The parking lot at the San Diego Auto Museum on June 9 looked like there might have been a Volvo club meeting going on! Three 1800 coups, two ESs, and an S70 brought six of the ten members who attended June’s SDVSA General Meeting. The membership seems to hold steady at 57, according to our membership coordinator, Kurt Sievert.

     A comprehensive list of addresses, ’phone numbers and email addresses of Volvo people with unique Volvos and related businesses, who warrant inviting to the VSA West Coast Meet to be held in San Diego on September 10 through 12, was submitted by Dave Hunt.

     Bob Brassard’s persistent negotiations with Wes Hinkle’s South County Volvo (formerly Wescott Volvo) paid off as he revealed at the meeting that the dealership has made an agreement with National City’s Chamber of Commerce to make Volvo the featured marque at the 14^th Annual Automobile Heritage Day in 2005! This makes it essential for our club to put on a good appearance this year, to give the dealership confidence of our commitment! More about that later.

     We had scheduled another one of SDVSA’s famous Annual Swap Meets in August, but with the new urgency of the Heritage Day and all the work left to do in making the West Coast VSA Meet a success, we decided at the meeting to postpone the Swap Meet until Saturday, November 20 this year.

     Our esteemed Chapter Coordinator, Russ Orrell won Bob Skoog’s 50/50 raffle of $25. Russ applied $20 to his next year’s dues, and donated the remaining $5 to the club treasury. Thank you Russ! We always need money.

Driving by 632 Main Street, the address of Ramona Vintners Cellars in Ramona, we noticed a ”closed” sign in the window, obviating one stop on our trek. Onward instead to Dudley’s Bakery in Santa Ysabel! We were hoping for more cars to join us here, but we saw neither hide nor hair of more Volvos – or any Sunbeams. Lingering with our classic Volvos, while enjoying coffee and freshly baked pastries, a stranger and his wife told us about their 5 month trip through Europe in a factory new ’68 1800S. Alas, too many problems with the SUs (Strombergs (?)) forced the sale of the car. At 11:30, we headed out for the short journey to the Menghini Winery, which included a stretch of windy, Wynola Road. Arriving at the winery, we were pleased to see only minor damage to a tree line on a ridge to the north from last fall’s firestorm. In preparation for a local area winery wine tasting the next day, Mike had rigged up several shade canopies of which we were invited to take advantage. Russ and Debbie Orrell arrived in their son’s 240 just in time for Russ to show his prowess in starting a BBQ. A few minutes later, Mark and Diane Jankowski, with Diane’s sister, joined us. Dough Gagliardi in his ’65 1800S was the last Volvo nut to join the fray. We spend a pleasant afternoon, enjoying Mike and Toni’s hospitality. For a series of photographs taken by Tom Lamb, and a story on this event, turn to page 7.

     Don’t forget about the 13^th Annual National City Automobile Heritage Day on Sunday, August 1. Contact Bud Harwell to make arrangements to pick up a FREE registration form, either by mail or on the day of the show. As the flyer on page 2 indicates, the deadline for getting on the official entry list and receiving a dash plaque was July 15, but don’t let that stop you from coming. Bob Brassard entered his ES on the day of the show last year, and won second prize in his class! We would like to have at least one each of the 444/544, P1900, 120 and 120 wagon, P1800, S, E and ES, and 140 series cars. Remember, this is a ”dress rehearsal” for next year’s show, when Volvo is the featured marque! This show is in a great location, on the grass with plenty of shade trees. There is continuous entertainment, most of it live, and food at reasonable prices. The whole atmosphere is nice and relaxed. Plan to join us on August 1!