GlassicAnnex

Florida Glassic Reunion March 8, 2017

 

Reunion report by Wayne, the organizer of the 2017 reunion.

The Don Davis weather jinx once again stayed away (reference to the reunions the year before and the year of Hurricane Katrina)  providing an excellent winter Florida ambience on 8 March in Leesburg. Stewart Paquette and his IH (International Harvester) Museum staff have a great setting for Glassic gatherings. The tour of the IH museum was just as enjoyable as the catered luncheon was tasty. The centers of attention were the five Glassics. My brother Dave's and mine were left home, strictly, by accident, thus allowing the gathering of six last year to still hold the record of the most Glassics in one place, since they left the factory. Wait 'til next year say I!

Glassic patches and business cards were handed out to all Glassic owners. Blue Glassic hats were earned by helpers, Ken, Dave, and Wayne. Joel was awarded one and the fifth was door prized to Earl Burns, much to the chagrin of my fellow cheesehead, Peggy Wiswell. I consoled her by pointing out that if she ironed/stitched her patch on to a red hat, it would match the Wiswell Roadster much better.

 May have to slip her a second patch after I get back up to Wisconsin! (Note to Don: all the pictures but one  attached are taken from video segments of each of the attending Glassics/owners. I successfully recorded the full video clips with sound for each attending Glassic. These may have to be sent in separate emails due to clip file size.) Everyone enjoyed reviewing the Glassic cars and materials, especially, the albums. Brother Dave made black/white blowups of the back side of the album that included Jerry Reed and gave them to Roadster owners.

Joel and Don had more stories to tell of Glassics in the making than last year. Joel brought even more pictures than last year of "back in the production days." I recorded names of the people in the photos as best as Joel and Don could remember. Copies of this information are to be forwarded to Don Davis to be added to our website database.

Attendees this year were: David Willkomm #162 Phaeton, Ken Bragg #1089* Phaeton, Wayne Willkomm #141 Phaeton, Joel Faircloth with Don Couch #9999*, Old Yeller Phaeton, George and Dell Mitchell #420* Roadster, Brian and Peggy Wiswell #881* Roadster, Earl Burns and Pat #382* Roadster, Jack Dinsen # 146 Phaeton. Glassics in attendance have stars by their numbers.

It is obvious these events are history in the making. Many thanks to Joel Faircloth and Don Couch for coming and sharing Glassic history. Also, thanks to Don Davis for providing Glassic materials. Thanks to the better half (Peggy, methinks) for bringing snacks to compliment the cheese curds/ woven wheats/bottled water. Finally, thanks to Ken Bragg and brother, Dave, for help in the organizing, plus to Stewart Paquette and crew for hosting.

 

Click on each picture for a larger view.

     

   David Willcomm and Wayne Willcomm

Video clip of this - Car 382 with Earl Burns and Pat

Video clip of this - car 480 with George Mitchell

Video clip of this - car 881 with Brian and Peggy Wiswell

Video clip of this - car 1089 with Ken Bragg

Video Clip of this - featuring Joel and his Glassic # 9999
 
The information below is from the planning stage of the 2017 reunion. It has been left here as a reference

INFORMATION as of 2/7/17

The info here was posted by Wayne on Facebook.

Display/Gift Items for 2017 Florida Glassic Gathering March 8 or 9

Shown in picture are two rare vintage (new in wrapper) vinyl albums of Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed in Jerry's pre-Bandit days which will be on display. Chet was the owner of a Glassic Roadster at the time. They both played guitar and sang on one of the albums.
Also on display will be several new brochures and pictures to add to last years display collection.

Each Glassic owner who attends will receive a blue iron-on Glassic patch (shown) and one lucky owner who brings a Glassic will win the hat in the picture as a door prize. All Glassic owners attending will receive a number of hand-out "business style" cards to present to interested parties.

All of this is due to the generosity of Don Davis, the Annexmaster of the Glassic Annex website.

There is still plenty of time to plan to attend. The primary date is March 8 with 9 as the severe weather backup day. The actual date will be chosen and announced ten days before the event. Please check the Glassic Annex website or prior posting for further details. Hope to see you there. Wayne # 141.
INFORMATION UPDATE as of 2/7/17

Six Glassics are already scheduled to be at the upcoming March gathering. This equals last year's record which, most likely, will be broken for the most Glassics in one place since they left the factory

With the good eats and interesting International Harvester Museum tour, plus having a great contingency plan in the unlikely event of bad weather, it promises to be yet another one-of-a-kind Glassic event.

Lots of time left for Glassic owners/friends to make plans to be on hand come March 8 or 9 at Leesburg.
                          Contact info for the reunion at the bottom of this page
Wayne Willkomm, car 141, organized last year's reunion, and is "at the helm" again for a 2017 reunion.  If you want to see what you missed last year, check out the page from the 2016 reunion.


Picture from the 2016 reunion - click on it to see it larger.
From Don, The Annexmaster:

As of Feb 4, Joel Faircloth, the builder of the Glassics will be attending the reunion this year. This is a rare treat in that he is an amazing guy who is willing to share all of the good and bad of living the American dream.  It is one thing to build a car, but to build a factory full of cars?   Also, special thanks to Wayne for putting this event together. I hope lots of you can attend.

 

This years event is scheduled to be held on March 8 with March 9th as a severe weather backup. A local enclosed building has been reserved if there turns out to be moderate rain either day.
 


The event will be held from 10:00AM to 3:00PM, but this year at the Paquette IH (International Harvester) Why is some of this in PURPLE? Museum just off Highway 44 on the east side of Leesburg FL.

 

Wisconsin cheese curds and crackers, plus soft drinks will be on hand, plus attendees can sign up for a catered barbecue noon meal including sides and dessert. Attendees will be able to take the onsite tour of hundreds of restored IH items from combines/tractors/big rigs to several Scouts on down to refrigerators/kid size toy models.

 

The format will be similar to last year with mostly informal discussions, car looking, and sharing information of pictures/brochures. I will be once again taking video (hopefully improved) of each set of Glassic/owners, plus some of Joel who is Joel?  reminiscing. (Will try to take video of those pictures Joel had with him last year.)

 

Early indications are that two to three times the number of Glassics/owners will attend this special opportunity event as showed up last year.
 

Hopefully, the good weather trend on event day will continue.
 

ANOTHER REUNION WAS HELD IN 2018.
  SEE THAT REPORT
 REUNION 2018