo for the show. Use you imagination and come up with a great one! Let's start thinking of sponsors for next year too. It takes quite a bit of money to pull off the show. For $50 a sponsor gets a trophy awarded with his name on it. For $250 he gets the name of his business on the sleeve of the shirts and on the posters. For $500 he gets the name of his business really big on the shirts. I believe we had 18 sponsors last year. We need to contact hotels soon to get the best rates and accommodations. Also we need to check into bands for the after-dinner dance.

We discussed what to do for the needy families and seniors for Christmas. Starting a scholarship fund was suggested. It was voted on and decided to start a scholarship fund and do Christmas for some families and seniors. We then voted on how much money to spend on Christmas and how much to put into a scholarship fund. It was decided to spend $1000 on Christmas gifts for several families and seniors and to put $250 in an interest bearing account to start a scholarship fund. Egan said that he would get someone from the automotive department of Vo-Tech in Idaho Falls to come speak at our February meeting about the scholarship fund. We need to know if the money would be better spent on a scholarship or equipment for all the automotive student classrooms. Also, Bev, Connie, Trish, and Debbie said that they would help shop for the Christmas gifts at ShopKo.

Our club Christmas party is at Mountain River Ranch this year. It is on Sunday night, December 19 at 7 p.m. Cornish game hen dinners are $24 plus $1.20 tax each. Prime rib dinners are $31 plus $1.55 tax each. The dinners include a tossed salad, baked potato, mixed vegetables, sourdough bread, peppermint ice cream, hot cider, and coffee. Beer, wine, and pop are extra. Because of the higher cost of the dinners, we are not exchanging gifts this year. It should be a great time. Be sure to come. Mary Kay Bennett needs to know how many are coming by December 6. Bring warm blankets.

Our club trip for 2000 will be to Vancouver and Seattle. It will begin on labor day weekend and will go for 7 to 10 days. In Seattle we will attend the car show that the Seattle club sponsors. That will be a good time!