Rebuilders Win Big at Reception $25,000 in Prizes Awarded By Traci Matt STAFF WRITER Even Ole Blue Eyes wouldn’t have been disappointed with his Lady at the ERA Show reception on Saturday after- noon, May 21 in Atlantic City. Thanks to the generosity of exhibitors, more than 25 attendees walked away with prizes valued from $250 to over $10,000. The catch—each entry was a Bingo card that had to be initialed by someone in every booth on the show floor. Comic Big Daddy Graham served as master of ceremonies. Sports talk radio WIP host and award-winning performing artist and producer, he poked fun at industry guru Dick Vensel and ERA President Mike Schroeder as the JIMCO crew wheeled the grand prize—along with the chained box of Bingo cards—from their booth to the reception area. Paul Rupp, Electrical Rebuilder’s Exchange columnist and technical adviser, had been collecting the cards throughout the day as he discussed on-car diagnostics and testing with rebuilders at the ERE booth. Rupp added to the drama by handcuffing himself to the Bingo card box on the way to the reception. “Polly (Shea) and JIMCO’s idea of having the giveaway cards signed by each exhibitor was met with a little resistance at first?’ said Rupp. “The exhibitors thought they might not have enough quality time to spend with each rebuilder and felt like they were just doing them a favor by signing. The rebuilders first thought they would feel rushed to get each one to sign and a few did not want to talk to some of the exhibitors. However, by the end of the day the exhibitors and rebuilders said they were glad everyone was kind of forced to stop by each booth.” Rupp said one rebuilder finally talked to a supplier he had been avoid- ing for years and mended that fence. Another stopped by a booth he nor- mally wouldn’t have visited and found a $25 part he presently was buying for $75 elsewhere. Now they were all waiting together for the big drawing. But even emcee Graham, who has opened for such entertainment giants as B.B. King, The Four Tops, Dennis Miller, and Ray Charles, wasn’t the main attraction. The real headliner for this reception was the grand prize 25th Anniversary Special Edition test bench donated by JIMCO. According to Carolyn Grube, test bench builders Juan Grube and Scott Scharrer referred to it as the “Mikey and Vinnie Machine, a la American Chopper.” Accumax Auto Parts—$500 Best Buy gift card, Vernon Zimmerman, Weaver’s Repair Shop, Denver, Pa. Alfa Auto Electrique—$250 stators and rotors, Joan Nightengale, Nightengale Auto Electric, Shippensburg, Pa. AMSCO Valley Forge—$250 merchan- dise, Royce Jahnke, Green Bay Rebuilders, Green Bay, Wis. Applied Systems Research— $3,200 ASR AutoData software with modules, Franco Giangrasso, County Carburetor, Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Apptrak Computer Software—(2) $250 software packages, Jim Hudock, Hudock Alternator & Starter Service, Uniontown, Pa.; and Robert Markarian, R&M Rebuilding, St. Laurent, Quebec Boston Auto Electric— $300 2 AL9960LH alternator, Suzanne Thoms, R & M Remanufacturing, Toms River, N.J. D&V Electronics— $250 merchandise, Tasha Nelson, Casse de las Armaduras, San Juan, Puerto Rico DuBois Marketing — (2) $500 merchandise certificates, Brian Boreman, E & W Rebuilders, Burnham, Pa.; and Carol Kuhn, Kuhn’s Equipment Repair, Oxford, N.Y. Electric Motor Service— $500 merchandise, Ron Stampa, Vineland Auto Electric, Vineland, N.J. IMI Performance Products— $250 merchandise, Scott Hamchuk, P & G Instrument, Islip, N.Y. International Automotive Trading — $500 merchandise, Randall Fox, Weaver’s Repair Shop, Denver, Pa. Lester Catalog — $600, (1) Kwikfinder CD subscription, (1) Kwikfinder.net subscription, Mike Relyea, Con-Rel Northwest Regulator— $1,400— NRG/IPM— $250 merchandise, Shawn Quality Rebuilders—$475 new Delco Regitar U.S.A.—$500 power tools, Romaine Electric— $250 DM45 AC/DC Taditel Automotive Electronics— $250 Transmet Corp.— $250 merchandise, Vensel Enterprises— $500 merchan- Wagner Alternators and Supplies — Wetherill/Transpo— $750 VRC1000A JIMCO— $10,000 7.5HP console Marion and Martina Szotak of Quality Rebuilders in Paterson, New Jersey, were the lucky grand prize winners. Marion credits his wife for doing “the whole job” of getting the card filled out by the end of the day. “I was shocked. It was fun but I didn’t expect it. ’’ve never won any- thing,” he said. As if the $10,000 bench was not enough of a contribution, JIMCO added the “bling’—chrome-plated vise parts, polished aluminum tread plate for the aluminum trim and belt guard parts, and a tread plate design on the matting Auto, Schenectady, N.Y.; and Douglas Delahaut, Green Bay Rebuilders, Green Bay, Wisc. 891-CP complete test lead kit, A) Campbell, Avenue M Alternator & Starter, Temple, Texas Llewellyn, Madison Generator, Rochester Hills, Mich. Remy 42MT starter and $250 merchandise, J.L. Fraser Cox, Quinte Alternator, Belleville, Ontario Eddie Omedeo, ACC Rebuilders, Memphix, Tenn.; and Patrick Soliday, Pat’s A