Back to the Bricks®
December 2022 Newsletter
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Words from the Chairman of the Board |
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"Time flies. When you are having fun!”
I don’t know about you, but this year has been an absolute BLUR! I’m sure it’s because I have been involved with so many things that I truly enjoy doing. Of course, at the top of that list is doing things with my cars and my friends of similar interest. I don’t even mind prepping the cars for winter because I usually remember all the fun I had with that particular vehicle, or it reminds me of some event that my wife Deb and I were able to attend. This is what collecting cars is all about – the memories we make with friends!
This year I have quite a list of repairs I need to make to prepare the cars for the next years adventures. I broke a shock on my 39 Pontiac, so I am ordering new shocks for it. I am buying new tires for my 1970 Corvette that I am going to sell before the new year. My 1965 Buick needs a new horn and the gas gauge fixed. Our 1956 Buick, which was owned by DJ Bob Steel needs some new Wide White Walls before we hit the road on the Promo Tour. Which brings me to a reminder for you all.
We have 2 great events for you to consider before Christmas. Our tour destinations were announced yesterday on December 15, and you won’t want to miss the 13th annual Founders Promo Tour. It will be held from June 9-14 and it’s a nice way to start your summer. You can register on January 1st, don’t worry Amber will send an email out to everyone as a friendly reminder. Another opportunity that is fast approaching is the 8th Annual Chrome & Ice™ Car show in February. We have over 90 cars registered already, with room for more. It’s a great place to display your classic and you can win some amazing awards.
Please take time to block out your calendars with all the activities we have planned. There’s a Save the Date box at the bottom with these dates. We know you won’t want to miss this amazing year of fun ahead.
Have a BLESSED Christmas holiday with your loved ones and wonderful new year with BACK TO THE BRICKS!
My best regards to all of you!
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Sincerely,
Al & Deb Jones
Chairman of the Board
Back to the Bricks®
aljones@backtothebricks.org
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VIP Experience Tickets on SALE NOW |
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Brought back by popular demand is the VIP EXPERIENCE on Friday Feb 10th from 6:30 pm to 9PM.
Tickets for the VIP Experience are $45.00 each and include Free parking, general admission to the car show, coat check, and live musical entertainment with Square Lucy, featuring Elvis! PLUS with your VIP Ticket is complimentary adult beverages at any of several bars in the arena, gourmet hors d’oeuvres, and dessert on the walkway above the Green Arena from 6:30 to 8 PM, compliments of the Dort Financial.
NEW this year is a CASINO brought to you by Suski Chevrolet. Each VIP Experience Participant will be awarded tickets to exchange into chips to play. At the end of the night, cash in your winnings for tickets to WIN some of our amazing prizes. (No actual money will be exchanged)
Proceeds from Chrome & Ice™ and the VIP Experience will support the Back to the Bricks® Youth Scholarship Fund.
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Want to Feature your Vehicle at Chrome & Ice™??? |
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Register NOW for your chance to feature your vehicle at the 2023 Chrome & Ice™ Show. February 10th - 12th.
This 3 day Indoor Car Show will have more entertainment and special surprises than ever before! All selected vehicles will be notified on an individual basis.
If your vehicle is selected to participate the fee is $55. It includes:
- Participant entrance all weekend
- Parking for the entire weekend
- Catered Lunch on Saturday
- Special Collectors License Plate
- Collectors T-Shirt
- Window Placard
- Coffee and Snacks each morning before the doors open
- Opt in, to be judged and win trophies
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What's new with our Executive Director |
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Hey everyone!
We officially announced on Thursday December 15th the theme for the 13th Annual Founders Promo Tour. It was an amazing press conference with so many people in attendance. I am pleased to announce that we were able to keep a secret, which isn't an easy task with this group, but we hid the fact that this year’s tour will be a tribute to the founders of the Automobile, and a special tribute to our founder, the Founder of Back to the Bricks, Al Hatch. His entire family joined in on the surprise and for the first time Al Hatch was speechless. Ahhh to see his face again when they walked out, he had no idea they were there behind the curtain, all wearing the new tour shirt with his FACE and his CAR on it. I would like to give a HUGE shout out to our caricature artist, who mastered the car and Al's face, Gary Alumbaugh. Then a special shout out to our finishing artist, Dawn Cooper who was able to take Gary's art and place within the final artwork to create the tour poster and design. A lot goes into the artwork we put out with Back to the Bricks®, and generally for the most part our two main Artists Dawn and Gary make it happen for us! We love our amazing crew.
Sponsorships for 2023 are still coming in, and we can't thank our Sponsors and Partners enough for believing in what we do and continuing to help keep these amazing events like the upcoming Chrome & Ice™ festivities a staple year after year. This week alone, I met with 2 new potential sponsors, and it was so much fun talking about our organization and all we do to boost the economy during our events. I still have more to meet up with and drop plaques off to, and it’s getting harder to get to everyone during the month of December, but I will do it!
This year we have added an ALL-NEW Special event to our calendar and thanks to some new partners.... We for sure will be announcing it in Jan. So be on the lookout for full details. I can't wait!
So, let's make 2023 even BETTER than the years past. Crank up the volume in your car, let’s get to cruising and let's have some fun together. (Well not today, because this is Michigan, and it could SNOW after 2pm). I hope to see each and every one of you in the new year, but especially at Chrome & Ice™ there will be something for everyone, especially the VIP Experience. So get your tickets, dress up and let's have fun in February together.
As for the Holiday Season, you know Peyton and I will be watching every holiday movie there is to include our favorites, Elf, Christmas Vacation and Home Alone. She just this week had her high school band performance and let me tell you I was almost in tears. She not only looked like an angel, she and her entire band performed like pros. She's really gotten to be good on the trombone. It was amazing to see. I swear the older I get the more I realize how truly beautiful and wonderful being a mom is. You all know I love my job, in fact December 19th, I hit 3 years with Back to the Bricks®, I will celebrate with working on the events coming up, but truthful nothing beats the job of being a mom. I am truly blessed.
Well in closing, I can't truly thank my Board of Directors, the Sponsors and Partners and the many, many Volunteers that always show up, always lend a hand, and are always there for Peyton and I. Thank you doesn't even begin to express my love and admiration for you all. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and hey if you see me out and about never be shy, come up to me and say hi!
Let the countdown to Christmas begin…. I haven't had anytime to shop, so there's nothing under the tree yet... I will get there!
Amber Taylor
Executive Director
Back to the Bricks®
Direct: 810-877-8383
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Your holiday shopping just got easier!!!
Are you looking to get something special for your car enthusiast for the holidays? How about an ALL-NEW Hat, Sweater or Back to the Bricks Mug?
We've partnered with Kidd Co out of Clio! You can order online, pickup in their store or have shipped to YOU. It's as easy as Clicking, Shopping and wrapping the items up and placing under the tree for your car enthusiast.
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Al’s Garage
Vol. #3, Issue #12
"Tis the Season!"
By the looks of the title most of you are probably thinking this issue of ‘Al’s Garage’ is going to be about the Christmas Holiday Season. Not so fast! For those of us who live in the northern climate our treasured collectable cars have been winterized, covered, and put away for the next few most. The shift in our thinking has now turned to the garage projects that have been awaiting some long overdue attention. Hence it is the season to begin working on some winter car projects.
In my case, my wife suggested last summer that we should have the seats in the ’36 Auburn’ reupholstered as the existing coverings were in poor condition. Coming from me, ‘Honey that’s a great idea!’ The challenge was finding the correct material for the seats that are eighty plus years old. Knowing the whereabouts of several national known suppliers, only one had something close to the original material and the price was astronomical at a whopping $156.00 per yard for something that was only close to the original. With that the ’36 Auburn project was put on hold. Later this past summer I stopped into ‘Flint Auto Upholstery’ to check on another project I had them doing for me. At a quick glance I say a swatch of fabric that looked like that of the Auburn. I asked the owner of the shop if I could borrow it to see how close it was to the original material, and would you know, luck was on my side for once.
Upon arrival back at my garage I was pleased that the material was almost a perfect match (who says ‘every now and then even a blind pig finds an acorn’) and for once l was dealt a winning hand. Craig, the owner of the shop, called his supplier in Detroit and they had the material in stock and two days later I had ten yards of the correct interior material in my possession. The next challenge was getting the seats into the shop as there was a waiting list. Finally, Craig contacted me in mid-November to bring the seats to him as my time in the cue came to an end. This past week the seats were completed and are now back in the Auburn and they look great. Mind you, the Auburn is not a show car by any means and is considered a daily driver; nice appearing and sporting some age marks which is okay with me.
The other project for this winter is my son’s ’31 Model A Ford roadster. He purchased it two summers ago. The price was right, but the car needed a lot of attention. He decided to totally dissemble the car and convert it to a ‘hi-boy’ build. The original builder of the car welded the body to the frame and made a boat load of other changes to the frame and suspension. My son and yours truly have never tackled a major street rod projects but fortunately the two of us had plenty of friends who have, and the call went out to them. A little over a week ago on Saturday morning approximately ten people showed up to help disassemble the car. Thank God for cut-off wheels and cutting torches! By mid-afternoon the complete drive train and suspension was removed from the existing frame. Unfortunately, the existing frame was not salvageable but on the bright side street rod frames are readily available and built to your specifications. With an abundance of help and knowledge my son is well on his way if the ‘Benjamin’s’ hold out.
One very important fact to celebrate ‘This season’ is the comradery the car hobby brings to us. Having ten fellow car enthusiasts pitching in to help is phenomenal and greatly appreciated. As for the real ‘Tis the season’ I for one looked back on ‘2022’ and truly appreciated the blessing of great friends of the car hobby. A common thread of interests brings together people from all walks of life with no exceptions. Don’t forget registrations are open for the ‘Back to the Bricks’ Chrome and Ice’ indoor car show which is held in the first week of February. May all of you have a blessed Christmas Season and a Happy New Year! Stay warm and safe and help a friend out with their projects or invite them over to help with yours.
Keep on roll’
Al Hatch
Founder
Back to the Bricks®
Chairman Emeritus
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