November 21st, 2022

Happy Thanksgiving Car Lovers,

With the snow on the ground, we for sure know it is Winter. For most of us, we are planning holiday parties, and get togethers. For me and my Vice Chairman Adam Jones, we are busy planning Chrome & Ice™. Before we know it, February 9th will be here. We extended the dates this year, to have a full day of load in. We feel as a committee the show would benefit adding this additional day, allowing us to better engage with our car owners that are placing their car in the show. Friday February 10^th the doors will officially open even earlier than in previous years, at 10am.

Registration for Chrome & Ice™ is open, and we are getting a great turn out so far, but we need more. We are looking for classic cars and trucks, show worthy vehicles that WOW. We have a special tunnel display this year, see the below box. So, make sure you register, make sure you also stay tuned for VIP Experience information coming soon. Our VIP Experience Chairman, Amber Taylor and Co-Chair Dawn Cooper have a surprise theme that we think everyone will love.

The theme for Chrome & Ice™ comes out in December!!! It’s something we’ve never tried before and should bring some very INTERESTING vehicles to Flint Michigan in the Winter, so stay tuned.

As always, we thank you for all your continued support. 

Ralph Messer

Vice Chairman of the Board

Back to the Bricks®

ralphmesser@backtothebricks.org

Hey everyone,

With Thanksgiving this week, I would be amiss if I didn't start this with a HUGE THANK YOU to you all. Back to the Bricks® has worked hard this year, and the most important part of my job is making sure to thank everyone that have made this year such a success. I know that when Al Hatch, Dave Wood and the others sat around their kitchen table over 19 years ago, they probably didn't image that Back to the Bricks® would be where we are today. But I am truly thankful for their simple idea all those years ago, to bring a car show to Flint. Of course we are far more than a car show today, but it all began with a vision and an idea and the founders should be thanked for all they did.

These past few months, I've been working on a few things and I can't wait to talk with you more about it! Our 19th Year is fastly approaching and we are thrilled with the plans so far. An added event is coming, so SAVE THE DATE for Friday June 30th 2023.

We're working on delivering our Sponsor Plaques, we truly LOVE seeing our partners and sponsors, and be able to thank them in person. With 2023 being right around the corner, we are looking to gather even more partnerships. If you are a business owner or know a business that could see the value in partnering with us, please share with them the 2023 Sponsorship Packet. You can download it here, or click to our website to read more about this amazing opportunity.

In the next few weeks we will be releasing more information about the upcoming Chrome & Ice™ event. Our VIP Experience as you know is our fundraising event for our 2023 Scholarship Fund. You will see below, that our Scholarship program is officially open so make sure you share with the special student in your life the opportunity to enter.

We will chat soon, please don't forget to follow us on Facebook we are always posting and sharing things on there you might be interested in or could enjoy.

Al’s Garage

Vol. #3, Issue #11

"Preparing for winter and winter projects"

November’s edition of ‘Al’s Garage’ comes the week of Thanksgiving. I suspect most of us will have our collector cars winterized and stored for the upcoming winter months. About this time every year you can pick any number of auto magazines and find a story or two regarding how we should prep a car a five-month hibernation. Typically, it includes fuel stabilizers, a good cleaning of the exteriors and interiors. A good wax job might be in order after cleaning the exterior. Check and top off all fluids to include filling the fuel tank. Some people suggest putting moth balls around the tires to prevent mice intrusions into the engine bay and interior of the car(s) in questions. And others have recommended Irish Spring body soap for the interior. I have tried this recommendation and I can not say whether it worked or not. My outer garage is pretty tight, and I have not had a mice problem in the past. But there is always a first time. The soap idea definitely has one advantage and that is the interior of the car smells extremely nice, and you could always use the soap for your own personal use the following spring! Additionally Inflating the tires to the manufacture’s recommendation is not a bad idea. As for jacking up the car onto jack stands to prevent ‘flat spotting’ of tires is questionable. For one, radial tires are not affected being on the cement floor of the garage. As for bias ply tires, flat spotting can occur but getting the car out for the spring drive takes car of that problem in a short distance. Stuffing oil-soaked rags in the tailpipe and into a variety of other orifices in the car’s engine bay and elsewhere in the vehicles body is personal choice of the owner.

As for winter projects they can be minor in nature or extreme. Obviously extreme is usually accompanied with high cost such as an engine rebuild, a paint job and interior. If you are talented with using automotive tools the costs can be reduced dramatically. On the other hand, if your project requires outside expertise, it can prove to be expensive as shop rates are anywhere from $75-$125 per hour. And this can be coupled with lengthy times at the restorer/builder facility. This brings up a very important point; I know of several instances dropping off a car to the contractor’s facility only to sit there for month’s if not years languishing to being worked on. Meantime, the owner of the collector is doing a slow boil wondering if he or she will ever see the car on the road again. Just remember, if you choose to hire out a major portion of the restoration of your collector car, it is highly recommended you conduct a thorough check of the restorer’s business ethics prior to leaving the car with them. It is well worth the time and effort.

Have a great ‘Thanksgiving’ and try not to eat too much! One more thing; don’t forget to make up your Christmas list of either new tools for the garage or parts you need for your current garage projects.

Keep on Rollin'

Al Hatch

Founder of the Back to the Bricks® 

Chairman Emeritus