C L U T C H   C H A T T E R
REPORT

RIDEAU  VALLEY  REGION

Last Meeting
On Sunday, March 22nd, twenty-eight Rideau Valley members went on a tour of the Royal Canadian Mint on Sussex Street in downtown Ottawa.  It was most interesting even though no work was being done that day.  We were able to follow along, via video screens, the process along the lines and as well, had the tour guide’s explanations.  Yours truly (Bruce Pettinger) wasn’t able to write down all the information at the time so I have reverted to the good old Internet for help.

From 1908 until 1976, the Ottawa Mint manufactured all the currency coins but they are now being done in Winnipeg.  One thing of note is that the Canadian Mint makes coins for other nations as well as our own.  They also design and manufacture collector coins, silver, palladium, bullion coins, customized medals, tokens, trade dollar watches and briefly did high end jewelry featuring coin designs.

Recent innovations at the mint have been made to its plating process, which consists of a multiple technology that allows electromagnetic signatures to be embedded in the coins so as to assure readability in the coin processing industries.  In 2004, the mint came out with the world’s first colored circulation coin, the Remembrance Day 25cent piece with the red poppy on the reverse side.

After the tour, we gathered in the gift shop area where some did a bit of browsing and shopping.  To one side was a large gold bar, under the protective gaze of a security guard and securely chained to its pedestal.  Some of us asked whether or not it was a free sample but clearly, it was not!
 
After our tour of the mint, we went to Tucker’s Marketplace, which was formerly Mother Tucker’s and before that, Slover’s Furniture Store, where yours truly (Bruce P.) first landed employment in Ottawa in 1975, driving delivery trucks.  We certainly had a feast with a great variety of food and as much as you wanted, buffet style.

We want to wholeheartedly thank Dale and Hilary Faris for arranging both the tour and restaurant reservations.

Tidbits From the Past -- From CCR9302 ... February, 1993:
In 1931, an experimental road surface made of iron was laid on a portion of the Romford road at Stratford Ontario.  It was constructed of cast iron blocks measuring about two inches in thickness and having a diamond pattern on the upper surface formed by grooves of about one quarter inch in depth.  Only about sixty feet of the road was built in this manner.

Roster Addition
Please add the following new members to your 2009 Roster:

SODERSTROM, Richard and Bobbi                                         
218 Fourth Ave.,  OTTAWA ON  K1S 2L8                                          613-230-5865
E-mail: rick.soderstrom@gmail.com 
          1936  Auburn Cabriolet    'B'                                                                        

A hearty welcome to the Rideau Valley Region, Richard and Bobbi.  We hope that you will enjoy your association with us and be able to participate in our activities.

Roster Corrections
Please make the following corrections in your 2009 Roster:
For Alan Blackwell, ---  add the following car:
1957 Studebaker President Sedan in 'A' condition
For Wally and Sharon Taylor: E-mail address should be wallron@sympatico.ca

Antique Automobile Club of Ottawa Disbands
We are sorry to report that it was found necessary to dissolve the Antique Automobile Club of Ottawa (A.A.C.O.), after many active years in the community.  On a personal note, I (Ted) find it especially sad as I was one of the original group of enthusiasts, which gathered in 1962, to found an antique car club here in Ottawa, which we did, as a Region of the Vintage Automobile Club of Montreal (V.A.C.M.).  This group later became the Antique Automobile Club of Ottawa and was incorporated in 1965.   An invitation has been extended to the former members of the AACO, to join us in the Rideau Valley Region of H.A.S.C.

 Activities – Rideau Valley:
April 18th: – Visit to see Rheal Larose’s Die Cast Collection, and to see a train store.  Supper at a restaurant hosted by Hèlene and Rheal Larose. See Details in Next Meeting below

May 24th: – Safety Meet at the home of Neil & Helena Tompkins.

Activities – National:
April 18th: National Executive Meeting hosted by Muskoka Region.

April 19th : Virgil 26th Annual Automotive and Craft Flea Market, Virgil Arena, 4 Mile Creek Road, Virgil, Ontario, sponsored by the Niagara Region of H.A.S.C., 08:00 to 15:00 hrs.  Admission $3.00.  For further info., call (905) 356-4006.  See Klaxon for further details.

Activities – Non-HASC:
April 22nd to 26th: Spring Carlisle 2009 Collector Car Flea Market and Corral at the Carlisle Fairgrounds.  Call (717) 243-7855.

May 2nd & 3rd: Stirling, On – Stirling 2009, 38th annual Antique Automobile Flea Market at the Rec. Centre, Stirling Fairgrounds, Sterling, Ontario, 09:00 to 17:00 hrs, sponsored by the Ontario Region of AACA.  Spectator admission $5.00, children under 12 free.

May 9th & 10th : Antique & Collector Car Show, Flea Market and craft sale, Lombardy Fairgrounds, 4 miles south-west of Smiths Falls, Ont., sponsored by the Rideau Lakes Region, A.C.C.C.C.  General Admission $2.50, children 12 yrs and under, free.  Flea market: 09:00 to 15:00 Saturday and Sunday.  Car Show: Sunday, 11:00 to 14:30.  For further information, call Terry Irish at 613-283-3409.  Web Site: www.rideaulakes-acccc.com

May 24th: 17th annual Special Interest Auto and Motorcycle show, Town Hall Park, Oxford Mills, Ontario, in aid of the Anglican Parish, Oxford.  Vehicle entry closed at noon.  Spectator admission $3.00.  Vehicle admission: first 75 cars and 25 motorcycles free.  Show time, 12:00 to 16:00hrs.  For info, call Chris Bryant at (613) 989-3046 after 18:30.

May 30th: Automotive Swap Meet at Rideau Carleton Raceway, 4837 Albion Road, 08:00 to 16:00 hrs., spectator admission free, sponsored by Wednesday Cruise Night.  For further information, call 613-829-9198.

May 30th & 31st: Heritage Power and Country Festival at the Cumberland Museum.  For information, call Kevin at 613-833-3059 x223.

Things You Likely Didn’t Know About Bananas
For starters, never put bananas in the refrigerator!!!!  After checking this out, you’ll never look at a banana in the same way again.

Bananas contain three natural sugars – sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber.  A banana gives an instant sustained and substantial boost of energy.  Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90 minute workout.  No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world’s leading athletes, but energy isn’t the only way a banana can help us keep fit.  It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.
Depression?: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana.  This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.
PMS?: Forget the pills – eat a banana.  The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.
Anemia?: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.
Blood Pressure?: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure.  So much so, the US food and Dug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.
Brain Power?: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school (England) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power.  Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.
Constipation?: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.
Hangovers?: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey.  The banana calms the stomach and with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.
Heartburn?: Bananas have a natural antacid effect ion the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.
Morning Sickness?: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.
Mosquito Bites?: before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin.  Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.
Nerves?: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.
Overweight? and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips…looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs.  The report concluded that to avoid panic –induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.
Ulcers?: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases.  It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.
Temperature Control?: Many other cultures see bananas as a ‘cooling’ fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers.  In Thailand for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?: Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.
Smoking & Tobacco Use?: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking.  The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
Stress?: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body’s water balance.  When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels.  These can be rebalanced wit the help of a high-potassium banana snack.
Strokes?: According to research in the New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death be strokes by as much as 40 percent.
Warts?: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape! 
So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills.  When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the Vitamin A and iron and twice the other vitamins and minerals.  It is also rich in potassium, and is one of the best valued foods around.  So maybe it’s time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, ‘A banana a day keeps the doctor away!’
P.S. Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time!  I will add one more here; want a quick shine on our shoes??  Take the inside of the banana skin and rub directly on the shoe…polish with dry cloth.  Amazing fruit?!!!                                        ------------------ Bruce

1932 Helicron
Following the first World War it was not uncommon for recently displaced airplane engineers to look towards the burgeoning automobile industry for employment.  A few entrepreneurs developed propeller-powered cars with the notion that propeller power was an efficient means of moving a vehicle.  One result of this unique initiative was the Helicron.

Built in France in 1932 by an unknown manufacturer, the Helicron can best be described as the result of a union between an aeroplane and a wine barrel.  The body and frame are of wood construction, the body resembling that of a boat-tailed speedster.  The cowl surrounding the engine is of metal.  The track width is narrower in the rear than at the front, steering is by the rear wheels and only those wheels have springs.  Power was by a horizontally opposed two cylinder four stroke engine with a two-bladed propeller coupled directly to the crankshaft.  The car seats three, weighs 1000 pounds and  can apparently hit speeds exceeding 75 miles per hour when the prop is spinning at its fastest.
 
Only one Helicron was built and soon after, was placed in a barn in France and forgotten.  When discovered in 2000, little of this odd lost little gem could be seen through the rubble but, removed from its resting place and completely rebuilt, it has been reintroduced to the world.  Many of the original mechanical components were recovered, such as the frame, wire wheels, dashboard, steering wheel, steering gear, brake pedal, light switch, headlights and the type plate.  The frame was sandblasted and treated, the steering gear was rebuilt, and the interior was upholstered.  The car is currently equipped with a Citroen GS Engine.  The Helicron passed the French Safety Inspection in 2000 and is approved for use on their roads.  The car now resides at the Lane Motor Museum In Nashville, Tennessee.

Specifications:
Manufacturer: Unknown
Country of Origin: France
Drivetrain Configuration: Propeller
Engine: 4 cylinder, air cooled Citroën GS engine (not original - the original engine was lost but it is known to have been a horizontally opposed two cylinder four stroke).
Transmission: None
Top Speed: Unknown
Year of Production: 1932
Number Produced: 1
Original Cost: Unknown

Thanks to Neil Tompkins for the information, which sparked my interest, resulting in the above item ------ Ted.

Youth in the Hobby – AACA ---- and HASC?
At a recent seminar, Engaging Youth in the Hobby, Charles Crane, Vice President Youth Advancement for the Antique Automobile Club of America, presented a program that included a virtual roadmap of different ways to get kids of ALL ages excited and involved in the antique automobile hobby.  These ranged from appointing a Youth Director in your Region/Chapter to a “moving show and tell” at your event or local school..... brainstorming was in full swing at this seminar!  Tom Cox, Assistant Vice President Membership Development stressed that, “we need to continue to get kids in and around our antique cars, encourage, invite and mentor their interest”. 

Youth, the future of AACA! --- and HASC?  Perhaps with a bit of brainstorming in the right places and at the right levels of our bureaucracy we might find a solution to a problem, which is of concern in all vintage automobile clubs today, otherwise, we will be joining the ranks of the AACO.

Next Meeting
The next meeting of the region will be on Saturday, April 18th, hosted by Rheal and Helene Larose.  We will meet at the Tim Hortons, corner of Cyrville/Innes (just past Costco), at 1:30 PM (exit Innes East of 417).  We will then travel to the Larose home- 2635 Monique Ave. (Notre-Dame-des-Champs), Navan.  We will visit Rheal’s die cast collection and view his “fleet.” About 3:15/3:30 PM, we will head to Nepean to visit a model train store then, in the same area, go to a Chinese Buffet.  A head count will be required. For those, who might become directionally challenged, Rheal’s phone number is 613-424-1852.  See you there!!

Bruce Pettinger, Editor, 8 Woodlawn Ave,  OTTAWA ON  K1S 2S9
Phone: (613) 234-4266:  E-mail: PettingerB@DFO-MPO.GC.CA

R. E. (Ted) Fiander, Regional Reporter, 3 Leeward Street, NEPEAN, ON  K2E 5W4
Phone:  (613) 226-5308 :  E-mail:  tedabel@magma.ca