A.M.E.C. Economy Run III - Fonda, NY 8-23-09

[blownb310]

A little history regarding our Adirondack Motor Enthusiast Club. We were incorporated in 1954 [before I was born] and started ice racing cars on Lake George in 1965. The picture below is from one of those races in the late 1960's and depicts one very unusual car in the race. I dug it up because it just dawned on me that if the whereabouts of this car were known today, this car could be an awesome hypermiling machine!


The photo was digitized from 8mm silent home movies that were filmed by Randy Koehler of Castleton, NY. As I understand it, the car on the right was built by three R.P.I. students. The body was made of ash wood. They called it the "Cigar Car". It used a Saab 96 floor pan and running gear and the inner cavities of the body were filled with some type of foam insulation. It is reputed to be the only ice racing car ever built, that would actually float if the ice ever failed.

Looking at it 40 years later, I'd have to say that if you'd put some lights on that thing, you'd have an incredibly aerodynamic pulse and glide machine!

[UfoTofU]

Where's the image?

[blownb310]

Originally Posted by kitaimdao

Where's the image?

kitaimdao, the image's been there from the onset. Anyone else having a problem viewing the image?

Here's the feedback I've received from people who remember the car:

"This car was on a 3 cyl SAAB floorpan, the body was wood strips bent around bulkheads and it had urethane foam around the sides of the driver for crash absorbtion. I only remember it racing one or two weekends (Lake George for sure) so it never had a chance to be debugged. The driver was also a new racer. It was nicknamed "The Bananna". Most people made fun of it, but I thought it was quite inovative."

"I remember this car. We called it the Peach Basket. The wood strips were actually woven to make the body. It was SAAB underpinnings. This car was not particularly competitive as it was very light and would get blown around if there was much wind. Remember it was rubber to ice back the [no studded tires]. It was fun to watch as it would bounce off the snowbanks rather than get sucked in, and if you were following it looked huge when it was sideways across the track."

OK, back on topic. I just thought some of you might enjoy the early streamliner. I'd love to have that car today. I'd swap in a Honda VX engine.

[Matt Herring]

As of right now I'm planning to drive there on Saturday night if anyone wants to split a room. Let me know if you're interested...I haven't checked out any hotels yet so maybe Mike has some suggestions.

[SVOboy]

Darin and I will stay with you. I am speaking for darin without asking him first, but yeah, we'll stay with you. If you wanna show up a bit earlier we can all get dinner and have a jolly time.

[blownb310]

Originally Posted by Matt Herring

As of right now I'm planning to drive there on Saturday night if anyone wants to split a room. Let me know if you're interested...I haven't checked out any hotels yet so maybe Mike has some suggestions.

I live about 75 minutes from there so I haven't stayed at any of the motels in the area. But I simply searched google for :Fonda, NY Motels" and came up with five that are right across the river from the start of the event. They are the Riverside Motel‎, Econo Lodge, Cloverleaf Motel‎, Travel Centers of America‎, and Roadway Motor Plaza‎. Like I said I can't vouch for any of them, but I'd probably look at Econo Lodge first.

Mike

[Matt Herring]

Ben and Darin,

I made some calls to hotels in the Fonda, NY area and below is what I came up with. All of the hotels will allow me to use my AAA discount so it will probably be around 10% off the listed rate. I'm not picky on rooms and we'll only be there for a night so I don't care if we stay at a small place or a bigger place or if we pay the lowest or the most expensive...open to whatever you guys want to do. If we're splitting it 3 ways it should be $25 - $40 each depending on where we stay.

* Riverside Motel (.4 miles from start) - $79 + tax. Small rooms with light amenities. Good reviews on google.

* Econo Lodge (.4) - $72 + tax. Good rooms...poor reviews on google.

* Microtel (5.0) - $103 + tax. Good rooms and amenities. Good reviews.

* Holiday Inn (5.0) - $113 + tax. Good rooms and amenities. Good reviews.

[SVOboy]

Did you ask about which ones have free wifi!?

[Matt Herring]

Haha...I didn't but I'm guessing the Riverside Motel does not have it. It looks like the Holiday Inn has "wireless" for free...guessing that is WiFi.

[SVOboy]

Well, I don't really care either. I guess we can let darin decide.