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According to the President . ………………………2-3
ACCC Board....…..……….…………….………………......4
ACCC Info & Sponsor ...…….....……………………..5
VP Article/Events ……………..………………...……...…6
Nat’l Corvette Museum Ambassador ……………..7
Tales from the Garage ……………………………………..8
Trip to the Outer Banks…………………………………...9
Editors Nostalgia—1953…………..………..…..10-11
Valentine Brunch………………………………………………….12
Birthdays/Anniv……………………………………………...….13
February Calendar …………….………...….…...…...14
ACCC Store ....….…………………………………....……15
I N T H I S I S S U E
Next Meeting - February 21st Start Time is 7:30 pm
Aquia Harbor Inn
1415 Washington Dr,
Stafford, VA 22554
The ACCCelerator - Aquia Creek Corvette Club Newsletter - February 2017
Pete Rutledge’s 1957 Corvette, See
Nags Head, NC, Mar 2016
1953 “Blue Flame”
(6 cylinder)
235 cu. in.
150HP (gross)
2017 Z06
(8 cylinder)
378 cu. in.
650HP (net)
Well fellow ACCC members, it is February and hopefully the
worst month of the winter is out of the way and spring is
around a corner. If that is true, we should have a great Feb-
ruary as January was Corvette driving weather. I have put
my first meeting under my belt and it went smoother than
expected, thanks to the board members who were keeping
me in line. My first executive action of the New Year, was
cancelling January’s breakfast due to an impending ice storm.
I am sure a lot of you were happy about that but there may
have been some grumbling when the weather did not materi-
alize as forecasted. We were able to have our board meeting
on Monday, Jan 16th, and came up with a few agenda items to
present to the general membership meeting, which you can
review in the minutes.
We are one month away from our annual pilgrimage to Nag’s
Head. If you haven’t made your reservations yet, see the
flyer in this newsletter and get your reservations - and buy
lots of non-chocolate candy for the St Patrick’s Day parade.
This is always a fun trip and our hotel is only a few miles
from the original Duck Donuts. We also have a nice club din-
ner at one of the local restaurants. Also of interest in Kitty
Hawk is the home of the Wright Brothers National Memorial
and a museum, located adjacent to the air field where the
original Wright Brothers airplane first flew. Property is part
of the U.S. National Park Service. If interested in showing
off your Corvette, there is a car show on Saturday at a
nearby school. I would love to see some first timers on this
three day getaway weekend.
Dottie and Nan have also planned a Valentines Brunch at
Zibibbo’s in Stafford. That menu should be in the newsletter
as well. Please let Dottie or Nan know your intentions for at-
tending this sweetheart event, and it’s not just for couples,
everybody is welcome to attend.
By now Skip, Marie, and Joan should have completed and en-
joyed their Rolex 24 racing experience at Daytona and hope-
fully brought home lots of memories, pictures, and another
(Continued on Page 3)
President
Al McCloud
Vice President
Bud Donner
Treasurer
Dottie Shadbar
Secretary
Lee Morton
Newsletter Editor
Pete Rutledge
Membership
Marie Sizemore
Past President
Skip Sizemore
ACCCording to the President Al McCloud
2017 ACCC BOARD MEMBERS
Page 2 The ACCCelerator - Aquia Creek Corvette Club Newsletter - February 2017
Al
Credit: Automobile Magazine (http://www.automobilemag.com/news/infographic-shows-62-years-of-chevrolet-corvette-horsepower/) [C numbers added by your editor]
*Note: C1 horsepower is “gross” rating (max no-load hp) while C7 horsepower is “net” (hp with normal ac-cessories and restrictions in place); in net terms, the C1 150 hp would actually be considerably less. Ad-
vertised horsepower of American cars changed from gross to net in 1972.
Corvette Generations, C1 to C7 From 150 to 650 hp*
Page 3 The ACCCelerator - Aquia Creek Corvette Club Newsletter - February 2017
ACCCording to the President Al McCloud (cont’d)
win for the Corvette Team. Looking forward to hearing their event wrap-up at February’s
meeting. Hope they had a safe and uneventful trip.
See ya in February at one of our functions.
C1 C2
C4 C3
C5 C6
C7
President Al McCloud called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM.
Treasury Report. Dottie Shadbar reported the account is in good standing.. She also got a refund for Bob Ste-
vens, who could not attend the Christmas party due to an illness. Dottie also reported on several organizations
sending us flyers looking for donations.
Membership. Marie Sizemore reported we have 49 members in good standing.
Vice President. Bud Donner asked if anyone was interested in a trip to the Marine Corps Museum during the win-
ter. Bud will plan it for Feb 18th, time TBD. Breakfasts will go back to the first Saturday of the month starting
in March.
Newsletter. Pete Rutledge reported the January newsletter was out on New Years Eve. Pete discussed that in
the next newsletter he would incorporate links to other stories and videos, as well as new articles. Pete is re-
questing inputs no later than 26 January. Send photos!
Old Business.
Nan Wehmeyer discussed Ocean City coming up in October. A lot of members have already booked rooms at the
Paradise Plaza. If you have not, you need to move quickly as they are going fast; Nan also discussed the Myrtle
Beach trip which is coming up in June. Marie Sizemore will check a few hotels for a good group rate and get back
to us at the next meeting.
Al McCloud pointed out the January Breakfast was cancelled due to inclement weather.
Lee Morton discussed the upcoming Nags Head trip for March 10 - 12. This year the First Flight Cruisers were
able to schedule their events during the same weekend. We have seven rooms booked so far. Still room for
plenty more. Look for more information in the Newsletter.
Dottie Shadbar discussed the recent Christmas Party. We had 26 members attend. Dottie received a lot of
positive feedback from members she spoke to. The only issue was the traffic and the parking due to it being late
in December (Christmas shoppers). We will plan it for earlier in December next year.
New Business. John Horvath made a motion to have the Christmas party at the Park Lane again next year. Dave
Shadbar seconded the motion. Motion carried.
Al discussed the upcoming 30th Anniversary for the Club. The members present voted for a picnic. Potential lo-
cation would be at the Lake of the Woods on Saturday, September 9. We may go with catering instead of pot-
luck. More information to follow.
The Valentine’s Day Brunch will go on Sunday Feb 12 at Lake of the Woods at 1100 [ed: location/time subse-
quently changed—see flyer and calendar, this issue].
Joan Yaros brought in a small collection of ACCC and other Corvette artifacts given to her after the passing of
John Tomlin. She turned them in to Past President Skip Sizemore.
Dottie Shadbar brought up the need for the annual audit of the Treasury. She said it could be accomplished
fairly quickly, perhaps within minutes. She asked for volunteers and Nan Wehmeyer and Joan Yaros agreed.
Pete brought up the need to attract more members to Club meetings and asked for ideas. As many of our events
attract more members than our meetings, Lee Morton suggested that question should be asked at Club events
where attendance is large. Al McCloud said he would consider making some phone calls to get input from mem-
bers.
Al McCloud announced the Birthdays & anniversaries. Skip Sizemore won the 50/50.
Jan 2017 ACCC Business Meeting
Lee Page 4 The ACCCelerator - Aquia Creek Corvette Club Newsletter - February 2017
AQUIA CREEK CORVETTE CLUB
The purpose of this organization shall be to provide educational needs for those with Corvettes, and
for the preservation, restoration, and enjoyment of all Corvettes.
Aquia Creek Corvette Club (ACCC) was formed in September 1987 by a group of die-hard Corvette
enthusiasts from Aquia Harbor in Stafford, VA. The name was selected reflecting the Club's geo-
graphic and historical origins in the Old Dominion. Through hard work and commitment, ACCC has en-
joyed constant growth and now boasts 49 members representing nearly 70 Corvettes, from a 1953 to
2017. ACCC membership consists primarily of Stafford County residents, but has members from
Prince William, Fairfax, Fauquier, Spotsylvania, Orange, Culpeper, Loudon, Louisa counties, and two in
Florida. Since September 8th, 2014, the ACCC Facebook Group has been limited to ACCC members
only, except for a few that were already group members.
https://www.facebook.com/
groups/437699356306459/
Also Find Us On
https://acccphotos.shutterfly.com/
Aquia Creek Corvette Club is sponsored by
Page 5 The ACCCelerator - Aquia Creek Corvette Club Newsletter - February 2017
3670 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Fredericksburg, VA 22408
Phone:
Cars: 888-686-1096
Service: 888-720-6236
Aquia Creek Corvette Club
P.O. Box 986
Stafford, VA 22553
Website: www.accclub.org
Fellow ACCC Members,
ACCC EVENTS Bud Donner, Vice President
ACCCording to the Vice President Bud Donner
Calendar of Events
February 2017
12th – 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM -Valentine’s Day
brunch, Zibibbo 73 Restaurant, 2757 Jeffer-
son Davis Hwy., Stafford (let Dottie know if
you’re going) (see flyer p. 12)
18th – 9:30 AM Marine Corps Museum, 18900
Jefferson Davis Hwy., Triangle (let Bud know
if you’re going)
21st – 7:30 PM, ACCC Membership Meeting,
Aquia Harbor
March 2017
4th – 9:00 AM, Monthly Breakfast, Juke Box
Diner, 8637 Sudley Road, Manassas
10-12 – Annual Trip to the Outer Banks – see
flyer (p. 9)
21st – 7:30 PM, ACCC Membership Meeting,
Aquia Harbor
April 2017
1st – 9:00 AM, Monthly Breakfast, TBD
16th – 9:00 AM – Classic Car Center, 3591 Lee
Hill Drive, Fredericksburg Details TBA
18th – 7:30 PM, ACCC Membership Meeting,
Aquia Harbor
25-30 – The Bash, NCM Bowling Green, KY
This will be an ACCC event – see the Ambas-
sador’s column in this newsletter (next page).
Bud
The winter weather has been surprisingly mild
this year (so far) and although there’s sure to be
some non-Corvette weather in the next couple of
months, we will plan some local events where we
can use our “steel cars” if necessary.
Instead of our usual monthly breakfast, we will
celebrate Valentine’s Day on Sunday, February
12, with a brunch at Zibibbo 73 Trattoria and
Wine Bar on Route 1 in Stafford, a couple of
blocks south of Garrisonville Road. Be sure to let
Dottie or Nan know if you are going to join us –
we need to give the Bistro a head count.
The next event will be a visit to the Marine Corps
Museum on Route 1 in Quantico on Feb.18. We
won’t caravan, just plan to be there at 9:30 AM;
there’s a guided tour that starts at 10 and we will
have lunch in the Tun Tavern in the museum after
the tour. Let me know if you’re going – we need a
reservation if we’re over 25 people.
Finally, let’s go to the Classic Car Center in Fred-
ericksburg on April 16 for their annual swap meet
and open house. Beautiful cars, food available
from Famous Dave’s – details next month.
Page 6 The ACCCelerator - Aquia Creek Corvette Club Newsletter - February 2017
Page 7 The ACCCelerator - Aquia Creek Corvette Club Newsletter - February 2017
Thanks to all of you who bought tickets for the Febru-
ary 9 raffle of the 2017 Arctic White coupe – we sold
all 25 tickets – good luck to you!
Attendance at the Museum and Motorsports Park in-
creased in 2016. The Museum had 228,363 visitors, a
3.5% increase over 2015, and the Motorsports Park had
over 57,000 visitors. Those numbers are the second
highest in the Museum’s history, only beaten by 2014,
the year of the famous sinkhole.
We have put the Bash on the calendar as an official
ACCC event. It’s the NCM’s most popular event and
draws a large group of Corvette owners from all over
the country. It will be an opportunity to see the 2018
Corvettes, attend seminars, play golf with the Racing
Team, take a guided road tour, and sign up for a tour of
the Assembly Plant. Ladies, there are special events
just for you, including a Garage Party with the women of
the GM Corvette Team, a ladies’ oasis and a sip and
paint. That’s just part of the full schedule – I guaran-
tee you won’t be bored! The dates are from Thursday,
April 27, through Saturday, April 29. We will leave
home on Wednesday, April 26, and drive about halfway
and then continue on to Bowling Green on Thursday.
When we know how many are going we will block some
hotel rooms and finalize departure times, etc. The only
thing you need to do now is go to the NCM website
(corvettemuseum.org), click on “Explore,” “Events,” and
find the Bash schedule – look it over, decide on the spe-
cial events you want to sign up for, and send in the reg-
istration form. I recommend the Saturday evening ban-
quet – good food, great fun. Remember you don’t have
to be a museum member to attend this event, and you
may cancel any time before the on-line reservations
close on April 18. Last minute deciders can even sign up
when we arrive at the museum, but you won’t get the
souvenir credential, lapel pin, and dash plaque. One
more thing – please let me know if you are planning to
go: [email protected].
www.c
orve
ttemus
eum
.org
Bud
Page 8 The ACCCelerator - Aquia Creek Corvette Club Newsletter - February 2017
“Tales from the Garage” is a new monthly column featuring members’ garage adventures; tips about garage safety,
tools, organization, methods, etc.; and information on Corvette maintenance, repair, restoration, and modification.
We can also use this column to share information about common problems and solutions. I hope we will be able to
provide material of use to the full spectrum of Corvette owner-members, from those who do very little of a hands
-on nature with their Corvettes to those who are accomplished “wrenches.” The column is open to input from all
members, so if you have had an interesting adventure in your garage or even in your favorite Corvette repair ga-
rage, send it to me to share with the other members through publication in this newsletter. Thanks.
Pete ([email protected])
ACCC Newsletter Editor
SKIP SIZEMORE’S EXCELLENT HEAD GASKET ADVENTURE by Skip Sizemore
As some of you know we recently had some issues with our 1995 Corvette. Our ‘95 has 121,000 miles on the clock,
so I guess some issues were to be expected. In this case a blown head gasket was the issue and it was a major
one. How the head gasket problem came about is a story unto itself, so we will not deal with that in this story.
We had been having overheating issues with the car for a couple of weeks. One day we had to have the car towed
from Fredericksburg to a Culpeper repair shop and they said the radiator needed to be replaced. Against my bet-
ter judgment, I agreed and the shop replaced the radiator. The following Sunday we drove the Corvette to
breakfast and along the way it started to look like a Stanley Steamer (an old car powered by steam) with clouds
of vapor and green antifreeze flowing out the exhaust pipes. This is a sure sign of a blown head gasket. So much
for the radiator solution! A V8 engine like the one in our ‘95 Corvette has two head gaskets. Getting those gas-
kets off requires removal of the fuel injection, intake manifold, alternator, air conditioner compressor, exhaust
headers and both cylinder heads, along with a plethora of brackets, wires, and hoses. After all the disassembly,
the cylinder heads were sent to a machine shop for testing and machining.
The heads proved to be in good shape, so reassembly started with new gaskets and head bolts. Everything went
back together without many issues and the car started on the first turn of the key. Yay!
LESSONS LEARNED
1. Everything costs more and takes longer than you think.
2. Take lots of pictures during disassembly particularly of bracket assemblies.
3. You will remember how that bracket assembly went to-gether. You will not!
4. A bolt/nut etc. dropped into the engine bay may never be seen again.
5. Good machine shops are getting hard to find.
6. Double check all the work including that of the machine shop.
7. Engine design and materials have gotten much better since the 1950s and ‘60s.
Do as much of your own work as you can. When completed the
sense of accomplishment is exhilarating, the cost is lower, and
if anything is wrong you know who to blame.
Thanks to Scott Sizemore, Marie Sizemore, Butch Loveland,
and John Horvath for their help during this adventure.
Page 9 The ACCCelerator - Aquia Creek Corvette Club Newsletter - February 2017
ACCC Annual Road Trip to the Outer Banks
March 10 – 12, 2017
Basic Information
Lodging. The Baymont Inn & Suites in Kitty Hawk (formerly the Holiday Inn Express)
3919 N Croatan Hwy, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949
• The ACCC has a block of 10 rooms set aside from 10 – 12 March.
• The rate is $79.99 per night plus tax during those dates.
• For reservations call (252)-261-4888, please tell them you’re with the Aquia Creek
Corvette Club.
Departure and Route. Rain or shine, Friday, March 10, members will meet at the Cracker
Barrel in Central Park in Fredericksburg for breakfast at 8:30 AM and depart at approximately
0945:
• The group will head South on I-95 with the following scheduled rest stops:
• Approx 60 minutes. New Kent Welcome Center on I-64 East, Mile Marker 213
• Approx 90 minutes. Southland Restaurant in Moyock, NC (commence the Poker Run)
• Various Poker Run stops along the route between Southland and the Baymont Inn.
Those wishing to participate in the Poker run can proceed on their own to the hotel.
Scheduled Events: Members are free to tour the Outer Banks, shop, play golf, enjoy the beach
and dine as they choose. However, the following scheduled events are planned for those who
wish to participate:
• Fri Mar 10, 8AM – 4PM: * Poker Run, organized by the First Flight Cruisers. The Poker
Run stops will be along route to our Hotel.
• Fri evening, * Poker Run Party. Prizes, music, and fun. Time and location TBD
• Fri Mar 10: TBD, ACCC dinner at the Black Pelican
• Sat Mar 11: * Shamrock Car, Truck & Bike Show, First Flight HS
• Sat Mar 11: @ 1:00PM: Running of the Leprechauns 5K and 10K race
• Sun Mar 12 @ 1:00PM: 28th Annual Outer Banks St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Return home. Members are on their own to return home to Virginia. Some members may
choose to leave after the parade on Sunday afternoon, while others may choose to stay an
extra day and depart on Monday the 13th. The hotel will work to accommodate your wishes.
* The First Flight Cruises have not yet published the details on these events
• ACCC Point of Contact is Lee Morton at 540-287-6686 or [email protected]
Lee
Page 10 The ACCCelerator - Aquia Creek Corvette Club Newsletter - February 2017
Can you believe it was sixty-four years ago, on January 17, 1953, when the world saw the first Chevrolet
Corvette unveiled at the annual GM Motorama exhibition at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York City? That
Motorama concept car, code named EX-122, still exists today in fully restored form, owned by Kerbeck Chevrolet
in Atlantic City, NJ. It will likely be under a tent at Corvettes at Carlisle again this coming August.
Chevrolet manufactured only 300 Corvettes that first year; they differed only in minor details from the Motorama
concept car. One of these 300 special Corvettes, #222, owned by ACCC long-time member Larry Halley, has been
restored and is well cared for by him and his son, Larry Jr..
All 300 1953 Corvettes (and only these Corvettes) were manufactured in a pilot plant in Flint, MI (for the ’54
model year, Corvette manufacturing was moved to St. Louis, MO, where it remained until 1981, when it moved to its
present location in Bowling Green, KY).
In 1953, Chevrolet did not yet have a V-8 engine; the first Chevy V-8 wouldn’t arrive until 1955. So all 1953 Cor-
vette were powered by a 235 cubic inch overhead valve straight six-cylinder engine, an engine design first used by
Chevy in 1937. It was factory-modified with three single-barrel carburetors, special camshaft, special exhaust,
and solid valve lifters to produce 150 gross horsepower (hp), compared to the more sedate version used in sedans
that produced 123 (with standard transmission) or 136 hp (with Powerglide automatic transmission). 150 hp may
not sound like much, but the Ford flat head 239 cubic inch V-8 produced only 119 hp; the Studebaker 232 cubic
inch overhead valve V-8 produced only 127 hp. So the Corvette “Blue Flame” six was nothing to be ashamed of.
For the 1953 model year, Chevrolet felt they didn’t have a manual transmission (3-speed) that would stand up to
the “power” of the Corvette engine. So all 1953 Corvettes had the famous Powerglide automatic transmission. Un-
usual for automatic transmissions of the time, however, in the Corvette it did, at least, have a floor-mounted shift
lever. So it looked pretty sporty.
Also advanced for its time was the fact that the ’53 Corvette had no visible radio antenna, although all ‘53s were
equipped with the AM signal-seeking radio. The Corvette radio antenna took the form of wire mesh embedded be-
tween the layers of fiberglass in the trunk lid. (Visible radio masts returned on the Corvette in 1956. Years later
GM again incorporated invisible antennas in its cars, sometimes embedded in the glass in the top-most portion of
the windshields.)
All 1953 Corvettes had a Polo White exterior and red interior. Exterior colors wouldn’t arrive for the Corvette
until well into the 1954 model year (Pennant Blue arrived first, then red, and a handful in black).
As with all Corvettes since then, Corvette was born in 1953 with an all plastic body. In that first year the bodies
were manufactured by hand-laying of successive layers of fiberglass fabric or mat and resin in a mold until the de-
sired panel thickness was achieved. Handling the raw fiberglass must have been unpleasant for the workers due to
glass particles, in the form of fiberglass dust, embedding themselves in the workers’ skin, causing itching; and
washing doesn’t help much to make the itch go away.
All 1953 Corvettes came with black canvas soft tops only (in ’54 the color was changed to beige). Factory hard
tops were not available for Corvettes until 1956; aftermarket hard tops were available for ’54 and ’55 Corvettes.
The 1953 Corvette design with its distinctive wire covered headlights, jet exhaust tail lights, slab sides, low wind-
shield, and recessed rear license plate, lasted through the 1955 model year, the year Corvette got a V-8 engine.
While it is officially a “C1,” I like to call the ’53-55 Corvettes “C1.1,” because of the distinct design changes that
occurred over the full course of Corvette’s first generation from 1953-1962.
At the time a fully-loaded 1953 Corvette cost $3734.55. There were two available “options”—a heater and an AM
signal-seeking radio, but they weren’t really options because all 1953 Corvettes were equipped at the factory with
heater and radio, i.e., they were all “fully-loaded.” Due mostly to 64 years of inflation, $3734.55 doesn’t sound like
much money today, but consider that a pretty nice 1953 Ford two-door hardtop cost $2120. And a 1953 Cadillac
Eldorado convertible was $7750. The median annual U.S. family income in 1953 was $4233.
Page 11 The ACCCelerator - Aquia Creek Corvette Club Newsletter - February 2017
Larry Halley Sr. and Jr. with 1953 Corvette #222
Page 12 The ACCCelerator - Aquia Creek Corvette Club Newsletter - February 2017
Valentine Brunch
Please RSVP to Dottie ([email protected] ) ASAP if you plan
Page 13 The ACCCelerator - Aquia Creek Corvette Club Newsletter - February 2017
February Birthdays
2nd — Joan Yaros
7th — Jane Loveland
12th — Dottie Shadbar
14th — Skip & Marie Sizemore
February Anniversaries
2017 Corvette
1953 Corvette
Click here to see the 11 minute in-
troductory film from 1953 nar-
rated by Dave Garroway.
Click here to learn more about
the 2017 Corvette Z06.
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM,
Valentine’s Day
brunch, Zibibbo 73
Restaurant, 2757
Jefferson Davis Hwy.,
Stafford (let Dottie
know if you’re going)
13 14 15 16 17 18
9:30 AM, Marine
Corps Museum,
18900 Jefferson
Davis Hwy., Trian-
gle (let Bud know
if you’re going)
19 20 21
7:30 PM, ACCC
Membership
Meeting, Aquia
Harbor
22 23 24 25
26 27 28
February 2017
Page 14 The ACCCelerator - Aquia Creek Corvette Club Newsletter - February 2017
Page 15 The ACCCelerator - Aquia Creek Corvette Club Newsletter - February 2017
$10.00
ACCC STORE
Items For Sale at all Club Events*
Club 25th Anniversary Coin
Car Flags, US Flag & ACCC Flags
$5.00 $5.00 $5.00
Club Decal & Patch
$2.00 for decal, $3.00 for patch
ACCC Name Badges
* Available at Prince William Engraving,
2608 Dynasty Loop, Woodbridge, VA
22192. PH: 703-494-2658. Badges take
5-7 days and will cost $12.19 each. See
article in the June 2016 newsletter, ref-
