2015 Sunday/FUNDay Meet-Greet-Eat!

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Published: 04 March 2015

Sunday/FUNDay Meet-Greet-Eat!

The Taverne of Richfield

When: Sunday, March 8, 2015
Where: Taverne of Richfield, 3960 Broadview Road ( Rte. 303 at 176), Richfield, Ohio 44286
Meet/Greet/Eat: 1-3 p.m.
FUND-raising: Anytime March 8 from noon-9 p.m. with attached coupon

Yes, we're doing it again!  Just when we all get tired of the snow, the cold and winter, we'll start thinking and talking about the upcoming driving season and cars. Plan to spend a Sunday afternoon social gathering (March 8) and meet some Chapter members at the Taverne of Richfield.

Meet, Greet, and Eat – 1-3 p.m.
Several of Board members will be in attendance at a table from 1-3 p.m. on Sunday, March 8, so you can meet us and share a meal. If you've joined and not met anyone yet or if you are thinking about joining the Chapter, this is perfect time to meet some officers and members, find out who we are and learn what we do. It's the perfect social to help you plan your driving activities for the year.

Just Come and Eat Fundraiser – noon to 9 p.m.
In addition, this event is a fundraiser for the Chapter as well. If you (your friends, relatives, or neighbors) come to the Taverne at anytime on Sunday, March 8, and present one of the attached coupons (PDF link below) when ordering, the Taverne will donate 15% of each attendee's identified food sales toward our treasury. This is a great way to help us cover the incidentals necessary to run the Chapter such as postage, phone, and other expenses. Yes you can order any meal on the menu. Oh, did I mention that the Main Bar hosts a Burgers special on Sunday? What better way to watch a game with old or new friends, if nothing else?

How to Attend
Call the Taverne of Richfield and make a reservation (330.659.0610), letting them know you're with Northern Ohio Chapter BMW CCA. Mark your calendar. Appear at your designated reservation time with your coupon. Join members and officers, if you arrive between 1 and 3 p.m. If you come later, just enjoy the meal and know you're contributing to your Chapter, so we can continue to plan all sorts of events for the 2015 driving season.

Questions? Contact C. L. Harrison (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 330.212.9280).

Sunday/FUNday Coupons BMWCCA (PDF)

Driving season comes to an end

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Published: 21 September 2014

by C. L. Harrison, NOCBMWCCA president

Greetings everyone!
Summer has fled rather abruptly and now we’re moving rapidly into fall weather and the last of our driving season. By the time you receive this the Lincoln Highway Liverpool Pottery drive will be imminent, if not past, and the final drive of the year, our October brewery tour to the Rocky River Brew Company will be right on its heels.

At the recent meeting the Board approved the suggested changes/updates to our by-laws, so look for a special e-mail blast in October with directions on how to vote electronically on the proposed changes which will bring the Chapter into the 21st century. Please make certain you vote, as we need majority approval to implement the changes.

Later in the fall we shall also be asking you to decide if you wish to receive your newsletter in print or by electronic delivery. While it’s great to receive that glossy newsletter, producing four print issues of it per year is costing the Chapter approximately $12,000. So, we are asking each member to consider if you could read it in an electronic format each quarter to help us reduce costs. We’ll cover the specifics on the web site and e-mail blast later in the fall.
Also, despite my best efforts, our newsletter editor, Rich Loney, has indicated that other obligations will require him to turn over the reins in 2015. So, we are looking for someone who can start working with us to plan that transition to an electronic format and who could still support any print requirements we may have. If you’re interested and have time, please send either of us a resume and get in touch for more details.

Early in November I’m planning a Saturday morning vintage village visit to the shops on Medina’s Public Square and nearby area, so that members can check out the architecture and do a little pre-holiday shopping. We’ll have some type of activity in December to fulfill our Chapter obligations as well, but dwelling too long on that at this moment conjures up visions of that nasty “four-letter word,” so check the web site and look for e-mail blasts to update you on those later 2014 plans!

As I know winter can’t be far away, I’m heading out to our western region to collect those final archival boxes in the next week or two. I’ll spend the snowy months on our collective history, hoping to create
an electronic, searchable record of our governance decisions over the past almost 25 years. And, I shall be finalizing the checklists and timetables for upcoming 2015 activities.

It’s not too early to start planning for the holidays by “gifting” someone (or getting someone to “gift” you) with a slot in the 2015 drivers’ school, a seat on the bus to the annual NAIS Detroit Auto Show, a membership or a membership renewal, Chapter “gear,” or a fun evening at the holiday party in January!

Remember, this Chapter is a collective effort to serve Bimmerphiles of northeastern Ohio. We need your support and participation to continue the level and type of service you have received during the past 25 years. Plan on attending an event in the near future. If there’s an event you’d like to suggest, plan, or with which you’d assist, please contact any Board member. As always, I can attest that your efforts bring you fun experiences and good friends in return.
Now, get out for a drive to enjoy the colors and exercise that car!

Keep the shiny side up!

C. L. Harrison, NOCBMWCCA president

The Reluctant Winter Beater

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Published: 20 September 2014

by Rich Loney, NOCBMWCCA Pilot editor

In the fall issue of the Bimmer Pilot you may recall my excitement to have scored a great deal on an ’05 Honda Element for my youngest son Kyle. Not only was it a somewhat underpriced low-mileage vehicle, but I found it in late January and Kyle wouldn’t get his driver’s license until May. Beautiful! For the first time in my existence, I’d have a bona fide all-wheel-drive “winter beater.”  Kyle’s birthday (Cinco d’Kyle) arrived, and, upon the successful passing of his driver’s exam, the keys to the Honda were officially transferred from my pocket to his. So far it’s been an awesome father-son bonding experience. We’ve logged many amazing hours of garage-time togetherness modifying his new ride with projects ranging from bolting on nerf bars and a flashy billet aluminum grill, to installing a black acrylic hood guard and hula girl dashboard ornament. We even teamed up on a brake pad and fluid change with the finishing touch being painting the calipers bright red. It’s been a blast spending time with him. 

Which brings us to today, Sunday, August 17. In exactly one week I’ll take possession of my next winter beater. No, I didn’t find this one on Craig’s List or parked in the back of a buddy’s service station lot.  Truth be told, I’ve actually owned my new winter ride for close to 10 years. When the snow starts falling and salt saturates our roads I’ll park the 135i and saddle up in our family’s trusty ’03 Toyota Highlander. However, as thrilled as I was in January when the Honda was added to the fleet, when I drive the Highlander it will be with a bit of a heavy heart and, quite possibly, a tear in my eye. You see, in a week my oldest son Ryan heads off to The Ohio State University and will leave behind both the Toyota and a mom and dad who are totally stunned by how quickly time has passed.

Cars and the time you and your kids share with them are special. I cherish each of the memories. My only wish is  that I had a thousand more memories. Ryan was probably 14 when I taught him how to drive behind the wheel of the vacation rental in a huge Orlando parking lot. When Kyle was just 8 he began helping me with my seasonal tire changes on the Bimmer. Back then he was my wheel chock guy. Now, at 16, he can swap the wheels and torque the lugs like a NASCAR pit crew pro and is probably strong enough to bench press the car in the absence of a floor jack.

Next week, as the family piles into the Highlander and drives Ryan to Columbus, we’ll make another special but bittersweet car memory. A memory of how proud I am of my little boy for growing into such an amazing young man, but how sad I’ll be to see him go. So to my son:  May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back, and, until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

BMW Obsession

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Published: 19 September 2014

Submitted by Bob Perritt

You know you’re addicted when:

• You own more than one BMW but you are still looking at BMWs for sale at AutoTrader
• You won’t drive your car in the snow but take it to

HPDE events

• You start trailering your car to the track because you need room for tools and fresh “stickies”
• You search for the net HPDE before you go to the last one scheduled
• You decide your track car needs better safety gear such as harnesses and a roll cage
• You start taking weight out of your car to help go faster or even go on a diet (ha-ha!)
• You decide to take the BMW Race School just for the experience
• You realize you have enough track time and passed race school
• You sign up for your first of many race events
• You figure out how to get the fastest qualifying time out of fresh “stickies”
• You make friends with fellow drivers and all you talk about is how you still get to play with cars with friends

If and when you become a racer, you think about:

• How to be faster
• How to be a better driver
• Suspension
• Bigger brakes
• A tuned chip
• Sizing a differential for the track
• Corner-Balancing for the car
• Removing weight from the car
• Building your engine’s horsepower
• Coaching and data
• Seat time and practice time on a wet track

We haven’t had as much seat time so far this year; our car(s) has/have a few minor issues. Well, that what we thought—that we just needed a head gasket. As it turns out, we replaced a couple of suspect valves, milled the head, got some new pistons, and so forth. The car motor had some miles on it, and I guess it was ready to be freshened up. $$$. When I look back at logging things down, it was time. I guess we were thinking we were good to the end of the season.

So, I brought out the other car for an event. It hadn’t been on track at all this year. I checked her out, got the annual inspection done, and all was good. Well, not really. The anti-lock brakes gave us issues during a practice before qualifying, and we weren’t going to be able to race safely that weekend. Parts weren’t going to be available, so I made the call not to race. I always want to put safety first with the car(s). That’s what’s expected! I mentioned car(s), because I realize it’s hard enough to keep one car going let alone multiple cars. It takes a lot of time; there’s money involved. We weren’t alone; this past event I believe 7 or 8 cars didn’t race either that weekend.

We did manage to get to a couple of my favorite tracks—Mid-Ohio and The Glen; they were a blast. Those tracks are a must on your bucket list. But, I feel that way about all tracks. Obsession! The Glen is tough because the weather is so
unpredictable. One qualifying group went out on a dry track and the next group had a wet track. Yet, weather radar showed nothing. Now, wet changes the game, changes the track, changes where you can drive safely. It’s tough, but it’s still fun; it’s something different. Wet helps you drive better. You have to be smooth on shifting, throttle, and braking. It makes you a better driver, a safer driver. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love a dry track as you can go faster!

The motor should be back in by the time you read this. We should have had the time to break her in, and be ready to race. We still have three months of events, so I hope to see you at the track.

Bob #57, #54, #135