The Prez Box
by Ron Bone
With the New Year comes a new slate of club officers. I would like to thank those who answered the call of the nominating committee this year. Tommy Taylor, who brings with him a rich tradition of volunteering for everything, now chairs Vice President, while Linda Moore, with her boundless enthusiasm, now chairs Activities. A couple of intrepid souls also stayed aboard for a second cruise: Renata Waters continues as Treasurer and Barbara Bell continues as Secretary. Finally, I’d like to tip a collective hat to our departing officers Bill Waters and Thor Miller, who kept our club strong.
We have a full and exciting year ahead. Bruce and Connie Barton have already staffed most of their organization for Wild West Vette Fest 2004 and are moving smoothly ahead with plans for a great show.
We’ll also propose two long road trips this year, as well as several shorter affairs to keep everyone as busy as they want to be. Check out the calendar elsewhere in this newsletter to see how it’s coming together.
Some important matters will be discussed at our next meeting, the annual Sweetheart Brunch. We’ll select a logo for our show this year from among the offerings prepared by our talented members. Discussions will also begin on what to do with the funds our club received from the Idaho Corvette license plate program. Maps and itineraries for the two proposed long road trips will be discussed. There also will be a number of other items on the agenda. As always, your input is sought - so be sure to be there and participate.
At our last meeting, to my chagrin, I met two members who have been in the club since last summer and who I had not previously met. We also had two new members attending their first meeting. While we were talking I realized that I wasn’t wearing my name badge. I’d bet that I wasn’t alone. It’s really important that we assimilate new members, and that begins with knowing names. Please wear your name badge to the meetings and events. If you don’t have one, the club will buy one for you. Just let me know.
See you at the Sweetheart Brunch!
JANUARY 2004 CORVETTE CLUB MINUTES
by Pam Valentine
Submitted By
Barbara Bell
Meeting
was held January 14, 2004 at the new Gringo's Restaurant in
Rexburg at 7 p.m.. There were 46 in attendance.
Outgoing President Bill Waters called the meeting to order
at 7:50 p.m. He read a thank you note from a recipient of our Christmas
Program.
Janet Miller thanked
everyone for their concern during her illness. Bruce Barton, 'Vette Fest co-chairman,
asked for volunteers to secure sponsors for this year's event in the
Trish Bargman of the nominating
committee explained procedure on the voting ballots for election of officers for the coming
year. She explained the duties of each officer, according to the by-laws. Trish
suggested that it may not hurt to publish them in the newsletter next month. It
has been done before, but would not hurt to have them to all members
again. She will get them to Jim Thompson.
The
following people ran for office:
President:
Ron Bone - unopposed
Vice
President: Tommy Taylor and Todd Packer
Secretary:
Barbara Bell - unopposed
Treasurer:
Renata Waters and Connie Lamprecht
Activity
Chairperson: Linda Moore - unopposed.
The
ballots were then passed out and voting completed. Wayne Valentine and Jack Larsen counted the votes.
The results are as follows:
PRESIDENT: RON BONE
VICE
PRESIDENT: TOMMY TAYLOR
SECRETARY:
BARBARA BELL
TREASURER:
RENATA WATERS
ACTIVITY
CHAIRPERSON: LINDA MOORE
President Ron Bone took control of the meeting. He thanked the
old officers for a job well done.
Ron would like to plan
two longer trips. One along the Nez Pierce trail starting in
Ron also reminded everyone to pay his or her dues.
The Sweetheart
Brunch was discussed for the 14th of February. Ron was going to see if
the Chuck-A-Rama was available. (Note the following email
received concerning this.)
Barbara,
At last night’s meeting, we resolved to check
into having Valentine’s Day brunch at the new Chuck-A-Rama. Well, they’re
not open for brunch! So after checking several alternatives, we settled
on J. J. North’s Country Buffet even though we were just there for our
Christmas party.
Please indicate in the minutes that our next
meeting will be at J. J. North’s on Saturday, February 14 at 10:00 A.M.
Thanks,
Ron
Club
member Chad Goody was awarded a
special "MERITORIOUS AWARD".
A car hit
Added by Barbara:
The Meeting adjourned at an unrecorded time, but I told Jim that this
notation would be made at the end of all minutes submitted to prevent missing a
second page as happened last month.
February Birthdays
| Dale Larsen | 4 |
| Steve Whitfield | 8 |
| Thor Miller | 11 |
| Frank Bell | 11 |
| Jack Larsen | 24 |
2005 Corvette
(From Automobile
Magazine)
Mechanically, the biggest news is under the front-hinged hood. The OHV V-8 has been bored out to 6.0 liters, for an estimated 400 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 400 pound-feet of torque at 4400 rpm. The revamped engine, dubbed LS2, weighs less (by 15 pounds), revs higher (to 6500 rpm rather than 6000), and has a higher compression ratio (10:9:1 versus 10.1:1), while occupying roughly the same space. The LS2’s 50 extra ponies came from increased displacement, better breathing, a revised camshaft profile, and less exhaust backpressure. What about variable valve timing or additional valves, you ask? They’re being held for the Z06, which follows by a year and is said to achieve 500 horsepower.
The Corvette’s rear-located six-speed Tremec manual and the four-speed automatic transmissions both return. (The Cadillac XLR’s five-speed manu-matic couldn’t handle the LS2’s torque.) The six-speed is still saddled with the annoying first-to-fourth skip shift, but the good news is improved shift quality and lighter clutch efforts. When you choose the Z51 suspension option, you get shorter gears. For now, paddle shifting is not offered, nor is manu-matic – or even gated – shifting for the automatic.
The days of wild styling gyrations apparently are over. Chevrolet is satisfied with the C5 and happy just to finesse it. Mechanically, the situation is the same. A pushrod V-8, a rear transaxle, and rear-wheel drive – that’s the formula, and it works, so why change it?
DID YOU KNOW
By Egon
Last fall, before winter storage,
I had a Vetter come to my shop with an ill Vette.
It was running rough and would
stall out at highway speeds. First I checked the air filter. This car had many
miles, and the owner, red faced, told me, "I have never changed the air
filter; I drive only on the highway". Ya sure, except when he didn't.
What a plugged up mess the filter
was. If it had been a sewer, Roto Rooter would be needed.
Then I asked, “How about the fuel
filter?” (under the right door). "Couldn't see one so thought it didn't
have one." Well that got changed. Now the Vette was well again, and the
owner was happy. You might check yours before summer touring, before I ask you
when was the last time you changed filters?
We all like well and happy Vettes!
Events Coming in 2004
by Ron Bone
February 14: Sweetheart Brunch and monthly meeting at J. J. North’s, 10:00 a.m.
March 12-14: 12th
Annual Gambler’s Classic Poker Run at
June 11-13: Border
Run 2004 at Jackpot, NV. Hosted by
July 22-24: Vette
Fest 2004 at
August 27-29: Wild
West Vette Fest 2004 at West
September 10-12:
Membership Dues are Due
by Ron Bone
Annual membership dues are due by the end of the March
monthly meeting. Dues are still $25, a
bargain by any standard. You may pay the
Treasurer, Renata Waters, at the monthly meeting, or mail payment to Corvettes
of Southeast Idaho at