Luke Judge

With one of its two Long Island dealerships closed, gasoline prices down and the newness of its cars worn off, Smart USA has been struggling with slumping sales. Now comes some good news for dealers and for Smart owners who might want a bigger one: the company plans about a year from now to introduce a second, larger model.

Through September, sales of the two-seat Smart ForTwo nationally are down by 62 percent from a year earlier, to 4,779. Out of more than 100,000 new vehicles registered on Long Island in the same period, only 37 were Smart ForTwo coupes, hatchbacks or convertibles — 34 percent fewer than a year earlier, according to the auto data company R.L. Polk.

The Smart dealership in St. James closed in January; the remaining Long Island store is in Roslyn and there is another in Manhattan.

The upcoming new model, a five-door hatchback, is to be designed jointly with Nissan under an agreement between Nissan and the Penske Automotive Group, which owns Smart USA. The Smart is produced in France by Daimler AG.

An electric-powered version of the ForTwo is due out next month, with the first 250 for lease only and more in 2012 for general sale.

Smart owner John Sheehan, a 66-year-old retired Air Force employee, helped organize an owners’ rally in Kansas City, Mo., earlier this year and drives an ’09 model. Sheehan said, “The key to this car is people need to drive it. A lot of people have perceptions about the car as too small or not safe because they have never actually gone on a drive in one.”

The brand’s best year was its first, 2008, when gasoline prices soared to more than $4 a gallon and 24,622 Smarts were sold nationally.

There indeed have been safety concerns about the ForTwo. While the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the private Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rate the car highly for its protection of the driver in a frontal impact, their tests simulate a crash into a wall or a head-on crash with a car of similar weight.

But virtually every other car or truck on the road weighs more than the 1,800-pound ForTwo. In a head-on test crash with a Mercedes-Benz C-Class conducted by the insurance institute in 2009, the Smart went airborne and turned around 450 degrees.

Smart USA spokesman Rick Bourgoise in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., said the 2011 ForTwo, to be unveiled next month at the Los Angeles Auto Show, will have eight air bags, twice as many as the 2010 model, with the addition of knee and head curtain units.

The 3-cylinder, 70-hp. car requires premium gasoline but attains an average of 33 mpg in city driving and 41 mpg highway, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

As an investment, though, the ForTwo has turned out not very “smart.” Alec Gutierrez, lead analyst for vehicle valuation for the Kelley Blue Book used car price guide, says a 2008 ForTwo has retained only 57 percent of its value, while its most direct competitor, the Mini Cooper retains 68 percent of its original price as a trade-in. “That’s a significant difference,” he said.

Bourgoise says the total number of dealerships nationwide, including Puerto Rico, has stayed fairly constant — now at 78, with some new ones opening to replace those that shuttered.

***

To see more of Newsday, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to newsday.com

cars Collectables frontal impact, gasoline prices, highway traffic safety, john sheehan

York County

Sept. 24

York Bike Night presented by Harley Davidson will be 6 to 10 p.m. Sept. 24 in Continental Square in downtown York. The street party will feature a 2,000 motorcycle parade, live entertainment on three stages and food vendors. Antique bikes will be on display on the first block of North George Street, where visitors may place monetary votes for the People’s Choice Award. Entertainment on three stages will include Smokin Gunnz, American Posse and Rock Candy. West Market Street, from Pershing Avenue to Queen Street; Beaver Street, from West King to West Philadelphia Street; George Street, from King Street to Philadelphia Street; and Pershing Avenue from West King

Street to West Philadelphia Street; will be closed 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. for the event. Parking on those streets will be restricted starting at 4 p.m. For more information about the event, call 848-9339 or visit yorkcity.org and click “Special Events” under the menu on the left.

The Motor Menders Rod & Custom Cruise Night will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Sept. 24 at the Markets of Shrewsbury, 12025 Susquehanna Trail in Shrewsbury Township. Rain date is the next Friday. Registration is a $1 donation. All vehicles are welcome. The event will feature three trophies, dash plaques, a 50/50 drawing, and “Music Memories of Rickie K.” Future cruise nights will be Oct. 22 and Nov 6. The November event will include a toy run to benefit a local charity. Registration for the toy run is $8 or a new toy. For more information, visit clubs.hemmings.com/motormenders.

Sept. 25

The Mason Dixon Truck & Tractor Pull will be 5 p.m. Sept. 25 at 6988 Delta Road in Peach Bottom Township. Participants must register in advance. Pit passes are $5. Admission is $6 for spectators and free for children under 6. Registration is $15 per class. Local 4x4s and semi trucks are welcome. Visit masondixonpulls.com for classes and rules. Bleacher seating is limited; spectators are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets. Food and drinks will be available. Call 456-7491 for rain cancellation information the day of the show. Event sponsors are Moxley’s Truck Equipment Division, Delta Gas and Susquehanna Truck Service.

The Auxiliary to Lutheran Social Services, Shrewsbury Chapter will hold its annual Village Fair and Antique/Classic/Custom car show from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 25 at the Shrewsbury Lutheran Retirement Village, 200 Luther Road in Shrewsbury. Registration and admission for the car show are free. For more information, call 244-5820.

Glenview Alliance Church will host a free Biker Breakfast from 8 to 10 a.m. Sept. 25 at 10037 Susquehanna Trail South in Springfield Township. For more information, visit glenviewcma.org/biker.htm.

The Septemberfest Car Show will be 11 a.m. to dusk Sept. 25 at the former elementary school off Route 116 in downtown Spring Grove. Registration is free. Awards will be given at 4 p.m. The event will include games, vendors, food, music and fireworks. The event benefits Friendship Volunteer Fire Company. For more information, call 225-6936 or 757-1544.

Toyota will sponsor Smithsonian Magazine’s sixth annual Museum Day, which includes free admission to the York County Heritage Trust Sept. 25. The car company

is sponsoring the event on behalf of its redesigned 2011 Avalon. For each visitor who asks about the vehicle online, Toyota will donate $1, up to $10,000, to museum programming nationwide. For more information, visit smithsonian.com/museumday.

Sept. 26

Jim & Nena’s Pizzeria will host a Car and Bike show from 2 to 5 p.m. Sept. 26 at 4720 Carlisle Road in Dover Township. No registration fee or club membership is required. The event is open to all classes. Dash plaques will be awarded to the first 50 cars. Three trophies will be awarded by people’s choice, and three will be awarded by the owner of the pizzeria. Also, one motorcycle trophy will be awarded. The event will include door

prizes, oldies music and a 50/50 drawing. A future car and bike show will be Oct. 24. For details, call 432-8147.

A Car, Truck and Motorcycle Show will be at noon Sept. 26 at Laurel Fire Co. No. 1, 94 Schoolhouse Lane in Windsor. Registration is $10 per vehicle. Admission for spectators is free. A motorcade around town will be at 3 p.m., followed by an awards presentation. The event will include a couples’ horseshoe-pitching contest. The entry fee for the horseshoe contest is $10 per couple. The top three teams will receive gas cards. The fire company will offer refreshments at 11 a.m.

Oct. 2

Union Fire & Hose Co. No. 1 of Dover will present the third annual Cruise-In Car Show & Yard Sale from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 2 at 30 East Canal St. in Dover. Vehicle registration is $5 in advance or $8 from 9 a.m. to noon the day of the show. Cars, trucks and SUVs of all years are welcome. Dash plaques will be given to the first 100 entries. Also, retired fire trucks will be on display. The fire department will offer food and drinks for sale, including breakfast from 7 to 10:30 a.m. The show will include a 50/50 raffle and “rip-offs.” For more information about the car show, call Roger Flohr at 292-1493. For information about the yard sale, call 292-3222.

Oct. 3

A Paradise Pizza Car Show will be 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 3 at Paradise Pizza, 4265 N. Susquehanna Trail in Conewago Township. The event is open to all classes. Registration is free. Dash plaques will be given to the first 25 cars registered. Best of Show, Runner Up and Paradise’s Choice trophies will be awarded. The event will include drawings, door prizes, food and music. For more information, call 268-8100.

Oct. 9

Motor Menders Rod & Custom Car Club will present its Sonic Cruise Night from 4 to 8 p.m. Oct. 9 at 3111 Cape Horn Road in Red Lion. All vehicles are welcome. The event will feature three trophies, dash plaques, 50/50 drawings and the “Music Memories of Rickie K.” For more information, visit clubs.hammings.com/motormenders.

Oct. 17

Canceled: The York Antique Car Club‘s Sunday Cruise In Oct. 17. at the Ice Cream House in Red Lion has been canceled.

Ongoing

Each Monday at 7 p.m., Sam Auxier Jr. will host the biggest Legends in Drag Racing at dragracersreunion.ning.com.

The Sonic Weekly – a car, truck and motorcycle show that includes all makes and models – meets 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays at Sonic Drive, 3111 Cape Horn Road in Windsor Township. The event occurs providing there is no snow, ice or bad rain. To learn more, visit midatlanticcustoms.com.

The Pennsylvania Motorcycle Safety Program offers free motorcycle safety classes. Class schedules are available online at pamsp.com. Students who successfully complete the knowledge and skills test will receive a motorcycle license from the state Department of Transportation. A motorcycle permit from PennDOT is required to register for a class. Motorcycles and helmets are provided for the Basic Rider Course.

Sept. 26

Littlestown Eagle Riders F.O.E. No. 2226 will present a Bike Show from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 26 at 427 Mengus Mill Road outside of Littlestown. Registration is $10 per bike in advance or $12 per bike 10 a.m. to noon the day of the show. Spectator admission is a nonperishable food item. The show will include food, music, vendors, bike games, kids games, a burn-out pit, a rock-climbing wall, raffles, door prizes, and calendar models. Proceeds will benefit local food pantries, the Red Cross in Pennsylvania and Carroll County Food Sunday in Maryland. For more information, call Tony Rivera at 410-259-5360.

Oct. 23

The Cruisin’ to Grant Wishes Auto Show will be 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 23 at Boyds Bear Country, 75 Cunningham Road, south of Gettysburg. All wheeled vehicles are welcome. Registration is $10 per entry. Prizes will be awarded. The event benefits the Make-A-Wish Truck Convoy for Wishes. For more information, call 225-1910, e-mail , or visit boydsbearcountry.com or truckconvoyforwishes.com.

Sept. 25

The second annual Wyatt’s Run Motorcycle Ride to benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Pa will begin 6 a.m. Sept. 25 at the High Street V Twin, 1005 Briarsdale Road in Harrisburg. The event honors the son of David and Jerie Engle. The Engles were guests of Hershey’s Ronald McDonald House for 24 days while their son gained strength in the NICU at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital. Participants will arrive at two possible destinations – Statesville, N.C., or Savannah, Ga. – on the evening of Sept. 25. Riders who return by 6 p.m. Sept. 26 to the Hershey Ronald McDonald House, 745 West Governor Road in Hershey, will be in the running for three grand prizes. The grand prizes will be awarded to the riders who raised the most donations. To register, e-mail your name and phone number to or call 497-8807. To learn more about Ronald McDonald House, visit rmhc-centralpa.org or call 533-4001.

Sept. 26

The Zembo Shriners annual Car & Motrocycle Show Fundraiser will be 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 26 at 2801 North 3rd St. in Harrisburg. Admission is free. The event will include oldies music by DJ Vicki, food and beverages available for purchase, raffles and door prizes, Zembo clowns and Zembo Units. Registration is $12 from 8 a.m. to noon. For registration forms, look under “upcoming events” at zembo.org. The first 150 registered vehicles will receive a dash plaque. All vehicles are welcome. Proceeds benefit the Zembo Shrine.

Oct. 6-9

The Hershey Region and Antique Automobile Club of America will present the AACA Eastern Regional Fall Meet beginning at 7 a.m. Oct. 6-9 in Hershey. Admission is free. Organizers expect 1,300 show cars, 9,000 flea-market spaces and more than 750 cars in the car corral. Events include old-time movies at 7 p.m. Oct. 7, the race car condition run 11 a.m. Oct. 8 and the Hughes High-Wheeler event Oct. 8. RM Auctions will host a vintage motor cars auction Oct. 7 and 8 featuring memorabilia and about 120 vehicles. Auction highlights include a 1906 Franklin Model G Touring. Junior at Hershey, for AACA youth 15 years old and younger, will present a program at 2 p.m. Oct. 9. For more information, visit hersheyaaca.org or call 566-7720 or 534-1910.

Antique Automobile Club

The following exhibits and events will be at the Antique Automobile Club of America Museum, 161 Museum Drive in Hershey. Regular admission is $10. For details, call 566-7100 or visit aacamuseum.org.

Through May: The Two-wheeled Treasures Dennis Carpenter Collection. The exhibit displays 28 motorcycles, scooters and motorbikes.

Sept. 24 to Jan. 31: Ash & Maple Marvels: Wood Bodied Vehicles 1914 to 1953 Sept. 24 to Jan. 31. The exhibit will offer more than two dozen examples of “woodies,” including 1930s and 1940s station wagons made famous by California surfers; a 1914 Hahn Huckster truck built in Hamburg, Pa.; vehicles by major manufacturers such as Dodge, Ford, Chevrolet, Mercury, Plymouth and Buick; and uncommon vehicles from companies such as Packard and Pierce Arrow.

Sept. 26: The Matchbox Collector’s Toy Show will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 26. All the toy cars will be for sale. The event, hosted by Diecast Exchange, will present 40 vendors showcasing toy cars from the entire history of Matchbox, from the first car in the 1950s all the way through to present-day toys. Included will be a limited-edition truck with camper specifically decorated for the show and limited to 150 pieces. A special $5 admission will be offered the day of the show. An early admission plan to visit the vendor booths will be from 6 to 9 a.m. for $20 per person.

Oct. 4-7: Two Rare Willy-Knights Great Six Plaidside Cars from the Al Giddings Collection will be on display. Both vehicles are from 1930. Giddings is a director, producer and cinematographer known for his undersea camera work for films such as “The Deep,” “For Your Eyes Only,” “The Abyss” and “Titanic.”

Oct. 4-10: Automotive artist David Snyder will display paintings and prints. The artist will also demonstrate his technique at the museum as he works on a new painting. Snyder’s art displays America’s car culture from the 1950s through the muscle-car era. Paintings and prints will be available for purchase. For more information about the artist, call 513-722-9608 or visit davidsnydercarart.com.

June 11, 2011

The Grand Ascent at Hershey will be June 11, 2011 at the Hershey Hotel Hillclimb course. The event will showcase vintage sports and race cars in demonstrations and runs. The event is a fundraiser to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, The Antique Automobile Club of America Museum and the AACA Library and Research Center.

June 11-12, 2011

The Elegance will be June 11-12, 2011, at the Hotel Hershey and Gardens. The event is limited to 75 vehicles, and organizers promise it will “bring together some of the most desired automotive works of art.” The event is a fundraiser to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, The Antique Automobile Club of America Museum and the AACA Library and Research Center.

Nov. 21

The Pennsylvania State Snowmobile Association will offer a snowmobile safety class from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 21 at Hernley’s Polaris in Elizabethtown. For more information, call Doug Bachert at 367-8867 or visit pasnow.org. The class is limited to 30 students.

Dec. 4

The Pennsylvania State Snowmobile Association will offer a snowmobile safety class from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 4 at Akron Fire Company in Akron. For more information, call Janet Auker at 859-5455 or visit pasnow.org. The class is limited to 40 students.

Through October

The Maryland Line Volunteer Fire Co. will hold the Franklin Mint Fire Trucks Raffle through October. Tickets are $1 or six for $5. The drawing will be Oct. 2, and first and second prizes will be awarded.

Sept. 26

The sixth-annual Viva Italia: Concours D’Elegance car show will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 26 at Rash Field on Key Highway in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Regular admission is free, and VIP admission is $75. The all-Italian car and motorcycle show will feature makes including Ferrari, Lamborghini and Ducati. Organizers expect up to 100 exhibiting vehicles. Registration is $75, which includes a VIP ticket. The event will benefit The Children’s Guild, which provides academic and therapeutic services for children and adolescents who are traumatized, autistic or have multiple disabilities. The event is sponsored by Mr. Tire. For more information, visit viva-italia.org or call (443) 413-6020. For more information about The Children’s Guild, visit childrensguild.org.

Share your events and photos To publish information about events related to cars, trucks or motorcycles, e-mail Matt Anderson at or send information to Automotive Events, Matt Anderson, York Sunday News, 1891 Loucks Road, York 17408. Include dates and times, website if applicable, and a contact name and phone number. You may also send photos related to your event. Photos sent by e-mail should be in jpeg format, at least 200 dpi. Include the date and place the photo was taken as well as the names of any people featured prominently in the picture. Identifing the makes and models of vehicles in the photo, along with the names of their owners, can also be helpful. Automotive events run on Sunday and are compiled one week before publication.

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As is the case with most collectibles, refinishing or repainting depends on the vintage of the item in question, and its nature. Typically, repainting a collectible diecast toy lowers its value. Why? There are several reasons.

As things age gradually into antiques, the distance from the age of their creation grows. They travel through time, so to speak, picking up nicks and scratches along the way. For many collectors, this is an accepted process, helping to assign relative value in respect to similar items. For many, it adds an element of romance to the toy. People collect die cast toys not just for their immediate objective value, but also for their symbolism as a connection to the past.

Repainting or refinishing antiques in general is not well received by collectors for other reasons. In most cases, the finish original to the toy is no longer available commercially. and almost impossible to duplicate- even in the unlikely event of finding a perfect match, nothing can duplicate the passing of the years. It’s almost always preferable to offer the toy as is than assume the buyer wants it restored. If that is the case, they would probably do it themselves, or have it done professionally.

The rule of thumb is to gently clean the toy with mild soap and water and a damp rag, allow it to air dry, and immediately wipe it down with a decent gun oil or a light lubricant to prevent rust, if it is cast iron or steel. Alloys and aluminum do not usually need treatment. As with all antiques, when in doubt, leave it alone.

cars Collectables cast toys, damp rag, symbolism

“Oh no, now I’ve done it.” You have just applied to much paint and created huge sagging paint globs to your once perfect model. That perfect contest winning finish you were hoping for is now a disaster.

All is not lost however. You can fix just about any paint mistake that you have made on your contest model with just a bit of work. With a careful paint sanding technique, you can create a perfect finish.

Using four techniques; paint standing, re-spray, paint polish and wax, you can fix just about any mistake you make. I will show you how to use these techniques to fix your model and bring it back to contest level.

Paint standing is the first technique we will use to correct and over spray or orange peel situation you have created on your model. Orange peel is just extra paint that is applied to thickly and ends up making the surface of your model looked like the outside of an orange. The easiest technique I’ve found to correct this kind of situation is just to use sandpaper to grind off the extra paint. The hardest part of doing this is not to stand into the details sticking out of the surface of your model.

There are many different grades or grits of sandpaper. I basically classify sandpaper into two types, rough and fine. Rough sandpaper comes in grit numbers from 100 to 1000. The lower the number the more course it is. For heavy paint removal I typically use number 320 grit. Fine sandpaper runs from 2000 thru 12000 grit. This fine grit is one secret to getting to a perfect finish.

Sandpaper comes with different kinds of backing. I prefer cloth backing over the cheaper paper backing because generally I use only a wet sanding technique. Wet sanding is where you use water to help lubricate the surface of the model and generally works better for my model paints.

Your first task is to let your paint mistake dry completely. Then start the uneven paint removal with a rough grit sanding being very careful not to sand into any plastic detail of your model. I will cut the sandpaper into very small pieces and hold them or glue them to wooden “tools” to get into small places. I will also use paint thinner to soften paint buildup around detailed areas keeping in mind that you do not want to ruin the plastic.

Once this is done, re-spray paint the damaged area.

Continue this process of sanding and re-spraying until you are satisfied with the finish. At this stage you are now ready to fine sand the paint.

Fine sanding is really the true secret to a perfect paint finish. I work the paint finish by sanding the paint using these grits in order.

The sandpaper I like to use is sandwiched between foam so that it conforms to the surface of the model more easily. Each step uses the wet sanding technique with water. Change your sanding strokes in different directions and try not to use a lot of pressure. At the end of this paint sanding sequence the surface of your model should be very even and smooth. This will bring us to the next step which is polishing the paint.

Paint polish is the next secret to that near perfect paint finish for your contest winning model. I prefer Novus plastic paint polish. I work the paint to a fine mirror finish by using No. 3, No.2, and then No.1 in sequence. This sets you up for the final step which is wax protection.

Wax protection is the final step in and creating your contest winning the model finish.
I use Meguiar’s mirror glaze #26 professional high tech yellow wax. You can find this at any automotive parts store. I apply it with a soft cloth and buff the paint to a showroom finish.

Well there you have it. It is a lot of work but it is well worth the effort. In the end you have fixed your pain problem and come out with a model that has a complete showroom and contest winning finish.

By: Tanya Glenn

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cars Collectables diecast cars collectables