ROUTE 66 HAPPENIN'S

July 18, "Chillin' on Beale Street" Kingman, 5:30pm - 10:00pm
Classic Cars, DJ Don West, games, food, prizes, Brought to you by:
The Route 66 Cruizers Classic Car Club, AZ Car Nutz, The Downtown Merchants Association and The Kingman Route 66 Association
INFO:Tim McDonnell kingmanroute66association@gmail.com

July 19, AZ Car Nutz July Breakfast Brunch, Hualapai Mountain
Lodge, Meet & leave at 11am from Mission Bank on Hualapai Mt. Rd.
Cruise up to the Lodge. Eat at 11:30am Cost $12.00 per person
includes tax, beverage & tip.
INFO:Betsy sennasylum@npgcable.com

July, 25, 1:00pm-5:00pm, K.B.'S Automotive "Grand Opening"
Same Great Service & Location, New Building, Free Hot Dogs and soda, Raffle Prizes, Come Join Us for this Special Day!!!!
K.B.'S Automotive 4355 Bank St. Unit "G" Kingman
INFO:Ken 928-757-0003 kbbenton@yahoo.com

July 25, Findlay Auto Center and Route 66 Cruizers Car Club present the Classic & Hot Rod Car Show along with several special interest NEW cars on display, Entry is FREE. There will be raffles, 50/50, pizza & soda for purchase, Karaoke contest, DJ Don West,all proceeds go to the "Chat n Chow" Program at the Kingman Senior Center
INFO: Cliff Finlay Auto Center 928-757-4041

August 14-15 Williams Twisters 13th Annual Cool Country Cruise
417 E. Route 66, $40.00 entry includes t-shirt, poker run, trophies, music.
INFO:928-635-0266

August 22, "Chillin' on Beale Street" Kingman 5:30pm - 10:00pm
In cooperation of Route 66 Cruizers, AZ Car Nutz, Kingman Route
66 Association and the Downtown Merchants Association, bring music by DJ Don West, games, prizes, vendors, shop will remain open late.
INFO:Tim kingmanroute66association@gmail.com

August 29, Last Saturday of the Month Classic Car & Hot Rod Car Show, at Findlay Auto Center in cooperation with the Route 66 Cruizers Car Club, D.J. Don West, raffles, 50/50, pizza & soda for purchase, All proceeds go to a local charity.
INFO: Findlay Auto Center 928-757-4041

Aug. 31 AZ-NM Corvette Caravan, leaves Phoenix on Aug 31 to
travel to Bowling Green, KY, for the 15th Anniversary of the National Corvette Museum
INFO:Bob 623-975-7314 or 623-640-3567

Set. 12, 15th Annual Flagstaff Route 66 Days Charity Event &
International Route 66 Festival, open to all years, sold out last
year in June. $35 pre-reg before Aug 1 after $40.
INFO:John Fajardo 928-451-1204 or Bob Bortree 928-779-0898
www.route66carclub.com or www.flagstaffroute66days.com

Sept. 14-18 43rd Annual North American Ultra Van Rally, Santa Fe,
New Mexico at Santa Fe Skies RV Park
INFO:Jim & Roy Davis, Hosts, 270-435-4572 jld@wk.net

Sept. 18, (Friday) "Chillin on Beale Street" Downtown Block
Party, D.J. Don West, games, prizes, shops & resturants will
be open late. Brought to you by Route 66 Cruizers, AZ Car Nuts,
Kingman Route 66 Association & Kingman Downtown Merchants.
INFO:Tim McDonnel kingmanroute66association@gmail.com

Sept. 19 Cruizn for Jesus Car Show
Details to come

Sept. 19-20 Kingman Street Drags
INFO:www.streetdrags.com or www.route66wingsandwheels.com

Sept. 24-25-26-27 River Cruizers Rodding on the River, Riverside
Resort, Laughlin, NV. Special Hotel Rates Entry fee $40.00
INFO:928-505-5598 http://rivercruizers.com

Sept. 25-27, Super Run 2009 Car Show on Water Street, downtown Henderson
INFO:www.superrun.com

Sept. 26, Lake Havasu Swap Meet is back at London Bridge Plaza
8am-4pm $15 per space. Auto dealers NOT permitted to sell.
INFO:Al Delapena 928-854-2733 rivbiz@npgcable.com

Oct. 3 8th Annual Fall Car Show presented by the Outsidrs Car Club
& Full Moon Saloon (7000 Hwy 179) entry $20 before 9/1/09 and
$25 after 9/1, includes dash plaque & t-shirt, check-in 9am
Show 10am-3pm open to 1978 & older vehicles, live music, 50/50,
raffles, food
INFO:Michael 928-300-5809

OCT. 10, 15TH Annual Fly-In and Classic Car Show
Wickenburg Airport,
INFO:928-684-5479 events@wickenburgchamber.com

Oct 24, 11th Annual Vette Fest presented by Sun Country Corvette
Club (9155 W. Bell Rd.), entry $25.00 Corvette show-reg 8am, show 10am-2pm, food raffles, vendors, trophies, 50/50
INFO:Gary 623-582-5032

Oct. 24 3rd Annual Welding Expo & Car Show presented by Mohave College and Praxair, Neal Campus-Kingman 1971 Jagerson Ave. 9am-4pm Welding Seminars and Vendors will be available. For the first time this show will be on a Saturday.
INFO:866-664-2832 ext. 1164 www.mohave.edu/pages/976.asp

Oct 21-25 Relics & Rods 32nd Annual Run to the Sun, Vehicle years
1972 and older, all makes and models
INFO:Dick Stiller 928-855-0933 relicrod@pair.com

Oct 31 Route 66 Cruizers Annual Halloween Bash
Details to follow

Dec. 6. Cops Who Care Annual Car Show & Chili Cookoff
160 N. Valentine St. Wickenburg, Community Center
INFO:928-684-5451 X 514 tonya@ciwickenburg.az.us

Pauline Rowe
692-5122
paulinerowe1@frontiernet.net

JACKSON NOTES AND ROUTE 66 NEWS

I have been gathering material for a feature article profiling Jackson, Michigan. Apparently, for a brief period between 1905 and 1915, Jackson gave Detroit a run for the title of Motor City as more than twenty automobile manufacturers were based here during this period.
A few of these, such as Buick, relocated but others merged and survived into the 1920s. Other companies abandoned automobile manufacturing to diversify into electronics or the manufacture of automotive related components.
An assignment from Cars & Parts magazine to write the obituary for the Checker company is on the "to do" list for this weekend. The iconic manufacturer of taxis and other vehicles closed its doors on July 1 after more than 85 years of operation.
This will be in addition to my regular Independent Thinker feature. For the next installment in this saga I decided to profile Roy D. Chapin, one of the founders of Hudson who served on the board of directors for the Guardian Group, a complicated investment vehicle that was the catalyst for the banking collapse of the early 1930s, and commerce secretary under President Hoover.
The pursuit of a writing career continues to take me along strange and unfamiliar paths. The latest turn is receipt of a request to be a feature speaker at the Adventure Expo convention in Chicago. Here is a link - www.adventureexpo.com
To say the least this is a very exciting prospect. However, it is again one of those opportunities that has amazing possibilities for advancement and exposure but extremely limited profit potential.
The largest drawback is it is January. For a good old boy that looks for his long johns when the temperatures drop below 80 degrees generating enthusiasm for a trip to Chicago in January is very difficult.
On the Route 66 front things are really looking up, especially in Kingman. Indications are that the second Chillin' on Beale Street, scheduled for the evening of July 18, will be bigger and better than the first.
However, plans being laid for the August event lead me to believe this thing is going to take off in a very big way. Then in September comes the big daddy of events on Beale Street - the street drags followed by a huge block party.
The project to "Light the Night on Route 66" launched by the Route 66 Association of Kingman took a giant step forward a few weeks ago with receipt of a $10,000 funds matching grant. Now they just need donations and then the old neon will again glow brightly along Route 66.
To that end the association is laying the groundwork for a huge winter festival in January. The center piece will be a monster raffle. Things are still in the planning stage but it looks as though donated prizes will run the gamut from automobiles to sandwich's, books, including signed copies, original art work, and all manner of Route 66 related items.
If you would like to make a monetary donation or donate an item for the raffle contact Tim McDonnell at 928-377-9684. All donations are tax deductible.

CHECKER - AN AMERICAN ICON BITES THE DUST

This is the oldest existent Checker dating to 1922. This is the taxi that launched an empire and was the cornerstone for the building of an icon.

The Model M was truly a stylish automobile. The connection with E.L. Cord and Auburn were established at this time. These would lead to Cord assuming a leading role in the companies direction, Checker building the Auburn Saf-T-Cab, and Checker utilizing Lycoming engines.

This strange vehicle is the limousine version of the 1940 Model A Checker. It is the only existent model of this series. Many features on this vehicle were patented including the retractable rear roof quarter.

This is the unique "Jeep" prototype built by Checker. Perhaps the most intriguing feature on this model is the four wheel steering.

There is a Cord connection here as well. Herb Snow, an engineer with the original Cord project, was working for Checker during this period.

With little fanfare or notice legendary automobile manufacturer, Checker has become another casualty of the Great Depression Part II and added its name to the long ledger of deceased American automobile manufacturers. Actual production of the Checker cab drew to a close in 1982, after an eighty year production run, but the manufacture of sub assemblies under contract to General Motors continued until July 2, 2009.

The Checker story is one of the most fascinating and most enigmatic in the colorful history of the American automobile industry. The companies founder, Morris Markin, epitomizes the legend of the American rags to riches story. The automobiles, and trucks, produced by the company transcended mere transportation to become an American icon.

Markin arrived in the United States from Russia destitute. Within twenty years he was the owner of an automobile manufacturing company and was quickly laying the foundation for a vast and lucrative taxi empire.

The company is best known for its taxis but over the years the company also produced a wide array of niche market vehicles and delved deeply into technological innovation. Among the later were experimental front wheel drive cabs in 1946, a four wheel drive and four wheel steering Jeep in 1940, diesel engine experimentation in the 1950s, and production of the first diesel powered cabs in America during the 1960s.

Unique and specialty vehicles such as the six or eight door Aerobus were an important part of the companies manufacturing base. Others included the Medicab designed with extra wide rear doors, a ramp that slid out from the rocker panel, a raised roof, and locks in the rear floor for wheel chairs.

My favorite is the 1931 MU6 Suburban Utility, a vehicle promoted as a one ton, nine passenger station wagon that could also serve as a hearse or panel truck with the removal of the seats. As much I would love to own one there are no known existent models.

The Gilmore Museum, and long time employee Jim Garrison, are diligently engaged in working to preserve this unique chapter in our automotive history. As I have update they will be posted.

(insert the sound of taps here)

*photos courtesy of Jerry Campbell

SUMMER NIGHTS ON ROUTE 66

Its convertible season, that delightful time of year where the evening temperatures inspire a restlessness that leads to cruising with the top down. Here in Kingman, Arizona, that means taking to Route 66, mingling with the tourists in rental cars, the locals with their custom and classic cars, and, of course, herds of Harley Davidson's.

My wife and I prefer the quieter side of life. So, we usually savor the sunsets from the hills above Fort Beale, in the Hulapai Mountains, or from somewhere along Route 66.
It is on the way home, often along Route 66, that we get caught up in the excitement, the quickened tempo of the summer night. Sometimes its just to catch a shot of neon or a cold treat at Sonic or Mr. D'z Route 66 Diner but to cruise Route 66, to stop at the local drive in is to experience the romanticized dream that fuels the fascination with the double six and the passion for the '57 Chevy.

For years Kingman chose to turn its back on its historic and colorful past but tourists and new residents saw something wonderful in the dusty old buildings, the darkened neon and the stunning sunsets over skylines accentuated by colorful buttes and mesas. Slowly Kingman began to awaken from its long slumber.

The Brunswick Hotel again offers fine dining as well as time capsule lodging. Lights from the historic Central Commercial Building again light the desert nights. Events like Chillin' on Beale Street (scheduled for July 18) fill the streets in the historic district with music, vintage cars, and laughter.
The future looks even brighter. The owners of the historic Old Trails Garage, with support from the Route 66 Association of Kingman, have obtained a matching funds grant to transform the garage into the cornerstone for revitalization of the historic district.

This will begin with the restoration of a rare vintage Packard sales and service neon sign. This will be hung at its original location over the front door to cast its neon glow over Route 66.

Next will be a mural on the west wall. The initial plan is for three dimensional mural that presents the illusion this is an active Packard service center circa 1940.

On the home front there is a growing frustration and escalating sense of anticipation. I now have the tools and materials to transform my childhood dream of being a writer into a reality but am not sure how to proceed.

I took this as a vacation week, a sort of bus mans holiday as it is a working vacation. First, I took a couple of days to spend with my father who was visiting from Michigan. Then I finalized the photos submission request for the Vestar site.

Then I completed an outline, summary, and sample chapter for an agent in New York. This book, Ghosts of the Sauk Trail, is something I have wanted to write for some time.

Next, I worked my way through the final edit for Ghost Towns of the Southwest. I hope to finish this today and then start on the captions.

Listed among the "still to do" projects is finalizing the framework for Ghost Towns of Route 66, photos of Oatman for a website, more text for the Route 66 Association of Kingman website, my monthly Independent Thinker column for Cars & Parts magazine, and, now, outlines for three more projects.

These are a real estate promotional venture that has requested photos to be utilized as post cards, development of a monthly column for the online edition of the Kingman Daily Miner, and the framework for a stock photo website.

All of this is quite exciting. All of these things indicate we are drawing closer to making the dream come true. All of these things are important to promote my books, our photos, and our limited edition print series. All of these things are very time consuming. Few of these pay and those that do, don't pay well enough to make it my primary source of income.
So, next week its back to Penske. I am extremely grateful for the job, especially in light of the current economic conditions. I am also grateful for the owners of the company, Martin and Cody Swanty.

Then there is ministry, something I have neglected a bit as of late. You might say my priorities have been reversed in recent weeks.

That takes us to this Sunday. This will be the day I put things back into a proper order, a thought that reminds me tomorrow is Independence Day.

I would be remiss if I didn't ask that you take a moment from your celebrations to reflect on just what an amazing nation this is and how blessed we are to live her.