1st Hoosier Quattro Junta Meeting Report (Long & Late!)

["Douglas Hurst Quebbeman" <dougq@iglou.com>]

I hope QListers everywhere are enjoying the weather this weekend!

Two weeks ago, on a Sunday which provided the same kind of low humidiy, 
lower temperatures, and blue skies we're enjoying today, the first meeting of 
(for lack of a better name) the Hoosier Quattro Junta took place at Flakey 
Jakes in the Indianapolis suburb of Castleton. 

This writer was first to arrive after a spirited journey up I-65, moving along
mostly at 80mph, with a few bursts at 100 to 110mph. Indiana's very excellent,
professional state police (whom I hesitate to call REOs) were in attendence,
but usually busy helping other customers.   :-)

After milling around the as-yet unopened Flakey Jakes's parking lot for a 
while, I was joined first by Briam and Kathy Treml. The three of us got in
line and ordered our meals, and settled down at a table to start discussing
Audis, but not before I managed to insult their alma mater (Purdue U). As
I was kidding, and especially as Brian and Kathy have wonderful senses
of humor, we all laughed that off.

Just as we were wondering if anyone else would show, in came Jose Ceroni
and his wife Seleda and his daughter (one name too many for my poor memory,
sorry Jose!). A little while longer and Rich Burke arrived with his co-worker
and fellow Audi nut, Asad Sharif. Finally, our initial organizer Geoff 
Brumback, sporting a carnuba-wax, silicone & lexol hangover (from celebrating a 
fine deatiling of his '88 model 80) pulled into the parking lot just as I 
stepped outside to count the Audis.

Everyone who was going to show was now in attendance. To Barry J. McCabe, Eric
Furguson, and Jeffrey Woodard, sorry we didn't get a chance to meet you, maybe
next time?

With our junta in power, there was no stopping us (as a Chilean, this was
nothing new to Jose  :-)). We blabbed & bragged about our Audis like kids
back to school on the first day after Christmas vacation, talking about the
new toys we got. Each of us talked a bit about how we got bitten, and about
our first Audis (which many of us still have!). Our table was crowded, but
the camaraderie was great!

Unfortunately, Jose & family had to leave early, so we didn't gt a chance to
go outside and check out his '95 90q, but it looked great from the outside.
Jose came to the U.S. to get a Masters in Engineering at Purdue (another one!),
but somehow ended up getting a Doctrates and a fixation for Audis. He and his
family (and his Quattro) will be moving back to Chile soon. We expect him to
get out there and evangelize Audis in Chile, so five years from now, you should
see the four rings prevailing on the streets of Santiago (not his home, but he
lives not too far away from it). Hail and Well Met, Jose!

After lots more chatting, we adjourned outside to look at each other's Audis.

First stop was Geoff's '88 model 80. My failing memory seems to think Geoff's
car was a blueish-silver, probably wrong. A very clean machine! I was 
particularly jealous of his brand-new radiator overflow tank. The plastic on
these things always yellows, and a new one makes everything under the hood look
newer as well.

My '86 5kcstq was the next stop, fresh from a turbocharger installation. While
suffering an oil leak I forgot to tell anyone about, this was not noticable
during our little suare. Another thing I forgot to mention was the steering 
wheel I'm using, which I'd hoped would get some attention. It's from a 78
Audi Fox GTi, a little larger in diameter than the stock wheel, a chushioned
grip, 3-spoke aluminum job with the Auto Union rings in the horn button.

Brian drove an '87 4kcsq, with one of those very dark blue paint jobs that looks
almost black (is this Helios Blue?). Brian kept apololgizing for how ragged his
quattro looked. Well Brian, if you think that's ragged, you should see my poor
old Coupe.

Last stop was Asad's V6-powered, charcoal black (?) model 100, a 92 or 93
model I seem to recall. A truly nice machine, the fit and finish of Audis
improves with each year. Rich Burke's maroon '88 5kcstq was still in the 
shop, so we'll have to drool over it at the next meeting.

I guess it was around 3:30pm EDT when we said our goodbyes and headed off in
our various directions, mine wrong, as I became disoriented and ended up 
touring the part of I-465 I hardly every see.

Once back on I-65 south, I settled back into a nice 80mph mode. But every once
in a while, some wannabe would come up behind me, forcing me to leave them 
behind at 120mph. But one particular contender left me behind- a white Mister
Two zoomed past me; I worked hard to catch up, caught up, and was preparing
to pass when suddenly THERE WAS THE EXIT FOR THAT 94 OCTANE SUNOCO (sorry for 
shouting, I got excited just remembering it) and I just couldn't pass that up,
since we don't get that good stuff down here in emission testing land.

So, to each of you who made it, I'm glad we got together and met, I sure had
a great time, and I'm looking forward to seeing you all again. It may be some
time before we see Jose and his family again, but best wishes to them! To those
that couldn't make it this time, there _will_ be a next time.

One idea for a next time would be a Fall Foliage Tour through the Hoosier 
National Forest in and around Brown County. But I think we should do something
before then, maybe a picnic at The Dunes or something.

Additionally, I'd like to suggest that we try to hook up with Dennis Turner,
who like me, is a member of the Quattro Club USA, and is the regional contact
for the state of Indiana. Brian, Dennis lives in Mooresville, his # is 
831-6817, a local call for you; you might print out this message and drop it
off to him, as I haven't found an e-mail address for him. But if he tries to
sign you up to the QCUSA, pleae put _my_ name down on the application form as
the referring member (we have a contest going on).

Well, that's enough rambling in this message... I have one more to write!

>From Sunny Southern Indiana, this is Doug Q, signing off.....