Classic and modern cars gathered in the lot at Craft B&B (2658 Grand Ave) for the first Cars and Coffee event Saturday. The event offered a place for car enthusiasts to gather and free coffee from MoAV Coffee.
In addition to the weekly gatherings from 10 a.m. to noon, the group plans on a monthly event to raise money for local non-profits, and 10 percent of sales from Craft B&B, Cadillac Jax and Peppers will be donated, according to organizer Dallas Sluder.
Very few men can say they gave their wife a car that they designed and walked through the assembly line at General Motors. This was a one and only Montana "Sky Blue" color made special for his wife "Pat." This is no ordinary man, David North was retiring as "Chief Designer" having spent thirty-three wonderful years in this position. We often wonder where a car gets its name, In this case David and his wife loved a western movie called "Giant," she also helped him with the nominating of the brand name. This is a sports car that seats two with ample leg room, and comes in both a convertible and a hard top model. The "touch instrument panel" was unique to the industry in '91. Those at Buick knew this car was being made for David & Pat and went out of their way to do some very special enhancements that would not be on cars for the next several years. Of the many cars they were privileged to have owned this was a "keeper" and will always be known as "Pats Car."
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In Loving Memory of CMYRYD founder Duane Demars
The Following is the forward from Duane's second book "HOT RODS AND CLASSICS"
For many of us, the love of automobiles is woven into our soul. It started when we were young, perhaps when we got behind the wheel for the very first time or when our hearts pounded as we took our road test and got our first driver’s license. Everyone remembers their first car. It didn’t matter whether it was fresh off the showroom floor or off the used car lot. We had the keys to our freedom in our hands and it was new to us.
The cars of yesterday had a distinctive style and personality. From fins and fender skirts, to ornate hood ornaments, you could recognize a make and model from a block away. Car colors and paint finishes have come a long way from Henry Ford’s original idea of “Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black.” Car colors followed trends as cars took their place as status symbols. By the 50s, cars were being painted in two and three tones and had matching interiors. Detroit started experimenting and gave us our first hybrids—the El Camino and the Ranchero, which melded the comfort of a car with convenience of a pickup and created a cult classic.
When major automobile manufactures suggested “two cars in every driveway,” it started a chain reaction. The carport and one-car garage were no longer acceptable. Now, two and three-car garages are standard design features of most homes. You can customize your ride with graphics, chrome or high-tech stereo systems. Our love of cars has created an entire genre of television shows dedicated to creating one-of-a-kind rides. The automotive industry is enormous from manufacture to aftermarket parts, from restoration to resale, it is a multi-billion dollar industry that has become a part of the fabric of our lives.
For the true enthusiast, the car show has become a social event. It provides a chance to dream, a place to rub elbows with people who share your passion and, in some cases, an opportunity to give a little something back to the community by dedicating the proceeds to non-profit causes. For those who merely attend and those who show off their cars, social status, income and occupation mean nothing. It’s about the cars and how we have made them our own. We teach our children and our grandchildren to value the past and look forward to the day when they, too, hold their first set of keys in their hands.
COURT STRIKES DOWN YEAR-ROUND E15 ETHANOL SALES
The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia found that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) overstepped its authority by issuing a rulemaking allowing gasoline with up to 15% ethanol to be sold year-round. Previously, there was a summertime restriction on the sale of E15, due to fuel-volatility concerns that higher blends of ethanol combined with warmer temperatures may lead to increased smog. The Court stated that it was clear that Congress did not intend for ethanol blends higher than 10% to be allowed to be sold year-round and thus struck down the 2019 EPA rule.
SEMA opposed the EPA rulemaking to expand E15 availability to year-round. Ethanol, especially in higher concentrations such as E15, can cause damage to high-performance parts and vehicles manufactured prior to 2001. The EPA requires an E15 warning label on fuel pumps in recognition that many older vehicles were not constructed with ethanol-resistant materials and could be subject to metal corrosion or plastic and rubber deterioration. In its comments opposing the rule, SEMA reminded the agency that there are millions of older vehicles, motorcycles, ATVs, boats and machines with smaller engines still in the marketplace and that the warning labels should be even larger than currently required to protect against accidental misfueling.
Please enjoy these cars from the recent Cabela's Car Show!
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Montana Bill to Expand Single License Plate Usage Signed into Law
Success in Montana! SAN-supported legislation (H.B. 266) to mandate that the state issue waivers for vehicles unable to display a front license plate was signed into law by Governor Greg Gianforte. Current law permits the display of a single rear-mounted plate for motor vehicles registered as a street rod or custom vehicle, and a waiver may be issued for vehicles unable to display a front plate. The new law requires the waiver to be issued.
The new law protects the aesthetic contours of vehicles and relieve the burden of having to create mounting holes on original bumpers. It also accommodates additional classic and special-interest vehicles, many of which are not originally equipped with a designated place to display a front plate. The new law goes into effect October 1, 2021.
Congratulations and thank you to those who supported this effort!
START YOUR ENGINES: Re-created Dream Cars Will Finally Roar to Life After Long-Awaited Approval!
Automotive Community Celebrates Expanding Replica Market with Implementation of Landmark Federal Law
Following years of frustration, fully-functional tribute vehicles will soon roam the nation’s roads after finally receiving the government’s green light for assembly! For the first time ever, brand-new reproductions of sought-after legends will be available as turn-key cars and trucks resembling those made at least 25 years ago. A slew of unique and highly anticipated models await completion—classics included range from 1930s roadsters to 1970s muscle cars, exotic sports cars to rare SUVs among others. Manufacturers can begin production of completed replicas in addition to offering assembly kits now that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has finalized a regulation.
In 2015, the U.S. Congress enacted a milestone bill into Federal law led by the SEMA Action Network (SAN), which streamlined requirements for small automakers. To the dismay of many, implementation was delayed years while awaiting the regulations. After receiving necessary guidelines from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB), SEMA sued NHTSA in October 2019 to require the agency to issue regulations allowing the law to take effect. Purchase of newly-built re-creations will be possible in the coming months once replica car businesses have operations up and running.
“SEMA applauds NHTSA’s final rule allowing companies to market classic-themed cars,” said SEMA President and CEO Christopher J. Kersting. “Regulatory barriers have previously prevented small automakers from producing heritage cars for eager customers. The roadblocks have been eliminated. Companies will be able to hire workers, start making necessary parts and components, and produce and sell completed cars.”
The milestone replica car law and implementing regulations allow a low volume manufacturer to construct up to 325 such replica cars a year, each resembling those produced at least 25 years ago. Until now, the U.S. had just one system for regulating automobiles which was designed for companies that mass-produce millions of vehicles. The new program recognizes the unique challenges faced by companies that produce a small number of custom cars. Enthusiasts still have the option to build a car from a kit along with the opportunity to purchase a completed, turn-key replica.
Congratulations and thank you to all who have contacted government officials in support of this historic effort!
CMYRYD Thanks you for supporting Classic Cars
Mojo 92.5 We can make any car sound better !
AUTO WORKS 360
JR'S Repair and Exhaust INC
PRO TECH Automotive and Diesel
Randash Auto
Billings Window & Door
Jim & Tracy's Alignment & Auto Sales
K-9 Cottage Pet Grooming
Maaco Collision Repair & Auto Painting
ACE High Auto Sales
BodyWorks *Tattoo & Piercing
2nd Shift BAR & CASINO
BUD LIGHT Intermountain Distributing
A+ ELECTRIC MOTOR, Inc.
State Farm - Wigen Insurance
Ra Ra's Pizzeria & Sandwiches
Slumberland Furniture & Mattresses
Four Aces Lounge
Nickels Casino & Liquor Store
PRO AUTO SOUND & Security
Slumberland FURNITURE
Pixie TUTUS
Lucky Cuss BAR & CASINO
DISCOUNT TIRE
J-K Auto Sales
The PITA PIT
MASTER LUBE
Hot Rod Garage
Reggie's Auto Body Rod Shop
Grand Stand Casino & Sports Bar
Montana Flooring & Liquidators
Is YOUR show on CMYRYD's Car Show List for 2022?
Send us your cruise night or car show information. Just fill out the block on event page and hit send. We will try to have your event posted in 24 hours.
Radial Versus Bias-ply Tires and What Those Tire Numbers Really Mean
by Les Roth
Today’s radial tires are a wonder of modern engineering. In the late 1800’s bias-ply tires were used on bicycles. They were used on automobiles from the 1900’s to the late 1960’s. Then in 1969, radial-ply tires were introduced. The radial tire was a major improvement over the old bias–ply construction. They rolled easier and improved handling and gas mileage. The old bias-ply tires were more flexible and seemed to follow ruts in the roadway. Bias-ply tires have belts that criss-cross the tire while radial belts loop across the tire.
If you own a classic car with wheels designed for bias-ply tires, mount radial tires on those rims at your own risk. Those rims were designed for bias-ply tires only. Too many classic owners have found they lost wheel covers and even worse, had major blow-out and control issues with their car when they used radials on bias rims. Remember, radial tires are designed to be mounted only on wheels designed for radial tires.
Ever wonder what all those confusing numbers on the sidewall of your tires really mean? What you are looking at is an alphanumeric system that describes your tire and its performance characteristics. Let’s use tire size P225/70R16 100S as our example:
In the above tire size the first letter indicates the type of tire and its intended use. The “P” indicates the tire is a metric size used primarily on passenger vehicles. You can also find tires with other letter designations. They include LT (Light Truck Metric), C (Commercial), ST (Special Trailer Service) and T (Temporary Spare),
Then the numbers 225 following the first letter indicate the section width of the tire. The section width is defined as the widest point on the tire measured from sidewall-to-sidewall. For example, this tire has a 225-millimeter width. The rule here is the larger this number, the wider the tire. And remember, this number is the width of the tire in millimetres. If you are using tires larger than those specified for your car, be extra careful in measuring the available space. Raised lettering on a tire’s sidewall can make the difference between a scraped sidewall and a tight fit.
Following the slash, the number 70 shows the height of the tire as a percentage of its section width. The rule is...the lower the number, the lower the profile of the tire. Our number is 70 and that tells you the tire’s height is 70% of its section width.
In our example, the next letter is “R” which tells you the construction of the tire, which in this case is radial. Other designation types may include “D” for bias ply construction and “B” for belted tires, but most tires today are of radial design.
Next the number 16 that indicates the size of the wheel that the tire will fit. This number is in inches and in this case, this tire would be designed to fit a 16-inch wheel. Nowadays, you’ll find tire sizes starting at 13-inches going up to 18-inches. If you buy aftermarket tires wheel sizes can run up to 22-inches or larger.
Then comes the number 100 which tire manufacturers call load rating. This number indicates the approved load rating of that tire in the Load Index. The Load Index starts at 71 (761 pounds) and goes up to 110 which would be 2,337 pounds for passenger vehicles.
And finally comes the speed rating. Our tire speed rating is “S.” Speed ratings start at M (81-mph) and go up to Y (186-mph). In this case the “S” rating shows our tire would be rated for 112-mph.
Car Tips:
1.Drop a business card with your name on it down the window slot in case you ever have to prove ownership.
2.In the glove box, keep a few handy wipes to remove the gas odor from your hands from filling the tank.
3. Remove auto grease from hands with baking soda and water.
4.When visiting a mechanic to have a part replaced, always ask for the worn or damaged part back. This way you'll be sure it was actually replaced .
5.A radio antenna will slide up and down easier if a coat of wax is applied occasionally. Wax paper works great for this job. Rubbing the wax paper up and down the antenna will do the job.
6. Get rid of tar on your bumper with an unexpected item from your fridge ~ mayonnaise. Wipe on, wait five minutes, then easily wipe off both the mayo and the tar. "Do not use on painted bumpers"
7. Only 5 percent of cars actually run better on premium gas as oposed to regular. Check your owners manual...
