Eleven staunch Volvoites showed up for our monthly General Meeting on the chilly night of February 11. This time, over half the participants arrived in Volvos. We were happy to see Peter Webb driving his ’67 1800S to the meeting for the first time since he joined the club about a year ago. Peter’s car is an ongoing restoration project, but he is a patient fellow, so the result is going to be spectacular. He recently had all the bodywork done and painted in the original red color -- the makeover black paint literally falling by the wayside! Good choice, Peter. Now, if we can just do something about that grill...!

     The plans for the VSA National West Coast Meet being hosted this year by the SDVSA in September, are slowly taking shape. Jeff Perry is going to create a flyer containing general information and a meet application to be circulated in as many pertinent publications as possible. Promotional products gathering and commitments by commercial establishments are going to be led by Kurt Sievert. If you can lend any help, please contact Jeff and/or Kurt at the addresses in ”The Box” on the Schedule of Events page.

Lee Cordner was the winner of Bob Skoog’s 50/50 Raffle, with $69.50 as prize money. Lee is the president of the Bay Area VCOA, and, living in San Raphael, it’s understandable that he was disqualified because he wasn’t present at the meeting. More of you local members had better come to the meetings, so we can get rid of all this money!

     As promised in the last issue of 1800 NEWS, we include an application to the National VSA in this issue, and we encourage all our SDVSA members to join. Bill Webb’s So. Cal. Western States VSA Chapter is also a worthwhile club to join, as is Dave Hunt’s smaller Orange County Volvo Club (OCVC). We include applications for those local Volvo clubs, too.

      After several false alarms, the first real winter storm of 2004 to hit Southern California on -- you guessed it -- the day of our Temecula Wine Tour! Del Skoog was not very optimistic about a great turnout, as it rained 1.5 inches in three hour at the Skoog’s house in Fallbrook in the morning. But at the Mobil station, our gathering place, four 1800Ss, one C70, two 240s, and one ’62 P1800, cleverly disguised as a Subaru SUV, assembled in the sunshine for the start of another Volvino viniferous trek. Even though we left the gas station 20 minutes after our publicized departure time, two Es, two 1800s, and one 445, chased us down and added to the Volvo throng, as did an Alfa Romeo Milano. 

Our first choice picnic grounds with a view were pretty soggy, so Del opted for an alternate site under ”cover.” Trouble was, it was on a sunny day when she checked out the patio, and she didn’t realize that the ”cover” was a fine screen, allowing most of the rain access! She took a lot of good-natured ribbing for that. All the attendees made it obvious that this event is one of the most popular on the SDVSA’s agenda, all thanks to Del. We want to thank all the participants as well! We’ll attempt to do her, and everyone, justice with a picture article of the tour, starting on page 7.