Subject: 57-56-55 CHEVY LISTF
Date: Sun, 4 Apr 2004 13:25:32 -0700 (PDT)
From: BOB FORD <bob_ford@sbcglobal.net>
To: "BOB,FORD" <BOB_FORD@sbcglobal.net>

THIS IS THE 57-56-55 CHEVY LIST APRIL 4, 2004

IF THIS E-MAIL HAS AN ATTACHMENT, IMMEDIATELY DELETE THIS E-MAIL.

THIS LIST IS DESIGNED AS A MEANS FOR PEOPLE INTERESTED IN THE 1955, 1956,

AND 1957 CHEVROLETS TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER AND HAVE A

LITTLE FUN IN THE PROCESS. ALL OPINIONS ARE WELCOME.

TO POST SOMETHING ON THIS LIST PLEASE E-MAIL YOUR POST TO

BOB_FORD@SBCGLOBAL.NET

THERE IS NO COST TO BECOME A LIST MEMBER AND ONLY LIST MEMBERS ARE

ALLOWED TO POST SOMETHING ON THE LIST.

THIS 57-56-55 CHEVY LIST IS NOT SENT OUT ON ANY SET SCHEDULE SO IF YOU

WANT TO POST SOMETHING THAT CONTAINS A DATE, PLEASE SEND IT IN EARLY

SO I CAN GET IT OUT TO THE LIST MEMBERS BEFORE THE DATE OF THE EVENT.

PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR CITY AND STATE WITH YOUR POSTS. IF YOU ARE

POSTING SOMETHING FOR SALE PLEASE ALSO INCLUDE

1. YOUR PHONE NUMBER

2 THE PRICE

3. WHEN YOU WILL BE AT YOUR PHONE NUMBER AND YOUR TIME ZONE.

TAKE AS MUCH SPACE AS YOU WANT AND FULLY DESCRIBE WHAT YOU HAVE

FOR SALE OR WANT TO BUY.

YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS LIST ARE WELCOME.

IF YOU WANT TO SEND ME E-MAIL THAT YOU DO NOT WANT ON THE LIST

PLEASE PUT "PRIVATE NOT FOR THE LIST' AS THE SUBJECT.

THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS LIST ARE THE MEMBERS OPINIONS AND NOT

NECESSARILY MINE. I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO EDIT OUT ANY MATERIAL NOT

APPROPRIATE FOR THIS LIST.

PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR NAME AS THE LAST THING ON YOUR E-MAIL.

IF YOU BUY SOMETHING FROM A LIST MEMBER, PLEASE BE AWARE THAT I HAVE

NO WAY OF KNOWING THE QUALITY OF THE PRODUCT OR THE HONESTY OF THE

SELLER. BUYER BEWARE.

BECAUSE OF THE DANGER OF A VIRUS, PLEASE DO NOT SEND ATTACHMENTS

WITH YOUR E-MAIL. E-MAIL WITH ATTACHMENTS WILL NOT BE READ.

THANKS

BOB FORD

EDITOR

__________________________________________________ ____________________

From: Editor

Thanks for everyone ideas to help me do the conversion to a new ISP. Also, a
great big Thank

You for the people that sent financial help to allow me to complete this
task in a reasonable time

frame. I thought you might like to know how I did it.

I have now almost completed the conversion to SBC but what a task. I still
have to notify all the

lists I am on to change my e-mail address.

I had 5000+ addresses in my address book. I was using Compuserve Classic,
the old version of

Compuserve. After entering many e-mail addresses by hand and making a lot of
typing

mistakes, I knew there had to be a better way. At the rate I was going, and
the typing mistakes I

was making, it was going to take me months to complete the conversion.

SBC uses Yahoo for their e-mail and Yahoo will let you import addresses from
a Palm and/or

Outlook Express. The problem is SBC/YAHOO will not tell you what the format
of the

e-mail address input file is. For computer people, this problem is easy to
understand. For non

computer people, to import an address book from something other than a Palm
or Outlook

Express, you need to know what the record being imported looks like. Is the
name first or last?

What position in the record to be imported is the e-mail address? To make
this problem even

harder, when you look at a record that contains an e-mail to be imported, it
is not readable. That

is it is not ASCII text.

I have a son that has a Palm so I had him export the address file from his
palm to his PC

and then send me the exported file on a CD.

At this point, I knew I needed some help with this project so I hired a
computer expert to help

me. We loaded the CD on my PC and had a look at the exported file. After a
lot of work, we

figured out the format so we now knew what SBC Yahoo would accept as input
for an address

file. We had to look at a Hex dump of the file to figure it out. Anyone
every tried looking at a

Hex dump? If you have you know how much fun that is.

The next problem was to find what the address file in Compuserve Classic
looked like. I called

Compuserve support and they told me the format of the address file was
propriety information

and they would not give it out. It took about 10 calls to Compuserve support
to find someone that

knew English well enough that I could understand them. What a bummer.

We then did a dump of the Compuserve address file in HEX. After a lot of
work and many bad

choices, we finally was able to figure out the format of the Compuserve
Classic address book.

Then we wrote a BASIC program to extract the address book data from
Compuserve and

reformat it to look like the Palm data.

Several members have asked how they can contribute to the fund to help me
with this

conversion. Please understand that no contribution is necessary for you to
stay on the list. If

you want to help out, you can send a check to the address below or use
PAYPAL (part of e-bay)

If you use PAYPAL, you just enter my e-mail address BOB_FORD@SBCGLOBAL.NET.
With

PAYPAL, you can use a credit card.

BOB FORD

18091 MARK CIRCLE

VILLA PARK, CALIFORNIA 92861-2648

BOB_FORD@SBCGLOBAL.NET

----------------------------------------------

From: "haley", INTERNET:haley@mo-net.com

Hello, Bob. I want to thank you for your list. It is a valuable source of
information for any tri-five

enthusiast. I am looking for a 4 bbl. air cleaner for a 57 Chevy. If anyone
has one they would like

to get rid of, e-mail me at haley@mo-net.com. Thanks again, Bob.

Ken in Missouri

---------------------------------

From:VINCE, INTERNET:VVDE@cs.com

Bob

I know you are telling it like it is. I own a business in a rural area. My
internet service went out

of business. I had to find a new one. What a hassle. Like you, I had about
5000 people in my

address book. Of course the new internet service was not compatible with my
old ones address

book. I had to hire a computer guy to convert my address book to the new
internet service. At

$80 per hour (a very high wage in my area) it took him over 80 hours to do
the conversion.

You provide such a valuable service to us and I don't want to see your list
stopped. I will be

glad to contribute to your conversion fund. If you do the math above, you
will see how much it

cost me to change internet service. I don't think it is fair for you to have
to pay that kind of

money to provide us a free service.

Just the blank tape for the videos you have sent me FREE over the years cost
more than the $5

you propose to charge new members. They are getting a bargain. I urge all
members of this list

to send Bob a contribution. I know you will feel better for doing it.

Bob, when you told us to check the states unclaimed property database, I did
it. That one piece

of advise has changed my life forever. I checked and I did not have any
unclaimed property. I

checked for my wife and she didn't have any unclaimed property either. As an
after though, I

checked my wife's name before she married me. When I saw the result, I
almost fainted. She

had a 7 figure amount due her from an insurance policy she did not know
anything about. It was

one her dad had on himself. My wife was the beneficiary The insurance
company claimed they

could not find her because she had changed names an addresses. Sure, she
changed names and

addresses. She married me.

I have a unusual story about the videos you sent me. The recent one about
World War II

industrial production and one you sent me a few years ago called "The Way We
Were 1940-

1945". I am a member of the American Legion. I took these tapes to the state
convention

recently. One of the small meetings rooms had a VCR player. I put these
videos in that room

and invited people to watch them. Word spread around the convention about
these tapes and

they were being played over and over. They were played at least 100 times.
Many members

called their family to come in and see them. It was a very emotional time
for a lot of us and

the for the first time, a lot or relatives of people in World War II got the
feel of what it was about.

The sad part of this story is someone swiped the tape from the room. Could
you please send me

another one.

Thanks

Vince Decano

Editor's note. Thanks for the support Vince. Just send me your address and I
will send you a

DVD of the stuff on video. Hopefully a DVD will not wear out. It is good to
hear about you getting what is owed your wife from the state. Here in
California, we have had money in the states unclaimed property for such
people as the Mayor of Los Angeles. As always the claim was that he could
not be located.

BOB

--------------------------------

From:"The Shew's" <shew@ntelos.net> Add to

Hello Bob,

Thanks for keeping up with this list, you are a bigger man

then me. I do not want to change providers and I only

have about 30 emails. You mentioned charging new members

$5, I would appreciate it if you would post your home

address. I will gladly pay you $5 a year and still feel

like it is worth a lot more.

I do have some questions and comments for the group. I

just took my 57 210 2 door sedan to Red Line Performance

in Bristol, TN 423-968-4090. He is going to replace my

floor and trunk for starters then add a flaming river

rack and pinion system. Bill Rambo of Red Line is making

a stainless steel bracket / crossmember the will bolt in

the entire rack and pinion until. I am happy that more

work is getting done to this car and maybe I can get it

on the road before it turns 50.

That was my comments, here is my questions. Has anyone

ever put 4 bucket seats in their tri five? Got any

Pictures? Has anyone installed the under the floor

master cylinder? Has anyone cut off their drip rails

that run along the top of the car. Removed their vent

window? Installed the Ram Jet 350 GM Crate motor, is it

fast?

That's enough for now

Charlie

Leaving Virginia and moving to Nashville, very soon

---------------------------------------

From:kfmartel@rockwellcollins.com



To Bruce Jacobs,

To stop the speedometer from "fluctuateing all over

the place" you should lubricate it with a liquid

graphite based oil. I disconnect the cable from behind

the speedometer and pour a little liquid graphite down

the cable. Then hook it up and drive. If enough oil was

put in so the the whole cable gets lubed then it should

stop "fluctuating" withing a few miles. If not then

repeat with more graphite oil until it does. But if this

does not work then there really is something wrong.

Most of the time this "fluctuating" is caused by the

cable being moved and gets bent of kinked so you should

also check that the cable runs under the dash out the

firewall as streight as possible. Ditto for where it

connects to the tranny.

If your speedometer is not accurate it could be your

not running the stock wheel size. Any change in wheel

diameter changes the accuracy of the speedometer. You

will then have to have an expert recalibrate (change

gears) in the speedometer.

Good Luck, Kim in CA

---------------------------------

From:kfmartel@rockwellcollins.com

To Brian inVA,

Before installing Radial Tires on original wheels

have the place your going to install the tires check the

rims when the old tires are removed. Tell them that

those rims have never had radial tires on them and you

want to be sure there will be no problems. If they do

not know what your talking about go someplace that does.

You should not have any problems if the rims are is

good shape, no small cracks at seams or welds.

I'm putting a new set of Diamond Back Classic

Radial Wide White Wall tires on my '55 this month. As

this car once had used blackwall radials on it I

probabily will be okay, but I'm going to have my Tire

Center check the rims anyway before installing the

Radials.

And by the way have the all metal valve steams

installed as they will stop the hub caps from rotating.

Good Luck, Kim in CA

--------------------------------

From:jslee55@comcast.net Add to Address Book

Bob,

I personally don' think that $5.00 is enough. As far as current

members, I' willing to bet, most if not all, will be willing to do as I

intend to do, mail you a check. The information and the entertainment

value of this newsletter far exceed $5.00. I have picked up new inter-net

friends, some around the world, that I never would have if it weren't

for your efforts.

Jack Lee

So. Yarmouth, MA

55 Nomad

-------------------

From:jslee55@comcast.net Add to Address Book

Bob,

Just want to say thank you for the video on the wartime production of

goods. I enjoyed every minute. I am a child of the mid fifties so I

wasn't around to experience any of it. Going to school, it was to resent

to be thought, so I have missed out all the way around. I have learned

more about this country's history through my two daughters and their

studies, as it is now ok to talk about these issues. Being interested in

all things mechanical, I found the clips interesting on how the tanks

and aircraft were assembled. I don't think this generation could do

what that generation had to as far as coming together and building a

complete manufacturing plant in less then a year. With all the labor

unions, environmental activists, war objectors, etc.

Again, Thank you,

Jack Lee

So. Yarmouth MA.

------------------------

From:Ilovemy56@aol.com

To Sandy Pierce, Hey, I thought Racing on the Highway

was ILLEGAL !!!!!!!!!!!!!????? It DOES however sound

quite EXCITING !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Richard

-----------------------------------

From:Ilovemy56@aol.com Add to Address Book

To Bob Beck, I can surely go along with a 2.00

contribution for all of Bob's WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!! Richard

----------------------------------------------------------

From:YakimaMagic@aol.com

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

As current members know, this is a non profit

endeavor. I did

not intend this to be a money maker for me and it has

not. I hope to keep this list as a valuable

service to the list members. I have decided that the

best way to do that is to charge new members

a membership fee.

From now on, all NEW list members will be charged a

ONE TIME fee of $5 to be added to the

list. I invite your comments on this change

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

As valuable as your list is, I think a $5 fee for new

members is more than fair. And I'm sure you will still

be non-profit. Jan Mowrey

----------------------------------------------

From:BUDFOSDICK@aol.com

Bob,

I see no reason why you shouldn't charge new members $5

to sign up - I would gladly pay the $5 my self to help

out with your expenses.

Bud Fosdick

Heartbeat Classic Chevy's

56 Conv.

--------------------------------------------

From:MuzikBiz01@aol.com

Hi, Bob,

Got your newsletter fine...looked a bit different.

Everything was double spaced, easier to ready, perhaps.

A 'dumb question:" one of your readers mentioned looking

for a 'street runner.' Had not heard that _expression.

I've heard of 'street rod' and 'driver,' but not street

runner. Explain? Thanks.

Also, did you get my e-mail regarding the passing of Jan

Berry?

Always great to get your list. Regards,

Fred

--------------------------

From:"Betty Ellis" <bellis@4state.com

Bob: Could you or some of your members give me the address or phone #

of Obsolete chevy. My husband thinks it in Georgia. He had a catalog,

but loaned it and it didn't come back. Thanks Robert and Betty Ellis,

Riverton, KS bellis@4state.com

--------------------------------------

From:Rolasan@aol.com

To the guy that wanted to know the '57 265 color. It was

yellow.

Bob Sanford

'55 sedan under contruction

'55 BBW pickup waiting it's turn

--------------------------------

From:Karfitter@aol.com

Personally, I dont know how you manage to keep up. Im

proud of you for making it this long without charging

for your site. I have been on here for a couple years

and have had many hours of reading to wind down after a

LONG day at work. Thanks for all you do for the gear

heads of america.

Kevin Rogers

Georgetown, DE

1955 BA 2Dr Ht

1955 210 2dr sedan

1970 Front engine dragster

ps: It sucks having to work so hard to support our

habits. But Sunday Morning When The BEAST comes ALIVE

and runs off an 8.0 second run, It ALL seams worth it.

------------------------------------------

From:"Sam Woodard" <swoodard4@cox.net>

Congrats on transistion, I have a few parts for 55

chevys for sale in oklahoma city area. I have an

original front 2door seat 55 needs covered but good and

all there 600.00.........twoo front fenders good no rust

or dents 150 each 1 hood with bird removed and peaked

in very nic condition 300.00 2 one pc rear bumpers

need replated 150 each. and a 1955 2 door sedan (post

car) less eng needs floors and tailpan work nice chasses

with 10 bolt rear roller with vin numbers no title

2500.00 and need a couple of bare 55 to 57 frames no

suspension in okla area. thanks and get em out and drive

em . sam woodard swoodard4@cox.net

-------------------------------

From:"Paulie Cananoli"

Hay Bob,

Even though I'm a seasoned member there's $5.00 comming your way via

snail-mail az of today. I am happy to contribute and will be happy to

send you five more dollars every April 1st 'cause I'd be a fool to risk

loosing you and the service you provide. Whutabout the rest of you yahoo's,
can

ya spare a fiver for Bob's new assistant??? Let's support our editor!

Paul Mears

------------------------

From:"loujudyb" <loujudyb@earthlink.net>

This is in reply to Harvey Kane and 1/4 mile times for a

'57 270 "stick". Way back when-

I had a black 2dr Hardtop - 270 horse, 3 spd stick, 4.56

posi. I consistenty turned

14.7's at 95 mph at San Fernando dragstrip back in 1959

& 60. Car was stock

and weighed in at 3,780 lbs. Yours was lighter.

Lou Bartoletti

Black 57 Bel Air - this one is a cruiser.

--------------------------------

To:bruce_bj@swbell.net

Dear Bruce,

Many years ago in my youthful stupidity, I re greased

the speed o cable with wheel bearing grease.

That was o/k until winter time here in Kahlifornia. If

that is the case, you have to flush out the housing with

paint thinner (cleaning solvent) and use either a white

lithium grease or other low viscosity type. With both

ends of the housing disconnected and the cable removed,

either a "baster' or pump type oil can is a good flusher

tool to remove that 40+ year old grease/lubricant. Use

air hose (low pressure) to thoroughly dry the housing.

Also, if the speedo head is dry, a quick fix is to soak

a 1/2" ball of cotton with "3 In One" oil, and press the

oil into the back of the "head", through the small gap

at the circumference of the "head".

Some cars had a "lube plug" for this, and before that a

"grease cup".

If this doesn't solve the problem, then the speed o has

to be removed for complete cleaning and calibration.

A good old fashioned watch/clock master should be able

to perfrorm all but the calibration.

For years now, speed o's have used the principle of

"magnetic coupling" instead of multiple gears, except

for the "odometer" section.

Sincerely,

Robert A. Rouge`

robertarouge@juno.com

---------------------------------

From:"joey" <mailjoey@peoplepc.com>

Hey bob and list hope all is well, did any of you watch

speed chanel on wed, the barrit jackson auction was on

and a highly modified 55 sold for over 200,000. Even I

was shocked. Joey

------------------------------

From:nd4speed@telia.com

Hallo Bob

Someone on your list wanted info about -57 Chev

performance

I had this info on my homepage, ( its down )

If you want you can put out some numbers to your list

77,5 and 104 is 1/4 mile speed , 120 and 134 is topspeed

Sune Gustafsson from Sweden

Red -57 ragtop owner

CCI # 1348

?283" 185hpPG11,0sMotor trend

?283" 220hpTG10,1sMotor trend

Sport sedan283" 270hpPG9,9s17,5s77,5Motor trend

Two-doors283" FI 283hp3sp8,0s120Motor trend

Sport coupe283" FI 283hp3sp14,21s104Close r. 3sp.

Bob Wingate -76

4d Bel-Air283" 270hp?8,2sPower -78

?6cyl 140hp?15,5s



Corvette 1957

283" FI 250hpman7,2sClose r. 3sp. Motor trend

283" FI 283hp134

283" FI 250hp6,7sJan -57 motor life

---------------------------------------

From:"Jim/Carolyn Wheeler" <56chevys@cox.net>

Bob, as a financial adviser, this is probably old hat to

you. Nevertheless, list members may have to worry if

their broker has been reporting Original Issue Discounts

as interest income in their annual 1099 reports.

OID is a current income item, all right, but the

individual OID's are to be added to cost bases of bonds.

So, if bonds are sold your tax basis is higher and

reportable gains are less.

Our old broker was not doing that and we were paying

income tax TWICE, both on current OID income and later

on gains of bonds sold.

Regards, Jim Wheeler, Tucson, Arizona, 56Chevys@cox.net

Editor's note. Jim, I am always happy to post info that will save list
members money. When it

relates to Bond income, I suggest you consult a tax pro. Stock brokers may
not know about all

the provisions of tax law.

Bob

------

From:PMc9355592@aol.com

Dear Bob,

I was waiting till I got to the end of the 'list' to make a suggestion

and there was Bob Beck beating me to it, Right on, Bob. Why not let each of

us chip in with some small amount to help out. Just give us the prefered
method

and an address. Any amount would not meet the joy your list has brought us.

Thank you,

Jim McEvoy 56 BA Hrdtp

----------------------------------------------

From: "Terry Houchins" <terry75115@yahoo.com>

All early 1956 radio's for 57 Chevy's came WITHOUT the

output transistor in the rear. They all had seperate

power supplies like the Wonderbar.

Later in 1957 the radios were built with output

transistors, so a seperate power supply was no longer

needed.

Terry

------------------

From:"lsims88usa@pipeline.com" <lsims88usa@pipeline.com>

hi bob....if you haven't done it, set up your account at

www.paypal.com so new members can easily pay your totally

justified fee and so old members like myself wanting to

pay the $5 can do the same...stipulate that credit cards

cannot be used, only direct bank debit transactions to

keep your collection of fees free of paypal charge...

best of everything and thx!

Lynn and Milly Sims

Peninsula Classic Chevy Club

"Smiles Go Miles"

Original Message:

-------

From:"Steve Norden" <alamo@netins.net>

Bob, I don't see a problem with your $5.00 proposal for

new members......maybe after a trial period so they

could appreciate the service provided prior to paying.

I think you should consider using Paypal as an

additional payment mechanism. You're probably aware of

Paypal.com, but if not I can explain further.

Amos.

-----

From:"Thadd" <Thaddspad@cox.net>

RE: Bruce Jacobs' Speedometer questions.

I have had great sucess with Paul's Speedometer Service

located at 529 N. Pacific Coast Hwy in Redondo Beach.

Quality work; reasonable price. His phone is 310

374-3017.

Speedometer accuracy is determined by the speedometer

gears in the transmission. Pauls can fix the "bouncing"

in the speedo unit, and if you search the net, you can

find which gears are needed for the rear end ratio/rear

tire size that you are running.

------------------------

From:"Randy Hartsock" <randy.hartsock@ga-esi.com>

Bob:

A $5 charge to new members to get on the list! Are you crazy?

I've been a long term member & I'll send ya $5 just to

help defray your cost just to remain a member. I hate to

think of you coming out of pocket to provide the

services that you do.

Check or cash to the Mark Circle address?

Thanks,

________________________________________________

Randy Hartsock

Sales Manager

General Atomics Energy Products

General Atomics Electronic Systems, Inc., USA

Ph: (858) 522-8403, Fax: (858) 522-8401

Email: randy.hartsock@ga-esi.com Web: www.gaep.com

----------------------------

From:"Bill Kautz" <kautz@comcast.net>

For Brian in VA and anyone else contemplating a

change to radial tires. When I switched from bias ply to

radials on my '55 210 I bought new wheels, too. There

were several reasons, the main reason being that the

original wheels were riveted together, not welded. The

original tires were tube-type, therefore not subject to

leaking around the rivets. Radial tires DO put

additional stress on the wheels, especially in sharp

curves, due to a larger footprint and better grip on the

road. Also, 40- 50 years, the lug bolts tend to egg out

the bolt holes in the rims just from normal wear and

tear. As for power steering, yes, it's a lot easier to

turn the steering wheel with PS, also due to the

radial's bigger footprint and better grip. If you don't

have to parallel park or maneuver in tight spaces,

changing to radials shouldn't be a problem without PS. I

also have a '64 Pontiac with a 389 sitting on the front

wheels, no PS and it is a bear to parallel park with

radial tires.

Sure glad you're back, Bob! Thanks again and no, I

don't think $5 is asking too much to join this list. You

will get a lot more than $5 worth of help here every

time the list comes out! Wild Bill

------------------------

From:"Mary Lamarca" <Mary.Lamarca@pf.ucsb.edu>

Hi Bob, a month ago I think I read on your site that someone made

steering wheels for 55, 56,57 chevy's just like the originals but smaller in

size. I need to get the name and number for them. Does anyone remember that?

Please

help!! You can e-mail me at mary.lamarca@pf.ucsb.edu Thanks

-----------------------

From:"Lynn Mark Sims" <lsims88usa@pipeline.com>

hi Bob...here is my requested e-mail...if you have 5000

entries, is it a viable suggestion for you to hire a

local high school computer student at 10 bucks an hour

for the project?...best of luck and so many thanks for

all you do for all of us!...Lynn Sims

------------------------------

From:"SANDRA SCOTT" <SANDYSCOTT@peoplepc.com>



Bob,

You do a great job and service for us "listees." Yes,

we agree that we should all send Bob whatever we would

like to for his hard work and dedication to keeping this

list going!

So, Bob, is that your address we see at the bottom of

your "list." If so, let us all know and soon you will

be receiving donations for all your hard work. Take

care,

Carl & Sandy

Editor’s note. Yes, that is my address.

Bob

----------------------------

From: INTERNET:MuzikBiz01@aol.com, INTERNET:MuzikBiz01@aol.com

Wow. To use the old 60s cliche, 'what a bummer.' Jan Berry dead at 62. While

it does not shock me--like Dennis Wilson's death in Marina del Ray in '83,
or

the tragically premature death of Denny's younger brother, Carl, in

'98--still, the death of Jan on Friday, March 26, is a cold reminder of how
fragile life

truly is. You're literally 'here today, gone tomorrow.' I turned '60' on

Wednesday, March 24. Jan passed away on Friday. I'm still in shock. Tears
are

welling up in my eyes as I remember the great times we had through the
years.

I met Jan three years before I met 'The Beach Boys.' It was a Dick Clark
Show

being shot at Treasure Island Naval Base in San Francisco Bay--1960. I was

16. I was not involved in promoting 'live events' in those days...just a
high

school sophomore doing weekend deejay relief at a jazz station and still
working

for 'free' as a radio 'gopher' so I could 'hang out' at the Top 40 stations

in Sacramento. I still have the ticket to that Dick Clark Show. I still

remember it as if it were yesterday.

Jan and Dean were 'cool.' Unlike the Everly Brothers--who lived a million

miles away in Nashville--Jan and Dean lived in California. They didn't sing
songs

about 'devotion,' 'puppy love,' 'bird dogs,' or falling asleep at the

drive-in movies. They sang about cars, surf, cruising, and having a crush on
that

'new girl in school.' Their sun tanned good looks and youthful optimism

personified the California lifestyle--two full years before Brian Wilson and
'the boys'

would make it into a recording studio. In fact, within two years of that
Dick

Clark Show, The Beach Boys would be 'opening' for Jan & Dean!

After the Clark show I walked over to the two of them and introduced myself.

In just a few brief minutes I felt I'd known them my entire life. They had
had

two major hits at that point, "Jenny Lee" and "Baby Talk." Their current

record was "Linda," if I recall. Surf and car songs were still three years
away

but they had already established themselves as a duo to reckon with.

Two years later--May of '62, to be exact--during my senior year at El Camino

High School, a San Francisco concert promoter, Pete Marino, was bringing a

'star studded' outdoor concert to the Sacramento County Fairgrounds.
Headlining

was Johnny Crawford, of the hot 'Rifleman' television series. Also on the
show

was Bobby Freeman, who lived in San Francisco, and who's hit single, "Do You

Wanna Dance," would later be covered by The Beach Boys, The Mamas and The

Papas, and The Ramons. Also on the show were Smokie Robinson & The Miracles,

including Smokie's wife, Claudette. They had just had their first major hit,
"Shop

Around." Rounding out the show were my two friends from Southern California,

Jan & Dean.

El Camino High School was in the affluent north area of Sacramento and

somehow--be it childhood bravado, or the fact that I was too naive to think
they'd

say 'no,' I approached the promoter, Marino, with this idea: why not bring
the

whole show out to our high school for a 'free' concert? If the kids like the

'sneak preview' many of them will talk their folks into attending the
concert

that evening. It worked!! Marino agreed to let me bring the entire cast to
my

high school for an afternoon assembly. It was my 'first' major concert
event. I

had just turned 18.

I met everyone at the old Sacramento Inn...a nice hotel on the north side of

the city. However, only Dean was on hand. Jan had missed the LA flight
because

of school commitments at UCLA. He was a 'premed' student with a 'genius IQ.'

Finally, Jan arrived and we all caravaned to the school--about a fifteen

minute drive.

The kids had filled the "Boy's Gym" to capacity. And, since school was now

over, as it was well past 3 o'clock, word had gotten out that this big show

going on at El Camino, so kids from other area high schools were coming by
the

hundreds to partake of the free show!! The County Sheriff had to shut the
doors

to the gym. It couldn't hold any more!

I was the school Commissioner of Entertainment, so I introduced the cast to

the crowd and everyone did one song--lip synching to their hit record
through a

cheap PA system. That was not that uncommon in those days. Few acts carried

full bands.

Ironically, exactly one year later, on May 24, 1963, I promoted the first

Beach Boys concert at the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium. I'd found my
niche:

working as a part time deejay for $1.50 an hour--and booking teen clubs and

concerts for the 'big bucks.' Back then, the 'big bucks' amounted to about
$600 a

concert--if it was successful. But with gas 14.9 cents a gallon, new cars
sold

for $1,500, and houses for $25,000! $600 was a lot of money for a nineteen

year old in 1963!

When I persuaded Murry and Brian to record a 'live' album in Sacramento--and

it became The Beach Boys' first #1 album and first 'Gold' album--I received
a

phone call from Jan. "Fred, we want you to do a show for us just like you
did

for Brian and the band." "You mean you want to cut a 'live' album in

Sacramento," I asked. "Yes, the kids there are great, replied Jan. Adding:
"They scream

their asses off! Get together with Lou (Adler) and work out the details.
Will

you do it," asked Jan. "Are you kidding? Sure, count me in," I replied. I

was 20 years old and having more fun than any of my high school peers. Once
in a

while, I even managed to get paid for it! But the real reward was getting to

'hang out' with many recording artists that just one or two years before, I

had been listening to on the radio, or spinning their record on my own
program.

Artists like Johnny and Dorsey Burnette, Freddy Cannon, my old buddy, Ray

Peterson, who I still see almost every single week, The Surfaris, The
Righteous

Brothers, Dick and DeeDee, Paul and Paula, Clyde McPhatter, Johnny Rivers,
The

Dave Clark Five, and so many more.

So that was all happening around the time of Jan's phone call. The album,

recorded at the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium on October 24, 1964, became
the

foundation of Jan & Dean's "Command Performance" album. Since Jan was
co-writing

songs with LA deejay and television personality, Roger Christian, I was
asked

to introduce Roger, who, in turn, would introduce the duo. I remember
Roger's

introduction: "Welcome to 'Scream City.' Guys, hang on to your girls. Girls,

just 'hang on.' Here's America's #1 duo, Jan and Dean!!"

I had suggested using LA studio musicians, as Sacramento did not have a

rhythm section the caliber of the LA session cats. Here was the lineup: Hal
Blaine,

drums. Steve Barry, bass. Phil (PF) Sloane, keyboards; Glen Campbell,

electric guitar. I paid Glen $200 for the show!! Of course, everyone but
Blaine did

'double duty.' Glen sang a few songs, Steve and Phil did their "Fantastic

Baggies" show. A Canadian singer, Terry Black, also appeared. It was a great

concert.

I booked J & D pretty regularly in those early 60s days. Teen clubs,

concerts, dances. We did them all. Most of the time they 'lip synched.' They
did not

carry their own musicians on many of those dates. That would come years
later

with the "Bel Air Bandits" and "Surf City All-Stars."

My friend, Mack Choate, and I, drove over to Tunica, MS last June to see Jan

& Dean perform at Sam's Town. Jan had to be wheeled to the stage and
assisted

up onto the stage, where he was seated for the entire performance on a
stool.

Dean, Mack, and I, had lunch together that afternoon, prior to the sound

check. I could see that Dean was getting frustrated with the situation. Jan
could

barely get up the strength to do one show a week. The idea of doing a
national

'farewell tour' was a physical impossibility. It was like dealing with a
kid.

That early morning fateful 1966 accident on the real 'dead man's curve' had

taken it's toll.

The good looking teen idol of the early 60s...the premed student with

enormous talent...was no longer. It was sad to see what Jan had become.
Prior to the

concert, as Jan sat in the backstage dressing room, I watched and listened
as

he spoke, and attempted to sing, the words to one of their biggest hits. He

was struggling with every line but he would not give up. He was determined
to

'carry his share' of the concert. After all, he was "Jan" of "Jan and Dean."
He

was one-half of one of the biggest vocal duets of the rock era. He was also

one of the first to co-write and co-produce his own records.

Jan started singing: "I've-got-it-bad-for-the-new-girl-in-school,

the-guys-are-flipping- but-I'm-playing-it-cool." He struggled with every
word, often

repeating a line two or three times before he moved on to the next. He'd
look over

to me every now and then for encouragement. I sat down next to him and

started singing the lines with him, telling him it was gonna be great. He
sang the

same lines over and over. Over and over.

Then it was show time. He was wheeled to the stage, assisted to his stool,

and the band started into the first song. It was "New Girl In School." Jan
had

put a half hour into rehearsing his lines for that one opening number. I
swear

his microphone was turned off, but that really didn't matter. There he was,

pouring out his heart in song. For a brief moment, Jan was a 'star' again.
For a

brief moment, he was that sun tanned teen idol from California.

You led a good life, Jan Berry. You deserve a good rest.

Your friend and fan,

Fred

Editor’s note. Great story Fred. Thanks for sharing it.

BOB

--------------------------------------

From: Editor

Please mark your calendar for AUG 14, 2004 when we will have another "Meet
the Editor party". I hope to see you then.

As I was converting e-mail address to my new ISP, I noticed that several of
the e-mail addresses had .rr. in the e-mail address. Anyone know what that
means?

Some people seem to get this list double spaced. Some don’t. I am checking
with SBC/YAHOO to find out why.

For your information, the most popular ISP for list members is AOL. A lot of
people use an ISP called ATTBI . I have never heard of that ISP. Could
someone that has it tell me what it is?

Someone called me recently asking for my help in finding in Southern
California a place that would customize a car. He wanted to take a modern
car, rebuild it mechanically, and customize the body. Any help would be
appreciated. Also, just for my information, anyone know what kind of money
we are talking about to do something like that?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

end of 57-56-55 CHEVY LIST

BOB FORD

18091 MARK CIRCLE

VILLA PARK, CALIFORNIA 92861-2648

BOB_FORD@SBCGLOBAL.NET

VOICE 714-637-8877

FAX 714-637-2955

Editor of the 57-56-55 CHEVY LIST and TURBOGLIDE REGISTRY

I plan to live forever, so far so good