The next club meeting:
7:00 p.m., Tuesday, May 5, 2009 at the Golden Corral, Dothan. We dine
at 6:00 p.m.
May, 2009
Click on Car of the Month to see the rest of Carl and Jenny's car.!
April proved to be another busy month for Circle City Corvettes. There’s always lots to do with car shows and cruises this time of year as the weather is so nice. We started off April with a very pleasant Mystery Cruise courtesy of Terry and Collette Weldon. We ended the cruise at the Santa Fe restaurant in Enterprise and sat down to a terrific lunch. Then on the 11th, nine cars made the Cruisin' Corvette show in Tallahassee, and on the 18th, eight cars made the Miracle Strip Corvette show in Pensacola. We had drag racing scheduled for the 19th, but I had to cancel it due to the weather.
May is OUR time to shine. That’s right, its time for the 2009 Circle City Corvettes Beach Caravan!! This is our big annual event that this club now hosts for the twenty-ninth time. Our agenda for this year’s event is similar to that of the last several years, complete with some very important special guests from Chevrolet, and a 2010 Corvette Grand Sport!!! We did add one event to Saturday’s agenda – golf. Kelly is coordinating the use of one the Marriott’s famous golf courses for play Saturday afternoon. Also on Saturday afternoon we will again have a celebrity judged Corvette display. And for those in the local clubs that can’t attend the entire event, we have opened up the Corvette display for those who just want to come down for the afternoon and display their cars. As usual, John Hickman has put in the lion’s share of work on this event. We all (and especially me) appreciate all the hours he puts in to ensure this event is fun for our participants, and profitable for our club. And I can’t leave out Jim and Charley Robertson. They are largely responsible for getting the special guests from Chevrolet to attend the event, and putting on the Corvette item auction Saturday night. So, lets all pitch in to make sure this year’s event is another good one.
Bruce
Click for the Museum Homepage: National Corvette Museum - opens in its own window.
Click here for Charley's NCM Newsletter
Courtesy of your NCM Ambassador -
Charley Robertson
-- top of page --
It is starting to warm up here in South Alabama. Time to be concerned with your car’s cooling system. Here are a Few Important Things to Remember
Cooling System consists of:
Pumping -- Your cooling system's pumping function is handled by its water pump, which keeps the coolant mixture moving. The main water pump is gear- or belt-driven but, in many cars, a secondary electric water pump is used for improved flow and cooling. Critical to the pump's operation is the drive belt or gear that turns it. On most newer cars this is the engine's timing belt. On older cars, the pump and belt are external and run off the main crankshaft pulley with a "V" or flat belt. Maintenance of cooling system pumping is limited to scheduled coolant replacement and drive-belt replacement and tension adjustment (external type). Timing-belt-driven pumps should always be replaced at the same time as the timing belt and tensioner.
Piping -- Your cooling system's piping consists of all hoses, any control valves, the heater core, the radiator and the expansion tank. Because of the materials used and the constant contact with coolant, all parts in this system deteriorate more from time than use. Maintenance of cooling system piping consists of scheduled coolant replacement, replacement of all hoses on a regular basis and replacement of any plugged or leaking parts. All hoses should be checked at least twice a year for abrasions, cracks, flexibility and evidence of leakage. Whenever the coolant is drained for replacement or during engine repairs, any suspect hoses should be replaced. All hoses should be replaced at least every few years. Radiators, expansion tanks, heater cores and control valves are normally only replaced due to leakage or plugging. The condition of these parts should be assessed by a professional since proper functioning is critical to many other systems within your car.
Temperature Control -- Your cooling system's temperature controls include all coolant temperature sensors, thermostat, radiator or expansion tank cap, cooling fan(s) and fan clutch (if equipped). These cooling system parts function primarily independent of the engine but control the engine either through cooling or by sending control signals to your car's electronic systems. The thermostat is a spring-loaded valve that opens and closes based on the temperature of the coolant flowing through it. A high temperature reading followed by a drop to normal temperature (or a continuously low temperature) is a common first sign of a sticking thermostat. However, many other conditions may cause these symptoms, so you need to know how to eliminate each possibility. The radiator or expansion tank cap is also a spring-loaded valve reacting to system pressure. It serves to maintain proper system coolant level at predetermined pressures. It must always be replaced with an exact replacement cap with the same pressure setting. Never use other caps except for short-term emergencies! A belt-driven fan blade for pulling air through the radiator is usually on the water pump pulley and should have a fan clutch to control it. The fan clutch allows the fan to turn with the belt at low engine speed and "free-wheel" at higher speeds. A bad fan clutch either doesn't allow the fan to spin at low speed (overheating in traffic) or doesn't allow it to free-wheel at high speed (potential overheating on highway or reduced gas mileage). An electric fan can be either by itself (usually front-wheel drive) or auxiliary (used with a mechanical fan). Both types are controlled via a temperature sensor - in the radiator or upper radiator hose or on the thermostat or water pump housing. This sensor is usually an on/off type switch with a fixed temperature setting. (Some vehicles may have 2-3 settings for multi-speed fans.) This sensor is commonly called an "auxilliary fan switch" Other common temperature sensors are: 1) gauge sender (variable output); 2) warning light sender (on/off type); 3) lambda and/or fuel injection sensor(s) (variable to control fuel injection settings); 4) thermo-time switch (cold start valve control). Your car may have other sensors as well. Temperature control is critical to both performance and emission control. Unfortunately, this system is the most difficult to troubleshoot without proper equipment and diagrams. It's even more difficult with computers that adjust timing, idle speed, vacuum and fuel delivery automatically to make up for potentially faulty temperature sensor signals. Maintenance of your cooling system sensors is virtually impossible since there's nothing really to "maintain". Keeping them clean both internally (coolant replacement) and externally (engine cleaning) is the best way to ensure trouble-free driving. Checking and replacing all parts at the factory-recommended time or mileage limits helps as well.
Tips
Tip #1: Keep your engine and engine compartment, as well as your radiator fins and grill, as clean as possible. A clean engine runs much cooler - and it's much easier to work on.
Tip #2: Replace coolant at or before factory recommended intervals with the proper type, mixture and volume of coolant. Always allow the coolant system to rid itself of air before installing the radiator cap.
Tip #3: Replace all cooling system hoses - upper and lower radiator hoses, bypass hoses, heater hoses, manifold coolant hoses and any other hoses on your vehicle - whenever you even suspect there may be a problem. All hoses should be replaced at least every two years.
Tip #4: Replace the thermostat with the original temperature setting equivalent. The electronics in your vehicle may use that setting for other controls. Do not substitute under any circumstances.
Tip #5: Replace the radiator/expansion tank cap with the original pressure setting and OE-type equivalent. Some aftermarket substitutions do not seal and hold pressure properly on foreign-manufactured cars. Again, don't substitute.
Tip #6: Adjust or replace the water pump drive belt (external) at recommended intervals or more frequently, if required. Check belts whenever you're working on any coolant system components.
Tip #7: Replace your water pump with an OEM/OES pump at the first signs of trouble or when your timing belt and tensioner are replaced. Watch for signs of overheating - you don't want to break down in the hot sun when your water pump fails.
Tip #8: Replace the fan clutch and/or fan blade as needed (if applicable). Your car's temperature gauge is often your best guide as to when your fan clutch needs attention.
Tip #9: Replace temperature sensors as required by diagnosis. Leave troubleshooting of your sensors to experts who have the proper equipment and diagrams.
Tip #10: Keep your entire vehicle properly maintained because of the effect timing, idle speed, exhaust and other systems have on your engine's temperature. Your car's cooling system is designed to function with all other systems operating properly. It cannot make up for a poorly operating or overheating engine condition.
Terry
May
2 Mid Alabama Corvette Club's Vettes and Vibrations Car Show in Pelham, AL. Here's the flyer.
9 Classic Glass Corvette Show. Click for info and registration.
14 Our Panama City Beach Caravan. See our beach page !
June - Standby for details of another exciting mystery cruise to another strange location
July
4 Vettes for Vets. Run a few laps on the
Talladega Speedway.
$35 donation for 5 laps. $25
per multiple 5 lap sessions.
Sponsored by benefits
Alabama
Gold Star Families
11 Pool Party or picnic at a lake. Standby for details
Tallahassee
We had 9 cars attend the Corvette show in Tallahassee on the 11th!! We almost won the ‘best club participation’ award, but Emerald Coast edged us out by 2 cars. None of us received an award, (and neither did the 11 cars from Emerald Coast), but we still had a great time! After the show, Brian Webb treated us to a private tour of his up and coming ‘party barn/Corvette storage building’. One of the cars there was a ‘barn find’ ’53 Vette. It needs a ton of work, but I could just imagine it sitting in the corner of an old barn, with almost no paint or interior, flat tires, and with straw and chicken poop all over it - which is the condition it is now, except without the straw and poop. Anyway, the weather was great, the drive was pleasant, and we got to see Corvette friends we haven’t seen for some time.
Click here to see the Tallahassee Car Show Photos
----------
Pensacola
We had 8 cars attend the show in Pensacola on the 18th!! The trip down went fine, running between 80 and 85 most of he way. After arriving we got busy getting the bugs wiped off the front fascia and windshields of our cars, we settled into our usual put the chairs in a circle, and had the “what’s new” discussions. But after just a few minutes, we decided to take an early lunch at the aviation museum snack bar, then spent he next 2 hours walking through what I would consider the best aviation museum in this country. It is jam packed with aircraft ranging from the Wright brothers ‘flyer’, to the F-14 Tomcat, and everything in between. And not just Navy aircraft, they had a Jap Zero, a Russian Mig 15, and a Army Air Corps P-40 Warhawk. Then many of us took in a showing in the IMAX theatre. The drive home was also peasant and uneventful. Awards, none for us. They awarded the top 20, with about 1/3 of those going to their own club – Wrong!! So except for that, it was an enjoyable day.
Click here for the Pensacola photos
-------------
Birthday Bash
Circle City was well represented at the NCM 2009 Birthday Bash by Terry & Colette Weldon, Jim & Charley Robertson, John & Barbara Hickman, Pat and Barbara Pattberg, and Dan & Hassie Green. All had a great time celebrating the Corvette birthday.
Click here for the Birthday Bash Photos
----------
|
Winner's Circle and Duntov Society Evening Charley, We thought the Circle City members might enjoy a photo from the Winner’s Circle and Duntov Society Evening. (I sent one to John and Barbara also.) Please express our thanks again to the entire club for everything they do for the Museum. Thanks! Connie
|
------------------------------------
When members travel, sometimes we receive a photo report. Hint, hint.
Carl and Jenny Shea
1973 Corvette Coupe
I purchased this car in February 2008 after selling my 2005 C-6. I really enjoyed the C-6 and it was a great car but my heart has always been with the older Corvettes. My real love is for the C-2’s, but the price of these cars made it the wrong time to try and buy one, so I began looking for my next favorite Corvette, a 1969 to 1973 C-3. I have a particular interest in one-off type Corvettes and colors which help explain the 1973 in Metallic Yellow. This was the only year for the metal and rubber bumpers and the only year for Metallic Yellow paint. I found the car in South Carolina after an extensive search, and it had only 55,400 original miles. I purchased it from the third owner and spent around 4 hours going over the car to see its condition and most importantly its originality. The car was a true numbers matching car with only the radio as non-original. Even all the glass is correct, along with the engine, all its components, drive train, and the original paint. The car had been very well maintained and so I decided to make it the ninth Corvette that I have owned over the years. The car runs great and I really enjoy it but I am still looking at those C-2’s!
We welcome our new members to the club!!!
David & Debra Brown from Eufaula (2008 arctic white coupe)
Bobby Hill from Headland (1998 red coupe)
| HAPPY May BIRTHDAYS 2 Diane Jehle 5 Bobby Johnson 7 Jackie James 7 Noreen Maccabe 14 Rob Eggleston 15 Diane Ethridge 20 Brent Gourley 28 Susan Early 29 Charley Robertson
|
May ANNIVERSARIES:
12 John & Barbara Hickman 19 Daniel & Laura Braley
|
Nostalgia videos at http://www.oldbluewebdesigns.com/
LS2 Engine Assembly at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2ZQQRDmlJc&feature=related
President:
Bruce Carter
Vice
President: Russell Lewis
Secretary: Barbara Pattberg
NCM
Ambassador: Charley
Robertson
Treasurer: Jim Robertson
Caravan Coordinator: John
Hickman
Local Event Coordinator: Bruce
Carter
Newsletter
Editor: Terry Weldon
Member at
Large: Greg Prettyman
Member at Large:
Kelly Walker
Webmaster: Brent Gourley
Save the Wave