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Paul & Millie Johnson's '48 Grave Yard, '48 F-1 Pickup & '48 Fleetwood Click Here for more on this story |
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YesterYears Memories
From Herald, July
2003
This month’s memory is the Director's Letter from the October
1985 issue of the Herald Newsletter. THE DIRECTORS
CORNER The month of July brought us our first car show held at
Metro Molded Parts in Coon Rapids. Doug, at Metro welcomed our show and opened
up his business establishment to serve our needs. Metro is coming out with a new catalog and guess which club
will be featured on the cover? Yes sir the Northstar Region will have our
group of cars right on the cover of their new catalog! Metro will give the NSR
enough catalogs for our membership and will make them available at our meets. Thank-You to Doug at Metro for their hospitality. It was
nice to have a lawn to park the cars on. And what a great turnout of cars! There
were V-16’s and lots of V-8’s represented. It sure looked nice to see all
the Cadillac’s and LaSalle’s. We gave out eight trophies. The cars were all excellent and
the judging was difficult. The cars came within one point of each other. And
there was only one winner in each category. The winners were: Hank Wienstock -
Best Closed Pre-War Car Dick Gold -
Best Open Car Pre-War Frank Smisek -
Best Closed Car Post War Don Voss -
Best Open Car Post War &
Best of Show Jim Sand -
Special Award Dick Welsh -
Longest Distance Travelled Gary Seever -
Hard Luck Award What a beautiful day it was for a picnic! Metro Molded
Parts has invited us back next year for our second big car show. August brought us our steak fry hosted by Norm and Marion
Vaness. Our cook was the famous cuisine director, Cliff Anderson. Judging by the
way the steaks disappeared off the grill as fast as they could, says something
good about the chef. The weather was not the greatest but the enthusiasm made up
for it along with the pleasant surroundings at the Vaness’ home. Many brought
desserts to share with fellow Cadillac enthusiasts. The corn was fresh and
delicious. I guess we will have to do it again next year. Many Thanks
to Norm and Marion for inviting us to their home. October will bring us our overnight which was re-scheduled
from September. This will be a combined meet with the Classic Car Club. Wyatt
Peterson and Dick Gold are chairing this event. A flyer has been mailed. This
will be our final event for the driving season. So let’s everyone turn out for
one final big bash before we put our cars away for the year. Until then . . . . . . . . . . . Good Motoring Bob Campbell Northstar Director
YesterYears Memories From Heral, May 2003 This month’s memories are of a copy of the Board Meeting minutes taken on November 29, 1979 NorthStar Region — Cadillac-LaSalle Club Board Meeting— 11/29/’79 Home of Dick Gold. Present were Anderson, Fowler, Hrachovina, Karow, Kotz, Larson, Gold, Oestreich, Somer, and Campbell. Minutes of the last meeting read and approved. Treasurer Hrachovina reports a balance of $568.15. Gold’s outstanding bill for liquor provided for the Okaboji meet should be covered out of the $200.00 check issued by the treasurer to Charlie Somers. Membership Larson submitted the names of three applicants who were approved for membership by the board: Merle Brioch, 1941 Cad., Howard Glenna, and Norm Veness. NSR membership total stands at 70. Board authorized Matt Larson to purchase additional name tag blanks in appropriate quantity. Matt advised that name tags, engraved with the members names, have been sent out to the new members as they have joined the NSR. 1980 Membership renewal applications will be mailed shortly. Meets and Events Holiday Party — Dec. 9th - at Gold’s: Thanks to Cliff Anderson for designing the beautiful flier for the event. Board is hosting - each board member kicked in $10.00. Food assignments - who brings what - were drawn up by Campbell. Discussion of cost involved to give each lady in attendance a red rose - Somers and other members will check this out and coordinate with Gold; we’ll go ahead with it if costs do not run over $100 or so. At the business meeting and election of the 1980 Officers, members will be encouraged to increase participation in the CLC-NSR activities. Swap Meet Feb. 24: Fowler, chairman, advised that letters have been sent to “Hemmings” and “Old Car” to list this event in their club events columns. Jim will follow up to be sure this appears. Projects - Cliff Anderson has done some preliminary design work on our proposed NorthStar Region car badge and jacket patch.. Finished versions of these designs will go to Gold, who will get price quotations, quantities necessary to order, and lead time required. Cliff suggested we have club jackets, with a NSR emblem design stenciled on the back, and members name on the front. A catalogue was passed around showing different styles of jackets available, cost were discussed; Cliff will obtain a sample jacket in the suggested color of white to show at the next board meeting. “The Herald” Thanks to Jim Fowler for printing and donating to the club the blanks on which our newsletter is printed. Bob Campbell will get these to our new editor, Don Seyffer. No further old or new business. Meeting adjourned. YesterYears Memories From Herald, March 2003 This months memories are of the letter written to Dave Kotz, Secretary NorthStar Region, from the Cadillac LaSalle Club, Inc. Board approving the NorthStar Region Provisional status. Cadillac
- La Salle Club, Inc. Founded
1958 May
26, 1978 Mr.
Dave Kotz Dear
Dave: I am
pleased to advise you and your region that the CLC Board approved the Northstar
Region Provisional status. It is with great anticipation that we see your group
continue its activities with the objective of becoming a full-fledged chartered
region of the CLC. I am
also pleased to advise that the suggested name of your publication called AThe
Herald@
has been approved. Any complications in that regard were in the past and you
have clear sailing at this point. We are
grateful for your activities and if there is any way that we can be of further
assistance, please let us know. Sincerely, REV:clg P.S. After
five years in office, I am no longer CLC President and Carl Steig of San Leandro,
California is now serving in that capacity. He is an extremely capable,
dedicated and talented CLC hobbyist and we are all looking forward to future CLC
progress. cc: Carl
Steig REPLY TO:
8224 Old Courthouse Road, Vienna,
VA. 22180 YesterYears Memories
From Herald, June
2003
This month’s memories are of a copy of a letter in The
Herald from 1984 The Herald Dear CLC Members: When I was approached in 1978 about forming a region of the Cadillac LaSalle Club, I was anxious to become an active member at once. Having been a National Member for many years, it’s strange that a region wasn’t formed earlier. The Twin Cities and surrounding area have always been a hot bed of fine car activity. I have been a Cadillac fan for most of my adult life, and always felt that after the rent was paid, the children fed, the rest went for Cadillac payments. My first purchase after being discharged from the U. S. Navy was a 1935 Cadillac Convertible Coupe! That was in 1946. The 1984 Year surely looks like it will be a busy one for our North Star members! We will have our first meet where trophies will be awarded, and our 1950’s Party in June should be a lot of fun. Our region is growing and getting better all the time. Our past directors, Charlies Sommers, Dave Kotz, and Herb Karow have all been instrumental in making the North Star Region one of the most important clubs in the state. Our present director, Bob Campbell, is working hard to continue this tradition. He needs help! What can you do? Participate, come to the meets, get involved in the club, get your wives involved, get that Cadillac out of the garage! Drive it! Have fun with it! The social contacts that you make in the club are the most lasting ones. Our club tries to give its members as much as possible for their dues. Remember, your Board of Directors works hard to provide you, the membership, with a good solid club. Their time is valuable and they donate it without any hesitation.. Remember at the next meet -- 1. Thank a Board Member. Richard G. Gold YesterYears Memories
From Herald, January
2003
This months memories are of Dick Gold, one of the original founding members
of the NorthStar Region. The following eulogy was printed in the October 1998
issue of The Herald Newsletter. Dick Gold passed away on September 14, 1998. The
eulogy was written by Dave Kotz, also one of the founding members of the
NorthStar Region and a good friend of Dick Gold. IN FOND MEMORY OF A GREAT OLD CAR GUY Dick Gold told me that when he was in the Navy in World War 11, many of his shipmates talked about getting home after the war, and the first thing they were going to buy was a new Chevy or a new Ford. But all Dick thought about buying, on his return, was a “big Cadillac or Packard”, a large handsome luxury car from the 1930s. And indeed, the first car he bought upon his return to Minneapolis in 1945, was a 1935 Cadillac V8 convertible coupe. He painted the bumpers silver, “who knew about rechroming?” It was first of well over 100 Cadillacs he would own over the next 53 years. Many of those cars were treated to 100 point restorations. In 1948 Dick saw a 1931 Pierce-Arrow dual cowl phaeton, a car he could not immediately identify because of its bracket headlights, instead of the Pierce-Arrow traditional headlights in the fenders. He knew he had to own this car, and he told me he literally took some money out of the cash register till at his restaurant, Richards Café, to scrape together the $500 to buy it. In 1948, this was such a monumental sum of money to pay for a 1931 automobile (albeit with only 22,000 actual miles), that his new in-laws thought their daughter, Joyce, had married a crazy man! Dick still owned the Pierce at the time of his death on September 14, 1998. In addition to restoring many antique, classic and milestone cars through the years, Dick was passionate about driving and enjoying them on the road. He joined on several Horseless Carriage Club Transcontinental, coast to coast, tours, at least 20 Classic Car Club Caravans, two London to Brighton runs, and through the years, literally hundreds of local and regional meets and tours. He was enthralled with the idea of driving the old cars that he wrote a book titled “The Joy of Touring”, advising fellow enthusiasts how to prepare their cars for trouble-free distance driving. One of Dick’s proudest accomplishment was the creation of the Classic Car Club Museum, in conjunction with the Gilmore Museum, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. This was a project of many years and involved coordinating the efforts of hundreds of Classic Car lovers. He believed that the museum would help future generations understand just what a true Classic Car is. In 1978, Dick, myself, and eight other Cadillac/La Salle buffs founded the Northstar Region of the Cadillac/La Salle Club. Dick and Joyce opened their home to the club on many occasions for meetings and parties, and Dick served on the regional board for many years. Richard was a long-time Cadillac/La Salle Club member, a charter and life member of the Classic Car Club, and a dozen or so single make clubs, as well as the Antique Automobile Club of America. After a courageous, ten-month battle with renal cancer, his passing leaves a void in our hobby that will be impossible to fill. For myself, the sadness at the loss of a dear friend will be with me always. Happy motoring, old buddy! YesterYears Memories From Herald, February 2003 This months memories are of the
letter written to the Board of Directors for the Cadillac LaSalle Club, Inc.
requesting to be granted a provisional regional charter for the NorthStar
Region.
2/ 15/78 The Board of Directors Dear CLC Directors: The purpose of this letter is two - fold: 1. To advise the national board of the desire of a group of
members in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, Twin City metropolitan area to form a local
region of the Cadillac-LaSalle Club. 2 . To formally petition the national board for the granting of a
provisional regional charter, as provided for in the club by-laws. Having met on the evenings of January 23rd, February 5th, and
February 9th for discussion of our plans, the ten founding members are as
follows: Charlie Somers - Acting
President By the time you receive this letter, all ten should be paid up
national members. The
geographic territory we propose our region to encompass would include the states
of Minnesota and Iowa,. While the bulk of our membership would come from the
Minneapolis-St. Paul area, there are many Cadillac-LaSalle enthusiasts, and some
national members, in out state Minnesota whom we feel are good potential
regional members. The Twin City area being approximately 100 miles from the
Minnesota-Iowa border, and the enthusiasts in Iowa to a great extent, being
scattered around the state making formation of a region limited to Iowa alone
difficult, we feel our proposed region could effectively serve the state of Iowa
as well. Our plans now call for a meeting on Sunday, April 2nd, to
which we intend to invite all national CLC members residing in Minnesota and
Iowa. We will request in that invitation that they give some thought to a name
for our proposed new region, and we hope to then settle on a name at that
meeting. The national board will be promptly advised of our choice. We would herein request, if it is not now being used by any
other region, to use as the name for our regional publication, AThe Herald@, and
as a logo for said publication, the 1929 Cadillac trumpeter ornament, the
Cadillac Herald. We believe that we have complied with all requirements set
forth in the club by - laws for formation of a region. Should there be anything
we have inadvertently overlooked or any additional information required by the
national board, please advise the writer at the address below. We anxiously await the board’s response. Thank you in
advance for your help and consideration. Sincerely, David W. Kotz YesterYears Memories
From Herald, April
2003
This months memories are from a copy of a Newsletter done
in 1978, September or October issue. PRESIDENT’S CORNER
The year that was number one, 1978. It was this year, that
from a small spark a great fire of enthusiasm grew and ran through the hearts of
Cadillac and LaSalle lovers. At the
beginning of the year was the inception of the Northstar Region of the
Cadillac-LaSalle Club of America. Starting small, it didn’t remain small due
to a group of ten founding members that worked hard. The general membership grew
steadily and participated actively, which caused The Northstar Region to be a
viable and strong club by early fall of 1978. This
was evidenced by the great turn out of the membership and their children, guests
and friends at our final outing; our first annual fall tour. The activities and
functions that led up to the final fall get-together are too numerous to
mention, as we are individual members. I would
like to say we got off on the right foot this year and I was very proud to be
your first president. I thank the entire membership for their support, because
it would not have happened without the full backing of the members who live
outside the Twin City area and give them special personal thanks for their
tremendous participation in all our meets, especially our local meets. Have a
Happy New Year and we’ll see you in 1979 at our winter swap meet. Sincerely,
Charlie A Sunday Afternoon—10 September 1978 by Michaline Polakowski Larson Amidst
90º heat and high humidity, the Minnesota State Bird (the mosquito) kept
nineteen vehicles and their occupants moving a good part of the afternoon at the
Lloyd and Roger Oestreich collection of old cars in Watertown, Minnesota. Please
do not assume that the environment ruined the day! Not so at all. In actuality,
a very interesting afternoon was the making. The
sheer size of the collection amazed most onlookers. In fact, Roger Oestreich did
not have any count. “Oh, about a hundred!” was the only answer obtained as
to accountability. Your friendly neighborhood tabulator, who likes to be
specific, Matt Larson, walked the grounds to determine the vehicles present.
One-hundred and twenty-five is the count with autos of many makes, the majority
of which are Cadillacs with vintages ranging from the teens to the seventies.
The fire engine, jeep snow plow and pick-up trucks were not counted. Not many
were aware of the oasis of iron hidden away on a small farm in Watertown—to
say nothing of old toys and other memorabilia filling every nook and cranny. Judy
Oestreich was the most gracious hostess supplying bug spray and tables and
chairs in the shade. The keg of beer hidden away in the refrigerator was the
day’s lifesaver. We certainly thank the “garage elf” that placed it there.
Sure hope no one missed finding it. Probably the heat was a blessing in
disguise. If it had been a comfortable and balmy 70º Roger and Lloyd would
undoubtedly have found it necessary to call in the sheriff to remove the
homesteaders. Among
the club members the conversation piece of the afternoon was the ‘53 Eldorado
(with new paint job) that glistened in the afternoon sun. This particular jewel
belonging to Dennis and Mona French. What is that magic that the ‘53 Eldo
possesses? Whenever one makes the scene, it inevitably produces drools and sighs
of envy—most predominantly noticeable in the facial contortions of this
reporter’s husband. Another
interesting note: Just to prove that we are an “equal opportunity car club,”
word is passed along that the Laytons attended the National AACA Judging Meet in
Grand Forks, N.D. June 23-25. They entered a ’51 Windsor Deluxe Club Coupe
Chrysler and won a 1st place trophy. Congratulations! Other
members on the move: Charlie Sommers and family drove Dick Gold’s ’31 Pierce
Arrow dual cowl phaeton in the CCCA Caravan. Herb and Linda Karow attended a
meet in Indianapolis but failed to mention just how much time they spent
inspecting rust free vehicles in the salt less western states. Bob Campbell
tells us he entered four shows. No further details he supplies, yet mentions
that he attended a Laurel & Hardy Convention in Chicago. A statement about
priorities would be appropriate at this point. Glad to hear about the
convention, but would like a little more information about the shows. Bob
Fitzsimmons, also a collector of
everything (his description not mine) and family took in San Francisco and the
southern California coast. Again no specifics as to any particularly interesting
finds on wheels. If personal experience counts for anything, sharp eyes (not
mine) are looking for a find behind every clump of rolling tumbleweed. One final
note. Steve Curtis claims he had “a thrilling ride with Bob Campbell at the
wheel.” Undoubtedly this statement needs some clarification. So, everyone ask
the next time you see Bob Campbell.
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Ray
W Theisen