Anniston Fall Gathering, Oct 5-6-7, 2001

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This is Kerry Pinkerton reporting from Anniston, Alabama for the Imperial News Network.

Another great Imperial and Packard gathering was held at the Victoria Country Inn in Anniston, Alabama the weekend of Oct 6-7.  Donald Taccone and Jeff Carrothers host this event and Packard, Imperial, and other car lovers are welcome.  The weather was threatening.  The forecast called for rain Friday evening and Saturday and dramatically lower temperatures.

People started arriving mid afternoon and by dark, over 26 people had gathered in Donald and Debby's room (the carriage house) for finger foods and drinks.  As usual Debby had gone all out and the food she prepared as well as the goodies other people brought made for a great evening.  The Lebanese meat pies were especially good.  Donald and Debby have done this opening night kickoff for years.  I hope that everyone kicked in the kitty to help defray some of the costs.

About 8pm, Donald's cell phone rang and we found out that Bobby Wicker was stranded at the interstate exit in his 64.  Shortly thereafter, two Imperials disgorged 8 Imperial owners to the rescue.  Mark Harris and Jeff Carrothers immediately knew the problem was a melted ammeter.  On 64-66, current flows through the ammeter to the rest of the system and if a connection gets loose it can melt down.  The quick fix is to move one wire to the other lug and tie them together to feed the rest of the system.  Mark Harris dove under the dash and attempted to disconnect the wires but we did not have the correct wrench.  At this point, Robert Soule's previous experience as a car thief  ;) came to the rescue as he hotwired from the battery to the positive connection on the coil and jumped across the starter solenoid to start the car.  Even the headlights work although they were a little dim.  We put Bobby in the middle between Donald's 56 and my 64 and headed back just as it started to rain. 

Donald "Fireball" Taccone immediately took to the races and we in the rear were hard pressed to keep up.  Only later did we learn that his hurry was because Robert had left the top down on his just finished 300 convertible.

The ladies did not even miss us while we were gone and were sitting in the suite laughing their rears off at something or the other.  The rain did not last and most the guys hung around in the parking lot and car geeked.  

About 11pm the temperature and rain had set in and I called it a day.  My long suffering wife, Carolyn, was still in the carriage house with the other wives...giggling.  By the time I showered and warmed up she came up and we called it a night.  According to her, I snored all night but according to me, I had Imperial dreams as the rain poured down.

The next day was about 60 degrees at sunrise and still raining slightly.

Larry Segal's 59 Plymouth is magnificent but the mighty 318 decided to toss a water pump bearing early Saturday.  This is not the same 318 that we know from later years but Larry found a new water pump at AutoZone for less than 20 bucks.  Larry and Robert Soule had it changed in about 20 minutes.  In the meantime, I chauffeured a bunch of the wives to Big Lots in the "new" 54 Imperial.  I don't know who had more fun.

Much car fun was had throughout the day.  Lunch was on your own and people grouped up and headed to their choice.  Donald, Debby, Elijah Scott and Sarah Rowe drove Donald's 56 to Ruby Tuesdays.    By midday, the skies had cleared and the temperature climbed to about 70.

This year, we decided to offer two choices for dinner.  Some people, chose to eat in the very nice restaurant at the Victoria and the rest herded up and cruised to a nearby Sonic Drive Inn.  I can't speak to the meal at the Victoria but the 6 cars that drove to the sonic had a blast.  It was a bit chilly but we had a ball standing around and enjoying the admiring stares from the other diners.  

  Sunday morning was stunning.  Cool but wonderfully crisp and clear.  The parking lot was full of cars.

  Chris Hawkins drove over from Altanta is his 60 New Yorker 4 door hardtop wagon with a 413 and DUAL AIR.  This is one stunning machine.  Chris did all the body work and paint.  It is very rare and only 9 are known.

  Murray Vice came over with Chris in this 300.

  Oh oh another hood is up.  Jeff Carrother's fan belt was wearing so he and Robert swapped it out. 

I did not get everyone's cars.  Sorry.  The following are SOME of the 100+ shots that Elijah Scott took.

Hood detail on my 54 Imperial 54 Imperial DIVING EAGLE The original AIRTEMP!.  54 was the first year for factory AC.  The ac in my 54 works.  It is an R22 system rated at 1 1/4 TONS..  I've had the 54 for 6 months having done the deal from the motel room at the spring gathering.  This is a 71K mile original car that I will be keeping original.  Still have some tlc to do and a few things to get working (heater, power brakes, radio, and some front end work).  Details of the saga on the IML 54 page.

Larry Segal's 59 Plymouth has to be seen and driven to be believed.  The exterior and interior of this car are #1 quality!

  Rear details on Steve Carter's 61 LeBaron.  It's for sale.

  Don Grossman's 26K mile 56 Packard.  Still rides on two of the ORIGINAL tires.  You have to see this one to believe it.

Ray Hickey drove down from Huntsville in his 62 Crown, also for sale.

  Bunch of people standing around.  Cant tell who from the thumbnail.  I'll try and get them later.

Elijah Scott (tall one), and Ken Newberry 

Robert Soule's 65 300 with just completed engine rebuilt.  Robert has the best engine compartments on earth!

Tom Nichols  79 Rolls Royce

  Al Kahl drove over in his 51 Packard.  Its also for sale.

Donald Taccone has a bunch of Packards.  This is a 56

Gregg Waggoner drove over in his 68 300 that used to be beige.

Robert Soule and Jeff Carrothers  Crusin'

Mark McDonald and his 68 drove up from Panama City, Fl.

This is Donalds 56 Imperial.

Jeff Carrothers has yet another new toy.  In the past year he has obtained a 56 from Mr. King, a 59 from Mrs. Ruby Ann Glover of Abilene Texas, and this 64.  "Senator" Todd Stennis found this car in southern Mississippi and Jeff picked it up for a song.  The paint has some hail damage and a bad repair but mechanically and interior wize the car is awsome!  We're going to paint it sometime soon and it will be one sweet car. It runs and drives like a dream.

It was very neat having 3 64's and a 65 to compare.  Turns out my mist green 64 has very rare buttons on the front door to release the door storage lids.  The other 64s did not have them.  Turns out mine is a very early car, one of the first 27000 MOPARs produced in 64 and apparently there was a production change to delete the buttons.

  Elijah Scott drove his 71 that he and I painted but this trip he had installed a "new' set of dark blue leather seats to replace the worn fabric seats.  He took a TON of photos including these shots of his car.  We painted it a year ago and it gets better every time I see it as he continues to detail it and make improvements.

Bobby Wickers 64 he bought from Chris Hawkins.  This is the car we 'rescued' Friday night when the ammeter melted.

Laqueta Soule, Sarah Rowe (Elijah's Lady Friend) and Mark Harris brave the cool.

Pete Nacker and his wife Pat drove over from Atlanta.  They were members of the Sacramento Imperial Club before they moved to Hotlanta.  When the ladies went shopping Pat wisely bought a fleece coat.  It was a little chilly when the sun was behind a cloud.

Reporting from Anniston, this has been Kerry Pinkerton for the Imperial News Network.  Join us in April 2002 for our next edition.

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