Miami Valley Novas Newsletters
April 1st, 2024
Miami Valley Novas April 2024 Newsletter VOL.10 NO.4
Hello Everybody,
, First of all, allow me to welcome you to the 2024 Car/MC Show, Cruisin' and Motorcycle Riding Season. With the weather as nice as it has been, many of us have already cut some grass and taken our classics out. Yes, I myself have even been out a bit on my motorcycle. So yes, we made it through the Winter. Spring officially arrived at 11:06 p.m. on March 19th, so things with the weather are only going to get better from here on out, or so we hope.
Of course we must realize that tornado season is just beginning and on the 14th of March, 12 counties found this out. At last count, three people lost their lives with Miami, Logan and Mercer Counties being the hardest hit of the twelve. If you have not seen the photos of the devastation, go online to take a look and pray for everybody that was affected by this disaster.
Just one more thing about the Off Road and Outdoor Expo held in February. I was permitted this year to go inside the Oscar Mayer Weiner Mobile to get some close up shots of the interior and the dash. In all, I have 21 great photos. Did you know they have five weiner mobiles that travel around the US each year? With one held in reserve and each of the six are custom built, with a cost of one half million dollars each to create. Also, when looking at this pictorial of the Off Road Expo, see the photos of "Ralph's Garage American Grill". I would like to thank both Oscar Mayer and the owner of Ralph's Garage for allowing me to get these great photos for you to view on the MVN Website.
Another place I would like to thank is the Piqua Center, formally known as the "Piqua Mall". Normally they do not allow any photography of any kind on the premises, but when I explained to them who I was and what I wanted to accomplish by doing a photo shoot inside, they did give me permission to photograph the event: "Race Cars and Future Stars". In all I have 236 great images that you will want to take a look at of some really cool race cars on display. Also the band, Shifferly Road, was there having a fantastic time performing a lot of great classic songs. I have 32 photos of the band in action you will love.
On March 9th, the Spring Edition of the Millers Swap Meet and Car Show did take place as planned, however, it wasn't snow that caused attendance to be down a bit, but it was the rain. Still, I do have 276 photos to view of what did take place. Don Sparks (AKA Go4Rider) was presented with the Millers "Beyond the Call of Duty Award" for his help in promoting their events. (See photos 192-196.) Earlier that day, I was honored to present the entire Miller family with the prestigious Ohio Automotive Event Preservation Award (p. 172-180). This is given only to those who go out of their way to promote automotive events in the great state of Ohio. Congratulations Miller family for all you do! As for the swap meet, it was pretty good with all of the inside buildings filled with vendors and even about thirty outside. The car show part...well, what can I say. All of the 27 entries did take an award (p.197-246), and actually well deserved because all were pretty nice (p.121-157). The Fall event is set for Saturday, November 2nd, with our own Cadillac Mac "Scotty" doing the judging of the show, so if you can make it, come on down for all of the fun.
Now getting into the car show season of 2024, I have to start out with a bit of bad news, but also some good news. The bad news is the long running Hawker Church Shade Tree Car Show held each year on the first Saturday of August is now history and will no longer take place. However, the good news is Dayton First Church of the Nazarene is going to take this date to hold their annual car show event with even using the D.J. that did the Hawker Church Car Show: "Bob Pitsch of Car Show Classics", as you know, because Victory Church moved, their show to the first Saturday of October, this really hurt the Dayton First Church of the Nazarene Car Show that we all loved to attend, so now we can do both of these great car shows. Look for a flyer to soon be up on Kevin's site and save the date of August 3rd for this event. To view photos of Dayton First Church Car Show and how great it is, see 300 photos on MVN October 2nd 2021.
The Flyer on Kevin's site for the annual Hail to Horsepower Car Show says the kick off to the car show season, this great event will take place on Saturday, April 27th. Now when looking at all the other shows before it, 29 in all, my feeling is, what about the weather. April is so unpredictable. Right now, on Car Event Flyers by Kevin, he has almost 330 up for this year, so to all of you promoters of car shows, get those flyers done and to Kevin. But also, you must get your event in the Show and Shine Calendar at 513-868-7735. They tell me they will still accept listings until April 10th. Remember! Many people only look at the Show and Shine Auto Event Calendar to plan their season of events to attend. This is why you got to be in the 2024 Show and Shine Calendar. And remember this also. I feel that Hail to Horsepower is still the season opener and the first chance to get your Show and Shine hot off the press. So come on down and join in on all the fun at Horsepower Farm.
I am working on changing the info on my listings of pics that is being given to me by promoters. So keep checking back. Some things this year will be different like the Naitonal Trail Show being moved from April to its new slot of last Saturday of June with a rain date of the next day. And then there is the big Saturday Night Kettering Cruise-In that will not even begin until May 4th. See the Flyer.
However, Dave Thomas has told me the Vineyard Church Friday Night Cruise-In is a go this week and Tracy has said that their Thursday Night Cruise-In will begin also this week in Huber Heights, of course weather permitting on both.
Now since the next MVN Newsletter won't go out until May, save the date for May 4th and the Ex-Pupils Spring Fever Car Truck and Motorcycle Show. See the flyer and all the other upcomings on Kevin's site and in the Show and Shine Auto Event Calendar.
D.J. "Hot Dog" Dick Ryman has officially retired and we wish "Hot Dog" lots of fun in coming out with us to enjoy his classic cars at many events. Good Luck Dick, you did a great job in all you did for us! The new owner of Dick's Sound System is going to be Chuck Sivils, who will call his operation Chuck's Car Tunes D.J. Service. I have been in touch with Chuck and he soon will have a Facebook site up and I will have it listed along with the many others in the Top Two Boxes on the Car Shows Page of MVN. These sites are a great source of information to find out rain dates, cancellations, etc., so use them. Also soon to be added: The Urbana Cruisers site because they do so much to help others with their events.
Have you ever looked at the page on MVN that says "Just for Fun"? If not, take a look. These video clips are there to just get you started on your just for fun journey because at the end of each one, more will pop up. Please view the one "House of Muscle". It is all about MVN member Mike Cosculluela and one of his Novas. I love it and I know you will as well.
Please remember that if you don't get your MVN Newsletter in your email, you can always read it on the MVN website or Facebook Page. I don't know why this happens, but some subscribers will not get it every once in a while. Please read every MVN Newsletter since each one has info that I might not cover again. All past newsletters are on the website to read.
In closing, please remember to pray. Pray for our friends who are not doing well, for the tornado victims, and now I see on the news this cargo ship that has hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore Maryland. The video of it going down is just simply in a word, horrifying. Remember to check out Don't site, Go4Rider and to all MVN members I would like to make the Hale to Horsepower Event on April 27th, our first get together of 2024. So bring one of your cars and let's get together. Speedway is selling the special safety glasses to view the total eclipse that will take place on April 8th. The time schedule is on Kevin's site Flyer Date April 8th.
Did you know Bill Holder last year was inducted into the Kil-Kare Hall of Fame and was named Geezer of the Year? Now this year, Bill will be inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame. Bill also had a birthday on March 15th. Congratulations Bill, we love you!
Photos of the Month: Race Cars and Future Stars 3-3-24 and the Millers Swap Meet Car Show 3-9-24.
Quote of the Month: It is only by dealing with our own personal weaknesses that we can become better human beings.
This just in: Leon Stockman of the Miami Valley Veterans Museum has just informed me that the "S Factor" has stepped up to play the music at the car show on September 14. However, they are going to wait until next year to begin the show due to some scheduling difficulties. A promoter is still needed. More later.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
March 1st, 2024
Miami Valley Novas March 2024 Newsletter VOL.10 NO.3
Hello Everybody,
Well ok, so it is now March, and maybe I should not say this but with only three weeks until the first day of Spring, it's looking like we in the Miami Valley have had a pretty good Winter with not too much bad weather to contend with. But remember, it is Ohio.
Yes the days are getting longer, the stores now have all the Spring and Summer items out, even swim suits! So it's time to start thinking about cruising our classics and riding our motorcycles for fun and to events.
On Saturday the 9th, many of us will travel down to the Annual Spring Millers Swap Meet and Car Show to be held at the Ross County Fairgrounds in Chillicothe, Ohio. I have many Spring photo portfolios of this event on the MVN site. Just don't look at March 12, 2022. It's not one we want to have happen ever again.
Of course, there are two other swap meets this month, and believe it or not, both are on the same 4th weekend of March, on the 23rd, in Lancaster, Ohio. It's the 25th Annual Spring Auto Parts Swap Meet at the Fairfield County Fairgrounds from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.. For more info, contact Steve Boyer at 740-407-3027. Then, the next day, the 24th in Indiana, the Big Freemans Super Sunday will take place from about 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. A link to this event is on the Parts and Services section of the MVN website or call Clarence at 317-296-0336.
A few months back, I spoke of the Chevrolet Bowtie Nationals, and now it's time to get serious about this event. They are calling this "America's Largest Chevy Show" and the dates for Indianapolis are September 27th and 28th . All the info can be found by Googling Bowtie Nationals or Chevrolet Bowtie Nationals.
The Hot Rod Power Tour will have a stop in Hebron, Ohio, that's just East of Columbus at the National Trail Raceway on June 1st. This is the 4th stop of the five day event. See all the info on the 30th Annual Hot Rod Power Tour online at HotRodPowerTour.com.
Opening day for Kil-Kare Raceway will be March 16th, with a Saturday No Prep Race. See the entire schedule of 2024 on the new link added to top left box, Car Show Page on the MVN site, titled "Kil-Kare Raceway Xenia Ohio". Last month I also added to the top left box, the online version of Cruisin Times Magazine. This is a great addition to the MVN website and something I know all of you will enjoy, so please check it out.
For those of my Facebook followers, please also go to the MVN website. By just viewing the Facebook site or to read the Newsletters each month, you are really missing out on the best part of what I do.
Robin McCaffery wants everybody to know that the First Saturday Night Cruise-In at the church will now take place on May 4th due to events at the church. A link to her Facebook site is on the MVN Car Shows page top right box along with many other sites. Also, Tracy and Tammy have told me, weather permitting, the first Thursday night Cruise-In Huber Heights, Ohio at Get Air will not take place until April 4th. March is just to unpredictable.
Last month, I made a plea for a promoter to help get a car show going for the Miami Valley Veterans Museum. They have now told me, with also having the Piqua Mall parking lot, the date will be September 14th, with the mall on board for the use of the food court. I'm sure we can get a DJ, so all we need now is somebody to take charge of all the little things to make this a big successful event. Qualified people can contact Leon Stockman at 937-710-3598. I really believe that with a bit of work, this could become one of our biggest yearly events North of the Dayton area.
Last month, I reported to you on the Cincinnati Cavalcade of Customs and my 760 photo portfolio, but I just wanted to tell you a few more things about this outstanding event that are worth mentioning and did not last month in the Newsletter, like the Batmobile's 5 generations (photos 36-48). Of course, all of the ISCA Cars on display (Photos 49-96), the Drag City Area (Photos 405-472), and the Motorcycle Flyers (Photos 505-526). So, if you have not looked at this portfolio, please take a few minutes to check it out.
The 2nd Annual Powerama Custom Auto Show held on February 16, 17, 18 at the Green County Expo Center was in a word, Fantastic! Up from 68 entries last year to 123 entries this year, there was something for everybody to enjoy. As my 600 photo portfolio will show, Jeff and Kim Lane really put a lot of time and effort into this event, and Jeff told me just the other day that he is already working on the show for 2025. Now, of course, I could tell you all about it and who was there, and who won a Top 50 Award, but I would much rather you look at the photos, because everything is covered and since I did have my 71 Nova SS in this event, I was there all three days to capture it, all right down to the presentation of every award. So, to see who won and who was there, you're just going to have to look at what I think is a great photo shoot of the best indoor event the Dayton area has ever had. Jeff and Kim and all who helped you put this on, you really did a fantastic job!
As for the 10th Annual Off Road and Outdoor Expo on the 24th and 25th, it was, as always, a great time. The photos should be up soon on the MVN site, so if you did not make it, you will be able to view about 400 shots including something very special I was able to photograph. More on this next month.
Now for the section of the newsletter I hate most of all to report to everybody, and it will go from bad to terrible. First, the Miami Valley Car Club is now a piece of history. They recently disbanded and as you know, they put on the car show in August at the Bellbrook Lions Club Festival. We will have to see if somebody or some club will continue the show. Retro Truck Magazine has now joined those that will no longer be published. This was one that Bill Holder and myself were contributing to with photos and articles. And, it gets even worse, because another publication that Bill and I did a lot of articles and photos for is most likely gone as well, due to the death of our friend Deaven Butler. Deaven was the heart and soul and genius of "Chrysler Power" and he will be greatly missed. Deaven was only 62 years old. Rest in peace, my friend. By now, I'm sure most everybody has heard of the dealth of Malcolm Berry. Malcolm was a long standing member of our Miami Valley Car Show Cruise-In Family and was best known for his love of Studebakers, as well as all classic cars. Naturally, I could go on and on about all he did for our hobby, but I think his obituary says it best, so please go the the Routsong Funeral Home website to read it. Malcolm was 83 when he passed away on February 2nd. Robin McCaffery has told me that at some point this year, she will have a special Saturday Night Cruise-In fro him just like she is doing for Darrell Uzzel on May 11th. Robin has a heart felt story about the last time she saw Malcolm at her weekly Saturday Night Kettering Cruise-In. Ask her to tell it to you. It's very special.
In closing, please pray for our friends who are in bad or failing health. We have a lot of them. Robin McCaffery says Gary, her husband, is one who is not doing well. Promoters, it's time to send me any changes you need to have done to your listings on my Car Show Page. If I don't hear from you, I must assume that all info is going to remain the same as in 2023. The deadline to get your event in the Show and Shine is March 20th, so it's fast approaching. Call them at 513-868-7735. I would like to thank Ron Brohm for the fantastic article he has done on the MVN Site and all I'm trying to do to promote Car Shows and Cruise-Ins. This will appear soon in an issue of the Auto and RV Magazine and also on Bill Holder's site. Don't forget about the 1st Saturday Cruise-In at Horsepower Farm, and also view the new flyers for the April 27th event, "Hail to Horsepower". New time is 8 a.m.-3 p.m. and more info on it. Car Event Flyers by Kevin has right now almost 200 flyers up too, so take a look!
As always, check out Don's site, Go4Rider, and don't be afraid to tell people you care about that you love them.
Did you know: The internal combustion engine is still rated as one of man's greatest achievements.
Photos of the Month: The Powerama Custom Auto Show
Quote of the Month: "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one." Mr. Spock, Star Trek.
This just in: Only 9% of new car buyers are actually considering the purchase of an electric vehicle.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
February 1st, 2024
Miami Valley Novas February 2024 Newsletter VOL.10 NO.2
Hello Everybody,
As we end January and begin to enter the month of February, we realize that we are right at the half way point through Winter, and no matter what, the groundhog says in a few days there is still going to be six more weeks at least of Winter weather for us in the Miami Valley. Just look at January. Two weeks of cold, then snow and ice, and finally a big warm up with lots of rain to melt everything away. So, let's take it one day at a time.
Looking at the calendar, I can at least tell you this. The First Ohio outdoor car show is set to take place on March 9th at the Ross County Fairgrounds in Chillicothe. This annual swap meet and car show is only 37 days away, and yes, if the weather is nice, like in many past years, there will be a good turn out. So, if you have never been to the Miller's Spring Swap Meet and Car Show, make plans to come to this event.
In February, we have three big events to take place. First, on the 17th, the Springfield Swap Meet will once again fill the buildings of the Clark County Fairgrounds from 8 a.m. to about 3 p.m. Also all 2024 show dates and info can be found on their website, OHIOSWAPMEEET.COM. Of course, on the 16th, 17th, and 18th, there is the big Powerama Customs Auto Show to take place at the Greene County Expo Center. I see on Car Event Flyers by Kevin that Jeff and Kim Lane have not one, but two very informative flyers up with all the info about this event, so please take a look. I have been staying in contact with Jefff and Kim, and from what I'm told, this event is on track to be much bigger than last year. Their goal is to fill six buildings with lots of cool stuff to make this a family friendly kind of show. Already, they have more entries than last year, and you still do have time to get your special machine into this great event. Jeff says he will take good clean qualified entries up to and even on the 14th, so why not be a part of Miami Valley Car Show history? Give Jeff a call at 937-475-3935, or visit their great website, POWERAMACUSTOMS.COM. Naturally MVN will be there along with Go4Rider, to document this outstanding event.
Another outstanding February event that both MVN and Go4Rider will be checking out and documenting is the 10th Annual Off Road and Outdoor Expo at the Roberts Centre in Wilmington, Ohio on the 24th and 25th. Again, a flyer for more info is on Kevin's site. Now even if you are not into the 4X4 stuff, this event has a lot more than you might think. Just take a look at my 2022 and 2023 photo pictorials for some great shots of all the things to see and enjoy. This really is a motorized must do event.
Taking a look at the 2024 Cincinnati Cavalcade of Customs, I have got to tell you I could actually fill an entire newsletter on this single three day event. It is that Fantastic! Now for those of you who have never been to this show, you really are missing out on the premier once a year Ohio event of cool classics. Naturally MVN was there, along with Go4Rider. Now many Dayton area people were on the show floors like Scotty McPherson, with is 65 Galaxie 500 1st Place (P.101-104). Jeff Hass 57 Bel Aire 1st Place (p.105-108), Lonnie John 32 Roadster 1st Place (p.116-118), Rodney Hightfield, '58 VW Beetle 1st Place (p.133-140), of Course the Cincy Street Rods Car Club (p.165-184), Jim and Jan Wilkins '69 Corvette 1st Place (p.185-191), and little Isabella cruising around in her hot rod "Temper Tantrum" (p.393-400). We all love little Isabella. Then up on the third floor, Rick Least was on hand with his yellow M&Ms Creation, giving out M&Ms to all the kids. Rick took a specialty award (p.517-584), and of course, John Engle, with his annual Hagerty client display, and I'm sure most if not all won something, always impeccable machines (p.605-628). Now naturally, I could go on and on, because there was just so much to enjoy. In fact, this photo shoot is the largest pictorial I have ever published, with 760 beautiful high resolution images to be viewed. And don't forget to see Gofer and our Dayton gang in photos 473-482, as well in many other photos in the album. For best viewing, go slow, and if at all possible, use a large screen or even your TV monitor.
As you know, MVN has become a huge source for classic car, truck, and cycle information in our tri-state area, and our following is growing daily. Usually I don't make these kinds of appeals because I get so many, but this one is special and maybe somebody will want to help take on this project. A man called me and is in need of a promoter to get a car show going to raise funds for the Miami Valley Veterans Museum. They have already secured a great location at the Piqua Mall parking lot, and I'm sure getting a DJ to play music will be no problem once a date is set. Also, getting the word out with all of our great contacts is no problem either. So what we need to have another huge show in our area is somebody to take charge of all the little things that must be done to make it a successful event. I would really like to see this become one of our big annual shows, and the Piqua Mall parking lot has the space to help make it happen. Promoters, please contact Leon Stockman of the Miami Valley Venterans Museum at 937-710-3598. Maybe even getting two promoters working together would be great! Let's see if we can make this happen!
Did you see on the news how electric cars and trucks are quickly becoming the non-choice for buyers of new automobiles? Only 6% of people are getting them, and when they do make the switch they soon find out all of the problems associated with them, like how in the cold weather we just had, they won't run, and they won't take a charge. Not to even mention having to install a charging outlet in your garage. Google "electric cars are crap", and read all about this.
Right after I sent out the January MVN Newsletter, I found out that Dave Pleasant had passed away on Christmas day. I did stop in at Newcomer on Saturday, January 6th, as one of the many hundreds to say a prayer and a goodbye to someone I knew for almost thirty years. Dave was huge in our local Miami Valley Car Show family, by not only owning quality machine, but also working on our classics, even my Nova SS. He also judged some shows, like the Fairborn event. Our most sincere condolences go out to his sons, Shawn and Dave Jr., and daughter Debbie. Dave was 83. He will be greatly missed.
This piece on Dave Pleasant brings up and important topic, and that is all of you are my field reporters. Had I been informed of Dave's passing, I would have put it in the January MVN Newsletter, along with the other two deaths in December that I had to report. The people who did let me know said that they just assumed I knew. Please help me stay up on things people need and want to know. On the website, the contact button has my two phone numbers, my email address, and P.O. Box, but you can call me anytime if it is important. If I don't answer, leave a message. Your help on doing this will help others know what is going on. I also pass this information on to my good fiend and yours, Don Sparks of Go4Rider for his site as well.
Last month, I made mention of somebody we all know that almost passed away from covid. This was Bill Romine, who has the black '71 Monte Carlo. I can also report to you that I have joined those of you who have had this terrible virus, not nearly as bad as Bill, but it was a week of Hell.
In closing, as always, please pray at least one prayer a day for our car show friends who are not doing well. God only knows what 2024 will bring. Let me know of any email or info changes. Check out Car Even Flyers by Kevin; 50 already up. And to promoters, keep them coming. Get your 2024 Show listings to Roy and Debbie at the Show and Shine Auto Event Calendar by calling 1-513-868-7735. Be sure to see Go4Rider's site for his Cavalcade videos, and so much more. Bill Holder's site - take a look. By just going to my Index Page, right side, Fast Link, and remember to tell somebody you love them on Valentine's Day.
Photos of the month: Cincinnati Cavalcade 2024 and Outdoor Expo 2022 and 2023.
Quote of the Month: Everyone of us was created by God to serve a definite purpose. Be sure to not let your definite purpose go unfulfilled.
Did you know: Don Sparks of Go4Rider just had a birthday a few days ago.
He is 39 again! Happy Birthday, Don. We all love you Buddy!
This just in: The Hot Rod Power Tour for 2024 will have a close by stop on Thursday, June 13th at the National Trail Raceway in Hebron, Ohio, just east of Columbus. See the entire schedule at HOTRODPOWERTOUR2024.COM.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
January 1st, 2024
Miami Valley Novas January 2024 Newsletter VOL.10 NO.1
Hello Everybody,
First of all, let me say to everybody, welcome to 2024. I would like to say Happy New Year, but with all that is going on around the world and even right here at home, it's not that easy for me to feel completely happy. But like you, I will do my best. More on this later on.
Ok, so it is now officially Winter, and cold weather is what we will be dealing with for about the next eighty days. Looking at the calendar, I see that this is a leap year. So with that extra day in February, it's exactly 78 days to Spring, and the countdown to outdoor events begins.
As for things to do this Winter, we really are not left totally in the cold, because there is a lot to do in the next few months beginning with the big Freeman's Super Sunday Swap Meet to take place on January 7th at the Indiana State Fairgrounds from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Then, the next weekend of the 12th-14th, Cincinnati will be the place to enjoy the Cavalcade of Customs Auto Show. This event is a must do. Also, I have been informed that due to the big renovation work to the Duke Energy Center, there will be no Cavalcade in 2025. We are hoping that it will return to Cincy in 2026. The February Springfield Swap Meet will take place on the 17th. Judging by last year's attendance, it should be huge. The Powerama Customs is a go for February 16th, 17th, & 18th, as well as the Off Road and Outdoor Expo at the Roberts Centre on the 24th & 25th of February. To find out more on these events, visit Car Event Flyers by Kevin. Already, fifteen are up for 2024, so check it out!
As for Kevin's site, this goes out to all promoters doing events in 2024: Why wait? Get that Flyer made up and fax it to Kevin now! Even if your event is in August or September or October, the longer it is up, the more time there is for people to see it and think of attending.
Of course, you can't forget about the 2024 edition of the Show and Shine Auto Event Calendar. For a very small cost, you can be part of the No. 1 publication of listings all over the tri-state, and let's face it, there are a lot of classic car enthusiasts that simply don't go online to find events. So you can't afford not to be in the Show and Shine. Their phone number is 513-868-7735, so give them a call to find out all they can do for you and your special event.
The Christmas Cruise-In at Horsepower Farm on December 2nd was, as always, a huge success and a lot of great fun. We had Krispy Kreme Doughnuts in the morning and Chic-Fil-A for lunch (p.129-136). All stepped up to bring a lot of toys for the kids and cash was also greatly accepted (p.89-91). Also Nicole Evin brought her rare breed Savannah Cat for all to enjoy (p.61-64) and (p.181-188). So please take a look at the 348 photos of this event. Thank you Opie and Sue for all you do.
Now that we are in the cold months of Winter, it might be a good time to spend a few hours looking at my many photo pictorials or even what Don Sparks has on his Go4Rider site. Both Don and myself spend a lot of time putting together some great stuff for you to enjoy, so why not take a look. You'll love it!
With this being the 10th year of my MVN Newsletter, I want to say thank you to all who follow my website and Facebook page. As you know, I just can't respond personally to all who want to friend me, and this is why I say the Newsletter is my chance to talk to everybody once a month about what is going on in the classic car hobby. Also, if you want to know why I do this, it really goes back to my childhood. The story is posted on the MVN Website. Just hit the button that says, About Us. It really is about me. Also many people don't look at all the other stuff on the MVN site. I have so much more than just the photos. I have a lot of links to other sites to help people find parts and accessories for their classics, YouTube clips and much more!
Now for why I said at the beginning I'm not all that happy right now. In December, we lost another two great friends of our classic car hobby, and the strange thing is they both past away on the 10th. First there is Derek Carlson, who I was great friends with for a lot of years. Derek, at one time or another, had worked on all five of my classics, and was a true car guy. He was always working on somebody's ride, even late into the night. Derek passed away at the age of fifty-five from a heart attack at home.
Then there is Darrell Uzzel, who just about everyone knew from his car shows called "Cruise Fest". Darrell was laid to rest on the 19th at Dayton Memorial Park Cemetary. Passing away from a long battle with cancer. He will be missed by all who knew and loved him. Darrell was seventy-four. Our good friend, Robin McCaffery, sent me an email wanting to get the word out that on May 11th, she will be having a special event at her Kettering Cruise-In calling it a "Cruise Fest Night" in honor of Darrell. Already she has three food trucks lined up and D.J. James Lee has agreed to play the music. I'm sure we will have more on this to come, as well as a flyer on Kevin's site. I'm sure we can get it also listed in the Show and Shine Events Calendar. Thank you, Robin for doing this. We will make it a big turn out!
But now for more bad news. Another car show guy that we all know and love in December came very close to passing away with Covid. He is on the mend. I spoke to him just the other day and while he still has a way to go, he thinks he is going to be ok. Also his wife had it, but not nearly as bad. Maybe next month, when he is feeling better, with his permission, I can tell you who he is. But for now, just pray that he can make a full recovery from this terrible virus that has taken so many people.
No, I am not done. Don Sparks "Go4Rider" is very sick, as well as his Mom and Dad. All three are fighting a bad case of the flu. As you know, Don and I are super close friends. So please pray they get well soon.
Another good friend of mine and yours, just did a really cool thing for MVN. Bob Pitsch of Car Show Classics has made a super informative promo that is playing every hour on the half hour of his 24 hour music streaming service. Also, this cool promo will play at all of his car show classics events. To listen to his site and to find out how you can get Bob to MC your show or event, to see his list of 2024 events, and much more, just go to the MVN Website "Car Show Section", top left box and click on "Events by Car Show Classics". Thanks, Bob. You are a really fantastic D.J.
Promoters, please program me, Rob Schrader, or just MVN into your phone so that if I need to contact you, I can get a hold of you. Many have already done so.
In closing, please pray for our nation and that we can stay out of a bad war, pray for our sick friends, and for those we have lost. Check out Bill Holder's site Index Page on the right, as well as others I have listed on Car Shows, top two boxes. Make sure to wash you hands a lot. Keep your distance if you can, because many viruses are still out there! Also, if going to the Cavalcade of Customs, Saturday is the day that Don and myself with many other Dayton area friends will be there. Be sure to look for Rodney's Beetle that will be on display.
Photos of the Month: Horsepower Farm 12-2-23 Christmas Cruise-In. Check out Rodney Highfield's 1958 custom Beetle in the Madallion 2024 Calendar (p337-340), as well has all the other great shots.
Quote of the Month: You don't need to do a lot of big things in life, just a few small things extremely well.
This Just In: There is a good chance that the Great Race Cruise could be stopping in Dayton for the year 2025. More to come on this event. Also thank you so much to all of you who sent me a card, text or email or a gift. It really means a lot to hear from you at this special time of year. Lots of love to everybody!
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
December 1st, 2023
Miami Valley Novas December 2023 Newsletter VOL.9 NO.12
Hello Everybody,
With the beginning of the Winter season only a bit over three weeks away, and Christmas a few days after, I guess we must face the fact that another year will soon be in the rear view mirror. It really seems as we get older, time moves much more quickly than when we were all younger. As I thought about how I wanted to begin this last MVN Newsletter of 2023, the one thing I could not stop thinking about was how many of our fellow car, truck and cycle family members are no longer with us. I'm not even going to mention any names because every single one of us has lost somebody we loved, and I would not want to leave out one person that I might not personally know of their passing. So, as we move into 2024, never be afraid to tell people that you love them, and yes, I truly do love each of you, and this is why I do the MVN site.
In a few days, on December 2nd, many of us will once again be heading down to Horsepower Farm for the annual Toys for Tots event. For those of you who have never experienced the Christmas cruise-in, I invite you to view the past two years that I have picture portfolios of on the MVN site. Rick and Sue Willis go all out to show us their love for not only children, but all of us in the Miami Valley area by putting on this great Christmas party event. All they ask is to bring a toy (unwrapped) or drop a few dollars in the container to help the Marine Toys for Tots campaign. As you will see from my photos, if the weather is nice, we will have a lot of cool classics to view outside and on the inside crafts, camaraderie, and a few good things to eat and drink. Oh, and let's not forget Santa, who always makes a special entrance. Thanks Rick and Sue for all that you do!
From time to time, I will single out an organization that is going all out to help others. All of these can be found by reading past MVN Newsletters on the MVN site. This month, like I just did with Horsepower Farm, I want to talk a bit about all the members of the Urbana Cruisers Car Club. Over the past year, I have gotten to know the president, Tim Staley, very well, and quite frankly, I am amazed by what this four year old club of forty-four members has already been able to accomplish. Tim says the club was formed to give back and give back they have. Like to Bella, a three year old girl with health problems, the bus accident for all all the kids, and most recently, for our good friend, Don Sparks of Go4Rider videos. As you know, Don relies only on donations to keep his fantastic site going, so loving him and all he does, this was a must do! In all, many people have been helped by the club, and Tim says they are only getting started. To learn more about this organization and to view photos, visit their Facebook page, Urbana Cruisers. Also, Don has a video of the event held for him.
Yes, I do now have all eleven of the photo shoots up that many of you have patiently been waiting to view, so please take a look. The thing about my photography is that I try my best to get you involved by showing what is taking place at the events I photograph. It's not just cars and trucks, it's the buildings, the vendors, and of course the people that make my photo pictorials so special.
Since the photos are now up, let me just say a few words of review of each. Crestview Church: Great new show to our area with no fee to enter – 340 photos, Fiehrer Motors in Hamilton, Ohio: small turn out this year, nice awards! - 220 photos, Cruisin' to the Ridge, my high school, "Northridge": I never miss this one. I go every year. I got some great shots of their new skater park and the parade – 440 photos, Heritage of Flight, New Carlisle Cruise-In Festival: It was again packed with classics, vendors and spectators, a lot of fun for the family – 480 photos, Victory Church in Tipp City: This one gets bigger every year, love the new huge parking lot, a nice family event – 444 photos. The Annual Get Air Breast Cancer Car Show in Huber Heights, Ohio: We never miss this one. A great cause fundraiser, nice MVN turn out – 348 photos, Rose Cruise-In and Bites in the Heights: It rained. Small turn out for both cruise-ins and vendors, but I still got 200 nioce photos of what did take place, the Spooktacular Cruise-In for the Historical Society: Again it rained, so way down this year on entries. However, for the nearly sixty who did show up, we had a great time. Check out the 164 photos to see who won the Top Thirteen Awards, Millers Swap Meet: A cool start at eight a.m., but as the 224 photos will show, a lot of vendors, both inside and outside. Like most, I always find something I've got to have, Millers Annual Fall Car Show: 175 entries, not a record, but still a great turn out of fine classics to enjoy. I was very humbled and quite proud to receive their "Beyond the Call of Duty Award". Other recipients were Mom and Dad Miller, Rick and Linda, Jeff and Joe Hougland, Thomas Bowen, and Becky Seymour. See photos 336-342 and for some close-up photos of the plaques 426-429. Thank you to the entire Miller family for doing all you do for the classic car, truck, and cycle hobby. We love you so much! And last but not least, the Annual Vintage Wheels Indoor Car Show in Richmond, Indiana to benefit their special children that they adopt to help: No photos this year of the awards ceremony. It was a long weekend, and I was still recovering from my surgery, so I had to leave early, but I do have the rest of the event in a 332 photo pictorial of all the fine classics on display, and yes, of course, thirteen year old Allison, who once again graced us with her beautiful voice by singing Amazing Grace, and the opening to the show, the National Anthem. See photos 89-96 and also photos 293-304. Total photos are 332.
Right after the first of the year, January 12-14, you will want to save a date to check out the Annual Cavalcade of Customs Indoor Event at the Cincinnati Duke Energy Center. See past photos on the MVN site.
Also, in February, save these dates: Powerama 16-18th at the Greene County Expo Center, and the Off Road and Outdoor Expo at the Roberts Centre in Wilmington, Ohio on the 25th and 26th. Both are winter indoor must do events!
By now, we have all heard of the fiery crash on I-70 in Licking County, Ohio, where six people were killed at the scene, including 3 teenagers from the Tuscarawas High School. This crash on November 14th is yet one more example of what I have been saying in my MVN Newsletters for years. People are not paying attention to what they are doing when driving. Last year, forty seven thousand people were killed on our nation's roads and sadly every one could have been prevented if driving was taken more seriously. It's no longer good enough to be a safe driver, we must also be a committed defensive driver when out on our roads. I drive over fifty miles a day and like you, what I'm seeing is just stupid, careless motor vehicle operations. So please be careful out there!
Kudos to Rick and Cindy Spradlin for winning the raffled "Lowrider Wagon" at the Urbana Cruisers event, then donating it right back to be auctioned off. This act of charity raised an additional $250 for the Don Sparks Go4Rider fund. Rick and Cindy, you're the best. We love you!
In closing, I would like to say at this time a big Thank You to all of those who help to make the MVN Site so great. Their individual events and site listings can be found on the Car Shows Page, especially the top two boxes. Each site is a great help to the classic car, truck and cycle hobby. So check them out. Please pray for our friends with failing health. Start getting those 2024 flyers to Kevin. He already has a few up. The Show and Shine Calendar people are now ready to take your listings. It really doesn't cost that much! If you don't get your MVN Newsletter by the 1st of the month, check your spam of junk mail or just read it on the MVN site or Facebook. Help spread the word on MVN and the newsletter. Many people still don't know about what we are doing every day to promote the hobby in a very special way.
Did you know Kim Hawksworth of Car Show Talk listed over 1,100 events this year on his site?
Photos of the month: I think I have taken care of this with all I have mentioned. Take a look!
Quote of the month: What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?
This just in: When picking up my 2024 Rubber-Seal Medallion Calendar at Performance Paint, I was excited to see for February, Rodney Highfield's 1958 Volkswagen Beetle creation. In January, I will attach photos of this to the Christrmas Cruise-In pictorial, but to view some great shots of his amazing Bug, see the pictorial 9-3-2023 (photos 37-43). Great job Rodney!
Have a great Christmas, and remember the true meaning.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
November 1st, 2023
Miami Valley Novas November 2023 Newsletter VOL.9 NO.11
Hello Everybody,
I would like to start off by saying Happy Halloween! Yes, we have just finished up the first leg of our annual four part holiday season and if you have been to any store lately, you already know everything is now out for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, and oh yes, plenty of rakes for those of us who always must deal with the end of year leaves and yard work, wow! End of year! Now that's something to think about, but the fact is the outdoor car show season is pretty much over. I say pretty much, because there are still a few things to do in the month of November.
On the 3rd, 4th, and 5th, there is the Vintage Wheels Rod and Custom "Invitational" Car Show at the Wayne County Fairgrounds in Richmond, Indiana, and while Bill the organizer has told me that the show is already now filled, you are invited to bring your classic to be a part of the outdoor cruise-in see (p.11-6-21) #9-52. Also Bill wants everybody to know that this year there will be a Friday night showing to see the event from 4 pm to 8 pm, but the big days are still Saturday and Sunday.
On Saturday, the 4th, it's the 16th Annual Miller's Swap Meet and Car Show located at the Ross County Fairgrounds in Chillicothe, Ohio. The event runs from 9 am to 4 pm with early arrival time permitted for those attending the car and truck show to get set up. I have many photo pictorials of the Miller's Swap Meet and Car Shows, but the one I feel that will give you a really good example of why it is worth the drive to attend this outstanding event is (P.11-7-20). This 500 photo pictorial gives a fantastic visual insight as to why this is a must do! Both Don Sparks a.k.a. Go4Rider and myself have got to know the entire Miller family quite well over the years and let me tell you, they reality go all out to give us a great day of fun. So take a look at the photos and then come on down!
Of course, there is another event on the 4th of November that also needs to be mentioned and this would be the cruise-in at Horsepower Farm located in Middletown, Ohio. This event is part one of the annual drive to raise money and bring new unwrapped toys for the Toys for Tots Campaign. Part two will take place on December 2nd. Along with the Annual Christmas Cruise-in, there will be many other cool things taking place. See (P.12-3-22) for some great photos. Naturally I will remind you of this in the December MVN Newsletter, but I want you to please save the date.
I spoke to the folks at the Springfield Swap Meet and I'm sorry to say that the November 11th event for the Car Show and Swap Meet has been canceled for this year. They hope to bring it back in 2024, but I did want everybody to know that the Car Show and Swap Meet will not be taking place as it usually does in November. However, I have spoken to my friend, Clarence, and the big Freeman's Super Sunday Swap Meet is a go for the 26th at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. So, if you're looking for that special part or a special gift for your better half, you most likely will find it at this event.
As we look to the beginning of 2024, the Annual Indoor Car Show Events are always a lot of fun. Both if you are showing your special ride, or if you are just a bit hungry for a taste of what we crave. For those of you who still have not been to an indoor event, you need to see for yourself why it's so much fun. The first four listings on the MVN Car Shows Page are there to help you get your classic into the event or to give you info and to view the photos. But if you are wanting to enter and show the time is now to get registered. These events generally always fill up , and you will need to show some kind of proof that your car, truck, or motorcycle is of enough quality to be accepted into this type of venue. Call for more details.
Our good friend, Keith Morton, put me into a lead for a big event coming to our area in 2024 and after checking it out for myself, I found it to be true and something I want to let everybody know of. It is called "The Bow Tie Nationals", and it is being billed as even bigger than the Super Chevy Shows we once enjoyed so much. The date for this event is September 27 and 28 at the Famous Indianapolis Raceway Park. I'm sure I will have a lot more to say on this, but for now their website is WWW.BOWTIENATIONALS.COM, if you want more info.
Last month, I spoke of the event Kettering Holiday at Home and what a great time everybody has at this once a year gathering. So wanting you to see my 420 picture portfolio of it I used the photos of the month to plug it one more time. However, I said see the 2013 photos. What I meant was 2023 photos of this year. So I hope you will take a look at them. Especially (Photos 161-172), the Lizzy Project.
For those of you who follow my photography of the shows and events I attend, you have noticed that the last eight are not on the website. These are Crestview, Fiehrer Motors, Cruisin' to the Ridge, Heritage of Flight, Victory Church, Get Air Breast Cancer, The Rose, and The Spooktacular. The reason for the delay is pretty simple. I just have not had the time to do the work necessary to make up the photo pictorials . Each one takes approximately six hours to complete. But please be assured they will be posted as soon as I am able to get to them. But for now, I invite you to look at the many other great pictorials I have up on the MVN Website, and as always, be sure to look at my good friend's site, Go4Rider. Don has a few of these on this site and many many more! Thank you for understanding. It's just that with all that I'm into, I just can't get everything done as quickly as I would like to.
Many people have asked where I have been or that they have not seen me. Well, the truth is I am still doing the same amount of shows, but like last year, I'm not doing the same ones that I already have photo pictorials of. Again this year, like last year, about half are new events or shows that I have never been to before. Also, I'm trying to get a pictorial on all of my car show listings, so people can see what the show or event is all about and what they can expect if they choose to attend a show that I list. More on this in the future MVN Newsletters to come.
If for some reason that you do not get your MVN Newsletter by the 1st of the month, check your spam or junk mail. I don't know why this happens but it does, and I'm not happy about my email service. You can always read my newsletter on Facebook or the MVN website. In fact all of my newsletters are posted if you ever want to read past ones.
On Friday, September 8th, as Terry Bach and his lady Aleta were on their way out of town for an event the next day in Indiana, they were stopped at a red light, when suddenly a truck driven by a person who was not paying attention slammed into the rear of his beautiful all original 1969 Shelby GT500. See (P.7-8-23) photos 177-188. The impact was so tremendous that it literally tore the back end apart and yes, Terry did have to go to the hospital for injuries from the crash. For several weeks, Terry did not know even if the car could be saved. However, since the frame was not bent or damaged, the good news was given to him that his Shelby could be fixed. Since then, Terry has done a National search to locate all original parts to restore the GT500 back to the way it was before the crash. If all goes well, he hopes to have it out sometime in 2024. I would like to thank Terry for allowing me to share this story with all of you on something that could happen to any of us when driving our classic rides.
When doing this story it made me think of another one of our friends who lost his 1957 Chevy Nomad on his way to the Kettering Holiday at Home Car Show on September 6, 2021 (See MVN Newsletter Vol 7 No. 10). I called Scott to see how he his doing and he says hello to all of you. As of now, he has not replaced the total loss of his 57 Nomad when a person ran a stop sign. But he is looking, so we might see him back at the shows. Hang in there, Scott, and thanks for the update.
In closing don't forget to change those batteries in your smoke detectors when we move the clocks back. Please remember our sick friends in our classic car family. There are quite a few of them. It's not too early to get your 2024 event listing to the Show and Shine Calendar people. As of right now, Kevin says he will again be doing his car show flyers site in 2024. Thanks, Kevin, we really appreciate all that you do! With the wars in Israel and Ukraine raging on, please remember to pray for those affected by what is happening.
Did you know, 19 people pass away each day in the US waiting on an organ transplant? If you are not an organ donor, please consider doing so.
Photos of the month: Horsepower Farm Christmas Cruise-In 2022 (P.12-3-22)
Quote of the month: Look for good wherever you can find it.
This just in: The Urbana Cruisers did have the fundraiser for Don Sparks aka Go4Rider on Sunday the 29th. Even with the rain, everybody had a great time at their trunk or treat spooktacular. Unfortunately, because of my operation a few days earlier, I could not make it. So much more on this in the December MVN Newsletter, but for now, see Don's site of this event. $1,650 was raised for Don.
Have a great Thanksgiving with family, friends, and those you love because we truly do have a lot to be thankful for.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A website for everybody."
October 1st, 2023
Miami Valley Novas October 2023 Newsletter VOL.9 NO.10
Hello Everybody,
My goodness! Can you even believe that we are now at the end of the 2023 outdoor car show season? Yes, the temperatures are falling, and so are the leaves. In fact, Fall actually arrived for us in the Miami Valley at 2:49 a.m. on the 23rd. So get ready for the holidays.
October is a great time of year, especially for those of us who won't stop going to shows or cruising in our classics until the snow begins to cover the roads. So check out your Show and Shine Calendar for all the great end of season events, like the trunk or treat shows. I started doing these a few years back, and I totally love them, but then you know from my photo pictorials that I have a special place in my heart for the kids.
Another person who also feels the same way is Tim Staley of the Urbana Cruisers and the entire car club for that matter. This winter I want to talk more about this when things slow down a bit, but for now let's talk about the event that they had on September 10th for kids of that terrible bus crash that took the life of a young eleven year old boy and injured many others. Over 200 classics showed up, and in the 6 hours that the event took place, 152 items were raffled off. Four food trucks and one ice cream truck were busy the whole time serving the hundreds of spectators, and by the time six p.m .brought things to a close, they had raised ten thousand, five hundred dollars for this great cause. I wanted to be there to photograph it, but I was committed to another event. However, Tim says on the Urbanan Cruisers site they do have a lot of great photos. So take a look. To the club of Urbana Cruisers, Great Job! And we love you!
At the end of last month's MVN Newsletter, I said I would speak a bit more on the Orphan Car Show and the Motor Madness Event. So let's take care of that right now. As you will see from my 300 photos, the Orphan Car Show at Young's Jersey Dairy, was again a great event. However, there are still some who think an Orphan Show is for orphan kids. This is not the case. An Orphan Car Show simply means the manufacturer or parent company is dead, like Studebaker, AMC, Hudson, etc. In fact, Al Lewis won the Orphan Award with his Packard at the Crestview Show, and many were asking who the orphan kids were and where were they. As for the Motor Madness Event held August 27th, only a few of us from the Dayton area made the time to be part of this show held once a year at the Winchester Speedway in Indiana. Of course, the big thrill of the day was to be able to take three laps at high speed on the this historic racetrack. As you will see from my 360 photos, I think everybody had a great time. Also, read the nice ride article on this event on Bill Holder's site.
A few more events that I got to quickly review are the Kettering Holiday at Home event. Please see photos of the Lizzy Project on my pictorial (161-172), the Performance Paint Event, and how the rain came down just as we were about to eat, photos (161-174), The Veteran's Car Show at Troy Fish and Game, this is a great show, and the Beavercreek Popcorn Festival Car Show. Rob wants everybody to know that the awards will go more quickly next year, so please do come back. Two more that I will soon have up to look and review are the Crestview Church and the Fiehrer Motors Annual Car Show in Hamilton, Ohio on September 24th.
I spoke with Ernie Rosser the other day, and he has informed me that his tribute show car "Tuskegee Airman" has been accepted to become a full-time part of the Air Force Museum. The good news is Ernie can now get this piece of history off the road before something happens to it. The bad news is it won't be on display permanently at our Wright-Patterson Museum but as a part of their traveling exposition. But then this also is a good thing since so many more people will be able to admire what Ernie has created. See photos (129-140) of my photo pictorial June 25th, 2022. Congratulations Ernie on a job well done!
Some people are still telling me that the Metal Brite Show is going to take place. I spoke with Jim Barr just the other day and no, it is not going to happen. However, Rob Koehlbacker has told me that the big cruise-in associated with the Bites in the Heights at the Rose Music Center is definitely on for October 14th. Check out the flyer for more info on this.
As long as I'm on the subject of events for October, let's go ahead and take care of what is on for the month. Sunday, the 1st Northridge will have the Cruisin' to the Ridge Car Show. This will be a MVN Get Together. On Friday, the 6th, it's the annual Heritage of Flight Cruise-In in New Carlisle, Ohio from 4 pm to 10 pm, with music by the band "The Fleez". Then the very next day, you will have to choose, because I have two great shows listed on my picks. Dayton First Church of the Nazarene and the Victory Church in Tipp City, Ohio. Then the next day, the 8th, everybody will be going to Huber Heights for the Annual Show to promote breast cancer awareness at Get Air, sponsored by Get Air and the Old Rollers Car Club. As I said before, don't forget about the Trunk or Treat Shows going on as well as the One Room School Car Show at Young's Jersey Dairy on the 21st, and last but not least, the Urbana Cruisers will be doing another fund raising event on the 29th for somebody we all know and love. This will be in conjunction with the Trunk or Treat Spooktacular from 1 to 4 pm at the Southwest Bowling Center. See the flyer for all the info on it. Of course, as always check your Show and Shine Event Calendar for many more shows and events that I just can't cover, but trust me, I have only touched on a few that will take place in this last month of cruisin'.
Be sure to check out Car Event Flyers by Kevin Top Left Box of MVN Car Shows. Kevin still has over 150 up for the season. He also asked me to let everybody know that the fund raising event "Jeremy's Journey" has been canceled for this year due to some medical reasons.
I spoke with all of the indoor show promoters in the last few days, and all are now accepting good clean classics for their events. All contact info is on the Car Show Listings Page of MVN. Even Vintage Wheels that will take place the first Friday-Saturday-Sunday of November still has about fifty spots available, but they won't last. This show always fills up the entire building.
Save the date of November 4th for the big Miller's Swap Meet and Car Show at the Ross County Fairgrounds in Chillicothe, Ohio from 9 am to 4 pm. If you want to see what this great event is like, I have many photo pictorials of past years to view and yes it is certainly worth the drive. The Miller family does it well!
There are two people I want to recognize this month. First, there is Fred Adler, who has the blue 67 Bel-Air. Fred will turn 96 on October 25th. Happy Birthday Fred from all of us! Then there is my good friend, Bill Holder, who gave me my start in the national photography venue. Bill has just recently been inducted into the great Kill-Kare Hall of Fame, and also was named as Geezer of the Year at the 15th Annual Gathering of the Geezers on September 10th. Congratulations, Bill!
On September 17th, many of our friends were competing at the Dayton Concours Car Show held each year at Carillon Park, but unfortunately, I was not able to attend. However, Don Sparks of Go4Rider was there, so please take a look at what he got along with so many other great videos. Don really covers so much that you have to see his site to believe it. A Fast Link is on the Index Page of MVN that will take you right to his stuff. Thanks, Don for all you do for us.
Facebook is great, but with all that I'm into doing and having 3 or 4 people each day wanting to friend me, I just can't do it. This is why the MVN Newsletter is so important. It's my chance to speak to everybody once a month to tell you what's going on. I do love each one of you who follow the MVN site and are always coming up to me at events to say hello. Yes, I do this all for you, so if I don't respond personally, take no offense. I love and pray for each of you at my daily Catholic Mass. May God bless you all.
In closing, please pray for our sick friends in our car show family. There are a lot of them. Remember the cruise-ins are coming to an end, so enjoy the last ones of the season. Don't forget about the Wooden Nickel Event on October 15th at the Heart of Ohio Antique Mall. I actually won $100 at this event many years ago, so it can happen to you! Thanks, Dick "Hot Dog" Ryman for all that you do!
Did you know there are over one hundred thousand photos on my Pictorials Page. It's time to take a look.
Photos of the Month: The 2013 Kettering Holiday at Home Car Show. More on this in the November Newsletter.
Quote of the Month: Let children be children, for they are young and innocent for only a short time!
This just in: A good friend and member of our car show family was just hit in the rear by a truck at a stop light. He did go to the hospital , and is ok, but his national winning 69 classic is still being looked at to see if it can be saved or is a total loss. Next month I'll tell you who it is and much more.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A website for everybody."
September 1st, 2023
Miami Valley Novas September 2023 Newsletter VOL.9 NO.9
Hello Everybody,
With the first weekend of September also being the so called unofficial end of summer, it's time to start thinking about what we will be doing with the last two months of the 2023 car show, cruise-in season. Yes, the kids are back in school, it's getting dark at around eight, and believe it or not, we could even see snow next month. I myself and many of you as well have been at late October events with flurries and cold temperatures. So while we still have some good weather, let's get out there and enjoy all that the Miami Valley Car Show Community has to offer. The truth is, there still is a lot of great things to do.
As you know, the MVN Newsletter is always out by the first of each month, but when the first weekend is also the first of the month, I like to get it out to you a few days early, and September is a perfect example of this. I see on Kevin's site that he still has close to 400 flyers up for the remainder of the year, and I also see that in the Show and Shine Auto Event Calendar there are fourteen pages left of many things to do that you won't find any place else but listed in this publication. So, yes, if you are no longer purchasing a Show and Shine, you're missing out on some great events in our tri-state area.
Beginning on the 1st and the 2nd, the Springfield event known as Cars and Parts will be taking place at the Clark County Fairgrounds with, as always, a cruise-in on Friday and a big car show on Saturday with our good friend, Dick "Hot Dog" Ryman, who will be playing the oldies. Also on Saturday, I have counted about forty other events going on around the area with many more on Sunday as well, so check out Car Event Flyers by Kevin and the Show and Shine for all the info. There is just way too many to mention, so take a look and pick out a good one for your special ride. On Monday, the 4th, Labor Day, I'm only going to mention what I feel are your two best options. First, there is, of course, the Annual Kettering Holiday at Home event going on all day at Lincoln Park. This is huge and great fun for the entire family. If you have never been there, you can find many photos on the MVN site of the past several years. This year, I have been invited to show my 71 SS, and the Slimer will be there with the Cincinnati Ghostbusters and Rick Leist with his yellow M&M Show Car has been invited as well along with about fifty other fine machines. I want to thank Rodney Highfield for all his hard work on putting the car show part of this event together. So, come have some fun with us beginning with the parade at 10 a.m.
However, if an open car show is more to your liking, then the Annual Paps Rod and Custom Labor Day Bash is the place you will want to be, but do note this is at a new location, Evans Farm, 11140 Milton-Carlisle Rd, in New Carlisle, Ohio. The cost is $15 with Top 75 awards to be presented.
Now I know there are many events taking place on Sunday the 10th, but I am asking, for my Nova people and friends with classics, to come join me at the Beavercreek Popcorn Festival Car Show at Shoup Park from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is a great event, with many awards to be presented. Rob is going to allow me to save space for a Nova line up, so please come to this show for one of our last get togethers this year.
As for some events that I would like for you to save the dates for in October: Dayton First Church of the Nazarene on the 7th, the Annual Get Air Old Rollers Car Show for breast cancer on the 8th, Dick Ryman's Wooden Nickel at the Heart of Ohio on the 15th, and of course, the One Room School Car Show at Young's on the 21st.
As I have been telling you for the last several months, the Annual Metal Bright Car Show has been in question. I spoke to Jim the other day, and I am sorry to say that last year was the final event to be held at their shop location. We do want to thank the entire Barr family for the many great times we had at their events over the years, but we know with the loss of Mike, things must change and this is one of those things. However, you never know what the future might bring, that's all I can say for now.
Many times, I am given information on things that are taking place behind the scenes that I'm not able to speak of publicly until things are finalized, and right now I know of several cool projects that are in the works for 2024. And yes! These are huge events that everybody will want to be a part of. As soon as I am able to put it out to you, I will. That's what the MVN Newsletter is all about so stay tuned.
By now, many of you have heard the news about Buc-ee's coming to the Miami Valley. It's location will be at the north-east area of I-70 and St. Rt. 235 in Huber Heights, Ohio. The nearly sixty acre complex will have 120 gas pumps, restaurants, and so much more. No word yet on when it will open.
It's time to start thinking about the indoor car shows. The first one in our area is that very special one put on by Vintage Wheels over in Richmond, Indiana, the first Saturday and Sunday of November. Info on this event as well as the Cincinnati Calvacade, the World of Wheels, and Powerama, are all listed on the MVN Site. So, of you're wanting to get your cool machine in for one of these shows, now is the time to call!
In August, I shot seven new photo pictorials of events in the Miami Valley including the National Oldsmobile Club of America that held their yearly gathering at the Marriott of Dayton. 460 beautiful images are ready for you to enjoy on the MVN site. In July, I shot the Reo Nationals in Miamisburg, and in June, I have some great photos of the Monte Carlo Nationals in Fairborn. Also, I have over 400 photos of the Balloon Challenge Car Show Festival in Middletown, Ohio that I think you will find very interesting as well.
I know that everyone of us has heard of the horrific bus crash that hurt so many children and sadly took the life of one beautiful little boy. So yes, we must pray for the families to get through this, but like I always say, our Miami Valley Car Show Community is a special breed. I spoke the other day at length with Tim Staley of the Car Club, "Urbana Cruisers", and they are going to have a fundraising event for the families on Sunday, September 10th at Northwestern High School from 12-6 p.m. They will be accepting donations at this gathering of our classics, so give it some consideration and check out the flyer for more on this tribute.
I'm seeing on the news that some places in the US are paying between four and five dollars a gallon for gasoline, so I guess our $3.39 a gallon isn't so bad, but will it last ?
When looking at my photos, if you get a white screen with the Error Code 404. This means I am still working on them. There is a note at the top explaining this, but I still get people telling me something is wrong. I do my best to get pictorials up ASAP.
Last month, I spoke of the Friday Night Cruise-In, so this month I want to remind you that on my Car Show Page, I have many other weekly and monthly ones listed as well, including Robin's Saturday Event each week at Kettering Assembly Church on Stroop Road.
In closing, I first want to say please pray for all of our friends who are not doing well. We are not as young as we used to be. Be sure to check out Don's Site "Go4Rider". It's easy to get to on the MVN Site. A Fast Link is on the Index Page for easy access. Remember this weekend is the first Saturday down at Horsepower Farm, and this Sunday is "Hot Dog's" first of the month cruise-in at Heart of Ohio. Also, take a look at his link I have to his site, top right box, second one. I have over fifty photos you will love! Some people are still doing burn outs on private property. Unless told it's okay, this is not acceptable behavior. Shane says his Kil-Kare event was a big success, so it will return in 2024. I'll let you know when the date is set. It may be the same date as this year.
Did you know that legendary racer, George Montgomery, passed away on the 24th of August? I only spoke to him a few times over the years, but what a life he had. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. George was ninety. Our condolences to Greg, his son (p.7-3-20) No. 14 of George at a car show.
Photos of the month: All that I have mentioned, but especially the Reo Club of America Nationals on July 22nd. Some of these photos will be used in their next club magazine publication. Thank you Reo Club.
Quote of the Month: Nothing stays the same. Everything Changes...Except God. God never changes!
This just in: I just shot the Orphan Car Show and Motor Madness in Indy. I'll have some things to say on both of these shows in October's MVN Newsletter. Photos will be up as soon as possible.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
August 1st, 2023
Miami Valley Novas August 2023 Newsletter VOL.9 NO.8
Hello Everybody,
With the kids going back to school in a few weeks, football season now upon us, and believe it or not the Halloween items arriving in the stores, it's easy to see that summer will soon be winding on down to Fall, and not knowing what kind of crazy weather we will have in October, that leaves us only this month and next to get out to some great Miami Valley Car/Motorcycle Events to enjoy our rides.
Now Speaking of crazy weather, how about July? Yes, we had a lot of record breaking rain, but out West, they had weather breaking heat, with some places hitting 120 degrees. As far as our area, quite a few events were canceled or postponed. Case in point, take a look at my pictorial of the National Trail Car Show on July 8th. Three hours of rain and only fifty entries of the more than two hundred expected, but we still had a great time.
As far as this month, August is jam-packed with so many great things to do. I can only mention a few, all of which that have reached out to me to give them a plug in the MVN Newsletter. On Friday, the 4th, the Kettering BackPack Cruise-In will take place at Highfield Door Sales from 4-8 PM, the Oldsmobile Club of America will be in town the 4th thru the 12th at the Dayton Marriott. They are expecting close to 400 entries from all over he U.S. For those of you who miss the evening show of Franklin on the 2nd Saturday of August, Grace Baptist Church has now moved their annual show to this date and time. Yes, in a way...Franklin is back! So come and check it out from 3 to 8 PM. Kent says they have a great show planned for us to enjoy. Kil-Kare will be the place to have some fun on the 13th, as Shane will have a bit of everything. Wow! What a flyer! The event runs from 9 AM to 4 PM. Unfortunately, on the 19th, a choice will need to be made since we have four great shows going on this same 3rd Saturday of August: Asphalt Outlaws (and note this is a new date for their annual show), Bellbrook Car Show and festival 3 to 8 PM, then there is Urbancrest in Lebanon. Wow! What a great quarter page ad in the Show and Shine Calendar. I love it! And finally, last but by far not least, it's the Annual All Free Medway Church Cruise-In from 12-3 PM, featuring my good buddy, Bob Pitsch and his car show classics. Oh yes, even the food is free! On the 25th thru the 27th, Fairborn will be the place for the Trans Am Nationals at the Holiday Inn. The 26th at Young's Dairy, the Orphan Car Show will take place from 10 AM to 3 PM. Only orphan cars are going to be eligible to participate at this event. Okay, now for my last chance to encourage all of you to come join me at the Winchester Speedway on the 27th for the event called Motor Madness in Indiana. Please see the flyer for all the info or read the July MVN Newsletter. We are going to have a great time at the track. It's really not that far away about 80 miles from Dayton. All of these events and many more are listed on the MVN Site. Also, at last count, Kevin had close to about two hundred up on his page for August alone, so I think you need to take a look a them.
Touching just briefly on September; the 15th Annual Gathering of the Geezers also has, for this year, a new date of the 10th, and I see that my friend and colleague Bill Holder is this year's Geezer of the Year. But, of course, due to the fact that there are many other events going on on this date, we again must make a difficult choice where to show or where to go. For myself, I have already told Rob that I will be at his show, The Beavercreek Popcorn Festival this year.
I, myself, love the monthly and weekly cruise-ins, but to be honest, I just don't have the time to go to them. But when I hear of some new ones that are pretty cool, I want to give a shout out to everybody on what they have to offer. On Sundays, the Airline Dairy Creme in Vandalia, Ohio is now having a cruise-in from 4 to 8 PM. On my website, I have the info and a link to their Facebook site with photos. Then on Mondays, about four miles south on the same road of North Dixie Drive, the American Legion Post 668 is having their Summer of Mondays Cruise-In with free food for owners of vehicles, cash drawings, and much more. So, if you're looking for some place to cruise, check 'em out.
Now staying on the subject of weekly cruise-ins, there is one very special weekly cruise-in that has actually been going on for almost thirty years. And I know this to be true because when I first got back into classic cars in the mid-nineties, I was going to it as many of you do still today. Yes, I'm talking about the Friday Night Gathering of Gearheads, currently being held in Beavercreek, Ohio at the Vineyard Church, 4051 Indian Ripple Road. When I was approached by the current holder of the reigns to do a story about it, I wanted to do more than just say how great it is or what cool classics show up, so with the help of Tom Andrew of the Greene County Car Club, we put together how it has stood the test of time. It was originally put together by the Kettering JC's and its location was behind the Sears Building on Dorothy Lane, where it lasted for many years, but then it moved to the nearby Parkmore Drive-In Restaurant where it went on for a few more years. After that, the parking lot of Value City, this is now 2003, because I remember meeting Kenny Pierson at this time in my 71 SS that I had just acquired. After a few years, it moved again. This time to the Fairfield Commons Mall area, near the Steak N Shake, where it lasted again for several years. Then in 2007, it was located at the K-Mart Parking lot near the Greene. The thing I remember most about this location was having the regular daily driver cars mixed in with the classics. A new home had to be found, and the Greene County Car Club got it moved to the Lofino's parking lot in Beavercreek, where it was, after a few years, moved to the the back of an old car dealership, now known as SVG. Several years it was there, and then the COVID pandemic hit. SVG moved in and many thought it was the end. No!, said Dave Thomas, Harold Lunsford, and Dwane Rankin. They went to work to again keep it alive by making arrangements with the Vineyard Church, and yes, it is still a strong well-run weekly event with no music, but food trucks on site. I would like to thank Tom Andrew, Dave Thomas, and Kenny Pierson for their helping putting this segment together and especially Vineyard Church for letting this piece of Miami Valley Classic Car history continue.
Have you ever thought about getting a sign to display with your classic? This is something I do and feel it is very important because quite simply, most people don't know what they are looking at when it comes to what you have. Some perfect examples, this can be seen by viewing the Americana Auto Show July 4th Photos (194-206) and a sign does not cost that much.
The monthly MVN Newsletter is always out by the first of the month, so if you don't receive it, check your spam or read it on the website. I don't know why, but some months some people don't get it in their email. If you find it in your spam or junk folder, be sure to right click the listing and choose to no longer mark it as spam or junk.
In closing, remember the first Saturday of the month Cruise-In at Horsepower Farm and Dick Ryman's first Sunday of the month cruise-in at Heart of Ohio. Kevin has almost 200 flyers up for August. Don't forget about Robin's every Saturday Night Cruise-In at Kettering Assembly Church from 5 PM to dark and the Thursday Night Cruise-In from 4-8 PM at Get Air in Huber Heights. Still no word on the Metal Brite Show. Check your Show and Shine Event Calendar. They have seven pages of shows listed for August. Please help spread the word on all I am doing at MVN. Still many people don't know of our great website and I say "our" because you are all a big part of it! Last but not lease, check out Go4Rider. Don is working so hard to bring you some really cool video. We love you Don!
Did you know that Bob Kammer won the Corvette at the Tipp City Cruise-In last year? See Photos (113-118) of the Get Air Old Rollers Pictorial July 9th. Congratulations Bob on your really big win!
Photos of the Month: National Trail July 8th: The rain and Terry Bach taking First Place with his 69 Shelby.
Quote of the Month: Children learn exactly what they live.
This just in: The Crafts and Critters Show on July 29th did take place, but unfortunately, entries were down about a hundred from last year, most likely due to the weather. The photos should be up in about a week. Also, the Patriot Car Show will again take place at the VA Center on Saturday, September 9th. More on this in the September Newsletter.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
July 1st, 2023
Miami Valley Novas July 2023 Newsletter VOL.9 NO.7
Hello Everybody,
Let me first begin by saying welcome to Summer. It officially arrived at 10:57 a.m., on the 21st, so as you know, it was the longest of daylight hours we will have, and now the daylight will decrease by about one minute a day, so get out there and enjoy it.
With Summer now here, I was thinking the other day about our car show, cruisin' season and how with all of the many events we had in April, the season is really from April 1st to October 31st. Then I realized that on July 15th, it will actually be half over. So why am I telling you this? Well, it's because many of you have yet to come out with your special ride to enjoy all, if not some, of the great things taking place around the Miami Valley, so come on out and get with it, because the 2023 season is rolling by pretty fast!
As I do from time to time, I will put out the MVN Newsletter early by several days. This is especially true when we have a big holiday weekend with the 1st being on a Saturday, as it will be in a few more days. Of course, this is done so that I can basically just remind you of a few great events and to check out what might be taking place around the area. Two examples of this, from July 1st to the 5th, Kevin has 43 flyers up on his site, and the Show and Shine Calendar has almost 30 as well, so check 'em out!
Many of you have been asking me about what it going on with the big Freedom Celebration Car Show at First Grace Church in Vandalia, Ohio. Well, I had a meeting with Pastor Bruce a few weeks ago, and I'm sorry to say that the event for this year is not going to take place. It seems they have some parking lot issues to resolve, but Pastor Bruce says it will return for 2024, and they are looking forward to having an even bigger and better show for all of us. Pastor Bruce sends his love to everyone.
I am still hearing from people how they are throwing away their unwanted show awards. Please don't do this! These awards can be renewed and used at events. Just give me a call and I will help you in getting rid of them. I know who to call and who will take them. I know I have spoken about this before, but maybe everybody can help spread the word around.
In June, I did ten events, some as far away as going down to Cincinnati. To see what I have done in the way of new photo pictorials, go to the Pictures Page of MVN and check them out. I think that the photos are outstanding because, as you know, my style is not to just photograph cars, trucks and motorcycles, but to capture the entire event as it takes place. I'm telling a story in all my photography. Oh, and by the way, I just passed one hundred thousand photos on my site. So your ride is there.
It has got to be the biggest thing that all of us remember most about a show that we will attend, and that is when more than one award is given to a single entry. We see it all the time! Somebody will get (as an example), Best Paint and then a Top Thirty, and maybe even Best of Show. Ok, like I have said before, we are not doing this for a trophy, but come on promoters, one award is enough. It's just not that difficult to do this! And really, we don't want to cut some other classic out of its chance to take a bit of recognition.
Staying a bit more on this subject of awards, Foster, the promoter of the Agape Family Worship Car Show was talking to me, and he would like those who were at the show to know there was a mistake made with a Top Award going to a very questionable classic. It was just a mix up, so don't hold it against them. I could not make it there, because I was in Fairfield, Ohio shooting the Ohio Valley GTO Show all day.
Last month, I made mention of Restoration Battery Co. being out of business. Well, with the help of MVN members, Jim and Jan Wilkins, they have put me onto a company called Battery Central Mall. "BCM" is fantastic! I spoke with the owner last week for almost an hour and Wayne could not have been any nicer to me. We talked about his great looking website, how the business is growing, and his true love of our hobby. So, if you're looking to put that outstanding final touch to your classic, or if you are staying all original like myself, the correct battery is a must! Soon, a link will be up on MVN Parts and Services, but for now, go to their website WWW.BATTERYCENTRALMALL.COM to check them out.
I spoke with Joy Barr the other day, and she sends her love to everybody, with the loss of Mike. It has not been easy for her or the boys, but the business is going great, so keep those parts coming. As for the car show, last year might very well have been the final event to be held. However, she says with this year being the 50th Anniversary of Mike starting up Metal Bright, they might do one more final event. I have told her we would all love for this to take place. She says when a decision is made one way or another, I will be the first to know, so that I can let all of you know. Joy, like you and your family, we all miss Mike very, very much...lots of love.
For the past two months, I have touched on the show to be held at the Historic Winchester Speedway in Indiana known as "Motor Madness", and now it is time to tell you what this event is really all about. Speaking at length with promoter Brock Edwards, I can tell you this is something you are going to want to be part of. First of all, Winchester Speedway is the oldest track in America with a lot of history. This will be the 3rd year for this annual gathering of cool classics, trucks and motorcycles. It is held annually on the last Sunday in August from 12-4 p.m. With registration beginning at about 10 a.m. The cost is ten dollars, most proceeds go to benefit the Journey Home for Veterans, so please save the date. A beautiful, very informative flyer can be viewed on Car Event Flyers, top left box of MVN Car Show Listings. One last thing: show car parade laps can be taken around the track if you wish to do so. I will be sure to remind you again in the August Newsletter.
The Moon Car club did have their event, but I was asked not to make it public, since they wanted it to be a private gathering, mostly for members only. The Monte Carlo Club of North America also had their event on June 23 and 24, at the Holiday Inn in Fairborn. Julie Albaugh, the promoter, has told me it was a success, and it will return again in 2024 to be even better. I did get a photo shoot on it, and the cars were just simply beautiful to see. Our next national event for our area will be the REO Club of America to be held on July 19th-23rd at the Doubletree Hotel in Miamisburg, Ohio. After that, August will have two big national events to check out: The Oldsmobile Club of America at the Downtown Marriott, the 9th through the 12th, and then of course, the Trans Am Nationals in Fairborn, Ohio the 25th through 27th.
In closing, I want to again say to check out the listings for July, and especially what you might want to do this 4th of July weekend that we have coming up. Just way too much to mention, so do your own homework. Of course, as always, please don't forget about Opie and Sue's first Saturday of the month Cruise-in at Horsepower Farm and Hot Dog Dick Ryman's first Sunday of the month at the Heart of Ohio Antique Center. Don Sparks has been working hard on many new videos, so you will definitely want to check out Go4Rider to see all of his latest stuff as well as past things he has done for our classic car, truck and cycle hobby. Jeff Lane is already starting to pass out info flyers for the 2024 Powerama to be held in February, so give this some consideration. Postage stamps are again going up another three cents in just a few weeks, and remember to keep an eye always on what is going on around you. No matter where you are, bad things can happen at anytime. Keep your hands clean. COVID can still get you as well as other viruses.
Did you know that you don't need to wait until next year to list your 2024 events in the Show and Shine Calendar? Roy and Debbie will be happy to take your listing right now! Give them a call at 513-868-7735.
Photos of the Month: the Rockin' Rods Riverside Festival Car Show, came off really nice with over two hundred entries. I have 500 beautiful photos to view.
Quote of the Month: Never be afraid to follow your dreams or to pursue what is in your heart.
This just in: The Annual Get Air - Old Rollers Car Show was postponed due to rain. It will now be held on July 2nd. All other info on the Flyer, that can be seen on Kevin's site, is still correct.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
June 1st, 2023
Miami Valley Novas June 2023 Newsletter VOL.9 NO.6
Hello Everybody,
I want to begin by saying that I hope everyone had a nice Memorial Day and a chance to spend some time with those you love because this day is so much more that just the unofficial beginning of summer. It is really a time to think about all of those who are no longer with us, and over the past few years, I don't think any of us can say we haven't lost a friend or family member. But of course, it's a day to mostly think about all who gave up their lives for our great nation and country in battle. Freedom has a big cost!
Because the Hail to Horsepower Show was so close to the end of April, I want to again tell how great this event was. Not only did Opie and Sue Willis pull off one fantastic day of fun for all, they also raised a lot of money for charity and a great awareness of what our classic car, truck & cycle hobby is all about. Again, thank you Opie and Sue for everything you do.
On May 6th, the 2nd Annual AXP Spring Fever Show was held at its new location in Xenia, Ohio and for those of you who missed it, I do have a 300 photo pictorial that will show all the fun that we had. Top 40 Awards and Specials were presented to the Best Rides, and Best of Show went to Jeff Hass for his beautiful 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air (Photos 71 & 292).
As many of you remember the Wot-A-Dog Drive-In located in New Carlisle, Ohio was the place to be on Monday nights in the Mid-90's through 2010. It has since been replaced by a larger location at St. Rt. 235 and St. Rt. 571 and is still going on each Monday to this date. However, with the passing of the man who started it all, Jack Heffner, a Memorial Cruise took place in his honor on May 9th at the same place he once owned and operated. "The Wot-A-Dog"many of us who once were loyal to the event came out to relive fond memories of Jack and his special Monday night cruise-in. I know you will enjoy the great pictorial I have of this event, along with photos of Jack's two daughters with his cars (photos 57-66). Both Jessica and Amanda will each be keeping a car. No word yet on who will be taking charge of Jack's '49 truck, that is currently being restored by Ed Holbrook, but it too will be remaining in the family as a tribute to their Dad.
The Mother's Day Shrine Show at Smith Park was great as usual, but this year, no MVN members took any awards. However, Terry Bach, after ten years of not showing any of his classics (for personal reasons) did return to win Best of Show with his outstanding original 1969 Shelby Cobra GT 500 (photos 509-512). Maybe I'll do a piece on Terry in a future newsletter because his life is truly an amazing story I would love to tell.
The 51st Annual Cincy Street Rods Show held on May 21st was totally awesome. 507 entries and about twenty of their club cars packed the Butler County Fairgrounds in Hamilton, Ohio for a sunny, rain free day of fun. There is absolutely no way to cover it all, however MVN did have twenty one members come out for a fantastic lineup of our club cars and yes, three members did win: Neal Perkins with his black '67 Chevy Two and Bill Burlile with his blue '72 Ventura both took a Top Fifty and Steve Haven with his bronze '72 Nova took the Show and Shine Award. The best thing to do is look at my 680 photo pictorial. It really is the next best thing to actually being there.
At 7:05 a.m., I rolled into the Clark County Fairgrounds for the Saturday Car Show Part of the Swap Meet Event, most commonly known as Springfield Cars and Parts. Almost two hundred entries of cool classics were on display and most in competition for a Top Twenty Five Award presented at 4 p.m. Amazingly, five MVN members did win. Tom Patrick, Bill Burlile, Amanda Snider, Melissa Siferd and myself. For more on this event, please take a look at my photo pictorial.
Now for what is hot and happening around the Miami Valley in the month of June. Because of so many promoters wanting me to mention their event, I will try to be a brief as possible, but with a few I do need to explain some important things.
On June 3rd, we actually have two shows talking place: From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., it's the Four Winds Gospel Church Show, and then everybody will be heading out to Reichard Cheverolet for the Brookville Corvette Club's Annual Cruise Into Summer from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Then the next day, the 4th, you can choose either to go south for the Ace Car Club Show in Lebanon, Ohio at Armco Park, and note this is a new day for the show, or you can go north to the Troy Strawberry Festival Car Show. They, as always, are expecting ten thousand spectators, so if you want your ride to be seen, this is the place to be. On the 10th, the Annual Spring Fun Run Car Show is now the Summer Fun Run Car Show, but only the name has been changed. Also, on this day, the Agape Family Worship Car Show will take place. Now let's talk about what is going to happen on the 17th. It's called "Riverside Rockin' Rods Festival Car Show", and a lot of people have been working hard to bring this event all together with lots of things to make this a special day. To all the people with Military vehicles that I have been talking to over the past year, this is the event we are wanting your special machine to be part of, so please bring it to help honor our Armed Forces in a display of patriotism. The car show will have many great awards and dash plaques to the first 100 to arrive and register. Naturally, don't forget about the big Voss Event on the 23rd from 4 to 9 p.m. to benefit AIM for the Handicapped, with no cost this year to cruise-in.
The first of our National Car Shows that I have been promoting will take place on June 23-24-25 at the Holiday Inn in Fairborn, Ohio, along with a GM only swap meet. The Monte Carlo Club of America is expecting a great turn out at their event, so this is something you will want to check out. In Arcanum, Ohio on the 24th, Troutwine Chevrolet will host the Downtown Saturday Night from 4 to 9 p.m., but before you head that way, you're going to want to be part of the 6th Annual Shelter Church Car and Bike Show from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thad says the thirty awards will be presented at 2 p.m., in time for you to get to another event. Please note, both Reichard and Shelter Church are MVN get togethers, and we will be able to line-up our club cars, so please attend and come early! The last one I have got to mention is the Big Annual Get Air and Old Rollers Car Show on Sunday the 25th. If you have never attended a show put on by Tracy and Tammy, this is your chance to see why they always have a huge turn out: Fantastic food, cool music, and many awards.
Now remember, these events I've mentioned are only my special picks because right now on "Car Event Flyers by Kevin", top left box on MVN Car Show Page, he has almost two hundred for you to check out for June alone, not to mention the rest of the 2023 season as well. So promoters, if you have not yet got your flyer on this outstanding free site, you're really screwing up!
In closing, I have many important things to touch on, but most will be covered in future newsletters, so here we go. Restoration Battery Co. is now out of business, and it was the only one left making original type batteries that I know of, so I guess we purists will all be going to the fake type toppers.
Rob Kohbacher is now up and running at his new location, 3472 Successful Way. Shayne Syx is going to be having an event August 13th at Kil-Kare called "Custom Car and Bike Show". The 31 Kustoms Show and Shine Car Show is a go for August 19th. I have been working with the promoter of the Track Winchester Speedway in Indiana to hold a car show at this location. My part of it is to bring a showing of classic cars from our area, so save the date of August 27th. This is something you will want to be a part of and all who want to do so will be allowed to take a few laps around this historic piece of racing history. More to come on this next month. I have been asked by many to mention that burning out after an event is not acceptable on private property. I personally know of a pastor who stopped his car show when somebody messed up his new pavement. So, if you're wanting to do it, do it at an event that says it's ok when leaving their show. There are many people who I can't name but are very ill in our car show community, so please pray for them. COVID is not a thing of the past. It is still with us, so keep your distance from others, don't shake hands, and wash your hands a lot! Don't forget about the first Saturday of the month at Horsepower Farm and Dick Ryman at his first Sunday of the month Cruise-ins, and of course, check out Don at Go4Rider.
Did you know: On June 8th, it will be one year since we lost Joe Peters, but then we have also lost many other good friends over the past few years. God bless them!
Photos of the Month: They have got to be Cincy Street Rods. This was a great show.
Quote of the Month: Many things are not as obvious as they might first appear to be.
This just in: Ed Holbrook who puts on the New Carlisle Monday Night Cruise-In is going to have a special event on June 12th, with the band "The Revue", and also food trucks. He is asking everyone not to arrive until after 4:30 p.m. as to not flood the bank parking lot prior to end of business.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
May 1st, 2023
Miami Valley Novas May 2023 Newsletter VOL.9 NO.5
Hello Everybody,
It's sad for me to start off this newsletter in this way, but by now you have all heard of the passing of Jim Keechle. Jim was a great person, a friend to all, and a loyal member of MVN. Our buddy left us on April 13th, after losing his battle with cancer. A memorial service was held for Jim on the 18th from 4 to 6:30 pm at Fisher-Cheney Funeral Home. I knew Jim for many years and his love for our hobby and his 1962 Nova made him a perfect fit for MVN. At some point, I will be adding to his page a lot more photos of Jim at various events. I would like to also, at this time, personally thank Shane Dancer and Larry Martin for joining me as representatives of our classic cruising family at the service. Our sincere condolences go out to the family as we will miss Jim very much.
As you know from my special e-mail, the annual National Trail Car Show had to be postponed to July 8th due to the fire in Richmond and a new flyer will soon be up on Kevin's site. The Autism Charity Car Show held in June has unfortunately been canceled for this year, but they hope to bring it back for 2024. However, Rodney Highfield has informed me that the Kettering Backpack Event will return this year as a cruise-in on August 4th from 3 to 7 pm. No awards, but he hopes to have all the other amenities including dash plaques. This will be a fundraising event with no entry fee, but donations will be greatly appreciated to support the Backpack Organization. The event, as always, will be held at Highfield Door Sales, 1350 E. Stroop Road. See MVN listing for more info.
The Annual Voss Hoss Cruise-In usually held in July has now been moved to the 4th Friday of June, so save this date. Stephanie would like to also get some more info out about the event. First off, there will be no entry fee for those just wanting to participate in the cruise-in. However, if you want to be in the judged part of the event, receive a dash plaque, and a beautiful commemorative shirt, the fee will be $25 (without a shirt - $15). All other amenities as always will be taking place, so come early to get your favorite spot. Gates open at around 4 pm. Remember, this is a fund raising event for "Aim for the Handicapped". To see some great photos of this event, go to my Pictures Page to view 400 images including 24 taken from the roof (August 6, 2021). Roof shots were not taken (July 22 of 2022), but this also is a great pictorial of what a fantastic event that the folks at Voss put on each year for Aim, and for us to get together to have some fun.
Robin, my daughter, is working hard to get things on the MVN Website up to date for the 2023 season as well as new things I'm wanting to get uploaded. For example, I'm putting on my listings in parenthesis, a date that I have a photo shoot of the Event. Example: (p.8-6-21) This helps to give a visual representation of what the event it like Also the 2023 MVN Get Togethers list is now up. These are shows I ask members to come with their Novas so we can get photos of us parked together.
This year, D.J. Dick "Hot Dog" Ryman is celebrating thirty years as a car show entertainer in the Miami Valley. As a tribute to "Hot Dog", I have had Robin load fifty photos to his page located in the Top Right Box of my MVN Car Shows Listing. Click on "Events by D.J .Dick Ryman" to view these great photos of Dick doing his thing. Congratulations Dick on thirty years of playing the music for us. We all love you very much.
Last year, Kevin informed me of a website that is listing fake car shows and asking you to send them money for a pre-registration fee. Well, folks, they are up to it again. Kevin gave me a few to check on and yes, they are indeed fake. One example, the Brookville Roadster Show - No! They are not having a car show. I spoke to my contact at Brookville Roadster, and if they ever do bring back their show, I will certainly let you know. The best thing I can tell you is be very careful who you are sending money to, if you do a pre-registration.
The piece I did last month on electric vehicles showing at our classic car events has only been positive. Everybody has told me that they loved how I spoke out about this. Like you, I will be watching to see when the first Best of Show is given to an E.V. Let me know if you come across this at a show, so I can put it in the newsletter. I think everybody would like to know.
So let's talk about May. Wow! I have counted on Car Event Flyers by Kevin that right now, he has ninety-six up. So there is no way I can cover them all. However, I will tell you that Steve Klein contacted me and the OSCC/Shamrock Car Show has been rescheduled for the 6th. Unfortunately, this is also the new date for the big Ex-Pupils Spring Fever Car, Truck and Motorcycle Show at their new location in Xenia, 532 Innovation Drive. Last year was fantastic and I'm sure this year will be great as well. Of course, everybody will be at Smith Park in Middletown on Mother's Day, the 14th for their Annual Shriners Charity Car Show. Many people have asked me about the Hollywood Gaming "My Heroes Car Show". I have tried many times to contact them, but no reply from them as yet. On the 21st, everybody will want to be in Hamilton, Ohio for the big Cincy Street Rods Car and Cycle Show. As always, a cruise-in will be held the night before from 5-9 pm at the Butler County Fairgrounds, and you won't want to miss the Spring Edition of the Springfield Swap Meet and Car Show on the26, 27 and 28th at the Clark County Fairgrounds. And yes, "Hot Dog" will be playing the music all three days! Don't forget to check out the Kil-Kare Racing Display. As always, all this info and more can be found on the MVN Website along with many more things of interest.
One last thing about May, the big Mecum Auto Auctions will be taking place over in Indiana from the 12th thru the 20th. See it on television or better yet, take a drive over and check it out in person. Tickets are available on their website.
The Rip Rap Roadhouse Wednesday Night Ride-In is now going on. I was there last week and I loved looking at all the cool bikes. A photo shoot will soon be coming .
I have been speaking with Jeff Lane and the first Saturday of July show "Cruisin Classics" is not going to take place at the Greene County Fairgrounds any longer. The new site for the event will be the Polish Club Grounds on Needmore Road beginning in 2024, The first Saturday of July this year has already been taken, so at this time, Cruisin Classics 2023 is canceled.
In closing, the new Ohio driving while on a cell phone law is now in effect. 2 points on your license for each offense. Read the entire law online for more info. Sheetz is coming! Their website says they will be building twenty fuel marts in our area, some to open late this year. The weekly and monthly cruise-ins are now taking place. Robin had her first one on a cold windy day April 22nd, but she still had about fifty! See Don's site Go4Rider for some video as well as so many other great events. Promoters keep those show flyers coming to Kevin. He has way over 300 now up. I have a new monthly cruise-in up on my site. It's at Powder Keg Harly-Davison in Mason, Ohio.
Save the date for the Annual Cruise Into Summer at Reichard on the 3rd of June and also Troutwine Chevrolet Downtown Saturday Night in Arcanum, Ohio on the24th. And, as always, Horsepower Farm first Saturday Cruise-In and Hot Dog's first Sunday Cruise-In at the Heart of Ohio. See MVN listings for more info. But the most important thing of all, get your 2023 Show and Shine Calendar for events you won't find any place else!
Did you know that the US has the lowest pollution output of any industrialized nation, yet we are still being asked to do more!
Photos of the Month: The Lowes Show on March 25th
Quote of the Month: A small act of kindness can make a big difference.
This just in: The 2nd Annual Hail to Horsepower Event on April 29th came off great with lots of vendors, 220 registered entries, great food, and of course the 2023 Show and Shine Auto Event Calendar hot off the press was being sold to many classic car enthusiasts. During the Awards Ceremony, Opie and Sue thanked God for the nice day and Best of Show went to Greg Whitton for his really cool 1932 red Ford 3 window Coupe. For now, see Don Sparks site, Go4Rider for lots of video and my photo pictorial will be up very soon. The photos look great. I know you are going to enjoy them.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
April 1st, 2023
Miami Valley Novas April 2023 Newsletter VOL.9 NO.4
Hello Everybody,
With spring now having officially begun and our clocks reset to daylight savings time, April is the month when things will soon begin to take on a new look: leaves on the trees, green grass, birds singing and great weather for cruising our cars trucks and cycles. Yes, car show season is now here.
I want to start off this newsletter by letting all of my readers know how much I appreciate those who are doing things to promote this fantastic hobby and actually our way of living our lives. So many times what we do it totally misunderstood. No, we are not polluting the environment, nor are we chasing trophies. What in fact we are doing is preserving a special part of our history and also helping to raise money for special organizations. Ok, taking an award at an event is cool! We all get that, but seeing people, especially kids, loving what we do is really the best reward of all.
On my Car Show Page, I of course list my picks of events that many of you enjoy year after year, but I also recognize on this same page, other people who, like myself, have there own sites that give a lot of their time as well. Links to these sites are listed in the top two boxes, so please take a look at what they are doing. At this time, I want to welcome to the MVN family Kim Hawksworth of Car Show Talk. Over the last month, I have gotten to know Kim by not only reading his great site, but also talking to him at length on the phone. Kim is a great man with a true passion for our hobby. Kim mostly covers the area of Columbus and surrounding communities with his site. Many of you already know of him, but for those who don't , please check it out. Thanks Kim for doing what you do.
As I stated earlier, now that we are into the month of April, events will begin to take place as well as weekly and monthly cruise-ins, so check out what Kevin has already up. Almost 230 flyers are now on his site "Car Event Flyers by Kevin" Top Left Box.
Attention car show promotes, it's still not too late to get your event in the Show and Shine Calendar for the 2023 season. I spoke to Debbie the other day and while they are now putting it together for the final printing of it, she can still get your event in, If! You call her in the next few days at 513-868-7735.
In April I see twenty six events on Kevin's site, including the National Trail Car Show on the 22nd in New Paris, Ohio (MVN Members, please come early to line up our Novas in a special spot), and on the 29th, everybody will want to be part of the 2nd annual Hail to the Horsepower Car Show. This will also be your first opportunity to purchase the 2023 Show and Shine Event Calendar and yes, there will be at least one Show and Shine Award given to a car or truck displaying the 2023 calendar.
The event at the Ross County Fairgrounds on March 11th known as Millers Swap Meet and Car Show was a huge success. As my 460 photo portfolio will show everybody had a great time. A bit cool, but no rain to spoil the fun. In all 52 classics were there to participate in the show. Best of Show for the new class went to Scotty McPherson for his white coyote (photos 309-312) and Best of Show Classic went to Jim Horsley for his beautiful 1967 Red Chevelle (photos 247-248) and photo one top header. Also if you would like to see what I found for my rec room it's (photo 170). My granddaughters love it and so do I, but the best shots I got were of Don of Go4Rider with his mom and dad (photos 173-176) and 265-268). Thanks Don for all you do for your mom and dad, we love them.
On March 25th, at the Lowes in Huber Height, Ohio, they had their first car show and for a cold rainy day it came off pretty well. I hope to have my photos up soon. But for now, check out what Don has on Go4Rider. Also I want to thank Don for the really cool promo on his site for my photos.
I'm hearing from many that these electric vehicles being produced that they do not want them at our events taking awards, so to the organizers, it should be noted electric vehicles are not show cars or classics. Yes they should be allowed to come and participate, but do not take an award away from a true show car or classic to give it to an E.V. Maybe think about having an E.V. Award or Class.
Please remember any info for the MVN Newsletter needs to be in by the beginning of the last week of the month so I can start putting it together. Also if you are reading it on the website and would like to have it sent to your e-mail, as soon as it comes out, just call me or send me your e-mail address.
A big congratulations to Dale Pearce for being the latest recipient of the Ohio Automotive Event Preservation Award. Don presented it to Dale at the Millers Car Show on the 11th. See Don's Go4Rider Site to view the video or my photos (225-240).
I now have most of the info on the six national car clubs that will be in the Dayton Ohio area for their convention or gatherings. On May 31st thru June 3rd, the Moon Car Club will be at the Holiday Inn in Moraine, Ohio. The Monte Carlo Car Club will have their event June 23-25 at the Holiday Inn in Fairborn, Ohio. The Reo Club of America will hold their get together July 19-23 . No venue at this time. The Oldsmobile Club of America will be at the Dayton Marriott Hotel August 9-12. They are expecting 300 plus to show up. As always, the Trans Am Nationals will again be at the Holiday Inn in Fairborn, Ohio August 25-27 and as of right now, the Plymouth/Barracuda Owners Club is set for the Summer but a date for it and location is still being worked out. I will let you know when they send me the final info.
I got and email and a call from Cathy from Edison State College wanting me to help with advice on them putting together a car show in September for their 50th Anniversary. We have already got started but more to do. I will keep you posted. I'm hoping they will make this a yearly event.
In closing, as always a lot to say. Please keep Jim Keeechle, George Montgomery, and Ed Crowder in your prayers as well as those who have died in the Southern tornadoes, the chocolate factory explosion and of course the school shooting in Nashville, TN. The Thursday and Friday Night Cruise-ins will start the first week in April, Hot Dog will be at Heart of Ohio on the 2nd and Naturally Horsepower Farm on Saturday the 1st beginning at 8 a.m. Robin's Kettering Saturday Night Cruise-In will begin on the 22nd. Promoters keep those flyers coming to Kevin. Don't forget about Bill Holder's site. It's looking good. Rob Kohlbacher will soon be in his new location 3472 Successful Way off of Needmore. Congratulations, Rob. The place looks great! Keep in mind that COVID is not a thing of the past.
Did you know that all Ace Hardware locations in our area have been sold? They will now be known as Rocky's Ace Hardware.
Photos of the month: Check out last years National Trail show and last year's Hail to Horsepower event to see why they are a must do for you.
Quote of the Month: It's okay to dream about what you want to do, until it's time to do what God has planned for you.
This just in: Another great national car club event is coming to our area for the summer of 2024. I'll let you know when I can release the information to the public.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
March 1st, 2023
Miami Valley Novas March 2023 Newsletter VOL.9 NO.3
Hello Everybody,
I would like to first start off by saying welcome to Spring. Okay, I know we still have nineteen more days of winter, but really I think we have it licked! And also Daylight Savings Time will begin on the 12th, so things are soon going to be happening. But now on a more sad and solemn note. The time to pray for our nation, our world, and our friends could not be greater. The war in Ukraine enters its second year, tensions between the U.S. And China continue to grow, and the earthquake in Turkey and Syria has taken almost fifty thousand lives and displaced 2.5 million, and now we have our own Ohio disaster in East Palestine to deal with. The video we have all seen of it is just horrific. Most likely this town will never fully recover from it. As for our friends in our Miami Valley Car Show community, I won't name who they are, but I personally know of some that won't be with us much longer. So, yes, I am asking that we each take a moment to pray for all I have mentioned and thank God for his Grace.
On Saturday, both Don Sparks, A.K.A Go4Rider, and myself covered two events. First, the February Cars and Parts Swap Meet at the Clark County Fairgrounds was the largest one I've ever seen. All three of the connecting buildings were filled and the youth building was also in use. As for vendors inside and outside, I saw many of the regulars as well as some I've never seen before. So, yes, it was a great event and time well spent.
Traveling as quickly as possible, I arrived by noon at the Greene County Expo Center to begin taking many great photos of this first ever indoor event known as "Powerama". Jeff Lane and Shane Syx, who worked over the last year to bring this all together can be very proud of what they accomplished. As I enjoyed the event and shot my photos, I also asked many of the attending spectators what they thought of the show, and nobody was disappointed. The only bad comment I did hear was they wanted it to be bigger. I spoke with Jeff the other day, and he agrees with them, so next year, it's going to be bigger and better. So for those of you who did not enter your special machine or your unique creation, Jeff will be ready to take a look at what you have for the 2024 event. Needless to say, both what Go4Rider and I have are a must see, because if you missed it...you missed a lot!
As for this month of March, I have four events to let you know of. First off, on Saturday, the 11th, it's the 16th Annual Millers Swap Meet and Car Show at the Ross County Fairgrounds in Chillicothe, Ohio. I believe I stated last month that the National Trail Show in New Paris, Ohio on the 22nd of April was the first big car event of the outdoor season to take place, but that is not really the truth. It's the Miller's Car Show because weather permitting, Brian and Nate Miller will have a great show to attend, and I've got the photos to prove it! See March 13, 2021 to view my 404 pictorial of their show. The three remaining events are all swap meets to find that special something you are looking for. March 19th, check out Kelsey Chevrolet Greendale, Indiana from 8-3 PM. Phone Tom at 513-377-8182. On the 26th, there are two: The huge Freeman's Super Sunday at the Indiana State Fairground from 8-3 PM, call Clarence at 317-296-0336, and the 24th Annual Spring Auto Parts Swap Meet at the Fairfield County Fairgrounds from 8-2 PM, call Steve at 740-407-3027 for more info.
Looking ahead to April and the weather of course permitting, the cruise-ins will be starting up, so go to MVN to check my listings as well as those in the two top boxes of the MVN Car Show Page. As I always say, Car Event Flyers by Kevin (Foust) is a must! Right now he has over 100 listed, so we want to thank Keven for continuing to do this most valuable service for all of us in the tri-state.
Naturally, two of the biggest events in April to save the date for are National Trail on the 22nd, from 10 am to 3 pm. This will also be our first MVN get-together. So MVN Members, we will be doing a Nova Line Up at this show. I spoke to Ed the other day, and everything is a go with even more awards than last year: Top 50 and 15 Specials to be given out. The second big show in April to save time for is the 2nd Annual Hail to Horsepower" on the 29th at Horsepower Farm. More on these events next month.
If at sometime it sounds like I'm repeating myself on certain subjects, this is only because each month many new people are finding out about the newsletter, and we want them to know everything that the MVN Website has to offer. Also it's a good way to remind everybody to check out things of interest to them.
My daughter Robin and I are working on adding some new events and cruise-ins to the website. I hope to have them up very soon. I'll let you know what they are in the April Newsletter. Also, some people still ask me to list my events only by specific dates. This not going to happen because of the work involved in changing them from year to year. The system I use also allows the events to be current year round.
Because we are now into March, you only have a few more days to get your car shows and cruise-ins listed in the Show and Shine Auto Event Calendar. The cut off date is March 20th. The 2023 edition of the Event Calendars will be available for purchase at the Hail to Horsepower Event at Horsepower Farm on April 29th. If you want to get the word out about your event, there is no better way to reach so many people with a single one low fee. So don't wait! What I hear all the time is "I should have put it in the Show and Shine". Call Roy or Debbie now at 513-868-7735. You'll be glad that you did.
Something I spoke of before, I need to speak of again. When at a stoplight and you get the green to go, always look left and right. Every day I'm seeing more and more people running these red lights! This might just save your life. Remember don't trust the Green!
Is your classic car insurance correct or up to date? I just recently helped someone save a lot of money when I found out they had the wrong coverage. Also that Homeowners Policy you have does not include your valuable classic sitting in your garage. Just so you know.
In closing, Thad wants everybody to know that the Kettering Shelter Church Car Show has a new date. It will now be on the 4th Saturday of June. And yes, he is going to have it listed in the Show and Shine Calendar. Also, the Riverside Car Show has a new date and even a new name. It is now Rockin Rods Riverside Festival Car Show at a new place, as well, Rohrer Park on Saturday June 17th. See the flyer on the Car Event Flyers by Kevin. Next Month, I will list all of the National Events I spoke of coming to our area. Ron Eifert of the Dayton Convention and Visitors Bureau has just sent me another one. It is the Moon Car Club. To all promoters, keep those flyers coming to Kevin. Don't forget about the first Saturday of the month at Horsepower Farm Cruise-in. Be sure to look at Don's site, Go4Rider, for all his new stuff, as well as past videos. Please let Patty know if you can help with the Autism Car Show in June, and check out Bill Holders new site listed on the Index Page of the MVN Website. It's really pretty cool! And speaking of Bill, we want to wish him a very happy birthday on March 15th and to thank him for his many years of service to our classic car, truck hobby, and the racing community as well.
Did you know that in President Biden's State of the Union Address, he said that we will only need oil for the next ten years. This, yet again, is another example of an assault on our classic car hobby and our way of life as we now enjoy it to be.
Photos of the month: the 1st Annual Powerama at the Greene County Expo Center and past photos of the month: Millers Swap Meet and Car Show, 3-31-21.
Quote of the Month Always strive to fly high. But definitely stay grounded.
"This just in" For info on the winners of the Powerama, visit Go4Rider's site. I'm told he has it all on video. Thanks Don for all you do for us. Also the Dayton Off Road and Outdoor Expo on the 25th and 26th was a great success at the Roberts Centre. Check out Don's Go4Rider site and my photos. I have an amazing pictorial of this event.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
February 1st, 2023
Miami Valley Novas February 2023 Newsletter VOL.9 NO.2
Hello Everybody,
Well, if cold weather is your thing and snow is your passion, this is your time of the year. But, if you are like myself who can't wait for warmer days, then I've got some good news. Tomorrow is Groundhog Day, and as we all know, this marks the half way point through winter. So regardless what Phil the Groundhog says, we still have six more weeks of this. But trust me, it's going to go fast. In fact, the daylight hours are already getting longer. The average daytime temperature is forty and above, and I'm seeing at the stores that the spring merchandise is also being put out on the shelves. Yes folks, next month really is going to be Spring. That's in just forty six days! If you're counting, like I am.
I'm seeing on "Car Event Flyers by Kevin" that he has about thirty already up, so take a look, and to all car show promoters, this is where you want your flyer to be - and the sooner the better! Because the longer it is up, the more exposure you will receive. Kevin's site is visited by thousands in the tri-state, and all you have to do is Google it or I have a link on MVN Car Shows Page in the Top Left Box.
As for the Show and Shine Auto Event Calendar, this also is a must do for your show or event, but time is running out to get it listed. March 20th is the cut off date, and yes, they can be purchased at the annual Hail to Horsepower Event on April 29th. Remember promoters: Every car/truck motorcycle enthusiast buys this fantastic publication, so don't miss out! Call them at 513-868-7735 now!
For February, we have three big events to take place. On the 18th, from 7 a.m. to about 4 p.m., it's the first swap meet of the year at the Clark County Fairgrounds in Springfield, on the 17th, 18th, & 19th. The 1st Annual Powerama Custom Auto Show will take over the Green County Fairgrounds in Xenia to hold an all indoor event featuring classic cars, trucks, and cycles. I spoke to Jeff Lane just the other day and he says it's looking pretty good. However, they are still in need of more cool stuff to enter the event, so give him a call at 937-475-3935. He also wants everybody to know that the buildings will be connected by tents so be sure to come on out. The 9th Annual Dayton Off Road and Outdoor Expo will take place on the 25th and 26th at the Roberts Centre in Wilmington. Admission is only $5.00. To view this event from last year, see my 348 picture portfolio. It will give you a good idea of what a fantastic time this event will provide.
Patty Gilliland, who put on the Autism Charity Car Show last year at the Rip Rap Roadhouse wants to have it again. However, help is needed. I spoke with Bob the other night and Car Show Classics will again provide the music and I, like last year, will help to get the entries parked, but without more help, this event won't take place! Call Patty if you are willing to give some time for a great cause, 937-403-3997.
On January 14th, I, along with a record number of spectators for this event, enjoyed over 350 classic rides at the Annual Cincinnati Cavalcade of Customs. First of all, if you missed it, you did miss a lot! Sure, Don Sparks of Go4Rider, Topwater Tony, myself, and others got many great images, but it's nothing like actually attending to be part of it. With that said, let me tell you just a bit about what I experienced. Cindy Williams, Mackenzie Phillips, Henry Winkler, and Jeff Lutz were as nice as could be. Speaking with each of them for a few minutes, I can tell you that they are interesting, down to earth and love people (photos 393-418). Henry Winkler even came over to pose for a photo with Scotty and Katie in front of his Galaxie 500 that did take 3 awards: Best Display, Best Restoration and First Place in his Class, (see photos 141-148). I want to personally thank Greg McDaniel for allowing me to again enter the event ninety minutes early to acquire the fantastic shots of the fifteen I.S.C.A. Show Entries (photos 49-112). At 10 a.m., the doors opened, and soon the aisles were filled with admiring spectators (photos 447-488). Moving upstairs to the third floor (489-621), there was much more to see, like John Engle's display of his Hagerty clients' cars (photos 564-612). This big winner of this group was Matthew Farmer with his 1971 Green Dodge Demon taking first place in his Class, Best Interior, and the Master Builder Award (581-592). Many of our friends did come down to enjoy the day, so putting them all together in one section, you can see who I found from the Dayton area, see (photos 629-660). There is so much more I could say, but just look at the 668 photos.
Chuck Cobb of the National Street Rod Association has contacted me to let everybody know that he is available to do safety checks on our rides at no cost and no obligation to repair anything he should find wrong. He will be setting up at some of our events this year, as he did last year like at the Cincy Street Rods. Coming from Illinois, Chuck is hoping to stay in our area and be a part of our Miami Valley Car Show community. His phone number is 309-642-0244. More on him to come later.
I spoke with Jim Keechle's son the other day, and he says his Dad is doing well after the stroke, so they will soon again get back on the lung cancer problem. Please keep Jim in your daily prayers.
Something interesting about the 57 photo shoots I did on car shows last year. 24 of them were new shows that I had not photographed ever before. So you might want to check them out.
Don't forget to check out Bill Holder's new Facebook site. It's cool and growing fast to cover a lot of our Miami Valley Car Show scene as well as other things of interest. A fast link to it can be found on the bottom right of the Index Page of Maimivalleynovas.com. Also, Bob Pitsch of Car Show Classics has redone his website, so take a look. It's really nice. He even has 24 hours classic music streaming with old commercials. His fast link is in the top left box of MVN Car Show Page titled Events by Car Show Classics....pretty cool Bob!
Please remember if for some reason you do not receive your MVN Newsletter in your email box by the 1st, it might be going to spam. Check and fix, but it's always on the MVN Website by the 3rd or 4th of the month, along with all that I have done since 2015. The first ones really show the evolution of them.
As I look at the Show and Shine Auto Event Calendar from 2022, I see some events on page 42 actually begin on the 1st of April, so take a look. Tracy has told me the Get Air Thursday Night Cruise-In will begin on the 6th, and Robin's Saturday Night Kettering Cruise-In will be starting up on the same day as the first car show at National Trail School on the 22nd.
In closing, as always a lot of little things I want to mention. First, I want to say thank you to those of you who sent me a Christmas card or a text or email. It's something I forgot to do last month. Happy Birthday to Ohio George Montgomery who had his 90th birthday on January 27th. For those of you who got my Christmas card, you may have noticed I used the same one as in 2021. This was done as a tribute to Joe Peters, my best friend showing his 1973 Gold Duster. Remember that COVID is not a thing of the past. There are two variants out there so wash your hands a lot! Don't forget about this Saturday Cars and Coffee at Horsepower Farm. It's always the first Saturday of the month 8 a.m. to whenever it's over. Lastly, I have some sad news. Donna Edwards, wife of Bob, passed away on November 24th. See (photos 167-168) of Antioch Shrine Car Show August 26, 2018. She was a very good friend to all and a very special lady. She will be missed a lot!
Did you know that Miami Valley Novas is a registered name on file with the State of Ohio and that all my photography work is copyrighted? So when using my photos, please give me credit.
Photos of the month are for sure the 2023 Cavalcade of Customs in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Quote of the Month: A cup that is half empty is also half full.
This Just In: Kevin Foust has informed that Four Wheeler Magazine will no longer be published. Where there were once dozens of car/truck magazines, now only a few remain. Also, I was just informed of the passing of actress, Cindy Williams. I am very sorry to hear this.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
January 1st, 2023
Miami Valley Novas January 2023 Newsletter VOL.9 NO.1
Hello Everybody,
Let me first begin by saying Happy New Year, and then welcome to Winter. It began only two weeks ago, but it seems like a lot longer. Maybe that's because of what a good part of our country went through during Christmas week. Of course, as bad as it was for us in the Miami Valley, this once in a generation storm, that they called a bomb cyclone, hit Buffalo, New York the hardest with over four feet of snow on the top of the record cold. At the time of writing this newsletter, over fifty people have lost their lives due to the storm, so we do need to say a prayer for them and to be thankful that we have come through it with very little problems.
As we are now into 2023, let's take a look at the calendar. The first day of Spring is March 20th, and that's only 79 days away. The first outdoor car/truck related event will take place only a few weeks later. So most likely, it's about one hundred days or so until we will once again be out cruising in our classics. Now besides giving you a reality check on how quickly the show season will begin, I'm using this to remind all of our car show promoters that it's time to get busy on your flyers. Most of you know when you're going to have your event, so why wait? Kevin already has ten up on his site, and the sooner you get it out there, the more exposure it will receive. Naturally this goes especially for listing your event in the Show & Shine Calendar. The deadline is March 20th. Roy and Debbie are ready to take your call at 513-868-7735 to help you list your show or event. As always, your first chance to get the Show and Shine will be at the end of April, most likely at the Hail to Horsepower Show.
On December 3rd, Opie and Sue put out the welcome mat once again at Horespower Farm for the annual Toys for Tots event. All in all, the weather did cooperate. It was a bit on the chilly side in the morning, but what a great time; a nice cruise-in, a Jeep Rally with awards, the Star Wars characters to do a meet and greet, Santa, and lots of cool vendors. Opie tells me with cash donations and donations from the donuts and the Gold Star Coney Bar, they raised over seven thousand dollars. Many kind people filled lots of boxes with new toys and 550 scooters were also able to be donated. One special highlight for myself was to be given the pleasure to present, to Opie and Sue, the Ohio Automotive Event Preservation Award. See (photos 185-200). Also, see the video on Go4Rider. Then later on that same day, Don was able to present this same award to Shane Syx (Photos 325-336). But of course, you have got to check out my entire pictorial of 348 photos. "It's quite special."
Moving on to the big Cincinnati Cavalcade of Customs to be held January 13, 14, & 15 at the Duke Energy Convention Center, it's all on track. Speaking with Greg just the other day, he says the celebrity showcase is Henry Winkler, Cindy Williams, Mackenzie Phillips, Tom Wopat, Catherine Bach, Jeff Lutz, and Jon Moxley. For more info, go to the MVN site Car Show Listings and click on the link to Autorama.Com. But to get the real idea of this event, look at my past photo shoots. Then you will understand why this is a must do show. Saturday is the day that Don of Go4Rider and myself, along with many others from our Dayton area will be going, so come on down with us.
The Powerama event for February 17-18-19 and also the Off Road and Outdoor Expo for the 25th and 26th are both on track as well to give us all some cool February fun. See the info on the MVN Car Show Page. More on these two fantastic events next month.
I would like to mention again a few things about the Millers Swap Meet and Car Show that took place in November at the Ross County Fairgrounds in Chillicothe, Ohio. The Miller family always do a great job and this photo shoot is important, since many of you can't make it in person. The 400 great images along with what Don Sparks of Go4Rider has on video, is actually quite interesting. The all original 56 Ford (photos 49-60), the two blue Ford trucks (photos 105-112), and of course the spectacular eight door custom creation Black Super Duty is something you have got to see to believe. Andy the owner says it took 4 trucks to make the build and everybody loves it (photos 157-172).
When going around for my annual Christmas visits and making calls to those who I have not seen in a few years, I found out some have sold their classics, but most are still afraid of COVID, and it is this reason that I'm only doing the fist bump, because I don't want to get anything or spread it around to other people I meet.
For those of you who receive my special Christmas mailer, you found my memory card in it of Joe Peters with info about him on the back. I'm still working on finding good photos to update his page. I'll let you know when I have everything uploaded for you to view. Also, I will have these cards with me to give out in 2023 at shows as a tribute to his sixty year run.
As for the National Club Events coming to our area in 2023, one of them has their flyer already on Kevin's site. More on these events, hopefully next month However, when speaking with Jim and Casey Barr last week, it's still not certain if another Memorial Mike Barr event will take place. I did convey to them how much we all want it to continue, and it's my hope they will have it again.
Please make sure if you don't receive your MVN Newsletter by the 1st of each month, that it's not going to spam. For some reason, some computers read Miami Valley Novas as junk mail, but not every month. This is what some of my subscribers are telling me. You can always get it on the MVN site, but it might be a few days after the 1st.
Bill Holder has a new Facebook site to feature and highlight his outstanding work. Robin has made a nice tag for it located on the Index Page of the MVN site, bottom right for easy access. Only a few things are up for now, but it's going to grow and become something very special to have as part of the MVN site. More to come on this.
In closing, don't forget the Celina Swap Meet on January 7th, the Medina Swap Meet and Super Sunday on the 8th, and the Northern Ohio Racers Swap Meet on the 29th. Also, save the date for the Springfield Swap Meet February 18th. Shane Keechler, Jim's son has informed me that his Dad is not doing well. It seems when going through his cancer treatments, he has suffered a stroke. Jim is a MVN member, so you can see him and his car on the Members Page. Go to James Keechle 1962 Pro Street. Don't forget the Mecum Auto Auctions on the MotorTrend Channel January 4-15th. Over 4000 cool rides will be hitting the block in Kissimee, Florida.
Did you know that 75% of all traffic crashes happen in the night time hours?
Photos of the Month are of past Cavalcade of Customs Events in Cincinnati, Ohio at the Duke Energy Convention Center.
Quote of the Month: "Seize the moment, make now the most precious time, for now will never come again."
This just in: We have lost another very good friend. Kris Kollmeyer, who owned a beautiful 1968 Camaro passed away. A few photos of Kris and me can be found on Stillwater Center Car Show 2019 (163&164). Also my memories of Kris can be found on KreitzerFuneralHome.com.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
December 1st, 2022
Miami Valley Novas December 2022 Newsletter Vol. 8 No. 12
Hello Everybody,
Wow! Where did the year go? Yes, we only have a few more days of 2022, and for those of you who enjoy the cold, this is your time of year. But, for the rest of us that despise warming up the car, scraping the frost and snow off the windshield, slipping on the ice, and paying high heating bills, only to mention a few of the benefits of winter, let's try to stay positive, and remember that this is all part of living in the Miami Valley Area. Life is good!
As always, I see that my monthly outline for the MVN Newsletter has more topics to cover than space will allow. So, let's see what I can do to fit everything in.
On November 5th, many of us did travel down to Chillicothe for the Fall Edition of the Millers Swap Meet & Car Show, and according to Brian and his brother, Nate (Photo 186), the event broke all records with 210 entries to the show, and vendors inside and out was huge. Of course, what would a day like this be without spectators, and there was a lot of them checking everything out. To be honest, I could fill the entire newsletter talking about this day, but instead, just look at the photo shoot or the video that Don got for his site, Go4Rider. Best of Show went to Scotty with his beautiful 1965 Ford Galaxie 500 (Photos 77-80 and 387-388).
The next day on the 6th was the Annual Vintage Wheels Indoor Car Show benefiting the club's special children that they help out in various ways (Photos 305-316). There is so much I could say about this fantastic organization, and loving kids the way I do is the reason that this event has become one of my special picks. Along with Don of Go4Rider, we got it covered pretty well, so check it out. Along with all of the fine machines on hand to enjoy, a sweet young girl named Allison captured all of our hearts when she sang the National Anthem (Photos 237-250). So greatly loved by all, she has been invited back from now on, and we are looking forward to watching her grow up.
On the 12th, the Springfield Cars & Parts again took place at the Clark County Fairgrounds, and even though it was only about 20 degrees outside, it did not stop thousands from the fun of being together inside to check out all of the cool stuff. As you will see from my 164 photos, by the time I got outside to take pictures, it was snowing quite a lot. In all, 15 show cars did come for the event. I also put a few photos of my granddaughters playing at their house in the first snowfall of the season.
Moving on to what is coming up very soon, you should have received my email a few weeks back to save the date of December 3rd for the Annual Horsepower Farm Toys for Tots Day. This event is something special because again it involves children. Two flyers for this can be found on "Car Event Flyers by Kevin", my Car Show Page of MVN Top Left Box. If you can make it, please do so and if the weather is good, we will have a nice cruise-in. Any new unwrapped toy would be greatly appreciated or even a new bike, if you can swing it, but we know times are tough. The fun will begin at 8:00 a.m., with coffee and donuts, at 10:30 a.m., the Star Wars Meet and Greet will begin, and Santa will skydive into the Horsepower Complex Grounds at 11:00 a.m. Then at 1:00 p.m., The Gold Star Chili Coney Bar will open, but that's not all. You got to see the flyer for more details. Photos of last year's event can be found on the Pictures Page of MVN, (December 4, 2021). Other photos of the Horsepower Farm Complex are available for those who have never been there or would just like to see what I've shot, see March 5th, 2022, April 30, 2022, and May 1st, 2021. Go4Rider also has a lot of video of Horsepower Farm as well.
I just spoke to Greg McDaniel, and everything is on track for the January Cincinnati Cavalcade of Customs to take place on the 13th, 14th, and 15th at the Duke Energy Center. Entry spaces are still available for qualifying customs classics, and special interest vehicles. As always, it's going to be great! One thing that they are working on is the 50th Anniversary of the movie, American Graffiti. At this time, I am not at liberty to disclose all that might take place, but if they can get it to happen, look for long lines at the Autograph Table. For pictorials of past Cavalcades, visit the MVN site.
As for the February Powerama to take place on the 17th, 18th, and 19th, there is now a flyer up on Kevin's site and qualifying entries are being accepted. Both Jeff and Shane are working hard to bring a very special indoor event to our Dayton Area. Now, when Jeff was over at my house last week, he told me the field of entries is looking good, but they are wanting more vehicles that are not generally seen at local outdoor events. So, if you have been hiding something unique, this is your big chance to get it noticed. One special guest that will be at the show is Ryan Evans from Count Kustoms. Please see the flyer for more details of this indoor event or their website: POWERAMACUSTOMS.COM.
Bill Holder's interview with Fox Motorsports did take place on the 16th, and according to Bill, it went on for three hours. Unfortunately I was not able to attend it as Bill wanted, but it was nice of Bill to ask. Right now, it looks to be set to air in the Spring when racing season begins. I will be sure to let everybody know date and time.
Last month, I made mention of some National events that will be having their club meets in the Dayton, Ohio area, and I received from Ron Eifert, three that I am now about to release for publication. Sometime in the Summer, (date not set), the Plymouth Barracuda Club will be here, in July the 19th-23rd, the REO Club of America and August 7th thru the 12th, the Oldsmobile Club of America. The venues for these events will be released at a later time, so I will be sure to let you know when I get more information.
Last week, Julie Albaugh called me to help her get out the word that the National Monte Carlo Club is also going to be holding their meet June 23rd thru the 25th, at the Fairborn Holiday Inn, and new members are being accepted. For more info, call Julie at 937-215-8136. So 2023 is looking pretty good. Congratulations to Jim and Jann Wilkins on their acquiring to their collection a beautiful 1968 original Nova SS. Hopefully we will see it out in 2023.
On November 3rd, I attended a candle light service for Joe Peters at his church, Immaculate Conception for All Souls Day, and it just so happened that Jim Abel was also being honored as well. Jim was a long time MVN Member like Joe, who passed away on December 20th of last year, but I was not informed of it until just a few months ago. I did speak with his son and wife after the service to tell them how much we will miss him. But there is more sad news. On October 31st, I received an email from Tom Nelson to inform me of the passing of his brother, Leo. As many of you know, Tom and Leo have been around with us at many car shows over the past several years. Access Rose Cruise In and Bites in the Heights October 16, 2021 (Photo140). They are standing together in front of their cars. Leo is on the left, Tom is on the right. After selling their cars to Cindy and Herb Perry and Keith and Karen Young, they were going to move to Thailand, but now Tom is going to stay with us. I have been talking with Tom a lot, and while he has no intentions of purchasing another classic at this time, his love of the hobby and our friendship will keep him coming to our events. Tom, you have our most sincere condolences on the loss of your brother, and we hope to see you soon. Leo passed away from the flu on October 27, 2022.
In closing, I want to first give my condolences to all of those who have lost someone special in the past few years. Just too many to mention them all, but know this...we love you, we do pray for you. Also, please remember those who are in our classic car family who are not well and are dealing with personal health issues, and there are a lot of them. Be sure to check out Kevin's site. He has already nine flyers up for 2023, so it's not too early to get your show or event up, and don't forget the Show and Shine Calendar. They are ready to take your listings as well. I have more, but I'll save it for January. Hope you had a good Thanksgiving and have a very Merry Christmas. And again, don't forget the event at Horsepower Farm December 3rd for Toys for Tots.
Did you know: I recently got the cover of Retro Trucks Magazine for my photo lay out of two cameo trucks that I photographed in Lima Ohio?
Photos of the month, please look at all I have mentioned.
This just in: I just spoke to Beth Hayes who is my contact for the Off Road and Outdoor Expo, and yes it is a go for February 25th and 26th at the Roberts Centre. More next month on this.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
November 1st, 2022
Miami Valley Novas November 2022 Newsletter Vol. 8 No. 11
Hello Everybody,
As we come to the end of the 2022 car truck and cycle season for showing and cruising in or on our rides, we start to look back and say I wish I would have done this show or I wish I would have done that event. Or, if you are like many who didn't get out at all this year, I've got great news: Another Season is only five months away, but until then, I'm going to do my best to keep you up to date on what's going on in the Miami Valley and the tri-state area. Of course, I could not even begin to do this without the help of my many contributors and contacts that help to put together the MVN Website.
I would like to begin by first letting you know about the events still to take place this year. When speaking with Dave a few weeks ago, he informed me that the Beavercreek Cruise-In at Vineyard Church will go on each Friday if the weather is nice. That is, until the salt hits the road. On November 5th, this coming Saturday, the Millers Swap Meet and Car Show will take place at the Ross County Fairgrounds, and also on the 5th and 6th, Vintage Wheels will have their two day indoor Rod and Custom event at the Wayne County Fairgrounds. Flyers for both of these shows are on Kevin's site. On the 6th, the Dayton Buckeye Model A Ford Club will hold it's annual swap meet at the Miami County Fairgrounds beginning at 8 a.m. All makes and models of parts are welcome. For mor info, call 937-313-1634. On the 12th, it's the Springfield Swap Meet A.K.A. Cars & Parts at the Clark County Fairgrounds from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and finally, on the 27th of November, the Freeman's Super Sunday Swap Meet will again take place in the West Pavillion at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. See their Facebook site for more info. Now, while I'm on upcoming events, I might as well go for the first part of next year, the Cavalcade of Customs is set to roll into the Duke Energy Convention Center on January 13th, 14th, & 15th. I see on their website that this will also be the I.S.C.A. Championship Finals. This yearly event is very special, and both Don of Go4Rider and also myself have covered this show for many years, so please check out Go4Rider for Don's videos and my pictorials at MVN. As for the Powerama Custom Auto Show to take place at the Greene County Fairgrounds February 17, 18, 19, Shane tells me it's going to be a great event. Entries now are being accepted, so go to POWERAMACUSTOMS.COM for all the info. Also, this is a fundraiser for the Shriners.
And please don't forget about the first Saturday cruise-in at Horsepower Farm on November 5th and be sure to save the date for the big Toys for Tots event on December 3rd. See photos of last year on MVN.
Okay, as long as I'm into 2023, I do want to let you know that my contact, Ron Eifert, at the Dayton Convention Center and Visitors Bureau has told me he is working on bringing to the Dayton Area as many as four national car club events. I am not at liberty right now to say which ones, because the final details are still being worked out. Also, I'm told that another person is working on something as well, but this will be only a regional meet in the area. So, these, along with the Trans-Am Nationals and others, could make 2023 a huge year for the Miami Valley. I'll keep you up to date.
Fox Motorsports will be doing a long interview with our good friend, Bill Holder, in November to highlight all of his work over the years to promote his love of not only auto racing, but our classic car hobby as well. You may or may not know this, but Bill actually gave me my start in the national magazine photography venue when Phil Kunz retired. Shooting first for the Ohio Auto and RV "Nice Rides", and then with Phil on one of his last photo shoots, I had some of my pictures published in the January 2017 issue of Muscle Car Review when we did the article on the MVN Club. So, yes, I have been very blessed to be associated with Bill and for him giving me my chance to shine, I say Thank You! Bill's national interview feature will air sometime in December or January. I will be sure to let all of you know date, time, and channel, so you can watch. Congratulations, Bill! This has been a long time in coming, because you have done so many amazing things.
Last month, I said that Michael Besecker had won at the Dayton Concours, an Award of Excellence with his 1970 Cougar Eliminator. This was actually incorrect. What he won was the coveted Ray Keyton American Icon Award, which is huge for a classic car to receive. Congratulations, Michael. Your car is a real gem. Also, when talking about Robin's last Saturday Night Cruise-In, I said she will be back in 2024. No, she will be back in Kettering at the church for her first one of 2023 on April 15th. Please check out her last one of 2022, the Trunk or Treat Cruise-In Photos 10-1-22. Everybody had a great time. I've got 260 great images.
Congratulations also to Billy and Libby Bush for taking again some high honors with the Slimer at the Myrtle Beach Modern Mopars Event. The car not only took Best Theme, but Best in Show as well.
On Thursday, September 29th, after only 113 days of his passing, his sister put up for auction all 5 of Joe Peters Classics. Combined, they brought Just about around one hundred thousand dollars. It was a very sad day for me, except for the fact that two of them were acquired by a local collector and his son who I am very well acquainted with. They say they will keep them as Joe would want. The 62 Impala and the 84 Camry went to Virginia to a private collection and the 85 S-10 truck went to a local person I do not know. As for Joe's sixty year massive collection of high honored trophy's, Sue's wishes and mine to keep them was not to be honored. They were all thrown in a dumpster along with the rest of his mementos and memorabilia. Joe, we who knew you will never ever forget what great love you had for our classic car hobby and we will miss you always. More to come on Joe later.
Now for more sad news. Little did I know that after almost four months to the day of Joe's passing, we would lose another member of MVN. Robb Turner, A.K.A. "Nova Robb" died suddenly on the evening of October 7th, as he was putting the final touch on his 1972 Pro-Street Nova. I met Robb at the Northridge Car Show in 1997, as I was first taking names to form the Nova Club. Both of us being Northridge boys and Nova lovers, we hit it off. I once asked him how many Novas had he had over the years, and his reply was this, "Oh golly! About Thirty!" That's why we all called him "Nova Robb", and he was always ready to help. Even I was sold some parts out of his private stash when we were building my 71 SS. Of course, I could go on and on about him, but it's not necessary. Since Robb would have had his new Nova creation at the Northridge Show on October 16th, I have included a few photos of it on my pictorial of the event. Also, see his MVN Member Page and check out his cool tattoo. Robb, you will be truly missed by all who loved you and knew you. See his info on Newcomer site.
In closing, let me quickly review what I have shot since last month. Heritage of Flight, 9-30-22, was huge. There was so much to see and do. Dayton First Church and Kettering Saturday Night Trunk or Treat 10-1-22. I did both and K-I in between them, it was a long day! Get Air Breast Cancer Show 10-2-22 was a fantastic day. A big congratulations goes to Danny Fuson on his nice award from the Ohio Automotive Event Preservation Group presented to him by Don Sparks. See photos 257-264. Victory Church on the 8th. Hey, I won! First Time ever! Nice big new parking lot. Also Bill sent me an e-mail. It's now going to be an October event. Next one October 7th, 2023. After Victory, a lot of us went to the Rose Music Center Cruise-In, put on by Rob Kohlbacher. It was great, but again a long day! The Metal Brite Mike Barr Memorial Car Show on the 8th. Loved it and hope it's not their last "could be?" And the Franklin Trunk or Treat show was very nice, but I did not bring enough candy for all the little ones.
Did you know your vote counts. Be sure to use it!
Photos of the month: check out all I mentioned to see who won at them.
This just in: Larry Reynolds with the orange ghost flame paint job on his 41 Willys has also passed away. Please remember him and Robb in your prayers, along with Joe Peters.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
October 1st, 2022
Miami Valley Novas October 2022 Newsletter Vol. 8 No. 10
Hello Everybody,
Well once again, I'm reaching out to you a few days early, so this must be one of those months that we find the 1st being a weekend day, and yes, October 1st is this Saturday. With Fall now upon us, I know we are all asking the same question: Where did Spring and Summer go? But, don't put those classics away just yet.
First of all, I must begin with something that I was just recently informed of and would like those of you who do not know to be brought up to date as I have been. The quadruple homicide that took place on August 5th in Butler Township involved not only a mother and her fifteen year old daughter, Sarah Anderson and Kayla, but also Clyde Knox and his wife Eve. Clyde and Eve, as many of you know were part of our area car show family and living in Vandalia. Clyde would show his red and white 1962 Impala at many events. In fact, Bill Holder even did a story on Clyde and his Impala in 2016. This story can be found on page 79 and 85 of the book by Bill just recently published called "Nice Rides and Hall of Fame". Our deepest sympathies go out to both the Anderson and Knox families on the loss of these four beautiful people who were taken from us in such a terrible way. May God grant them eternal presence in Heaven, we pray in His name.
With September coming to an end, I think most of you will agree that even with all the rain that took place, most car shows were still held. But some of course were hit much harder than others. Case in point, the Beavercreek Popcorn Festival only had twenty five entries, but the show will be back next year. Sorry, no photos this year, but I do have a nice pre-covid pictorial from September 8, 2019 that illustrates just what a great event this show really is. Rob would also like to thank the dedicated twenty-five who did come out with their classics to support the event, and next year will be bigger and better!
Another event that was down on entries was the Annual Kettering Holiday at Home, but despite this, we still had a great day, as my 424 photos will show. So, please take a look at it to check out the classics, the food, the band "The Fries", and of course, who won. The Slimer, the Ghostbusters and Mike's Hot Wheels Bug were a big hit with all the wonderful kids.
The Patriot Day Car Show event on the 10th again was a great time also. Ryan has informed me that next year, the awards will begin promptly at 4 p.m. Now speaking of awards, I was very humbled to be the recipient of the First Annual Joe Peters Award, in my best friend's name, who by the way had served in the Air Force.
In September, I did photograph eleven events, so I just can't review them all, but I will say Friendship Village for the residents was nice, Butler Township was really fun, and the band "The Blue Leafs" were fantastic! Also, AMVETS Post 99 was totally cool! And Fairborn will, what can I say...everybody had a good time in Fairborn.
Now as I said in my opening, don't put those rides away just yet, because before that nasty cold air sets in, we have another month to go. Yes, I just counted on Keven's site top left box of the MVN site Car Shows Page "Car Event Flyers by Kevin", he actually has seventy up for October. Starting this Friday, things get going with the Annual Heritage of Flight Event/Cruise-In from 4 to 10 p.m. in New Carlisle. Of Course, this is the same weekend down in Clermont County - the Pumpkin Run Nationals. On Saturday, the 1st, Dayton First Church will have their annual car show from 10 am to 3 pm at 7031 N. Main Street in Dayton, Ohio.
As for Sunday, the 2nd, there is only one place you should be, and this of course is the Breast Cancer Awareness Car Show put on each year by Get Air in Huber Heights and the Old Rollers Car Club. Tracy has told me that even though the flyers says fifty awards, it is more likely close to ninety, simply because so many sponsors want to be a part of this worthwhile even. See the MVN site for more info of time, cost and location.
It is almost here, the postponed Victory Church Show will take place on the 8th from 9 am to 2 pm, and with it ending at 2 pm, you will have time to make it to the Rose Music Center Cruise-In from 4 to 8 pm. Yes! It is a go, and Rob Kohlbacher has been handing out a really cool flyer about it for a few weeks, so take a look. After the event, go home, get some rest because the next day, we will all be going to the 1st Annual Mike Barr Memorial Car Show at Metalbrite to honor our good friend that loved our hobby so much. This is something you will not want to pass on.
To mention only a few more in October, the Black Walnut Festival and One Room Schoolhouse on the 15th, Northridge (my almamater) on the 16th, and on the 22nd, McAfee Heating & Air will be holding a Trunk or Treat at their location from 1-4 pm for the kids. And this brings up all of the trunk or treat events that will be going on, so please look for them, beginning with the last Saturday night Cruise In this year to be held at Kettering Assembly of God on October 1st. The location is 2250 East Stroop Road. Robin and Gary are very excited about the new cruise-in site and are looking forward to the 2023 season. For the kids, please bring candy, but it is not required.
Now for something I feel that needs to be addressed. Over the years, Don Sparks of Go4R4ider, Kevin Foust, who does the flyer site, and myself have all had bad things spoken of us. Both in person and on social media, but we have all just let it slide. Now they are going after Tracy and Tammy, who put on not only great car shows, but also the Thursday night Cruise-In in Huber Heights. Please understand that if you should hear or read of these things, they just are not true. Of course, I make some mistakes on my website, but to have nasty emails sent to me as I sometimes receive, is uncalled for. All of us give of our time, energy and money to provide a service to those in the car, truck, and motorcycle hobby. As you know, they also tried to put an end to Robin's Saturday Night Cruise-In by even taking away her location. Folks, it just comes down to this, some people hate our hobby.
In closing, I want to mention several things. First of all, congratulations to Michael Besecker for taking at the Dayton Concours, and Award of Excellence for his yellow 1970 Cougar Eliminator. Shane Six is now accepting entries for the indoor event to be held at the Greene County Expo Center February 17-18-19, 2023. For now, more info can be found by going to PowerRamaCustoms.com. More on this to come in future MVN Newsletters. Thad would like to thank those who came out to his show on July 2nd at Shelter Church in Kettering. Next year, he is considering a new date that will not conflict with so many other events. More info on this as it is given to me from him. Bill Holder will once again, like last year, be on hand at the Breast Cancer Awareness Car Show October 2nd at Get Air in Huber Heights to sell and to autograph copies of his book "Nice Rides & Hall of Fame". So, if you have not yet purchased one, this is your chance. Remember when bringing up my photo pictorials, they will load slowly due to the high resolution of each photo. Also, when using my pictures on other sites, please give me credit for my work. More on this in future newsletters. Remember for November, to save the dates for Millers Swap Meet and Car Show on the 5th, and the Vintage Wheels Indoor Rod and Custom Auto Show in Richmond on the 5th and 6th. Also, don't forget Cars and Parts in Springfield on the 12th. Remember, this Saturday, the Horsepower Farm Cars and Coffee from 8 am to noon at 2227 Tinity Drive, and for sure, don't miss Dick Rymans last 2022 Cruise-In at Heart of Ohio for his Big Wooden Nickel event on October 16th. See 416 photos of a pre-covid Wooden Nickel on my Pictures Page. Look for date October 13th 2019. Please pray for MVN member James Keechle who is being treated for early lung cancer and Tammy Dunaway of Old Rollers, she has a problem as well.
Did you know that Halloween is actually the real beginning of the Holiday season in the USA?
Photos of the month are Clyde Knox at the October 10th Hollywood Gaming My Heroes Car Show in 2021 (197-200). Will will miss you Clyde!
This just in: The Tipp City Mum Festival Cruise-In on Friday was Huge! It was a lot of fun. The photos will be up as soon as I can get to them.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
September 1st, 2022
Miami Valley Novas September 2022 Newsletter Vol. 8 No. 9
Hello Everybody,
I was out the other night in my back yard, and I saw that some of my trees are already losing a lot of their leaves. Also, with it getting dark earlier and the night time temperatures cooler, the simple truth is, Fall is quickly coming and we have maybe two more months of outdoor events until the end of the 2022 car, truck, and motorcycle show season, so enjoy it!
The first thing that I want to talk about is our good friend and car event buddy, Don Sparks, a.k.a. Go4Rider. Yes! Don is back, although not fully recovered. He is doing his best to video as many events as possible. So, if you see him leave early, it's most likely he is tired or he is going to do another event in the same day. He wants everybody to know how much he appreciates all of your thoughts and prayers because he says it was a rough month. Please check his site for his latest work and his upcoming events. A fast access link is on the index page of MVN, bottom right. It looks like his card. So please keep praying for him. We all love you, Don.
As most of you know, but some may not, the big Saturday night cruise-in at the Kettering Town Centre has been moved to the Kettering Assembly of God Church, 2250 E Stroop Road, Kettering, Ohio. The reason for this move, acccording to Robin McCaffery who puts on this fantastic event every Saturday, is that they were wanting two thousand dollars for each event she held on the lot. Well, of course, this was totally out of the question, so putting the word out, many came to the rescue, but only three could hold the overwhelming amount of classics that attend this weekly gathering of gearheads. So, she would like to thank all who wanted to help keep this cruise-in going. Finally, it did come down to the church. Their lot is perfect and they are excited about helping out by even setting up their concession stand. As you know, the church holds a yearly car event that is actually coming up on the 4th Sunday of September. See it listed on the MVN Car Show Page.
I spoke with Scott Campbell the other day, who as most of you know hit some young driver on the way to the Kettering Holiday at Home Show last year, when the other driver ran a stop sign. Fortunately, he has recovered fully from his injuries, but his car, a beautiful black 1957 Nomad Wagon has since been determined a total loss. I told Scott that we are all thinking of him and hope to have him back out with us with or without a replacement classic.
On August 6th, I spent the day at Eastwood Park doing a photo shoot on the British Car Day Event. This was my first time to attend this outstanding display of fine British Engineering, and I was not disappointed. To say this was a great event would be really an understatement; fantastic is more like it. I have already received nice comments on my 400 photo pictorial. I think you will also enjoy it.
On August 13th, I did two events with my 71 Nova SS. First, I went to Piqua for the VFW Post 4874 Car Show from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Top Twenty and Five Specials were given out, and a photo of each is at the end of the pictorial, so take a look to see who won. Then packing up, I drove to the Derby Days Event in Lewisburg, Ohio to shoot another pictorial of fine classics and a fun filled festival with lots to do. As always, I did my best to get some really nice photos of this once a year community event showing not only classic cars and trucks, but historic Lewisburg as well. I love their old water tower and the old buildings in the pictures I took.
The Cruise-In to the Ice Cream Social on the 14th at the Washington Township RecPlex came off very well, despite the morning showers. Over 100 fine classics took a chance that the rain was over and judging by what I saw, everybody had a great time. See all the fun on my 300 photos and also Don has some fantastic video on Go4Rider of it.
The First Annual 31 Kustoms Show and Shine Car Show on the 20th actually was pretty good. Everything was going great; nice parking, good music, and food, and a dash plaque for everybody. But then, for some reason, it all fell apart at the awards presentations. All of the ones who won Specials took two awards and the Best of Show got four! This actually left many awards not presented. Everybody could not figure this out. Maybe next year, they won't break the number one rule of putting on a car show: "Never more than one award per winning entry!"
Speaking with Rob Koehlbacker a few times over the past month and others who are connected with the Rose Music Center, it really looks as if the Annual Cruise-In on the 3rd Saturday of October is not going to be permitted to take place. I have not changed it on the MVN Website, because I'm still holding out hope that they will change their mind on having the lot filled with fine classics as part of the Food Truck Rally. I will give you a final determination on this in the October MVN Newsletter to let you know.
I'm really sorry that last month I could not speak more about the nine July events I attended to photograph, but really the pictorials I've done can tell you a lot about each one of them, especially the Good Guys Event! I am particularly proud of this one because of all the fantastic shots I was able to obtain by riding the Sky Glider and throughout the entire day.
In September, there are just too may to list in this newsletter. In fact, Keven has on his site 139 listed, and I of course have my picks on the MVN Car Show Page, so please take a look. However, there are a few I have got to mention like the Springfield Car N' Parts 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. Pickheads on the 3rd, Duncan Falls Fire Department on the 4th, the Big VA Patriot Day Event on the 10th, of course, the Beavercreek Popcorn Festival Show the 11th, AMVETS Post 99 on the 17th, Fairborn is on the 18th, and the big Tipp City Friday Night Cruise-in on the 24th, but as I said, look at Car Event Flyers by Kevin to see the full list of what September has to offer.
Dates to save in October are the 1st, when the last 2022 Kettering Saturday Night Cruise-in will take place with Robin's Annual Trunk or Treat Event and the Get Air Breast Cancer Show has a new date of the 2nd. Also remember the Metal Bright Mike Barr Memorial Car Show on the 9th.
In closing, remember the Butler Twp. Cruise-In that was postponed to September Friday the 16th, Horsepower Farm on the 3rd, and Heart of Ohio on the 4th with Dick Ryman from 12-4. Also to all have a safe Labor Day, and don't forget about the Big Holiday at Home Event in Kettering at Lincoln Park.
Did you know: That there are now seven states that are going to soon ban the sale of gas powered automobiles? Personally, I don't think that this is going to be a good thing.
Photos of the Month: As I said, the Good Guys Event in July is great!
This just in: The Trans Am Nationals on the 27th and Culp Lake on the 28th were both great events and the photos along with 31 Kustoms from the 20th should be up to view very soon. I got some fantastic shots.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
August 1st, 2022
Miami Valley Novas August 2022 Newsletter Vol. 8 No. 8
Hello Everybody,
As we get older, it really does seem as though time moves more quickly, and now that we are into the month of August and with the kids all going back to school very soon, we must face the fact that the 2022 Car Show/Cruise-In Season has only a few more months to go. So if you have not yet been out there, the time is now, because believe it or not, next month they will be putting out at the stores, the Halloween items for sale "reality check". Looking at my notes and my outline for this month's MVN Newsletter, I see that once again, I have more things that I want to cover than space and time will allow. So, let's dive right into it and see where it takes us.
First off, I want to say thank you for all of your prayers for Don Sparks, AKA Go4Rider. As you know, Don and I are pretty close, so I am one of the few who have been in touch with him over the last month of him having COVID. Every two days, I have spoken to Don, and while he feels he is going to make it through this, it's not been easy, so keep the prayers going. He sends his love to everybody, and we should see him out there doing his thing sooner or later.
Eric Price, longtime car show promoter, Northridge, Jokers, FRABAAA, and other events, had a major heart attack on June 9th. Twice he had to be revived, but he is alive. So please pray for Eric, as he works to get better and recover. We need you, Eric. Hang in there.
Russ Coffey, who built many classics and was one of the best automotive restorers in the country, passed away on June 25th at the young age of 46. See photos of Hail to the Horsepower (277-279) and (480). I spent some time at the Rollin' on the River Event talking to his wife, Rachel and Daughter Sara, to learn more about Russ and his love for our classic car hobby. Last year, at the Rollin' on the River, his beautiful '67 Mustang took Best of Show and at the Horsepower Event, it took 2nd Place in the Great Five. Our sincere condolences to his wife and daughter on their loss. One more thing, Russ also took this year at the Cavalcade of Customs, the Master Builders Award. See photos (49-50).
As you know I like to give a little review of the shows and events I attend, but having done nine in July, I'll just quickly touch on each one. July 2nd, the First Annual Cruisin' Classics held at the Greene County Expo Center was more of an event than just a show with 253 entries. It was a great first time run. Best of Show went to Jacob Howard with his Black '66 Nova; July 3rd, First Grace had 68 entries. Best of Show went to Scotty McPherson, with his '59 Caddie; July 4th, Urbana had 679 entries with Best of Show going to Jacob Howard with his '69 Camaro; Good Guys, Wow, maybe 7 thousand! Steve Summers won their with his Camero in the F Body Class; July 15th, Buckeye Harley Davidson The Wall of Death & Cycles; July 16th, Route 42 was pretty nice and several winners took two awards each; July 22nd Voss Chevrolet was a super hot night and 725 was the final count; July 24th, Rollin' on the River was just a beautiful setting for a show; and White Trash. The photos, I think, will best tell the story of this event.
Like everything else, car show fees are also going up. Many have already gone to fifteen dollars and those that were fifteen, are going to twenty. In fact, Fairborn just sent me the info on their show, going to twenty dollars. This along with fuel and food at an event, it's going to cost us all a lot more.
From time to time, I still get asked why I list my events the way that I do. For example, "Last Saturday of July". It's simple, so they can stay up all year round, and to be on my list you must have a well established event that always takes place on the same day of the month. Case in point, I just added Culp Lake, last Sunday of August. So take a look, and of course, save the date for this great car show in its 15th year!
Now that Cruisin' Classics has taken place, Shane Syx wants everybody to know about his next big event. It will take place February 17th thru the 19th, at the Greene County Expo Center. Yes, it's an indoor show with all buildings rented, so I will have more on this in future newsletters. But for now, start giving it some thought. I, myself, am pretty excited about having a local indoor show event again. Yes! Shane tells me he has a lot of big plans.
As for this month, August, like July, is jam packed with shows to attend. I wish I could give a mention on each one, but this is not possible. Just looking at "Car Event Flyers by Kevin" MVN Show Page top left box, I counted over 120 for this month, and they are still coming in to be posted. If you are one of those who still does not look at Kevin Foust's Site, you got to check it out. Kevin, you are doing a fantastic Job for all of us. Thank you and keep up the great work. As for the ones I'm going to mention, these promoters have personally reached out to me to give a shout out about their fantastic events, and all are listed on the MVN Website: August 5th, Butler TWP; August 6th, the British Car Day and Hawker Shade Tree; Sunday the 7th, Tecumseh; the 13th, Arcanum, Boomerfest and Lewsiburg Derby Days Car Show. On the 14th, I think you will want to attend the Washington TWP Ice Cream Social Cruise-In. Last year was fantastic! On the 20th, it's the new event in Union, Ohio put on by 31 Customs; and in Lebanon, Ohio, the Urbancrest Show will again take place at the church and also the Bellbrook car show. Then on the 21st, it's the big event at Kil-Kare, "Gathering of the Geezers". On then 27th, we have Eaton and the S.C.P. Cruise-In that will take place in Kettering. Finally on the last Sunday of August, Antioch Shrine in Downtown Dayton; and of course, Culp Lake in Sprinfield.
Looking to September, I see a lot of great shows already listed, but one I do have to mention is the return of the AMVETS Show in Vandalia, Ohio on Brown School Road. The date is Saturday, the 17th, and the flyer should soon be up on Kevin's site. So, please save the date. Photos from the last show they had on September 20, 2019 are on my Pictures Page if you would like to see what a great show it is.
Last month, I mentioned how there are scammers out there, trying to get pre-paid for events. Just to clarify this, they are listing well known shows, so be careful, who you send any pre-pay money to.
Remember, any info for the MVN Newsletter needs to be in to me by one week before the end of the month, so that I can work it into my outline.
In closing, I have still not heard anything on the Hollywood Gaming Event. I know many of you have asked me if they are going to have it this year, but I just cannot find anything out. I'll let you know. Remember, the first Saturday this week at the Horsepower Farm Complex, and this Sunday, the Heart of Ohio Antique Center Cruise-In with Dick Ryman playing the music. Also, be sure to look at all of the upcoming events on Kevin's site and MVN.
Some photos in July are still not up. It's been a very busy month. So they will be posted as soon as I can get the album pictorials finished for publication.
Did you know that I love for people to tell me of things they find wrong on the MVN Website? So, if you see something not right, just let me know.
This just in: I spoke to Rob Koehlbacker the other night, and the Rose Music Center Cruise-In is most likely not going to take place. He is still working on trying to make it happen, but it is not looking good. I'll keep you posted
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
July 1st, 2022
Miami Valley Novas July 2022 Newsletter Vol. 8 No. 7
Hello Everybody,
Many times, I put out the MVN Newsletter a few day's early, and this month is no exception. Most of the time it is because of some really nice events that will be taking place on the upcoming weekend, and I want to give you a reminder or, if something new happens to pop up that sounds like a good time.
As I stated in last month's newsletter, the first part of July and the entire month for that matter, is jammed packed with so many car/truck related events, it would be impossible to cover them all. So, as I always say, doing your own research is the best way to find out what show is best for you. However, we here in the tri-state have some great resources that will help you get this done.
First of all, the Show and Shine Auto Event Calendar is always your best bet because of all they list. Many times, there are events in it you won't find anywhere else, and displaying it at a show or event will many times get you the Show and Shine Award. In fact, over the years, I have won two of them.
Of course in this online digital age, the internet has become a very helpful tool, and the MVN Car Show Page has many of the sites listed with easy access links, so if you have never taken a look, you should. Three of the best are Car Event Flyers by Kevin, Ohio Car Shows and Cruise-In, and Go4Rider. They really do a great job.
On July 1st, Xenia will have a cruise-in, center of town from 3-8 p.m. The next day, Huber Heights will be having their car show from 11 a.m. To 4 p.m. at Tom Cloud Park, $10 per entry. Then on the 2nd, the Light Up Liberty Show will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the Annual Shelter Church Show in Kettering is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The new Cruisin Classics Car Show will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Greene County Expo Center with Dick "Hot Dog" Ryman playing the music. On Sunday the 3rd, Kevin has five flyers up on his site, so take a look. But, the one I will mention is the Annual Freedom Celebration at First Grace Church with a Gospel Concert at 12 p.m. They always do a great job with lots of nice awards. See my photos of last year's event on my Pictures Page. Now for the 4th of July, take your pick of the many that I see listed. But of course, there is the Champaign Cruises Firecracker in Urbana, the Americana Festival Auto Show in Centerville, Ohio, and in Blanchester, you can attend the Food Drive and Car Show for the Blanchester Community Food Bank from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. With the music provided by Charlie Hargrave of Chazziz DJ Service. Of course, these are only a few of the many events around the tri-state area, so take a look. As for the rest of July, there is just too much to mention, but do remember the huge Good Guys Custom Hot Rod Nationals on the 8th, 9th, and 10th at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, Ohio. This really is a must do event and something you got to see to believe. On Saturday, there could be seven thousand rides on display to look at and get ideas from. Two last important things about July: The Victory Church Show in Tipp City, Ohio has been postponed from July 16 to October 8th so that they can complete their renovation project. I will remind you of this in September and October, but for now, please try to save the date of the 8th and please remember the Voss Hoss Charity Cruise-In Car Show on Friday, the 22nd . This is a great way to support AIM for the Handicapped. Please view my photos from last year on my Pictures Page. The date was August 6th with 400 great shots of everybody having a fantastic time. Many have told me that this pictorial is one of my best!
Now just a few things I have been asked to give a heads up about in August: A cruise-in will be held on the 2nd as part of the National Night Out at 5400 Chambersburg Road, from 6-8 p.m. in Huber Heights, Ohio; on the 6th save the date for the 4th annual Back the Heroes Rumble Car, Truck and Cycle Show in Batavia, Ohio. On Sunday, the 7th, Tecumseh High School in New Carlisle, Ohio will again have their custom car show from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. As I mentioned last month, Washington Township will be hosting again their Cruise-In and Ice Cream Social from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the 14th. See the flyer for more info, and of course Ed Crowder wants everybody to come out the 21st to Kil-Kar, for the Annual Gathering of the Geezers from 8 a.m. to dark.
As for reviewing last month's shows, I'm going to make it quick, because of things I still need to cover. The Reichard Cruise Into Summer was, as always, a good time. I only wish more of the MVN members would have shown up, but we did have twelve, so that's not too bad. The Autism Charity Car Show was great. Best of Show went to Keith and Karen Young with their black '36 Ford. The Agape Family Worship Car Show was way down from last year of 110 to only 47 entries due to the rain forecast. Best of Show was given to Greg Oxendine, with his beautiful '66 Chevell SS. I do have a photo shoot of the June 18th Kettering Saturday Night Cruise-In up to take a look at, as it always is, it was totally filled with cool classic rides. The First Annual Riverside Planes, Trains, and Automobiles could have come off much better than it did. So for those of us who attended and felt it could have been a better car show, I have been promised that next year will be much more organized and with more than ten awards. Total entries was 76, and Best of Show went to Kevin Foust, with his big red beautiful 4 x 4 truck. Again, because of the possibility of rain, the annual Get Air Old Rollers Car Show was down a bit on entries, but all who attended did have a great time, with Best of Show going to Jeff Hass with his outstanding 1957 brown Bel-Air.
By now, most of you havve heard of the passing of our great friend and car show buddy, John Joseph Peters, known to all of us as "Joe". I met Joe almost twenty years ago at the Xenia Walmart Car Show when he was showing his 1971 green Malibu and right away, I knew there was something extremely unique about him. As I began to build my 1971 Nova back to all original condition, our special friendship grew. And even though many people knew him, only myself and the love of his life, Sue Strader, knew him the way we did. In fact, it took me several years to become his best friend and somebody he knew he could trust completely. Many times, I would go to his house with a Cassanos Pizza, and we would watch a car auction or some other car related show and talk shop. Joe taught me a lot about how to show a car and what not to do at a car show. One big thing, was never talk to a judge unless he talks to you first. Yes, many people make this huge mistake. Of course, I could go on and on but it's just not necessary except for you to know that I loved him like a brother and like so many of our good friends that we have all lost, we must and will go on without him. More on Joe in future MVN Newsletters, but for now, I just wanted you to know a little bit about the best friend I've lost.
In closing, all photos are now up on the MVN site, except Riverside and the Get-Air Show. Maybe in a another week. Don't forget about all that is going on this weekend. Check Car Event Flyers by Kevin. Get that Show and Shine Calendar at many events, and follow Go4Rider. Don will keep you up to date on what's hot and happening.
Photos of the month I've already covered, but do take a look at the Voss August 14, 2021 pictorial.
Did you know, Bill Holder, has now received the Ohio Automotive Event Preservation Award. Don presented it to him at the Riverside Event. Go to "Go4Rider" to see the presentation of it to Bill. Congratulations, Bill. We all love you so much!
This Just In: Kevin Foust has informed me that scammers are listing car events on line to be pre-registered and ripping people off. Be aware of this scam and help spread the word on this. Also, the Vintage Truck Show held each year at Young's Dairy in August has been canceled permanently.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
June 1st, 2022
Miami Valley Novas June 2022 Newsletter Vol. 8 No. 6
Hello Everybody,
As you know, I always begin to write the MVN Newsletter with something like the weather or the season of the year we are in. But, just as I was about to look at my notes compiled over the last month to do this newsletter, we, as a nation and a people of God, have been forced to face the terrible tragedy of the murder of twenty one beautiful lives, nineteen of which were children. So, for two days as I prayed and thought about this I realized there was absolutely no way to start off without first addressing my state of mind. For those of you who know me or just read my newsletters, it's obvious that human life is a very important part of who I am. I love people, especially children. This is why I do the MVN site. At age five, I lost my little brother and at twenty two, my older brother, and six months later, my beautiful little sister. Since then, over the years, my life has not been easy. I have lost many more family member, including five grandchildren that my daughter, Robin, lost during her pregnancies. And, of course, friends, many of which I have written about over the years in my newsletters. So, yes I am sad; sad for the twenty one families, sad for the parents, the children who survived, and all of us as a society. So, please pray for our nation. We have so many challenges before us and yet to come.
Now that we are into June, and only twenty days away from summer, it's clear that the beginning of this years' show season has been a rainy one, with many events not doing as well as they could. But, this is the nature of our hobby, so cruise and ride when you can, but of course, your first priority is always safety.
On April 30th, the first annual Hail to Horsepower event took place at Horsepower Farm, with rain overnight it got off to a slow start, but by ten a.m., it was a continuous flow of classics through the gate and into the show field to be shined up for display. 139 did register to be judged and along with those that did not, it was a fantastic turn out of fine machines and beautiful metal. As always, the day went much too fast. Both Don Sparks of Go4Rider and myself worked the entire event to capture all the action. So for those of you who were not able to attend, Don and I know you will enjoy what we have on our sites. There is way too much to mention, but Best of Show went to Doug Cope for his red 1965 Chevrolet Malibu. Also, I would like to thank Don for allowing me to present to Roy and Debbie Troxell of Show N' Shine, the Ohio Automotive Event Preservation Groups Appreciation of Dedication Award see photos (417-422). More on these awards next month. Naturally of course a big thank you to Opie and Sue Willis for hosting the event and all that they do for us at their Horsepower Farm 26 acre complex.
The Shrine Mothers Day Car Show made a return to Smith Park in Middletown with 201 entries, and as they always do, the Shriners put on a great event. View my 464 photos and Go4Rider to see what took place.
Cincy Street Rods also made a return to hosting their event at the Butler County Fairgrounds on their regular date of the 4th Sunday of May. Of Course, it did rain overnight, but this did not stop the show. In fact, the last count I heard was 300 entries and tons of spectators as well coming through the gate. As for MVN, sixteen members did show up to participate this year, with four members of the club taking a Top 50 Award, see photos (511 and 512). Congratulations to Isabella for taking Best of Show in the Pedal Car Contest with her beautiful blue 55 Hot Rod Gasser. See photos (369-372) of her with car, mom, dad, and the award for her ride known as "Miss Behavin'". Also a big congratulations to Kevin Foust on his award from the Ohio Automotive Event Preservation Group, see photos (398-408).
On Saturday, the 21st , there were three events I had planned on doing. However, the two that I did attend both got canceled: Hollywood Gaming. I still have not yet been notified if it is going to be rescheduled; and the first annual Hirams Legacy Show at the Dayton Shrine did try to take place, but the bad storm at 4:30 caused it to end as soon as it began. Too bad, because they really had it all set up great! I do have some photos of it that I might publish. I'll let you know if I do.
The FRABAAA Cruisin' for Hop at Harley Davidson of Xenia went on as planned. Speaking with Eric Price the other day, he said that the show was great and ending it early allowed all to get home before that bad storm hit. See Go4Rider video for the event shots.
Now for what is on the month of June. Fist of all my show listings on the MVN site are finally all up to date, but to be honest, you must also go the Car Event Flyers by Kevin "top left box" because I counted over eighty events that he has listed just for this month. Also take note, that Kettering Backpack, Pierson Auto Inc., and the Father's Day Grill Out Cruise-In have all been canceled for this year. They tell me they will try again for the 2023 season.
A few must mention events for June are the Cruise into Summer at Reichard in Brookville this Saturday 4-9 p.m. This is a MVN Get Together, and they always give us space to line up our Novas, so members please come as early as possible to be part of a cool display of club cars. Note, I can't hold spots past 5:30 for this event. The next day, on the 5th, I am asking everybody to come on out to support the Autism Car Show to be held at the Rip Rap Roadhouse. See the flyer. Also Patty is asking that any people with Autism are invited to come and pick a car or truck or bike for an award, but note this is in addition to the awards given by judging staff of the event. As many of you know, my son Chris is autistic and will be there to pick a classic. Ah, and I will tell him not to choose my Nova. So please come to this very special event. Awards will be presented at 2:30 p.m. People with autism do not need to stay for the entire event but are welcome to do so if they wish.
Also on Sunday, the 5th for those of you up north, the Troy Strawberry Festival Cruise-In will return to Community Park call Taylor 937-875-3026 for info. On the last Saturday and Sunday of June, there are two great events; The Bumpers Car Show at Harley Davidson of Xenia on the 25th will return. After being canceled for the past two years, this is a must do event. Of course, another must do event will take place the next day on the 26th in Huber Heights, Ohio. It's the annual Get Air Old Rollers Car, Truck and Rat Rod Show from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Please see flyers for both events on Kevin's site or my listings.
For all of you Ford and Mustang owners, the Queen City Mustangers will have their 14th Annual Show on the 25th. Please see the Flyer for all the info.
In closing, remember the first weekend of the month events: Saturday Horsepower Farm 8 to noon and Sunday - Dick "Hot Dog" Ryman at the Heart of Ohio Antique Center from 12-4 p.m. Show and Shine calendars are now available at many events, so please pick one up. There is a new cruise in on Sundays from 2-6 pm. At the American Legion Post 746, 7015 N Dixie Drive in Dayton. Remember any info for the newsletter needs to be in by the beginning of the last week of the month. Always check out Don's site Go4Rider for great video of events and information. Promoters, get you flyers to Kevin ASAP. Car Event Flyers by Kevin has right now close to 300 up. Find his site on my Car Show Page upper left box, and once again, pray for all those affected by the elementary school massacre in Texas. They are going through so much .
Photos of the month are the Bumpers Car Show June 29, 2019 and of course all recent photo shoots.
Did you know that besides all of the events that I mentioned last month about July 1st through the 4th, there is yet another one I was just sent info on. It's going to be on Friday, the 1st in Xenia. The Red, White & Blue Block Party Cruise-In from 3-8 p.m., with fireworks at dark.
I will make sure Kevin gets the Flyer up on his site.
This just in: Deputy Gary Fulwiler of Washington Township sent me a very nice email wanting me to let everybody to know to save the date of August 14th for their community Ice Cream Social and Classic Car Cruise-In. Last year was a big success, so they want to do it again. More on this in the July and August newsletters. Also, Billy and Libby Bush took Top Honors at the Theme Cars R Us Show in Marietta, Georgia. Out of 110 Entries, their Slimer Creation took Best Theme and Also Sponsors Choice. Congratulations to Billy, Libby and the Slimer on this huge Best of Show Award. The Springfield Cars and Parts was great and the Car Show was fantastic, as was the Annual Frischs Cruise-In on Saturday the 29th in Franklin. See the photos on MVN.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
May 1st, 2022
Miami Valley Novas May 2022 Newsletter Vol. 8 No. 5
Hello Everybody,
I sincerely hope that each of you had a great Easter with your families to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord. Wow! How about that snow on Monday? Let's hope that's the last of it for this year, and speaking of this year, all indications are from what we are seeing it's going to be a big cruise-in and car/truck/motorcycle show season. So, if your classic has been sitting idle for the past several years, it's time to get it out and join in on all of the fun that we have at so many great events.
First off, before I get to new business and what is coming up in May, I want to first touch on two great events in April: The Spring Fever Show held on the 10th at Jeff Schmitt Chevrolet to benefit the OSSO-OVCH AXP was a first time annual event and a huge success as you will see from my 312 photos. So, for those of you who did not make it, plan for it next year. Of course, we also hope that next year will be better for the National Trail Car Show in New Paris, Ohio, because due to the rain in the early morning of this year's event, turn out was way down from all the previous shows. However, the event did go on and everybody had a great time! When you view the 300 photos I shot, take a good look at their beautiful trophy display of the Top 50 and 10 Specials, and the huge Best of Show Award. As for the big highlight of the day, I have to say that I was greatly humbled to be presented an award from the Ohio Automotive Event Preservation Group in appreciation of dedication for my work in providing "Miami Valley Novas The Website for Everybody"! To view the presentation, look for it at the end of the photos of National Trail. I would like to especially thank Don Sparks for submitting my name and MVN for this award. To view video of his presentation, go to Don's site, Go4Rider on MVN.
The month of May looks to be huge for events, but to be honest, it actually begins on Saturday, April 30th, which is why I am again sending out the MVN Newsletter a few days early. Yes, it is finally about to take place: the Hail to the Horsepower Event at Horsepower Farm is set to go, so I just wanted to give you one last shout out about this great fund raising day. So, please come on out for it.
On my MVN Show Listings Page, I have seven listed for May, but this is nothing to the forty nine that Kevin has listed on his site. This is why I tell you to visit in the upper left box "Car Event Flyers by Kevin". But I will mention the Shrine Mother's Day Show at Smith Park, the FRABAAA Cruise-in for Hope at Harley Davidson of Xenia on the 21st, the big Hollywood Gaming "My Heroes Car Show" also on the 21st, and of course, Cincy Street Rods on Sunday the 22nd. Now MVN members, remember that both the Shrine and Cincy Street Rods will be some get-togethers for the club as well as Hail to Horsepower at Horsepower Farm. Naturally, we can't forget the Springfield Event Cars and Parts on May 27-28-29th. Visit OHIOSWAMPMEET.COM for more information. One last thing to mention for May is the Troy Main Street Car Show to be held on the 6th from 4 to 8 p.m., center of town. See my 244 photos of last year's event on MVN Pictures 5-21-21 and also Go4Rider's site has video.
I'm sorry to say that the Annual Stillwater Center Car Show is now no more. They have informed me that the event will no longer be held. That's the bad news. The good news is that I spoke, for quite a while the other day, to Taylor Bruner, and yes, the rumors are true that they are bringing back the Troy Strawberry Festival Cruise-in/Car Show at the Community Park. Can you believe that it has been over ten years since we have had this great event at the park? Now I could go on and on about the thirty minute conversation, but I would much rather you look at the flyer for all the awards and info on this event to be held on Sunday, June 5th from 8-2 p.m.
Even though I will cover this again, I want to give you some info on what will be taking place in July. I have spoken to Thad of Shelter Church, and he has agreed to have his annual car show on Saturday the 2nd, as to not interfere with the Freedom Celebration Car Show on the 3rd at First Grace Church, and then on Monday, the 4th, everyone will be able to head to Centerville for the Americana Festival Auto Show. But wait, that's not all, Because Bonnie has informed me that Hamilton, Ohio has now decided to go ahead with the Light Up Liberty Car and Truck Show on July 1st. I know that I had reported in a previous MVN Newsletter that this event would not take place, but as you know, things are always changing in this hobby of ours, and this is why I put out the MVN Newsletter So, along with the Huber Heights Star Spangled Show on the 1st, and others that will also be taking place, it's not too early to plan your 4th of July weekend of Car Shows that you will want to attend this year.
I spoke to Casey the other day and just as I thought they would, the Metal Bright Car Show is going to continue to be held at their location. As we get closer to October, more info will be coming on this tribute event celebrating the life of our good friend Mike Barr. But for now, we still mourn the loss of Mike and give our condolences to the entire Barr family as we all move on without him.
Since Stephanie has informed me that from now on, there will be only one event at Voss Chevrolet, I am moving the event from my list of monthly cruise-ins to the Car Show Listings Page. This will also better reflect the new date of the 4th Friday of July. Now for those of you who still have not attended this fundraising event benefitting Aim for the Handicapped or would just like to relive some of the fun, I have several photo pictorials on the MVN Site, but I feel the best one is 8-6-21, so please take a look and save this date to help out Aim.
Congratulations to the Dunaway family on the launch of their new food truck to be known as "Street Eats". This will be a great addition to the Get Air Thursday Night Cruise-in as well as the many shows they put on throughout the car show season. No photos yet, but Don Sparks of Go4Rider has some, so take a look at his fantastic site, you'll love it.
As many of you know, I have become a good friend of D.J. Bob Pitsch, who is now doing many events around the Miami Valley. But have you ever visited his really cool website, "BobPitsch.com"? There you will see not only a list of his upcoming events, partners and info about him, but also a 24 hour streaming of classic music and info about happenings in our area. I also have a link to his site on the MVN Car Show Page, top right box, "Events by Car Show Classics". Bob, we love you Keep on doing a great job for us.
In closing, I want to say thank you to everyone who has asked about my heart and health. I pray everyday that I can continue to do what I love, and this is to help all of you enjoy our hobby.
Photos of the month are of what I mentioned in this newsletter, but also of the last Stillwater Center Car Show 7-21-19. We are going to miss it!
Did you know that the reason why I mention so much about Don Sparks "Go4Rider", Kevin Foust of "Car Event Flyers by Kevin" and D.J."Hot Dog" Dick Ryman along with others is because every month more and more people are coming to the MVN site and newsletter for the first time, so we got to let them know of all the great people that help support our way of life, and yes! Cruisin' is truly a way of life for us.
Important Note: The Autism show listed on the MVN Show Page was incorrect. It is not on May 1st. The actual date for it is June 5th. Sorry for the screw up. For more information, on this great event, see the flyer on Kevin's site.
This just in: The Xenia Spring Fling Cruise-In held on April 23rd was a big success with many of our classic cruiser friends attending. See Go4Rider's video, and my photos will be up soon.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
April 1st, 2022
Miami Valley Novas April 2022 Newsletter Vol. 8 No. 4
Hello Everybody,
Welcome to Spring. Well, officially it began on March 20th at 11:33 a.m., but needless to say the weather should begin to allow us to start getting our classics and our motorcycles out to enjoy them. Of course, we must first get through April, because in this part of the country, we know how unpredictable this month can be when it comes to cruising in our classics or going for a ride on our motorcycles, so let's hope for the best.
As most of you know who follow Don Sparks' site Go4Rider or the MVN site, we have already actually had several automotive-related events take place this year. Go4Rider has all of these on video, but I also have some great pictorials as well. You, of course, know about the Cavalcade of Customs, but did you know that on February 26th & 27th, the Off Road and Outdoor Expo took place at the Roberts Centre in Wilmington, Ohio? Now, to be honest, this was my first time attending this show, but as you will see from the 348 images I captured, it was a lot of fun. There was a bit of everything: Jeeps to trucks, and Star War characters to the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile that I have been wanting to get some photos of for years. Be sure to take a good look at the board that shows all of the past Weinermobiles that start in 1936, but then the entire photo shoot is well worth your time in checking out, so take a look!
On March 5th, Opie and Sue had a great turnout at their Horsepower Farm complex in Middletown, Ohio. Now it would be easy to go on and on about this fantastic place to get together on the first Saturday of the month, but instead, just look at the 300 photos up on the MVN site. Later in this newsletter, I will be giving you the final info on the big Hail to Horsepower event set for the end of this month. You're going to love it!
The Millers Swap Meet and Car Show that took place on March 12th in Chillicothe, Ohio at the Ross Fairgrounds did not exactly come off as those in the past. In fact, according to Brian and Nate Miller, it was the worst turnout ever all due to the weather. However, for those of us who did brave the elements, we found both buildings filled inside with lots of cool stuff to not only look at, but to also purchase. Outside, needless to say, was a different story. Only about ten, maybe fifteen vendors were set up , but then with all the snow and ice and wind chill of eighteen degrees, can you blame them. Best of Show in the competition went to Wilgus Sallie, with his Green 06 Scion. I really encourage you to take a look at the photos of this event.
Now onto new business. With cruise-ins and also all of the car shows soon to be starting up, Bill Holder has asked me to again let everybody know about the Nice Rides book that we began to promote and sell at the end of the 2021 car show season. Telling it to you straight, this book is fantastic, and it's all for charity, so your ten dollars is going to a great cause. For those of you who have not seen it, I have on the Millers Swap Meet photos, twelve nice images of sample pages (numbers 85-96). Bill will be selling his book at events very soon, so look for it. However, to the first four people to email our good friend BillHolder@WEBTV.NET, he will send you a free autographed copy by telling him what photo No. 91 is of.
As I stated in the March MVN Newsletter, "Hot Dog" Dick Ryman will start his monthly first Sunday Cruise-In this weekend (weather permitting) at the Heart of Ohio Antique Center. But, he is not the only one, because the Get Air Thursday Night Cruise will begin on the 14th, and Robin is going to begin her Saturday night Kettering Cruise-In on the 23rd. For those of you looking for a Monday night cruise-in north of Dayton, there is a new one beginning on April 4th from 4 p.m. to dark, located at the American Legion Post 668, 8220 North Dixie Drive. I did contact both John and Charlie on the cruise-in to run each Monday from April through September, and my feeling is that they really are working hard to welcome all of us with cool classics, hot rods, trucks and motorcycles. It should be a great place to spend a few hours on a Monday evening. Even their flyer is very well done, so check it out on Kevin's site. And speaking of Kevin's Car Event Flyers site, he now has over 100 listed with sixteen of them taking place in April alone.
With so many great events now popping up all over the tri-state, I'm going to keep working on mentioning as many each month as I possibly can cover, but especially new events like the A.L.Post 668 Cruise-in and the Hail to Horsepower Car Show, I will always try to promote. Of course, doing your own car show/cruise-in research is the key, and that's what MVN, Go4Rider, Car Event Flyers, and the Show and Shine Calendar is all about. We are here to help you all that we can in finding that special and unique event.
The two events that I most want to talk about in April are the National Trail Alumni Car Show to take place on Saturday the 16th, and of course, the new car truck show, Hail to Horsepower. For those of you who have in the past, taken a classic to National Trail, you already know what a nice event this can be. However, in past years, I've heard a lot of comments about getting a gas card as an award. Some like it, but most tell me they don't care for it. So, looking at the flyer on Kevin's Car Event Flyers site, I do see that they say Top 50 trophies and about 10 specials will be given out as awards. I also do see that a rain date of the 23rd is listed as well, so come on out and support this great event.
For months now, I have been promoting, along with Go4Rider, Kevin Foust and others this big event down in Middletown, Ohio called "Hail to Horsepower". Now how this all came about was due to the fact that the Sharonville, Ohio show is no more. So Opie and his lovely wife Sue decided not to pass up the opportunity to continue a big classic car truck season opening day for all of us to enjoy The date is Saturday the 30th at Horsepower Farm, 2227 Trinity Drive. The entry fee is twenty dollars Spectators are admitted free, but a donation would be appreciated, because all of this is for charity. There will be three D.J.s to cover the 26 acre site with music. Food and drinks will be available for purchase, with many vendors . A swap meet is also being considered, so contact Opie of you are interested. Now what would the car show season opening day be without being one of the first to purchase, hot off the press, a Show and Shine Auto Event Calendar? Yes, Roy, Debbie and the Troxel family will be selling the calendar at this event. Oh, and as for awards on the car truck show, Opie says most likely a Top 40 or 50, with many specials, but this is still being worked out. Of course, sponsors and help are still needed, so give Opie and Sue Willis a call if you want to do your part. Their phone number is 937-477-0450. See you there!
In closing, I want to say a special thank you for your many thoughts and prayers concerning my heart surgery. Don't forget about the first weekend in April, "weather permitting", the friday night Beavercreek Cruise-in, Saturday, Opie and Sue's monthly Cars and Coffee, Sunday Hot Dog's first Sunday Cruise-in at the Heart of Ohio, and Monday, the first Cruise-In at the American Legion Post 668 on N. Dixie Drive. Be sure to see my event listings on MVN for some more new ones that I will cover next month, and as always check out Go4Rider and Car Event Flyers by Kevin, and please pray for the people of Ukraine. It's not going well.
Photos of the Month naturally are the Millers, the Expo, and Horsepower Farm.
Did you know that Dayton Packard Museum will be having it's Spring Fling on April 22nd and 23rd? For more info on this 30th Anniversary event, go to their website: AmericasPackardMuseum.com.
This just in: On April 9th, Jeff Schmitt Chevrolet in Dayton, Ohio will have the 1st Annual Spring Fever Car, Truck and Motorcycle Show at their location on Orchard Lane from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. See the Flyer!
Also a big Congratulations to Billy and Libby Bush for taking another First Place Award with the Slimer at the Indianopolis World of Wheels on March 26th.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
March 1st, 2022
Miami Valley Novas March 2022 Newsletter Vol. 8 No. 3
Hello Everybody,
As we move into the month of March, it's time to really start thinking about the 2022 Car, Truck and Motorcycle season. I'm sure that snow and ice storm that hit us on February 3rd and 4th was something we all could have lived without, and then the cold air was no blessing either. Of course, the kids and those of you who got off of work were not complaining. They said it was the biggest winter storm to hit us in years.
But that was then and this is now, so let's take a look at where we are. Tomorrow is Ash Wednsday, the first day of Lent. On the 13th, we will move those clocks ahead an hour, giving us even more daylight. St. Patrick's Day will follow on the 17th, and the first day of Spring will begin on Sunday, the 20th. So why am I telling you all of this? It's because March is a big month, and I'm not just talking about thirty one days, but the fact that there are things in March we must not forget.
For example, on Saturday, the 12th, thousands of car loving folks like myself will be heading to the Ross County Fairgrounds for the Millers Outdoor and Indoor Swap Meet. Of course, like always, hundreds of cool classics and hot rides will also be competing for awards at the car show that takes place as well. Brian, Nate, and the Miller family really go all out twice a year to put on a super nice event for us. So even if it is a bit chilly, don't let that stop you from having a day of fun in Chillicothe, Ohio. Info is on my Listings Page, as well as photos. Don Sparks of Go4Rider also has this event on video to see, and Kevin has the current flyer up on his site, as well as forty others to check out. On March 20th, the Show and Shine Auto Event Calendar will stop taking listings for this year. Promoters, now is the time to contact Roy and Debbie to get your event listed in the only publication that covers it all. If you want to get the word out on your event, you got to get in the Show and Shine Calendar. Call them at 513-868-7735. Do it now! On March 26, Cruising the Living Alley will take place in Indiana. See the flyer, and the next day will be the big Freemans Super Sunday Indoor Swap Meet in Indiana as well. A link to their website can be found on the MVN Parts and Services Page. Scroll down to Swap Meets to find it along with Millers, Springfield, and Miami County Swap Meets.
The next thing to cover is the MVN Car Shows Listings Page. I'm working hard to contact the promoters to get current info. Of course most of this will not change, but I still contact each one of them to get updates. For example, the Arcanum Car and Truck Show is now no more on the 3rd Sunday of May. They say they will do a Saturday Night Block Party Show on August 13 from 3 to 7 p.m. Info on MVN. Also, Xenia First Fridays is gone, as well as the Light Up Liberty Car Show on the Sunday after the 4th of July. However, the Bumpers Car Show at Harley Davidson of Xenia is back and set for the last Saturday of June, but the Pierson Automotive I-75 Car Show will not happen again this year. More updates I'm sure in the April Newsletter.
April, right now is looking pretty good. I see on Car Event Flyers by Kevin that there are now four Flyers of shows taking place in April, including the National Trail Show on the 16th, and of course, on the 30th, the huge event being put on by Rick and Sue Willis at the Horsepower Farm. I have been staying in contact with Rick (A.K.A. Opie) over the past month, and while many details are still being worked out to fill the 26 acre site with lots of cool stuff to see and do, I can tell you a few definite things. The event is going to be called "Hail to Horesepower". The cost to register is $20, and all proceeds will go to charity. There will be three D.J.s in different areas of the site, and a vendor midway will be set up to accommodate the many vendors on hand selling their goodies, also, possibly a swap meet. As for the classic car and truck show and how it will be set up, they are still working this out on how to best provide something for everybody. Naturally, we still need and want more sponsors, so if interested, call Opie at 937-477-0450 A.S.A.P. More on this event in the April MVN Newsletter.
The indoor Sprinfield Swap Meet did take place on February 19th. However, I was not able to attend this event due to still recovering from my heart surgery on the 16th. I'm told it was great, and everybody had a fantastic time. Of course, Don Sparks was there doing a nice video of the day, so take a look at it when you can.
As for my heart surgery/procedure, I'm praying it will take care of the problem. Thank you to those who put it out on social media. I did get a lot of calls and texts wishing me well. So again, thanks for all your thoughts and prayers.
Last month, I contacted the Ohio BMV on the new license plates, and this is what I found out. Everyone who has the old gold plate will be required to get this new plate. For now, they are the only ones that must change. Only one plate is given, but if you do want another for the front, you can order it for an additional cost. Personally, I don't like how they look! But, you might like them, so if you want to change, they are now available to purchase when your current plate expires. It's something to think about.
For several years, I have been putting off, because of the time involved, on updating the MVN Members Page of the website. I know we have many new members who have been patiently waiting on me to list you and get your Novas up for all to see on the MVN site. This is a pretty big project, but I have not forgot about you and your special rides. As most people know, I don't just allow anybody to join this organization. Too many times, I have brought people into the club, made them a profile and a page on the site, only to find out in a year or so, that they sold their Nova because they wanted to get something else MVN members must be true Nova people, love the hobby, and the car. So hang in there. I got your info and I will get to you soon!
Oops! Did you see that the February MVN Newsletter said January at the top? I did catch it right after it was sent out, so it was corrected on Facebook and the MVN site right away. But this does bring up an important issue. So, if you ever see on the MVN website something that is not correct, please let me know right away, so we can get it fixed. You are not going to hurt my feelings. I want and need your help to keep MVN the best it can be for the classic car, truck and cycle enthusiast.
In closing, don't forget about the Millers Swap Meet and Car Show, check out DonSparks Go4Rider's site for lots of cool video, Car Event Flyers by Kevin, who has over forty already up, and take a look at Events by Car Show Classics right box bottom line. My buddy, Bob Pitsch has a great site with listings of all his events so far scheduled for this year, more to come I'm sure. Also, don't forget Horesepower Farm on the first Saturday, and please pray for the people of Ukraine.
Photos of the month: take a look at Horespower Farm (5-1-21) and (12-4-21) to see what it's all about.
Did you know that annoying MVN Logo Script behind the newsletter and other pages of the site has been removed? Thanks for letting me know that you didn't like it. I agree, it looks a lot better now.
This just in. Weather permitting, Hot Dog Ryman will hold his first cruise-in on April 3rd and Robin's Saturday Night at the Kettering Towne Center will begin April 23rd.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
February 1st, 2022
Miami Valley Novas February 2022 Newsletter Vol. 8 No. 2
Hello Everybody,
Can you believe that tomorrow is Groundhog Day? Yes, we have reached the halfway point through winter, and whether or not he sees his shadow, we will have six more weeks of winter. But looking on the bright side, spring is only 46 days away. I am even seeing the stores putting out the lawn and garden merchandise, and the first open air outside car show is actually next month at the Millers Swap Meet on Saturday the 12th. This annual event put on by Brian and Nate Miller at the Ross County Fairgrounds is definitely worth checking out! See info and photos on the MVN site.
On February 19th, don't forget about the Springfield Indoor Swap Meet to be held at the Clark County Fairgrounds. More info at OHIOSWAPMEET.COM, and photos of last year can be found on the Pictures Page of MVN.
As I said in my opening, spring is not that far away and even with COVID being what it is, what I am seeing as I work on updating my Car Shows and Cruise-ins Listings Page is pretty good news. Yes, we have lost some fine events, like the big Franklin show, the really great Zion Lutheran Church Car Show & Cruise-in, and of course, Sharonville. But, as the old saying goes "When a window closes, a door will be opened", and this is true for our classic car/truck hobby because we have many new events on tap for 2022. I will, at some point, talk about the ones I know of, but first things first!
Ok, from what we are being told, Sharonville will not be coming back. They had a good run, but it is now history! Naturally, this big car show season opener, as we have always called it, will be missed. That's the bad news. The good news is Opie and Sue Willis are once again stepping up to the plate to continue on with a big car show season opening day. Yes! Horsepower Farm will be the place to be on Saturday April 30th from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with awards around three. Many of the details are still being worked out on this huge day of fun, but I can tell you this, Opie and Sue are planning on not one or two, but three D.J.'s to provide the music to fill their 26 acre site. There will be class categories with trophies for each, lots of food and goodies, vendors, and of course, you will be able to pick up "hot off the press", your 2022 edition of the Show and Shine Auto Event Calendar. If you would like more info, or to become a sponsor, or just help out on this fund raising event, come to their first Saturday of the month Cars and Coffee this Saturday at Horsepower Farm. Info, as always, on Horsepower Farm is on the MVN Monthly Cruise-ins List. Definitely more on this in the March and April Newsletter, but for now save the date, April 30th.
Some of the new car shows for this year will be a show at the Antioch Shrine location Downtown Dayton on May 21st, sponsored by Hirams Car Club. June 5th, a charity car show for autism will be at the Rip Rap Roadhouse, and on August 20th, 31 Customs will be doing an event with over fifty awards in West Milton, Ohio. More to come on these new shows in future MVN Newsletters or see the Car Show Listings Page on the MVN Website. I spoke with Lorie, my contact from Hollywood Gaming, and the show for this year is set to go on May 21st. This will now be their new permanent date, 3rd Saturday of May, because Armed Forces Day fits perfectly with their My Heroes Program Theme. She says they have also taken into consideration all of your great suggestions to make the food vendors, band, and parking of our classics more accommodating. I think everybody is going to have a fantastic time, so please save this date. You won't want to miss it!
On Saturday, January 8th, I attended the huge Cincinatti Cavalcade of Customs Event at the Duke Energy Center, and like everybody else, I was just blown away by the over five hundred displays of classic cars, trucks, cycles, and vendors. Both Don Sparks of Go4Rider and myself spent almost the entire show doing what we do to capture this once a year event for everyone to enjoy over and over. Go4Rider has many segments up on his site, and my photo pictorial has 668 fantastic images that you are sure to love. Now nothing can take the place of actually attending a show like this, but what Don and I have is really the next best thing. So many of our friends were there with their classics like Scotty McPherson (p. 97), Mike Collins (p. 261), Opie Willis (p. 429), Rob Kohlbacher (p. 432), Rodney Highfield (p. 170), Isabella with MissBehavin (p.557), and Billy and Libby Bush with the Slimer (p. 361). Yes! Many of them did win, so when you see them this year, don't forget to congratulate them, and go to our sites to view this great show. I would also like to thank Greg McDaniel for allowing me to enter early to get the fantastic shots of the ISCA Championship Entries without any spectators in these shots, so check them out.
Unfortunately, we have now come to the part of the Newsletter where I must report some very sad news. Becky Besecker, wife of Michael, has passed away with COVID. She went to be with the Lord on January 12th. She had been in the ICU for 14 days before she succumbed to this most terrible illness that has taken so many of our good friends. Becky and Michael were at many events with their classics. See Springfield Cars and Parts September 4, 2021 (photos 45-52) and (63-65). Becky loved showing her blue 1972 XR-7 Cougar along with Mike and his yellow 1970 Cougar Eliminator. Becky had taken many awards with her convertible XR-7 and Mike tells me he will continue to show it next to his at events when possible. Mike and Becky were married 50 years, and she passed away too soon at the young age of 68. We will all miss her very, very much.
I did attend the viewing of Mike Barr along with the estimated 800-1000 who took some time to say goodbye to this great man who loved his family, his friends, his business, and of course, our classic car/truck hobby. Jim, his son tells me it's too early to know if the Open House Car Show will continue, but if I had to guess, it will. I can't think of a better way to remember Mike and all he did for so many people (see photos 357-362) of the Metal Brite Car Show October 10, 2021.
In closing, let me just say, wash your hands a lot, keep your distance, wear a mask if you want, and if you think it's right for you, after talking to your doctor, get vaccinated! This COVID is not going away any time soon, so protect yourself. I love you all so much, and I will continue to pray for each of you everyday.
The photos of the month are all of those that I mentioned in this newsletter. Please check them out.
Did you know that Daylight Savings Time will start in only 39 days, and the cut off date to get your show or event in the Show and Shine Calendar is March 20th. Promoters, it's time to get busy and list your upcoming events and get those flyers to Kevin to put on his site. He already has several listed, so take a look at the Car Show Page of MVN, upper left box titled "Car Event Flyers by Kevin".
This just in. Last year Ohio had 1,361 traffic related deaths, up 10% from 2020, and already this year, we are at over 60!
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
January 1st, 2022
Miami Valley Novas January 2022 Newsletter Vol. 8 No. 1
Hello Everybody,
With the start of a new year and also almost two weeks into Winter, I'm going to do my best to keep this first MVN Newsletter as positive and upbeat as possible. However, it's not going to be an easy task. Unfortunately, as we all know by watching the news, the world is changing, and our great nation is by far not the same as it was just a year ago. There are rising prices on everything we purchase, the COVID pandemic and the death of so many people we know and love from it, and now, the terrible tornado that was so devastating, it took over eighty precious lives, many of them children. May God bless them all!
Closer to home, I'm sure by now you have heard of the death of Dick Kohlbacher, Ken Hensley, and of course, Al Morgan, known to all of us as simply "Stretch". Forgive me if I'm leaving people out, but these are the ones I know of, and I'm sure there are others. We also have several friends in our local car show family in the hospital, some with COVID, and some of them with other problems with their health. I can't name them, but let's just say most of you know them well. Some have been released and are on the mend at home, so please, please pray for those still fighting. As for being vaccinated, I know that this is a very personal choice, and one you have to make on your own, but from what I am hearing, you have a better chance of living if you do get COVID by being vaccinated than not. Either way, COVID is here to stay, so be safe, and most of all wash your hands a lot and well!
Now the first car show of the 2022 season is, of course, the big Cincinnati Cavalcade of Customs, to be held on January 7th, 8th, & 9th at the Duke Energy Convention Center. For those of you who regularly go to this once a year event know what I'm about to say is true. It's something quite spectacular, but if you don't believe me, take a look at the past photos of this event on the Pictures Page of MVN. I have many listed and so does Don Sparks of Go4Rider. Better yet, come on down. Don, myself, and many others like Keith Katy and John Lynch will all be there on Saturday doing our photography, so come join us for a full day of indoor fun. Besides the regular compliment of beautiful classic cars, over seventeen of the world's best will be competing for the top honors in the National Car Show Circuit. So, come and check 'em out. Oh yes, and the vendors are great!
Because of last year being so strange, I was not able to post a get-togethers list until now, so the 2021 list is up, showing the biggest turnouts for the club, if you would like to see the photos. Also, I have started a 2022 MVN Get Togethers list, but like last year, I'm not sure yet of all the shows that I am definitely going to post, mostly because of the pandemic. I have started to call some promoters, but I'm not encouraged by what they are saying to me. Things like, "It's too early" or "We want to wait and see". So please, and this is important, if you are going to have an event, get started now on setting up your date and make up that flyer! The closing date for the Show N' Shine Auto Event Calendar is March 20th. Folks, that's only 77 days away! Kevin is ready to post all your flyers now. I'm always surprised by how many will wait until 3 or 4 weeks before their show and say to me, "Can your help us? We need to get this out."
Last month, I spoke briefly about the Vintage Wheels Car Club of Indiana, and all the fantastic work they do for their special adopted young people with disabilities. This club is a perfect example of what the classic car/truck hobby is all about. So please, take a look at the photos of this event, and also of the Horsepower Farm Christmas Party. Opie and Sue did a fantastic job on their Toys for Tots collection, filling 94 boxes and raising enough money to purchase 32 bikes and 400 electric scooters. Just another example of our great car show family. Also, a reminder, Horsepower Farm will have their New Years Day Event beginning at 12:30 p.m., serving sauerkraut and pork. Bring a dish to share.
The first Spring outdoor car show for this year will again be held on the 2nd Saturday of March in Chillicothe, Ohio at the Millers Swap Meet, and National Trail will follow five weeks later in New Paris, Ohio. Both are listed on the MVN site. At this time, I want to wish everybody a great and happy new year and to pray that it will be one filled with hope, love, and charity. I also want to thank all that help to contribute to the MVN Website with your links and organizations. Our site is now the best place to find just about everything for the classic car/truck enthusiast, and I promise I will keep trying to make it even better. That's why we call it "A Website for Everybody".
However, there is one thing that many people will ask me, and this is why I don't put exact dates to my car show and cruise-in listings. Well, the answer to this question has three parts. First of all, I only will list annual shows or events that take place on the same day of the year; for example: The Shriners' Mothers Day Charity Car Show is always on the 2nd Sunday in May. The second part to this is I want to leave them up year round, so you can always get info on a show, it's date, time and contact person. And, three, it helps new car show promoters to find a date that might be open in the area to hold an event.
In closing, let me again say Happy New Year and let's all try to have a great 2022. Please pray for our nation and those with health problems. Don't forget about Freemans Super Sunday on January 9th and to also save the date February 19th for the Springfield Swap Meet. Both events are listed on the MVN Parts & Services Page under Swap Meets with links to the websites.
The photos of the month are the Horsepower Farm Christmas Toys for Tots Event and of our good friend, Stretch, at the Springfield Cars and Parts, September 4th (photos 212 and 364). We will all miss him.
Did you know that there is a new TV Show called American Auto on NBC? They even had a promo talking about the Nova name. It might be worth checking it out. It will premiere on January 4th.
This just in: The big first of the year car show event held in Sharonville, Ohio has been canceled for 2022. I hope that this is not a sign of things to come...We lost Franklin also with the last event last year. See the photos!
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
December 1st, 2021
Miami Valley Novas December 2021 Newsletter Vol. 7 No. 12
Hello Everybody,
Well it looks as if the cold weather is now beginning to really set in on us, but then the first day of winter is only twenty days away. Of course, if we look at the bright side of this, as I always try to do, once we do get into the winter season, we will actually be heading towards Spring and the start of another fun-filled year of cruisin' with our classics, new classics, and cycles.
I would like to begin by saying that I hope everybody had a great Thanksgiving with family and friends. Even with everything that is going on in the world and yes, in our country as well, we still are truly blessed to enjoy all that God has bestowed on us, and I believe that our classic car hobby is one of these special blessings.
A good case in point on the special blessings connected to our classic car hobby would be our good friends at Horsepower Farm. Opie and Sue Willis generously open up their beautiful complex each first Saturday of the month for us to cruise in, display our classics, and enjoy coffee and donuts from 8 a.m. to noon (see my 300 photo pictorial May 1, 2021 on the MVN website). All of this is done to help raise donations for veterans and organizations such as Blue Skies Warriors (See photos 27-40). Of course at Christmas, another special project comes into play, and this would be the Marines' Annual Toys for Tots. I just spoke to Opie, and it's a go for this year's all day event. Santa will arrive by helicopter at around 10:30 a.m., with many other things to take place in the new big building. If possible, please bring a new unwrapped toy or bicycle as a donation for this great event. For those of you who need info on how to find Horsepower Farm, go the the MVN Website Car Show Page, scroll down to monthly cruise-ins, and see Cars and Coffee Cruise-In Middletown (4th box down). This event is for the entire family. Opie and Sue, from all of us, we want to say "Thanks" for your wonderful generosity. We love you both so much.
Now I would like to talk a bit on the last four events and photo shoots that are now finally up on the pictures page of MVN. Sorry it took so long to get them posted, but MVN is only one of five things that I am connected to and involved with doing. The postponed Get Air Breast Cancer Car Show came off big with a record number of entries. In all, 152 cars and trucks, with a few cycles, came out to help raise money for Breast Cancer Awareness. I personally would like to thank Tracy and Tamy Dunaway of Old Rollers for putting on this event Also another Thank You from Danny Fuson. Don Sparks, and myself to them for the Special Award they presented to the three of us for helping out on the promotion of the event. They then gave me some time to present two awards from MVN. The First one was the Annual Ed Miller Memorial Plaque given to Jim Cruea, who was Ed Miller's best friend for over fifty years, and the Show and Shine Award given to Joe Peters for his 1962 all original Impala (see photos 13-15 and 387-390). One final note: Tracey says that next year, an earlier date might be arranged.
The weekend of the 6th and 7th was quite busy for me. On Saturday, I went down to the Ross County Fairgrounds in Chillicothe, Ohio for the Millers Swap Meet and Car Show Event. Yes, Brian, Nate and family did a fantastic job. As the 500 photos will show, it was a huge turnout. Also, thanks to Scotty McPherson and Katy Cook for doing the judging of the 130 entries. They did a great job.
On Sunday, it was over to Richmond, Indiana for the Annual Indoor Vintage Wheels Car Show. Just way too much to cover right now, but I will do a story on this outstanding club and yearly event this winter in a MVN Newsletter. However, one entry to this show that really stood out for me and also Don Sparks of Go4Rider, was an all original, beautifully restored 1963 Massey Ferguson Model 65 Diesel Tractor. Wow! Talk about attention to detail, and all done by the owner, Keith Young, of St. Paris, Ohio. But don't take my word for it, take a look at the thirteen photos I got of it (No. 81-93), or better yet, look at Go4Rider's site to see his video of this amazing piece of history! I can't believe that it didn't take some kind of an award. Thanks Keith and Karen, for bringing it out for all of us to enjoy!
The last event to speak of took place on a very cold day, but sixteen classics did show up at the Springfield Cars and Parts Swap Meet despite the thermometer reading 23 degrees. A few vendors were outside, but the real action was inside. Almost all three connecting buildings were filled with only a few open spots. Bill Holder was also there with son-in-law Ron Brohm to sell and promote his new book, "Nice Rides and Hall of Fame", see photos (65-75), but then Bill was also at the Get Air Show as well.
Now really I guess that this is a good a time as any to get into this. Bill's book is simply fantastic! And believe me, I'm not just saying this because I helped in a small way of its creation. The fact is everybody who picks it up and looks quickly through it pulls out the ten dollar donation to take one home. Many people are buying two or three to give as gifts. But, it's really a lot more than a collection of his Nice Ride articles from the past seven years. It's about all of us in Ohio that love the wonderful hobby of collecting and showing classic cars and trucks. Ron Brohm, who is the creator of how his book came to look, deserves a lot of credit of how it is all laid out in a way to blow your mind with tons of information. Finally, thanks to Jennifer Young of the Auto and RV Magazine, for without her, this book would never have come to life. The first time Bill and Ron set up at the Rose Cruise-In, they sold three boxes in a matter of only a few hours. It's that good! As the bottom caption says on the cover, If you like car shows - "You've gotta get this book". The next set up date for Bill will most likely be at the Springfield Swap Meet on February 19th, but in the meantime, if you would like to purchase some of them, call Bill Holder at 937-233-0924, or myself at 937-750-5073, and we will make arrangements to get them to you. Also at the Springfield Show was my new friend, Billy Marchal, with his display of the Quick Change Battery Clamp (see photos 180-190). His patent is now in effect, and orders are being accepted . Call him at 419-234-4780.
When talking to Robin Mccaffrey, she told me that the Kettering Saturday Night Cruise-in at the Town Center is already set to go for 2022. So I'll use this as a reminder to all event promoters that it's not too early to start thinking about getting your flyers done and sent to Kevin, so he can post them. Also, the Show and Shine folks at 513-868-7735 are taking listings for the 2022 auto event calendar.
As for upcoming shows, don't forget about the Cavalcade of Customs in Cincinnati on January 7-8-9th , especially if you are going to enter the show. Do it right now to get your classic into this great event. Call Greg at 859-282-0624. Also, I see on Car Event Flyers by Kevin that he has the World of Wheels in Kentucky listed for January 22nd and 23rd. See the flyer for more info, and don't forget to check out Go4Rider videos. Don was at all four shows that I spoke of earlier. Yes, I have photos of him doing his thing.
In closing, please have a great safe Christmas with your family and remember that true real meaning of what this day is all about. The Lord came into the world to show you his great love and how we can all get into heaven with him.
The photos of the month are all of those that I spoke of, so please take a look at them.
Did you know that Ohio will soon have a new license plate? It's true, so look for them next year.
This just in. The Northridge Cruisin' to the Ridge Car Show is set for October 16, 2022. Like I said, it's not too early to get the word out about your events next year. Also, Bill Holder will be at Horsepower Farm on the 4th to sell his new book, Nice Rides, so come and get one or two.
Well, that's it for now,
Talk to you in 2022,
Have a Happy New Years,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
November 1st, 2021
Miami Valley Novas November 2021 Newsletter
Vol. 7 No.11
Hello Everybody,
As we come to the end of the 2021 car, truck, and motorcycle season and prepare to put our classics in hibernation for the next several months, you need to keep in mind that even during the cold winter months, there will still be several events to take place, and I will be covering them in this newsletter. Of course, for those of you who do participate in these events by showing your special rides, this will serve as only a reminder that now is the time to begin preparing for what will be a great Fall and Winter season for our classic car/truck and cycle hobby.
Actually if the weather holds out, it will all begin this Sunday, which is why I am again sending out this newsletter a few days early. As you know from my email, on Sunday, the 24th, the big Get Air Old Rollers Event in Huber Heights, Ohio had to be postponed due to all day rain. However, it is a go for this Sunday, the 31st. Tracy and Tammy have a great show planned for all to enjoy, with lots of trophies, food, and yes, this will be a Show and Shine Event, so show your calendars for a chance to win the Show 'N Shine Award. Also, it will end a bit early to get home for trick or treat.
On Saturday, the 6th, there are three big events to take place. First, Horsepower Farm will be doing their monthly event with special consideration to the Marines Toys for Tots Program. Opie and Sue tell me that due to the supply issues, the Huffy Bike Program was closed down. So, no bikes will be coming from them. If you can help, please do so with a new bike or even a gently used or cleaned up one would be great! They will also collect them on December 4th, so you still have some time to help out on this very worthwhile endeavor.
Next Vintage Wheels will have day one of their two day event over in Richmond, Indiana. Bill says some space is still available, so contact him right now if you want to be a part of this indoor show on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, only down at the Ross County Fairgrounds, the Millers Swap Meet and Car Show will again take place, with vendor space still available. Car Show Registration is $15 and spectators will be $7.
Oh, I almost forgot the swap meet, also on the 7th at the Miami County Fairgrounds sponsored by the Dayton Buckeye Model A Ford Club. See the Flyer on Kevin's site.
On November 13th, the Springfield Swap Meet and Car Show will happen at the Clark County Fairgrounds, and it will also be a great opportunity for you to pick up a copy of the new book by Bill Holder titled "Bill Holder's Nice Rides". The cost is only $10. with all proceeds going to the DARF injured Driver's Fund. Once you see it, you will want a copy, or several, to give as gifts. There is so much cool information, you have to see it to believe it! Multiple copy discounts are available. To view a sample of the book, go to Trunk or Treat Car Show Franklin October 23rd on the Pictures Page of MVN (photo numbers 225-228). More on this next month.
I spoke to Greg McDaniel the other day, and the Cincinnati Cavalcade of Customs is a go for January 7-8-9 at the Convention Center sponsored by O'Reilly Auto Parts. Registrations are now being accepted at WWW.WORLD OF WHEELS.COM, but if you do need to speak to Greg, you can contact him at 859-282-0624. To view photos of some past Cincinnati Cavalcade of Customs, visit the MVN website for some great pictures.
Now for a bit of bad news. The Chazziz Valentine Car Show at Roberts is no more. However, a reliable source has told me that Charlie is thinking of doing an event later on in 2022. Once I confirm this and get more information, I'll let you know all about it.
Now, as for what took place in October, I can only touch a bit on the nine events I covered when getting a photo shoot done. All pictorials are now on the MVN website. Sorry it took so long to get them uploaded. Dayton First Church on the 2nd did well, considering the threat of rain. Kevin Foust was the big winner taking Best of Show, Best Truck, and Best in 40's Class. Cruisin' to the Ridge on the 3rd would have done a lot better if no rain. Thirty showed up, but by the time the soggy day came to an end, only twenty one were left, so everybody got a Top 20 Award. Best of Show went to Chris and Linda Krull, with their '68 Yellow RT. Kudos to C.J. Szekely for a great first time doing a car show. They had a good D.J., great food, and fantastic awards. Maybe next year, it won't be a rained out event. The Lowdown Howdown at the Roadhouse was huge! All I can say is look at the 360 photos to see why this is now going to be a must do yearly event. On the 10th, two shows took place at the same time and only one mile apart as the crow flies, both were great in their own way. I did not show my Nova at either event to be able to get both with my camera. 400 photos at Metal Brite and 360 at Hollywood will tell the story of just how loyal people were to both of these shows. Good thing it did not rain! The Retired Teachers at the Young's Dairy complex was a cold cold day, but the 160 entries were pretty hot! Best of Show went to Nick Besch with his 1956 Packard. (See photos 396-404.) Also, you have got to see the 56 photos of the newly remodeled site. They really did a great job (photos 37-92). After showing the SS at Youngs, I packed up and drove to the Rose Music Center for the Bites in the Heights Cruise-In sponsored by the city of Huber Heights and Kohlbacher's Kustom Speed & Fab. This was also the first chance for everybody to see and purchase Bill Holder's book "Nice Rides" (see photos 33-36). These things are going to sell like hot cakes! My good buddy, Bob Pitsch of "Car Show Classics" was playing the tunes, and as the 444 photos I have up on the MVN site will show, all had a great time. Also, for those of you who have only seen the Rose from the outside, they did allow me to take some photos of the inside of the arena. I think that you will find them quite impressive. On the 20th, I did a photo shoot of the bike night at the Roadhouse. It was a small gathering compared to a summer night, so next year I will do another to show the site full of cool classics, customs and original bikes. The Franklin Trunk or Treat on the 23rd was a totally cool event, with lots of classics, food, and of course, some great awards for both entries and the trunk or treaters.
Last month, I told you about Billy Marchal and his new quick change battery clamp. Well, his patent is now final and he is even looking for investors. To view this new product, go to the Rebel Run Pictures 9-18-21, (photos 413-416). It's a pretty cool gadget. He is going to try to be at Springfield on November 13th.
On October 6th, Skip Peterson sent me an email on the death of Bob Farrell, who was killed coming home from an event in Cincinnati. Bob was a long time classic car guy who loved our hobby, judged at car shows, and also owned two Corvettes. He will be missed by all who knew him. To view his obituary, go to Legacy.com/Robert Farrell. Please remember Bob in your thoughts and prayers.
Also, Scott Campbell is healing up well from the accident on Labor Day, when someone ran a stop sign and hit him in his 1957 Nomad. (See MVN Newsletter Vol. 7 No. 10). He says one way or another he will fix his baby to get it back on the road.
As you know, by doing what I do for the classic car/truck hobby, I take a lot of calls from all over the U.S., and while I normally don't speak of them, this past week is an exception. His name is Criostoir, and like others, he found me on the internet. Looking for a 1962 to 1965 Nova 2 or 4 door with a good floor is his request. No big deal, I get these all the time, but what makes this one quite different is that Criostoir was calling me from Ireland. So maybe, if anybody knows about an early Nova for sale, give me a call. He says he can handle the repairs and will pay all shipping to get it to him. I think it would be nice if we could help him find his fixer upper dream car. He already has a motor.
In closing, don't forget about Daylight Savings Time coming to an end. Check out Go4Rider. Don was at most of the events last month, so a lot of new stuff to see. Remember, it's not too early to get your show listed in the 2022 Show 'N Shine Calendar and stay safe to enjoy a great Turkey Day with family and friends.
The photos of the month, are of course the nine most recent pictorials that took so long to get up to view.
Did you know Dick "Hot Dog" Ryman is now not going to retire from playing the hits at car show events? He told me so at the Retired Teachers Show. Thanks, Dick. We love what you do for the classic car/truck hobby.
This just in, the Auto and RV magazine is no longer being published in Ohio. A full story on this in next month's MVN Newsletter. There is a lot I want to tell you about this.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
October 1st, 2021
Miami Valley Novas October 2021 Newsletter
Vol. 7 No.10
Hello Everybody,
With Fall having officially started last week, the time has unfortunately come to start putting away our classic cars, trucks and cycles, but for many of us, October can still be a great month for cruising and showing our special rides. This, of course, will depend primarily on the weather, because as we know, Fall is not the most dependable time of the year for car shows and cruise-ins. With that said, October does have many events still scheduled to take place beginning this Friday the 1st, which is why I'm again sending out the MVN newsletter a few days early.
Before I get to what is still on tap to come, I want to first touch on some big events that took place in the past few weeks, beginning with the First Annual Pickheads Car and Bike Show that was only briefly mentioned in last month's newsletter. I'm happy to say it was a big success, with 170 entries and everybody had a great time. I would like to also thank Danny and Boomer for allowing me to give an award in my father's name who was a Dayton Fireman and injured severely while he was fighting a fire. The first annual Frank Schrader Memorial Award went to Paul Snyder with his 1939 Ford. Paul, by the way, was also a very good friend of my Dad for many years. See photos 194-196.
The annual Kettering Holiday at Home Festival and Invitational Car Show was also a great success. Rodney Highfield once again put together, for all to enjoy, some of the area's finest classics. However, the big talk of the event was that of one entry that did not make it to the show due to an accident caused by a person running a stop sign. I'm happy to report that Scott Campbell is doing well. I spoke to Scott shortly after the accident and just again the other day. He wants to thank everybody for their kind thoughts, prayers, and calls. As for his beautiful 1957 Chevy Nomad, it has still not been determined by his insurance to be repairable. Scott, we are all with you, and we thank God you have come through this with only some minor bodily injuries. Scott, hang in there, buddy.
On September 11, the First Annual Patriot Day Car Show and Event took place at the Dayton VA Center, and for so many other shows taking place on this date, eighty entries is not bad. We want to thank the Shift Heads Car Club for putting on this new annual event, so plan for it next year. Oh, and by the way, the awards were just beautiful. See photos 61-64. Ernest Rosser, with his 1965 Dodge Tuskegee Airmen Car took most patriotic, and Joe Peters, with his 1971 Chevelle, won Best of Show. Those are photos 387-389, but check out the entire pictorial.
Both Go4Rider and myself did cover the annual Rebel Run in Lima. Don got it on video Friday, and my day was Saturday. When checking out my photos, be sure to look at the new product for a quick change battery clamp. It's really something. Especially if you like to disconnect power a lot! Also Don Sparks of Go4Rider got both the Dayton Concours and the Fairborn Show on the 19th. While I, of course, did all day shooting only at Fairborn. Best of Show went to Greg Adkins, with his 1952 Chevy Creation Truck. See the photos. The Tipp City Mum Festival Cruise-in on Friday the 22nd was huge with over 700 classics on display and an estimated spectators of about ten thousand. There were so many people, it was difficult for Go4Rider and myself to get all the shots that we wanted.
Now to run down what is coming up fast on the car-truck show calendar. It all starts this Friday, the 1st, with the annual Pumpkin Run Nationals in Owensville, Ohio at the Clermont County Fairgrounds. The event will run through Sunday. For those of us staying close to home, Friday night in New Carlisle, will be the place to be as the Heritage of Flight Car and Truck Show will once again have hundreds of classics, food, and the band, Fleez, will be playing all the hits. The very next day, you can't miss the Dayton First Church Car Show, located at 7031 N. Main Street, from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Then the day after on Sunday, the 3rd, everybody will be Cruisin to the Ridge for the Car-Truck Show to make its comeback to the front of the school facing North Dixie Drive. Some grass parking will be available, according to my info. Now I'm sorry to say that again, we have two great events on the same day and only a few miles apart. As I've been telling you in past MVN Newsletters, Hollywood Gaming is back and is set for the 10th. Now my contact has told me it's going to be one you won't want to miss. You who are loyal to the show at Metal Bright and just might want to wish Mike Happy Birthday, this is the show for you. Mike and Joy always, as you know, put on a really great event with a band and lots of great food. So, now you have a big decision to make!
On the 16th, two events again will take place, but it will be possible to do them both if you have the desire to do so. First, in Yellow Springs at Young's Dairy, it's the One Room School Car Show from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., then drive to the Rose Cruise-In from 2 p.m. to dark. Rob Kohlbacher has a great evening planned with a DJ playing music, a movie at 6:30 p.m., food trucks, and of course hundreds and hundreds of cool classics to look at and enjoy. Rob has been working all year to pull this off and even has a goodie bag for the first hundred to arrive, so come early and stay late! Naturally, this is only a few of the many October events to to take place, so be sure to check my listings. The listings that are in the top two boxes and for sure Kevin's site that I call "Car Event Flyers by Kevin". Also, check out the DJ sites I have listed: Dick Ryman, Bob Pitsch of Car Show Classics, and also Chazz's D.J. Service Owner Charlie Hargrave for their listings of shows like Dick "Hot Dog" Ryman's Wood Nickel at the Heart of Ohio Antique Center on the 17th.
The last important thing to talk about is the new book by Bill Holder and Ron Brohm called "Bill Holders Nice Rides" it will soon be out for the purchase price of ten dollars with all proceeds going to the D.A.R.F. Injured drivers fund. You won't find any book with so much information for such a low price and if you have had your nice ride published in the Ohio Auto and RV in the last eight years, you are part of this really outstanding publication. More on this next month since it should be out by that time.
In closing, please take notice of the info in red at the top of my MVN Car Show Listings. Some events are still being canceled, with little or no notice. Always check if not sure! Remember Horsepower Farm with Opie and Sue this Saturday. It's always a great experience. Be sure to check out all that the MVN site has to offer and don't let the shorter daylight days and cooler temperatures get you down. And, of course, enjoy Halloween, the beginning of the holiday season. It's a great time of year.
The photos of the month are the last seven pictorials to be put up on the pictures page. Sorry it took so long to get them on the site.
Did you know that Vintage Wheels, set for November 6th and 7th, is now accepting registrations. And, don't forget about the Millers Car Show and Swap Meet on November 6th.
This just in: The big annual Get Air Old Rollers Car Show and Food Truck Rally is a go and set for October 24th, with over 70 awards. Save the date and see the flyer on Kevin's site. Also, there will be a cruise-in on October 30th at Powder Keg Harley Davidson in Mason, Ohio. Call Tom at 513-405-8802 for more information.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
September 1st, 2021
Miami Valley Novas September 2021 Newsletter
Vol. 7 No.9
Hello Everybody,
Well, once again, Fall will soon be upon us. The leaves will begin coming down, and so will the day and nighttime temperatures, but then this is what September is all about. Even the stores now have out the Halloween items for sale. Yes! We could actually see snow as early as just next month. Why am I telling you the obvious? It's because we must face the fact that the 2021 classic car, truck and motorcycle season will soon be part of history. So, don't let it come to an end without getting out these last few months to enjoy showing and cruising your special ride.
The month of August was, in a word, huge! I'll get to some of the events in a moment, but first, I got to tell you about the last show in July that I was unable to cover in the previous newsletter, due to it taking place on July 31st. Don Sparks of Go4Rider and myself both traveled up to Lima, Ohio for the Regional Central Meet of the Vintage Chevrolet Club of America Show (VCCA). Arriving early as I usually do, I picked a great spot to set up, and my 71 SS Nova was ready for the open car show of this fantastic event. Of course, way too much for me to cover, but both Don and I did capture it for you to view all of the outstanding classics that took part in this show. Yes, I am pleased to say that out of 169 entries in the open class, my 71 SS did receive a Top Twenty.
And now for August, Tecumseh was going well, until we got rained out. However, the long awaited return of the Voss Chevrolet Cruise-In on August 6th turned out to be a huge success. I want to thank the people at Voss for raising money for AIM and for also allowing me to go up on the roof to get some fantastic shots of all the action. Hawker Shade Tree was, as always, a nice show with D.J. Bob Pitsch of Car Show Classics playing the music.
The last and final show of the Warren County Kustoms' "Franklin Downtown Saturday Night" was a fun time, but also a sad one as well. Gary Bates tells me that after forty years of doing this huge event, it was time to let it become a part of our car show history. Will Franklin ever have another event like this? I doubt it very much. I spoke to the city manager, and yes, they are open to the idea, but they are not going to allow just anybody, or any club, to just come in and think that they can put on this type of event. It's going to take big bucks, big planning, and a big insurance policy, not to mention, a lot of help before they will even consider doing it. We would like to thank Gary and all those of Warren County Kustoms, and especially, the great city of Franklin, Ohio for forty years of fun. It will always remain in our hearts and also in our memories as the best show in Ohio.
Other shows that I have attended lately are Boomerfest, Asphalt Outlaws, Urbancrest, Kill-Kare, Gathering of the Geezers, Eaton Downtown Saturday Night and Pickheads.
Unfortunately, some of the most recent events are not yet up on my Pictures Page, due to the fact of my many other commitments. I just have not had the time to put the photo albums together. Hopefully, soon I will get a handle on things to get them up on the MVN website.
On August 24th, the Motortrend/Hot Rod Power Tour finally made its way to Dayton. Pulling into the Montgomery County Fairgrounds were about four thousand rides of both cool classics and daily drivers. To be completely honest, and as a reporter of this event, I really was a bit disappointed. There were too many daily drivers, a lot of junk, and many of the cool classics did not even have their hoods open to view the power that brought them to Dayton. However, I did take five hundred photos of the day and hope to be able to put together a nice album for you to view. On a positive note, I did like the vendor displays, the band, and the many out of state entries called "Long Haulers" of the tour. Also, it was nice to see many of our local friends who came out to join in on all the fun with their classics. Now, I'm not saying that I did not have a good time, because I certainly did. It just wasn't like fifteen years ago, when it rolled into the University of Dayton Arena. I'm just afraid that this is becoming only a cash cow moneymaking thing and not a way to display and show tribute to our classic car, truck hobby. I want to say thanks to Don Sparks of Go4Rider and Shutterfuel for their work of capturing the event and of course, my good friend, Kevin Foust for allowing me to hitch a ridge in his beautiful 1941 Dodge Truck. The photos should be up in a few weeks.
I got a report from my friend, Greg Sipe, on theBritish Car Day Show held on August 7th, and the one word he used to describe it was this: Fantastic! He said over three hundred entered and a lot more came but did not compete. I did want to shoot this even, but unfortunately, it was on the exact same day as Hawker Church Shade Tree Auto Show. However, our good friend, Go4Rider has a three part video of this outstanding event, so check it out. Also, if you have never visited his site, you're really missing out! Don covers so much more than I could ever do...I just don't have time. So, please take a look at all of his fantastic work.
As for shows in September, the first thing I need to let you know is the Fiehrer Motors Open Car Show listed on my site, actually took place on August 22nd. They did not inform me of the date change. However, it was correct in the Show and Shine Calendar. I'm sure many people saw this was the wrong date, but nobody called to tell me. So, please, if you see something wrong, let me know! Cars 'N Parts Swap Meet and Car Show is September 3-4-5, Larry's Bug Jam is Saturday the 11th at his site, the Beavercreek Popcorn Festival Car show and the Irish Club Car Show both will take place on the 12th, the Big Rebel Run in Lima is on the 17th and 18th, West Milton Rotary on the 18th, and all on the 19th will be the Dayton Concours, Vandalia Nazarene, and of course, Fairborn, with 140 awards. The big Tipp City Cruise-In is a go for Friday, the 24th, and the Erwin Chrysler Car Show in Troy is the next day from 10-4 p.m. Unfortunately, again, we have two great events on the same day: The Grace Chapel Car Show and the St. Leonard Cruise-In are both on Saturday the 25th and many more September shows are on the MVN website.
In October, to save these dates, the Pumpking Run 1-2-3, Metal Bright has a new date of the 10th, then the One Room School Car Show and The Rose Music Center Cruise are both on the 16th is not a good thing. Both are Great! And this special reminder of Saturday, October 2nd, don't forget about Dayton First Church of the Nazarene and their car show. The first one last year was great, so don't miss it! Also, Hollywood Gaming is planning something in October too, so watch for it to be announced.
In closing, remember Horsepower Farm this Saturday, the Antique Center with "Hot Dog" this Sunday, Kevin's Flyer Site, and the links in the top two boxes of the MVN Car Show Page list a lot of shows as well.
The photos of the month are definitely of the big Voss Hoss Aim Cruise-In. Check 'em out!
Did you know that the new book "Bill Holder's Nice Rides" will be out for sale for the upcoming holiday season. More on this in the next newsletter.
This just in. The first annual Pickheads Show was a big success with 170 entries. If you missed it, you really missed. Photos up soon!
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
August 1st, 2021
Miami Valley Novas August 2021 Newsletter
Vol. 7 No.8
Hello Everybody,
For what it's worth, I also feel that this summer is just flying by. Here it is August already, and pretty soon the kids will be going back to school. Of course, there is still a lot of great car, truck and motorcycle show season left, so get out there and enjoy the weather and your special rides.
As always, I have a lot to cover, so let's get right to it. Just as July was, this month is also going to be huge, but first, I want to talk a bit about a few of the July events. Both Shelter Church and First Grace came off very well, as did the Urbana show and the Huber Heights event at Thomas Cloud Park. No rain, but was it ever hot! Now speaking of hot, I have to say that the Centerville Americana Car Show did a great job! Myself and many of you, as well, gave them suggestions on the awards, and they came through. I believe they had over fifty, with the new Top Thirty they added this year, and I'm pleased to say that two of my good friends took both of the High Honors: Joe Peters took Best of Show with his 1971 Chevelle, and Kevin Foust took the People's Choice Award for his 1941 Dodge truck. Congratulations guys. You did good! Oh, and I'm told Good Guys was fantastic, especially since one of the MVN members took an Award of Excellence for his custom creation of a beautiful 1973 silver Nova. To view photos of what Jamie Woods and his father built, please go to the Members Page of MVN. I think you will like what they have done.
On the 24th, two great shows took place on the same day. First of course, was the huge show at the Fairborn Community Park put on by the White Trash and Whitewalls organization, down a bit from 2019 that brought in 803. This year, they had 697 cool rides to enjoy, and I can say from being there almost ten hours, everybody had a great time. Of course, for those of you who attended, the Highland Autism Show put on by Patty Gilliland, with help from our good friend, Kevin Foust, you also had a great time. I spoke to Patty a few days ago for over an hour about her granddaughter and my son, both who have autism, how we truly love people, and of course, cars and car shows. So next year, we are going to pick a new date that will not conflict with an established event to make this show a must do! Oh, and just so you know, it's coming to Dayton at the Rip Rap Roadhouse. Patty puts on some great shows. So, as soon she has a date, I'll let you know so you can save it for a fantastic day of fun.
Now for what's going on this month: On Sunday the 1st, Tecumseh will return with their show held at the high school parking lot. For Friday, the 6th, I have good news and some bad. The good news is we are finally going to get the only Voss Cruise-In to be held this year to take place due to COVID and then rain last month. It is now a go! It's been two years since we all got together at Voss. Remember to bring your chairs and a five dollar donation for "Aim for the Handicapped". Now for the bad news. The big Butler Township Cruise-In is also on the Voss rescheduled date. So, since many of you, like myself, are loyal to both events, you will have to make a choice. Both take place starting at 4 p.m. Sometimes this happens. The next day on Saturday the 7th, it's the Hawker Shade Tree Car Show in Beavercreek, Ohio and the British Car Day Show in Dayton, Ohio from 9-4 p.m. On the 14th, the huge Franklin Downtown Saturday Night event will take place throughout the town. If you have never experienced this show, you're really missing out. Later on in August, there is Urbancrest, the Asphalt Outlaws, Dublin, OH Arthritis, Trans Am Nationals, the Bob Pool Orphan Car Show, Bellbrook, Eaton, the Geezers, and Antioch Shrine, just to mention a few. Check the MVN website for all the details of these shows and many more.
Last month, when I was doing the photo shoot of the Kettering Saturday Night Cruise-In, I met Boomer and Danny from the Dayton Fire Department. It seems we have a new show to talk about, and one I'm excited to help promote since I love first responders and because my father was a Dayton Firefighter. This show is going to be a huge event, and one I don't want you to miss out on. It's called "Dayton Pickheads" Car and Bike Show. See the Flyers on Kevin's site. There will be Top 50 and specials, a 50/50, dash plaques, music, food trucks, and get this, 19 acres of space and so much more! A $10 registration fee will be taken at the Dayton Firefighters' Activity Center, 3616 Needmore Road on August 29th, beginning at 9 a.m. with awards at 4 p.m. Rain date is September 12th. This is a fundraising event for the Line of Duty Memorial Project. Now, also they are going to allow me to save space with my cones for our Nova Club cars, so please don't miss this chance to line up our beautiful classics for this great MVN Get Together. So, come on out and join all the fun we're going to have!
I've got some big news! As you know, for the past ten years or so, I have been working with Bill Holder as his photographer on both many national magazines, and of course, the Ohio Auto and RV weekly publication, and it is this magazine I want to talk about. Bill, the people at Ohio Auto and RV, Ron Brohm - Bill's son in law and other photographer, and myself are putting together a book called, get this...Bill Holder's Nice Rides! Yes, it's true, if you have ever been featured in the Nice Ride Section of the Ohio Auto and RV, then get ready to have your classic shown with article in this all color publication. We hope to have this out in only a few months, maybe less. The cost will not be much, and all profits will go to the Dayton Auto Racing Fan Club's Injured Drivers Fund. More on this in next month's MVN Newsletter and in the Auto and RV Magazine.
I need your help. Believe it or not, there are still some who don't know all we do at MVN for the classic car, truck and cycle enthusiast. Remember, it's a Website for Everybody! So please help spread the word about MVN.
In closing, don't forget about Horsepower Farm's First Saturday Cars N' Coffee Cruise-In, Dick Ryman's First Sunday Cruise-In, and to check the Car Show Page for all the details of the events I mentioned in this newsletter and many more I did not speak of, but are still fantastic shows. Especially, look at Car Event Flyers by Kevin. Right now, almost 200 are listed on his site. Also, Don Sparks of Go4Rider has a 5 part series of the Good Guys event in Columbus, and of course hundreds of other car shows and cruise-ins to view. The 2021 Show N' Shine Calendars are still available at many events. Pick your's up soon before they are all sold out. Lot's of great info inside!
The photos of the month are of White Trash and Whitewalls. We had 25 members show up for this get together. Some came with their other classics. See photos 41-116 on the Pictures Page of MVN.
Did you know that they are expecting maybe four thousand classics to pull into Dayton for the Power Tour on August 24th, the main stop is Montgomery County Fairgrounds. For all the info, just Google Hot Rod Power Tour in Dayton. Everybody is going to be there...are you?
This just in, Lorie, my contact at Hollywood Gaming, has asked me about some dates this Fall to possibly do the car show that won't conflict with other events. If they lock this up and set a date, you will be the first to know. I can't speak anymore on it at this time.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
July 1st, 2021
Miami Valley Novas July 2021 Newsletter
Vol. 7 No.7
Hello Everybody,
My goodness. I don't know where to begin, because I have so much stuff to cover. Well, let me first start off by saying "Welcome to Summer", and if our Spring car show season was any indication, the 2021 Summer and Fall show seasons are going to be big. Most of the events that were canceled in 2020 due to COVID are back this year, but still there are a few that will not take place. So always check to make sure that the event is a go. Of course, rain also is a huge problem. I counted eighteen shows and events that were canceled just so far this year.
Yes, this newsletter is going out four days early, but with good reason, you see we have a huge 4th of July weekend coming up and I want to remind everyone of all that is going on. Naturally, on the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd, Thur-Fri-Sat, the cruise-ins are going to still take place. But, as far as car shows, they begin on Friday the 2nd with Huber Heights doing the Star Spangled Event from 4 to 8 p.m. At Thomas Cloud Park, then on the 3rd from 9 am to 3 pm, Shelter Church in Kettering will have their 4th Annual Car Show. Thad wants me to let everybody know that Faith and Friends Radio is going to be there live to M.C. and be playing the music. On the 4th of July, there are a lot of events , but the two I feel you need to remember are the Firecracker Show in Urbana, and of course much closer to home in the Dayton Area is the big Freedom Celebration Car and Truck Show at First Grace Church in Vandalia. Pastor Bruce Jackson and his members put on a great event last year. So, we can be certain that this year will be even bigger and better with more awards and a live show featuring Karen Peck and New River on stage at 1 pm.
The Annual Americana Car Show in Centerville Ohio is set to take place on Monday the 5th from 9 am to 3 pm. Registration fee for the car show is twenty five dollars with two awards to be given. In each of the eight classes. Food will be available. Naturally, these are only a few of the car shows to take place this coming weekend, so as always, go to the MVN Car Show Page of the website to find many more listings and info on each event.
On Friday, Saturday and Sunday after the 4th of July weekend, everybody and their brother will be heading up to Columbus, Ohio for the Huge Goodguys Hot Rod and Custom Car Nationals to be held again at the Ohio Expo Center. You should plan to get there as early as possible, since this event is extremely big.
Moving on about July, there are so many great shows, I just can't cover them all, but all are on the MVN Car Show Page. Here are a few more of the big ones: The Purple Door Car Show and Shiner Pride on the 11th, Victory Church show and Lifehouse Church, Route 42 on the 17th, the Jerry E. Moore Memorial Show, and of course, in Fairborn, White Trash and White Walls both on the 24th of July. And don't forget the Officer Green Memorial Show in Bowersville on July 31st.
The big cruise-in at Voss Chevrolet in Centerville will make its comeback on July 16th from 4 pm to dark. A five dollar donation will be taken to enter the show lot. All money collected will go to the Aim for the Handicapped. This is a fund raising event. Also, to sit under the awning near the building, please bring your own chairs. For sanitizing reasons, chairs can not be provided at this time.
Now for a lot of things you need to know about, promoters please send your flyers to Kevin for his site to post at KJINOHIO@GMAIL.COM. Absolutely no PDF files. Bob Pitsch of "Car Show Classics" now has his site listed on the MVN Car Show Page top right box along with many other great links to shows and events. So please take a look. The Friday Night Beavercreek Cruise-In is growing and I now have photos on the MVN site for those of you who would like to see how cool this event is. I am still waiting on return phone calls or the emails from show promoters to bring the MVN Show Listings up to date. If I don't hear from you, I must assume that your show or event is a go! We have put some new info on my Photography Page at the top to explain about my pictorials and why at times you might get an error on the most recent listings. Many people ask me why. The Dayton Concours is a go and set for September 19th. The Butler Township Annual Cruise-In at York Commons has a new date and day. It will now be on the first Friday of August from 4 to 8 pm. Larry Martin and his gang are starting up a new Tuesday Night Cruise-In in Englewood. See the info on MVN called Company 7 Cruise-In. Germantown Saturday Night Out is back! 3rd Saturday on Summer months. See the flyer on Car Event Flyers by Kevin. The big Hot Rod Power Tour is still set to roll into the Montgomery County Fairgrounds on Tuesday, August 24th, so save the date. Some people tell me there could be four thousand classics showing up for this event. The St. Leonard Cruise-In for June will now be held on the 4th Saturday of September. I spoke to Rob the other day, and the Beavercreek Popcorn Festival and Car Show is a go for September 12th. Also Skip Peterson has informed me that the British Car Day, Show and Swap Meet is on for this year, 2nd Saturday of August. And, yes folks, Fairborn, Franklin, and Asphalt Outlaws shows are all coming back on each of their regular dates. The big Tipp City event Mum Festival Cruise-In, I still don't know for sure, but New Carlisle is on for Friday October 1st. More to come, but for now, you can save these dates.
Last week, I had a meeting with Kim and Pastor Stone of Dayton First Church of the Nazarene and they are very excited about once again doing their car show on Saturday, October 2nd. The one last year was really great, and this year, they plan to make it even better. More to come on this later, so please save this date.
The annual Gathering of the Geezers has a new day. It will now be on Sunday, August 22nd. There is way too much to mention about this all day event with car show, so please see the flyer. Sadly on a related note, Ed Crowder's wife, Anna, passed away on June 16th. Please take a moment and visit Legacy.com to read her obituary. She was an amazing person, wife, and mother. We all wish Ed our most sincere condolences at this very sad time of his life, and of course, our prayers are with him and his family as well.
In closing, don't forget about Horsepower Farm on every first Saturday and Hot Dog Ryman's First Sunday at the Antique Center. Check the MVN Car Show Page and "Car Event Flyers by Kevin" for all the details of events mentioned in this newsletter. Please visit GO4RIDER to see Don's Great video work of recent and past car shows & cruise-ins, Show & Shine Calendars are available at many events, and of course have a fun but safe fourth of July weekend.
The photos of the month will have to be of the shows I did in June, since I could not speak of them; so much to cover. Reichard was fantastic!
Did you know that already in some parts of our country, gas is four to five dollars a gallon? Not good! Not good at all!
This just in. I spoke with Kenny Gollahon, the owner of Brookville Roadster the other day, and No! They are not having an open house and car show on July 10th. This is fake news started by people trying to mess with our great hobby. He has no idea how this got started. However, he does want me to let you know that next year, they are planning a 50th Anniversary Event. More to come. Also Thad at Shelter Church has given me the ok to save space at the 3rd of July Show for members of MVN to line up our club cars. Please come and enjoy another get together of our organization and have some fun.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
June 1st, 2021
Miami Valley Novas June 2021 Newsletter
Vol. 7 No.6
Hello Everybody,
Can you believe it? Tomorrow is the big day! Yes, we in Ohio are going to finally get back to some normal life. But remember, just because the restrictions are being lifted, the COVID-19 virus is still out there, so if you have not been vaccinated and are planning not to do so, you will still need to be very careful about your daily life since this disease can kill you!
The first thing I want to talk about is to finish up the little mention last month of member Bobbie Woods and his new custom creation 1973 Silver Nova. I first met Bobby this year at the Millers Car Show on March 13 and was very impressed with what he and his Dad had created (See Photos No.'s 109-126). In fact, I talked him into putting it in the Cincinnati Cavalcade, where it took not only the Best in his Class and Best Interior, but also the coveted Master Builder's Award (See Photos 93-108). Bobby also now has a page on the Members Section of the MVN Website that includes a photo of his Cavalcade Awards and his Auto & RV article that I got Bill Holder to do on his Nova.
For those of you who still have not been to Horsepower Farm on the first Saturday of the month or to one of the many functions that Opie and Sue Willis put on at their very outstanding facility in Middletown, I now have up on the website a 300 picture portfolio to give you a peek at just what Horespower Farm is all about. Also, Don Sparks has many videos of events as well on his site "Go4Rider", so please check 'em out, and when you do, visit Horsepower Farm. Don't forget to drop a few bucks in the big round plastic donation pot for the Blue Skies Warrior Fund (See Photo 27). Opie and Sue thank you so much for your great generosity to the organizations you support and to the classic car/truck hobby. As always, more on the Horsepower Farm will be in future MVN Newsletters. Address info is listed on the Monthly Cruise-In Page of the MVN Website.
Since most of you already know about the big Friday Night Cruise-In going on in Beavercreek, I'm not breaking any news here, but for those who have not heard of what's going on, let me fill you in. First of all, Lofinos, or SVG, or whatever you want to call it, is over! But, as they say, when one door closes, a window is opened, and the window that is now open is the cruise-in at Vineyard Church every Friday from 4-8 p.m. Dwane Rankin, who is a member of the church, along with Harold Lunsford, and the Leader of this gang of three, Dave Thomas, have been working hard to bring this all together. From the reports, I'm getting, it's getting bigger every week. How big? Well, in only four weeks, it has grown from 10 vehicles to about 250, and Dwane tells me that they have space for up to 600. Dave says that they are coming from all over. Food trucks? Yes, they got them, and a D.J. might also be in the works. I hope to soon, myself, get down there to do a photo shoot, but for now Go4Ridger has been doing his thing, so take a look. One last thing that they might want me to pass on is to please respect the church lot; no burn outs or fast take offs. They really want to keep this event going, and it will if we all do our part.
In every MVN Newsletter, I always bring up Kevin Foust and his site that I call on the MVN Car Show Page, "Car Event Flyers by Kevin". Yes, I have been in contact with him, and if you regularly visit his site, you know that something is wrong. Flyers are missing, and the ones that are still up are all out of the time, date sequence. Kevin has told me that he is working to get it back in order as soon as he can. Both he and I are getting a lot of calls about it, so we do know of the problem. No, his site did not crash, rather it is a problem with his service provider, and he is hoping that they have it on back up to get it restored to how it should look. Just a foot note, Kevin told me that not last year due to COVID, but in 2019, he had over 18,000 hits to his site, so we know how important it is to all of you. But, then that's why we do what we do.
As for my Car Show Listings Page on MVN, I'm pretty sure it's up to date, but I'm still waiting on a few promoters to get back to me. So those who I have called and left a message, please let me know. As of now, I'm assuming your event is a go. As always, don't forget to take a look at the other site links that I provide in the top two boxes. They list a lot of shows and events as well.
Now for a quick run down of the big ones: Armco Park and the Reichard Cruise-In on the 5th of June are a go, and to all of my MVN Members, Gary Chesnut of Brookville Corvettes is once again going to give us space to line up our Novas or member's cars, so if you can make it to this get together, please do so and come early as soon as gates open. The Knights of Columbus Car & Truck Show in Mason, Ohio on the 5th, the Kettering Backpack June 6th, and on June 27th, two great events, the Vandalia Nazarene Church Cruise-In and the big Get Air Car Show will both take place.
Now some good news and some bad. The bad news is no Stillwater in July, but the good news is White Trash and Whitewalls will take place on July 24th, and in August, the Hot Rod Power Tour is still a go! It will be held in Dayton.
Now I would love to talk about the shows at Buckminns and Troy, but both were so good. I just want you to look at the photos and judge for yourself. I think you will like also what Go4Rider has up on his site on these as well.
In closing, don't forget about the first Saturday of the month Cruise-In at Horesepower Farm, and on June 13th, the Cincinnati Concours, to be able to look at some really fine machines. The Summer Nationals Car Show and Drags are at Kil-Kare on June 13 (This is an all VW event). Don't forget to get your Show 'n Shine Auto Event Calendars on sale now at most car shows. It's still the best place to list and find many car shows and other things of interest.
The photos of the month are definitely of both Horsepower Farm and the Frabaaa Cruise-In for Hope at Buckminns.
Did you know that there is a new car show DJ out there, and he is doing a great job! His name is Bob Pitsch of Car Show Classics. His phone number is 937-408-5998. So give him a call.
This just in: Kevin's Flyer site is back up and most have been restored to their proper date. Promoters, please check to see if yours is there. If not, please resend it to Kevin, so he can get it back on his site, ASAP.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
May 1st, 2021
Miami Valley Novas May 2021 Newsletter
Vol. 7 No.5
Hello Everybody,
Wow! What a month April was. To be perfectly honest, with so much to talk about, I'm not even all that sure where to begin. So, I'll start off by saying goodbye to Winter. That snow and cold we had last week makes me glad it's gone, at least until the end of the year.
As all of you know from my e-mail on April 11th, we lost a great car cruisin' buddy, Ed Brown. Ed went to be with our Lord on Easter Sunday and was laid to rest on April 16th. It would be very easy for me to fill this entire newsletter with all that Ed accomplished in his 97 years of life, but I will only touch on just a few to let you know how close I got to him in the 22 years that I knew him. In 1999, when I was just forming MVN, Ed was one of the first I brought into the club. His 1971 four door green all original Nova was so cool, and even though he had a 1966 T-Bird and was a member of the Thunderbird Club, he wanted to be part of MVN as well. Many times Ed and I would talk on the phone for hours, and the many times I would go to his house and sit at his kitchen table was more of the same. Ed even insisted one day that I drive both his Nova and his T-Bird that he had purchased brand new for his wife, Leona. Talk about a great guy. Ed was born the same year as my father, and like my father who was awarded the Bronze Star, Ed too was a WWII hero who stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. Certainly, I could go on and on but instead, I invite you to read his obituary at the Newcomer website. Type in his given name of Elvie Brown, and also visit his MVN Members Page, now located at the bottom section called "Gone but not Forgotten". We will miss him a lot!
Now let's talk about some good news. Even though some shows for this year are going to once again be canceled, like the First Fridays of Xenia, the fantastic Cincy Street Rods Show in Hamilton, and the Spring Fun Run Car Show in Mason, we still have a lot of great events to look forward to. In fact, as I work on calling up those listed on my page of the MVN site, I'm hearing a lot of good news. I only wish more of the promoters would have gotten back to me, so that I can update my site with the most current info. As always, I'm working to get flyers from promoters to Kevin's site listed on the MVN Car Show Page, upper left box, "Car Event Flyers by Kevin". Most of these I'm about to mention are there or will be coming soon to him. The Monday Night New Carlisle Cruise-In has started up, the Kettering Town Center Saturday Night Cruise-In has also begun. On May 7th, the Troy Main Street Show will take place 5-8 PM. May 9th, the Shrine Mother's Day Show at Smith Park is a go and gates open at 7 AM, awards at 2 PM, There is also Buckmans on May 22, the Cruise-In for Hope Car Show 10-3 PM, and on the same date of May 22nd, the Agape Family Worship Car Show from 4-8 PM. On May 28th to the 30th, it's the Springfield Swap Meet and the Car Show on Saturday and Sunday. Oh, and I almost forgot the Friday Night Rip Rap Roadhouse Cruise-In has started up. I was there last week with my green Nova and had a great time. You got to check this out, lot's of great food! In June, Kevin has a lot of flyers now up, but I think the best one is the big Cruise Into Summer at Reichard Chevrolet sponsored also by the Brookville Ohio Corvette Club. Time is from 4 PM to 8 PM. The date is always the first Saturday of June. For more info, see the flyer on Kevin's site.
Now to talk a bit about the Voss Chevrolet Cruise-In. Many people have contacted me about this event. Unfortunately, Stephanie, my contact at Voss, has informed me that the June show has been canceled. However, they are planning on the July event to take place and even possibly one in August as well. She is going to keep me up to date on this so I can pass it onto all of you.
As for July, I'm only going to mention for now, the big five. On July 3rd Shelter Church 4th Annual Car Show, on the 4th the Firecracker Car, Truck and Bike Show in Urbana, and on the 5th Centerville will have the Americana Festival Auto Show. Then Good Guys will take place on July 9th, 10th, and 11th in Columbus at the Ohio Expo Center, and last but not least, Brookville Roadster's Open House and Car Show on Saturday the 10th.
My contact at Vandalia-Butler Chamber of Commerce, Will Roberts, would like for me to pass on that if anyone would like to have their classic ride in the Air Show Parade on July 9th and have it announced as it passes the reviewing stand in the middle of downtown Vandalia, to contact the office at 937-898-5351 ASAP. No awards, just a lot of people to see and admire your special classic ride.
On April 17, a lot of us went over to the National Trail Car Show in New Paris, Ohio. Don from Go4Rider and myself were of the first to arrive, and we got started doing our job to document this great event. In all, 165 cool classics were registered to help support the NT Scholarship Program. Everybody had a fantastic time. In fact, so many MVN members showed up, that it turned out to be our first 2021 get-together, some with their Novas and some with one of there other classics. Also, as you will see from the 340 photos I have on the website, the Brookville Corvette Club was also well represented with about ten vets lined up for us to enjoy. You got to take a look at not only my photos, but also Don's Go4Rider Site. He has some wild video of the classics as they arrived at the event.
Finally, on April 23rd, 24th and 25th, the Cincinnati Cavalcade of Customs took place at the Convention Center, and even though entries were down a bit from past years, it still turned out to be a real crowd pleaser. Go4Rider was also there, and between the two of us, we got this event well covered for you to enjoy by both video and my 528 picture portfolio. MVN was well represented with several members, but the highlight came when Jamie and Bobbie Woods took three High Honors with their 1973 custom creation, silver, six cylinder Nova. After a First Place in their class, they were blown away to also receive the Custom Interior Award, and then the Master Builders Award. More on Jamie next month. But for now, just take at look at the photography.
In closing, don't forget about Horsepower Farm this Saturday, Dick Ryman's Cruise-In on Sunday, the 2nd at the Heart of Ohio Antique Center, and of course, Kevin's site for all the current flyers he has posted.
Photos of the month just have to be of what Don has shot at both National Trail and the Cavalcade. He has a link on MVN bottom right Index Page or on the Entertainment Section of links on MVN.
Did you know that the Show N' Shine Calendars are now available for sale at many events? So pick one up!
This just in: The Kettering Backpack Car Show is a go for Sunday June 6th at the same location, "Highfield Doors". A flyer will soon be on Kevin's site. This is a great event. More in next month's newsletter. Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
April 1st, 2021
Miami Valley Novas April 2021 Newsletter
Vol. 7 No.4
Hello Everybody,
Every year on this day, I've always thought of starting out with an April fool's joke, but to be honest, why do that when we have so many other things to put a smile on our faces. Like the fact that we are almost two weeks into Spring, the weather is getting so much better, and with the time change now in effect, the days are getting longer. All this means one thing, the car show truck and cycle season is now ready to take off.
But wait a minute, for a lot of us, it's been going on for several weeks. One fine example of this was the Annual Millers Swap Meet and Car Show that took place in Chillicothe, Ohio on March 13th at the Ross County Fairgrounds. I, of course, was there with my '71 Nova doing my thing and so was Don Sparks of Go4Rider and Katy Cook. Oh! And speaking of Katy, check out her new ride on the pictures of the event. It's a 1994 Green Vet. Photos are 61-72. In all there were 94 entries and dozens more that chose not to be judged. It was a great show and a fantastic swap meet. 404 images are up on the MVN site, and don't forget to look at the video of the event on Go4Rider.
Starting tonight, "Weather Permitting" of course, the first Thursday Night Cruise-In will take place at the Get Air in Huber Heights and will take place every Thursday night thru October from 5 p.m. to dark, sponsored by Get Air and the Old Rollers Car Club. This is a fantastic weekly event you must check out.
As with the Get Air Cruise-In and most of the events that I'm about to mention, info can be found on the MVN Car Show Page or on Kevin's link in the top left box called "Car Event Flyers by Kevin". Right now, Kevin has almost a hundred upcoming events for you to check out. All are going to take place. Many event promoters that I have spoken to in March are excited about this year's car show season. Here is what some of them want to pass on about their events.
Dick "Hot Dog" Ryman is going to have his first monthly cruise-in at the Heart of Ohio Antique Center on Sunday the 11th due to Easter. Next month, it will go back to the first Sunday of the month. Robin & Gary McCaffery will start up their weekly Saturday Night Cruise-In in Kettering on Dorothy Lane & Woodman on the 17th again with music, food, and ice cream. Dane at National Trail says it's a go for the car and truck show to take place on the 17th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with all the usual amenities. On the 23rd to the 25th, it's the Cincinnati Cavalcade of Customs at the Duke Energy Convention Center. Greg McDaniel says that he still has a few spots available for high quality customs or original type vehicles. So call him right away to be a part of this fantastic once a year event: 859-282-0624. As for the end of April, Hollywood Gaming Event and the Annual Sharonville Car Show: I'm sorry to say that both are canceled for this year. The organizers tell me they hope to be back next year if COVID is gone.
As for May, the First Fridays Cruise-Ins of Xenia is also canceled for 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions...maybe next year! However, the Troy Main Street Cruise-In Car Show for the 7th is a go! Andrea says that they are really looking forward to this event taking place from 5 to 8 p.m. For more info, you can call Andrea Keller at T.M.S. 937-339-5455. Let's pray for no rain! More good news...on Mother's Day, the Shriners will bring back the Mother's Day Car Show at Smith Park from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tim says, like in past years, we're going to have a lot of fun! Also, in May, the FRABAAA Cruisin' for Hope Car, Truck and Cycle Show will again take place at Buckminns Harley Davidson in Xenia. They want me to let everybody know that they are so sorry about last year and with new supervision of this show, it's going to be great! There will be over 30 awards, 50-50, food, music and a lot more! See the Flyer. Cars and Parts at the Clark County Fairgrounds will take place on the 28, 29 & 30th. The car show is still in question. I'll let you know next month if it's a go or just a cruise-in.
Just a quick mention of a few to take place later on this summer. On June 5th, the Cruise Into Summer at Reichard is a go. Armco Park on the same day is a go for you down south to check out. On June 13th, the Cincinnati Concours is a go! And this is big news: Brookville Roadster will once again have their open house and car show on Saturday, July 10th. Victory Church is again having their car, truck & bike show on the 17th, and more big news: on July 30 & 31st in Lima at the Allen County Fairgrounds, the central meet of the Vintage Chevrolet Club will host their car show on Saturday. More on this in next month's newsletter.
Last month, I made mention of maybe some events to take place at the Dayton Convention Center, and while Ron Eifert is not totally against this, he is more interested in some outdoor events to take place at local hotels. So, if you have any ideas, please give him a call at 937-226-8284.
Sad news: Our good friend, Don Sparks of Go4Rider lost his sister Teresa on March 3rd to a long time illness, so please keep Don and family in your prayers. I did send Don a nice sympathy card from all of us in our car show family of Ohio with best wishes to him at this sad time. Don's address is still P.O. Box 161, Medway, Ohio 45341, if you want to know.
Did you, by chance, see Jerry Tuckerman's 1966 Nova in the March 16th issue of Auto& RV? If not, it is now on his page of members on the MVN site.
In closing, don't forget about Horsepower Farm this Saturday morning and Hot Dog's Cruise-In on the 11th of April. All car show promoters, please get your flyers to Kevin and for everybody to please check out "Car Event Flyers by Kevin" on the Car Show Page, top left box. He now has about one hundred flyers of upcoming events and info on how to send your flyers to him. Of course, Don's site, Go4Rider, is always a must. Remember, he has one of the 10 Fast Action Links on the Index Page of Miami Valley Novas.
Photos of the Month are on the Miller's Car Show and Swap Meet. So take a look at who won and all the fun we had at this fantastic event.
Did you know that they have come up with a cost to build a new I-75 bridge over the Ohio River; just a little over two billion dollars! Got any spare change?
This just in: The Hot Rod Power Tour is going to give it another try, and yes, we are included for August 24th at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds. Full details are at HOTROD.COM.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
March 1st, 2021
Miami Valley Novas March 2021 Newsletter
Vol. 7 No.3
Hello Everybody,
If there is one thing you can count on by living in the Miami Valley and the state of Ohio, it's got to be the unpredictability of our weather. I say this because right after I sent out last month's MVN Newsletter saying that we had not, so far, had a bad Winter, Winter did come with snowfall after snowfall, frigid temperatures, and more ice than any of us want. So let's look at the calendar. Daylight Savings Time will start in only fourteen days, and the first day of Spring is only a mere nineteen days away. Of course, this does not mean we won't still have some bad days in early Spring, but I think that we can say the odds of having cruisin' weather are getting better. So, it's not too early to start getting our cars, trucks, and cycles ready for the season.
Ok, so let's talk about the fast approaching 2021 cruisin' season. First of all, like you, I'm sure we are not going to have what we would call a normal car, truck and cycle show season. The COVID virus is still going to be a big determining factor of what we will be doing, or not be doing. However, I think it's going to be better than last year. As most of you know by now, the Cincinnati Cavalcade of Customs set for the 12-13-14th of this month has again been changed. The date for it is now April 23-24 & 25th, and the Chazziz's Car Show at the Roberts Centre has been canceled due to COVID-19. Yeah, it's still killing car shows, but even more importantly, people! So don't let your guard down!
The Springfield Cars and Parts Swap Meet that took place on February 20th was a huge success with every space filled in all three buildings and so many attendees that parking close was not going to happen. Once inside, everybody was having a fantastic time. I naturally arrived early and stayed almost the entire day to talk to friends and to check out all of the cool stuff. But of course, I was also taking lots of pictures of the event, so take a look! Oh, and just so you know, I did not go home empty handed. There are some things a car guy just has to have.
Now to get down to some real business. Kevin Foust of "Car Event Flyers" and I have been talking, and we both agree that if you are going to have an event this year, now is the time to start letting everybody know about it. Even if it's in August, September, or October. Get your flyer made up and get it to Kevin for him to post. He already has almost forty up, so take a look, and certainly do not forget to get it listed in the Show and Shine Auto Event Calendar. The deadline to get your event to appear in the number one auto event forum is March 20th. Their phone number is 513-868-7735.
Some events that I feel I must talk about and certainly do deserve a mention are as follows: The 14th Annual Millers Swap Meet & Car Show to be held on Saturday the 13th of March at the Ross County Fairgrounds, Chillicothe Ohio, the Freemans Super Sunday Swap Meet on March 28th, Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, the Spring Auto Parts Swap Meet, Lancaster, Ohio on April 25th, Fairfield County Fairgrounds and all three do have a flyer up on Car Event Flyers by Kevin. Also, the big Xenia Grace Chapel Car Show is a go for this year on September 25th. I found out about this one from them the day that the February Newsletter went out, so save the date. Everybody will be there. As always, get there early for your best parking spot. Hundreds of photos from past shows are on the MVN Pictures Page of the website of this event.
Last week, I had a long conversation with our good friend, Ed Crowder, and besides being excited about the Gathering of the Geezers Event to take place again this year on August 28th, the track will have it's opening day on March 27th. Yes folks, things are going to start happening!
Ron Eifert of the Dayton Convention Center, who is the Senior Sales Manager, would like me to get the word out about maybe having some events at the Convention Center. Right now, we are just asking that those of you who are part of a national organization, like I am of "National Nostalgic Nova", to talk to your club leaders about this wonderful opportunity to bring back some indoor events. As you know, we have not had an indoor event in Dayton since March of 2013, when KOI Auto Parts hosted the Custom Classic Hot Rod Fest at the Airport Expo Center. Of course, this facility is no longer available to us, so the Dayton Convention Center would be the perfect fit for this to take place. I would like to thank Ron Eifert for reaching out to me to let everybody know that the center is definitely open to the idea. So talk to your organizations.
At this time, I would like to congratulate MVN Members, Jim and Lois Koontz for having their 1974 Nova featured on the cover of the National Vintage Chevrolet Club of America Club Magazine called G & D "Generator & Distributor", along with seven beautiful photos. The story of them belonging to the national organization and touring around with the club is quite interesting, so take a peek at their page on MVN to see a nice '74 Nova.
As of right now, the MVN Car Show Page is still not totally accurate. Due to the virus, I'm getting a lot of "We don't know!" or "We will have to wait and see" responses from the contacts of the show organizers. This is why getting a flyer to Kevin to post on his site is so important.
In closing, don't forget about Opie and Sue's 1st Saturday gathering at the Horsepower Farm, 8 a.m. to? Check out Don Sparks' site "Go4Rider" for all of his cool car show/cruise-in video work. Remember that the Show & Shine deadline for the calendar is March 20th. John Lynch says "hello" to everybody from Cincinnati, and I'm praying for everyone to stay safe and healthy for the 2021 car/truck & cycle season.
The photos of the month to look at are of the 2020 Chazziz Car show at the Roberts Centre with 300 photos of a great event that will not take place this year.
Did you know that I just added another great link to the Car Show Page? It is "Car Cruise Finder". We now have thirteen in the top boxes to help you find events.
This just in. The big National Trail Car Show is a go for this year. I spoke to Dane the other day, and it will, like it has been in the past years, take place on the 3rd Saturday of April. Info is on MVN Car Shows Page so save the date, and I'll remind you again next month.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
February 1st, 2021
Miami Valley Novas February 2021 Newsletter
Vol. 7 No.2
Hello Everybody,
Well, once again we have reached the halfway point of Winter, and like always, tomorrow the groundhog will give us his prediction on the rest of the Winter, and of course, maybe an early Spring. But really so far we, in the Miami Valley, have not had a bad Winter. Now already the stores are putting out their Spring merchandise, and daylight is getting to be longer. So hang in there, Spring is only 47 days away!
As for my update to you on the Covid virus, I'm sure I'm not going to be telling you anything new or that you already don't know, except that there is a new strain of it just being reported. They say it is more contagious and even more deadly than what we are now dealing with. One prediction is that it will hit us in mid to late March. Yes, right before the car show cruise-in season is about to get underway. So please, I'm asking you to do to your part (and you know what that is), to stay safe and healthy. Vice President of MVN, John Lynch, who lives in Cincinnati, says that he just found out that the person who puts on the big Colrain Cruise-In just passed away with it last week. He was 45 years old! Please! We must take this very seriously!!
Over the last month, I have been on the phone almost everyday talking to my contacts about the upcoming car-truck and cycle season, so this is what I have found out. The National Trail Car Show that usually holds the honor of being the first event in our area held on the third Saturday of April in New Paris, Ohio is most likely going to be canceled. Dane says that since they don't postpone their show, it's not looking good. This seems to be the feeling I'm getting from many of the organizers I have spoken to. Another big weekly event that is permanently on hold is the SVG Friday Night Cruise-In in Beavercreek. It could, however, start up later this year, but they want me to let everybody know that as of right now, no arrangements have been made with SVG for this popular cruise-in to take place. In fact, last year was the same situation. I have now posted a link on the Car Show Page titled "SVG Friday Night Cruise-In" for you to keep up to date on this event. So please check it out.
However, Robin and Gary have told me that their Kettering Saturday Night Cruise-In is all set to go! All arrangements have been made to get up and going on April 17th. So check out their link on the MVN Car Show Page for more info.
The date for the Springfield Cars and Parts Indoor Swap Meet set for February 13th has been changed. It is now going to take place on Saturday, February 20th. So take note of this. I do have photos of the 2019 event on the website, as well as a link to their site on the Parts and Services Page under Swap Meet.
Some of the events that I have been told are a go for this year are: Opie's First Saturday of the Month Cruise-In starting February 6th, the Bowersville Car Show on July 31st, the big Kettering Assembly of God Cruise-In on the 26th of September, all Springfield Cars and Parts, and of course, as I already mentioned, the Kettering Saturday Night Cruise-In. Also many events at Get Air, I'm sure will most likely take place. So check out their site on the Car Show Page of MVN, as well as all the others listed at the top for current and correct information.
If you are going to hold a car show or maybe a cruise-in, don't forget to get it listed in the Show and Shine Auto Event Calendar. Their phone number is 513-868-7735. The deadline is fast approaching, March 20th. Also, for those of you who collect them and did not get a 2020 edition, they are still available, so give them a call.
When speaking to the National office, the other day, I was informed that the Chevy Nationals, held in June at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, are now going to be called the GM Nationals to allow other makes to be part of this huge event, yes, it is set to take place on June 25th & 26th. So, if you are going, save the dates and get registered. It is always a huge, cool show!
When changing our logo from Car Club, Parts and Services to "A Website for Everybody!", we also changed the photo on the Index Page to better reflect that we love all classics and not just Novas. In fact, I looked for the perfect picture for a long time, and if you take a good look at it, you will see why I love this photo so much. It has exactly what I want the MVN website to be all about: People, Autos & Fun! One other thing about the Index Page is the ten boxes that look like advertisements. Actually, they are in fact, fast action links to these great websites. Just point and click, like Go4Rider! Don has so much to offer, I just had to give him one of these spots. So, now you know why and what they are for!
From time to time, someone will ask me why I have a 2013 Camaro listed on the MVN Members Page. Well, it's simple, because Keith Morton is an Honorary Member of the club. Keith is what this hobby is all about. For those of you who know him, really no explanation is necessary. For those of you who don't know him, he is just a great person to be around, loves car shows and cruise-ins, and yes, he has a pretty cool 2013 customized Camaro. But besides all this, Keith, by going to a lot of events in the tri-state as he does, helps me out by giving me information that I can pass on to everybody in the newsletters. Thanks, Keith for all you do. Also, at this time, I want to say Happy Birthday to MVN member, Ed Brown, who will turn 97 on February 9th. See Ed and both of his classics on the Members Page of the website.
Don't forget about the Daytona 500 Race on Sunday, the 14th. The date changed for the February Cars and Parts, Opie's 1st Saturday of the Month Get Together, Go4Rider's site, and to keep wearing your mask and washing your hands. Better days are coming!
This month's photos are of the 2018 Ecklers Classic State Rep Chevy Show, June 23rd, in the city of Fairborn. I think you'll love all the different license places. This was a cool show!
Did you know that the last Kettering 2020 Cruise-In had a band playing? See the photos on their site, Kettering Saturday Night Cruise-In, on the Car Show Page of MVN website.
This just in, the Sharonville Car Show will most likely be postponed and not take place at the end of April, on its usual date. I will keep you up to date on this as more information is given to me.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
January 1st, 2021
Miami Valley Novas January 2021 Newsletter
Vol. 7 No.1
Hello Everybody,
Is it really 2021? Well, if you are like myself, then I'm sure you're thinking, "Goodbye 2020! And don't come back!" Yes, 2020 was filled with so many things we will not soon forget, mostly because, for most of us, we are still going through a lot of sad and bad times. So forgive me if I don't say Happy New Year. Rather, I will say Welcome to 2021, and let's hope it to be a better one.
Just two days after I sent out the December MVN Newsletter, Greg McDaniel, who organizes the Cincinnati Cavalcade of Customs, called to inform me that the show for January 8-9-10 has been canceled. However, there is now a tentative date for the show of March 12-13-14. Of course, we know that things are still developing with the COVID pandemic, so don't count on it actually taking place until we get closer to March. Greg also let me know that I had his contact phone number wrong, so I have corrected it on the Car Show Listings Page as well. If you need to contact him about the show, his number is 859-282-0624.
As for the Chazziz Valentine Car Show at the Roberts Centre in Wilmington set for January 30 and 31, Charlie Hargrave says it's not looking good at all for it to take place. So for now, it's a wait and see kind of thing, but you are always welcome to contact him at his phone number of 937-218-2290. For now, his 2020 DJ Show Schedule is still up on the MVN Car Show Page, upper right box right under Dick "Hot Dog" Ryman's 2020 Show Schedule. These listings, like my own MVN Get Togethers list for 2021 will be posted when we are more certain of the 2021 car show season.
Two big car show events that are already a go and are set to take place are Rollin' on the River in Cincinnati on July 25th and the Rebel Run Classic Car, Truck & Cycle Show on September 17 & 18. As always, the Rebel Run is huge and will again take place at the Allen County Fairgrounds in Lima, Ohio. For more info, go to REBELRUNLIMA.COM. V.P. John Lynch will give us more on the Rollin on the River Show in later newsletters as the show gets closer to taking place. He says it's fantastic!
For those of you like myself, Joe Peters, and many other purests out there who strive for originality will want to know about something I just recently discovered. It seems that somebody has taken over the site of the ANTIQUEAUTOBATTERY.COM and are not even providing antique batteries. This is important, because there is still only one source that I'm aware of to get original type batteries for our classic cars, trucks, motorcycles, and tractors, and this is Jim's Battery Manufacturing in Youngstown, Ohio. I can't even begin to tell you how many shows I have won solely on having the correct Delco equipment in my 1971 Nova SS. Yes, many judges do look at the battery, and it does make a huge difference. As always, I have Jim's site on the Parts and Services Page, or just go to his website, JIMSBATTERYMFG.COM to take a look around.
This month, I am starting a new feature to the MVN Newsletter that I will call "Photos of the Month". I got the idea when I was looking at some of my past photo shoots. So many great memories have already been caught by my camera, and I just want to point out some that I find interesting, some that make me smile, and even some that might make you stop and think about how in a blink of an eye, everything can change. This month, I want you to look at the Rose Music Center Cruise-in October 10, 2020 photo shoot. Go to photos 84 thru 92, and you will see Corey Strader with his dad Richard having a great time with their cars. As you know, we lost Richard a mere 33 days after I shot photos of him with his 1955 Ford. Both Richard and Corey attended many events like this one together, and Richard will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
By now, you have all heard of the passing of Michael Mangan of Mangan Auto Fab. Mike went to be with the Lord on Thanksgiving Day, November 26th, at the young age of only 45. I first met Mike in 2005 through Kenny Pierson, who had just recently had his 1972 Ventura completely restored by him, and I knew from the quality of his work that I wanted him to complete the off body restoration of my 71 Nova SS. Since then, both Kenny and myself and all who had their classics done by Mike have taken National Awards and national recognition for his work. Over the years, Kenny, myself, and all who knew him could only think of him, as I like to say, "An Automotive Artist". I say this because not only could he lay a paint job, but he was also an unbelievable metal and fiberglass fabricator. Going down to his shop about once a month, I was always amazed by what he was able to do with metal and paint. I firmly believe that we all have a God-given talent, and Michael's was that of auto body restoration. He will be greatly missed. At some point, I will put together a tribute to him on the website of his work.
On January 3rd, there will be another Freemans Super Sunday Swap Meet over in Indianapolis, Indiana from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is eight dollars. More info can be found at their website, FREEMANSSUPERSUNDAY.COM. It is also the month for Barrett-Jackson on the 16th-24th. Check out your cable listings for all the cool classics to go on the auction block. It's always fun to watch them go!
Over the holidays, I called many classic car people, and quite a few who want to stay anonymous, are not doing well for one reason or another, so I am asking for prayers for them. Please take a moment to think and pray for our classic car/truck friends. Please keep me up to date on any info changes you make. My policy is not to give out any information to anybody ever!
Robin has now re-done the 2020 MVN Get Togethers Page to put is up to date for last year's shows and the Rose Music Center Cruise-In is one of them. Access it on the Index Page to the left to view the Photos of the Month.
Did you know that Spring is only just 77 days away? And so is cruise-in/car show season!
This just in. Yesterday, I received a nice letter from our good friend, Ed Crowder, to inform me that the annual Gathering of the Geezers is set to take place on August 22nd at Kil-Kare Raceway. Also, Ed says that this year there will be a class for show trucks, so save the date! Also, Opie has just informed me that all events at Horsepower Farm for January have been canceled including the big New Years Day celebration.
In closing, stay safe and healthy, and pray that the vaccine will work. Don't forget to check out GO4RIDER. Don has some great stuff.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
December 1st, 2020
Miami Valley Novas December 2020 Newsletter
Vol. 6 No.12
Hello Everybody,
I want to start off by saying Happy Thankgsiving to all who are loyal to the MVN Website, my MVN members, friends, and to those who are just now beginning to discover all that we provide at MVN for the classic car/truck hobby. I hope you are having a great Thanksgiving weekend.
I wish I could say that this last MVN newsletter of 2020 will be filled with nothing but good news, but sadly, this is not the case. By now, you all know of the passing of one of our dearest friends, Richard Strader. Richard was not only a long time member of MVN, but also someone you could count on seeing with his son, Corey, at many car shows and cruise-ins. I always took his photo, because he was always smiling and talking to other car guys and gals and having a great time just hanging out with us. Of course, I'm sorry to say that Richard was not the only close friend of ours to pass this month, because we also lost Norbert Hala, who drives the all original 1960 Corvette, and Dick Smith, who was the long time president of the Road Knights Car Club. Our good friend, Joe Peters, is always on top of the death notices, because like few people, he reads each and every obituary every day, and from what he tells me, he sees the words classic car owner, car show enthusiast, classic truck owner, car show lover, and more to this type of description quite a bit. So, as I always say, be careful out there, and do your best to take care of yourself. We want you all to be around a long, long time to enjoy life and to help promote our great classic car/truck hobby.
From what I am seeing on the news, they say a COVID-19 vaccine is only a few months away, but the question is will people take it? As of right now, only fifty percent of Americans want to take it. I, too, am on the fence about it, but I believe that I will take it once it becomes widely available to the general population.
Because of COVID-19 and the vaccine, I am still not convinced that the 2021 car/truck show and the cruise-in season will be back completely as it was or should be. I hope and pray I am wrong! One person who is not going to let COVID-19 stop him is our friend, Ernie Rosser, who has and displays at many events his show car "Tuskegee Air Men". I spoke with him last week, and he tells me he purchased a trailer and next summer will hit the road to just travel and to show the car wherever he stops for the day, be it a Dairy Queen or a car show that might be taking place. Good Luck, Ernie, and have fun!
On Saturday, the 7th, I hit the road to go down to the Ross County Fairgrounds in Chillicothe, Ohio. It was a 105 mile trip one way, but well worth it to be part of the Millers Swap Meet and Dan Vickers Memorial Car Show. The weather could not have been better. Brian Miller even told me that many of the inside vendors wanted to be moved outside because of the sunshine and warm temperature. It really was a fantastic day, with 172 cool classics to enter the show. Many of our Dayton area friends were there, so check out the 500 photos I took at the all day event. Just to mention a few of the winners: Scotty McPherson took the Promoter's Award, with his Red 1959 Cadillac (photos 313-320), David Bratton took Best Ford with his 1937 Rod (photos 193-195), and Best of Show went to Bob Kirst, with his beautiful 1946 Ford Coupe (photos169-176). Ok, yes I did take a Top 25 with my 1971 Nova (photos 161-168).
On Saturday the 14th, one week later, I went to the Springfield Cars and Parts Swap Meet, and just like at Millers, Don Sparks was already there getting some great film footage for his Go4Rider site. So, even though I do have 220 images of this event on the MVN Website, you won't want to miss seeing what Don has put together at both the Millers Event and Springfield. Also, I want to mention that Katy Cook was also with us at the Millers Show (photo no.96). So, you might want to check out the cool shots she was able to get. Most of her work can be seen on the Ohio Car Shows and Cruise-In site. A special thanks to Max Sprague for putting together such a great site.
As most of you know, Opie and Sue Willis do a lot for the car show/cruise-in hobby. But what you might not know is that each year, they raise what you can say is an extraordinary amount of money for different charities. On November 7th, Opie and Sue were honored to have a police dog named for their work in raising funds for the Hamilton Police Department. See the dog, "Willis", and the presentation on Don's Go4Rider site, and please don't miss the big December 5th event at Horsepower Farm to raise money for Toys for Tots, or you can bring a new toy to the event. Opie tells me it will be going on all day with Santa to arrive by helicopter between 10:00 and 10:30 a.m. as he always does. Thanks, Opie and Sue for doing such a great work.
I spoke to Greg McDaniel the other day, and yes, the Cincinnati Cavalcade of Customs is still a Go! Greg says he would like us to download an entry form from the website and pay in advance to help registration, so it will go a lot smoother. If you do have any questions, you can contact him at 859-282-0620. One other piece of info about this year's event. It will be sponsored by O'Reilly's Auto Parts. We are looking forward to seeing you there, so save the dates January 8th, 9th, & 10th.
When speaking with Charlie Hargrave last week, he says he still has tentative dates for the annual Valentine's Day Car Show at the Roberts Centre on January 30th and 31st. But this might change to a later date. If it remains these dates, he will begin to accept pre-registrations on January 2nd for the event. For more info, you can contact him at 937-218-2290. I will also give you an update on the 1st in the January MVN Newsletter. From Charlie, you can view great photos from both past Cavalcade and Valentines' shows on the MVN website, along with thousands of others. So, take a look. I think you will enjoy my pictorials.
Jim Clemon's Corvette now has a website. Jim contacted me to update his listing on the Parts and Services Page of MVN. He is listed under section Window Stickers. The site is still being put together, but so far it's looking great! Check it out.
I would like to thank all of you who help to make the MVN Website so fantastic. Like I have in the past, I will be sending you my special Christmas gift. Again, thank you for helping to make MVN the go to place for classic car/truck shows and cruise-in information, photos, and more!
Did you know that the Brent Spence Bridge over the Ohio River is the 2nd busiest bridge in the United States, and yes, it remains closed due to the fiery crash on November 11th.
This just in: Ed Crowder is doing well after open heart surgery to replace his pacemaker. Ed says Hello to everybody, and he is already working on the 2021 Gathering of the Geezers. Thanks, Ed for all you do and we are praying for your recovery.
In closing, both John Lynch and myself want to say thank you for being part of the MVN family. Stay safe, stay healthy, and have a Merry Christmas. Oh, and yes, the Freeman's Super Sunday on the 29th is a Go! More info is at FREEMANSSUPERSUNDAY.COM or see the flyer on the Car Event Flyers by Kevin on MVN.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
November 1st, 2020
Miami Valley Novas November 2020 Newsletter
Vol. 6 No.11
Hello Everybody,
I'd like to first start off by saying that I hope you all had a nice Halloween with your family. I am also praying each day that we can stay safe and healthy in these difficult times. They say that a vaccine is soon on its way, and I hope they are right. Remember to always stay COVID conscious, wear a mask, and wash your hands. I firmly believe that all that can be done is actually being done by our leaders.
Ok, now for some good news. Even with this bad pandemic, it looks as if the 2021 car show season is going to get started right off the line. The Cincinnati Cavalcade of Customs is set for Friday, January 8th through Sunday, the 10th. As of right now, it is a go! So if you want to be in this huge once a year event, now is the time to let them know you are interested in showing.
This year, there were, as always, a lot of shows and events that I did not make it to. However, like Dick's Wooden Nickel and the Dayton First Church Car Show, only to mention a few, most of the car shows and cruise-ins are able to be found and seen on "Go4Rider". I was on Don's site just the other day, and I got to tell you, if you have never spent some time on it, you are missing out on something quite fantastic and amazing. And now that cold weather will soon be upon us in a big way, there could not be a better time to check it out for the first time, or get back on it and see all the new and cool videos Don has created for us to enjoy. Remember, I have a fast link to Don's site on the MVN Index Page for easy access. Just look for Go4Rider, and click it to get there. Thanks Don for all your hard work and for all you do for our classic car/truck hobby.
Now November would normally be the month of the big Vintage Wheels Rod and Custom Car Show and also the Dayton Buckeye Model A Ford Club Swap Meet, but of course, COVID-19 has killed both of these great events for this year. But, I'm told by both organizers that they will be back next year.
On tap still for this month are two great swap meets. The first one will be Miller's on Saturday the 7th from 9 AM to 4 PM at the Ross County Fairgrounds, Chillicothe, Ohio. They will also have a car show with 54 awards. For more info, you can see a flyer on this on Kevin's site, or you can call Brian at 740-701-2511. The other swap meet will be at the Clark County Fairgrounds on Saturday, the 14th. For more info, go to their website at OHIOSWAPMEET.COM. The admission for both swap meets will be $7.00 cruise-in only at Clark County.
In October, I did four events, with photos of all now up on the website: Metal Brite on the 4th, the Rose Music Center Cruise-In on the 10th, Retired Teachers at Young's Jersey Dairy on the 17th, and just last Saturday, the Breast Cancer Awareness Show at Get Air in Huber Heights on the 25th. Now I know you don't want to hear me go on and on about these four events, but there is something worth knowing about each of them, so I will be brief. Metal Brite was down a bit this year due to the rain threat, and it did come down hard at the very end of the show. So, not wanting to subject my camera to the elements, I did not take photos of any of the winners, but I can tell you that Best of Show did go to John Bechter, with his 1964 blue GTO (photo no. 47). Also this year, I did go inside to shoot some great shots of Mike and Joy's shop. So, if you would like to see how they get such fantastic results from their work (see photos 29-44). In all, I have 244 images.
The first ever Rose Music Center Cruise-In was a huge success. I spoke to Rob Kohlbacher the following Monday for an hour, who by the way, was instrumental in getting this to take place. So to make a great, long conversation short, the City of Huber Heights and Rose Music Center loved it and how it came off so well. So, next year, it's going to be even better! Rob told me a lot of his ideas and plans. So let me just say for now, if you were not one of the 400 classics to be there this year, you won't want to miss next year. The 372 photos I have on the MVN site, I guarantee, will give you a good idea of what a great time is was had by all who came out for this relaxing old time Saturday night cruise-in event. Thanks, Rob. You did a great job and looking forward to next year.
The Retired Teachers Show at Young's brought in 199 entries, and the 400 photos I have of this event will give you a good representation of what a great line up of classics that came out to support the One Room Schoolhouse. Be sure to check out the beautiful black and white 55 Chevy with the nailhead engine (photos 81-88). I want to thank John Engle for pointing it out to me to take some extra photos. It really is a special ride. Best of Show, however, went to Joe Holtzapple, with his blue 1932 Ford 5 window coupe (photos 249-252 and 386).
The Breast Cancer Car Show at Get Air in Huber Heights did not bring in as many entries as they had hoped. The final count was 130, mostly due to the cold, windy day. The temperature struggled all day to make it to 50 degrees and with the wind, it felt a lot colder. However, I will say this, there was much generosity displayed by those who bid at both the silent auction and the open auction. So, I believe that they did well. Please take a look at the 356 images I have and also check out the Best of Show winning entry: a 1956 Packard (photo 243), owned by Nick Besch (photo 345). A special thanks to Tracey and Tammy Dunaway, and of course, Wyetta, of Get Air for putting this together.
Did you know that in the last year, Ohio motorists have hit over nineteen thousand deer, and four people were killed by striking these huge animals? Remember, deer are most active in the early morning and at dusk.
Happy Birthday to Fred Adler, who just turned the young age of 93! We all love you, Fred.
This just in. I spoke to Charlie Hargrave the other day, and the Chazziz Valentine's Day Car Show at this time is a go! It is set for January 30th and 31st at the Roberts Centre in Wilmington, Ohio, of course, subject to change, so I will keep you posted in the next month's MVN Newsletter.
Vice President of MVN, John Lynch, says hello to everybody from down in Cincinnati and hopes you all are doing well. See you at the Cavalcade of Customs and Roberts Centre if it's a go and welcome back to standard time!
Don't forget about Opies 1st Saturday of the Month Cruise-In at Horsepower Farm. Opie says even if the weather is bad, still come on out to visit and stay warm in his heated venue.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
October 1st, 2020
Miami Valley Novas October 2020 Newsletter
Vol. 6 No.10
Hello Everybody,
With the start of Fall arriving officially at 9:45 a.m. on the 22nd, we are really beginning to see how Mother Nature is changing. The leaves are falling and so are the night time temperatures. All this points to one thing, the 2020 car/truck show and cruise-in season is coming to an end (or at least what there was of it). But October still has in store for us a few things too, so don't put away your cool special ride just yet.
As I always like to remind you, the MVN Website has a lot of show listings, but not just what I have, but in the upper boxes, you will find links to other sites as well. Kevin's site "Car Event Flyers by Kevin" still has about forty, but two that he does not have and I feel worth mentioning are one, the big cruise-in set for October 10th at the Huber Heights Rose Music Center from 5-8 p.m., with the movie, "Grease" to follow. The second event on October 10th with a rain date of the 17th, is the Trunk or Treat Car Show to be held at the Hilliard Presbyterian Church, 3600 Leap Road, in Hilliard, Ohio. Bring candy. Registration is 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., with a $10 fee. There will be dash plaques to the first 100 and 50 awards to be presented at 3 p.m. For more info, call Charles at 614-774-0831.
Other events that are on the website, but I feel need to be given a reminder of are Metal Brite on October 4th, Dick Ryman's Big Annual Wooden Nickel Cruise-In on the 11th, and of course, most likely the last big show of the season is the 17th Annual One Room School Car Show to be held at Young's Jersey Dairy on October 17th, with a rain date of October 24th. Registration is 10 a.m. to noon, with over fifty awards at 3:30 p.m. And don't forget the Breast Cancer Awareness Car Show at Get Air on the 25th.
The Springfield Cars and Parts Swap Meet, held on September 5th, was a pretty good day considering all that is going on. The pandemic prevented the car show part of the event from taking place, but this did not stop about a hundred or more classics from showing up for us to look at in the show field as a cruise-in type gathering. I spent a good part of the day taking photos, so if you would like to check them out, I have 248 nice images on the MVN website. Besides all the nice rides, you will see two business that stood out to me that I want to let you know about. The first one is "Snipco Castings", (photos 45 to 56). They can make just about anything. Larry and I spoke for quite awhile, and he explained how he can make up many parts for special and common type applications. His display was very interesting, so take a look. The next booth I was impressed with was by a man named Robert Hoyt, (photos 141 to 145). It is called "Vintage Inspection Stickers". I could not resist getting one for both my 70 and 71 Novas. If you like that little special touch to set your ride apart from others, especially if you are into "classic originality", these stickers can do the job. At some point, I will get these listed on the parts and services page of MVN, but for now, their info is part of the photos.
On Sunday the 13th, it was a big day at the 11th Annual Irish Club Car and Bike Show. 150 great rides came out to have some fun in the sun with music and a lot of tasty food on hand. The money raised at this event went to the Butler Township Police and Fire Scholarship Fund, and the eight awards were given to the best in each class. I do have 300 images of this event on the MVN Photos Page or you can see a lot of cool video on Don Sparks site as well. Just click on his box on the Index Page, and it will take you to his fantastic site!
Don Sparks was also on hand doing his cool Go4Rider thing at the 17th Annual Xenia Grace Chapel Car Show. This worthwhile event is to raise funds for oil changes for low income households, and this year was huge! 310 entries and 40 that paid but chose not to be judged for the fifty awards and the three specials that were handmade. Our good friends Keith and Karen Young took the Best of Show Award with their 1936 Ford three window coup (photos 417-422). To see the show winner and the other 351 nice rides that packed the parking lot and grass area, take a look at the 432 photos I shot or visit Go4Rider to view his amazing videos of this show and so many others. This event was also one of our MVN Get-Togethers, and as you will see, we had one of our biggest get-togethers ever! (Photos 61-104) Some members chose to bring out one of their other cars, but that's ok. We just want to see them out having a good time. At this time, I would like to welcome our newest members to the MVN Car Club, Mark and Karen Muterspaw, with their 1970 396 Nova, and also Neil Parks, with his 1964 Chevy II. Photos will be put on the website as soon as we can arrange to do it.
I would like to thank you all for the wonderful comments I received about my photo shoot of the Kil-Kare Geezers event in August. I had a lot of fun using my new telephoto lens to capture those great off the line shots. So, if you have not seen this cool layout of the Gathering of the Geezers, take a few minutes to check it out.
In closing, I want everybody to get out and vote, and in doing so, be sure to choose the candidates that represent your personal values.
Did you know that more people than ever are running red lights? Always look before you go. Don't trust the green light!
This just in: The Black Walnut Festival Car Show has been canceled. However, the 2021 Cincinnati Cavalcade of Customs is a go and set for January 8, 9, & 10th. Let's hope it stays a go! Also remember Opie's First Saturday of the Month Cruise-In at Horsepower Farm.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
September 1st, 2020
Miami Valley Novas September 2020 Newsletter
Vol. 6 No.9
Hello Everybody,
How are you feeling? How are you doing? Are you practicing social distancing and wearing a mask? I know that it is a big adjustment to do all that is required now days to stay safe, but it is worth it when you realize that just in Ohio alone, we have now passed four thousand deaths due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So, yes! We do need to take this very seriously.
Last month, I made mention of several big events that were still a go. Sadly many of them did not make it to the starting line. Both Asphalt Outlaws and Eaton Downtown Saturday Night were canceled just two days before they were to begin, and as you can see on the MVN Car Show Page, we are putting "Canceled" next to the ones we find out about, so take a look, and don't forget to checkout the other sites I have in the top boxes as well.
For this month, I have another big list of cancellations, but here are a few of them: The Ox Roast Car Show, Masonic Home, The Kerry White Scholarship Show, Christianburg, Show N' Tell, Fairborn, Steve Austin, Erwin, and I'm sorry to say in November, Vintage Wheels. Of course, these are only some to most recently bite the dust for the year, so as I said, check out the website for more up to date info.
As for the rest of the 2020 Car/Truck Show Season, we still have a lot of great events on tap that the promoters are hoping will still be a go. Here are a few of them. On September 4th, 5th, & 6th, Cars N' Parts (Cruise-In only), the Irish Club Show on the 13th in Lima, the Rebel Run on the 19th & 20th, the Springfield Armory Show on the 25th, and quite a few more that you will find on Kevin's site with a Flyer for you to view, top left box of the Car Shows Page of MVN Site. Click on Car Event Flyers by Kevin, and while you're there, check out many of the other links, like Ohio Car Shows and Cruise-Ins. I think you will find they have a lot to offer for info.
I was down at Metal Brite the other day, and yes, Mike is going to have his 14th Annual Open House Customer Appreciation Cruise-In with trophies on October 4th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Registration is $15 that includes a tee shirt, live music, and so much more! So save this date, because Mike always has a great show!
On Friday, September 25th, from 4 p.m. to dark, there will be a cruise-in to replace the canceled Mum Festival event. It is free, and the location will be in Fletcher, Ohio at the Poor Farmers RV Center, 7211 N. Lost Creek-Shelby Rd. 45326. The Flyer also says that food vendors will be on site. For more info, contact Mike at 937-368-2449.
There are a lot of rumors going around at the car shows and cruise -ins about this big open cruise-in to be held on September 20th at the Carillon Park near the Bell Tower. So I took it upon myself to call Holly at Dayton History, and here are the facts. No! There is not going to be a cruise-in at the Carillon to replace, for this year, the Dayton Concourse. There is, however, in the works for a cruise to meet at the Dayton History Parking lot, but by invitation only to be sent out by the committee to a select few. So, if you do not receive an invitation in the mail, do not show up because you will not be permitted to participate. How this all got started, I have no idea, but for those of you who are planning on this event, I just wanted to let you know there is not going to be a big cruise-in.
The 12th Annual Gathering of the Geezers that took place on August 22nd at Kil-Kare Raceway was by far a huge success. So much so, that by 1:30, they had to close the gates. The Car Show was the biggest ever with 189 entries and the pits were filled to capacity with racers from all over the tri-state looking to show off what they could do on the strip. I, myself was the first one thru the gate at 7:30 a.m., and right away began to capture the event for all to enjoy. As always, I do my best to take you on a pictorial of all the fun we have at one of these activities. As you will see in the almost 500 photos, just about everybody was there to get in on a full day of high octane entertainment. As I have said before when I do one of these big shows, I could go on and on about what took place, but I would rather you look at all the cool shots I captured, and then judge for yourself; was it really worth not being there.... Hey, there is always next year, right? And a big Thank You to Ed Crowder for putting this event together.
I spoke to Opie, and yes, he will be having his first Saturday of the month cruise in this week on the 5th, followed by his annual Kentucky Derby get together with food and fun for all. Also, Hotdog is going to once again be at the Heart of Ohio Antique Center on the 6th from 12-4 p.m., and all info on his list on the MVN Car Show Page is correct, with the only exception is that Fairborn has been canceled.
Don Sparks of Go4Rider is back in action. I had a chance to spend some time with him at the Kil-Kare event, and he is doing as well as he can with a still sore back. Don wants everybody to know he is grateful for all the prayers and kind thoughts. As I will always tell you, please go to his link on the MVN Index Page, and take a look at all Don has to offer, especially now when you can't get to a car show or cruise-in. It really is the next best thing to being at the actual event. Thanks Don for all your hard work and dedication. We love you Buddy! Keep up the great job!
I know we are all hoping and praying for this pandemic to end soon and that next year will be better for our hobby, but to be honest, we still have a long way to go, so don't yet count on 2021 being all the way back to normal. There still is a lot of work ahead for our country.
If you ever see anything wrong on the MVN site, please let me know, so we can get it fixed.
Did you know that the Performance Paint Customer Appreciation Cookout and Cruise-In for this year has been canceled? Also, Larry's Bug Jam at his shop will not take place either.
This just in.... The Waco Fly-In Car Show set for September 20th has been canceled. However, in its place for that day there will be a cruise-in with no awards, no dash plaques, and no goodie bags. I am not sure about music or food, but I just thought you might like to know the latest. Also, this just in, on September 5th from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. At the Carillon Historical Park, they are having an Antique Fire Apparatus Show featuring approximately 40 pieces of vintage fire fighting equipment. For more info, you can call 937-293-2841.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
"A Website for Everybody"
August 1st, 2020
Miami Valley Novas August 2020 Newsletter
Vol. 6 No.8
Hello Everybody,
To be perfectly honest, I really don't know how to begin this month's newsletter, because so much of how we live has been changed by this terrible pandemic, and it doesn't look as if it's going to get any better in the foreseeable future.
However, with all that is going on, we must also move on as best we can. We must pray for the many thousands who have lost their lives and for all who are affected by what is taking place, not only in our beloved country, but around the entire world.
As far as our classic car/truck and cycle hobby is concerned, it has not been a good year at all. In fact, it has been a great disappointment to those of us who enjoy getting out and hitting the open road to end up at our favorite car show or cruise-in. However, some are taking place.
The big ones to be canceled for this newsletter are Hawker, Franklin, Boomerfest, British Car Day, Butler Twp., Lewisburg, Urbancrest, Bellbrook, Antioch Shrine, Kettering Holiday at Home, West Carrollton, Tipp City, and the Dayton Concours. Naturally there are many more, so my advice is the same as I have been saying for the last several months. Check the website, and of course, all the other links I have on the Car Show Page, especially Car Event Flyers by Kevin. He is doing a great job of keeping only active events listed. But, as always, it would be good to call for some final confirmation of the event taking place.
Some big events that are, at this time, still a go for this year include Ashpalt Outlaws, Eaton Downtown Saturday Night, Fairborn, Grace Chapel, and of course, the big event at Kil-Kare, "The Gathering of the Geezers". Now, if I was to go on and on about all they will have taking place on August 22nd, I could finish out this newsletter on this event alone, but the flyer is up on the Car Event Flyers by Kevin, so take a look at it and the other 122 Kevin has listed.
I spoke to Joy at Metal Brite the other day, and she says the business is doing great. She also says that Mike and her are looking very seriously about having the car show this year. However, it most likely will be on a yet to be determined date in September. I will let you know next month.
Last month, I sent out a special update on the Bowersville Car Show to let everybody know of the location change for the event. I just want you to know I try very hard to put all my information into one correspondence a month, but every once in a while something will pop up that I feel you need to know about before the MVN Newsletter is sent out on the 1st.
As for the Ciera Greene Memorial Car Show in Bowersville, Ohio, it was a big success, with 144 entries. I arrived at 8:30 to cover the event, and on the website I have 400 beautiful shots from beginning to the awards. So, if you would like to see a photo of every entry and to see who won, just take a look and enjoy.
Right after the Bowersville event, I packed up my red SS and drove to Huber Heights, Ohio for the Get Air Old Rollers Car Show from 3 p.m. To 9 p.m.. Yes, it was a long day, but well worth the effort! It was almost just as big as Bowersville with 110 entered and many cool rides that didn't feel they needed to pay? To Tracy and Tammy, and all who helped out on this great evening show, thank you so much for putting together a really fun time for all who attended. The next show for the Old Rollers will again be at the same location on October 25th, Get Air in Huber Heights. 272 photos are now up on the website, and don't forget the Thursday night cruise-in at Get Air. The Old Rollers will see you there.
On July 3rd, 4th, and 5th, we had a show each day, and yes, I do have photos of all these cool events: Huber Heights on the 3rd with 248, then Shelter Church on the 4th with 216, and certainly, of course, the Freedom Celebration Car Show on the 5th with 200. If you were not able to attend, there is always next year, but for now, these photo shoots will give you a good idea of just what a cool time you can have on a hot summer day.
I would like to congratulate member Jeff Barnhart for taking 2nd Place with his 1968 Nova at the West Alexandria Car Show and also member Joe Peters for taking the 1st Annual Ed Miller Remembrance Award at the Shelter Car Show. Also, Joe received at the Freedom Celebration Car Show, Best Chevy for his 1971 Malibu. How cool is that!
From time to time, I come across a new business that I feel is worth a shout out. This time, it is J.L. Custom Coatings. I stopped in the other day to check them out, and Justin showed me around his new location at 7200 North Dixie Drive. Powder coating is there specialty, but they also do sand blasting and chemical striping. Their phone number is 937-475-1752. I will put them on the Parts and Services Page as soon as I can. I know I will use them sometime in the future.
As most of you know, I have become a good friend of Don Sparks, who is a fixture at most car shows and cruise-ins. Don, for right now, is laid up with a really bad back problem. When speaking with Teresa, his sister, the other day, she said he is on the mend and should be back filming his Go4Rider videos in the next few weeks. I have sent him a get well card from all of us, so for now keep Don in your prayers, and remember you can always access Don's Go4Rider site on the index page of the MVN website. He has a lot to offer our hobby. Don, get well soon. We love you, buddy!
This just in. Dick "Hot Dog" Ryman called to let me know that three more of his events have canceled. They are Clifton, Masonic Home, Christianburg, and of course, Shriners in Dayton that I already mentioned.
Don't forget about Gary and Robin's big Saturday night cruise-ins from 5 p.m. to dark. Kettering Town Center Facebook page is on the MVN Car Show Page, and as always, the first Saturday at Horepower Farm Cruise-in.
If anybody would like a Show N Shine Auto Event Calendar, give me a call. The cost is $20. I still have a few left to sell.
Did you know that the Wheels Section of the Saturday Dayton Daily News is on a big comeback? I spoke to Skip Peterson a few days ago, and this Saturday, August 1st will feature a write up by him on the Gathering of the Geezers at Kil-Kare on August 22nd. So be sure to check it out.
Keep practicing your social distancing, wear a mask when it's appropriate, and wash your hands a lot!
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
and may God Bless you all,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
July 1st, 2020
Miami Valley Novas July 2020 Newsletter
Vol. 6 No.7
Hello Everybody,
Well, with Summer officially now upon us, we would like to be out enjoying our classic car/truck hobby, but as you know, many of our favorite events are not taking place this year due to the fear of the virus spreading. I truly believe this is a concern we must take very seriously. I just heard a few weeks ago about the huge Goodguys event in Columbus being canceled for this year, but of course, it's not the first major show to be pulled, and I'm sure it's not going to be the last.
To be honest, there are so many canceled events, I cannot cover them all, but for July, here are the big ones to bite the dust due to COVID-19. As I said, Goodguys, but also Centerville and Urbana, Bethel Murdoch Church, The Stillwater Center Show, White Trash and White Walls, Grace Baptist Church, and for the first Saturday of August, Hawker Shade Tree Car Show and The Vintage Truck Show at Young's Dairy are also not taking place.
At this time, Young's says that the Orphan Car Show and The Retired Teachers Show are still a go, but it's too early to tell. So, like I said last month in the MVN Newsletter, you just have to call, or better yet, go to my Links on the Car Show Page and get up-to-date information from people like Kevin Foust at Car Event Flyers by Kevin. Last time I looked, he had 82 flyers up. Thanks, Kevin and also thanks to my other contributors that make the MVN Website so special and so informative. Oh, and while I'm on this subject, a big Thank You to Keith Morton, honorary member of MVN, for all he contributes. Keith goes to just about every event with his 2013 Camaro, and last week, told us all about the Tipp City Mum Festival being canceled, but the cruise-in might still take place, if they can find a site big enough to handle the event. Keith's Camaro took a Top 30 out of 128 entries last week up in St. Mary at the 3rd Annual Dad's Car Show. Congratulations, Keith, on your big win at the show. See Keith's Camaro now listed on the Members Page of the MVN Website.
Now for some car shows and events that people have been passing on to me to tell you about. Gary Chesnut of Brookville Corvettes says that the Reichard Cruise-In might still take place, but not in July. He will let us know if it's going to happen and when. Dick Ryman's event schedule for this year is now up on the MVN Car Show Listings page. He says sorry, but a lot of changes had to be done. Opie, at Horsepower Farm, says last month was a record breaking Cars and Coffee. As he put it, "Biggest Crowd Ever", and yes, he will be having his event again on the 4th of July. Ed Crowder called me the other day to help him get out this piece of hot news: The Annual Geezers Car Show and Track Event in August is a definite Go! And, as a special attraction, he is putting together a Stick Shift Competition Run, so if you want to get in on shifting your gears for all to see how good or bad you are at it, give Ed a call at 937-409-3087.
The Empty Pockets Cruisers Car Show has been rescheduled for September 12. Registration is from 11 AM to 1 PM, with awards at 3 PM. Location: St. James Church, 5660 Trabue Road in Columbus, Ohio. Also, don't forget about the Officer Ciera Green Memorial Car & Bike Show on the 25th from 10 AM to 2 PM at 726 E. Main Street, Lebanon, Ohio. For info, call Lorraine at 937-765-7695.
The Friday Night SVG Motors Cruise-In is back and going in Beavercreek, but if you prefer a Saturday night cruise-in with music, food trucks and a lot of spectators to admire your special machine, then the Kettering Town Center at Dorothy Lane and Woodman Drive is the place to be from 5 PM to dark. Info can be found on the MVN Car Show Page in the top boxes. (No Kettering Cruise-In on the 4th of July).
MVN is now happy to announce the addition of Lucky7Cruisers.com to our Car Shows Listings Page. This great site has a lot to offer our Indiana Car Show friends, so take a moment to check it out. You will enjoy it! On June 6th, I attended the Four Winds Church Annual Car Show in Tipp City, and while attendance was down a bit this year, you can't say that we didn't have a good time. This was our first MVN Get Together, and in all, eight members did show, with half taking awards. Congratulations to Brad Arthur, Dennis Wasson, David Ballard and James Keechle, photos 237-240. Best of Show was given to Keith and Karen Young for their three window 1936 Ford Coupe, photos 173 & 174, and also 289-292. In all, there are 300 pictures of this event to enjoy, so take a look!
The big news, of course, is the main reason why this July MVN Newsletter is being sent out a few days early. You see, on the 3rd , 4th, and 5th of July, each day we will have a car show for you to enjoy. All shows have a flyer listed on the Car Event Flyers by Kevin link. Go to the Car Show Page on the MVN Website. On the 3rd, it's the Huber Heights Cruise-In Show from 4 PM to dark at Tom Cloud Park, 4707 Brandt Pike. On July 4th, you don't want to miss the 3rd Annual Shelter Church Car Show from 9AM to 3 PM. This is the show I have been talking about for the last several newsletters and the show I've been helping out on. I want to make sure that my Nova members know that we will be doing a car club line up, so please come and come early to this great get together. My Nova will be on display only, but all other members will be eligible for an award, and we will have a lot of awards to give out along with dash plaques and goodie bags to the first fifty registered. Robin and Gary McCaffery, who put on the Kettering Saturday Night Cruise-In, will be doing our music, so please don't miss this show.
Another show you don't want to miss is the Freedom Celebration Event from 9 AM to 2 PM on the 5th, with a concert featuring The Martins to begin at 3PM. I have been speaking with Pastor Bruce Jackson over the last two weeks, and he has a lot to offer at this, hopefully, new annual celebration of freedom. This great event will take place at 1st Grace Church, 2024 Stonequarry Road in Vandalia, OH 45414. As I said, all three flyers are on Kevin's site.
Did you know that the July Voss Cruise-In has also been canceled? Yes, I got the call from them as I was finishing up this newsletter. Sorry Folks. Maybe next year.
In closing, don't forget to check out Go4Rider. Don has some cool video of many events, including some shots of me up on a ladder taking photos at the June 20th Kettering Saturday Night Cruise-In. Yeah! It was a big night, over 100 rides came in. 140 photos are up on the website.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
June 1st, 2020
Miami Valley Novas June 2020 Newsletter
Vol. 6 No.6
Hello Everybody,
I would first like to start off by saying that I hope you are all doing well. I say this because, like some of you, our good friend, Joe Peters (who is on the Members Page of the MVN website), takes the time each day to read the obituaries, and what he is seeing says a lot! Some of our friends who have classic cars are passing away from this pandemic, so I think we should all take a moment to say a prayer for them and, as a way to honor their memory, we will move on as best we can.
Of course, moving on is sometimes easier said than done when so much is changing from week to week or even day to day. With Memorial Day now behind us, the 2020 car show/cruise-in season should now be in full motion. But, based on the information I am receiving, it's not looking as if anything this year is going to be what you might call normal.
I spoke to the folks at Voss, and the June cruise-in has been canceled. But they say the one in July is still on at this time. Also remember there is no Reichard Cruise into Summer on June 6th. The Springfield Cars and Parts Swap Meet that was postponed from May 22-24 to this month on the 26-28th is a go at this time but with no car show! According to Clark County Fairgrounds, the state says the selling of parts is ok, but having a car show is not going to be permitted. So, I think we will just have to wait and see!
"Wait and See!" This is getting to be a term I'm hearing quite often from people that I'm contacting on upcoming events, so because of all this uncertainty, I have changed the notice on the Car Show Page of the MVN website to better reflect the point at which we are now operating. So, really where are we, and what can we do about getting our classics out to a show or cruise-in? The best advice is listed on page twenty of the new Show N' Shine Auto Event Calendar: Call first before you go to an event. Simply put, some car shows and cruise-ins are going to take place as scheduled, while others will not!
Some examples I have already given, like the June Voss Chevrolet Cruise-In and the Springfield Cars N' Parts, but a few more are no Fourth of July shows at Centerville or Urbana, and all events at the Huber Heights Get Air Lot are canceled for this year. Also, Horsepower Farm for June is a No Go! However, Opie does want me to let everybody know that he is thinking of us, and as a service to all, the car guys and gals, he has for sale the New Show N' Shine Calendars at his complex. So, if you want one, give him a call, or maybe stop by to say hello, and pick one up.
When speaking with Lois at Sharonville the other day, she informed me that the postponed show from April 26th to July 12th has now been canceled for this year, as is the Banana Split show in Wilmington, and the Ace Armco Park show in Lebanon and Arcanum. There is just way too many to name them all!
For those of you who enjoy going to the fairs, I have heard no Ohio State Fair this year, as well as no Montgomery County, Butler County, and Shelby County Fairs, and possibly many more will be canceled, along with the festivals and outdoor music venues. Watch the news to see if anything changes.
On the bright side of things, our buddy, Keith Morton, says he was at a car show down in Middletown at Smith Park on the 16th of May that drew over two hundred entries, of course mostly new stuff like his 2013 Camaro, but hey, not bad!
Then there was the postponed Angels and Halos Show in Wilmington from the 16th to the 23rd of May that brought in 104 entries. Charlie Hargrave, who put on the event with MCS Bar and Grill, says it all came off great! A big congratulations to Herb Perry for taking Best of Show with his 1950 Chevy Delivery and to Steve Summers, with his 1968 Camaro for taking another big win.
As for this month of June, I'm sure that there are going to be some car shows and cruise-ins to attend, but as I said before, verify them in advance before you go to see if they are actually going to take place.
On July 4th, as of right now, the Shelter Church Car Show is a go! Thad and the church members want to do this event. So, I'm asking all who read this newsletter to help spread the word. The flyer is posted on Car Event Flyers by Kevin on the Car Show Page of MVN, and I'm also asking all of the MVN members to come and make a nice line up of our Novas. Please come as early as you can, so we can get this done. If for some reason it does get canceled, I will let you know in the July MVN Newsletter, and I will also put a Canceled Notice on the MVN site Car Show Page. More to come on this event in the July Newsletter of MVN.
On July 25th, don't miss the 2nd Annual Officer Ciera Green Memorial Car & Bike Show to be held at 726 E. Main in Lebanon, Ohio. Registration is $15 from 10 a.m. to noon, with Top 30 and Specials to be awarded at 2 p.m. For more info on this great event, you can call Lorraine Green at 937-765-7695.
As of July 1st, you can legally remove the front license plate off any passenger vehicle in the State of Ohio. But as I read the law on this, trucks are not included, unless they have a historical plate. Go to the BMV website to read the entire law. And speaking of license plates, take a look at photos 257-266 of the 2020 Cincinnati Cavalcade of Customs Show on the MVN site. Many people over the years have asked me about custom metal license plates and how they can get one made. Well, I'm happy to say that I now have "Custom Engraving" listed on the Parts and Services page of the MVN website. P.O. Box, phone number, and a link to the site are all there, so take a look, and then give Peter a call to have him make that custom metal plate you always wanted.
Did you know that on May 19th, Dayton, Columbus, and Cincinnati all had a record rainfall? A lot of people had damage from it. Don't forget to look at Don's site Go4Rider. He has so much to see and enjoy, and I'm sure your classic is part of this great video collection.
This just in moments ago: I got a call from Scotty McPherson, and he says that the Lynchburg Mafia Car, Truck, N' Bike Show in Hillsboro, Ohio is going great with 130 entries. Be sure to look at Go4Rider, because Don was there doing his thing. No word on who won as yet. Thanks, Scotty for the update!
Please pray for all who have passed away from this terrible pandemic and for those who have lost so much because of it.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
May 1st, 2020
Miami Valley Novas May 2020 Newsletter
Vol. 6 No.5
Hello Everybody,
Well, it's now May, and normally we would all be looking to get our classics out of the garage and be going to a local cruise-in or even a weekend event, but as we all know, these aren't anything you would call normal times. Thousands of people are now dead from this terrible pandemic, and many more are sure to soon die from it. Also, we must not forget the millions of hard working Americans who have lost their jobs and may not get them back. So, before I get to the news of our special hobby, I think we should all stop and take a moment to say a prayer for them and to thank God for how blessed we all are.
Last month, I said as far as April, forget it! Ok, now it's May, and I have to say it again, forget it! Many of the car show event people have been contacting me or I them, and all are saying the same thing: It's a no go! The big ones, of course, are the Annual Mother's Day Show at Smith Park in Middletown and the Cincy Street Rods Show in Hamilton. When speaking with Randy from Cincy Street Rods the other day, he summed it all up best by saying, "So many of us are older, and it's not worth it." This is why I now have, on the top of the MVN Car Show Listings page, an important notice in bold red lettering explaining where we stand. Please take a moment to read it when you get a chance. I think you'll agree, it says it all.
The Indy 500 Race has been postponed to later on this year, as well as the Sharonville Event in Sharonville, Ohio. It is now set for July 12th. The Brookville Cruise into Summer Event set for June 6th, has of now, been postponed. No date was given in the email I received as to when the event might take place, but Gary Chestnut, the President of the Brookville Corvettes, will be sure to let me know, so I can pass it on to you.
Now for some bad news and some good news concerning the Hot Rod Power Tour of 2020. Let's take the good news first. It's still a go, but it also has been postponed. The new dates are August 23-29 with a new schedule of visiting cities. The bad news, however, is that the Dayton stop has been removed from the itinerary. I can't tell you how sad I was to get the email from the Hot Rod Power Tour, but if you would like to see the schedule of the stops, just go to the website at WWW.HOTROD.COM/EVENTS/POWER-TOUR/. Now for those of you who want to make the almost two hour drive to Hebron, Ohio, it will be stopping at the National Trail Raceway on August 24.
For those of you who regularly pick up a copy of the Ohio Auto and RV Magazine, you might have noticed that it has not been available for the past few weeks. This too is due to the virus situation. As you know, I have been doing the photography work on the Nice Ride section for Bill Holder, as well as his articles in the magazine, Chrysler Power, in the May/June issue that is now on the newsstands. Bill and I, and along with Phil Kunz, have a great four page layout on Dayton's own Tony Depillo, so please check it out. It gives great insight on Tony, his engine building shop, "Specialty Motorwerkes", and his life-long love of racing Chrysler machines As for my good friend, Bill Holder, I have some really sad news to report. Ruthanne, his wife of sixty years, passed away suddenly at his home on Thursday the 23rd of April. Please keep Bill in your thoughts and prayers. Also, if you would like to send Bill a card, you can mail it to my P.O. Box and I will see that he gets them. The address is P.O. Box 13406, Dayton, OH 45413.
Robin, my daughter, who is also our web person, has been working hard to keep our MVN website up and going. She now has all of the members photos back up on their pages. As I stated in past newsletters, we lost these photos when we switched to our new and much larger capacity server. Also the button "Blogs" that I hated so much, has now been changed to Newsletters. In fact, many people did not know that all of the MVN Newsletters were accessible by the Blogs button. Remember, if you have anything hot or important to get out, let me know. The deadline for the next MVN Newsletter is always five days before the end of the month.
When you go to the MVN website, to look at the notice I have on the Car Show Page, be sure to also check on "Car Event Flyers by Kevin". He has a great flyer on the 41st Annual Falcon Nationals coming to Dayton, Ohio July 23-25. It's their 60th Anniversary Show. I only hope that July can be saved. When I spoke to Thad the other day about the Shelter Church 4th of July show, he says, as of right now, it's still a go! If it is a go, I know you will all want to be part of, what we are hoping to provide as an alternative to, the event in Centerville that has so many classic car/truck enthusiasts so disgruntled.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if we can save July, August, September and October? V. P. John Lynch says hello and to keep up on washing your hands and doing your social distancing, and it might just happen. Remember, if you are looking for something to do, and you just got to get a car show fix, then click on "Go4Rider" on the index page of MVN. Don has hours and hours of cool video, and most likely your ride is part of it. Don, thanks for all your do!
Did you know that I actually saw gas for 99 cents a gallon? This is something I thought I would never see again. But to be honest,, I would rather pay $2.50, if it would mean we never had this pandemic.
The last thing I have to report to all of you is of a great loss to our classic car hobby. The designer of the original Ford Mustang, Gale Halderman, has passed away at the age of 87. It would not be right for me to go on and on about our good friend, Gale, who was such a huge part of our local classic car community, but rather I am going to direct you to someone who knew him far better than I. Please go to this site, WWW.TORQUENEWS.COM/9539/MUSTANG-DESIGNER-GALE-HALDERMAN-PASSES-AWAY, and Jimmy Dinsmore will tell you all about what has happened and what will happen in the future to Gale's museum in Tipp City, Ohio. From all of us in the great classic car hobby, Gale, you made a huge difference. You had a great run! And, you will be missed so much by all of us. Rest in Peace and lots of love!
Like all of you, I am praying each day that this coronavirus will pass soon. I love you all. Stay healthy and may God bless each and every one of you.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
April 1st, 2020
Miami Valley Novas April 2020 Newsletter
Vol. 6 No.4
Hello Everybody,
Can you believe what a big difference a mere thirty one days has made to our beloved country, and in fact, the whole world? Last month at this time, we were all looking forward to the change to Daylight Savings Time, the beginning of Spring, and the start of the car show/cruise-in season. Now, we are all wondering if there is even going to be a car show season. Ok, I'm sure at some point this year, we will get back to normal, but for right now, this coronavirus pandemic that we are all experiencing has changed just about everything in our daily lives.
Naturally, the first thing we all must do is to take care of ourselves and more importantly, our loved ones. We will get through this, but it's going to take a lot of time and effort.
As for April and any car related events, forget it. However, I have taken the time to call on each of the shows and cruise-ins, and this is what I have found out. Opie at Horsepower Farm, who has the first Saturday of the month cruise-in is doing well and so is Sue his wife. He is hoping for May, but we will have to see. Dick "Hot Dog" Ryman's first Sunday of the month cruise-in at Heart of Ohio Antique Center is also a no go! But Dick and Sharon are also doing well and want to say hello to everybody.
The first car show of the season at National Trail School set for the third Saturday in April has been canceled. I spoke to Dane yesterday, and he told me that they are not going to even try to reschedule it. And, I'm sure the big Hollywood Gaming event on the 26th is also going to be canceled or maybe postponed if we are lucky. We will just have to wait and see once they are open again to get more info.
Sharonville, however, is a go with a new date. Lois Erven, President of the Sharonville Chamber of Commerce sent me a very nice email on March 18th, wanting me to let everybody know they are thinking of us and to stay safe and to wash our hands a lot! The new day is going to be Sunday, July 12th, with the same fantastic show they always do, so save the date.
The news on the Cincinnati Concours set for the 14th of June is not so good. When I spoke to Opie, he told me it has now been canceled for this year.
Like many of you, I received my flyer the other day in the mail for the Americana Festival Auto Show for the 4th of July in Centerville, Ohio, and it looks to me to be the same type of event: Two awards per class, a total of seven categories, for a total of fourteen awards. Oh, but they did up the registration fee to twenty five dollars. Of course, I have been telling you there is now going to be another choice in this part of the area, and the flyer for the big Shelter Car Show is done and up on Kevin's site. Just go to the MVN website for Car Shows, and click on Car Event Flyers by Kevin. I think you will like what Thad and the church are putting together. More on this next month, but for now, take a look at the flyer and the other eighty that Kevin already has up on his site. Thanks, Kevin! You're doing a great service for all of us by displaying these events.
In the weeks of not being able to get out of the house, this might be the perfect time to take a look at some of my car show photo shoots. Some are big and some small, but all have one thing in common. I do my best to capture the event as it takes place, yes! More than likely, you will see your own classic and quite possibly yourself. This is because my style of photography is not just the cool classic cars and truck, but people, the food, the D.J., and anything else that strikes me as interesting, so take a look.
Don Sparks of Go4Rider has become a very good friend of mine, and he wants to let everybody know that he is thinking of you in these difficult times. If you have never seen Don's work, you're missing out on the best site out there. To make it easy to get to, I have Don's Go4Rider site on the Index Page of the MVN website. It is the fast action link, bottom right. You won't be disappointed.
I spoke to Max Sprague of Ohio Car Shows & Cruise-Ins on Monday, and he has some hot news that he wants to let everybody know about. It seems that the producer of the TV show, Cruise In on Sportstime Ohio wants to give Don Sparks a segment on the show. This is well deserved, and I could not be more pleased. Go4Rider is great! Congratulations, Don. Max will be putting info on this on his site. As you know, we have a link to Ohio Car Shows & Cruise-ins on the MVN website Car Show Page, upper right box, so check it out. They have a lot to see!
Did you know that the MVN Facebook Page gets hundreds of hits each week? So many that I can't respond to them. However, it has become a great open forum and a nice way to let others know what you think of MVN. Thanks so much for all the nice comments.
John Lynch, V.P. of MVN, also wants all of us to know that he is praying for all of us to get through this safely, so that we can all get together once again at our classic car events. John, I could not have said it better!
In closing, keep your social distance, wash your hands often, stay home if you are sick, and watch the news to see when we can all be together again to enjoy our classic car/truck hobby.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
March 1st, 2020
Miami Valley Novas March 2020 Newsletter
Vol. 6 No.3
Hello Everybody,
Looking at this Winter so far, I think you will all agree that it has not been a bad one. Sure, we have had some cold days and nights with a few frosty mornings, but really not much snow to speak of. But let's not get too comfortable yet, because we still have all of this month, and as you know, anything can happen in March, and usually does! Of course, going strictly by the calendar, there are only a mere eighteen days left to reach the first day of Spring. So, let's look at the bright side, and remember it's almost time to charge up those batteries, check the air in the tires, change the oil, and go cruisin'!
Now for those of you who are, like myself and just can't wait to hit the open road with your cool classic car, truck or motorcycle, you have got to check out the MVN car show page "Car Event Flyers by Kevin". Kevin does a great job for us by displaying the flyers of many events, and right now he already has almost fifty listed. And, while I'm on the subject of these links on the Car Show Page, be sure to look at all the others as well. I want to also, at this time, welcome Chazziz D.J. Service to the MVN family. Charlie Hargrave is a great person and fine entertainer, so we now have his complete 2020 show schedule up for you to view. Just click on Events by Chazziz D.J. Service to see his car show list.
The first car show of the season that I know of so far is going to again be in New Paris, Ohio at National Trails School. It is set for the 3rd Saturday of April from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. I spoke to Dane the other day, and he is so pleased to announce that the Top 20 Awards this year will all be gas cards instead of trophies. For more info, go to the MVN Car Show listings. Oh, and while you are there, click on the MVN Get Togethers link in the upper right box to see the 2020 shows we will do as a club. This list is now up and ready for you to save these important dates.
I have checked on the next two big shows in April, but I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is both the Dayton Hollywood Gaming Car Show and the Sharonville Car Show are both a go for this year. The bad news is that they will again both be on the 26th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. I really hate this because I love both of these events, but I am already committed to doing Sharonville, so that is where I will be going. But for those of you doing Hollywood Gaming, you're going to love it! And "The Fryies Band" will be putting on a great show as they always do.
For those of you who are going to put on a car show this year or want to place an ad in the Show n' Shine Calendar, the deadline is March 20th, so you have have a few weeks left to get into what most classic car/truck people love to take along to all the events.
As for the new alternative car show to the Americana Festival Auto Show on the 4th of July, things are moving right along. Thad from Shelter Church and myself had another meeting the other day, and the one thing we both had to tell each other is that people are excited to have this show taking place. We are very pleased to announce that we have secured for the music, "McCaffrey Entertainment", and Thad almost has the flyer ready for the printers. So as soon as it's done, we will get it to Kevin to put on his site. For now, info is on the MVN Car Show page, and Thad has also sent it to the Show n' Shine Calendar to be listed. Now remember, I am acting only as an adviser to this show, so I have put this event into our MVN Get Togethers list, and I would love to see a nice line up of our car club Novas there in attendance. Since I took Best of Show last year, my Nova will be on display only and not judged.
On February the 8th, I did attend the 11th Annual Chazziz Valentine Car Show at the Roberts Centre in Wilmington, Ohio. Now even though it was cold and snowy on the outside, inside it was a hot and wild time, with just about ninety of the coolest classics around. On the website, I have 300 images of what I have got to say was one of the best indoor car shows I have ever attended. The casual atmosphere was like that of our outdoor summertime events allowing you to really get up close, take photos, and talk to the owners about what made their rides so special and interesting. Many of our car show friends were there, including Don Sparks of Go4Rider and even MVN members, Terry and Ryan Tegtmeyer with their "Touch of Class" 1963 Super Sport. (Photos 77-89). V.P. John Lynch also was on hand to enjoy this cool Winter classic car show along with Max Sprague and Kevin Foust from Ohio Car Shows N' Cruise Ins. Be sure to check out the wedding photos (241-250) of Max and his bride, as well as the special features that I did on twelve of the entries that looked just too cool to take only one photo of.
Remember to save the date on the Hot Rod Power Tour coming to the new Montgomery County Fairgrounds on Monday, June 8th. This is sure to be a spectacular event, with possibly over a thousand cool classics pulling into show off their rides. So, if you have to take off work, now is the time to put in for the day off. Don't miss it, because I did the last time it was in town. Yes, I will be there this time with my new camera and extra batteries.
I spoke to Dick "Hot Dog" Ryman the other day, and his first cruise in at the Antique Mall is set for Sunday, April 5th, of course weather permitting. Also, his show schedule is being finalized, and it will be up on the MVN site as soon as possible. Look for some changes.
I did not make it to the Cars N' Parts Swap Meet in February, but our good friend, Keith Morton, tells me that it wasn't bad at all. Now this month, don't forget about the big Freeman's Super Sunday on the 29th at the Indiana State Fairgrounds from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. More info is on their site: FREEMANSSUPERSUNDAY.COM.
Be sure to check out Go4Rider's site to look at all of the cool stuff Don has done. It's easy to get to on the MVN website. Use the Index Page, lower right Fast Links box, and it will take you right to it. Chazziz's is now up. Don, thank you so much for all your hard work.
Did you know if you have any trophies or plaques that you no longer want, there are people who will take them? Please don't throw them away! They can be redone to be re-used. Contact me, and I'll get you to the right people...It's that easy!
How did you like having an extra day to live last month? Leap Year Day gives us all another day to Thank God for all the blessings we have. Like Captain Picard said in an episode of Star Trek, "Make now the most precious time, because now will never come again!"
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
February 1st, 2020
Miami Valley Novas February 2020 Newsletter
Vol. 6 No.2
Hello Everybody,
With the month of February now officially here, we can actually say that next month we will be able to enjoy the first day of Spring and, of course, ten days before that, we will return to Daylight Savinings Time. All this and the groundhog giving us his prediction tomorrow for the rest of the Winter can mean only one thing: The 2020 car show/cruise-in season is going to be upon us in no time. In fact, Kevin Foust already has several flyers on his site for this year. So if you are going to do a show or event it's not too early to get it posted for all to see, you can get to "Car Event Flyers by Kevin" by going to the MVN Car Show page, and his link is in the upper left box. One event in particular that Kevin has posted is the upcoming Chazziz Annual Valentines Day Car Show in Wilmington, Ohio on February 8th and 9th, so take a look. Also at the same venue, the Roberts Centre will host, on February 29th, the Dayton Off Road Expo & Show. More info on WWW.DAYTONLOCAL.COM.
On Sunday the 16th, don't forget about the Winter Swap Meet at the Clark County Fairgrounds. Last year was fantastic! They filled all three buildings with great vendors, and nobody was disappointed or left without finding something they just had to have. I did do a photo shoot on it, so if you would like to see a sample of what's in store for this year, go to the Pictures Page on MVN and check out the 172 images. Look for title "Springfield Cars and Parts Swap Meet February 2019".
I spoke with a police officer last month on the front license plate issue, and even though some may not want it to go into effect, the law has been passed and will take place this year. So don't take those plates off just yet, but it looks good to happen. I'll keep you posted or watch the news for updates.
Most of the MVN website is back up and functioning as it was before the switch to our new server, however, the Members Page is still under reconstruction and many photos are still not able to be viewed.
Last month, I did a bit of talking about my new camera and several people contacted me wanting to know what kind it was, why did it cost a thousand dollars, and one person wanted to know if I was bragging or complaining about it. So, as Don Knotts said in the movie, "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken": "Let me clarify this." First of all, I got a big discount on a Black Friday sale at Dodd Camera, making the out the door cost on everything $697.66, and for what kind it is, it's a Sony A6000. Now, really I wasn't bragging or complaining but just excited about being able to now do a better job at my photography work. So, I'm sorry if it rubbed some of you the wrong way. That was not my intention at all.
The big Cavalcade of Customs Show did take place in Cincinnati, Ohio on January 10th through the 12th, and the new camera did exactly as I hoped it would. I arrived at 9:45, and as I always do, my photo shoot takes you through the entire show. I spoke with Greg McDaniel, one of the event coordinators the other day, and he says in all there were approximately 465 entries this year, so with 528 images on this lay out that I now have up on the MVN website for you to view, I think I got a great representation of what you hopefully did not miss. But if you were not able to make it, I think you are going to enjoy looking at all the fun that takes place each year at this event. This year MVN was well represented with five members of our club showing their cool rides. They were Terry Weatherholts 1972 Nova (photos 73-84), Corey Bohls 1967 Gasser Replica (photos 197-208), John Milfeld and Michael Collins with their 1969 and 1968 Novas (photos 301-316), and of course, on the top floor with our good friend John Engle. OpieWillis had his so cool 1966 Ford Fairlaine 427 on display for all to see and admire. Hey, even John Lynch got some photos of me using my new camera (photos 429-432). There's so much more I could say, but I would rather you take a look for yourselves. I know you will love it.
I got my letter in the mail the other day from Ten Publishing, as many of you did, telling me there will be no more Super Chevy and Muscle Car Review Magazines printed or sent. Now to quote Jackie Gleason in "Smoky and the Bandit": "What in the Hell is the world coming too?!"
Bill Holder and I are talking with Jim from SVG Motors, and I can't speak a lot about it right now, except to say that the Summer Cruise-In in Beavercreek is definitely a go for this year. More to come. I'll let you know more next month about what Steve is up to, but I can tell you, he has, right now, on display at his Beavercreek location, many cool classics. Maybe you have seen the new commercial.
Now for some big news. Like many of you who enjoy attending a 4th of July car show, there will now be a new choice. As you know, we lost our third choice a few years back when the Greene County show disbanded, leaving only the Firecracker Urbana show and the Americana Centerville Show. Ok, many people love the Urbana show, and it is a great event. But lately, in the past few years, many of you, and myself included, are not happy at all with the Centerville Americana Car Show. Most of you know what I'm talking about. In fact, I did not even attend last year because I, at least, want my car to be judged, and other complaints I have heard are far worse than this. So wanting to do something about it, I approached Thad of Shelter Church last year about moving his annual car show from May to the 4th of July, and I'm happy to report that it is a go! Thad and I have a lot of great ideas as to what will get you revved up about this, one of which, is a Top Thirty and Ten Specials, with only one award per person. Now, all we want at this point is to save the date and help spread the word. I do have it up on the Car Show Page of the MVN site and when the flyer is done, we will get it to Kevin for his site as well. A lot more to come on this in future newsletters. I'll keep you posted.
Did you know that when I show my red 71 Nova SS, the one thing people love is my window sticker. I spoke to Jim the other day, and yes, he is still doing them. Go to my 71 SS on the Members Page to view his work, and you will see why so many spectators are always asking me, "Who did that for you?" His info is on the Parts and Services Page of the MVN site. Just scroll down to window stickers.
How did you feel about the tragic and untimely death of Kobe Bryant and his beautiful thirteen year old daughter, Gianna? Did it give you cause to think of your own mortality? Did you say to yourself why? Each time I hear of the death of someone I love, I'm reminded of something my father told me when I was very young. "Everyone is going to die, it's only a question of when and how." You can't measure a person's life by how much time they live, but rather how they live with the time that they are given. Every human life is important, special, and oh so fragile. May eternal rest be granted to them and perpetual light shine upon them.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
January 1st, 2020
Miami Valley Novas January 2020 Newsletter
Vol. 6 No.1
Hello Everybody,
I would like to start off this newsletter by saying Happy New Year and a sincere hope that all of you had a blessed Christmas with your family and friends.
The next thing I want to do is to take care of something I didn't have room to do in last month's newsletter and that is to thank all who help to make the MVN website so special. There are too many to mention, but the next time you click on a link to a site, there you go! They are who I am speaking of, and of course, my daughter Robin, who loads all the info onto the website.
Now that we are officially into the new year and into winter, the daylight is getting longer. Even better, we are only 77 days to Spring and 100 days to the first car show of 2020 at National Trail School. This is not even counting the big Cavalcade of Customs Show next week on the 10th, 11th, and 12th in Cincinnati. John Lynch and myself will be there on Saturday, and I'm looking forward to trying out my new thousand dollar camera I purchased from Dodd. I have already done two photo shoots with it, and it seems to be a big improvement over what I've been using.
For those of you who regularly visit the MVN website, you know that it was down from December 12th to the 24th. This was due to the fact that we are moving it to a much bigger server. Frankly, we just outgrew what we were on, and that's a good thing, because when it's all the way done, it will be faster and have more space for all we want to provide to the Hot Rod and Classic Car Enthusiast, so stay tuned.
Because 2020 is a leap year and 29 days in February, I'm not sure, as of yet, how this is going to affect the car show schedule. Next month or early March, I will begin to take a closer look by contacting events. I'll keep you posted, but I don't foresee any big problems.
Last month, I told you about the Hot Rod Power Tour coming to the Montgomery County Fairgrounds in June. Well, one person did contact me to let me know I did a boo-boo. I said it will be at the fairgrounds on Tuesday, June 8th, when in fact, it is Monday, June 8th. I want to thank the person for checking my facts. I always appreciate your help in keeping me straight on things I might get wrong.
Now as for this month's big breaking news, and I'm sorry, it's not good news at all. Nineteen of our favorite car and truck magazines will no longer be printed or put out any more. Super Chevy, Chevy High Performance, Muscle Car Review, Car Craft, and Mustang Monthly are among the other fourteen to be canceled in 2020. For the complete list, and as to why this took place, Google "Ten Publishing" for all the info.
I'm still working to find out if in 2020 we will be legally allowed to remove our front license plates. As you know, Law Enforcement is fighting the change. If anybody finds anything out definitely, please let me know, so I can pass it on to our classic car friends.
I spoke to Mike Barr at Christmas, and he is right on track to get his shop open very soon. But he is not shut down and is still taking in work at his location at 2445 Neff Road. As you know, Metal Brite Polishing is the home of Hot Rod Chrome! Metal Brite is listed on the MVN Website. Just go to Links and then Parts and Services.
This Sunday, is of course, the big Freeman's Super Sunday Event and Swap Meet at the Indiana State Fairgrounds from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is eight dollars and is promoted to have over 500 vendors and cars for sale. Go to FreemansSuperSunday.com for more info.
On February 29th and March 1st, the Roberts Centre in Wilmington, Ohio will again host the annual "Muddy Buddys Off Road Expo". If you dig the dirt and love the fun of having mud in your hair, this is the place to see it all. Check out their website at www.DaytonOffRoadExpo.com for all the dirty details of this once a year event.
Last month, a lady was killed when she did what is called "over-correction". Now I know most of you know what do to when your right wheel goes off the edge of the pavement, but for those of you who don't: Slow down and gently pull the steering wheel to the left to bring the tire back up onto the road. Every year, hundreds of people are killed by not knowing this simple maneuver. Unfortunately, she was also not wearing her seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle. Seatbelts do save lives and her two children in back who were strapped in did survive the flip over accident.
Did you know that the MVN website and Facebook page are getting more hits than ever? This is due to our new yellow flyer, but to also all of you who are telling others all about what MVN has to offer. Thank you so much for your help in getting the word out.
Did you like the warm weather we had for Christmas? They say it was the 4th warmest on record for the Miami Valley. Just a little taste of what's to come, so keep working on those classic rides. Spring will be here before you know it and so will the 2020 classic car/truck show season!
Finally, I want to mention a bit about David Snyder and his work known as car art! I first became aware of David's brilliant artistry back in 1996, when he did a painting called "Dixie Pig". It depicts a drive in diner in Texas along time ago. In fact, the year is 1959, and all fifteen of the vehicles parked at the diner are today the sought after classics we love so much. You see, this is David's gift from God. He recreates on canvas scenes of Americana for us to enjoy, admire, and even purchase in a limited number of high quality prints. Sadly, at that time, I did not acquire one in time before they all sold out. Now in 2020, David has a new masterpiece called "Car Tunes" that features all the classics we love so much in music. You can see much of David's work to purchase and also "car tunes" by clicking on his link under our Home Page of the MVN website. And yes, "The Sleeper Awakes" is also one of David's creations from 2003. At this time, I want to again thank my friend, David, for allowing us to use the "The Sleeper Awakes" as our Home Page of the MVN site. Oh, and by the way, a few years back I was blessed to find a mint condition print of "Dixie Pig" to add to my gallery of his work. I have it hanging in one of my heated garages. All who have seen them are always impressed by David's work. So get your print of "Car Tunes" before they all sell out!
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
December 1st, 2019
Miami Valley Novas December 2019 Newsletter
Vol. 5 No.12
Hello Everybody,
I guess the first thing I should do is wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving and hope you are enjoying a blessed time with family and friends.
As I sat down to compose this last MVN Newsletter of 2019, I could not help but think of all the terrible and tragic events that have taken place in the Miami Valley this past year and in our own club as well.
It pretty much started off on Memorial Day with the five devastating tornadoes that seem to just come out of nowhere but have left a visual imprint to remind us that so many have lost so much. Then about a month later, I was told of not one, but two of our members who where diagnosed with terminal illnesses. The Orgeon District shootings, yet again, brought national attention to our area. Yes, life is very fragile. On July 4th, we lost a good friend and classic car lover, Robert Signom. Robert founded and owned the Packard Museum in Dayton, and we can only hope it will remain a part of the area. Long time classic car enthusiast, Gary Miller, and friend to all who knew him, passed away on July 9th. Then one week later, an original MVN member, Ed Miller, also passed away at his home in Vandalia. On Monday, August 26th, our Miami Valley was shocked by the senseless and tragic deaths of two beautiful little girls, Penelope Jasko and Eleanor McBride. As I sat in the church attending the funeral Mass of these two precious souls of our Catholic community, I could not help but be reminded of the death of my own two brothers and sister, who I lost many years ago at a very young age. So the loss of little Penelope and Eleanor hit me especially hard. As we worked to recover from the past many months of hardship, the Miami Valley would now, once again, be forced into the national limelight with the shooting and death of Detective Jorge Del Rio. As we would all learn from the media coverage of Jorge Del Rio, he was a man who gave so much of himself both in life and in his death, so please pray for all who lost their lives this year and for those still working to recover and coping with so much.
On November 2nd and 3rd, I attended the 47th Annual Vintage Wheels Car Show in Richmond, Indiana, and I'm happy to report that the two day event was a big success and a lot of fun. Setting up both my 1970 Honda motorcycle and a nice display to promote the MVN website (photos 313-332), I met with a lot of great people to let them know what MVN is really all about. I do want to encourage you, at sometime, to take a look at the almost 500 photos I shot of the event. I can't begin to tell you how great of an organization Vintage Wheels Car Club is. All the money raised from the two day show supports their special children with disabilities that they help during the year. In all, there were 120 entries of classic cars, trucks, and cycles. Heck, they even had a cool speed boat there. Many of our car show friends were in attendance, some just to look, and some to show their fine looking rides. Steve Summers, who won with his 68 Camaro, and Herb Perry, who won with his 1950 delivery wagon, were just two of the Top 30. Oh, and by the way, pay special attention to photo no. 219, and you will see the new Jegs Catalog and Herb's beast of an engine. It features his motor on the cover...Pretty cool Herb! Of course the two big winners that we all know from our circle of friends were Al Lewis, taking the Veteran's Award with his 1940 Packard 110 Couple (photos 185-192), and taking Best of Show or what they call the President's Choice Award was none other than Keith and Karen Young with their beautiful 1936 Ford three window black Coupe (photos 257-261).
On Sunday, November 3rd, Bill Holder and I attended the Annual Boose, now Reichard, Swap Meet in Brookville, Ohio, and after getting many great photos for several upcoming publications, I also took 140 photos for the website, so take a look. The last outdoor car show of the 2019 season was held at the Cars and Parts Swap Meet in Springfield, on November 9th. Even though it was a cold day, nearly twenty hot rides did show up, but only eight scored high enough to take home an award. One of which was our own MVN member, Jerry Collins, with his 1964 Chevy Nova Gasser Replica (photos 132-144). The 188 pictures I now have on the website will give you a good idea of what turned out to be a pretty good day with hundreds of vendors on hand.
Our good friend, Keith Morton, put me onto something I want to pass on to everybody. The 2020 Hot Rod Power Tour is coming to Dayton on Tuesday, June 8th. The stop off location will be the new Montgomery County Fairgrounds. So mark you calendars. It's been, I think, ten years since the Power Tour has stopped off in our area, so you don't want to miss this great opportunity to see many super cool out of state rides.
One last bit if sad news, Jerry Seeley, who was Bill Holder's contact at the Ohio Auto and RV Magazine, passed away last week, but Bill has informed me that the nice Ride Section that so many of you have come to love, will continue as always. For about two years, I have been taking many of the photos for Bill to use in this publication. So be sure to pick up a free copy and enjoy this great section that features a cool ride every week with lots of info about them. This week, see MVN member Jerry Elworth's 1973 Nova. It's really something very special.
In closing, don't forget about Opie's First Saturday of the month Cars and Coffee at Horsepower Farm. Info is on the MVN website. Be sure to look at Don Sparks' site called Go4Rider. A fast link to it, as always, is on the index page of MVN. Don has a lot of new and exciting stuff just recently put up for you to enjoy, and remember the big Cavalcade of Customs event in Cincinnati on January 10th, 11th, and 12th . Discount tickets will be available at all KOI Auto Parts in mid December. Oh, and just so you know on November 12th, we broke a 150 year old record for a one day snow fall and the next day a record low and a record hi/low was also broken. I hope this is not a sign of what our Winter is going to be like.
Everybody have a very merry and blessed Christmas.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
November 1st, 2019
Miami Valley Novas November 2019 Newsletter
Vol. 5 No.11
Hello Everybody,
Wow! What a car show season 2019 was, and believe it or not, it's still not over. This is why I'm putting out the newsletter a few days early. I spoke to Bill the other day, and he says that the Vintage Wheels Rod and Custom Car Show still has some openings for the big indoor two day event in Richmond, Indiana. I have already got my spot, but they are going fast. The final set up day is Friday the 1st for the Saturday-Sunday event this weekend, so if you want to try to get in on this last big show of the year, call Bill at 1-765-977-2002. Photos of last year's event are on the website, so take a look. Of course, we want everybody to come to the show to view all the cool rides and to meet up with friends. Info is on the Car Shows Page of the MVN website.
The huge Cavalcade of Customs Show is set to take place on January 10th, 11th, & 12th at the Duke Energy Convention Center in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. Now is the time to reserve your spot to be able to get your ride entered. Displaying at this event is something quite special, and all who do tell me it's nothing but a great time. As always, some of our MVN members will be showing their Novas, like Michael Collins with his beautiful 1968 Black Custom. And speaking of Michael, we want to give him a big congratulations for not only taking an Award of Excellence, but for also getting photos of his car taken for the Good Guys Magazine. The Kentucky Good Guys event was held on October 11-13th, and Michael tells me it was great! Sorry I failed to mention the Lexington Good Guys Show in last month's newsletter, but I'm sure you all saw the big ad for it on page 46 of your Show and Shine Calendars.
On November 8th and 9th, the Springfield Cars and Parts Swap Meet will take place at the Clark County Fairgrounds with a car show on Saturday for all who want to brave the weather. Last year it was damn cold, as the photos show! See image 73 of the 160 shots I took to view the frozen water in front of Kevin's truck and my '71 SS, but we both did win! Hey, maybe this year it will be nice. It's something to consider.
I spoke to Mike Barr last Friday, and he says that the rehab to the building is still on track and going well. He hopes to re-open the shop in December or early January. Mike also wants everybody to know that Metal Brite is not closed down and is still accepting work that he is doing at another location. Parts work can be dropped off daily at his place, 2445 Neff Road. Metal Brite is listed on the MVN website. Click Links, then the Parts and Service page.
I was looking at the Pictures Page of the website and it looks as if by the end of this year, I will have added 45 pictorials of new events, not counting my photography work for Chrysler Power, Smoke Signals, Muscle Car Review, and Ohio Auto and RV Magazine. So take a look and enjoy. After all, I'm doing this for all of you!
At one of the car shows, I was asked about the words in the upper left corner of the website that says "not secure". Let me assure you that the MVN site is secure. This only means that if you were to enter info, it might not be, but since the site has no place to even do this, no info from you can be seen by anyone. The MVN site is a view only data base. You stay totally anonymous with no user information required, and that's the way it will remain.
In October, MVN had our last get together of the year, held at the return of the Cruisin' to the Ridge Car Show, and while we had a nice turn out of both members and their Novas in a cool looking line up, the weather, however, did not allow the show to reach it's full potential. As the 296 photos show, we had rain off and on, but despite this, and the fact that his D.J. was a no show, Eric Price really did do a great job on getting this all put together. Included with this photo shoot are eighteen outside pictures of the new Northridge School building and even a few shots of the new stadium.
Another great show that did meet its full potential was the 1st Annual Get Air Breast Cancer Car, Truck, and Cycle Show put on by Tracy and Tammy Dunaway. Now, like Northridge, I could go on and on about all the fun we had supporting this great cause, but I would much rather you take a look at the 272 photos that are now up on the website. Oh, and I can't forget to mention Dick "Hotdog" Ryman's last two big events of the year: The Retired Teachers Car Show at Young's Dairy and the Wooden Nickel Cruise-In at Heart of Ohio. Both pictorials are really great, so take a look.
I'm sorry to say that the Tipp City Cruise-In photos are not what I wanted. I got there late, and with the rain coming in, it got dark way too soon. Also, the crowd of spectators prevented me from getting many shots that I would have normally taken at this event. The Heritage of Flight Cruise-In is a whole other story, as to why I did not shoot it, but Don Sparks of Go4Ride did do his thing, so take a look at his site to see what I've been told was a new record event for New Carlisle.
In closing, don't forget to check out Mendelson's in downtown Dayton before they go out of business. They tell me it will all be auctioned off very soon. Remember Opie's first Saturday of the month Cars and Coffee at his Horsepower Farm from 8 a.m. to noon. It's time to change our clocks back to standard time on November 3rd. Also on Sunday at Reichard in Brookville from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., is their annual Swap Meet. Info is on the website. Have a safe and happy Halloween.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
October 1st, 2019
Miami Valley Novas October 2019 Newsletter
Vol. 5 No.10
Hello Everybody,
With the official start of Fall one week ago, and now that we are into October, things are really beginning to take place. The leaves are falling, and so are the night time temperatures. All this points to one thing. The car show and cruise-in season is rapidly coming to an end. But for many of us, October still has a few good things left in store for us to enjoy. Probably the biggest of these would have to be the 44th Annual Pumpkin Run Nationals held each year at the Clermont County Fairgrounds. This year, it will take place on this coming weekend, the 4th through the 6th , and of course, on the 6th, it's the long-awaited return of the Northridge Cruisin' to the Ridge Car, Truck, and Motorcycle Show. Yes, the new school building is finally done, but the car show will now be held at the old high school parking lot at 2251 Timber Lane. I know most of you got my special bulletin on this a few days after the September newsletter, but I just wanted to remind you again. Eric Price, who puts on some great car shows, has been working hard to make this a very special comeback event, with dash plaques to the first 100 and Top 75 awards, plus some specials as well. It is on the MVN website, and Kevin also has a flyer on it on Car Event Flyers by Kevin, top left box on the Car Show Page. But let's not forget about the Annual Heritage of Flight Cruise-In on the 4th on Main Street in New Carlisle, Ohio from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. This, like Tipp City, is huge, and for many of you, it will, I know, be your last time out this year. Of course, I also know that the rest of us are going to take advantage of every last opportunity to get out there and enjoy our rides and to meet up with friends and spectators who love this hobby. So to find all that is left to do, check out your Show and Shine Calendars and take a look at the MVN Car Show Page. Also, as a reminder, don't forget the other eight links at the top of the page that we have of other sights that list events. I'm still hearing from people that don't realize it's not only what I list, but what the other sites have to offer that makes the MVN Car Show Page so valuable in finding events. On September 14th, I did not attend the Ohio Swap Meet and Car Show. Instead, I decided to gather with the over one thousand other cool rides at the 2nd Annual Cars and Coffee held at the Dayton History Carillon Park from 7 a.m. to noon. Obviously, there was something for everybody to enjoy at this outstanding event, and yes, I did take my camera to do a pictorial of it. So if you were there, or if you were not, you can take a look at all the fun that took place. About my photo shoots: I know that in every pictorial I do of an event, there are some photos that might be slightly out of focus. This is because I use the auto-focus setting on my camera to be able to shoot and move on. Otherwise, I would not be able to get as many great shots as I do. So for me, it comes down to this. Do I want to scrap a picture of interest (a bit out of focus) or allow you to enjoy it? After all, any photo is better than no photo, right?
On Labor Day, if you attended the annual Kettering Holiday at Home Invitational Auto Show, you might have caught me judging the Import Class of this gathering of classics. I would like to give a big Thank You to Rodney Highfield for all of his hard work on putting on this event. For it is people like Rodney, who give up so much of their time to help our classic car hobby grow and remain in existence. And yes, I did have time to capture the event for all to see who participated and won!
If you should ever see a show in error or that is not correct on my car show page, please let me know right away so that I can correct it. I do try hard for total accuracy of the events I list, but things sometimes do get screwed up, so help me out in keeping the sight up to date.
Last month, I did show at many events, way too many to mention, but a few I do have to speak of. On the 15th, I had my little Honda motorcycle on display at the Dayton Concours, and while I did not win, Keith and Karen Young did take a Best of Class with their 1936 Ford, and Cindy and Bob Adams took an Award of Excellence for their 2002 Trans Am. Joe Peters took a special Gift of Appreciation from the Concours Committee for all of his years showing at the Dayton Concours. Then, one week later, the Fairborn Car Show brought in a record 355 entries, breaking the old record of 285. This, of course, was one of our MVN get-togethers, and Wow! Did we take home a lot of awards. In all about thirty members did attend, many with their Novas. But the big news of the day was Steve Summers taking the Best of Show Award with his beautiful 1968 Red Camaro.
The Beavercreek Popcorn Festival Car Show was great. Rob Gauder, who took over after John Engle, is really trying hard to keep it going strong. Everybody had a fantastic time, and I, myself, even took a Special Award, one that I have never taken before at any show. It was the Spectator's Choice, but then as I went on taking photos of the other winners, much to my surprise, someone actually stole my award off the table. I only mention this because since then, I have heard story after story of theft taking place at car show events: side body gas caps, memorabilia in trunks, dash plaques, diecast car displays, and yes, even a rare six hundred dollar air cleaner right off of a guys engine. So let's all keep an eye out for these type of bad individuals that most likely are not car show participants, but people looking to ruin a good day.
In closing, the gallery at Lofino Plaza will have a display of photography work by Skip Peterson during the month of October. Skip, who is a world renown photographer, has covered so much in his career that I'm sure this exhibit will be something very special for all to enjoy. For more info, you can call 937-427-5514 or visit the website at WWW.BEAVERCREEKOHIO.GOV.
Don't forget about Opie's First Saturday Horsepower Farm Event, Dick Ryman's Big Wooden Nickel Cruise-In on the 13th, and be sure to look at all the new photo shoots I have up on the website recently posted.
Well that's it for now.
As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
September 1st, 2019
Miami Valley Novas September 2019 Newsletter
Vol. 5 No.9
Hello Everybody,
With the unofficial end of summer tomorrow and official start of Fall in three weeks, I for one can say it's not been a good three months for our area and the nation. First, we had the tornadoes, then the shootings in El Paso, Texas and in our Oregon District, the death of Gary Miller on July 9th and then Ed Miller one week later, both long time car show friends, and now last Monday the terrible tragic loss of two very beautiful little girls at the Dayton Library caused by someone's reckless behavior. So, if this month's newsletter is not as up beat as I usually try to be, I think you will understand why.
I have updated Dick Ryman's D.J. Show schedule and also a few of the Fall shows, so you might want to take a look to see if your event has changed. Also, some events were cancelled this summer, and I was not notified. So, if they do not let me know, I cannot change them on the website. Sometimes, when you go to the Pictures Page, you might see a notice on a car show layout that says "Ever feel like you're in the wrong place?" This only means I am working on the car show pictorial, and the layout of the event will soon be uploaded. So check back in a few days to see the photos.
As for the front license plates to remove them next year in July, this is now up in the air. The police and some lawmakers are fighting the change so it might not happen. I'll keep you posted.
Many members and car show friends have done very well this season, taking many high honors and awards. There are way too many to mention. So to all of you, a Big Congratulations from myself and the MVN website.
Since we still have almost two months left of this car show season, please check the website to see what's going on and don't forget the top two boxes of the Car Show Page for many other links to find events. Remember, it's not only what I list, but what the other sites have as well. Of course, don't miss the Springfield Swap Meet on the 13th - 15th, the 1st Annual Whitewater Valley All Corvette Car Show on the 21st, and for those of you who love to look, the Dayton Concourse will be held on Sunday the 15th at the Carillon Dayton History Site. This year, I will be showing my 1970 Honda Motorcycle "Survivor", so if you're there, stop by and say hello. Also, tomorrow, on Labor Day, don't forget the Holiday at Home Invitational Car Show as well.
I received a flyer about Floyd Smith's lifetime collection of classic cars and parts going on the auction block on Saturday, September 21st at 1180 N. 3rd Street in Hamilton, Ohio. Just way too much to tell, but the flyer says complete details and photos at WWW.RES.BID. So it might be worth it to take a look. Hamilton, Ohio is not that far away.
In August, I shot ten events, loading up almost three thousand new photos. So, when you get a chance, take a look at the all new pictorials on the website that we now have up. Also, it looks as if my photo work will be in every issue of Chrysler Power Magazine for the foreseeable future. Bill and I have many features already shot. In the September/October issue, we have a beautiful 1968 GTX that was completely originally restored. I would like to thank Bill Holder once again for giving me this opportunity to work with him on these projects.
In Old Cars Weekly, I saw that on September 11-14 in Mansfield, Ohio, the Studebaker Drivers Club will have their International Meet. More info can be found from STUDEGUY54@GMAIL.COM or google it.
On Monday, the 2nd (Labor Day), there will be a 1st Annual Car Show at the Ohio Masonic Home in Springfield, Ohio from 11 am to 5 pm. D.J. Dick Ryman will be there playing the music. The address is 2655 West National Road. The flyer can be seen on MVN Car Shows Page. Go to Car Event Flyers by Kevin to see it and many others. Also, the Avanti Owners Association will hold their National Meet at the Dayton Marriott on September 4th - 6th, if you would like to go and checkout some cool Studebakers. But go in the evening, since they are doing a field trip each day. There will be no Fall Hollywood Gaming Show this year. They tell me it's due to the racing schedule. On September 14th, Dayton History will hold, at the Carillon Park, a huge Cars and Coffee event. Saturday, the 7th, remember Opie's Horsepower Farm 1st Saturday event and of course, be sure to check out Go4Rider. Our good friend, Don, has a lot of new stuff.
In closing, I just want to say tell people you love them, hug your children and grandchildren, and pray for all who have lost so much this summer in Dayton and in our nation.
Well that's it for now.
As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
August 1st, 2019
Miami Valley Novas August 2019 Newsletter
Vol. 5 No.8
Hello Everybody,
It is a simple fact that July and August are the hottest months of the year. Of course, not only in the daily temperatures is this true, but also in the car show season. So, let's talk a little bit about July. Naturally, this is only a small part of what took place. On Saturday, June 29th (almost July), the big Bumpers Car Show premiered at its new location, Buckmans Harley-Davison in Xenia, Ohio. I did not get a official count of entries, but I believe they set a new record. Needless to say, we all had a fantastic time, and yes, it was a hot 95 degrees at the end of the show. I did get 284 great shots with many photos of the awards, showing all the big winners.
On July 6th, the Childrens Miracle Network took place at the Dayton Mall Wal-Mart, and I am happy to say that the Best of Show Award went to our MVN member, Joe Peters for his 1973 Gold Duster. MVN member Dennis Wasson also took a Top 20 for his 1971 Nova. Thanks to all who supported this worthwhile cause. See photos.
The Voss Hoss Cruise-In on July 12th was down a bit on entries, but this was due mostly because of the big Good Guys event taking place in Columbus. However, I do have 300 images of the nearly 500 cars and trucks that were brought out to support Aim for the Handicapped. We want to thank Voss Cheverolet for doing this, and we will see you again next year in June and July.
Speaking of the big Good Guys show in Columbus, Ohio, I have had many reports that once again, it was a wild huge event with nearly six thousand entries. And while I did not make it out to catch all the cool stuff on hand, our good friend, Don Sparks of Go-4-Rider did! In fact, Don spent three days at the event doing his thing for all of us to enjoy, so if you were not able to attend, Don has you covered. Once again, I want to say that if you have not yet looked at Don's video work, you are missing out on something quite special, and getting to his site could not be easier. Just go to the MVN website, and on the index page, Don has one of the ten fast links on the right and left. Go4Rider is bottom right. Remember, these are not ads. They are quick access to fast action links.
This year, I finally made it out to the Victory Church Annual Car Show, and yes, it was as great as everyone told me. During the show, that did, in fact, bring in cars and trucks from all over the area, I made many new friends that were very pleased to be informed about all that the MVN website has to offer. Our yellow flyer that I am giving out at the shows I attend is working, but the big news of the day was MVN member, James Keechle taking Best of Show with his orange 1962 Nova and member Jim Wilkins taking a Top 30 with his blue 1967 Nova. Please view the 364 photos to see all the fun and who else won at this very well put together event.
The Annual Stillwater Center Car Show took place the following day, and while the heat was 90 plus just as it was at Victory Church, it did not stop the almost ninety entries from showing their rides. It's days like this that bring out only the true car show lovers. With only a Top 20 to be given out, every award was a "Best of" or a "Special of" some kind, and yes, again I have to report that our very own MVN member, Jerry Elworth took Best Paint for his 1973 green Nova, and look for Jerry's Nova to soon be the Nice Ride in the Ohio Auto ad RV Magazine.
I spoke to Cindy Adams the other day, and she informed me that her and Bob did go to the GTO Nationals n Lawrenceburg, Indiana, and showing her 1974 Ventura GTO in the Councourse Class, Cindy took home the Gold! She said that it was a big show, with approximately 400 entries, so as our good friend, Joe Peters, would say, Cindy you got a big win! You can view Cindy's GTO on the MVN website. Just go to the Member's Page and look for her name.
Talking with Opie the other day, he mentioned to me that he took not one, but three of his collection to the Fairlane Nationals, and don't you know, he took a Silver with his '69 Mercury Cyclone, a Gold with his '70 Torino, and get this, his 1966 Farlane won Best of Class! Way to go, Opie! Also, please remember that this Saturday and every first Saturday of the month is Opie's Cars and Coffee at his Horsepower Farm Complex. Info is on the website.
The last show to mention that I attended with my '71 SS, was the big White Trash ad White-Walls event in Fairborn, Ohio on Saturday, the 27th. Like last year, it was huge, but now instead of me going on and on, please take a look at the 572 photos I shot of this wild event. And, if you did not make it this year, it's really something you got to do to understand.
Now as for what's hot in August... A lot! On the MVN website, I have almost twenty great events listed....way too many to mention. So the best thing to do is take a look. However, here are a few: Hawker Shade Tree, Vintage Truck, Boomerfest, British Car Day, Butler Township, Franklin, Urbancrest, Kil-Kare's Geezers, Asphalt Outlaws, Bellbrook, Eaton, and Antioch Shrine. At Antioch, the MVN will be again doing a line up, so come early and look for the orange cones to park together as a club.
Our friend, Jim Ping, of the Dayton Auto Auction, would like everybody to know that he has taken over the Irish Club Charity Car Show set for September 8th, so save the date. Info on the website.
Now for some really sad news. MVN member and long time classic car enthusiast, Ed Miller passed away unexpectedly at his home on July 16th. Like all of you who knew him, I loved Ed very much. Over the past few years, Ed and I had become good friends. To see Ed's two Novas, go the Member's Page of MVN and to see some candid shots of Ed and myself together. Take a look at the She-Jammer Reunion photo shoot September 16, 2017. I will miss Ed very, very much! So now, let me just say I love all of you with all my heart, and this is why I do the Miami Valley Novas website.
In closing, don't forget to check out Kevin's Car Events Flyers Page. Right now, he has 213 listed. Remember Dick Ryman's first Sunday of the month cruise-in at Heart of Ohio from 12-4 pm. The Pictures Page on MVN website has been redone with no more boxes and all photo shoots in dated order. The big Tecumseh High School Route 40 Car Show has come back to life. The event will be on August 4th from 10 am to 4 pm, with awards for the top forty. Unfortunately though, due to the fire at Mike Barr's business, there will be no Metal Brite Car Show this year. Please keep Mike in your thoughts and prayers as he works to get things back in shape.
Well that's it for now.
As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
July 1st, 2019
Miami Valley Novas July 2019 Newsletter
Vol. 5 No.7
Hello Everybody,
Because I always do the newsletter sometimes as much as a week before I put it out, let me start off by addressing some things that took place at the end of May and beginning of June. First of all, I want to say thank you to all who called, texted, and sent emails to check on myself and my family after the terrible fifteen tornadoes that hit the Miami Valley. As I look around and see how much damage that took place, we can only praise God that only one person was killed by them. As the crow flies, we had three touch down with one only two tenths of a mile from our home and adjacent complex with only a few roof shingles off and some downed tree branches. But thousands were not blessed, so please remember to pray for those who lost so much.
On Saturday, June 1st, the Annual Reichard Cruise Into Summer Event, co-sponsored by the Brookville Corvette Club, did take place. D.J. Dick "Hot Dog" Ryman was there to play the music and M.C. the festivities, and even though they were down this year a bit on participants, hundreds did come on out with their hot rods, trucks, and classics to support the Brookville Tornado Relief Fund. As for my appeal to MVN members to come and line up our Novas, twelve did show up to support the club and Gary Chesnut, the President of Brookville Corvettes has said that we can do it again next year. So, I'm hoping for even more club participation...Keep it in mind. As for our next scheduled club get together, this will take place at the huge show known as White Trash and Whitewalls in Fairborn, Ohio on Saturday, July 27 from 9 am to 4 pm. No line up unless you get there early. Good parking places go really fast!
Now as a friendly reminder, there is no longer a Salem Church of God Show, and the Greene County 4th of July show is also history. But on the bright side, we are adding more car show links to our car show page on the MVN website. Last month, I told you about a really nice one we have put up called GOCARSHOW.COM. Well, this month, I have yet another fantastic link in the top right box of our Car Shows Page called "Ohio Car Shows and Cruise-in". As you know, I don't put just anything on MVN. We only list the good stuff. So, after talking to our friend, Kevin Foust, who has the site "Car Event Flyers by Kevin", I took a look and said, this is cool! We got to have this on MVN. So remember, the events that I list are only a small part of what we have to offer. There is so much more in those top left and right boxes, so check 'em out. Oh, and by the way, Kevin is also on the administrative staff of Ohio Car Show and Cruise In, so if you have a show to list, I'm sure he will be happy to help you out.
With our new yellow flyer now being distributed, we are getting more hits than ever on the MVN site, and many people are saying that they have not seen anything this nice and well put together, since the long running site Country Cruiser shut down a few years back, These high words of praise please me everytime I hear them because we all know what a fantastic site Country Cruiser was. Thanks Tom for all your hard work. You'll always be our good car show friend.
When driving back from my vacation in Sandusky on June 14th, my son, Christopher and I saw, on Ohio Route 6, the Power Tour going north as we went south, It was so cool to see classic after classic all lined up, and the owners having a great time. There were even people sitting in chairs along the road to catch all the fun. How many? I don't know. I lost count after about two hundred. They just kept coming and coming.
On May 30th, I got an email from Muscle Car Review inviting me to attend the Chrysler Nationals on July 12-July 14 at Carlisle. This is the world's largest Mopar event with at least 2700 entries. Of course I'm just letting you know if you want to go. It's sure to be a Hemi of a good time!
In the June 18-24 issue of Auto and Rv, MVN members, Wayne and Ruthie Dennis were honored to have their 1962 Chevy II Nova as the featured Nice Ride. Also, MVN member Bill Peterson took the very nice photos. At some point, I will have it on their MVN Profile Page, so you can see it. I'll be sure to let you know when I get it loaded.
I also have to give a shout out about Jim and Jan Wilkins with their 1967 Nova. You see, they took it to the Heartland Novas Show and besides having a great time with great people, they came home with a Top 50, Club Members Top Pick, Best in Generation 66/67, and get this, Best of Show! Hey, not bad! Congratulations Jim and Jan. You really know how to build a classic car.
Ok, with the official start of summer now almost two weeks and counting, the days are getting shorter, and believe it or not, next month, the kids will be going back to school. So, get your special ride ready, and after checking the MVN Car Show Page to find some special events, get out there and enjoy your classic car or truck.
The postponed Kettering Backpack Show for the 9th did take place on the 23rd at Highfield Door Sales with no rain and a sunny day, setting a new attendance record. Everybody had a great time with lots to see and do. Congratulations to the Miami Valley Mopar Club for taking the Club Participation Award. Thanks, Rodney, for sponsoring this worthwhile event.
The last thing to mention is about the car club, Ohio Cruisers, on June 8th. They had their last event at the Airline Dairy Creme. The car show was great! But as they put it, "We have just outgrown the site", so the once a week Thursday evening cruise-in and all car shows will now be held at the Get Air Parking Lot, 6020 Chambersburg, Road, in Huber Heights, Ohio. See the MVN Website for more info on this.
Finally, I have a correction on the front license plates. Last month, I said it was July 1st of 2019 to be legally allowed to remove them. Many of you have set me straight by telling me, it is July 1st of 2020. So, yes, we have another year to go. Sorry about the mistake.
In closing, have a great and safe 4th of July. Remember Opies' 1st Saturday of the month Cars and Coffee at Horsepower Farm, Hot Dog's 1st Sunday cruise-in at Heart of Ohio Antique Center, and of course, the 2nd Voss Cruise-In on the 12th. All photos are now up for what I shot in June, and next month, I'll tell you about the Bumpers Show and what's going to be hot in August.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
June 1st, 2019
Miami Valley Novas June 2019 Newsletter
Vol. 5 No.6
Hello Everybody,
My first thoughts as I sat down to do this month's newsletter were of this past Monday, when our nation took a day to remember and reflect on how we got to this place at this time. We must never forget how this great nation came to be. So many have given so much that we can live and do what we love, our families, our jobs, and our hobbies. So always take time to think about this. It did not just happen...It was paid for!
As of this month, MVN is now twenty years in the making. It was at the beginning of the car show season in 1999 that I had an idea to form a Nova Club for Nova enthusiasts in the tri-state area. But what was once our club website, has now become a website for everybody who has love for our classic car/truck hobby. All of our members know that this new direction of the website is a good thing to have happen, because my goal has always been to help this hobby grow. MVN has so much to offer, so please tell your friends and enjoy the website.
D.J. Dick "Hot Dog" Ryman wants everybody to know that on his car show flyer, the date for the June Clifton Mill Show was wrong. It is not the 30th, but the 23rd. It has been corrected on Dick's page of the MVN site, so please tell your friends. Also, don't forget about Dick's first Sunday of the month Cruise-In at Heart of Ohio Antique Center this coming Sunday. Info is on our Monthly Cruise-Ins Page.
Our good friend, Skip Peterson of the Dayton Daily News Wheels, has put together another outstanding article in the May 25th paper. It is called "A Hidden Gem: America's Packard Museum". Now the last thing I want to do is steal his thunder, so I'm just going to say it is a must read, and the nine photos are fantastic! Access it online or find someone who keeps all of the Wheels as I do and check it out!
We have a new Car Show link on the MVN website. As you know, I won't just put anybody on our site. They have to be doing a good job and providing something I feel is worthwhile. I met Mark Buelsing a few months back, and after looking over his site, GOCARSHOW.COM, I was impressed by his program and format so much that I felt it would be a great addition to MVN. So check out his link in the upper left box, and Mark, welcome to the MVN family.
Ok, I know this is going to sound crazy, but at not one car show in May, but two, I heard people talking about how they must now take off their front license plates on their cars. This is not true! In fact, law enforcement would love for you to keep them on. But as of July 1st, you can, if you want, remove them. The law does not go into effect until July 1st. Until then, you are in violation of existing law! Just so you know.
In last month's MVN Newsletter, I told you of the five national events coming to our area this season. The GTO, Mercury, Vintage Truck, MOPAR, and the Trans Am. Well, John Engle, my Hagerty Insurance Agent and car collector who reads the MVN Newsletter, tells me that actually there are six! The Fairlane Club of America will be back again this year on June 28 & 29 at the Dayton Marriott. So, I guess that our area is a good place to have a cool classic car/truck convention. If you need to find the links, go to last month's MVN Newsletter under blogs on the MVN site. All past newsletters are there to review.
Last month in May, I shot five events for the website: Shelter Church, Smith Park, Shrine, Cincy Street Rods, Cars-N-Parts, and the Big Chrysler Power Classic at National Trail Raceway in Hebron, Ohio. All photos are up on the website. Also, I want to say a big thank you to member Bill Peterson for covering the Hollywood Gaming Show while I was down at the Sharonville Show. All 216 photos that Bill shot are now up on the website for you to view. Thanks, Bill, for helping out.
Can you believe that already MVN has had four get togethers? The last two were great because all members at both the Shrine Mother's Day Show and at Cincy Street Rods took awards. So, take a look at the photos to see what a great time we had.
Don Sparks of Go4Rider has done a cool video of the MVN Club at Cincy Street Rods, and like all of his work, it is fantastic! I know I talk a lot about Don, but that's only so you will take a look at his site. Don, like myself, and Kevin of Car Event Flyers by Kevin, and so many others do this not for money, but because we love people and this hobby, so please take a look at their work and tell others to do the same.
Don't forget about the first Voss Chevrolet Cruise-In on the 14th of this month. Mama Disalvo's Car Show on the 16th at 1375 E Stroop Rd in Kettering, Ohio, and the big Reichard Chevrolet Cruise Into Summer Event this Saturday the 1st, and again Hot Dogs Cruise-In on the 2nd at the Heart of Ohio Antique Center. All these early of the month events is why I'm putting out the newsletter a few days early and to let the Nova members know of the Reichard get together line up. Please try to attend this event.
Well that's it for now,
As always
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
Note: Due to the tornado and power outage and no internet service I was not able to send this newsletter out early as I wanted...sorry but this is the first opportunity to get it to you.
May 1st, 2019
Miami Valley Novas May 2019 Newsletter
Vol. 5 No.5
Hello Everybody,
I would like to start off by saying that I hope everyone had a nice Easter to spend with your family. Our Lord has risen and that's a good thing! Now with the grass growing, the trees getting their leaves, and the weather staying nice, it's time to get the 2019 Car/Truck Show Season going...Oh, but wait, for many of us, we already have!
The first topic I need to address is a bit of a correction. In last month's newsletter, I stated that the Friday night Lofinos Cruise-In was in jeopardy. This was the information I was given, but on the day the newsletter went out, I was on the Miami Valley Cruiser Site and saw the new and very well done flyer on this event, that is now being sponsored by SVG Motors and the Corvette Restorers Society. So, it looks as if the Greene County Antique Car Club will still be putting it on again this year. If you would like to see the flyer and also 123 others that Kevin already has posted so far, just click on Car Event Flyers by Kevin in the upper left box of the Car Show Page of the MVN site. This is a great thing Kevin is doing for us, so please take a look at his site, and also check out his photos as well. Thanks, Kevin, for doing this service.
Now as far as the website, Robin and I have been working on things to make it even better. The Parts and Services Page has been rebuilt along with the Organizations Page to its new format. More will be added soon, but this will give you an idea as to how I want this to be more user friendly. We have put a link to the Miami Valley Cruiser Site on the Car Shows Page, because they are providing a lot of good info. D.J. Dick Ryman's Show Schedule is up for you to see where he will be doing his events this year, and most of the events I have listed have been updated. For example, the Fairborn Car Show that had always been on the 3rd Sunday of September has been moved to the 4th Sunday of September and the Armco Park Ace Car Club Show on the 1st Sunday of June is now on the 1st Saturday of June. Also, Bellbrook will now be on the 4th Saturday of August. As for our MVN club get togethers, most will be the same, like Sharonville, Shrine, Cincy Street Rods, etc. See this year's list. Of course, Beavercreek Baptist Church is now history, but since eleven members did show up at the National Trail Car Show, this will be used as our first get together of 2019. Speaking of National Trail, it was a nice event. The weather was good and they drew 147 entries. Along with our car club, the Indiana Corvette Club was there, as well as the Brookville Corvette Club. I have 300 beautiful images of the show on the website if you would like to take a look at this first big show of 2019. Also, while I was at National Trail, I had the opportunity to speak with Gary Chesnut, the President of the Brookville Corvette Club and as you know, they, along with Reichard Chevrolet, put on the big Cruise Into Summer Event on the 1st Saturday of June. Well, he has extended to our club an invitation to line up our Novas at their event and would very much like to have this take place. I am speaking to you, now for two reasons. First, the June MVN Newsletter will come out the same day as this event, and two, I would like to get an idea as to how many spots to save. So, let me know if you will be attending. The cost is $10. I can only hold spots open for an hour or so. So please come early. This would be a great get together. Email me or call me if you can attend. The event is from 3 to 9 p.m.
Last month, I told you I would let you know about the four big national events coming to our area...well, actually there are five!
The GTO International Convention June 25-29 in Lawrenceburg, Indiana Info: WWW.GTOAA.ORG/NATIONALS
The International Mercury Owners Associations in Dayton, Ohio August 1-3. Info: WWW.MERCURYCLUB.COM
The Vintage Truck Show sponsored by Vintage Truck Magazine in Yellow Springs, Ohio on August 3rd at Young's Dairy 9 a.m. To 4 p.m. Info: WWW.VINTAGETRUCKMAGAZINE.COM
The MOPAR Nationals at National Trail Raceway in Hebron, Ohio August 8-11. Info: WWW.MOPARNATS.ORG
And, of course, The Trans Am Nationals on August 23-25 in Fairborn, Ohio. Info: WWW.TANATIONALS.ORG
As for May events, there is the Mecum Auction in Indy on the 14th to the 19th, WWW.MECUM.COM. The Mid-Ohio MOPARS in Columbus, Ohio on the 17th to the 18th, sponsored by Chrysler Power Magazine and of course, another get together at the big Shrine Mothers Day Car Show at Smith Park, Sunday May 12th. If you are looking for some parts, don't forget the huge Springfield Swap Meet and Car Show on the 24 to the 26th. Last year, they set a record, so if the weather is nice this year should also be just as great! I should be there on Saturday, so look for one of my Novas or my truck, and check out all the cool classics in the show field.
This Saturday the 4th, there are two very special events taking place. The first one, of course, is the big Cars and Coffee in Middletown, Ohio at Opie's Horsepower Farm Complex, 2227 Trinity Drive, and the other event is the 2nd Annual Shelter Church Cruise-In/Car Show in Kettering, Ohio at 1441 E. Dorothy Lane. More info on these and other May shows can be found on the MVN Car Show Page.
As for the Sharonville Show and the Hollywood Gaming Event: On Sunday the 28th, both did take place under the threat of rain. They didn't pull in the massive entries that they have in past years. Our good friend, Joe Peters, covered the Hollywood Gaming Event for us, and although they did not say how many entries were on hand, Joe says it was less than 300 by his estimation. The band, The Fries, put on two performances, and while Joe says they did a nice job and sounded great, it was just a bit too cold to sit and watch them. I also asked Bill Peterson to take some photos, so I'll try to get them up on the website as soon as possible.
Down in Sharonville where I was showing my 71 SS Nova along with V.P. John Lynch and ten other members of our club, we had a pretty nice MVN get together. And while just like the National show with no members taking home an award, we were very happy for those who did because it's not about winning. It's about having a good time showing our rides. Of course, I did a photo shoot of the event, but as of right now, they are not up to view. I still have some work to do on them. As for the temperature at both events, we started out at 42 degrees, and the high was 56 at awards time. The registration people at Sharonville told me that they were down about a hundred, with a total showing of around 450 entries.
In closing, I want to let you know that I have spoken to Stephanie Griffin at Voss and the cruise-ins are a go again for this year on the 2nd Friday of June and July from 3 to 9 p.m., and if you get the opportunity to check out the May/June issue of Chrysler Power Magazine, Bill Holder and I have a very nice 3 page, 15 photo lay out on the MOPAR Swap Meet held in Columbus, Ohio this past February.
Well, that's if for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
April 1st, 2019
Miami Valley Novas April 2019 Newsletter
Vol. 5 No.4
Hello Everybody,
Happy April Fools Day! Now I guess I could start off with an April Fools Joke, but given what weather we have had in the last four months, I think that's a big enough joke for all of us. So let's take a look at where we are. We have moved to Daylight Savings Time, the first day of Spring was almost two weeks ago, and the weather, for the most part, is starting to turn around. Sure, we are going to still have to put up with some cold days ahead but each day makes it more likely that there will be fewer of them to deal with and something else that is more likely, many of us are going to start getting out there to enjoy our classic cars and trucks. In fact, this month will officially begin the 2019 season. I have begun to call around to find out when these cruise-ins will start, but most tell me sometime in April, so the best thing I can tell you for now is to call first before you go. I can tell you that Dick "Hot Dog" Ryman has told me his monthly cruise-ins will begin on Sunday April 7th, the same place as last year.
The first car/truck show in the area will of course be only one week from this Saturday on the 13th. The high school of National Trail in New Paris, Ohio will again host the "Annual Alumni Car Show" with registration to begin at 10 a.m., with awards at 3 p.m. More info can be found on the Car Show List Page on the MVN website. Also, I have 320 photos of the 2017 event on the Pictures Page if you would like to see what a great show they put on.
Two other shows I know of that will take place in April will unfortunately occur on the same date, Sunday the 28th. I say unfortunately, because many of us enjoy both the Sharonville Show and the Hollywood Gaming Show in Dayton. Info on both events can be found on the MVN website. I, myself, will be going to the Sharonville show. I have not missed it in like twenty years, and it is still the only way to get the Show and Shine Calendars hot off the press!
As you know, in the past, our tri-state area has hosted many national events, and I'm happy to say that this year is no exception. I will give you the exact dates next month, but so far we have the Fairlane, GTO, Mercury, and of course, the Trans Am Nationals, all coming close enough to enjoy these great gathering of classics.
For those of you who have not been watching the news, it looks as if we are really getting close to finally being able to remove "legally" those pesky front license plates from our classic cars and trucks. This is something our hobby has lobbied for, and now it appears to be on the horizon to take place. Ohio is one of only a few remaining states to have this stupid law, and as of the writing of this newsletter, it is set to take place on July the 1st. That is, if the Senate approves it, and the governor signs it. We should know for sure on April 2nd or 3rd.
Soon I will be making the yearly updates to the MVN Car Shows Page. Some have already been done, but I can tell you that a few are going to change their dates. I am still waiting on them to give me their new dates. As you know, I only list annual events, but sometimes even annual shows must change their dates. As I get them, I will change them on the website.
Now as you know from the September 2018 MVN Newsletter, there will no longer be a Beavercreek Baptist Church Car Show, and in last month's MVN Newsletter, I told you of the Eastgate All GM Show going away. Well, Folks, I have yet another great show that is now history. Sadly, the Big Greene County 4th of July Show is no more! I am not at liberty to divulge the reason for its demise, but I can tell you that the same organization that put on this event also puts on the Friday Night Lofinos Cruise-in, and it too is in jeopardy. I was given the name of a person with the Corvette Restorers Association who might be taking it over, but all he could tell me was nothing is set, and as of right now, they do not have permission to hold it there. So, it's a wait and see thing for now. I can tell you, however, that Robin is going to start her Friday Night Cruise-ins this month at the Kettering Town Center, corner of Woodman Drive and Dorothy Lane, from 5 p.m. to dark with food available, music, and a D.J. More info is on the MVN website.
On Saturday, April 20th, Miami Valley Gaming will hold from 8 a.m. to ? A Cars and Coffee. I do not know if this is a one time thing or the start of a monthly event. If you find out, let me know. But I think it's only this once.
As you know, I am working hard to promote the MVN website as "A Website for Everybody!" To continue this effort, I have put together a nice informative flyer that you might soon see popping up. I have asked our good friend, Kevin, to post it on his site. If you would like to view it and many other event flyers that are now up for the car/truck show season, just go to the Car Show Page and click on his site, "Car Event Flyers by Kevin" in the upper left box. Thanks, Kevin, for doing this service for all of us to get this most valuable event information.
In closing, I would like to once again encourage all of you who are just letting your classic cars and trucks sit in the garage to get out and enjoy them, by going to a show or cruise-in or maybe a bit of a drive to the Dairy Queen or down a back road. You are letting others know your love of our great hobby, as well as showing them a piece of automotive history. And, don't forget about Opies' 1st Saturday of the month Cars and Coffee this coming Saturday. If the weather is nice, there is sure to be a lot of great cars and trucks to see at his Horsepower Farm Complex.
Also, please take a look at last Saturday's Wheels section of the Dayton Daily News. Two great articles by our good friend, Skip Peterson, are featured. One is about the start up of the popular Cars and Coffee at Austin Landing on April 13th, and the other one is about the SkillsUSA 2019 event that was held in February at Voss Chevrolet. Both are very well done and informative.
Remember to help spread the word about MVN being "A Website for Everybody!"
Well that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
March 1st, 2019
Miami Valley Novas March 2019 Newsletter
Vol. 5 No.3
Hello Everybody,
First of all, I want to say Happy Birthday to all of you who will have a birthday this year that were born in 1969 and for those of you who have a '69 classic. It is also a special year for you as well, because your ride has now hit the big 50. Thanks for protecting it, preserving it, and most of all showing it so others can enjoy it.
With February now behind us, we can look back and know that according to the record keepers, it was, in the Miami Valley, the third wettest recorded. Yes, we had a lot of snow, ice, and rain, and I'm sure, like myself, you're also happy to see it gone. With the first day of Spring only nineteen days away and daylight savings time to begin a week from this Sunday, the odds are now getting better that the nasty winter weather will soon be out of our way to once again enjoy our classic car/truck hobby. In fact, the first show of the season for our area is only six weeks away. It will be held in New Paris, Ohio on Saturday, April 13th at the National Trail High School. More info on this and the other two shows to take place in April, Hollywood Gaming and Sharonville, can be found on the Car Show Page of the MVN website. And speaking of the Car Show Page, I will soon be adding more events to it and also be updating it to keep it as correct as possible. But since we only list annual events, most, if not all, is going to stay the same, which is how we are able to keep our listings up year round for you to access anytime to plan your own personal event schedule. For events that do change their date from year to year, your best way to find these would be to purchase the Show and Shine Auto Event Calendar. And speaking of the Show and Shine calendar, for those of you who put on events or need to list some things of interest in this great publication, the deadline is fast approaching. March 20th is the last day they will accept your ad. We do have a link to their site in the upper left box of the Car Show Page on the website, right under (Car Event Flyers by Kevin). Now I did take a look at Kevin's page the other day, and he already has quite a few already up. You can also find out how to send Kevin a flyer to post by clicking on his link. One more thing about Kevin, last month I told you about his big wins in Cincinnati. Well, now you can see his 1941 red Dodge truck by going to our new link on the index page of (GO 4 Rider). Don Sparks has put together a fantastic video profile of Kevin's truck that has hit almost 500 views! And while you're there at Don's site, check out some of his other video work. You won't be disappointed!
On February 17th, I did go to the Winter event of the Ohio Swap Meet AKA Cars and Parts at the Clark County Fairgrounds in Springfield, Ohio. The best way that I can describe it would be fantastic! Not only did they fill every spot in the three connecting buildings, they had a few vendors outside. I spoke to Della and Jim the other day, and they confirmed to me that the show was a big success. In fact, next year, they most likely will be using the fourth building for this event. I asked them what the future looks like for keeping the Ohio Swap Meet at the Clark County Fairgrounds, and they tell me it's good. Springfield wants it to stay and to keep coming back, and so do we! I do have a photo shoot of 172 images for you to view to see just what a great event this was. Photos 78 and 82 even show our good friend D.J. Dick "Hotdog" Ryman set up to sell a few items but mostly doing the meet and greet thing to all who know him. Dick, we all appreciate the great music you play at so many events in the Miami Valley and your friendship. So, I will have Dick's show schedule up on the website, as I always do, in the upper right box of the Car Show Page of the website, so please take a look at it to find out where he will be this car show season, playing the oldies.
Last Saturday, the 23rd, Bill Holder and I drove up to the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus to attend the Big Winter Classic Motorsports Event. The Lausche Building was in a word "packed" with Mopar lovers of all ages looking to find that special item. And find them, they did! The huge building was filled with all kinds of vendors and sellers. Bill did his thing to gather the information he needed for his next feature and I, of course, got some great shots for all of you to check out as well as the photos Bill will need to do his article. I must say, I was very impressed by this event. So if you get a chance, check out the 232 images of the Mopar Motorsports Swap Meet on the Pictures Page of the website.
The next swap meet to be held in our area will be the big "Freemans Super Sunday" on March 24th at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Hours for this event will be 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., with an $8 admission. Their website, if you need more information, is WWW.FREEMANSSUPERSUNDAY.COM, or you can use the link on the MVN Parts & Services Page listed for now as "Super Sunday". Robin and I are still working on the major redesign of this page to make it more user friendly, but we have had so much going on, making time to finish it difficult.
In recent past years, we have lost quit a few great car shows, and I am sad to report that yet another wonderful car event will now be entering into the history book of shows that once were. I spoke with Steve the other day, and he did inform me that the Eastgate All GM Classic Car Show, after 37 years, will no longer take place. As you know, MVN attended this show many times, and we also took the prestigious Club Participation Award many times as well. It will be a great loss to all of us who loved this annual event held each September in Sharonville, Ohio. Thanks, Eastgate, for a lot of great times. Photos of past shows and their last show in 2018 are on the website.
In closing, don't forget to change your clocks and smoke detector batteries on Saturday, the 9th, keep telling everybody about our great website, and of course, Opie and Sue would love to have everybody come to their Cars and Coffee this Saturday at Horsepower Farm. Info is on the MVN website under Monthly Cruise-Ins.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
February 1st, 2019
Miami Valley Novas February 2019 Newsletter
Vol. 5 No.2
Hello Everybody,
Ok, January is finally behind us and like most of you, if not all, I'm happy to see it gone! A record snowfall on the 12th, a mini blizzard on the 19th, and then record cold set in with an ice storm, all to make the month quite uncomfortable. But as you know, I always try to look at the glass half full rather than half empty, so let's take a look at where we are. As of today, we are only 46 days away from the first day of Spring. Yes, it really is next month, and tomorrow the groundhog will give us his prediction on how the 2nd half of this winter will go. Oh, and take a look in the stores. They are now putting out the Spring stuff. All this points to one thing. The car show/cruise-in season will be upon us before you know it. Even our good friend, Skip Peterson, of the Dayton Daily Wheels, put out last week a fantastic mini line up of what to look for in the upcoming car show season. So we want to thank Skip on his great article, and if you have not seen it yet, please do so.
On January 11th thru the 13th, the KOI Cavalcade of Customs did take place at the Duke Energy Convention Center in Cincinnati. However, because of the bad snow storm and some family commitments, I was not able to attend this year. But thousands did, and for the over 500 participants who brought out their cool rides and wild classics, it was all well worth their time and effort, even if they did not win an award, because just being part of an event like this is something very special. One such person, that most of us know in this area, who took the time to set up and show is Kevin Foust. Showing his 1941 Dodge Truck on the upper level, Kevin did very well, taking not one, but four awards. To begin with, he took 1st Place in his class. No real surprise for those of us who have seen his truck, but to also take Best Engine, Best Detail, and the Master Builder's Award, you have got to come to only one conclusion. Kevin has built a real show winner. Congratulations, Kevin. Your awards are well deserved. Also, we want to thank Kevin for again providing us this year his Car Event Flyers Page. He already has many flyers posted. You can access his site by going to the MVN Car Shows Page and click on Car Event Flyers by Kevin in the upper left section. He also has over 400 photos of this year's Cavalcade of Customs that is well worth checking out.
Something else that is well worth taking a look at is Don Sparks' site, "Go For Rider". Don also took the time to go to the 2019 Cavalcade of Customs and has put together a great video of the show for all of us to enjoy. Now, I have spoken of Don in the past newsletters of how good his site is, but you have got to see it to really understand. In fact, I am so taken with it, that we have now given Don one of the ten fast action links on the Index Page of our MVN website. Look for Go 4 Rider on the bottom right side and click on it to view Don's great work. But be prepared to spend some time. There is just so much to see, you won't want to stop.
This Saturday, Opie will yet again host his once a month Cars and Coffee at 2227 Trinity Drive in Middletown, Ohio. For those of you who have never been to this event, it is well worth checking out. Last month, I was privileged to be given a private guided tour by Opie of his Horsepower Farm complex, and having not ever been there before, I was like all who see it for the first time...just blown away! Not only does Opie and his wife, Sue, do so much for all of us who love the classic car/truck hobby, their chosen charity, the local chapter of Wounded Warriors benefits greatly from their time and gracious giving. In speaking with him he said to me, "Rob, I have been so blessed, I only want to give something back." Great words from a great person. As for those of you who have a subscription to Old Cars Weekly, you might have seen the story they did on Opie and Sue's latest acquisition, a 1970 455 Ram Air GTO that they found in late 2018. Pretty cool, since it is a true barn find, and if that's not enough, there were only 282 of this COPO edition produced, making it a very rare classic. I asked Opie about his plans for it, and he tells me it is now being restored and is set to make it's first debut at the 2019 GTO Nationals in Lawrencenburg, Indiana. This is something I will keep you up to date on as we get closer to the show.
Of course, don't forget about the next Springfield Swap Meet set for February 17th at the Clark County Fairgrounds from 8 am to 4 pm. For all the info on this Swap Meet and three others set for 2019, visit their website, OHIOSWAPMEET.COM. We also have a link to it on MVN on the Parts and Services Page.
For all you MOPAR people, don't miss out on the Big Winter Classic Motorsports Expo to be held at the Ohio Expo Center, Lausche Building, 717 E. 17th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43211. Their website is JEFFJOHNSONMOTORSPORTS.COM.
The last thing I want to tell you is that I have had Robin change the Novas Photo on the Index Page of the website to one that better illustrates what we are doing at MVN. The picture is of all kinds of classics with our new phrase, "A Website for Everybody!" So take a look at it when you visit the site and remember to help get the word out that MVN is not just for Nova people, but all who love the classic car/truck hobby.
Only 70 days to the first car show to be held at National Trails School. Info is on the Car Shows Page of the MVN website.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
January 1st, 2019
Miami Valley Novas January 2019 Newsletter
Vol. 5 No.1
Hello Everybody,
I would like to begin by saying Happy New Year, and I hope that your holiday season was as nice as mine. It's always so nice to take time to spend with those we love and appreciate.
In 2018, we have been forced to accept that some car shows and cruise-ins will no longer be taking place, but I'm hopeful that the new events we're seeing pop up will fill this void. As always, I'll do my best to keep you up to date on what's going on. With the new year now upon us and the first car show only a little over a hundred days away, it's really not too early to start thinking about the 2019 season. This first show I'm talking about is of course the National Trail Alumni Car Show in New Paris, Ohio set for Saturday April 13th. As most of you know, this wonderful event was canceled last year due to inclement weather, so I'm praying that this year will be better. If you have never attended or shown your classic at this event, I encourage you to do so. As we get closer to April, I will remind you again. And speaking of April and the beginning of the car show season, I have some good news and some bad news about the Hollywood Gaming Event in Dayton, Ohio. I spoke to Dee Troxel a few days ago, and yes, it is a go once again for the 4th Sunday of April That's the good news. The bad news is that because of how the dates on the calendar fall, the 4th Sunday of the month is now also the last Sunday of the Month. No problem right? Wrong, because the big Sharonville Show is also and has always been the last Sunday of April! So, for those of us who love both events, we will have to choose which show we want to attend, and I say "show" because Dee has also informed me that it will no longer be called a cruise-in, but "The Hollywood Gaming Car Show". Dee has told me of some other minor changes, but I will hold off on those for future newsletters. Oh, and yes, the Fall event was a big success, so it is also a go for the Fall. Dee says they had just over 450 entries and everybody had a wonderful time. I also spoke to Robin McCaffrey of the Kettering Friday Night Cruise-in, and she is almost certain that it will return this year. Good news, because from what I am hearing, the Lofinos Cruise-In is once again in doubt. If anyone knows for sure it is going to take place, let me know. My sources say they just don't know if it's going to happen.
I would like to congratulate both Kevin Foust and Bill Peterson for not only their big wins at the annual Pierson Automotive Car Show, but also for the beautiful photos of their classics in the Pierson Car Show Calendar. Kevin took Best of Show with his 1941 Dodge Truck and Bill took Best Original with his 1965 Chevy Nova. If you get a chance, pick up the calendar at Pierson. They are now available, or see me at a show or cruise-in and I will give you a peek. Of course, I'm sure Kevin and Bill will also have a calendar with them this year at the events they attend, so ask to take a look.
Again I have some bad news and good news. The bad news is Coker Tire has been sold. Corkey Coker has retired after many years of service to us car people and for that we wish him only the best in his well deserved retirement. The good news is I have called Coker Tire and as of right now, the new owners have no plans to change anything. We all know from experience that when a business changes hands, the new owners might want to do things differently. But in this case, I think they realize you can't fix something that isn't broken. I'll let you know if I find anything else out.
This Sunday, the 6th, there will be another Freeman's Super Sunday Swap Meet held at the Indiana State Fairgrounds from 8 a.m. To 3 p.m. Admission is eight dollars. You can get more info on this by going to WWW.FREEMANSSUPERSUNDAY.COM.
Next weekend on the 11th, 12th, and 13th, it's the big indoor event "Cavalcade of Customs" by KOI Auto Parts. You can get advanced tickets at any KOI Parts Store for $15.50 Adult or child for $5.00. At the door, it will be $19.00 Adult and $7.00 for a child. As always, John Lynch and I will be there all day Saturday to cover the show. If you would like a preview of what this event is like, I have some great photo shoots on the MVN website of 2016, 2017 and 2018. This will give you a good idea of what to expect, or if you just want to see some really cool classics. But if you have never been to this show, try to make it. It's a nice way to get a Winter car show fix! I myself am looking forward to it, because I know of several people who are going to be showing their cars and trucks in this great show.
On Saturday, February 23rd, it's the All Mopar and High Performance Car Show, Swap Meet & Cars for Sale Corral at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus from 8 a.m. To 4 p.m. This mostly indoor event has a cost of $10.00. For more info, call 1-614-268-1181. As of right now, I am scheduled to photo shoot this event for Bill Holder. I would like to also say thank you to Bill for giving me the opportunity to work with him. Our latest project is now in the January-February issue of Chrysler Power, where I have a seven photo layout of Joe Peters' beautiful 1973 Gold Duster Survivor. Bill, of course, as always, has put together a nice story about how Joe bought the car new and has kept it that way all this time. Joe only shows his reptilian top beauty a few times a year, so if you get a chance to view it in person, I encourage you to take some time to check out a nice piece of Chrysler history. This now makes five times that my photos have appeared in a publication of this type. Thanks again, Bill for allowing me to do something I've always wanted.
Now for a bit of sad news. MVN and all of us have lost a good friend, Charles Rasnick. Charles was best known in the Cincinnati area for showing his beautiful, six cylinder, gray 1974 Nova at car shows and cruise-ins. When I met Charles quite a few years back, I was taken by his love of his Nova, our hobby, and people. I'm sure knowing the kind of person Charles was in life that he is now in Heaven with our Lord. If you would like to see Charles with his Nova, I have a nice set of photos on the Members Page of the MVN website to view. As always, they will remain up as a tribute to a great car show buddy.
In closing, I just want to again say Happy New Year to everybody and thank you to all of you who sent me a card, email, or gave me a gift at Christmas. I can't tell you how much it means to me to know that what we are doing with MVN is appreciated by so many. Oh, and on a non-related subject, I found out that stamps are going up on the 27th to fifty five cents! Wow, I can remember when it was only five cents to mail a letter. Times are changing!
Well that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
December 1st, 2018
Miami Valley Novas December 2018 Newsletter
Vol. 4 No.12
Hello Everybody,
Let me first start off by saying, Wow! What a month November was and so was the 2018 car show year. Now that we have had our fill of turkey and all the trimmings and spent some time with family and friends, let's take a look at November. Of course, we all know it was a cold month, especially the week of the 11th that brought record cold temperatures and then that bad ice storm to knock out power to so many, some for days..oh and then snow! But some really nice things also took place in November, like the 46th Annual Vintage Wheels Rod and Custom Car Show in Richmond, Indiana on the 3rd and 4th. Now I know I did fail to mention this event in the October newsletter, but then if you are checking the MVN Car Show list like I'm always telling you to do, then you saw it listed, and yes, it's also in the Show and Shine as well. To be honest, this was my first time going over to Indiana to attend this great car show event. I spent all day Sunday there and had a fantastic time. Many of our regular car show buddies were there, two of which were Steve Summers with his 1968 Camaro and Kevin Foust with his 1941 Dodge truck. Steve did take a Top Thirty and Kevin, "No surprise here", he took Best of Show. I do have, as you would expect, a very nice 224 picture portfolio of the show now on the website. I spoke to Bill on the phone just last week, who is the President of the club, and he was so pleased by my photo shoot, that he posted it on their Facebook page. Bill also has informed me that the club is doing well, and they are now already taking entries for the 2019 event, set as always for the first weekend of November. I asked Bill about the special kids that they help as part of the club, and he says about thirty years ago, this started and is now a huge part of the club's existence, and they would not have it any other way. Vintage Wheels, you are tops in our hobby.
The last outdoor car show took place on the 10th of November as part of the Ohio Swap Meet in Springfield, Ohio at the Clark County Fairgrounds. As I said I would in the October newsletter, I did go, and with my 71 SS, I was joined by eighteen others who braved the extreme cold of only 20 degrees. With a wind chill of about 14, it made for a very long day. However, the swap meet still went on with vendors both inside and out. Even our friend, D.J. Dick "Hot Dog" Ryman, was out in the cold selling some stuff off of his trailer. See photos 114 and 115 of the 160 shots of the event. Going inside from time to time to look around and to warm up made the day go a bit better. Even Don Sparks was there of Go4Rider doing some video taping, just as he had also done the week before at Vintage Wheels. Thanks, Don for all you do for us car/truck people. Notice I didn't say "guys". That's because we are seeing more and more gals getting into this cool hobby of classic cars and trucks. As I said last month, they were going to give out a Top Twenty-Five, but since only nineteen showed up to enter the show, they lowered it to a Top Ten. Of course, this also changed because little by little and one by one seven entries could not stand the brutal cold and left for home and a warm seat by the television. Well, as they say, good things come to those who wait, and since twelve of us did wait it out in the cold, Jim and Della, who run the Ohio Swap Meet decided to give all twelve of us an award. Jim, when giving each of us our plaque, spoke a bit to us and thanked us for staying. The car show actually was a big success drawing everyone who came to the swap meet to stop by and check it out. See photos 9 thru 88 of the 160 shots that I have of this "cool" event on the website.
Now for some things to come. Today, of course, December 1st, Opie will be having his Cars and Coffee, and this event for Christmas will be from 8 a.m. To 6 p.m., with so much to do I can't list it all. Horsepower Farm is located at 2227 Trinity Drive in Middletown, Ohio 45044. Phone number is 937-477-0450. Call Opie if you need more information on this event.
On January 6th, it's another big Freemans Super Sunday Swap meet at the Indiana State Fairgrounds from 8 a.m. To 3 p.m. Admission is $8. A flyer is on the MVN website. Just go to Car Shows and click on "Car Event Flyers by Kevin". Kevin also has other 2019 flyers already listed for us. Thanks, Kevin for doing this. Keep up the good work. If you have a 2019 event flyer, get it to him so he can post it for all to see.
The last thing I need to cover is about the Cincinnati Cavalcade of Customs. As some of you already know, the date for the 2019 event will not be the first weekend of January, but the second weekend, the 11th thru the 13th. Now I spoke to Greg McDaniel, who puts this event on, and while for some time, it has been on the first weekend of January, it will no longer be this way. In fact, no date will be set but they will try to always have it in January. If possible, according to Greg, it is all up to the convention center as to when they can get it scheduled. I will keep you posted. However, it is listed correctly in the Show and Shine. As always, John Lynch and I will be there to cover the event for MVN, so we hope to see you there. I know several who are going to be a part of this great winter event, so come on out to check it out with us. It's a great way to get a little classic car/truck fix to help us to the Spring opening of the 2019 season.
Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and I'll be talking to you in 2019.
Well, that's if for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
November 1st, 2018
Miami Valley Novas November 2018 Newsletter
Vol. 4 No.11
Hello Everybody,
They say time really flies when you're having fun. So, I guess that's why the 2018 car show/cruise-in season just seemed to fly by so fast. Yes, it is really over. Well, except for maybe a few in this month, like the big Cars N' Parts Car Show. The date for this event will be Friday the 9th and Saturday the 10th, with the car show only on Saturday. I spoke to Della at OhioSwapMeet.com, and she told me that they will be giving out twenty-five awards to the top entries. So like I have said in the past newsletters, if the weather is nice, and sometimes it is, this might be your last chance to show off your special ride. I will be there with one of my Novas to once again get the word out that our website is for everybody, and not just us Nova people! So please help spread the word about all we have to offer, and the word is getting out, because more and more car/truck enthusiasts are telling me that they do go to the website, and they love what we are providing for them.
As for our website, it is still evolving, and most likely always will be as my daughter, Robin, and I put in time each month to make it better and more user friendly. Soon, we will be adding more shows and cruise-ins to our list of events, that, by the way, stay up even in the winter months. Also the Parts and Services Page is going to be done for quicker access to the different sites.
I spoke to Don Sparks at Go4Rider again just last week, and he is still wanting to do personal profiles on people and their special rides as long as the weather will cooperate or if you have a big garage to film inside. For those of you who do not know Don, you got to take a look at his website. But be ready to spend some time, because what he has done is nothing short of amazing. I totally love what he is doing for us, and you will too. You can access his site by going to Links on the MVN website, and click on Entertainment. Don has becaome a good friend of MVN, and if you need to talk to him, give me a call. I will help to put you in contact with him.
Another good friend and member of MVN is Rick "Opie" Willis. Opie wants everybody to know about his upcoming events at Horsepower Farm, so I am passing on the Email he sent to me to all of you. It reads:
Please join us for Cars/Coffee on Saturday, November 3, 2018 Rain or Shine. Free Donuts and Coffee donations accepted for the Blue Skies Warrior Fund. We also need silent auction items for December Cars/Coffee. In December we will also be collecting toys for the Annual Mariens Toys for Tots program. December Cars and Coffee will be 12/1/18 from 8AM-6PM. Last year was a huge success so lets make this year even better. Thanks for your support of our troops and their families.
Opie/Sue 937-477-0450
Horsepower Farm
2227 Trinity Dr
Middletown, Ohio 45044
God Bless
Opie's events are on the MVN Monthly Cruise-ins Page listed as first Saturdays. Thanks, Opie. You do a great service.
Now, I would like to touch briefly on the last six shows I did and many of you did as well. First of all, I normally put out the newsletter always on the first of the month. But, as you know, last month was an exception because I wanted to give everybody one last heads up on the Tipp City Cruise In and the Hollywood Gaming Show. Both events at the end of September were fantastic! Tipp City set a new record both by entries and spectators. They estimate between 800 to a thousand wild cars, trucks and motorcycles were there. And believe me, they are not far off the mark. I have attended this event every year, and I have never seen almost every spot taken as I did this year and so many people having a fun time. It was a great evening for sure. 460 photos to view are up on the website.
The Hollywood Gaming Car Show met their goal of 400 entries plus. The big winners are people we all know well. So take a look at the 196 photos to see who took home a trophy. Also, there is talk about making this Fall event a regular show. If this does happen, I will put it on the Car Show Page and also let you know.
The next show I attended was the Heritage of Flight Cruise-in on October 5. Fellow MVN member Joe Peters and I got there early just in time for the rain as you can see by the 200 photos I took. But it did stop raining, and everybody had a great time. To be honest, I have only attended this event a few times, but at seeing how much fun it was, and all that was going on, I'm going to have to put this on my yearly must do list, and you should too! Much like Tipp City, but also different, is the best way to describe it. One last thing, photo number 186 is really scary. I pray it never happens. To find out what I'm talking about, you'll just have to look at the photo shoot.
On October 13, West Carrollton High School held their first annual car show, and while they only drew 60 entires, it was a nice first time event, and one that is sure to grow. See the 128 photos and who took the seven awards.
Car show D.J. Dick "Hot Dog" Ryman once again put on his Annual Wooden Nickle Cruise-in on October 13th, but at a new location, the Heart of Ohio Antique Center. Dick said that he gave out over 500 nickles this year, but only half of us took advantage of this fun event, mostly because of the weather, is what kept many at home. To see who was there and all the fun we had, take a look at the 268 photos. And, next year, get your nickle and try for one of the many cash prizes Dick gives away each year! Hey, in 2017, I won a hundred bucks! Thanks, Dick. Your'e a great D.J. And good friend to us.
The Metal Bright Car Show on the 20th was down a bit on entries, but that didn't stop us from having a great day! The band, the food, and all the cool rides made it a worthwhile event! Just too much to say about it, so look at the 220 photos to see who won.
In closing, remember Freeman's Super Sunday Swap Meet on the 25th at Indy Fairgrounds. We all have to fall back an hour this Sunday, change our smoke detector batteries, vote on the 6th for your favorite candidates, and have a nice dinner on Thanksgiving with family and good friends. Also pray for the hurricane Michael victims and the victims of the Pittsburgh, PA synagogue shooting.
Well, that's it for now,
As Always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
October 1st, 2018
Miami Valley Novas October 2018 Newsletter
Vol. 4 No.10
Hello Everybody,
With the start of Fall already a week in the rear view mirror, we are now beginning to see not only the leaves falling, but also the night time temperatures. Yes, it will soon be time to put away our classic rides...but wait, not just yet, because for those of us who try to drain the last bit out of the car show season, there are still a few good shows to do before we put Sta-bil in the fuel tanks and unhook those batteries. In fact, that is why I'm even putting out this newsletter four days early to give you one last heads up on three great events. First, on Friday, it's the big Tipp City Mum Festival Cruise-In on St. Rt. 571 from 4 to 10 p.m., then on Saturday, at Young's Dairy, the One Room School Car Show, and then on Sunday, the huge Hollywood Gaming Event off of Needmore Road in Dayton. All info on these events, along with the October Metal Bright Show, Pumpkin Run, and others can be found on the MVN Website Car Show Page and also in your Show N' Shine Calendar, so take a look and see what yo might be missing out on.
September again, was not the best month for our hobby. Tropical storm Gordon came to the Miami Valley on the 6th and totally ruined all the events of the weekend, including the Ohio Swap Meet and Car Show and of course, the Beavercreek Popcorn Festival Car Show, not to mention all the other things that were set to take place in our area. However, most of us were still able to get in on some good car shows with no rain to spoil the fun. The rescheduled Performance Paint Customer Appreciation Car Show and Dinner on the 13th came off great, along with the rescheduled Vandalia Nazarene Cruise-In on the 16th. Also, the Riverside Ice Cream Social Cruise-In on the 15th was pretty nice as well, with the Band, the American Kings, putting on a wild show for everybody to enjoy. But the really big news for MVN, was to be found at three different shows on Sunday the 16th. First I was told that many of our members took a Top 100 at the Fairborn Car Show and Congratulations to MVN member, Mike Sell, for taking the Best Engine Award. I, myself, was down in Sharonville, Ohio at the Eastgate Classics All GM Show along with fellow members Steve Haven, Rick Kilburn, Tom Bailey, Jeff Berryman, and Vice President, John Lynch. Now, not only did we all take a Top Fifty, but our club also racked up yet another Club Participation Award. Needless to say, we all had a great time at this event. But now for the icing on the cake. Members Joe Peters and Cindy Adams, both took a Best of Class Award at the Dayton Concours D'Elegance. Joe, in Preservation with his 1962 Impala, and Cindy in Cadillacs with her 1976 Eldorado. Oh, and our good friend, Kevin Foust, who does the Car Event Flyers Site, also won the Best of Class in Special Interest with his Big! Beautiful! Red 1941 Dodge Truck. And while MVN member Bill Peterson did not take any award showing his 1965 Nova, it should be noted that just being invited to the Dayton Concours is an honor in itself, so Congatulations to all of you for a job well done. Photos for all these events, except Fairborn and the Dayton Concours, are on the website. So please take a look when you get a chance.
Now for a bit of bad news and sad news. The bad news was given to be my Kevin Foust, who saw online that the Beavercreek Baptish Church Car Show, that so many of us love so much, has joined other great shows as a thing of the past. I did call the church to confirm that this was true, and Stephanie, the secretary, told me that yes, it will no longer be held. As you know, this was one of our club get together shows, so a good replacement for June will have to be found. And I might even be changing a few of the others as well, since they are only drawing one or two members. More on this to come. The sad news came about when Carolyn, a good friend of Alan Buddemeyer, called to inform me that Alan had passed away on August 29th at the age of 64. Alan, who owned a 1963 Nova, was big on going to the Friday night cruise-ins for many years and also area car shows as well. Alan was a true Nova nut, so much so, that even on his monument at the cemetery, he had engraved a picture of his Nova that he loved so much since purchasing it in early 1981. Alan, who I only met a few times, was a great person who loved our hobby. I'm sure many of you knew him much better than me, and while he did not wish to be a member of MVN, I did make him an honorary member back when I first started the club. Photos of Alan's Nova can be found on our Pictures Page. Just go to the Antioch Shrine Car Show 2013 to view three photos: 18, 19 & 20.
On Satuday, the 22nd, I attended my first Xenia Grace Chape Charity Car Show, and I was very pleased by how well it was run. The church did a great job. There were 166 outstanding cars, trucks, and motorcycles at this show with a Top 50 and about 10 Specials. Quite a few MVN members were there, and while I did not win, I do want to give a congratulations to the three MVN members who did take a Top 50 Award. They were Harold Lunsford, Mike Sell, and Tony Vannicola. Great job guys. Your awards are well deserved. Photos are on the MVN Website of this oustanding event.
Don't forget about Opie's Cars and Coffee Cruise-In on the first Saturday of the month at Horsepower Farm in Middletown, Ohio and Dick Ryman's Wooden Nickel end of the year event on October 14th at the Heart of Ohio Antique Center from 12-4 p.m. Info is on the website.
Finally, say a prayer for all those who lost so much in the Hurricane Florence this past month. May God be with them.
Well, that's it for now,
As Always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
September 1st, 2018
Miami Valley Novas September 2018 Newsletter
Vol. 4 No.9
Hello Everybody,
Yes! It has happened, Labor Day is here, and with it comes the unofficial end of Summer, and since the official start of Fall is only three weeks away, we will soon all be out raking leaves, getting ready for Halloween, and saying goodbye to the 2018 car show/cruise-in season. But of course, there are still many events left to do in September and even a few in October. So, I want you to get out there, and enjoy your hot rod or special machine. I will only be able to mention a few in this newsletter, so go to the MVN Car Show Page and take a look at the list. Also, check out Kevin's Car Event Flyers Link in the top left box and Events by D.J. Dick Ryman in the top right box, and yes, your Show 'N' Shine Calendar. Now, if it sounds like I'm telling you what to do....You're Right! You have no idea how many people will call or email me to ask what is going to take place, or at a show, they will say, "I didn't even know that was happening." With all the info that is out there to use, there is no reason to miss your favorite show or event. Most only come once a year, and we don't want anybody to miss out on all the fun we have showing our rides, chowing down on great food, and talking to good friends!
In August, MVN had four get togethers, and they were Franklin, Bellbrook, Eaton, and in Dayton, the Antioch Shrine Show. As you know, it was not a good month. Most shows and all of our MVN get togethers had rain or a big threat of rain that kept many of you home, and I can't say that I blame you. After each of the shows I did with the rain, I had a lot of cleaning to do on my cars. This was espcially true for my first time at going to the Hawker Shade Tree Car Show on the 4th of the month. A terrible storm hit right as the awards were being given out, and one car show buddy even fell and was hurt by it. He is doing ok now, so it goes without saying that all of our get togethers were way down on members. However, Frank Price and myself did take a Top Fifty at Eaton. Then, the next day at the Antioch Shrine, five members took home a Top Fifty, and Scott Able, with his 1968 Nova Pro Street, was presented the prestigious Potentate's Choice. This now makes three MVN members who have been gven this award: Scott this year at this show, Ed Keith, with his 1966 at the Shrine Show this year in Middletown, and myself in 2017 with my SS. I think maybe the Potentates like Novas. So a big congratulations to Scott from all of us at the club. Photos are on the website, so take a look.
Next weekend, on the 7th, 8th, and 9th is the Big Ohio Swap Meet "Cars N'Parts" at the Clark County Fairgrounds. As they say..."You got to be there!" It really is something quite special. Remember, no car show on Friday, but our friend, Dick "Hot Dog" Ryman will be there playing the tunes for the Saturday and the Sunday car shows. So, if the weather is nice, come on out and bring your ride and have some fun at this huge car show/swap meet event.
Now I know that a lot of you, if not most, do read the Wheels Section of the Dayton Daily News. But for those of you who do not, you're missing out on a great source of information on both car shows and many great stories of local people and events. Just in the past month, they did features on the Scooter Club taking a 1,200 mile ride to attend a convention, a great article on Ed Crowder of Kil-Kar Raceway, both by our friend Skip Peterson, and then a story was done on Skip and all his work with the Dayton Concours D'Elegance. If you did not get a chance to read these stories, I highly recommend doing so by going to Dayton Daily News Online. You will be amazed by what you find out.
I saw on the news a few weeks ago, that Kings Island is going to be bringing back a favorite ride to many. The Antique Auto's will return in 2019 with a new track and all new antique cars. It's always nice to see that so many people enjoy taking a ride in the 1930's style cars. I know it is a favorite of my autistic son, Christopher. He is very much excited by this and even knew about it before I did. Thank God for the internet! It has really helped him grow, as it does for all of us.
This month I will be attending the Eastgate All GM classic car show at Sharon Woods Park in Sharonville, Ohio on the 16th. This is a great show and one that only accepts GM vehicles up to 1974. All the info is on the MVN Car Show page, or you can call Linda at 513-372-4380. The other show/cruise-in that I am sure to be at, like many of you, is the big Tipp City Mum Festival event that is always held the 4th Friday of September. Again, info is on the website of these shows and many more end of the season events. Please take a look and get out there to enjoy your special rides.
The last big show to remind you about is the Hollywood Gaming Event for Sunday, September 30th. You still can pre-register online for $10 by going to HollywoodGamingatDaytonRaceway.com or pay $15 at the gate on the day of the show.
In closing, I would like to give a special thank you to a good friend and great member of the club, Jeff Barnhart, for staying for the awards at Eaton. Since I had to leave at seven, Jeff was kind enough to pick up my award that I honestly did not expect to receive. And while Jeff did not win this year, he has won this show in the past. Be sure to have a safe, fun Labor Day weekend with your family and friends, and I will talk to you again in October.
Well, that's it for now, As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
August 1st, 2018
Miami Valley Novas August 2018 Newsletter
Vol. 4 No.8
Hello Everybody,
Since it is now August, I think the first thing to remember is that the kids are now beginning to head back to school. So please watch out for them, as they will be out early in the morning going to the bus stops. I would like to also take a moment to explain why I cover a lot of things in the newsletter that are not directly related to the MVN Club. This is in keeping with my goal to make the website a place for everybody who loves the classic car/truck hobby. Besides, being able to read the monthly newsletter on the MVN website under blogs, we now have quite a few non-members who are on the e-mail subscription list who want to know what is going on. So, if you have some good info to pass on, give me a call or drop me an e-mail. But of course, I will always do my best to cover Nova news.
Karl Perkins, the father of MVN member, Bailey Perkins, who has the blue Ventura GTO, would like to let everybody know about a great charity car show on August 4th at the Foggyz Vapor Lounge from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can get more info on this show and others by going to Car Event Flyers by Kevin on the Car Show Page of the MVN website. And speaking of this great site, last month, I spoke of Kevin Foust in the Newsletter who is doing this service for us, but I did misspell his last name, so sorry about that. Kevin would also appreciate any flyers that you have that will help others to find events. Info on how to contact him is on his site. Oh! And a big congratulations to Kevin for taking the Best of Show with his truck at the 1st Annual Kettering BackPack Car Show. Most of us just took home a mere Top 50, LOL. Of course, photos are on the website.
Don Sparks, of Go4Rider, and I are now keeping in touch on a regular basis, and he would like for me to put the word out that if you have an interesting story about your special classic, he is willing to do a fifteen minute video profile of it for his site. If you are wanting to take part in this project, you can get a hold of him by going to his site. We have a direct link to it on the Entertainment Section of MVN website. So, please check it out. Don does a great job!
Hollywood Gaming is going to hold a Fall Car Show event much like the Spring Cruise-In, but with one exception. Pre-registration will be ten dollars and day of the Show will be fifteen, music will be by Stranger, and food wll be available for purchase. More info can be found on this by going to their website, HollywoodGamingAtDaytonRaceway.com. The date for the show is Sunday, September 30th, so make plans to attend this great event.
Along with our regular club get togethers, I, myself, like many of you, are attending a lot of other great shows, and I am hearing of the top awards you are taking with your cool classics. I love getting first and second hand info on both members and non-members who are getting out there to show what you have built and created, so keep up the good work. To those of you who have still not taken your cars or trucks out yet, there is still time to do so. Just find a show and go!
In July, we had two club get-togethers. The first was on Saturday, the 14th, and in all, we had ten members show up to be part of the Salem Church of God Car Show in Clayton, Ohio. Eight of us did line up our Novas to creat a real eye catching site of some colorful classics for all to enjoy. I'm happy to say that all of us took home a Top Fifty Award. Although some are not in the photo, because they took off too soon to be part of the picture with our plaques, the line up photos are great! You've got to check them out! It was a fun day together with the MVN members and good friends.
As I said in my e-mail to everybody on the 23rd, I had to change the end of July MVN get-together because Super Chevy cancelled the Sunday part of the show. Some members have told me I should have gone Saturday, but like many car show people, I plan on certain shows to do on specific dates and Saturday was the Big Whitetrash and Whitewalls Show in Fairborn. As it turned out, it was a great replacement for Super Chevy, because 22 members of the club were there to enjoy this one of a kind event. Last year, they had over 500 cars and trucks. This year, they set a new records with 802 entries of some of the coolest classics around. There was something for everybody to enjoy and while no MVN members took home a Top 75 Award, it didn't matter. Just being there was enough. I got there at 9 a.m. and did not get home until 6:30 p.m. But, as I always say, it went fast! I got a lot of great photos, and I also got around to talk a bit with members and car show buddies. Take some time, when you get a chance, to look at the photos and if you were not there, make plans to attend this must do event next year.
Oh, and speaking of breaking recods, the July Voss Hoss Cruise set a new record of 602. I was not able to attend, but I'm told by many of you that it was something to see. I do have other Voss Cruise-Ins on the website, if you want to see what it is like at this event.
This month, There is so much going on that all I can say is go to the website and check both the Car Show Page and then in the Top Box Car Event Flyers by Kevin. And of course, your Show N' Shine calendar. As far as MVN get togethers, we have four in August, so check the list on the website for all the shows we will do as a club, and don't forget to check out the photos of the 4th of July show we did at Green County.
In closing, I want to remind everybody about Opie's Cars and Coffee this Saturday and every 1st Saturday of the month at Horsepower Farm. Info is on the Car Show/Cruise In page of the website. Last month, MVN member Joe Peters was there, and he says that he had a great time. Thanks, Opie for all you do for the Wounded Warriors. You do a really great job.
Well, that's if for now.
As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
July 1st, 2018
Miami Valley Novas July 2018 Newsletter
Vol. 4 No.7
Hello Everybody,
I was looking at the club calendar the other day and realized that at the end of the month, there will only be five MVN get togethers left for this year, so take a look and try to make one of them if you can. We always have a lot of fun, as you can seee from the photo shoots I do of the events.
Because I try to keep the monthly newsletters as short as possible, I was not able to mention the Cars N' Parts Swap Meet and Car Show for May last month. But, I did want to let you know that they said that it was a record breaking Spring event, both by spectators and vendors. I had the MVN '71 green Nova on Display and gave out lots of info on our club and website, and several MVN members did show their cars. If you have never been to this event, I do have 240 images on the website of the May 28th 2016 event, which will give you a good idea of all that the Ohio Swap Meet has to offer.
In last month's MVN Newsletter, I spoke of the Dayton Daily News photo of our car line up at the Hollywood Gaming Event, but there was an error of the spelling of one of the members. His name is Dan Nadolsky, and I invite you to take a look at his page on the website. Dan has been with the club from the beginning and has a beautiful 1963 red Nova Wagon. What he has done with it over the years is nothing short of amazing, as you will see from the ten photos I shot of it last year at the Reichard Cruise into Summer event on June 3rd. Please take a look! And speaking of the Reichard event this year, I have 176 photos of the June 9th Cruise into Sumer. It turned out to be, as always, a huge showing of some really nice cars and trucks. Several members of MVN did show with their Novas, and some with their other cars and trucks.
In June, MVN had only one get together, and it was at the Beavercreek Baptist Church on Saturday, the 16th. While attendance was way down this year due to the heat, eight members did come out to be part of this very nice yearly event. If you take a look at the 176 photos on the website, you will see why this show is so nice to be a part of. They always give a free tshirt and a goodie bag to those who show a car or truck. May God bless all who work so hard at the church to put on such a nice event for all of us to come out and enjoy.
On Saturday, the 23rd, two events took place in our area that I did get out to take photos of for the website. First was the International Station Wagon Club Convention Show, at the Red Lion Inn on Miller Lane, that brought in over twenty five very nice wagons. When I told them who I was and what I was doing, they gave me a free dash plaque and even treated me to a burger. It was a very nice little event. I then headed over to the Fairborn Holiday Inn for he Ecklers 5th State Rep Chevy Show to meet up with fellow MVN member Joe Peters to check out the 75 entries that came as far away as California to be part of this once a year traveling national event. My only regret is that I did not enter my '71 SS into this great show. There were so many nice Chevys, that I can't even begin to tell you what a thrill it was to see cars that are a true testament to engineering and style. Of course, two members of MVN did take full advantage of the event, and they were Jim and Jann Wilkins showing their 1967 blue Nova. Jim says that in this custom class, he scored 997 points, taking First Place Award, and then took another award for Best Engine. Congratulations, Jim and Jann on your awards. Please take some time to look at the photos I took of this and all of the other recent shows I have done so far this year.
Now, I'm sure that many of your already know of this man, but for those of you who don't, let me introduce him. His name is Don Sparks, and he is doing something quite unique for us to enjoy. What he does is video car shows and other things of interest, and edits them with music. I had the pleasure of meeting Don for the first time at the Beavercreek Baptist Church Car Show last month, and having a lot in common with both cars and audio production, we seem to have really hit if off. In fact, when you go to visit his You Tube site, you will see that he has used MVN as the thumbnail for the Beavercreek show. He really does a very nice job for just being his hobby. Go4Rider is pretty darn cool! I spoke to Don again just a few days ago, and his new link is now on our website. Just go to Links and then Entertainment, to view "Go4Rider".
Kevin Foust, who owns and shows the red 1941 Dodge Truck, is also doing something very nice for all of us who need to know about upcoming events. What Kevin is doing on his site is displaying, in color, car show flyers. For more info and to see how you can help Kevin in making this a must "go to" car show site, click on his link that we have put on the Car Show Page of MVN titled Car Event Flyers.
In July, we have two MVN get togethers. The first one will be on the 14th, at the Salem Church of God. Info is on the website. This show is one we can do a line up at, but please come early to be part of it. I can only hold open spots for so long and then they will be taken by non-members. Our club car line ups always look super nice, and at some point, Robin and I will make a page up just for them on the website.
The second get together is going to be on Sunday, the 29th, at the Super Chevy Show in Hebron, Ohio. I have spoken to several members, and we all feel that this will be our last Super Chevy get tother for a few years. It is for most of us, a long way to go. For me, I know it is 125 miles one way. But don't despair, I have already something special in mind for this date in 2019, and I think you will like it. More to come later on this event.
The last thing to let you know about is three nice rides that have been published recently in the Ohio Auto & RV. The first, was MVN member Kenny Miller's 1963 Chevy II on May 1st and the second was MVN member, Joe Peters with his 1973 Gold Duster on June 12th. Both articles are now up on their members' pages of the MVN website for you to view. The last article was of the Hollywood Gaming Event in the June 19th issue, that member Bill Peterson and myself took the photos of. I have placed this article on the About Us section of the website.
Well that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
June 1st, 2018
Miami Valley Novas June 2018 Newsletter
Vol. 4 No.6
Hello Everybody,
Well, the warm weather is now upon us and in less than three weeks, the official start of summer will begin. I hope that you all had a chance, as I did, to spend some time with family and friends over the Memorial Day weekend. Of course,we must remember what this day is really about. So say a prayer of thanks for all our miltary and first responders, who gave their all for our freedom and our great way of life.
This month, I have a lot of things to let you know about, so I'll get to them. First of all, Dick Ryman, the car show D.J., would like everyone to know that his first Sunday of the month cruise-in has a new location. It will now be held at the Heart of Ohio Antique Center on E. National Road. And speaking of changes to car shows and cruise-ins, you should know that during my yearly updates to our listings on the website, I found out that some great shows are no longer taking place. Some, like Dick's have a new location, and some cruise-ins are back like Wot-A-Dog, and some have bit the dust forever. Since there are too many to give mention to, I suggest you go to the MVN website to see if your show has a new date or location. Also, for those of you who used that new site that popped up after the end of Tom Midlam's site know as "COUNTRYCRUISER.NET", it also has bit the dust, making MVN Car Show Listings more important than ever! So please help spread the word that MVN is a website for everybody that loves the classic car/truck hobby.
For those of you who, like myself, are into originality, Dolores Lane, owner of Antique Auto Battery, has decded to retire and has since sold the business. That's the bad news. The good news is long time employee Jim Irwin and his wife, Alice, have now completed the transfer of ownership to them, and the new name of Antique Auto Battery will be now known as "Jim's Battery Manufacturing". The phone number is 1-330-480-0755. I will update the website to the new name and info. Also, speaking of the Parts & Services page of the website, Robin and I will soon be changing the look of this page to make it more user friendly. I'm thinking on something like the car show page.
On Saturday, April 28th, the Dayton Daily News once again ran a photo of our Nova Club. MVN was not mentioned by name in the four by six piece, but it clearly is a part of our outstanding line up at the Hollywood Gaming Event. Members cars in the photo from left to right were David Powers, Kerry Ward, James Keechle, Dan Nabolsky, Bill Peterson, and Rob Schrader. This photo wil be put on our website, and I will let you know when it is up to take a look at it.
Now for a bit of sad news. On May 3rd, Charles Gollahon, who I believe was the founder of Brookville Roadster, passed away at the age of 83. I have sent a sympathy card to the family and employees of Brookville Roadster from all of us at MVN. As many of you know, in August of 2016, MVN had one of our club get togethers at Brookville Roadster, and it was a great event. If you would like to view the 152 photos I shot that day of both the fun and the shop, just go to the Pictures page of WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM. You will enjoy them. On May 13th, the club had it's 3rd get together at the Shrine Mother's Day Car Show in Middletown, and even though entries were way down due to the threat of rain, we still had a great time. I am pleased to report that two MVN members did win awards. First, Joe Peters took a Top Forty and then member Ed Keith, with his '66 Nova, took the prestigious Potentate's Award. Just a reminder, I took this same award in 2017 at this show with my '71 SS. I think maybe the Potentate likes Novas. One week later, MVN was well represented at the 48th Annual Cincy Street Rod Show in Hamilton, Ohio. One member, Roger Stone, with his 1967 Nova, took home a Top 50 Award. Then the MVN Club as a whole took the Car Club Participation Award. This makes our 2nd time taking this award at this event, so thank you to all the members who came out to line up their Novas. Please take some time to view both of the May get togethers on the website. I'm sure you will be very pleased with all the great shots that I was able to get of not only the members and their Novas, but also all the fun we had.
Now, for what's going on in June, this Saturday it's the Cruise into Summer Event at Reichard Chevrolet in Brookville, Ohio. This is a huge, cool cruise-in and a must do for those who have never experienced it. Photos of past years' events are on the MVN website, so take a look! Better yet, come on out to join in on all the fun that the Brookville Corvette Club puts on each year for us car and truck lovers of the past. Our 5th club get together will take place at the Beavercreek Baptist Church on Saturday the 16th. All the info is on the MVN site. Also good friend of MVN, Keith Morton, would like to let everbody know about his church car show at the Four Winds Gospel Church on Saturday the 9th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The location is 7465 Peters Road in Tipp City, Ohio. It is in the Show and Shine Calendar, or you can call Joel at 937-286-4833 for more info.
In closing, I want to remind you again about the Ecklers 5th State Chevy Show that will be coming to the Dayton/Fairborn area on June 20-24th. For registration info, call Paula Vollman at 1-440-346-6048, or visit their website, WWW.CLASSICCHEVY.COM. Even if you ar not interested in showing at this event, you might want to just go and look. Chevys from all over the U.S. will be there and you are sure to see cars that will blow your mind! This is sure to be a huge show and one you will not want to miss. Remember, Novas are eligible to participate, but only up to and including 1972.
Well that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
May 1st, 2018
Miami Valley Novas May 2018 Newsletter
Vol. 4 No.5
Hello Everybody,
Wow! What a month April was! Record rainfall and record snow for the Miami Valley, but our prayers were answered, because three out of the four car shows scheduled all took place with cool temperatures at the start, but no rain. However, the National Trail Alumni Car Show on the 14th was totally rained out and did not take place. I did contact them, and at this time, it has been cancelled for this year. If it does get rescheduled, I will let you know.
The Ronnie Bowers Car Show on April 8th was, for a 1st year event, a huge success, with a total of ninety entries, and everybody had a great time. To remember Ronnie in this special way, eight members of MVN did show their classic cars. As always, they are the first ones in the photo shoot that is up on the MVN website. I think you will enjoy looking at it and all the fun that took place to honor Ronnie Bowers.
Two weeks later on the 22nd, we had out first MVN get together at the Hollywood Gaming Dayton Cruise-In. I don't know where to begin, because there is just so much that took place at the monumental event, but I'll do my best. In all, forty one MVN members showed up and thirty nine brought out their cars to be part of the show. The one commment heard a lot was "There are a bunch of Novas here." Nineteen took place in our line up, and it looked great. The others wanted to park with friends, and I'm ok with that. The food was tasty, and the band, British Invasion, was fantastic! After the event, I spoke with some of them and gave them a compliment on the great sound and, of course, info on our website and club. They wondered who I was, taking so many photos of them. As for exactly how many classics were on hand at the show, God only knows. The last thing I heard was they stopped counting at 650. It was a big event. Also, as you will see in the photo shoot, member Jerry Elworth debuted his now totally restored 1973 SS that he calls "the Super Nova". It looks great! He did a fantastic job on it. Thanks, Jerry for being a Nova Nut! Many of the Dayton area members finally got to meet John Lynch, our Vice President of MVN, who drove eighty miles to be at the event, and yes, he brought his '71 red Nova, photo No. 22 of the photo shoot. Oh, and James Keechle also debuted his new engine in his '62, 700 plus H.P. Photos 39 & 40. Only one member took home a trophy, and 3rd place in the Antique/Classic Car Class went to Wayne Dennis for his '62 Nova, photos 37 & 38. Congratulations, Wayne, on your big win! Now, to let the cat out of the bag on what Bill Holder and I have been working on for this event. Along with member, Bill Peterson, who was also taking photos, Hollywood Gaming has agreed to let Bill do a feature article on this show for an issue of a national car magazine. Of course, we are just getting started on this project, so I will keep you informed. There's still a lot to keep secret. Again, thank you to all MVN members who came out to make this our 2nd biggest get together so far for our club.
As for the Sharonville Show, it went great! But first of all, I do have to make a correction on something that I have been telling you. After talking to them a bit at registration during the show, I found out that 750 is not the show's maximum, but 550. I know I was told years ago by them 750, but it is now 550. In all, 23 MVN members did attend to help make this a very nice club get together. Only one member of MVN took home an award, and it went to David Powers for his beautiful black 1977 4 door Nova. David got 2nd place in the 1975-1993 class and this being such a big class, this was a big win for him and his car. Congratulations, David, from all of us at the club. See photos 43 & 44 of the photo shoot. Another thing that John Lynch and I thought was cool was his pre-registration number being the same as his license plate. "What are the odds of that!" At least 308 to 1, since that's how many did pre-register this year. Photos No. 19 & 20. Now I could go on and on about this must do event that I feel really has a carnival atmosphere, but I think it is best for you to just go to the website and look at all the nice photos I was able to get of the show. Oh, and yes, we all got our 2018 Show and Shine Auto Event Calendar. Of course, they will also be available at many other car shows and cruise-ins, so please pick one up for all the events that I am not able to list on our club website.
Now for May and what's going on with some things you need to know about. MVN member Rick Willis or Opie as he is best known, will have his monthly Cars and Coffee on the first Saturday of May and every other first Saturday til the end of the year and the Kettering Towne Centre Cruise-In will be going on every Friday night. For more info on these cruise-ins, and many other events, go to car shows on our website. On the 19th of May, the St. Leonard Cruise-In will once again take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a rain date of the 26th. Food and fun for the whole famly. 8200 Provincial Way, Centerville, OH 45458. For more info, contact MVN member, Wayne Dennis, at 937-426-4519 or Dawn Arrowod at 937-439-7145. The Springfield Cars and Parts Swap Meet will take place on the 25, 26, & 27th , and as always, this first one of the year will be big, with a car show on both Saturday and Sunday. For all the info, go to OHIOSWAPMEET.COM. Our club will have two more get togethers in May, the Shrine Mother's Day Show on the 13th, and the Cincy Street Rods Show on the 20th. Both of these events will provide us the space to line up our Novas, but only for the first few hours of registration. So please come early to help make one of our club cars displays. They always look so cool and get a lot of attention. Info on these and all of the 2018 MVN get togethers is on our website, so please take a look.
I have been informed that the Voss Hoss Cruise-In will only take place two times this year: one on June 8th, and the other one on July 13th. For all the info of this event, go to VOSSCRUISEIN.COM. They also have some really cool timelapse videos to look at .
The Reichard/Boose Cruise into Summer will take place on Saturday, June 2nd from 3-9 p.m., with a $10 entry fee to benefit local charities.
The Ecklers 5th State Rep Chevy Show is coming to Dayton on June 20-24. This is an all Chevrolet show only, but with Firebirds also able to atend. I did contact them, and Novas are welcome, but only up to 1972. Judging will be on a one thousand point scale. To be eligible, you must register by 5 p.m. Friday at the show, and judging will take place on Saturday. For more info, go to WWW.CLASSICCHEVY.COM.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
April 1st, 2018
Miami Valley Novas April 2018 Newsletter
Vol. 4 No.4
Hello Everybody,
Let me be one of the first to say Happy Easter Sunday. Our Lord has risen! And, that, my friends, is no April fool's joke. With the official start of Spring now almost twelve days in the rear view mirror, it's time to change that oil, check the air in your tires, and charge up those batteries, because the weather is getting nice and car show season is now right on our doorstep.
Next Sunday, in fact one week from today, the first car show will take place in Kettering, at Fairmont High School, 3301 Shroyer Rd, to benefit the Ronnie Bowers Memorial Scholarship Foundation. Registration will start at 10 a.m. with a $10 entry fee. If the weather is nice, I think that this could certainly be a very cool way to start off the car show season. I have checked online, and it looks as if they are doing everything to make this a great event.
On April 22nd, we will have our first MVN get-together of the year at the big Hollywood Gaming Cruise-In/Car Show. Full details on this event were in last month's MVN Newsletter. So, if you missed it, you can still find all the info you need by going to MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM and clicking on blogs. There you can access the March MVN Newsletter, as well as all past ones. I will say this. Get there early because Bill Holder and I are working on doing something special about this 2nd Annual Hollywood Gaming event.
The last car show for April will take place in Sharonville, Ohio on April 29th from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. As always, this show is huge and a must do for anyone who loves the classic car/truck experience. But again, get there early, since they only allow about 750 entries. Also, if you want to enter at 8:30 a.m., pre-registration is the only way to get in at this time. Others must wait until 10:00 a.m. in a long line, and once they meet their maximum amount, all others will be turned away with no exceptions! All the info on this show can be found on their website at WWW.SHARONVILLECLASSICCARSHOW.COM.
Also, remember pre-registration will end at noon on April 17, 2018. The last email Karen sent to me, she already had over two hundred pre-registered for this great event. Past years photos can be found on our website, if you'd like to see all the fun we have at this show. As far as the Show and Shine Auto Event Calendars, Debbie Troxell has informed me that, once again, this show is your first opportunity to get one hot off the press. So come on out, and bring your favorite ride.
Club member Rick "Opie" Willis has extended to all MVN members and invitation...to his once a month's Cars and Coffee, at his place in Middletown, Ohio. It is held every 1st Saturday of the month, except January, and begins at 8 a.m. and goes until whenever you wish to leave. This has turned into a big monthly event with a lot of fine cars to look at, and all that is asked is for a small donation to the Wounded Warriors. I would like to take my hat off to our friend, Opie, for raising the many thousands of dollars he has already done for this great organization. So please come on out to this worthwhile event. Horsepower Farm is located at 2227 Trinity Drive, Middletown, Ohio 45044. For more info, you can call Opie at 937-477-0450.
Robin McCaffrey, who puts on the Friday Night Cruise-In at the Kettering Town Center, has once again secured this location for the 2018 season. Robin has informed me that this year, it will be better than ever, with music, food trucks, and hopefully, a lot of nice rides to look at. So, please come on out with your cars and trucks to help Robin in making this the Go To Friday Night Cruise-In to be at. The first one will take place on April 27th, of course weather permitting. The location is Dorothy Lane at Woodman Drive. The Facebook page for all the info is Kettering Friday Night Cruise-In.
Finally, I would like to share with you something that happened last month. As I have said in the past, from time to time I will get a call or an email from someone who is far away that has heard of our club, and on March 21st, I got an email from a young man named Alex in Minnesota. He needed some parts for his 1974 Nova, and yes, I was able to help him out by sending him to club member, Eddie Howard of Fast Eddie's Nova Parts. But that's only the beginning of this story. As I got to talking to Alex, I found out that he has not one, but two Novas. Naturally, this is no big deal. A lot of us have two or more cars in our stabe. But, you see Alex is only twenty years old! That's right, twenty! Alex told me that at sixteen, he bought his first Nova as his high school car and being that it was in great condition, he drove it daily to school and is still driving it today. Now along with his 1978 Nova, he is restoring his 1974 back to original. I think it is nice to know that there are still young people, like Alex and our own young club members that we have in MVN, who really do appreciate old Novas and old classic cars. This is why I love this hobby, as I know you do. It's really the people behind each car or truck that makes the story a special one.
Let's all pray for nice weather in April so that we can get in on the first few events to take place in the 2018 car show season.
Well, that's it for now.
As, Always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
March 1st, 2018
Miami Valley Novas March 2018 Newsletter
Vol. 4 No.3
Hello Everybody,
I'm sure that most of you are excited about the fact that there are only nineteen days left of winter. Although the past two weeks, I must say, have not been too bad. We even set another record on February 20th with a high temperature of 75 degrees. The previous record high was 69, so it was a beautiful day. And something else that I feel is beautiful is that on the 11th of this month, we will be returning to Daylight Savings Time, so set your clocks ahead an hour and also change those smoke detector batteries.
Last month, I spoke to you about the Hollywood Gaming Event set for April 22nd, and last week, after talking to Dee Troxell, who is the Director of Marketing, she sent me the itenerary of what they have planned for the day. Registration will open at 8 a.m. and with no fee. Each entry will receive $10 in dining credits. The first 400 entries will receive a dash plaque, and entrants will be in one of five classes: Hot Rod, Antique or Classic, Sports Car, Modern Car, and Truck or Pickup. Judging will begin at 1 p.m. As for food on site this year, they will have Gibbs Old Tyme Hamburgers and Bad to the Bone. Music will be provided by the British Invasion from noon to 4 p.m., with awards to follow. Like last year, this is a huge event and I'm sure our good friend Skip Peterson of the Dayton Daily News will be doing somethin on it. So be looking for it in the Saturday Wheels. Also, as I said last month, photos of the 2017 event on are on the MVN websise, so check 'em out! I know you will enjoy what I have put together.
For those of you who might be interested, we now have a very nice trailer company north of Dayton. Since I live close by, I have been watching it being built and last month when they opened, I stopped in at Midway Trailers to speak to Andy and Bryan about this new and very nice facility. Being right off of I-75 at Needmore Rd, it's a great location, and after looking around at what they have to offer, I know that they will do well. I have also got to say, and I told them this when I was there, that their high-in-the-sky sign is really cool! I have put a link to their website on the MVN Parts & Services section so you might want to take a look, and oh yes, they will and do rent car hauling trailers. Good news for those of us who don't want to own one but still need one from time to time to transport our classic cars.
I would like to again mention that our MVN website is a websie for everybody that loves the classic cars/truck hobby, so help spread the word about all we have to offer. I have also got my daughter, Robin, who does a fantastic job of doing our website, to put a link to our club charity on the index page. Please remember that these ten boxes are not ads but rather fast links to click on to get you to these websites, so give them a try.
Being inolved in this classic car hobby, I take a lot of calls from people all over that need help, and I try my best to get them to the right people, and sometimes they just want to sell me something. Now I have a policy not to put this stuff in our newsletter, but every once in a while, a deal is too good not to pass it on to you. I took a call from a man who has a solid 1967 4 door Nova that he has been storing for twenty years. He says it has a six cylinder with a three on the tree and it does run. He is only wanting four thousand for it and is willing to let our members have first crack at it or if you know somebody that might want it. I don't think it will last long at this price. His name is Tim Melvin, and his cell number is 937-818-7286. Give him a call if you are interested.
The last thing I have to mention is something I am extremely sad about. On January 10th, MVN member Mert Sayce passed away at the age of 77. Mert and I have known each other since 1999. When I first met him at the Fairborn Car Show, right away, I knew that this guy was a Nova Nut! At that time, I was still putting the club together, so he was an original member of MVN. To say that he will be greatly missed does not even come close to how those of us who knew him really feel. For many years, Mert and I had a friendly rivalry going at car shows between his 1970 red hot rod Nova with a 454 and my 1971 all stock red SS. You see, rarely did we both win at a show we were both at. He would win or I would win, but it was all in good fun, and we were both happy for whoever won with their red Nova. As soon as I was told about his passing on February1st, I called Nina, his wife to tell her how sorry I was and how much I loved him and how much we at MVN will miss him. I also sent Nina a sympathy card from all of us at the club. Nina has also informed me that she has no intention on getting rid of Mert's Nova. In fact, she says that with Mert's best friend, Rick Knox, they will be finishing his 1967 Nova wagon to show it as a tribute to Mert and his love of Novas. I will keep you informed and will post photos of it on Mert's page when it is finished. As with other members of MVN who have gone to be with our Lord, his page will remain up on our website as a sign of respect and a true Nova Nut! Please take a look at Mert's page when you get a chance. I have just added some new photos I took of Mert's last car show, and I think you will like them.
Finally, I am sorry to have to bring up this subject again, but I really do need your help. When Mert passed away, I was not informed about it for twenty two days. This is not acceptable, and while I'm glad that the member who told me did tell me, I really would have liked to have been informed right away, so I could have sent out a special email on it for his funeral. I am always available by phone or email, so please, PLEASE, let me know about things I need to know about. Don't just assume that, like this member did, that I know about something. We have a big club and I need you, the members, to let me know about news of things I might not know. Remember, I love you all very much and I want this club to be like a family, so start getting your rides ready, because the first show in the area will be on Sunday April 8th at Kettering Fairmont High School, 3301 Shroyer Rd, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m This is a fundraiser for the Ronnie Bowers Memorial Scholarship Foundation. $10 per entry. This show info was sent to me by member Bill Peterson, so thanks Bill for letting us all know about this event.
Well that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
February 1st, 2018
Miami Valley Novas February 2018 Newsletter
Vol. 4 No.2
Hello Everybody,
I think that the best way to sum up the first half of our Miami Valley Winter is how the weather people have been describing it: a roller coaster ride! That's because so far we have had snow, ice, and even an ice storm. We had a very cold temperature of 15 below on January 2nd that broke a 120 year old record and then only nine days later, we set a new record high of 61. Now in the past week or so, it's not been too bad. Of course, I'm going to look at the bright side. It's only 46 days til Spring. Oh, and since tomorrow is Groundhog Day, I think we should see what he has to say about it also.
On January 6th, John Lynch and I did go to the 58th Annual Cavalcade of Customs Show in Cincinnati. And after spending most of the day there talking to people and looking around, I have got to say that KOI Auto Parts and the Duke Energy Center did a really fantastic job. I'm only going to mention a few things I want everybody to know, but I do want to invite you to look at the 276 photos that John and I took. They will take you from the time we drove up to the Convention Center, through the show, and outside after the show. I really think you will enjoy this photo shoot.
First of all, I believe nine Novas in all were there, but only one MVN Club member had his Nova in the show. But then, when you take not one, but four awards at the event, only one MVN member is enough. We all must give Jim and Jann Wilkins a big congratulations for taking First Place and Oustanding Paint, Detail, and Display in their class. 23 photos of their blue '67 SS are but of only one feature in the photo shoot. Another member of our club who did not bring his Nova this time, but instead was showing his 1970 W-30 442, and being upstairs, it looked great! Now I think that all the judges thought so too, because it also took a First Place Award! Congratulations to Rick "Opie" Willis for your big win. Photos of Opie and his 442 are numbers 225 thru 229 on the photo shoot, so take a look. Also Opie and I took the opportunity to meet and talk to Jerry Mathers of "Leave it to Beaver", and I did give him info on our club and club website. Of course, I could go on and on, but I think its best if you look at the photo shoot to see all that you missed, if you did not get to attend this great event in Cincinnati.
This month on the 11th, there is the Springfield Swap Meet at the Clark County Fairgrounds from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Go to Ohioswapmeet.com for information, and in Indianapolis on February 9th through the 11th, it's the Autorama/World of Wheels Car Show. If you would like to check it out, go online to Autorama.com for all the info you will need. John Lynch is strongly considering on trying to put together a car show sometime later on this year in memory of his cousin Jerry Sharkey. Jerry, a car guy, lost his life last year in a terrible auto accident, as I told you in the December newsletter. The Lynch family will be sponsoring this event and not MVN, so all club members would be eligible to participate and win awards. If you would like to help John put this show on or if you have any ideas, please call him at 513-652-6996.
Paul Galyen did sell his beautiful blue '67 Nova. I spoke to Paul just after I put out the January MVN Newsletter, and it is now in a private collection. Paul says that he did get what he was aksing, but since it is now owned by someone else, I cannot divulge the selling price. Of course, what I can say is that the Chicago collector who bought it got himself one great deal! I only wish that a MVN member would have gotten it, so we could have kept it in the club. Paul, we all wish you the best of luck for you and your family in your new life out West. Photos of the car are still up on his page, if you would like to take a look at them.
Michael Collins is doing well after his surgery and tells me that he is looking forward to the car show/racing season of 2018. If you woud like to see Mike's 1970 yellow drag Nova, I have some great shots of it that I took when we were up at National Trail Raceway last year. And while you are there on the members page, take a look also at his beautiful black '68 Nova. The 2018 list of MVN get togethers is up on the website. As of right now, all shows are a go, so save the dates and come on out to meet up with other members of our club. We all have so much in common to talk about. Over the last month, I have been talking with Dee Troxell of Hollywood Gaming and yes, the April event is going to take place on the same Sunday as last year, the week before Sharonville, so this will be our first get together of the year. Dee is still working on the final details, but what she has in mind, I like a lot! Dee and I will be talking more this month about the show, so next month, I will be able to speak more freely about what will change and what will stay the same with the Hollywood Gaming Event. Photos of last year's event are on the website. There are 584 images to view. If you have not seen them, please take a look. Many people have told me that I did an excellent job of catching all the fun we had, and it is sure to get you excited about this year's upcoming show.
In closing, I would like to ask all members of MVN to help spread the word about our club website, because as you know, I am now trying to promote the website as something for everyone who loves the classic car/tuck hobby. The site has so much to offer, and our car show/cruise in listings are only one of the many things that our site can provide to non-members as well as members. Keep reading our MVN Newsletters, and I will try my best to keep up to date on what's going on. There's a lot more to come next month.
One final thing: last September, I did a photo shoot of the She Jammer Reunion at th Irish Club. If you would like to take a look, it is now up on the pictures page of the website. We had a really great time!
Well, that's if for now,
As always, be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
January 1st, 2018
Miami Valley Novas January 2018 Newsletter
Vol. 4 No.1
Hello Everybody,
I would like to first start off by saying to all MVN members and to the other loyal readers of our newsletter, Happy New Year! Wow, can you believe that it's actually 2018? Since our last month's newsletter, we have had snow, a lot of cold weather, the first day of winter, Christmas, and now New Years. I hope everybody had a great white Christmas. They say it's the first one in nine years for the Miami Valley. As for the cold weather, let's look at the glass half full. The days are already getting longer. That is the daylight, and the first day of Spring is only eleven weeks away. I want to also say thank you for the many wonderful cards, e-mails, texts, and phone calls that I received over Christmas. It really does make me feel good to know that you appreciate what we are trying to do with our club and club website. Over the past month, I did get out to visit with some members and friends of the club. Dave Pleasant is looking great and says hello, as does Bill Holder and our Vice President, John Lynch. Also, as a kind gesture from our club member Joe Peters and myself, we took a well known car guy that you all see at the shows and cruise-ins out to dinner and gave him some Christmas gifts. I don't want to mention him by name, but this man has been going through so much over the past three years, Joe and I felt that we just had to do this to cheer him up, and cheer him up we did. Isn't that what Christmas is all about? Members Michael Collins is recovering well from his surgery and should be back to showing his 68 Nova and racing his 70 Nova this Spring.
A nice congratulations must also go out to member Jim Wilkins for taking three big awards at the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals held in Chicago on November 18th and 19th. As most of you know, Jim and his wife, Jann, travel all over doing many of the indoor shows as well as outdoor shows. Just to remind you, Jim took the Best of Class with his 67 at Super Chevy last year and he has informed me that he will have his 67 Nova this year at the Calvacade of Customs Show in Cincinnati. And speaking of the Calvacade of Customs, it will be held at the Duke Energy Convention Center on January 5th, 6th, and 7th. More info on this event can be found on our website on the car show page. If you would like to see photos of the 2016 and 2017 shows, I do have them on our website. Vice President, John Lynch, and myself will be at the show on Saturday the 6th all day to check out all the action. So if you spot us, be sure to say hello.
On Sunday, January 7th, the Freemans Super Sunday Swap Meet will take place once again at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. More info on this can be found on our website by going to Links and then Parts and Services. Also, under this same webpage, you can find out more about how Springfield Cars and Parts has taken over the former VCAA Swap Meet to be held on February 11th. Just go to the Ohio Swap Meet and click on their website link.
In last months' newsletter, I spoke of my two granddaughters. I did mention Melissa, but did not mention, by name, Mariana Kate, who is now five months and growing fast. So both Melissa and Mariana are doing well. Thank you for wanting to know Mariana's name.
Finally, in closing, I would like everyone to know that in this week's Ohio Auto & RV January 2-8, MVN Member Cindy Adams with her 1974 Ventura GTO is featured in the Nice Ride section. Thank you, Bill Holder, for highlighting yet another outstanding club member's car. I just want to remind all MVN members to keep me up to date on any phone numbers, e-mail, or address changes, or if you join or quit National Nostalgic Nova. This helps me greatly to keep up to date.
Well, that's it for now,
As always, be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
December 1st, 2017
Miami Valley Novas December 2017 Newsletter
Vol. 3 No.12
Hello Everybody,
Did you all have a nice Thanksgiving and take some time to be with those you love? I sure hope that you did. Family and friends are a very important part of life and what would life be without the people we love so much. As I prepared for the last newsletter of 2017, I couldn't help but think of what a year it was for not just myself, but you the MVN members and the club. For many of you I stay in close personal contact with, and some I only get to talk to at the get-togethers we have during the car show season. But one thing that I know for sure is that I really do think of all of you as my friends. So to end the year, I would like to touch on just a few members of the club who had some good times and also some bad times in the last year.
To begin, I'll start with myself. Last week, I was at the funeral of a long time friend of the church I belong to, and I'm not ashamed to say that I did cry and not just a little, but a lot! You can't know someone almost thirty yars and not get emotional knowing that his life is over, but then George was a great person who did so much to help others. So I know that he is truly in Heaven with God. On the brighter side, four months ago my daughter, Robin and her husband Dan, gave to our family, our second granddaughter. So now along with Melissa, who you see from time to time in the photos at car events, we have two beautiful girls in our life. And speaking of Robin, who is a very big part of our club, I would like to say Happy Birthday and Thank You for all she does to keep our website up to date and looking so great! For those of you who have never taken the time to really look at it, please do so. I still get calls from people all over that say it is one of the best sites out there for classic car lovers. So check it out.
The next member I would like for you to get to know is Michael Collins. Mike is amazing. Not only does he have a wild Gold Class black 1968 Nova that has taken countless awards, but he also has a 1970 drag strip/race car Nova that he takes all over to local and far away drag strips. What a thrill it must be to go so fast down the strip in a Nova you built and love! Now, Michael and I talk a lot, and he did give me permission to mention that last week he underwent major surgery and just got out of the hospital. Michael had to have a left shoulder replacement done. Not good! But, it was very necessary because, like most of us, Mike works on his Novas all the time and loves to race. There is so much more I could say about Mike, but just know this. He is a true Nova Nut and loves people and our club. So to Mike, I say "We love you buddy" and get well soon. We want you back on the strip and showing off that black 68.
Now for member Steve Haven, who I met on May 17, 2015 at our Cincy Street Rods Show get-together. Right away, I was taken with his 1972 Midnight Bronze SS, and after talking to him for only a short time, I knew I wanted Steve to be part of our club. Steve is friendly, knowledgeable, and loves Novas. Steve, himself, will tell you that he doesn't win all the time, because his 72 SS is mostly still original. A few things have been done to keep it up and running, but for the most part it's a survivor with the original paint, engine, and glass. Steve will celebrate forty years of owning his Nova in 2018. That's right, he got it in 1978 from the second owner and has never let go of it! Now, that's a Nova Nut! Of course, over the last four decades, his Nova has won some pretty nice awards. Like two years ago, he took the People's Choice Award at the Black Walnut Festival Car Show, and then this year, he took it once again! With over two hundred entries, that's saying a lot. Then, at the Frisch's in Fairfield at the last show in October, he did it again: another People's Choice Award. That makes three! And, if you remember from the October MVN Newsletter, Steve's Nova took a prestigious Top Fifty at the Eastgate All GM Show in Sharonville, Ohio. So there is something to be said for not having the perfect Nova with a perfect paint job, as long as the right kind of people know what they're looking at. Steve will be turning 60 next month. So like a lot of us, he grew up with the muscle car fever and has kept the car he loves so much. Happy Birthday, Steve. So glad to have you in the club.
The last member to touch on is John Lynch. Like Steve Haven, John acquired his 1971 Nova almost forty years ago and has done a lot to make it a show winner many times over. No longer powered by it's original six cylinder, John put in a 350 and a custom transmission. Also, like Steve, he too took a Top Fifty at the Eastgate All GM Show this year. I met John in 2013 at the Shrine Mother's Day Car Show, took him into the club, and we quickly became the best of friends. John, who like other members of MVN and myself, is a long time member of National Nostalgic Nova. So, it only made sense to make John our Vice-President. A job he loves doing a lot! Also, since John lives South in Ohio, he is able to represent the club at the Southern area events, where many of our members live. John is a great person and truly is into our club. John and I talk a lot and even get together at times to take in the big indoor shows like Cavalcade of Customs. Now for some sad news that has to do with John. On November 1st, John lost his close cousin, Jerry Sharkey, in a terrible traffic accident on St. Rt. 50 in Indiana, and was killed instantly. Jerry leaves behind a wife, a boy and two girls. Jerry was only fifty years old. John tells me that his cousin was a real classic car person. His 66 Dodge Wagon and his 62 Ford Wagon were regulars at many car events, and he was just getting started on a Plymouth. No words can really express how we all feel, but I have sent John a sympathy card from the members of MVN. So please keep John and Jerry's family in your prayers. John and I have been talking about doing something for the family in Jerry's name, possibly a car show. If John and I can get this event going, it will not be sponsored by our club, but by the Lynch family so as to make it open to all MVN members except of course, John and myself. More to come on this later.
Finally, did you see the great Wheels Article by our good friend Skip Peterson, on the Metal Brite Car Show? It was in November 4th's edition. I'm sure Mike Barr was very please. Thanks, Skip. It was a fantastic layout, and the photos were really cool! Also, please take a look at the Members Page of our website to view Michael Collins, Steve Haven, and John Lynch car photos. They really do have some nice Novas.
Well, that's it for now, except to say I want you all to have a very Merry Christmas and a safe New Years. Talk to you in 2018.
Be Careful Out There,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
November 1st, 2017
Miami Valley Novas November 2017 Newsletter
Vol. 3 No.11
Hello Everybody,
Did you all have a nice October? I sure did. I love celebrating Halloween and decorating the house inside and out. Of course, I believe, as most do, that Halloween is the real start of the holiday season, because in just three weeks, it will be Thanksgiving. So, to everybody, have a great time with family and friends, and don't eat too much! Ha! Ha!
As for October, there were a few shows still to attend, so let me run through them to tell you what took place. On the 14th, Young's Dairy again sponsored the One Room School House Car Show, and over three hundred entries made this event a big success with D.J. Dick Ryman again playing the music. And, speaking of our friend "Hot Dog Ryman", the next day, he put on his annual Wooden Nickel Cruise-In at the Antique Mall in Springfield. As you know, he gives away a total of three thousand dollars in cash in fifty and one hundred dollar bills to the winner's chosen by random selection. This year, with the threat of rain, only 187 with the required wooden nickel came out to be part of this year-end event. But, of course also a lot of spectators did also show up to view the cars and trucks and to see who might win some cash or door prizes. Seven members of our club did attend, and I'm happy to say that member Bill Vance and myself did take a top prize of one hundred dollars each. As for my winnings, I will again be donating them to our club charity, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. I would also like to say a big thank you to Dick Ryman for being such a great car show D.J. and for putting on this and all his events through the past years.
On the 22nd, two postponed events from the previous week took place: The Spooktacular Cruise-in and the Metal Bright Show. Both had good turn outs, with members of our club at both shows. Also, the first annual V.F.W. Post 8437 Car Show was held in Enon, Ohio, with D.J. Dick Ryman again playing the music. With over one hundred entries, door prizes, and awards it turned out to be a great event. For all who came out to support the Pee Wee Football Association, thank you, and a big congratulations to M.V.N member Joe Peters for taking the Best Original Award with his 1973 Gold Duster.
Now for things to do in November: On Sunday the 5th, we will all be going back to the Standard Time, so change your clocks and check your smoke detectors. Also, on this day, is the Annual Swap Meet at Reichard Chevrolet from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., with indoor and outdoor vendors. Food and hot drinks will be available for purchase, so check it out! On the 10th and the 11th, the Springfield Swap Meet will be going on at the Clark County Fairgrounds, but the Car Show will take place only on Saturday, the 11th. If the weather is nice, and it might just be...you might want to show at this last event of the year. I have done so in the past, and I have also won. On the 26th, it will again be Freeman's Super Sunday Swap Meet in Indiana. All info on this event is listed on our website on the Parts & Services Section. Just go down to Super Sunday and click the link to it.
A few other points of interest before I close: Our good friend, Bill Holder, has a new book out called "Dayton, Ohio Race Town". It's great and covers most of our area on racing. The cost is only $25 or two for $40. This would make a great gift for Christmas or birthday. For questions or a copy, call Bill at 937-233-0924. MVN member Johnny McGlosson, who also own's Pop's Garage and Restoration has some Nova parts to get rid of. There are too many to list, but they are for 1966 to 1974. So you might want to call him at 937-533-3716. Also, a link is on our website: Pop's Garage and Restoration.
Now for some good news and bad. The bad news is long time MVN member, Paul Galyen, is leaving town, leaving the club, and also leaving the Nova hobby. The good news is his blue 1967 is up for sale. He wants to give MVN members first shot at getting it. It's solid, clean, and a show winner many times. Photos are on his page of the website. This is a turn key way to acquire a very sought-after 2nd generation Nova. At the price he is asking, it won't last long! Call him at 513-646-7958 for more info. Also, if you want to be in the Calvacade of Customs in January at the Duke Energy Center in Cincinnati, now is the time. Info is on the car show page of our website.
Finally, I would like to thank David Wendt for again featuring one of my Novas in his 2018 X-Treme Muscle Car Calendar. It is always a great honor to be nationally recognized in this fashion and by a world renowned photographer as David Wendt. All the photos from September and October shows are now up on the website. They include Tipp City, Performance Paint, Fairborn, and of course, the Wooden Nickel Cruise-In. Also we have now passed twenty thousand photos on the pictures page of the website. It's looking pretty cool!
Well, that's it for now,
As Always, be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
October 1st, 2017
Miami Valley Novas October 2017 Newsletter
Vol. 3 No.10
Hello Everybody
Let me start by saying that September was a big month. Not only was there Labor Day, Patriot's Day, Grandparents Day, and the beginning of Autumn, we also had quite a few events going on around the Miami Valley. For those of us who love classic cars and trucks, September gave us all a unique opportunity to get our rides out there for others to see them and enjoy them. After all, that's what this hobby is really all about. So with that said, let me touch on just a few of them that many of our members took advantage of.
On Labor Day, the Kettering Holiday at Home Car Show was once again a nice place to go to see who was chosen to show at this event. I, myself, and also many of our members in the past have said Yes to the invitation to be there and we can all say it is a great experience. On Saturday the 9th, I again showed off the club van at the Springfield Cars and Parts Car Show to help get out the word about our club and website. Many people saw it and were happy to find out about how we now list car shows, cruise ins, and over twenty thousand photos of various shows and events. On Sunday the 10th, we had two new cruise-ins in the area, and both are talking about making them annual events. The first one was the Cruise for a Cause at the Rip Rap Roadhouse from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. to raise awareness for the Community Blood Center of Dayton and also Hoxworth Blood Center. Dave Pleasant, who got all of this going tells me that they had a very nice turn out of over 140 entries, raised over two thousand dollars, and a total of 31 people gave blood for this worthwhile cause. I was also informed that there were lots of door prizes and gas cards given out, making this a very special day. Then, many who attended went up just the road a bit to the Big Vandalia Nazarene Church Cruise-in beginning at 5 p.m. and going to eight. Dave Harrison, who I spoke to last week, says it turned out great! Of course, along with the ladies famous chili that we all love so much, they had music and quite a few door prizes. So a big Thank You to the youth group of the church for putting this nice event on for us to enjoy.
On Saturday, the 16th, MVN member, Wayne Dennis and the Miami Valley Car Club put on the annual St. Leonard Cruise-in. This was a big success with hot dogs and hamburgers. All the residents loved seeing the many fine rides that showed up. So thank you Wayne. Now for Sunday the 17th...Wow! What a day! Not one, not two, but three big shows were going on that all were attended by members of our club. First there was the Dayton Concourse at Carillon Park, with again over two hundred of the finest cars on display. Members Joe Peters, Cindy Adams, and Bill Peterson, all took part in this invitational event put on by the Dayton History Association. A big congratulations to Joe, who took an Award of Excellence this year, and Cindy, who last year took Best of class, making her eligible this year to show in the prestigious Premier Class. Great job Joe and Cindy. The second event going on this day, was of course, the Fairborn Car Show that this year had a new record turn out of 323 entries, beating last year's record of 264. It was hot! And I'm not just talking about the seventeen members of MVN who came on out to this fine show to get together for a day of fun, food, and comradery. I, as always, spent the day taking a lot of photos and going around to talk a bit with the members to see what they have been up to this year, and yes, many do have some cool Nova projects going on. As for the awards, eight of us took a Top 100, but two members, Harold Lunsford and Mike Sell, both took Special Recognition Awards for their outstanding Novas, making this a great showing for MVN. The third event was the Eastgate All GM Show held at Sharon Woods Park in Sharonville, Ohio. Vice President of our club, John Lynch, was on hand along with members Steve Haven and Bill Rawers. John tells me it was a great day all the way to the end, when all three of them won a Top Fifty Award to again demonstrate what fine Novas we have in our club. Congratulations John, Steve, and Bill for your big wins! The following Friday, on the 22nd, was the Annual Tipp City Mum Festival Car Show and Cruise-in. Again, it was hot, with temperatures hitting 90 to 92 degrees, but this did not stop the estimated eight hundred of us who took part in the once a year event. From 2 to 10 p.m., on St. Rt. 571 gong through town, we all set up our cars and trucks to give, to all who came, a chance to see this wild display, and like always, thousands did come to enjoy this colorful showing of the classics. If you have never been to this event, please put it on your list for next year, because it is something you have got to see to believe. As for MVN members, I know I saw at least thirty, but not all had their Novas. Some chose to bring one of their other cars to this, our last get together of the year, which is certainly an acceptable thing to do because we love seeing what else they have in their garages. The last big show that some of our MVN members attended was put on by the Ohio Cruisers on Saturday, the 23rd. This took place at the Airline Dairy Creme in Vandalia, Ohio and was rightly named "End of the Summer Car Show". I, myself, did not make this event due to another commitment, but I have been informed that it was a very well put together first time event, and we can only hope that the Ohio Cruisers will make this an annual show. Now for the really cool news of this event. All MVN members who attended did take a Top 30 Award but what's even better is the MVN took the Club Participation Award. Accepting the award in my absence was member Craig Stansell, and who like Jeff Barnhart, when we took this award at Skyline Chili, did turn it over to me to display in the office of my complex for all to see and enjoy. Thanks Craig, for being a loyal member of the club. Please understand that Club Participation Awards do not belong to any one member but to the club as a whole and should always be turned over to me so we can display them on the website. I plan on making a page just for this purpose.
Finally, there were three more things going on to quickly mention that some members took part in at the end of the month. The New Carlisle Heritage of Flight Cruise-in on Friday the 29th, the Big Pumpkin Run in Owensville, Ohio on the 30th, and I would like to congratulate Vice President of our club, John Lynch, for taking a Top Fifty Award at the Sharonville Ford Transmission Plant Car Show on the 23rd. John says that out of the almost two hundred entries, he was the only Nova there. Great job John on your big win!
As for what's going on in October, there are six events on the car show page of the website, so check them out. However, I will mention the Metal Bright Show on Sunday the 15th, which is always greatly attended with or without your special ride and of course, Dick Ryman's big end of the year Wooden Nickel Cruise-in at the Springfield Antique Mall, also on Sunday the 15th from 12-4 p.m.
Well, that's it or now. As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
September 1st, 2017
Miami Valley Novas September 2017 Newsletter
Vol. 3 No.9
Hello Everybody,
Wow! Where did the Summer go? The kids are back in school, the daylight hours are getting shorter, and believe it or not, the stores are putting out their Halloween merchandise. Oh, and yes, Labor Day is only a few days away too. All are signs that Fall will soon be upon us, and if that's not enough, our club will soon have the last get-together of the year on Friday the 22nd at the big Tipp City Mum Festival Cruise-In. I say big, because that's the only way to accurately describe this last big car event of the season. For those of you who regularly go to this showing of cool classic cars and trucks, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Ok, yes, there are still more shows after Tipp City, including the big Pumpkin Run in Owensville, Ohio, but to find out where they are, you're just going to have to visit our website and click on the Car Shows page. And speaking of our new Car Shows Page, many members and even more non-members are telling me that they love it! So, if you still haven't seen it, you really do need to check it out. Also, I am now promoting our club website as "a website for everybody!", because this website has so much to offer people who love classic cars and trucks. Take a look at it!
A few months back, I spoke to you about one of our members whose Nova was chosen to be on the cover of a national publication and that member is Jim Wilkins, who on July 29th, at the big Super Chevy Show, took the Best of Class Award with his blue 1967 Chevy II. I now invite you to take a look at Jim's page on our website to see how Summit Racing Equipment has honored Jim by portraying his Nova in such a wonderful way: Both on the cover and the pull out insert titled "True Blue" with beautiful photos and specs of the car. For you who get the Summit Catalog in the mail, I'm sure you've already seen it, but if you haven't, you got to take a look. This is just another fine example of yet another one of our members who has taken the time to make his Nova a very special machine.
On August 12th, we had our eighth get-together of the year in Franklin, Ohio at the Downtown Saturday Night Car Show. Twelve of our club members came on out to join 779 entries in this wild display of the classic car hobby. What can I say except we had a real blast! Vice President of our club, John Lynch and myself were of the first to be there since we arrived at 1:30 to get in line. By 2:30, they were letting us in to get our cars set up, and even through we didn't leave until it was over at 10:05 pm., the day just went too fast. I have spoken to you in the past about this show and how great it is, but you really have to experience it to understand what it all has to offer, please take a look at not only this years photos, but also years past that I have taken and next year, try to make it because Gary has been saying every year for the past three years at the end of the show, this might be the last one! We only hope that they will keep on having it.
On the 19th, we had the Bellbrook Festival Car Show listed again as a get-together, but unfortunately, only three MVN members took advantage of this great event. Put on by the Miami Valley Car Club, MVN member, Wayne Dennis, who by the way, is President of their club, once again, as in past years, provided us a large area to have a line-up of our club cars, but just myself and members, Bill and Deb Peterson and Frank Price came on out to join in on the fun. Now if I sound disappointed...yes, you can say that I am, because this is a great show with lots of door prizes, great music, and really nice people in their club wanting only to show us a good time. While I'm on the subject of this outstanding car club, I want to tell you about another event they will be co-hosting. On September 16th, with a rain date of September 30th, it's the Cruise-In at St. Leonard, 8200 Provincial Way, in Centerville. There is no admission, with two trophies awarded to Residents' Choice and Director's Choice. Hot dogs, burgers, and drinks will be available for purchase, all to benefit the Alzheimer's Association. For more info, call Wayne at 426-4519. Please try to come on out to support the Miami Valley Car Club at this great event. Also, I spoke to Dave Harrison, and while the Vandalia Nazarene Church Car Show will no longer take place, he wants everybody to know about their cruise-in to be held on Sunday, September 10th from 5 to 8 p.m. with music, food, and even one award to be given by the church youth group, so if the weather is good, you might want to take a drive out to this cruise-in.
The Eaton Downtown Saturday Night Car Show get-together was a great success, with sixteen members coming out to show their Novas. The weather was perfect, and so was the food. Member Jeff Barnhart and myself were of the first ones there to be of the five hundred entries on hand to have a a really great time. No members won at this show, but then many of them have won in the past, so you can't win them all. This was a long day for me and not getting home until ten p.m. was tough, especially since twelve hours later, we were on our way to downtown Dayton for our eleventh get-together of the year to take place at the Antioch Shrine Car Show. Yes, again, we had a great turn out, with ten Novas showing up and almost all were MVN members. Now, this is the cool part. Most of us took a Top Fifty Award. Not bad, given the fact that they tied their record of 150 entries of some of the best machines around. So take a look at the photos of all four get-togethers we had in August, and I think you will see why we have so much fun at these events.
Now as for September, besides Tipp City that I spoke of earlier, I will be also going to the Fairborn Car Show this year. Check the website's Car Shows Page for this and all the other shows left this year, and remember, all car shows and cruise-ins listed will remain up all year round.
One last thing to mention is the Big Cruise for a Cause being put on by our good friends at the Rip Rap Roadhouse. This will be on Sunday, September 10th, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This is a fundraiser for the Community Blood Center and to give back for helping Dave Pleasant, so from now until October 10th, if you donate blood under his name, you will be entered to win one of 3 cash prizes of $100 at the cruise-in. Cost for this big event is ten dollars, so come on out and help with this cause. Also, I am asking all our members to say some prayers for all those affected by the hurricane in Texas and Louisiana. Please also help in any way that you can.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
August 1st, 2017
Miami Valley Novas August 2017 Newsletter
Vol. 3 No.8
Hello Everybody,
Ok, I think the first thing I should ask all of you is...Do you feel that we have had enough rain? It really seems we've had rain about every three or four days. But fortunately, it has so far not interfered with too many car shows.
And speaking of car shows, our car show page on the website is done for this year. I say this year because next year, I will be taking another look at it to update info and add some new shows and cruise-ins to it. I want to also take this opportunity to give a big thank you to my daughter, Robin, who without her time and computer talent, our website would not even exist. What you see on it is my vision, but Robin is who made it all come to life. I would also like to announce the birth of Robin's 2nd daughter, Mariana Kate, at 6 lbs, 1 oz. (Now you know why I had to cancel Friday at the Super Chevy Show.) Thank you to all who prayed for my new granddaughter and Robin.
I spoke to Dave Pleasant last week, and yes, he is doing well and is back home from the re-hab center. He wants me to tell all of the MVN members "thank you" for our prayers and is hoping to be at Fairborn and the Metal Bright shows to visit and talk to everybody. Another few things before I get to the events of July and August. Many times I am asked how many members are going to be at a particular show or get-togethers. This is something I never know until I get there myself, because as you know, MVN is a club where you can participate as much or as little as a member wants. We have had as many as twenty-four Novas and members show up and as little as one other member besides myself. But the average is about six, as you can see from the pictures I take at the events. But we did have fifty-five show up for the magazine photo shoot and again, I thank you so much for that great day and the group photos we got at the event. These photos can be seen on the "About Us" section of the website. I have also put on this section "Our Mission Statement", so if you want to know what our club stands for, I invite you to take a look at what I have come up with. Also, many members don't realize that on the index page, the eight boxes are fast links to these sites and are not advertisements.
Now onto our get-togethers: On July 15th, we had eleven members show up for the Salem Church of God Car Show and the weather was great! Something else that was great...eight out of ten MVN members all took a Top Fifty Award. I say eight out of ten, because member, Dave Austin, was not eligible to win since this is his church's car show. So out of the 159 entries, MVN did very well at this show. The winners were: Norm Smith, Jeff Barnhart, Fred Millard, Frank Price, Kenny Pierson, Gary Hill, Bill & Deb Peterson, and myself. 365 images of this really fun get-together are now up on our website. As for the Super Chevy Show on Saturday, the 29th, I got there early to be entry No. 6. It took ninety minutes from my house and 102 miles from interstate 70/75, yes, a long way for all six of us who made the journey, but well worth it. We had only two members from MVN in the Nova section of sixteen show cars and it looked really wild. In the line up, it was club member Jim Wilkins with his beautiful blue '67 SS and myself with my red '71 SS. The other four members decided to bring out their race cars and do a bit of showing off for all of us to see what they have built. Drag racing were members, Jeff Brokaw with his '74 Omega, Michael Collins with his '70 Nova drag car, Mark Gordon in his blue '72 pro street, and Mark Smith with his red '72 pro street. This the cool part. All of them won their respective classes. As for the show cars, our Nova section was the biggest class they had, so they added four Honorable Mention Awards. And now for the big news. Both Jim Wilkins and myself took the two highest honors. Jim took Best of Class and I took the Outstanding Nova Award. So, as you can see, it was a big day for our club. This show was fantastic with so much to see and do, I could spend hours talking about it, but instead, I'll just have you look at all the photos I took.
As for August, and the rest of the year's get-togethers, please check the list on the website. I did make one change. The Northridge show is out, and the Eaton Downtown Saturday Night show has been added. More on this is in next month's MVN newsletter.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
July 1st, 2017
Miami Valley Novas July 2017 Newsletter
Vol. 3 No.7
Hello Everybody,
Well Summer is officially upon us and in only a few days, we will be celebrating Independence Day, so, please have a fun and safe Fourth of July. First off, I want to let you all know that our good friend of the club, Dave Pleasant, who owns and operates Quality Machine Co., is now in rehab after suffering a heart attack on May 26th and then undergoing triple bypass surgery. I, of course, sent Dave a get well card from all of us at MVN, wishing him a speedy recovery. I have also been calling his sons, Dave, Jr. and Sean, every few days to check on his progress, and as of now, they say he is doing great! Please continue to keep him in your thoughts and prayers. For those of you who do not know, Dave is a huge part of the classic car hobby, doing machine work and others things for many of us in the area, and yes, he has even done work for me on my Novas as well. But this does bring up a subject I've wanted to address for some time. When member, Earl Hudson, passed away in August 2016, I did not even know about it until his wife, Ella, sent me an e-mail in December to cancel out the MVN Newsletter. Now I know many of you knew of Earl's passing, but no one called me to see if I knew of his death. This greatly upset me, but I didn't say anything until now. As you know, we have a big club, and I just can't keep track of everybody, so please let me know if you are aware of any member who is sick or, God forbid, has passed away. I've always wanted this club to be a special thing, like family, and I truly do love you all, so please help to keep me informed of what's going on. I will only put it in the newsletter if I get permission to do so.
Now onto what happened in June. The Reichard Cruise-In to Summer was great! We had over a dozen members of the club show up with their Novas, and all I can say is if you missed it, you missed a great cruise-in and a lot of fun. Now our fifth get-together on June 17th at the Beavercreek Baptist Church was also a big success, because all six members of the club who came out to this show took a Top Fifty Award, and two members also took a special award as well. This really says a lot about our club and the Pastor, Evan, told me he noticed all of the cool Novas out in the show car field, as did others. I also attended three other events with some of the members of MVN: the Ace Car Show, the Bumpers Car Show, and Cruise the Burg, and yes, we all took awards at the two car shows, so take a look at the photos.
In July, we have two great get-togethers on tap. The Salem Church of God Car Show on July 15th and the Big Super Chevy Show in Columbus, Ohio. Be sure to check the website for more upcoming get-togethers for this year. Now, please remember that the Super Chevy Show is a two day event, but I have only Saturday listed on the Get-Together Page, because I know two days is too much for a lot of you, but I, myself and several other members of MVN, are going to do both Friday and Saturday the 28th and 29th. So, whatever day you come, with or without your Novas, look us up. It's going to be a blast! Oh! And don't forget the big Goodguys Show on the 7th, 8th, and 9th in Columbus at the Expo Center.
Now onto some things about our website. As you know, I get calls and e-mails from members and non-members telling me what a fantastic car club website we have, and I'm always trying to make it better. Our Pictures Page now has almost twenty thousand photos on it, and because I really try to catch all the fun we have, I'm being asked a lot to let my photos be used by organizations for their websites and newsletters. This is not a problem because I do not copyright them. In fact, if you like a photo, use it and enjoy! I also want you to help spread the word on our website, because even though it's our club site, it's also a website for all car show people to enjoy. We have a lot of cool stuff on it, and it's about to get a new addition. As you know, we have always had a Car Shows button on the index page, but until recently, it was only used to link you to websites, like Tom Midlan's Country Cruiser, to help people find car shows to attend, but with the loss of Tom's great website and no one really stepping up to do this right, my daughter, Robin, and myself have taken on this project. I really was not going to mention this until we had more done, but many of you have already seen it and are thanking me for doing this. So, here's what is going on, over the past ten years, I have kept all my car show flyers (Thank God I did), and I am going through them one by one to get new updated info, and most importantly, permission to put them on the website. So far, no one has said no. And yes, this research takes a lot of time. On April 21st, Robin rebuilt the page (Car Shows) on our website to it's new look and format. Then on May 13th, we began to upload the weekly and monthly cruise-ins. This user-friendly format is very similar to what Tom had on his country cruiser site, giving a lot of information in a small space, and the scrolling down format is quick and easy. In June, we began to upload the car shows that I have researched and got permission to use and more will be added as the process takes place. Please remember this site is far from finished, but what we have so far looks great! Also, unlike Tom's site, these shows and cruise-ins will not be taken down when the event is over, but will remain up year round, giving car show enthusiasts the opportunity to use it to plan their events whenever they want (even in the Winter). I really believe that this service will bring many car show people to our great website, making MVN an even bigger part of the car show venue in this area. So, check it out!
Well, that's it for now.
As Always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
June 1st, 2017
Miami Valley Novas June 2017 Newsletter
Vol. 3 No.6
Hello Everybody,
With the unofficial start of summer now behind us and the official start just a few weeks ahead, it's time to get your Novas out of the garage and have some fun with them. I hope that everybody took some time to have a great Memorial Day with friends and family on this most important day to remember our war heroes who gave up there lives for our great nation and way of life.
Now believe it or not, May was a very busy car show month. Not only did we have our 3rd and 4th get togethers, there were also two other shows I attended with some other MVN members. At the AMVETS Post 99 Car Show on May 20th, all five of us received awards. Cindy Adams, Fred Millard, Norm Smith, Randy Vogel, and myself all got Top Forty trophies. It's cool when all members of MVN win. However, the Springfield Cars and Parts Car Show was a different story. Three members of MVN had their Novas there, but only two won: Craig Stansell and Bill Vance, but in my opinion, I feel Mike Sell should have also won. I, myself was showing off my newly restored 95 van, so I didn't expect to win, but it was nice to see people checking it out. As for our get togethers, only one member won at each event, Steve Haven took the Show and Shine Award at Cincy Street Rods, and at the Shrine Mother's Day Car Show, I took the Potentate's Award. All show photos are now up on the website.
Now for something that I need to address. It's the loss we are all feeling from no longer being able to go to Tom's website, Country Cruiser, to find car shows and cruise-ins. I got to tell you, I'm getting about a phone call or e-mail each day from people asking me where the shows are. So until we can find a solution to this problem, the best thing I can tell you is get yourself a Show N' Shine Auto Event Calendar. They are available at many car shows and cruise-ins. It will help a lot, and speaking of car shows, you remember in last month's newsletter, I told you that Julie, at Brookville Roadsters, informed me that their show is no longer going to take place. Well, now this month, I have more bad news. Dave Harrison has told me that the Vandalia Nazarene Car Show is also a thing of the past as well. You all know how great of a show this was to attend and what fun it was, so this is going to be a huge loss for all of us. And believe it or not, because of the new school construction, the Northridge Cruisin' to the Ridge Show might not take place as well. However, Margie Lairson tells me she is going to try her best to find a location for us to have the car show if possible. I will keep you up to date on what I find out. For those of you who do not know, I am a 1975 Alumni of Northridge and have been going to this show for many years, and it means a lot to me.
In June, we have one get together for our club, and it will be the Beavercreek Baptist Church Show on the 17th, but also remember on the 3rd, many of us at MVN will be going to the 30th Annual Cruise Into Summer at Reichard in Brookville (formally Boose Chevrolet). I have been informed that the monthly Voss Chevrolet Cruise-ins will also start in June but have been moved up to the 2nd Friday of each month and not the 3rd like last year.
Finally, I want to say thank you to our good friend of the club, Skip Peterson, for his mentioning us in his fantastic article in the Wheels Section of the Dayton Daily News (May 27, 2017). The Hollywood Gaming Event, as you know, was our first club get together for 2017. Not only did we have twenty four members show up with their Novas, but member Jim Wilkins took a First Place with his beautiful 1967. To say we had a lot of fun would be an understatement. If you have not yet done so, check out the photos on the website and of course, the events in May are also now up to view.
Well, that's it for now,
As always,
Be Careful out There,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
May 1st, 2017
Miami Valley Novas May 2017 Newsletter
Vol. 3 No.5
Hello Everybody,
Can you believe that it is May, and can you believe that I've already been to three great shows and two cruise-ins? Well, it's true. April got off to a wild start for us who like to get out and meet up with others that love this hobby we call classic cars. So, get the grass cut and do a few jobs around the house, and then come on out to be with us at a show or cruise-in....You'll be glad that you did!
The first show this year was at National Trail School in New Paris, Ohio, and while last year, they had 181 entries, this year was down a bit to 129 entries. Don't get me wrong, it was still a very fun experience, and seven MVN members did show up with their Novas. I spent a lot of time taking photos and talking to those who came out to enjoy the day. One member did win a top twenty, but to find out who it was, you're just going to have to look at all the great shots I took of the show.
The second show was the First Annual Hollywood Gaming Cruise-In/Show that took place on Sunday, April 23rd. As always, I arrived early to start taking photos and even before they let us into the show area at 10 a.m., I counted about fifty cars in the back lot that they put us in until it was time to open up registration. From then on, it got pretty crazy. The cars, trucks, and motorcycles just kept on coming and coming at both ends of the north parking lot, until they had 508 entries. There were so many cool rides that it was virtually impossible to not find something interesting to look at. And since there was no entry fee, the rides kept on coming even after registration closed at 2 p.m. The food line stayed busy all day with a great menu of burgers, fries, and a lot more like chicken and brats. Speaking of great, Ashley Martin and her band put on a really wild show for all of us to enjoy. Ashley, who is a national recording artist, is a real sweetie. After seeing me taking so many photos of her and the band, she asked to meet me, and when we got a chance to talk, I found out why she is so popular with her fans. Oh, and by the way, it was her birthday, and yes, she even told me how old she is. One more thing to mention about this event is that we had twenty four MVN members show up with their cars, and while I did not get the chance to talk to all of you, I do have each of your Novas displayed first and together on the photo shoot that is now up on our website. The Miami Valley Mopar Club had only sixteen of their cars there, so good job! If you did miss the event, just want to see the 585 photos, or see who won, go to the pictures page of MVN.
The third show that took place on the 30th was our first MVN get together of the year held in Sharonville, Ohio, and as I like to do, I got there early to start taking my photos. This year, pre-registered cars got in at 8:30 a.m., but they actually let us line up at 8 a.m. I got set up and was judged right away. I then went out to visit and take pictures of the twenty MVN members who came out to this really great show and to also capture all of the other cool and exciting things that took place over the next six hours. I did not yet get an official count, but I do believe they once again hit their five hundred mark of entries. We had no rain, some sun and clouds, with a high of 82 degrees. It was a beautiful day except for the wind. Everybody had a great time as you will see by the photos. I want to say thank you to all of the members who came out to this show and also to the Sharonville Chamber of Commerce, the police, and all the volunteers who work so very hard to put on this fantastic event. I invite you to look at not only this year's photos, but also years past, to understand just how big of a show this is.
As for what to do in May, we have two get togethers on tap. The first is the Shrine Mothers Day Show on the 15th, and the Cincy Street Rods Show that will take place on the 21st. As always, more info on these shows and all of our other club get togethers is available on our website. Just click on the get togethers box on the index page (lower right section). Also please note that all of the boxes on the index page are fast links to the most popular websites. There are, at this time, three weekly cruise-ins to mention: Thursday, at the Airline Dairy Creme, 224 N. Dixie Drive, and two on Fridays, the Rip Rap Roadhouse, 6024 Rip Rap Road, and of course the Lofinos Cruise-in held in Beavercreek. All are from 5 p.m. to dark. Another nice thing to maybe do in May is the St. Leonard's Cruise-in held on the 20th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Rain date is June 3rd. The address is 8200 Provincial Way. For more information on this important event, contact MVN member, Wayne Dennis, at 426-4519. The last things to mention for May are: The Springfield Cars N' Parts Swap Meet and Car Show on the 26th thru the 28th. As I have stated in the past, this first one of the year is always the best with the most vendors. And on the 16th thru the 20th at the Indianapolis, Indiana Fairgrounds is the Mecum Classic Car Auction. For more info, call 262-275-5050 or watch it live on NBCSN. Like Barrett Jackson, the Mecum Auction is a must see event. Even if you have to see it on television.
As for the Brookville Roadsters Car Show that we made one of our get togethers last year, I am sorry to say that Julie at Brookville Roadsters has informed me that the annual show is now a thing of the past. She says it might come back sometime in the future, but for now it's going on the road.
I hope to have the Sharonville photos up to view in about a week or so, but the National Trail Show and Hollywood Gaming Show are now up.
Well that's it for now.
As Always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
April 1st, 2017
Miami Valley Novas April 2017 Newsletter
Vol. 3 No.4
Hello Everybody,
Ok, being that it is April Fool's Day, I could start off with a joke, but a few years back, member, Michael Collins, got me by saying that he had sold both his Novas and bought a Corvette. Well, Mike got me big time because he is a true Nova Nut. So, I'm not going to do that. But, what I will do is tell you that Mike is recovering well from major knee surgery. Please keep him in your thoughts and your prayers. I have sent him a get well card from all of us at MVN, and we hope to see him out this Spring. Mike, Get well soon!
With Spring now almost two weeks in the rearview mirror, we are rapidly approaching another Nova cruising car show season, and it will be here sooner than you think, with the first show in our area at National Trail High School on April 15. As I said last month, this is not a bad show at all and is well worth the drive, so check out their website at WWW.NTALUMNIASSOCIATION.COM for more information. The next show I need to talk to you about is one that I received an e-mail on just after the March Newsletter went out. It seems that Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway is going to have a car show on Sunday, April 23rd in their north parking lot. Now, I could go on and on telling you all about it, but I think it would be better for you to just visit their website to get all the info: WWW.HOLLYWOODDAYTONRACEWAY.COM. I will say that this looks to be big and I have also made arrangements with them for our car club to park together. I think that this is a great opportunity for us to show off our Novas and our club. So, of course weather permitting, if you want to come and be part of this, please arrive early. I can only hold spaces for our club from 10:00 a.m. to noon to park together. Registration is from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., with no entry fee. If the weather is nice, I look for this to be a great show with food and live music.
Our first club get together will, as always, be the Sharonville show. As you all know by now, this show only admits around 500 entries, and each year many are turned away. So please come early! With the classes they have, we can't park together as a whole club, but we can still have a lot of fun. To see past shows, got to our website and you will see why this is always a must-do event!
In the January and February Newsletters, I spoke of member Mike Cosculluela being featured on a segment of House of Muscle. Well, it is now available for you to access it. To find out how, I have put a link to it on the Just for Fun section of our website. It is at the top in the No. 2 position next to member Kenny Pierson's Ventura Video. Mike's 1969 Street Freak Creation and also Mike himself come off fantastic so please take some time to check out what they have put together for all of us to enjoy.
Last year, members Cindy Adams, Wayne Dennis, and myself were all invited to show our cars at the Dayton Concours D'Elegance on Sunday, September 18. This show, as always, was huge and a must see event for anyone who loves fine classic automobiles. For those of you who did not get the opportunity to attend this show, I do now have, up on our website, 324 photos for you to enjoy. It will give you a good idea of all the fun we have each year at this very special event. Also last year, I was asked to take photos of the Montgomery County Fair by one of the board members. Since this was to be the last year in Dayton, they wanted some candid shots of the event from my perspective. I think I got some nice images, and all of the aerial shots are not only unique, but have never been seen by the general public, so take a look. They are now up on our website. Oh, and by the way, the fair will be in Dayton one more year, but 2017 will be its last run: July 10th through the 15th.
Another thing to mention is the cruise-in at St. Leonard's on Saturday, May 20th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 8200 Provincial Way. This is to benefit the Alzheimer's Association. For more info, contact MVN member Wayne Dennis at 426-4519. More on this will be in the May newsletter.
Believe it or not, there are still some members who do not know how to access our website. I will make sure it is below the signature line from now on. Here it is for now: WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
Well that's it for now,
As Always,
Be Careful Out There,
Rob
WWW.MIAMIVALLEYNOVAS.COM
March 1st, 2017
Miami Valley Novas March 2017 Newsletter
Vol. 3 No.3
Hello Everybody,
Wow! Can you believe that we are now only a little over two weeks away from the first day of Spring, and not only that, but the days are getting longer. On the 11th, we will be setting our clocks forward an hour to be returning to Daylight Savings Time. Of course, we all know it is still a bit too early to say that we won't have anymore bad weather, but all things considered, we really have had a pretty good winter here in the Miami Valley.
The first thing I want to talk about is our 2017 get-togethers. The list is up on our website, but only the ones with a date next to them are, at this time, locked down. As for the others, I have not been able to confirm and possibly a few of them might even change. With the loss of Tom Midlam's website, I think it's going to be more difficult to find shows and cruise-ins, and from what I have seen on this new website, CountryCruiser.net, it's not looking good. In fact, as of right now, there is only one cruise-in listed for the entire website. So keep reading our newsletter, and I'll try to keep you up to date on at least the big shows and our get-togethers. With that said, the first show in our area will be the annual National Trail Show on April 15 at National Trail High School in New Paris, Ohio. For those of you who do not know anything about this show, I can tell you from having competed and won at this event in the past, that it is well worth the drive. More information and photos from past shows are available on their website at WWW.NTALUMNIASSOCIATION.COM. As for our first club get together, it will be, as always, the Sharonville Show on April 30th. More on this will be in next month's newsletter. I would like to again give a big thank you to all of the members who came out last May for our Muscle Car Review Magazine Photoshoot. Believe it or not, I'm still receiving phone calls and e-mails from people who loved it. I realize this only happened because of you who helped make it happen. Also, the group photo we took at the event of the members is up on our website. To view it, click the About Us button on the index page. It looks really cool!
On Saturday, the 18th of February, club Vice President, John Lynch and I made the trip together to Columbus for the Summit Hot Rod and Custom Car Show at the Columbus Convention Center. And while it was only one fourth the size of the Cincinnati Cavalcade of Customs, with 110 entries, it was still a really great show. We stayed a full six hours to talk to the owners and vendors and to also promote our club. I have, on our website, 320 photos of not only the show, but also some wild shots of Downtown Columbus. Since I'm sure many of you did not get the chance to go, I think you will enjoy this photo shoot. Oh, and by the way, the band was really quite good!
Last month, one of our original members, Ed Brown, turned 93. So, Happy Birthday to Ed! I sent Ed a card from all of us at MVN along with a little gift. And, by the way, if you want to know our youngest member, it is David Powers, at only 18. David joined the club last year with his beautiful 1977 4 door Nova. This honor of youngest member once belonged to Bailey Perkins with her blue 1974 Ventura GTO. Bailey, at 18, joined the club in 2013. All of these members have great portfolios of their cars on the members page, and I invite you to take a look and to get to know three outstanding members of Miami Valley Novas.
One more thing to mention is about member Jim Wilkins and his beautiful 1967 Blue Super Sport. Jim's Nova has been chosen to be on the cover of a national publication due out this Spring or Summer. At this time, I can only tell you this much because the publisher does not want me to let the cat out of the bag. But, it is just another example of the fine Novas we have in our club. If you want to to see why Jim's Nova was chosen for a three hour photo shoot, go to Jim's portfolio page on our website and you will be amazed by what you see!
The last thing I want to talk about is club security. As you know, I never give out any of your personal information, and the only thing I put on the website is just what people can see at a car show or cruise-in. However, if someone would want to contact you for one reason or another concerning your car or something they want to talk to you about, I will always first contact you and give you their name and phone number and leave it up to you if you wish to contact them. I can tell you from being president of this club that I am bombarded with emails and phone calls from people all over the country and I have to be very careful and concerned about the information I give out to people I do not know. Most of the time, their interested is legitimate but there is always the chance that someone may be trying to access personal information about us that we do not want them to know about.
Well, that's it for now
As always, be careful out there,
Rob February 1st, 2017
Miami Valley Novas February 2017 Newsletter
Vol. 3 No.2
Hello Everybody,
With it now being February, we can actually say that Spring is right around the corner. Because it will be here in only another forty six days (that's next month, believe it or not), it's time to start thinking about another fun-filled car show season.
For those of you who rarely get your cars out, I want to encourage you to give some serious consideration to do so. Novas, like all classic cars, are special machines, and people love to see them. Even it if you don't like car shows, go to a cruise-in or just out to get a burger or some ice cream. It's time to enjoy your Nova and let other people enjoy them too!
Last month, on Saturday the 7th, I traveled down to Cincinnati to spend the day with Vice-President of our club, John Lynch, and we attended the 57th Annual Cavalcade of Customs at the Duke Energy Center. Wow! 450 Entries! First off, I want to give a big congratulations to two of our members who showed their Novas and won! Michael Collins took his wild '68 black street machine and racked up his third 2nd Place Award in a row for the last three years! Not bad given the competition, and member Bill Rawers brought out his beautiful blue '65 custom to lock up 3rd Place in his class. But remember, even 3rd in this show is a big win! Like last year, John and I stayed all day because there was just so much to see that we wanted to take it all in. We also spent some time talking to these owners and builders of their cars. They really knew their stuff and have some great stories to tell. Photos are up on our website of this show, as well as last year's show, if you want to get some idea of what this event is all about.
Our Muscle Car Review article "Nova Nuts" that appeared in the January issue was a big hit! Not only have I heard a lot of great things from our club members, but Nova lovers from all over the country have been calling me and e-mailing me to say what a cool club we have. So, I would like to share with you just a few things of what I have been hearing. Dean from New Mexico (who I talked with for almost an hour), loved the article because he is originally from Dayton, has five Novas, and says, he too, is a Nova Nut. Tom, from California, says we have a very special club, because it's all about only Novas. And Randy, from New York, wants to start a Nova club too! Hey! I think we may have started something with what we are doing, you think? But the one thing I have heard over and over, and not just from this article, is what a cool website we have. Over the years, I have spoke to many people all over the country who tell me the same thing. We have one of the best car club websites out there and some even say it is the best! This high praise is well appreciated because it come from owners and admirers of Novas and people who love this hobby of classic cars. So, if you have never spent some time looking at our website, I would like to invite you to do so. I think you will see why it is so special. And speaking of our website, I did get the permission I needed from the editor, Drew Hardin, to post our "Nova Nuts" article. If you did not get a chance to pick up a copy of Muscle Car Review, you can now see the article on our website. To access it, just go to the index page and click on the "About Us" button to view it and other things of interest about our MVN Club.
Last month, I spoke to you about member Mike Cosculluela and his 1969 Street Freak Creation being featured in an upcoming segment of Mike Musto's House of Muscle. As of now, there is still no word on when it will be out. (These things take some time to put together.) But I have found an episode online featuring a 1972 Nova that will give you a good idea of what Big Muscle is all about and who Mike Musto is. To view it, click on the "Just for Fun" button. I have put it in the No. 3 spot. Also, member Kenny Pierson was featured on ESPN with his '72 Ventura a few years back, and it is in the No. 1 spot. This is also a must see video. Remember that these are You Tube clips and are going to also take you to something closely related at the end of each one, so they are intended to get you started on your "just for fun" journey.
As for things to do in February, there is the Vintage Chevy Collectors Swap Meet at the Clark County Fairgrounds on the 19th from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. In Columbus, on the 17th, 18th, and 19th, Summit Racing Equipment will sponsor the Hot Rod & Custom Car Show at the Columbus Convention Center. And for those of you who like to check out all the new cars and trucks to hit the market this year, it's the Dayton Auto Show on the 23rd through the 26th at the Dayton Convention Center. Also, Senior Day is Friday, the 24th : $6 at the door will get you inside. Its not a bad show if you're looking for something to do.
Finally, I would like to talk to you about something I have been working on, and it is picking a club charity. After doing some research into this, I have chosen The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. I have chosen this organization because of the great work they do for kids and families and also because 96 percent of money donated goes for programs and services they provide. So, in January, I have begun to give, in the club's name, a monthly donation. If any of you also wish to give in this endeavor to help children through our club, I have placed a link on the index page of our website to get you to them. Just state on your check or on the donor information: "from Miami Valley Novas". They know who we are because I have set up an account with them. This is totally voluntary and up to you if you wish to give.
Well, that's it for now.
As always
Be careful out there,
Rob.
January 1st, 2017
Miami Valley Novas January 2017 Newsletter
Vol. 3 No.1
Hello Everybody,
First of all, let me start off by saying to all of you, "Happy New Year"! I hope everybody had a great Christmas season and that you also had a chance to spend time with family and friends. Of course, we all know that we have already had a good snow fall and some really super cold days, but with the official start of winter now eleven days ago, it's not too early to start thinking of Spring! That's right! It will be here in only a mere 77 days! As you can see, I'm always trying to be positive. Something else I'm positive about is we have many members working right now on Nova projects in their garages. In fact, over the last month, I had the pleasure to visit with a few of them and to see what they are up to. Now I don't want to let the cat out of the bag on any particular member, but I can say this. We have some new paint jobs, new hot looking wheels, and even one big block 454 to come out in the 2017 car show season.
The Muscle Car Review article did come out in the January issue, and while we did not get the cover, we did get a very nice four page lay out that did include the full shot of all who showed up and a nice story about our club. I know some of you were disappointed not be one of the five cars featured, but this really never was about any one person's Nova, but the club as a whole, and I'm just glad that we got what we got. I've sent an e-mail thank you to the editor, and I'm hoping to get the OK to put it on our website. However, the article that came out in the Nice Ride section of the Ohio Auto N' RV Magazine is up on the website for you to see. Just click on the "About Us" button and check it out. It looks great!
This month, I want to talk about a special creative member of our club who has been with us from the very beginning. When I first met Mike Cosculluela, he had only one Nova: a black 1970 that he had owned since his high school days and that his Dad helped him to get. Now Mike has a stable of four that can only be described as unique custom creations: the 1969 Street Freak, the 1970 Hot Wheels Car, a 1971 Yenko SS, and his 1972 NASCAR, all of which can be viewed on the members page of MVN. Mike has been featured over the years in not one, but four publications: Popular Hot Rodding April 2013, Nova Annual May 2014 (He got the cover), Ohio Auto and RV February 2009, and the Vandalia Drummer Summer of 2015. Something else quite special was when renowned automotive cartoon artist, George Trosley, did a drawing of Mike's '72 NASCAR creation and then to have it appear in a few publications, well, how cool is that? But it doesn't stop there. Most recently, Mike Musto, the host of "House of Muscle" brought his video crew out from California for three days to do a feature spot of Mike and his Street Freak Creation for his show that will be released for viewing in February or March. I'll let you know when and how to access it from Motor Trend on Demand. For those of you who know Mike, you're familiar with his great knowledge of the '68 to '72 Novas, his friendly personality, and of course, his love of the Nova hobby. He has, in fact, helped me quite a few times over the years, and I'm very proud to have him as a member of our organization.
Last month, I told you that we had added ten new members to MVN. But on review of loading up their member profile pages, there are actually twelve, and they are, Cindy Adams, Bill Amrine, Danny Bolender, Dan Free, Mike Helton, Danny Holt, Harold Lunsford, John Majusick, Bill Stockdale, Jason Tron, Dan Varner, and Robin Wilson. I invite you to take some time to look at their profile pages, and of course, Mike Cosculluela's, as well.
As for things to do in January, there is the Cavalcade of Customs in Cincinnati on the 6th - 8th, Super Sunday Swap Meet at the Indy Fairgrounds on the 8th, and the Auto Parts Swap Meet at the Allen County Fairgrounds on the 29th from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Finally, I have some sad news to report. Member, Earl Hudson, has passed away after a one year battle with kidney cancer. Earl died on August 5th, but I just recently found out when Ella, his wife of 44 years, contacted me to stop the newsletter. We talked for quite awhile about Earl, his '72 Orange Rally Nova that his wife purchased new, and his love of the Friday night cruise ins that he attended going back to the days of when it was at the Sears on Dorothy Lane. For those of you who, like myself, got to know him, we will miss him greatly. I sent Ella a nice sympathy card and letter from all of us at the club to express our condolences and that we will be thinking of her at this difficult time of her life. Earl would have been 70 on the 15th of this month. Please remember Ella in your prayers.
Well, that's it for now. Stay warm and safe and...
As Always,
Be Careful Out There,
Rob
December 1st, 2016
Miami Valley Novas December 2016 Newsletter
Vol. 2 No.12
Hello Everybody,
Can you believe that we are now into another holiday season, and 2016 is rapidly coming to an end? Also, the first day of Winter is but only twenty days away, so I guess it's time to start thinking about snow and ice and some really cold days ahead...No! I don't want to think about that! Instead, let's think about Novas and our club. I was looking back on this past year, and only one word can describe it...Wow! We had a great year! It started with the Sharonville show, where a lot of members came out to spend the day. In the 68-74 class, we had a great line up. Then, there was the Cincy Street Rods Show, where we took another Club Participation Award along with one fantastic line up of Novas, and as the season went on, we had many more great displays of Novas at other shows. In fact, we now have so many cool line-ups of our club cars, that I will soon be putting together a page on our website just to show them off. Of course, I will let you know when I get this project done. I also want to again congratulate all of our members who took big awards this year at shows they attended on their own and not with the club, and if you've been reading the MVN newsletters, you know who they are. But if you have not, you can always go back to read about them on our website. Just click on the Blogs button to access all of the MVN newsletters.
Naturally, the biggest thing to happen this year was the photo shoot on the May 7th when we had fifty-five members who showed up to be part of this really cool event, and on December 15th, our club will be featured in the car magazine "Muscle Car Review", when it hits the news stands all over America and in other parts of the world. Now for those of you who do not subscribe to this publication, you can pick up a copy at Meijer, Wal-Mart, Kroger, and of course book stores that carry magazines. I, myself, have no idea how this is going to come off or what they have done to the article. I only can tell you that the writer, Bill Holder and myself, spent many hours at my kitchen table putting together a great piece on the club. And with all the cool shots of the Novas paired together, I'm still praying that he will use one of them for the cover. Oh! And speaking of our friend of the club, Bill Holder, he is about to release yet another article on the club. It will be out in the next few weeks in the Ohio Auto and RV Magazine. Of course, if you don't get a chance to pick up a copy of this free publication, don't worry. I will be putting it on our website. Many of you know about this magazine, because like myself, you too have, over the years, been featured in it. I know this because I read it every week and have seen your Novas in the Nice Ride section of it.
On November 12th, I of course, was at the Springfield Cars N' Parts Swap Meet. The car show was ok with about fifty there, but no Novas were in the show. There were about ten for sale in the car corral, so it's always good to check it out. As far as the vendors, there were quite a few for you to pick up some goodies. Member Mike Cosculluela was set up on the inside and was doing pretty well when I stopped to talk to him. I also ran into a few other MVN members there who told me they too, like myself, found some good buys. So, all in all, it was a good experience.
As for new members to our club, we again permitted ten to join our organization, and this has been the average over the past years. All of our new members have unique X-Body cars and of course, share our love for them. Many times I get e-mails from people wanting to join MVN, and I want to tell you what I always tell them. The best way to become a member of MVN is to come to one of our get-togethers, so myself and other members on hand can get to see what they have, because as you know, we don't just let anybody join our club. They have to have a nice Nova or something special, and of course, love these cars. All of you were chosen for these reasons to join MVN.
In December, there is not anything going on, but in January, there is the Annual Cavalcade of Customs Car Show at the Duke Energy Center in Cincinnati on the 6th, 7th, and 8th. I will say for those of you who have never been to this event, you should go and you will be glad you did. It's really something special. Photos from the 2016 show are on our website. Just click on the Pictures button and scroll down to the titles of other shows under our get-togethers. Also, on January 8th, it's another Super Sunday Swap Meet at the Indy Fairgrounds. A link is on our website in the Parts N' Services section. Well, that's it for now, except for one last thing. I want to wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Talk to you in 2017.
As always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
November 1st, 2016
Miami Valley Novas November 2016 Newsletter
Vol. 2 No.11
Hello Everybody,
I hope you all had a great Halloween and on the 6th, can you believe that we will be turning back our clocks to regular time? That's right, daylight savings time is soon going to end, and the days are going to become much shorter. Also don't forget to get out and vote on the 8th.
Now, onto what's been happening with MVN. On October 2nd, we had the Northridge Cruisin' to the Ridge get together, and the weather was perfect! Thirteen Novas showed up, and all were members. Nine chose to line up with other members on the grass, and four were parked on the pavement. But like always, all were photographed for the website. Of course, the line up looked fantastic and very impressive! The parade was ok, but the car show really came off great due to the Ohio Cruisers Car Club, who really went all out for the second year of doing the show. Also, the show was judged this year, and six MVN members took Top 40 Awards. To see who won them, take a look at the photos on the website. Six days later, on Saturday the 8th, was the postponed Vandalia Nazarene Car Show get together, and with no rain at all, it was as good as it gets. 225 people came out to enter their cars and trucks at this 18th year for the event, and no organization does it quite like Vandalia Nazarene Church. MVN again had the back row, and out of fifteen members, eleven chose to line up with the club. It looked so cool! That's the good part. The bad part was this day went way too fast, and only three members took a Top 75 Award. Photos are up on the website, and they will give you a good idea why this show is so great and a lot of fun. Check out the big parking spots they give you, and the free food can't be beat! Oh, and all the awards are always hand made by church member Dave Harrison. The last show most of us did was the Metal Bright Car Show on October 16th. Mike Barr, the owner, puts on this customer appreciation show each year on the 3rd Sunday of October, and while this was not a club get together, there were lots of MVN members on hand. A big congratulations to member Jim Keechle, with his '62 Show Nova, for taking the Best Muscle Car Award. Of course, I took pictures, and they will be up soon. But both Northridge and Vandalia are up now for you to check out all the fun we had at out last two events for 2016.
The Dayton Daily News Wheels article on our club on August 27, 2016 is now up on the website. Just click on the "About Us" button and check it out. I think you will like it because I had Dodd Camera Shop do a lot of digital enhancement to it, and it looks better than it appeared in the paper. Also, for those of you who never got the opportunity to see it, you can view it on our website. I would like to again say thank you to member Bill Peterson for taking the fantastic photos for the article. It really is a special piece on Miami Valley Novas and our upcoming feature in Muscle Car Review Magazine. That's right! We now have a date of publication. It will be out in the January issue, and it will hit the newsstands on December 15th. For a preview, it is now online at Hotrod.com. Just click on the Muscle Car Review button in the upper right corner. We have also posted it on the MVN Facebook page for those of you who follow us.
Now for an update on Country Cruiser and the loss of this site to find car shows. I think we may have found someone to take on this important avenue for keeping us up to date on show's, cruise-ins, and events. His name is Paul Roy, and I spoke to him last week on his new project. Paul works for Gem City Classic Cars and is a long time classic car enthusiast. He tells me he is looking forward to doing this for all of us and is wanting input from us. Oh, and he is calling his new website countrycuiser.net. I have a link to it on our club website at "Car Shows" so take a look, and if you have the need to talk to Paul, his phone number is 937-405-9026. We all need to help Paul with flyers and info for his site to make it a huge success.
The last thing to talk about is the two swap meets in November. The first is Springfield Cars & Parts, with a car show on Saturday of the Friday and Saturday event, on November 11th and 12th. If the weather is good this might be your last chance for 2016 to get in on one last show The other swap meet is going to be Super Sunday at the Indiana State Fairgrounds West Pavilion. The address is 1202 E. 38th Street. Admission is seven dollars, and the hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. www.SuperSundayIndy.com
In closing, I want to wish everybody to have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy spending time with family and friends and be sure to give thanks to God for all we have been given.
That's it for now. Talk to you next month.
And as always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
October 1st, 2016
Miami Valley Novas October 2016 Newsletter
Vol. 2 No.10
Hello Everybody,
With the leaves beginning to fall and the nighttime temperatures doing the same, I guess we have to face it that Fall is really upon us. Another thing we have to face is that the 2016 car show season is rapidly coming to an end. But we still have two MVN get togethers. The first one is going to be at the Cruisin' to the Ridge Car Show on Sunday, October 2nd, and the second one will be the following Saturday at the Vandalia Nazarene Church on October 8th. Both are listed on the website with the addresses, if you would like to come and get in on the fun!
As I first told you in the July Newsletter 2016, Tom Midlam's website, Country Cruiser was going to come to an end, and on September 14th, it did just that! We want to first of all thank Tom for his many years of hard work to keep us all informed on car shows, car clubs, and of course, all those car photos he took over the years. Now onto what we need to do to fill this void. I have been talking to many car show people on this, and we are looking for someone to take this project on, or to let us know if there is a car show listing website out there we don't know about. I've checked a lot of them and so far, what I have found is not good. I, of course, will continue to list our get togethers and maybe other shows. I'm still kicking this around. I'll keep you up to date on what I come up with on this.
I spoke to the writer on the Muscle Car Review Article, and he tells me if it does not come out by the November issue, he will call them to find out when it will be put into publication. I'm still praying for the cover of one of the pictures of all our Novas lined up. If you have never looked at the photos of the May 7th photo shoot, I encourage you to do so. But keep in mind that these photos were taken by member Bill Peterson and myself. And speaking of photos, I have the Bellbrook Lions Club Festival Car Show, the Springfield Cars N' Parts Car Show, and the Eastgate Chevy Club All GM Show now up on the pictures page. Several of our members did win at these shows, so check them out. I also have photos of other shows I was at this summer, and they will be up soon. Unfortunately, I was not able to be at the Fairborn Show, but member, Debbie Rhoads, tells me I missed a big one. A lot of members were there, and many did win in the three hundred show car competition. As for why I was not at this event, I was again invited, along with members Wayne Dennis and Cindy Adams, to show our cars at the Dayton Concours. Oh, and yes, each of us did win our respective classes. Photos will be up on the pictures page soon. Also, member Jeff Barnhardt took, for the 2nd year in a row, the Kids' Choice Award at the Cruise the Gate Car Show benefitting the Special Wish Foundation. They had sixty cars and also rain, with only fifteen awards given out.
Now for the Tipp City Mum Festival Car Show Get Together on Friday, the 23rd from 4 to 10 p.m. It was great! Again, they had over eight hundred cars and trucks, thousands of spectators, and lots of food and fun for the whole family. As for Novas, Wow! Almost thirty showed up, and most are MVN members. Like always, I got around to spend a few minutes with members and to check out what they have been doing to their Novas, so if you can check out the photo shoot on the website, I think you will enjoy seeing all the fun we had at this event. It's hard to believe that six hours can go by so fast!
Now for a bit of sad news. Friend of the club, Dave Pleasants, lost his wife early in September. Dave, as most of you know, owns and operates Quality Machine Co. that helps a lot of us with special things we need done. I, of course, have sent him a card from all of us at the club. Please remember him in your prayers. It has hit him very hard.
In closing, please send me photos for your page, if you have none on your Nova page. At least one would be great to have something until I can get a chance to shoot your Nova in full.
That's it for now and as always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
September 1st, 2016
Miami Valley Novas September 2016 Newsletter
Vol. 2 No.9
Hello Everybody,
I know it's difficult to believe, but in only a few weeks, it's going to be the start of Fall. Believe it or not, we only have three MVN get-togethers left in this year. There's only one in September, and that will be the big end of Summer blow out, as some people call it, because the Tipp City Mum Festival Cruise-In on St. Rt. 571 will be the last show many car people will do this year. So don't miss it, since it can draw as many as seven hundred or more cars and trucks. The date is the 23rd from 3 to 10 p.m.
As for what happened in August, there were some good things and some bad that took place. First, was the Franklin Downtown Saturday Night Show that was pretty much rained out with only 179 registered, but members John Lynch, Frank Price, Mike Helton, Alan Cole, and myself all showed up, and we did have three hours of dry time to enjoy the event. Next, was my little contest between the Brookville Roadsters Car Show N' Open House and the Bellbrook Festival Car Show. I made it to both, and Brookville Roadsters definitely had more members and Novas show up, but then Bellbrook was also a pretty much rained out show. Members Craig Stansell and myself did take a Top Twenty Award, and we were the only Novas and MVN members there to represent the club. Our last get-together for August was the Antioch Shrine Car Show, and while we had no rain, it was hot! Six members were there, and we had five Novas lined up in the parking lot across the street. Now since this was participant voting, only three members took a Top Fifty, and I was very disappointed that the other three did not, because their Novas are just as nice. Members on hand for the show were Debbie Rhoads, Tony and Maureen Vannicola, Craig Stansell, Jerry Cox, Doug Pund, and myself. To see who won, check out the photos of this show on our website and of course the other shows we have been doing this year as well.
The article by Skip Peterson on myelf, my 1971 SS, and of course Miami Valley Novas did appear in the Saturday, August 27th section of Wheels. I want to let all of you know that I have known Skip for many years, and he has been wanting to do something on the club, my love of Novas, and my SS for a long time. So with the magazine photo shoot taking place, it was a good chance to cover it all at once. And speaking of my love of Novas, if you want to find out why I'm the nut I am about them and how MVN came to exist, click on the "About Us" button on the website, and you will find the full story of my life long Nova journey. As for when the Muscle Car Review article will come out, I still do not know, but as soon as I'm sure what month, I will let you all know.
In closing, I want to remind you all about the Cars and Parts Swap Meet on September 9-11th at the Clark County Fairgrounds and the Cruise-In at the St. Leonard Center on September 24th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., as stated in the August MVN newsletter. Also, since our last two MVN get-togethers will take place on October 1st and 2nd, I just want to remind you to take advantage of these two great car shows. Both the Vandalia Nazarene and the Cruisin' to the Ridge Car Shows are well worth attending for you last shows of 2016.
Finally, if you are one of the few members who have no photos on your car profile page, please email me a few, so we can get them loaded onto the website before the Muscle Car Review Magazine article comes out. I'm sure our car club website will be getting a lot of hits from this national publication, and I want them all to see your special machines.
That's it for now and as always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
August 1st, 2016
Miami Valley Novas August 2016 Newsletter
Vol. 2 No.8
Hello Everybody,
Can you believe it? The summer is half over, and so is the car show season. We have also finished up half of our MVN get-togethers, and so far, I can honestly say that our club is having one really great year! Last month, we had the Salem Church of God Show. Ten members showed up and we had six lined up on the main entrance to the show. It looked so cool that you have got to check out the photos to see what I'm talking about, and oh yes, speaking of totally cool, remember how in June at the Beavercreek Baptist Church, members Bill and Deb Peterson took the Pastor's Choice Award out of 140 entries? Well, they did it again at Salem Church of God! There were 222 entries and the pastor chose Bill and Deb's sweet little 65 Survivor as his pick for what he liked best. Members taking a Top Fifty were Kerry Ward, Fred Mallard, Bob Perkins, Norm Smith, and myself.
As for Good Guy's, several members did make the show, and as always, for those who went, it was a really great time. I, myself, did not make it, but member James Keechle did and showing his 1962 Custom Pro Street, he took First Place in the Homebuilt Heaven Class! Way to go, Jim!
The Nova Nationals took place on July 26-28th in Dover, Delaware, and according to member Randy Strange, who made the trip with his father and member Harold Strange, the show was, as always, something you have to experience to understand how much fun we have. Randy did take his beautiful 1967 Chevy II and was again awarded a Gold Class. I do invite you to look at Randy's profile page on our website. If you want to see some photos of the 2014 Nova Nationals that I last attended to get an idea of what we do at the Nationals, photos are on the Pictures Page at the bottom along with two other new shows I just added. The first one is the Voss Hoss Cruise-In held on the 3rd Friday of the month of June, July, August, and September. This is a new event to our area, and for those of you who have never been to one, please try! There is a lot I could say about this charity show put on by Voss Chevrolet, but the photos will show you what a great time everybody has. The second set of new photos are of the 14th Annual Stillwater Car Show that I attended, along with ten other members of MVN on July 17th. I'm just going to say it was great! With 332 wild machines on site, there was a lot to enjoy. Congratulations to members Wayne Wall and Bill Vance for taking a Top Thirty (5 foot) Trophy! Again, please check out the photos.
The last big event in July was, of course, the Super Chevy Show held on the 30th and 31st at the National Trail Drag Strip. I arrived at 8:30 a.m., with a cost of $45.00 for the two day event. As soon as I got the SS set up, I went out to start taking photos of all the action, and believe me, there was a lot to see and do. I walked around the pit lot area to look at the Nova Drag Cars and to take photos of them. By the time I went back to my SS, there were now, in the Nova Class, eighteen lined up. The temperature was going up to 86 degrees, and on the blacktop, it was pretty hot and sunny. But then it's summer. I spent a lot of time talking to the Nova owners and looking at the other Chevy cars. In all, about two hundred Chevys showed up for this first day. The swap meet area was pretty good, but the best part for myself was to watch those Nova Drag Cars going down the strip at over a hundred miles and hour. And, when two were lined up together, it was just cool! There were a lot of vendors and good food to eat. I was there nine hours, but for me, it felt like two or three because I'm so busy doing what I do. The awards for today were only for the specials: Editor's Choice, Best Paint, Best Engine, Best Overall, and so on with twenty in all, but two Novas did take an award. Best Paint went to Harold Green from Mansfield, Ohio with his 1967 Green Pro Street, and an Editor's Choice went to Keith Leek with his 1963 Chevy II Survivor. Members who did come to the show, but did not show their Novas were Jeff Barnhardt, Michael Collins, and our newest member, Jerry Cox. I, myself, was the only MVN member to show this first day.
Day two of Super Chevy was myself being the first Nova to arrive at 8:15 a.m. Since I now had driven two hundred miles (one hundred each way), I had a bit of cleaning to do, so I got right to it. By 11 a.m., I was done and now we had twenty Novas lined up and ready to be judged. I'm glad I didn't have to do it because these Novas were all show winners in my book. MVN members who came to show and were happy they did were Randy Strange, Richard Drummond, John Wagaman, Bill Amrine, Rich Mohler, and myself. The day went so fast, and I spent a lot of time talking to the members of our club, and of course other Nova owners that were there. I watched some more of the drag racing, and before I knew it, the day was coming to an end with the awards at 3:45 p.m. Two Novas did take an award: one in the 62 to 67 Class and one in the 68 to 79 Class. They were not members of MVN, and they both got away from me before I could interview them, because I was talking to the Best of Show Winner, Larry Gottscho from Michigan, who won with a super built, super hot 1967 Chevy II. I know he's not a MVN member, but we were all pleased that a Nova took this high honor. I must have known, in my heart that he might win, because during the day, I had taken a lot of photos of this cool machine. So please check out his Nova and all of the photos of this two day event on our website. I hope to have them up by the end of the week, or go to SuperChevy.com to see what they posted right now. They also told us that a lot of our cars will be in the December issue of the Super Chevy Magazine. Oh, and by the way, our class was the biggest, and they even had to add another award to it because this first year back to National Trail, they only gave one award in each class. But next year, they will be giving out more awards in each class. In all, it was a very cool thing to experience.
Now for what's going to take place in August with Miami Valley Novas. First, there will be the Franklin Downtown Saturday Night Show on the 13th. As I always say, this is a huge event with so many cars and trucks, you can't even see 'em all! But, it is a lot of fun for the whole family, so try to make it. You'll be glad you did. Next, I'm going to try something a little bit different. There is another big show on the same date as our MVN Bellbrook Festival Car Show get-together August 20th, and it is the 7th Annual Brookville Roadster Open House and Car Show from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 718 Albert Road, Brookville, Ohio 45309. Now since the Bellbrook Show is from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., I'm going to attend both, and whatever event draws the most Novas, that will be our official get-together for this date. I am doing this because last year, only Bill Petersen and myself showed up at the Bellbrook event. The Gathering of the Geezers at Kil-Kare is also going on this same day, so it's a big decision, I know, on where to go.
The last MVN get-together in August, is the Antioch Shrine Car Show at 107 E. 1st Street, on the 28th. This also is a very nice time to see a lot of cool cars and trucks.
In closing, please remember to let me know if you change any of your contact information. Phone numbers are especially important! And now for some good news and some bad news. The good news is Muscle Car Review has accepted to run the article about our club. As for when it will come out, I still don't know, but you will be told as soon as I am notified. I just hope and pray they use all of the photos we sent because they looked great! Now for the bad news, member Ed Brown's wife passed away in early July. I have sent Ed a card from all of us at the club letting him know that our thoughts and prayers are with him at this difficult time. Also, remember you have a little over a month to check out Tom Midlam's site CountryCruiser.com before it becomes a thing of the past.
Members Ian and Renee McCoy would like you to know about their car show on September 17 at the Diamond Oaks Career Campus at 6375 Harrison Avenue, in Cincinnati, 45247 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. This is for the Green Township Police Citizens Academy Alumni.
Member Wayne Dennis will be holding another Cruise-In at the St. Leonard Center on September 24th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to benefit the Alzheimer's Association. There is no admission fee. The location is 8100 Clyo Road, Centerville, Ohio. For information, call Dawn Arrowood at 937-439-7145.
That's it for now, and as always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
July 1st, 2016
Miami Valley Novas July 2016 Newsletter
Vol. 2 No.7
Hello Everybody,
Well, first of all I had the final meeting with the writer for the car magazine photo shoot on June 8th, and if whoever gets it doesn't chop it up for a filler piece, it's going to be a really nice article. We can only pray they use it as it was put together, and speaking of together, we all know the Boose/Reichard get together was a rained out event. I, of course, was there, but nobody really showed up. In fact, it was raining so bad that I wasn't even going to get my Nikon camera wet by trying to shoot a few pictures of how nobody was there. So, I have rescheduled another event to take its place, and it will be the Super Chevy Show at National Trail Raceway. The information is up on the Get Together's page of our website. I chose this because I already have ten members committed, including Michael Collins, who will be there on the drag strip with his 1970 Nova race car. I chose Sunday, the 30th, for the official get together day, but you can also go on Saturday if you want to go to both days of the show. On Saturday, the 18th, we had the Beavercreek Baptist Church get together, and the weather was perfect! In fact, it was so good that the church set an all time attendance record of 140 entries! The previous record was set a few years back with 117 entries. We had a good turn out of ten members, and we had four lined up. That's all the spaces they would let me hold, because it was packed. Three members took top forty awards: Bill and Deb Peterson, Bob and Jo Ann Perkins, and myself. But a big congratulations goes out to Bill and Deb Peterson for also taking the Pastor's Choice Award. Think about it, out of 140 entries, he liked their 1965 original survivor Nova the best! That's pretty cool! In July, we have the Salem Church of God Car Show and the Super Chevy Show on our July MVN Events. Check the website's Get Together Page for all the info on our remaining get togethers. Also, don't forget, Good Guys in Columbus on the 8th, 9th, and 10th.
And one other thing I want to mention, if you are a member of National Nostalgic Nova or if you should join, please let me know by email or phone so we can put a star next to your name on the Members Page. I want to make sure you get recognized for supporting this outstanding Nova organization.
Now for some bad news. Over the years you have, like myself, used Tom Midlam's Site, Country Cruiser for info on shows and dates of shows and to look at all classics he has on his website. I spoke to Tom on June 18th, and he informed me that as of this September (by the end of the month for sure), CountryCruiser.com will no longer exist. I can only tell you that Tom spoke of his personal reasons for wanting to shut down this fantastic forum for car show enthusiasts. So, if you have never checked it out, I do encourage you to do so before it's gone. As always, I will keep you up to date on what's going on with MVN and don't forget to look at the Beavercreek Church get together photos. We had a great time as you will see.
That's it for now and as always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
June 1st, 2016
Miami Valley Novas June 2016 Newsletter
Vol. 2 No.6
Hello Everybody,
Wow! What a month for Miami Valley Novas! There is so much to tell you, so let's just take it as things unfolded. On May 1st, the MVN Newsletter when out with the last notice and invite to members about our big car club photo shoot, and on Saturday, May 7th, it all came together. I arrived at the location about 8:30 with a friend of the club, Jim Collins, who was driving the club car. Already eight Novas were there. Right away we began to get things going and set up. Cincinnati member, John Lynch, who has now become Vice President of the club because of all the help he gives to our organization, began to register the members and give out to each one a 25 ft tape measure as my gift to those who took the time and made the effort to come to this event. Some came as far away as Kentucky and Indiana. The weather was a gift from God, perfect in all respects, and by 9 a.m. the Novas were really beginning to arrive. By 9:30, we had so many that the photographer was wanting to take the main photo. I said, “No! We can't because we gave a window to arrive between 9 and 10 a.m., and so he held off. This was a good thing, because the Novas just kept on coming and coming until we had 55 of the most beautiful machines ever to be place together in a single spot. It was really quite a sight! The writer and photographer were in a word overwhelmed, and for the next two hours, the photo shoot took place with many different types of set ups and individual shots of the Novas. Since then, I have been working with the writer to get this all put together, and I will keep you up to date on it. I would like to also thank member, Bill Peterson, for helping me to get some great photos of the shoot for our website. So be sure to take a look at them. But remember, these are not the photos done by the photographer, but by Bill and myself. Those photos are now under copyright protection.
The next day, Sunday, May 8th, we had our second get-together at Smith Park, with five Novas in attendance. A small showing, but all lined up it looked great, and we did draw a lot of attention. The day for all of us went fast. The show began with great weather. I took my photos and talked to a lot of nice people, but by one p.m., we all knew that the weather man had again made a big mistake. The sky was not looking good, and the temperature dropped a lot! For the next two hours, we thought maybe we were going to pull it off, but at 3 p.m., just as we gathered for the awards, it began to really come down! They gave out the Top Fifty and the specials as fast as they could, but it was too late. Over three hundred super fine classics were now forced to drive home in the rain. I'm not sure because of all the chaos, but I believe I was the only Nova to take a Top Fifty. And, yes, by the time I got back to Dayton and in my garage, my 71SS was a mess!
Two weeks later, on the 22nd, our 3rd get-together took place at the 46th Annual Cincy Street Rods Show. As I try to always do, I got there early and was able to save ten more spots. It was a good thing that I did because not only did we fill each one, but seven more Novas parked out in the show field, making this one of our best get-togethers. In fact, we took our third Club Participation Award. So, a big thank you to all who helped make this happen. You know we had a great time, and the photos I took for the website will show you why we like this event so much. With 505 entries, there was a lot to see and of course a lot of great food to eat! Oh, and one last thing that I feel I have to mention about this show, my 71SS took the "Gary Anderson Memorial Award", which is given as their Best of Show. According to the presentation, it is given to a car showing extreme attention to detail. So I guess I got my 71 Nova SS cleaned up pretty well after driving home in the rain two weeks earlier from the Smith Show.
The last big thing to take place in May was the Ohio Swap Meet on the 27th, 28th and 29th at the Clark County Fairgrounds. The radio and TV ads said over four thousand vendors and for those of us who made it to the event, we knew that this was true. It was huge! I chose Saturday to go, and I was there almost the whole day. I took a lot of photos of both the Swap Meet and the Car Show that had a big turn out of almost two hundred cars and trucks. Yes, some of our members were there having a great time, so check out the photos to see Bill Vance, Don Cottrill, and Rusty Chatterton with their Novas. A big congratulations to Rusty for taking one of the Top Fifty Editors Choice Awards.
In closing, I want to remind everybody of the Boose-Reichard get-together on June 4th and the Beavercreek Baptist Church Show on the 18th. Please try to make them if you can. They are always great events. Also, to access the photo shoot event, you will need to scroll down to the bottom of the pictures page. There you will find it and many other events of interest that I have taken photos of over the years. Please also remember it could take up to a year before we see the photo shoot in a magazine, but I think it will be a lot sooner. I will keep you up to date on it.
That's it for now, and as always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
May 1st, 2016
Miami Valley Novas May 2016 Newsletter
Vol. 2 No.5
Hello Everybody,
Well, Spring and Summer weather is finally here, and so is the car show season. On Sunday, April 24th, we had out first Miami Valley Novas Get-Together and it turned out to be a fantastic day! The City of Sharonville once again put on a great car show season opener. As for the final count, it was again around five hundred entries. Like last year, those who came late were turned away because there was just no more room to park them. I, myself, was first in line to enter by getting there at 7:20 a.m., and by 9:00 a.m. when the gates opened, the line of cars was over a mile long behind my 71SS. There is just too much to tell you about the fun we had, but I will tell you in all, twenty three novas were there in the different classes, and this part is so cool, most of them are MVN members. With all the fine machines on display, only one Nova won, but it was a big win. Ian and Renee McCoy took First place in the 1970-1974 class with their beautiful black 1972 SS, so a Big Conratulations from MVN goes out to them for taking this award! I do invite you all, at some time, to go to our website to look at the photos of not only this show but past shows of our get-togethers. I think you will see why we have such a great time!
Now onto May and what out club will be doing on Saturday the 7th:
We now have a definite place for our club photo shoot for the Muscle Car Review Magazine. Both locations that I had spoke of before were not available, but the writer has found a nice location. It will be at the old Kroger parking lot on Chambersburg Road in Huber Heights, one half mile east of Wayne High School, just west of Brandt Pike, which is State Route 201. The best address I can give you for GPS and MapQuest is 6070 Chambersburg Road right next door. There is no address on the building of Stratacache (old Kroger), but it's pretty easy to find.
Unfortunately, we only have this location for May 7th only! We no longer have a rain date location. So if it rains, we will have to start all over on finding a place to do this. We want the Novas to arrive between 9 and 10 a.m. and hope to be done by noon. This will be a photo shoot only! Interviews will be done by the writer by phone, so please be sure to register when you arrive so he can contact you. He is really hoping for a nice turn out of some nice Novas, so if your car is show quality, please try to make this event. I think you will be glad you did! There is also trailer parking right next to the lot we will be using for the photo shoot.
Then, on May 8th, it is the get together at Smith Park in Middletown, Ohio for the 30th Annual Shrine Mother's Day Car Show. Registration is from 7:30 a.m. to noon, and this even is listed on Tom's site: CountryCruiser.com. On May the 22nd, we will be having out 3rd get together at the Cincy Street Rods Car Show at the Butler County Fairgrounds at 1715 Fairgrove Avenue in Hamilton, Ohio 45011. Both of these shows will allow us to line up the Novas, so please get there early, so we can put on a nice display of our club cars. The Cincy Show is from 8:00 am. to 4:00 p.m., so please try to make this event if you can.
That's if for now, and as always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
April 1st, 2016
Miami Valley Novas April 2016 Newsletter
Vol. 2 No.4
Hello Everybody,
Hey! It's Spring and we are also now into daylight savings time, so I think that the winter weather is pretty much behind us. I know that, like myself, many of you are already getting your Novas ready for the car show and cruise-in season, and Tom Midlam at CountryCruiser.com has been putting on his website a lot of stuff to do. But let me mention something he does not have at this time that you might want to know about. Super Chevy is going to once again be in Ohio on July 30th and 31st at the National Trail Race Way. I have been talking to some of the members of our club and we are putting together a showing of our club at this event. So, if you want to be part of it, save the dates. Unfortunately, as soon as Super Chevy made the announcement, all of the hotel rooms got booked and were filled up in less than a few days. However, the good part is, and I know because I have been to the show a few times, it's only about a hundred miles from 1-75 & 1-70. It's on the East side of Columbus, so if you want to go it's not too far away. As for our fist club get-together, it is set for Sunday, the 24th of April at the Sharonville Classic Car Show. Many of you know this, but for those who don't, let me tell you about Sharonville. Like in baseball, for car show people, this is the real season opener. It's huge and a lot of fun! No, you probably won't take home an award, few do, but you will take home some great memories. If you want to to see photos of this show to know what I'm talking about, just go to our last three get-togethers on our website, and take a look at the pictures. Pre-registration is until April 11th at their site, WWW.SHARONVILLECLASSICCARSHOW.COM or call 1-513-554-1722.
Now to update you on our Muscle Car Review club photo shoot. The date will be May 7th, with a rain date of May 14th at either Stebbins High School or Thomas Cloud Park. The writer is working on getting permission, and I will let you know what location in the May 1st Newsletter. I have been told that even with no sun, if it should be an overcast day, this will not be a problem. Rain is the only thing that will postpone it. We will do this early, most likely between 9:00 a.m. and noon, and it should only take a few hours to complete. As I said, in the March Newsletter, please â€" no project cars, cars with rust or primer spots. A time to arrive will also be given to you in the May Newsletter, so be sure to check it out. Now I need to mention something that has come to my attention. Some members have told me that they are inviting their friends with Novas who are not part of our club, and I would like to keep this for our members only!! As you know, I do not let just anyone with a Nova into this organization. All of you were picked because of your love for Novas. Each month, I turn down people who just want to join to sell their Nova or Nova parts, or who are really not "Nuts about Novas". They will say something like, "My Nova is ok, but I really want a Camaro". So please, let's keep this photo shoot quiet so we don't have a bunch of non-members showing up. You are all special to me and this club because of your love for Novas. This is why M.V.N. Exists.
In closing, member Wayne Dennis would like for you to know about the St. Leonard Cruise-In on May the 14th from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This would be a nice thing to do for the residents of St. Leonard. There is no admission fee, just a real fun day with a Top 3 Choices Awards and lots of great food. Info is on CountryCruiser.com or the link on our website. Also, I still need photos from about fifteen members to have at least one picture on each profile page. So, if you still have no photos on your page, please e-mail me one or two. I will do a full photo shoot of your Nova, if we can set up a time, at maybe at a show or cruise-in. Give me a call!
That's it for now and as always,
Be Careful Out There,
Rob
March 1st, 2016
Miami Valley Novas March 2016 Newsletter
Vol. 2 No.3
Hello Everybody,
Now if you go strictly by the calendar, Spring will arrive in only nineteen days. But if you go by how the weather really works here in our area, we still have a good bit of time until we can be certain that winter is truly over. Now on the bright side, some car shows will start up in April. That's a pretty nice thing to think about. So, it is not to early to begin getting our Novas ready for the road and the car show season.
As far as things to do, our good friend, Tom Midlam at CountryCruiser.com, is already posting a lot of events on his site, and our 2016 get-togethers are also up on our website. So take a look and start saving some dates to join in on all of the fun.
This month, I want to talk to you about something I have been working on for quite a while. Last year, at one of the first shows of the season, I was approached by a writer for Muscle Car Review Magazine, who had been wanting to do a feature on my 71 SS since we first met in August of 2013. The more he got to know me and about our club, the more we both realized that it would be far better to feature you the members of Miami Valley Novas than just my car and me. So after running the idea past the editor, he got back to me and as he put it, they are "hot for it!" I have got to tell you, I could not be happier to have it turn out this way because this club has always been about you and your love of our Nova hobby. So here is where things stand at this time. Last week, I spoke to the writer again on the phone, and we want this to happen as soon as we get good weather, most likely at either the end of April or the first part of May. We will get together on a Saturday morning at a large parking lot for the photos to be taken by his photographer. They will arrange the cars in a line up or some other way to get them all into a single photo. A man-lift or tall ladder will also be used to get some downward shots, possibly for the cover of the magazine. Single shots of the Novas will then be taken to do many individual features of them. This will be their decision, and not mine, on what Novas they choose to feature. The writer would like a big turn out, and I have requested that a group photo of the members be also included in the article. Now, for the bad news. Since this is a national publication with a huge circulation of readers, they want Novas with a nice outward appearance, meaning no rust, no primer, no project cars. If your interior is not finished or perfect, I think we can get away with this, since this will not show up in the group photos of the cars. If your Nova is still not finished, you can still come without your car to get in on the members group photo and to see all the action of the photo shoot. As soon as we get a location and also permission to use it, I will let you know. I'll have a better idea by the April Newsletter, so be sure to check it out. As you can imagine, I'm very excited about being able to do this for all of you and our club, so please help make this a huge success.
In closing, I want to congratulate member Jim Wilkins for taking First Place at the Indy World of Wheels with his beautiful blue 1967 Nova Super Sport. For those of you who have never seen it, I invite you to go to the members page on our website and click on his name. I think you will then understand why Jim takes so many high awards with his Nova.
That's it for now and as always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
February 1st, 2016
Miami Valley Novas February 2016 Newsletter
Vol. 2 No.2
Hello Everybody,
Well now that we are halfway through this winter, I guess you could say it hasn't really been all that bad. Sure, we have had some pretty cold days and nights, but as far as snow, we have not had all that much, and we all know what we missed last week by only a few miles to the South and East! So, let's look at the glass half full and hope that the rest of winter will go as good as we have had so far.
On Saturday, January 9th, Car Club Member, John Lynch and I attended the Cavalcade of Customs Show in Cincinnati at the Duke Energy Center, and we really had a great time. We got there at noon and stayed until almost 10 p.m. There is so much to see and do that if I was to tell you all about it, I would be at a loss of how to go about it. For those of you who have been to one of these indoor shows, you know what I'm talking about. There are a few things I do want to mention, starting with the fact that two of our members had their Novas on display at the show. First, there was one of our Kentucky members, Michael Collins, with his jet black 1968 Pro Street Show car, and then there was Dayton, Ohio member, Jim Wilkins, showing his blue 1967 Super Sport. I was really happy to see that our club had two outstanding cars on display, and both Michael and Jim can be proud of how their cars helped to make the show a hit. And yes, they both won awards. Jim Wilkins took First Place and a special award for his engine, and Michael Collins took Second Place just as he did last year at the same show. Then there was Gene Winfield to meet and talk to at his mobile chop shop. There were so many displays and of course Danny Koker from Counting Cars had his band, Count 77, giving a great 2 hour live concert that had almost everybody crowded around the stage to catch all the action of their wild performance. Yes, I did shoot the show for our website, so if you would like to take a look at the over 200 hundred photos I took to get an idea of what you missed out on, go to the pictures page and click on "Cavalcade of Customs 2016."
This month, I want to talk just a bit about a very special member of our club. Some of you know him as Ed, Mr. Brown, Brownie, or maybe that man with the green six cylinder all original 4 door Survivor. I, of course know him as not only one of the first members of Miami Valley Novas, but also as a good friend. On Sunday, December 13th, I was over at Ed's house, and since it was such a nice day, he insisted that I drive his 71 Nova. Let me just say the car felt great! Then when we got back to his place, he opened up his other two car garage to show me his beautiful baby blue 1965 Thunderbird, and after starting it up, he once again insisted that I take it out for a drive. We drove around for about an hour, and it was a thrill to be driving such a nice piece of history. Ed bought it new and it still looks and handles really super. I would like to invite you to look at his page on the website, and I'm sure many of you will be saying, "Hey! I know that guy!" Finally, you should know that Ed is a member of the Thunderbird Club, a WWII Veteran, and a retired plumber. This month, Ed will turn 92, making him, I believe the oldest member of our club, so if you happen to see Ed at a show or cruise-in, you might want to take a moment to get to know this amazing person, who I'm proud to call my friend. Oh, and yes, I will be sending Ed a little birthday gift from all of us at Miami Valley Novas.
In February, there are a few things going on that you might want to check out. On February 7th at the Clark County Fairgrounds, is the 44th Annual Swap Meet of the Vintage Chevrolet Club of America. Next is the 11th Annual Motorama 1962 on February 12, 13, & 14th. Then there is going to be the 7th Annual Valentine Car Show in Wilmington, Ohio. In Kentucky on February 19, 20 and 21st, it's the return of the Carl Casper Custom Auto Show. All events are up on the CountryCruiser.com if you want more information. Lastly in Dayton at the Convention Center on February 25 -28th, it's the Dayton Auto Show with all the new stuff on display from local dealers.
That's it for now, and always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
January 1st, 2016
Miami Valley Novas January 2016 Newsletter
Vol. 2 No.1
Hello Everybody,
Well, now that the hustle and bustle of the holiday season is behind us, and we have eaten enough turkey to last awhile, let me be one of the first to say Happy New Year! 2016 looks to be pretty good, with a lot of great opportunities to get our Novas out to drive, show, or just work on. I have been putting the dates on the list of get-togethers for our club, and I think they are correct, but as always, keep checking the website for changes of events and dates. For now the list is up, if you want to take a look at it.
In January, there are two things you might want to do. The first is this Sunday, the 3rd, when the Indy Super Sunday Swap Meet will take place at the fairgrounds. The second is the 56th Annual Cavalcade of Customs Car Show at the Duke Energy Center in Cincinnati. As always, more information can be found on Tom Midlam's Website: CountryCruiser.com, but the dates for the Cavalcade of Customs are Friday the 8th, Saturday the 9th, and Sunday the 10th.
This month, I would like to talk a bit about member, Jeff Barnhart. Jeff joined the club in July of 2013 and has already become one of our most active members. He owns a really beautiful red 1968 Nova, and 2015 was a very good year for him. On June 14, he took the Board Members Choice trophy and the Kids Choice trophy at the Cruise the Gate Car Show at Golden Gate Park in Brookville, where all the proceeds went to the Special Wish Foundation. In August, he took awards at the Lewisburg Derby Days Car Show. He also had a big win at the Eaton Downtown Saturday Night Car Show, placing in the Top 50, where there were almost 600 registered entries. In September, at the 7th Annual Park Wars Car Show, he locked up a Top 30 Award. But what really makes me proud is that by attending every week at the Skyline Chili Weekly Cruise In, Jeff, in a single-handed manner, took for Miami Valley Novas our second Club Participation Award. So I would like to say to Jeff, thank you so much for your efforts to promote Miami Valley Novas. If you would like to check out Jeff's 1968 Nova, his photos are up on the member's page of our website.
In closing, I would like to again wish everybody a Happy New Year and as always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
December 1st, 2015
Miami Valley Novas December 2015 Newsletter
Vol. 1 No.12
Hello Everybody,
I sure hope that all of you had a great Thanksgiving and took some time to spend with your family, friends, and loved ones, because that's what it's all about. As always, my wife put out a big turkey dinner, and this year we were blessed to have at the table our first grandbaby, Melissa Sue. Those of you who know me well also know that I believe family is important.
Now, onto the news. On Saturday, November 14th, I went up to the Springfield Cars N' Parts Swap Meet as I always do, and being the last one of the year, it was very good. This one is always smaller than the spring and summer swap meets, but I always find something I just got to have. And speaking of swap meets, don't forget about the Super Sunday Swap Meets this winter going on over in Indianapolis at the fairgrounds. All dates and information are on their website and a link to Super Sunday and Cars N' Parts, as always, is accessible on our website. Just got to LINKS, then PARTS N' SERVICES and check them out.
Now for a bit of news about one of our members, Eddie Howard. Eddie, who is also by the way, a member of National Nostalgic Nova, owns and operates "Fast Eddies Nova Parts". In a word, Eddie is unbelievable. He specializes in the 1968 to 1974 Nova years and at any given time, he has on average approximately one hundred and thirty Novas in his parts yard. But even more than this, he is a wealth of knowledge on the way these cars were built and put together at the factory. Eddie has always been able to help me and many of you out as well. Over the years I have known him, we have become very good friends. He is very personable, easy to talk to, and quite a historian on the '68-'74 model years. Now for a bit of bad news...
On Friday, November 6th, Eddie was hit, almost head-on, in his work truck when a lady went left of center on a curve. Both his truck and her car were totaled. Eddie was hurt so badly, he was care-flighted to the hospital for emergency surgery. Eddie told me if he had not been wearing his seat belt, he would have been killed. I spoke to Eddie a few days ago, and he is making a good recovery and is even back home. The lady is also doing well too. I have sent him a card and a gift from all of us at the club, and by Spring, he will be back to doing what he loves and that is getting people the info and parts they need. A link to Fast Eddies Nova Parts is on our website, and please remember him in your thoughts and prayers.
One more thing:
George Barris, "King of the Kustomizers", passed away November 5, 2015. George was most notably known for the 1966 Batmobile, the Munster Koach, the Beverly Hillbillies truck, and the Knightrider car. But he also created a lot more and too much to mention. I invite you to Google him to find out more about this amazing custom car creator. I think you will be surprised at all he accomplished. George Barris was 89.
Well that's it for now. Have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year. I'll talk to you in 2016!
As always, be careful out there,
Rob
November 1st, 2015
Miami Valley Novas November 2015 Newsletter
Vol. 1 No.11
Hello Everybody,
As the leaves continue to fall and the temperatures begin to do the same, I think that we can all agree that the 2015 car show season was a pretty good one, with a lot of really great opportunities for us to get our cars out and to meet up with others who share our passion for this unique hobby.
In October, we had our last two MVN get togethers, and both shows turned out to be pretty great and also a lot of fun! First, there was the postponed show at the Vandalia Nazarene Church from October 3rd to the 10th. This was the 18th year for this show, and the new date with no rain, a lot of sun, and good temperatures made it possible for the church to once again put on one of the best shows in the area. As for the show itself, they had 241 entries, and MVN was well represented with 12 members who came out with their cars to spend some time with friends and family. Taking a Top 75 Award from our club was James Keechle, Frank Price, Ed Sutton, Howard West, and Jim Wilkins. I also want to give Don Cottrill a big congratulations for taking the Best Original Award. This was well deserved recognition for his beautiful blue 1966 4 door Chevy II. So out of twelve members of the club that came out to the show, half won awards, which isn't too bad considering the outstanding competition of cars and trucks that were on hand at this event.
The following weekend on Sunday, the 18th, we had our last get together for the year at the 23rd Annual Cruisin' to the Ridge Car, Truck, and Motorcycle Show held at the Esther Dennis Middle School on North Dixie Drive. Despite the forecast for a cold day, it wasn't bad at all. Even at 9 a.m. when I first arrived, it was a bit chilly, but the temperatures did rise into the 60's, and 81 entries were soon in competition for the Top 40 Awards and of course, Best of Show trophy. Seven members came to the show and with two of my cars there, we had eight Novas in all on display. Along with the show, were food, music, and the Northridge Homecoming Parade going down North Dixie at 2 p.m.
I really have to say it was a great day, and I would like to also take a moment to thank the Ohio Cruisers Car Club for putting on the show. They did a great job and gave out some nice awards. And speaking of awards, our club in all took five of them. Winning Top 40 plaques were members Bill Peterson, Bob and Joann Perkins, Jesse Rowland, Randy Vogel, and myself with my red 71 SS.
Both October shows, and all the shows of the year, are on the pictures pages of the website if you would like to take a look at all the fun we had this year.
As for November, there is the Springfield Cars and Parts Swap Meet and Car Show on the 13th and 14th, so if the weather is good, you might want to check it out. I'll let you know next month how it was.
Well, that's it for now, and as always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
October 1st, 2015
Miami Valley Novas October 2015 Newsletter
Vol. 1 No.10
Hello Everybody,
Hey, it's official! Fall is here and pretty soon the temperatures will be dropping, and we'll all be raking those pesky leaves. But before that happens, we still have two more Miami Valley Novas get-togethers. The first one will be this Saturday, October 3rd at the Vandalia Nazarene Church, and the second one will be at the Cruisin' to the Ridge Car Show on October 16th. Both shows are great! Registration starts at 9 a.m. We will be attempting to line up our Novas at both shows, so please come and join in on this cool way to show our cars as a club.
Now as for September…Wow! It turned out to be a very good month for our car club. First of all, we had seven members show up in Sharonville for the Eastgate Classics All GM Show and all told, we took six awards: Roger Stone - 3rd Place, Ian and Renee McCoy - 2nd Place, and myself with 1st Place. Wayne and Ruthie Dennis took 3rd Place in the Trailered Class and also the Best Engine Trophy. I also want to give special recognition to members John Lynch, Paul Gordon, and Steve Haven, for without their attendance at this show, we would not have been able to pull off in taking our very first "Club Participation Award". I am so proud to finally have an award given to us as a car club. So take a look at all the photos of this really super event on the pictures page of our website.
Next there was the Dayton Concours d'Elegance Car Show at Carillon Park on the 20th. Both Wayne Dennis and myself had been accepted to show our Novas. Wayne took Best of Class in the Sixties Class, I took 3rd Place in the Premier Class, and yes, I did take photos of this show, if you want to take at look at them on the website.
Then there was the Tipp City Mum Festival Cruise-In/Show. Where do I start? First of all, we had twenty nine Novas show up, and all but two were members of our club. If I had to use only one word to be able to describe this evening show, it would have been "awesome"! There was just so much to see and do. While I did not get the chance to talk to all of the members, I did shoot Miami Valley Nova cars in great detail and also many other cool and interesting aspects of what makes this a must do event for any classic car person. Because many do not register, they could only estimate that they had over eight hundred vehicles, (and get this number), approximately ten thousand spectators were there! The six hours that I was there went so fast! It really is true what they say about how time flies when you're having fun.
As for Cars and Parts, I went up on Saturday the 12th, and it was pretty good, as always. I am sorry to say that I did not make the Rebel Run this year that was held September 17th -20th, but I have heard that those who made the trip up to the Shelby County Fairgrounds in Sidney only had to deal with a bit of rain on Saturday. Otherwise, it was great! You can check out the show at their website, TheRebelRun.com. Well, that's it for now and as always,
Be Careful Out There, Rob
September 1st, 2015
Miami Valley Novas September 2015 Newsletter
Vol. 1 No.9
Hello Everybody,
Can you believe that August is actually gone, and we're now into September? And, in a few short weeks, it will be the start of Fall. I don't know about you, but where did Summer go?!?! We still have a lot of great weather ahead and also a lot of great car shows, so check them out on CountryCruiser.com, and have some fun with your Novas.
On August 8th, we had the Franklin Downtown Saturday Night Show, and it was a fantastic gathering of not only twenty one cool novas, but in all 744 cars from all over the tri-state area were there! This was the 34th year for this show, and as in the past, Warren County Kustoms and the City of Franklin went all out to put on a great fun family event. I was able to get around to most of the members to say hello and talk a bit, but some weren't with their Novas because there was just so much to see and do. Check out all the photos and the great time we had, and make plans on trying to come next year.
On August 22nd, it was the Bellbrook Lions Club Festival Car Show sponsored by the Miami Valley Thunderbird Club. I can't say enough about how accommodating they were to Miami Valley Novas Car Club. They gave us a prime spot at the entrance right across from their car line up with enough space for fifteen of our Novas. Unfortunately, only one other Nova besides myself were able to attend and that was Bill and Deb Peterson in their 1965 Chevy II. Now I do understand that there were the events at Kil-Kare, Eaton, Miamisburg, and other shows going on, so I spoke to the Thunderbird Car Club about trying it again next year. This show, with the festival, is a great opportunity to not only show your Nova, but to also bring the wife and kids out to a fun family event. To see what I'm talking about, look at the photos on our website. Speaking about festival car shows, you all know by now that the Riverside Festival Car Show was canceled this year, but I have been informed that it will return next year on a new date, so more on that in the future.
As for the Antioch Shrine Car Show on Sunday, the 30th in Downtown Dayton...it was HOT! I'm not just talking abou the weather, but the show as well. In all there were 144 entries and as far as our club, we had ten Novas show up. Yes, we did manage to line them up on Jefferson Street. It looked really cool! We got many nice compliments. Five members took a Top 50 Award. They were: Wayne Dennis, Debbie Rhoads, Richard Strader, Tony & Maureen Vannicola, and myself.
Now onto new business. We, as a car club, have only one event on tap for September. That is the Tipp City Mum Festival Cruise-In on St. Rt. 571. This will take place on Friday, the 25th. Now, as always, there will be a huge turn out of a lot of fine cars. Just remember to get there early so you are not on a side street. It usually gets started at 4 p.m. and will run til 10 p.m., if you wish to stay that late.
Don't forget about the Cars and Parts Swap Meet on September 11, 12 & 13 of this month at the Clark County Fairgrounds.
Finally, there is one last show that I feel some of the members might want to think about attending. It is the 34th annual All GM Classic Car Show and Swap Meet. The cut off year is 1972 and cars will be judged on a 300 point scale. For more information on this show, call Steve at 1-513-368-0581.
Well, that's it for now, and as always,
Be Careful Out There!
August 1st, 2015
Miami Valley Novas August 2015 Newsletter
Vol. 1 No.8
Hello Everybody,
Well it was definitely a very rainy start to the summer and that goes double for the car show season. With the rains now finally behind us, we are into the hot weather and some really hot car shows. I took my SS Nova to the 50th Annual Greene County 4th of July Car Show, and it was great! This was a new show for me, and even though they said they were down a bit on cars this year, the show still had almost two hundred entered. In my class, "Muscle Cars", there were seventeen very nice machines, and I got to be honest, I was totally blown away to have taken First Place. Second Place went to a super sweet 1966 Blue Chevelle. So check out the photos of the show on the pictures page of our web site. On the 11th, we had the Salem Church of God Summer Bash Car & Truck Show. Unfortunately, due to the Good Guys Show going on in Columbus, there was a drop in attendance to only 128, but with that said, it was still a great show with great weather. We had six Novas show up, and four out of the six took a Top 40 Award. So, I feel Miami Valley Novas did very well. The winners were Frank Price, Howard West, Jim Wilkins, and myself with my 71 SS.
The following Saturday, on the 18th, the postponed 13th annual Beavercreek Baptist Church Car Show was finally able to avoid the rain and take place on a very sunny, hot, and humid day. But again, attendance was way down from past years with only 96 cars and trucks registered. However, there were seven MVN members there, and three took Top 40 Awards. Winners were Don Cottail, Bill and Deb Peterson, and myself. One other thing that happened was my car took the Show and Shine Award. Since I have never ever taken this in all the years of showing my cars, I was quite pleased.
The Nova Nationals were held July 21st through the 24th in Dover, Delaware. Members Wayne and Ruthie Dennis, who made the trip to show their Gold Class Red 62, have told me the show was well worth it. The weather was great and with almost a hundred Novas there, everybody had a lot to enjoy. They also were able to take the cars out onto the Dover International "Monster Mile" Nascar Track for eight laps! What a thrill that must have been, and I have been informed that next year they are going to be held at the same place. So give it some thought on attending. And, yes, Wayne and Ruthie did take another Gold Class Award with their 62 Nova, so a big congratulations to them is in order.
In August, we have three get togethers scheduled, if you would like to come on out. The first is August 8th in Franklin. The second is Bellbrook August 22nd, and the third one is on August 30th in downtown Dayton. Check the web site for more information, but please note the Franklin and Bellbrook shows are evening events, so registration is from 3 to 6 p.m. We will not be able to park together at the Franklin show, but it is possible to line up the cars at the other two shows if you get there early. In closing, don't forget to check out all the new photos of the July shows on our website, and Ed Crowder of Kil-Kare Raceway has asked me to let all of our members know that the 7th annual Gathering of the Geezers is going to be one day this year on August 22nd with a Top 50 Car Show. Check CountryCruiser.com or the link on our website for all the details, and as always,
Be careful out there,
Rob
July 1st, 2015
Miami Valley Novas July 2015 Newsletter
Vol. 1 No.7
Hello Everybody,
I would like to start off by addressing the hacking into our e-mail system on June 5th. As you know, we caught this right away and sent out a notice to all members advising you of the situation and to not open the fake download. Please also know we have enhanced our security protocols so that is is unlikely to happen again, but if it should, remember I will never ask you to ever download anything in one of our e-mails to members. As with any e-mails you get on your computer, be very careful about what you open up. Now onto better things: The Boose Chevrolet Cruise-In get-together was great! We had fifteen Novas show up and I was able to save enough space to line up six of them. There were no awards but hundreds of nice cars, and the weather was fantastic, so be sure to check out the photos. And speaking of the weather, you know by checking Country Cruiser that the rain forced the Beavercreek Show to be rescheduled to July 18th from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Don't forget the Salem Church of God Show on July 11th.
Correction: In the June Newsletter, I stated that member Roger Stone won a Top 50 Award at Cincy Street Rods with his red 1962 Chevy II. That should have read with his red 1967 Chevy II. As always, please e-mail me with any errors you find on the website so I can correct them.
Lastly, I want to remind everybody of the Goodguys Nationals in Columbus at the Ohio Expo Center, July 10th, 11th, and 12th. Full details are on Country Cruiser. Have a fun and safe 4th of July, and I hope to see you at one of the July get-togethers. As Always, be careful out there,
Rob
June 1st, 2015
Miami Valley Novas June 2015 Newsletter
Vol. 1 No.6
Hello Everybody,
Let me first say I hope you all had a great Memorial Day, and with the unofficial start of summer now behind us, the car show season is in full gear.
The Shriner's Mother's Day Car Show at Smith Park was, as always, a nice event. There were 126 cars entered and three motorcycles, six Novas, and one Ventura showed up. But this was way down from past years' attendance, possibly due to the threat of rain and the fundraiser at Coney Island for Lauren Hill. Michael Collins says they had over 150 cars and raised over $12,000, so a big congratulations to the Cincy Custom Street Machines Car Club for their help on this event. As for the Smith Park show, only one Nova took a top 50 award and that was myself with my 71 SS. The Cincy Street Rods Car Show was the following weekend and despite the rain on and off all day, they still had 223 very nice cars show up. We had 13 cars from the club entered and at one time, we had seven lined up by the fence. We got a lot of great and nice compliments on our display of Novas and our new sign drew some special attention to the club. As for awards, we did alright. Top 50 Honors with plaques were given to three members: James Keechle's orange 1962 pro street, Roger Stone's red 1967 Chevy II, and our youngest member, Bailey Perkins, with her 1974 Ventura GTO. And member, John Lynch, with his red 1971 Nova, took home the Show and Shine Award. As for cars and parts, I went up on the Saturday of the event, and it was huge! There was lots and lots to do and see. So for those who have never been there and for those who do go, I took some photos to check out how it was. I counted 13 Novas at the show and so many vendors that you just had to buy something! There were lots of cars for sale and even a 1992 firetruck. So be sure to take a look at all the photos of the car shows and swap meet.
In June, we have the Boose Chevrolet Cruise-In on the 6th from 3:00-10:00 p.m. and the Beavercreek Baptist Church Car Show on the 20th from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
In closing, I have some sad news to report. On May 21st, we lost Denny Norrod to a long illness. Denny was one of the first members of Miami Valley Novas, way back when I was just beginning to put this club together. In fact, for those of your who knew Denny, also knew that he was the builder and owner of my green 1971 Nova prior to my purchasing if from him a few years back. Denny was in the process of building another Nova when his life was cut short at the young age of only 37. Denny truly loved the Nova hobby and leaves behind his son, Bradley, age 12 and his wife, Amy. I was honored to have known him and per his family's request, I had his Nova he built on display at the viewing with the five awards it has taken since I have owned it. Representing the club at his viewing, I informed his family that his page will remain on the website as an honor to his memory, and in time, some words of tribute will be added. Please keep Denny and his family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. As always, be careful out there,
Rob
May 1st, 2015
Miami Valley Novas May 2015 Newsletter
Vol. 1 No.5
Hello Everybody,
First of all, the Sharonville Car Show was great! There was no rain and lots of beautiful cars. We had 18 Novas show up, and the photos of the show are now on the website, so check them out. A big congratulations goes out to member, James Keechle, who took First Place in the 1960-1965 Class with his orange 62 Pro Street Show Car.
Also, a congratulations to members, Bill and Deb Peterson, for having their 1965 Chevy 2 featured in the April Edition of GM Classics.
We have two get togethers scheduled in May: Shriner's Mother's Day Car Show at Smith Park in Middletown May 10th and Cincy Street Rods Car Show, at Butler County Fair Grounds May 17th. And of course, don't forget the Cars and Parts Ohio Swap Meet in Springfield on May 22nd, 23rd, and 24th. Remember Tom Midlam's website, CountryCruiser.com for almost all car shows and cruise-ins. A link is in Organizations on our website.
I know there are still many members that do not have photos on their individual pages. This is something we are working on. You can e-mail photos to me if you wish to Rob@miamivalleynovas.com.
One last thing, Cincinnati member, Michael Collins, wants you to know about the fundraiser at Old Coney on May 17th, for Lauren Hill - car show, rides, food, and so much more. This is for "The Cure Starts Now" organization.
That's it for now. Be careful out there!
Rob Schrader
April 1st, 2015
Miami Valley Novas April 2015 Newsletter
Vol. 1 No.4
Hello Everybody,
Let me start by saying thank you for wanting to be a part of the only Nova club that I know of in this area. The response I am getting is nothing less than phenomenal. I have been hearing from all across the country about how well our website is put together, so come check it out!
Miamivalleynovas.com
Be sure to take a look at the 2015 Miami Valley Novas get togethers. Our first one is set for April 26, 2015 in Sharonville, Ohio. As with any of our get togethers, if you want to be part of a line up of the Novas, get there early and look for me or start one if I'm not there yet.
Again, thank you! Remember to let me know if you change your phone number or your e-mail address, so I can stay in contact with you, and you can keep up to date on all the latest information.
Let's all have a safe and fun car show season.
That's it for now. Be careful out there!
Rob Schrader
March 1st, 2015
Miami Valley Novas March 2015 Newsletter
Vol. 1 No.3
Hello Everybody,
Good news! Spring is only three weeks away, so it looks like we will all soon be able to get out there and hit the road. Now for all of the upcoming shows, be sure to check out Countrycruiser.com. Tom Midlam, as most of you know, has the best website out there to find both car shows and cruise-in's. And his photos are the best they can be. Tom's site is on our website by a link. Just click on the Car Shows button to view all he has to offer. To all of you still getting this newsletter by mail, I'm sorry to say that this will be the least one I'm sending out. Most have now responded to my request for their email info. But you can still get it on the new email newsletters by sending me your email address. All newsletters are now going to be only by email and they will be posted on the website. Just click on the button "blogs" to view them and I will do my best to keep you up to date on what is going on.
That's it for now. Be careful out there!
Rob Schrader
February 1st, 2015
Miami Valley Novas February 2015 Newsletter
Vol. 1 No.2
Hello Everybody,
How are you getting along in this cold and snowy winter? I for one hate it. I can't believe that we are only half way through it. Maybe the groundhog tomorrow will give us some good news. Of course we can always look at the bright side and know that the first car show is only 93 days away, and I can't wait! I know a lot of you are using this time to work on your Novas, and that's good, because I'm looking forward to seeing what you have done. I'm still waiting on many members to send me their email info so that I can put them on the email newsletter list. Please get this important information to me.
That's it for now. Be careful out there!
Rob Schrader
January 1st, 2015
Miami Valley Novas January 2015 Newsletter
Vol. 1 No.1
Hello Everybody,
Happy New Year! And welcome to our very first Miami Valley Novas Newsletter. I am sending this to all of our members to let them know of this new forum to keep everybody up to date on what is going on in the club. For those of you getting this by mail, please send me your email address A.S.A.P. Please keep looking at the website and if you have anything to put in the newsletter, just let me know. I think this is going to be a great car show year for all of us.
That's it for now. Be careful out there!
Rob Schrader