Northland Chapter annual Spring Fling less than a week away...

We are very excited about this year's Spring Fling, which you should have read all about on the jacket of the current issue of The Professional Car. Have had a good response from attendees and have several coming from out of state. It's not too late to join us...please feel welcome to come and play cars with us for a few days! All you need to do is let us know you're coming.

Well that, and maybe bring some gloves and a stocking cap along...

(This was the scene at our place last Wednesday morning!

oster_oops:

Bernie

Tony: Bernie would be proud of the winter wonderland postacrd picture of his old girl! MM

This meet goes down in the history books!

What turned out to be the coldest Northland Chapter meet, weather-wise, is now history. We had over 20 people from 5 states who joined us for some fun and fellowship here in the Northland over the weekend. Despite the cold and rain (and even a few light snow flurries), there was a handful of cars in attendance too.

The highlight of the meet was our "Twin Cities" tour on Friday (the one entire day that the weather was beautiful.) Imagine taking a tour of former ambulance and livery buildings along with some of the gentlemen who worked in them back in the '60s and '70s. I don't know who got more out of it; those who carefully listened to the history lessons and "war stories" or those who were taking the trip down memory lane. We were even able to "reunite" John Ringdahl and Dave Gibson who had been partners at Smith Ambulance Service in Minneapolis in the early and mid 1960s. Those two kept us on the edge of our seats with story after story...

Special thanks to Dave Koll and Sarah Wilson of Northwestern Casket Company; Dave McGowan of HealthEast Medical Transportation; Jerry and Fred Pawelk of North Central Ambulance; Dave Meyers (former Bloomington Rescue) who chauffeured most of the group while adding a lot of Twin Cities ambulance highlights and stories; and all who attended the meet, making it such a success. You can read all about it in the upcoming issue of The Northland Crown Journal newsletter.

Pictured here is the beautifully restored 1964 Miller-Meteor Cadillac Classic 42 ambulance (ex. Williston, ND) owned by Jerry and Fred Pawelk / North Central Ambulance Sales of Lester Prairie, MN. (T. Karsnia photo)

Missed this meet? We're having another get-together next month for the ALL GM SHOW here in the Twins. Watch for more info...

C o l d !

With the air temp at about 34F coupled with a strong Northwest wind that made it feel like 17 or 18F, we weren't exactly lounging around sipping cold drinks at the Spring Extravaganza Show.

What some guys will do to show off old cars...!

(L-R): Tony Karsnia, Gene Rafferty, Paul Saether, Ed Renstrom, Jon Wurm
(Sarah Saether photo)

You guys look half frozen... wish you had warmer weather for your meet!

will one more in th ebag as they say I'll add mine pictures here. we had soem problems with the old camira as it fell apat so the pictures are limited. they start here gettign the car ready to go.
http://www.dropshots.com/jer57747#date/2011-04-28/14:10:21

Well, we did not participate with the Northlanders this car show because we entered the 1990 Buick Century Limited 9 Passenger Wagon. I hired a young man who wants to be a detailer to help me prepare the car for the show, so I thought the Buick would be perfect car to teach with. Just two months of winter ever being on the car since we bought it in 1999, Anyway Brandon was right there just as soon as the rain stopped Saturday night 6 PM the ground finally dried out. 6PM - 12AM I gave the course : Automotive show preparation detailer 101 - Good class to take I figure if you own a nice car. So anyways since the failed car show where we got put into 1986 to present catagory, (we did not place) so many people looked at the wagon and were admiring it, that it got the attention of the right people and I got I got Brandon's foot in the door to get trained in by professionals over at our local high perf shop just down the block called Top Gear European Autoworks as a detailer. He will be working on lesser value cars to start but eventually they are going to let him go on the Lambo's, Maserati's, whatever comes in the door. I met with the owner and he wanted him to be ready in two weeks and I told him that he was to green to even get close to any customer cars yet with out me by his side. After showing my porfolio however the owner locked on to the 1969 Royale of ours and personally invited us to attend the " Inter Marque car show" that is primarily european exotics. I believe the Cadillac Royale of ours might be the only American Marque in the invitational. A side Note : the Buick showed very well on Sunday, I wish we would not have been blocked in and had a corner and a Wagon catagory. Ist place in our catagory was one of the three Reatta's that showed and second and third went to two Buick Gran Nationals.

Tony Karsnia said:

With the air temp at about 34F coupled with a strong Northwest wind that made it feel like 17 or 18F, we weren't exactly lounging around sipping cold drinks at the Spring Extravaganza Show.

What some guys will do to show off old cars...!

(L-R): Tony Karsnia, Gene Rafferty, Paul Saether, Ed Renstrom, Jon Wurm
(Sarah Saether photo)

Click to expand...

Tony, That reminds me of that one year we were there, in 2005, the snow was actually sticking, Kocur, christie and I were having a small snowball fight. remember it was so cold that we all left early and did not even wait for the trophys. I wish I would have taken pics of that day, first car show I attended where it was snowing. That also was only the 2nd time since new my 85 Superior was driven in the white stuff. I wish I could have been freezing right next to you guys, but my back would never been able to make the drive.
Love the ambulance sign, was that picked up at the swap meet there?

You got to admit, the PCS is a hard core bunch and nothing will stop us from showing our cars!