September 2010

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We would encourage everyone to become a POCA member, if you aren't already a member. Your membership in the national club helps fund your local chapter. You can download a membership application at http://www.poca.com/ Please help our club grow.

Second Annual Placerville Drive, September 18

by Emilia Seiferling

The alarm had to be set to make sure that we were on time for this Placerville drive. We left home about 8:30 AM in order to arrive at the starting point, the Folsom Costco, by 10 AM. We were in the Mercury Capri XR2 since the Pantera had some issues that needed to be sorted out. It would turn out to be an excellent choice for the twisty Foothill roads that Lamar had selected for the drive. We arrived at the Folsom Costco parking lot to find Lamar waiting for us. He was giving his car a quick detailing, which Jim also decided to do prior to putting the top down on the Capri for the drive. We were shortly joined by the rest of the group for the drive: Chuck and Nancy, Don & Dan, Ken & Judy, and Jeff & Robin. There were four Panteras, a DeLorean and a Mercury Capri. All the drivers received a special event T-shirt. The shirts had Capitol Panteras and a yellow Pantera on the front. Thank you Lamar for providing the shirts! Each car drew the first card of the poker run and received the trivia test for the passengers to complete while on the drive, then we left Folsom at 10:15 AM sharp to begin our drive though the scenic foothill area.

The weather for the drive was perfect, in the low 80's with blue skies. The traffic for the drive was excellent. We had almost no traffic to deal with despite driving through some very inhabited areas for part of the drive. The drive included several rest stops to stretch our legs and draw our cards for the poker run. All the cards were sealed in envelopes so no one would know what their hands were until we opened them at the Red Hawk Casino. We had one problem with Nancy & Chucks' Pantera. It appears to be a float level adjustment problem in the carburetor. Going uphill, under heavy power, the car would loose power and stall out. It did this a couple of times, but always restarted and was able to continue on. We know Chuck will get this sorted out in no time.

Our stop at Garden Valley

We arrived at the Casino about 1 PM for lunch. We all decided to do the buffet. That way everyone got exactly what he or she wanted for lunch since there were so many different types of food to select from. After lunch Lamar awarded the prizes. The envelopes were opened for the Poker Run. Best hand was Jeff & Robin, followed by Ken & Judy, and Jim & Emilia. The trivia test for the passengers was graded. Lamar made us grade our own papers and was a tuff grader and ruled on how exact you needed to be to have the answer be graded as correct. The winner was Nancy, followed by Robin and Emilia. Thanks again Lamar for putting together the Poker Run, the trivia test and providing all the prizes.

After lunch the group broke up to do different things the rest of the day. I hope Judy won big, I think she was the only one who was going to do some gaming. On our way out of the garage we noticed the hood of Jeff's car was up. We almost didn't see him and detoured over to see what was happening. If we had gone the other direction to exit we never would have known that Jeff had a problem! We were soon joined by Chuck and Nancy who luckily noticed the red Pantera and the Capri parked off toward the end of the parking level that we were on. Jeff had a problem. In true Pantera fashion the guys started to pool tools and tackle the problem. Chuck is a professional mechanic and is a good person to have around if you break down. It was a good thing that we were in the Capri because we actually had a jack that was needed. Granted the jack had never been taken out of the storage compartment in the trunk in 19 years, but we did have one and it worked. We had to read the instruction on the trunk lid to find where all the parts were stowed. The small jack enabled the guys to check under the car and eventually find the problem. The problem was finally determined to be the primary electric fuel pump. Luckily Jeff's monster engine was plumbed with two fuel pumps, so with a bit of re-plumbing they got the engine running on the secondary pump. Jeff made it back home with no further problems.

Not what you want to see on a Pantera run.

After Jeff was back on his way home, Jim and I headed across Placerville to the home of Jim's cousin Rich. We had invited Rich and his wife LeAnn to go on the drive, but they had other plans, but they invited us to spend the night at their place after the drive. It was really nice to not have to drive home after driving twisty back roads for several hours in the Foothills. We really enjoyed our visit with Rich and LeAnn. If Lamar does the third annual Placerville drive next year, we hope they can join the fun. They had been on the first annual Placerville drive. Everyone who couldn't make this event missed a great drive, pretty scenery, good food, and the fellowship of other car guys. This was yet another fun day because we own a Pantera, even if we didn't drive the Pantera this day.

Additional photos by Ken & Judy Montgomery are at; http://www.capitolpanteras.org/photos.htm

Wanted: Articles for CP Newsletter

If you have attended a car function of any type, please write about your car adventures and send it to jes@riverdeltawireless.com to be included in the next Capitol Pantera newsletter. If newsletter articles are not received, then it will be more of Jim & Emilia's automotive adventures or "The Motoring Mouth"

Summary of the August 2010 Capitol Panteras Meeting

The September meeting had four Panteras, and a Bricklin in the parking lot at Mimi's. The drivers were; Lamar Fairchild, Nancy Foster & Chuck Becket, Don Gagnon, Duane & Darice Harlan, and John Worsley. Don won the driving for gas money, which helped pay for his about 60 mile drive from Jackson. Others attending but not in a club car were; Jim & Emilia Seiferling, Ken Montgomery, Rick Carlile, and Ziggy from Austria. Ziggy is a friend of John's who is visiting Sacramento. Ziggy is a car guy who has a 1962 MGB.

There was a raffle at this meeting. Treasurer John had purchased $20 Kragen Gift cards to be used for the next several CP meeting raffles. Duane was the September winner. The Club is on a finance roll. After subtracting out the cost of the raffle prize and the Driving for Gas Money costs, the Club made $4.00.

Lamar reviewed the plans for the drive this Saturday, September 18th to the Placerville area. We will meet at the Costco, in Folsom, at 10 AM. The drive will take us around the Placerville area and end up at the Red Hawk Casino for lunch. Tentatively attending will be: Jim & Emilia, Don & his son Dan, Jeff & Robin, John W., Ken & Judy, Nancy & Chuck, & Lamar. As always if your Club car is not "available" for the drive, please come in your daily driver. You just need to stay at the back of the pack.

Rick Carlile raced the TVR in Monterey. Maybe he can pen an article about his racing exploits at the Historics. Speed Channel will be showing the Monterey race, so you may be able to catch a glimpse of Rick's car on the track. He will be racing in San Diego later this month.

John Worsley has contacted the Grand Island Mansion and has gotten permission to park in front of the Mansion. This is a beautiful photo op for the Panteras. This Brunch Run will occur early November. John will confirm the exact date in October. We need to have at least 6 cars for this location.

Duane & Darice confirmed that they would host the Capitol Pantera's Christmas Party at their home. The date will be December 4th. We will announce the theme for the gift exchange at the October CP meeting.

There was a medley of "car stories" related by members. These stories were started by Jim having to relate why we would not be in the Pantera for the Placerville drive. There were several stories about where and when the headliners were blown out. There was an aged tire story from Duane, which led to a lesson on how to date your tires age. There was the undeserved ticket story from Ken. Even Ziggy had a story about setting his mechanic on fire! Oddly only John did not have a story to relate (John said he was still under the weather, due to food poisoning last week, and he almost did not come to the meeting). Get well John!

2010 EVENTS CALENDAR

Capitol Panteras Events in Red

Notes: Capitol Pantera member, Carl Stein, will be racing his Trans-Am Mangusta in the

SCC Road Racing Series. http://www.sfrscca.org/content/section/4/26/

Capitol Panteras member, Rick Carlile, will be racing his TVR in the CSRG Series.

http://www.csrgracing.org/ Rick has also applied to race at the Sonoma Historic

Motorsports Festival and has been accepted in the Monterey Historics.

Sept 24-26 SCCA Road Racing @ Thunderhill

Sept 25-26 PCNC Placerville Drive

Sept 26 EuroSunday

Coast Drive led by Nancy Haney - Date to be announced as soon as it is known

Oct 1-3 CSRG Road Racing @ Infineon

Oct 3 Concourse at Serrano

Oct 9 19th Annual Car Show, Rio Vista - Hosts; Jim & Emilia ( lunch at Foster's Big Horn)

Oct 10 Italian Car Show, Alameda. A benefit for Special Olympics. No entry fee for exhibitors.

Oct 12 Capitol Panteras meeting at Mimi's

Oct 15-17 SCCA Road Racing @ Laguna Seca

Oct 16-17 Fall Classic, open track at Thunderhill. Shelby Club.

Oct 24 EuroSunday, Sacramento @

Oct 30-31 CSRG Road Racing @ Thunderhill

Nov 9 Capitol Panteras meeting at Mimi's

Nov??? Brunch Run to Grand Island Mansion led by John Worsley.

Nov 28 Euro Sunday, Sacramento @

Dec 4 (Sat) Capitol Panteras Christmas Party Hosts; Duane & Darice Harlan.

2011

POCA Fun Rally XXX- Exact date and location to be announced. It is the Pantera's XL anniversary!

Please keep us informed of other dates and activities.

Jim & Emilia Seiferling
Co-Presidents, Capitol Panteras
http://www.capitolpanteras.org
jes@riverdeltawireless.com
#1575 [JHSTBAD]
#7114 [JIMS CAT]
WB6BET-Jim

KI6YYT-Emilia
Life goal: To be the person my dog thinks I am.

"You're never too old to do goofy stuff."
~Ward Cleaver