Lone Star 912
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Lone Star 912 |
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Lone
Star Roundup We have had mixed luck in our meetings over the past year in regards to the weather. Our first Roundup was held on January 18th, 9 months to the day prior to this one. The weather then was sunny and cool, a perfect January day. Since then we have had a gloomy damp day in March and a hot summer-like day in May. Troy Berreth and Greg Bade apparently have some sort of deal going with the weather man, because this day was perfect. The sun was shining, the temperature moderate, and the cars were running, well.... fast! Katy is located just west of Houston on Interstate 10. Most of our attending membership was from the Houston area, with the exception of myself and David Gilliland. David drove down from Dallas, which is over five hours each direction, making him our weekend road warrior. Me, I am from Cedar Park, just north of Austin, making my trip a mere three hours. My son, who rode the entire distance in the back seat, will tell you it felt a lot longer than that. Jeff is pushing six feet tall and as he emerged from the back seat in Katy there was a gasp from the crowd from those in awe of his bravery and dedication to the cause. I rolled up to Troy's house a little after 10 that morning. The house was easy to spot as the double wide driveway held 3 912s and a small crowd of people. I slid 'Ol Yeller into the remaining opening in the drive and began to visit with our old friends and new acquaintances.
We all socialized at Troy's house until around noon. Here are a few pictures of the people that go along with the cars.
Everyone who was going to make it had arrived, and we were ready to head out. We had three who had planned to come but were unable to make it. Kevin Weldon from Dallas had a work related commitment which prevented him from attending. We're not exactly sure what Kevin was thinking putting his job ahead of his car, but our best guess is he was concerned about having money to buy more car parts so decided to keep it for now. Norv Parr was devastated as his 912E, with its fresh paint, was down for a starting problem which necessitated a tow and a weekend in the shop. Finally, one of our newest members, Jeff Shropshire, had generator troubles on his way to the meet that morning and had to turn back. He now has a new generator and assures us that the next one will a sure thing for him. On the way out, we all stopped to fuel up. This sort of thing always draws attention, especially here in Texas.
Our first stop was a visit to Greg Bade's mechanic, who has been working with Greg to restore his '66 coupe. The '66 was out of commission for the weekend as the front suspension is completely off the car for a full rebuild. Greg's car is really coming along nicely with the interior done and looking great, the motor fresh and shiny, and the suspension front and rear nearing completion. Next will be a shiny coat of Slate Gray and a garage queen will be born!
Greg's mechanic is an older fellow with a vast knowledge of these old cars. David Gilliland had brought down the majority of the major components from his engine and this gave us a hands-on discussion of engine components, wear, and rebuilding techniques. The discussion was spirited, to say then least.
The mechanic's shop is actually located at a small grass strip airport. The middle picture of the blue motor is actually a VW motor with two of the cylinders blocked off, making a two cylinder airplane motor.
We used one of the hangers as a backdrop for our group picture, and Greg's car, front end on blocks, as a marker for our location. As you can see, David and his car made the picture too, with David standing next to Greg with the case of his motor in hand.
From the mechanic, we drove to Brian Southwell's restaurant for dinner. Along the way we stopped at the historical site of San Felipe, the first permanent western settlement in Texas. Here we received a VERY detailed description of the area by the local curator, who David suspects was actually there at the time the settlement was founded.....
We broke up our gathering at Southwell's Hamburger Grill around 6pm. Below are some candid shots of the members hanging around, taking pictiures, and socializing.
All in attendance agree that the event was a success and we are eager to do it again. As the holiday season approaches, we find ourselves busy with family and other things, so our next event will be held in January, where we will discuss our plans for our hosting of the first annual South Central 912 Roundup. Which will be one of three 912 Registry sponsored events in 2004. List of attendees: 1. Morrie, Cindy, and Jeff Larson from Cedar Park with their 67 912 coupe 2. Troy Berreth from Katy with his 68 912 coupe 3. Brian Southwell from Houston with his 76 912E Sunroof Coupe 5. Mitch and Sid Leben from Spring with their 65 912 Sunroof Coupe 6. David Gilliland from Dallas with his 66 912 coupe (Or at least parts of it) 7. Bob Anderson from Spring with his 67 912 coupe 8. Greg Bade and Kitty Keyworth from Katy with their 66 912 Coupe 9. Jerry Stewart from Conroe with his 76 912E Sunroof Coupe (Or maybe it was a new Beetle) 10. Dean Justin, recently returning Houstonite and member of the original Centex 912 group
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