Author Archives: Wheels in Motion Flagler

Dan Bowser 1940 LaSalle

 

 

Dan and Candy Bowser, Wheels In Motion’s newest members, own a home In Bunell that would be the envy of Palm Coast residents who are car enthusiasts.

He has a RV trailer parked in the yard (no problem in Bunnell) A pool between the house and a large garage with plenty of room for two cars and a workshop. Oh yeah, and a boat parked in the driveway as well. We sat in his garage viewing the trees and waving at neighbors.  It was a great Wednesday afternoon.

Dan is a native Floridian ( a rare breed there are very few left) he grew  up in Miami and later in Ft. Lauderdale. He moved to Flagler County from South Putnam County where he and his wife cared for his aging mother before she passed away. He moved to Flagler a couple of years ago. He retired from the Coast Guard serving 21 years all over the coastal waters of our nation. And again retired from  Duke Energy after working In the region. He was recalled to active duty in the Coast Guard in 1980 for the Mariel Boat Lift. “I have never seen so much Coast Guard equipment for that event,” he said.

Parked in that nice garage is a 1940 LaSalle. Not a hot rod with a fancy paint job and a souped up engine but a survivor car with the original flat head off the assembly line. A nice well kept interior and original paint that looks like it rolled off the showroom floor in 1940. La Salle was made by Cadillac and a popular luxury sedan of it’s day. Dan’s 1940 was the year Cadillac stoped making LaSalles.

Dan’s LaSalle has a little extra history. Dan bought it from Johnny Martino of the GodFathers movie fame. He used the LaSalle for his personal appearances after he retired and it has the appropriate bumper sticker that says “Take the Gun But Leave the Cannoli” Dan said Martino lives in Ormond Beach.

Dan’s wife Candy is also a car buff. Her silver 1984 C-4 Corvette.sits in the garage with the LaSalle. The LaSalle is a driver. Over the Holidays Dan took his relatives for a tour in the Lasalle to Princess Place. The 322 cubic inch flathead just hums along while passengers sit in 1900’s luxury.  

To answer the eternal car club question Dan is not a Ford or necessarily a Chevy fan. He likes GM products which puts him on the Chevy side. Dan heard about our club from the radio ad that has been running.. 

More Member Highlight

 

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Dave Rosenberg is this month’s club member in our running feature on club members and their cars. Dave is a long time member of the Wheels In Motion. He joined a few years after the club formed when we moved to night meetings.

I found him this past weekend with a nice pair of corvettes in his front drive in Palm Coast.

     Dave is a retired pharmacist and he is also a member of the Corvette Club. But his first love is Pontiacs and in particular GTO’s. He also has a 1967 GTO currently in the shop getting some work done.

            “When I first saw the GTO’s I fell in love,” Dave said. “Right out of college I bought one as a reward for completing college.”

. His daily driver is an SUV but the 1999 C-5 Corvette in the photo is also ready to drive. Under a cover behind Dave is his 1978 C-3 corvette. While you don’t have to own a classic car to be a member of Wheels In Motion, Dave has it more than covered with three and not long ago he sold a Chevy Camaro.

 

Meeting First Monday of each month

The Wheel 

A Publication of Wheels in Motion Flagler Region AACA  http://aaca.org/wheelsinmotion 

Snapshots: Members And Their Cars 

You know a husband and wife are car people when they buy a classic car to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Edith and Bob Harris are a real car couple! 
“Edith and I bought this Corvette in 1993 to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary the next year,” Bob Harris writes.

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“Since we had a 1964 Corvette when we first got married in 1964 we thought it would be cool to do a cross country trip in another Corvette,” Bob said. 
“It turned out that a Watch Foreman at the Nuclear plant where I worked (Indian Point) was going to sell his, so we took a look and bought it.” He said. 
It is a standard Corvette for 1988 with the only unusual thing is that it was made in November 1987 as a new 1988 model. It had the new type of mag wheels(16 inches) just introduced that month. And in January 1988 they replaced them with a new 17 inch wheel. So they were a lim-ited production and rare. 
The motor is the standard 350 inch with tuned port induction. it has aluminum heads. The dash is all digital. 
It also has a cool 4+3 Doug Nash standard transmission. First gear is normal but the next three have a choice of direct or overdrive so in effect seven gears. It is a small auto unit bolted to the output and if you step on it ,it will shift out of overdrive into direct drive automatically. 
The hardtop is removable and you can store it in the back area. The hood lifts up like an old XKE and I always admired that” Bob said. 
“We did drive across the country from Newburgh, NY to the Grand Canyon. Drove 5000 miles and loved every bit of it. Everywhere you stopped some one would come up and say my father,brother or relative had a Corvette. A great talking point, Bob said. 
When up North we attended the “Corvettes at Carlisle” event for over ten years and had a blast.” 
“Bought it with 31,000 on it and now have 96 ,000 on it. 
Still gets 30 mpg if you take it easy in overdrive. 
Edie and I have had so much fun in it we are keeping it forever.” 

Car Crusing Schedule 

First Wednesday of every month Captain Cone’s Ice Cream Starts between 5-6 pm – 10% off your purchase if you drive your classic or custom vehicle ALWAYS ROOM FOR ICE CREAM. They have a great variety. 197 Blackford Way, St Augustine, FL 32086 This is on US#1 South in the shopping center behind Walgreen’s. 
Cruise Night every Wednesday at Woody’s Barbeque in Palm Coast is being held 4 PM to 8 PM on Rt 100 2 miles west of Flagler Beach A1A and right off I-95 at exit 284. for those that like to stay off the highway Rt 1 south is a great drive to Bunnell, turn left [east] on Rt 100. it’s just beyond I-95 on Rt 100. 
Sept 7 Cruise night the first Tues. of each month at Culvers Restaurant 3433 US 1 So. St. . Augustine 5PM-8 PM sponsored by the Palm Coast Cruisers DJ Gasser Dan, 50/50 raffle and door prizes 
Sept 25 Cars and coffee 8AM-10 AM at the Classic Car Museum 
Oct 2 42nd annual Azalea Cruisers Car Show at the Putnam County fairgrounds 118 Fair-grounds road East Palatka, FL info & registrationwww.premiumcarshows.com 
Oct 2 First Coast Car Council 34th Annual Cruisin to the Creek 6650 SR 15 N. register on line and info www.carcouncil.org/showregistration 
Oct 6-9 AACA Eastern Fall Nationals Meet Hershey, PA. 
Oct 10 St. Ambrose Church Fall Festival in Elkton. Red River Band provides the music. It was cancelled in 2020 due to Covid 19 reserved parking for collector cars but get there early 12 noon to 4 PM Home made Minorcan clam chowder in 3 heat ranges. This is a popular event. 
Oct 16 25th Annual 8 Flags Car Show Fernandina Beach 8 AM=3 PM by Amelia Cruisers limited to 300 cars because of space limitation so register early registration forms www.ameliacruizers.org 
Oct 16 St Augustine Cruisers monthly cruise night 5-7 PM at the Classic Car Museum 
Oct 23 Cars and coffee 8AM-10 AM at the Classic Car Museum 
Oct 20-24 Vintage Chevrolet Club meet Clearwater, FL.infowww.gulfcoastVCCA.com 
Nov 6 Pontiac Car Show at the Classic Car Museum 4730 Dixie Hwy St. Augustine by the Dixie Chapter of the Pontiac Club. Open to all Pontiacs, Oakland or GMC trucks registration 9 AM-to 11 AM, awards at 3 PM Registration $20 on line before 10/16 http:// carshowpro.com$25 by mail to Erik Decker POCI 7833 Feather Oaks Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32277 and $25 day of show 
Nov 11-14 Buick Club of America SE Regional Tour Ft. Myers, FL. Info Ben Berman 941- 355-2469 or email bib1946@aol.com 
Nov 13 37th Annual Ancient City Auto Club Car Show at Classic Car Museum 4730 Dixie Hwy St. Augustine, Fl. 32086 to download flyer with registration form go to http:// ancientcity.aaca.com/ or pick up a flyer at the Classic Car Museum. 
Nov 21 VW Car Show at Classic Car Museum 
Nov 25-28 Daytona Turkey Run to register www.turkeyrun.com 
Feb 24-26 2022 AACA Winter Nationals, Melbourne, FL. Cape Canaveral Region info call 484-769-7856 

The annual Wheels In Motion Car Club picnic is set for Sunday October 17. The club has reserved the picnic pavilion for that date. The picnic will begin at Noon at the Pavilion. The park is located off of Colbert Lane on the Intracoastal Waterway. From Palm Coast turn south on Colbert Lane (at Daytona State College) and the park entrance is several miles south on the left and well marked. From Flag-ler Beach take Colbert Lane off of S.R. 100 to the north and the park will be on the right side of Col-bert after the Lehigh Trailhead. 
The club provides hamburgers and hot dogs and all the fixings. It is suggested that members bring side dishes and deserts. The park has a large open air pavilion with plenty of picnic tables. The picnic has been a popular yearly outing for the club. At the next meeting, October 4th please indicate on the sign up sheet that you plan to attend and a possible dish you will bring to minimize duplications. There is no fee to attend the picnic.