Rick Lay

Thanks, Howard! You confirmed for me what I thought was true - the tires are not available. I have to wonder why we have gone all these years without any problems about this and now, we are suddenly concerned about this issue. <P>Here's something to think about - in how many classes at a Grand National will it become an impossibility to get a Senior? With 4 tires at 3 points each - you are out of the running. Is this really something we want to see?

This topic for discussion concerns the word "tubeless" on the whitewall of many collector car tires currently available. I would like to know what some of you think - I'll illustrate with this story:<P>An AACA member enters his 1948 model in a national meet to be judged. Before the team moves on to judge the next car, the team captain comes over to the owner and advises him that he has a major deduction from the chassis judge because his tires say "tubeless" on the whitewall and the chassis judge has knowledge that tubeless tires were not available in 1948. His basis for the deduction is the statement in the 2000 judging manual on page 78 which says, "Tires on all vehicles must be as specified by manufacturer."<P>Having judged chassis many times, I have never even thought of looking for this, nor do I know when tubeless tires came into being. Since the judging manual does not address this item specifically, I would not deduct - but evidently some judges feel differently, citing the above passage from the manual.<P>What do some of you think? Most of the tires available today in the correct size and whitewall width, say "tubeless." I have them on my Senior '51 Frazer, which according to some is as wrong as having radials.<P>Let me add for clarification that the tires discussed, except for the word "tubeless," are of the proper size, appearance and whitewall width for the era. Also, the examples have tubes in the "tubeless" tires.<p>[This message has been edited by Rick Lay (edited 09-24-2000).]

Jerry:<P>Goldenrod Garage in Freeport, Maine has a pre-war LaSalle flower car - restorable.<BR>They advertise in Hemmings each month under the "multi-makes" for sale - display ad.

I was looking yesterday to see if I had missed the Hershey form in the last newsletter. On the back of the last one it says that the next newsletter is due on September 1, 2000.

Ralph:<P>I am probably one of those judges you saw looking your car over - but I am not a member of the National Awards team. After grabbing some lunch, my wife (also a judge) and I went walking around to look at the vehicles. We both had our "Judge" shirts on. Although neither one of us judged Class 25, we both like Class 25 and made an effort to look at each car in the class - not judging, but admiring and enjoying. Class 25 is a tough class at any national meet - but especially at the Grand National where you have "the best of the best." I too have received a 2nd place at a Grand National - but I will keep trying and improving until I get that 1st!

The talk on the parking lot at Charlotte was that the judging committee had voted to recommend to the AACA National Board to open up the HPOF (Historical Preservation of Original Features) Class to vehicles 35 years of age and older. Presently, only vehicles 45 years old and older are eligible. If voted on this year, the change would be for the 2001 meet year - as I understand it. <P>I will go ahead and say that I think this is a great idea!!!!! There are a lot of nice early 60's vehicles which need to be saved - and this should also attract a lot more folks to AACA who might otherwise not elect to show their original cars in an existing competitive class.<P>I hope this recommendation passes - I see nothing but positives from this.

I got to add chevyrif and SalG to my "faces" list! I am glad we were able to get together once again. Great vehicles - and the new trophy looks great also. Now, back to reality and a pile of stuff on my desk. Ughh!!!

Dawne and I will both be there - judging, but not showing. We are presently in the Pocono Mountains in PA with AACA friends, Randy & Rita Rutherford - we are on our way to Vermont for the Kaiser Frazer National Convention in Burlington - then back to PA for the AGNM.

TMH - I am a 45 year old president of the East TN Region which is 43 years old. We have 86 member families. I guess you could say that we are a "touring" club, since we tour almost every month except Nov, Dec & Feb - usually. We always include a meal together as a part of any activity we do. Last Sunday, we had an outing at the lake home of one of our members - looking around, at least a third of the folks there were new to the club in the past 2-3 years. I am in the real estate business, and I must constantly prospect - for new agents and for new listings - and I think the region is no different. Those new folks I mentioned that were at the meeting - I know where they all came from - some were brought in by other members, some came from the region web site and some from direct mail invitation. On our recent overnight trip, I would say that better than half the participants were new to the club over the past five years. I myself have only been in the region since 1996, although I joined AACA in 1985. <P>After the Oak Ridge National meet in 1998, we invited show participants who lived within a 50 mile radius to come to a special region get-together as our "special guests" We invited about 15 or so and 8 or 9 came - and six signed up immediately. We got a seventh later on. At the recent meet in Nashville, there were several folks who live in our area showing their cars - I plan to invite them in the near future.<P>My solution is to go out and recruit - you may go on a few tours by yourself or with only a few cars - but if everyone has fun - it will continue to grow - and some of the other members may get their interest re-kindled. Get the AACA membership roster(available from National), prospect your area and send out a few invites - response may not be overwhelming, but it adds up over time. <P>

Bill, I would definitely put this car in the Historical Preservation of Original Features (HPOF) Class. The competition in Class 26-B (production vehicles 1948-49) is pretty keen and they are judged as to how they could have looked when they left the factory. I would hate to destroy a nice showable original for the sake of a competitive award. AACA does provide a nice award in the HPOF Class for first time certification, and an award is received each time the car is shown afterwards and receives its re-certification.

My Kaiser & Frazer products came with A-7's also. I use Autolite 86 - which is currently made, has the correct heat range, and has the correct black base for vehicles prior to 1956.Champion J8C can be used also - but you should paint the bases to be correct for AACA judging for cars prior to 1956.

I agree with Howard - it is hard for me to think of a 3-wheeled Cushman in Class 1b. When I try to think of a modern (1975 or earlier) example which would fit here, I think of my electric 4-wheeled go cart I had as an 8 year old in 1963. It was basically a modern version of the Auto Red Bug. It was sold by Western Auto and ran off a 12 volt auto battery. I wish I still had it!

Alas, I can accept no accolades for mentioning Class 1b - actually, I was thinking that perhaps Class 5e should include electrics - as Class 1b does.

If I had this vehicle, I would certainly prefer it in Class 4. At some meets, there would be little, if any, competition. I did notice that Class 1b provides for gas and electric (for those type vehicles). I have seen an electric Auto Red Bug (or something very similar) in this class before.

I really do not know the period of time that Cushman was putting out these vehicles. From the looks of the one I saw at Hershey, I would have to think it was from the late 50's or early 60's. I actually was going to buy the thing - he wanted $ 550.00 - but he sold it before I could get back to him (I was contemplating all the grief I would get from the wife - she thinks 6 cars and four scooters are enough - can you imagine that!) The one that was advertised said it operated on 24 volt electrics.

I could be like the guy on the pizza commercial who has the big roll of cord on the back of the truck - so he can deliver pizza hot out of the oven - he runs out of cord and there goes the stove and the rear of the truck!

I am only using my imagination from what was in the ad, but I would think this is a small one or two person vehicle that would have been used in an industrial setting to perhaps go from one end of a plant to another - or something like that. I saw something similar in Hershey this past fall - but do not know if it was gas or electric.

It is very quiet here on the Judging Forum - so here goes - there was a recent ad in the Cushman Club magazine for a three wheeled Cushman electric. Now - at a national meet, would this vehicle be in Class 5-E for "motor<BR>scooters and other 2 or 3 wheeled vehicles<BR>with small diameter wheels" or in Class 4 for<BR>"electric vehicles through 1975?"