The NSRA Nationals North in Kalamazoo, Michigan proved to be the perfect kickoff to the AMSOIL/Street Rodder. The September weather was great with clear blue skies and temperatures in the high 70's each day. The fairground was covered with participants and spectators each of the three days of the event.
Sunday afternoon about 15 of the 20 street rods that were registered for the Classic Automobilia Tour gathered at the Street Rodder hospitality and the trip to Burlington began. Our destination for Sunday evening was Milan, Ohio near Lake Erie and the Cedar Point area. We arrived just before sunset enjoyed some supper had hit the hay in anticipation of a full day of fun on Monday.
Monday started with a 7:30 driver's meeting where we went over the day's activities. It was a short five mile drive to Thomas Edison's birthplace just off the square in Milan. From Milan we headed east on the Ohio Turnpike and Berea, Ohio he home of the Flaming River Industries facilities. Flaming River has been the official steering component supplier to the Road Tour for many years. At Flaming River we were greeted by Sales Manager Brett Doman and the Flaming River staff. We were also greeted by a video crew who were filming footage to be used in a Flaming River promotional video. We were given a tour of the manufacturing facilities and then enjoyed some delicious cookies and coffee before setting out on our travels east.
The next stop on Monday was the Akron, Ohio home of GearStar Transmission. GearStar has been the official automatic transmission supplier for the Road Tour cars for the last four years. We put about 20,000 miles on our Road Tour vehicles each season and the GearStar transmissions have performed flawlessly every year. At GearStar we were greeted by owner Zack Farrah and his staff of technicians. After a question and answer session with the experts at GearStar we all enjoyed a great lunch before traveling on to Youngstown, Ohio.
The drive to Youngstown took about an hour and we arrived at the Classic Automobilia showroom at 1PM, My wife Mary Ann and I started Classic Automobilia in 1989 and have been supplying automotive nostalgia items to folks for twenty years. The most resent addition to the Classic Automobilia line is the '34 Hot Rod pedal car that celebrates the 75th Anniversary of that icon body style. It is always fun to show everyone the items that I have collected over the years.
After our visit at Classic the Road Tourians headed for the hotel and I headed for my own house for a change. Mary Ann and I had invited everyone to stop at our home for some refreshments before we headed to TP Tools for a visit. Also at our house we handed out the Road Tour participant goodie bags and T shirts. Mary Ann had also put together a special goodie bag for the Tour participants. It was great to show everyone our home and collection of vehicles.
At TP Tools in Canfield we were greeted by owners Fred and Bob Zwicker. The showroom at TP Tools is of course filled with every type of tool and sand blast equipment that anyone would need for automotive work but it is also filled with some great displays of items that Fred and Bob have collected over the years. The offices are lined with incredible antique wood cabinets, desks and beautiful oak trim. We were shown the production facilities where the TP Tools blasting cabinets and HVLP Spray units are manufactured. The newest addition at TP is the building that houses their classic car collection. We enjoyed some refreshments and everyone had a great time at TP Tools.
It was a full day a fun on Monday on the Classic Automobilia Tour.There is lots more to come this week as we travel to Vermont. Be sure to check back here for all the latest updates on our travels.
Jerry Dixey