A twin salute to club magazines serving the hobby well

Here are prime examples of two clubs that have a long history of producing fine publications that inform their members in more ways than one.

Arc and Spark is by the Kalamazoo Antique Auto Restorers Club and edited by David O. Lyon (P. O. Box 532, Oshtemo, Mich. 49077). To gain a perspective, consider the variety over the eight pages ofthe issue for mid-September.

Official meeting minutes are shown. News of members is revealed. The club president has a message. There is a short calendar of events, a sell & swap section, coverage of the concours at St. Johns, and the 19th annual Red Barns Spectacular. Front and back covers are in full color. The paper stock is “coated” (slick), which enhances clarity. A single “forever” stamp carries it through the mail.

It’s not flashy, but is high-quality in appearance, design and coverage. It helps members learn the hobby, find out more about the club, and keep up with its members. These are the virtues of a good hobby publication, but there’s more.

A three-paragraph article with a picture of a McLaren that sold recently for nearly $20 million is on page four. Set for exhibit at a recent concours, the text reads: “This Gerald Weigert car is considered by many as the first American-built supercar featuring a wedge design and a Chevrolet engine developing 625 hp…top speed of 230 mph is claimed.” Designed mainly in the 1970s,but introduced in the 1980s and continuing into the 1990s, “only 19-22 are thought to have been built.” Back then, the sale price was $455,000. Good stuff to report! There are bunches of pictures of other show beauties in the issue, too.

Airhorn, produced by the Chicagoland Corvair enthusiasts (208 South Caryl, Northlake, Ill. 60164) and edited by Charley Biddle, carried 10 pages for the same month. It, too, covered club events past and coming. Show reports were also included, making Airhorn comparable to Arc and Spark in several respects.

Another enjoyable article was “GM Heritage Museum” on the Corvair homecoming event a short distance from the Ypsilanti GM Assembly Plant, home to most Corvairs. Tours of museum sites plus a close-up experience with the Chevrolet Astro I, II, and III show cars, capped the event.

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