Gathering Project Highlights

By Ward Frahler:
This is for those who don't know. Last year at the National Gathering when Dale arrived he would always be tuning on his car while we would be going off to do an event, changing fouled plugs, changing plug wires, etc. etc. ..... Well, while sitting out in the parking lot a member had a thought and brought up that we ought to rebuild a motor for him and change it at the next Gathering. After passing the idea around club members it was a go. Jeff Phillips spearheaded the whole motor thing by getting the motor rebuilt. Some that heard about our project donated their time and parts to the cause having not met Dale at all. A replacement engine was rebuilt and run on a dyno to make sure there were no problems. At first we wanted to surprise Dale but fear of him not getting there in time led us to let him know what was going on and when he needed to be there by to make this happen. He arrived on time and the engine swap commenced. Some of us could not be there in time to help but as it goes there probably wasn't any room for any more hands and bodies. From what I hear the swap went very well and now Dale can keep up and doesn't have to turn off his air when climbing a hill or needing more power. The Hahns made a beautiful Steerhead plaque(it has a custom texture to it the is incredible) to hang on the wall and we mounted a custom painted aircleaner that everyone in attendance signed to present to Dale commemorating the event. It is said that Dale couldn't find a place in his room that he felt comfortable leaving it while he slept so he slept with it in the spoon position, can't validate this but it makes for a good story. In the end I think members of the club got more out of it seeing Dales appreciation than Dale did. I think it is really cool that members of the MCG could selflessly come together and do this for a fellow member.

 

Here is a closer pic of his wall hanging.

 

I think it speaks volumes of the quality of people in the MCG!! Dale is a great guy, and for you guys to do that for him, and incorporate it into the Gathering is something he will never forget. I`m just sorry I couldn`t be there to participate, it would have been fun. My hat`soff to you all!!!

 

I think this was a great thing to do and can't think of anyone deserving it more than Dale. I had first met Dale at RU in Hannibal, MO., again in Dearborn where I really had a chance to converse w/ him and his dad. I can say I like both of them. Dale is impartial, he attends both group events. I have to take my hat off to him for driving his car frm Dearborn to Texas. "I think I saw his car in the pix frm the RU this year".
No way, I am driving my Comet that far; I drove my Buick Lucerne there abt 5yrs ago and that was enough for me ... it's a lot more comfortable than our cars.
Glad to see Dale the recipient of the clubs efforts ... someone who has proven he will make good use of the work, effort and money to make it happen.

 

Very cool and couldn't happen to a nicer person!!!!

 

I thought so too, but after I read the comment about him flying home, I went back to look at the photo & noticed it is the Comet version of the Dale-mobile.

 

I am blown away at the fact that people took the time and investment to do such a great thing, but not surprised.

I may have been to just one Gathering but you can tell what caliber of people that the MCG has in it. From the minute I arrived last year I felt like these are people I had known all my life.

Plans are already made to attend next year, I figure some people may have run out of cheese by then

 

Now I really regret that we couldn't make it.. I did see Dale at the Roundup and didn't realize this had happened although I had heard it brewing in the beginning.
I too thought it was Dales car and it finally dawned on me that it was a Comet with wire wheels. Then I remembered it belongs to Doug.

We plan to make it next year for sure. Starting to sound like a big Gathering coming up .. We want cheese
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Now that is a real neat deal

 

What a bunch of great guys in the MCG to pull this off...couldn't had happen to a better guy.

 

First, thanks to everyone who helped with getting the engine swap together. Thanks for Jeff, for finding an engine, and for all the new parts that went into the engine. Thanks to Jeff's friend Larry, for the internal engine work. Thanks to Jim, for doing all the work underneath the car. Thanks for Jack for use of the air conditioned facility, which was important for the engine swap to happen in one day. Also, thanks for the supporting cast of, in no particular order, of John, Allan, Don, and Wilbur.

Also, thanks for Ward for the awesome painting of the air cleaner, including a great flame on the snorkel of the air cleaner. Thanks for the Hahn brothers for the cool steerhead plaque.

My car will now be running great for years to come.

 

Yes, Blugene is correct. That's true Jack. What you're seeing there Everett is a Mercury Comet version of my car.

A little history about seeing Doug's car for the first time. I attended my first national meet in 2001, and I brought my 4-door Maverick. It just so happens that Doug brought his 1977 Mercury Comet 4-door as well. Here are both of our cars from that meet back in 2001:

 

Thanks everybody for the kind words as well. I am deeply appreciative of knowing you guys also :Handshake.

 

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when I try to post it sez I cant ,it sez I don't have priv. to post why is that