We got this letter from Guy, "The
Kiwi Vanaholic", who lives in New Zealand.
To John,
Secretary for FVC.
Hi and thank
you for letting me know you received my message via the FVC's updated web site
and I like it very much as of the way it has been designed into separated,
designated areas regarding each sector of how FVC is running as a club.
There are some people of
FVC who were extremely helpful towards me to make my trip an enjoyable
experience I'll never forget and since being to America I think of all the
vanners in the states and now as a cyber vanner I've caught up with many via the
net. Of vanners in Florida, I would like you to say hello to Steve Capps - Ice
Man who I traveled with from Washington D.C. in his Ford Econoline to stay at
his home in De Land. Uncle Tony was a hard case guy who I had some fun with and
met his daughter Christie and in those days she drove a green Chevy. Glenn and
Maria Pellath who I met at the 25th Truckin' Nats in Washington D.C. who I
shared some time with, his nick name is Space Man and he had his flip front
spacey van of which this van is on his clubs T shirt, called the Grateful Sleds
of which he gave me one and only a few years ago I had that awesome T shirt put
into a frame which is hanging on my lounge wall amongst other framed vanning mementos.
One special item which adorns my lounge wall is the Long Distance International
wall trophy I was given for my participation at the USA 25th Truckin' Nationals.
I also would like you to say hi for me for now to Agnes and Lew or is it Lou, I
always got his name wrong in my spelling, so it is my fault there and these 2
vanners were magic to let me stay with them and take me to all the things I
wanted to see in there area, of a day at Cape Canaveral, Disney World and to top
off my stay to view the weekly vehicle event at Old Town to breathe in V8 fumes
and see 3 types of panel trucks that you will never see in New Zealand, as they
never came here, being a late 40's Ford Bonus Built, a mid 50's Ford F100 and a
mid 50's Chevy panel trucks. In New Zealand we on got the '40 Ford and the late
40's Ford Jail Bar panel trucks which are now a rare find down here to be
snatched up by rodders or of late one of my club members is totally rebuilding a
Ford Jail Bar panel truck.
Of the above mentioned
panel trucks I saw at Old Town with Lou and Agnes these models only came to New
Zealand as pick up trucks or as a one off, coach built hearse, of which now our
hot rod mates have realised a hearse body is just as rare and now we have a
dedicated hearse followship to customize them.
I thought Steve Capps had
got married to his bride, Lisa some time ago as I met his son Cale on my travels
in the convoy to Florida from Washington D.C. and I knew about Ice Man as Agnes
told me a minor thing or two of why he went away for a visit away from Florida
and told Agnes to say hi for me in those past years and I wish him well for the
future.
John, you
can print this and pass it onto the above mentioned vanners of FVC as I have 2
flip flap photo albums of my trip and of those vanners who took my photos for me
on my old pocket camera, they all came out and are treasured mementos of my
magic adventure to America and one day I'm returning to meet everyone again as
well as meet new vanners.
As in my message I've had
my hands full with things here with having a guide dog to keep me, a partially
sighted vanner independent as I've lived alone since Xmas of '92 and still
single and free at the tender age of 46 and yearn to find a loyal lady who would
love to share my vanning life and drive me in my big radical van, which is a
1976 Bedford CF Jumbo, the long wheel base version of my first van which was
also a 1976 Bedford CF small wheel base van, these vans are box vans in similar
shape to the early 70's Chevy vans, as both made by General Motors, the Bedford
being of English origin and your Chevy from America.
I showed Ice Man, Space
Man, Agnes and Lou photos of my first Bedford van, it was white and named
Cloudbuster of my sky bound hobbies which has gone to vanning heaven as it died
of cancer and I put all of it's custom parts that were salvaged into the long
wheel base Bedford I've designed it's body panels from my ideas in card to be
reproduced onto sheet steel and this vans name is Andromeda to continue my
spacey theme.
Lastly I
shall write a story in two parts for inclusion into the FVC Newsletter if it is
still published on paper and sent to club members as well it can be enclosed
amongst the same newsletter on your clubs web site and all I need to know is the
web site to send my articles and photos too. is it to Agnes or to you, John the
club secretary.
Hey guys and girls who
read this I shall say bye for now and tend to my 9 year old guide dog to give
him a walk as he has been patient to wait for me to finish this letter and
Justin, my dog is a magic mate who will soon receive a veteran vanners badge, of
10 years in New Zealand vanning and of me I've been in vanning for 20 years as
it's a brother and sisterhood for life as once vanning is in your veins, it's
there for life.
Keep On
Vannin' ,
From Guy - " The Kiwi
Vanaholic ", of New Zealand.
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Another letter from Guy 3/8/2007
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