Club news

The Great rACE

Monday June 22nd:

Lunch @ Will Rodger Memorial Museum Claremore, OK 11:30am

Pit Stop: Dewey Ave. Historic US 66 Sapulpa OK 1:30pm

Overnight: Stockyards City Exchange Ave. OKC 4:30pm

Tuesday June 23rd:

Lunch: National Route 66 Museum Elk City 11:15am

STROUD SUMMER FEST

Thank you James H. for the photos!

A special thank you --

To those cRc members who were able to participate in the Full Circle Retirement Home Show & Shine. The residents had a great time! This event would not be possible without you!

Terry O. - Wayne S. - Ron B. - Lani M. - Richard P. - Kenny - Sam

Friday June 12th:

The new Oklahoma National Guard Museum opens June 12th.

3301 NE Grand Blvd. (own the trail from the railroad museum).

Visit their website by clicking HERE for more information.

"As the current museum focuses heavily on the 45th Infantry Division’s service during World War II, the new Oklahoma National Guard Museum will focus on telling the entire story of the Oklahoma Air and Army National Guard, from pre-statehood to modern times.
In addition to the many new displays, numerous artifacts from the 45th Infantry Division Museum will continue to be on display. There will also be a variety of interactive displays, which will provide more information about Oklahoma National Guard activities than is currently possible."

The Hoffmans participated in the Route 66 Centennial event in Tulsa on May 30th. See their cruise below!

"They had over 5000 cars attend. The old record was 2400 cars! It was great fun. Did about 10 burnouts. The crowd loved it!"

A huge thank you to the club for the well wishes, kind words, and precious gifts as we welcomed our baby girl, Elizabeth ("Birdie"), to the world --and club!! She is so lucky to be cared for by so many. We are so thankful for this too!

With Gratitude, Nick & Nikki

Norman veterans center car show

May 23rd, 2026

Check out the story behind this song below. cRc member James Hileman wrote the lyrics behind this ballad. Great work!

"A 1950's doo-wop heartbreak ballad about loving someone who was already gone before it even began.

He thought one summer night was the beginning of forever. It was the only one. He was playing for keeps. She was just passing through.

─────────────────────────────────

THE STORY BEHIND THIS SONG

─────────────────────────────────

This song was born from a real comment left under one of our videos by James Hileman:

"I was playing for keeps.

You were playing around.

And now silence

is the only sound."

"The road to forever it can fail.

Leaving a broken heart

and an empty veil.

I look and you are gone

as I stare at empty arms

and empty air.

Maybe one day I won't regret.

And then I can forget."

James — thank you for sharing something real. This song exists because of your words. 🇺🇸"

Noble Rose Rock CAR SHOW + Festival

May 2nd, 2026

Thunderbird Casino Car Show : April 18th, 2026!!

crc world hq - 3/21

SURPRISE!!

Family and friends gathered recently for Lani's surprise birthday at BIG Brewing Co. It's safe to say the surprise was a success, and a great time was had by all! See the video below.

Merry Christmas!

We had another successful annual cRc Christmas party this past weekend. Thank you to all who helped set up, clean up, and spread Christmas cheer-- I think all left with full stomachs and full hearts!

We had several great entertainment performances by Jim and Carol Hoffman's daughter, Maya, and her fiancé. As well as the classic resounding tune performed by the Dipsticks. All and all a lovely evening was had.

Several rounds of the fabled bead game were played for the 50/50 pot. Ken Dewbre's granddaughter and Lawrence T. were the last two standing before Ken's granddaughter swept the pot!

HO! HO! HO!

The Norman Christmas Parade was a great success. Despite the cold and foggy weather, the streets were lined with thousands of children and adults.

CRC was well represented with 10 cars, and we all had a great time. Our crew included Ray, Dan, Big Mike, Billy, Lawrence, Terry, Bob from Midway, Richard, and Sam.

Thank you to Jock for sharing this interesting find!

https://wallstreetjournal-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=0b9f49ee1_134fbb8

Jeff Lane, 65, the director of the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville, Tenn., on his 1932 Helicron, as told to A. J. Baime.

have been called the “king of weird” and the “patron saint of oddball cars.” The museum I founded with my collection in 2002 has about 40 one-offs, a bunch of microcars—all kinds of things that, typically, you have not seen before. My background is in mechanical engineering, so while some people love the aesthetics of cars, I find beauty in the technology—the propulsion itself.

I have always been interested in propeller-powered cars. In the 1920s, aviation was in its infancy and airplanes were starting to carry passengers and mail. In 1927, Charles Lindbergh became the first to fly solo across the Atlantic. People were fascinated with airplanes. Some believed that propellers were the future not just of flight, but of cars and trains. A number of real, prototype, propeller-powered cars were produced. The most wellknown was from a French inventor named Marcel Leyat around the time of World War I.

A friend of mine in Holland found the one-of-a-kind 1932 Helicron for sale in 2001. According to the information we have, this car was left in a barn in France for decades and was ultimately found and restored with many of its original components. My friend bought it for us and we have had it at the museum ever since. To me, one of the most fascinating things about the Helicron is that it is a mystery. We don’t know who the builder was. But we are still researching, and maybe someday we will find out.

People see it and think it is a joke, or they cannot believe that the propeller is the only means of propulsion, or they think it is meant to be a flying car. It was designed to be a functional vehicle, and it is a wonderful window into what life was like when it was made. Think of a place like Kansas in the 1930s. It was flat, it had few stop signs, probably no red lights and very little traffic. You could get the Helicron up to 40 mph and off you would go. It runs on normal gas, and it works simply. There is no transmission, no clutch, and no differential. It has a foot brake, and a hand throttle on the left side, like a boat throttle. The throttle is on the side of the car so that if you come upon a hill, and you cannot not make it up, you could jump out and push the car while keeping control of the hand throttle. At the crest of the hill, you jump back in without losing control, so the vehicle would not take off without you.

It has rear steer, so it is a little wobbly. It has no front suspension so it doesn’t like rough roads. And when you are coming up to a traffic light, you want to keep some momentum, if you can.

I take the Helicron on rallies, or sometimes I drive the streets of Nashville around the museum, not far from downtown. When I give people rides, they have a blast, but they can see why this idea did not take off.

The Helicron accelerates like a snail, and it is as loud as an airplane.

The best thing about it? Everywhere it goes, it gives people a moment of joy.

Just from earlier today, Ron Borum sold THE YELLOW MIDGET 2 VAN at Cars/Coffee at Crest. WOW, that has to be a record, in the club, for the fastest bought/sold vehicle.

Here's a video tour if you didn't have the pleasure of seeing it in person.

NEEDED- GOOD USED BOOKS, PAPERBACK OR HARDBACK

In another relatively unknown mini-charity, Marilyn and I have been stocking a free library inside Food and Shelter for about 3 years. While most of the books have come from members of our church, several times when we have needed books, members of the car club have stepped up to donate paperback or hardback books. Over the years, several thousand books have found new homes, as folks use this opportunity to repurpose books they have read and are taking up space.

I am again running low on books to stock the shelves at Food and Shelter, and would love to have some of your spares. You will not get these books back. If you have some to donate, you can bring them in bags or small boxes to the swap meet on THURSDAY, and Dave Saunders will pick them up.

Also, you can let me know you are bringing them in on any Saturday to coffee-call, and I will take them then. Another way we reach deep into the community with our car club-related projects. Thanks Dave S.

Club members had a great time celebrating Lawrence Terry's 94th!

Thunderbird Casino Car Show 9/27:

OU AVIATION FESTIVAL 9/13: sUCCESS!

cRc was proudly represented by a nice variety of vehicles on Saturday, the 13th at the OU Aviation Festival at the Norman Westheimer airport. Everyone left full and happy thanks to the Goldsby pancake breakfast crew. Hats off and thanks to them for a job well done.

For those of you who were fortunate enough to have a generator, starter, and alternator repaired at the little shop on Sunnylane, this posting is for you.

C&P Auto Electric has closed its doors for good. As you know, Dewey Chenault decided a number of years ago to give the business over to his cousin, Christian Chenault, because Dewey wanted to open a little BBQ spot in Moore - - - and so he did. Christian continued their one-on-one approach to business, but they finally made the decision to close their doors about a month ago. What they will do with the zillions of electric starters, armatures, generators, and so on is anyone’s guess.

A little Dave Saunders story….

I had removed the starter from my 1926 Model T Ford and driven up to C&P, and walked through the front door of their shop, with the starter resting on my shoulder and the sun shining brightly behind me. Dewey glanced up from his workbench. I was still 25 feet away, “Is that a Model A or Model T starter?” he asked. At that moment, I knew I had found my electrical shop. We will miss this classic car service in the Moore-Norman area.

The annual Cleveland County Free Fair has become an annual tradition for the Canadian River Cruisers show and shine. It reminds me a lot of the Rose Rock car show in Noble, except not as big.

And super easy to put on, we just show up.

Lots of families come to enjoy the cars, the livestock, eat funnel cake and corn dogs until they wobble, and generally have a wonderful time.

This year, we added the largest and smallest car contest for fun. There is a burgundy 1958 or 1959 Cadillac that looks the length of a school bus that may be a contender this year.

Fine club, fine time. Dave Saunders

A glimpse into the past:

Dave Saunders in high school in 1964 in his 1955 MG-TF 1500. "Yes, we were required as seniors to wear those little narrow black ties".

Food & Shelter Show 7/26 -- Thank you to all!

We would like to thank the following sponsors of door prizes and gifts for this year’s car show; D&B Custom Boots, Boomerang Diner (N Porter), Whataburger (S Classen), Chick Filet (E 12th), Rudy’s BBQ, Ray’s BBQ, Mastertech Automotivee, Dickey’s BBQ, Sonic Drivein (W. Lindsey), Walmart (S Classen), Costa Oil (West Lindsey). We would also like to thank the Noble Farmer’s Market and the Slaughterville Farmer’s Market for the beautiful surprise gift basket and lemon pound cake made by Ann Seeney. We collected $80 in winning bids for these nice gifts, which were in turn given directly to the Blevins family. The wonderful cake was shared by all! We want to thank Norman resident Connie Bailey for her thoughtfulness and skill in making a handmade Christmas throw quilt, which we raffled. The proceeds of this effort all went to the Blevins family. The quilt winning ticket was purchased by Riley Phillips at the Dale Graham Veteran Center this past week. Mrs. Phillips was VERY EXCITED when notified.

Our car show was not as well attended as in the past, despite the moderate weather and the nice venue of Andrews Park. In addition to the gifts for the Blevins family, we collected $3,255, which included our portion of the 50/50 pot, several “give backs” of prize money to the cause, a most generous donation of all the proceeds for meal sales by the Thompson family, owners of Midway Grocery, and a $2,000 corporate matching gift. For the Food and Shelter Veteran Assistance Fund, the club was able to donate approximately $5,255 plus the money we collected for the Blevins family.

Our club greatly appreciates the participation and support of our membership, as well as the many classic car enthusiasts and individual community members.

An Open Invitation to All Canadian River Cruisers to Support the Blevins Family – Help Equip Their New Home.

Dear Canadian River Cruisers,

We’re reaching out with a heartfelt opportunity to support fellow members of our community. As many of you know, our club recently helped a deserving couple—Mr. and Mrs. Blevins—transition from living in a tent at Lake Thunderbird to a newly purchased and furnished tiny home.

Robert, a 49-year-old veteran, and his wife are now happily settling into their new space. About two weeks ago, we invited the Blevins family, who also have grandchildren, to prepare a wish list of items they would find helpful in making their new house feel like home. There were no restrictions on what they could include—just the freedom to share what would bring comfort and joy to their new life.

They have created an Amazon Registry, similar to a wedding registry, under the name Robert Blevins. If you have an Amazon account, especially an Amazon Prime membership, we encourage you to visit the registry and consider sending a gift directly through the platform. The delivery address is securely saved within the registry, so no further action is needed on your part beyond selecting and purchasing an item.

This is a rare and meaningful chance for our club to make a real difference in the life of a veteran and his family. Your generosity, whether large or small, will help fill their home with warmth and essentials.

For those who do not have an Amazon Prime account, we will soon be organizing a Walmart gift card drive as an alternative way to contribute. More details on that will be shared shortly.

Thank you for your continued support and compassion. It’s moments like this that remind us how proud we are to be Canadian River Cruisers.

Sincerely,

Dave Saunders, past President
Canadian River Cruisers

Please find their registry by clicking here.

crc tiny home News!

Our cRc logo proudly hangs beside the front door to the new home of a 49-year-old veteran and his wife. They are expected to move in next week. Before then, the club will bring furniture in for them to have as they leave their tent on Lake Thunderbird behind. The condo has been purchased and renovated by the VA, Food and Shelter, and the cRc car club.

Click through below to see how everything has come together!

click through to see photos of the furnished property!

"This is the fun we didn’t know we needed today! In honor of the start of the Memorial Day weekend at the Indy 500 track, today marked the inaugural running of the Oscar Mayer Wienie 500 race with 6 wienermobiles. In a dog-eat-dog race, twice around the Indy track, the wienermobiles achieved lightning speeds of 60 MPH. There are no ifs, ands, or buns about it; we should all relish such fun. Now go eat a hot dog 🌭!" -Lani M.

T-Shirt distribution day at cRc coffee call at Boomerang Diner! Thank you again Sam and Sheri for facilitating our order.

CRC member Dave Saunders stands beside a brass-era Selden automobile, one from the collection of the late Don Boulton of OKC. Years ago, the CRC was fortunate to have toured his magnificent collection of early motorcars. This one-of-a-kind classic is on display in the Oklahoma History Museum in OKC. Selden manufactured 7,484 automobiles from 1908 to 1914 or about 5 a day. At the time, they were priced at what would be about $85,000 in today’s dollars.

Calling all veterans --

The Veterans Day Parade committee and the Norman Parks and Recreation Department are looking for additional submissions to get another round of names etched into the Veterans Memorial monument wall at Reaves Park.

If you or someone you know are a Veteran and have lived in Cleveland County at some time, you may be eligible to be added. This is for both living and deceased Veterans. s available through Norman Parks Department, or Terry O'Dea can help get you in touch - 405-641-7718.

The names are engraved several weeks before the Norman Veterans parade, where they are honored then.

The memorial's centerpiece is a monolith with bronze plaques that tell the story of the Army, Marines, Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard. Engraved into the base are the names of those from Cleveland County from WWI and onward who were killed in action. On top of the monolith is an eagle carrying the American flag, created by Osage artist Shan Gray.

The 25 panels around the perimeter are for the names of veterans who have lived in Cleveland County for any duration of time. On the ground is a star, with each point representing one of the five branches of the military.

Spring Coffee Call @ Rudy's 3/1:

A new annual event begins.

Welcome cRuisers to a fun new event we plan to do every January 1st beginning with the one that 14 of us did this year. The ultimate destination was the Norman Veteran Center where we staged an impromptu car show in the back parking lot for the residents to see and enjoy. We hope more will consider doing this again on January 1, 2026!!!

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