2023
Dayton, Ohio

Minutes – Toronado and Aurora Chapter Meeting

OCA National Meet, Dayton, Ohio – August 11, 2023

The annual Membership Meeting of the Toronado and Aurora Chapter (TAC) commenced at approximately 3:20 PM in the Salon “F” meeting room of the host hotel.  Start time was delayed as the meet’s Schedule of Events in the program book and on various placards was listed as the requested 3:00 PM time, whereas the more commonly referenced lanyard schedule said 3:30 PM – so some attendees arrived later than others.  The meeting was attended by approximately 22 individuals, 13 of which were TAC members, plus 7 more joined during the meeting.

Per our usual practice, the meeting started with all attendees introducing themselves, including brief summaries of their Toronado/Aurora involvement. 

For the Business Meeting, minutes of the last (2022) meeting were read, with no additions or corrections.  I reported a current balance in the Treasury as $3325.82.  This represents a drop of only $80 from last year, so our treasury seems to be stable as well as able to support our only significant expense, printing and distribution of our newsletter.  This even includes the significant number of members with multi-year memberships and the likely  increases in printing and postage costs down the road.

As to Old Business, I was able to update the status of some reproductions of Toro items by Fusick.  The drivers’ side molded black rubber fIoor mat for ’66 Deluxe Toros is now available.  Also, the gas tanks for 1st generation Toros are available, with sending units probably arriving before years end.  These items are not cheap, but if you need one, something used just will not do - $175 for the floor mat, and $700 for a gas tank, plus $300 for shipping – definitely cheaper to take it home yourself directly from the show field.  We do wish to acknowledge Mike Fusick for his ongoing dedication to our hobby.

After two recent passings, I wanted to discuss our (TAC) losses.  Of course, last year we talked of Ralph Braun’s passing.  As our founder, he was quite significant to our hobby and is still missed today.  Ralph’s JWO column, Frontwheeling, has been quite capably taken over by Marc Misercola.  However, we are still without any regular replacement contributor to our own newsletter, so we ask any and all to consider contributions of any reasonable material.  Another loss at years end was Lynn Davis who we all knew for his regular showing of his original-owner 1970 gold Toronado GT.  That gorgeous car now resides in the Ransom E. Olds Transportation Museum in Lansing, MI.  And lastly, we recently lost Bill Wilson who had worked for Oldsmobile for 33 years as a District Service Manager.  Bill really knew his Olds stuff – he once easily helped me troubleshoot an ignition problem after I had become fixated on what I was certain was a fuel problem.  It’s great to have old school experts for our old school cars, but those experts are gradually becoming more and more scarce.

For several recent years, there had been discussion as to creating a T-shirt for the Chapter, but different issues got in the way.  During the past year, we developed a logo for the Chapter.  From there, we determined that the logo could be used for making a T-shirt.  However, instead of the Chapter making and selling the T-shirt, a process was developed for individuals to obtain the logo digitally and then use it to have their own T-shirt “printed” by a custom T-shirt manufacturer.  I and another member had our own T-shirts made and wore them to the meeting.  We’re unsure of the amount of actual interest in this, but we determined at the meeting that there was no reason not to post the logo’s file on our website, thus making it even easier for individuals to print up shirts.  The logo is not trademarked, but we do have permission to use the GM-owned logos and scripts.

I didn’t have any official New Business, but two topics from the floor generated some interest.  There was discussion about some individuals that are apparently doing VIC (Visual Information Center) and electronic dash repairs.  There apparently are some contact and marketing issues with these two individuals.  So, our Editor will research this, and post results in the newsletter.  Hopefully, we will be able to get some resolution so that actual contact info can be provided.  Especially if you have a VIC that decides to give up the ghost, it would really be nice if someone could repair it for you – thus far, the usual thinking was that the best you might do was to substitute a VIC from another car, and that process probably had a 50/50 chance of success at best.

Manny Motashaw suggested that Chapter members might benefit from establishing a roster of suppliers and repairers that have some specificity to our Toronados and Auroras.  It was agreed it couldn’t hurt, so Manny then volunteered to take on this project.  Manny can be contacted at AHK500@AOL.COM

Finally, to add something different to our meeting, I offered a “show and tell.”  While recently searching for a replacement turn signal flasher, I stumbled on some unique Toro parts that I brought along to the show:  #1.  A used #907770 front wheel bearing, replaced on my first Toro after it developed some slop in it possibly due to salt-water exposure.  #2.  A 2170-piece transmission drive chain that couples the torque converter to the actual transmission – I bought this on eBay as an incorrectly identified timing chain, paying more for postage (it’s very heavy) than the actual item.  And #3.  A unique rolling-drum speedometer as used on 1st generation Toros – possibly a used item, but the odometer does read all zeroes.

The meeting adjourned at approximately 4:20.

Respectfully submitted,

Paul Andreas, Secretary-Treasurer