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#1 |
![]() Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Arcadia,OK
Posts: 3,385
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![]() YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST, ON THE ZR-1 NET REGISTRY FORUM! Jointly sponsored by the ZR-1 Net Registry & Jerrys Gaskets No registration fees, in fact no registration required. No banquet, tee shirts, badges, no waxing or racing or anything else, just bring yourself & pay your own way as you choose. Well then..... what are we showing up for?? The Mercury Plant in Stillwater, OK is closing forever the end of this year. The last vestige of the LT5 birthplace will cease to exist. Even now, there are only a few souls from the LT5 era still work there, as most have moved away since Mercury announced the plant closing. The glue that bonds the remaining few will no longer hold them together. Now is the last moment in time to reunite all the LT5 team members, Lotus, General Motors/Corvette, Mercury and RK Machine. "Wait a second" you say, "What is RK Machine? I never read about RK in the HOTB book!" Some would say he is the missing link, but that has other, not-so-nice connotations, so lets use the "missing chapter." Seriously, this will be a reunion of the Lotus, GM, Mercury & RK Machine employees who were directly employed on the development and manufacture of the LT5 engine. This "event" is for them. We just get to mingle in their reunion and help to celebrate their accomplishment. If there is anything I have learned from inviting these folks to attend the reunion, it is this; The LT5 Program was the highlight of their entire professional career. So, please come to Stillwater, OK, August 5th, 6th & 7th for their Reunion. The schedule is subject to some adjustment, but is essentially correct. Aug 5th: 6PM ~ ?? Willie's Saloon, Stillwater. Social hour(s) ![]() Aug 6th: 10AM ~11:30AM, MerCruiser Plant, Stillwater. Informal gathering of ZR-1 Corvettes. 1PM ~ 5:30PM, RK Machine & Museum, Ripley, OK. Tours guided by the man hisself, Rick Kirk. You won't want to miss this! 5:45PM ~ 6:30PM, Photo Shoot at the MerCruiser Plant. For everyone. Plan is to have Mercury group, Lotus Group, GM Group and RK Machine, then the entire Team. Then, we will take photos of the ZR-1 folks. 6:45PM ~ 8:30PM, Cherokee Strip BBQ, Stillwater. :thumbs: 8:30PM ~10:30PM , Outlaw's in Stillwater for the Willie's Cup Final Match. Willie's Saloon no longer has a shuffleboard, so we've moved down the street for the big match.:rock: Aug 7th: 7AM ~ 9AM, Boom A Rang Diner, Stillwater. Farewell coffee & breakfast. The diner is closed to the public, so this is our own private deal! ![]() Lodging Accomodations: The reserved block rate is over and the last word I received from a late comer is the hotel is now full and rooms are hard to find in Stillwater. Who of the LT5 Gang will be there? Here's the list as it exists today. Gary Cline, Mercury Senior Manufacturing Engineer************ Unable to attend Graham Behan, Lotus LT5 Chief Engineer********************YES Geoff Jeal, Lotus Calibration Engineer********************** YES Dave McLellan, GM Corvette Chief Engineer******************Declined Jim Minneker, GM Corvette Vehicle Integration Engineer*********Declined due to job requirements Roy Midgley, GM Small Block Chief Engineer******************YES Gib Hufstader, GM Engine Systems Design Engineer************ No, conflicting schedule Jack Underwood, GM Chevrolet Media********************** Invited, pending Tim Holland, Lotus Calibration Engineer/Record Run************ Invited, pending Bud Agner, Mercury Plant Manager************************ YES Steve Campbell, Mercury LT5 Project Manager*************** Cancelled due to job Chris Allen, Mercury LT5 Assembly Supervisor****************YES Greg VanDeventer, Mercury******************************YES Scott Skinner, Mercury**********************************YES Ed Barton, Mercury Machining Supervisor******************* YES Debbie Thurman, Mercury*******************************YES Brian White, Lotus & Mercury**************************** YES Rick Kirk, RK Machine********************************** YES Larry Banning, GM LT5 Project Engineer******************** No Contact Pam Eacker, Mercury LT5 Engine Assembly****************** YES Mary Brake, Mercury LT5 Engine Assembly****************** YES Terry Deere, Mercury LT5 Parts Procurement**************** YES Jerry Schmidt, Mercury Assemby/Machining Facilities Engineer* YES Darla Bradley, Mercury LT5 Project Bill of Materials Admin******* YES Bill Kepple, Mercury LT5 Engine Internal Block Assembler******* YES Dewayne Sharpton, Mercury LT5 Engine Tester***************** YES Kim Trunk, Mercury LT5 Administrative Assistant************** YES Marguerite Munoz, Mercury LT5 Engine Cam Timing Assembly**** YES Ken Brake, Mercury LT5 Project Maintenance***************** YES Keith Schmidt, Mercury LT5 Process Documentation************ YES Dennis Schultz, Mercury LT5 Manufacturing Engineer*********** YES Bob Larson, Mercury LT5 Manufacturing Engineer************** YES Larry Miller, Mercury LT5 Project Admin********************* YES Billy Furrh, Mercury LT5 Assembly & Shipping Prep ************ YES Dale Tanner, Mercury LT5 Assembly*********************** YES Jose Gonzales, Mercury LT5 Machining ********************* YES There are so many stories when you get a couple of these people started talking. Just imagine this group... PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON ATTENDING SO I CAN TRY TO MAKE SPACE RESERVATIONS . EMAIL ME jerry@jerrysgaskets.com
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Jerry Downey JERRYS LT5 GASKETS & PARTS http://www.jerrysgaskets.com 1994 ZR-1, Black/Black, Lingenfelter Aerobody, 416cu in, 3.91 gears, coil-over susp, Brembo brakes, etc. 2016 Black-Red, 3LT-Z51 Auto 8-speed. Last edited by A26B; 08-04-2011 at 12:03 AM. |
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#2 |
![]() ![]() Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: pittsburgh
Posts: 4,633
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I would love to know more about R.K's involvement with the LT5. first time i heard about them was on "rides"
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It's not the car, it's the people - Doug Johnson 90 r/r "KEYS ON" nick named "T.L.B" |
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#3 |
![]() Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Arcadia,OK
Posts: 3,385
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Come on out Kevin. Rick will tell you more than you can imagine, plus some!
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Jerry Downey JERRYS LT5 GASKETS & PARTS http://www.jerrysgaskets.com 1994 ZR-1, Black/Black, Lingenfelter Aerobody, 416cu in, 3.91 gears, coil-over susp, Brembo brakes, etc. 2016 Black-Red, 3LT-Z51 Auto 8-speed. Last edited by A26B; 07-06-2011 at 12:16 AM. |
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#4 | |
![]() ![]() Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: pittsburgh
Posts: 4,633
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It's not the car, it's the people - Doug Johnson 90 r/r "KEYS ON" nick named "T.L.B" |
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#5 |
![]() Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Pineville, LA
Posts: 586
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Jerry,
This sounds great and I'm planning on attending that isn't a bad haul for me at all. Hopefully work won't get in the way.... Daniel
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[COLOR=black]Daniel McGuffee [/COLOR] [B]1989[/B] Red Coupe #10166 [COLOR=black][B]1989 [/B]Black[/COLOR][COLOR=black] Coupe #23990[/COLOR] [COLOR=black][B]1991[/B] ZR-1 White #1639[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]FRANK APPROVED ZR-1[/COLOR] [B][COLOR=red][COLOR=black]1996[/COLOR] G[/COLOR][COLOR=blue]rand[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]S[/COLOR][COLOR=blue]port[/COLOR][/B] [COLOR=black]Coupe #564[/COLOR] ======================================== "It's not about the car, it's about the people..." DJ Don't forget to support your [URL="http://corvettemuseum.com/"]National Corvette Museum[/URL]!!! |
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#6 |
![]() Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: San Antonio area
Posts: 1,179
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Count me in - Mary too ...
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“Buy the best example of what you want, and pay whatever it takes. That way, you cry only once.” ~ Bruce Meyer |
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#7 |
![]() Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Sudbury, Ontario. Canada
Posts: 1,538
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Wish I could but that's right when my family is coming over.
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1991 #1516 Black/Black davidmkelly.com "Speed is often confused with insight." - Johan Cruijff |
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#8 |
![]() Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Palm City, Fl
Posts: 32
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Wow,
Should be a GREAT event. Surely wish there was some way I could make it but it's not going to happen for me. ![]() |
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#9 |
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Sin City
Posts: 149
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Looks like that weekend is open for me as well...and a very short drive from up here in KS.
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[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]1991 ZR-1 #128 |
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#10 |
![]() ![]() Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Grand Island NE
Posts: 1,512
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Email sent
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Dennis Fierstein 90 ZR-1 #2562 Atomic-Z ZR-1 Net Registry Chairman of the Board ZR-1 Net Registry Treasurer |
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